The stream of explanations and excuses had only made things worse, so Ha-eun ultimately chose silence to end the awkwardness.
Fortunately, the arrival of The Sunshine director, Kwon Jae-hyup, broke the stifling tension.
“It’s been a while, Ha-eun.”
“Oh, it’s good to see you again, Director.”
Unlike with Baek Tae-hoon, whom she was meeting for the first time, Ha-eun had already met Director Kwon during a meeting about her role as Kim Jung-hyun two months prior.
With his kind demeanor and perpetually smiling face, he was an easy person to talk to.
Still, Ha-eun’s presence here was strictly to observe the child actor auditions.
Following Director Kwon, who led her to a seat prepared in advance, she headed into the audition hall.
The problem? The seat assigned to Baek Tae-hoon was right next to hers.
Given that Ha-eun and Baek Tae-hoon were the lead actors of The Sunshine, it made sense for their seats to be side by side. But—
‘This is suffocating…’
The ice-breaking attempt with Baek Tae-hoon had been a disaster, leaving her awkwardly hyperaware of his presence next to her.
To make things worse, Baek Tae-hoon wasn’t just her co-star—he was her senior in the acting world.
He had been a rising star years before Ha-eun debuted as Kim Ji-ah in The Neighbor Next Door.
Though his youthful looks made the age difference between them feel negligible, his experience and stature in the industry made him seem intimidating.
‘I know he’s not the overbearing type… but still.’
It was difficult to approach him. Even making small talk felt impossible.
Perhaps sensing her discomfort—
“Ha-eun, Miss Ha-eun, or just Ha-eun? What do you prefer I call you?”
His sudden question startled her.
She hadn’t expected him to initiate conversation.
“It’s best to address people in a way they’re comfortable with, so I thought I’d ask.”
“Oh… just calling me by my name is fine.”
Baek Tae-hoon, both older and more experienced than Ha-eun, was undoubtedly her senior.
His straightforward and serious demeanor made him seem unapproachable, and if he insisted on using formal honorifics, the distance between them would feel even greater.
While she appreciated the respect others showed her by addressing her formally, what mattered now was bridging the gap between her and Baek Tae-hoon.
Moments later, Baek Tae-hoon handed her a stack of evaluation sheets.
He mentioned that her input might influence the selection process for the child actors.
“You’re the only one here who started acting as a child,” he added.
“Well, that’s true… but are you sure it’s okay?”
“It’s just for reference. Keep it simple—just jot down quick notes as you observe.”
With that, he turned his attention toward the entrance to the audition hall, noting that things were about to start.
The thin pen in his hand suggested he was ready to evaluate the child actors’ performances.
‘I should say something before this becomes a problem.’
Since several of the children auditioning were ones Ha-eun had helped prepare, she worried that her involvement might raise concerns about fairness.
“Some of the kids auditioning today are ones I coached,” she admitted quietly to Baek Tae-hoon. “What if others accuse me of favoritism later on?”
It was her first time attending an audition in this capacity, so she was far from confident about what was or wasn’t appropriate.
A brief silence followed before Baek Tae-hoon replied.
“Is there such a thing as ‘fair acting’ or ‘unfair acting’?”
He seemed to think her worries were misplaced, but he clarified his point.
“The only problem would be if they scored points for something other than their performance. So let me ask—do you have any intention of showing favoritism?”
“No, absolutely not.”
To Ha-eun, The Sunshine was nothing short of a prestigious production.
The thought of tarnishing such a drama with issues of personal bias didn’t even cross her mind.
In fact, she had only learned her feedback might influence the final decisions after arriving at the audition venue.
She resolved to observe carefully and judge solely on the children’s performances.
“Contestants with waiting numbers 1 through 4, please come in!”
With the high-pitched announcement from a staff member, the The Sunshine child actor auditions officially began.
‘The audition scene is from the opening of Episode 1… It was definitely an emotional scene.’
This audition aimed to cast the child actor for the role of young Park Joo-ho, the male lead of The Sunshine.
The scene they were performing showcased the harsh and sorrowful experiences of young Park Joo-ho.
‘This could be considered… a depiction of abuse.’
In the story, young Park Joo-ho was a servant.
Not just any servant, but a lowly one in the household of Kim Jung-hyun, the female lead, who lived as the "cherished granddaughter" of a noble family.
The disparity between their social statuses was enormous. Young Park Joo-ho wasn’t even allowed to look at Kim Jung-hyun.
So when an accidental mistake by Park Joo-ho left a shallow cut on Jung-hyun’s hand—
"You filthy wretch! How dare you touch her hand—!!"
—he was beaten to within an inch of his life and still not forgiven.
His parents were also dragged in and mercilessly punished before his eyes.
It culminated in young Park Joo-ho witnessing the horrific sight of his loved ones collapsing from severe beatings.
Unable to bear the overwhelming despair, Park Joo-ho begged young Kim Jung-hyun to spare his parents' lives.
The audition focused on this pivotal moment, where young Park Joo-ho pleaded desperately with Kim Jung-hyun.
When Ha-eun coached the child actors previously, she had mainly worked on helping them channel Kim Jung-hyun’s emotions.
"Why… why are my parents’ lives worth less than a scratch on your hand?!"
Kneeling on the floor, a child actor cried out in desperation, and Ha-eun was fully immersed in their performance.
The anguished gaze and trembling voice, directed at "Kim Jung-hyun," captured her attention completely.
She began jotting down her impressions on the evaluation sheet in front of her, writing concise notes about how the actor’s performance resonated with her.
Beside her, Baek Tae-hoon was also scribbling evaluations, adding remarks like "Good attention to detail,""Strong vocal projection," and "Slightly nervous eye contact."
After the performance, Baek Tae-hoon watched the child actor leave the audition room.
As if sensing his gaze, the actor stopped and turned back.
The actor gave a polite, nearly 90-degree bow, to which Baek Tae-hoon responded with a brief word of encouragement.
What caught Ha-eun off guard was when Baek Tae-hoon gently nudged her arm twice with his elbow.
Puzzled, Ha-eun blinked at him, only to realize he was silently prompting her to do the same.
Quickly, she turned to the child actor and offered her own encouragement.
“You did well. Keep it up.”
“Thank you!” the actor replied in a bright, youthful voice before leaving.
As the auditions progressed, Baek Tae-hoon continued to make eye contact and exchange greetings with every child actor who finished.
Seated right next to him, Ha-eun also ended up interacting with all of them.
Time passed, and when the auditions finally concluded—
“Senior, I have a question.”
Curious about why Baek Tae-hoon had gone out of his way to greet every child actor, Ha-eun approached him.
His response was simple yet profound.
“Sometimes, just five or ten seconds of acknowledgment is enough. Certain memories stay with you for a lifetime.”
He went on to explain that inviting Ha-eun to the auditions had also been for the sake of inspiring the young actors.
With her reputation as an outstanding actress, her encouragement could make a lasting impact on their confidence and motivation.
“An actor’s individual skill is important, but so is fostering the next generation. That’s how the craft has always continued.”
“…Am I already at an age where I should be mentoring others?”
“You’re already a seasoned professional. You’re in a position to encourage others, and you should embrace it.”
Baek Tae-hoon then added that it was time for her to start carrying a sense of "responsibility."
Ha-eun nodded, acknowledging his words, and with that, the two parted ways.
Even after climbing into Ju Jung-yoon’s van, which had come to pick her up, Ha-eun’s thoughts remained tangled.
“Hey, unni. Am I famous?”
“…Are you seriously asking me that? The internet is plastered with your kiss scene—”
“Ah! Not that kind of famous!”
Despite her best efforts, Ha-eun ended up learning things she would rather have avoided.
Ju Jung-yoon gleefully teased her by shoving screenshots of the The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds kiss scene in her face, leaving Ha-eun utterly defeated.