Chapter 26: The Face from a Past Life

“Cut! Good work, everyone~”

After filming all the remaining scenes featuring child actors, Myungwoo’s shoot finally ended.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

“Good job, everyone~”

“You worked hard!”

The sound of greetings echoed from all around as people exchanged thanks.

Myungwoo joined in, smiling brightly as he bowed to those nearby.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“You too, good work.”

Jung Inha and Jo Seungha followed closely behind him like little chicks trailing after their mother, bowing and greeting people as they went.

While people smiled warmly at Myungwoo and Inha’s greetings, most looked either startled or awkward when it came to Seungha’s turn.

Damn it…

Seeing with his own eyes how differently people reacted to him, Jo Seungha clenched his fists tightly.

But what could he do? 

He had brought this reputation upon himself.

If I do well from now on, things will change.

Right, he was still young. 

If he behaved properly starting now, the bad impression he’d made as a child actor could still be erased.

Then maybe, he could also greet people with the same warm smile as the boy in front of him.

Seungha’s eyes shone as he stared at Myungwoo, who was being warmly received by everyone.

“Hey, at this rate you’re gonna burn a hole through his back.”

Jung Inha, who had been watching him, said teasingly.

“What?”

“Nothing. You’re just staring at Myungwoo oppa way too hard. Still feeling jealous of him?”

“What are you talking about? Jealous? Of what?”

“But you were, at first.”

“Ugh…”

Unable to refute her, Jo Seungha frowned.

It was true that he’d treated Kang Myungwoo horribly in the beginning, but he didn’t anymore. 

Shouldn’t that be enough to let bygones be bygones? 

Why bring it up again?

Seungha glared at Inha, who seemed to enjoy embarrassing him by bringing up the past.

“What? Did I say something wrong? Why’re you looking at me like that?”

But Inha wasn’t one to back down either, and she lifted her chin to meet his glare head-on.

“…I don’t hate him.”

This time, it was Seungha who backed down.

Inha blinked in surprise. 

Normally, he would’ve exploded like a firecracker by now.

Huh? He’s… different than before.

That troublemaker was actually acting timid?

Inha glanced at Kang Myungwoo, walking a few steps ahead of them.

Is it because of oppa? 

Ever since he started talking with Myungwoo, Seungha really changed…

As expected, Kang Myungwoo was amazing.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at his back.

“Hey, aren’t you the one staring too much now? You’ll burn a hole in his back.”

“Hmph, whatever.”

But it didn’t take long before Inha and Seungha were bickering again, exchanging sharp remarks like usual.

Haha…

Walking ahead of them, Myungwoo gave an awkward laugh.

No need to stop them. They’re just teasing each other.

If their voices got louder or the fight escalated, he’d step in. 

But this level of banter was harmless.

“Huh?”

While wandering around the set, Myungwoo noticed several new cars pulling in and tilted his head.

“Are those… other actors?”

Now that he thought about it, he’d heard that adult actors would be filming here today.

Because of the drama’s structure, they wouldn’t meet in the same scenes, but since they filmed in the same studio, they could run into each other outside.

Might as well introduce myself before I leave. Never know when a greeting today might come in handy later.

“Huh? What’s that? Other actors?”

“What? Where?”

Hearing him, Inha and Seungha turned toward the newly arrived cars with curious eyes.

“Oh, it’s Yoo Chaeyoung.”

A female actor stepped out, and Inha recognized her instantly.

“Yoo Chaeyoung? The one who’s super popular these days?”

“Yeah. I knew she was the lead here, but this is the first time seeing her in person.”

Yoo Chaeyoung…

The name didn’t ring a bell.

Of course, there was no reason it should — he’d been out of the acting world for ten years. 

Plenty of new stars would’ve appeared during that time.

Myungwoo walked toward the beautiful woman with a polite smile.

“Oh, someone else is getting out too?”

“Yeah, the car door’s still open.”

After getting out, Yoo Chaeyoung turned back toward the car as if waiting for someone.

Her behavior drew even more curiosity from Inha and Seungha, who followed Myungwoo quietly.

“I told you, I can get out on my own.”

“Please, don’t strain yourself. You were hurt not too long ago.”

As the three got closer, a familiar female voice reached Myungwoo’s ears—

And he froze.

“Ah!”

“What the— why’d you stop so suddenly?”

Inha and Seungha bumped into his back and complained, but Myungwoo didn’t respond. He couldn’t hear them at all.

That voice…!

It couldn’t be. She wasn’t on the cast list.

His eyes trembled as he watched the actress Yoo Chaeyoung was helping out of the car.

…!

When he saw her face — aged about ten years since he last saw her — his breath caught.

“Chaeyoung, you’re making it sound like I’m some old grandma.”

“Haha, I just want you to take care of yourself! You still have many years of acting ahead!”

The familiar middle-aged actress laughed, chatting warmly as she stepped out.

Myungwoo’s gaze locked onto her face, unable to move.

Go Yoonjung…

His first love from his past life — the woman he could never forget, who eventually married someone else.

Actress Go Yoonjung stood right before him.

“Oppa, what are you doing? Aren’t you going to say hello?”

“Ah.”

Inha tapped his back curiously, pulling him out of his daze.

Am I walking straight? Do I look weird?

It had been so long. It was all in the past. She had her own family now.

Besides, the man she once knew was dead. The person standing here wasn’t Han Minwoo — it was Kang Myungwoo.

Even so, he couldn’t control the tangled emotions rising inside him.

He walked toward Go Yoonjung with a dazed expression.

“Hello.”

Standing before Yoonjung and Chaeyoung, he finally managed to greet them — though his voice sounded strangely off.

Get a grip, Kang Myungwoo.

Right. He wasn’t Han Minwoo, the man who’d be sixty now if alive.

He was a ten-year-old boy, Kang Myungwoo.

He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes.

“Oh? You must be the child actors from our drama?”

It was Yoo Chaeyoung who responded first, not Go Yoonjung.

She looked at Myungwoo with interest.

“Heard a lot about you. Kang Myungwoo, right? They say you’re a phenomenal actor.”

“Haha, I’m flattered. Thank you.”

“So humble, too. Seems what they said about your good personality was true.”

“Haha, thank you.”

While keeping up polite small talk with Yoo Chaeyoung, Myungwoo was pouring every bit of his acting skill into maintaining composure — but all his attention was on Go Yoonjung.

She was silently watching him.

What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I think straight?

A chill ran down his back as his mind refused to work normally.

“And these two must be your co-stars — Jung Inha and Jo Seungha, right?”

After chatting a bit, Yoo Chaeyoung turned her attention to the kids behind him.

Myungwoo took a quiet breath and stepped toward Go Yoonjung.

“Hello, Go Yoonjung.”

Yoonjung didn’t answer right away. She simply stared at him with an unreadable expression.

Why is she looking at me like that?

Suppressing his confusion, Myungwoo kept his calm.

Then, at last, she smiled softly.

“My, this little actor knows who I am? Nice to meet you, Kang Myungwoo, was it?”

“Haha, yes, that’s right.”

“I’ve heard about you — apparently, you’re quite the talented one.”

“Haha, I’m just lucky people see me kindly.”

“So modest. That’s rare for a child actor.”

Her kind gaze fell on him — the gaze of a seasoned actress admiring a promising sprout.

A dull ache flickered in Myungwoo’s chest.

Stay calm, Kang Myungwoo.

From the moment his new life began, all ties from his past one were supposed to be gone.

He repeated his name silently in his head, grounding himself.

“You’re still so young, but already so handsome. And talented too. You’ll become an amazing actor someday.”

“Thank you, Go Yoonjung-nim.”

“Haha, and so polite too. You’re truly a rare one among child actors.”

“Haha, thank you.”

Their conversation was warm and friendly.

Naturally so — Myungwoo was using every ounce of his acting skill to play the part of a well-mannered boy, while Yoonjung was, by nature, a gentle person.

Soon after, Inha and Seungha finished their chat with Yoo Chaeyoung and joined them, making the atmosphere lively again.

“Hello, Go Yoonjung-nim! I’m Jung Inha.”

“Ah, nice to meet you. I’m Jo Seungha.”

“Nice to meet you both — Jung Inha and Jo Seungha.”

Go Yoonjung greeted them warmly.

Watching the three of them talk, Myungwoo tilted his head slightly.

She definitely looked deep in thought when she first saw me… but why?

This should’ve been their first meeting.

Did Director Lee Yuhee mention me to her? Maybe about a promising child actor?

He knew that Lee Yuhee and Go Yoonjung were close, so that was possible.

Still…

If that were the case, she’d have said something like, “Oh, you’re the kid Yuhee mentioned,” not stared at me like that…

He barely managed to suppress the rising storm of confusion.

It must be nothing. Just coincidence. Maybe she’d simply heard about him.

Realizing how much attention he was giving her reactions, he blinked slowly, steadying his thoughts.

Yes… it’s all in the past.

The kind of past he could never speak of again.

The kind of past that belonged to a man who no longer existed.

He couldn’t afford to let old emotions leak out.

He had to settle them quietly — by himself.

Myungwoo silently clenched his fist.