Kang So-ra, who introduced herself as the marketing team leader, asked. Seo Eun-hye picked up Seojun, who was lying on the baby bed—oh, Seojun!—and looked at the clock.
"Yes. In about 10 minutes, it will be time to eat."
"That's good. Should I wait at the set?"
Seo Eun-hye held Seojun, and Lee Min-joon picked up the teddy bear.
Following Team Leader Kang So-ra out of the waiting room, they saw that the living room set was now complete.
It was similar to a real living room but had a warmer and cozier atmosphere.
"Beautiful."
"Yes, thank you."
A man walked over from a distance. He kept touching his smooth chin, which seemed unfamiliar to him. Team Leader Kang So-ra introduced the man.
"This is Director Choi Daeman, who will be directing today's commercial."
"Nice to meet you."
"Hello."
Director Choi Daeman, with his deep voice, bowed and then met Seojun's eyes. He was the one who had made Seojun cut his usually unkempt beard for the short film shoot.
Seojun also met the man's eyes. Seeing his clear and bright eyes, Seojun thought he seemed like a good person. He laughed out loud.
"Great. The baby isn't shy at all."
Director Choi Daeman, who usually had a rather intimidating appearance, was often disliked by children. They would cry loudly as soon as he got close. Although he didn't dislike children, he hesitated to get close when they cried.
Fortunately, Seojun not only wasn't shy but also smiled brightly.
"The preparations for the shoot are complete. You can feed him whenever you're ready. We'll use five cameras: one in front, two on the sides, one behind, and one above. We'll try to do it in one take."
Director Choi Daeman explained the shooting plan.
"First, we'll shoot Seojun drinking the formula. After he finishes, we'll shoot him hugging the Elephant formula container and smiling brightly."
Seo Eun-hye thought for a moment. The scene of Seojun drinking the formula was fine, but hugging the Elephant container and smiling brightly...
"Seojun is smart, but I don't think he can do it in one take... Is that okay?"
"It's fine. Everyone is prepared for that."
The staff on set sighed inwardly. Shoots centered around children were always like this. Especially with a baby who even the parents couldn't control.
Director Choi Daeman was also prepared for a long shoot. He needed the money to cover the costs of the independent film he was producing on his own.
"At this age... Can he hold the bottle by himself yet?"
"No, usually by 7 or 8 months, they can."
"Oh, really? In that case, we were planning to use a model, but if he can hold it himself, that's fine. It might be uncomfortable for him to be held by a stranger."
"Then, should we use a baby chair...?"
"It's right here!"
Team Leader Kang So-ra, who had run to the waiting room, returned with a soft, 45-degree inclined baby sofa. Seo Eun-hye and Lee Min-joon smiled awkwardly at her enthusiasm.
"It's here."
"Yes. Then, please prepare the formula, and Team Leader, bring the chair over."
Seo Eun-hye went to the waiting room to prepare the formula as directed by Director Choi Daeman. Team Leader Kang So-ra and Director Choi Daeman placed the chair in the center of the living room and adjusted its position to ensure it was in the camera's view.
Once Seo Eun-hye prepared the formula, Director Choi Daeman guided Lee Min-joon, who was holding Seojun, to the living room. Lee Min-joon carefully placed Seojun in the baby sofa and set the teddy bear beside him, positioning its arms so Seojun could grab them.
"Seojun, let's drink the formula."
Seo Eun-hye handed the bottle to Seojun, who held it with his tiny hands.
Warm and delicious formula. Feeling the warmth of the bottle in his palm, Seojun smiled brightly. He was just hungry at the right time.
"Alright! Let's start the shoot!"
Director Choi Daeman called out softly. The set instantly became quiet. The director, Team Leader Kang So-ra, and the couple, along with Team Leader Choi Hyun-ji, who had appeared, focused on the large screen.
Seojun, holding the bottle, was being filmed. Seojun latched onto the nipple.
Suck, suck—
The only sound in the set was Seojun drinking the formula. Fortunately, he didn't cry and seemed comfortable in the sofa, drinking well.
"Is this the eating scene?"
A staff member who hadn't seen Seojun's Nertube videos asked a senior.
"Yeah."
"Seojun is very cute and eats well, but... It's pretty ordinary, isn't it? The eating scene."
"Kids his age usually can't control themselves."
Videos of babies reviewing Seojun's eating scenes, similar to music video reviews, started appearing. They all showed the babies eating with wide-eyed amazement.
"But the baby is really cute. He doesn't even seem to notice the camera."
"At his age, would he even know what a camera is?"
"Still, the set can be intimidating, with bright lights and no one around, and it's quiet. There are all sorts of strange things..."
The staff member was right. Any other baby would have burst into tears.
"He's just eating now."
"That's true."
"The next scene is more important. I hope it goes well in one take."
The senior staff member nodded in agreement.
Burp—
Seojun finished the formula and burped in Seo Eun-hye's arms. Lee Min-joon, who had been shaking Seojun's hand, tilted his head.
"Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
"Seojun didn't shake his hand."
"Hand? Now that you mention it..."
Seo Eun-hye recalled. Indeed, Seojun didn't shake his hand, even with the camera there. He just drank the formula calmly.
"Hmm. Maybe because he's holding the bottle?"
"That could be it. Well, as long as it was filmed well."
Seojun, held in his mother's arms, smiled.
As a baby, Seojun had limitations on the skills he could use.
The [Fairy's Sparkle - Lowest Tier], which made Seojun shake his hand, was sent back to the library as a new secret weapon. It was probably back in the book by now.
Seojun recalled the skill he had discovered.
[Envious Packaging of a Small Mimic - Highest Tier]
This skill makes any object so desirable that any being will covet it.
You can specify a target.
Limitations: The user must be of a certain size.
The user must hold the object.
Despite these limitations, the skill allowed a baby with limited mana to use a highest-tier skill.
This was a skill that couldn't be used once the user grew up. The name "Small Mimic" indicated that only small beings could use it.
"Let's shoot the next scene."
At Director Choi Daeman's words, Seo Eun-hye and Lee Min-joon placed Seojun back in the living room. The baby sofa was gone, and the Elephant formula container was stacked in three layers. In front of it was the Elephant formula container that Seojun would hug.
"Seojun, how about this?"
"Look, it's a pretty elephant."
The couple shook the formula container. Seojun, who had been subtly listening to the director's instructions while in his mother's arms, already knew he had to hug the container and smile brightly.
'Luckily, if the content didn't include hugging the container, I would have had to cry until they gave it to me.'
The [Envious Packaging of a Small Mimic] only worked when the user was holding the object. Since Seojun needed to make people want to buy the formula, he had to hug the container tightly.
"Kyaah!"
Seojun hugged the container and smiled brightly. The couple quickly moved out of the camera's view as directed by the director.
[Envious Packaging of a Small Mimic - Highest Tier - Activated.]
Seojun hugged the container, making sure the engraved wooden box pattern and the formula were as close as possible.
Though invisible to others, Seojun could see the Elephant formula container glowing beautifully.
The [Envious Packaging of a Small Mimic - Highest Tier] had activated successfully.
'Target: Parents of babies my age.'
If no target was specified, everyone who saw the commercial would want to buy the formula.
'Well... Even parents of babies aren't a small group... But if the commercial doesn't go viral, it wouldn't make sense!'
Dreaming of a sellout, Seojun laughed.
Director Choi Daeman zoomed in on the camera.
The baby was not only cute and handsome but also looked great on camera. Some people who looked good in real life didn't photograph well, but the baby looked great both in person and on screen.
'Plus, he doesn't even seem to notice the camera. He'd make a great actor when he grows up.'
Seojun's chubby cheeks pressed against the lid of the formula container. Team Leader Kang So-ra clutched her heart at the slightly protruding cheek.
"Ugh."
"What's wrong?"
"He's too cute."
Team Leader Choi Hyun-ji sighed. Though she didn't say it, she wanted to destroy a few apartments.
"Really, I've never seen such a cute baby."
"Exactly. If he keeps growing like this, he could become a huge star."
"If he were my son, I'd definitely push him into the entertainment industry."
Not just the team leaders, but other staff members also whispered among themselves.
Seojun never stayed still. He seemed to be thinking about how to look even cuter, constantly changing his position.
Throughout, he never forgot to smile and hug the formula container.
Seo Eun-hye and Lee Min-joon, alternating their gaze between Seojun and the people on set, were lost in thought. Should they really make him a real entertainer?
"Seojun! Look this way?"
Director Choi Daeman said. The 8-month-old baby was doing an excellent job. Director Choi Daeman, absorbed in the shoot, gave instructions without realizing it.
By chance or fate, Seojun turned his head to look at the camera held by Director Choi Daeman.
"Smile!"
Kyaah!
Seojun's laughter marked the end of the shoot.
* * *
"Perfect."
Director Choi Daeman said solemnly. Seo Eun-hye and Lee Min-joon nodded, as if they had expected it. Seojun was sleeping in the baby bed with the teddy bear.
Just 20 minutes. The commercial shoot was over.
"This child must become an actor. Even though he can't understand, he instinctively knows what he needs to do."
Director Choi Daeman didn't think Seojun understood his words.
Fate, constitution, instinct.
He believed Seojun had the qualities to become an actor.
"I'm not saying he should start appearing on TV or in movies right away. Directors wouldn't put such a young child in a significant role. I just think it would be great if you start thinking about it now and send him to an acting school when he can speak and understand."
"Understood."
"If you need any help, please contact me anytime."
Director Choi Daeman wrote his contact information and name on a memo and handed it to Lee Min-joon.
After Director Choi Daeman left, Team Leaders Choi Hyun-ji and Kang So-ra entered. Team Leader Kang So-ra pulled in a large box on a cart.
"Great job. You did really well, Seojun."
"Thank you. You both worked hard too."
"Ahaha. Seojun worked hard. Oh, this is the Elephant formula and the baby sofa from earlier. It's a gift for Seojun."
"Thank you."
The schedule ended on a warm and friendly note.
The staff, who had braced themselves for a day of dealing with a baby, were delighted that the shoot was over in less than an hour.
"Seojun! Goodbye!"
"I'll definitely buy formula for my nephew."
"Elephant formula, sell out! Fighting!"
The family returned home with the staff's cheers.
* * *
Dinner time for his son.
Eric turned on the Nertube video. It was [JUN]'s video, which he watched at least five times a day.
He knew so well when Seojun would laugh, at what angle he would shake his hand, and how much baby food he would chew.
"Here, Jack. It's your favorite, JUN."
"Like! Like!"
Maria, who had returned from a business trip in Paris, also sat at the table to feed Jack.
She was now praising JUN's videos. Maria pressed the like button on the video.
Soft music played. Normally, this was when JUN's father's voice would be heard.
"Oh, an ad is coming up?"
"Given the views... It's no surprise."
Eric and Maria were subscribers who contributed to the view count, but the rising views and subscribers were still impressive.
"What ad is it?"
"Oh, it's Elephant formula, isn't it?"
A yellow elephant appeared. The elephant's trunk lifting up in the video turned into a drawing and was placed on the formula container. Then,
"Oh! Isn't that JUN?"
"Exactly! He must have done a commercial! He's so cute!"
Seojun was seen smiling and drinking the formula. The commercial ended with Seojun hugging the Elephant formula container and laughing.
"..."
It was quiet.
Eric and Maria, without a word, picked up their phones and searched for Elephant on an international shipping site.
"Damn! It's out of stock!"
"No! I really want to buy this now!"
The effect of [Envious Packaging of a Small Mimic - Highest Tier] was incredible.