My Adopted Family

"Well, then what should I do?"

Since I made up my mind, then I'm going to do my best to help Calista.

"Rye, you can help Cali read the script like you did with me. We might need to get to know each other better before that."

"If necessary, I can help you practice the script, but… … ."

I can do a script reading as long as I don't worry about acting skills. When Calista is practicing, all I have to do is read her counterpart's lines.

But anything else was an unreasonable request.

"This work has a double heroine system. One is Calista, the male protagonist's wife. And the other one is Karina, the male protagonist's first love before marriage."

My mother intentionally muffled what I want to say and continued with the story.

By the way, is Karina the other female lead in this drama?

What a formidable cast.

Unlike Calista, who has a cold vibe, Karina is the elegant and innocent type. Perhaps they intentionally cast two actors with opposite styles.

If two well-known actresses appear in lead roles, the one with a weaker presence is bound to get eaten.

And looking at the current momentum, it seemed highly likely that Calista would be the one to be eaten. In the first place, she was only a double heroine, but the real heroine was Karina, and Calista may have been cast as a bridesmaid.

"The male protagonist married Hima, the role Cali will play, had a child, and was living well. But he begins to shake when he accidentally reunites with his first love, Fiona, the role Karina will play. Fiona broke up with male lead after being deceived by male lead's mother, but she later found out the truth and approached male lead again. Hima knows that and is trying to prevent the two from getting closer."

"The male lead doesn't seem good," I said. But it's a drama series, and getting a perfect, understandable male lead without conflict won't make the series interesting, so it's understandable that the male lead would cheat. Now, what ending would this series have? The male lead might get two women, choose his wife or his first lover, or just be left alone.

"What do you think, Cali?" My mother asked.

"It's not okay that she was tricked into breaking up with him and lead this situation, but I also kind of like this guy so I don't what do say."

Calista said. Well... I shouldn't ask how she was like that guy, but... I think I'm more trash than this male lead. First of all, making a move on my family, and hiding things from each other, isn't that scumbag behavior. Fuck it, let's not think about it.

"I have no disagreement that man in this series in indecisive and bad, but Cali, in this role, you shouldn't be like that. It's Hima, and no matter how his husband is, he is the man that Hima loves the most."

The sight of my mother talking seriously about acting somehow made my heart pound.

Calista was listening to my mother's words with the intention of not missing a single word. I was so nervous watching from the sidelines.

"In my view, the problem with you is that you has never experienced proper love. What do you think, if the man you really love turns his eyes to another woman?"

"That will make me angry and feel bad."

Calista hesitated and answered my mother's words, but her answer didn't seem to meet my mother's standards.

"It's not at that level. Anger that seems to set your body on fire. Jealousy that feels like your intestines are going to burst. I hate you so much that I want to kill you, but I love you so much that I can't break up with you. You're not ready to express something like this, and this what Hima express."

I was more interested in other things than my mother's acting guidance.

Is it true that she has never been in love? If so, it's a shame. A person like her really could have picked any man.

Even while I was thinking about pitiful thoughts, my mother's lecture continued.

"Act of revenge by being hysterical because of the man who cheated on me? Any good female actors can do that. But that's not the kind of acting you want Cali, right? You need acting that is so terrifying that viewers will tremble when they see it."

And then my mom hugged my arm.

"So, let me lend you my son."

Why do I come out there? I couldn't understand.

"My son, practice loving him first and foremost and then thought of some other woman stealing him away, I won't tell you love him like real love but try it once and feel it once even it's just of fake, so you can do much better than what you can do currently."

"Hey, Mom."

I understood it up until the middle, but isn't it a bit strange to ask her to practice loving with me? Love is not something that can be said to be done.

"Rye, are you going to help her?"

"No, I mean I will help you if I can."

I have no intention of ignoring my mother's words, but honestly, it was an absurd story to hear.

In the first place, I thought that the premise of practicing love was wrong. It's not like you told her to do it, and she could do it to me when it was our first time meeting.

But it seems I was the only one here who thought that way.

Calista also offered a word of help to me, who was perplexed.

"I'd like to ask you a favor too, Mr. Ryker."

"Are you serious?"

"I told you. It feels like grasping the last straw. I just believe and follow what the teacher says."
Her expression was always serious. I couldn't bear to make eye contact as she stared at me so earnestly.

I averted my gaze and sighed.

It's a big deal. Is there no one around her who can give her the right advice? I'm worried that she might be drawn into some strange religion or something.

"Oh my goodness. This is heavy on my heart. If you fail, it's my fault, so make an effort to be loved by her, Understand?"

"That… .."

I was speechless and turned my attention to Calista.

Honestly, if a person is too pretty, it takes courage to even look at them. 

Calista was that type of person. A being that requires energy even to look at.

Try to be loved by someone like her? How?

But I didn't have the guts to refuse as I faced her serious eyes.

"I will do my best."

That's how I became a temporary partner to help Calista overcome her slump.