In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 130

The very next scene featured Hana Han acting solo.

Lee Sun-ho stood before the monitor, watching Hana Han, anticipation building.

The thrilling sensation from their earlier synchronization still lingered within him.

It was the first time he’d experienced such potent ‘chemistry’.

He had filmed romantic comedies with stars who were more than ten times as famous, but this level of tension was unprecedented.

‘Just what kind of person is she?’

Lee Sun-ho quietly observed, eagerly awaiting Hana Han’s next performance.

Yu Da-yang’s house.

As filming commenced, Yu Da-yang arranged a pile of gifts from fans on the sofa.

Even in her movements, there was no trace of Hana Han.

It was all Yu Da-yang’s unique, indifferent manner and gaze.

Yet, even in her touch, she conveyed love for her fans.

Lee Sun-ho watched every detail, unable to suppress his amazement.

Yu Da-yang examined the luxury perfumes, accessories, and high-end patisserie desserts her fans had gifted her, then her eyes lingered on a duck doll that had fallen into the far corner.

A note was attached to the duck doll.

‘I gained hope in life from watching your acting, Unnie [term of endearment used by younger females to older females]. Thank you.’

Yu Da-yang smiled for the first time as she read the note.

Then, feigning indifference, she placed the duck in a corner of the sofa.

Lee Sun-ho held his breath, anticipating the next scene.

A moment later.

Hana Han opened her eyes in a darkened room.

Hana Han, sitting up, expressionlessly scanned the room.

“…!”

Lee Sun-ho and Director Shin Cheol-won reacted identically.

Hana Han was conveying a personality shift with just her expression.

Instantly transformed into Yu Ha-young, Hana Han moved to the living room as if possessed.

Under the bluish lighting….

Yu Ha-young, glaring at herself in front of the mirror, picked up scissors.

Then, she turned and headed to the sofa.

Yu Ha-young began slashing the doll with the scissors.

The doll’s fabric was torn, and cotton burst out.

Yu Ha-young, having ruined the doll beyond recognition, took a deep breath as if relieved.

Then, she opened the luxury perfume and poured it on the doll, casually hanging accessories on it.

Lee Sun-ho frowned as he watched Yu Ha-young.

He felt goosebumps rising.

Not only that.

It was clearly a creepy and bizarre scene, but….

‘It’s scary, but not terrifying. It’s like she’s jealous of the love Yu Da-yang receives. As if she’s afraid of disappearing.’

Yu Ha-young looked pitiful.

It was a feeling he had never associated with Yu Ha-young while reading the script.

Yu Ha-young’s eyes, sparkling in the blue light, were red-rimmed.

The surprised director instructed the crew to shoot from various angles, but Hana Han remained unfazed.

Madness, anxiety, jealousy, and a heavy depression were revealed like holograms, shifting with every moment.

And then the next scene.

The next morning, Yu Da-yang woke up again in bed.

The phone kept ringing, likely her manager. Annoyed, Yu Da-yang got up and walked into the living room.

At that moment, Yu Da-yang, who was frowning, stopped abruptly, seeing the state of the living room.

“…….”

In an instant, surprise and fear filled Yu Da-yang’s eyes.

Yu Da-yang reached out to the duck doll with trembling hands.

But at that moment.

“What is this!”

Her voice rose, and Yu Da-yang momentarily looked as if she was about to cry.

“……!!”

In an instant, Lee Eun-jae emerged.

Lee Eun-jae, who loved everything cute, from animals to plants, to various dolls, couldn’t bear this sight.

Hana Han instantly grabbed the ruined duck doll with a childlike expression and shed tears.

“You bad woman. You nasty woman! I’m sorry, Duck.”

Hana Han sat down and buried her face in the sofa.

“Annoying, really. Creepy woman.”

Hana Han instantly transformed into a different person, as if several souls were rapidly passing through her, conveyed through her expressions, movements, and tone.

“Cut, okay!!!”

Director Shin Cheol-won jumped up from his seat.

* * *

Meanwhile, another person was watching Hana Han with admiring eyes.

Park Chan-ki, the section chief of SCBS Media Business Department, had been hiding in the corner of the set for half a day, wearing a hat.

The staff glanced at him as they passed by.

Park Chan-ki, conscious of their gazes, coughed and pulled his hat down further.

Section Chief Seo from the production company, Haechi, had acquired the drama and came to observe the first reading. He made such a fuss, saying it had to be sold at a high price, that Park Chan-ki had secretly come to see it.

Shin Cheol-won, whom he happened to know, had readily allowed him to come, making the task even more troublesome.

But what if he hadn’t come?

Park Chan-ki stared blankly at Hana Han and Lee Sun-ho in the distance.

‘What is this person? A chaebol [wealthy, powerful family]? A stalker?’

‘The stalker is probably you.’

‘What is he doing now?’

‘Why? Isn’t this what you wanted?’

‘Who are you? Are you a multiple personality?’

Park Chan-ki watched the set for hours, as if he were a real viewer.

Forgetting about work.

The chemistry and visual harmony between the two actors, the synergy, acting skills, and dialogue skills, as well as Hana Han leading the entire set.

The only thought that came to his mind while watching was just one thing.

‘It’s interesting.’

It was an unusual case with a rookie writer’s work and two stars attached, so he was curious, but.

He had not expected this level of explosive energy at all.

Park Chan-ki tapped his leg.

He had to relay this news quickly.

As soon as the staff announced a short break from afar, Park Chan-ki jumped up from his seat.

And he left the set, making a phone call.

* * *

A few days later.

Filming progressed smoothly without any issues.

His condition was at its peak, and his satisfaction with the shots being taken was also at its peak.

He was in such a good mood that he hummed constantly.

Even the staff burst out laughing at today’s key scene.

Filming 10 minutes prior.

On the bed, snoring and writhing in a bizarre way…

Something touched his fingertips, and he frowned and opened his eyes.

“Umm?”

He rubbed his eyes.

Am I seeing things?

The thing he was touching with his right hand was Kang Ji-oh’s face, which was frowning in his sleep.

He opened his eyes and tried to distinguish whether it was reality or a dream.

Shortly after, realizing it was reality, he was startled and froze.

At that time, Kang Ji-oh also felt a strange presence and opened his eyes wide.

They froze simultaneously, making eye contact.

3, 2, 1.

Exactly 3 seconds later.

“Kyaaaaak!!!”

“Uwaaaaaaak!!!”

Kang Ji-oh and he leaped off the bed like springs.

While screaming as loud as they could, Kang Ji-oh fell backward, taking steps back.

It was truly a chaotic comic scene.

Lee Sun-ho’s gestures, which cleverly highlighted the situation while acting, caught his eye.

He felt like he was going to burst out laughing because of Lee Sun-ho’s shrill screams.

No.

NG [no good/take again] is absolutely not allowed because the flow is good now!!

He thought to himself that he was amazing.

How can he act so well?

Comedy if it’s comedy, sad if it’s sad, melodrama if it’s melodrama.

Lee Sun-ho had no flaws.

At that time, Kang Ji-oh got up and took a rough breath.

“I, I’m going to report it.”

He made a very dumbfounded expression.

“What? Report? Who is this stalker talking to….”

“Stalker? Ha.”

Kang Ji-oh cut him off and chuckled.

“Why don’t you look around?”

At Kang Ji-oh’s words, he stopped fussing and shifted his uneasy gaze to the side.

The scenery of Kang Ji-oh’s house, which was irrelevant to Yu Da-yang’s house, came into view.

“…!”

Bottles of alcohol and outerwear were scattered under the bed.

But Kang Ji-oh also discovered it and looked flustered.

“What on earth is this.”

Kang Ji-oh quickly reoriented himself, and then his face turned red, as if the film that had been cut off had resumed.

Really, his blushing acting was the best in Korea.

Kang Ji-oh said in a trembling voice.

“Y, you came to eat first.”

“What? Me?”

When he asked blankly, Kang Ji-oh frowned.

“Yes. You even entered our house’s front door password!”

“What?? Me??”

He had no memory of it at all.

Of course.

Because it was something that another personality had committed.

“Have you been doing amnesia cosplay since last time? Are you living in the delusion that you’re the female lead in a drama even in reality? What’s wrong with your head?”

Kang Ji-oh continued to express his frustration.

Looking around the house again, he now made an expression that suggested he could guess what had happened.

Baek Jang-mi.

No one but Baek Jang-mi would commit such an act.

He bit his lip tightly.

At that time, Kang Ji-oh suddenly asked in a low voice.

“Why do you keep confusing people?”

He raised his head and looked at Kang Ji-oh.

“What?”

Kang Ji-oh continued nervously.

“Some days you say you like me, that you fell in love at first sight. And other days you act coldly like you’re meeting me for the first time. And today.”

He couldn’t finish his sentence.

He made a blank expression as he looked at Kang Ji-oh.

Roughly a ‘I’m screwed’ expression.

He realized that Kang Ji-oh had been shaken by him, even for a moment.

Lee Sun-ho was expressing that amazingly right now.

In the appearance of being angry, he could feel the heart of a hurt man.

It was as if Kang Ji-oh, who had been with him in the script world, was alive again.

He was so happy to see Kang Ji-oh’s sharp appearance.

To the point where he wanted to go and hug him.

He forgot about acting for a moment and looked at Lee Sun-ho.

“Is this easy for you?”

“….”

“Is it right for a man to only meet me… ?”

“…….”

Kang Ji-oh, who was looking at him without an answer, turned his back with an angry face.

Silence filled the bedroom for a while.

Kang Ji-oh said quietly.

“Get out.”

He stood there for a long time, looking at Kang Ji-oh’s back.

“Cut!! Okay! Wow, that’s really fun!”

This time, the okay sign came quickly.

The fastest shooting since his debut was unfolding.

Not only him, but also Lee Sun-ho was receiving okay signs for every shot, receiving praise from the staff.

The director and staff applauded.

He smiled embarrassedly as he received the applause.

Lee Sun-ho turned around and looked at him, smiling brightly.

Seeing that face, he suddenly came to his senses.

Lee Sun-ho, not Kang Ji-oh.

An actor, not a script character.

He almost made a mistake for a moment while immersing himself in acting.

“I almost couldn’t stand it when Saena-ssi screamed,” Lee Sun-ho joked.

He responded with a smile.

“Me too.”

* * *

That night.

‘Director, Netmate Global Business Department and China Show Media headquarters have decided to visit.’

Director Shin, who finished filming, dragged his tired body into the car and talked to Park Chan-ki on the phone.

“Suddenly Netmate is interested?”

Shin Cheol-won’s eyes widened at the unexpected news while he was tired.

Park Chan-ki, who had been praising the last filming everywhere, was determined to make the work a hit.

Especially regarding the distribution of overseas rights.

‘I’m so glad that we only handed over the broadcasting rights to SCBS and kept the IP [intellectual property].’

Park Chan-ki continued to deliver the news.

‘Originally, businessmen from Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Japan were supposed to come, but suddenly Netmate expressed their intention to purchase all global broadcasting rights.’

Shin Cheol-won was lost in thought as he listened.

Netmate has a relationship with Hana Han, and Lee Sun-ho has a reputation, so maybe it’s natural?

Anyway, with the news that large global companies were visiting, individual businessmen from each country withdrew their visit plans.

Shin Cheol-won continued to think.

Netmate is weak in the Chinese market, and Show Media is weak in markets outside of China, so maybe they can both sign a contract.

“Hoo.”

Then it would be even more of a hit?

At this moment, no one among Shin Cheol-won and Park Chan-ki thought that the work would not be sold.

They both felt it instinctively.

This will definitely sell.

And very expensively.