Episode 55. In the Name of Sisters (1)
As Kang Yebin predicted that she would get good results from the audition.
Within a few days, she was given the opportunity by her agency to appear in director John Denny’s next film.
It was one of the things she had dreamed of, so Kang Yebin’s joy was indescribable.
However, there was one regrettable thing.
No, rather than regrettable, there was something she had to give up.
“I think I’ll probably be staying there for about five months.”
As soon as she heard Kang Yebin’s words, Kang Yera’s expression instantly stiffened.
“Whyyyy—!”
At her sudden shrill scream, Kang Yebin covered her ears with both hands.
“You scared me! What are you doing, being so loud!”
“I’m more surprised! You’re going to be in America for five months!”
“What does that have to do with unnie?”
“It has everything to do with it! I’ll be bored without you.”
Even though they often bickered, they often went out to eat together, or went on shopping tours. The sisters frequently showed themselves enjoying each other’s company.
Kang Yebin pointed at Kang Yeyoung and said.
“You can just take Yeyoung instead of me.”
“Yeyoung isn’t fun these days. No.”
Kang Yeyoung’s ears twitched once.
“Not fun, you say. Did you dare to call a YouTuber with the most subscribers in South Korea ‘not fun,’ unnie?”
“See that. Her comments aren’t fun.”
“……”
Kang Yeyoung glared fiercely at Kang Yera with an incredulous look.
Before the tension at the dinner table escalated further, Min Seung-yeon stepped in to mediate.
“How many times have I, Mom, told you not to fight while eating?”
At Min Seung-yeon’s single word, the daughters quickly quieted down.
Kang Dae-oh stifled a laugh inwardly at his daughters’ behavior.
On the one hand, he secretly found Kang Yera’s regretful expression cute when she heard that she might not see Kang Yebin for a long time.
The thought that only an unnie would think of her younger sister like that was a bonus.
In the middle, Kang Yeyoung suggested a solution to Kang Yera.
“Then unnie can just go to America with Yebin unnie. Can’t you schedule it around a world tour concert or something?”
Kang Yera was, in fact, already planning a world tour in the near future.
However, there was another problem with Kang Yeyoung’s suggestion.
“Then I won’t be able to see Mom and Dad.”
“What about me?”
Kang Yeyoung pointed at herself and made a cute expression.
But it didn’t work at all on Kang Yera.
“You’re not fun anymore, so it doesn’t matter if you’re here or not.”
“……This unnie, really.”
Suddenly, a ‘Poof!’ sound escaped Kang Dae-oh’s lips.
On the other hand, Min Seung-yeon’s expression was even more stiff than before.
“Quiet.”
“……”
“……”
At Mom’s single word, the sisters quickly clammed up, just like before.
Kang Yebin, letting out a deep sigh, continued what she had been about to say earlier.
“Anyway. I think I’ll be staying in Hollywood until the movie shooting is over. Originally, I thought about going to the U.S. for the crank-in. But then I would have to stay for almost a year… So, I decided to go over when my part of the filming begins.”
“That’s the most reasonable.”
Kang Dae-oh expressed his agreement, indicating his strong support for Kang Yebin’s plan.
Towards her second daughter, who would be living in the U.S. for about half a year, Min Seung-yeon expressed the natural worries of a mother.
“What about food? I heard American food is very greasy.”
“They say there are many Korean restaurants in places like Koreatown. If needed, I can eat there. And even though I said half a year, it doesn’t mean I won’t come back to Korea at all during that half year.”
When there’s no filming for more than a week, she plans to periodically return to Korea to spend time with family and acquaintances before returning to the U.S.
She wasn’t going to stay in the U.S. for a long time due to some unavoidable major event.
She was going to achieve her dream.
From the family’s perspective, they naturally had no choice but to support her.
Kang Dae-oh nodded and said to Kang Yebin as if giving a request.
“If anything happens there, tell Mom or Dad anytime. If it’s something sensitive to tell Mom and Dad, then tell unnie or Yeyoung. Understood?”
“Yes, Dad. I’ll do that.”
“No matter what happens, we’re on your side.”
That’s what family is.
Kang Dae-oh’s words instilled deep courage in Kang Yebin once again.
Time passed.
The day Kang Yebin was to depart for director John Denny’s filming approached.
Kang Dae-oh volunteered to drive his second daughter to the airport himself, as he wouldn’t be able to see her face for a long time.
Kang Yebin’s manager jokingly remarked.
“Aren’t you the most expensive chauffeur in the world?”
“Haha! Perhaps.”
The scale of the businesses Kang Dae-oh was running was enormous.
Originally, the manager was supposed to drive. But when Kang Dae-oh suddenly offered to do it, he was quite flustered at first.
However, understanding his feelings as a father, he had no choice but to yield the steering wheel to him today.
Normally, Kang Dae-oh would have thought, ‘I need to get to the airport quickly, considering the flight time.’
‘For some reason, today I want to go slowly.’
Because once they arrived at the airport, he would have to say a reluctant farewell to his second daughter from that moment on.
Perhaps for that reason, Kang Dae-oh drove the car, maintaining a steady speed.
Anyway, there was still plenty of time.
He harbored a personal desire, wondering if it would be okay to take a little more leisure.
However, just as time continued to flow, their vehicle also continued to drive on the road, and before they knew it, they arrived near the airport.
The time for farewell finally arrived.
As the car door opened, reporters and fans who were waiting at the airport simultaneously began pressing their camera shutters.
Clicks, clicks! rang out from everywhere, and flashlights illuminated the surroundings.
Before getting out of the car, Kang Yebin bid her final farewell to Kang Dae-oh before departing for the U.S.
“I’ll get going, Dad.”
“Go carefully. And don’t forget to contact Dad when you arrive. Understood?”
“Yes, I’ll call you right after I arrive at the airport.”
Kang Dae-oh felt he would only be able to rest assured once he heard his daughter’s voice confirming her safe arrival at the destination.
As Kang Yebin stepped out of the car, an even greater barrage of flashes poured down than before.
“Ms. Kang Yebin! Please look here!”
“Could we ask for a front-facing shot?”
“We heard you’re scheduled to begin filming in Hollywood today, could you please share a few words about your feelings?”
Originally, even a short interview in front of reporters wasn’t scheduled.
However, seeing not only reporters but also many fans who liked Kang Yebin gathered to send her off, she didn’t want to just leave without saying anything.
Kang Yebin quietly whispered to her manager and director who accompanied her.
“Even if it’s short, I think it would be good to say something about my feelings about departing or my future aspirations, as the reporter mentioned.”
Both of them also agreed with Kang Yebin’s idea.
It’s not very common for a young actor active in South Korea to go to Hollywood and play a significant role.
As such, the interest from film industry officials and movie fans towards Kang Yebin was very high.
For their sake, Kang Yebin decided to take a moment.
“Where should we do the interview? Should we go inside the airport?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I’ll do it here.”
With that, Kang Yebin’s gaze turned towards Kang Dae-oh’s car, which was still parked at the airport entrance.
Kang Dae-oh instinctively knew when he saw Kang Yebin picking up the microphone right there.
‘She wants to let Dad hear her voice too.’
Kang Dae-oh deliberately rolled down the window.
Because he wanted to hear his daughter’s voice, even if just for a moment.
A microphone was set up in front of Kang Yebin.
She calmly stated her aspirations, maintaining a bright smile in front of the reporters and fans.
“As an actress from South Korea, I will also film diligently with pride, like a national representative. I will return with results that will never disappoint my fans, so I ask for your continued support, love, and interest.”
After finishing her brief statement, Kang Yebin made eye contact with her Dad one last time before entering the airport.
Kang Dae-oh nodded powerfully towards his daughter.
Our daughter can do it.
Showing such belief and conviction.
That is a father’s role.
As soon as she arrived in the U.S., Kang Yebin fell straight into a filming frenzy, with no time to adjust to the local environment.
This was because Kang Yebin had to film as much of her parts as possible, and quickly, within a compressed period compared to other actors.
As a result, she couldn’t help but be much busier than other actors.
Nevertheless, Kang Yebin showed no sign of struggling whatsoever.
On the contrary, she perfectly matched the energy and flow of director John Denny and the staff, naturally blending into the filming set atmosphere in just one day.
Fitting in with the set is a different skill from acting.
However, even if separate, it can be seen as a very important aspect.
This is because a movie is not content created by one person alone.
Under the overall direction of the director, it can be called a kind of group project where dozens, even hundreds, of staff and actors move as one team.
If anyone shows an insincere attitude in a group project, that burden is naturally transferred to other team members.
If that happens, the team gradually begins to fall apart.
It is teamwork that plays the role of preventing this in advance.
From this perspective, Kang Yebin possessed considerable talent.
Director John Denny was very pleased with Kang Yebin’s display of such talent, which couldn’t be seen in the audition.
“Yebin.”
“Yes, Director.”
“Today’s filming will end here. You can go in and rest now. It’s good to stay on set, but resting for tomorrow is also a very important matter.”
At director John Denny’s advice, Kang Yebin nodded and replied that she would do so.
Thanks to his consideration, Kang Yebin was able to return to her accommodation earlier than expected today.
Even though it had been five days since she arrived in the U.S.
When filming ended, she couldn’t think of anywhere suitable to go besides her accommodation.
Her accommodation had a gym, swimming pool, cafe, rooftop, etc. The hotel was equipped with most amenities, so she didn’t feel the need to go out.
But sometimes.
Very occasionally, there are days like today when you want to walk around the streets with someone.
If it were like this.
“If unnie or Yeyoung were here……”
Then they would have linked arms, laughed heartily, and wandered around freely.
Even though it hadn’t been a full week yet, she was already missing her unnie and younger sister.
