In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 131

A few days later, at a small playground.

“Talking about being the star of Asia.”

Kang Jio grumbled, pulling his hood up haphazardly, a can of beer in his hand as he sat on a swing.

This playground was Kang Jio’s favorite place.

Even Kang Jio himself didn’t know why, but it always felt cozy and brought him comfort.

Kang Jio gulped down his beer.

“Ahhh.”

Just then, the sound of slippers dragging grew closer from afar.

*Who else is out at this hour?*

Kang Jio stared intently in the direction of the footsteps.

The silhouette of a person approaching emerged from the darkness.

And the person was…

“Yoo Da-yang?”

Yoo Da-yang, hearing the voice, looked at Kang Jio with a startled expression.

Unlike her usual glamorous appearance, Yoo Da-yang was dressed in simple pajamas, holding a can of beer just like Kang Jio.

Her confident demeanor was nowhere to be seen; her face was filled with surprise as she chewed on her lip.

“…Why are you just standing there?”

Yoo Da-yang’s shoulders flinched as if startled once again by Kang Jio’s voice.

Kang Jio watched her, momentarily speechless.

He wondered if it was because of what happened before, and after a moment of silence, Kang Jio spoke again.

“I’m sorry for getting angry back then.”

“About what…?”

Yoo Da-yang asked in a small, barely audible voice.

His suspicion at her tone was fleeting.

Kang Jio felt remorse for his past actions.

“For saying you’re an easy woman and asking how many men you’ve been with. I was angry and just blurted things out.”

“…”

Yoo Da-yang hesitated and replied after hearing those words.

“It’s okay.”

“Really…?”

“Then, I’ll be going.”

As Yoo Da-yang turned around, Kang Jio quickly reached out and grabbed her arm.

“!!”

Yoo Da-yang was startled and shook off Kang Jio’s hand.

“Get away!”

Kang Jio was taken aback and stepped back.

“S, sorry.”

Yoo Da-yang looked up at Kang Jio.

Her eyes, wary and unfamiliar, as if asking who he was.

Kang Jio, once again confused, looked down at Yoo Da-yang.

“Who exactly are you?”

“…”

“Have you decided to pretend you don’t know me now?”

Yoo Da-yang continued to fidget and chew on her lip.

“Why do you keep tormenting your lip like that?”

At that, Yoo Da-yang looked like she was about to cry, unable to do anything.

That was because the current person was Lee Eun-jae, not Yoo Da-yang.

Moreover, Lee Eun-jae was meeting Kang Jio for the first time.

Lee Eun-jae had no idea what the other personalities had done.

She couldn’t understand why this man was apologizing to her.

She had just come out to catch her breath, but she was faced with another difficult situation.

“Please go away.”

Lee Eun-jae turned her body away again.

Just then, Lee Eun-jae’s elbow bumped into Kang Jio’s beer can.

The beer fell to the ground and spilled out.

“Ah!”

Lee Eun-jae was startled and picked up the beer can.

“I’m sorry. I’ll buy you another one.”

Kang Jio silently stared at Lee Eun-jae, who was flustered.

His eyes were filled with confusion.

“Who are you?”

“…!”

Lee Eun-jae looked up at Kang Jio.

Kang Jio approached, speaking softly.

“What kind of person are you?”

Just then.

“Me too. I’m also confused.”

Lee Eun-jae replied quietly, bringing the end of her sleeve to Kang Jio’s face.

This time, Kang Jio was surprised and looked down at Lee Eun-jae.

Lee Eun-jae gently wiped the beer that had splashed on Kang Jio’s face.

In that moment, Lee Sun-ho, who was acting as Kang Jio, froze in embarrassment.

It was an ad-lib [improvisation] that wasn’t in the script.

But Han Sae-na, as if she had swapped souls with Lee Eun-jae, looked up at Lee Sun-ho with an innocent gaze, seemingly unaware of what she was doing.

“Cut!!”

The director’s voice echoed through the silence.

Hearing that voice, she came to her senses.

As if waking up from a dream.

She had ad-libbed without even realizing it, as if possessed.

Lee Sun-ho was frozen, still looking down at her.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to. Sun-ho, I’m sorry. Did I surprise you?”

*Ugh, Han Sae-na, you idiot. Get a grip.*

About two weeks after the start of filming, there were moments when she gradually forgot whether this was in the script or reality.

It was because she was overly immersed in every moment of acting.

Moreover, while acting, it was difficult to separate Lee Sun-ho and Kang Jio, who had the same face in both the script and reality.

Every time, it felt like Kang Jio had jumped out of the script and appeared before her.

A strangely pleasant sensation.

It was a secret she couldn’t tell anyone.

Lee Sun-ho still had a surprised look on his face.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s not that.”

Lee Sun-ho mumbled.

Then, Lee Sun-ho snapped out of it and asked a random question.

“Sae-na. How did you prepare for this script?”

“Yes?”

She was momentarily flustered by Lee Sun-ho’s words.

“How… how can you act like this?”

Hearing those words, she laughed nonchalantly.

“That’s quite the compliment.”

Lee Sun-ho frowned slightly.

“I’m serious right now. I’m asking about your acting secrets.”

“Ah.”

She felt quite embarrassed at those words.

There wasn’t a single thing she could explain.

She would have to make everything up.

“I just lived every day thinking of Sun-ho as Kang Jio. And I also researched the characteristics and habits of the personalities.”

“Can you really do this well with such obvious methods?”

“Um……”

“I’ve tried all sorts of things besides those methods, but I can’t do such amazing acting like Sae-na.”

“Oh, Sun-ho. You’re being too complimentary.”

“Not just me, but everyone on set right now will think the same thing.”

Lee Sun-ho’s expression remained serious without a hint of wavering.

She started to sweat behind her back.

This was the first time someone had dug so persistently into her acting practice.

She could feel Lee Sun-ho’s passion and struggles in his questions.

*Amazing, Lee Sun-ho…*

Lee Sun-ho had been at the top for a long time, but he still hadn’t let go of his desire for growth.

She found that part even more amazing.

It had been a long time since she had admired someone else’s passion.

Could she also strive like that?

Just then, Lee Sun-ho added.

“It’s like you’ve actually gone into the script.”

Her heart sank in that moment.

“!!”

Lee Sun-ho didn’t miss her surprised expression.

“What? Anyone would think it’s real.”

“Ahahaha.”

She let out an awkward laugh.

“Let’s move on to the next scene!”

The assistant director’s voice was heard then.

She finally found an excuse to escape the situation.

She quickly turned around and moved her feet.

She could feel Lee Sun-ho’s gaze following her from behind.

* * *

Walking through a corner of the set, calming her startled heart.

She saw a familiar face.

“Oh?”

The other person, having found her, smiled brightly and waved.

“Team Leader!”

It was the Korean Netmate team leader, whom she had often met while filming .

She quickly ran to him.

The person standing next to Team Leader Jung was probably a buyer from headquarters.

In short, these people were conducting business with sharp eyes.

Pretending not to know, she greeted them happily.

“How have you been?”

“Yes, Sae-na. How can you be so good? The show is so much fun!”

Lee Sun-ho, who had approached from the side at some point, bowed his head slightly.

It seemed that Lee Sun-ho had already noticed who they were.

The production company seemed to have the buyers come and watch discreetly rather than formally introducing them to the actors to avoid putting pressure on them, but it was obvious.

The team leader went on and on about his impressions of the show for a long time.

“In my opinion, when this comes out? It’ll devour everything.”

“Wow, really?”

“You know my eye for shows, right? These days, there are only two places I’ve been to that are interesting.”

Then Lee Sun-ho’s ears perked up.

“Where else?”

“The team.”