Chapter 28: Chapter 27

On a chilly November day, autumn leaves swirled in the cold wind. It was also the first day of filming for *My Love From the Stars*.

"Cut! Good job!" the director called out.

Dressed in what people often called a “tteokbokki coat,” Ha-eun simply stood watching the scene unfold on set. Her own shoot was scheduled for later that evening, so she didn’t have to be there early, especially since it was a chilly outdoor location instead of a warm indoor set.

Ha-eun didn’t need to arrive in advance; there wasn’t much for her to do except watch the lead actors, Ha Yoon-sung and Yoo Sung-ah, perform. However, the producers had invited journalists for the drama's first day of filming as a promotional tactic, allowing media coverage for a single day in this outdoor setting.

Pedestrians passing by were drawn to the excitement, creating quite a scene. While this publicity might have been great for the network, the same couldn’t be said for the staff and cast, who were under a lot of pressure. This included Ha-eun and her manager, Joo Jung-yoon.

“Ha-eun, it's freezing. Wouldn’t it be better to wait in the car?”

“No, I’ll stay here,” she replied.

The reason Ha-eun refused Jung-yoon’s suggestion and chose to remain in the cold was simple: today, she would be filming a scene as *the modern Han Yoo-hwa*, not the *Joseon-era* version of her character. Right now, the scene being filmed also featured the modern Han Yoo-hwa, meaning it was a chance for Ha-eun to observe Yoo Sung-ah’s interpretation of the character.

"Really? You don’t know me? I’m Han Yoo-hwa—the star guarantee," Yoo Sung-ah exclaimed in character.

‘So, *that’s* what celebrity arrogance looks like,’ Ha-eun thought, amused.

Since she would be playing the younger, modern Han Yoo-hwa in a few hours, it was better to stay and study Yoo Sung-ah’s performance rather than sitting in the car. Unlike her Joseon-era character with her traditional speech and clothing, the modern Han Yoo-hwa would need to reflect a bit of Yoo Sung-ah’s portrayal, though not entirely.@@novelbin@@

Despite her determination, Ha-eun couldn't completely ignore Jung-yoon, who was visibly shivering beside her.

“Um, Jung-yoon unni, you don’t have to stay out here just for me. Why don’t you go wait in the car?” Ha-eun suggested, her voice gentle.

Jung-yoon gave her a faint smile, narrowing her eyes slightly. “How could I leave you out here and go warm up by myself? I’m not *that* selfish, you know.”

‘But I really am fine,’ Ha-eun thought, feeling a bit guilty for keeping Jung-yoon out in the cold. Still, observing Yoo Sung-ah remained her top priority. She continued watching, intent on capturing every detail of Sung-ah’s performance as Han Yoo-hwa.

Yoo Sung-ah’s portrayal was, at first glance, somewhat brazen and even shameless, the kind of personality that could easily provoke envy or dislike in others. Yet she wielded her exceptional acting skill to transform this into the unique charm of her character, Han Yoo-hwa. Ha-eun realized she would need to be careful to prevent viewers from feeling off-put by her younger Han Yoo-hwa.

The character she’d be portraying today was a mix of confidence—rooted in Han Yoo-hwa's striking beauty—and a certain naivety that came with her young age. Ha-eun decided to draw confidence from Yoo Sung-ah’s performance while sourcing her character’s innocence from different inspirations.

Time passed, and soon the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving the set wrapped in evening darkness. Like the others gathered around the recently-opened food truck, Ha-eun lined up for a meal, loading her plate mostly with vegetables, and settled at a folding table. She was simply hoping to fill her stomach before her first scene.

Just as she began eating, Ha-eun noticed an unfamiliar woman, someone she hadn’t seen around the set, quietly sitting across from her. The stranger didn’t touch her food but instead kept glancing in her direction.

‘...What’s going on?’ Ha-eun thought, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“Excuse me, who might you be?” Jung-yoon asked, noticing the woman’s odd behavior and stepping in for Ha-eun. The woman responded by handing over her business card.

“You’re Lee Ha-eun, right? If it’s okay, would you be open to a quick interview after your scenes wrap up tonight?” she asked.

This was the first time Ha-eun had received an individual interview request. The problem was that all the journalists who had come to cover the drama had already finished their interviews with the main cast and left. Furthermore, the scene Ha-eun would be filming next wasn’t one the network planned to release to the media.

Meaning that this reporter, Huh Joo-eun, shouldn’t even be here, much less sitting across from her. Concerned, Ha-eun exchanged glances with Jung-yoon, signaling they should leave.

“W-Wait, Ha-eun! Just a moment!”

The reporter’s next words, however, made Ha-eun pause.

“I’m not here to write about *My Love From the Stars*—I’m here to write about you, Ha-eun. Of course, the drama will get a mention, but my focus is on you as an actress.”

Joo-eun explained that she had once written an article about Ha-eun during *The Neighbor Uncle*’s release.

“I promise not to expose any part of your scenes,” she said, emptying her pockets in an exaggerated display to show she had no camera. “If you could spare just 30 minutes at a nearby cafe after your scenes, that would be wonderful,” she continued, her voice full of hope.

Ha-eun looked up at Jung-yoon, wondering, “Unni… if I do this interview, will it cause any issues?”

Her question made it clear that, if it wouldn’t be a problem, she’d like to try doing the interview.

Jung-yoon reassured her, “I’ll look into it while you focus on your scene. Don’t worry about anything else.”

After that, preparations for Ha-eun’s scene began.

“Ha-eun, have you been here the whole time?” the director, Hwang Min-soo, asked, sounding a little surprised. “You didn’t need to come so early, but you must be cold from waiting.”

After a brief chat with the director, Ha-eun tightened her brown coat and adjusted her posture.

“The vibe is really like a young Yoo Sung-ah,” someone commented nearby.

“Yeah, I watched her audition tape and was blown away.”

“Me too. I thought they’d brought a girl straight out of the Joseon era,” another crew member said.

The various comments and glances reminded Ha-eun that she was back in the spotlight, her heart racing as she stepped in front of the camera. All that remained now was to bring young Han Yoo-hwa to life.

“Okay, S#11, first meeting scene. Stand by, everyone. Three, two, one... Action!”

The director, Song Tae-gwon, called out in his steady voice, and at last, Ha-eun’s first scene for *My Love From the Stars* began.

---

Softly blinking, small lights dotted the sky, surrounding a large gray lamp in the center that cast its light alone.

The night sky, which Han Yoo-hwa hadn’t seen in some time, was as beautiful as ever. But her current situation, held awkwardly in the arm of a man she didn’t know, felt anything but pleasant.

“Uh, could you... let go now?”

Although she was grateful he’d saved her from being hit by a passing truck, Han Yoo-hwa immediately pulled her arm free.

“Not very nice to treat your savior like that,” the man remarked.

“Sorry, but my body isn’t just for anyone to grab,” she replied, adding a sarcastic edge to her tone.

Her next question, asking if he really didn’t recognize her, came naturally. After all, she was the entertainment industry’s newest rising star. However, his response was a dry “Huh?” leaving her face flushed as she puffed her cheeks in frustration.

“How can a Korean not know who I am? Are you some sort of spy?”

As if to answer, her phone buzzed in her pocket, interrupting her thoughts. She pulled out her sticker-covered phone, her expression darkening as she read the message.

Staying out this late was sure to get her scolded, but she thought, maybe the fault lay with the person who’d made her not want to go home. If they’d wanted her to be a good daughter, they shouldn’t have messed around in the first place.

“Ugh, forget it!” she muttered, tossing her phone battery into a nearby trash bin.

The man watching her sighed. “Why the sigh? What’s it to you?” she shot back.

“It’s just... I wonder if I should have ignored you even 500 years ago,” he replied, looking thoughtful.

“So you’re one of *those* people. Thanks for saving me, but I’m not interested in hearing any sermons,” she quipped, backing away with a lighthearted laugh.

Unfortunately, her retreating steps caught on a small stone.

“Ah—oh, no!” she yelped, losing her balance, only for the man’s arm to catch her once again.

“Please, stop making me worry,” he murmured.

“I didn’t ask you to save me!” she retorted, shaking off

his arm.

“Well, I’ve saved you twice now, so I suppose I deserve a reward,” she replied, trying to compensate for his help monetarily, adding that after that, they’d be even.

When he asked why she hated being in anyone’s debt, she answered with exaggerated gestures, “Because living with someone holding power over me sounds worse than death. I want to live *my* life, exactly how *I* want.”

Then, she offered him a small glimpse into her aspirations. “You know, mister? I’m going to be a star. A bright one, so high that no one can look down on me.”

She lifted her gaze to the sky, her eyes capturing its vastness. Her white neck shimmered under the gentle moonlight. Realizing that he was watching her in silence, she gave a faint smile.

With a delicate tilt of her head, she added, “Someone like me, destined to be a great star, can’t let herself be held back by just anyone.”

Her elegant posture was mesmerizing, like a creature from a tale of legends.

“...Please, stop making me worry,” he murmured.

For Park Do-joon, it was a familiar sight from 500 years ago, yet once again, he found himself captivated.