Chapter 131: Rising Stars (2)
Chapter 131: Rising Stars (2)
What Kim Hyun-seok said was essentially a provocation.
He was basically claiming that everything Seo-yeon had accomplished so far was merely a product of the broadcasting station’s manufacturing.
Seo-yeon didn't show much of a reaction to it.
In truth, it wasn't that she didn't have a reaction, but rather that she was busy contemplating how to return to being the "adorable Ju Seo-yeon."
She often forgot, but she was strictly the brand model for éclat Étoile. No advertiser would appreciate their actress being stuck with such a rough-and-tumble image.
However, regardless of Seo-yeon’s internal thoughts...
"Hmm."
Han Seong-jin looked at Kim Hyun-seok with a troubled expression.
Unfortunately, that last remark had burst forth right after his own question.
"Was there really a need to go that far?"
"What?"
"What you just said—it’s a pretty dangerous statement."
Han Seong-jin knew that Kim Hyun-seok harbored hostility toward Seo-yeon. There were several reasons, but if he had to name the fundamental one...
He’s immature.
When that immaturity manifested as passion, it was a strength, but when it turned into vague hostility like this, it became a problem. No matter how you looked at it, claiming a live broadcast was entirely fabricated was nonsense.
Fine, let’s say Hyper Action Star was pre-recorded.
But the part where she swatted away a paintball with her bare hand was real, wasn't it?
Even the giant sea bass—the broadcast showed her pulling it in completely live. If that had been faked, the internet would have been up in flames a long time ago.
I guess he just hates that Seo-yeon was cast without an audition.
At the same time, Seong-jin felt that Hyun-seok was afraid.
Han Seong-jin had watched The Chaser with Hyun-seok. Back then, his only thought had been, So it’s possible to act at this level.
An actor of a similar age.
To be honest, it was a level of acting Han Seong-jin wouldn't even dare to attempt. Even the two actors playing the detectives were renowned for their skill, yet she shared scenes with them without a hint of awkwardness.
She overwhelmed the screen with her presence alone, drawing praise from both audiences and critics. That wasn't something just anyone could do.
"Hah."
But Kim Hyun-seok only furrowed his brows.
Of course, Hyun-seok must have felt it too. He just didn't want to admit it. It could be a sense of rivalry, or simply childish hostility.
However, they were already actors and professionals; they were too old to hide behind the excuse of youth.
Unlike Hyun-seok, Han Seong-jin had no desire to get on Seo-yeon’s bad side.
Wasn't she the lead?
Besides, being cast as the lead in a drama without an audition meant she had some kind of connection to the higher-ups. Hostility toward an actor being pushed by KMB would only make his own life difficult.
Though it seems there are a few more actors just like Hyun-seok here.
People aren't that smart.
Sometimes Seong-jin felt that way. There were those whose emotions always preceded common sense.
However, what puzzled him was...
Wasn't this person on Ju Seo-yeon’s side?
He looked at Na-hee with doubt.
"Ah!"
Only then did Cha Na-hee realize that Hyun-seok’s words carried a very negative connotation.
In truth, Cha Na-hee had watched Seo-yeon’s broadcasts and interpreted the "fabrication" not as faking things, but as the production team pushing a certain image too hard.
Cha Na-hee’s hobby was looking up information about herself and those close to her. As a hot new star, Seo-yeon was a frequent topic of discussion in online communities.
Elephants and gorillas.
Whenever Na-hee saw Seo-yeon associated with such images, she felt deeply upset.
Of course, Cha Na-hee really didn't know.
She asked because she didn't know, and even now, she didn't understand why those images were attached to her. To Cha Na-hee, Seo-yeon was simply a heavenly, kind girl.
"Se-Seo-yeon. I didn't mean it like that. I just thought they were giving an actress a bad image..."
"Pardon?"
"No, I'm sorry!"
Seo-yeon was bewildered by Cha Na-hee’s sudden apology.
While she was busy wondering if there was a broadcast that could improve her image, what on earth had happened?
"For what?"
At her nonchalant attitude, Han Seong-jin let out an incredulous laugh.
Kim Hyun-seok’s face contorted once more.
"Ah, I guess we don't even exist to you. Is it because you're the lead?"
At his words, Seo-yeon stared at him blankly for a moment.
Did I ever hit this guy?
It was a serious consideration. This was her first time facing such one-sided hostility.
Of course, if she had hit him, he wouldn't be working as an actor right now. So, she definitely hadn't hit him.
The guy next to him seems to be walking on eggshells around me, though.
Han Seong-jin was smiling, but she could feel him gauging her reaction. Perhaps his comment about enjoying Hyper Action Star had been his own way of trying to be friendly.
It was just that the guy next to him was ruining everything.
There were certainly other actors who harbored ill feelings toward Seo-yeon, but none were this blatant. After all, Seo-yeon was in a position where they had to be careful around her.
Furthermore...
"...Hmm."
She could see middle-aged actors nearby glancing over. While engaged in their own conversations, they were keeping an eye on the words and actions of the younger actors.
If she looked closely, Min Se-hee looked restless, as if she wanted to intervene.
But Kim Il-soo, beside her, made a gesture saying it was fine. It was as if he wanted to see how Seo-yeon would handle it. His gaze also implied that he would help if things got too difficult.
Director Kim Il-soo was already looking at Kim Hyun-seok with a rather cold eye.
There are rules on a set.
The lead is the lead.
No matter if they were a "parachute" hire or whatever, the lead actor was the lead actor. Disrespecting the lead was synonymous with disrespecting the director and writer who chose them.
Therefore, Hyun-seok’s current behavior was incredibly reckless.
Seo-yeon recalled Jo Seo-hee’s words.
"They exist sometimes."
"What does?"
"People who act outside the bounds of common sense."
Jo Seo-hee, snorting with her arms crossed, truly looked like a villainess. Seo-yeon made a mental note to buy her a folding fan later as she listened intently.
"Anyway, even if you leave them alone, the people around you will take care of it. But it's not good to just wait for others to act."
You have to show them something yourself. Otherwise, the same thing will keep happening.
"Sometimes, being firm actually creates fewer enemies."
Jo Seo-hee knew that Seo-yeon had an extremely easygoing personality. No, rather than easygoing, she felt that Seo-yeon was "too used to" the hostility of others.
She didn't know why. Seo-yeon’s reaction to hostility was simply, Well, that can happen.
Jo Seo-hee was an actress. Because she was an actress, she was skilled at observing and analyzing others.
A star pupil of acting. Jo Seo-hee was called that because she never stopped learning. That included observing Seo-yeon.
"Enduring when you shouldn't isn't being kind."
So, Jo Seo-hee had given her firm advice. She wanted this overly kind girl to properly show her fangs to others.
"It's being foolish."
Recalling that advice, Seo-yeon spoke.
"Are you alright?"
Seo-yeon gave Kim Hyun-seok a bright smile. That smile was her answer to his sarcasm.
"Even if you say that to me..."
"What?"
Seo-yeon replied in a calm voice. There was no heat in her tone. Instead, it was a question born of genuine curiosity, a perfectly professional statement.
Because of that, the meaning of her words became even clearer.
"Actors speak through their acting, don't they?"
Seo-yeon’s red eyes looked directly at Hyun-seok.
"Are you confident you can do better than me?"
"..."
I can.
He tried to say it, but the words wouldn't leave his mouth. He had brought up her variety show appearances, but regardless of that, he had definitely seen her acting.
The Chaser and Dream Future.
Even now, Hyun-seok was confident he could do better—if he were given those roles.
And yet, for some reason, he couldn't say it. Because the Cha Seo-ah he had seen in the theater and the Seo-yeon before his eyes were overlapping.
No, it was Cha Seo-ah. He felt as though the person standing before him wasn't Seo-yeon, but Cha Seo-ah.
What the...
The atmosphere shifted in an instant. The smile on Seo-yeon’s face was extremely awkward.
And mechanical.
"Did you say you don't even exist to me?"
He remembered the scene in The Chaser where Cha Seo-ah met the two detectives at the bus stop. After prying for information, she had boarded the bus and left.
The expression Cha Seo-ah had worn toward the detectives at the very end was exactly like this.
"It's just..."
Her eyes curved gently into a kind, smiling face.
"I think I just found you pathetic."
In that moment, he could clearly feel the emotion Cha Seo-ah had felt toward the detectives.
*
"You're going to get blacklisted at this rate."
Han Seong-jin let out a sigh as soon as they left the meeting room. Aside from the very beginning, the first meeting with the cast of Sky Garden had been decent enough.
It was just that a strange tension had formed between Seo-yeon and Kim Hyun-seok.
After Seo-yeon’s one remark, Kim Hyun-seok hadn't been able to say a single word properly.
Actors have to show it through their acting.
He agreed with that statement. On top of that, he had been completely overwhelmed by Seo-yeon. To the point where he couldn't even open his mouth.
"...I just have to show her on set."
"And are you confident you can do better than her?"
"..."
He didn't know. What Seo-yeon had just shown him was that overwhelming.
For a moment, it felt as if she had devoured the presence of everyone around her.
If that had been on set...
Just as Seo-yeon said, he would have looked nothing but pathetic.
The thought made his blood boil again. Regardless of anything else, the fact remained that he had been called pathetic.
At the same time, Seo-yeon had relaxed her expression as if the previous lines had all been an act. It was a blatant deception, but no one said anything.
No, they couldn't.
Hah.
He found himself annoyed by Han Seong-jin, who was talking to him. He wanted to snap, Do you want to get on the lead's good side that badly? Have you no pride? But he couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Forget it."
"What?"
"I'm going to the restroom."
Thinking he should at least wash his face with cold water, he walked away with heavy steps.
Ju Seo-yeon.
The emotion he felt toward her wasn't just vague hostility. There was definitely a sense of rivalry. But the strongest feeling might have been jealousy.
Because he believed he could do better.
He felt pathetic for being overwhelmed by the acting Ju Seo-yeon had just displayed in person.
I'm glad it wasn't on set.
That sense of relief. When he realized he felt that way, his head heated up even more. What was he relieved about?
"...Next time."
It would be different on set. He ground his teeth as he walked, but then...
"Huh?"
Kim Hyun-seok saw something glittering on the floor. As he approached and picked it up...
"...A coin?"
It was a 500-won coin. However, for some reason, it was folded in half.
"What on earth is this...?"
As he looked ahead, more coins were scattered along the path. It was like Hansel and Gretel. A rare sight of folded 500-won coins dropped in a trail.
Hyun-seok reflexively followed the trail, picking them up. It was a bizarre sensation. What were these coins? And why were they all folded in half?
Just as he had picked up about a dozen of them...
"Ah."
"Ah."
He ran into Seo-yeon, who was also picking them up. For a moment, the two exchanged glances in silence, 500-won coins clutched in their hands.
"...?"
Suddenly, Hyun-seok noticed Seo-yeon’s bag. A simple nylon handbag. It was torn in one spot, likely from bumping into something.
No way.
He thought it couldn't be, but... had these 500-won coins fallen out of that tear? And she had realized it late and was coming back to retrieve them one by one?
Why were there folded 500-won coins in her bag?
As the thought occurred to him, Hyun-seok felt an indescribable sensation. It was like he had witnessed something beyond human comprehension.
"Well..."
Looking at Hyun-seok, Seo-yeon spoke calmly. Just as she had in the meeting room, she was controlling herself as much as possible.
"You know that feeling of popping bubble wrap? Where you just do it without thinking."
"...??"
What did that have to do with these 500-won coins? Was she saying she had folded 500-won coins as if she were popping bubble wrap?
As he stared at her with a stunned face, Seo-yeon quietly reached out and retrieved the last coin, along with the ones tightly gripped in Hyun-seok’s right hand.
He didn't even have a chance to resist.
"...Then, I'll see you on set."
With that final greeting, Seo-yeon turned and hurried away.
Hyun-seok glanced down at his left hand. There was one coin left that Seo-yeon hadn't noticed.
"..."
It served as proof that what had just happened wasn't a dream.
Hyun-seok never did figure out the meaning of those 500-won coins. He simply felt an inexplicable sense of terror toward Seo-yeon.