Chapter 57

57. Genius~

2 AM.

Siwoo's room was as bright as daytime.

The light emanating from his small body filled the cabin bed and the space around it.

Bokshil and Nero sat in a corner of the bed, staring blankly at Siwoo.

Although the light was intense, it strangely didn't hurt their eyes.

Siwoo delicately guided the energies surging within his body, inducing collisions.

Boom-!

A strong wave emanated from Siwoo's body, spreading in all directions.

Bokshil and Nero closed their eyes tightly, as if they were drying their faces with a hairdryer after a bath.

The wind swept across Bokshil and Nero's faces.

Whoosh!

- Woof~!

- Meow~!

After watching Siwoo every night for several days, this moment was the most exciting.

Whirr-!

Suddenly, a strange sound came from Siwoo's body.

As Bokshil and Nero watched in surprise, Siwoo, who was sitting cross-legged, began to rise into the air.

This was the phenomenon caused by the final collision between the mana hole and the dantian.

Once this process was complete, Siwoo's dantian would disappear, and all the inner energies in his body would merge naturally into the mana hole.

This was a method Siwoo had developed over several lifetimes after suffering from demonic transformation due to practicing martial arts and magic together without knowing anything about them.

At first, he had given it a grand name, but now he couldn't remember what it was.

The only thing that remained in his mind was the joke someone had made about it being a "furnace cultivation method."

Boom-!

After a loud noise that even Bokshil and Nero could hear, the light that had been emanating from Siwoo's body quickly retreated and disappeared.

Then-

The small, pure body of five-year-old Siwoo began to change.

* * *

When Hyun-ju woke up, she was startled and kicked off the blanket.

She had slept until morning.

Every day, she would wake up every two hours at dawn to check Siwoo's temperature, sometimes wiping his body with a wet towel, but today she had slept soundly through the night.

She hadn't even heard her phone's vibration alarm.

It seemed that all the fatigue she had accumulated had caught up with her at once.

Looking into the bed, Hyun-ju touched Siwoo's forehead, checked him over, and let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he didn't have a fever.

Siwoo was lying on his side with his head on the pillow, sleeping soundly, and Bokshil and Nero were clinging to his body like baby animals in their mother's arms.

"Oh, this... I need to take a picture."

The three children were so cute.

Hyun-ju brought her phone camera close to take a picture, but then lowered it when she saw Siwoo's face on the screen.

Siwoo seemed a bit different from usual.

"What is it? Is our son... looking thinner because he's been sick?"

For some reason, his skin, hair, long eyelashes, gently closed eyelids, already prominent nose, and cute lips... of course, Siwoo had always been beautiful since he was born.

But today, he was definitely different.

"...Why, why is he so beautiful? Our son is really handsome."

Hyun-ju took a picture first.

After taking it, she thought comparing it to old pictures would help her determine if it was just a feeling.

Careful not to wake the children with the camera click, Hyun-ju took a few more pictures.

While looking through the pictures she had taken on the floor, she heard Siwoo getting up from the cabin bed.

"Yawn~ So refreshing... Toot toot toot toot~ So refreshing~ Toot toot toot toot~"

As Siwoo stretched and walked out, half-asleep, he immediately started mimicking the lion family when he saw his mother.

It was a five-year-old's courtesy not to say things like "So refreshing" to his mother.

Seeing Siwoo come down the cabin bed stairs, Hyun-ju was convinced that her feeling was right.

While the previous Siwoo was simply cute and beautiful, now he exuded a different aura.

The space around Siwoo felt like a different world.

It was as if everything around him was being drawn into him.

"Siwoo, you look really cool today~"

Siwoo smiled widely and said to his mother.

"Mom is beautiful too~ Mom is the most beautiful!"

"Hey, Su-jin's mom and Yoo-ri's aunt are a hundred times more beautiful!"

"To me, mom is the best~"

"Our son, come here! Let me hug you and see if you're all better!"

Siwoo ran over and hugged his mother tightly.

After spending some time with his mother, Siwoo headed to the living room with Bokshil and Nero when his mother started preparing breakfast.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror in the living room, Siwoo slowly examined himself.

He wasn't admiring his own face out of shyness but checking the changes in his body structure.

Wearing a mint-colored pajama set with a white bear design, Siwoo twirled lightly.

Stopping, Siwoo placed his hands on his hips and nodded.

"This body is perfect for fighting~ Except for being five years old... Well, there are no monsters in this world, so what's the point of being strong? Maybe I'll go out wearing a pink mask and play hero in Realuda later?"

The name... Baby Hero? Baby Monster?

"Hmm, both sound silly. Anyway, there are no villains here, and it's a bit boring... No, I'll live peacefully. I'll live a life full of love. I need to erase that fighting spirit."

Siwoo was playing well by himself in front of the mirror.

Nero was watching him from a distance, looking disappointed.

Noticing Nero, Siwoo asked playfully.

"Nero, do I look cooler now?"

- Meow...

- Woof~ Woof~ Woof~

Just as Nero was about to answer, Bokshil butted in.

Bokshil, who ran over to Siwoo, stood up on his front paws and jumped around, as if asking for a snack.

"…Do you want to do what I did last night too?"

This kid, this kid is saying something ridiculous.

"Hey, no way. You'll get into trouble."

If he did, he'd be the first dog to suffer from demonic transformation.

Siwoo picked up Bokshil, who was envious of him, and hugged him tightly.

* * *

Usually, when going to the filming site, the staff would pick them up or they would take a taxi.

But that day, Ji-ho's mom was there.

When Hyun-ju and Siwoo came down to the parking lot, Ji-ho's mom, Ji-yeon, and Ji-ho were waiting.

"Siwoo, it's been a while. You've grown so much!"

Ji-yeon waved at Siwoo.

Siwoo also greeted her.

"Yep~ Hi! Big sister!"

"You look even cooler. You're so handsome."

"Big sister is beautiful too!"

"Yep. Thanks. Get in the back with Ji-ho."

Siwoo held Ji-ho's hand and got in the car.

Hyun-ju followed the children and sat in the back, while Ji-ho's mom and Ji-yeon sat in the front.

Ji-ho's mom started the old car.

Vroom!

"Shall we go? To watch Siwoo work? I'll buy you all something delicious after we're done, so tell me what you want."

"Yep~!"

With Siwoo's enthusiastic response, the car started.

As they left the complex and turned onto the main road, Hyun-ju asked Ji-yeon.

"Ji-yeon, is trainee life manageable? I heard it's really tough on TV."

Before graduating from middle school, Ji-yeon had been accepted by a few agencies and chose the one she liked.

Ji-yeon turned around and smiled prettily.

"It's okay. No one is forcing me, and I chose this path despite opposition, so I can't complain about the difficulties."

Siwoo nodded.

'What a mature big sister. Still, I haven't had a chance to hear her sing yet.'

The car continued to drive towards the filming location.

After a while, they arrived at a forest with tall birch trees.

Today's filming was an outdoor shoot in the mountains.

"Wow, the air is really fresh. Ji-yeon, isn't it nice to be out here? You should breathe the fresh air outside the practice room sometimes. Otherwise, you might get sick."

Ji-ho's mom locked the car and walked up the path with Ji-ho.

Siwoo held his mother's hand and Ji-yeon's hand, following behind Ji-ho.

Hyun-ju, looking at the now quite grown-up Ji-yeon, asked.

"Is this your first time on a film set?"

"Yes, I'm really excited. I'm also looking forward to seeing Siwoo act."

"When you become a singer, I'll take Siwoo to your concert."

Ji-yeon blushed and smiled shyly.

"Siwoo's mom! Siwoo! This way, please!"

After walking for a while, they saw the staff.

Siwoo followed the staff to the filming location.

Director Choi Min-cheol greeted Siwoo.

"Our baby Yama! Are you all better? Don't get sick... Hmm? Siwoo seems different? Is it because you were sick?"

Director Choi Min-cheol tilted his head.

Han Yoo-ri also said,

"Siwoo, you looked like a baby the last time I saw you, but now... a bit of a boyish charm? You have boyish charm at five? Wow, you've become even more handsome in just a few days!"

Some of the staff were also whispering about Siwoo.

'The important thing is that I've become stronger, but since there's no fighting, the focus is only on the appearance upgrade. Well, in the entertainment industry, looks are like combat power~'

"Hi~ Aunt Yoo-ri~"

At five, it's not just about being cute.

It's the age when good looks start to bloom.

Siwoo looked up at Yoo-ri with his gem-like eyes and waved.

Yoo-ri's face lit up with a bright smile, as if she couldn't contain herself.

"Ah~ What is this? I'm getting excited! Siwoo, why are you so handsome after just a few days! Hey? This big sister... Ah, call me big sister, not aunt~!"

'...Is she really that eager to be called big sister by a five-year-old?'

Director Choi Min-cheol stopped Yoo-ri.

"Stop it. Let's get ready quickly. Siwoo, transform into Yama and come back. We're not shooting a playful scene today, so everyone needs to be focused. Got it?"

Yoo-ri's expression darkened at the director's words.

"Yes, director."

"First, don't get hurt, but today... you need to act properly. Don't try to laugh off NGs like last time. Today, it's just you, Siwoo, and Seok-gu, so there's no one else to cover for you."

"...Yes."

Yoo-ri, deflated by the director's scolding, secretly waved at Siwoo and left.

'What happened? Did they have an NG festival last time?'

Siwoo didn't know the story because he hadn't participated in that shoot.

"Siwoo, let's go. I'll carry you. There are a lot of rocks down there, so be careful."

Siwoo was carried by the staff to prepare for the shoot.

"Good luck, Siwoo!"

"Try your best!"

"Shush~ Fighting~!"

Ji-ho's mom, Ji-yeon, and Ji-ho sent their encouragement one by one.

A moment later-

Siwoo, transformed into Yama, stood face to face with a male actor he had never seen before.

The man had a slightly stern look and seemed to be well-built from exercise.

His biceps, visible under his sleeveless shirt, were tense with anger.

"Hi?"

The man, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, greeted Siwoo.

"Hi. Uncle~ Who are you?"

The man, scratching his closely cropped sports haircut, answered briefly.

"Me? Park Seok-gu."

...I didn't ask for your name.

Seok-gu continued,

"I'm the martial arts director and actor. Did the director explain it to you?"

"Yes!"

"Can you do it?"

"Yes!"

Siwoo answered confidently.

"Since we're shooting in super slow motion, it won't be dangerous, but remembering the movements might be tough... The director seems to think you're a genius, though."

"Genius~"

Siwoo made a V sign with his fingers.

Seok-gu chuckled.

"Ha, this kid is cute."

Hyun-ju was sitting on a folding chair with Ji-ho's mom, drinking a beverage given by the staff.

"I brought a lot of snacks for Siwoo, but I'm not sure if I can give them to him. I don't want to be a distraction."

"Give them to him when Siwoo comes back later."

"Right. Ji-yeon and Ji-ho are so excited. Their eyes are sparkling as they look around."

"I'm glad the kids are having fun. If there's a chance next time, we should come together. I get a bit lonely being alone."

"Right. If Siwoo's mom is okay with it, we can enjoy watching the celebrities too. But what are they shooting today? Why in the mountains?"

"I heard they're shooting a simple action scene."

"An action scene?"

Oh.