Chapter 56: What It Means to Be a Villain (1)
Chapter 56: What It Means to Be a Villain (1)
The next day.
Seo-yeon skipped her now-daily pilgrimage to the convenience store and hurried to school. Her plan was to arrive early and discreetly ask Lee Ji-yeon if what she had seen the previous day was real.
"Oh, Ji-yeon said she’d be late because of a morning shoot..."
Right. Of course.
Seo-yeon squeezed her eyes shut. Come to think of it, Ji-yeon was a busy person. She was currently appearing in a drama, and with her rising popularity, she had apparently landed a few CFs as well.
And she seems to have gotten close with PD Jung Min-jae after 'Looking at the Past and Memories.'
In many ways, Lee Ji-yeon possessed superior communication skills compared to her. The fact that she had become a popular VTuber in such a short time in her past life was clearly due to her innate talent.
"...Right. Tell her I stopped by when she gets here."
With a dejected sigh, Seo-yeon turned and trudged away.
Because of that brief interaction, the girl in Ji-yeon’s class who Seo-yeon had spoken to suddenly became the center of attention.
"What? What did she say?"
"This is my first time seeing her up close. Her face is so tiny. Is that what a real celebrity looks like?"
"Seeing her like this makes me realize Ji-yeon really is a celebrity too."
The students chattered amongst themselves. In truth, they often forgot because they were so familiar with them, but Ji-yeon currently had more recognition because she had been active in the industry longer than Seo-yeon.
It was a classic case of not seeing what’s right under your nose. Plus, the impact of the recent Looking at the Past and Memories shoot had been massive.
"I want to try talking to her too, but..."
"She’s a bit scary."
There’s a saying that someone can be so beautiful they’re intimidating. That description fit Seo-yeon perfectly. It might have been different if she walked around smiling, but Seo-yeon maintained a poker face at all times. It wasn't intentional, but she tended to give off a cold, sharp impression to the other students.
If Ji-yeon had heard them, she would have said, 'It would be nice if you smiled like you do when you're going to the convenience store,' but Ji-yeon wasn't there.
*
It wasn't until the fifth period—PE—that Seo-yeon finally saw Ji-yeon during a joint class with the neighboring room.
"Just play some dodgeball. Be careful not to get hurt."
As usual, PE meant dodgeball. In reality, it was more like a self-study period. While few students actually played seriously, there were those who put in the effort since dodgeball was an event in the upcoming school sports festival. Since the school heavily promoted arts and athletics, there were plenty of students confident in their physical abilities.
I want to talk to her.
Seo-yeon, who had ended up joining the match against the other class while loitering nearby, fell into deep thought. She saw Ji-yeon standing there with a weary expression. Having come straight from a morning shoot, her complexion looked noticeably pale from exhaustion.
Opposite Seo-yeon—specifically, a girl from Ji-yeon’s class—was watching Seo-yeon with sharp eyes.
Ju Seo-yeon.
Even standing among a crowd of other girls, her appearance was radiant. She truly looked the part of an actress.
But...
The girl gripped the dodgeball in her hands tightly. Yeonhwa High School’s dodgeball club was a powerhouse that consistently placed in the top four of the national championships. Though she was only a substitute, she was a legitimate member of the team.
I’m going to give her a taste of her own medicine.
It definitely wasn't out of petty jealousy. Really. It wasn't because Seo-yeon stood out too much, or because she hogged all the boys' attention. It certainly wasn't because the senior she liked in the dodgeball club seemed to have a crush on Seo-yeon.
It was absolutely none of those reasons!
Now!
The moment Seo-yeon’s eyes were fixed on Ji-yeon, the girl’s arm whipped forward.
"Hyaaah!!"
She threw the ball with everything she had. Aiming for the opening while Seo-yeon was looking elsewhere, the ball streaked through the air—
Thwack.
"?"
Seo-yeon caught it effortlessly with one hand. She didn't just deflect it; she snatched it out of the air. The ball was visibly dented where her fingers gripped it.
Her hands shouldn't even be that big...
How did she catch that? How strong was her grip? No, more importantly, she wasn't even looking this way!
The moment those thoughts crossed the girl's mind—
Wham!!
"Ack!!"
The dodgeball returned in an instant, slamming into the girl’s waist and knocking her flat on her back. The velocity was so high she couldn't even track it, let alone dodge or catch it.
As for Ji-yeon, who witnessed the whole thing...
...That girl is at it again.
She saw Seo-yeon’s smug face after hitting three people in a single go. To others, she looked composed, but Ji-yeon knew better.
"Hmph."
Seo-yeon was currently intoxicated by her own brilliant dodgeball play. She clearly looked like she had something to say earlier, but her demeanor had shifted the moment she threw the ball. Specifically, from the moment the surrounding girls started clapping and cheering.
"I forfeit."
"Eh?"
Ji-yeon coolly stepped out of the game. Getting hit by a ball thrown by Seo-yeon was incredibly painful.
*
"So, you decided to do the movie?"
"Yeah."
While Seo-yeon’s team took a break after the match, the two sat side-by-side and talked.
Isn't she playing too many villains?
As Ji-yeon sat in silence with that thought, Seo-yeon’s lips twitched repeatedly. Bringing up the YouTube channel was harder than she expected. She could just ask directly, but...
The Red Pill!
Seo-yeon bit her lower lip. Asking about it here would be like exposing the 'Red Pill' herself. Well, for Ji-yeon, it would technically be the 'Blue Pill,' but regardless, she wasn't even sure if the channel had been created for VTubing yet.
As Seo-yeon’s gaze darted around, lost in thought, Ji-yeon spoke first.
"And about variety shows."
"Variety shows?"
"There aren't any good slots on public broadcast right now, and those can be a bit burdensome, right?"
Looking at the Past and Memories had technically been a public broadcast show, even if its ratings were so low it felt like a cable program. Seo-yeon’s current status was that of a child star returning after ten years—a 'hot potato' who had recently caused a stir on variety TV. If she wanted to, she could certainly appear on major networks, but honestly, the pressure was real since she had never done a proper variety show before. Looking at the Past and Memories had felt more like a play than a variety program.
Cable variety shows.
A few ideas came to Seo-yeon’s mind. However, cable shows tended to be more provocative or 'raw.' She wasn't sure if they would help neutralize her villainous image...
"Ah."
Thinking that far, one show popped into her head.
It hasn't ended yet, has it?
Come to think of it, there was a cable show that ended around this time. It was a rare cable program that could actually benefit an actor's image, and it was frequently discussed in online communities.
"Actually, there is one I was thinking of..."
When she mentioned it to Ji-yeon, wondering if it would be okay—
"...What?"
Ji-yeon looked at her as if asking if she was serious. It was understandable. The cable show Seo-yeon wanted to appear on was a long-running program that had been airing on a cable gaming station for ten years.
*
After confirming her appearance on The Chaser, the plans with the agency were finalized.
Nova Entertainment. The agency that would be my home from now on.
I let out a sigh mixed with nerves during a rare outing with my mother.
"By the way, what do you think, Mrs. Min-hwa? I truly believe you have potential."
"Oh, my."
At CEO Kang Chan-yul’s words—he had come to oversee my contract personally—my mother laughed awkwardly.
...He’s joking, right?
I looked at him, but surprisingly, CEO Kang’s face was dead serious.
I mean, Mom does look young for her age, but...
I glanced at Sua’s face and then let my gaze drift downward. That 'presence' of hers was still exerting its massive influence. I shifted my gaze further down, this time toward myself.
It didn't really mean anything. It truly didn't, but...
...Will I get that big too?
Is it a genetic thing? I feel like I’m big enough as it is, but Mom is just... a bit too much. Honestly, it felt like it would be inconvenient for acting.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm quite busy with housework."
"That is truly a shame."
Kang Chan-yul looked genuinely disappointed. It was understandable, given that my mother Sua’s beauty was almost supernatural. It was hard to believe she had the face and body of a woman nearing forty. It was to the point where passing actresses would stop her to ask what skincare products she used.
Regardless, being a celebrity was out of the question for Mom. Setting aside her looks, her personality wasn't the type to mingle well with others. Unlike me.
"So, have you made many friends at school? Ah, excluding Ji-yeon, of course."
"..."
"Hmm? Why? Is there a problem with your school life?"
I fell silent at the sudden, sharp thrust. It was as if he had read my mind.
"I have more than I can count on both hands."
"I see."
If you excluded Lee Ji-yeon, that was a statement without a single shred of a lie. Thinking my school life was going well, Kang Chan-yul nodded.
"You'll be missing classes often, so it's important to maintain good relationships. You understand?"
"Yes."
"If your friends ever want to visit, let me know in advance. They're students, so they'll probably want to see some celebrities, right?"
"R-right. I'll... I'll bring them. Definitely. Someday."
What do I do? I worried inwardly while forcing a dry smile. At least there was no set deadline.
"Well then. The contract is done. This is Park Eun-ha, the manager who will be in charge of you from now on."
Thinking the conversation was over, he introduced the woman standing beside him. She looked to be in her late twenties with a kind impression, but she seemed incredibly stiff.
"She used to manage actress Hwang Min-hwa, so she knows the industry well. If you have any questions, just ask her."
"Understood."
I replied while observing Park Eun-ha’s face. If she had been Hwang Min-hwa’s manager, they were clearly giving me special treatment. At the same time, something felt off.
Is she already preparing to leave?
Generally, a manager doesn't change unless there’s a special reason. Since they share a daily routine, once they find a good rhythm, there are many risks involved in switching. Furthermore, for someone who managed an A-list star like Hwang Min-hwa, she seemed excessively nervous.
...I'll have to look into this later.
Perhaps something had happened regarding Hwang Min-hwa’s transfer. Come to think of it, it was unusual for Nova Entertainment to let go of a 'ten-million-viewer' actor like her. Usually, agencies don't just hand over their flagship star to another company.
Hmm.
I sensed there was something behind this transfer. Of course, there wasn't much I could find out right now, so I decided to just watch the situation. If there was a problem, it was bound to surface soon enough.
And two days later.
"Alright, is everyone here?"
Director Bae Jin-hwan smiled as he scanned the gathered actors. He looked extremely satisfied. In particular, his eyes were filled with high expectations when they landed on me.
"Well then, let's begin."
The movie The Chaser.
A tragic film that had ended its original run with a total of 2.5 million viewers.
Its official filming had now begun.