Chapter 234: Polar Opposites (4)
Chapter 234: Polar Opposites (4)
'Rosalyn, the daughter of a merchant from Europe.'
For a cameo, she even had a surprisingly lavish name.
Of course, there were no specific details regarding who that merchant actually was.
After all, the scene was originally intended to be a simple prideful confrontation between Michiko and Yuina at the auction house.
'To obtain the necklace put up for auction.'
It was an item that had once graced the neck of Michiko’s mother.
A necklace that had vanished from the mansion long ago.
It was to be rediscovered here, at this auction.
Naturally, Michiko intends to purchase it, but Yuina, who is also in attendance, interferes with her efforts.
Since it was a memento of Michiko’s mother, it wasn't an object entirely unrelated to Yuina either.
The possession of a woman she loathed.
In other words, Yuina intended to win the necklace just to destroy it.
The bidding heats up, reaching an absurd amount.
Michiko is on the verge of giving up, but with Yeon Seon-ye by her side, she places a bid so high that even Yuina cannot easily top it, successfully winning the item.
『And the original script had her giving the necklace she secured to Yeon Seon-ye?』
『That seems to be the case.』
『It has changed quite a bit.』
Asher Baldwin stared at the filming in progress alongside the Japanese staff members observing the situation.
First to appear were Jo Seo-hee and Lee Ji-yeon.
The two who could be called the protagonists.
The setting was an antique building where the atmosphere of the past remained alive.
For an old Japanese-style building, it looked as if it had been plucked from the heart of Europe.
「Miss, this humble one has never been to an auction before. Should I just stay quiet and watch?」
「Stay still and don't make a fool of yourself. If there is something I want, I will handle it.」
「U-Understood. I'll stay still then.」
Michiko frowned slightly at the sight of Seon-ye nodding with an awkward expression.
Her gaze was a mix of unreliability and affection.
Despite being a girl driven by endless material greed, she was also infinitely innocent at times like this.
「But Miss, what is it we're here to get? You didn't come all this way without a reason, did you?」
「That is...」
Michiko hesitated for a moment before gazing at Seon-ye.
She was aware of Seon-ye’s suspicious movements lately.
No, she knew for a fact that it was related to Yuina.
However, Michiko was already in the process of letting Seon-ye go to some extent.
Only then could she send her away without hesitation when the moment came for her to give up everything.
「It is a necklace.」
「A necklace?」
「Something that isn't precious, yet belonged to someone who was.」
It was a sentence heavy with double meaning.
The part about it not being precious referred to the necklace as a mere auction item.
However, the owner of that necklace was undoubtedly someone dear to Michiko.
A statement filled with such complex emotions.
Her strangely trembling voice betrayed Michiko’s inner turmoil.
Michiko’s performance drew faint gasps of admiration from the set.
'Actress Jo Seo-hee is in top form today.'
'She speaks so calmly, yet the emotion comes through perfectly.'
'Is it because there are so many people watching today?'
The filming crew’s eyes naturally drifted toward Asher.
They were curious if her acting would measure up in the eyes of a world-renowned master.
And Asher Baldwin’s reaction was not much different from the staff's.
'Not bad.'
She was better than most actors in the West who strutted around calling themselves stars.
That refined aura was something built through effort rather than raw talent.
Asher was very fond of that kind of actor.
While he appreciated those with innate genius, he also liked those who built upon what they had to the absolute limit.
'I heard she’s the best among Korea’s young actors.'
Naturally, Asher Baldwin didn't know Korean actors very well.
Only a tiny handful had ever made it to Hollywood.
Among the actors present today, there was only one he recognized from before.
A man who was looking at him with an uncomfortable face.
It was the actor Lee Sang-soo.
'I remember seeing him in America.'
It was likely in a film by a director he knew.
A director surrounded by various controversies.
The man had undeniable skill, but Asher remembered him venting his frustrations.
"Ha, I don't care if he's Chinese or Korean. Why do I have to use an actor from the East in my movie?"
It was something along those lines.
Apparently, a Korean corporation was among the investors, which was how Lee Sang-soo had been cast.
However, the film by that director—who had complained while casting Lee Sang-soo—failed spectacularly, as if by some curse.
Asher Baldwin could only offer one critique of that movie:
'I can't see anything but that Asian man.'
The director was controversial but skilled; Asher had no intention of denying that.
But that movie was a disaster.
There were too many glaring issues for it to be blamed solely on investor interference.
Because of that, only the Asian actor who was fighting a lonely battle stood out to Asher.
He had even checked the actor's name in the credits once the movie ended.
'It was him.'
Asher stroked his chin.
This film had strangely good luck with its cast.
'Gyeongseong Lady, was it?'
Was there a distributor currently handling it in the US?
Probably not.
It didn't look like a film with a particularly large budget to begin with.
Yet, the cast was bizarrely solid.
One of the most expensive parts of making a movie is the cast.
But this lineup was absurd.
Lee Sang-soo was one thing, but Jo Seo-hee was the same.
Jo Seo-hee’s skill had already surpassed that of a fully matured adult actor.
And through effort alone.
'No, thinking about it, it might not be just effort.'
That girl has something, too.
It’s just that it’s being masked by her hard work.
It seemed even she wasn't fully aware of it.
'If anything, the one who is ordinary is...'
The actress playing the 'protagonist' Yeon Seon-ye, the counterpart.
She was a fascinating individual.
Her skills were certainly lacking compared to Jo Seo-hee, who she was acting against, yet there was something about her that caught the eye.
She was clumsy, but that clumsiness suited the role perfectly.
'I see.'
However, he wondered how far that kind of acting would translate.
Asher watched the film in silence.
The first scene was a long take.
The scene that followed immediately was filmed inside the auction house.
Extra actors filled the seats of the auction hall.
In other words, Michiko and Yeon Seon-ye sat among the crowd.
The interior lights shone brightly as the filming continued.
「Miss, there are so many people.」
「Be quiet. You're embarrassing me.」
「Maybe I should have worn a pretty colored hanbok too?」
「Seon-ye.」
It was the moment Michiko was trying to hush the chattering Seon-ye.
The curtain on the auction stage rose.
And everyone froze.
A woman with brilliant golden bobbed hair, wearing a white Western-style dress, stood on the stage with a bright smile.
Rosalyn Dvorak.
The daughter of the merchant who organized this auction and the host for today.
The moment she appeared, the sound of someone catching their breath could be heard.
For there, upon the stage, stood a shimmering golden flower.
「Welcome, distinguished guests, to today's event.」
Golden bobbed hair.
Snow-white skin and blue eyes.
And a pure white dress wrapping around her slender frame.
That alone made her look like a painting.
She was delicate, yet possessed a presence that made it impossible to look away.
「My name is Rosalyn Dvorak.」
Her Japanese was clear and refreshing.
It was a gentle voice that pleased the ears, a voice so soothing it made those who heard it smile unconsciously.
But that wasn't the only thing that mattered.
Her poised figure on the stage did more than just look beautiful; it naturally commanded everyone's attention.
To the point that people only belatedly realized there was an auction item right beside her.
'She's intense.'
Michiko—no, Jo Seo-hee—narrowed her eyes.
Even though she had only uttered a single sentence, it felt as if the person on stage was declaring her dominance.
It reminded her of when Seo-yeon appeared in a Japanese drama and devoured the scene with just a few lines.
That was exactly what Rosalyn was doing now.
She was a cameo.
A minor role, or an extra.
「The auction will proceed for a total of three hours. We have prepared many items that will surely satisfy our distinguished guests.」
She held a role that could be dismissed as trivial, yet just by standing on that stage, her presence seemed to glow with a golden hue.
An actor's aura.
The 'starlight' that Jo Seo-hee’s mother possessed, a quality only a few actors could ever hold.
Her blue eyes scanned the crowd, eventually landing on Michiko.
Then, a slight crack appeared in that poised face, and a smile, slightly different from before, formed on her lips.
The difference was incredibly subtle, yet it was a change that everyone watching could notice.
Ultimately, this scene was acting.
And in acting, one must make the audience notice the character's changes.
It was a minor shift in expression, but 'everyone' could sense her reaction.
「Hehe, I think today's auction will be quite enjoyable.」
That gaze wasn't just directed at Michiko.
She also sent a very intrigued look toward Yeon Seon-ye, who was right beside her.
According to the newly added setting, Rosalyn was a character who disliked Michiko.
To be precise, she was someone who had met Michiko as a child and developed an inferiority complex toward her.
The two had known each other since childhood and were on quite uncomfortable terms.
「Especially today...」
The moment Michiko and Rosalyn’s eyes met.
With a clatter, the doors to the auction house entrance swung open.
Since it was a late arrival, everyone’s gaze naturally shifted toward the door.
As the eyes that had been fixed on Rosalyn turned toward the newcomer one by one, people froze in a different sense than before.
Faces that had relaxed while looking at a beautiful flower were now naturally tinted with tension.
Michiko and Yeon Seon-ye were among them.
The eyes that had been on Rosalyn turned toward the latecomer.
「Kasugayama Yuina.」
Michiko muttered the name unconsciously, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
After all, it wasn't a line in the script.
But Michiko—no, Jo Seo-hee—couldn't help it.
Today, the person standing there was more 'Kasugayama Yuina' than ever before.
Red butterflies on a black background.
A kiseru pipe held in her hand.
Languidly glowing red eyes.
And the contrasting white skin was incredibly striking.
The men following behind her were all fierce-looking, making them stand out even more.
The person standing right beside her was Goto Isamu.
He took his place next to Yuina, just as Yeon Seon-ye stood by Michiko.
With a languid gaze, she scanned the crowd watching them.
As if she were searching for someone in this room.
Those who met that gaze found themselves catching their breath in spite of themselves.
It was as if she didn't care at all about Rosalyn standing on the stage.
Her eyes were searching for something else entirely.
Her silent aura was like a poisonous flower—dangerous, yet impossible to look away from.
Inwardly, Seo-hee thought she absolutely had to see this scene again.
Because she believed the reactions of the people here at this moment were not acting.
'She's more intense than usual.'
Normally, Seo-yeon tended to match her 'color' to her surroundings to some extent.
She hadn't shown such a powerful image since her role as the main villain, 'Cha Seo-ah.'
But today was different.
Today, she was more intense than anyone.
A red deeper than ever, just like her eyes.
It was as if red butterflies were fluttering around her even as she stood still.
'She's trying to set the tone.'
Jo Seo-hee predicted.
The greatest strength of Seo-yeon’s acting was making others empathize with her emotions.
The method acting where she immersed herself in the role was ultimately just one branch of that.
However, both Jo Seo-hee and Lee Ji-yeon felt it.
Today, Seo-yeon was in a state of unprecedented immersion in the role of Yuina from the very beginning.
Why?
The reason was simple.
To match the 'color' of the actress currently on stage.
'No, she's not just trying to match the color.'
Ju Seo-yeon was more serious today than ever before.
'Because she has an incredibly strong competitive streak.'
In any case, she knew Stella had been provoking her.
In the first place, participating as a cameo today was as good as targeting Seo-yeon.
Just as Seo-yeon had devoured the lead roles in the Japanese drama.
Stella was likely trying to do the same today.
The reason was unknown.
Was it simply for fun?
It didn't seem like that, but it was clear that Stella’s target was Seo-yeon.
'Yuina's' eyes, which had been scanning the room, found Yeon Seon-ye first.
Then Michiko.
Upon realizing this herself, Yuina’s languid eyes were tinted with displeasure.
Then, she clicked her tongue briefly.
As if she were uncomfortable with the fact that she had naturally looked for Yeon Seon-ye before Michiko.
That complex emotion rippled out into the surroundings.
Like a drop of red ink falling into a clear pool of water.
「...You're a bit late, guest.」
As if displeased at being ignored, Rosalyn spoke from the stage.
At those words, Yuina’s gaze naturally shifted toward the stage.
Rosalyn’s noble, aristocratic smile and Yuina’s languid gaze clashed in mid-air.
Blue eyes and red eyes.
White and black.
Polar opposites.
Two perfectly contrasting colors.
As the two colors intertwined, Rosalyn’s smile flickered slightly.
It was a change in emotion that was definitely not in the director's instructions.
It was natural, but it was a personal emotion mixed in, not Rosalyn's.
Because in that moment, it was clear that the black was encroaching upon the white.
The difference was minute, but it was enough for the two actresses to realize.
Exactly who the winner of the first round was.