In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 113

The powerful performances from those two in <Children Aging Out of Care> flashed through my mind.

Had that scene boosted their rankings significantly at the venue?

If so, then next would be…

“6th place Cha Seunghee!”

“…?”

Cha Seunghee, who I’d expected to place in the top four, came in sixth.

Wait, does that mean Do Changhyeon, Kim Yeongi, and Lee Hyoseo are all in the top five…?

My hands grew clammy with nerves.

“Now then, 5th place!!”

But just then.

The MC dropped a bombshell.

“Not 5th place—tied for 4th! Lee Hyoseo! Kim Minseok!”

“What?”

Lee Hyoseo, who’d been nervously shifting her weight on stage, widened her eyes at hearing her name.

Kim Yeongi standing beside her looked ready to pass out.

“What’s going on!”

Gasps erupted from both the audience and the judging panel.

I could only stare at the stage as my thought process ground to a halt.

All I could do was wait for the MC’s next words.

My whole body tensed with anticipation.

“We’re witnessing a major upset.”

With only the final TOP 3 remaining, the MC dragged out the suspense for what felt like forever.

Then the shocking rankings continued.

“3rd place, Yoon Haneul!”

“!!”

Kim Yeongi, who’d instantly shot into the top two alongside Do Changhyeon, collapsed onto the stage floor.

Yeongi… with Do Changhyeon…

I trembled as I ran my hand through my hair.

No one could have predicted Yoon Haneul, who’d been battling Do Changhyeon for 1st and 2nd, would place third.

The MC looked at Kim Yeongi and laughed as if he too was surprised, then turned his mischievous gaze on me.

“Well, this means one mentor’s team member is guaranteed first place. How does that feel?”

I grabbed the microphone with a dazed heart.

“Whoever it is, it wouldn’t be a strange result. I’m proud of them. All our team members worked so hard…”

I barely knew what I was saying.

The words were erasing themselves from my mind the moment they left my mouth.

“Alright, then we’ll move directly to announcing first place.”

Another fairly long silence followed.

However, during that silence, the VCR showed footage of Do Changhyeon and Kim Yeongi’s performances.

Kim Yeongi and Lee Hyoseo’s kiss scene appeared on screen once more.

Both of them screamed and covered their eyes with their hands.

Their embarrassed reactions were adorable, so different from their impressive acting.

That’s when the MC spoke.

“Congratulations! <Be Actors>’s final first place goes to Kim Yeongi!!”

“…!!!!!”

With the MC’s announcement, confetti burst from the studio ceiling.

I covered my mouth with my hand and shot up from my seat.

“The winning team is La Dolce Vita!”

* * *

[‘Be Actors’ X ‘SCBS Single-Episode Drama Collaboration’ Major Success]

[Single-Episode Drama Rerun Rates Hit All-Time High! Will We See a New Wave of Single-Episode Dramas?]

[Han Sena Does It Again! Now Beyond Acting, Into Mentoring…]

[‘Be Actors’ Han Sena’s Team ‘La Dolce Vita’ Claims Victory!]

[Defying All Expectations: ‘Be Actors’ Glory Goes to Kim Yeongi at #1!]

[‘Be Actors’ Places 1-4 All Han Sena’s Mentees! The Secret Behind These Stunning Results?]

Immediately after the broadcast, countless articles flooded online.

Is it really over?

I gently massaged my tired eyes.

The audition period, short if you considered it short and long if you considered it long, felt like an unrealistic dream.

Being a mentor had been more fun than I’d expected.

In fact, I’d learned things myself, pulled up old memories for reflection, and rediscovered many truths.

But most of all, what I’d loved best was belonging to a ‘team’ and dreaming of something together.

The nights spent with team members in heated discussions, wiping each other’s sweat, sharing encouragement and comfort—those days had been truly wonderful.

Enough to keep appearing before my eyes.

How should I put it… Many things had changed drastically between my past life and this one, but what really hit me was that I now had people around me.

A bit more hectic, more crowded, more emotional ups and downs and incidents.

At first it wasn’t familiar, but gradually I’d come to enjoy not being alone.

My final first-place acceptance speech had been born from this context.

‘I won’t lie. I’m so happy right now that our team took first place. It feels like all the time we spent agonizing together, crying and laughing, suffering, learning, and progressing wasn’t wasted. Like we’re being rewarded. I’m happy it’s our team’s first place, not mine alone. This is the first time in my life something like this has happened.’

I replayed the acceptance speech in my mind as I lay comfortably in bed for the first time in ages.

Yet my hands stayed busy searching the internet.

The final broadcast’s peak viewership had exceeded 11%, and viewer reactions to the single-episode dramas were blazing hot.

-I’ve always found regular 16-episode TV dramas too much of a commitment, but single-episode dramas are really great. Love being able to watch one short piece at a time.

-Please make it a regular series. Cast Kim Yeongi and Lee Hyoseo just as they are.

-I actually found it too short and disappointing. Would’ve been even better as a 2-hour movie.

-First time seeing content with fresh material, direction, AND actors’ faces all at once. Hope we see more attempts like this going forward.

The response to Be Actors, which had made its mark on the audition world, was equally impressive.

-Who knew it could be this entertaining without eliminations. All those shows that artificially manufactured tension should reflect on themselves.

-Kim Yeongi’s first place is a Sixth Sense-level plot twist we’ll never see again in audition shows.

⤷ Rigged rigged

⤷ Your life is rigged

-Perfect ending nobody expected. This variety show is truly a work of art. Give the PD an award.

-Please hurry with the mentees’ next projects. I really want all of them to debut.

-I’d been thinking there’s such a drought of young actors lately, but turns out they just hadn’t had opportunities. I hope many actors get their chance to shine.

-But seriously, isn’t Han Sena amazing? I feel like she’s an unprecedented powerhouse actress we won’t see again in Korea for a while.

-So when’s Be Actors Season 2?

⤷ Let’s go the route of other audition shows. Season 10 let’s go.

Plus congratulatory messages pouring in from people around me.

It was truly a festive ending.

-Sena-ssi, congrats! I knew your team would take first from the start.

-You’re doing it again? Congratulations.

-Noona, congrats! I want to join your team in Season 2.

-Congratulations, Sena! How are you so sharp even at teaching^^? I learned something from you too~

-Sena, congratulations. It’s gotten quite hot already. Take care of your health while working.

Messages from Yuri-ssi, Kim Eunseo, Seon Yuseok, Won Hyerim sunbaenim, and Teacher Yoon Youngsoo, in that order.

Beyond these, I’d received countless contacts requesting acting coaching or project appearances, but one person in particular stood out.

-Sena-ssi, hello. This is Song Hongmae, who made your dress before. I watched Be Actors well~ I’m reaching out because, thanks to you, the brand has gained a lot of recognition and we’ve been invited to participate in Seoul Fashion Week this season.

Oh?

A somewhat unexpected contact.

But I smiled slightly as I read the message with pleasure.

It wasn’t thanks to me—she was always destined to succeed.

-Not thanks to me, but thanks to your skill as a designer~ I’m so happy to hear the brand became famous! Congratulations.

A new message flew back immediately after I sent my reply.

-That’s what I wanted to talk about, Sena-ssi. This feels a bit too blatant like I’m rowing my own boat, but… would you possibly be willing to walk as a model in the fashion show?

“Huh? Model??”

I blinked as I double-checked the message.

Me?

Just then, Minyeong unnie called at perfect timing.

-Are you up? Did you get some good sleep?

“Yeah, unnie. I’m still a bit tired, but I’m feeling more alive now.”

-You worked hard. By the way, you got that contact from Song Hongmae-ssi, right?

“Yes. She’s asking me to be a model though…?”

-You’re talking about the fashion show, right? Sounds fun.

Unnie giggled over the phone like a high schooler.

But I, the actual person involved, couldn’t bring myself to laugh.

-But do you know how to walk?

“Of course I don’t.”

-Try learning a bit. Who knows, you might need it again later.

Unnie pushed at my back with a tone like she was telling me to go outside and play.

Hearing that made me scratch my head.

“Is… is that so?”

* * *

Is that so, my foot.

“One, two, three, chest out! Don’t let your upper body sway.”

“Aah.”

A practice studio in Yeouido.

I’d been practicing my runway walk in high heels for two hours straight.

“M-my toes feel like they’re going to break.”

“They won’t break.”

Jeong Hira, whom Minyeong unnie had recruited, cut my complaint short with clarity.

Hira-ssi was my age and a top model who’d debuted through a modeling audition and made a name for herself even internationally.

When I made a pitiful face, Hira-ssi demonstrated once more as if it were nothing.

Click, click.

Her long, sleek legs created an incredible aura as they carried her forward.

Hira-ssi’s walk had no breaks, as if she’d been born wearing heels.

Her signature confident expression and attitude also highlighted the walk to its fullest.

And what kind of ability was this—when Hira-ssi walked, her hair naturally scattered in the air as if a fan had been set up in front of her.

“W-wow.”

After finishing her walk, Hira-ssi looked at me with a grin.

“I’ll give you a pair of shoes as a gift today.”

“Huh…? Oh, thank you!”

I widened my eyes at the sudden gift promise.

“Practice your walk often at home wearing the shoes I give you.”

“Huh? At home?”

Wait, this feels less like a gift and more like homework…

Cold sweat trickled down.

“Yes. To get used to it. The fashion show theme is fusion hanbok, right?”

“Yes…”

“Rather than the demure walking style traditionally forced on hanbok-wearers, walking powerfully and confidently will be more distinctive and charming.”

Hira-ssi added her personal advice.

I nodded along to her persuasive words offered from an unexpected angle.

As expected, there’s always a reason why people who reach the top of any industry are there.

Looking into Hira-ssi’s captivating jet-black eyes, I widened my own eyes determinedly.

Right, I’ll copy that killer instinct and make it work.

“Hira-ssi, thank you! I’m going to practice my heart out here today.”

“Yes, practice and more practice!!”

“Yes ma’am!”

* * *

And so, while receiving several days of walking practice and even dance lessons for the hanbok performance…

Late one afternoon, I visited Minyeong unnie’s office.

I sprawled out on the sofa and massaged my legs as Minyeong unnie clicked her tongue.

“I’ve always pushed you around, but you’ll never go to hell for being lazy.”

I opened my stock trading app for the first time in ages while listening to unnie’s bland chatter.

“Ooh?”

I sat bolt upright the moment I saw my returns.

Wow, the profits are pretty sweet?

The stock seed money I’d planted had risen quite a bit while I’d completely forgotten about it.

Hehe.

That’s when the office door opened.

I looked toward the door in surprise.

Who could be coming?

But Teacher Yoon Youngjae, whom I’d never expected, appeared with a “Ta-da.”

“Teacher…?”

I jumped up and rushed over to hug him.

“Teacher! I’ve missed you so much.”

I hadn’t seen him in so long.

“It’s hot, let go!”

Teacher’s scolding didn’t even register in my ears.

Minyeong unnie laughed from behind me.

“Just indulge her. Sena must’ve had a really hard time.”

When I practically dangled from his neck in a hug, Teacher tried to wrestle me off.

“Aah.”

“Get off, you brat.”

But I didn’t back down and clung on stubbornly for a while longer.

After several minutes of this tearful(?) greeting.

Teacher finally managed to pull away and sit on the sofa, when he spotted my phone screen still lit up.

“What, you trade stocks too?”

“Oh.”

I got slightly flustered and turned off the screen with a sheepish laugh.

“Ah, I caught a glimpse and you’ve got some profits there? Not bad, kid?”

Hearing Teacher’s words, Minyeong unnie’s eyes went wide.

“What? Stocks?? Where did you invest?”

At the unexpected interrogation, I looked back and forth between Teacher and unnie’s faces with a smile.

Then I answered.

“I’m donating it.”

At my answer, Teacher raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise.

“Donation? That’ll definitely make headlines. Rowing your own boat?”

I shook my head at his mischievous question.

“Putting it in the media feels a bit much. Especially coming from my own mouth.”

Minyeong unnie nodded with a smile.

“True. But why did you suddenly think of donating?”

“I’d been thinking about it since filming <Hometown>. I found myself drawn to children. Especially children who are marginalized in various ways.”

“Mm, that makes sense. You did care a lot for that child actor you met back then.”

Teacher nodded too.

Then he continued.

“Charging around like a young rhinoceros, and now you’re already raising your own students and looking after those around you.”

Teacher said this while accepting the coffee Minyeong unnie offered him.

But what stuck in my ears wasn’t Teacher’s praise but a strange phrase.

“Y-young rhinoceros?”

Minyeong unnie snorted with laughter.

But Teacher revealed why he’d visited the office without much preamble.

“Since we’re on the topic of donations, this works out perfectly. I was going to ask you to volunteer with me.”

“Volunteer? Where?”

“Storytelling volunteer work. Somewhere with the children you like.”