Chapter 25: Memory of a Dot

“What do you think a genius is, Unni?”  

“Hmm… I’m not a genius, so I’m not really sure.”  

“Aren’t there a lot of geniuses in Hanul? 

They say it’s the best school for arts and sports in South Korea. Even exchange students from Japan and the U.S. come here. 

Could it be… all those things on the news are lies…? National pride…?”  

Yujin Unni, who had been drinking tea, widened her eyes in surprise.  

“National pride…?! Where did you learn that word…?”  

“Adults at the filming set say it, so I just repeated it.”  

“Juriya, you don’t have to repeat things like that.”  

“Okay, okay. So, what kind of person is a genius?”  

“…..”  

Yujin Unni, who was a 3rd-year middle school student at the time, cleaned her glasses and thought deeply.  

Since she was little, Unni had always been careful with her words, never answering hastily.  

After a while, Unni chose her words carefully and said,  

“Personally, I don’t think there are many true geniuses in Hanul. Most of them got here by working harder than others… But if I had to say, a genius is someone who…”  

“Who…?”  

“Someone who can see and think about many things?”  

“…That’s it?”  

“That’s it? Do you know how amazing that is?”  

“It doesn’t sound like much.”  

Yujin Unni smiled bitterly.  

“When others only look at one thing and think about one thing, someone who can look at ten… twenty things and immediately understand them, and expand their own world… you can never catch up with them.”  

“…..?”  

“Geniuses, even if they’re just in their first year of middle school… they understand all the existing works. 

Then they create their own work and draw much better than the seniors. It’s as if they’re holding the answer sheet in front of them. 

They move forward. Eventually, they go somewhere others can’t even see.”  

“…….”  

Yujin Unni said with a wistful look in her eyes.  

“They are the kind of people that ordinary people can’t help but admire and follow…”  

“…….”  

Looking at her with that far-off gaze,  

I realized who Unni was thinking about when she spoke.  

“Ah, one of them? A first-year middle schooler and they’re already that amazing?”  

“Yeah. Until last year, I thought I was the best at drawing among people my age in Korea. But then my view expanded so much.”  

Though it was from the past, I wasn’t surprised by the extraordinary statement where she confidently declared herself as the best in the nation.  

Yujin Unni had always been called the most talented in the family.  

“I see…”  

Geniuses really were amazing enough to change even Yujin Unni’s thoughts.  

‘Geniuses… they really are amazing.’  

Someday.  

I also…  

‘I want to become such an amazing person.’  

So,  

I blindly walked down the only path in front of me,  

The path of the ‘fool.’  

Not ‘Ojuri,’ but the stage name ‘Juri.’  

With all my strength.  

Becoming another version of myself.  

I became a ‘fool.’  

That was the only path I could understand and see.  

The ordinary ‘me’ was able to become a national clown, ‘Juri.’  

And what remained was…  

*

“Hey, wake up.”  

“…?!”  

–Thunk, thunk-!  

Juri startled awake at the rough gestures and opened her eyes.  

She had been sleeping in a curled-up position in the corner of the bus and was now awakened by the manager’s harsh touch.  

–Thunk-!  

“Hurry up and wake up!”  

“Ah, yes…!”  

Juri staggered up.  

And then she saw the man in front of her.  

“……”  

He was the manager that Director Kim from The Grand Family had assigned to her.  

In truth, he was no different from a puppet.  

He would act sycophantic and dutiful in front of Director Kim, but in reality, the only thing he did was give Juri a ride.  

He was a good-for-nothing who had only attached himself through connections.  

Yet, he still enjoyed Director Kim’s favor.  

That’s why she couldn’t refuse him.  

‘Like yesterday, he sneaks off to drink during the late-night shoots…’  

The manager, with a faint alcohol smell lingering on him, spoke mechanically to Juri.  

“Tch, as soon as I wake you up, you get up right away. This is the last shoot.”  

“…Okay.”  

The manager stared closely at Juri, who was still holding the blanket, before scowling.  

“What happened to the script? Didn’t you memorize it? Were you just sleeping like a log?!”  

“…….”  

“Are you going to stop acting once this drama is over? A person should have some responsibility!”  

“…….”  

‘What does that even matter? Does memorizing the script automatically happen if I sleep with it?’  

He always got angry in this way, with misplaced frustration.  

It was because he was incompetent and only knew how to show off useless effort.  

“…Sigh.”  

Besides, she had already memorized the lines for this trivial, low-budget drama a long time ago.  

Even during the Grand Family shooting period, there was never a time when she couldn’t memorize her lines, even if she stumbled on words.  

‘I guess he doesn’t see what I’m really working on.’  

Juri replied to the manager’s ridiculous complaint, her voice lowered due to the rough waking.  

“…I memorized everything already. The script is in my bag.”  

“…….”  

‘Though I actually threw that bag away yesterday.’  

The manager seemed displeased with her answer and attitude, as if he wanted to shout something, but…  

-Hasn’t Juri prepared yet~?!  

The voice from outside the bus, calling her name, made him swallow his words.  

“Let’s go.”  

“…Okay.”  

Juri grabbed the stupid bread hat in the corner of the bus.  

It was something Director Kim had given her for her “silly performance.”  

“…….”  

‘A cheap hat he got from the market.’  

It felt like it was made for her.  

‘He wants me to be funny, not through my acting, but with props.’  

That’s how Director Kim always was.  

“…….”  

Then, Juri put the bread hat on her head and headed toward the chaotic filming set.  

“……..”  

In her tired eyes,  there was no other way to go.  

She could only give up and head where it was visible.  

*

“Take starting!”

“Ready… Action!”

“……”

Juri was standing alone in a desolate studio. The only thing left was a small camera, prepared for her solitary monologue.

Beyond the camera, the cold room contained only a canvas covered by a white cloth and an easel (a large tripod used for supporting paintings).

The incompetent artist, Juri, walked toward her covered painting.

From now on…

Once this cloth was pulled away, the shooting would be complete.

“………”

The scene was the finale of the drama—intercut with a cheerful moment where the art club members joyfully painted at Nari’s house, a kind and talented girl.

Juri, the drama’s antagonist, had tried to ruin Nari’s painting, but it was also the artwork she had longed to exhibit. 

Throughout the series, this painting was referred to as her “secret masterpiece.”

When the cloth was removed, the “secret masterpiece” turned out to be—

‘Just a poorly drawn… ridiculous monkey.’

Ironically, Juri could never admit her foolish talent to herself. 

Overwhelmed by her inferiority complex, she had lied to the art club members, claiming to have a “secret masterpiece.”

The painting revealed a comical monkey.

Neither talent nor a “secret masterpiece” existed.

Alone, Juri accepted this bitter truth, shedding tears of repentance.

It was, indeed, poetic justice.

A perfect fit for a youth drama’s foolish villain.

This was the role Juri was about to perform.

“…….”

Reaching out her hand.

As she grasped the cloth to pull it away.

A question suddenly flashed through her mind—a gut feeling from her habit of analyzing scripts.

Would a “fool” really give up here?

‘Why does it matter now… Just get ready to cry…’

With that, she stirred up her emotions internally.

As she pulled off the cloth—

“…Huh?”

-A bright smile of a blue girl appeared.

“What…?”

Blue. Countless blue dots.

Clustered together like a galaxy.

The dots were arranged neatly, forming the face of a girl.

That face felt familiar.

‘Isn’t that me…?’

No.

No, it wasn’t.

She could feel it.

Though immature, the “soul” she had lived with as an actor for two years whispered to her.

That is not “Oh Juri.”

By looking into the portrait’s eyes, she could tell.

That smile didn’t come from “Oh Juri’s” life.

It was a simpler, brighter smile—one of an innocent girl.

“…Ah.”

The face created by the blue dots in the large painting was none other than the protagonist of Family Chaos, “Juri.” 

She was smiling radiantly.

“Grandpa, you’re the best!”

It must have been a scene like that.

‘The moment Juri first “spoke” equally with her grandfather…’

Realizing this, she saw the painting in more detail.

Dots.

What she thought were blue dots were lines from her blue pen on the script.

Like a mosaic.

Countless pieces of the script had been cut out.

Carefully glued together one by one.

It was the face of the “fool” she had played for two years.

“…Ah.”

A single tear escaped Juri’s eye.

It was foolish.

Ridiculous.

A smile she thought she’d despise.

But it was stunningly beautiful.

The beautiful blue, the blue pen strokes—all written as questions to shape Juri’s soul.

How would a fool love?

How would a fool feel lonely?

How would a fool sense friendship?

“…”

“Grandpa, can I have my allowance?”

“Dad, you’re an idiot!”

“Mom, you too!”

The daily notes, filled in little by little, eventually turned into a constellation. And countless stars formed a single universe.

Juri had built the world of a girl named “Juri” day by day through her effort.

That.

That was the world Juri had created as an actress.

Within a world of “fools.”

Juri understood the “language of fools” better than anyone.

‘That’s right.’

Fools…

Never.

Ever give up.

Juri brought “Juri” into her heart. The “fool’s” soul, which had become another part of her after extensive study, roared within her.

“I… will never give up!”

Juri removed her beret.

“I won’t give up!!”

And then she smiled brightly.

“Do you think I’d give up just like this? Never!!! Not in a million years, you fools!!!”

Fools knew their path better than anyone else.

That’s why they could laugh so freely.

“Ahahaha!”

That smile.

It resembled the blue hue in the painting.

Outside the shooting set.

Despite the clear chaos unfolding, the director couldn’t give the NG signal. He was standing idly, holding his phone and bowing repeatedly.

“D-director… Can I just say…!”

“What the hell is wrong with you people?! 

How did we get a three billion won compensation claim to the legal team in a day?! 

Hey, why is there talk of a Ministry of Education hearing?! 

What’s this about child abuse?! 

And why are entertainment reporters clinging to our case?!”

“W-what?! What do you mean?!”

“You clueless bastard! You’re the director! If you don’t know, then who does?! 

Sort this out immediately and get back to the station right now! Stop the shoot!!!”

Click.

“……”

The director muttered in despair.

“This… what is this…”

He always intended to wrap up filming quickly and leave, but now, overnight—

As if someone had been sharpening their knives, complaints were flooding in by morning.

The scene was utter chaos.

-“Director! Entertainment reporters are asking when Hana Go will debut?! What’s going on?!”

-“Director! They’re saying some artwork from the professors was among the props we cleared?!”

-“Director! The administrative office just said we violated regulations and need to disband! They’re calling the police soon; what should we do?!”

“Director!!”

The staff pleaded desperately.

“What do we do?!”

‘Please, take responsibility for this mess!’

“……..”

The director ran a hand over his face.

“I… I don’t know.”

“What?”

“I don’t know, damn it.”

“You can’t say that.”

“…?!”

When he turned his head.

There stood administrative staff from the Hanul Arts School and department heads. 

Behind them were numerous security guards stationed in the area.

“Director, Hanul Foundation has officially filed a lawsuit. 

You’ve been accused of threatening our students, violating mutual contracts, and we’ve obtained an eviction order.”

“Well, you see…!”

“You can explain it all in court.”

The girl playing “Nari” ground her teeth as she watched the footage. On screen, Juri was improvising beyond the script.

“That crazy woman’s shooting her own movie…!”

She stormed toward the set, her face full of rage.

But she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

“What the…”

Turning her head.

She saw a senior who once ruled acting schools and sets as a figure of terror.

“Kang Jina?! How are you here…?!”

“What, I can’t? I just came to see a junior’s face.”

“This is a shooting set!”

“This shoot looks like a mess, though.”

Kang Jina smiled as she leaned in closer to the girl.

“And…”

“…?!”

Her smile concealed a chilling gaze.

“Even if we’re the same age, shouldn’t you call me ‘senior’? Don’t make me reminisce about the past. Unless you want to play like we used to?”

“…Eek.”

*

I looked at my cell phone and saw messages sent to the contacts on the business cards I had received.

[Hanwool Comprehensive Arts School for elementary school genius beautiful girl De☆Bu visit$$Powerful scoop team South article100% bonus※ Drama shooting scene viewing company free bonus§§Hanwool Comprehensive Arts School§§★Beautiful girl★Portrait acquisition opportunity@@@ Immediately jump to]

“Anyway, Juri is also an elementary school student, right or wrong?”

I don’t know.

-Tap!

I closed my cell phone.

And closed my eyes.

“…….”

Ouch.

‘I’m tired…’

I stayed up all night working on the script, Eugene and I talked the teachers into it, Gina helped me sneak in the installation, I called Marie and Marie’s dad, and I talked to her dad.

Oh, I did a lot of things.

“…..”

I lay down on the bench and crossed my arms.

“Is this going to change Juri’s mind a little bit?

I don’t know. But I hope this will at least be a little redemption for her.

With that thought, I opened my eyes.

“…..”

The sun was rising into a blue autumn sky, a blue so clear it made me feel cool to the core.

It was the perfect weather for something to change.