In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 65

Watching my senior walk away with determined steps, the other actors also showed spirited attitudes.

Everyone transformed into someone gloomy, without exchanging a single word, becoming immersed in their roles as despondent individuals.

The concept of this video was a ‘melodrama among people gathered in a suicide cafe.’

A tragic and cruel story of people who gathered to die, only to find a bundle of cash in the pension’s [boarding house] boiler room and turning on each other.

It was an idea I got from Song Jun-woo’s character in Director Hwang Bo-jaejun’s work.

At first, it was conceived as a hidden camera video, secretly following Song Jun-woo, who was involved in a crime, and the people who put him in danger.

But the idea gradually evolved.

What if they dramatically gathered in one place?

What if everyone was suffering because of their failures?

To make it easier for many people to relate, what if what they wanted wasn’t popularity but money….

That’s how the story was born.

However, due to budget issues, there was a risk that the joys and sorrows of the characters had to be shown in one place.

But on the other hand, it could be a setting where the actors’ charms stood out in every dilemma.

At that moment, Flower Star, who was walking from the very end, stood among the seniors with a nervous expression.

“Flower Star. Don’t be nervous.”

Flower Star, hearing my words, smiled slightly and nodded.

And after smelling the sea breeze, she closed her eyes for a moment.

Soon after opening her eyes, Flower Star also walked out without making a sound, without showing any expression on her face.

Seeing even the youngest actor immersed in the role, my heart was already full.

Now it was the real beginning.

* * *

Inside the narrow pension where cameras were installed here and there.

Everyone unpacked their bags, sat down, and took a breather.

“How did such a young kid get here?”

Yuri swept Flower Star’s hair once.

A touch that contained pity but not the will to help.

Filming had already begun.

I approached the large table in the living room and placed a small camcorder on it.

“What is that?”

“What’s with the camera? Why don’t you put it away right now?”

I said calmly to the sharp reactions of the members.

“Because it’s our last… I’m going to record it like this. I want the world to know why we were trying to die and how we died.”

A deep silence flowed through the pension.

After a while, people sent meaningless jeers to Han Sae-na, who turned on the camcorder.

“You’re doing all sorts of things. For someone who’s about to die.”

But no one actively stopped her.

As if the details had become meaningless since they were about to die.

In the silence that came again, Jung Yuri got up from her chair and headed somewhere.

No one paid attention.

As if they had promised, they were just looking at the sea through the large window.

“The waves are rough. A ship can only leave once every two days.”

“Personally, I hate drowning. Pills are better.”

“Me too.”

Meanwhile, Jung Yuri was searching for the bathroom.

No matter how many doors she opened, she couldn’t find the bathroom.

She passed the kitchen and saw a small side door hidden by the refrigerator.

“What’s with this refrigerator….”

Jung Yuri pushed the refrigerator aside with a frustrated expression and grabbed the doorknob.

She opened the door and turned on the light….

A bundle of cash filled the small room.

“…!”

Jung Yuri, seeing the money, stood still as if her breath had stopped.

It was all dollars.

It seemed to be at least a million dollars.

Her hand holding the doorknob was filled with strength.

At that time.

“What, why can’t I see the bathroom?”

Won Hye-rim’s voice was heard from the living room, also searching for the bathroom.

Jung Yuri instinctively slammed the door shut.

And moved the refrigerator back in front of the door.

Won Hye-rim, hearing the sound of the door closing, approached this way.

“Could that be the bathroom?”

“No, I think it’s the boiler room. There’s nothing special.”

Jung Yuri pulled up the corners of her mouth, which felt like they were about to stiffen.

Then Won Hye-rim looked at Jung Yuri with strange eyes.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Pardon?”

“Someone who’s about to die is smiling.”

At those words, Jung Yuri was flustered and erased the smile from her face.

And quickly left the spot.

Won Hye-rim stared at Jung Yuri’s back as she walked away.

* * *

A quiet beach.

Jung Yuri was coughing and smoking a cigarette she didn’t even smoke.

While glancing at the inside of the pension, she was shaking her legs…

“If you’re so anxious, why don’t you put a lock on the door?”

Won Hye-rim approached Jung Yuri from behind.

Jung Yuri stopped shaking her legs.

And looked at Won Hye-rim with a cold gaze.

“Hey, you weren’t planning on dying, were you?”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you see my will?”

Jung Yuri got angry at Won Hye-rim.

Then Won Hye-rim retorted.

“A bitch who wants to die so badly has her eyes turn over after seeing money?”

Jung Yuri lost her words and glared at Won Hye-rim.

Won Hye-rim stared at Jung Yuri’s face.

And smirked.

“I’m not cursing you; I’m just trying to joke with you.”

Won Hye-rim took a step closer to Jung Yuri.

“My eyes are wide open too right now.”

“….”

“If the people inside find out, you know what will happen to you, right? Everyone’s lives are ruined because of money, right? This island will just become hell.”

Won Hye-rim was strangely pronouncing ‘hell’ quickly, using a curse-like nuance.

“I won’t ask for more. Half and half. It wasn’t your money in the first place, deal?”

Jung Yuri reluctantly glared at Won Hye-rim…

At that moment, a tearing scream was heard from inside the pension.

The two people were surprised and ran inside.

Inside the pension, Kim Eun-seo was crawling towards the second-floor stairs, covered in blood.

Everyone who heard the scream gathered below the stairs.

Kim Eun-seo was spitting blood and desperately coming down the stairs.

Jung Yuri, surprised, took a step back…

Before she knew it, the refrigerator was pushed away and the door was open.

“T, the door….”

As soon as she heard Jung Yuri’s words, Won Hye-rim ran to the warehouse.

The cash, which had been neatly arranged, was scattered everywhere, as if there had already been a fight.

“Damn it, are you all crazy?!”

At that time, Kim Eun-seo, who had crawled to the floor, opened her mouth as if to say something.

But soon after, her breath was cut off.

Seon Yu-seok, who was right in front of her, fell backward.

“Ugh, ugh!”

Other people were also frozen.

“Wh, who did this?”

No one answered Kwon Jae-hyung’s words.

Everyone just had shocked faces.

Jang Hee-young shouted with a pale face.

“Is it because of money…? Is it because of money?!”

But everyone was silent.

“We gathered to die. We even said we’d kill each other if we couldn’t die. But this isn’t it!”

Won Hye-rim was the first to come to her senses.

“Crazy people… we have to get out of here. I saw something like a boat floating at the dock earlier.”

Those words became a signal, and everyone went into their rooms and scraped together as much cash as they could.

Jang Hee-young turned her entire carrier [wheeled suitcase] upside down and swept bundles of money into it.

Even though her will and underwear were scattered messily, she roughly dragged the carrier, whose zipper was not fully closed, and ran out of the pension.

And quickly dragged the refrigerator out of the pension.

While everyone was running to the dock in a panic, following Jang Hee-young, only Han Sae-na was filming them with a blank expression.

The dock they arrived at soon after.

The boat was only big enough for two or three people to fit in.

While they hesitated and looked at each other, Jang Hee-young threw the carrier with one wheel broken first and quickly got on the boat.

And started rowing.

Everyone couldn’t easily step forward and watched the boat moving away for a long time…

Before long, Jang Hee-young’s scream was heard.

“What the hell is this!”

Jang Hee-young awkwardly got up and started bailing out the water filling the boat.

However, from the camcorder’s point of view, the boat had already become a small dot that could not return.

And the boat sank in an instant.

Jang Hee-young did not push the refrigerator out of the boat until the moment the boat capsized.

In the end, Jang Hee-young also sank under the water.

Watching that scene, Jung Yuri covered her mouth.

In the camera held by Han Sae-na, everyone except Kim Flower Star had terrified faces.

* * *

Evening after finishing a day of filming.

After finishing the boisterous barbecue party to commemorate the start of filming, everyone sat around and watched the videos recorded on the camera.

“I didn’t see it, but Eun-seo and Jae-hyung were filming like this in another room.”

Senior Jang Hee-young admired while looking at the camera video installed in the small room for a long time.

Then Kim Eun-seo waved her hand as if embarrassed.

“I couldn’t help but immerse myself because I was filming with only the camera in the secret room. Senior Jae-hyung was really scary.”

Then Jae-hyung ate the remaining meat and said.

“I was so scared that Eun-seo was still making eye contact with me even while I was strangling her….”

“I was more scared!”

Kim Eun-seo and Jae-hyung were arguing about who was more scared.

Meanwhile, Senior Won Hye-rim and Seon Yu-seok, who had shown a thrilling couple performance, were also carefully looking at the camera containing their video.

I also approached and looked at the video together.

In the small monitor, Seon Yu-seok was not at all intimidated by the senior’s momentum.

‘If you want to go out and live with me, kill everyone here and come.’

Yoon-woo, played by Seon Yu-seok, whispered in Young-sil’s ear.

Then, in the screen, Young-sil looked at Yoon-woo with a startled expression.

‘How could you even try to commit suicide without the guts to do this?’

Yoon-woo grabbed a handful of Young-sil’s hair and stroked it.

Seeing it from a new perspective that I didn’t shoot myself, the scene felt more precarious.

Besides…

‘It’s still on the rise.’

I was constantly surprised by Seon Yu-seok’s acting that I had never seen before.

I could feel that Yu-seok was growing as much as he had wanted.

And that too, rapidly.

I wanted to show this video to Min-young unnie [older sister] too.

When the video ended, Senior Won Hye-rim smiled.

“Director Han, how did you select these talents? Flower Star and all.”

I smiled slightly at those words.

“Selection, what am I….”

Then Yuri, who had been arguing with Senior Won Hye-rim all day, opened her mouth.

“A movie by actors, made by actors…. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect until the morning of filming, Sae-na?”

Yuri put a patch on her shoulder.

And continued.

“Also, it was amazing throughout the day of filming. It was my first time immersing myself in a character with only the direction given….”

“Right. And everyone has wanted to try something like this at least once, right? That’s why we came all the way here.”

Jae-hyung also nodded and added.

“That’s right. Sae-na, thank you. I’m having so much fun.”

Yuri conveyed her gratitude with serious eyes.

Then other people added a word each.

“Thank you for suggesting that I join you. I’m gaining experience thanks to you.”

“I passed the audition! Thank you for letting me pass the audition, noona [older sister]!”

“Let’s film together often in the future, how about it?”

I nodded, putting aside the embarrassment that was rushing in.

“I’d love that. I wouldn’t have even tried it if it weren’t for you guys. So, everyone.”

I clapped once.

“Our video is all about spontaneity, right? I didn’t know the stars on the island would be this beautiful. I’m also curious about the conversations the characters will have while watching these pouring stars.”

The actors in front of me smiled at my words.

“Oh, what is it, this event planner!”

“I’ve had some drinks too. I’m really confident right now.”

Everyone seemed excited and started to get up and clean up the barbecue.

At that time, Senior Jang Hee-young stopped cleaning up the table and came up with an idea.

“No, let’s leave it like this. It might be nice to leave it next to us with the feeling that it was the last supper.”

Everyone nodded as if they liked it and let go.

And moved away from their seats and started to immerse themselves again.

I Will Die as an Actress in This Life