In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 115

A nearby tavern.

“Come on, drink up, drink up.”

“Can I join you guys?”

“Oh, Jaehyung’s here? Come, sit down quickly!”

Jaehyung arrived late after finishing his separate schedule.

Even Senior Park Hoon, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, was there.

“Everyone, cheers!”

Immediately after the toast, cheers erupted from everywhere.

And then, non-stop catch-up talk followed.

As expected, when it was my turn, a barrage of questions about ‘B-Actors’ poured out.

“What made you think of becoming a mentor?”

“Were the coaching methods shown on the broadcast actually the methods Saena used to practice?”

“Hwang Yoosun seems a bit different from her existing image, how was she?”

And so on.

As I answered the questions one by one, Jaehyung’s eyes sparkled as he listened.

“Which company is Kim Young going to, the one who came in first place?”

So many people coveting my students.

I smiled at the question.

It was a pleasant thing.

“I heard she’s considering between Bluebird Entertainment and True Actors right now.”

“She’s already under contract with another company, right?”

“That’s right, she came out as a trainee after all.”

Jaehyung nodded.

In fact, despite Young being affiliated with another company, the two companies mentioned earlier were willing to cover the penalty fees or losses to bring her in.

All of the top three rising actor-specialized entertainment companies were competing for Kim Young.

Then Yuri interjected.

“It seems Lee Hyoseo will be taking a different path?”

I nodded slightly at the question.

Hyoseo had also received many contacts from other companies.

However, I heard that her existing agency, not wanting to lose Hyoseo after Young, offered her surprisingly favorable contract terms.

In addition to monetary conditions, they were giving her full authority over deciding which projects to appear in.

In my opinion, it was advantageous for Hyoseo to stay with her existing company.

Jaehyung said with a sly grin.

“I heard our company also contacted Young. Put in a good word for us.”

“Oh, I don’t get involved in my mentees’ company contacts.”

As I waved my hand, Jaehyung smacked his lips regretfully and drank his beer.

I also took a sip of beer.

Then, Sohyeon, who had a slightly disappointing ranking in the finals, came to mind.

‘Mentor, I’m going to study abroad!’

Sohyeon’s clear voice echoed in my ears.

Sohyeon, unconcerned about the ranking, cheerfully planned her next step.

She told me the surprise news, smiling brightly, that she wanted to learn a lot and was inspired by Young and Hyoseo’s acting to try experimental acting.

I knew she had a subtly refined young lady style, but it seemed she already had enough wealth and foreign experience.

Sohyeon, who even boasted that she could speak French, said she was planning to go to a French acting academy.

I gave Sohyeon words of encouragement with all my heart.

‘You’ll do well anywhere. In my estimation, I think we’ll run into each other in the industry within at least three years. See you soon?’

There was not a single lie in that encouragement.

I sincerely felt that I would see all my mentees in the industry soon.

Everyone was doing well on their own path in their own way.

Now, I just need to do well.

I took another sip of beer and this time thought of the scripts piled up on Minyoung unnie’s [older sister or close female friend] office table.

* * *

Finally, the day of Seoul Fashion Week.

With a trembling heart, I finished the rehearsal and calmed my breathing.

There were a total of three outfits to wear on stage.

Just before the show, backstage was almost like a battlefield.

Everyone was running around busily.

I had been getting makeup for over two hours.

It was the most elaborate makeup I had received recently.

I turned my face this way and that in front of the mirror, feeling the makeup was thicker than I thought.

“It’ll probably look like natural dewy skin makeup when it’s under the lights.”

The makeup team said, as if they knew what I was thinking.

Ah….

I nodded, recalling the dazzling lights I had received during the rehearsal.

Then, one of the models sitting next to me glanced at me and offered chic advice.

“It’ll hurt your eyes when you get the flashes. You have to give your eyes strength.”

“Ah…. Thank you.”

Is this a model thing?

Everyone’s a bit tsundere [a character archetype who is initially cold but gradually warms up].

Thinking that, I stole glances at the body of the model, who was truly like a creation of God.

How can she be so thin and yet so toned?

“Um… what’s your name?”

I mustered up the courage to ask.

“I’m Kim Laila. You’re actress Han Saena, right?”

Then the model smiled slightly and answered.

I asked Laila in an even quieter voice.

“Yes. But how do you manage your figure?”

“It’s all the same, you know. Eat just enough to not die, and exercise like you’re going to die.”

“Ah…….”

I was silenced by the clear and cruel answer.

The makeup team started doing my hair.

The hair was parted in an 8:2 ratio, and an updo was created with natural baby hairs left down.

Finally, a gold leaf-shaped pin was placed on the back of the head.

My eyes widened at the unfamiliar appearance that was gradually being completed.

As soon as the hair setting was finished, the costume team approached and led me to a dressing room that was made small with curtains.

“I’ll put on the first outfit right away.”

The first outfit was a cheollik dress [a type of traditional Korean robe] with elaborate Western-style lace and mesh.

The dress, which had a blue color resembling the waves of the sea, was made of a thin material that seemed to fly away in the wind.

With every movement, the dress fluttered and revealed the curves of the body without filtering.

Delicate and sophisticated gold patterns were engraved on the part connecting the waist to the hips.

Phoenix embroidery was embroidered on the shoes that were slightly visible under the dress with every step.

As soon as I quickly changed into the dress and came out, many people’s eyes poured out.

“Wow, so pretty.”

“Saena, you could be a model too?”

“No, she asked me how to diet. She has a beautiful figure.”

Laila glared and smiled slightly.

When I heard the compliments from the industry models, my heart, which had not reacted much during the rehearsal, began to pound.

Then, the sound of the show starting came from the stage.

Magnificent background music was played and the lights moved dazzlingly.

A staff member shouted towards me.

“Han Saena, please stand by! We’ll go out right away!!”

Quickly putting aside my nervous feelings, I gripped my mind tightly.

I walked in small steps and stood behind the stage.

I took a deep breath for the last time.

There was little time to catch my breath.

“Let’s go up.”

I quickly erased the signs of nervousness.

And I went on stage with an expression I had practiced hundreds of times.

Dazzling lights, cameras, and cell phone flashes poured out in front of me.

I couldn’t even see the audience.

However, I didn’t pay attention to anything and reached out my hand.

And I gracefully grabbed the hem of the dress and took one step at a time, fixing my gaze straight ahead.

It was a walking with strength, as I had learned from Heera.

At the end of the stage, I leisurely scanned the audience once, tilted my head slightly, and lowered my eyes.

It was an elegant yet dreamy, and also restrained gesture that matched the concept of the outfit.

After a short posing, I turned around and moved towards the back of the stage.

I could feel the gazes of people following my back until the end.

Back behind the stage again.

As the show was in full swing, the staff and models were all running around, finding their respective positions.

Before I could even feel the emotion of the first walking, I quickly grabbed the second dress and entered the dressing room.

This time it was a two-piece hanbok [traditional Korean dress] made of vegan leather.

The dark brown glossy leather created a sexy and chic atmosphere.

The makeup team quickly approached and put thick smoky makeup on my eyes.

“We’re going up right away!!”

That’s how I stood on the second stage.

The lights, which had turned purple, softly wrapped around my body.

I crossed the runway at a faster pace.

The walking became much more comfortable.

At the end of the stage, I raised the corners of my lips slightly and put my hand on one side of my waist.

After posing for a few seconds, I turned my body again.

After returning to the back of the stage, I received touch-up makeup again without any time to spare.

I was already feeling dizzy.

Are models living through this dazzling and chaotic work every day?

While I was sticking out my tongue, getting makeup and letting my hair down, the finale time came quickly.

The last dress to decorate the finale was a splendid Silla-style dress [referring to the Silla dynasty, an ancient Korean kingdom].

The contrast between the deep red and blue colors emphasized the Korean beauty of the voluminous dress.

Gold accessories were hung on the arms and ears.

I carefully moved my arms and legs to loosen my body.

In the finale, I was planning to incorporate the dance I had been learning with determination.

“We’re going up right away!”

Listening to the staff’s urging, which I had already become accustomed to, I immediately stepped onto the stage.

The lights on the stage dimmed, and the sound of the gayageum [a traditional Korean stringed instrument] began to fill the hall.

Before moving my steps onto the runway, I started dancing with my arms outstretched in one direction and my legs bent.

I slowly stepped forward and moved to the front of the stage.

I could feel the audience, the staff, and the models all holding their breath and watching my every move.

I slowly reached the climax, adjusting the steps, rhythm, and speed according to the music.

At the end of the stage, I took a slight step, spun around, gathered my hands on my chest, and sat down slightly.

Several specially processed pieces of clothing unfolded with a rustling sound, embroidering pastel rainbow colors.

It was truly the finale of this show.

The lights, which had changed to a warm color, wrapped around me like moonlight.

As I slowly got up from my seat, applause poured out along with a shower of flashes.

I moved my steps to the back of the stage as if stepping on the sound of applause.

* * *

At the same time.

Seo-hyung Je-gal, an official from the overseas luxury brand ‘De Mesh’, was watching Saena Han, who was standing on the runway.

As Saena Han finished dancing and entered, Seo-hyung Je-gal slowly released the arms he had been folding all along.

‘Oh my god, what did I just see.’

He thought that a certain actress was in charge of the fashion show finale, so it would be a small show where superstars who shine and disappear once in a while would dip their toes in.

Seo-hyung Je-gal’s attendance at this fashion show was a business trip schedule that he was forced to attend because of his affiliation with London Fashion Week.

In particular, Seo-hyung Je-gal, who has pride and self-esteem in the model industry, felt that Seoul Fashion Week had degenerated into a place to show off the recognition of talents, and he had been avoiding it.

And Saena Han was someone he had only encountered in movies or dramas.

In the model world, she was still a rookie-level celebrity.

But… Saena Han’s stage was the most original, beautiful, and individualistic fashion show runway he had seen in recent years.

Even the walking, which was unfamiliar and somewhat clumsy, seemed to add charm to the stage, which was dyed with purity.

Seo-hyung Je-gal habitually shook his legs and bit his nails.

‘What is that woman.’

Seo-hyung Je-gal frowned seriously.

A strange word came to his mind intuitively, instinctively, and strangely.

A new muse.

A new model whose mask, walking, and filmography are all fresh and mysterious.

Seo-hyung Je-gal, who had always vowed to be faithful to his senses rather than reason, quickly turned around and left the venue.

I will die as an actress, not a villain, in this life.