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I spent about two weeks separated from Dayeon.

While that’s not an extraordinarily long time, it’s also not so short.

It’s true that being apart from her for this long made things feel a bit awkward.

No matter what, you don’t just become strangers with someone you’ve known for over ten years.

There’s a saying that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and it must have come from somewhere.

There were certainly times when I worried about whether I could close the gap with Dayeon again.

Even though we promised to keep our distance during this drama filming, I wanted to return to how things were after it ended.

The real issue was when we happened to meet during the filming period, like now.

“…If you have something to say, just say it quickly.”

To put it bluntly, I was the one trying to meet Dayeon this time.

Regardless, overcoming the awkward atmosphere that had formed during our time apart and opening up wasn’t an easy feat.

Asking why I suddenly started watching VTuber streams was especially difficult.

At least it was lucky that she didn’t notice it was my voice.

Why had someone who never uttered a word about VTubers suddenly changed so much?

Right now, I was more curious about why Dayeon had changed than about my own changes.

At the same time, I felt worried.

None of Dayeon’s classmates knew where she was, which was unsettling.

In the end, the only strange news I had heard about her was about her disappearing now and then.

I reached out to her parents, risking being rude, just in case something was wrong.

However, they only told me that everything was the same at home, and I had to hang up.

Decisively, the Dayeon I knew was not the type to ask for help first.

I had seen her struggle with her pride in solving even the smallest problems alone.

Of course, what I was about to do could be an unnecessary interference.

It’s true that Dayeon wasn’t the friendliest, and her personality could be difficult to deal with.

Yet, we had spent too much time together to just ignore the signs that she was hiding something.

Even if I ultimately had to become completely estranged from Dayeon, it had to happen after ensuring that ‘that incident’ wouldn’t occur.

I’m not the type of person who would casually watch people I know become unhappy.

These days, I was happy living as Dia, and I hoped others wouldn’t stray too far from their normal lives either.

So,

“If you’re troubled, please tell me now… I’m begging you.”

With a serious expression and voice, I asked her to let me help if I could.

The problem was that no matter how much time passed, Dayeon wouldn’t open her mouth.

Well, she did say something just before we parted.

“We’ll be in big trouble if dating rumors come out at our age. Wrap it up quickly before it causes a fuss.”

But that was completely unrelated to the worries on her mind.

Thanks to that, I ended up tongue-tied once again without saying anything concrete before leaving Dayeon.

…So why does she think I’m involved in dating stuff?

*

“Doesn’t it seem like Haeun has changed a bit lately?”

A staff member observed Haeun, who was waiting a little away from them, with keen attention.

In response, Jingu-sung remarked, “It’s probably because of her role as Yeongwol.”

“Her role as Yeongwol?”

“Yes.”

Jingu-sung speculated that the reason for Haeun’s change was related to the filming of “Moonlight Parting the Clouds.”

That made sense; the Haeun Jingu-sung had seen so far had been an enthusiastic actress doing her utmost for immersive performances.

Thus, if one were to find the reason for that change, it had to be sought in the filming of “Moonlight Parting the Clouds.”

“Isn’t the part Haeun is currently filming also the romance part?”

“Well then, is her change in atmosphere also…?”

“She’s probably trying to express Yeongwol’s acknowledgment of her feelings for Lee Hyun in her own way.”

“Wow, that’s impressive… It’s quite something for someone her age.”

That was a pure compliment with no ulterior motives.

The previous conversation was purely Jingu-sung’s personal speculation, but it wasn’t a ridiculous assumption either.

There was plenty of evidence backing Jingu-sung’s theory.

Among the various pieces of evidence adding credibility to Jingu-sung’s speculation, the most decisive one was the unexpected news regarding Haeun’s historical swordsmanship class.

“I heard she’s definitely practicing with a sword that’s several times heavier than the actual sword used for filming.”

In the past, Jingu-sung had given Haeun a relatively lightweight sword, concerned for her wrist and safety.

However, that consideration fell flat as the sword used in Kim Gyu-tae’s historical swordsmanship class was the heaviest one.

With a sense of uncertainty, Jingu-sung cautiously contacted Kim Gyu-tae.

“I was wondering if you forced Haeun to use a heavy sword,” he awkwardly asked.

“What can I do if she insists on using only the heaviest sword? I’m worried about Haeun’s wrist too, to be honest.”

In the end, he learned that Kim Gyu-tae was unable to refuse Haeun’s strong demands.

Despite having a somewhat lengthy career, Jingu-sung had never encountered an actress like Haeun before.

Therefore, on one occasion, he asked Haeun directly why she chose such a difficult path.

“Ah, that’s… there’s a description in the original novel saying Yeongwol’s sword is extremely heavy.”

He had completely been fooled by that excuse, which was merely a reason for needing more workout-related training.

Naturally, it was only reasonable for Jingu-sung’s evaluation of Haeun to rise several levels afterward.

“I also noticed that Haeun has become softer. But, it’s all for filming, so you don’t need to worry too much.”

“I… I wasn’t worried, really. I just thought that maybe it was just me who saw Haeun differently.”

In this manner, the staff, who was ultimately persuaded by Jingu-sung’s speculation, also wanted to show their support for Haeun and handed her a vitamin drink from their coat pocket.

Caught off guard by this sudden generosity, Haeun was bewildered, but she received it gratefully.

Preparation for today’s first shoot officially began about ten minutes later.

“Seong-jae and Haeun, get ready~.”

“If the wind blows too hard, the support pole might fall, so don’t get too close, everyone!”

Then the filming set became chaotic minute by minute.

The lights and microphones were adjusted, and the two lead actors, Yoo Seong-jae and Haeun, also headed to their marks.

Just as we were about to start filming at any moment—

“Uh, Seong-jae.”

“?”

“Is there anything about me that seems different?”

Haeun pointed the question, a classic one that drives men crazy, toward Yoo Seong-jae.

In an instant, Seong-jae’s gaze became frantic as he scanned Haeun from head to toe.

However, aside from appearing slightly softer than during the first episode shoot, he couldn’t spot any real differences.

After all, even that softer appearance was surely a part of Haeun’s acting, so the best answer Seong-jae could muster up was…

“…Did you change your lip tint?”

“No.”

“Uh, um… Did your eyeshadow get a little darker?”

“I don’t wear eyeshadow.”

The chances of being right among all the answers except those related to Haeun’s acting were quite slim.

Nonetheless, every single one of Seong-jae’s answers was incorrect.

“Really can’t find anything?”

“…No.”

Ultimately, he answered honestly that he didn’t know.

Almost simultaneously, Haeun’s expression brightened slightly for some reason.

Yoo Seong-jae, who expected Haeun to be a little disappointed, found himself all the more flustered.

Yet, Haeun, who thanked him sincerely for the honest reply, seemed completely unaffected.

“Looks like other people were just mistaken.”

“…?”

In that moment, Seong-jae couldn’t even guess what Haeun was talking about.

However, a countdown to start filming suddenly echoed from afar.

“3, 2, 1. …Action!”

He set aside the lingering doubts filling his mind.

As the character Lee Hyun, not Yoo Seong-jae, he faced Haeun.

“The weather is nice, so I think I’ll take an outing after a long time. Will you follow me?”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

S#51.

An outing to the market.

It was a scene where Crown Prince Lee Hyun and his bodyguard Yeongwol wandered around the market within the capital in disguise.

Strictly speaking, this scene had already appeared in the early parts of the drama.

However, while Yeongwol was merely Lee Hyun’s bodyguard in the beginning, now that Yeongwol had become aware of her feelings for him, it was different.

“This is a bracelet that symbolizes a wish for each other’s well-being. Would you like to try it on?”

Even a small bracelet handed to her stirred her heart, and her fierce gaze began to waver a bit.

She couldn’t help but notice every aspect of Lee Hyun—his gaze, voice, gestures—nothing escaped her attention.

Though Yeongwol tried hard to calm herself, acting as if she were unaffected,

“Your face is red. Do you have a fever?”

– Thud.

The blush that had blossomed out of nowhere and Lee Hyun’s gentle touch mistaking it for warmth.

“…! Your Highness!”

In this way, the main content of S#51 showcased Yeongwol’s unusual emotional side, something not typically seen.

It created a romantic tension that made it clear to anyone watching that Yeongwol was in love, while Lee Hyun found it puzzling.

Furthermore, it was a scene that compelled the viewers to shout for Lee Hyun to please figure out Yeongwol’s true identity.

“A twist of charm.”

Why did Yeongwol, who always appeared sharp, become softer in front of Lee Hyun?

Why did she shy away from the slightest touch, not knowing what to do?

What could be the reason for not being able to meet his gaze properly?

To the viewers, this was what one would call “frustration.”

To be precise, the sweetness underlying all of it kept it from feeling too unbearable.

Considering that the atmosphere of the drama was about to take a sudden turn in S#52, it also served as a build-up of sorts.

After all, none of the viewers would suspect that Yeongwol, who had only shown a hint of caution until now, would soon get caught up in Lady Yoon’s scheme.

They would be even less likely to foresee the terrible misfortunes in store for her caused by Lady Yoon.