In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 85

And so, an unplanned weekend outing unfolded.

A bizarre tour using Aiden Farrell as a guide, all without spending a dime.

I thought I was past the point of being surprised.

But if I keep filming, I won’t have time to sightsee.

It also seemed like a good opportunity to build a friendship with Aiden.

I expected him to take me to Disneyland, but Aiden dragged me to Santa Monica Beach.

Aiden turned off the car engine.

I felt a little carsick.

While driving, Aiden kept peppering me with questions.

When did I debut, did I only work in Korea, how did I find out about this workshop, which series or broadcasting stations do I mainly appear on, and so on.

When I mentioned that I had recently filmed a series, Aiden was surprised and asked how long it took to film.

It seemed that the approach to series was different here, as there are many actors who appear in one series for a long time in the United States.

I explained that Korean series are a bit different from American ones.

“Wow, it’s the sea!”

Kkot-byeol, who was sitting in the back seat, got excited.

Beyond the window, I could see the open sea.

For some reason, I felt a little uneasy and looked around.

Aiden, who was about to open the door, looked at me and asked.

“Sena, are you uncomfortable? Is something wrong?”

“No, Aiden… I’m just worried about paparazzi following us.”

“You can just think of them as flies.”

Aiden replied casually and got out of the car.

Is this what a Hollywood actor is like…?

Will it be okay?

Kkot-byeol also got excited and jumped out of the car.

Oh well, whatever.

I also grabbed my slippers and headed out to the beach.

The sandy beach was scorching in the sun.

“Ah, it’s hot!!”

On the uncrowded beach, Aiden sat down under an empty parasol and opened a beer.

Then, he took off his T-shirt and sat almost lying down, drinking beer.

“Want a drink?”

I took the beer from him.

Unexpectedly, no one was paying attention to us.

Only the cool sound of the waves echoed clearly in my ears.

I tied my hair back, enjoying the pleasantly blowing breeze.

“Ah, this is nice.”

Aiden, who couldn’t understand Korean, asked back.

I smiled and replied.

“What did you say?”

“I said it’s nice. Because I’m resting.”

It was my first vacation at the beach.

I never imagined that I would enjoy this vacation with a strange foreign man, Aiden Farrell, of all people….

The emotions I experienced in the world of the script and the worries that filled my head after the audition seemed to be washed away with the sound of the waves.

I hadn’t yet responded to the offer the director made as soon as the audition was over.

‘…Thank you for seeing me in a good light. If it’s okay, can I think about it for a while and let you know?’

The staff stared at me with wide eyes.

Min-young unnie [older sister or close female friend] was also startled.

A breeze blew, and I closed my eyes for a moment.

Then Aiden continued to ask questions.

“By the way, what was the series you mentioned earlier?”

I was grateful that he cut off my worries, but I didn’t know why he was so interested.

“I appeared in Netmate’s first Korean original series. It’s called .”

“Oh? I see. I’ll watch it by the next time we meet.”

“No, please. You don’t have to.”

Then Aiden shook his head and smiled.

“I’m definitely going to watch it.”

I couldn’t help but ask Aiden after his reply.

“Why are you being so kind to me?”

Then Aiden smiled at me.

“I want to get close to you. Because you’re such a good actor.”

Kkot-byeol, who had run far away, jumped into the sea and swam.

“Aiden! Come in!”

Then Aiden jumped up, emptied his beer in one go, and ran out.

I could hear Kkot-byeol laughing.

* * *

[(Exclusive) Lee Nara vs. Han Sena! Clash in front of the Warners audition venue]

On the bed in the hotel room.

The article that was prominently featured yesterday at dawn was taking over the main pages of various Korean sites.

I had woken up after sleeping in for the first time in a while, and I was belatedly reading the comments.

-Is Lee Nara, who keeps facing off against rookies with less experience, becoming obsolete, or is Han Sena being rude?

-It’s totally Han Sena’s world. It’s the perfect timing to lose your initial enthusiasm. ㅋㅋ Enjoy it while it lasts~

-Is there a guarantee that one of them will definitely get the part? Don’t make a fuss over things like this.

I quickly skipped over the malicious comments mixed in here and there.

They were worthless interferences that should be ignored.

Then I got a call from Min-young unnie.

-Are you looking at the article?

Unnie asked softly.

“Yes, I’m just looking at it now.”

-The article from yesterday dawn or the one that just came out?

“Huh?”

I hurriedly pressed refresh.

Then articles that had been newly uploaded from 3 minutes ago were listed in a row.

[Han Sena, heading to Hollywood!? Receives casting offer for the first Korean role in Warners’ superhero film]

[What about Lee Nara? Han Sena, the rising star of the century, captivates Warners!]

[Analysis of the hero Han Sena will play]

The comments were also being posted at a frightening speed.

-Wow, what’s up with Han Sena? Is she cast? This is seriously amazing.

-Our unnie is now expanding to the world. She’s going to gain a lot more global fans.

-Han Sena has become a national representative.

-Crazy. I didn’t think it would happen. Lee Nara, don’t just be jealous, congratulate her.

I quickly got up from lying down.

“It’s not confirmed yet?”

Min-young unnie replied as if she knew, ‘Yeah,’ to my urgent words.

-Because it’s Warners. They’ll assume you’ll definitely appear if you get a casting offer. They think you won’t refuse.

I was speechless.

There was a moment of silence between Min-young unnie and me.

-Have you made up your mind?

Unnie asked.

I hesitated at the question and replied.

“Unnie, I… I think I’m a bit strange.”

-Why?

I really felt strange.

An opportunity that had never existed in my life, an opportunity I couldn’t even imagine, had come and I had seized it.

As soon as I passed the final audition, I even felt like only a bright world was unfolding before my eyes.

The role wasn’t bad either. But.

“I should be so happy, that’s normal. But I feel ambiguous.”

-…?

This time, Min-young unnie didn’t seem to know what to make of it and didn’t answer.

Could it be because I have a trauma about being stuck with the same image for years?

Even I couldn’t clearly understand the reason for my feelings.

I felt like I had to find this reason.

“I think I need a little more time. A week, no, just three days.”

-Okay, I understand.

Unnie didn’t ask further and replied calmly.

* * *

The next day, Universal Studios.

“You’re crazy. You’re a genius, Sena.”

Aiden kept showering me with compliments as we went to ride the rides.

It had already been two hours.

This time too, Aiden took me out to get rid of the headache I had been having in the hotel room.

We hadn’t met long ago, but he had become a friend who cheered me up over the past few days.

“I watched all the documentaries in one sitting. All in all, I was sitting still for almost ten hours, can you believe it?”

But Aiden’s compliments were getting more and more excessive.

Aiden tore at his hair.

“Oh my god, I was completely overwhelmed. You’re a real genius.”

My head went blank.

Why is a Hollywood star who will make a big name for himself in the future holding onto an actress from a small country like this?

“Thank you, Aiden. But you are the actor who inspires me.”

I said with sincerity.

Then Aiden’s eyes widened.

As his already big eyes widened, it felt like his eyeballs would pop out and roll onto the floor.

“Aiden, close your eyes. It’s scary.”

“Thank you so much for saying that.”

“Shall we go then?”

I tried to cut off the conversation.

If I heard even one more compliment, I would feel so embarrassed that I would want to run away.

More than anything, I wanted to forget everything and have fun.

Aiden took the lead and moved his steps.

And for more than half a day, I went around riding the rides non-stop as if to relieve my resentment.

Before I knew it, it was sunset.

“Wow, it’s so fun!”

As I barely sat down on a bench with my legs giving out, Aiden gagged.

I laughed while watching him.

“I told you not to drink so much smoothie. Let’s go ride again!”

I had never ridden a ride in my previous life.

Even eating cotton candy, hot dogs, and all kinds of food was enjoyable.

People-watching is also fun.

The enjoyable adrenaline I was experiencing for the first time in a while filled every corner of my body.

But Aiden was holding his head next to me as if he had a headache.

Oh?

“Are you okay…?”

Then Aiden laughed as if he was dumbfounded himself.

“I shouldn’t have volunteered to be a guide.”

I laughed out loud at those words.

“Then let’s go now. I had a lot of fun.”

“I’m sorry, I haven’t shown you more yet.”

“It’s okay. I had so much fun today.”

I pulled Aiden out of the studio.

I got into the car parked in the parking lot.

I somehow felt sorry for sitting in the passenger seat.

But I didn’t want to drive rashly in another country.

Aiden reassured me that it was nothing to worry about, and then started the engine.

And sat for a while.

Aiden hesitated, looking at me.

“Um, Sena.”

“Yeah?”

“Actually, there’s something I want to tell you.”

Suddenly, Aiden’s expression became a little serious.

“I know it’s rude to say this, but I heard you got a casting offer from Warners.”

“Ah…? It’s okay. It’s even in the articles.”

I answered with a smile, even though it was a bit out of the blue.

But Aiden’s expression remained serious.

“Actually, I also got a casting offer there.”

“Huh???”

I was startled and looked at Aiden with wide eyes.

“What role?”

Aiden’s answer that followed was several times more surprising than before.

“Blue Gader.”

“…….”

I stared at Aiden with my mouth wide open.

Blue Gader wasn’t the main hero in the scenario, but it was a role with quite a few important parts.

“It’s an attractive character, but… I want to get away from superhero narratives now.”

Aiden confessed his feelings.

I nodded at those words.

So this person was also hesitating to participate in the work.

“I just wondered what you would do… so I asked.”

I smiled bitterly at Aiden’s words.

I was also racking my brains.

But to find someone to open up this conversation with.

And I sighed.

“It’s not easy. Because it’s Warners.”

“Yeah, Warners is Warners.”

A moment of silence flowed.

The pressure that word gave was considerable.

Besides, I had even gone into and out of that script.

The world inside the script was even trying to give me a chance, so I wondered if I was trying to refuse it too rashly.

If I were to reject this work, what would be the reason for being possessed by the script?

My chest felt stuffy as if I had indigestion.

While we were both silently looking out the window….

Aiden broke the silence.

“Actually, there’s another scenario I’m discussing with my agency.”

“Really? That’s great?”

I listened to the good news.

“This is also a supporting role, but… it’s more of a supporting role that I want to do.”

“What work is it?”

“Director Raymond Jang is preparing a new work. It’s a story about the life of a Korean adoptee woman, and I’m her husband.”