The desire to become famous had always been rooted in Woojoo’s wish to help his father succeed.
That’s why he had to appear on today’s shoot.
There were tons of staff, a full location setup.
Woojoo knew exactly how much damage one cancelled shoot could cause.
Just then, a phone was shoved into his face.
It was Guru.
“W-What the—?!”
On the screen, the name “Dad” was displayed.
— Hello? Woojoo?
Startled, Woojoo hurriedly grabbed the phone.
“Ah, Dad.”
Should he tell him he was sick?
— You remember today’s shoot, right? Finally get to see my precious boy again, haha!
There was clear pride in his dad’s voice when he called him “precious son.”
“Y-Yeah... I remember.”
— So why’d you call? Something happen?
“Mm, not really... I just... suddenly got a bit of a fever.”
— What? Really? Are you okay to film?
Hearing his dad’s alarmed voice, Woojoo quickly shook his head.
“No, I wanna do it. I can.”
— Man, I’m such a sucker for you. If you say you must, then I guess it can’t be helped. Should I ask the manager to pick up some medicine for you?
A voice of relief. His tone lightened, as if saying “thank goodness.”
The more Woojoo got used to acting, the more skilled he became at reading emotions.
The subtle inflections, the breath between words—he’d come to understand, all too well, what benefited his dad and what made him happy.
“I’m fine. I can ask my hyung—”
Before he could finish, the phone was snatched away.
Guru had taken it.
She answered with zero hesitation.
“Hewwooo, Mistuh! I’m Woojoo’s fwiend, Chick Cwass Hangwuu!”
“What are you doing?!”
Woojoo reached out to take the phone back, but Guru ducked under his arm and slipped away.
She darted off, speaking quickly as she ran.
“Mistuh! Today fwom da mowning, Woojoo been suuuuper sick and wobbly! I don’ think he can fiwm today!”
“St-Stop that!”
Woojoo chased after her, but his fevered body wouldn’t cooperate.
“My daddy? He on a business twip today... Yesh. Dat ting? Gwuu can do it.”
While he was still floundering, Guru returned and handed him the phone with a big smile.
“Gwuu gonna fiwm instead! Woojoo can west!”
“What? Haa... haa...! You?”
Bent over with his hands on his knees, Woojoo barely managed to force out the words.
“Yup. Yo daddy asked if Gwuu can be in da shoot too, so Gwuu said yesh!”
“Even my dad?!”
If it was Guru and Jurim together, the broadcast would absolutely blow up.
Just a short interview with Jurim always made the ratings skyrocket.
And having the Hyeonak Guildmaster and his daughter on the show fit the program’s theme perfectly—an unexpected windfall, really.
“Sooo Woojoo goes to da doc now, awight?”
Guru cupped Woojoo’s cheeks and gave him an innocent, beaming smile.
“Yoo feew suuuper hot.”
Woojoo’s breath came in labored gasps, his lashes trembling.
'Was I really that replaceable to Dad?'
'Anyone would do, as long as the buzz was good enough?'
“...Then I’m coming to the shoot too.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Just... I’m going.”
Woojoo took Guru’s hand and headed toward the teacher for permission.
“This is your first shoot. I might need to help...”
The tips of his ears were burning red from the fever.
Woojoo’s dad, PD Seo Unmo, was preparing a web variety show called Walking Baby.
The premise was kids doing daily job experiences—structured around a slice-of-life vibe that fit the healing entertainment trend, highlighting children's natural charm.
Today’s shoot would determine whether the show lived or died.
'I have to nail this...'
Seo Unmo clenched his trembling fist.
He was a one-hit wonder living off a variety show success from ten years ago.
Some thought this new project might be his comeback. Others didn’t. The pressure only pushed him harder.
If Woojoo was too sick to film today, it would've been a disaster for Walking Baby’s momentum.
But Seo Unmo found himself looking at Guru, who was smiling brightly back at him.
'A blessing in disguise.'
As a father, he felt sorry Woojoo was sick. But ironically, as a producer, this was an even better outcome.
He’d secured a sensational guest.
For the first time in a long while, excitement bubbled up at the thought of a successful program.
“Guru, how did you get permission from the Guildmaster?”
The show’s concept required Jurim to be unaware of what kind of program it was, which had worried him—but Jurim had agreed without hesitation.
Curious, Seo Unmo asked.
Guru mimicked Jurim’s voice:
“‘A va-wiety show? Outta nowhere? When’s it fiwming? A’ight, fine,’ dat’s what he said!”
At her spot-on impression, PD Seo burst out laughing.
“Really? So even Guildmastuh On is soft when it comes to his kid. Just like me. I always say yes to Woojoo, too. Ahaha!”
He gave a sheepish, good-natured chuckle.
Guru stared at him, then slowly shook her head.
“My daddy says ‘no’ and ‘not awwowed’ wots. Gwuu don’ wike dat. But Oppaw says ‘no’ cause he wowwied. So it’s okay.”
“...Ah.”
So that’s how she sees it.
Seo Unmo glanced over at Woojoo.
The boy sat gingerly at the edge of a chair, flushed from fever.
The manager took his temperature.
‘He says no because he’s worried...’
His son’s face—one he hadn’t seen in ten days—looked thinner than he remembered.
Was it for the shoot? Some kind of diet? Or had he been silently sick this whole time?
“PD Seo! Are ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) you really changing the concept?”
“Oh, the base format’s the same. Just changing the background and guest. I’ll explain, so everyone gather up.”
As Seo called the staff together, Woojoo turned his gaze to his dad’s face—already focused fully on the job.
Guru looked at the two of them in silence.
'Why won’t Mistuh go check on Woojoo?'
Woojoo would love it if his dad took his temperature, asked if he was hurting, and paid attention...
But PD Seo had left his sick son behind and buried himself in work.
Woojoo’s face was calm, like he was used to not being noticed by his dad.
Come to think of it...
'When they first met...'
Woojoo had said his dad wasn’t interested in him at all.
Up until now, Guru had thought Woojoo’s dad must be a cold-hearted man.
But meeting him today... he was passionate about his job.
'No. He’s still cold.'
'He’s that cold... to Woojoo...'
Just then, PD Seo called out to her.
“Guru, can you come listen to my explanation for a second?”
“Yesh!”
“Today we’ll start with your segment, and here’s how it works...”
As he explained the shoot, Guru let out a wide-eyed “Ohhh.”
'Dis gonna be fun!'
A few days later.
'We’re doing real variety now, huh...'
Jurim sat at a set table, legs crossed, back leaning deep into the chair.
Until now, his only variety show appearances had been light talk sessions—never hands-on experiences.
Normally, he would’ve flat-out rejected this kind of gig.
But this time was different—his daughter had asked him, pleading with those big eyes.
She said she wanted to help Woojoo and his dad.
He’d heard about Woojoo’s mom’s replacement here and there, but never about the dad. Just learning that the guy actually existed was surprising.
In any case, Jurim hadn’t yet mastered the skill of saying no to a heartfelt request from his kid.
So here he was—dragged into this, like an obedient, well-trained dog.

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