GalaxyTL
Why are you here?
I wanted to ask that right away, but I couldn’t. Immersion, after all, meant fully experiencing the life of the character in the script. I wasn’t supposed to control or manipulate anything myself.
So, despite my shock, I said, “I’m watching you because I like you.”
"...How could you say such things so carelessly?"
Su-jin's scolding expression was truly beautiful. Perhaps it was because of the historical drama shoot, but the hanbok she was wearing suited her elegantly.
She was blushing, her soft, chubby cheeks turning red as if embarrassed but determined to speak her mind.
Were my tingling fingers reacting to the atmosphere, or was it something else?
Honestly, all I wanted at that moment was to—
No, what am I even thinking?
Realizing the situation was taking a strange turn, I quickly snapped out of the immersion.
"...What the hell is going on?"
This had never happened before. How could a character in the script be replaced with the face of someone real?
Just as I started to wonder—
Ding! Ding! Ding!
A message arrived from Sims – The Real Life, providing the answer.
"...Why wouldn’t they tell me this earlier?"
Of course, everything up until now had happened without warning, but this felt different.
'Turn off Romance Mode.'
Among all the abilities I’d gained so far, this one felt the most noticeable. Thankfully, even though the faces could change, I couldn’t act beyond what was written in the script.
...Wait, why am I thinking of that as a relief? Why am I even thinking like this?
I’d never given it much thought before, but as a 15-year-old boy going through puberty, my body was now reacting intensely.
It’s said that adolescence is a time when interest in sex becomes prominent, with the second phase of puberty in full swing.
It sounds ridiculous, but this was the first time I was consciously becoming aware of the opposite sex.
In my past life, I was discriminated against because of my ugly appearance, so naturally, I never experienced anything like love.
As a result, I had become used to not caring about relationships in this life, too. But now, this situation was forcing me to realize that, yes, I could date someone.
It was a small trigger, but it was starting to help me break free from the inferiority complex I had carried over from my previous life.
Thump thump thump.
‘Damn it, why is my body acting like this?’
My heart was pounding like crazy.
With that, a flood of moments I had previously ignored suddenly surged into my mind.
The classroom in winter where I met Su-jin again. That moment when Jae-rin ran out of the waiting room, calling my name with warmth. The time Ye-rim, startled, fell to the ground, her legs giving out as she wet herself in shock.
‘Why am I thinking about this now?’
Amid all this chaos, one thing became clear.
‘I won’t be able to focus on the script today.’
Right now, all I wanted was to take a deep breath and sleep.
+++++
The Swordsman Baek Dong-su had started off strong, with ratings steadily climbing day by day. At the center of it all was, predictably, Kim Dong-hoo’s spectacular action sequences.
“Did he come out of the special forces or something? The guy's flying around.” “From what I know, Kim Dong-hoo doesn’t use stunt doubles. Is he fearless, or just really confident?” “It’s gotta be confidence. He looks like he’s in a league of his own.”
Compared to the other child actors just learning to walk, Kim Dong-hoo was already preparing to run a marathon. Even without the show trying to highlight his superiority, his portrayal of Ja-un stood out among his peers.
Especially when he wielded a sword, it was awe-inspiring.
“He moves like he actually learned swordsmanship.” “At that level, he definitely trained. He’s holding his own against Cha Min-sik.” “It doesn’t feel like he’s acting as a genius—he looks like a real genius swinging a sword.” “Watching a good-looking genius act as a swordsmanship genius... It’s truly a feast for the eyes.”
The third episode pulled in an astounding 20% viewership, not just in a single moment but as the average rating for the entire episode.
Seeing the situation unfold like this, the SKS drama director wore a calm smile.
"The fierce battle for Monday-Tuesday dramas is finally coming to an end."
With that quiet proclamation, the fourth episode’s viewership climbed to 22%.
By the fifth episode, the ratings surged to 24%, making it feel like the viewership percentages were skyrocketing with ease.
It seemed like it would only be a matter of time before they broke the 30% mark. But just when everything seemed perfect, an unexpected turn blocked The Swordsman Baek Dong-su’s path.
“Episode 6 ratings... 22%?”
Suddenly, the ratings dropped by a full 2%.
“What’s the problem?” “Well, we haven’t figured that out yet, but we’re investigating quickly.” “Don’t investigate on your own. That’s the approach of a loser. Check public opinion first; that’s where the answer is.”
Under the SKS drama director’s command, the reason for the drop was soon discovered. It was, in retrospect, quite simple.
The only possible explanation, one they had worried about but didn’t expect to be a major issue:
“Kim Dong-hoo’s screen time ended?” “Yes, that’s correct.”
The unease they had anticipated had come to fruition. However, they didn’t think it would be such a big deal.
‘This was always supposed to happen.’
The natural flow of a drama has always been that when the child actor’s story ends, the adult actor’s story begins. It’s a long-standing cliché in the industry.
But—
‘I forgot one thing.’
The one thing they hadn’t considered was Kim Dong-hoo’s appearance.
Not just the fact that he was good-looking, but that he was essentially the embodiment of the word “handsome.”
Was there anyone who could inherit that level of beauty?
Of course not.
Kim Dong-hoo’s appearance transcended normal standards. And on top of that, his swordsmanship added to his appeal.
Even if they could overlook his looks, his swordsmanship should have improved in adulthood. But if that wasn’t up to par either, it would be a problem.
“What the hell...”
For one of the rare times, the director was left flustered, letting out a hollow laugh. And this realization wasn’t confined to SKS; it became valuable data for other networks, too.
"Hmm... Are they saying no one can replace Kim Dong-hoo?" "Uh, what?" "Never mind. You should get some rest. Haven’t you been sleeping poorly these past few days?" "Thank you, Director!"
It served as a warning to networks like MNC, who were preparing for The Last Supper.
“The kid had been holding back this much power?” “You really are irreplaceable, aren’t you?” “Is a child actor capable of all this?”
Online communities were abuzz with renewed recognition of how much excitement Kim Dong-hoo brought.
And finally...
"Does that mean if we had the right script, we could make it work?" "Make what work?" "A drama with Kim Dong-hoo as the lead." "...That’s not a decision we can make lightly."
The thought of what kind of impact a Kim Dong-hoo-led show would have was something that lingered in everyone’s minds.
Meanwhile, Kim Dong-hoo himself was thinking—
"...Turning on Romance Mode once more wouldn’t be a bad idea, would it?"
But wait, doesn’t Su-jin showing up mean I passed the audition?
Did I just get spoiled?
“This whole thing is driving me crazy!”
I still couldn’t shake off the thoughts of Romance Mode.
+++++
Time flew by, and it was already September. A time when fall dramas were gearing up to launch.
"Yay!"
Kim Su-jin couldn’t contain her excitement and let out a loud cheer.
"You scared me! I almost lost my hearing." "Sorry, sorry! I’m just so happy!" "Is acting with Dong-hoo really that exciting?" "W-Who said it was about that?! I just like shooting historical dramas, that’s all!"
Kim Yoo-ryeon chuckled as she watched her daughter’s flushed face. She knew why Su-jin had worked extra hard preparing for the audition and kept an eye on her as she glanced at her phone, texting someone.
"Wouldn’t it be better to just call him instead of sneaking glances like that?" "What? Call him this late at night? I don’t want to bother him!" "So, you’re texting Dong-hoo?" "Ugh, mom! Seriously!"
Kim Su-jin yelled as she bolted toward her room.
"But if she’s acting like this now, how will she handle acting with him later?"
Contrary to her worried words, Kim Yoo-ryeon was still smiling as she opened the The Last Supper script. The script was quite demanding, requiring intense romantic acting even from the child actors.
The story had all the makings of a hit, as long as it was executed perfectly.
The problem was that her daughter couldn’t act out a romantic scene to save her life.
‘My daughter’s already in the middle of her first love.’
How was she supposed to “act” as if she loved Kim Dong-hoo—or rather, his character—when she already had feelings for him in real life?
That wouldn’t be as easy as it sounded.
And Kim Yoo-ryeon’s concerns soon became a reality.
Thump thump thump.
‘What should I do? I can’t look him in the eyes.’
On the day of The Last Supper’s shooting, Kim Su-jin found herself unable to meet Kim Dong-hoo’s gaze.
Thump thump thump.
She could feel her heart pounding furiously in his direction.
Please, stop thumping so loudly!
Kim Su-jin cursed her traitorous heart for being so honest with her feelings. But the most frustrating part of it all was—
"Su-jin, are you okay? Your cheeks are really red."
It was Kim Dong-hoo, obliviously approaching her to ask.
Kim Dong-hoo!
‘Don’t come over and talk to me so casually!’
Of course, there was no way she could say that out loud.