* * *
“Hey! Han Yeoreum!”
The moment the lecture ended, someone called out my name without hesitation.
“…Dami?”
“Why aren’t you answering my call! I thought you weren’t awake~.”
So Dami. With her gentle eyes fixed on me, Dami was a classmate I had been close to around this time.
She was also the only one who kept trying to stop me when I was completely lost and obsessed with being a so-called “real actor.”
‘The last time we talked was when I got mad and told her to stop meddling in other people’s lives and focus on her own…’
Why did I act so childish?
Looking back now, it was totally reasonable for her to cut me off.
‘No I mean, if it were me, I wouldn’t have tried to stop someone for that long.’
Even after making a name for herself through a rom-com project, Dami kept reaching out to me—and seeing her now made my heart ache for no reason.
‘This time, I’ll ditch all the useless classmates and seniors and focus only on Dami.’
Choosing others over her… even now, it feels unbelievably foolish.
“Did you drink too much yesterday? From now on, let’s each stick to just one bottle. Seriously.”
Judging by the nuance, it must have been Dami I drank with yesterday.
I remember.
‘Before the semester started, us classmates got together for a drink.’
We were all high on the hype of getting into an arts university, killing time with pointless talk about acting philosophies, our futures as actors, and the Korean film industry.
“Yeoreum, later we’re all getting together with the classmates agai—”
“Dami-ya, I’m sorry. I can’t drink anymore.”
But there’s no such thing anymore.
‘I don’t have time to waste.’
Because I had to catch up to Do Gyeoul as soon as possible.
This was the status window of Do Gyeoul that I checked earlier.
[Name: Do Gyeoul]
Level: 1.07 million followers
Title: Daughter of Do Munjeong / Genius Child Actress / No. 1 Favorite Actress Among Teens / 7th in Star Brand Reputation / Zephyr Muse
‘How does she have so many titles?’
Looking at Do Gyeoul’s status window, I felt the gap between us. All that was left for me was a single word—“Unknown.”
‘It’s not like she’s some kind of title hunter….’
The stats listed below only made the comparison feel worse.
Immersion: B+
Analytical: D
Communication: D
Quick Thinking: B+
Concentration: C
Recognition: B+
Artistry: D
Skills
〈Protagonist on Stage〉 B
〈One Who Overwhelms the Gaze〉 B+
They were all a couple of levels higher than mine. And although we shared one identical skill, hers was far superior—so much so that there was no real comparison.
I was a little discouraged, but…
‘She started acting at least 10 years before me, so there’s nothing I can do about it now.’
I knew I’d catch up soon, so I wasn’t too worried.
* * *
As soon as I got home, I opened the system again.
“Please, let it be beginner’s luck…!”
This was the reason I turned down the classmates who asked me out for drinks.
It was the “Skill Draw Ticket” I had just received as a reward for completing the first mission.
‘I’ve never had even a shred of luck until now, so please, just this once!’
With trembling hands, I pressed the “Use” button.
Pat—!
Light burst from the status window as the roulette began to spin.
Drrrk—.
The circular roulette spun so fast the letters became unreadable, then came to a sudden stop with a burst of flashy sound effects.
「One More Look (C)」
Online or offline, what every star needs is public attention! Whether it’s your appearance, photos, videos, or even just your voice—people will find themselves stopping for a second look. Skill proficiency affects your public recognition.
After drawing the skill, a second mission window appeared before me.
「Mission: The First Step of Self-PR」
Keyword: First Stage
Someday, when someone looks you up, what’s the first thing they’ll see? Your profile picture! Take a photo that truly represents you, post it on social media, and try to get over 500 likes.
Success Conditions
You must be photographed by someone with Artistry of B-grade or higher.
Rewards
[Recognition] Increase
[Artistry] Increase
What is this?
‘…I, Is that a good thing?’
* * *
Correction. This skill doesn’t seem all that great after all.
“Is that her?”
Word about Professor Geum Bitgang’s lecture yesterday spread quickly.
‘Not just students from other departments, even our own seniors…’
They came to see me.
Look at the vibe. That strict hierarchy in arts and sports departments is still going strong.
‘I can already see how this is going to go.’
The graduating seniors must be feeling the pressure. By now, they thought they’d be making their debut—but even landing a single audition has been tough.
‘The only thing left is to at least make sure they leave a strong impression before moving on.’
To do that, connections are crucial. You have to ask the directing majors to cast you as the lead in their graduation projects.
‘They drag along an easygoing junior to use as both an extra and an assistant staff. Shooting sets are always short on hands, after all.’
One of the seniors, who had been putting on airs, swaggered over and said with a smirk.
“Hey! I heard you’re pretty good at acting. What was your name again? Han Yeoreum?”
“Good~ You probably don’t have much field experience yet, but we’ll help you.”
I smiled slightly, lifting the corners of my lips.
‘Help? More like don’t get in our way.’
Before I turned back time, I was happy to take even one-liners and worked unpaid all over the place. But now, it’s a whole different story.
‘I absolutely won’t.’
Of course, they must’ve heard about the theater class—so naturally, they’d want me. How could they not?
‘I’m none other than Han Yeoreum—the one even Professor Geum Bitgang recognizes!’
I was holding back a smile that was trying hard to slip out when someone called Do Gyeoul as they entered the classroom.
“Hi, Gyeoul!”
Do Gyeoul stopped mid-step and met my gaze. We silently stared at each other for a moment.
“Han Yeoreum… right? Hi.”
After a brief pause, Gyeoul was the first to speak.
Do Gyeoul’s gaze was different from the brief moment we shared yesterday. There wasn’t a trace of emotion in the eyes looking back at me.
It was the gaze of a pure observer—devoid of like or dislike, neither warm nor cold.
‘…This one is creepier.’
But as if nothing had happened, Do Gyeoul’s expression shifted, and she approached with a smile.
“I didn’t get a chance to say hi yesterday. You were great at acting.”
Her voice, bright and clear as she greeted me, was almost impressively pleasant. I gave a quick nod in response.
My heart pounded with instinctive discomfort.
‘…Calm down.’
The memory of that terrible car accident started to resurface once again.
‘Officially, this is our first introduction.’
I forced myself to smooth out my expression and gave a faint smile.
“You did well too.”
At my words, Do Gyeoul lifted the corners of her lips as if to say thank you. Then, as if it were the most natural thing, she took her place in the spotlight.
“Did everyone come to see Yeoreum?”
“Yeah, well… kind of? There are actually more people here to see you…”
As Do Gyeoul took the lead, the seniors responded with a sycophantic tone.
It was understandable.
‘If you had to name the most successful actor among us right now, it’d undoubtedly be Do Gyeoul.’
Back in the day, I would’ve been desperate for that kind of recognition, running around wherever I was called—but now, things are different.
‘Do you know that just completing the profile photo mission can cost tens of thousands of won?’
I don’t work for free. I was about to turn them down right away—when suddenly…
“All right, all right— I know everyone’s excited, but back to your spots\~.”
Thankfully, before Do Gyeoul could lock me in as her extra, the professor walked in.
I sighed in relief and sharply planned my escape.
* * *
I ran away as soon as the lecture was over.
It was because the seniors, having been clearly turned down by Do Gyeoul, were now hoping to at least catch Han Yeoreum.
“What about me? I’m really good at acting too! Anyone want to see~?”
Fortunately, Dami saw my troubled expression and became my shield.
‘Dami. I’ll never forget this favor.’
I stopped running only after I got to the entrance of the video studio.
‘Anyway, I really need to find a part-time job soon…’
Hair and makeup alone cost over 100,000 won. Add the profile photos on top of that, and it’s no surprise if you end up spending several hundred thousand won.
‘I still don’t know the exact criteria of the system window yet…’
I had a gut feeling that if I wanted to hit over 500 likes and get an Artistry rating of B or higher, I couldn’t afford to shoot in just some mediocre place.
“Sigh… If I do about three days of warehouse work…”
My part-time job survival instinct, etched deep into my bones, kicked back in.
I sighed and habitually scanned the wall at the entrance to the video studio.
‘Sometimes they post filming assistant gigs here.’
Out of all the posters crammed on the wall, maybe there’s at least one that’s worth checking out.
From national scholarship applications, to film club screening dates, and then…
‘Huh.’
That’s when I saw it—a sheet of paper that stood out among the countless posters.
A clean color palette and simple font—yet the design gave off a sense of mastery.
I hurriedly read through the text.
“As expected.”
My eyes hadn’t deceived me.
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