Chapter 6 : Commercial Shoot

“Wow, our Siyeon is amazing!! Hahaha!”

“Oh my, Siyeon, are you hurt anywhere?”

“You must have seen it all, so why are you surprised now?”

“I was too nervous back then to see it properly.”

“You too… But are those people really dead? I guess because they’re stuntmen, their acting looks so real. Hahaha!”

The broadcast day of Garter Belt.

Mom and Dad were watching TV as usual, watching the show.

Right now, a scene where I perform as a clown is playing.

Dad seemed quite satisfied and laughed loudly enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.

That moment comes to mind.

“Hahaha! To think I’m seeing the clown performance of the infamous Nameless here. It’s a spectacle. Hahahahahaha!”

“The assassin shaking the continent is just a dog of the royal family after all. Heh.”

“Hey, you bastard. Shake it harder! Are you going to cut someone’s head off? Hahaha!”

The first time I had to perform as a clown.

The shame I felt back then is still vivid.

The nobles were like that.

Feeling a sense of superiority while making Nameless, who ruled the continent’s darkness, perform like a clown.

Even when those who would die with just a flick of my finger mocked and ridiculed me.

But now, no emotion arose at all.

I had already grown accustomed to it.

And this time, I had actually earned my keep, so it wasn’t particularly shameful.

Rather, I had benefited from it, and that clown act had been cheap.

“Wow, our daughter looks great on camera. How about making her a child actress, honey? You said you got a lot of business cards back then.”

“Well, that’s true… But Siyeon’s opinion is the most important. If we make her do it and it doesn’t suit her, it could be tough.”

“It’s impossible for it not to suit her. Look at her. I’m worried she’ll become too famous. Hahahaha!”

“Still… Celebrities have a lot of talk, and since she’s a girl, it might be tricky…”

“You worry too much. We haven’t even started yet, why are you worrying about this already?”

As expected.

It seemed like this wouldn’t be the last time.

My specialties were assassination and espionage.

But since I was still young, I wasn’t entrusted with those kinds of tasks yet.

To earn my keep, it seemed I would have to keep performing as a clown.

Until my body fully matured, I suppose it couldn’t be helped.

“Mom, Dad. I’m fine.”

They were the ones who had helped me.

Compared to my past life on the streets, this was luxurious living.

I was willing to earn my keep.

“Oh really? That’s my daughter!”

“Siyeon, are you sure it’s okay? Do you like being on TV?”

“I can do it well.”

“Okay, since Siyeon says so, let’s try it. And doing it doesn’t mean anyone can make it. You need to audition and all that.”

“Hmmm…”

Ding-ding.

Just then, Mom got a call.

She went to answer it, and I continued my training.

The body at this age grows quickly, so it felt good to train.

“Siyeon…”

After finishing the call, Mom came back and hugged me while I was doing a one-handed push-up.

“Hm?”

“How about Siyeon trying an audition?”

“Who called?”

“It was Ji-young’s mother, the one I mentioned before. She asked if you’d be interested in filming a commercial. She said you need to audition though.”

“Oh really!”

It seemed like a new opportunity had arisen.

“Hm.”

“Really? Are you sure, Siyeon?”

“Hm.”

“You worry too much.”

Dad took me from Mom’s arms.

Mom sighed and said,

“I want Siyeon to do well too, but she’s so young. She’s only 5 years old.”

“Nowadays, things move fast with kid models and such. Plus, Siyeon is taller than most kids. It’s fine. Let’s do it.”

“Oh… okay.”

Thus, the second clown performance was decided.

It didn’t matter what it was.

Earning my keep was something I should naturally do.

In fact, this felt more comfortable.

It was better to pay the price beforehand than to receive warmth for free and never know when I’d be betrayed.

“Hahahahaha!”

With Dad’s laughter, the weekend evening deepened.

The audition site for the clothing brand Filler.

They were selecting a kid model for their new children’s clothing line.

Filler was not a small brand but a global enterprise.

Naturally, they couldn’t use just any regular model for their commercial. Not even if it was for kids.

As a Western brand, Filler had a different perspective on selecting their models.

Mediocre talent would never make it as their model.

As a result, the competition at the audition was very high.

Most participants were child actors or had related experience.

“Ugh… Why don’t they just use foreign kids like brands such as Adidas do, instead of shooting with Korean kids again?”

“Yeah, I agree.”

Usually, famous international companies would just use ads already made abroad.

Especially for kid models.

It was not easy finding a child who could give the exact vibe the headquarters wanted.

The director of the commercial, Ha Jung-soo, sighed.

“Still, there are a few kids who seem to be a good fit. Here, we have a child actor, and over here, we have…”

“Hm… But what’s this, five years old?”

Most of the children were around elementary school age.

However, the only one who was five years old was in the group of applicants.

“Hey, why would you call a five-year-old for an audition? You should have cut her out in the paperwork. She’s pretty, though.”

“Well, that child is the one from Garter Belt…”

“…Ah. Is she the one recommended by FAC?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

FAC Entertainment was Ji-hyun’s agency.

It mainly housed actors, and they were currently eyeing Siyeon.

FAC Entertainment had some child actors, so they had sent a request.

The director, Ha Jung-soo, was puzzled that they recommended a child who wasn’t even their own child actor.

But after seeing the broadcast video of Garter Belt with that child, he quickly understood.

“Wow… But she was five years old? Really?”

“Yes. So, I was surprised when I heard her age too.”

“Well, we’ll have to see her in person.”

Still, the fact that she was five years old was surprising.

They would need to see her at the audition to decide.

Right before the audition started, in the waiting room.

“A lot of strong kids have gathered here. But none are better than my Hyunsoo.”

Hyunjung looked around the waiting room, holding her son Hyunsoo’s hand.

Since this was an ad for a big company, there were some experienced kids there.

Child actors or kids with previous model experience.

“Hyunsoo, you can do well, right?”

“Yes!”

Still, Hyunjung didn’t think there was any child who could surpass her son.

At 9 years old, Hyunsoo already had two commercials and one historical drama appearance under his belt.

He had more experience than any of the kids here today.

Moreover, he already had an agency.

Hyunsoo was a child actor who was gaining attention.

Hyunjung couldn’t imagine any other child becoming the commercial model instead of her son.

“Siyeon, let’s sit here.”

“Mm.”

Then, a girl walked in.

She caught everyone’s attention.

“What… what’s with this kid?”

Her face was so beautiful that it almost seemed to shine.

She wore loose clothes, but her body line was still visible, looking perfect in fit.

She wasn’t just a cute, pretty kid. The atmosphere she gave off was extraordinary.

“Everyone else is in elementary school. Do you think Siyeon will be okay?”

“Mm.”

“…She’s younger than the elementary school kids? Then maybe she’s 7 years old?”

Her age was also surprising.

With her height, she seemed like she could be in 1st or 2nd grade of elementary school.

But if she was a kindergarten child, she wouldn’t be taken seriously.

She didn’t seem to have an agency either.

Her face was pretty, but she probably lacked skill. She was a completely new face.

Her mother must have brought her, believing in her looks.

…But have I seen her before? Why does she look so familiar?”

“I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere…”

“She’s really pretty.”

As other mothers glanced at Siyeon, possibly trying to assess her, the audition started.

“Next, number 9, please enter.”

Siyeon’s number was 19.

She was almost the last to go.

Receiving her number and waiting for her turn to perform as a clown.

It was something Siyeon had already experienced.

‘That guy comes to mind.’

A duke of an empire with a perverse taste.

He would rank clowns and women, and order them to entertain him in sequence.

If they failed to amuse him during their turn, he would ruthlessly strike them down.

Among them, the most amusing clown would be brought to the imperial banquet to perform.

That duke didn’t last long and was assassinated by Nameless.

Anyway, the situation now was very similar to that time.

Siyeon waited for her turn, recalling the past.

“Next, number 19, please come in.”

Soon, it was Siyeon’s turn.

“Si… Siyeon, don’t be nervous and do well, okay?”

“Mm.”

Siyeon entered the audition room, and Jiye sat in the guardian’s seat.

Upon seeing Siyeon, Director Ha Jung-soo was speechless.

Even after doing this work for so long, he had never seen a child so beautiful.

Moreover, she was only five years old, and her proportions were perfect.

It seemed like something a god had carefully sculpted.

“Hello! I’m Kim Siyeon.”

Siyeon cheerfully introduced herself.

“Yes, Siyeon. Just wear the clothes next to you and strike a pose like in the picture.”

A simple pose and camera test.

Siyeon put on the outerwear hanging on the hanger and looked at the photo.

In the picture, the model was wearing a Filra outfit, looking stylish.

“Hmm, I guess I have to copy this pose.”

This was also Siyeon’s first time doing something like this.

She followed the instructions, but felt uncomfortable.

“The zipper is open, so it’s hindering my movements.”

It turned out the model in the photo was wearing the outfit with the zipper down.

By trying to copy that, Siyeon felt the clothes fluttering and uncomfortable.

Moreover, the long hair her mom had neatly combed for her was subtly getting in the way.

The test outfit was a black windbreaker.

It was a functional outfit that Siyeon, once an assassin, quite liked, and it also looked stylish.

It was similar to a coat she had worn in her past life.

“Hmm, I guess I should do it like this.”

Siyeon decided to zip up the jacket all the way.

The high collar now partially covered her mouth.

She tied her long hair into a high ponytail.

She had done cross-dressing in her past life, so tying her hair up wasn’t difficult.

Now comfortable, Siyeon freely struck her poses.

With fluid, dance-like movements, Director Ha Jung-soo stared at her, mesmerized.

‘Wow, style…’

That wasn’t something a mere five-year-old could exude.

Even among elementary school kids, and even professional models, it was a presence that was difficult to replicate.

It was as if she perfectly understood the concept of the clothes.

She seemed like she could run through Han River Park in that outfit, full of confidence and poise.

Even though the original picture showed the zipper undone, Siyeon zipped it all the way up, completely covering her upper body and part of her face in black.

It was as if she knew what suited her best.

It was as if she was saying, “This is the best way to wear this outfit.”

This wasn’t the realm of a typical kids’ model.

The Filra windbreaker clung to her body like a second skin.

The charisma in her sharp expression felt like it came from a model with years of experience.

Her movements resembled running through a forest in the rain.

It was as if she were climbing a snowy mountain toward the summit.

Her walk was like a New Yorker strolling through the bustling streets of New York.

Even in everyday settings, she exuded a comfortable kind of coolness.

She conveyed so many feelings with just one piece of clothing.

She perfectly captured the essence of outdoor apparel made for both adventure and everyday wear.

And above all,

“She’s so hip! So cool!”

Her movements were unlike anything seen before.

Kim Ha-young, a creative director and former model, couldn’t hide her admiration.

A vivid image naturally formed in her mind.

Siyeon, running with her ponytail fluttering, wearing the windbreaker.

Her sharp gaze as she walked through the city streets, brushing past every corner.

‘That aura… is something that comes once in a thousand years. It’s like a snake—secretive yet graceful, like a spy in a thriller movie. That child… she must become a model…!’

After the audition ended.

Director Ha Jung-soo, deep in thought, made a big decision.

“Let’s scale it up.”

“Excuse me?”

“This ad will become a historic one in the advertising industry.”