It wasn’t just empty words.
There was sincerity in his eyes as he looked at me.
I hadn’t worked with him much, but Director Choi Younghwan was a rare type in this industry.
Usually, directors and staff tend to pressure or push actors to get results, but he preferred encouragement first.
He was generous with praise, and if he sensed someone was struggling, he’d cheer them on, telling them to hang in there.
‘Of course, the longer the filming went on, the more it felt like his soul was leaving his body…’
But that’s just what happens to people. Soul or not, his words themselves were encouraging.
Even when you feel like you’re about to break down, if someone beside you says, “Let’s try just a little more!”, it changes your mindset.
‘I was really lucky.’
To be able to start my real career with someone like this.
I looked into Director Choi Younghwan’s eyes and bowed my head politely.
“A-ah, not at all. You trusted me with the role, but I’m not sure if I did it right… You worked really hard today as well, Director.”
“Haha! No, really, you did great. Your vocalization and diction… could use a little improvement, but you really brought out the essence of Yoon Jihwa.”
Hmm, objective feedback without much emotion. I liked that.
“Did I really capture the feeling well?”
I needed data on how my acting looked through someone else’s eyes, so I deliberately blinked innocently and asked, as if I truly knew nothing about my own performance.
“Yeah. You know, Jihwa, acting isn’t just about delivering lines, right? Your eyes, expressions, gestures… Non-verbal elements are important, and you did a great job with those. I can tell you put in a lot of research.”
“Ah…”
His honest answer left me momentarily speechless.
My face felt just a little warm.
‘What’s wrong with me.’
It wasn’t the first time I’d been praised for my acting by someone else.
Even as a child actor, I’d often heard such words from people in the industry and the production team.
But for me, what mattered most was always the recognition of just one person.
“Th-thank you.”
Before the atmosphere could get any more awkward, I hurriedly spoke.
Director Choi Younghwan looked at me with an understanding expression, then gently patted my shoulder twice.
The warmth in his steady hand wasn’t bad at all.
The next day, as usual, my destination was the Filming Set.
It was the High School where we’d shot the day before.
“What the heck. I heard your shoot is scheduled later? Then why did they tell you to come at this time?”
My manager grumbled, reeking of cigarette smoke.
‘That’s because I specifically asked for it.’
In fact, the previous day, I’d carefully asked Director Choi Younghwan as soon as I arrived at the Filming Set.
I requested if he could let my manager know the shooting times a bit earlier from now on.
He didn’t even ask for a reason and just agreed.
Thanks to that, I was able to arrive at the Filming Set earlier than scheduled.
‘Seriously, who told you to always cut it so close to the wire every time?’
Not being late for the schedule is basic.
But this manager didn’t even understand such simple common sense.
He always pushed things to the last minute, making the staff at the shop rush during preparations.
He’d even ask if they’d take responsibility if we were late for the shoot.
Yoo Chaemin was only somewhat known for her looks; as an actress, she barely had a foothold.
Yet her manager acted high and mighty and always arrived at the Filming Set at the last minute.
Honestly, even if I were someone else, I wouldn’t have a good impression.
No matter how I thought about it, at least half of the bad reputation surrounding Yoo Chaemin definitely came from this guy.
I didn’t feel the need to respond, so I glanced at my manager for a moment and then focused on my script.
“Hey, are you ignoring me?”
He stepped closer, voice bristling with irritation.
When I looked up, the manager’s lips were trembling and his hand was half-raised.
I stared at him for a moment, then deliberately glanced around.
There were a lot of people at the Filming Set. People passing by were already glancing over, wondering what was going on.
Maybe realizing this a bit late, the manager coughed awkwardly and forced a smile.
“Hahaha, oh dear. Chaemin, you’ve got something on your shoulder?”
He patted my shoulder rather forcefully.
“Hey, from now on, answer me properly. You’ve gotten way too full of yourself lately, got it?”
I barely held back a snort at his muttered words.
Yoo Chaemin might’ve been pushed around by this guy’s words and actions, but I wasn’t. This jerk didn’t have the guts to hit or actually hurt someone.
Of course, if I kept provoking him or scratching at his pride, he might eventually snap and lay a hand on me…
‘If that happens, that’ll really be the end of it.’
I looked at the manager and gave a small nod. His brow furrowed and his cheek twitched.
But that was it.
Unable to say anything more, the manager hurriedly left. It was obvious he was flustered by my different reaction.
‘What a pain.’
I clicked my tongue, brushing off thoughts of the manager. Right now, the important thing was the shoot.
As I focused on the script again, I felt someone’s gaze from somewhere.
When I looked up, Seo Sangwoo was there. He was scheduled to shoot before me and had already finished all his preparations.
As soon as our eyes met, Seo Sangwoo quickly looked away.
‘What’s up with him…’
Why’s he acting like that?
The entrance to the Filming Set suddenly got noisy, and a bright, bouncy voice rang out.
“Hello! I’m here!”
“Yeoreum’s here?”
At the mention of Yeoreum, my head turned automatically. Through the crowd, I saw someone with a petite frame and long hair tied high.
It was Lee Choi, the actress playing Yeoreum, the female lead of .
Lee Choi. A former child actress, she’d steadily balanced both her studies and acting.
Her most recent project after becoming an adult was her best-received work yet, and she was finally recognized as an adult actress.
‘…She’s really grown up.’
And I—meaning Myung Seungho—had filmed a drama with her before. That was already ten years ago.
She was such a tiny kid back then, speaking clearly and acting well. It’s amazing how much she’s grown.
‘…Hmm.’
And now, meeting again on the same Filming Set, but in someone else’s body.
‘At least Yoo Chaemin is older than Lee Choi and Seo Sangwoo. That’s a relief.’
If we were the same age, this already strange feeling would have gotten even weirder.
“Hello, hello! Oh, it’s so hot today. Everyone’s working so hard since morning.”
Chatting lightly with the staff welcoming her, Lee Choi responded to Director Choi Younghwan’s call.
She spoke with him quite seriously for a moment, then soon walked over to me.
I put down my script and greeted her.
“Hello! This is our first time meeting since the script reading! Have you been well?”
“Lee Choi, hello. Yes, I’ve been well. Have you been well too?”
“Haha, yes. I’ve been good, preparing for the shoot. Oh, but you came early?”
“Yes. Since I had filming anyway, I came early.”
“Wow, you’re really diligent. Let’s do our best for today’s shoot!”
Lee Choi held out her hand.
“Yes. Let’s work well together.”
As I grasped her hand, Lee Choi grinned and shook it up and down energetically.
I could hear the staff watching us chuckle softly. Her bright, cheerful personality seemed unchanged.
“Hello!”
After our brief conversation, Lee Choi dashed off toward her next target: Seo Sangwoo.
Seo Sangwoo, as if waiting for her, greeted her with a bright, hearty voice.
‘Everyone’s so full of energy.’
Just watching them made me feel like my energy was being drained for some reason.
Once Lee Choi arrived, the real preparations for filming began. The previously lively atmosphere quickly turned serious.
On one side, extras gathered to hear an explanation of today’s shoot, while on the other, Lee Choi and Seo Sangwoo were lightly rehearsing.
I stood in a spot where I wouldn’t get in anyone’s way and observed the situation on the Filming Set.
Soon, the shoot began.
“Hyuk! You’re too fast. Slow down a bit…!”
Han Yeoreum chased after Lee Hyuk, who was striding away with long steps, panting for breath. But Lee Hyuk neither stopped nor slowed down.
As if Han Yeoreum’s voice didn’t even reach him.
“Hey, Lee Hyuk! You, you… If you keep this up, I’ll tell the chairman everything!”
Only then did Lee Hyuk stop walking.
Han Yeoreum beamed and quickly caught up to him. Her face as she looked at Lee Hyuk was full of joy and affection.
But Lee Hyuk’s gaze toward Han Yeoreum was cold as ice.
When Han Yeoreum finally met his eyes, her face froze. She lowered her gaze, looking completely lost like a pet who knew it had done wrong.
“S-sorry. I made a mistake.”
Han Yeoreum’s father was Lee Hyuk’s father’s driver. He sacrificed himself in a suspicious car accident to save Lee Hyuk’s father.
Because of that, Lee Hyuk’s father was soft on Han Yeoreum. He’d even pressure Lee Hyuk to give in to Han Yeoreum’s wishes as much as possible.
But to Lee Hyuk, whose father was always cold to him, seeing that same father go soft only for Han Yeoreum was something he could neither understand nor accept.
And now Han Yeoreum says she likes him. She doesn’t even bother to hide her feelings, and his father orders him to play along.
It was only natural that Lee Hyuk came to despise Han Yeoreum.
“Mistake? So, threatening me is just a mistake to you?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Hyuk. But you won’t listen to me…”
“Hey. Cut it out.”
Bang—Lee Hyuk slammed his palm against the wall.
Han Yeoreum, already overwhelmed by his height, shrank back even more. Lee Hyuk gave a crooked smile, as if he found her reaction disgusting.
“Don’t follow me. If you push it any further, I really won’t be able to hold back today.”
A cold warning delivered in a low voice. As Lee Hyuk walked away, Han Yeoreum’s eyes quickly filled with tears.
As her gaze dropped, fat teardrops started falling one by one.
Then, in an instant, Han Yeoreum’s expression changed. She scrunched up her brow and wiped away her tears roughly.
“Ugh, damn this stupid compulsion!”
Compulsion. In the webtoon, it meant scenes that progressed regardless of the characters’ will.
“Ugh, she really drives me nuts every time she opens her mouth. How can someone be so mean?”
Han Yeoreum stretched out the word ‘mean’ as ‘meeean’ and stuck her tongue out in the direction Lee Hyuk had gone.
“I don’t like you either, you know? You’re the male lead and I’m the female lead, so I’m just pretending to like you!”
After saying all the things she couldn’t in front of Lee Hyuk, she closed her eyes and let out a long sigh, trying to calm herself.
After several deep breaths, Han Yeoreum’s eyes snapped open. Now, instead of anger and annoyance, they were filled with anticipation.
“But where’s Jihwa? Jihwa needs to develop ‘will’ soon!”
Only when the characters developed ‘will’ could the compulsion of the original work weaken, and ultimately, the world could become independent.
Muttering to herself about what she had to do next, Han Yeoreum disappeared in the direction where Yoon Jihwa was likely to be.
Unlike before, her eyes were sparkling brightly.