In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 148

A small, remote hillside neighborhood.

On a bench at a tiny playground no one visited, Yu Hayeong and Kang Jio sat perched.

The two tilted their heads back and closed their eyes.

The sunlight felt warm.

“I never wanted to come back here again.”

Yu Hayeong said.

This was the place where the two had first met, long ago.

Kang Jio turned his head and looked at Yu Hayeong with his eyes half-open.

Yu Hayeong soaked in the sunlight while wearing a faint smile.

Kang Jio couldn’t even begin to guess how long it had been since Yu Hayeong last truly enjoyed the sun like this.

He watched the enigmatic smile on her face—impossible to tell if she felt happy or sad—and let out a small laugh himself.

“How does it feel now that you’re here?”

Yu Hayeong just shrugged her shoulders without answering.

Then she spoke casually.

“I’m sorry. To you.”

“…Why are you suddenly saying that?”

“I hurt your heart because of me. To Yu Dayang, to Baek Jangmi, to Jung Sewoon, to Lee Eunje. I’m sorry to all of them.”

Yu Hayeong opened her eyes and looked at Kang Jio.

Kang Jio smiled as if to say it was okay.

“You can get mad at me.”

“Why would I get mad? You’re the one who was hurting. I received so much from you, and when you were struggling, I couldn’t even protect you.”

“…….”

Just then, a group of high school students came flooding into the quiet playground.

They glanced around, and the students who’d been about to light cigarettes spotted the two of them and froze.

Both Kang Jio and Yu Hayeong looked flustered, exchanging only glances—

“Wait? Isn’t that Yu Dayang?!”

One of the students spotted Yu Hayeong and shouted.

Kang Jio panicked for a moment and grabbed Yu Hayeong’s wrist, pulling her to her feet.

He was about to run.

But Yu Hayeong pushed Kang Jio away and stood still in place until the students approached.

“Whoa, it really is!! Are you Yu Dayang?”

“Wow, she’s so pretty!!”

The students who’d rushed over to Yu Hayeong stared wide-eyed.

Then Yu Hayeong imitated Yu Dayang’s characteristically haughty expression and answered.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Please sign something for me!”

“Oh crap, what do we do. I don’t have any paper.”

“Idiot, where would you get paper when you don’t even carry a bag!”

Kang Jio stood frozen in shock, staring at Yu Hayeong.

The students handed over a pen they’d barely managed to find, and Yu Hayeong began signing the backs of their hands.

“Kids, don’t smoke cigarettes. I won’t tell you to study.”

“Yes!”

“Your answer is….”

With a relaxed face, Yu Hayeong cracked a joke and laughed along with the students.

She looked somehow unburdened.

Kang Jio stood there silently, just watching that face.

After the students scattered away again in a rush…

Yu Hayeong plopped back down on the bench.

“How was that? I’m pretty good, right?”

Kang Jio hesitated before sitting back down on the bench, looking at Yu Hayeong.

Then he slowly spoke.

“I think I’m starting to understand now. To accept it.”

“Huh?”

“That even if you part with the other personalities, you’re not really parting from them.”

“….”

Yu Hayeong smiled slightly.

“And most of all.”

“Yeah?”

“Seeing you smile makes me happy. Hayeong.”

Kang Jio spoke sincerely.

A brief silence settled between them.

At those words, Yu Hayeong smiled again, looking a bit embarrassed.

Then Kang Jio slowly pulled something from inside his jacket.

“I wanted to give this to you while you were smiling like this.”

Kang Jio opened the ring case.

Yu Hayeong’s eyes widened in shock at the ring inside.

“Will you marry me?”

“You…….”

Tears instantly welled up in Yu Hayeong’s eyes.

“I want to be with you through every moment. Just like I always have been.”

Yu Hayeong burst into tears and pulled Kang Jio into an embrace.

The two’s hands, resting on the bench, overlapped.

* * *

<Say Your Name> finally aired its last episode.

Late that night, I sat alone on the living room sofa and quietly turned off the TV.

“It’s finally… over.”

I muttered to myself in the silence.

Among all the projects I’d worked on, this one had the longest preparation period, so the lingering feelings didn’t fade easily.

I’d thought I’d prepared my heart well to let it go.

But whenever I turned on the TV, the drama was there, and whenever I opened the internet, the drama and Say Your Name buzz kept flooding out endlessly, making it impossible to escape.

I flopped down on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.

My phone, resting on the sofa armrest, vibrated like crazy as if it might explode at any moment.

Probably the group chat notifications.

I felt the vibrations coursing through my entire body as I zoned out.

Suddenly all my energy drained away.

The feeling of tension releasing….

Other actors managed to appear in two projects at once—sometimes even three—just fine.

Yet here I am, totally wiped out after just one project.

There must actually be such a thing as emotional stamina.

I slowly closed my eyes.

* * *

[<Say Your Name> Final Episode Ratings 34%! Peak Ratings 36%!!]

[<Say Your Name> Finishes Strong With Stellar Performance]

[SCBS <Say Your Name> Atmosphere Practically a Festival]

‘Thought that was the end? A special service for Say Your Name fans! Surprise special episode airing!’

The week after the successful finale, the special episode aired right away.

Small episodes of each personality dating Kang Jio.

These were the versions of them that Kang Jio remembered, before the personalities disappeared.

‘Who’s calling who rude? Look who’s talking!’

Yu Dayang and Kang Jio bickering from start to finish.

‘Jio, I’m cold. Hug me. Ah, I’m serious! I’m not lying to get hugged one more time.’

Baek Jangmi clinging to him constantly, making Kang Jio uncomfortable throughout.

‘Jio-ssi, do you think you’re really smart or something? And yet you can’t figure out one woman’s heart?’

The adorable Jung Sewoon who kept snapping at Kang Jio because of her pride.

‘Jio-ssi, are you okay? Don’t cry.’

Lee Eunje, who comforted Kang Jio better than anyone.

‘Jio. Thank you.’

And finally, Yu Hayeong, who’d been with Kang Jio long ago and would remain with him for a long time to come.

These were truly service videos for the fans—couple content.

The footage also included Lee Seonho and me reviewing these videos together.

And here’s what mattered most.

“We got in trouble with a scandal because of this.”

“I know, right. We got caught by paparazzi while filming Jung Sewoon’s scene.”

“But we couldn’t reveal that the special was still secret, so we couldn’t clarify it. Pretty awkward situation.”

“Still, it was fun for me.”

“It was fun for me too.”

Lee Seonho and I went through the prepared banter naturally.

It was to naturally clear up the scandal after the broadcast ended.

But people’s reactions turned out even hotter than we’d expected.

[Lee Seonho, Han Sena Scandal Groundless!]

[Han Sena, Lee Seonho Paparazzi Photos Turn Out to Be Say Your Name Side Story Filming]

[Fans Crying Out Over False Scandal!]

[Han Sena, Lee Seonho’s Scandal Clarification Video]

-National-scale scam

-Wait, it was fake? lololol

-Why is this fake. Why is it fake. Tell me it’s real.

-Nah, if we congratulate them it’ll become real. Congratulations, you two. Start dating now.

-Please date. Please date. Appear on a couple variety show together.

-But seriously, they’re both so smart. They protected the viewers’ vicarious satisfaction until the drama ended. This is what professionalism looks like.

-First-ever entertainment industry 3-week couple born. I was so serious about them…….

-I hope their next projects are together too. I can’t handle seeing these two as couples with other people. (Why am I like this?)

⤷ 22

⤷ 333

⤷ T_T

-What the hell was that side story!! You two dating is the real side story to us!!!

* * *

[Han Sena Selected as The Mesh Asia Ambassador]

[The Mesh X Han Sena, Global Star Born!]

[Han Sena Expanding Overseas, Together With The Mesh!]

Right on schedule, The Mesh released promotional articles.

Plus, every issue related to me surfaced at once.

[<Say Your Name>, <Desert Island>… Han Sena Changes Korean Drama’s Global Distribution!]

[Crowned Korea’s Drama Queen, Han Sena’s <Be Actors> Mentees All Confirmed for Debut!]

[<Say Your Name> Receives Continuous Praise and Empathy From Psychiatric Community and Patients…]

The mentees I’d coached started being called the ‘Han Sena Line.’

Back when we were filming <Desert Island>, I’d been scared to hear terms like ‘Han Sena Line’ or ‘Han Sena faction.’

But now, the names of actors who’d worked with me and grown close were being mentioned alongside mine.

Suddenly the anxiety disappeared, leaving only a sense of pride.

Best of all.

Once the drama succeeded wildly with an unprecedented subject matter, people’s attention poured toward dissociative identity disorder and various mental illnesses.

The slogan ‘Mental illness is illness too’ started gaining traction, and seeing this slogan made me realize something.

Right, this is still the 2010s.

Mental health issues hadn’t fully come to the surface yet.

I’d seen this slogan ages ago in the past.

Experiencing it again reminded me once more that I’d flown here from the future.

Hearing that this drama had made a social contribution left me with a strange feeling.

That I’d get to play such a role.

I truly was just lucky.

While frantically scanning articles all day like that…

That evening.

[Hanho Arts Awards Finally Announces Award Nominees!]

[Hanho Begins at Last! Who Will Be the Victors?]

[<Say Your Name> Nominated in 4 Hanho Arts Awards Categories: Screenplay, Direction, Best Actress, Best Actor!]

[The Battle’s Not Over! <Powerful Woman> vs <Say Your Name> Hanho Arts Awards Nominations!]

[<Powerful Woman> Nominated for Hanho Arts Awards Screenplay, Direction, Best Actress!]

The Hanho Arts Awards nominees were announced a bit later than usual.

The moment our team got nominated in four categories, the group chat already turned into a festival.

-Our team’s the best!

-Wow, we’ll win at least two!

-Hope <Powerful Woman> and us split them nicely.

-Director, are you crying?

-Yeah, I’m crying right now.

The director, apparently drunk, sent a tearful selfie with a flushed face.

I laughed seeing that photo.

Then I tapped the screen and typed a few words into the group chat.

-Everyone worked so hard. Let’s have another team dinner after the awards ceremony! I’ll treat this time♥♥♥