Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Translator: Penny
Chapter 65
is a drama composed of two complete story arcs.
The filming of 'Lee Hyun and Yeongwol's Union,' the resolution of the first arc, had just concluded.
Approximately one month remained until the first broadcast.
The initial episodes of were already edited, so there were no major issues with the broadcast.
"Hmm... I'm still concerned about the casting for ."
"Honestly, we're falling behind. They've filled even the minor roles with veteran actors."
The problem was the new articles related to MBS's , a competing drama in the same time slot, which had begun to dominate the internet.
Yoo Sung-jae and Ha-eun, the two leads of , were so-called 'young blood.'
Both were undoubtedly talented actors, but neither Yoo Sung-jae nor Ha-eun had much experience in leading roles.
In contrast, featured a cast largely composed of 'proven' actors.
To put it slightly hyperbolically, it was enough to worry about the financial situation of the MBS drama department.
Just as the KBC drama department had put its heart and soul into , the MBS drama department had also sharpened its knives.
For the KBC drama department, which had experienced only failures for the past three years, it was inevitable that their spirit would be somewhat subdued.
However, their desperation for success was in no way inferior to that of the MBS drama department.
"MPN News picked up our promotional dance source!"
"MPN? Isn't that a cable broadcasting company?"
"What does it matter if it's a cable broadcasting company? They even came to interview citizens!"
"Okay, okay, calm down, Writer Kim. You're too excited right now."
An aggressive promotional campaign, including special dance videos featuring the male lead and supporting actors, began.
After all, was a drama that absolutely had to succeed.
They aimed to definitively break the three-year-long slump this year.
Therefore, they were willing to use any means necessary to ensure the success of .
That was why a fairly large-scale production presentation was held less than a week after the special dance video was released.
It was a strategy to combine the attention garnered by the special dance video with the power of the production presentation articles.
"Okay, Sung-jae and Ha-eun, please strike your signature poses."
"Ah, great. Now, look to your right."
And so, Ha-eun finally faced the numerous reporters.
Numerous pose requests.
And countless flashes.
'...I can't afford to ruin my eyesight.'
Nothing was easy or comfortable.
Although she didn't show it outwardly.
The photo session continued for quite some time afterward.
Since the photo session was also a part of the production presentation, she had no intention of participating half-heartedly.
'How long do I have to keep linking arms?'
It wasn't easy to strike lover-like poses with Yoo Sung-jae, who played Lee Hyun, Yeongwol's counterpart in .
Perhaps it was because she had maintained a consistently calm expression except during filming.
Even though she wasn't on particularly awkward terms with Yoo Sung-jae, it was difficult to create the sweet atmosphere or loving gazes that the reporters at the production presentation were expecting.
To put it nicely, she had a poker face.
To put it badly, she was bland.
For Yoo Sung-jae, who was standing right next to Ha-eun, this aspect of Ha-eun was bound to be concerning.
It was five minutes later that Yoo Sung-jae's cautious voice whispered to Ha-eun.
"...Ha-eun. Are you not feeling well today?"
"...No, I'm fine."
"...If anything is difficult, tell me right away."
"...Whispering like this is difficult."
"...Sorry."
With that, Yoo Sung-jae, who had been trying to take care of Ha-eun in his own way, quietly closed his mouth again.
The host, judging that there was no point in continuing the couple shoot any further, moved on to the solo shooting sequence.
It was somewhat better once Ha-eun was standing alone in front of the cameras.
When she was standing with Yoo Sung-jae, she had to strike poses befitting Yeongwol, who yearned for Lee Hyun, but when Ha-eun was standing alone, she only had to show Yeongwol's usual weighty demeanor.
'She definitely looks better alone.'
'Wow, she's still a high school student, but she has charisma...'
'Intense, very intense.'
Thanks to that, the burden in Ha-eun's heart gradually disappeared.
The flashes from the numerous cameras were still dazzling, though.
Ha-eun's solo photo time ended approximately three minutes later.
After that, she only had to come down from the stage and watch Yoo Sung-jae's solo photo time.
However, since a Q&A session with numerous reporters was scheduled to begin after Yoo Sung-jae's solo photo time was over.
"Just in case, drink some water beforehand, Ha-eun."
"Ah, thank you, Unnie."
Ha-eun took a few sips of the bottled water Ju Jeong-yun handed her and tried to anticipate the questions that would be asked.
It was after she reunited with Jin Gyu-seong, who had briefly left his seat.
"As expected, you look like a completely different person when you're properly dressed."
"...Director, you look great too."
"I'm fine. The actors should stand out in these kinds of events."
Soon, Jin Gyu-seong's voice, saying that directors like him should deliberately dress shabbily to look like directors, reached her ears.
She could neither affirm nor deny it, and simply wore an awkward expression.
It was partly because she couldn't tell if he was joking or serious.
After that, as she stood silently in the slightly awkward atmosphere with Jin Gyu-seong, Yoo Sung-jae's photo time had already ended.
Soon, after the microphones and tables for the Q&A were set up, she went on stage with Jin Gyu-seong and began to answer the reporters' questions one by one.
There weren't any particularly difficult questions to answer during the approximately 30-minute Q&A.
Almost all of them were questions about acting as Yeongwol.
However, among the numerous questions.
To the question of how she felt about participating in filming as a proper lead like Yeongwol.
"I acted...like a lead. I hope you look forward to it."
She answered with a more serious expression and voice.
The more confidence she showed as a lead, the better.
Thanks to that, Yoo Sung-jae's expression, who had been worried about Ha-eun's condition until just before, improved.
Ha-eun's condition had to be good for the recording of <2 Days & 1 Night>, which was scheduled for two days later.
The reason he asked Ha-eun to spare some time even after the production presentation was completely over was also because of <2 Days & 1 Night>.
It was necessary to consult with Ha-eun about the recording of <2 Days & 1 Night> at least once.
Yoo Sung-jae and Ha-eun's appearance as guests on <2 Days & 1 Night> was solely for the promotion of .
Therefore.
"It would be good to talk about episodes that happened during the drama filming in between recordings."
"Episodes? Like what?"
"Um... Like when Ha-eun almost got cut for real during the filming of the first episode?"
"...I told you, I wasn't trying to cut you for real. Really."
Conversations about topics to discuss during the breaks in the <2 Days & 1 Night> recording.
"What will you do if Ha-eun gets chosen for the outdoor sleeping arrangement?"
"I'll have to sleep outside. A penalty is a penalty."
"There will be a lot of mosquitoes in the mountains, though?"
"...That's a bit much."
Conversations related to the unique penalties that could be seen as a characteristic of <2 Days & 1 Night>.
Or.
"Hyung Seong-ho said that this time, we're going to harvest watermelons ourselves and make fruit punch."
"Hyung Seong-ho? Are you acquainted with Jang Seongho?"
"Ah, yes. I've filmed with him a few times."
They shared personal stories about 'Jang Seongho,' the main MC of <2 Days & 1 Night>.
In the end, it was good for Yoo Sung-jae and Ha-eun if the filming of <2 Days & 1 Night> went smoothly.
Furthermore, it was good for .
If they left a good impression on the viewers of <2 Days & 1 Night>, they would also be interested in .
"Let's do our best this time too."
"Yes."
After saying that they would meet again in two days, she parted ways with Yoo Sung-jae.
Nevertheless, the reason why Ha-eun's mind was still complicated was.
'...It was definitely a recording from 8 a.m.'
It was because of the slightly early recording start time of <2 Days & 1 Night>.
Coincidentally, a collaboration stream with the Fantasy Home members was scheduled for the day before the recording.
Since this collaboration stream was Fantasy Home's official first collaboration, she had no intention of not participating.
'Should I take some energy boosters?'
She was constantly worried about the fact that she was always exhausted after every Virtual Youtuber broadcast.
In the case of the filming, it started at 3 p.m., so she was able to recover the energy and spirit she had consumed in the Virtual Youtuber broadcast before filming.
However.
In the case of this <2 Days & 1 Night> recording, it was scheduled to start at 8 a.m.
Therefore, she had to somehow recover the stamina she had consumed due to the Fantasy Home collaboration by the early hour of 8 a.m.
She wanted to avoid a situation where the Fantasy Home collaboration had a negative impact on the <2 Days & 1 Night> recording at all costs.
The worries continued for quite some time afterward.
However, Ha-eun's worries were resolved on the day of the Fantasy Home collaboration.
-Ding.
Huh
Dia is the murderer, what is this
1-year-old murderer lol
Does she even know what murder is?
Dia will get caught right away
Killing 2-3 people is a lot
The content of this Fantasy Home collaboration was 'Hide and Seek with a Murderer' in the game [Minecraft].
The main content was a battle between the murderer, who had to kill all the members except themselves, and the citizens, who had to reveal the identity of the murderer and arrest them.
There were a total of 9 participants.
In addition to the 5 members of Fantasy Home, 4 members of the [Squirrel Crew], including Daramji Ji Hye-min, participated in the content.
The important thing was that Ha-eun was currently assigned the role of the only murderer.
In other words, from now on, Dia had to speak and act as a 'murderer.'
"Okay, everyone, let's split up and find the murderer's clues first!"
After the content officially started, she completely abandoned Dia's unique high tension and cheerful voice.
Even in the process of Dia searching for the other members she had to kill, she continued to whisper.
"Footsteps... I have to find the footsteps...☆."
Whispering makes her even cuter
Look at her immersion
Our Dia is a pro, a pro
The world's first ASMR murderer lol
Thanks to that, the stamina consumption wasn't that great.
The burden on Ha-eun's neck was also incomparably less than usual.
Was that why?
"Oh, it's Dia!"
"...Hello, Unnie..."
Even when she encountered Cream, one of the citizens Dia had to kill, she continued to maintain a low tension.
Even when Cream asked why she was whispering so much.
"...The murderer might be listening somewhere..."
"...I guess so?"
She rationalized the low tension by framing the reason for Dia's sudden drop in tension as being due to fear of the murderer.
One way or another, the 'citizens' had to run away from the murderer, who could appear anytime, anywhere.
And so, Cream also ended up speaking in a whispering tone like Dia.
Since she had met Dia, she decided to continue to stick with her and try to find clues about the identity of the murderer.
"Oh, Dia. There's a box over there...!"
However, at the very moment Cream had just discovered the first clue about the murderer.
-Swish.
Dia's avatar, which had been holding nothing until now, held something small and sharp in its hand.
And, not even a few seconds later.
"...Goodbye☆"
-Slash─!!
"?!?!?!?!!"
Due to the incredibly clean hand movements, Cream's avatar was completely killed.
Kyaaaaak
What the heck was that just now?
What's with the voice
So creepy
Cream, I peed myself
Is that really Dia?
"Ah, no... Wait... Just a moment. I was so surprised, um, I'll go get some water."
Cream's hand trembled slightly even as she got up from the streaming chair and headed to the living room.
Her heart was still pounding.
'Why did it have to be Ha-eun?'
That chilling voice she had heard just before wouldn't leave Cream's head.
Was this what a professional moment was like?
It was virtually impossible for Cream, a non-professional, to discern the acting of Ha-eun, who was an actress.
She was completely fooled.
When you think about it, there were still 7 citizens left.
For some reason, it seemed like those 7 citizens wouldn't be able to figure out Dia's identity either.
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny