Did I Hear That Wrong? (3)

Actually, that’s what the military is like.

A place that turns even normal people into fools.

I had such thoughts watching the squad members receive drill training.

It’s quite something to see people who are successful in society, raking in money, getting scolded for not being able to match even one step properly.

…It’s funny.

“Only Player Han Yujin has passed the drill training process so far. You must feel good, right?”

The question is quite sharp.

PD Park Jungseung asked for a post-hoc interview.

“…You’re asking if I feel good?”

“Yes.”

It does feel good. It’s like sweet honey rest.

Suppressing the honesty rising up my throat, I answered:

“…N-not really.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Just then,

Choi Haru, who passed the drill second, waddled over and sat next to me.

“Haru, did you pass?”

“…Yeah.”

Choi Haru nodded vigorously as if proud.

Then she lowered her head and pushed her small head forward.

“…You want me to pat your head?”

Again, a nod.

“Well done, well done. Our Haru.”

“…Uha.”

Choi Haru made a strange sound similar to a cat’s purr.

Park Jungseung smiled and captured all of this on camera.

Surely Choi Haru’s anti-fans won’t go crazy just because I patted her head once, right?

While I was in the middle of patting her, Park Jungseung opened his mouth.

“Um… Player Han Yujin.”

“Yes?”

Unlike before, he put his hands together neatly and opened his lips hesitantly.

“Do you have any phobias or anything like that?”

“Well, I haven’t thought about it.”

“Like acrophobia or something like that.”

Suddenly, why this talk of acrophobia?

“No, I don’t.”

Then Park Jungseung started grinning as if pleased about something.

“Wow, as expected, Player Han Yujin isn’t afraid of anything. I see. Haha!”

…Why is he suddenly like this?

His snake-like laughter is too unsettling.

“Everyone’s talking about Han Yujin magic, Han Yujin coin. We’re thinking of riding it too.”

“…Ah, yes.”

I finished the interview and took in each of the squad members one by one with my eyes.

The fortunate thing in this unfortunate situation is that Choi Haru is following along well.

She stumbled at first, but maybe because she’s in a girl group, she seemed to have a knack for following choreography and quickly mimicked like a mirror.

Lilme also showed her reluctance with her lips sticking out a mile, but she’s more or less following along well.

…Cha Jaehee.

This woman is the biggest obstacle.

Her clumsy actions keep coming out like an never-drying spring.

Every time she took a step to the cadence, the same side arm and leg would pop out simultaneously. She’s not a broken nutcracker doll.

Why is our actress Cha like this?

I need to somehow take off that glass mask to paint the ideal picture I want.

What should I do?

…Should I try this?

“We’re going to do the physical fitness test right away, so move to the front of the review stand.”

At Kang Dahee’s words, I got up while stretching.

---

Cha Jaehee’s life can be summarized in one word.

An intended life.

Becoming an actor as intended by her parents,

Solving problems as intended by the examiners,

Appearing as intended by the agency,

Acting as intended by the director.

A life in a box. A standardized life.

A puppet that can’t move without the strings of others’ intentions.

A puppet that has forgotten how to move on its own.

Cha Jaehee was a puppet.

Of course, she had tried to break free from the restraints before.

However,

When she chose works based on her own judgment, the results were unsatisfactory, but when she accepted works chosen by others, they mysteriously succeeded.

From then on, Cha Jaehee let go of her free will.

“Cha Jaehee. Let’s have you say something rude at the press conference. Go Yunjin got famous that way too. These days, getting on the chopping block with such refreshing statements is a marketing PR technique.”

Yes.

“Jaehee-ya. There’s a decent broadcast production company among Kakao’s subsidiaries, you know? They’re launching a variety show, and it’s a military variety show. This seems quite good.”

Yes.

“Actress Cha Jaehee. Please trust us just this once. Viewers want to see you rolling, tearing, and suffering badly on a bed of thorns.”

…Yes.

It was the same now.

Like a chameleon, she was changing masks and acting as a torturer as PD Park Jungseung demanded.

She deliberately said her rank and name wrong, deliberately did the opposite of the beat, deliberately didn’t match her steps in drill training.

Because that was the intention the PD wanted.

“We’ll now start the physical fitness test for the candidates. We’ll start with the 1.5 km run first.”

Cha Jaehee stood at the starting line with an indifferent expression.

Although she was confident in her physical fitness as she had been taking care of her body for her next work, she planned to run half-heartedly and give up.

Because that best fit the character of the clumsy Candidate Cha Jaehee.

‘What should I say when I give up? Is this what women normally do? No, is this too extreme?’

She was confused.

It had been so long since she had decided anything on her own that she couldn’t make a judgment.

Just then.

Han Yujin stood next to Cha Jaehee, stretched, and said:

“Hey, Ms. Cha Jaehee.”

“Yes.”

“You were first in the brand reputation rankings last month, right?”

“…Probably so.”

“That’s amazing. But,”

Cha Jaehee glanced sideways at Han Yujin. There was no wavering in her eyes full of confidence.

“If you keep just eating from tables set by others, you’ll end up losing everything to me.”

“…What did you say?”

Cha Jaehee glared at Han Yujin, doubting her ears.

“It was the same earlier too. Your mom this, the PD that… doesn’t Ms. Cha Jaehee have any opinions?”

“What are you saying right now?”

Cha Jaehee’s eyes rolled.

Han Yujin pouted her lips as if unbothered by the sharp gaze.

“I mean, come on. You’re not a robot that only moves as programmed. You know how to use a spoon, right? Ah, this is a joke.”

“Why are you suddenly picking a fight…”

Tweeet!

The whistle sound shook their eardrums.

Cha Jaehee’s legs moved forward.

Even while running, Han Yujin’s words flickered like flies.

-Doesn’t Ms. Cha Jaehee have any opinions?

The flickering thoughts dug into her mind on their own.

-Doesn’t Ms. Cha Jaehee have any will?

-Doesn’t Ms. Cha Jaehee have any ideology?

-Doesn’t Ms. Cha Jaehee have any freedom?

-Doesn’t Ms. Cha Jaehee have any thoughts?

-Who are you, Ms. Cha Jaehee?

An autonomous human. An active human.

A woman at the opposite end of herself.

Hearing such words from Han Yujin, Cha Jaehee’s emotions fluctuated through three stages.

The first was anger,

The second was shame.

And the third was,

Fear.

Han Yujin, who was chasing closely behind, said with difficulty in a breathless voice:

“If you’re that slow, I’ll catch up to you soon.”

“Don’t pick a fight with me.”

“Honestly, you don’t want to be caught, right?”

Cha Jaehee avoided answering. She increased her speed to shake off Han Yujin.

Han Yujin raised her speed to the end and stubbornly stuck to Cha Jaehee.

“Wearing a mask all day is tiring. I know because I’ve done it too.”

“I’ll just ignore you.”

“You don’t need to live as someone else’s persona outside the camera too.”

She desperately ignored it while regulating her depleting breath.

‘I should stop running now.’

Even though she knew she should give up and stop by now, whether out of lingering attachment or not, Cha Jaehee’s legs kept moving.

‘…Why am I doing this?’

Just then.

“I’ll go ahead!”

“…Huh?”

Han Yujin suddenly burst forward and lightly overtook Cha Jaehee.

Then,

Between Cha Jaehee’s gasping breaths, only one thought flashed.

It wasn’t self-reflection or the obsession that she should act.

It was pure instinct.

That she wanted to overtake Han Yujin.

Cha Jaehee regulated her breath neatly and overtook Han Yujin again.

At that moment.

She felt a strange sensation as if her stopped heart was beating again.

“Huh? Candidate Cha Jaehee! Stop!”

Kang Dahee shouted, watching Cha Jaehee continue forward without realizing she had finished.

“…Yes?”

Only then did Cha Jaehee stop.

Kang Dahee, holding the timer, praised Cha Jaehee with admiration.

“Does Candidate Cha Jaehee exercise often usually?”

“Ah, yes…”

“Well done. 7 minutes 30 seconds.”

Cha Jaehee breathed heavily.

She felt like laughing. She couldn’t hear the surrounding sounds. She only felt her own breath and heartbeat. She fully enjoyed the vivid emotion she felt after a long time.

Han Yujin, who came in right after, heaved her chest while catching her breath.

“Do you have motors on your soles? Why are you so fast?”

Hearing Han Yujin’s words, a thought flashed through Cha Jaehee’s mind.

“Don’t tell me you played the role of a pacer to make me finish? On purpose?”

“Yes. Otherwise you wouldn’t run even if you died!”

Hearing the grumbling words, Cha Jaehee smiled with her eyes, as refreshing as pine needles.

Seeing that, Han Yujin chuckled.

“Earlier only the corners of your mouth turned up, but now even the corners of your eyes are folding. See? Your real smile is prettier.”

Han Yujin added with an “Ah”.

“Ah, this time it’s not a joke but the truth.”

Cha Jaehee looked at Han Yujin.

Her bright and wise light green eyes shone brilliantly. Her slightly disheveled hair and transparent sweat drops reflected in the sunlight made her look full of life and energy.

“I take back everything I said earlier, take it back! Ms. Cha Jaehee is too fast, I want to call GG!”

Han Yujin, holding her side, waved her hand and sat on the steps of the review stand.

Cha Jaehee muttered inwardly.

‘…What an interesting person.’

Just then,

PD Park Jungseung approached secretly.

Cha Jaehee made an embarrassed expression, realizing her mistake.

“Ah, PD-nim, I’m sorry. I got too excited, different from the concept, right?”

Park Jungseung waved his hands with wide eyes.

“No, no! Rather, you did well. The shooting schedule has been flipped due to circumstances. So you don’t need to do the troublemaker act anymore.”

“Then how should I…”

“Let’s just go with Ms. Cha Jaehee’s usual self. For real.”

“My usual self?”

“Yes. We’re going to cut out all the sadistic parts and switch to growth, friendship, comradeship, that kind of thing. Haha.”

Cha Jaehee averted her gaze. She looked at the cast members playing around with each other.

Wiping the sweat drops flowing down her chin,

Cha Jaehee smiled slightly.

It was a real smile without lies.

Cha Jaehee, who inhaled the cool winter air, said in a rather light voice:

“That sounds good. I think I can do a hundred times better than acting like a troublemaker.”