Chapter 43: Bragging About My Cat
“Hong Seul-gi…?”
“Black Kitty…?”
When Hong Seul-gi pulled off the hood that covered half her face, it felt like the whole world brightened for a moment.
‘Wow, she’s incredibly beautiful.’
If her beauty was enough to ripple the calm waters of my heart, it was definitely something special.
“But why are you here…?”
She asked, her question holding more than one meaning, was answered nonchalantly.
“Why else? I live here. I’m out for a walk because Yeon-tan wouldn’t stop nagging. I didn’t expect anyone else to be here either.”
Normally, there was no one around at this hour, so I had also felt safe bringing Yeon-tan out for a stroll. It seemed we were both equally surprised.
Hong Seul-gi’s large eyes shifted downward.
Yeon-tan was busy grooming herself with her bright red tongue.
“Is this… that cat?”
Even though she was vague, I immediately understood what she meant.
“Yeah, this is her. Somehow, I ended up adopting her.”
“Wow… that’s amazing.”
Was she amazed that I was her neighbor, or was it the fact that Yeon-tan became my cat?
Hong Seul-gi squatted down and extended her white hand, hidden earlier beneath her sleeve.
Was it because they were already familiar with each other?
Yeon-tan, who usually didn’t take kindly to strangers, began licking her hand.
At that, Hong Seul-gi’s expressionless face softened, her lips curling into a faint smile.
“Still, it’s surprising that she recognizes someone she’s only seen once. Usually, she just ignores everyone, unlike my other cats.”
At my comment, Hong Seul-gi quickly lifted her head.
“You have other kittens?”
“I didn’t know either, but she was already pregnant when we first found her. I only realized after taking her to the vet.”
“What about the kittens…?”
“They’re probably at home, playing and wrestling with each other. There are three of them, but they don’t like wandering around outside.”
“Oh… they must be so adorable…”
“Huh?”
When I asked, not sure if I heard her right, Hong Seul-gi suddenly fired off a series of questions.
“What are their names?”
“My name? It’s Song…”
“No, I meant the kittens’ names.”
“Oh, right. This one is Yeon-tan, and the kittens are Seok-tan, Gong-tan, and Heok-tan. They’re basically little troublemakers, cat versions of elementary school kids.”
“Yeon-tan… what a cute name.”
As Hong Seul-gi gently stroked Yeon-tan’s back with her delicate fingers, the cat must have liked it because she raised her tail in delight.
“I’m glad. I was really worried after that day.”
“Yeah, after the volunteer work ended and I was getting ready to drive home, this girl suddenly jumped onto my lap. She dug her claws into my pants, refusing to leave. What else could I do? I had to take her in.”
Hong Seul-gi’s eyes sparkled with interest, clearly enjoying the story. She looked up at me expectantly, as if wanting to hear more about how I adopted Yeon-tan.
Her gaze was so dangerously captivating that I felt like I might accidentally reveal my door code if I wasn’t careful.
“So, you were… chosen?”
“I guess you could say that. She’s pretty funny when you watch her. She’s quick to pick up on things, and she’s got her own way of being affectionate too.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen a cat go for a walk…”
“I didn’t know that either! I thought all cats were like that too. She even uses the bathroom in the shower like a person—I’m pretty sure she thinks she’s human.”
As I shared stories about Yeon-tan and her mischievous triplets, Hong Seul-gi broke into a wide smile, finding it all hilarious.
“Want to see something cool?”
“Like what?”
“Yeon-tan, come here.”
Meow!
With a determined meow, Yeon-tan wriggled out of Hong Seul-gi’s hands and trotted over to me.
Hong Seul-gi looked at her with a gaze full of regret, as if she already missed petting her.
“Paw.”
At my command, Yeon-tan placed her fluffy black paw in my palm, like a small cotton ball.
“Nose.”
I made a V shape with my fingers, and Yeon-tan adorably stuck her little nose right between them.
Watching Yeon-tan’s tricks, Hong Seul-gi’s eyes widened in amazement.
“Jump!”
Meow!
Yeon-tan leapt into the air, landing right in my arms.
“So, what do you think?”
“That’s amazing! I’ve never seen a cat do anything like this!”
Hong Seul-gi clapped her hands like an excited seal, her mouth agape in awe.
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride, my chest puffing up just a little.
Now I understand why parents love to brag about their kids so much.
“Heh, she’s a bit of a brat sometimes, but she’s really smart. Once you teach her something, she picks it up quickly.”
“What about Yeon-tan’s kittens… would it be hard to see them?”
“They’re still kittens, so… they don’t really like going outside yet.”
Hong Seul-gi’s expression immediately fell, her face full of disappointment.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I added a little more to ease the mood.
“But, well… they should get a sense of how big the world is at least once, so maybe when they’re a bit older, I’ll take them out…”
“Really!?”
“Whoa, you startled me.”
Hong Seul-gi suddenly raised her voice, making me jump without even realizing it.
“You mean it? You promise? You’ll take the kittens out, right? Pinky promise?”
Seeing her hold out her pinky with such a pleading gaze, I just couldn’t bring myself to say no.
“Uh, yeah, sure. Later. If I have the time. I don’t know when exactly though.”
“How about this time, two weeks from now?”
‘Why is she so eager? Was she always like this?’
I had planned to pass it off as a casual invitation like people do when they casually say ‘let’s grab a meal sometime’, but Hong Seul-gi was dead serious, as if we were about to sign a contract or something.
Let me think about what my schedule looks like…
“Hmm… once the kittens finish their vaccinations, I guess it’ll be fine for a bit.”
“Only after hooking my finger with her thin pinky finger, which seemed to have no intention of pulling back, did Hong Seul-gi finally smile brightly, looking satisfied.”
“Do you really like cats that much?”
“Yes, I love them. I could watch them all day and not notice the time passing.”
Hong Seul-gi mumbled in fascination, her eyes locked onto Yeon-tan, who had plopped down on the bench and was now busily licking her paws.
“What do you like so much about them?”
“Cats are… so elegant, affectionate, cute, and lovable… I love how they do what they want and move at their own pace.”
I was momentarily stunned by her rapid-fire praise of cats.
I had no idea she liked them this much.
“I like dogs too, but it’s kind of like… I don’t know, dogs treat me like I’m their master, while cats treat me like a friend. I love that.”
Though it was only for a split second, Hong Seul-gi’s mumbled words carried a hint of loneliness.
“Do you have any cats right now?”
“No… I’m the only one who doesn’t have a cat…”
The cold image I initially had of her had completely vanished. Hong Seul-gi’s expression softened, her eyes drooping slightly.
“If you love them so much, why don’t you consider getting one now?”
She shook her head weakly at my suggestion.
“No, I can’t. I often have to leave for several days because of filming… I can’t bring one home just to leave it alone like that. It wouldn’t be fair.”
She had a point. I vaguely remembered hearing that she was currently on the rise, with a lot of overseas shoots these days.
“A lot of people mistakenly believe cats are okay being left alone since they don’t get lonely, but that’s not true.”
I nodded in agreement. I knew it firsthand—whenever the door lock beeped, Yeontan and the three little troublemakers would come rushing to greet me.
No one knew better than I did how attached my cats were to me.
“Knowing that, how could I selfishly bring a cat into my home? Just seeing and petting them like this is enough for me.”
Meow
Hong Seul-gi looked at Yeon-tan with eyes full of affection as she yawned, mouth wide open.
“By the way, what were you doing out here alone this late?”
I’d been so wrapped up in bragging about my ‘children’ that I briefly forgot the original reason I talked to her.
The golden light that I thought came from the streetlamp was actually emanating from Hong Seul-gi herself.
“I just come up here when I feel stressed to memorize scripts or just space out by myself. Given my situation… I can’t exactly wander around freely.”
She really was one of the hottest actors these days, and it seemed she was trying to avoid going out as much as possible.
The life of a celebrity may appear glamorous, but it clearly comes with a lot of restrictions and exhausting moments.
It made me realize again—living unnoticed and ordinary is the best way to go.
“I see… I noticed someone sitting in the corner, mumbling to themselves, so I got a bit concerned.”
“You thought I was crazy, didn’t you?”
“Not completely crazy… maybe someone going through a tough time?”
“Isn’t that pretty much the same thing?”
“Is it?”
Maybe it was the extended conversation, but Hong Seul-gi seemed much more relaxed now, her sharp energy having softened.
But what was the golden light that had suddenly radiated from her earlier?
It was time to find out.
My eyes naturally shifted to the well-worn booklet she was holding.
“Is that what you were practicing with?”
At my question, Hong Seul-gi glanced at the booklet with a somewhat complicated expression.
“Yeah, that’s right. The script is really good, so I was practicing it alone. Not that it matters anymore, though.”
“Why wouldn’t it matter? The thing looks like it’s been read a thousand times, it’s practically falling apart.”
“It doesn’t matter because the movie’s going to be scrapped anyway.”
“The movie’s going to be scrapped?”
“It seems like they’re having trouble securing funding. I think it’s because the director’s style is too unconventional.”
“Still, with someone like you, Hong Seul-gi, wouldn’t they be able to push through and make it happen?”
Hong Seul-gi shook her head weakly.
“It’s tough. The influence of investors is just too strong in the film industry. They’re reluctant to take on even the slightest risk, so they tend to avoid projects that are too unique or creative. I heard the investors wanted to cut or change parts of the director’s script. Naturally, the director refused.”
I never realized when watching movies in theatres that so many complex interests were intertwined in the industry.
“What do you think? Do you believe the project will do well?”
“Who knows… But it’s definitely a compelling project. It’s been so long since I’ve been so hooked on a script that I read it over and over until it’s practically falling apart… It’s a shame. A real shame for such a great work to be buried like this.”
Hong Seul-gi gently ran her hand over the worn-out script, her eyes filled with regret.
“If you can’t do this film, will you move on to another project right away?”
“That’s likely. My absence would mean a loss for the company, so if no decision is made by this week, regardless of how I feel, I’ll be working on something else.”
“The script you’re holding… What’s the title?”
“Nemesis. It’s the name of the goddess of vengeance from Greek mythology. The story is about a woman who was brutally bullied in school and takes cruel revenge on her tormentors. The concept might seem common, but the way it unfolds is really fresh.”
“Nemesis, huh… If it’s not too intrusive, could you tell me the director’s name?”
“His name is Jeong Dae-yoon. This is his first commercial film, so you probably haven’t heard of him.”
I wouldn’t have known even if he were a famous director.
I wasn’t really into movies or dramas.
Either way, it seemed clear that this script was linked to the golden light I saw, so it was worth meeting him.
However, asking for his contact information right here and now would seem odd, so I decided to find it on my own later.
“It’s getting late. Even Yeon-tan’s yawning lazily.”
Hong Seul-gi glanced over at Yeon-tan and smiled as she watched her stretch.
“I should head home too. I had fun talking to you today. It’s been so long since I’ve talked like this with anyone outside of work…”
As the two of us stood up, Yeon-tan stretched out her legs and gave a big, satisfying stretch.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?”
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Song Dae-woon.”
“Don’t forget, Dae-woon-ssi. In two weeks, at this exact time, make sure you bring Yeon-tan’s kittens, too.”
It felt like something terrible would happen if I broke this promise, so I had no choice but to nod obediently.
Three days later.
A café near Chungmuro Station.
“Are you Song Dae-woon-ssi, the one who called?”
“Yes, and you must be Director Jeong Dae-yoon-nim?”
After some effort and inquiries, I managed to arrange a meeting with Director Jeong Dae-yoon.
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