The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 16

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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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Episode 16

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“Sae-i, can Father have a word with you?”

What I’d been dreading had finally come.

During a rare moment of rest, Father knocked on my door. In a cautious tone, he watched my expression and asked if I could spare him some time.

‘I really have to tell him now.’

I’d been meaning to relay Grandfather’s message about returning to Jaedamjae, but I’d been so busy running around here and there that I hadn’t told him yet.

When I opened the door, I saw Father with a worried expression. I followed him and sat down on the sofa.

Ever since returning to the past, just seeing Father made me want to cry. It reminded me of when the freight truck collided with the car Father and I were in, following Uncle’s orders.

‘My baby!’

They say people instinctively try to protect themselves in such situations, but Father was busy calling out to me and shielding me.

Because he held me tight and took the impact that should have come to me, the last time I saw Father, his body was completely broken.

‘If only he hadn’t insisted on taking responsibility for me, Father would have lived well.’

When I lost Mother and tried to leave the Joo family, Father took responsibility for me until the end. Even when Uncle humiliated him, he was always on my side.

If he had cut ties with the Ju family and left me behind, he wouldn’t have died like that.

“Father called you because there’s something I want to ask.”

“…”

“My princess, is someone bothering you lately?”

With serious eyes, Father worried about me again.

“It’s vacation but you’re not home… I wondered if our Sae-i hit puberty, so now she doesn’t want to be home.”

“That’s not it…”

As soon as I opened my mouth, Father closed his. All priority was mine.

I explained everything from beginning to end. Except for dying and returning to the past, I said I went to see Grandfather because I wanted to become an actress.

I told him I received Grandfather’s permission and was offered to enter Jaedamjae.

“I see. Our Sae-i wants to act…”

Father’s eyes reddened. His face twisted with heartache.

Looking back, in my previous life too, Father made this expression when I confessed that I liked acting.

I didn’t know what that expression meant then, but now I think I understand.

‘He’s thinking of someone he misses.’

Last time, Grandfather made the same expression as Father. As if they were both longing for the same person.

“Where did you get the script? Father wants to see it too, our daughter’s acting.”

“I found it at Dongwoo Museum. Oh, it was in a box with Mother’s name on it…”

At my words, Father’s eyes widened instantly. Unable to close his mouth, choking sounds slowly came from Father’s lips that had been trembling all along.

Father hung his head low. Soon tears flowed down Father’s cheeks. Drip, drip, the tears made rough sounds as they wet Father’s knees.

“Jeongwol…”

“…”

“How happy Jeongwol would have been to see Sae-i acting…”

Father then told me a story I’d never heard before. That Mother also wanted to act. That he first met Mother in the university drama club.

He said Mother was the ace of the drama club.

…Though she gave up acting due to Grandfather’s dissuasion.

Only then did I understand Grandfather’s reaction when he looked at me with affection. I could also understand why he said all Joo family women are the same, and why Father was crying like this.

The reason Grandmother’s script was kept in a box with Mother’s name must be similar.

“Sae-i looks exactly like her mother…”

Father muttered with a choked voice and gently stroked my head.

I clumsily leaned into Father’s embrace. When I rested my head on his shoulder, I could hear his heart beating loudly.

When I tensed my eyes to keep from crying, a family photo came into view. It was taken before Mother died, with Father and me together holding young me.

‘Mother was the same as me.’

I learned about Mother’s childhood dream that I thought I’d never know. I would be walking the path Mother had wanted to walk.

“…You’re not scared, right? It’s okay?”

It was a question that came from knowing me well, as I had obviously avoided getting involved with the Ju family.

Father’s question echoed in my heart. Instead of opening my mouth to answer, I just kept nodding my head that was leaning on his shoulder.

‘I have to be okay.’

Even if I’m not okay, I have to be okay. Since I’m already a body that died once, I have to attack with the intention of killing Uncle. That’s the only way Father and I can live.

So Father.

This time, don’t die unjustly at Uncle’s hands trying to protect me, but live long and close your eyes peacefully. After capturing plenty of me acting…

“…Later when you go to heaven, I’ll become an actress you can brag about to Mother.”

Please tell her how proud you are of your daughter.

That was all I wanted.

***

Chairman Ryu’s residence at Seohe Group.

Ryu Dokyung stared at his phone screen with a somewhat serious expression.

[Regarding Seohe Electronics Lunatic Series Advertisement Contract]

After reading the document title several times, he checked the name written below.

Ju Sae-i.

Because of Ju Sae-i, who disappeared without a trace but now wanted to intrude into his life again, Dokyung had all his nerves focused on her lately.

‘She says she wants to be an actress.’

Dokyung remembers the time when Ju Sae-i used to follow him around.

Yes, even then Ju Sae-i did like theater. Though she was young, she was definite about her role ambitions, telling him, who was only a year older, that she wanted to become a princess in plays.

‘Well, a fool like you can’t be a princess.’

‘Uh, I’m telling Mom everything!’

‘Go ahead.’

‘Waaaah!’

A puppy-like child who would burst into tears when teased slightly, but then wag her tail happily again.

Ju Sae-i, who eventually got the princess role in the kindergarten play and received an armful of flowers from her parents, making anyone laugh just by watching…

Ryu Dokyung was momentarily surprised to hear she wanted to become an actress. He thought she had changed when he saw her return, but it seemed she was still the same.

However, he thought they couldn’t get close again.

If Ju Sae-i had considered him someone close, she wouldn’t have disappeared like that.

Just the fact that she ran away leaving only him in this damn adult world showed that he meant nothing to Ju Sae-i.

‘Her confession of liking me must have been all a joke too.’

Ju Sae-i, who left ripples in his young life by saying they should marry, then disappeared. Just for the sleepless nights he spent thinking of Ju Sae-i who must have left holding her father’s hand, he couldn’t easily forgive that girl.

Yes, this time he didn’t want to be swayed. Even if she lingered around him, he wanted to ignore her completely.

‘It would be good if Dokyung contacted them directly about the advertisement contract.’

‘Pardon?’

‘Why, don’t you want to?’

‘No, that’s not it, but…’

However, he couldn’t go against his grandfather Chairman Ryu’s orders. Following orders as a successor took priority over personal feelings.

So he was told to send the advertisement matter and received Ju Sae-i’s contact information.

“Why is this so…”

Why does my chest feel so stuffy.

With an annoyed expression, Ryu Dokyung closed the document file and checked Sae-i’s contact information he had received.

[Dongwoo Ju Sae-i]

He stared endlessly at the KakaoTalk profile that had no photos. There was no background photo, no profile picture, not even a status message.

Feeling like he was blankly staring at a tightly closed window, Dokyung bit his lips and pressed the chat button.

[Hey]

[Ju Sae-i]

[It’s me, Ryu Dokyung]

Even after sending the message, the number 1 next to the speech bubble wouldn’t disappear. Other people would read his messages immediately, but Ju Sae-i was completely different.

‘Let’s see when she replies.’

Stubbornly putting down his phone to wait, it vibrated after a while. Dokyung checked urgently but soon threw his phone down with a disappointed expression.

[Oppa, you came to Jaedamjae last time, didn’t you? Why didn’t you tell me?ㅠ]

[When can we see each other again? Only after school starts?ㅠㅠ]

It was a message from Ju Suyeon, granddaughter of Dongwoo Group’s Chairman Joo and the same age as Ju Sae-i. Even though he found her clingy behavior unpleasant and didn’t reply, she kept sending messages like this every time.

“Why won’t the message I’m waiting for come…”

Whatever. Picking up his phone again, he sent a contract-related file to the chat room where the number 1 still hadn’t disappeared.

[This is about that advertisement contract I mentioned before, so review it.]

Right after typing quickly, just as he was about to stop paying attention.

The moment he specified it was an advertisement contract, the number 1 next to the speech bubble disappeared in less than 5 seconds.

[Thank you for passing this along.]

Soon after, a reply that seemed to maintain considerable distance arrived. Ju Sae-i’s voice saying those words automatically played in Dokyung’s ears.

“Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped him. Dokyung felt a competitive spirit rising toward Ju Sae-i, who seemed so eager to keep him at arm’s length.

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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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