In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 104

The day of the much-anticipated first mission.

After the MC’s smooth opening remarks and program introduction, the mission began immediately.

“Our first team is La Dolce Vita from Mentor Han Sena!!”

I watched the team members step onto the stage while forcing down my racing heart.

Cameras zoomed in for close-ups of my face.

“Now, revealing the mission.”

Tense BGM flowed as the mission appeared on the large screen.

‘La Dolce Vita Team Mission – Love-Hate’

The team members on stage looked taken aback upon seeing the mission.

Then they glanced at each other before turning to look at me.

I smiled back at them as if to say it was okay.

You need to lead the atmosphere with your energy.

Just like we practiced.

I clasped my hands together and watched the stage with more desperate hope than I’d ever felt while acting.

The studio slowly darkened…

Four pin lights dropped onto the stage.

That’s when Park Eunki quietly asked from beside me.

“Is Min Sohyeon-ssi the ace? Or Yoon Haneul?”

I answered that question with a meaningful “Who knows” and grinned.

The audience wouldn’t hear it, but this would all be caught on our individual mics and used in editing.

After running through my calculations, I turned my head back to the stage.

In that time, Kim Yeongi had walked to the front.

“Hm?”

Ha Seongjun raised one eyebrow as if surprised.

That moment.

Kim Yeongi broke the silence by plopping down on stage and bursting into wailing sobs.

“…?”

Kim Yeongi cried pitifully, even stomping her feet like a child throwing a tantrum.

Even I stared at her in stunned confusion.

While no one could predict what was happening, only Lee Hyoseo seemed to catch the direction and approached Kim Yeongi.

Then she pushed the crying Kim Yeongi, sending her rolling.

Laughter burst from the audience at the absurd situation.

That’s when Min Sohyeon seemed to grasp it and shot her hand up, shouting.

“Teacher! They’re fighting!!”

The moment I heard Min Sohyeon’s lisp-affected line, I gasped.

A daycare center.

It was a concept I’d never expected.

While everyone watched with intrigued laughter, Yoon Haneul clapped twice expressionlessly.

“Stop, stop. What did I tell you to do when a friend upsets you?”

Yoon Haneul had instantly become a daycare teacher.

Lee Hyoseo, who’d been tormenting Kim Yeongi, jumped up and raised her hand.

“Compete fairly one-on-one!”

Yoon Haneul answered shamelessly.

“Correct.”

Laughter erupted from the audience.

While even the judging panel laughed, I sat alone with my mouth hanging open.

The four of them had united to create a concept and were incorporating the direction they’d practiced.

“Why are those two fighting like that, teacher? My mom and dad do that too.”

Min Sohyeon asked Yoon Haneul as if she couldn’t understand.

Yoon Haneul answered.

“Because they hate each other. Enough to want to hit each other.”

“Then why don’t they just not play together?”

“Because they like each other too much to do that. They want to stay together even while fighting to the death.”

“That’s weird!”

The moment their conversation ended, Kim Yeongi and Lee Hyoseo continued their epic battle.

What we’d practiced during the first training was shining now.

“Drop dead! Don’t come in.”

“You witch!”

The two children were mimicking adult lines they’d learned from watching their parents fight.

The audience was already doubled over with laughter.

Using Kim Yeongi and Lee Hyoseo’s comedic chemistry while the other two with superior acting skills continued narration and emotional acting.

My mentees were pulling it off right now.

I watched the situation play out with sweaty palms.

Time had already passed the 2.5-minute mark.

Kim Yeongi and Lee Hyoseo kept their energy up, changing repertoires as they continued fighting.

But inevitably, it felt slightly monotonous.

Since it was so improvised, unlike Ha Seongjun’s team, there wasn’t much narrative arc.

However, my smile never faded the whole time.

The four team members worked together maintaining their chemistry and enjoying the stage until the end.

I heard Kim Heejoo sunbaenim’s murmur from behind.

“Ah, how lovely.”

I perked up my ears at those words.

I wanted to turn around right then and shout ‘Right?!’

“Everyone stop!”

With Yoon Haneul’s high-pitched voice ending the situation, exactly 3 minutes finished.

“Yes, that was great.”

Thunderous applause poured out for the team members who’d finished their stage.

I finally let out a small sigh of relief and clapped along.

Park Seokjin sunbaenim was first to give his evaluation.

“The atmosphere is really good as expected. Lee Hyoseo, Kim Yeongi-ssi are the mood makers on the team, right?”

A perceptive sunbaenim as always.

The team members smiled brightly and nodded at the question.

“Looking at this stage, I can’t call the acting complete. But that power to maintain a cheerful energy, and the energy with which these two pull each other and the other two members together—that was very good.”

Next, Hwang Yuseon gave her evaluation.

“I found Yoon Haneul-ssi impressive. Her emotional interpretation is excellent. Explaining the concept of love-hate from a child’s perspective in that brief moment was really good.”

My lips curled up involuntarily as the mentees received praise.

I struggled hard not to show my bouncing emotions in front of the camera.

“Now, revealing the scores! Kim Yeongi 87 points, Yoon Haneul 85 points, Min Sohyeon 81 points, Lee Hyoseo 81 points! Average 83.5!”

Disappointed sighs flowed from the audience.

My brow furrowed slightly too.

Hmm…

That’s when the audience votes were revealed in succession.

“But wait. A reversal has occurred. Kim Yeongi 91 points, Yoon Haneul 88 points, Min Sohyeon 85 points, Lee Hyoseo 83 points!”

Though it fell slightly short of expectations, it was too early to judge.

I stood up and applauded the mentees.

The team members smiled radiantly on stage as they looked at me.

* * *

Several days ago.

After finishing one-on-one feedback and interviews, I gathered the mentees together again.

“Kim Yeongi, Lee Hyoseo-ssi will create our team’s narrative.”

All four mentees looked shocked.

Especially Kim Yeongi and Lee Hyoseo’s faces showed dismay.

Probably because they thought the other two were more skilled than them.

Watching their expected reactions, I spoke.

“I think for the first round at least, everyone should show ‘acting they can do well.'”

The mentees began focusing on my words as their surprise settled.

As an actor, sometimes you need to abandon comfortable methods and be bold.

Especially in an audition where you must show growth each round.

But choosing that approach from the first round would be inefficient.

Since viewer votes counted each round, participants needed to show their most confident acting first.

Only then could they make a strong first impression, whether as skilled actors or unique personalities.

Making a good first impression would make it easier to carry expectations into later rounds.

And most importantly.

Due to the nature of the first mission, I felt confident our team had a definite advantage over other teams.

“Um, Mentor. But can we set a narrative in advance for improvised acting?”

Min Sohyeon asked in her crisp tone.

I smiled slightly at Min Sohyeon.

“Of course you have to create it on the spot. But in a very appealing way. It’s all character play.”

However, shortly after speaking confidently, an unexpected variable occurred.

Yeongi-ssi started failing to perform, seeming burdened by taking a core role.

“At times like this, the line should be…”

Every time Yeongi-ssi practiced, she interrupted the situation and asked me for help.

I watched with crossed arms before asking Yeongi-ssi.

“Yeongi-ssi, what do you think your strength is?”

Four days of residential training were underway after team announcements and the first meeting.

Our team’s training was being captured in real-time on camera.

Yet Yeongi-ssi kept hesitating.

“My strength… I’ve been told I’m observant.”

“And also?”

“And also…”

Yeongi-ssi mumbled.

Without waiting for an answer, I switched targets to Lee Hyoseo.

“Hyoseo-ssi, you’ve known Yeongi-ssi a long time, right? What do you see as Yeongi-ssi’s strength?”

Lee Hyoseo, receiving the redirected question, fell into thought briefly.

“I’ve always thought having no particular weaknesses is a strength. Though that might make her seem colorless. And Yeongi always has good chemistry with her partners.”

Lee Hyoseo gave an answer close to correct.

“Yes, exactly. From what I see, Yeongi-ssi’s strength is interaction with others.”

Yeongi-ssi made a face like she hadn’t expected that.

“Your ability to trust and support your partner is better than anyone else’s. That ability is the most necessary ingredient for this first mission. Keep that strength in your heart from today on.”

Yeongi-ssi slowly nodded.

* * *

After our team members came down, the other three teams’ improvised acting followed in succession.

Hwang Yuseon’s ‘The Glory’ team’s mission was ‘reconciliation,’ Park Eunki’s ‘300’ team’s mission was ‘thirst,’ and finally Ha Seongjun’s ‘Heaven Earth Star Earth’ team’s mission was ‘fear.’

Among these, the standout team was Ha Seongjun’s ‘Heaven Earth Star Earth’ team.

Cha Seunghee, lying in the center of the stage, screamed and bolted upright.

“Aaah!!”

“What, what, what’s wrong!”

“Uh uh, Mom!!”

The rest of the team members gathered around Cha Seunghee in what seemed like a family concept.

“Huff huff…”

Cha Seunghee gasped as if she’d had a nightmare.

“I dreamed about taking the college entrance exam again.”

Laughter burst from the audience at Cha Seunghee’s following line.

Light laughter leaked from the judging panel too.

The team members fluidly continued the situation without any hitches, as if they’d rehearsed the script many times.

“Mom, today’s MY entrance exam. Why are you like this!”

Yoo Hyejin, playing the daughter, shouted as if fed up.

For three minutes, the family started fighting because of the mother’s nightmare, escalating to extremes.

“This was the nightmare.”

With Cha Seunghee’s final line, the 3-minute timer immediately ended.

“Wow.”

“They did so well.”

Real-time reactions poured out as thunderous applause erupted.

Most of all, the dramatic structure stood out in this team.

They did better than I expected?

I smiled and applauded Ha Seongjun’s team members too.

This team will get even scores.

I smiled slightly and entered scores more freely than when evaluating Hwang Yuseon’s team.

“Revealing scores. Cha Seunghee 91 points, Myeong Yuhyeon 86 points, Yoo Hyejin 84 points, Yang Geon 82 points! With judge scores averaging a strong lead at 86.75, the audience votes are Cha Seunghee 90 points, Myeong Yuhyeon 83 points, Yoo Hyejin 83 points, Yang Geon 80 points!”

Ha Seongjun beside me made a fuss and clapped.

A fairly high average score that could aim for first place.

“My team’s the best! Great job!”

And…

Hwang Yuseon’s Glory team, which I’d been watching most closely, pushed Do Changhyeon as their ace.

However, the stage devolved into a Do Changhyeon one-man show.

‘Do Changhyeon 92 points, Kim Minseok 86 points, So Daehwi 71 points, Yoo Janghyeok 71 points.’

The score gap between team members was huge.

Only Do Changhyeon towering alone.

Even in the audience votes, Do Changhyeon’s score plummeted.

‘Do Changhyeon 80 points! Kim Minseok 85 points, So Daehwi 79 points, Yoo Janghyeok 80 points.’

“…!”

I startled and widened my eyes at the unexpected scores.