I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me - Chapter 272

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 272

* * *

Taeseok, his face mottled with camouflage, had his rifle slung over his back and his head hung low.

“He’s been looking like death for days now.”

Even in the middle of a battlefield, it was a place where people lived. Small talk went back and forth to ease the tension.

The man who had been grabbed by the collar by Taeseok a few days ago approached him good-naturedly.

“Must have someone in Seoul.”

Taeseok didn’t respond. The man clicked his tongue, saying “Well, I’ll be,” and sat down beside him.

“Still, don’t worry. If you just stay alive till the end, you’ll meet everyone you’re meant to meet.”

Would that really be true? Taeseok didn’t want to hear the naive optimistic words from this clueless man. His straight brow furrowed.

“The rich folks all fled before the Seoul bombing even started. The broadcasting station workers too, and anyone with even one connection left for Daejeon the night before. That Hanamura who was all the talk in Busan…? Oh, he changed to a Joseon name, what was it again. Anyway, that bastard too…”

“Did you say Hanamura?”

Taeseok’s ears perked up at the familiar name.

“That’s right! The guy who came from Jinhae and devoured all of Busan, going up and down Seoul constantly expanding his distillery business…”

Boom!

Just then, a shell fell. Thick smoke that blocked all vision engulfed the two men.

Even during the height of war, the wealthy spent peaceful days. Huijae and Taejin sat facing each other, tilting their teacups. Taejin’s father and Hanamura were also seated at the same table.

“So then, after the wedding ceremony is finished…”

Huijae couldn’t hear Taejin’s voice. She was just blankly holding the teacup to her lips. She seemed to be desperately worried about someone. Her vacant eyes wandered around the edges of the table.

There’s a large naval base in Jinhae, they say. So would it be safe? Maybe he crossed the sea to evacuate… No, maybe, really maybe, perhaps…

“Ahem.”

At Hanamura’s displeased cough, Huijae hurriedly raised her head. Kind brown eyes looking at her. Taejin called her name as if to reassure such a Huijae.

“Miss Huijae has deep knowledge of tea. The way you concentrate on the aroma is quite pleasant to watch.”

A kind man. The man who would now become her husband had no hesitation in his expressions. Affection dripped from every single word he spoke.

So different from that boy, no… she could keenly feel that he was completely different from that boy. Huijae, who habitually thought of Taeseok, wanted to burst into tears right then. She wanted to cry very loudly.

“Thank you for seeing me that way.”

Taeseok.

“Already the relationship between these two is so good, there’s nothing more to see about their harmony. Isn’t that right, Mr. Yeon?”

“Of course. To welcome such a fine man as a husband, my daughter is truly blessed.”

You’re alive, aren’t you…

“Not at all. Miss Huijae is too good for me. I’m the one who’s been blessed.”

You are alive, right…

* * *

Taeseok was supporting a man who was half-unconscious and staggering, escaping from the middle of the war zone. Comrades welcomed the two men who had barely survived in a place where it was hard to protect even oneself.

“Stay conscious! Stay conscious! Don’t close your eyes now!”

“Bring something to disinfect this!”

Even in the chaos stained with screams and pain, Taeseok habitually touched the back of his neck.

It’s not there.

Huijae is not there.

“Hey! Where are you going!”

“He’s crazy! Hey, you crazy bastard!”

Leaving the restraining voices behind, Taeseok ran. He plunged back into the heart of death.

Boom-!

Huijae.

Boom-!

Huijae.

Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!

You’re alive, aren’t you.

In a place where the sound of exploding shells could be heard incessantly, Taeseok disappeared without a trace. The flames of war engulfed the boy.

* * *

The lady’s face in the black car was covered with a pure white veil. The lady dressed in a wedding gown kept her rouge-painted lips tightly shut.

The car moved smoothly forward. The place they eventually reached was a wedding venue splendid from the entrance. The hotel lobby where the ceremony was being held bloomed like a flower garden with wreaths from famous figures from all walks of life.

“Ahaha! That’s truly kind words.”

Hanamura was laughing brightly with genuine joy. It wasn’t the driver who opened the back seat of the car Huijae was in.

“Watch your step.”

A man with a flower pinned to his chest, smiling handsomely. It was Taejin.

White shoes slowly getting out of the car came into view. Next was the hem of a wedding dress flowing like waves over slender ankles, a bright bouquet held in one hand, and then next…

“Ah…”

What entered Huijae’s vision was none other than her own name. On the placard hanging as large as a door in front of the hotel lobby, familiar Chinese characters were written.

Below the name of the person who would become the groom, Huijae’s name was written.

Eldest daughter of Yeon Chisu, Yeon Huijae

Seeing her name written large with the character for joy rather than the character for woman, her tightly shut mouth fell open.

“I know that someone already has a place in Miss Huijae’s heart.”

The voice heard beside her was still warm. He was the only man who knew the meaning of her name.

It was a gift he had prepared for Huijae. A gift not just for any woman, but for the joy that had fluttered to him one day.

“Even if I’m not a particularly wonderful husband, I will strive to become a decent husband. So that Miss Huijae can be satisfied… So that someday you might give me a corner of your heart as well.”

As Huijae turned her head to look at Taejin, the veil moved slightly across her face. What was revealed was the face of a lady blooming bright as a lily. It was Huijae, fully grown.

“I will respect Miss Huijae as my wife and cherish you for life.”

The face of the man making his affection-filled vow was full of bashfulness. Taejin’s cheeks, flushed as red as the color of the bouquet in Huijae’s hand, were so amusing that Huijae smiled softly.

The screen that had been bright and cheerful just moments before suddenly turned gloomy. A large hand lying on the dirt ground was captured. That hand gripping an iron necklace was covered in wounds.

“Hanamura’s Korean name? I don’t remember it well…”

Click. A short-haired girl revealed herself from within the necklace opened by the young man’s hand on the ground.

“He was called Mr. Yeon. Mr. Yeon.”

Slowly that hand rose toward the sky.

“That family packed all their things and evacuated even before the Han River bridge collapsed, they say. Being so rich, the rumor spread everywhere.”

Looking at the rusty necklace without being blinded by the bright sunlight was the face of a young man who had grown up well.

“Yeon Huijae…”

What Taejin figured out immediately, Taeseok figured out with great difficulty. But as if satisfied with just that, a smile hung at the corners of his mouth.

“Groom’s entrance-!”

Inside the palace-like hotel, black dress shoes crossed the white carpet with everyone’s blessings. The hands of ladies wearing jewelry rings of gold and jade and gentlemen wearing thick gold watches moved busily. The applause was thunderous.

-At 10 AM today, an armistice agreement was signed between the UN forces and Communist forces at Panmunjom. This agreement will take effect at 10 PM today, and all armed conflicts will cease henceforth.

“Is this damn war finally over?”

“Oh my…”

Taeseok, who had been lying down, slowly got up with the radio announcement. He took off the military cap that had been on his head and swept back his short hair matted with sweat.

With his worn military boots stepping on the dirt ground, he walked somewhere.

“Bride’s entrance-.”

The hotel’s massive doors opened smoothly. What followed was a hand lifting the canvas of military barracks.

The soldiers who should have been rejoicing had dejected faces. It was because they knew the weight of life they would have to bear anew, even though this hell had ended. Everyone was packing with bandaged hands.

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

“Damn… My hometown all burned down, where would I have to go.”

Unlike the soldiers talking about their bleak tomorrow, the wedding guests spoke of a rosy future.

“Now those two are going to America to start a new business?”

“The wedding was delayed so long because of the war… But they really look good together.”

“Of course they look good. There wasn’t anyone in Seoul who hadn’t heard Robert Lee’s passionate courtship. Look at that. He’s smiling like he owns the whole world!”

Taeseok returned his military uniform, cap, and M-1 Garand rifle completely. It was a complete discharge.

Like other soldiers, Taeseok had nowhere to return to, but he had an expression as if he had resolved something. His eyes under his straight eyebrows were vivid.

“Huijae, Yeon Huijae…”

Walking away from the base, Taeseok repeatedly said Huijae’s name. As if regretting not having called it out even once back then. Light settled on the face of the young man who had only been expressionless.

From the wedding venue shining bright as if heaven had been moved there, Huijae walked out arm in arm with Hanamura. In her fine shoes, step by step… In the middle of the pure white carpet, an elegant hand was extended to Huijae.

“Shall we go. My joy.”

It was the hand of a man wearing a black tuxedo. Huijae, wearing white gloves, quietly took that hand. Cheers erupted from around them. Luxurious music began to flow.

The title written on the sheet music the orchestra was playing was Love’s Greeting.

“Taeseok! Where are you going?”

Taeseok also held someone’s hand. It was that soldier who had told him Hanamura’s surname back then. To the soldier who was shaking hands as a final farewell and showing his regret, Taeseok gladly responded.

“Seoul.”

“What are you going to do there?”

“…Become rich.”

Taeseok thought of the young girl. So that I won’t lose you again, you who stood on tiptoes inside the wall to meet my eyes… I must grasp everything in these hands that once held nothing.

When we meet again, I shouldn’t foolishly get angry like before. There were countless things he wanted to say. How have you been, were you hurt, did you perhaps wait for me… Among all those words, what he chose after careful consideration was a greeting.

Hello, he would say.

“Congratulations-!”

“What a perfect couple, a perfect couple!”

Huijae was walking down the virgin road holding Taejin’s hand when she stopped and looked back for a moment. The sparkling veil brushed against her cheek, creating a wistful light.

Like someone who had left something behind, like someone searching for something, like someone who couldn’t give a final farewell. She looked back at the path she had walked.

And she swallowed the words she couldn’t say.

Hello…

The two people’s unreachable greetings crossed paths.

Dong-. Dong-. Dong-.

Church bells rang out from a nearby church. Very far, far away. Just like the bell sounds from that sparkling seaside that day.

* * *

-Is this really a project to drive the entire nation crazy right now??? Are we the first victims caught in this???

-Ugh please ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I’m going crazy, I keep crying…

-How can love be ruined like this, damn it Seok-hwan answer me you crazy bastard

Huijae left for the airport in a wedding car. Taeseok received a business proposal. Although their first meeting involved grabbing each other by the collar, the household of that soldier whose life Taeseok had saved was wealthy, running a distribution business for generations.

“You said you’d become rich, right? Let’s do it together with me! I don’t know about others, but you can do it! There’s no one as diligent as you, kid.”

Walking together with that soldier who put his arm around his shoulders, Taeseok made plans for tomorrow.

Just as Huijae had once said, he would become rich and open a new store in Jinhae, gathering many people… He smiled while imagining such things.

Taeseok looked up at the airplane carrying Huijae flying overhead and smiled. It was the smile of a youth who believed they could meet again as long as they stayed alive, a youth who didn’t know farewell.

【The Great Garland】 Episode 4 had ended.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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