Chapter 118: Chapter 117

To put it simply, the meeting was mutually beneficial.

Both Ha-eun and Hong Su-eun gained something from each other.

However, what they gained wasn’t of the same type, let alone the same kind.

First, what Ha-eun gained: a deeper understanding of her character, Kim Jeong-hyun.

And—

“I’d like to meet with you again if the opportunity arises.”

—her expressed interest in appearing in Gods and Goblins.

Ha-eun’s statement, aimed at opportunities following her current project The Sunshine, caught Hong Su-eun slightly off guard.

After all, Gods and Goblins was still an unfinished drama without a completed script.@@novelbin@@

There were no confirmed cast members, no production schedule, and not even a broadcasting network had been approached.

Expressing interest in a role purely based on the appeal of the script was highly unusual.

Yet, instead of thanking her, Hong Su-eun simply replied with an “Alright,”

driven by an unshakable sense that Ha-eun could perfectly embody Baek Seol-hwa, the heroine of Gods and Goblins.

This conviction was rooted in what Hong Su-eun had gained from her extended conversation with Ha-eun that evening.

While Ha-eun sought to resolve her doubts about Kim Jeong-hyun, she ultimately left with much more than simple answers.

“If I’d known, I would’ve invited her over sooner.”

It was undeniable that Ha-eun’s desire to meet Hong Su-eun stemmed from her questions about Kim Jeong-hyun, something the writer was well aware of.

However, as their conversation progressed—

“So, what exactly does Park Joo-ho mean to Kim Jeong-hyun? Is that why she can’t let him go?”

—it became evident that Ha-eun’s doubts ran far deeper than Hong Su-eun had initially anticipated.

Ha-eun’s understanding of Kim Jeong-hyun extended beyond a simple resolution of personal curiosity.

“I thought it was just idle curiosity...”

In the end, Hong Su-eun had to completely revise her perception of “Lee Ha-eun” as an actress.

She was no longer just an actor with exceptional talent.

To be fair, it isn’t unusual for actors to have questions about their roles.

Curiosity is an integral part of understanding a character.

Naturally, performances from actors who truly grasp their roles differ in authenticity from those who don’t.

After all, reciting lines from a script is vastly different from acting through those lines.

While it was true that Ha-eun’s previous performances showed no signs of awkwardness,

she hadn’t fully grasped the writer’s intentions and thoughts behind Kim Jeong-hyun.

Even Ha-eun herself was vaguely aware of this.

Her decision to visit Hong Su-eun’s home stemmed from a realization that there were still gray areas she didn’t fully understand.

However, the extent of those gray areas exceeded even Hong Su-eun’s expectations.

“So, it all comes down to responsibility? Kim Jeong-hyun is the only one who can change Park Joo-ho’s mind, after all.”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct.”

After answering all of Ha-eun’s prepared questions, Hong Su-eun found that Ha-eun seemed to understand Kim Jeong-hyun almost as deeply as she did—if not more so.

Realizing that Ha-eun was a different kind of actor than she had ever encountered,

the tables turned, and now it was Hong Su-eun who started asking the questions.

“If you were Baek Seol-hwa, how would you react if she discovered the true nature of her relationship with the goblin?”

Rather than merely responding to Ha-eun’s questions, Hong Su-eun began offering information about Baek Seol-hwa, seeking Ha-eun’s input.

Ha-eun’s uncanny ability to predict Baek Seol-hwa’s future actions only fueled this dynamic.

The story that had previously existed solely in Hong Su-eun’s mind began spilling out of Ha-eun’s mouth with surprising accuracy.

“Hmm... I think no matter what, she wouldn’t be able to give up on the goblin. Even if she knew it was hopeless, she’d keep struggling.”

From just one read-through of the unfinished script, Ha-eun demonstrated a deep empathy for Baek Seol-hwa.

Much like her profound understanding of Kim Jeong-hyun, Ha-eun displayed a remarkable grasp of Baek Seol-hwa’s character.

“As much as the goblin treasures Baek Seol-hwa, she treasures him just as deeply. She’d never give up on him.”

What stood out the most was how natural her insights felt.

Adding Ha-eun’s perspective to the unfinished script made its flow noticeably smoother.

Eventually, Hong Su-eun asked Ha-eun to respond “not as a high schooler like Baek Seol-hwa, but as Baek Seol-hwa herself.”

Although she wasn’t explicitly asked to embody the character, the weight of Ha-eun’s suggestions was undeniable.

Their meeting finally came to an end after sunset.

By the end, even Hong Su-eun unconsciously acknowledged just how well Ha-eun understood Baek Seol-hwa.

“I’m not sure which winter we’ll film this in, but it’ll definitely be a winter shoot. Just keep that in mind.”

“Alright, I’ll make sure to clear my schedule.”

“Haha, no need to clear your schedule. Just make sure I can reach you.”

Much like Baek Tae-hoon had once seen Ha-eun as the perfect fit for Kim Jeong-hyun,

Hong Su-eun now saw her as the ideal choice for Baek Seol-hwa.

Her casual comment hinted at the possibility of casting Ha-eun in the role.

Shortly after, Hong Su-eun contacted The Sunshine’s director, Kwon Jae-hyup, expressing her desire to observe Ha-eun’s next shoot in person.

While her busy schedule had previously limited her to reviewing filmed footage, this time she wanted to witness it directly.

“I feel like I need to see it for myself at least once. There’s something I want to confirm.”

[“Ah, it sounds like you had an interesting conversation with Ha-eun.”]

“She’s so young, yet her passion is incredible. Her perspective on stories is refreshing.”

Curiosity burned within her, wondering how Ha-eun’s deepened understanding of Kim Jeong-hyun would transform her performance.

When the filming day finally arrived, Hong Su-eun appeared on set for the first time in a while.

“I am no longer your household’s servant. And even less a Joseon person!”

“That’s why I asked, as one person to another: please, just this once, help me.”

Kim Jeong-hyun’s dignified composure stood firm, unaffected by Baek Tae-hoon’s intense performance.

Inwardly, Hong Su-eun applauded. She could see, more clearly than anyone else, the new depth that had been infused into Kim Jeong-hyun’s character.

***

The first filming session after Ha-eun’s meeting with Hong Su-eun turned out to be significant for her as well.

It marked the beginning of Kim Jeong-hyun’s transformation into a more three-dimensional character, a turning point deeply connected to the overarching narrative of The Sunshine.

“A performance that convinces. A performance that feels real...”

Until now, Kim Jeong-hyun’s attempts to learn the alphabet and other foreign studies in secret had been purely personal.

It was driven by her curiosity for something new and her fascination with the unfamiliar.

Her clandestine visits to the home of Hanson Arnold, a missionary settled near Hanseong, were motivated by academic zeal.

Learning the alphabet from Hanson and hearing stories of foreign powers outside Joseon brought her genuine joy.

Thus far, all of Kim Jeong-hyun’s actions and words had been rooted in personal desires.

However, after continued interactions with Hanson and learning the hidden truths he uncovered—

“So, laying down railroads in Hanseong and erecting those shining pillars… all of that is...”

“To make Joseon reliant on them, under the pretense of introducing modern civilization.”

“And ultimately, to swallow Joseon—our entire nation—whole?”

“Most likely.”

—she could no longer remain absorbed in her personal pursuits.

Her reasons for leaving the expansive, tiled mansion changed completely.

“I can’t act like I’m following a noble cause just for show.”

What Ha-eun ultimately needed to portray was the transformation of Kim Jeong-hyun: a woman who comes to understand why her grandfather, Kim Ja-gyeom, once called Joseon a precarious nation.

This meant that she now sought out Park Joo-ho, who until then had been nothing more than an American in Joseon garb, to seek his guidance.

Park Joo-ho, as it stood, had connections with the U.S. military stationed in Joseon.

In other words, he was one of the few characters around Kim Jeong-hyun with diplomatic influence.

“I need your help.”

For the first time since his return to Joseon, Kim Jeong-hyun approached Park Joo-ho with a clear purpose.

Yet his response was brutally dismissive.

“Stick to your studies. Keep your interest in firearms as just a hobby.”

“Do my intentions sound that trivial to you?”

“Do you think anyone will take the words of a young lady, pampered in her quarters her whole life, seriously?”

Park Joo-ho remained unyielding no matter what Kim Jeong-hyun said or asked.

To him, her pleas were nothing more than the whims of a wealthy girl indulging in rebellion.

The memories of his parents, beaten and ultimately killed for their status as slaves, remained vivid in Park Joo-ho’s mind.

To him, Joseon was a nation unworthy of saving.

So when Kim Jeong-hyun stepped forward and seized his arm as he turned away—

Step.

Rustle.

“Don’t take my act of reaching out lightly. My plea to you is not something trivial.”

“How shameless. Have you forgotten what your grandfather did?”

“What stands before you now is not my grandfather, but my desperation. Are you saying I have no right to face you?”

Her grasp was firm, her resolve unshakable. Kim Jeong-hyun, standing as a Joseon woman desperate to save her country, refused to let him walk away.

From Park Joo-ho’s perspective, her persistence only deepened his wish for her to vanish from his life, along with Joseon itself.

This young lady who constantly made him hesitate, who forced him to confront his lingering regrets, was someone he wished would disappear entirely.

But for Kim Jeong-hyun, such a desire could never be fulfilled.

Thus, her gaze toward him, steady and unwavering, was imbued with both the guilt of a privileged daughter and the earnestness of a Joseon citizen.

“For the sake of Joseon, does my sense of shame truly matter?”

Her words carried a weight that even Park Joo-ho couldn’t ignore.

In that moment, Ha-eun fully embodied Kim Jeong-hyun.

Her delicate fingers, cautiously grasping Park Joo-ho’s coat but refusing to let go until the end.

Her trembling lips, hesitating to open until Park Joo-ho finally responded—all of it.

Every detail of her performance, down to the smallest gesture, forced even Baek Tae-hoon, who played Park Joo-ho, to respond in kind.

For that one moment, Ha-eun wasn’t just acting as Kim Jeong-hyun—she was Kim Jeong-hyun.