Chapter 24: A Rival’s Reflection

Tadadak—

As soon as the signal to start filming echoed, Myungwoo, playing Shin Woojin, ran down the street with an excited expression.

Today was the day he was supposed to hang out with the girl he had a crush on, Jeon Seohyun, so there was a lightness in his steps as he sprinted forward.

Soon, he spotted Jeon Seohyun and raised his hand high with a bright smile.

But then, he froze, his expression stiffening when he saw a strange boy standing beside her.

“Oh, Woojin oppa!”

Jeon Seohyun, still as beautiful as ever in Woojin’s eyes, waved at him with a radiant smile.

The boy standing next to her turned his gaze to follow hers and looked at Woojin.

“Ah, hello.”

The boy, dressed stylishly and looking like he was from the city like Jeon Seohyun, greeted him brightly. Woojin flinched.

“Ah, you two are meeting for the first time today, right? Say hello! This is Shin Woojin oppa, the first friend I met after I moved here. Oppa, this is my friend, Seo Jaemin!”

“Hello. I’m Seo Jaemin.”

The boy named Seo Jaemin, introduced as Jeon Seohyun’s friend, bowed politely.

Woojin clenched his fists tightly as he looked at Jaemin.

He had dressed up as much as he could to meet Seohyun, but compared to Jaemin—with his fair skin, sophisticated clothes, and calm demeanor—he still looked rustic and plain.

The two of them, standing together, looked like a perfect picture.

To Woojin, the sight seemed to say:

There’s no place for you here.

“Oppa? What’s wrong? You don’t look well. Are you okay?”

As Woojin stayed silent for a long time, Jeon Seohyun took a step toward him with a worried face.

Woojin flinched and took a step back.

“Oppa…?”

Seeing a side of Woojin she had never seen before, Seohyun also flinched slightly.

Woojin looked at her with trembling eyes.

And from behind them, Seo Jaemin was watching Woojin with a strange look.

For a brief moment, Woojin and Jaemin’s eyes met.

And instantly, they recognized each other.

Both of them were rivals—rivals for Jeon Seohyun’s heart.

The moment they realized it, Woojin turned and bolted away.

“Oppa! Woojin oppa!”

Seohyun called out to him in confusion, shocked that he ran off right after she introduced her friend.

“Huh? What’s wrong with oppa?”

“Who knows.”

Jaemin knew exactly why Woojin was acting that way, but he didn’t bother explaining it to Seohyun.

After all, his own feelings were a secret—and he had no intention of doing his rival any favors.

“Hmm, this won’t do. Jaemin, I’m going to go check on oppa.”

“Huh?”

For a moment, Jaemin’s eyes trembled when he saw Seohyun trying to go after Woojin.

He glanced at Woojin’s retreating figure and quickly said in a slightly anxious tone,

“But he’s already gone pretty far. How will you catch up? Won’t it be hard?”

“It’s fine. I know where he’ll go.”

“You know where he’ll go?”

Jaemin bit his lip softly, uneasy at the strange bond forming between them—one that he wasn’t part of.

“Sorry, Jaemin. I’ll talk to Woojin oppa and bring him back. Please wait a bit!”

“What? No, hey, Seohyun!”

But before he could stop her, Seohyun ran after Woojin with a determined expression.

Left alone, Jaemin reached a hand toward her retreating figure but let it drop weakly.

“Idiot…”

He muttered the word under his breath, lowering his head.

Even he didn’t know whether that word was meant for Seohyun—or for himself.

“Okay, cut!”

The filming ended smoothly, and the director shouted “Cut!” loudly.

Laughing, the director looked at Myungwoo, who had dashed out of the frame.

“Wow, Myungwoo! As expected, you never disappoint. Your acting today was amazing!”

“Haha, thank you.”

It was a compliment he often heard, but as always, Myungwoo smiled politely, lowering and raising his head with grace.

Compliments always felt good, and maintaining a humble image helped his reputation too.

“And Inha! You’re great too, as always. You really live up to your name as the top child actress!”

“Thank you.”

Jung Inha replied curtly, her expression composed as ever.

The director wasn’t surprised by her cold demeanor. That little girl only opened up around Kang Myungwoo—she was like this with everyone else.

“And Jo Seungha!”

“Yes, sir?”

Jo Seungha, who had been watching the others get praised with quiet envy, flinched and turned his head toward the director.

He braced himself for another scolding—but instead, the director’s face broke into a wide grin.

“Wow, I’ve changed my mind about you. You’ve improved a lot!”

“Ah, th-thank you.”

Completely caught off guard by the unexpected praise, Seungha bowed with a dazed expression.

The director observed him thoughtfully.

He’s never been praised before, but still… this isn’t how he’d usually react. He’d normally brag about it right away…

Then his eyes flicked briefly toward Myungwoo, surrounded by staff members.

Is it because of that kid?

What had that boy done to change Jo Seungha so completely?

Even Seungha’s parents—and no one else on set—had ever managed that.

Yet this ten-year-old boy had somehow pulled it off.

Thanks to him, the atmosphere on set had improved dramatically.

Honestly, he’d thought it would be impossible to finish the scene in a single take, especially with Seungha in the mix.

But Seungha’s performance had made it possible.

Of course, in terms of skill, Kang Myungwoo was still leagues ahead, but Seungha had held his own.

Whispers spread quietly around the set.

“Wow, Kang Myungwoo’s not only great at acting, but he’s amazing with people too. How did he manage to change Jo Seungha like that?”

“I know, right? His acting’s incredible as always, but the fact that he helped Seungha improve like that? Crazy.”

“Thanks to him, the atmosphere here’s so much better.”

“That kid can do anything.”

Hearing all the talk about Myungwoo and himself, Seungha’s ears turned red and he lowered his head.

Damn it…

Sure, Myungwoo was an amazing actor.

But still—he had improved too. So why was everyone only praising Myungwoo?

Then again… maybe they were complimenting him indirectly by saying he’d changed.

The mix of frustration and confusion was a feeling Seungha had never experienced before.

Myungwoo, who was surrounded by people but perceptive enough to notice, politely excused himself and jogged over.

“Seungha hyung!”

“Huh?”

Startled by the sudden call, Seungha turned his head.

“Hyung, I really saw it this time!”

“Huh?”

Myungwoo grinned brightly and continued.

“Honestly, even if I gave you some advice, it’s not easy to improve that fast. But you did it right away!”

“R-really?”

“Yes! I told you, didn’t I? You’ve got talent, hyung. Real talent.”

“Ha, haha… you think so?”

“I do. Seriously.”

At Myungwoo’s sincere praise, Seungha’s gloomy mood lifted instantly.

Myungwoo smiled warmly at him, then turned toward Inha.

“Inha, don’t you think so too?”

“Me?”

Caught off guard, Inha blinked at Myungwoo.

“Yeah. Don’t you think Seungha hyung’s acting’s improved a lot?”

“Well…”

Truthfully, the most impressive change wasn’t his acting but his attitude.

Still, his performance had definitely improved too.

Inha nodded coolly.

“I guess so. He’s gotten a lot better.”

Hearing that, Seungha’s face flushed red again—this time from pure joy.

To be acknowledged by both his role model Kang Myungwoo and the cold, distant Jung Inha—people he had always wanted approval from—was overwhelming.

He didn’t know how to react, so he just stood there, smiling awkwardly.

“Heh, the kids are getting along well.”

“Should we take a short break before the next scene?”

“Sure. We’ve got time since that scene wrapped up in one take. Let the kids play for a bit and we’ll rest too.”

“Yes, Director!”

The adults smiled fondly at the three young actors as they all took a short break.

***

A little later, filming resumed, beginning again from the part where Myungwoo, as Shin Woojin, had run off.

“Haa… haa…”

He had run all the way to his emotional refuge—the narrow alleyway—and now sat down, panting heavily.

In his mind, he could still see Jeon Seohyun and Seo Jaemin standing together, looking so perfect.

…From the start, I never really thought Seohyun and I fit together.

I’m rough, awkward, and plain, while she’s sophisticated and beautiful—a real city girl.

Still, liking someone isn’t a sin… so I kept my feelings to myself.

But unrequited love always chips away at your self-esteem.

And seeing her next to Seo Jaemin… it crushed what little confidence I had left.

That’s why I ran. Cowardly, shamefully… right in front of her.

Ashamed, humiliated, yet still so deeply in love—Woojin’s emotions tangled painfully together, and his eyes welled with tears.

“Ugh…”

Tears began to drop from Woojin’s eyes.

“Wow, Myungwoo’s crying scene is incredible…”

“As expected of him. I mean, how can a child actor pull off such a powerful emotional scene like that?”

“That’s why he’s called a genius.”

People whispered among themselves as they watched, but Myungwoo didn’t hear any of it.

He was too immersed in his role.

Then, through the sound of his sobs, came the faint sound of hurried footsteps—thud, thud, thud.

Startled, Woojin quickly wiped his tears and stood up.

When he turned around, the girl he had just cried over—Jeon Seohyun—appeared before him, gasping for breath.

“Haa… haa… Woojin oppa!”

Panting from running so hard, she looked up at him. Woojin stared at her, eyes trembling.

“How did you… find me here?”

There was no way her small legs could have kept up with him.

The situation made no sense—he had to ask.

And immediately, he regretted it, feeling guilty for demanding an answer from someone already exhausted.

“Haa… isn’t it obvious?”

“What is?”

“That you’d be here, of course!”

Seohyun smiled brightly at him.

For a moment, Woojin felt as if she were shining.

He took an involuntary step back, his heart racing.

It was the exact moment Shin Woojin fell for Jeon Seohyun all over again.