In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 107

The team atmosphere instantly turned funereal.

“How can they do this out of the blue!”

“We didn’t hear anything about this before the program… And why does it have to be Haneul unni [older sister or female friend]!”

“But why specifically her?? The other team is good too.”

It was a bolt from the blue amidst their efforts to build solid teamwork.

Then, Min Sohyun, who had been silently pursing her lips in displeasure, spoke up.

“They’re taking the person who seems like the ace. Then we should bring in an ace too.”

“An ace exchange? Who? Ah, could it be…”

Hearing that, Lee Hyoseo seemed to realize the answer mid-sentence.

What is it? What’s going on?

Am I the only one who doesn’t know?

While my thought process was frozen, all four of my mentees had the same look on their faces, as if they had all come to the same conclusion.

Seeing my clueless expression, Kim Youngi clearly said three words.

“Do Changhyun.”

“Huh?”

As I asked back in a foolish voice, Yoon Haneul nodded in resignation.

“Bringing Do Changhyun is the only way our team benefits from this. Though I’m not even on the team anymore…”

With those words, Yoon Haneul teared up again.

I also frowned as soon as I heard Do Changhyun’s name.

Do Changhyun, guys.

What are you even saying?

Just then, someone knocked on the practice room door.

Turning my head, I saw the door slowly open.

With a creaking sound, Do Changhyun appeared, looking nervous.

“…?”

Everyone, including me, stared at Do Changhyun with question marks floating above our heads.

Do Changhyun bit his lip and stared at me for a moment before bowing deeply.

“I requested the trade! Please accept it!”

“Excuse me…?”

* * *

A little later, in a small lounge.

I sat facing Do Changhyun across a narrow table.

The camera, persistently following us, captured our awkward silence.

Breaking the silence, I asked.

“You want to join our team?”

Do Changhyun nodded.

“Yoo Seon mentor’s teaching was great, but I also wanted to learn from Han Saena mentor. And actually, I put you as my first choice from the beginning.”

“May I ask why?”

Do Changhyun looked at me with wavering eyes.

Then, in a small voice, he said.

“Because I feel like I can rely on you…”

As soon as I heard that weak answer, I wanted to facepalm.

I looked straight at Do Changhyun.

“Changhyun-ssi [term of respect], the only thing you can rely on a mentor for is their skills, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Ah, yes…”

Do Changhyun immediately looked dejected.

Looking at his face, I asked.

“What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?”

“Strengths and weaknesses?”

“Yes, I need to know to decide whether to trade or not.”

Do Changhyun hesitated.

“My strength is… I’m good at pretending to be someone else when I act. I know how to be shameless. My weakness is… I’m always insecure and weak.”

Looking at Do Changhyun, I replied firmly.

“I don’t want to take a mentee like that.”

* * *

“Mentor Park Eungi is releasing mentee Kwak Seonghyuk from the ‘Sky, Land, Star, Land’ team.”

The ‘Rain Audition’ studio building descended into chaos.

All four teams were gradually building teamwork in their own ways and at their own pace.

“Wow, did you hear? He’s being released.”

“Is Seonghyuk-ssi being kicked out because he has the lowest individual score? Mentor Park Eungi is really cold-blooded…”

The mentees gathered in the waiting room, whispering.

“Anyway, I knew Mentor Hwang Yooseon would be interested in Haneul-ssi.”

“The Dolce Vita team had such a good atmosphere… I wonder what will happen.”

“It’s an ace exchange anyway. Aren’t they taking Changhyun-ssi?”

As they were chattering, one mentee pointed to the window.

“Isn’t that Mentor Han and Changhyun-ssi over there?”

“Where, where?”

The mentees crowded around the small window, peering into the lounge across the way.

“They must be talking about the trade. Amazing.”

“But the atmosphere looks a bit tense?”

“Changhyun-ssi looks like he’s about to die?”

“Oh, oh, they’re getting up. Run, run.”

As Han Saena finished the interview and opened the lounge door, the mentees scattered.

* * *

At the same time, Haseongjun’s team was also immersed in a somber atmosphere.

With a tear-streaked face, Yoo Hyejin stood up.

“I’m okay. I was curious about Mentor Park Eungi too. Everyone, now we’re rivals, so be prepared.”

No one laughed at Yoo Hyejin’s joke, as she had been confirmed as the trade member.

Haseongjun cursed inwardly.

‘What kind of system is this?’

He was already worried not only about sending his team member away but also about the mental state of the new team member coming in.

The mentee with the lowest individual score was being released from Park Eungi’s team.

His head throbbed.

In Haseongjun’s team, Yang Geon, not Yoo Hyejin, had the lowest score by a narrow margin.

In terms of trade fairness, it would have been right to send Yang Geon to Park Eungi.

However, Yang Geon was such a timid person that his mental state would have been shattered beyond repair.

In the end, Yoo Hyejin, who was quick to grasp the situation, volunteered for the trade.

“The score difference isn’t that big anyway, what does it matter.”

Haseongjun opened his mouth with a heavy heart.

“I’m going crazy… I’ll take you there.”

Haseongjun, who had been silent, took Yoo Hyejin and left the practice room.

The empty hallway echoed with the sounds of confusion and murmurs seeping out from each waiting room.

Haseongjun sighed softly and said.

“Hyejin-ah [term of endearment], even if you go to another team, contact me anytime. I’ll help you.”

“Yes, don’t worry too much. I’m the one who’s going.”

“If you go to Team 300 and keep being so nice, you won’t survive.”

Yoo Hyejin chuckled at Haseongjun’s words.

Just then, someone walked towards them from the end of the hallway.

“Oh? Changhyun-ssi.”

Do Changhyun, with a gloomy expression, stopped walking and looked back and forth between Haseongjun and Yoo Hyejin with a surprised face.

“Ah, Changhyun-ssi was also supposed to be traded… How did it go?”

As Yoo Hyejin asked Do Changhyun, Haseongjun briefly showed curiosity.

“That’s…”

Do Changhyun couldn’t answer easily and trailed off.

* * *

One hour after the filming break.

“Trade complete. Trade complete. Each team should gather in the practice room with their new members.”

The final announcement echoed in the hallway.

Hearing that, I stood in front of the mentor’s practice room door again.

In my hand, I held the paper that the mentor had ordered me to bring.

‘Changhyun-ssi, there’s a condition for the trade. Write a killer self-introduction.’

‘Yes?’

‘Write a self-introduction to read in front of our team members. I’ll decide after hearing it. But, be honest.’

The black letters densely filled more than two pages of paper.

The sweat from my hand darkened the edges of the paper.

“Did I write too much.”

A sigh escaped me.

What will happen to me if I fail this trade?

Mentor Han Saena’s stern expression kept 떠나가지않았다 [wouldn’t leave].

I had been intimidated by that expression the whole time.

Moreover, I felt like she was constantly seeing right through me.

From the preliminary audition, Mentor Han Saena’s gaze was, how should I put it…

It felt like she was digging into the weakest part of my inner self, even the part I didn’t know about.

I didn’t know exactly what that was, or what the mentor was thinking…

But at least I was sure that I was realizing my weakness in that gaze more than ever.

Especially when I watched the mentor’s acting.

As I watched the mentor from afar, I instinctively felt it.

I had to learn from Han Saena mentor.

I needed that person to overcome myself.

But I didn’t expect to receive a special assignment like this kind of initiation.

I took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.

I closed my eyes tightly and opened the door.

Clunk-

“You’re here, Changhyun-ssi?”

Mentor Han Saena and the team members stood up from their seats and greeted me warmly.

“Did you prepare your self-introduction?”

“Yes.”

“Then shall we hear it?”

The mentor sat down right in front of me.

So soon…

The fingertips holding the paper trembled.

I’d rather do impromptu acting a hundred times over.

Because I can just put on a straight face.

Why a self-introduction of all things.

Looking at the team members with their sparkling eyes and the numerous cameras, I blurted out the first sentence.

“I am a liar.”

The mentor and team members stared at me with wide eyes.

Not letting myself be swayed by those reactions, I read the next sentence.

“The first day I started acting was… when I was 11 years old. I grew up with a mother who ran a side dish shop and a father who worked at a construction site. I told my classmates that my mother was a teacher and my father was a wonderful diplomat. That lie lasted for over 5 years.”

I didn’t have the courage to look at people’s faces, so I fixed my gaze on the paper.

And I continued to recite my history, which was making the atmosphere heavy.

A self-introduction that no one would be curious about.

I couldn’t even guess how many minutes it took to read all the sentences.

“…Living without revealing my flaws like that, I became good at pretending to act like ‘not me’. The problem is that I always hate myself and I’m not confident. That’s all… Do Changhyun’s foolish self-introduction.”

“…”

A terrible silence flowed through the practice room.

No one would be able to speak easily.

I would be the same, I would be the same…

“Changhyun-ssi, take your eyes off the paper.”

I was startled by the mentor’s voice and looked up.

“I told you to straighten your shoulders. It was a great self-introduction. I listened well. Thank you.”

Then the team members smiled slightly, following the mentor.

“…”

The mentor still had an unreadable look in her eyes and said.

“Welcome to our team, Changhyun-ssi.”

“T, thank you.”

Do Changhyun bowed deeply again.

It was a completely unexpected self-introduction.

I thought he would hesitate and bring a model answer that I had seen somewhere.

It was a pretty good challenge.

What should I do now…

I looked at Do Changhyun, who had become my mentee after all.

His face was pale.

How am I supposed to change that kid?

After hearing his honest self-introduction, I didn’t want to turn a blind eye anymore.

The thought came to my mind.

If someone helped him, could Do Changhyun live a different life from what I remember from his past life?

I got a second chance and I’m living like this, so why can’t others?

Especially such young talent…

I couldn’t hesitate any longer.

Yes, let’s do something about it.

I decided to make up my mind and took a deep breath.

The mentees were still talking to the trembling Do Changhyun in a friendly manner.

“Changhyun-ssi, how can you do so well even with your self-introduction?”

“Changhyun-ssi’s fans will cry watching the broadcast.”

“Come to think of it, Changhyun-ssi is now the only guy. Let’s work together!”

Watching them, I added.

“Let’s all work together. Let’s do it happily, with a smile.”

“Yes!”

The mentees answered at the same time.

Do Changhyun also nodded.

I Will Die as an Actress This Time