Life is Easier If You’re Handsome

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Rose, Kim Sujin had no idea just how red her face had become.

“What in the world is that look?”

To be honest, I thought I’d already gotten a vaccination after seeing it during rehearsal.

They said there was no styling done, but I never expected such a drastic change.

“I didn’t realize he was already so handsome that he could get even more handsome!”

Where in the world is there such a good-looking Young Prince?

A look bestowed by the divine that completely overshadowed all the flashiness.

It pushed aside any worries about the children bursting into tears or making noise right before the performance began.

Even the adults, who claimed to have seen a lot, were stunned at Kim Donghu’s face.

What could the kids possibly do differently?

“Is Kim Donghu’s blonde hair really that insane?!”

The blonde Young Prince I’d seen in illustrations had descended right before my eyes.

With pale skin, blonde hair, and eyes that radiated a sense of boredom.

It was as if the blonde, blue-eyed prince I’d imagined had jumped right out.

“I’m really glad I’ve known him since we were little.”

Kim Sujin felt grateful to be childhood friends with Kim Donghu.

Otherwise, she probably would have messed up her lines just by staring at his face.

“You’re leaving? Here? You’re leaving here? Then what about me?”

As she exclaimed her lines, Kim Sujin, no—Rose, slowly made her entrance onto the stage.

The first thing she saw was thousands of eyes staring at her.

In that moment, Kim Sujin felt deep in her bones why theater was so different from regular filming.

“Wow, what is this?”

The sheer amount of gazes she was experiencing for the first time in her life.

Starting from the front, then the sides, and even above.

Attention pouring in from all directions made her feel heavy.

For a moment, the thought crossed her mind that she might screw up.

But as she watched Kim Donghu performing perfectly, her tension melted away.

“You’re focusing on your role more than anyone else.”

His face was completely devoid of any stray thoughts.

Kim Sujin stared at Kim Donghu, who was perfectly embodying the Young Prince.

She felt almost guilty calling him Kim Donghu now.

The Young Prince threw his lines towards Kim Sujin, no—Rose.

“You? You should be here. No, you have no choice but to be here.”

“What do you mean! Are you leaving me behind?”

“Yeah, I have to leave. You’re included in the things I find annoying.”

Rose was taken aback by the Young Prince’s words.

Her expression showed she hadn’t expected to hear such a thing.

The children empathized with her sad face.

But even so, none of them burst into tears.

Because the Young Prince lightly pushed his hair back.

With each new move he made,

New bursts of handsomeness appeared, drawing smiles on the children’s faces.

“I don’t want to see the foolish tree or the always angry volcano anymore.”

The Young Prince’s next line came.

“What?! Is that about me?! You don’t want to see me?!”

As soon as those words were heard, a woman dressed in red, reminiscent of a volcano, poofed onto the stage.

“Hey, you’re getting angry again.”

“Hah! You’re the one making me angry! What have I done wrong? Everything I say is for you!”

Kim Yu-ryun, no—Volcano, raised a cloud of dark red powder with every word she spoke.

A sign of an explosion waiting to happen.

Seeing this, the Foolish Tree and Rose hurriedly ran to a corner.

“Yeah, what could you have done wrong? You can’t leave this place anyway.”

“What?! What do you mean, leave? Are you actually thinking about leaving here?”

“Is there really any need to keep talking? I’m going.”

The Young Prince turned his back, displaying a look of disgust.

From the Foolish Tree to Rose, and then Volcano.

Those who were destined to exist on this tiny asteroid.

Watching them, the Young Prince intuitively sensed it was time to move on.

Every step he took while turning away slowly pushed the stage back.

As if he were truly moving into another space.

The background changed naturally, and the music flowing in shifted.

All the original characters aside from the Young Prince exited the stage.

The Young Prince left the asteroid behind.

What awaited the Young Prince was—

“How unrefined! Not even bowing to the king!”

A king adorned with a long crown.

Jang Geonho, playing the pompous king, shouted at the Young Prince.

“Can’t you kneel before me? Everything is under my command!”

“Everything? That’s a first for me to hear!”

Yet the Young Prince looked utterly bewildered.

Having lived on an asteroid, he had never heard a command from anyone before.

“Yes! Everything! Can’t you see my vast lands?”

It was true that the area was vast, but there was not a soul in sight,

And the land was too small to even plant a single rose.

The king wanted to control everything and could control it,

But in reality, he couldn’t rule over anyone.

Because he was the sole king of a place where no one lived.

“I will possess everything! So you, who came here, must listen to me!”

“You remind me of the Foolish Tree.”

“Foolish Tree? What’s that? Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all… There’s actually a tree like you back where I come from, and its name is Foolish Tree.”

But you and that Foolish Tree are similar but seem to be different somehow.

I don’t quite know what that difference is, though.

“What could be different?”

The Young Prince’s question seemed directed more toward the audience than the king.

As if that distinction was of great importance.

Once he finished making that gesture to remember it, the Young Prince stepped away from the king’s planet.

And the stage changed once more.

A smooth transition that was possible thanks to countless individuals working together.

The king slowly retreated, and what was gradually revealed was—

“Oh, I’m just so marvelous! I have it all! I’m the best!”

A handsome man standing atop heaps of gold and jewels.

He claimed to be the greatest but wore an expression of anger somewhere.

The children flinched at Han Tae-geon’s face filled with rage.

“You think this too, don’t you? You think I’m the handsomest?! Right?!”

“…Who are you?”

“Me? I’m the suave one! The suave one!”

“Are suave people usually this angry?”

“What? When have I ever gotten angry?!”

“You’re doing that right now.”

The Young Prince felt that this suave guy was similar to Volcano this time.

But—

“You resemble the volcano on my star, yet you’re strangely different.”

Just like the king, there was an oddly existing difference.

The problem was that he didn’t know what that difference was.

“Is that volcano more handsome than me? I don’t think so! I should be the best! All for myself! You think so too, right?!”

“Huh?”

“You also think I should be the best, right?!”

“I’m not so sure. I don’t know enough to call anyone the best yet.”

The Young Prince said once more, looking to the audience.

The king and the Foolish Tree,

The suave one and the volcano,

Why do they bring to mind the people left back on the star?

Why do they feel similar yet different in some way?

He couldn’t tell.

The Young Prince didn’t know, but some kids had caught on to the difference.

The kids who were quick on the uptake and had learned about the world in kindergarten.

They were more sensitive than anyone else and had noticed that strange distinction.

But at the same time, doubt crept in.

Is what I’m thinking right?

With such doubts, the suave one’s anger began to rise.

“What! You come here! You think I’m not the best?! Come here now! I’m getting mad!”

“You’re already mad.”

Why was he so angry?

Just like Volcano, the suave one was beyond Kim Sujin’s understanding.

“But somehow I think I understand why the volcano is angry.”

However, since there was no conclusion at that moment, the Young Prince rapidly exited the scene.

Staying there seemed bound to expose him to that seething rage.

Thus, the Young Prince skipped past all the minor planets,

And finally stood before the blue star.

A place where numerous life forms seemed to frolic,

A location that promised no hint of boredom.

As soon as the Young Prince set foot there,

The curtains of the stage slowly descended.

Because this was a long play,

A short intermission, as expected, came into existence.

The lights of the theater returned,

And the children who took a brief journey with the Young Prince found themselves back in reality.

“Anyone want to go to the bathroom? Hurry up and go now!”

“Me!”

“Me too!”

“I wanna go too!”

When they returned to reality, it wasn’t the Young Prince looking after the kids,

But rather the guardians caring for them.

++++++

Backstage.

I exhaled deeply while listening to the children’s laughter.

“Whoa…”

It was a good thing I had been exercising regularly.

Pulling off that play solo for an hour and a half wasn’t an easy task at all.

On stage, where a single mistake couldn’t be tolerated,

Performing while enduring thousands of gazes was truly an incredible experience.

“Really, really amazing! It feels like the Young Prince I’ve dreamt of has appeared just like that!”

“Donghu, drink some water first. Also, is your throat okay? Want me to wrap something warm around it?”

“We’ve got about 30 minutes, want to take off your costume and lie down for a bit? The styling can be done quickly.”

The moment I stepped out, compliments piled up.

“Thank you. But I’m fine; this outfit is super comfortable. I think I can just stay like this and go back in.”

We were exactly halfway through.

Now all that’s left is to show why this play is titled [The Tale of the Star and the Moon].

“Donghu-oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for letting me play the lead in this story.”

“W-What’s with the sudden embarrassment?”

Bong Jinwoo’s tone suggested he had just heard something out of the blue, hastily covering his face.

His innocent reaction made me smile.

“I can do this.”

I make a short pledge.

The Young Prince has to move forward, even if awkwardly.

We are the sparks.

“Sparks that ignite the dreams and hopes of the children.”

As I pondered many things, I felt time swiftly passing.

The children settled down again, and the theater darkened slightly.

I could hear the narration and the pilot’s lines beginning.

‘Just as I grew up, thanks to my parents never letting me give up during my childhood.’

No matter how difficult it got,

To engrave memories that would allow them to rise again when that time comes.

“Kim Donghu, it’s almost time to prepare!”

I will become the Young Prince again.

As I strengthened my trembling legs, my body naturally rose.

I clenched my unsteady fingertips tight, gathering strength into my form.

“Yes, understood.”

Alright, let’s move forward.

For the final chapter to tell the tale of the star and the moon,

For the twinkle in the children’s eyes.