I Don’t Want to Play Villains Anymore - Chapter 6
Recognized moments
It was the first time.
Jang Hyun-seong, rumored to have perfect acting skills as stunning as his visuals, forgot his lines in a crucial scene.
Since his rookie days, he had shown an insane level of immersion in every role, capturing every minute psychological change with his eyes and body movements.
Watching his performance, every emotion and conflict felt vividly real.
Even the fellow actors performing alongside him were so overwhelmed by his acting that they struggled to speak, and staff members expressed that being in a scene with him was both a blessing and a source of fear.
Yet, he forgot his lines.
The silence that settled across the entire filming set felt even longer and heavier as a result.
No one dared to move, and everyone held their breath as they watched him.
At that moment, everyone was at a loss for words, fearing that they might draw the ire of a popular actor.
Jang Hyun-seong slowly moved his eyes, appearing flustered. It felt as if his mind was completely empty.
He tried to recall his next lines, but all that echoed in his mind was the scene earlier, delivered by Haneul, and the Shin Sound that flowed from her small lips.
“I am not the one who provides answers to you. Beings of the world.”
That soft yet stern Shin Sound, cold and unyielding.
The commanding presence of that line was undeniably compelling.
Though spoken by a child actor, Jang Hyun-seong felt an instinctive fear upon hearing it.
It felt as though he were facing a divine entity that had descended from a distant realm, an overwhelming sensation.
Jang Hyun-seong clenched his trembling fingers, unable to hide his slight confusion.
He could not understand why he had forgotten his lines or why his heart was shaking so much.
At least, this sensation of ‘overwhelm’ was something he had never experienced before.
As the silence lingered in the filming set, director Jung Hee-chang cleared his throat awkwardly and spoke carefully.
“Um… Hyun-seong? Are you okay?”
Only then did Jang Hyun-seong seem to return to reality, lightly shaking in response to the director’s voice. He turned his head slightly to look back at Baek Ha-neul.
The small child stood quietly in front of him, gazing up at him.
Her deep, expressive eyes quietly shone with light, and her silver hair glowed faintly, as if drenched in moonlight.
“That performance… that small child did it?”
The expression lingering on Haneul’s face remained unchanged, yet Jang Hyun-seong could distinctly feel an incredibly weighty presence and dignity within it.
“What is that child?”
The question passed through his mind once more.
He had acted alongside countless actors, but never had he encountered one so perfectly immersed in their character.
It felt as though he were not performing with another actor, but truly facing a deity.
As he observed the child’s performance, a fear naturally surged from deep within him.
All his accumulated acting experience, pride, and confidence as an actor crumbled before that small child.
Jang Hyun-seong took a slow breath.
“Right, let’s pull ourselves together.”
He took a moment to gather his thoughts. He couldn’t ruin the scene like this. Hyun-seong steadied his breath and cautiously opened his mouth to speak.
“I’m sorry, director. I lost my focus. Let’s do it again.”
Director Jung Hee-chang looked at him with concern and slowly nodded.
“Alright, Hyun-seong. Let’s take a short break.”
As Hyun-seong rose from his seat, a low whisper began to spread among the staff.
“Oh my, Hyun-seong forgot his lines.”
“I never thought I’d see something like this…”
“What on earth is that child?”
Hearing the murmurs around him, Jang Hyun-seong slowly looked down at his hands.
His fingertips were still slightly trembling. His breathing was irregular, and his mind was still scrambled.
Then it happened.
Someone gently tugged at the end of his sleeve.
Startled, Jang Hyun-seong turned to see Haneul looking up at him quietly.
“Deumbae-nim… I’m sorry.”
It was a small voice.
With pure sincerity in her worried eyes, she parted her lips again.
“I was too much, wasn’t I?”
In that instant, Jang Hyun-seong held his breath.
Within that child’s small eyes were a mix of concern, apology, and a slight hint of anxiety.
But at the same time, there was a professionalism and sense of responsibility uncharacteristic of her age.
Only then did Jang Hyun-seong manage to smile slowly. He felt a rush of admiration and awe rising from deep within him.
“No, you were great. Your acting was so good that I momentarily lost my focus. It’s not your fault, Haneul.”
He spoke as calmly as he could, gently ruffling Haneul’s hair. She slowly smiled as if relieved.
“Really?”
“Of course. I’ll be counting on you in the future, Haneul.”
“Yes, Deumbae-nim.”
As he looked at Haneul’s bright smile, Jang Hyun-seong realized.
In the realm of acting, he was already face to face with a special existence that surpassed even himself.
Jang Hyun-seong whispered softly.
“I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.”
He had no doubt that this little child’s future would be even greater and more astonishing than now.
And that sentiment was shared by the entire staff at the filming set.
After that day, no one knew yet that a small storm was beginning in the acting world of South Korea.
***
After the filming wrapped up, he returned home at midnight.
While the good child may rest, the great actor ought to practice his craft.
“Haneul, what are you doing?”
“I question those who live in what is called ‘life’… Hehe. Ah! Mom!”
Running over to his mother, who looked at him with a puzzled expression, he jumped into her arms.
“Right. Our little actor was practicing acting, huh?”
“Yes! It’s so much fun.”
The story of the Silent God.
Though a huge hit in a past life, he had never seen it.
So this incredible production existed.
Perhaps the former child actor heard those disappointing reviews because he couldn’t bring this role to life.
Come on, this isn’t a script that a young actor could easily handle.
No matter how exceptional the child actor, truly grasping the depth and meaning must have been challenging.
Perhaps the director, writer, and production team had expected too much from a young child from the start…
“But I’m different.”
The Shin Sound that quietly escaped from her small lips was filled with a commanding presence that felt precarious even to deliver.
Her reflection in the mirror was small, yet her gaze was shining with strength.
“Life is…”
He slowly repeated the lines of the script, organizing his breath as if practicing.
“…a question asked continuously. An answerless contradiction. And a solution discovered by oneself.”
“Oh my. Is Haneul performing? That’s really impressive~.”
His mother smiled broadly and hugged him.
“Ugh… breath… breathing…”
He hastily gasped for air, caught in a vice-like grip.
His mother’s embrace was always warm, but it felt dangerous.
“I was impressed too. It felt like the emotions Haneul brought to life were communicated directly.”
…Yeah. It might even be a piece of inspiration for me.
When he acted, each syllable pronounced caused strange thrills and excitement to crawl up his spine.
It had been ages since he felt this way.
It felt thrilling yet expected, much like the day he first stepped onto the stage, and an intense desire writhed deep within him.
Slowly, he placed his hand over his chest.
His heart was racing.
He could not tell whether this feeling was excitement, joy, or perhaps satisfaction in regaining something he had not experienced in a past life.
But one thing was clear; he had confidence that he could perfectly embody this role.
“If a top-tier actor in the country couldn’t tackle a significant role properly, I would lose my pride…”
“Today, your acting was absolutely fantastic.”
“Oh, our little actor was so beautiful and amazing today~.”
His mother showered him with praises, rubbing her cheek against his as she always did. It was a common occurrence, but today the compliments felt much sweeter.
“Truly, there are no other beautiful, smart, and wonderful children in the world besides our Haneul, right?”
It felt a bit embarrassing and made his cheeks flush…
After having once rejected her, he now tried to accept her compliments as much as possible.
In fact, he stood a little taller and raised his chin with pride.
“Of course, I’m the only one!”
When he confidently declared this, his mother laughed even more joyfully, pulling him into a tighter embrace.
“Hahaha! Having such confidence, Haneul, makes your mom feel secure.”
Yeah. True.
Honestly, it felt nice.
…Is it acceptable to feel this way?
He crossed his arms, posing more confidently.
“Who else’s daughter could I be but mine?”
His mother laughed heartily at his teasing, gently patting his head.
“Of course! Our little actor will do anything well. Your mom is always our Haneul’s fan club president.”
He smiled slightly, lifting his face from his mother’s embrace.
“President of the Fan Club, I look forward to your support.”
His mother beamed and gave him a light kiss on the forehead.
“Yes, our little actor~.”
Ding dong!
The front door opened, and familiar footsteps echoed in the entryway.
Slowly removing his shoes, the one entering was none other than his father, Baek Geon-hwan.
“Ah, our family is always so harmonious to look at.”
His calm yet somehow warm voice lightly stirred the air in the house.
While still in his mother’s arms, he turned his head to look at him.
His father was dressed in a neat and polished suit, but for some reason today, he appeared a bit more exhausted.
However, he always masked his tiredness and emotions effortlessly.
“I couldn’t attend the filming today, so I thought I should see you at home quickly.”
The casual tone of his voice was directed squarely at Jang Hyun-seong.
He slowly approached as he disentangled himself from his mother’s embrace.
His father smiled a little at the sight of him.
“How was filming, Haneul?”
As the cool voice wrapped around him, his heart felt warm inside.
After observing for five years, he concluded that his father spoke little but always understood and believed in him the best.
With a small smile, he proudly looked up and said.
“It was perfect, Dad. Everyone was so surprised that they were left speechless.”
The proud declaration slipped from his lips.
His father raised his eyebrows slightly, considering him for a moment, and then chuckled lightly.
“Right. You truly are my daughter.”
Slowly nodding, he continued with the conversation.
“Of course. Who else would I be the daughter of?”
His father chuckled lightly as if he found it amusing.
At that moment, his mother chimed in from behind.
“Our little actor completely took over the filming today~ Everyone was so amazed they couldn’t take their eyes off!”
“Ugh… unnecessary words…”
When his mother looked at him, he felt a bit embarrassed but still tried his best to act confidently.
His father’s gaze returned to him, warmth glimmering in that look.
“I couldn’t eat anything for a week and watched closely, so I had to do something like this.”
To be honest, there was a sarcastic undertone hidden in that.
Wasn’t a week of fasting a bit much?
He responded as relaxed and confidently as he could, though he couldn’t completely hide his flushed face.
His father, finding this amusing, smiled gently and revealed a small box he had been holding.
“You probably couldn’t eat because you were focused on the script, so you should have this.”
Of course…!
He accepted the small box from his father’s hand.
“Pierre Marcolini.” It was the chocolate his father always bought for him.
Seeing him bring it every day, it must have been from a cheap brand, right? Well, as long as it tastes good, that’s all that matters.
“Wow, thank you so much!”
“Yeah. Enjoy it and gain strength for your acting.”
Unable to hide the excitement, he broke into a happy smile.
His father gave a small nod and gently ruffled his hair. It was a soft touch, but he felt the warmth behind it.
The subtle smile spreading across his usually calm father’s face made him even happier.
Ding ding!
Just then, his father’s phone rang.
“Just a moment, Haneul. I need to take this call.”
His father smiled apologetically and walked to a corner of the living room.
He brought the phone to his ear, looking out the window as if it was a habit.
“Yes, Director Hee-chang.”
His father’s low murmurs stirred the air in the house slightly.
A hint of anxiety began to fill the atmosphere. Jang Hyun-seong subconsciously tightened his grip on the chocolate and listened closely.
[Mr. Haneul’s father. You will regret not seeing this filming. It was truly perfect. Soon, the entire acting community of South Korea will be celebrating Haneul’s rise.]
His father’s tone turned immediately serious. It was a subtle change, but Jang Hyun-seong did not let it pass unnoticed.
“I believe it’s a bit early to say that.”
[No, haha.]
Director Jung Hee-chang’s laughter resonated in the living room.
[It has already begun.]
And precisely one day after Director Jung Hee-chang’s call ended…
[Director Jung Hee-chang’s new work ‘Quiet God: The Story of the Time’ will be released… Director Jung Hee-chang states, “What the audience needs to witness this time is not the performance of a popular actor but the birth of a new star…” Netizens: ‘So who is it?’]
In a drama without any rookie actors besides him, such teasing was playful.