In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 149

“Everyone make way—superstar coming through!”

“Oh my, could I trouble you for just one autograph?”

“A true power player of the Republic of Korea has arrived!”

An actor gathering that had formed after so long.

Starting with Lee Seokhyun, familiar actors threw out jokes one by one.

And yet, they’d all been stars for ages themselves.

I covered my face against the wave of embarrassment and took my seat.

Seo Jaeyeon took a sip of beer first and said bluntly.

“So this time it’s you and me competing at Hanho again?”

Hearing that, I snatched Seo Jaeyeon’s glass and gulped down the beer.

“Ah, refreshing!”

The actors watched our two-shot with fascinated expressions.

“Man, who should we even root for?”

“Hey, forget rooting—just place your bets.”

“Predicting the awards ceremony, I’m in?”

Seo Jaeyeon glanced at her chattering colleagues with mild amusement.

“You’re all having a blast, aren’t you?”

But then.

“Now then, time to explain yourself. What’s with the scandal?”

One actor looked at me with a gotcha expression.

Everyone’s eyes immediately locked onto me as if they’d been waiting for this moment.

In the silence, they all began waiting for my answer.

Seo Jaeyeon, reading the room from beside me, suddenly smacked my back.

“You said you’d die if you lied. Why’d you lie to me too?”

“Ah! Ow! No, back then your production team was right there with you….”

Seo Jaeyeon had naturally pulled me out of that crisis.

Hearing my answer, the actors started murmuring among themselves.

“Wait, you’re not really dating?”

“Not even a situationship?”

The actors tilted their heads in confusion.

“Hahaha, no. Nothing like that. Not at all.”

At my words, the actors made ooh expressions.

“I thought you were clarifying the scandal.”

“Me too. Man, the chemistry between you two was no joke.”

“If it were real, you wouldn’t clarify it.”

“You two look good together though. Never thought about it?”

Several actors egged me on with amused faces.

I waved my hands dismissively and raised my glass.

I wanted to quickly diffuse the situation.

That’s how we all clinked glasses together after a long time in this lively gathering.

“Anyway, congrats to both of you on wrapping up! You worked so hard!”

“Rest up for a while. Take care of yourselves.”

“Sena-ssi, let’s work on something together next!”

Everyone offered words of encouragement, saying we’d done well.

How much time had passed?

Late into the night, actors started getting up one by one for tomorrow’s schedules, tipsy from drinking.

That’s how only Seo Jaeyeon and Lee Seokhyun remained at the table.

That’s when—ding—the door opened and someone walked in.

“Huh?”

“What, I thought you couldn’t make it??”

“Seonho-ssi?”

Lee Seonho stood there scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

“My schedule ran late. But I really wanted to grab a beer.”

“Wow, it’s Lee Seonho!!”

Lee Seokhyun jumped up from his seat, making a huge fuss as he approached Lee Seonho.

Lee Seonho looked at Lee Seokhyun with a startled expression.

“I’m not gonna eat you. Let’s shake hands just once. Wow, you’re stunning in person. Completely handsome. Sena-ssi, how’d you act without getting nervous?”

I pushed aside the endlessly chattering Lee Seokhyun and sat Lee Seonho down.

Lee Seonho and Seo Jaeyeon exchanged light nods in greeting.

“Looks like the party’s almost over. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”

As Lee Seonho assessed the atmosphere, Seo Jaeyeon shook her head.

“Lucky you came late! If the other actors had been here too, whew, we wouldn’t have been able to handle it.”

Hearing that, Lee Seonho nodded with a relieved expression.

Lee Seokhyun stuck close to Lee Seonho and set up his utensils.

Then suddenly spoke as if remembering something.

“By the way, did you hear Lee Nara’s doing Director Yang Jinchul’s project?”

Huh?

“Director Yang Jinchul? Out of nowhere?”

Seo Jaeyeon looked puzzled.

Yang Jinchul was a director who’d built a long filmography of commercial films.

How to put it—he didn’t have a particular style so much as an exceptional ability to blend clichés deliciously, always producing consistently satisfying results.

“Her agency must’ve pushed for it.”

Seo Jaeyeon tilted her head with a confused expression.

“She normally hates that director.”

I was somewhat surprised too.

I’d expected her to show more lingering attachment to Hollywood.

Lee Seokhyun beside us wore a knowing expression.

“She got burned by <Fabulous>. She’s having a hard time right now too.”

Even Seo Jaeyeon, who’d clashed with Lee Nara, couldn’t mock that terrible situation.

Because she understood that feeling better than anyone.

And this human touch was always Seo Jaeyeon’s unexpected charm.

I’d heard that brands finishing contracts with Lee Nara had flocked to Seo Jaeyeon this time especially.

But Seo Jaeyeon had consistently turned them all down.

‘Do I really need to pick up scraps like that?’

That’s what she’d said, but it was probably for the sake of maintaining business ethics out of past affection.

Lee Seokhyun knocked back a shot of soju and said.

“She’s especially being compared to you a lot, Sena-ssi, so she’s probably grinding her teeth inside.”

Lee Seonho glanced at us nervously before asking me.

“You and Lee Nara-ssi aren’t really on good terms?”

“Ah, right.”

I answered awkwardly while looking at Lee Seonho.

Lee Seonho looked at me with a surprised expression.

“I didn’t know Sena-ssi didn’t get along with anyone.”

That’s when Seo Jaeyeon laughed from beside me.

“Man, Seonho-ssi really likes our Sena.”

“Not getting along with someone isn’t always related to personality.”

That’s when Lee Seokhyun butted in like he knew everything.

“?”

“From working with you, you’re actually pretty inflexible, stubborn, and always monopolize attention on set. You’re just begging to get jealous.”

Lee Seokhyun pulled out his database of analyzing me all this time.

Hearing that story, I thought of Heo Sojin after so long.

Lee Seonho nodded with an understanding expression.

“Wow… The entertainment industry really is a scary place.”

…said Lee Seonho, who’d been in the entertainment industry longer than anyone here.

* * *

‘I watched the Korean drama <Say Your Name> that’s been getting so much buzz lately. Truly incredible acting. I fell in love seeing the insane performance in the show. Once again I realized my eye wasn’t wrong.’

‘This is someone with the ability to turn any character into the protagonist. If I get the chance, I won’t miss the opportunity next time and want to work together.’

The <Fabulous> director’s interview article dropped.

It seemed reporters had been maliciously asking questions about how Lee Nara’s presence got buried.

The <Fabulous> director didn’t hesitate to mention my name and heap on praise.

[Han Sena, Next Time as Warners’ New Heroine?]

[Han Sena Has No Such Thing as Failure—Just Give Me Warners Hero!]

[<Fabulous> Director Expresses Regret About Missing Han Sena…]

I sat in Minyeong unnie’s newly renovated office, reading through articles.

Unnie sat in the middle of the cleanly opened office with a satisfied expression.

Right beside Teacher Yoon Youngjae.

The two of them teased me.

“Man, our Sena’s a world star now?”

“Oh dear, what if she says she’s moving to an overseas agency?”

Hearing that, I looked at unnie seriously.

“Unnie, why would you say something like that?”

“Just kidding.”

“Even as a joke! Seriously, even if I did go overseas, I’d pour money into Barum Entertainment to grow it instead!”

That’s when a brief silence fell over the office.

Then both of them applauded as if they’d coordinated it.

“Ooh, cocky. Overflowing with confidence?”

“Even that sounds like a world star.”

“The words alone are touching, kid.”

Unnie’s nose turned red.

“I’m totally serious!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Unnie laughed.

I glared at her.

The two might take it lightly, but I was dead serious.

While I’d never once prioritized money in my activities, I’d also never left money on the table when I could earn it.

I couldn’t compare with the capital of worldwide entertainment companies right now, but I’d always had plans to expand Barum Entertainment’s activities overseas.

“That’s that. You’ve got filming tomorrow, right?”

Unnie looked at me with a grin.

“Such a variety show prodigy lately.”

Teacher Yoon Youngjae laughed heartily.

They were talking about the variety show I’d be appearing on tomorrow.

“But why’d you recommend something like this of all things, unnie?”

When I spoke with slight resentment, unnie also laughed.

“It’s fun. Have a good trip.”

* * *

And so, the next day.

Lee Seonho looked at me with glistening puppy eyes in front of countless cameras.

Eyes that said ‘save me.’

I turned away, ignoring that gaze.

Lee Seonho was already causing a huge stir just with news of his variety show appearance.

With titles like ‘Lee Seonho’s First Variety Show Outing,’ ‘Finally Shedding the Mysterious Image—Top Star,’ and so on.

Plus, his first appearance being a joint appearance with me became another hot topic.

Along with the hopes of people still wishing our scandal was real.

I shouted internally while looking at Lee Seonho’s face, on the verge of tears.

‘Every person for themselves. Let’s survive on our own.’

But that lasted only briefly.

“Now then, the first mission is passing paper with lip-to-lip contact!!”

The MC and regular cast members whistled excitedly.

I squeezed my eyes shut looking at the thin tissue paper placed on the table.

What the hell is this?

Lee Seonho’s face had already turned deathly pale.

The show we were appearing on was a variety program famous for ordering guests to do physical comedy and various games and missions.

Lee Seonho picked up the tissue paper, his ears turning bright red.

The tissue paper fluttered lightly as if teasing us.

I’d known the production team would milk our joint appearance, but.

Not this blatantly.

Lee Seonho held the paper in his mouth and looked at me.

Whoa.

I barely managed my expression as Lee Seonho pushed forward instead of backing out obediently.

The regular cast members giggled from behind.

“What, there’s no romantic vibe between them?”

“Did you see Sena’s expression? So funny.”

“Wow, Seonho’s really going for it.”

Even as he heard those words, Lee Seonho kept staring at me with a determined expression.

I finally squeezed my eyes shut.

Fine, do it, just do it.

Let’s create an absolute flood of ratings.