In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 114

“Waaah! I became poop!”

A small orphanage on the city outskirts.

The children’s laughter rang out loud enough to pierce the ceiling.

Jang Heeyeong sunbaenim, who’d come along with Teacher Yoon Youngjae, was also present.

The three of us joined forces to pour our hearts into the storytelling performance.

Reading through the short book, I learned some new facts.

First, children’s storytelling is far more theatrical and difficult than expected.

Second, children love poop stories.

“Haha! Poop!”

“Han Sena poop! Poop!”

Time flew by unnoticed as we finished the storytelling performance to tremendous success.

Only after closing the book did I realize sweat was pouring from my entire body.

Jang Heeyeong sunbaenim, who’d delivered the most passionate performance I’d seen from him in recent acting, was also drenched in sweat.

The moment our eyes met, we both burst into laughter.

Twenty minutes later, in the director’s office.

I sipped the cold iced tea offered and cooled down from the sweat.

Meanwhile, the orphanage director smiled warmly and bowed her head in thanks.

“Thank you so much. For coming all the way here.”

I waved my hands at the director.

“Not at all.”

Then I got straight to the reason I’d come to the director’s office alone.

“Um… I’d like to make regular donations here from now on.”

“Oh my, donations?”

The director’s eyes widened.

“Yes. Are there any supplies you need? I’d like to donate supplies.”

Choosing supply donations over cash had been thanks to Yuri-ssi’s advice.

Yuri-ssi had repeatedly emphasized that if I wanted to give practical help rather than just checking boxes, supply donations were better than cash.

“Then I’ll organize a list of supplies and send it to you. Oh my goodness, how wonderful. We’re receiving such generous donations, but we don’t even have anywhere to publicize this widely.”

The director glanced at me apologetically, looking flustered.

“I could contact the local press at least…”

“Oh no, Director! I’m not donating for that reason!”

Watching the director like that made me flustered too.

If I artificially advertised good deeds, I’d die of embarrassment from shame.

“Please don’t deliberately contact the press.”

After earnestly asking this favor and requesting that the supply list be sent to the production company email, I left the director’s office.

* * *

Driving down the road with a satisfying feeling for once.

I hummed along while basking in the bright sunshine.

So you can smile over small things when you have some leeway.

Just as I was cheerfully pressing the accelerator like that—

The same car had been showing up in my rearview mirror since earlier.

“Hmm?”

Was it my imagination?

It seemed like our routes had overlapped for almost thirty minutes now.

Come to think of it, a similar car had been parked in the orphanage parking lot too.

I tilted my head briefly.

Well, it could happen.

I started humming again and turned on the radio.

Polaris’s song, from their recently released second full album, was flowing from the radio.

‘Warm sunshine and tickling breeze

Feels like it’ll be a good day

Seoul Aloha

Your and my aloha’

“Ah, I love this song so much.”

I turned up the radio volume and sped down the highway.

After that, three or four more Polaris songs played in succession.

Having finished my spirited singalong, I happened to stop at a red light and waited briefly for the signal.

Then the black car that had been bothering me in the rearview mirror pulled up beside me.

“Hm?”

Still…?

I casually glanced at the driver’s seat—someone with a familiar face was sitting there holding the steering wheel.

Wait.

I furrowed my brow hard and examined their face, and the driver met my eyes and flinched, turning their head away.

“That bastard.”

It was one of Yang Euichul’s underlings.

I felt like sewage had been dumped over my head.

Now he’s even tailing me?

A hollow laugh escaped involuntarily.

Shortly after, the light turned green and the black car started running away.

That’s pissing me off…

Before I knew it, I’d stomped on the accelerator.

The adrenaline I’d felt while filming the drive chase scene in <Private Life> started coursing through me.

After enjoying a fun game of tag, past the highway stretched a quiet road.

I kept my foot on the accelerator and overtook the black car.

Then I instantly blocked the car’s path.

Skreeeeeeech—

The black car urgently slammed the brakes, and the sound of tires sliding across asphalt echoed down the road.

Shortly after.

The driver, who’d buried his head against the steering wheel, lifted his head with an expression that said he was thoroughly screwed.

I got out of the driver’s seat furious and slammed the door shut.

I gestured urgently for him to get out quickly.

Then the other person slowly opened the driver’s seat door and got out.

Voice lowered, I asked.

“What’s this about?”

Hearing my question, the man flinched for a moment.

Then the man spun his head around with exaggerated motions before answering.

“What do you mean? You nearly caused an accident on purpose. Should I call insurance??”

“Oh, call them.”

At my cold answer, the man flinched.

Seeing that face, I sighed.

“Who sent you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“If you can’t act, don’t even try.”

“…”

“Director Yang from AK sent you, right?”

“……”

“How can you tail me so obviously. During weekdays when there are barely any cars on the road.”

I pulled out my phone from my back pocket and snapped a photo of the license plate.

Then I smoothly photographed the man’s defenseless face too.

“Wha, what are you doing?”

The man belatedly turned his head away trying to cover his face.

How could Yang Euichul have sent such a sloppy person?

“I’m getting insurance too—.”

I casually answered without sincerity and checked the photos.

The man seemed annoyed that things had gone completely wrong, angrily running his hand through his hair.

I glanced at him and texted the license plate photo to Yang Euichul.

Then I silently counted to three.

3, 2, 1.

Buzzzz—

Sure enough.

Yang Euichul immediately called.

I showed the man the phone screen showing an incoming call.

The man’s face instantly turned white as a sheet.

I slowly pressed the call button.

“Long time no see, Director.”

-…What’s with the car?

“That’s what I should be asking.”

-Our guy made a mistake. He did something I didn’t even tell him to do and all that.

“Right. Usually mistakes are made by subordinates, and responsibility is taken by superiors. So I’d like to ask how Director will take responsibility for this.”

After I finished speaking, silence stretched across the receiver for a long while.

After a moment, Yang Euichul’s laughter came through.

-Our Actress Han has really grown up. So you’re doing well now, is that it? Threatening me and all.

Hearing that, I smirked.

“Did the threat work?”

-Yeah, a little?

“A little won’t do.”

I hardened my expression completely and spoke.

“Stop with the disgusting tricks. I held back about the Do Changhyeon thing too. I told you then, right? What you’re holding over me is less than what I’m holding over you.”

-…

“If you want to keep playing king at AK, stop crossing the line.”

Silence came from the receiver again.

“I’m really about to explode right now.”

Without particularly waiting for an answer, I hung up.

I glanced once at the man standing there anxiously, then got back in my car.

I restarted the engine with my hands full of tension.

“My mood was so good, seriously. Ugh.”

I stomped the accelerator hard and left the road.

* * *

Back at Minyeong unnie’s office.

“So you filmed a movie in the middle of the road?”

Unnie munched on snacks while listening to my story about the recent chase scene(?).

“It’s serious, unnie.”

“I know.”

Unnie answered blandly.

“Unnie!!”

“I’m not deaf.”

Then unnie set down the snacks she’d been eating.

“Director Yang, I’ve been biding my time. Leave him to me.”

“…You have, unnie?”

“Of course. Last time with Do Changhyeon’s thing, we nearly had a huge disaster. I stayed up three nights because of that bastard.”

“Ah.”

Only now did unnie’s growling expression register.

“Just wait a bit. I’m going to destroy that thug.”

“Ah…”

For some reason, I had the illusion that blue flames were rising behind unnie’s chair.

Did I just needlessly provoke her?

Regretting it slightly, I decided to change the subject.

“When will I start my next project?”

Unnie picked up her snacks again.

“Why not rest more?”

“What’s the point of resting. You know I’m terrible at playing around.”

“You’re sick.”

After saying that, unnie pointed to a corner of the office.

“If you’ve got nothing to do, read those.”

On the new long table occupying one corner were printed papers piled high.

“What’s that?”

“Scripts that came in for you.”

“Huh?”

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

Those are all scripts?

I awkwardly got up from the sofa and walked toward the table.

At a glance, there looked to be over a hundred.

Isn’t this too analog?

Why did you print all of these out so terrifyingly?

“I read through them with the staff and put the decent ones on the right. Start with those.”

“Why are you only telling me about this now, unnie!!”

When I screamed like it was a shriek, unnie answered blandly again.

“I told you to rest.”

“……”

“Take it easy if you can. Go on trips with your parents. There’s no rush. You’re not picking a retirement project.”

As far as I remember from my past life, wasn’t unnie someone who’d be second to none in her hunger for success?

How is she always so carefree?

Am I remembering wrong?

I tilted my head, and unnie waved her hand as if telling me to leave.

I asked unnie.

“Unnie, do you have plans to recruit any other actors to the company?”

“No, why?”

“Just… I don’t see you being greedy at all.”

Then unnie propped her chin on her hand and grinned.

“I don’t need to because you’re rowing enough for ten people.”

“Mm.”

“If I burned myself out too, the boat would shatter to pieces. Everything in moderation! Don’t you know?”

I suppose so, I nodded vaguely when unnie added.

“And if I had no greed, would I have stayed up three nights plotting how to bury Yang Euichul?”

Hearing that, I stopped mid-nod.

Right, that’s what happened.

It wasn’t a response plan—it was a burial plan this person had been plotting.

I looked at unnie and laughed awkwardly.

“Then I’ll be taking my leave now.”

* * *

The next day, the <Outbreak> premiere.

“Wow, Sena-ssi got even prettier.”

“You lost too much weight, didn’t you? It must’ve been so hard.”

The Flat Shoes team, meeting after so long, gathered in small groups.

Today’s premiere star was none other than Chaeseong-ssi.

Chaeseong-ssi had finally made his directorial debut with a film.

Director Moon, who’d raised Chaeseong-ssi as his protégé and assistant director, had also rushed over to attend the premiere.

“Ha, he was the best of the ones I raised. How dare he defect to the film industry? Traitor.”

Director Moon tossed out a joke that wasn’t quite a joke to Chaeseong-ssi, who smiled sheepishly.

Hearing that made the entire Flat Shoes team burst into laughter.

I’d seen <Outbreak> in my past life, but watching it again at the premiere stirred fresh emotions.

And maybe because my experience from <Desert Island> had been added, the content hadn’t changed but it felt more polished than what I’d seen in my past life.

As expected, Chaeseong-ssi seems simple but has solid convictions, I thought.

How can someone overflow with their own personality and charm like this?

When I flashed Chaeseong-ssi a thumbs-up, Chaeseong-ssi gave me his usual shy smile.

After the premiere ended.

As we all exited the theater together, Writer Lee Siyeong patted my shoulder with a worried expression.

“Are you taking care of your body while working?”

“Teacher, I had such a hard time.”

I whined and leaned into the writer.

Yuri-ssi, who’d been walking ahead, heard and turned to look at me with a smile.

Then she called out.

“Since it’s so hard to get everyone together like this, let’s have dinner together today!”

“Should we?”

“Oh, that sounds good? Does everyone have time?”

People added their comments one by one.

That’s when I raised my hand high and shouted.

“Let’s go right now! Right now! Let’s drink!”

“Wow, Sena-ssi. Being so proactive?”

People laughed, surprised at seeing this side of me for the first time.