Life is Easier If You're Handsome novel Chapter 78

In the end, my father didn’t attend the funeral.

His resolute decision to cut ties left me with a bitter smile.

Not even a single call—just silence. It hit me hard that we had become even less than strangers.

"What’s the point of all this?"

The funeral felt hollow.

It reminded me of that concert—when the person who mattered most didn’t show up.

"I want to play the piano."

Standing there in my black clothes, I felt pathetic. My fingers twitched restlessly, like caterpillars I wanted to squash against piano keys.

"Oh, poor thing."

Whether out of pity or politeness, every visitor's words grated on me.

Things like, "She had such a hard life," and "Who could’ve expected her to go like this?"

All these people, who never called once, pouring out insincere comfort just to ease their own guilt, repulsed me.

"I thought maybe we’d finally have a normal life."

I’d had a fleeting, sweet dream.

I’d imagined a happy, blended family, tossing out the broken pieces and filling a new vessel with peace.

"All wasted."

I regretted every minute spent on those useless fantasies. So, I called in the workers.

I carried the coffin with strangers, heard genuine words of comfort from people paid to be there, and watched as my mother’s body was cremated.

"Are you happy there?"

The question floated into my mind, but I got no answer. Watching the flames consume her coffin, I realized that there was no one left around me.

I hadn’t invited any friends. There was no point in showing them this wretched scene.

Right now, even the thought of being pitied felt like an insult. All I could do was finish the funeral as quickly as possible and return to my piano.

In the dim world around me, it was the one place lit by a solitary light—my narrow refuge.

And in that moment, I realized...

Ah, this place is my coffin.

+++++

"...."

The wave of sorrow washed over me as soon as I broke immersion.

Usually, I could keep a strict line between the characters in the script and myself.

But this time, I couldn’t. I had felt that same pain of losing family.

Though the circumstances were different, the outcome was close enough that I couldn’t help but feel it.

And because of that...

"I won’t do it."

I decided not to film High Dream 2. It wasn’t just because the script was sad or because I felt too deeply connected.

"I said I’d rest, and then suddenly getting a script? That would just lead to problems later."

I wanted to keep my word.

If I broke my break for a good script, it would be like saying all the scripts I’d turned down before weren’t good enough.

No matter how well-loved the original had been, taking on High Dream 2 would be an insult to the works I’d previously declined.

Was it because of that?

High Dream 2, D

The moment I decided against it, the projected rating for High Dream 2 plummeted.

"If I had agreed, it would have hit 35%?"

Despite the focus on Jaei, the shift was drastic.

Seeing how the ratings dropped instantly with my absence gave me a clearer sense of my impact.

"This is the time to be more selective with projects."

Of course, working with great people to create a meaningful work was important, but even more crucial was the project’s success itself.

"What do you think? I honestly hope you rest the whole year, but you could change your mind."

Seokho’s words only strengthened my resolve.

"Resting when I should rest is the right thing to do."

There was no need to get dragged into anything out of attachment.

"Yeah, I’ll just take this year off."

"Great, I’ll handle it tactfully. How about taking that overseas trip, too?"

"Overseas trip?"

"Yeah, the one you won on Golden Bell. Seems like a perfect time."

"Oh, right."

I’d almost forgotten about that.

"They said I could go somewhere rich in culture and history, so Japan, China, or Europe, maybe."

Besides, I’d already picked up some English thanks to Sims - The Real Life, so this seemed like a good chance to put it to use.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Sims - The Real Life made its presence known, and in that moment, I understood why the success of this script hinged on me.

"If even I can’t do it without Sims, no one can."

In 2012, while Kim Donghu was on break, Ilshik reached a peak viewership rating of 43%, kicking off a wave of major hits.

Gentleman’s Dignity, My Husband Got a Family, and Hahoe Mask were among the masterpieces that followed, and a new drama preparing for a cultural phenomenon, Reply 1997, was on the rise.

With its nostalgic setting and accurate details, Reply 1997 stood strong among fierce competition.

Yet in this era-defining parade of masterpieces, the one that stood out the most in people’s memories was Ilshik.