MHD - 83

Chapter 83: A New Beginning

Fortunately, the VIP parking lot was empty of prying eyes. Jae-hyuk stopped walking and waited for Hee-soo to catch her breath.

“Why are you leaving without saying hello?”

Even after approaching him, Hee-soo continued to pant heavily. It seemed she had rushed as fast as she could to catch up with him, knowing she couldn’t call out in front of the crowd.

“You looked busy.”

It was an anticlimactic first exchange after so long. Seeing Hee-soo—whom he’d only watched on screens—alive and in front of him left Jae-hyuk’s mind blank.

Ah, just one thing was certain.

He was incredibly happy to see her up close. It felt like a dream.

“Have you been well?”

After steadying her breathing, Hee-soo straightened her back and looked directly at Jae-hyuk.

She seemed to radiate light. Just a year ago, her face had always carried a shadow of sadness, but now it glowed brightly.

“Yes, I’ve been fine. What about you?”

“I’ve been good too.”

“That’s a relief.”

After exchanging a few brief words, silence fell between them. Hee-soo hesitated for a moment before cautiously speaking.

“...You look thinner.”

“Just a bit. My appetite hasn’t been great lately. And I’ve been busy.”

“I see.”

Hee-soo chewed on her words, her lips moving slightly, before hesitantly asking:

“Then... how about we have dinner sometime? My treat.”

“Would that be okay?”

“Yes.”

Hee-soo nodded emphatically, as if to reinforce her words.

“Alright. I’ll contact you.”

For some reason, his throat tightened, and Jae-hyuk quickly turned away.

His lips pressed into a thin line. Though he tried to appear composed, raising a hand in farewell, a lump formed in his throat, threatening tears.

Now, again, it begins.

Just before climbing into his car, Jae-hyuk glanced back to see Hee-soo standing in the corner of the parking lot, watching him.

The corners of his mouth twitched. A smile spread across his face.

Spring had truly returned.

---

“The press conference will follow right after the premiere screening. You heard that, Noona?”

“Yes, I know.”

Hee-soo was at the salon early in the morning, getting her hair and makeup done. As always, Yoon-seok hovered nearby, checking the progress.

“Oh my, Hee-soo! How do you keep getting prettier every day? Are you secretly eating preservatives or something? Truly amazing.”

The salon owner fussed over Hee-soo’s face while applying her makeup. “Thank you,” Hee-soo replied calmly, lowering her gaze.

Fiddling with her phone, she quickly turned it on when the owner stepped away for a moment.

“Thanks for the invite. See you at the premiere.”

She read Jae-hyuk’s message before hurriedly turning off the phone as the owner returned.

“Did something good happen? Your face is glowing!”

The owner applied powder to Hee-soo’s cheeks, marveling at her radiant complexion. Hee-soo awkwardly shook her head.

“No, nothing special.”

“Really? Your face suddenly lit up so much I thought something amazing must’ve happened.”

“Did it?”

“Yeah. Wait, you’re not dating someone, are you?”

“Dating? No way.”

Not that.

At the mention of dating, Hee-soo felt a strange flutter in her chest.

It wasn’t quite dating yet, but the thought of meeting him soon filled her with joy.

Suppressing her inner thoughts, Hee-soo gripped her phone tighter. This phone, given to her by Jae-hyuk a year ago, had lain dormant since their painful separation.

Hee-soo hadn’t known what to do, and Jae-hyuk hadn’t contacted her either.

A year passed, filming ended, and the premiere approached.

By pure chance—really, sheer coincidence—she overheard Jae-min talking on the phone. The name “Lee Jae-hyuk” caught her attention, and she paused mid-step.

Then came the phrase, “Thanks to your investment,” and Hee-soo quickly excused herself.

It was just days before the final shoot.

When the premiere date was set and a few invitations were distributed among the cast, Hee-soo immediately thought of Jae-hyuk.

She carefully wrote his name in the corner and sent him an invitation, hoping with all her heart that he would come.

Despite repeatedly confirming with Yoon-seok whether it had been delivered, her phone finally buzzed late one evening after sending the ticket. It was Jae-hyuk’s reply, confirming he would attend.

“Feels like almost a year since we last met.”

After her makeup and hair were complete, Hee-soo gazed at her reflection in the mirror.

“Hee-soo, your skin looks flawless, and the makeup applies so well. Maybe your second prime is coming.”

The salon owner, pleased with her work, couldn’t stop praising Hee-soo.

“Thank you.”

Her anxious preparations over the past few days had paid off.

Today, she had deliberately slept well, exercised a lot, and filled her mind with positive thoughts.

Yoon-seok probably thought Hee-soo was just preparing for the premiere, but in truth, she was putting in extra effort because she would be seeing Jae-hyuk.

“Wow, Noona, you’re legendary today! The most beautiful I’ve ever seen you.”

At the salon entrance, Yoon-seok gave her a thumbs-up. Today marked Hee-soo’s first public appearance in years.

“Let’s go.”

It seemed her focused efforts over the past few days had paid off. Smiling at Yoon-seok’s reaction, Hee-soo left the salon, pressing her pounding heart with her palm to calm it.

---

During the screening, Hee-soo shed a few quiet tears.

Watching herself on the screen was moving, but more than that, memories of crying often during filming came flooding back.

Throughout the shoot, she had unearthed buried memories from her past, examining them one by one.

Now, Hee-soo could finally express her emotions freely in words. And through that process, she began to feel as though the character she portrayed truly came alive within her.

It was an extraordinary experience—both herself and yet not herself.

Even the media attendees seemed to notice the change in her acting. Her long-awaited return, combined with the depth of her performance, made her the focus of many questions during the press conference.

“Your acting style seems different. What unique approach did you take for this role?”

“I fully immersed myself in the character. Because of that, it took me some time after filming ended to detach from the role and return to my usual self.”

Hee-soo answered the reporters’ questions calmly.

Under the blinding lights and relentless camera flashes, she tried hard not to tremble.

Don’t put on airs, but don’t be too afraid either.

She repeated these words to herself like a mantra, steadying her nerves.

One reporter raised their hand and asked a question unrelated to the film:

“Seo Hee-soo, there were rumors last year that you were part of the youth ballet troupe under Gangrim Cultural Foundation. Is that true?”

In the past, she might have flinched and avoided answering such an unrelated question. But now, Hee-soo no longer felt shame or burden about her past.

“Yes, that’s correct. I was part of the youth ballet troupe under Gangrim Foundation. My experience with ballet helped me immerse myself more deeply in this film.”

Her past affiliation with Gangrim had once felt like a thorn in her throat, something she couldn’t speak of. Now, she answered confidently, surprising even herself as she smiled brightly.

Finally, she felt completely free from her past.

---

As soon as she stepped off the stage, Hee-soo began searching for Jae-hyuk, weaving through the crowded premiere venue.

After the press conference, there was a small celebratory party to wish the film success. Hee-soo expected to casually meet Jae-hyuk in the banquet hall, but he was nowhere to be found.

While exchanging greetings with those who approached her, Hee-soo’s eyes darted around the room frantically.

Finally, she caught a fleeting glimpse of Jae-hyuk quickly leaving the banquet hall.

Oppa.

She almost shouted “Lee Jae-hyuk!” aloud but clamped her hand over her mouth just in time. She couldn’t call out to him openly in front of the crowd of reporters.

Even that brief glimpse of his back sent her heart racing.

Hurrying after him, Hee-soo searched for Jae-hyuk, but he seemed to have boarded an elevator and disappeared. Suddenly recalling the VIP parking lot, she rushed down the stairs.

Breathless, she pushed open the emergency exit door.

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and a strand of hair fell loose. Her carefully prepared appearance was slightly disheveled, but she didn’t have time to care.

Spotting Jae-hyuk walking ahead, Hee-soo called out loudly:

“Oppa!”

At her voice, Jae-hyuk stopped and slowly turned around. Hands in his pockets, he looked surprised as he pulled them out and awkwardly raised one in greeting.

“Why are you leaving without saying hello?”

I have so much to say.

Still catching her breath, Hee-soo struggled to speak. After bending over to steady herself, she straightened up, only for Jae-hyuk to respond lightly:

“You looked busy.”

What? Why is he acting like this? This isn’t like him.

Perhaps it was because it had been so long since they’d met, but Hee-soo found herself tongue-tied.

The awkwardness stifled her words, forcing them back down her throat. It felt even more uncomfortable than their encounter at Baek Dong-hwan’s villa a year ago.

After exchanging perfunctory greetings, their conversation stalled.

Was Jisun right? Was Jae-hyuk still waiting for her? For someone as foolish and clumsy as her?

Seeing how thin he had become, she wanted to reach out and hold his hand, but she lacked the courage. Summoning her trembling resolve, she managed to invite him to dinner, and he nodded immediately.

“I’ll contact you.”

True to his word—or perhaps still busy—Jae-hyuk quickly turned and headed toward his car. Just before getting in, he glanced back at Hee-soo.

Their gazes locked silently. Hee-soo nodded repeatedly, hoping he could read her unspoken words.

I’m really okay now. Please, contact me.