The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 7

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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 7

Let me see, he said.

To think she’d show acting when even gifts from political and business figures get rejected. The surroundings stirred at Grandfather’s generous choice.

“Is she going to do it right here?”

“No way. Chairman Joo wouldn’t let himself be embarrassed.”

I could hear murmuring sounds, but I wasn’t particularly bothered. The audience I had chosen for myself wasn’t them anyway.

Today my audience was only one person.

I stepped back five paces. After putting an appropriate distance between Grandfather and myself, I spoke loudly as if for all to hear.

“I’ll show you here.”

Grandfather stared at me with a stern face, motionless. He didn’t seem like he’d give the first signal, so I could start whenever I was ready.

‘I finished preparing long ago.’

After memorizing the script I’d taken from Dongwoo Museum, I ran countless simulations. Since I didn’t know how things would unfold on the day of the dinner party.

Situations like being kicked out because of Uncle, being mercilessly rejected by Grandfather, and so on. Among the various cases I imagined and detailed, acting in front of everyone was among the easiest.

‘If I hide myself, who will look at me.’

If I decided not to hide anymore, I had to move forward myself.

I smiled lightly and slowly gathered my emotions. Soon the printed words from the script spread in my mind. The words came together to unfold a scene.

‘Ready.’

Now it was showtime. I slowly raised my head. It was time to become the ‘wife’ from the script.

***

Ju Taeback was not ignorant about acting. Having loved his wife all his life, he had also loved acting, which was her profession. His passion remained extraordinary even after she died.

‘I’ll return that through acting.’

Perhaps it was also because of his wife that he didn’t immediately reject his granddaughter’s absurd proposal.

‘It’s all or nothing.’

The child who had always seemed dejected now wore a confident expression. Ju Taeback was momentarily swept up by that face.

‘Did that child learn acting?’

Though she became independent from the Ju family after her mother died, Chairman Joo often received reports about Ju Sae-i. He had never heard anything about her attending acting classes.

Soon the granddaughter who had stepped back to gather her emotions raised her head. The moment he saw the child’s expression, Ju Taeback drew in a sharp breath.

‘An overwhelming feeling.’

It was the face of an actor focused on their role. Without a single line, just by gathering her emotions, he could feel a presence that dominated the entire area.

His heart beat rapidly. Ju Taeback hardened his expression to keep the distinguished guests from noticing his trembling heart. Without time to blink, Sae-i recited her line.

“Honey, do you remember… when we went to see Gangneung Beach before?”

Just one sentence.

Barely a single line of dialogue.

Even so, Ju Taeback alone at this dinner party recognized the source of that line. Ju Taeback clenched his fist tightly, trying to suppress the surging emotions.

“You know, when Wol gave birth and I was dying from it all. You grabbed the steering wheel from dawn, saying you’d show me the sunrise.”

The lines his granddaughter began reciting were part of a script his wife had left behind while alive. It was his wife’s posthumous work containing memories with her husband.

“The children have all grown up so much, but I still dream of that sea. Yes. Those waves that were more dark blue than bright blue, the sound of the waves… back then they were just so frightening.”

A voice aged by time flowed from that young granddaughter’s mouth.

With the clearest enunciation, she precisely expressed even the way pronunciation becomes unclear and breath becomes short with age.

Under everyone’s attention, Sae-i pointed to the gravel laid in a corner of the party garden. The surroundings were so quiet you could hear the sound of her clothes rustling.

Ju Taeback followed that hand with his gaze. The outstretched finger somehow looked like his wife’s wrinkled yet beautiful hand.

“You hated the gravel field so much you played and came back. I don’t know why I hated gravel so much then. Maybe I didn’t like how bumpy it was, really…”

How on earth did she get this script? How did she know to prepare this?

‘Could the reason she came to Dongwoo Museum be…’

It was one surprise after another. However, Ju Taeback didn’t show it. Rather than clumsily interrupting the acting, he wanted to savor this moment when this child was expressing his wife.

“Back then we had too many bumpy things around us. The business you said you’d do was bumpy then too, your knuckles injured from work were also bumpy…”

Ju Taeback unclenched his fist. As far as he knew, the front part of this script was lost in a fire, leaving only a very small portion of the latter half.

Even that was an incomplete script. Because his wife left this world without finishing it. Then the acting would end with the next line.

Indeed, it was acting that didn’t even make him want to evaluate it. While preparing to applaud, Ju Taeback straightened his posture.

“In our world, the only beautiful thing was me, but now I’ve become wrinkled and bumpy too.”

With a hollow voice, Ju Sae-i delivered what was supposed to be the final line. The moment Ju Taeback stirred to stand up.

“But…”

Ju Sae-i opened her mouth again. As if the acting wasn’t over yet. Ju Taeback, who had stopped moving for a moment, looked over Sae-i with bewildered eyes.

‘The lines ended there.’

Ju Taeback carefully sat back down on his chair and looked at Sae-i with shining eyes.

The emotions Sae-i portrayed slowly changed. Sorrow, melancholy, longing for the past, laughter that couldn’t help but emerge from finding ‘you’ so lovable.

“Yes, but this man still thinks I’m beautiful. He says it’s fine even if my hair turns white. You’re really funny too.”

“…”

“If you ask why I’m bringing this up, it’s just. Since it’s time for a person to go, I’m feeling nostalgic for no reason. What am I nostalgic for – that sea.”

Lines that weren’t in the script.

His granddaughter was completing the incomplete posthumous work. Sae-i directly became the grandmother and spoke to her husband.

“That dark blue color isn’t scary anymore. Then I vaguely realize. Ah, I didn’t avoid the sea because I was afraid of it.”

Ju Taeback felt as if he was having a conversation alone with his wife here.

“I wanted to live bluely too. So that blue light was annoying, and I just ran away for no reason.”

“…”

“I won’t avoid it anymore. I lived bluely, you see. Looking back, new shoots sprouted every day. Every day was high tide. You always say you couldn’t have come this far without me, but it’s the opposite.”

Ju Taeback clutched his chest. His chest felt stuffy and he couldn’t breathe easily at all.

“Look at this. Now even my wrinkles look just like medals. So, honey…”

Sae-i, who had extended her open palm toward Ju Taeback, paused. As if choosing her final words.

The relieved expression his wife had worn before dying during her illness. His granddaughter’s face looked so much like it that Ju Taeback reached out his hand into the air. He wished this moment wouldn’t end.

“I’m not leaving because I hate you. How could I do that… My whole life was bright blue thanks to you.”

The end was approaching. Ju Taeback squeezed his eyes shut. The moment his wife left overlapped with his granddaughter’s image.

Ju Taeback felt he finally understood his granddaughter’s words.

‘What I treasure most. Something I just believe no longer exists in this world.’

The gift his granddaughter had prepared wasn’t simple acting. It was his wife’s posthumous work that they had lived together for decades. She had returned it to him.

“So… promise me. When I’m gone, don’t be too sad. Get back on your feet quickly, our Chairman.”

With those words, Sae-i concluded her acting. At the same time, a strange silence settled.

“…That’s all. Happy birthday, Chairman.”

There was nothing more to hesitate about. After looking disdainfully at those who were watching his reaction and holding back their applause, Ju Taeback stood up. He clapped forcefully with his rough, thick hands.

The granddaughter who had never shown her face at any occasion but suddenly appeared and received Chairman Joo’s praise.

Immediately the distinguished guests stood up and cheered for Sae-i. It was truly the moment a great actor was born.

***

With the feeling of scratching a lottery ticket, I reinterpreted Grandmother’s script and added lines. I wanted to show meaningful acting for Grandfather’s birthday.

While passionately delivering the lines I had memorized to death, I felt that I was pouring my everything into this moment.

‘Did it… get through properly?’

I was confident, but I didn’t expect to receive everyone’s applause like this.

Of course, Uncle and Ju Suyeon seemed to be clapping reluctantly. And Ryu Dokyung.

‘Why is he glaring again.’

What was he dissatisfied with now that he wasn’t even clapping and making those triangular eyes? I subtly avoided his gaze and bowed to Grandfather.

When I returned to my seat, a text message arrived on my phone.

[Miss, the Chairman wishes to meet with you privately after the party ends.]

It was a text from Grandfather’s personal secretary.

‘Success!’

I had given him a moment to remember his wife, and I was given the opportunity to meet with him privately. It was a satisfying result.

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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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