Chapter 49

The Moon That Hid the Sun.

Ten years ago, this drama broke through a 40% ratings mark, causing a massive cultural ripple.

To such an extent that every award that year went to the actors who participated in *The Moon That Hid the Sun*.

But that was ten years ago.

Now, it’s a drama remembered only by those chasing nostalgia.

However…

“…”

Kang Se-hyun, who was playing the role of ‘Alex’ in the theater play ‘Under Snitch,’ couldn’t believe the situation before him.

“Wow, look at this. This is insane, right?”

“Joo Sooyeon? You’re referring to ‘Close Your Eyes’ right now?”

“Is this for real?”

All the actors and staff were buzzing with chatter.

But Kang Se-hyun barely noticed any of it.

He was lost, staring at the scene unfolding on the phone screen, replaying a variety show.

“Seo Il… you’ve improved so much I hardly recognize you.”

“No, that’s what I wanted to say about you.”

A towering young man.

And a girl grown into her full beauty.

The past nostalgia that had dulled with time was now coloring itself in vivid hues, blossoming spectacularly.

It was hard to believe everything was happening against the backdrop of an amateurishly made paper set.

“Shall we take a walk? Seo Il?”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

“Hmm, you can call me Hye-wol now.”

“Excuse me? What are you…?”

“Seo Il, don’t make me feel bad. We are friends, aren’t we?”

A smile curved on Lee Hye-wol’s face, one that involuntarily elicited admiration.

The figures of high school students in their uniforms passing by in the background were barely noticed.

Anyone watching this broadcast would likely have been equally oblivious.

Park Jung-woo.

A child acting prodigy, inheriting his father’s talent from a young age.

During filming, his NGs — mistakes — could be counted on the fingers of one hand, making him famous for his impeccable acting.

An aura.

Born with the natural radiance of a star.

Thus, it was understandable that he drew so much attention.

But…

“Joo Sooyeon.”

What had caught Kang Se-hyun’s eye was none other than Joo Sooyeon.

The child actor who made a dramatic comeback after ten years.

Her narrative had deeply touched everyone’s hearts, but what about her acting?

She wasn’t outshone by Park Jung-woo at all.

No, she even outperformed him here.

It was like watching a play rather than a drama. Yes, truly a play.

In reality, Sooyeon’s movements were closer to that of a stage performance than a TV drama.

That’s why it felt natural.

If it weren’t for someone of Park Jung-woo’s caliber, it would have been difficult to keep up with Sooyeon’s acting.

“Is this all?”

Improvising right there, converting dramatic scenes into a theatrical performance unfolding in a lecture hall.

The failure of “Overlooked Past Memories” could perhaps be attributed to its insistence on drama tropes.

Reenacting a drama’s iconic scene in a school would naturally lose its charm.

The actor’s skills? Mediocre.

The filming style? Inferior.

Of course, there’s no comparison to a drama shoot set.

Joo Sooyeon knew this.

Therefore, she transformed it into a play.

“And the surrounding students, too.”

Theater troupe of Yeonhwa High School had commendable skills, but the difference between restaging the drama and directing a play was stark, so their talents went unnoticed.

However, with Sooyeon leading naturally, the students’ movements shifted unconsciously.

One actor carried the play; even with the support of Park Jung-woo, it lacked realism.

“It’s insane.”

Everyone agreed with the actor watching the variety show.

Even the students in the lecture hall, who initially showed boredom, were now immersed in the performance.

Entranced, they watched until the recreation of episode 8 ended.

“Se-hyun.”

“…What?”

A fellow actor next to him spoke.

“Isn’t this a big deal for us?”

“…”

Of course, with limited tickets, the theater’s performance won’t fail.

That’s certain.

Still…

“The ghost of the past…”

Without a doubt, ‘Close Your Eyes’ had hijacked all the attention meant for ‘Under Snitch.’

This was nothing short of a nightmare for Kang Se-hyun, who was riding high.

A strange uneasiness gripped his throat.

***

“…Seo Hee?”

Jo Seo-hee’s manager, Shin Yu-kyung, looked at her with a hardened expression as she intensely stared at her smartphone.

If her eyes had the power to pierce, the phone would’ve been reduced to scraps by now.

“Hmm.”

Jo Seo-hee, who would generally lounge lazily in a van, was abuzz with energy today.

Of course, it was only natural.

The variety show on her smartphone.

She couldn’t have watched it live, nor did she usually care.

However, upon hearing the buzz, she eventually checked it out.

“Huh, you’ve finally arrived.”

Park Jung-woo meant nothing to her.

They had crossed paths several times before.

While she might have been outshone by him in the past, present-day Jo Seo-hee was a different story.

The princess of a daily drama, a title she once held, was a thing of the past.

Now she was proudly known as actor Jo Seo-hee, with a place as firm as Park Jung-woo’s.

Though her desire to overpower him one day remained undiminished.

“Joo Sooyeon.”

The girl who handed him his defeat.

This girl reappeared magnificently, like a true leading actress.

And after a decade-long absence, recreating alongside Park Jung-woo the infamous episode 8 of the past.

Gathering everyone’s focus solely on herself.

“She’s gotten much, much better.”

Technically, in terms of acting.

The Jo Soo-yeon from the past was Princess Yeon-hwa herself.

That was due to the acting traits she inherently possessed.

The unseen performances of Sooyeon in the past were evidently novice-level.

But what of now?

“Did we secure tickets for the theater performance?”

“Yeah? Of course! We definitely did!”

Thanks to the entire agency staff’s efforts, tickets were secured.

Such was the buzz around this edition of ‘Close Your Eyes’ that it was almost unprecedented.

While theater wasn’t typically undervalued, cases like this where it’s this widely discussed are rare.

Even new theatergoers, spurred by ‘Close Your Eyes,’ were entering the scene.

To the point where existing theater fans were upset at being unable to secure seats.

One actor’s ripple effect.

The currently quiet theater world was buzzing now, eager to capitalize on this opportunity.

“Hey, how many scripts have come my way?”

“Uh, well…there were loads.”

“I should go through them.”

Having booked tickets for ‘Close Your Eyes,’ Jo Seo-hee wanted to observe Sooyeon’s performance closely.

The acting seen on the variety show surely wasn’t its best.

Definitely something greater awaited.

Jo Seo-hee let out an incisive laugh.

She’d be disappointed only if the past had returned verbatim.

“Amazing. I can’t take my eyes off of it.”

Jo Seo-hee thought, rewinding Sooyeon’s performance several times before slowly turning off her smartphone.

“I think I won’t be able to take a break for a while.”

Still, she resolved to watch ‘Close Your Eyes.’

Out the van’s window, Jo Seo-hee noticed tall buildings covered in her own cosmetics advertisements, among various other commercials.

That girl would likely find her way into that space soon enough.

Just imagining it made Jo Seo-hee thrilled.

Their impending.

Seoyeon and Ju Soo-yeon’s.

Reunion.

***

“Alright, we’ve decided to move venues!”

“What? Really? Is that possible?”

“The decision is made by higher-ups. They say the impact this time is unlike anything usual.”

It’s said that the number of new theatergoers, thanks to ‘Close Your Eyes,’ is enormous.

Proof of this: the tickets opened one week ago sold out within mere minutes.

Although they announced a 30-minute availability, it actually ended much faster.

No theater tickets have ever sold out this quickly.

Previously, the majority of the audience was female.

But now, it’s nearly equal in gender distribution, with a diverse age range.

Of course, most of the turnout is due to Sooyeon’s buzz, but capturing just a fraction of these newcomers would be a gain.

If they manage to spark an interest in theater among them, it would suffice.

“Second round of ticket sales is about to start. The venue will be Jongno Grand Theater, originally planned for ‘Under Snitch.'”

“Excuse me?”

Sim Cheong-seok initially thought he had misheard Cho Do-yul.

“Uh, ‘Under Snitch’?”

“Yes, surely you know? Well, of course, there’s no plan for that play to use a smaller venue. It might be slightly smaller than the one we’re using now, but judging by timing and location, ‘Under Snitch’ judged the venue better suited to their performance.”

“How could this happen?”

Cho Do-yul shrugged in response to Sim Cheong-sek’s question, as this was a first for him too — an entirely unprecedented situation.

Perhaps ‘Under Snitch’ opening a few weeks later has something to do with it.

“Wow, this is what a real star looks like. I can’t even tease anymore.”

“Ah, by the way. Where’s Sooyeon? Didn’t they say she was here today?”

Upon Cho Do-yul’s question, Sim Cheong-seok paused, his gaze lingering somewhere.

“Not entirely sure, but she seems to have a guest visiting.”

“Guest?”

Given these unprecedented circumstances, extra care was needed for Seoyeon’s surroundings.

After all, the area surrounding the theater was flooded with journalists.

“Anyway, I’m sure she’s okay. That girl’s stronger than I am.”

“Excuse me? Isn’t that absurd…?”

“Absolutely true. Absolutely.”

Sim Cheong-seok recalled a playful arm-wrestling match they had once. Every time he thought about it, his arm felt sore again.

It was as if he’d arm-wrestled a gorilla.

“Anyway.”

Sim Cheong-seok mused.

A star’s ability to attract audiences.

He thought he’d seen it properly this time, but…

“She always exceeds expectations.”

Even Sim Cheong-seok, an expert in the field, never predicted this magnitude.

***

“Was there a specific reason you decided to make a sudden comeback?”

A neatly dressed woman with a short hairstyle asked the young woman sitting across from her.

Long black hair, brown eyes with a hint of red.

This Joo Sooyeon, who recently became the center of great attention, was sitting in a chair conducting an interview with the woman.

Despite turning down all interviews thus far, this was an exceptionally special case.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I just couldn’t find a suitable role.”

“A role for your return?”

“Yes.”

“So, did you prepare this particular variety show appearance ahead of time?”

At the woman’s words, Sooyeon shook her head.

“That was thanks to a friend. Actually, Princess Yeonhwa was initially supposed to be played by her.”

“So, she willingly gave up her role for you?”

“Yes.”

“Not an easy decision, I assume. Clearly, you have a good friend. The actor must certainly be…?”

“Lee Jiyeon. She’s currently appearing in cable dramas…”

Internet journalists have a tendency to sensationalize stories.

But Sooyeon trusted this woman in front of her.

There was a reason for that.

“As I believe many of your fans have been eagerly awaiting your return, I’d like to ask you to share some words with them.”

With a smile, the woman asked.

And Sooyeon, in response, returned a gentle smile of her own.

“Yes.”

With that, Sooyeon unfolded a white cloth she had in her hand.

It was something the woman had just handed to her—a slightly worn-out yet meticulously maintained white shirt.

Old but meticulously cared for.

“…All this time.”

On the shirt, the name ‘Joo Sooyeon’ was written in childish handwriting.

It was familiar.

It was her first autograph.

She never imagined she’d see it again.

“Thank you for waiting.”

Her first fan.

At those words, the short-haired woman dabbed her tears with a handkerchief.

Han Sun-ah.

Now an established journalist, she was face-to-face with Sooyeon once again.

“I’ll write a great article for you.”

“Yes. I believe in you.”

At hearing the word ‘believe,’ Han Sun-ah nodded.

She had also carefully kept the shirt she once gave to Sooyeon.

After all, this shirt had been her treasured keepsake, supporting her during tough times.

“Ah.”

It was then that Sooyeon seemed to remember something and inquired.

“Could you tell me the headline of your article?”

“Certainly.”

Sun-ah spoke, revealing the title she had been thinking about for a long time.

Something she thought of ever since she started waiting for Sooyeon’s return.

“Rising Star.”

A designation for a star who’s currently rising or is about to shine.

Sun-ah’s tribute to the star she had waited so long for.

**[Rising Star: Joo Sooyeon Returns]**

As Han Sun-ah’s piece went live on the entertainment news feed, it garnered the most comments and discussions.

And two weeks later…

“Everyone, form a line, a line!”

“Black-market tickets are not allowed! ID verification is mandatory!”

The stage rose on theater play ‘Close Your Eyes.’

In the spotlight, countless people watched as the curtain lifted.

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