In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 106

Practice room.

“Turn your head sharply when you get slapped. That way it hurts less.”

While I passed on my 101 villain know-how tips, the mentees sat there with their mouths hanging open in amazement.

“Being a villain isn’t just about putting tension in your eyes and body anymore—that’s outdated. Act natural. Do bad things naturally.”

“Wow, it’s like watching Yoo Ji-an in real life.”

Lee Hyoseo’s eyes went wide as she spoke in a daze.

“Come now, would a villain be that surprised? Alright then, shall we all start practicing together?”

A script had been provided for this Villain Chronicles mission.

Short, concise, and leaving room for actors to inject their own interpretation and individuality.

Rather than stage performances, everything would be filmed and recorded, with all teams’ VCRs revealed together during the Round 2 competition day.

Four characters served as the protagonists: a loan shark, a contract killer, an adulteress, and a pimp.

The four mentees needed to agree on which character each would take.

Our team decided Lee Hyoseo would play the loan shark, Kim Yeongi the contract killer, Yoon Haneul the adulteress, and Min Sohyeon the pimp.

Lines could be reworded however they wanted, as long as the content stayed the same.

“I mean, get the money from that guy’s wife. Why are you coming at me throwing a fit, a fit! Did I commit adultery alone?”

Yoon Haneul calmly finished interpreting her character, then instantly transformed into someone devoid of any common sense.

As expected, a real talent…

Just fill in the details and she’d be ready to put in front of cameras right now.

“If you want to take this girl, you need permission from me. I paid off all her debts and brought her here.”

“Anyone who doesn’t give me my money back will die if they don’t want to.”

Min Sohyeon’s acting remained excellent, but her character interpretation felt a bit bland, while Lee Hyoseo still hadn’t fully immersed herself in the role.

Sure enough, Lee Hyoseo raised her hand to request SOS.

“Mentor, I don’t know how to approach the loan shark character…”

Watching Lee Hyoseo with those kind eyes, breaking into a sweat, left me feeling a bit stumped too.

In the silence that followed, I sank into thought.

“Hyoseo-ssi, I think your problem is that you’re trying to copy loan sharks you’ve seen somewhere.”

“…Yes.”

“In my opinion, if you were a loan shark, Hyoseo-ssi, you’d actually be terrifying. With that friendly face, smiling as you ask for money.”

“Huh?”

The team members listening nearby burst into giggles.

“Wow, that would actually be terrifying.”

“I’m getting goosebumps all of a sudden.”

Hearing that, Lee Hyoseo scratched her head.

“Hyoseo-ssi, try delivering your lines with a smile.”

“Ah, how do I…”

Watching Lee Hyoseo struggle, I let out a relaxed smile.

“Give me my money. I’ve waited quite a while now, haven’t I?”

“……”

Lee Hyoseo’s eyes went wide in shock.

“Hitting people, burying them… I hate that stuff. Don’t make me do things that upset others—just give me the money.”

As I spoke the lines in a tone dripping with disgust, the atmosphere turned menacing in an instant.

In that moment, I stepped closer to Lee Hyoseo and spoke quietly.

“Are you deaf?”

Looking down, I stared at Lee Hyoseo as if ready to devour her.

Lee Hyoseo looked up at me with a terrified expression.

A brief silence filled the practice room.

Moments later.

I broke into a bright smile again and patted Lee Hyoseo’s shoulder.

“See? Even smiling, it’s scary, right?”

The mentees finally seemed to descend from the ice as they stammered.

“Insane…”

“Mentor, you’re terrifying…”

Staff members were focusing multiple cameras on me.

I’d shown this direct demonstration for two reasons.

First, to directly help Lee Hyoseo understand her character interpretation.

Second, to fulfill the PD’s request for a bold mentor performance.

This should at least create an impressive scene in the edit.

Lee Hyoseo, who’d been staring at me quietly, spoke up.

“I’m going to practice right now.”

She seemed to have caught onto something.

I grinned while watching Lee Hyoseo head toward the corner of the practice room.

* * *

‘Are you deaf?’

“Wow, insane. How did she do that with just three words?”

A household somewhere.

A woman sat in front of the TV showing Be Actors, slurping down ramyeon while making a fuss.

“Ah, seriously. Close your mouth while you eat.”

Her younger brother snapped at his noona, clearly annoyed.

That’s when a scene began playing where Han Sena demonstrated all four roles by herself.

‘Hey, did I commit adultery alone?’

‘Well, why did you live that way? You shouldn’t have done enough bad things to get yourself killed.’

Soon the younger brother also watched Han Sena’s acting scene with rapt attention, as if mesmerized.

“Wow, how does she do that…”

“The fan cafe must be going crazy again today.”

The woman immediately accessed the ‘Fundamentals’ fan cafe on her phone.

[Han Sena ‘Be Actors’ Real-Time Comments]

– Wow, is she insane? Did everyone just see that?

– I’m here on a pilgrimage. Please give our unnie one more villain role.

– Let’s insert Han Sena villain acting content at the next fan meeting.

– This week those malicious commenters will all shut their mouths. That’s what mentoring is. She’s not just talking—she’s showing it directly.

– Honestly if it were me, I would’ve cried from being moved.

– As expected of the ice beauty. When she plays villains, she’s genuinely chilling and suits it so well.

– This week’s heroine is Lee Hyoseo, I guess. Han Sena seems to be trying to spotlight each team member one by one. As expected, such a brain.

Looking at the comments, the woman brought her hand to her chest as if overwhelmed.

“Ah, dongsaeng. Why do I like Han Sena so much?”

“Why do you like another woman so much?”

“You think women only like men?”

“I only like women though?”

The woman glanced at her brother with an expression that said ‘fine, let’s not even talk about this.’

Then she spoke again.

“She’s cool, you know. Even as another woman watching. The vicarious satisfaction I get just watching how confidently she walks her path. It makes me want to live like that too.”

* * *

Same time, in the darkened Room 302 dorm.

‘You’re too full of yourself. You think I’m actually going easy on you because I like you?’

Do Changhyeon sat alone in front of the TV, staring at Han Sena’s image as if completely absorbed.

It was the umpteenth time he’d rewound and watched the same line.

“What is that presence…”

‘Straighten your shoulders. Looking unconfident is a minus in this industry.’

Do Changhyeon recalled the words Han Sena had told him during their first mentor-mentee meeting.

That single line Han Sena had thrown at him somehow felt like a spell.

Do Changhyeon pulled both legs up and wrapped his arms around them.

Ever since he’d first started learning acting, low self-esteem and lack of confidence had always held him back.

He didn’t know why.

From the time he was young, he’d always felt inferior to others, his insides twisting up.

Compliments from others saying he did well sounded fake, while casual criticisms pointing out flaws always stayed lodged in his heart.

‘It would be nice to have somewhere to lean on.’

That’s when his phone rang.

‘AK Executive Director Yang Euichul’

Do Changhyeon answered with a bright smile.

“Yes, Executive Director! Hello! Ah, you’re watching the show? Thank you. Yes, yes.”

* * *

One week later.

“A reversal has occurred! The participant who claimed first place in individual scores this week is none other than Yoon Haneul-ssi!”

After the VCR reveal, on-site voting concluded.

I jumped up from my seat and applauded Yoon Haneul.

Yoon Haneul stood up looking dazed, receiving congratulations from the team members.

However, this mission’s ace was undoubtedly Lee Hyoseo.

Lee Hyoseo received scores over 90, pulling up the team’s average significantly.

“However, La Dolce Vita unfortunately placed second again this week. As if seeking revenge for last week’s humiliation, The Glory team came charging up fiercely to claim first place in team average!”

Amid the erupting cheers, Hwang Yuseon stood with her arms crossed, smiling contentedly.

Hwang Yuseon’s team this time had clearly come out with their teeth bared.

The behind-the-scenes story later revealed that throughout the entire week, neither mentor nor mentees slept more than five hours.

Hwang Yuseon had set Do Changhyeon up as a gay man in an affair, pushing forward with a unique character concept.

An excellent strategy.

Plus she’d covered the teamwork issues through brutal practice, narrowing the gap with the other mentees.

However, our team continued growing steadily.

There was no need to worry about anyone else.

But then.

“Now, the mentor of the team that placed first in Round 2 will receive a secret benefit. Everyone please look forward to it.”

A secret benefit.

Something about this gave me an uneasy feeling.

‘This is starting to feel more and more like a battlefield.’

I deliberately buried my anxiety and glanced at Hwang Yuseon basking in the spotlight with a slight smile.

This is going to get even more interesting.

I looked toward the audience seats where the mentees sat in the distance.

But for a moment, I had the illusion of making eye contact with Do Changhyeon.

Do Changhyeon had been staring intently not at his spotlight-receiving mentor, but at me, before turning his head away.

Must have been my imagination.

While watching the back of Do Changhyeon’s head, I secretly let out a sigh.

Really… with such great talent.

If only he’d avoid drugs.

I was worried, but either way, he’s someone else’s mentee.

I had no time to worry about him.

“Now then, viewers. We’ll be back next week with another fearsome mission. This has been Be Actors!”

The MC’s closing remarks filled the studio.

* * *

Right after the Round 2 mission ended.

‘Forced event occurring. Forced event occurring. Trade commencing.’

“What?!”

While exchanging warm mission reflections with the team members in the waiting room, a siren blared from the hallway speakers.

“Trade…?”

Everyone froze as if they’d heard a devil’s decree, staring at where the staff stood.

The staff maintained complete ignorance.

Before anyone could assess the situation, the next announcement flowed from the speakers.

“Mentor Hwang Yuseon has selected La Dolce Vita’s mentee Yoon Haneul!”

“?!”

Everyone looked at Yoon Haneul with shocked faces.

Among them all, Yoon Haneul looked at me with the most shocked expression.

“Mentor…?”

“……”

No way.

A brief thought flashed through my mind.

Could this be the benefit for first-place team mentors that the MC mentioned?

That’s when the practice room screen displayed the trade explanation.

‘No right to refuse trade. Must select opposing team mentee’