In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 41

My first emotion after watching the short film was shock.

“Why is she even more… more developed than before?”

Han Saena’s acting, as seen by Lee Seokhyun, was truly the crowning glory.

Her acting, as if daring them not to cast her, seemed almost like a possession.

‘Was this person her acting teacher?’

The veteran actor opposite Han Saena was also shockingly good.

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t known about a senior like this until now.

My second emotion was confusion.

It was a scene not in the script.

Moreover, Lee Seokhyun found it difficult to grasp what this scene meant.

But what was strange was that if such a scene really existed, he would start to wonder how the king he was to play should change.

Even though he didn’t know the situation at all, he instinctively felt that these two people and the king were bound by strong emotions.

It was an emotion he had never felt while preparing for the audition.

And the last emotion was….

Just then, his manager shook his head as if he couldn’t understand at all, answered a call, and left the office.

Left alone, Lee Seokhyun began to replay the video.

Lee Seokhyun started to shake his leg without realizing it.

It was a habit that surfaced when he was concentrating.

‘Would acting with her be helpful to me?’

Years of experience, market value, name recognition, pride.

These were not important issues for Lee Seokhyun.

Lee Seokhyun just wanted to act well.

Because he was an actor before he was a celebrity.

The last emotion Lee Seokhyun felt now was excitement.

Maybe this actress….

Suddenly, a groundless belief began to arise.

If she was this skilled….

Maybe he could even get help.

With Han Saena.

Perhaps….

He could reverse the evaluations he received in his previous work.

‘Maybe I can even find a way to overcome this inconsistency.’

Lee Seokhyun replayed the video for a long time and then slammed the monitor shut.

“She’s even got guts, this rookie actress.”

Suddenly, Lee Seokhyun snapped his fingers between his brows as if intoxicated by adrenaline.

“Oh, come on. This *oppa* [term used by younger women to address older brothers or male friends] has to help. It’s not a game that you can win with just guts.”

Lee Seokhyun left the office.

* * *

Summer is already gone.

While blankly emptying my thoughts, looking out the window from the van.

My phone vibrated.

‘Honey, let’s meet. I need you.’

It was a text message from writer Nam Jihye.

“Manager, I have a meeting. Could you take me to Hapjeong?”

Then, the road manager, who had been silently driving in the front, nodded.

I carefully looked at the manager’s face.

Was his name Hwang Jinseok?

He’s so… taciturn.

He was a male manager that Minyoung *unnie* [term used by younger women to address older sisters or female friends] had brought a few days ago, and he was known as ‘One-Man Army’ because he had been to various companies.

It was a nickname given to him because he could handle the driving like a one-man army with his tireless stamina.

And with his fierce impression and large build, he really looked like he could do the work of ‘One-Man Army’….

When our eyes met in the rearview mirror, I felt awkward and slightly turned my gaze.

I sent a reply to the writer that I would be there soon.

An hour later.

I got off near the address the writer had sent me and headed to the entrance of the building.

When I opened the door, I saw the breathtaking scenery of the office.

“You’re here?”

Both walls of the office were entirely covered with sticky notes.

The sticky notes, attached without any gaps, had all the scenes of the script written on them and were arranged in order.

“Wow.”

I approached as if possessed and stared at the papers.

The content of the sticky notes was cut off just before the ending.

Seeing my dumbfounded expression, the writer smiled awkwardly.

“This is nothing. I’m pretty good. Do you want some coffee?”

“Ah, yes.”

The writer started to make coffee herself.

“Writing a mini-series is no ordinary task. If I make real money, I’m leaving this industry.”

“Writer… you’ve made enough, haven’t you?”

“I tend to splurge a bit.”

As I sat at the table, the writer handed me a warm cup of coffee.

“Let’s get straight to the point. So, in your opinion, is the one who ultimately found the weakness of the Queen Dowager the Chief Eunuch?”

I took a sip of coffee and nodded.

“To be exact, the combination of the sad story of Sunim’s parents and the document found by the Chief Eunuch became the decisive weakness. Because Sunim herself is also evidence.”

“Honey, how do you come up with such great ideas? It’s like you’ve been inside the script.”

I smiled slightly at those words and playfully retorted.

“That’s right, I’ve been there.”

Then the writer laughed out loud.

“That’s right, an actress should have this side. You’re a pro, aren’t you?”

There’s a saying.

The difference between a crazy person and someone who acts is just one step.

Then, can I say this?

“It’s true. It feels like a dream now, but after failing the audition, I really went there.”

The writer stared at me intently as if asking me to tell her the story.

I took another sip of coffee.

And slowly began to tell the story.

From the moment I became the king in the script to everything I experienced.

The writer, who had suddenly become serious, grabbed the keyboard and started typing like crazy.

The story continued until the considerable amount of coffee in the pot was emptied.

About two hours passed.

Before I knew it, the sun had set outside the studio.

“Wow! It’s over!”

The writer stretched.

I also tilted my head back.

I felt strange and relieved at the same time.

I really had unraveled it.

That long story, that time I had lived through myself.

The two of us sat facing each other and stretched.

A moment of silence passed, and the writer grabbed the keyboard again.

“Are you going to start editing after I leave?”

“Huh? No. The big work is done. You told me, right?”

…?.

I thought she was just taking notes, but it’s over?

“I just need to make minor revisions.”

The writer showed me the laptop screen.

As I slowly started reading, my eyes widened.

This ten-page paper contained the story I had gone through.

A perfectly integrated story with only the sections where I had failed completely gone.

I stared blankly at the writer’s face as she sipped the remaining coffee.

Is this what a star writer is like?

Then one thing became curious.

“But, writer.”

“Yeah?”

“Do we really have to kill the Chief Eunuch?”

There was only one thing different from what I had experienced in this paper.

The Chief Eunuch’s ending.

I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Then the writer smiled.

“Are you an idealist too? I want to save him in my heart too. It might be possible in reality. But we’re filming a drama, right?”

“Yes….”

“It has to be dramatic. This is not reality. It’s a fantasy space that makes viewers laugh and cry. And we definitely need an opportunity for the male lead to awaken.”

I had no words to refute.

I had vaguely felt it too.

Because I had turned back time several times in the script, I had enough opportunities, but the real king would need a strong motive.

Like the episodes I kept failing to save him, the Chief Eunuch’s real ending would be death.

‘I’m glad I could save him in the script and get out.’

I forced a smile.

“I wonder… will Director Kang like it too?”

Then the writer shook her head as if she was fed up and laughed.

“He’s just acting coy. He was the one who first suggested writing the setting.”

“Oh, really?”

I haven’t quite figured out the character of Kang Junghwan.

Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed like he didn’t like my acting, the setting, or the ending at all.

What does that person want?

Seo Jaeyeon, Lee Nara?

Guaranteed viewership?

“Actually, I’ve been arguing with Director Kang for months because of the ending direction. I’m always emotional, and he’s always realistic. Ugh, we don’t match.”

“Ah.”

“Anyway, we both worried. We were worried that the male lead would just seem obsessed with revenge. But this time, with the revision, the Chief Eunuch saved the male lead. And since Sunim stays by his side, it’s a tightly closed happy ending. The size is just right.”

I see.

Now I 100% understood why I didn’t remember seeing *Gwol-flower* [a fictional drama title] in my previous life.

While running towards a disappointing ending, viewers would have noticed it early on, and the viewership would have slowly dwindled.

“Oh, you’re a lucky charm. What would we have done without Saena? You’ll be successful no matter what you do. But you’ll be even more successful with this work. I guarantee it.”

“Thank you.”

“I should be the one saying that. Then, let’s see each other soon.”

“Yes?”

“I mean the reading. Let’s all prepare well. Well, you don’t have anything more to prepare. Now I have to write well.”

We both laughed at the writer’s words.

* * *

The day of the long-awaited first reading.

I grabbed the doorknob and took a deep breath.

‘I won it with my own hands.’

Not a villain.

Not a role that the agency plugged me into.

A work that I desperately wanted, and a role that I desperately wanted.

I got it with my own hands.

I opened the door to the NBS conference room.

What immediately caught my eye were the reporters who had arrived long before the actors and were sitting in their seats.

Wow, what is this….

I swallowed hard at the unknown tension.

There were far more than I had expected.

Considering the empty seats, that means more are coming.

I pondered for a moment and changed my mind.

It’s even better. It means I have to do it right.

“Hello. Seniors, reporters!”

I started to greet each and every one of them cheerfully.

In the meantime, the actors and staff quickly filled the room.

After a while.

The timing to take a group photo in a place where everyone was gathered.

A reporter opened his mouth first.

“The casting process was quite controversial, but what makes ‘Han Saena’s Song Sunim so special’?”

Everyone’s attention was focused on me.

I didn’t expect the first question to be directed at me.

I was momentarily flustered, but Teacher Yoon Youngjae quietly looked at me and nodded as if to say it was okay.

I felt like the tension was relieved just by that.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Han Saena’s Song Sunim?”

Clearly, this wasn’t just a casual question.

It was a topic that was perfect for picking a fight, whether you said it was special or not.

At this moment, I had to be smooth.

I stared at the reporter who asked the question with a smile.

“I became special because I was able to play Song Sunim. I will do my best so that the viewers can feel it specially too!”

Then, Teacher Yoon Youngjae took the lead and applauded as soon as I finished speaking.

In an instant, the conference room was filled with the sound of people’s applause.

Clearly, it was Teacher’s consideration to block other questions that I had to answer in advance.

When our eyes met, Teacher smiled at me.

My Life as an Actress, Not a Villain