Chapter 63

63. The Last Shooting Day

The match between Yun Shushu, a 30th-class player, and Strawberry Chocolate Milk, a 5th-dan player, quickly became a hot topic on the KidsGo server.

While it was already known that Strawberry Chocolate Milk was the prodigy girl, Choi Soo-a, the daughter of Choi Min-a, 9th dan, the identity of Yun Shushu remained a mystery.

- "Isn't it a pro's secondary account? But why 30th class?"

- "It's definitely not a pro. The style seems like someone who time-traveled from the past. Maybe it's like an ancestor who recently started following AlphaGo?"

- "But the important thing is that they play well. I keep challenging Yun Shushu whenever I see them, but I never get a turn. 😢"

It had been two months since Siwoo started playing online Go.

During this time, he had become quite famous on the KidsGo server through many matches.

A professional Go player who provided commentary on online Go games even mentioned, "A mysterious child with an unusual style has recently appeared on the KidsGo server."

Siwoo no longer needed to look for opponents.

As soon as he logged in, many skilled players would challenge him first.

The only way for players with a significant level difference to play a match in online Go was through a friendly game, which did not affect their levels.

Siwoo continued to play at the beginner level of 30th class, engaging in serious matches with prodigy boys and girls from Korea, China, and Japan every day.

* * *

"Yaaawn—"

Siwoo yawned widely as he stretched after waking up.

He rubbed his eyes with both hands and put on the KidsPhone from his bedside table.

After checking the date on the screen, he sat up groggily and rolled out of bed.

Recently, he had been so engrossed in online Go that time had flown by.

Today was the last shooting day for the movie *The Name of God*.

"It feels like it was just yesterday when we started shooting in March, and now half a year has passed. Yaaawn~"

It was going to be a busy day.

Siwoo hadn't seen Su-a in person for a while, but they had become very close through daily Go games and chats. He thought about sending her a message to let her know he couldn't play today and went to the living room.

"Siwoo, are you up? Do you want to eat?"

"Uh-huh~"

"Okay. I'll play with Bokshil and Nero while I cook."

"Okay. Thanks, Mom."

"Kiss on the cheek."

Peck!

Siwoo kissed his mom's cheek and then went down the slide with Bokshil and Nero.

— "Meeow~!"

Bokshil came down cutely.

— "Meow~!"

Nero came down with his bottom sticking out, looking funny.

Siwoo patted Bokshil's head and playfully tapped Nero's bottom.

Nero purred.

After eating a meal with a rolled egg filled with carrots and onions and a few side dishes, Siwoo got ready to go to the shooting location.

He put on his coat and went down to the apartment building, where a white van arrived after a short wait.

As Shin Young-min, the CEO, had mentioned when signing the contract for the music video, God Entertainment was providing transportation for the duration of the movie *The Name of God*.

At first, it felt a bit burdensome, but since it was common to add a few convenience options to the appearance fee, Siwoo now gratefully used the service.

"The CEO said that although the vehicle service is supposed to end today, if it's not inconvenient, you can continue to use it until Siwoo starts elementary school."

"Ah, I feel like I'm causing too much trouble..."

"No, it's fine. Just let us know a few days in advance."

"Okay. I'll... think about it."

"Sure."

The proposal was really helpful for Hyun-ju, who didn't have a car.

However, she hesitated, thinking that if they continued to rely on God Entertainment, Siwoo might naturally become a part of the agency.

Since Seung-hyun was also part of the company and CEO Shin Young-min didn't seem like a bad person, she was still unsure.

Siwoo was only five years old.

It was too early to decide on an agency.

Hyun-ju decided to politely decline later and continue taking Siwoo herself, even if it was a bit more difficult.

It wasn't like they had to go to shooting locations four or five times a week like Jung-tae.

While in the car, Hyun-ju said to Siwoo,

"By the way, all of Siwoo's friends will be there today, right?"

"Uh-huh~"

"Are you excited?"

"Uh-huh, I'm so excited! It's going to be fun!"

The place where Siwoo and Hyun-ju arrived was the massive underworld set where the first shooting of the movie had taken place.

It was always impressive to see the scale.

Inside the set, Yoo-ri was practicing her lines alone.

She seemed to be the first of the main actors to arrive.

"Yoo-ri Auntie~!"

"Siwoo, come here. Did you miss your auntie?"

"Uh-huh~ I didn't miss... No, no, I did miss you!"

He was momentarily confused.

Siwoo smiled brightly and looked up at Yoo-ri.

'...Why is her face so pale?'

Yoo-ri's face was deathly white.

She didn't seem in the mood to laugh at Siwoo's cute mistake, only gently touching his cheek and then biting her lip as she looked back at her script.

"Auntie~ Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"...I'm fine. I'm always like this."

Hyun-ju also asked, worried.

"Actress Han Yoo-ri, are you okay?"

Yoo-ri lowered her script and looked at the underworld floor before speaking to Hyun-ju.

"Do I... look pretty?"

Siwoo and Hyun-ju were momentarily speechless at Yoo-ri's sudden self-praise.

Yoo-ri continued,

"I know, I'm pretty. But to be called an actress... I need to act well. Everyone says I have nothing to offer except my face. They call me the queen of bad acting. They say I should try to be at least 1% as good as Su-jin. I'm sorry, I don't know what I'm saying..."

Hyun-ju thought about how desperate Yoo-ri must have been to confide in her, someone she wasn't particularly close to.

"Stay strong. You did well in *The King's Path*."

"Uh-huh. I really want to be an actress like Su-jin. To prove that my performance in *The King's Path* wasn't a fluke, I need to do well this time..."

The main scene for today's shooting was a large-scale battle involving many underworld envoys and numerous evil spirits.

However, they had decided to reshoot a scene between Seung-seok, Yoo-ri, and Siwoo that had already been filmed earlier. Director Choi Min-cheol had warned that if Yoo-ri's performance wasn't satisfactory this time, her story might be cut from the movie.

After the success of *The King's Path*, Yoo-ri had briefly been seen as a rival to Lee Su-jin, but unlike Su-jin, who could focus under pressure, Yoo-ri tended to falter.

She had a delicate and beautiful appearance, like her name, but also a fragile mental state.

"Yoo-ri Auntie~! Do you want to practice with me?"

"Huh? With you?"

"Uh-huh! We're filming together, so we should practice together~ Why are you practicing alone?"

Director Choi Min-cheol felt frustrated every time he saw Yoo-ri.

He had chosen her after an audition and had believed in her after seeing her improvement in *The King's Path*, but over time, she seemed to be reverting to her previous bad acting.

"Ugh... Acting skills can also have a yo-yo effect..."

By the end of the shooting, she seemed to be in a state of confusion, openly displaying her bad acting.

As a director and a leader among the actors, Seung-seok was not the type to coddle and comfort, but rather to lead with strong charisma, which didn't suit Yoo-ri.

Yoo-ri sat on the underworld stairs with five-year-old Siwoo, practicing their lines.

"She's trying her best, but..."

Director Choi Min-cheol, worried, got up and approached them.

"Yoo-ri Auntie~! You're doing great!"

"R-really? It wasn't strange?"

"Uh-huh! You're doing great! Stamp!"

"Thank you~! You're so cute, Siwoo."

Siwoo pressed his thumb on Yoo-ri's palm like a stamp.

Yoo-ri smiled brightly.

Director Choi Min-cheol, seeing Yoo-ri's bright smile, which he usually saw her wearing a dark expression, felt that today might be different.

Still, he wondered,

'...Is a child taking care of an adult?'

* * *

"Ready, action!"

Director Choi Min-cheol called out.

King of the Underworld Siwoo walked slowly down the middle of the underworld path with his hands behind his back.

Yoo-ri ran after him.

Seung-seok stopped her.

"Envoy Wolsoon! Stop it!"

Yoo-ri shook off Seung-seok's hand.

The voice of Siwoo from their practice session echoed in her mind.

Remembering how Siwoo had pouted and widened his eyes, Yoo-ri made the same expression.

She had been afraid that making such a face would make her look unattractive, that her only asset, her beauty, would be ruined, and that she would lose her only advantage. But now, she realized that Siwoo, who had made such a face, looked not unattractive but incredibly adorable.

She was putting all her effort into breaking her shell.

With her mouth pouting and her eyes wide, filled with anger and frustration, Yoo-ri shouted at Seung-seok, a senior actor, in a fierce voice she had never heard before.

"Hey! How dare a junior envoy put their hands on a senior's body!"

Yoo-ri realized that what she really wanted to hear was that she didn't have to be like Su-jin.

Seung-seok, seeing Yoo-ri's powerful expression for the first time, took a step back.

'What's with her? Did she come to the set drunk? She's different from usual...'

Yoo-ri grabbed Seung-seok's beard and pulled it up.

"Ow, ow! Why are you doing this, Envoy? You're making me nervous."

Seung-seok responded with an ad-lib to Yoo-ri's unexpected beard pull.

"Whatever I do, don't stop me! Do you want to drown in the sea of hell? Hmph!"

Yoo-ri's bold ad-lib and the way she pressed her heart, which was pounding, while snorting, revealed a charm she had never shown before.

It was both cute and funny and warm to see a five-year-old boy spread his arms wide in front of her, pretending to block her.

Yoo-ri clenched her teeth and ran to Siwoo, regaining her composure.

"Why don't I have a past life?! All the other envoys have past lives, so why can't I see anything? What did you do to me... to me... to me?!"

Director Choi Min-cheol and the staff were amazed by Yoo-ri's heartfelt cry and focused on Siwoo, who was in front of her.

Siwoo let go of his hands behind his back and turned his small body around.

Boom!

The moment Siwoo looked at Director Choi Min-cheol, the staff, Yoo-ri, and Seung-seok, an indescribable strong aura began to emanate from the five-year-old.

Whoosh!

Everyone was so captivated by Siwoo that they forgot they were filming.

The space where Siwoo stood suddenly turned dark, and it felt as if he was standing alone in a vast emptiness.

Director Choi Min-cheol held his breath.

The solitary ruler—

Who had guarded the underworld alone for over a thousand years—

Lonely, so lonely—

That he longed to be missed by someone and to miss someone, breaking the laws of the underworld to see the countless souls from the living world.

The ruler of the underworld, King of the Underworld, in the body of a small child.

A five-year-old child, with just his expression and eyes—

Was doing something unexpected.

Siwoo's mouth opened.

A calm voice, that of a young child, echoed through the underworld.

"Nothing. I did nothing. The reason you can't see your past life is... because you are not from the living world."