Chapter 62: A Day at Daehak-ro

On a day when the spring sunlight felt especially warm, I decided on Daehak-ro as the place for the test drive.

I thought about going alone, but soon shook my head and changed my mind.

“Let’s bring Dahye along.”

Dahye was still in middle school and lived far from Daehak-ro, so she had never been there, nor had she seen a play before. I wanted to give her the opportunity to experience a new culture.

“Dahye, are you free today?”

I went downstairs to the living room and sat next to Dahye, who was eating ice cream while watching TV, and asked about her schedule.

“Why?”

She kept her eyes glued to the TV as she asked the reason.

As she grew up, she no longer clung to me with that eager, adorable look she used to have. I had expected this day to come eventually, but now that it was real, I felt a little sad.

“You haven’t ridden in your brother’s car yet, right? I’m going for a test drive and we’ll see a play at Daehak-ro. How does that sound?”

I watched Dahye’s reaction with eyes tinged with a bit of sadness.

“A play?”

“Yeah, a play.”

“Is it fun?”

“Well, you’ll find out if you watch it, right?”

“What’s it about?”

“Hmm, that’s a secret. It’s just a fun play that’ll make you laugh.”

I prefer lighthearted plays that you can laugh through rather than those with heavy themes.

Sadly, as people age, there are fewer and fewer reasons to laugh.

People hope for more time alone than with family, and gradually lock themselves away. So I started making an effort to find reasons to laugh, even if I had to force it.

One way is through plays with comedic elements.

“You’re really so mean. Is it actually funny?”

“If it’s fun, it’ll be funny, right?”

“Hmm... then can I invite Hyein and Arin, too?”

After thinking it over for a bit, Dahye mentioned Hyein and Arin.

“Go ahead.”

The more people, the more fun a play is. Especially if Dahye gets to go with the people she cherishes, it makes the day even more special.

“Hyein! We’re going to Daehak-ro today to see a play. My brother is driving us. Do you want to come? Arin too!”

Once I agreed, Dahye sprang up and started calling her friends. When she finished her calls, she ran to me, her face brimming with excitement.

“Oppa, just wait an hour, I’ll go wash up right away.”

She left that promise behind and headed to the bathroom.

It ended up being almost two hours before Dahye finally finished getting ready.

“Hey, Dahye! Hi.”

While Dahye was getting ready, Daesik, who had been at the house, waved hello as she came out of her room.

“Huh?! When did Daesik oppa get here?”

Dahye looked surprised as she glanced at Daesik and shot the question at me.

“He came while you were going crazy with your makeup.”

“He... heh?”

At my short remark, Dahye stuck out her tongue, laughing awkwardly.

“...Why is she changing like this?”

I really had no idea.

“Hello, oppa!”

Right then, Arin and Hyein arrived at the house, opening the door.

Both smiled brightly and greeted me and Daesik.

They bowed deeply at the waist—manners ingrained in them.

“Looks like everyone’s here, so let’s head out.”

I looked around at the four of them and gave the signal to depart.

“Oh, yeah!!”

Dahye, Arin, and Hyein all raised their hands high in the air, as if to express their excitement about going to Seoul to see a play.

With my adorable sister and her fun friends, I got into the car.

“I’ve never seen a play before. What about you?”

Sitting in the back seat, Dahye turned to Arin and Hyein, her face full of anticipation.

“Me neither! How about you, Arin?”

Hyein replied first.

“Me too, me too! It’s really my first time.”

Arin answered next.

“Doesn’t it sound super cool?”

And just like that, Dahye’s questions kept the conversation going without pause.

“But oppa, your car is so pretty!”

In the midst of their lively chatter, Arin’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me.

“That’s right. It’s really cool.”

Hyein chimed in, her eyes bright as she supported Arin’s words.

“Isn’t it? I picked it after a lot of thought. I’m glad you like it.”

Seeing their cheerful faces made me smile as well.

“How about you, Dahye? Now that you’ve ridden in it, how do you feel?”

As the car stopped at a light, I turned to Dahye and asked.

“It’s better than Dad’s car. It even smells nice.”

Dad’s car always reeked of cigarette smoke, but mine had a sweet scent and fresh air, so Dahye seemed to really like it.

Normally, Dahye would fall asleep from carsickness the moment she got in, but now, with her eyes wide open and chatting away excitedly with her friends, she was more animated than ever.

Maybe that’s why I was feeling happier than usual.

I turned up Dahye’s favorite songs and sped down the highway.

---

A familiar scent filled my nose. Walls covered with play posters, here and there patches of peeling plaster, old red-brick buildings, and, rising between them, rows of small shops. In front of them, the entrances to old theaters were scattered along the street.

By the trees stood a rusty bicycle, college students sat smoking on the theater steps, and would-be actors recited lines as they walked past. I’d walked this road so many times in my previous life that I’d lost count, but now that I was here again, I noticed even more scenes than before.

Groups of college students passed by, each holding a yellow flyer, laughing as they went. Between the posters plastered up and down the street, actors—maybe in the middle of performing—hurried past the theater entrances, and bright-faced promoters handed out flyers with a smile.

I led the kids through an alley next to the parking lot and onto the main street. Dahye and her friends kept turning their heads, looking this way and that, constantly exclaiming in wonder.

“Wow, it feels totally different from our neighborhood.”

Even including Daesik, the younger ones all seemed endlessly fascinated by Daehak-ro, their heads swiveling left and right as they took in the sights.

‘Cute kids. No wonder they’re so amazed. I was too, the first time I came here.’

There were plenty of good-looking people catching my eye, but more than that, it was fascinating how almost every building had a small theater attached, like a PC room.

It was the same Korea, but the vibe and culture of the neighborhood were completely different.

If Ansan felt conservative, here you could sense the freedom of youth.

I kept an eye on my siblings, making sure they wouldn’t get lost, as I led them toward our destination.

“Hey, student, have you ever thought about modeling?”

Just then, a man in a black jacket and slim jeans strode up to us.

“Excuse me?”

He stopped right in front of me, gave a smiling glance, and handed over a business card.

“I’m with this company. You caught my eye while you were walking. How about it? Want to at least try out for an audition?”

[Manager, XX Entertainment, Lee Yulgok.]

“......”

Here we go again.

Back around the age of twenty in my past life, I’d received a business card from someone at a company while walking around Gangnam, Myeong-dong, and Samseong-dong. I even went to an audition with a friend on a whim. Even though I was tone-deaf, I braved the embarrassment to sing and act in front of the person giving directions and the person filming.

Maybe they liked my boldness, because they even offered me a few small roles as an extra in commercials. But of course, I didn’t become a model and just kept living as an ordinary person.

Why not?

I’d heard that modeling cost a lot of money, so I gave up right away.

Back then, our family was poor and couldn’t support me, so knowing my situation, I gave up and, to comfort myself, secretly enlisted in the military without telling my parents.

‘So that’s what happened. But...’

My eyes drifted from the agency man to Dahye.

‘Was it around this age for Dahye? She wanted to be a model...’

“Wow, oppa, that’s awesome.”

“Oppa, that’s amazing. You’re going to be a model!”

“Are you becoming a celebrity now?”

When I looked over, Dahye was looking at me with envy in her eyes.

Her friends gazed at me with the kind of awe you only hear about when someone’s been ‘scouted.’

“As expected from Yoo Seunghyun.”

Daesik, of course, was acting as my number one fan.

‘Maybe this could be a good opportunity. For Dahye, too.’

The reason and goal for me to live this life again is to make Dahye happy.

Whether it suits her or not, I want to help her do whatever she wants.

Maybe this really is a good opportunity.

“I’ll think about it.”

Rather than give a firm answer, I left the possibility open.

“Haha, alright. Would you mind giving me your number?”

Manager Lee held out his phone to me.

“Here.”

I entered my number into his phone.

“Thanks. Think it over, and definitely get in touch.”

Manager Lee seemed quite pleased and walked away with a satisfied smile.

“Hey, just try an audition. Who knows? You might become Yoo Seunghyun, the model-actor. Then I’ll be your manager.”

“I don’t know. I’m not confident about acting.”

“They’ll help you out there. What’s to worry about?”

“Heh, we’ll see.”

Smiling, I tucked the business card into my wallet and resumed walking.

“Alright, let’s go. If we go down this alley, the theater’s right there. Follow me.”

I led the kids along the familiar road, following the direction the posters pointed. As we walked down the narrow alley, a small theater with a wooden sign came into view.

Dahye and her friends kept chatting about the business card, while I breathed in the theater’s air as I bought our tickets.

Thinking about the stage that would soon unfold...

‘When we get home, I’ll ask Dahye if she wants to try modeling.’

I kept my eyes on Dahye, who was excitedly recounting what had just happened with her friends, and spent some time lost in thought.