Snowflakes were slowly scattering.
At the same time, it was a day in December, the first filming day of the “Matchstick” music video.
From the moment Ha Eun stepped outside early in the morning until she arrived at the filming location instead of the kindergarten she usually went to.
Ha Eun’s small hand tightly grasped her mother Nayeon Song’s hand.
“Are you nervous?”
At Nayeon’s natural question, Ha Eun slightly shook her head.
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t nervous at all, but more than that, she didn’t want to receive her mother’s worried gaze.
Either way, Ha Eun had already memorized most things about the “Little Match Girl” she had to portray today.
In the past few days, she had met with the Daulby members and heard about their ideal portrayal of the Little Match Girl.
As she was not a professional actress, she had been encouraged countless times that there was no need to feel intimidated even if she had a few NGs.
To be precise, it wasn’t the first time she was standing in front of numerous cameras.
She had done all the preparations she could do.
Nevertheless, there was no sign of composure on Ha Eun’s face.
“Ah, Ha Eun! You came early.”
“…Hello.”
This was her first time being called an actress by someone else, and it added to her anxiety.
In the previous children’s nutritional supplement CF, the only acting Ha Eun had to do was simply to jog.
She did add a bit of a fall to not fall behind the presence of Kim Min-jun, a national representative athlete.
But the portrayal she needed to show in this matchstick music video was far more detailed and profound than that.
From expressions to atmosphere and even the minutiae of hand gestures, there were clear answers set for the filming.
She had the obligation to try her best not to deviate from the image of the Little Match Girl that Lee Jun and Lee Geon-yeol wanted.
It wasn’t that she lacked confidence.
It was just that the expectations of the Daulby members towards Ha Eun didn’t feel light.
They had put their faith and confidence in her based on just one CF.
Then, at the very least, she had to do her best.
“Ha Eun, over here.”
At the sound of a familiar voice from afar, she turned her head to see Lee Jun waving at her.
And right next to him, Lee Geon-yeol stood, reviewing the storyboard with a rather serious expression.
“Hello.”
“Oh, you’re here. Then let’s head to the dressing room first.”
Following Lee Geon-yeol’s guidance, who briefly put away the storyboard, she headed to the dressing room.
There, she re-encountered the Little Match Girl costume they had evaluated as the one that suited her best among various versions over the past few days.
Eventually, with Nayeon’s help, Ha Eun transformed into the Little Match Girl from head to toe.
Even though it was a costume she had worn a few times, the feeling was slightly different when the actual filming day arrived.
“Wow… You really look like the Little Match Girl, Ha Eun. So pretty.”
Regardless of Ha Eun’s more complicated inner feelings, her appearance was unpretentious and graceful.
She received compliments not only from Nayeon, who always adored her, but also from the makeup artists waiting in the dressing room.
The red costume, which appeared even more vivid against Ha Eun’s white skin, and the adorably crafted basket prop were a perfect match.
Her already good looks harmonized all of this, capturing the attention of others.
However, the preparations needed for the filming were not completely finished yet.
“Okay, let’s fix your hair a bit and do some light makeup.”
With the gentle touch of the warm-hearted makeup artist, Ha Eun closed her eyes.
The feeling of the brush brushing against her face was ticklish, but as she had heard that moving would mean starting over, she tried her best to endure it.
-Click.
-Click, click.
The camera shutter sounds that came from time to time were familiar enough for her to know who they belonged to without opening her eyes.
To be honest, it felt a bit burdensome, but it wasn’t to the extent that she could urge them not to take pictures.
“All done, Ha Eun. You can open your eyes now.”
Even when she had become the complete Little Match Girl thanks to the skilled makeup artist, Ha Eun kept her mouth closed.
“How is it, Ha Eun? Do you like it?”
“…Yes.”
To be honest, she was surprised herself.
She could understand why Nayeon’s camera shutter didn’t stop.
After all, it was the first time she was facing an adorned version of herself.
For a moment, she stared silently at her reflection in the mirror, slowly examining even the tiniest details.
About ten minutes later, news came that it was almost time to prepare for shooting.
So, she tightly held onto Nayeon’s hand again.
“Will you be watching me while I shoot?”
“Hmm, I do want to see our Ha Eun act, but I think I might get nervous if I watch you.”
With her gaze slightly downward, they chatted softly as they walked toward the filming location.
Not long after, they finally reached the place that would be Ha Eun’s stage for the day.
Huge cameras were set up here and there, with numerous lights hanging from portable stands in between.
Staff members were bustling about, each engaged in their own work.
“Light number three is weak. Can’t we turn up the light a bit more?”
“Everyone, don’t forget to grab hot packs~. Don’t catch a cold~.”
Some were adjusting the cameras, while others were setting the angles of the lights.
Overwhelmed by the scene for a moment, Ha Eun stood still.
Though it wasn’t the first time she had encountered such a sight, it was hard to say it was a familiar one.
Moreover, every step Ha Eun took felt like eyes were on her.
Extras and camera-holding staff all shifted their gazes toward Ha Eun.
With the sudden influx of tension, the weight of her breath gradually grew heavier.
Still, she gathered her nerves, slowly opening her tightly shut mouth.
“Hello.”
She offered a shy greeting to everyone she met.
In most cases, a cheerful child tends to leave a good impression.
Continuing to greet politely as she moved, she eventually reached the center of the filming area.
She heard the voice of the filming director, Cha Seon-jae, calling for her shortly thereafter.
“Ha Eun, can you come here for a moment?”
His deep voice suggested he had something to say.
So, she approached Cha Seon-jae along with Nayeon, revealing a mat patterned like cobblestones in front of her.
After being told to take a look, she lowered her head to examine it closely.
The detailed patterns on the mat’s side were so realistic that they were indistinguishable from an actual street.
“When you film the falling scene, you can fall onto this mat.”
The assurance that it was quite a soft mat made her feel at ease.
Compliments about how well her costume suited her followed soon after.
On hearing that, she bowed her head for a moment to express her gratitude.
Then, she finally released the hand she had been holding onto Nayeon since this moment and walked toward where she was supposed to be.
With the shout of “Standby,” the filming location began bustling.
Extras moved to their positions, and those in charge of lighting made final adjustments to the angles.
“Whew….”
Watching everyone prepare one by one, she took a deep breath once again.
Now, all that was left was to bring the Little Match Girl from the storyboard to the filming area.
After a few blinks, at the moment when the gazes of Lee Jun and Lee Geon-yeol from afar turned to Ha Eun, not Ha Eun, in the camera screen capturing her,
“Alright, everyone, get ready… Action!”
With the director Cha Seon-jae’s shout finally heard, Ha Eun’s first music video shoot began.
*
– Snap.
A snowy city street.
People were bustling toward their respective destinations.
Amidst people continuously walking somewhere.
Only one small shadow stood still alone.
In her cold, cracked hands was an old matchbox.
Her clothes seemed like they were made by patching and tailoring an adult’s clothing to fit her.
They looked somewhat shabby for enduring the winter cold.
“Matches for sale….”
If one didn’t pay attention, the girl’s voice was soft enough to hardly be heard.
Perhaps that was why, or maybe they didn’t want to hear it in the first place.
It seemed the passersby didn’t notice the girl’s presence.
Or maybe, even if they did, they chose to ignore her.
– Thud.
“Ah….”
Pushed by someone’s elbow, the girl’s small body swayed and then fell to the ground.
The small wooden basket in her arms also tipped over carelessly on the street.
Yet, not a single apology was returned from the person who walked forward without looking back.
After a moment of silence, the girl picked herself up.
The briefly frozen expression on her face bloomed into a childish smile again, and along with her white breath, she offered the matches from her basket to the people on the street.
Time flowed and flowed again.
Yet, the matches in the girl’s basket didn’t decrease at all.
Only the snow piled on her hair and shoulders gradually increased.
Not long after, laughter echoed from a distance.
She unconsciously turned her head, and her gaze met with people inside a café, enjoying warm coffee and conversation.
But soon, the gazes that had swept over her were drawn back from her.
Witnessing people shifting their attention back to each other.
At the same time, she simply looked at her own reflection in the café’s glass window.
– Hoo.
Her breath turned white.
Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, the girl took a matchstick out of her pocket.
– Scratch.
A small flame flickered.
Her face briefly illuminated.
However, due to a gust of wind from somewhere, the flame extinguished in an instant.
The expression of the girl who fell back into darkness was hard to decipher.
Once again, she struck another match.
And no sooner than a few seconds later, another gust of wind blew, extinguishing her flickering light.
Perhaps the white smoke that rose from the extinguished match disappeared all too quickly.
The girl’s head gradually began to bow down.
“Matches for sale….”
Her gaze no longer connected with the people passing by.
Still trembling, she somehow managed to lift the corners of her mouth, revealing a smile instead of a cry.
– Scratch.
Once again, she cast a soft glow on the snow-covered ground.
At the same time, a single drop of warmth dripped down.
In that fleeting moment, her tear-stained eyes appeared red for some reason.
Despite the corners of her mouth smiling softly.
Slowly, her gaze lowered toward the ground.
The small body crouched down, trying not to lose even the smallest warmth felt insignificant.
Then, the final moment finally arrived.
When there were hardly any people left passing by on the street.
“…I missed you.”
The youthful gaze lifted slowly toward the empty air, faintly reflecting expressions other than smiles.
With that, it ended.
Night deepened.
The snow continued to fall.
And so, by the time morning broke again.
The girl’s figure was nowhere to be found.
Only an empty matchbox remained in a corner of the snow-covered street.
Nothing else remained.
