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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: The 20-Minute Commercial
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"The director of photography is here. Can Seojun eat now?"
Kang Sora, who introduced herself as the head of the marketing team, asked. Seo Eunhye looked at her watch as she lifted Seojun, who was lying face down in his crib—Oh, Seojun!
"Yes. It'll be time for him to eat in about ten minutes."
"That's perfect. Shall we wait on the set, then?"
Seo Eunhye held Seojun, while Lee Minjun carried the teddy bear.
Following Team Leader Kang Sora out of the waiting room, they saw that the living room set, which had been under construction, was now complete.
It resembled their own living room but had a warmer, cozier feel.
"It's beautiful."
"Thank you."
A man approached from a distance. He kept stroking his smooth chin, as if the lack of stubble felt strange. Team Leader Kang Sora introduced him.
"This is Choi Daeman, the director of photography for today's commercial shoot."
"It's a pleasure."
"Hello."
The deep-voiced Director Choi Daeman bowed his head slightly, his eyes meeting Seojun's. This was the baby responsible for making him shave the beard he always kept for his short film shoots.
Seojun met the man's gaze. Seeing his clear, bright eyes, Seojun decided he seemed like a good person. He let out a happy squeal.
"That's great. He's not shy around strangers."
Director Choi Daeman, with his rather intimidating appearance, was the type of person children tended to dislike. They would often burst into tears the moment he came near. He didn't dislike kids, but their wailing made him hesitant to get close.
Fortunately, Seojun wasn't shy at all; instead, he was beaming.
"We're all set for filming. You can feed him whenever you're ready. We'll be using five cameras in total: one in front, one on each side, one from behind, and one overhead. We'll do our best to get this in one take."
Director Choi Daeman explained the plan for the shoot.
"First, we'll film Seojun drinking his formula. Then, after he's finished, we'll get a shot of him hugging the Elephant formula can like a doll and giving a big, bright smile."
Seo Eunhye thought for a moment. Filming him drinking formula was fine. But hugging the Elephant can... and with a bright smile, no less...
"Seojun is smart, but I don't think he'll be able to do that on the first try... Will that be okay?"
"That's fine. I think everyone came prepared for that."
The staff on set sighed inwardly. Shoots involving children were always like this. And this wasn't just any child; he was an infant who couldn't yet follow his parents' directions.
Director Choi Daeman had also come expecting a long shoot. He needed the money to fund the independent film he was self-producing.
"At his age... he can't hold the bottle by himself yet, can he?"
"Oh, no. Most babies can hold it by seven or eight months."
"Oh, is that right? We were originally planning to use a hand model, but if he can hold it himself, that would be even better. He might be uncomfortable in a stranger's arms, after all."
"Then, we'll need a baby chair or something..."
"Right here!"
Team Leader Kang Sora, who had already dashed off to the waiting room, returned with a plush baby sofa tilted at a 45-degree angle. Her enthusiastic display made Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun smile awkwardly.
"Oh, you have one."
"Yes. Could you please prepare Seojun's formula? And Team Leader, please bring the chair this way."
At Director Choi Daeman's request, Seo Eunhye went into the waiting room to prepare the formula. Meanwhile, Team Leader Kang Sora and the director placed the chair in the center of the set, adjusting its position bit by bit as they checked the camera's view.
When Seo Eunhye returned with the formula, Choi Daeman guided Lee Minjun, who was holding Seojun, onto the set. Lee Minjun carefully placed Seojun on the baby sofa. He also set the teddy bear down beside him, positioning its arm so Seojun could grab it.
"Seojun, time to eat."
Seo Eunhye handed the baby bottle to Seojun. He grasped it with his tiny, fist-sized hands.
Warm, delicious formula. The comforting heat of the bottle spread through his palms, and Seojun beamed. He was hungry right on cue.
"Alright! We're rolling!"
Director Choi Daeman called out quietly. The set fell silent in an instant. The director, Team Leader Kang Sora, Team Leader Choi Hyunji—who had appeared out of nowhere—and the couple all turned their eyes to the large monitor.
Seojun, holding the bottle, was on camera. He brought the nipple to his lips.
*Suckle, suckle—*
The only sound on set was Seojun drinking his formula. Fortunately, he didn't cry and seemed comfortable on the sofa, eating very well.
"Is that the famous mukbang?"
A staff member who hadn't seen Seojun's N-tube videos asked a senior colleague. The senior nodded.
"Yep."
"The baby's cute and he's eating well, but... it looks pretty normal, doesn't it? The eating part."
"Kids his age go absolutely wild for it."
Just like with music video reaction videos, clips of other babies watching Seojun's mukbangs had started popping up. In every one, the babies would eat their food in a complete trance.
"But the baby really is cute. Doesn't seem to be aware of the camera, either."
"You think a baby his age knows what a camera is?"
"Still, isn't a film set kind of a scary environment? The lights are glaring, there's no one around, it's quiet. Lots of weird stuff everywhere..."
The staff member had a point. Any other baby would have burst into tears by now.
"Well, he's busy eating right now."
"That's true."
"The next scene is more important than this one, though. Please, let's get it in one take."
The staff member nodded in agreement with his senior.
*Buuurp—*
Seojun finished his formula. He let out a burp while cradled in Seo Eunhye's arms. Lee Minjun, who had been waving Seojun's hand, tilted his head in confusion.
"Huh?"
"What is it?"
"Seojun didn't wave his arms."
"His arms? Come to think of it..."
Seo Eunhye racked her brain. Now that he mentioned it, despite the cameras, Seojun hadn't waved his arms at all. He had just quietly drunk his formula.
"Hmm. Maybe because he was holding the bottle?"
"Could be. Well, as long as it was filmed well."
Cradled in his mother's arms, Seojun grinned.
There was a limit to the skills Seojun could possess in his baby body.
The skill that made him wave his arms, [Fairy's Sparkle - Lowest Grade], had been returned to the Library in favor of a new secret weapon. By now, it was probably resting back inside a book.
Seojun thought of the skill he had discovered.
[Lesser Mimic's Coveted Packaging - Highest Grade]
Makes any being covet the packaged item.
A target can be designated.
Restriction: The user must be below a certain size.
The user must be holding the item.
It had several restrictions, but they were what allowed his baby body, with its limited mana, to use a highest-grade skill.
This was a skill he wouldn't be able to use as an adult. The name 'Lesser Mimic' alone made that clear. Only small beings could use this skill.
"Alright, we'll shoot the next scene now."
At Director Choi Daeman's words, Lee Minjun and Seo Eunhye placed Seojun back on the set. The baby sofa was gone, replaced by a three-tiered stack of Elephant formula cans. In front of it was a single can for Seojun to hug.
"Seojun, how about this?"
"Look, look. It's a pretty elephant."
The couple shook the formula can. Seojun, who had sneakily overheard the director's plan from his mother's arms, already knew he was supposed to hug this can and smile brightly.
*What a relief. If the plan hadn't involved me hugging the formula can, I would've had to cry until they let me hold it.*
[Lesser Mimic's Coveted Packaging] only worked when the user was holding the object. Since it was Seojun's job to make people want to buy the formula, he had to hug the can tightly.
"Gyaaaah!"
With a bright smile, Seojun hugged the formula can. Just as the director instructed, his parents quickly moved out of the frame.
[Wrapping the target with Lesser Mimic's Coveted Packaging - Highest Grade.]
Seojun hugged the can tightly, pressing it against his belly where the faint pattern of a small wooden chest was engraved.
It was invisible to others, but Seojun could see it. The Elephant formula can he was holding began to glow with a beautiful light.
[Lesser Mimic's Coveted Packaging - Highest Grade] had been successfully activated.
*Target: Parents with babies my age.*
If he hadn't designated a target, everyone in the world who saw the commercial would have gone into a frenzy trying to buy formula.
*Well... it's not like there's a shortage of parents with babies... Still, with me starring in the commercial, it would be absurd if it didn't sell out!*
Dreaming of a complete sell-out, Seojun giggled gleefully.
Director Choi Daeman zoomed in with the camera.
The baby was cute and handsome, and he was exceptionally photogenic. Some people looked great in person but didn't translate well to the screen, but the baby was satisfyingly perfect in both aspects.
*Plus, he doesn't seem to mind the cameras at all. He's got the makings of a great actor when he grows up.*
Seojun's chubby cheeks squished against the lid of the formula can. At the sight of his pudgy cheeks spilling over, Team Leader Kang Sora clutched her chest.
"Ugh."
"What's wrong?"
"He's too cute."
Team Leader Choi Hyunji sighed. She didn't show it, but she also felt like she could smash an apartment building or two.
"Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen such a cute baby."
"I know, right? If he keeps growing up like this, won't he become a huge star?"
"If he were my son, I'd definitely push him to become an entertainer."
It wasn't just the team leaders; the other staff members were whispering among themselves.
Seojun didn't stay still for a moment. He kept changing his pose, as if he were trying to figure out how to look even cuter.
Through it all, he never forgot to keep smiling and hugging the formula can.
Watching Seojun and the captivated crew, Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun fell into thought. Should they really make him an entertainer?
"Seojun! Can you look over here?"
Director Choi Daeman called out. The eight-month-old baby was doing so well. Completely engrossed in the shoot, the director gave a direction without thinking.
Whether by chance or by design, Seojun turned his head and looked at the camera Choi Daeman was holding.
"Big smile!"
Gyaaaah!
With Seojun's laugh, the shoot came to an end.
***
"He's a genius."
Director Choi Daeman said with a solemn face. Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun simply nodded as if they had expected it. Seojun was napping in his crib with his teddy bear.
Just twenty minutes. The commercial shoot was over.
"This child has to be an actor. He can't possibly understand, yet he instinctively knows what to do."
Director Choi Daeman didn't think for a second that Seojun had actually understood his words.
Destiny, predisposition, instinct.
He believed Seojun had the makings of an actor.
"I'm not saying he needs to start appearing on TV or in movies right now. No director would cast a baby this young for anything more than a brief appearance. I just think it would be great if you considered it now and sent him to an academy when he's old enough to talk and understand."
"Okay."
"I may still be a rookie in this industry, but if you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to contact me."
Director Choi Daeman jotted down his contact information and name on a piece of paper and handed it to Lee Minjun.
After the director left, Team Leaders Choi Hyunji and Kang Sora came in. Kang Sora was pushing a cart with a large box on it.
"You all worked so hard. Seojun did a really great job."
"Thank you. You both worked hard as well."
"Hahaha. Seojun was the one who worked hard. Oh, this is some Elephant formula and the baby sofa he was sitting in. They're a gift for Seojun."
"Thank you."
The day's schedule ended on a cheerful note.
The staff, who had braced themselves for a full day of dealing with a fussy baby, were delighted that the shoot had wrapped up in less than an hour.
"Bye, Seojun!"
"I'm definitely buying this formula for my nephew."
"Let's sell out Elephant! Fighting!"
Sent off by the staff's cheers, the family returned home.
***
It was his son's mealtime.
Eric pulled up an N-tube video. It was a video from [JUN], which he watched at least five times a day.
He had seen it so many times that he now knew the exact timing of Seojun's smiles, the angle at which he waved his arms, and how many times he chewed his baby food.
"Here you go, Jack. It's your favorite, JUN."
"Like! Like!"
Maria, who had just returned from a business trip to Paris, also sat at the table to help feed Jack.
She too had become a fan of JUN's videos. Maria tapped on a video.
Calm music began to play. This was usually the point where JUN's father's voice would come in.
"Oh, there's an ad."
"Well, with that many views..."
Eric and Maria were subscribers who had contributed to that view count, but they were still amazed by how quickly the views and subscribers continued to climb.
"What's the ad for?"
"Oh, isn't that Elephant formula?"
A yellow elephant appeared. The image of the elephant raising its trunk transformed into a drawing on the formula can. And then.
"Oh! Isn't that JUN?"
"It is! He must have filmed a commercial! He's so cute!"
Seojun appeared, smiling brightly and drinking the formula. *Suckle, suckle—* The commercial ended with a shot of Seojun hugging the Elephant formula can and giggling gleefully.
"..."
It was quiet.
Without a word, Eric and Maria picked up their phones. They went to an international shipping website and searched for Elephant.
"Damn! It's sold out!"
"No! I need to buy this right now!"
The effect of [Lesser Mimic's Coveted Packaging - Highest Grade] was truly spectacular.
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