Chapter 85: Chapter 84

“When the schedule for the ad shoot is finalized, we’ll contact you again.”

With a warm smile, Park Hwan-soo offered a polite farewell, and Ha-eun, having just signed the contract, responded in kind.

Moments later, Park asked about The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds, which was performing even better than Ha-eun had expected.

“Your character’s name is Yeong-wol, right? The woman disguised as a man?”

“Yes.”

“Then, when will Yeong-wol’s image start to change? She can’t pretend to be a man forever, can she?”

Park speculated that the shift in Yeong-wol’s image would influence the ad’s direction. After a brief moment of thought, Ha-eun recalled that the preview for the next episode included Scene #88: Reunion.

“Her image will start changing no later than this week.”

Without giving away spoilers, Ha-eun explained Yeong-wol’s impending transformation. She also suggested reading the original novel for more details.

However, as with most advertisements featuring female celebrities, there was an expectation to highlight femininity.

For Ha-eun, her femininity was still an uncharted territory. That’s why, the day after officially signing with Sears, she turned to Da-yeon for advice.

“What do you think of me?”

“About what?”

“As a woman.”

“…? Did you just ask what I think of you as a woman?”

“Yes.”

Ha-eun dragged Da-yeon, the only person in her circle with prior CF experience, to the school snack shop to discuss her femininity. She had a scene to shoot later that day as Yeong-wol, where her feminine side would be fully revealed.

But for some reason, Da-yeon squinted suspiciously.

“Did you fall for someone again?”

“No! It’s because of the advertisement, not a guy.”

“Advertisement? You got an ad deal?”

“It just… happened.”

After explaining the details of the Sears bed advertisement, Ha-eun finally received Da-yeon’s assessment. Despite her usual awkwardness when complimenting Ha-eun, Da-yeon offered something closer to praise than criticism.

“You look like an actress.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“…It means you’re pretty.”

“Oh… thanks.”

Having been inseparable from Ha-eun for over a decade, Da-yeon had seen her receive confessions from both male classmates and upperclassmen, only for Ha-eun to reject them all.

Still, if Ha-eun had been confessed to, it must mean she had a certain charm as a woman. Even Da-yeon, as another girl, found Ha-eun’s looks striking.

But Ha-eun herself had little understanding of what made her feminine or how to emphasize it.

“How do you approach ads when you shoot them?”

Given Da-yeon’s experience with advertisements that focused on femininity, Ha-eun asked for tips. While Ha-eun had some commercial experience herself, it was from her time as a child actor, so it didn’t quite count.

“Gaze softly into the camera. And…”

“And?”

“Smile gently. Tilt your head slightly, too.”

Pulling a compact mirror from her bag, Da-yeon demonstrated.

But—

“I don’t get it.”

Ha-eun couldn’t grasp what part of Da-yeon’s smile emphasized femininity. After some thought, Da-yeon offered an answer that left Ha-eun flustered.

“Hmm… think of it like seducing the camera.”

“S-Seducing?”

“Why are you so surprised? You’ve done it before.”

“I have? When?”

“You know, in You Who Came From the Stars… Actually, hold on, let me show you.”

Da-yeon pulled out her phone and, moments later, began playing a highlight clip from You Who Came From the Stars.

“Did you know, sir? I’ll become a star. A star so high and mighty that no one will dare to look down on me, one that everyone will have to admire.”

-Swoosh.

“How could someone destined to become such a great star let themselves be held back by a stranger like you?”

The soft curve of her eyes.

The faint smile.

The subtly tilted head and strands of hair falling just out of place.

‘That’s supposed to be seductive acting?’

The young Ha-eun playing the role of Han Yu-hwa embodied everything Da-yeon had just described.

“Let me record you. Try it out yourself.”

Without protest, Ha-eun adjusted her posture to replicate the scene. After all, she needed to understand what "seductive acting" entailed.

Behind the school snack shop, in a small open space, Ha-eun reenacted the highlight scene from years ago. With Da-yeon as the sole camerawoman and audience, the feedback came immediately.

“…That’s too much.”

“What is?”

“You’re too alluring! Like a fox stealing men’s hearts!”

“A… fox?”

It wasn’t the feedback Ha-eun had anticipated. Nevertheless, she understood the concept of seductive acting and asked Da-yeon to send her the recording.@@novelbin@@

For the rest of the day, Ha-eun watched and rewound the video repeatedly, mentally preparing herself for her role in The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds.

The scene she would film was the final highlight of Yeong-wol’s arc. Ha-eun wanted to deliver the most compelling performance possible.

Yeong-wol was a significant role for Ha-eun. The character’s hidden identity and the way she concealed her truth reminded Ha-eun of her own past life.

All the more reason to make the ending different.

All the more reason to ensure Yeong-wol, even after her true identity was revealed, wasn’t cast aside. To ensure she remained loved.

Unconditionally loved.

“S#145, Forest. Ready? Three, two, one… action!”

The truth.

Sincerity.

Nothing hidden.

“Your Highness.”

Yeong-wol stepped toward the one she loved.

“May I ask why you’ve returned to such a treacherous place?”

“Is this not where you first saved me? I came here because I have something important to tell you.”

The sky, once tinged red by the setting sun, had turned black.

The forest, dense and oppressive, closed in around them.

And at the center of it all stood a figure, smiling faintly as always.

The stillness was broken only by the sound of a heartbeat, growing louder with every step Yeong-wol took toward the familiar figure.

Even surrounded by familiarity, she couldn’t steady herself. Was it longing? Or the fear that his words would not match her hopes?

They walked until they reached a vast clearing.

“The moon is already full.”

Under the wide-open night sky, the glowing gray orb of the moon illuminated them.

Step by step, Yeong-wol shortened the distance between them.

Finally, the sound of rustling leaves and a soft gust of wind marked her arrival.

And then—

-Snap.

Her hand, reaching sideways, intertwined with his.

“When did you become so bold?”

“Is holding my husband’s hand truly such a bold act?”

“Are you sure it’s just your husband’s hand you’ve taken?”

“Just for this moment, be my husband.”

Yeong-wol’s calm voice carried a weight he couldn’t ignore.

“Soon, there will be a selection for the Crown Princess.”

Yeong-wol remained silent, listening.

“But don’t worry. I will reject every candidate. No woman will take that place.”

To his surprise, Yeong-wol objected.

“The selection of the Crown Princess is a significant matter. It must not be disrupted.”

Her voice was firm, her eyes unyielding.

“Why are you telling me to choose someone else?”

“I never said to choose another woman.”

“Then why urge me to proceed with the selection?”

“Because your position will become unstable otherwise.”

The selection wasn’t just tradition; it was a necessary step to secure his claim to the throne. Without it, chaos would follow, and his enemies, especially Queen Yun, would seize the opportunity to strike.

“So, Your Highness must choose.”

His gaze darkened.

“Who am I supposed to choose?”

Yeong-wol pulled him down to the ground, catching him off guard. Lying beneath him, she looked up, her eyes sharp yet unwavering.

“Choose the woman standing before you. The woman who has loved you all this time.”

Her words broke the silence.

“Let Kim Yeon, the eldest daughter of Minister Kim Ho-jin, stand by your side and bear your heir.”

With that, she revealed another hidden truth—her last wish.

“I am yours, Your Highness. So take me.”

Her steady gaze never wavered.

“You will be scorned once your identity is revealed.”

“There is nothing more important to me than Your Highness.”

“I don’t want you to suffer because of ignorant fools.”

“Then protect me. Keep me close, where no one can touch me.”

Her resolute determination could not be shaken.

Finally, he nodded. He wouldn’t let the selection go astray.

As her face softened, her smile radiated a sincerity unlike anything he had seen before. Her hand, now trembling with emotion, reached for him.

“I love you, Your Highness.”

The moonlight bathed her in an ethereal glow, and he couldn’t break free from her spell. A terrifyingly captivating woman had stolen his heart.

Seconds later, he gave in, lost in the warmth and closeness of her presence. And in that moment, he realized he had fallen completely and irrevocably.