“Why… why are my parents’ lives worth less than a scratch on your hand, milady?!”
There were no mistakes in the delivery.
Every line, memorized through relentless practice, was spoken naturally and without hesitation.
The raw emotions of Young Park Joo-ho’s desperate plea were portrayed without flaw.
The gloomy feelings Kim Min-seong had rehearsed countless times were captured vividly by the cameras today.
Opposite him were two supporting actors playing the roles of Park Joo-ho’s parents.
The only difference from rehearsal was that Min-seong, for greater immersion, had superimposed his real parents’ faces onto theirs in his imagination.
Everything was perfect:
The way his gaze shifted toward Young Kim Jung-hyun.
The helpless struggle of resisting the servants pulling him away from Jung-hyun.
The expression of despair as he looked upon his beaten, barely-breathing parents.
The scene shouldn’t have been much different from what he practiced at the acting academy.
So why was everything so loud inside his head?
The world around him buzzed incessantly, drowning out all other sounds.
Dizziness he hadn’t noticed before suddenly overwhelmed him.
Every time his gaze fell on the lifeless bodies of Park Joo-ho’s parents lying on the ground, something tightened painfully in his chest.
The imagined faces of his real parents overlaid on the actors’ wouldn’t fade away.
He knew this was just a shoot.
He knew the scenes unfolding before him were merely part of the performance.
But his rationality slipped further with each passing second.
The last thing his hazy vision registered was the sight of Director Kwon Jae-hyup shouting "cut" from afar.
Realizing the take had ended, Min-seong hurriedly walked away, seeking a secluded spot.
If anyone discovered his sudden condition, it could disrupt the shoot.
In the worst-case scenario, his role as Young Park Joo-ho might be reassigned to another child actor due to “health reasons.”
And above all, his mother’s weighty advice kept echoing in his mind:
"You have to do well this time so you can keep acting in the future. Even if you’re nervous, endure it and act bravely."
That pressure compelled him to hide his distress.
If he showed his current state to others, it would undoubtedly affect his future as an actor.
Kim Min-seong had to be the child actor who flawlessly portrayed Young Park Joo-ho from start to finish in The Sunshine.
Under no circumstances could he reveal any sign of weakness.
Eventually, his aimless steps led him to the set of a traditional tiled house.
After ensuring no one was around, he sat down and let out the groan he’d been suppressing.
Though he sat still, the world spun wildly around him.
His heartbeat, already erratic, refused to calm down.
The image of his parents being beaten to death wouldn’t leave his mind.
Even though he knew the blows were from harmless props, his brain kept deceiving him.
Tears began falling despite his clenched teeth, an attempt to force himself to calm down.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, the gears of his rationality refused to turn again.
How much time had passed?
Had preparations for the next scene already been completed?
Should he return to the set now?
These worries only fueled his anxiety, leaving him unable to think straight.
“Close your eyes. Breathe slowly.”
A calm voice reached him through the chaos.
Almost instinctively, his unfocused gaze lifted to meet it.
A gentle hand softly lowered his eyelids, shutting out the overwhelming world around him.
“Don’t think about anything. You don’t need to worry about anything… not right now.”
In the darkness, only the steady voice existed.
It guided him, making decisions for him as if taking the burden off his shoulders.
Without realizing it, he let himself be led entirely by the voice.
His trembling fingers, already intertwined with another’s, began to steady.
The warmth of the hand holding his gave him a faint sense of comfort.
Gradually, his breathing slowed. Only then did the hand retreat.
The darkened world regained its light, though reality still felt distant.
Because standing before him now was Kim Jung-hyun.
Not the child Young Kim Jung-hyun, but the refined "lady" version of the character.
As a soft hand gently wiped away his tears, Min-seong found himself speechless.
The steady gaze from her eyes seemed to grant him silent permission.
“It’s okay. You’re allowed to be okay.”
Rather than scolding or expressing disappointment, she simply watched over him.
Her unassuming compassion brought fresh tears to his eyes—tears of relief this time.
He had so much to say, but all he could do was lower his head.
At least this time, the tears that fell were different, allowing him to shake off the burdens that had consumed him.
After what felt like a long time, Ha-eun softly asked why he had been struggling alone, adding that he didn’t have to answer if he didn’t want to.
“…If my mom saw me , she’d worry. I didn’t want to cry in front of others,” he whispered, barely audible.
Ha-eun listened silently, letting him speak at his own pace. Only after he finished did she ask two simple questions:
“Personally, I think you should go home and rest. Do you not want to go home?”
“…No. I still have scenes left to shoot.”
“Then… are you really okay to return ?”
Once Ha-eun was certain of his resolve, she fell silent for a moment, deliberating.
Finally, for the first and only time, she issued a “command” as a senior actor to her junior.
“When it gets hard, don’t run off to hide alone. Go to the nearest adult. Always.”
“But… won’t they scold me…?”
“No one would scold you for something . There’s nothing scold-worthy about struggling. No decent adult would… would…”
For a moment, her steady voice seemed to falter.
Min-seong, seeing the shadowed expression on Ha-eun’s face for the first time, quickly nodded in agreement, promising to do as she said.
It was only after this exchange that Ha-eun finally stood upright again.
She extended her hand to him once more, and though he hesitated briefly, he took it.
Together, they retraced the path Min-seong had walked alone earlier, returning to the bustling set.
The filming of a scene where Young Park Joo-ho seeks refuge in a missionary’s home was completed without further incident.
Later, as Ha-eun watched Min-seong perform from the sidelines, their eyes met.
Approaching him, she said,
She lightly patted his shoulder and handed him a small pack of banana milk.
Startled, Min-seong instinctively accepted it and murmured a quiet, “Thank you.”
Then, he hesitated before asking,
“May I… watch you act? My acting coach said just observing you would be educational…”
Just as Ha-eun had observed him, he now wanted to do the same.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ha-eun nodded and replied,
Not long after, Ha-eun’s first scene began.
The cameras captured Kim Jung-hyun, the protagonist of The Sunshine, in her first appearance.
For Min-seong, her performance was mesmerizing.
“Milady, if the lord finds out you’ve been reading Western texts, he’ll be furious!”
“Is there a difference between the knowledge of Westerners and Joseon scholars? Why make such a fuss over learning?”
Every line was flawless, devoid of even a grain of awkwardness.
To Min-seong, her acting wasn’t just a performance—it was a goal to strive toward.
“I wouldn’t mind teaching you this alphabet if you’re interested. Do you wish to learn, nanny?”
As Ha-eun delivered her lines with a gentle yet commanding presence, her gaze directed at the supporting actress playing the nanny, Min-seong watched in awe.
He dreamed of one day acting at that level.