Chapter 28 : I’m a Living Actor (28)

What did I just hear?

I didn’t want to believe it, so I tried retracing my memories, but unfortunately, it wasn’t just my imagination.

‘Why am I keeping my distance?’

Keeping distance was true. Doing it on purpose was true, too.

I didn’t particularly want to form any ties, nor did I feel any need for it.

So whenever Seo Sangwoo and Lee Choi subtly showed signs of wanting to get closer, I quietly turned them down.

‘But to ask me about it like this?’

That was a bit… hard to understand.

The first reason was that I wondered if it really needed to go this far, and the second was that it was hard to believe he’d ask such a question under the influence of alcohol.

‘He’s still young, and this is his first drama shoot after all…’

There was definitely something special about a first time. Besides, this drama was about dreams and youth as a backdrop.

During filming, rather than one person leading, the three of us shared opinions and created together.

‘…Ah.’

Thinking it through, it made sense that Seo Sangwoo would consider this relationship special.

“I’m sorry. I’m really not drunk… I was going to keep quiet because I thought you’d feel burdened, but the words just slipped out like this.”

With a voice full of frustration, he mumbled on. Watching him, I ran a hand through my hair.

I had no idea how to wrap up and move past this situation.

He was definitely a little tipsy, so maybe I should just sit him back down at the barbecue place…

‘No, that’s not it.’

Even if I did that, it probably wouldn’t cause any real problem.

Even if Seo Sangwoo sobered up tomorrow and remembered this, he wouldn’t hold a grudge.

Still, he’d be a little upset. My actions basically said I didn’t want to get any closer.

Even knowing that was the easiest and cleanest way, somehow my heart wasn’t in it.

Stuck in limbo, just staring at him, it was then that a familiar voice came from behind Seo Sangwoo.

“Seo Sangwoo, what are you doing here…? Huh? Chae Min?”

It was Lee Choi.

‘They’ve definitely dropped the honorifics.’

I’d noticed it even on set. They were consciously keeping formal speech because of me.

I gave Lee Choi a light smile and then looked back at Seo Sangwoo.

First, let’s clear up the misunderstanding and let this go.

“I wasn’t keeping my distance because of what happened back then. That’s just… how I am. Sorry for making you misunderstand.”

The only plausible excuse I could offer was my personality.

There was also a cowardly hope that mentioning that would make them link it to Yoon Chaemin’s past and interpret it for themselves.

“Really?”

When I nodded, Seo Sangwoo glanced between Lee Choi and me. Then, he smiled foolishly again.

“So you don’t not want to get closer?”

“…Yes.”

“Really?”

“Re…ally.”

“Then…”

Seo Sangwoo took a deep breath. What on earth was he about to say?

“Let’s drop the honorifics. Is that okay?”

‘That’s it?’

The wind was knocked out of me for a moment.

“…Yeah. Okay.”

It looked like he firmly believed we’d continue to see each other regularly. Though it was probably a fragile illusion bound to break eventually…

‘But it’s not like we won’t see each other for life.’

Once the drama started airing, we’d have to do promotional work together.

And as long as none of us quit acting, there was nothing strange about seeing each other anytime, anywhere. This industry was surprisingly small.

We already had each other’s contact info, and a group chat with just the three of us. Dropping honorifics was the least of it.

If anything, it would be stranger not to.

“Wow, you heard that, right? Lee Choi! I did it!”
“…Ugh.”

Lee Choi looked at Seo Sangwoo with a mix of exasperation and disbelief, then pushed him toward the barbecue table.

Seo Sangwoo stumbled a little, and somehow the three of us ended up returning to our seats together.

Once seated at the same table again, the conversation flowed naturally.

“Anyway, I’m flying out tomorrow morning. I’m really going to have an amazing time. I might not be able to reply much, but I’ll drop a survival report in the group chat now and then.”

Seo Sangwoo was slightly drunk, so the focus shifted to Lee Choi.

After pondering for a while, she finally bought a plane ticket to Okinawa.

“Don’t worry about it, just have fun. Just send a message once you arrive safely.”
“Okay!”

Watching Lee Choi’s excited face, I felt something strange. That she would really go on a trip alone without even telling her mother…

It wasn’t so much that she’d listened to my advice, but that my words had just been the catalyst. Still, it felt odd in some way.

In the end, it meant we had affected each other in some way.

A fact I’d been deliberately ignoring was suddenly shoved right in front of me. Maybe it had never been possible to just lightly touch and run away from this.

I looked at Lee Choi showing me her phone screen and talking about her trip schedule, then glanced briefly around.

The never-dying commotion.

The hot, charged air inside, unlike the cold outside.

People steeped in joy and relief, and faint hopes for the future.

In that moment, memories flashed through my mind. The first time I saw the script, the audition, the first shoot, the script studies where time flew by…

‘…It was fun.’

A feeling I’d forgotten, one I thought I’d never feel again, fell like a tiny droplet onto my heart.

The long-term drama shoot brought more results than I expected.

[Successfully changed the perception of three remarkable individuals.]

[Received 15 Okchuns!]

[Successfully changed the perception of twenty ordinary individuals.]

[Received 60 Okchuns!]

[Successfully changed the perception of thirty-two faint individuals.]

[Received 32 Okchuns!]

[Occupation rank increased!]

[Occupation: Actor (A→C)]

And an unwelcome visitor showed up, as expected.

“Myeong Seungho, you’re better than I expected.”

I almost frowned at the man sitting opposite me.

I furrowed my brow, closed my eyes tight, then opened them again.

Unfortunately, the man was still right there.

When our eyes met, the man—Team Leader Kkae—narrowed his eyes in a smile.

The sharp curve visible through his smiling eyes put me in a bad mood for no reason.

I knew he’d come after the proper first drama shoot ended, but still, I didn’t expect it to be so soon.

And, as always, he brought coffee from a famous café brand.

“I’m glad you’re doing better than I thought. Honestly, I was quite worried…”

If anyone overheard, they’d think he was a caring team leader worried about a new employee.

His words, tone, and voice were so convincing it gave me goosebumps.

‘Then why do you always say stuff like that to me?’

It might sound warmhearted, but it actually implied I was a problematic employee worth worrying about.

A team leader wouldn’t fuss over a perfectly fine new hire like this. I found it unpleasant.

‘I didn’t cause any accidents, I just messed up a little.’

To be honest, that was understandable, wasn’t it?

After dying and coming back to life on my own, I was forcibly hired by that afterlife company called Karma or whatever.

“It’s thanks to your concern.”

I deliberately answered as gently as possible.

Team Leader Kkae’s attitude still irritated me, but I wasn’t foolish enough to openly show hostility.

My thoughts hadn’t changed: there was no reason to make enemies, especially with these mysterious company people.

‘And there’s no need to draw extra attention to myself.’

Team Leader Kkae paused as he was drinking his coffee at my words.

He put down his cup and stared at me for a moment. His half-exposed pupils looked like he was trying to see right through me. It was unsettling.

“Is that so?”

He took his time, and that was all he said.

‘…Pointless power struggle.’

He probably knew exactly how intimidating he looked doing that, and yet he did it anyway.

Annoying. I said I’d behave quietly at work, so why is he like this?

“Of course. I mean it.”

“Wow.”

“……”

“I’m touched.”

Really, I was annoyed.

Instead of replying, I gulped down my coffee, and Team Leader Kkae let out a small laugh.

“So, how’s work going? Are you managing okay?”
“Um…”

Work, huh.

Even though I didn’t physically go to a company office, nor had I met any coworkers face-to-face, it wasn’t a wrong term.

Possessing other people’s bodies to accomplish a goal was essentially this company’s business.

‘So technically, there’s no coming or going.’

It couldn’t be worse. Even freelancers probably had some sense of coming and going.

Of course, I couldn’t just say it as it was. I hesitated a bit, then quickly started thinking.

“To be honest, I’m still a bit disoriented. But I think I’m gradually adapting.”

No emotion like good, bad, or hard mixed in. Plain and simple. Not a lie, either.

“I see.”

The response was surprisingly bland. I thought he might probe to see if I was lying.

“Any questions? Now that you’ve experienced the company’s system a little, you must have some curiosities.”

His questions were quite reasonable. Glad for the opportunity, I spoke up immediately.

“I understand you can only get Okchun by successfully changing someone’s perception. What’s that about? It’s not like a quest pops up, so I didn’t even know this was a thing.”

“That’s also part of your duties, I suppose.”
“……”

Right. Didn’t expect much.

“…Are the items in the Karma Mall fixed? Honestly, there’s nothing I particularly need. The random custom items are literally random, and there’s only one of those.”

“The item list doesn’t change unless something serious happens. They just restock regularly. You may not need them now, but maybe there will come a time when you do.”

An answer that didn’t really say anything…

‘Someday, maybe. Someday.’

But would I ever actually use something like the animal transformation set?
I might use a ‘Pain Postponing Medicine’ once or twice, but even then, I’d prefer not to.

“In fact, all those items are carefully developed by our product development team to ensure the comfort of our employees’ company life.”

What kind of life are the other employees living?

Are they possessed by people from another world, or aliens?

I swallowed a sigh and asked the next question.

I wasn’t getting any meaningful answers, but Team Leader Kkae was the only person I could get company information from.

“Can custom items be added or expanded? The randomness is too vague… Isn’t there any way to improve this?”