Chapter 45 – The Best Actress of the Era (2)

‘Oh? Senior Jung-eun had this side to her?’

“Huh? Who are you? Are you really the senior I know?”

Kim Ji-hyuk was surprised by Shin Jung-eun’s completely different appearance from usual.

Kim Ji-hyuk asked, pretending not to know.

“Why? Is it strange?”

Shin Jung-eun had a shy, awkward expression.

“No, no. It suits you very well.”

“Really, is it okay? I haven’t worn clothes like this often, so it feels a bit awkward. Is it really not awkward?”

Shin Jung-eun smiled shyly and tidied her dress.

“Yes. It suits you incredibly well. I thought you were someone else. You should dress like this normally!”

“Oh, did I look that unsightly before?”

Embarrassed, Shin Jung-eun swept up her falling bangs.

‘Oh, she really looks like a different person!’

“Ah, no. That’s not it…”

It was at that very moment.

“Oh? Ji-hyuk?”

A woman in a stylish Western suit. She was Lee Gil-sook, Director Lee Tae-soo’s daughter.

“Professor? What about Yun-seok?”

Beside Professor Lee Gil-sook stood another woman, not Yun-seok.

“Dr. Yun-seok?”

Professor Lee Gil-sook had a puzzled expression.

‘That’s strange. Grandfather left first in the morning, saying let’s meet at the theater. But why didn’t they come together? Did he go to the restroom or something?’

Ji-hyuk looked around.

“Who are you looking for?”

“Ah, no. I thought Yun-seok mentioned Chunhyangjeon a few days ago… I must have misunderstood.”

Ji-hyuk checked Lee Gil-sook’s reaction.

“Ah! Right! This ticket, Dr. Yun-seok gave it to me.”

“Ah…”

“Dr. Yun-seok gave me two tickets to watch it with a friend, so I came with this sister to watch it.”

As Lee Gil-sook pointed to the woman beside her, the woman nodded in greeting to Ji-hyuk.

“I-I see.”

“Dr. Yun-seok said he has a lot of work even on weekends, so he couldn’t come. Dr. Yun-seok seems to be extremely busy?”

‘Sigh, foolish Grandfather! You couldn’t even ask her to watch it together! Oh, how can you be so lacking in courage? Ha! It’s a pity, but it’s rather a good thing! Of course it should be. Grandfather must marry Grandmother at all costs! He must never turn his eyes to another woman!’

Kim Ji-hyuk clenched his fist, showing a triumphant smile.

“Ah! Right! Yun-seok works so well! Since the patients only look for Yun-seok, he is inevitably tied to the hospital today too!”

Hahaha—

Ji-hyuk tried to escape the situation with a forced laugh.

“Indeed, Dr. Yun-seok is amazing! Father also praised Dr. Yun-seok a lot.”

“Of course! Yun-seok is the pillar of our hospital!”

Hehe, Kim Ji-hyuk smiled brightly.

“Right. It seems so. By the way, did you also come to watch the performance, Ji-hyuk?”

Although she spoke to Ji-hyuk, Lee Gil-sook’s gaze was directed toward Shin Jung-eun next to him, as if she was mindful of her.

It seemed Shin Jung-eun standing next to Ji-hyuk was bothering her.

“Yes. I happened to get tickets. We came to watch together.”

“I see. Who is the person next to you? By any chance, your lover?”

Lee Gil-sook pointed at Shin Jung-eun with a tilt of her chin.

“Ah, no! We are absolutely not in that kind of relationship.”

Flustered, Ji-hyuk waved his hands in denial repeatedly.

“Ah!”

“He is the senior I worked with at the UN Hospital in Busan! Senior! Please greet her. This is Professor Lee Gil-sook of the obstetrics department!”

Kim Ji-hyuk introduced Shin Jung-eun to Lee Gil-sook in a daze.

“Aha, that’s a relief.”

‘What? What is a relief?’

Kim Ji-hyuk had a puzzled expression.

“Ah… I am Shin Jung-eun, working at Busan University Hospital.”

At that, Shin Jung-eun greeted politely.

“I see! I am Lee Gil-sook. Nice to meet you.”

Offering a handshake, Lee Gil-sook extended her hand confidently.

She wore gloves with pink lace fluttering, and a high-end watch was strapped to her slender wrist.

Anyone could see her wealthy appearance, looking like the daughter of a high-ranking official.

“Yes.”

In contrast, Shin Jung-eun wore a shabby outfit.

She reached out her hand cautiously, but she did not look discouraged at all.

“Nice to meet you both. Enjoy the performance!”

“Yes. You have a pleasant time too, Professor.”

“Yes! Sister, let’s go!”

With that, the two separated, and

Grab—

“……!”

Shin Jung-eun suddenly took Kim Ji-hyuk’s arm.

“Huh? Why?”

“Hahaha, what do you mean why? Look over there! Doing this here is the rule! Let’s go quickly. We’ll be late for the performance!”

With that, Shin Jung-eun quickened her pace and overtook Professor Lee Gil-sook’s party.

‘What? Those two?’

Lee Gil-sook stopped walking and stared blankly at their backs.

“Gil-sook, aren’t you going?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. I must go.”

A moment later.

Silence—

The audience filled the seats.

Although there were many audience members who came as couples, there were overwhelmingly more female audience members.

‘Wow! This is indeed the origin of passionate fans!’

Over seventy years ago, the center of South Korea’s entertainment was the female actresses of Gukgeuk.

In that way, the Gukgeuk finally began.

The role of Yi Mong-ryong was played by the best Gukgeuk actress of the time, Mi-ryeong, and the role of Bang-ja was played by the rookie, Mi-ju.

Wow—

Clap, clap—

As Yi Mong-ryong came out in front and Bang-ja followed behind, cheers erupted from the audience.

‘Wow! They built the set quite well. It must have cost quite a bit of money.’

It was a set that would not pale even compared to modern musicals. A lot of money must have been spent to build such a set.

It was a moment to gauge how popular Gukgeuk was in the 1950s.

Thud, thud—

The drummer beat the drum twice.

It was the sound of the drum announcing the start of the Gukgeuk in earnest.

Mi-ryeong, in the role of Yi Mong-ryong, spread her fan, and it was the moment when Bang-ja had to deliver the lines first. However, Mi-ju, who took the role of Bang-ja, could not speak a word, like a mute who ate honey.

A temporary silence!

Mi-ju still kept her head bowed and could not deliver the lines.

“……!”

Mi-ryeong glanced at Mi-ju. She frowned as if telling her to deliver the lines quickly.

“…….”

Mi-ju still could not part her lips, like a mute.

Something was certainly going wrong.

‘What? Why does that actress seem to look at me?’

Ji-hyuk tilted his head.

Ji-hyuk felt that Hong Mi-ju, who took the role of Bang-ja, was looking at him.

“Senior, doesn’t it look like that Bang-ja actress is looking at us?”

“Oh, that can’t be!”

Shin Jung-eun waved her hand.

“Anyway, that actress’s condition looks very bad…”

Shin Jung-eun had no interest in Ji-hyuk’s feeling.

‘No… She clearly seems to recognize me. Wait! Does she look like someone I’ve seen somewhere before?’

“Senior, what is that Bang-ja actress’s name?”

Ji-hyuk asked Shin Jung-eun.

“Since she is a rookie actress, I also… Mi-ju? I think they said she is actress Hong Mi-ju?”

“Yes? Mi-ju? Hong Mi-ju?”

“Yes. Why? Do you know her?”

‘S-Surely not, right? It must be a person with the same name. There’s no way she is Grandmother.’

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

Gulp—

Kim Ji-hyuk swallowed his dry saliva.

Murmur, murmur—

“What? Is she nervous?”

“It’s my first time seeing that actress, is she a rookie? Did she forget her lines?”

The audience began to waver.

But Ji-hyuk’s thoughts were a bit different.

‘Her complexion is too pale. Her body condition doesn’t look good!’

But was it a needless worry?

Suddenly, as if her tongue had loosened, Mi-ju began to deliver her lines.

Wow—

Bang-ja began to deliver her lines with flashing eyes.

After turning around the stage once, she delivered her lines as if a mute monk’s tongue had loosened.

“Wow! It’s truly amazing, young master! Looking at this, it’s a spectacle! My mind is d~~~azed!”

Hahaha—

At Bang-ja’s exaggerated actions, laughter erupted among the audience.

Whew—

The staff sitting in the front row, who had watched the performance in tension, let out a sigh of relief.

“They say this is the Gwanghanru, which is considered the best in Namwon as I told you!”

Wearing a mask, Bang-ja played around, distorting her facial muscles excessively.

Just as Bang-ja came close to the audience and performed with exaggerated actions.

“……!”

A clear birthmark visible between the straps of the mask Bang-ja was wearing!

It was a clear birthmark shaped like the Korean peninsula.

‘G-Grandmother?! R-Really! That person is my grandmother!’

His pupils shook wildly.

After seeing the birthmark shaped like the Korean peninsula on Bang-ja’s neck, Ji-hyuk felt his mind go dazed.

* * *

Ji-hyuk furrowed his brow, recalling his childhood before his regression.

-Grandmother! Do that for me!

Young Ji-hyuk clutched and whined, lying with his head on his grandmother Hong Mi-ju’s lap.

-Hahaha, what?

-That! Speaking like a rap.

-I’ve already told you that four times?

-It’s fine! It’s fun even if I hear it every day! You really looked like G-Dragon.

-Oh my, my puppy! Really?

-Yeah, Grandmother! Do it quickly.

-Understood. If my puppy asks for it, how could I not do it ten or a hundred times?

-Yeah! Quickly!

-Understood, you rascal! Wow! Young master, it’s truly amazing!

Clearing her throat, his grandmother delivered the lines.

-Hehehe, why is your voice like that? It’s so funny because your voice changes every time you do this… Uh! But Grandmother, what is this?

Ji-hyuk pointed near his grandmother Hong Mi-ju’s neck.

-This? It’s a birthmark!

-A birthmark? Wow! But it looks exactly like the map of our country! Wow! It’s so amazing!

-Hahaha, I also found it very amazing. Your grandfather said that if we have this, we’ll be able to find each other even if we become a separated family.

-Right, right. Jeju Island is here too! Wow! Wow! It’s so funny!

* * *

‘Th-that person is my gr-grandmother? My grandmother whom I missed so much!’

Ji-hyuk’s cheeks flushed. The tip of his nose tingled.

Ji-hyuk could not calm his beating heart.

“Hmph! Since people praised Gwanghanru to high heaven, I…”

Just as the performance proceeded in earnest.

Aaaarg—

At that moment, Bang-ja’s scream filled the theater, and Bang-ja, who had lost her footing, collapsed onto the stage floor.

Thud—

Suddenly, Bang-ja collapsed on stage.

Hahaha—

“Stop falling!”

“Oh, my stomach hurts from laughing. Do you fall like that every single day?”

The audience seemed to think that Mi-ju, in the role of Bang-ja, was acting.

However, Ji-hyuk, who was watching the performance closely, thought differently.

“Se-Senior. That Bang-ja’s bo-body doesn’t look good!”

Ji-hyuk said in a trembling voice, pointing to Mi-ju on the stage.

“What? I don’t know well.”

“No. It’s not ordinary. It was strange from the moment she came onto the stage. She was breaking a cold sweat and had no color in her face! Furthermore, as she fell, it seems she took an impact from the protruding set over there!”

Kim Ji-hyuk spoke in an excited tone.

“N-No, it won’t be. Originally, Bang-ja acts like that… By the way, why is your facial expression like that?”

Seeing Ji-hyuk’s flushed face, Shin Jung-eun asked in concern.

‘G-Grandmother!’

Kim Ji-hyuk could not calm his thumping heart.

“Ah, no. It’s nothing!”

However, Ji-hyuk’s hips fidgeted as if he would run onto the stage immediately.

Aaaarg—

It was at that very moment.

Yi Mong-ryong, who was next to her, screamed.

And soon,

“I-It seems Mi-ju can’t breathe!”

The actress Mi-ryeong stamped her feet and shook the body of Bang-ja, who was sprawled on the stage floor.

Murmur, murmur—

Suddenly, the theater became noisy.

The actress Mi-ju collapsing was not acting.

“……!”

Spring—

At that, Ji-hyuk sprang up and ran toward the stage at the speed of light.