The Kiss Scene Confession
In a studio somewhere in Seoul, Woo Dan-wol arrived alongside Lee Hye-ri. They were here for the Forest of Flowers interview.
After exchanging greetings with the MC in charge of the interview, Dan-wol stepped into the waiting room. Not all the cast members were gathered for a single group interview. Instead, they had decided to pair up actors with good chemistry and conduct the sessions that way.
Which meant Woo Dan-wol would be doing today’s interview together with Han Da-sol. After waiting a short while, Han Da-sol entered the waiting room. She was dressed in blue jeans and a matching jacket—a fresh, denim-on-denim look that suited her surprisingly well.
“Hello.”
“Oh, it’s been a while, Dan-wol.”
The moment their eyes met, Han Da-sol’s complexion didn’t look great. It wasn’t exactly pale or sickly. The better description would be hesitant, like she was holding something back.
In truth, she couldn’t quite meet Woo Dan-wol’s eyes. Just as she herself had said, it had been a while since they last saw each other. Yet she had no idea why something kept tickling and squirming inside her chest.
Had he noticed her discomfort? Woo Dan-wol greeted her again, this time in a deliberately stiff tone—like a thug straight out of a movie.
“Hello there!”
“Hey! What’s with that? You sound way too stiff.”
“I was just joking around.”
Only then did Han Da-sol’s shoulders relax. Looking at them now, it was hard to tell who was supposed to be the older one. After a few more playful exchanges, her expression finally softened. With a bright, easy smile, Woo Dan-wol tossed out a polite, formal question.
“Have you been doing well lately?”
“Mm, yeah. I filmed one commercial and I’ve been thinking about my next project.”
“I’ve started filming a drama.”
“Oh, which network?”
“Yes, it’s confirmed.”
Her emotions showed plainly on her face. Han Da-sol really did resemble a puppy. At the word “drama,” she gave a little nod, then asked cautiously, almost timidly, about the genre.
“It’s a romance. I’m playing a supporting role, though.”
“Ah…”
She flinched. The corners of Han Da-sol’s eyes trembled. Why am I reacting like this? A surge of something hot rose in her throat. She quickly looked away, drew in a deep breath, and composed herself. She was a professional, after all. Hiding her feelings and controlling her facial muscles was something she could do in her sleep.
Right then, a member of the filming staff entered and called the actors over.
The timing was perfect—at least, that’s how it felt to Han Da-sol. Thanks to the interruption, she could shake off the strange, lingering ache that kept pricking at her chest.
Because she was an adult, she tried her best not to let it show and simply let it pass.
They returned to the set, a stylish space filled with atmospheric furniture and props. The Forest of Flowers duo gathered in front of a backdrop that felt like a medieval detective’s office. Luxurious carpet, wooden furniture, and soft candlelight created the perfect mood. The interview shoot was about to begin.
“Are you both ready? There’s no need to be nervous.”
“Yes, Director.”
“Da-sol, why do you look so frozen? Woo Dan-wol looks more like the senior here!”
“Haha…”
The joke melted the tension in the room. Since they had already worked together several times, the interview began smoothly.
“Alright, today we have some very special guests with us.”
The MC opened with a familiar line. Formal greetings were exchanged, followed by occasional jokes.
“I’d like to ask Woo Dan-wol a question.”
“Yes?”
“As a rookie actor, Woo Dan-wol has been making quite an impression on viewers as a genius-level talent. How do you feel about that?”
Genius-level talent. He had heard it in his previous life, and now he was hearing it again in this one. Woo Dan-wol paused for a brief moment, as if considering the question, then answered.
“Genius… I suppose that description isn’t entirely wrong.”
“Oh… Most people would try to be humble about it.”
Laughter rippled through the staff. Because the interview was being conducted in a relaxed, almost variety-show atmosphere, the moment felt natural. Woo Dan-wol continued with a chuckle.
“Haha. If I acted too humble, it might come across as fake. Still, it’s not like I haven’t worked hard. I’d appreciate it if you could look at me fondly.”
“Won’t some people find that a little scary?”
“Well…”
From among the staff, Lee Hye-ri’s eyes met Woo Dan-wol’s. It was a slightly spoiler-heavy question, the kind that could easily provoke viewers. She had begged him—please, please, please—not to cause any controversy. Whether he would actually listen was still up in the air.
The true meaning behind the question was obvious: Is Woo Dan-wol really the mastermind behind everything?! For the sake of entertainment and to respect the viewers, Dan-wol had never given a definitive answer.
That was why the MC had phrased it so indirectly. Catching Lee Hye-ri’s desperate gaze, Dan-wol continued.
“I’m still just a rookie who’s barely started. I don’t really know how to handle all this love coming my way. I can only say thank you to the viewers and my fans.”
“Oh…”
The MC let out a small sound of admiration. His skillful handling of the question didn’t feel like something a newcomer would manage. Most rookies would have stumbled and panicked, yet he delivered a calm, perfectly polished response.
Next, the question turned to Han Da-sol.
“Han Da-sol, everyone’s been praising your acting in this drama, saying you’ve reached a whole new level. Is there anything that sets this role apart from your previous work?”
“Um…”
Her gaze naturally drifted toward Woo Dan-wol. After a brief hesitation, her lips began to move.
“First of all… Woo Dan-wol’s acting is just so good that it…”
“You said you had your senior reputation to uphold…”
Just as she was dragging out her words, Woo Dan-wol jumped in. It wasn’t a simple remark—it was shocking enough that laughter erupted across the entire set.
“Could you tell us more about that?”
“No, no… no way!”
There had been more than a few memorable incidents during filming. Especially because of Han Da-sol’s exaggerated reactions and the way she took every hit so dramatically, Woo Dan-wol had taken every opportunity to tease her.
They began sharing stories that were just the right amount of spicy and entertaining.
“At the very beginning, Han Da-sol sunbae had some worries about me, right?”
“What kind of worries?”
Woo Dan-wol carefully laid the groundwork.
“Since I was a rookie, she was apparently concerned about my acting skills. So she kept saying things like… mmmph—”
“I was wrong! I was the one who was wrong!”
“Come on, what could sunbae possibly have done wrong?”
Han Da-sol clapped her palm over Woo Dan-wol’s mouth. The camera director filming the scene couldn’t hide the smile spreading across his face. Even though this was just an interview and not the drama itself, Jin Da-yeon and Kang Min-hyuk looked exactly like a pair of fresh, budding lovers. They weren’t actually dating, of course. It simply meant their chemistry was so good that it would naturally appeal to the viewers.
Going right back in, Woo Dan-wol was determined to finish what he had started.
“So she told me… if I ruined the acting, she wouldn’t let me off easy…”
“When did I ever say that…!”
“And the funniest part is…”
He went on to explain how, once filming actually began and his acting skills were revealed, the situation had completely flipped and their relationship had reversed.
After that, several more questions were exchanged between Woo Dan-wol and Han Da-sol. Then the real, in-depth questions began.
What had come before was material for the preview. The questions that followed were meant to be released after episode 10 aired. The MC, glancing at the question script, asked:
“In episode 10, it seems Jin Da-yeon has completely developed feelings for Kang Min-hyuk. Could you tell us more about the details of that…”
It was a question Han Da-sol had already heard in advance. Since she had expected it and prepared for it, she answered carefully, step by step.
“Um… within the story, Jin Da-yeon is the only ordinary person. So she couldn’t help but develop feelings for Kang Min-hyuk. It happened naturally, but in a way, it was also something that was deliberately arranged.”
“Could you explain that in a bit more detail?”
“In other words, Jin Da-yeon is essentially one of Kang Min-hyuk’s creations. She’s a character who is swayed by him, influenced solely by him, and changes because of him.”
“It must have been difficult to act that out.”
“Yes. Because of that, while I was actually filming, I put in a lot of effort to truly fall in love with Kang Min-hyuk.”
The atmosphere between the two of them grew strangely delicate. It wasn’t quite a confession, yet it felt like one. From an actor’s perspective, it was simply a professional mindset. But to the viewers, it would come across as the cute back-and-forth of youthful romance.
“In a way, that is love, isn’t it?”
“Is it?”
The MC, who had been unintentionally fed a spoiler, asked again. After all, wasn’t Kang Min-hyuk the one who had ruined Jin Da-yeon’s life?
“Yes. To Kang Min-hyuk, his entire world was Jin Da-yeon. He’s someone who wants to change everything about her and make her just like himself. That’s his dream.”
“Ah…”
It was an answer only Woo Dan-wol, the actor who had portrayed Kang Min-hyuk’s world, could give. Even if writer Ko A-rin had been here, it would have been difficult for her to answer better than he just had.
And then came the long-awaited final question.
“Could you share one interesting story from the filming?”
“Hmm…”
Lee Hye-ri shook her head vigorously. Out of all the many incidents that had happened, Woo Dan-wol recalled one of his own bold actions. He began talking about something that had been rather rude for a rookie.
“Um… the kiss scene?”
“Th-the kiss scene?”
“Yes. Originally, Kang Min-hyuk wasn’t a character who was supposed to have a kiss scene.”
Lee Hye-ri’s expression collapsed. Born and raised in this gender-reversed world, and as the CEO of an entertainment company, she could already see the future. She knew this would definitely be chewed apart by someone who loved gossip.
On the other hand, Woo Dan-wol simply treated it as a fun anecdote. Unlike people born in this reversed world, he was a transmigrator from another reality. He was already a fully formed adult with established values. Even if he tried to adapt and be careful, unexpected statements like this still slipped out.
In other words, even if he had no such intention, someone else would inevitably assign meaning to it.
“I told the writer, since my character has weak physical strength and there’s a high risk if he tries to administer an injection… as a man, I should do what a man can do.”
“And so…”
“Yes. I seduced her like a flower. And that’s how it happened.”
It was the perfect answer for the final question. Woo Dan-wol finished the interview with a smile. Quite the opposite of Lee Hye-ri’s dark expression.