"Happy 7th birthday, Ha-eun!"
"Congratulations, sweetheart!"
"Happy birthday!"

It was a few days after my first audition. A cake with one more candle than last year was sitting in front of me, and an extra person had joined in to celebrate.

"Um, Ha-eun, you might get burned if you get too close, so it’s better to blow out the candles from a distance."

The person sandwiched comfortably between my parents, fussing over a tiny candle, was Joo Jung-yoon—the manager that CEO Jeong Do-cheol had promised to assign to me.

From what I’d been told by both Jeong Do-cheol and Jung-yoon himself, this was his first time working as a manager. Maybe because of that, he still had some awkward tendencies.

Then again, it would have been odd to assign a seasoned manager to someone like me, who barely had any schedules. Although Jung-yoon was a graduate of a prestigious university and proud of his driving skills…

“I’ll cut the cake for you. We wouldn’t want you to hurt your fingers.”

‘...It’s a plastic knife, though.’

In every little way, he seemed to be overdoing it. At times, his hyper-vigilance made me feel like I was some precious gem he had to protect from the smallest scratch.

But it wasn’t quite enough to consider asking for a new manager. Besides, both Mom and Dad seemed to like him.

And above all, Jung-yoon was here because of the CEO’s generosity. A seven-year-old like me wasn’t about to deny someone’s goodwill.

The seventh birthday party wrapped up around ten minutes later.

"Well, Ma’am, Sir, I think we should start getting ready."

"Oh, yes. Let’s get going."

Unlike last year, when we had no plans, today was a special day—my screen test for the role of Kim Ji-ah in *The Man Next Door* had been scheduled on my birthday. I was about to have the unique experience of spending my birthday on a movie set.

We climbed into the black van that towered over the smaller cars in the parking lot, heading first to a makeup shop where I’d be prepped to look the part of Kim Ji-ah.

“Oh, Ha-eun! Long time no see!”  
“…Hello.”

I was reunited with the warm-faced makeup artist from the music video shoot.

-Brush, brush.
-Tap, tap.

The familiar ticklishness of makeup brushes. To be honest, I thought it was strange to do makeup for a screen test for Kim Ji-ah’s role.

In my memory, Kim Ji-ah looked worn out and shabby. I thought I’d go to the screen test as I was, without makeup.

"If you go like that, you’d be too dazzling."  
“…I’m not bald, you know.”  
“I mean your face is glowing. You’re naturally too cute!”

According to the makeup artist, the goal was to make my face plain enough to match Kim Ji-ah, so I ended up getting a muted makeover for a full hour.

Even this toned-down look seemed adorable to Mom, who went full photographer mode, asking me to pose in front of the mirror.

“You look like a little country squirrel, Ha-eun. Let’s go visit a farm one day.”

‘…That’s oddly specific.’

For a while, I became the exclusive model for “Song Na-yeon Productions,” reluctantly following Mom’s requests until Jung-yoon gently reminded us that we needed to head to the set. Finally, I was free from the mirror.

Back in the black van, I spent the drive rereading *The Man Next Door* script, and before I knew it, we had arrived at the building where the set was located.

“This is Lee Ha-eun from Luna Entertainment.”

“Yes, you’re checked in. Please wait a moment.”

Watching Jung-yoon handle his job as my manager made me realize the significance of where I was. The atmosphere felt different from the CF or music video shoots.

A few moments later, another staff member guided us onto the set. Since there was still some time before the screen test began…

“Um, would you like me to get you and Ha-eun something to drink?”  
“Oh, that would be lovely, thank you, Jung-yoon.”

I waited quietly on a folding chair, scanning the set around me. Surprisingly, it felt more familiar than new.

‘It’s exactly like the movie.’

The plain tablecloth. The cracked glass tabletop. The neatly arranged wooden chairs—it was all just as I remembered.

In a few moments, I would be acting out the same scenes in the same setting as my memories. Since I had all my lines memorized, I didn’t feel particularly nervous.

“I’m really fine. So, please… This isn’t it.”

“Da-yeon, I thought that was pretty good.”

“No, it wasn’t. There was no emotion in it!”

‘Wait… that’s….’

A girl clutching a thick script was rehearsing a scene from *The Man Next Door* in the distance. It didn’t take long to recognize her as Min Da-yeon, the child actress who had originally played Kim Ji-ah.

“She’s really putting in effort, huh, Ha-eun?”  
“…Yeah, she is.”

Without realizing it, I was paying a bit more attention to Da-yeon. Other child actors were present, but Da-yeon had the highest chance of being cast as Kim Ji-ah.

Originally, she was the one who had been cast for the role—a talented actress who had already starred in the film *Travel*.

I didn’t plan to back out or run from the screen test. I just knew she wouldn’t be an easy competitor.

A sense of rivalry. Or perhaps a desire to compete.

I’d been given this rare chance to audition for the role of Kim Ji-ah, and I didn’t want to let it slip away. The question was how I would surpass Da-yeon’s almost “perfect” portrayal.

‘...If I try to mimic her, it’ll be a disaster.’

The image of Da-yeon’s performance etched in my memory was the final product after countless takes, considered ideal and approved by Director Kwon Jong-hyuk.

Imitating her was an option, but since Da-yeon was here, it wouldn’t work. No matter how perfectly I copied her, I could never be more “Da-yeon” than Da-yeon herself.

So, I’d take a different approach.

‘It’s not like this is the first time. I’m really fine, so do as you please, Chairman.’

‘…If that’s what you really want.’

I decided to draw from similar moments from my previous life that mirrored Kim Ji-ah’s circumstances in *The Man Next Door*.

Doing my absolute best felt like a matter of respect toward Da-yeon. Competing with her to the fullest would leave no regrets, regardless of the outcome.

---

“I’m really fine. So, please don’t look at me like that.”

With those words, Min Da-yeon slowly raised her gaze, meeting the eyes of Kang Seon-woo, who played the role of “Mr. Jin Kang-sik.” Her performance came to an end, and almost immediately—

“Cut!”

Director Kwon Jong-hyuk’s approval echoed in Da-yeon’s ears. While it wasn’t a flawless performance with no room for improvement…

‘This is as good as it gets.’

It was impressive enough that a veteran actor like Kang Seon-woo thought it was good. Da-yeon’s performance explained her reputation within the industry.

After a brief set reset, as Da-yeon reviewed her performance, she noticed a girl standing nearby.

‘...Is she nervous?’

With a nearly robotic expression, the girl looked more like a statue than a human. But Da-yeon couldn’t stop looking at her. She was striking and was clearly the next actor up to audition for Kim Ji-ah’s role.

This girl, Lee Ha-eun, was also Da-yeon’s competition. Even if she couldn’t outperform Da-yeon, the fact that she’d made it to the screen test meant she had skill.

Watching Ha-eun perform might be beneficial, regardless of her skill level. Da-yeon’s father always said there was something to learn from every experience.

Shortly afterward, the set was ready, and Kang Seon-woo returned.

“All right, let’s begin. Get ready… Action!”

With Director Kwon’s command, the final screen test began.

“...Ji-ah?”

The deep voice of Jin Kang-sik signaled the start of the scene.

He was only her next-door neighbor, yet today he felt something strange about Kim Ji-ah’s silence and began scanning her body.

It didn’t take long for his eyes to land on the bruises and small scars. Blueish marks covered her thin legs.

“What… Who did this to you?”

Anger and confusion began to spread across Jin Kang-sik’s rugged face, and Ji-ah trembled, momentarily fearful of him.

Eventually, Jin Kang-sik managed to calm himself and, in a slightly gentler tone, asked if she was all right. Only then did Ji-ah slowly lift her head, meeting the eyes of her only companion, Jin Kang-sik.

Resentment, sorrow, bitterness, and resignation swirled in her gaze as she finally looked into his eyes.

“Are you… okay?”

That was the moment when Kang Seon-woo became conscious of the fact that they were acting.

“Yes, I’m fine. After all, no matter what, she gave birth to me, so I don’t think she’s planning to kill me.”

Her voice, noticeably cracked, her tilted head, and the faint, humorless smile from her scarred lips…

It all left Kang

 Seon-woo—no, Jin Kang-sik—momentarily speechless, the next line frozen in his mouth.

“…What’s the big deal? Weren’t you aware of this all along?”

It was only natural. These were emotions a child should never know.

“But, hey, nothing’s broken. I’ll be able to go to school.”

Looking straight into Kang Seon-woo’s suddenly trembling eyes, she continued with calmness from beginning to end.

The injuries on her legs seemed to be just another part of daily life for the girl named Kim Ji-ah.

“I’m really fine. So, please… don’t look at me like that. When you do, it makes me feel like I’m actually… pitiful.”