Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Action Scene
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Kim Gyu-jin and Yoo Jun-seung led the black legion.
They put on a tremendous show, every bit the professionals they were paid to be.
Far faster than the staff-slash-security-slash-fans who had been directing traffic.
With far more stable flow, they expertly established order.
As a result, the inaugural Jeong Gyeowol roadside fan signing event wrapped up all too smoothly(?).
I'd figured the police would show up after complaints about blocking traffic and the street being too noisy.
Lucky it was a weekday afternoon, maybe.
Somehow, it all went off without a hitch.
No one got hurt, the fans were safe, and my fan signing ended safely.
That didn't mean I was safe.
I'd been practically kidnapped back to the company and was now getting reamed out by the head of the Actor Management Division.
"It's a relief it ended without incident, but... you need to realize you got lucky. If this happened ten times, there'd be accidents eight of those times."
"...I'm sorry."
"Jeong Gyeowol, you're not just an aspiring actor anymore—you're a rising star. No more going out without a manager, and no lingering in places without security."
"Yes... I'm sorry."
Just a few days ago, I'd deleted the app again in despair after failing to break 2,000 followers on Stargram...
Fame? Rising star?
Honestly, I felt wronged.
I had a million things I wanted to argue back with.
How was I supposed to know I'd blow up overnight?
Why didn't the company warn me to be careful ahead of time?
And even if not, shouldn't they be praising me for handling it solo as well as I did?
But all I could do was nod vigorously and reflect on my sins.
If it had been Yoo Jun-seung or Kim Gyu-jin chewing me out, I might've tried to haggle—some credit to offset the blame.
Not in this atmosphere, though.
It wasn't just the Division Head, Kim Gyu-jin, and Yoo Jun-seung here.
Lo and behold.
Right in front of me.
CEO Kim Seul-ong.
If I pushed back or nitpicked now... it'd be Yoo Jun-seung and Kim Gyu-jin taking the heat, not me.
I didn't want them getting in trouble for my screw-up.
They were company employees dealing with their boss—far more precarious than my actor-agency ties.
What if an anti-fan, stalker, or criminal had been in that crowd?
What if a resident complaint had blown it up into a big deal?
What if someone had gotten hurt during the signing?
[Rising Star Jeong Gyeowol Crashes Back to Earth After Just One Day in the Spotlight.]
Something like that headline would've been everywhere.
...Putting it all together like this, it does feel like I messed up big time...
Anyway, to keep it my fault alone, I clamped my mouth shut and just kept nodding.
I figured the CEO would tear into me after the Division Head finished.
But Kim Seul-ong chose Kim Gyu-jin instead.
"From where I'm sitting, this seems more like Executive Kim's fault than Jeong Gyeowol's. What do you think?"
He didn't even glance at Yoo Jun-seung.
He knew beating down on just Kim Gyu-jin would make all three of us squirm.
"...I'm sorry. I should've kept in mind she's only twenty and a total rookie. She's always seemed so mature and composed that I forgot for a moment. I'll be more careful to prevent this in the future."
"...I'm sorry."
Kim Gyu-jin bowed his head stiffly as he replied.
Yoo Jun-seung followed suit.
Now it was my turn.
"...It was my fault! I should've called them right away and had them come with me, but it hit me too late..."
They'd never said anything like that.
But to save the two of them, I blurted it out anyway.
I could just grovel and apologize, but they faced write-ups at best—or pay cuts, suspensions, even firing at worst.
...But what if this gets my contract terminated?
CEO Kim Seul-ong seemed to like me for some reason...
But how long had I been signed? An actress causing drama this soon?
From a business standpoint, they might not bother with the risk I posed.
I didn't want to ruin someone else's life to get ahead.
But I didn't want to crash and burn like this either.
The moment I saw my excuses weren't landing—
"CEO! I'm truly sorry!"
"...!"
"Gyeowol!"
—I bowed at the waist. Ninety degrees, easy.
I sneaked a peek upward and saw CEO Kim Seul-ong's eyes widen.
It hit me how narrow-eyed he usually was.
The Division Head, Kim Gyu-jin, and Yoo Jun-seung were the same—all four looked like their eyes might pop out.
"Don't do that."
CEO Kim Seul-ong recovered first.
He even helped me up himself.
This had to have worked at least halfway, right?
On top of that, I was pulling off a heartbreaking, teary-eyed expression—like I was about to cry any second.
This has to be enough... I can't do more than this...
"Ahem. We'll talk responsibility later."
"Yes, CEO."
"Anyway, it's good no one got hurt. How's the reaction?"
"If we're just looking at reactions, it might've even been a net positive. A middle school girl who recognized Gyeowol for the first time posted a thank-you, and it's spreading fast across communities. Her character is getting highlighted. And that's not all."
Was it thanks to my acting?
The punishment for Executive Kim Gyu-jin and Yoo Jun-seung got tabled, and we shifted to the upsides of my fan signing.
Kim Gyu-jin even pulled out some prepared materials—god knows when he'd put them together.
Catching that stumbling fan.
Yelling to keep order before anyone got hurt.
Not skipping a single person—staying till the end to sign and pose for photos.
Never frowning once, smiling all the way.
Even the little thing of my hands and cheeks turning red from the cold.
All of it was spreading online.
Flooded with supportive comments that buried the hate in seconds.
My eyes even stung a little.
What was this? Getting all emotional over nothing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The roadside fan signing became quite the big issue in all sorts of ways.
It wasn't just online chaos.
"Whoa, Actor Jeong, treating fans like her own body showed up!"
"Saw the article! You handled it great. As expected of Jeong Gyeowol—veteran moves from a rookie."
"Please don't tease me... It was just a fluke that happened somehow..."
Even on set, talk of the incident wouldn't die down.
Everyone I ran into had to comment on it.
Geum Yu-na's drinking party reimbursement good deed was getting buried—I felt kinda bad.
"...Gyeowol, looks like my lectures weren't enough."
"...!"
Any guilt melted away the second I saw Geum Yu-na.
She'd come like someone even scarier than CEO Kim Seul-ong or Executive Kim Gyu-jin was waiting for me.
I recalled my outfit that day.
...On my way to the company to work out.
Training clothes, bare face, messy hair.
She'd nagged about my outfits more than once, so now it was compounded with resentment.
Going out alone without a manager, oblivious to my situation.
Not even thinking to cover my face with a hat and mask.
This was definitely a one-hour lecture.
"...Um, I have a shoot, so I'll head in. See you."
"I checked the scene list. You're on standby."
"...Why do you know my standby times?"
Hmm. Should've dodged her during standby periods.
Looked like I'd been caught red-handed.
Luckily, my hard work for the fans and establishing order without injuries worked in my favor.
The lecture wrapped in under thirty minutes.
After that, we just chatted idly to kill time.
"Should I try action school too?"
"Whoa, action school rocks! I recommend Seoul Action School. It's run by the legendary Bae Gi-young Action Director from the martial world..."
"...PPL, huh?"
I explained what exercises they did inside.
What actions, what martial arts they taught.
How it was a structured program even total beginners could handle.
This oughta cover my loyalty to Seoul Action School.
"But why action school all of a sudden?"
p>"Just doing PT feels kinda boring lately... Don't I look like I've gained weight?"
"Huh? No! Not at all! Where?"
"You're just glancing and giving a half-assed answer again."
"..."
Women's talk still tripped me up.
As I hemmed and hawed, unsure what to say—
"Jeong Gyeowol, standby!"
"Yes! Coming right now! Right away!"
The assistant director saved me.
Psychometry Her's main episodes chase a killer starting a serial murder spree on the homeless.
But there were plenty of breather episodes or emotional triggers prepped too.
This scene was one of the triggers.
Helena saves Kang Ho-soo from a knife attack and fully integrates into Team 2.
Today's shoot was the action scene for episode 8.
Time to show the essence of Bae Gi-young-style action from Seoul Action School.
"You sure you'll be okay? Better to use a stunt double..."
PD Yun Jong-pil and I had already agreed no doubles.
Cha Joo-eun the screenwriter grumbled we should've planned a less risky scene if we knew.
After brushing them off, now the assistant director brings it up worriedly.
Standard concern from the crew.
But.
"If it were life-or-death dangerous acting, I'd leave it to the pros, but since it's not that bad, I want to do it. It's my role, after all. Better for the drama's flow too."
"What if you get hurt... Stunt doubles are seamless these days anyway."
"Come on, I know that."
I flashed a bright smile to reassure the assistant director, and he finally shook his head in surrender.
"...Can't fight you on this. Fine. But speak up immediately if you even think you're hurt."
"Yep. Don't worry. I'm a total wimp about pain anyway."
If I couldn't handle this level of action, I'd need doubles for the entire movie shoot starting next week.
That'd be a disgrace to the president of Seoul Action School—the top martial arts director in Korea.
Bae Gi-young.
And for that sin, I'd get double—no, triple the brutal workouts.
...Ugh. Might have to head to Taereung then.
Not that I was scared of more grueling sessions at action school.
Artistic integrity first and foremost.
Everything for the work.
...For real.