Chapter 851: Miso's Wings (1)

Miso was angry because the adults saw her not as 'actress Jung Miso' but merely as a 'child.'

'

When did my little Miso grow up so much?

'

When Miso first started acting, she thought of it as just playing with her mom. After that, she acted mainly so she could be with her mom on set.

But now, with her mom gone, she was on this remote island, beginning to awaken her sense of self as an actress. So even if the whole world doubted her, I at least had to see her as an actress, not a child. I was her talent agent, after all—not anyone else.

I looked at Miso, who was scowling at the ritual jar, and said, "Alright, Miso. I'll talk to Mr. Oh about it."

"Okay."

I went straight to PD Oh Sang-Do and said firmly, "Mr. Oh, Miso came all the way up here looking forward to the next scene. And with the night fog rolling in, it's perfect for shooting. Let's start right away."

"Are you sure she's up for it? I'm just concerned, since the scene calls for the opposite emotion from what she nailed this morning."

"Don't worry. Miso can handle it. You saw her at the script reading, didn't you? So please treat her not as a child actor but as supporting actress Jung Miso, and give her direction accordingly."

Beside me, Miso puffed out her chest slightly and nodded.

"

Sigh

... Alright then." Oh Sang-Do nodded and called out to the worried crew. "Okay, the actress is ready. Everyone stop fussing and get on standby!"

The crew replied in unison. "Yes, Mr. Oh!"

Then Miso grabbed my hand tightly and pulled. "Uncle Yoon-Ho! I want to check my makeup one more time."

Miso knew she had to show real results now that she had insisted on doing this, so she asked to review her makeup again.

"Alright."

I took Miso's hand and headed toward the tent at the edge of the set.

Thud, thud.

Unlike usual, there was real weight in her steps. It looked like Miso really was about to deliver something special today.

***

While Miso was getting her makeup touched up, I went inside the ritual shrine in Wolryeong to check the state of the ritual jar.

Other than the limited space which would be tight even for Miso, there were no major issues. So I stepped outside to wait for her.

That was when the crew came in and started installing tiny cameras and mics inside the jar and under the lid. They even added lighting so filming could continue once the lid was closed and it got dark inside.

Still, the crew didn't look entirely at ease.

"Man, this jar is tight. It's fine for a short scene, but if it runs long, a kid might not be able to take it."

"Seriously. Normally we'd film this kind of thing on a set, right?"

"Yeah, usually. But shooting it like this feels way more real."

"True. And that Miso kid's something else. If it were me, I'd be screaming from claustrophobia the moment I got in there."

"Same here."

They shook their heads, saying no amount of money could get them to do it.

Just then, Park Sang-Gyu, now fully made up as Wolryeong and carrying a cane, approached the shrine. "Yoon-Ho. We're doing this because Miso said she's okay with it, but are we sure? It's nothing like the script reading. Acting in that tiny, uncomfortable jar is seriously tough. What if we shoot it piece by piece?"

I shook my head firmly. "This is what the actress wants. If it looks like it's truly dangerous, I'll step in and stop it. So don't worry too much."

Park Sang-Gyu looked at me quietly, then gave a sheepish smile. "

Hm

. I messed up. You're treating Miso like an actress, but even after acting with her, I was still seeing her as a kid. I'm sorry."

"No, it's perfectly natural. She is a kid, after all."

"No. This one's on me. In that case, as a sign of reflection... how about I give it my all?"

"Give it your all? Hyung? What are you planning?"

Before I could finish asking, Park Sang-Gyu gripped his cane and slowly bent his back. In the blink of an eye, he transformed from the innocent Illyeong into the sinister shaman Wolryeong. To respond to Miso's sincerity, Park Sang-Gyu too had thrown himself fully into the role.

"

Heh heh heh

... So it begins..."

Park Sang-Gyu's eyes gleamed red due to contact lenses. His tongue, painted blue like a lizard's, flicked out between his lips. He looked nothing like a human but just an old man possessed as he slithered toward the shrine.

'

He's really going all in

.'

That meant I couldn't just sit still either. I pulled out my phone and began filming the scene. Capturing these moments of dedicated performances and promoting them properly was my job as her talent agent.

Moments later, Miso emerged with her makeup retouched. There was a steely determination on her face. When a staff member guided Miso toward the shrine, I clenched my fist and gave her a cheering gesture. Miso nodded confidently and stepped into the courtyard.

Oh Sang-Do looked around and shouted, "Alright, standby, everyone. We'll start with the scene where Wolryeong knocks Illyeong unconscious and puts her into the ritual jar."

"Yes, Mr. Oh!"

Thick night fog blanketed Wolryeong's shrine. The lights came on and the jimmy jib moved above the shrine, adjusting to shoot through the open ceiling. The boom mic operator found a position just outside the camera angle to capture the dialogue. Once all department heads confirmed their teams were ready, they gave the okay signal.

Oh Sang-Do took a deep breath and called out loudly, "Scene 10! We're rolling! Ready—action!"

Right then, Miso began acting as Illyeong, slowly losing consciousness from the sleeping pills Wolryeong had slipped into her dinner.

『

Uhh

... I'm... so... sleepy... Grandpa Wolryeong...』

Miso struggled to keep her heavy eyelids open, blinking slowly. The setup was that she had been given a near-lethal dose. Her arms and legs started to give out as she staggered like someone whose strength was draining away.

At that moment, Park Sang-Gyu chuckled gleefully with his cane in hand.

『

Heh heh heh

... You must be tired. You were running around all day with the village kids, weren't you?』

『Huh... is that it? Hehe. Then I'll just... nap a bit...』

『Yes, yes. Sleep well, child. Deep, deep sleep.』

『

Mmm

...』

Then Miso's body completely went limp and collapsed toward Park Sang-Gyu.

Thud.

Park Sang-Gyu caught Miso with one arm, and her limbs dangled lifelessly. Her head and limbs flopped in perfect depiction—not of drowsiness, but of unconsciousness induced by drugs. As always, Miso's level of detail was on another level from ordinary child actors.

A few crew members were so mesmerized by her performance they had to snap out of it when their supervisors scolded them.

Still chuckling, Park Sang-Gyu lifted Miso and slowly slid her feet-first into the narrow ritual jar. Once Miso was inside, Park Sang-Gyu closed the jar's lid.

Drrrrk.

The heavy lid scraped against the mouth of the jar with a grating sound.

『Now, it will be hard for a while. But endure it well and let your deep resentment grow.

Heh heh heh.

』

Clunk.

The lid of the ritual jar shut. I immediately turned to the monitor showing the inside of the jar. Even with the lid closed, a soft internal light allowed Miso's face to be visible.

Though trapped in a space so small she couldn't stretch her limbs, Miso lay there with a peaceful smile and closed eyes. Despite the terrifying situation, she was performing exactly as scripted. She was portraying Illyeong, blissfully asleep.

A hush fell over the set. The scene had ended, but Oh Sang-Do didn't call it a cut.

Stunned by Miso's immersion and focus, Oh Sang-Do stared at the monitor for a moment, then finally shouted, "Cut! Okay! Alright, let's get Miso—"

Just as Oh Sang-Do was about to tell them to take Miso out of the jar, I quickly stopped him. "Mr. Oh, please take a look at the monitor."

"What about it?"

Oh Sang-Do turned his head. Three cameras were feeding live footage from inside the jar onto his monitor. Even in that cold and confined space, Miso was still playing unconscious Illyeong flawlessly. She was intending to keep going.

I suggested, "Mr. Oh. Let's keep filming from here. If we disrupt her concentration now, we might not get this level of performance again."

"Do you think she can handle it?"

"She can."

Once immersed in the role, Miso followed the emotions of her character. At this moment, she was at peace and unconscious.

However, the real challenge was only just beginning. From here on, Miso would have to portray Illyeong slowly dying inside the jar. Without a doubt, that was a much harder task.

After a brief pause, Oh Sang-Do rolled up his sleeves with a sigh.

"

Sigh

... It's been a while since an actor's made me feel this nervous. Alright, let's go for it."

Oh Sang-Do shouted toward Park Sang-Gyu and the crew, who were still waiting for the call to pull Miso out.

"Okay, we're going straight into Scene 11. We'll shoot all the way through the shrine scenes up to the one right before Miso's death. No one breathe too loud. We're doing this in one go!"

Gulp.

Even the crew swallowed hard and nodded.

Then Oh Sang-Do turned to the supporting actors and local extras waiting on the side. They would now film the scene where the villagers, having discovered that the evil shaman was turning a child into a

taejagwi,

[1] storm the shrine with bamboo spears.

"Elders, just follow the supporting actors and wave the spears, shouting loudly, okay?"

"Yes, yes."

Oh Sang-Do issued a few more directions and even had the crew prepare fire extinguishers. Once everything was in place, Oh Sang-Do glanced again at the monitor. Miso still lay in the jar with her eyes closed, waiting.

Then, for the first time that day, he picked up the loudspeaker so that Miso could hear him inside the jar.

"Moving on to Scene 11. Each time Wolryeong opens the jar lid, one day will have passed. Miso, we can see you clearly through the camera, so don't be scared."

In

Haze

, Wolryeong checked once a day to see if Illyeong had died in the ritual jar.

As Oh Sang-Do explained the continuation of that scene, we could see Miso nodding slightly on monitor 5.

"Okay. We're going right in. Ready—action!"

At that moment, Scene 11 began with Park Sang-Gyu slowly entering the shrine.

***

Creak.

Park Sang-Gyu stepped inside the shrine and slowly opened the jar lid. Inside, Miso looked up and spoke with tears in her eyes.

『Grandpa Wolryeong. Why are you doing this? Please let me out. Please.』

『

Heh heh heh

. Still nice and fresh. I'll have to let you ripen a bit more.』

Smiling, Park Sang-Gyu closed the lid of the ritual jar again.

Clunk.

After shutting the lid, Park Sang-Gyu turned and left the shrine.

Creeeak.

Then, the shrine door opened a moment later and Park Sang-Gyu came back in. Each time he entered, one day was meant to have passed.

Drrrrk.

Park Sang-Gyu opened the jar lid for the second time. Miso curled her legs in, clasped her hands together, and began pleading desperately.

『I was wrong... Grandpa. Please...』

『Heh heh heh. Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong.』

Park Sang-Gyu grinned and closed the lid again.

Clunk.

The lid shut once more. At that moment, Miso began thrashing inside the tiny jar. With her slender arms, she strained with all her strength, trying to push the lid open. She twisted her small body, trying to escape. When nothing worked, panic spread across her face and she dug her artificial nails into the inside of the jar, screaming.

『Please open it, Grandpa. Please, open it.』

Scrrrk, scrrrk.

The sound of her nails scraping the jar mixed with her screams and echoed together.

Watching Miso's performance, painful enough to make one's chest ache, everyone on set covered their mouths and stared toward the jar.

Enduring Miso's heart-wrenching screams as if his own heart were being crushed, Park Sang-Gyu forced himself to wait, then once again entered the shrine.

Drrrrk.

On the third day, the strength drained from Miso's voice.

Drrrrk.

On the fourth day, her crying grew faint.

Drrrrk.

On the fifth day, her breathing began to turn rough.

Drrrrk.

On the sixth day, the Miso on the monitor stared ahead with unfocused eyes, gasping for breath.

『

Huff, huff, huff

...』

Twenty minutes had passed since Miso was sealed inside the ritual jar.

At that moment, Park Sang-Gyu slowly approached the jar. The greater the resentment of a child dying inside, the stronger the

taejagwi

that would be created. The expression on Park Sang-Gyu's face was pure madness.

『

Heh heh heh

. It's almost ready now!』

Park Sang-Gyu's hands trembled with excitement as he opened the jar lid.

Drrrrk.

As the lid opened, Miso trapped inside cried out with a voice squeezed from the very depths of her body.

『Please... save... me...』

A weak sound, the kind that only comes right before one's breath gives out, pierced straight through the heart.

Then Park Sang-Gyu pulled out a small

yakgwa

from behind his back and showed it to her.

『Do you want to eat this?』

Miso weakly stretched her arms upward, but her arms could barely even lift.

『

Ah... ahh... ah

...』

Instinctive hope flickered within her despair. Seeing that, Park Sang-Gyu shouted with delight.

『

Heh heh heh.

Tomorrow. I'll give it to you tomorrow.

Heh heh heh.

』

The more resentment a

taejagwi

accumulated, the stronger it became. To stoke that resentment, he was mocking and tormenting a dying child with a single piece of food.

Park Sang-Gyu looked down at Miso as she kept reaching her hands upward, then grinned and closed the lid again.

Drrrrk.

The lid of the ritual jar shut once more. The arm Miso had lifted with all her strength dropped limply back down. Then Miso began calling out for her mother in a heartbreaking voice.

『M-Mom... Mom... Mom... M...om...』

Miso's voice grew thinner and weaker. At the same time, Park Sang-Gyu's laughter outside the shrine grew louder and louder.

『

Heh heh heh

... At last! It's finally complete...

Heh heh heh!

』

That was when Oh Sang-Do gave a signal to the assistant director. From the corner of the set, the supporting actors and village elders charged in with torches, shouting at the top of their lungs.

『There you are!! Wolryeong!』

The supporting and bit-part actors ran toward the shrine, wielding torches and bamboo spears. Behind them, the enraged village elders bellowed at full volume.

『The shaman bastard is killing a child! Get him!』

Startled, Park Sang-Gyu stumbled backward.

That was when Oh Sang-Do shouted powerfully, "Cut! Okay! That's good!"

Miso had successfully finished portraying Illyeong's week inside the ritual jar.

I immediately stopped filming on my phone, grabbed a microfiber blanket, and ran toward the jar. Miso had been trapped inside that cold jar for a full twenty minutes wearing only a thin hanbok, so her body temperature must have dropped a lot.

Drrrrk.

While I was running over, Park Sang-Gyu set the lid aside and lifted Miso straight out of the jar. Still curled up, Miso slid free in one smooth motion. By the time I reached the shrine, I wrapped the blanket around Miso in Park Sang-Gyu's arms and pulled her tightly into my embrace.

"Miso. Are you okay?" I asked.

Miso's lips were pale blue, but she broke into a bright smile and nodded. "

Mm

... I'm okay. I'm really... fine."

Only then did everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

At that moment, Miso started to ask an earnest, almost too-admirable question with a flushed face.

"Uncle Yoon-Ho. You know... I..."

1. Taejagwi" is a ghost of a child, whose soul flies away when the child dies ☜