episode_0031

“…Was it that easy?”

The marketing team, startled, asked back, then immediately turned their heads to the handycam someone was holding nearby. Their voice was excited.

“To the viewers who will be watching this video later, did you hear that loud and clear? Ms. Su-a said Kim Yu-han’s acting was also very easy! Amazing!”

“…Pardon?”

For Su-a, it was just an embarrassing situation.

It was a miracle that ‘I was a bit disappointed’ transformed into ‘It was very easy.’ She didn’t even say the ‘a bit’ part!

“But it’s not hard to understand either! I think Su-a-ssi is capable of it, given her skills. So, shall we now delve into the character of Lee Su-a one by one? Su-a-ssi, you don’t have an agency yet, do you?”

“No. I don’t have an agency.”

“No agency! This is truly groundbreaking!”

Su-a didn’t quite understand, but the word ‘groundbreaking’ didn’t seem to be a lie. The surroundings were slightly abuzz, after all.

“Su-a-ssi is going to have a hard time today, isn’t she?”

“Hard time?”

A hard time? What kind of hard time?

Is there a disadvantage if you don’t have an agency?

But Su-a wasn’t given a chance to correct the answer she’d already given, nor was she given a chance to ask anything else. It was because the marketing team’s questions were raining down relentlessly.

“How did you learn such acting skills, Su-a-ssi?”

“I didn’t really learn it. At first, it was just a hobby….”

“You didn’t learn it? And it was a hobby?”

The marketing team’s eyes widened.

“…Ah, you’re joking to lighten the mood on set, right?”

They desperately wanted it to be a joke, as the answer was too much to handle. But Su-a had no intention of lying. She lightly shook her head, and the other person’s eyes widened even more.

“…So, you’re saying you didn’t learn it and started it as a hobby?”

“Yes.”

“Oh….”

The woman, who always continued the conversation like a slippery eel no matter the situation, closed her mouth for the first time. Su-a’s groundbreaking answer was the cause.

The reactions of those guarding the surroundings weren’t much different either.

Shock spread like a wave, and each person began to add a word or two.

“What exactly did she say? I didn’t hear.”

“She said the role of Kim Yu-han was very easy. And that acting is a hobby.”

“Isn’t she just joking because it’s an off-the-record video?”

“…Does that look like a joking face? Look again. Is that what her face looks like?”

Among them, there was one person who was especially surprised.

‘…A hobby? She achieved this level with just a hobby?’

Hwang Myeong-pil, who recently gained the modifier ‘luxury supporting actor’ and raised his stock price, couldn’t help but feel a painful shock.

He was welcomed as a supporting actor with a smile-inducing face. He had finally climbed this far because he hadn’t given up acting even during his long years of obscurity. But he hadn’t even played a leading role yet.

‘A leading role taken as a hobby? Researching an incomplete role through self-study?’

The sky felt particularly cruel.

Does acting ultimately come down to talent?

While the outdoor set was filled with everyone’s exclamations, there were those who maintained their composure even in this situation.

Lee Geum-suk, Choi Hee-won, Seo Yeon-ju, and Kim Seon-il. There were four of them.

Seo Yeon-ju said, picking up a thin potato chip.

“Were we like that too?”

“You were a bit more flamboyant. And a bit more unpleasant to look at.”

“Well, I didn’t kneel, though.”

As always, warm conversations flowed between Kim Seon-il and Seo Yeon-ju, who were sitting side by side. The writer, Lee, laughed as she quietly listened.

“Aren’t you two actually siblings? I get confused sometimes.”

Then, both of them were disgusted.

Seo Yeon-ju shuddered, saying, “Ew.”

“Please don’t say creepy things. Anyway, I understand the set’s reaction. Su-a-ssi is such a mysterious being, after all.”

The marketing team’s off-the-record recording ended like that.

It ended in just a few minutes, but it couldn’t be helped. Those involved in filming knew well how amazing words like ‘hobby’ and ‘self-study’ were.

…Furthermore, she combined those two things to create Kim Yu-han? How could they not be surprised? At least, that’s what Seo Yeon-ju thought.

Meanwhile, the protagonist of this chaos.

Su-a, who unintentionally became the eye of the storm.

‘What is this situation?’

She was busy trying to figure out the situation. The mock filming was a very important occasion, and she had to read the room to survive.

She pondered for about a minute.

Finally, she realized one thing.

‘…I wasn’t an outcast?’

The gazes towards Su-a have become quite clear, so she can now read them.

She had only thought that they were avoiding her, but she realized that the situation wasn’t entirely negative. She realized that what was contained in the presence of those around her was ‘caution’ rather than ‘avoidance.’

“…”

It’s certain.

Glimpses of Su-a everywhere, gazes of wonder, admiration, and even something that seemed to be mixed with reverence from time to time.

‘Looking back, it’s true. Even at the dinner celebrating the start of production, it was as if I had made a grand declaration.’

—I will try not to stand out.

Meaning she would quietly do only what she was told to do.

But people took Su-a’s words in a different meaning. And what about today’s situation?

‘…I did pretty well, right? I proved myself anyway, right?’

She blurted out monstrous ambition, and then proved it.

Once she thought that far, she understood everything.

She wasn’t being treated badly. Rather, she was being treated with a greatness unprecedented in her life.

‘Wow, I’m getting treated like this?’

Su-a’s eyes sparkled.

‘I’m going crazy with excitement. No, isn’t this the reaction I wanted? And what does it matter? It wasn’t like I answered with a lie.’

Su-a began to desperately soothe herself.

You’re being seen as you wanted to be seen. Be happy. Be happy, me.

‘Enjoy it. Don’t be nervous and enjoy it, Lee Su-a. Be nonchalant. Be natural.’

Su-a began to put her heart and soul into self-management.

It’s different from earlier, when she was desperately trying to maintain a blank expression.

A slightly relaxed and haughty feeling.

She was almost like a *sahmo-nim* from a soap opera.

But.

“….”

How much time had passed?

‘…Ugh, but I can’t keep this up for long. My heart hurts.’

The scenery that comes into view, no matter where you look, is the same.

The sight of everyone glancing at Su-a and whispering was still a great burden, and her arm, which had been bitten earlier, still hurt. She didn’t want to show that her expression was distorted because of the pain.

“Meat’s here! Meat!”

“I have to drive, so I’m sad I can’t drink.”

“You can call a designated driver. Is a day like today common?”

There was a group approaching with boxes full of ingredients. It was a scene that meant the full-fledged dinner would begin soon, but Su-a shook herself off and stood up.

“I’ll be going home early.”

She didn’t say any particular reason. Groundbreaking behavior containing only the conclusion.

But no one asked Su-a for a reason. They just made way, greeting her as they made eye contact.

Su-a thought. Oh, it works, it works. This works.

Su-a, who felt proud inside, left with her shoulders higher than before, and those who remained could only watch her back.

At that time.

“Yeon-ju, and Seon-il.”

Hwang Myeong-pil looked for Kim Seon-il and Seo Yeon-ju.

“About the newbie playing Kim Yu-han, the more I look at her, the less I understand her. What is she even?”

Seo Yeon-ju nonchalantly answered, chewing on a potato chip.

“Su-a-ssi is Su-a-ssi. It’s hard to explain in other words.”

“…What does that mean? Weren’t you two supposed to know her well?”

“We don’t know her either. We’ve just gotten used to her.”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you in advance, give up on trying to understand her.”

Seo Yeon-ju chuckled.

“You won’t understand anyway. You have no choice but to accept it, I guess?”

◈◈◈◈◈

Su-a silently walked towards the parking lot.

She was planning to catch a taxi when she reached the parking lot and collapse like a corpse and sleep as soon as she got home.

Apart from feeling proud, today was really exhausting.

‘…Still, I was pretty cool, wasn’t I? Lee Su-a? You have talent.’

But why is it?

Even though she felt like she was going to die from exhaustion, a giggle leaked out.

Even though it was a situation that started from a misunderstanding, it doesn’t matter as long as she maintains it well in the future, right? It was a very happy thing for Su-a to be seen favorably by others.

A first experience. Something that had never happened in her life.

‘Augh, I should sleep first and go to the hospital tomorrow.’

She was continuing towards the parking lot like that.

Suddenly, Su-a sensed a presence.

Thud─ Thud─

Footsteps. But not of one person.

She glanced around and saw that there were quite a few people moving in the same direction as her. Well, come to think of it, that makes sense.

The desire to go home quickly wouldn’t be unique to Su-a.

Su-a immediately straightened her back and put on her expression again. She definitely couldn’t go to the parking lot comfortably.

But.

Thud─ Thud─

The footsteps around her were strangely fast. It felt like they were deliberately passing Su-a. Why were they walking so much?

‘Why are they in such a hurry? Toilet? Or to take a taxi first?’

At that moment, Su-a wondered.

Swish!

One of the people who had crossed Su-a turned around.

“Excuse me, Su-a-ssi! Hello!”

“…”

Su-a froze for a moment.

“…What’s the matter.”

She barely asked. She almost jumped in surprise.

“I was very impressed with your acting in today’s mock filming. So much so that I pleaded with the PD to release the recorded video! But in the end, I couldn’t get it because it was private.”

“Yes. What’s your business?”

“It’s nothing special. Today was full of stories about Su-a-ssi, and coincidentally, I heard that Su-a-ssi doesn’t have an agency…?”

“That’s right.”

When she nodded, the other person smiled brightly.

It was at the same time as taking out a fairly stylish business card from their wallet.

“I’m in charge of Bada Actors, and you’ve probably heard of it at least once. It’s the agency of Park Do-hee-ssi, who worked with Su-a-ssi today.”

…An agency offer?

Su-a blinked blankly.

The feeling was different from when a man asked for her number or when someone handed her their business card. An agency. In other words, doesn’t that mean that Su-a has value as an actress?

While Su-a was lost in emotion, the other person became even more friendly.

“I was impressed with the way you and Do-hee matched ad-libs on the spot! There aren’t many unique impressions like this these days, and our Bada Actors welcomes newcomers like Su-a-ssi!”

“Hmm.”

“We got to work together today, so it would be nice if we were in the same agency, right? I’m not asking for an answer right away. Just give it some positive consideration. I’ll be waiting for your call anytime.”

“Okay.”

Su-a nodded, feeling good inside, but she didn’t think she would call back. A bit much to deal with people who bite.

And above all, she was tired. A situation that was becoming more tiring every minute and every second. She put the business card in her pocket and turned around.

“….”

Su-a stopped.

It was because the scenery in front of her had frozen her feet.

Su-a was not the only one who had stopped at this moment. Everyone who had passed Su-a was positioned at regular intervals. As if they were waiting for their turn.

Along with gazes that seemed to have a purpose only for Su-a.

Suddenly, the marketing team’s words came to mind.

—No agency?

—Su-a-ssi is going to have a hard time today, isn’t she?

The marketing team wasn’t wrong. Su-a had to pay a huge price for doing her best in the mock filming.

“Su-a-ssi!”

“Su-a-ssi, would you please take just one of our business cards?”

“It will only take a moment. Su-a-ssi, just a moment….”

The marketing team’s words weren’t wrong. Su-a had to pay a tremendous price for doing her best in the mock filming.

“Please!”

Everyone rushed at Su-a, without exception. It was momentary.

Su-a’s empty hands were soon filled with a pile of business cards.

“Please take our business card too!”

“How are you going home when you go back? We….”

She was completely out of her mind.

She was almost a *tajja*. The moment she even thought that she could play cards with the things she was holding in her hands.

─♩♪♬

Suddenly, the phone rang.

A cell phone held to her ear while she was completely out of her mind.

[Don’t take anything.]

That’s how the first word she heard out of the blue was.

A familiar voice.

Su-a was very surprised inside.

[I’m confident.]

The other person was none other than Mystic’s CEO, Kim Iseo.