episode_0013
by adminA hard-working actor who, in the end, earned the nickname “A Classy Piece of Trash” from the public. Kim Sun-il.
“…Amazing.”
He observed Soo-ah without even blinking.
“… Sunbae, you run. You said you know the way, right?”
All distractions vanished, and he became completely engrossed in Soo-ah’s acting. It was only natural.
‘Kim Yu-han…. She’s similar to the Kim Yu-han that the writer created in the initial stages. The Kim Yu-han before any revisions. The Kim Yu-han that no actor could embody…!’
Kim Sun-il was the one who yearned for the completion of this script more than anyone else.
He couldn’t help but know every detail of what the role of Kim Yu-han was created for, how it was created, and what revision processes it went through. And now, the finished product has finally appeared before his very eyes.
‘It suits her well. It’s a perfect fit. Even though she’s a woman.’
Kim Yu-han is a male role.
Since gender is determined by heaven, failing to overcome that limitation is not a matter of skill. It’s inherently impossible for humans to defy the heavens.
But then, what is it that Kim Sun-il is seeing right now?
Kim Yu-han. No matter how he looks at it, it’s Kim Yu-han.
‘I…. I couldn’t break free from my own image.’
Kim Sun-il wanted to break through his own limits of being a ‘classy piece of trash.’ In fact, he wanted to play Kim Yu-han.
He wanted to escape his image as a villain specialist and challenge himself with the ethereal genius role of Kim Yu-han, but he repeatedly failed due to the difficulty.
The rookie proved with ease what even he had failed at.
‘That rookie, she overcomes her own limits so easily….’
Gender, the impression given by her face. Soo-ah surpasses them all.
And that’s not all.
‘It’s natural for interpretations to differ for a single role, but I can’t find any room for argument. There are no gaps in her interpretation.’
There’s no conflict. Even her understanding of the script is perfect.
It wasn’t difficult to come to a conclusion.
‘Lee Soo-ah. Lee Soo-ah must play the role of Kim Yu-han. She’s the last piece that will complete this script.’
Suddenly, he turned his head and met eyes with Seo Yeon-joo, who had a pretty hairstyle with a headband. As if facing a mirror, the two of them wore the exact same expression.
“….”
Without a word, they both nodded simultaneously.
The meaning was only one.
Cast Lee Soo-ah in the role of Kim Yu-han.
“…Soo-ah-yang, please take on the role of Kim Yu-han. You must take it. No one else will do. Only Soo-ah-yang’s interpretation of Kim Yu-han is possible. Let’s give the viewers a real surprise.”
It was the first time he’d seen writer Lee Geum-sook so excited, but it didn’t feel like an overreaction at all. He couldn’t even be bothered by the fact that coffee cups were rolling on the floor.
However, it was then that Soo-ah cautiously asked a question.
“I have a question. Why the cross-dressing?”
“Ah, that’s because…”
PD Choi Hee-won, Seo Yeon-joo, and Kim Sun-il moved closer to writer Lee Geum-sook as if they had been waiting for it. They stared at the laptop with great intensity and started a meeting on the spot.
“If the only person who can play the role of Kim Yu-han is Soo-ah-yang, but we openly pair the male detective and female detective as a team, the romance comedy vibes will be quite strong. That’s not ideal.”
PD Choi Hee-won also nodded.
“Having her cross-dress. This is really good, isn’t it? Kim Yu-han is someone who will do anything to catch the criminal, and investigating by deceiving even her teammates… Brilliant.”
“Right? Besides, Soo-ah is so pretty. Just imagine the reaction after revealing that she’s a woman in the later part of the story… Wow, I’m already going crazy.”
“But how are you going to make her cross-dress? I hugged Soo-ah from behind earlier.”
Seo Yeon-joo moved her arms awkwardly, as if she was trying to express a huge full moon.
“So, um, I was a little envious. I don’t think it’s something that can be solved by the makeup team…”
“Wrap some bandages, make the clothes baggy, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll have to use special effects. The editing team will have to suffer, but what can we do? We’re making a masterpiece, so can’t they do that much?”
They say too many cooks spoil the broth?
Not today.
Perhaps it was thanks to Lee Soo-ah’s excellent role as a compass, but the meeting progressed smoothly while surrounding a single laptop. The correct answer for the role of Kim Yu-han is written quickly.
Everyone is standing, and even as the ice spilled on the floor melts, they are just focused. They seemed to have forgotten everything else.
Seo Yeon-joo exclaimed in admiration.
“Wow, I feel good now that the role of Kim Yu-han is certain? Ha Yun-jin’s position has also become clearer.”
“This scene is also resolved.”
“…Crazy. How can it fit together so perfectly like a puzzle?”
Everyone looks excited, but Soo-ah, who was the one who asked the question, was left all alone.
“….”
Soo-ah quietly scratched the back of her neck.
‘Anyway, did it work out well? By the way, this perk even finds answers in unfinished scripts. It’s really crazy.’
The passion of those standing in front of her isn’t ordinary, so it’s a bit difficult to interrupt. Soo-ah was embarrassed, so she started picking up the ice that had spilled on the floor one by one.
Then, at some point, she made eye contact with PD Choi Hee-won.
“Oh my, we neglected the lead without even realizing it.”
“Huh? That’s right! Oh, oh, oh! Soo-ah-ssi! Don’t clean up things like that!”
Seo Yeon-joo quickly ran over and moved all the ice that was in Soo-ah’s hands onto her own palms.
A sunshine-like smile was a bonus.
“Soo-ah-ssi, I was really scared of you, but you’re surprisingly nice?”
“Excuse me?”
Soo-ah thought. We spilled it, so shouldn’t we clean it up? No, did they see me as that much of trash…?
“Make someone like Sun-il do things like that. He even has mysophobia.”
“…Excuse me?”
Is it okay to use someone with mysophobia like that? Soo-ah’s head was in a mess in many ways, but Kim Sun-il himself didn’t react much.
Seo Yeon-joo raised the corner of her mouth crookedly.
“Usually, he gets irritated when I say that, but he’s quiet today? It seems like Soo-ah-ssi’s acting was that impressive.”
The writer’s laptop was closed around that time.
“Soo-ah-yang, I’m sorry. I have to write down everything that comes to mind, and you gave me too much inspiration.”
“I’m okay.”
But that’s when it happened.
“…I can’t understand.”
A low voice cut in. It was Kim Sun-il.
He stared intently at Soo-ah and said.
“Lee Soo-ah, you remember the role of Kim Hyo-jin, right?”
“Yeah. I remember it.”
Of course, she remembered the name. Although she couldn’t experience it.
“Kim Hyo-jin is an easy role with a stable amount of screentime, and Kim Yu-han is a role that hasn’t even been completed yet. I’m curious about the reason for your choice.”
He continued in a very calm voice.
“Because most rookies think like this. Let’s just pass the audition with a safe role. Let’s just participate in this writer’s drama somehow. Somehow.”
Then, Seo Yeon-joo’s eyes sparkled.
“Now that I hear it, I’m also curious. Soo-ah-ssi, you’re a rookie. If you challenge yourself with Kim Yu-han and fail, your chance to participate will be gone completely. Weren’t you scared?”
“This is a topic that makes you want to listen.”
Even PD Choi Hee-won joined in and waited for Soo-ah’s answer, but the person in question was just dumbfounded.
‘…Do they think that highly of it?’
Kim Yu-han was just on the list of experience choices. But Soo-ah wasn’t foolish enough to reveal even this.
“I, I told you. I won’t do it unless it’s a lead role.”
She stuttered slightly, but hopefully it wasn’t noticeable. Soo-ah tried to encourage herself. Have confidence!
Anyway, the reaction to Soo-ah’s words was amazing.
“Wow…”
“I wouldn’t have been able to imitate that kind of guts when I was a rookie.”
That’s when it happened. Writer Lee Geum-sook grabbed Soo-ah’s hand.
“Soo-ah-yang, but I have something serious to say.”
“Yes?”
“Kim Yu-han will require me to rewrite virtually every scene, so you’ll often receive the script with only a few days left before filming. Even then, it might be revised. Would you be okay with that?”
Instead of answering, Soo-ah first checked the perk space.
[ Special Mobile Unit 808 ]
▶ Sufficient Implementation Elements
▶ Experience Completed / Grade 1
Kim Yu-han ─ 001 ….
Kim Yu-han is still available to experience. She nodded.
“Yes. I’m okay with it.”
“Soo-ah-yang…. That’s so…”
Writer Lee Geum-sook’s eyes reddened. Why?
Afterwards, writer Lee Geum-sook moved as if possessed by something, and took out several sheets of paper from a file. Soo-ah glanced at them, and they were roughly contract forms.
“Soo-ah-yang, let’s write the contract right away today.”
“…A contract? Ah, a contract.”
She answered as if she knew, but in fact, her mind went blank.
Why else? Soo-ah’s head gets dizzy just looking at numbers beyond multiplication tables. A contract filled with difficult words is no different from an alien document….
Moreover.
There was one thing that was very thoroughly engraved in Soo-ah’s previous life and this life. A word she had heard countless times.
─Don’t do a contract on the spot that day!
The perk helps with acting, but it doesn’t even consider contract terms. In other words, Soo-ah needed time to understand the contract.
“Contract terms…. Um, let me think for a while…”
Who around here knows this well? Let’s go home and look into things.
Writer Lee Geum-sook urged her again.
“Soo-ah-yang, are you worried that we’ll treat you unfairly? You don’t have to worry. I’ll make it to where you won’t be disappointed.”
“No, um…”
Regardless of whether the contract terms are good or bad, if Soo-ah is just staring blankly at the contract, wouldn’t all her foolishness show? That can never happen.
She will maintain the current image of not being easily taken advantage of. Only then will she be treated better in the future. Soo-ah also vaguely knew that.
‘What excuse can I use to buy time?’
She searched hard, and soon found one.
Right, now that I think about it, there was one more thing that needed to be worked out before filming this drama.
“Um, but will filming be possible?”
Soo-ah carefully held out her index finger and pointed at one person.
“Kim Sun-il, that person is playing the role of Lee Kang-cheol, right?”
That was the classy piece of trash. Kim Sun-il.
“He really hates me, so I’m a little scared to work with him.”
A timid remark that was half buying time and half sincere.
However, the meaning that reached the other person was different. The faces across from her turned pale, without exception.
“Please contact us again later.”
Soo-ah quickly slipped out of the room.
◈◈◈◈◈
The cafe’s bathroom.
“Haaaaaa….”
Soo-ah finally took a comfortable breath after arriving here. She didn’t punch the mirror just in case….
As the tension was released all at once, fatigue poured out, and at the same time, there was also a fact that she was only now realizing.
“The contract. Huh? Didn’t I bring a copy of the contract…?”
Soo-ah realized that she hadn’t even brought a preliminary contract.
“….”
She said she would think about the contract terms, but she didn’t even bring the contract. What kind of idiot is there? Soo-ah messed up her hair wildly.
“Ah, geez, I’m going crazy. What should I do? Should I go back and get it? No. That would look really stupid.”
Moreover, she had even pointed out the attitude of Kim Sun-il, who was a high-ranking actor, and then slipped out. How can she go back in?
“…I don’t know. In this day and age, they’ll send it by email, right?”
That’s when she left the bathroom.
“Lee Soo-ah.”
A familiar low voice calls out to her. Soo-ah was so surprised that she almost jumped. Kim Sun-il was waiting.
“….”
Without realizing it, she swallowed hard.
‘This person is a villain specialist, is he going to stab me with a knife…?’
She struggled to fix her trembling legs and asked.
“…What’s going on?”
Kim Sun-il slowly approached. Soo-ah held on with superhuman mental strength to stop herself from instinctively taking a step back.
He’s really tall. Kim Sun-il, who had come very close, said.
“I heard you didn’t like my attitude.”
Soo-ah timidly nodded.
It’s true that Kim Sun-il is a high-ranking actor, and it’s true that he’s a famous actor, but it’s also true that he wasn’t friendly to Soo-ah.
“…Your attitude wasn’t good, was it?”
“….”
I want to say it like a villainous wife, but I keep saying it timidly. Kim Sun-il’s brow furrowed even further. I’m so scared I’m going to die.
Of course, Kim Sun-il’s thoughts were very different.
‘How angry is she?’
Soo-ah’s icy and sharp tone, her hair all messed up roughly, Kim Sun-il, who was confident that he wouldn’t be afraid of anyone. It was the first time in a long time that he felt nervous.
‘…But I have to hold on to her. Because she’s a necessary talent.’
That was the conclusion Kim Sun-il had reached.
And he was willing to do anything for the completion of the script. Really anything, even if it meant bending his pride.
Just then, Soo-ah was trembling and trying to get away.
“If that’s the case.”
Kim Sun-il lowered his head.
Soo-ah’s eyes widened. She thought he was just bowing his head, but he was kneeling down altogether.
“I apologize.”
“….”
“I was rude.”
Soo-ah quickly looked around.
Fortunately, the cafe was already closed. It was a late night, and it seemed like they had only left the building open because it was a place where such big shots gathered.
In any case, the shock was immense. She never even thought he would come right after her and apologize.
“I diligently searched for the completion of this script, but it was full of actors who were just arrogant without the skills. I thought Soo-ah-ssi would be the same, so I tested you.”
“Oh…. Um…”
“But I was wrong. Soo-ah-ssi is essential to this script. If my attitude is the problem, I will fix it.”
Soo-ah was just shocked.
Even if the other person’s attitude isn’t good, Soo-ah is a newbie and Kim Sun-il is a very high-ranking actor.
Therefore, she was inwardly aware that it couldn’t be helped even if she didn’t receive an apology. She thought it would be enough of a gain if she could just buy some time to think about the contract.
…He’s really apologizing? This much?
‘Was my acting that good? Is this person’s passion for the script that great? Or is it both?’
It was then that Seo Yeon-joo quickly approached. She also saw Kim Sun-il kneeling and her eyes widened.
“D, did you even kneel? And you even have mysophobia?”
Her voice is full of surprise.
“Ugh, you should have been kind from the beginning. How many times have I told you to fix that personality…”
First of all, Soo-ah also opened her lips.
“Please get up. Don’t do this.”
Kim Sun-il then got up from his seat. Seo Yeon-joo added.
“Soo-ah-ssi, please bear with him just once. It’s true that he did something wrong, but his passion for the drama is real. It’ll be okay during filming. And there’s a reason…”
“Seo Yeon-joo.”
Seo Yeon-joo stopped talking at Kim Sun-il’s words.
“…Okay. Anyway, please think about it carefully, Soo-ah-ssi.”
Meanwhile, Kim Sun-il opened his wallet. He took out three pieces of paper and put them in Soo-ah’s pocket.
“…Huh?”
Soo-ah checked it without thinking and was shocked. It’s not a 100,000 won bill, but three bills of 1,000,000 won each.
“The transportation fee I promised. And a small token of my sincerity.”
It didn’t even end with that.
Seo Yeon-joo forcibly handed Soo-ah a card.
“A card?”
“I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m trying to appeal to you to make a good impression.”
She smiled brightly and continued.
“First, use as much as you want, and I’ll get it back at our next meeting. In return, please positively consider participating in the filming.”
“….”
While Soo-ah was broken and stuttering.
“Hey, Soo-ah-ssi must be feeling burdened. Let’s go upstairs.”
“…Okay.”
Fortunately, the actors retreated first.
A little later.
Soo-ah left the cafe and hailed a taxi. Only after closing the seat door did she lean her head against the front seat and sigh.
“Hooo… I thought I was going to die…”
Soo-ah suddenly went back over what happened today.
Receiving a Grade 1 script contract offer, a high-ranking actor apologizing while giving her 3,000,000 won, Seo Yeon-joo, who suddenly rose as the epitome of purity, hugging her and even giving her a card….
…Is this okay? Really?
She shook her head.
“Ah, I don’t know, I don’t know…. Let’s just rest for a bit…”
I’m so tired I’m going to die. I’m not kidding, I’m really tired.
.
.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, on the way back upstairs for Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il.
“What is going on? Kim Sun-il even kneeling. And that’s to a rookie.”
“That’s the script I’ve been longing for so much. I can do even more for its completion.”
“Anyway, I know your passion is crazy.”
Seo Yeon-joo clicked her tongue.
“…More than that, is she really a rookie?”
“She is a rookie. Anyway, she doesn’t have any experience.”
“Maybe she has overseas experience.”
“Oh? That’s possible. Should I ask her later?”
Seo Yeon-joo belatedly remembered something and combed her hair with her fingers.
“Ah, right. I should also ask about her agency.”
“Anyway, we have to grab her. The role of Kim Yu-han. It can’t be anyone but her.”
The two of them weren’t really close. However, they were just talking as if possessed by the topic of Lee Soo-ah, which was a groundbreaking one.
Soon after, when they returned upstairs. Writer Lee Geum-sook and PD Choi Hee-won were waiting with worried faces.
Seo Yeon-joo spoke first.
“Cheer up your faces. Kim Sun-il apologized well for Kim Sun-il. I even gave her a card, so let’s just wait.”
“No, that’s not the problem right now.”
Choi Hee-won continued in a very serious face.
“Soo-ah-ssi didn’t even bring the contract.”
“Yes?”
“Apart from Sun-il’s attitude, it seems like she just didn’t like the conditions…”
Right then.
“No wonder she didn’t bother to take it.”
Kim Sun-il, who had glanced at the preliminary contract, said one word.
“3,000,000 won, Seo Yeon-joo’s card. Even after receiving all of that, the only thing she had on her face was a look as if she had picked up some trash. There’s no way this kind of contract would have caught her eye.”
It was a conversation that Soo-ah would have found truly absurd if she knew about it.
◈◈◈◈◈
The next day.
“Soo-ah-yang left the contract behind.”
Writer Lee Geum-sook muttered one word.
At the luxurious mansion-style accommodation, PD Choi Hee-won, assistant writers, and other drama production staff gathered.
There was a mountain of drinks and delivered lunch boxes everywhere. But no one here was happy.
It was understandable. They had gathered for such an important agenda. Rather, their faces were only full of tension.
“From now on, we will have a production-related meeting, that is, we will discuss the conditions under which we will bring Soo-ah-yang. What does this mean?”
Writer Lee Geum-sook said in a very serious face.
“No one can go home until we sign a contract with Soo-ah-yang.”
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