In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 125

“Help me.”

I said earnestly, looking at Kang Ji-oh.

“I need to know who that personality is. They said that personality might hurt me.”

“Hurt you?”

Kang Ji-oh frowned.

“I also want to know if that personality has any relationship with the other personalities. And… what kind of relationship you had with them.”

But Kang Ji-oh, upon hearing my words, suddenly looked troubled.

And said,

“That might be a bit difficult.”

“Difficult?”

As I asked back, Kang Ji-oh stared at me intently.

“Do I have to tell you even this?”

“…?”

“I had an accident when I was young. Around middle school. I lost my grandfather then, and due to the trauma, I can hardly remember anything from before that.”

“……”

I was so surprised that I couldn’t speak.

I didn’t know there was such a setting in the latter part of the script.

Kang Ji-oh continued,

“If your last personality and I knew each other, we probably met a very long time ago, before I lost my memories.”

Now all the pieces fell into place.

Yoo Da-yang’s line, thrown as if blaming him for not knowing her.

Just how deep is their history?

“So, it’s impossible. I can’t recall those memories.”

“Do you want to find those memories?”

I asked cautiously, watching Kang Ji-oh’s expression.

Then, Kang Ji-oh silently took another sip of his drink.

And looked at me quietly.

“I’ve been trying to find them for a long time. But it hasn’t worked at all.”

“Maybe my last personality can help…?”

I threw out an uncertain hypothesis.

Then, Kang Ji-oh looked at me with slightly trembling eyes.

I met his gaze.

* * *

“Breathe slowly. And open your eyes again.”

In the hypnotherapy room.

Following the voice of my doctor, Nam Woo-hyuk, I headed somewhere deep and returned to reality.

I slowly opened my eyes.

“Are you awake?”

Nam Woo-hyuk asked gently.

“The progress is better than before. You followed the hypnotherapy well. The other personalities too.”

“Really…?”

Still a little dazed, I listened to Nam Woo-hyuk’s story.

Nam Woo-hyuk handed me a glass of water.

I drank the water to wake myself up.

It felt strange as Yoo Da-yang’s body fell into hypnosis.

It felt like my body was floating and I was being pushed out of it.

I heard the personalities talking to Nam Woo-hyuk in my subconscious.

Nam Woo-hyuk said in a soft voice, but with a slightly serious tone,

“All the other personalities want the same thing.”

I nodded at his words.

I had already heard it.

‘I don’t want to remain a part of Yoo Da-yang. I want you to see me as my complete self.’

Baek Jang-mi, Jung Se-eun, and Lee Eun-jae all said the same thing in different ways.

And the person who will see them as complete individuals, as they wish, is probably Kang Ji-oh.

The only people who know about Yoo Da-yang’s multiple personalities are her mother and her doctor, and both of them only recognize the other personalities as beings that should disappear.

I felt a little disturbed because I felt like I knew their hearts.

Nam Woo-hyuk opened his mouth with a slightly darkened expression.

“But the last personality didn’t respond to hypnosis.”

“…That can’t be helped.”

“And Kang Ji-oh.”

“Huh?”

Nam Woo-hyuk suddenly mentioned Kang Ji-oh’s name.

Surprised, I looked up at Nam Woo-hyuk.

“I don’t know where your personalities got so involved with Kang Ji-oh, but…”

“….”

“I think Kang Ji-oh can fulfill what your personalities want.”

“Yeah….”

Then Nam Woo-hyuk threw out a meaningful remark.

“What about you, Da-yang?”

“What do you mean?”

“Does Kang Ji-oh seem like someone who sees you as you are?”

“….”

It felt like a question that slightly crossed the line between doctor and patient.

I stared straight at Nam Woo-hyuk.

“Are you asking this as my doctor?”

Then Nam Woo-hyuk was flustered and lowered his head.

“Ah, sorry. I made a mistake.”

“If the treatment is over, I’ll be going.”

I got up from my seat right away.

I left the treatment room, leaving behind the flustered Nam Woo-hyuk.

* * *

A dog shelter in Gyeonggi Province.

Wearing protective clothing, Kang Ji-oh and I were diligently cleaning the kennels.

“Eun-jae, aren’t you hot?”

Kang Ji-oh asked in a gentle voice, handing me water.

Seriously.

I glared at Kang Ji-oh inwardly.

He acts like a kind older brother to Lee Eun-jae.

Why is he so cold to Yoo Da-yang?

I lowered my head as I received the water.

“Ah, thank you.”

Now I was confident in pretending to be Lee Eun-jae.

Then a small puppy came chasing after me and clung to my leg.

“Oh, how cute.”

As I sat on the floor and stroked the puppy, Kang Ji-oh came next to me and sat down, looking at me.

“Do you like animals?”

“Yes, they’re cute.”

Kang Ji-oh nodded at my words and stroked the puppy with me.

Before we knew it, both Kang Ji-oh and I were covered in sweat.

As soon as we finished cleaning, the shelter director and staff offered their thanks.

“Oh my, a top star couple with such great character.”

“You two look so good together.”

As I listened to those words with a sullen expression, Kang Ji-oh gave a friendly smile next to me.

“Thank you.”

A little surprised, I looked at Kang Ji-oh, who was speaking as if acknowledging the scandal, and Kang Ji-oh pulled my arm towards him.

And said quietly,

“Let’s go, Eun-jae.”

Before I knew it, a smile escaped me as I listened to those words.

It felt like not only me but also Lee Eun-jae’s personality was laughing inside.

Calling my name could be such a joyful thing.

As we were leaving for the parking lot…

Suddenly, I felt Lee Eun-jae’s ego growing stronger.

Again, it felt like my body was not moving as I wanted.

Then Lee Eun-jae popped out and said to Kang Ji-oh,

“I’m not going to be too greedy.”

Kang Ji-oh looked at me with a puzzled face.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

“….”

“Just a short time with someone who calls my name.”

“……”

“That’s enough for me. I won’t be greedy anymore. Goodbye… Thank you.”

“Wait.”

The moment Kang Ji-oh opened his mouth in embarrassment.

Suddenly, the strength drained from my body.

My knees buckled, and my vision went dark.

“Eun-jae! Eun-jae!”

But somewhere, I heard Lee Eun-jae’s voice.

‘Thank you too. I don’t know who you are. Are you one of us too? Please take good care of us.’

Then the golden letters reappeared before my eyes.

‘(1/5)’

* * *

“Ugh.”

When I opened my eyes, I was in Kang Ji-oh’s car, which I had become accustomed to.

Kang Ji-oh was driving and looked at me in surprise.

“Are you feeling a little better?”

I stared at Kang Ji-oh silently.

Kang Ji-oh met my eyes and parked the car on the shoulder for a moment.

Silence flowed in the car.

Lee Eun-jae was gone.

Lee Eun-jae received Kang Ji-oh’s small kindness and left, saying that was enough.

The number written in golden letters meant the number of personalities.

I wondered why I felt so disturbed.

Looking at Kang Ji-oh’s expression, it seemed like he felt the same way.

Kang Ji-oh said as if talking to himself,

“So, I have to go through this farewell three more times.”

Kang Ji-oh looked confused.

Even if it was a short moment, the person who shared his heart had disappeared forever.

I guess it couldn’t be helped.

Looking at Kang Ji-oh, I felt a sense of guilt.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what.”

“For dragging you in without permission, asking for your help. For making you go through a hard time.”

Then Kang Ji-oh shook his head.

“I started this because I wanted to.”

“….”

The moment I heard that answer, I felt it.

This person is really a wonderful person.

Because he knows how to think of the other person’s well-being before his own for the woman he loves.

“How’s your body?”

“I’m okay.”

Kang Ji-oh seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before opening his mouth again.

“What’s your schedule like the day after tomorrow?”

“I’m free these days. I canceled all my schedules to focus on treatment.”

“That’s good. Let’s go somewhere together.”

“Where to?”

Kang Ji-oh silently started the engine again.

* * *

“……She really disappeared.”

Inside the hypnotherapy room, I faced Nam Woo-hyuk again.

Nam Woo-hyuk had a shocked expression after discovering that Lee Eun-jae had disappeared.

“Kang Ji-oh really brings the answer.”

Under Nam Woo-hyuk’s shocked face, I felt a slight sense of defeat.

Nam Woo-hyuk seemed to decide to bury that personal feeling and opened his mouth.

“It would be good to increase the time you spend with Kang Ji-oh and get more active help.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You can think of Kang Ji-oh as your doctor for now.”

Nam Woo-hyuk smiled brightly and looked at me.

“Congratulations on the progress in your treatment.”

Looking at Nam Woo-hyuk’s smiling face, I thought to myself.

He’s a second male lead, but this person is also a wonderful man.

Because he is someone who knows how to think of the other person’s well-being before his own for the woman he loves.

“Thank you, Woo-hyuk. It’s all thanks to you.”

* * *

Two days later, an old villa.

Kang Ji-oh drove me out to the outskirts from the morning, driving for hours.

In the living room of the villa, Kang Ji-oh casually threw his coat on the sofa that looked like it had been used for over 200 years.

I looked around the spacious villa and gaped.

“What is this, a haunted house?”

If I were Yoo Da-yang, I would have to recite this line at least once.

Kang Ji-oh replied with a face that was not at all affected.

“This is the villa my grandfather cherished.”

“Ah.”

Should I do a Talulah…? [Referencing a specific meme or action, possibly imitating a character].

I wonder if Yoo Da-yang would do it.

“Well, it’s old, but it’s well-maintained.”

Then Kang Ji-oh chuckled.

“What’s with you being polite for once.”

“I’m more polite than you, in that regard.”

I also put my handbag down anywhere and sat down.

But at that moment, I suddenly felt dizzy.

Wait, suddenly again.

I felt someone’s personality inside me awakening.

As I grabbed my head, Kang Ji-oh reflexively got up and approached me.

“What’s wrong, are you okay??”

Kang Ji-oh’s voice, asking worriedly, suddenly faded from my ears.

And again, my body lost control.

My body jumped up and laid Kang Ji-oh down on the sofa.

“?!”

Kang Ji-oh looked up at my face in surprise.

“Ba, Baek Jang-mi?”

“Wow, now you recognize me right away.”

The awakened Baek Jang-mi ran to Kang Ji-oh excitedly.

Ugh, please stop.

I still couldn’t imitate Baek Jang-mi at all.

As such, it was impossible for me to take control of my body.

But then.

Kang Ji-oh released the hand that was pushing me away.

“…?”

Surprised, I looked down at Kang Ji-oh.

Kang Ji-oh looked at me as if saying, ‘Go ahead and try.’