Chapter 60

60. You Were Beautiful Back Then

"Who are you? I know. Bappuya! I've done commercials. I even appeared as a young Deokgu in a drama. These days, I'm filming a movie with Seung-hyun. King Yama! How about that? You know me well, right? This uncle knows everything."

Yeong-min's expression was full of confidence.

Si-woo spoke to him in a fresh tone.

"I don't know what kind of food I like~"

"Huh?"

"Why are you going to some academy~?"

"......"

Yeong-min couldn't help but laugh when he saw Si-woo, who was asking cutely with wide eyes.

"You're right. I was just showing off. What kind of academy are you going to?"

"Go~ Taekwondo!"

"What? Go? I really like Go. I even tried Taekwondo when I was young. Wow, you play Go. That's cool. What kind of food do you like? I'll order it for you."

"Um~ Tonkatsu?"

Yeong-min, who was raising a three-year-old son in his forties, found all children incredibly cute.

When Yeong-min was about to touch Si-woo's face, he remembered his wife's words about not touching children casually and quietly retracted his hand.

"Let's eat tonkatsu! Can you order tonkatsu for everyone in my office?"

Si-woo, who was about to ask the staff, opened his mouth in a hurry.

He had forgotten something important.

"Chee~ze! Chee~ze!"

"Oh, cheese tonkatsu? Okay~ one with cheese!"

Yeong-min, getting up to go to his office, said to Hyun-ju.

"Seeing the child in person, he's even cuter. My son is also as cute as Si-woo. Of course, that might be because I'm his dad. Haha."

"Ah, yes."

"These days, he's practicing peeing in the toilet. After he pees, he comes to me for praise. Then I clap for him! And he just... smiles like he owns the world! Wow!"

Yeong-min was excitedly talking.

Hyun-ju smiled at Yeong-min's unexpectedly down-to-earth appearance.

"Yes, Si-woo was like that too. While I wonder when he'll grow up, I also feel very nostalgic about his growth day by day. It feels like it was just yesterday when he was taking his first steps... Sometimes, when I look at his baby photos, I feel like I might cry."

"That's true. My child is already three years old. He took his first steps, saying 'Daddy, Daddy,' and came to me awkwardly. Now I can't see that anymore..."

Seung-hyun, Seung-hyun's manager, and the female employee of Got Entertainment just stood there, unable to join in the conversation between Hyun-ju and Yeong-min.

Si-woo's hand, holding a fork, went up.

The cheese inside the tonkatsu followed up.

It was a beautiful sight.

Thanks to the tonkatsu ordered from a restaurant in the adjacent building, the hot cheese was flowing down in a soft, dazzling manner.

With a wide-open mouth, Si-woo put the tonkatsu, filled with melted cheese, into his mouth.

'...!'

It's a great place to eat!

The flavor of the cheese and the texture of the high-quality meat filled his mouth.

Si-woo closed his eyes, savoring the taste, and wore a happy expression.

Seeing this, Yeong-min exclaimed in admiration.

"You really enjoy your food. Your expressions are so rich... You really seem like a child born to be loved. Si-woo, eat more. Chew well. And drink the juice on the side."

Yeong-min was very attentive to the child.

Si-woo moved to the Got Entertainment CEO's office, filled with life-size heroes, for an early lunch and listened to Yeong-min's explanation about the music video.

"Did you hear the song in the practice room? The title is 'You Were Beautiful Back Then.' Back then~ I was~ beautiful~ Even though I look like this now, I was a complete angel when I was young. Believe it or not. That's the concept. Si-woo... you are my young self. Yes, I'm sorry."

Si-woo recalled the song he had heard in the practice room.

It was a very upbeat song, and the feeling was good.

He even burst into laughter a few times while listening.

It had the vibe of Yeong-min's previous hit song 'Baby' that went viral on MyTube last year and became a hit among children, and the feeling of rapper RubberGloves' hit song 'Boy Jumping' that was popular among children until winter.

"Si-woo, how about it? Do you want to film a music video with me?"

After a long explanation, Yeong-min finally asked Si-woo.

"Umm... Ummmm~"

Pretending to think hard for a while, Si-woo finally nodded with a bright smile.

"Okay! Shall we shake hands?"

"Sure! Shake hands~!"

Yeong-min and Si-woo shook hands, playfully swinging them.

Yeong-min said to Hyun-ju.

"I'll contact Director Choi Min-cheol myself to thank him and check the schedule. Now... everything is settled?"

Si-woo's appearance in the music video was decided.

Yeong-min got up from his chair.

"I have to leave now because I have some work to do. I'm very busy, haha. I have to go to the U.S. tomorrow. Since you're here, why don't you and Seung-hyun take a tour of the building? An employee will guide you."

After the short meeting with Yeong-min, Si-woo, holding Seung-hyun's hand, set out on a tour of the Got Entertainment building.

* * *

It was June.

The movie shooting was ongoing.

Although the blockbuster was scheduled to shoot until September, Si-woo, who played Yama occasionally, wasn't too busy.

A black van pulled up in front of Si-woo and Hyun-ju.

"Madam, Si-woo, get in."

Seeing the car that had come to pick them up to their apartment, Si-woo stroked the back of his head.

Representative Shin Yeong-min had provided a car for Si-woo, who had to visit Got Entertainment several times for music video practice.

Moreover, he offered to take care of Si-woo's transportation until September, when the shooting would end...

It was clear that he wanted to build a relationship with the promising Si-woo, who was still young.

Si-woo and Hyun-ju got in the car and headed to the music video shooting location.

It was a warehouse building in a quiet suburb.

"The air is good, right, Si-woo?"

"Yep! The weather is nice~"

Si-woo walked towards the building first.

Inside, the interior was incredibly luxurious, unlike the desolate exterior.

"Wow~"

It was amazing.

It had a different charm from the sets of dramas and movies.

While those recreated actual environments or created plausible imaginary landscapes, this place seemed to have gathered all the magical and colorful items and backgrounds.

– Heeheehee~!

"......Huh?"

Hearing a voice from somewhere, Si-woo turned his head to see a horse in the stable, neighing and looking at him.

"Mom! There's a horse~!"

"Really? Where did a horse come from?"

Just as Si-woo was about to run towards the horse, Yeong-min called out to him.

"Si-woo! Madam! Over here!"

Reluctantly, Si-woo decided to meet the horse later and turned around.

"Hello~!"

Si-woo greeted loudly.

The staff laughed, saying he was cute.

Yeong-min, holding a beautiful Norwegian Forest cat, handed it to another staff member and approached Si-woo.

"You're energetic today. Did you practice a lot?"

"Yep!"

"Good. Let's go greet the director. When you see the director... No, you might not remember. Madam, you'll be surprised."

Leaving a mysterious remark, Yeong-min led the way.

Si-woo and Hyun-ju followed him, looking puzzled, into a room filled with clothes.

Especially, there were many children's clothes that Si-woo could wear.

Riding outfits, police uniforms, doctor's gowns, penguin costumes, rabbit costumes, Taekwondo uniforms, soccer uniforms, and more.

There were too many to count.

"Uncle! Do I have to wear all of these?"

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Si-woo asked.

Fortunately, Yeong-min shook his head.

"No. How can you wear all of these? You have to choose."

Si-woo sighed in relief.

There were also girls' clothes, not just boys'.

It was a great comfort to know he didn't have to wear everything.

While Si-woo was fiddling with a bear costume with a hood, thinking of the cracker bear he had met at the zoo, Yeong-min, looking around the spacious room, called out.

"Director~ You're not really hiding, are you? I thought it was a joke. Did you go to the bathroom?"

At that moment, a small male voice came from somewhere.

"Bappuya~"

Startled, Yeong-min and Hyun-ju were slightly surprised, but Si-woo remained calm.

Because he had already known someone was hiding in the room as soon as they entered.

He also knew the hiding spot.

Si-woo smiled at the amateur hiding and tugged on his mother's sleeve.

"Mom~ Over there."

Si-woo pointed to behind the curtain.

When Yeong-min and Hyun-ju looked, they saw a pair of shoes under the curtain, just as Si-woo had said.

Yeong-min said,

"He's quite playful. Go see who it is. I heard they'll be very happy to see you."

"Me? Who...?"

Yeong-min encouraged Hyun-ju, but she didn't move.

Instead, Si-woo, taking her place, walked confidently towards the curtain.

At that moment, another male voice came from behind the curtain.

"Bappuya~"

Si-woo had a feeling he knew who it was.

3. 2. 1.

Swish!

The curtain was pulled back by Si-woo's hand.

The man hiding behind the curtain smiled widely, bent down, and opened his arms as if inviting a hug.

"Si-woo~! Haha! Don't you remember the director? You were so young! How much have you grown? Let me give you a hug."

Si-woo said quietly,

"I remember."

The man who had made Si-woo a nationwide CF star at the age of two with the Pet World commercial.

And the man who had become a star director, creating commercials and music videos, and now commanded a high price.

Famous as Director Star.

Director Star, who had reunited with Si-woo after three years, extended his palm to Si-woo.

"Really? Do you remember this? Let's do it once more. Bappuya~!"

"......Bappuya."

Ah!

Why am I following along!?

Si-woo's pale face turned red.

He needed to pull himself together.

There was a risk of losing his composure to Director Star in a moment of carelessness.

Director Star, who was closely examining Si-woo's face, now five years old, said to Yeong-min,

"Wow, our actor Yoon Si-woo. He's become even cuter. He was the best as a baby, but he's evolved. It's unbelievable."

"Right? I was also surprised to see him in person. Can I really use him as my young self...?"

"That's what Representative Shin Yeong-min is saying, right? That he was this cute when he was young. Are you prepared to be sued for fraud?"

"Haha! I'm ready."

"Good. Let's start shooting. It's showtime."

Director Star, smiling, kept looking at Si-woo as he moonwalked out of the room.

Seeing this, Yeong-min said,

"The director is a pro in front of dance singers. Haha. Si-woo, watch closely. This is the real deal."

Yeong-min, showing off a more skilled moonwalk, slid his feet and did a circle before leaving the room.

Hyun-ju smiled awkwardly.

"You two... are really young at heart. Si-woo, come with me. Let's go."

Hyun-ju gestured to Si-woo and left the room, but Si-woo, chasing after her, suddenly...

Sighed deeply.

Unable to resist the impulse, he moved his small body and moonwalked out of the room.

Oh.