In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 152

‘Finally, I met her. See ya!’

Rodriguez posted on SNS that he’d finally met me, then headed back to America.

Along with a teaser hinting that we’d be coming to the fans with good news soon.

Thankfully, the ridiculous dating rumors completely died down.

And people’s excitement about our collaboration snowballed like crazy.

Even the sharp fans and others intuitively guessed this collaboration was for a music video.

Another wave of articles exploded.

While scrolling through those articles, I turned off my phone and looked back at the recording booth.

Lee Seonho, who’d been belting out his part, finished recording and took off his headset.

‘Can’t believe I’m back here again.’

I groaned internally while gripping the lyric sheet with sweaty hands.

We were in the middle of recording a special album that would be revealed and sold at the upcoming <Say Your Name> drama fan meeting.

Lee Seonho walked out of the recording booth and shook out his sweat-dampened hair.

“So how did it feel seeing Rodriguez in person?”

Lee Seonho finally let loose the curiosity he’d been holding back.

Yoo Joohee, the main OST singer sitting on the sofa, also stared at me with wide eyes.

“Wow, I’m such a huge Roguez fan. I’m so jealous of you, Sena-ssi.”

I glanced between their faces and grinned sheepishly.

Shin Jaejun, who’d been sitting quietly memorizing lyrics, also chimed in.

“We can’t make the fan meeting—are you going to Tokyo Dome by yourself instead?”

“So Sena-ssi going to have to go to the Tokyo Dome alone and can’t come to the fan meeting?”

Everyone in the studio burst out laughing at that comment.

“Wow, but I’ve never seen a drama fan meeting before.”

Yoo Joohee let out an admiring sound.

“This is our first time too.”

Lee Seonho, Shin Jaejun, and I answered simultaneously.

With the drama pulling such strong viewership numbers and becoming a massive hit in terms of buzz, SCBS made us a new proposal.

The <Say Your Name> fan meeting.

A drama fan meeting where the director, writer, and all the cast would participate.

The news that it would be a work-based fan meeting—not an individual celebrity event—with a 10,000-person capacity created huge buzz domestically.

The moment we uploaded the fan meeting announcement with the date and time, online communities went wild.

We absolutely couldn’t half-ass the recording as a way to repay the fans’ support.

At the fan meeting, we’d sell limited edition DVDs, scripts, novel collections, and albums, then donate all the sales proceeds to mental illness researchers.

“But even though it’s generating buzz… will all 10,000 seats really fill?”

Shin Jaejun made a worried face.

Lee Seonho also answered with a skeptical expression.

“Not 1,000 but… isn’t SCBS making the scale too big?”

“They made so much money from this, so I guess they judged it’s worth investing everything right up to the very end.”

I cautiously offered my analysis.

Everyone quietly nodded.

“Well, if we can’t fill it, we just proceed with what we’ve got!”

I tried to brighten the mood with forced cheerfulness.

Lee Seonho and Shin Jaejun also laughed it off with “Yeah, that’s true.”

 

However, that turned out to be our humble miscalculation.

No, more like all three of us were just clueless about how the world worked.

After getting out of the van, I felt overwhelmed seeing the mountain of merch boxes piled behind the not-yet-opened tent.

Drama DVDs, script books, novel editions, special albums, t-shirts, mugs, necklaces, and more.

But that shock was brief—I actually gasped watching all those items sell out completely in just 10 minutes.

Lee Seonho, Shin Jaejun, the director, and the writer all stood there with their jaws dropped.

“C-can this really happen?”

“At least signing until our arms fell off was worth it.”

That’s when a staff member shouted from behind.

“Going up in 5 minutes! Standby!!”

We all looked at each other with tense faces.

Writer Gu Semin, ever the eccentric one, still giggled away.

“If the seats are empty, I’m going down to play in the audience.”

None of us had seen the seating area yet, so we couldn’t say anything to that.

And so, 5 minutes later.

“Going up!!”

At the staff and MC’s signal, we all climbed onto the stage together.

As we slowly ascended the stairs, everyone’s expressions turned equally blank.

Lights like fireflies completely filling our entire 180-degree view were welcoming us.

It felt like standing in the middle of a concert venue.

We seemed overwhelmed by the audience’s energy and heat.

The MC laughed in amusement seeing our shocked faces.

“Wow, a domestic first! This is a drama fan meeting! Not only did all 10,000 seats sell out in 8 minutes, but an additional 200 restricted-view seats sold out immediately too!!”

His voice rang out excited and upbeat, like a baseball announcer calling a home run.

I slowly looked across the audience from left to right.

Packed from floor to ceiling with people, they were welcoming us with cheers, waving the light sticks we’d prepared.

My heart swelled.

This might be a once-in-a-lifetime sight I’d never see again.

The audience’s reception was hot, long, and passionate.

“Now then, the opening will be the three leads’ new OST!”

The intro to the song we’d carefully recorded began flowing out.

“Releasing an OST after the drama ended is also a first in drama history. Let’s enjoy the performance from these three.”

The gentle singing filled the hall, and people’s voices quieted down.

The hall that had been full of all kinds of noise went silent in the blink of an eye.

I lifted the microphone in that skin-tingling silence.

Shin Jaejun and Lee Seonho also lifted their mics with overwhelmed expressions.

We looked at each other’s faces and took deep breaths.

Shin Jaejun started the first verse.

I’m here

I’ve been behind you

Like a shadow, always

Just waiting for the sunlight to shine

I followed behind you

Lee Seonho naturally picked up the next verse.

I’m here

Always by your side

No matter who you are

Just holding your hand, looking at you

I want to stay near

After Lee Seonho’s part ended, I opened my mouth.

My voice trembled.

I’m here

You don’t need to search anymore

It’s truly okay to be alone

Though I’m just a fading sunset

I’ll rise again

I’ll stay anywhere, anytime

As I sang, tears suddenly welled up.

It felt like I was introducing and showing the characters I’d inhabited to all these people.

While offering comfort to others, I also felt comforted myself…

Without realizing it, I let a single tear drop.

* * *

‘Find my host personality!’

‘Find my lover!’

‘Find my psychiatrist!’

What even is this.

After three hours passed without me knowing how—

Completely exhausted backstage after everyone had left, I sat there collapsed when staff members showed me photo tickets.

“Ah, so that’s why you asked for selfies.”

I chuckled looking at the cute photos.

Lee Seonho and Shin Jaejun were also turning the photocards around and around like they’d discovered something new.

The director also sprawled out and muttered.

“The world’s really gotten better. Is this what they called a fandom?”

The staff watching us said.

“People leaving the concert are already going crazy posting photocard proof shots on SNS.”

A staff member approached and showed us countless fan verification shots.

The proportion of international fans among them was quite high too.

“Whoa, amazing.”

But that amazement was brief.

All the strength drained from my body.

We’d danced and sung through over fifteen songs together today.

“I seriously feel like I held a whole concert. Won’t happen again in my lifetime.”

Lee Seonho spoke with hollow eyes beside me.

Watching his face, Shin Jaejun giggled.

“For real. Wow, my heart’s still racing.”

“How do singers hold concerts for hours? Their stamina’s incredible.”

We all felt newfound respect for singers who hold concerts.

“But Sena-ssi, what are you going to do—you’re exhausted and you’re flying out tomorrow.”

The director looked at me worriedly.

“Well… it’s not like I’ll die.”

I grinned awkwardly.

The director let out an admiring sound.

“Ah, youth really is wonderful.”

Hearing that gave me a strange feeling.

Only young on the outside—inside I’m your age.

Though the more I lived this life, the more my heart felt like it was truly assimilating into my twenties.

With various emotions crossing through me, I waited for Jinseok oppa and briefly closed my eyes.

* * *

After a 12-hour flight to LA.

I looked at the LA airport scenery I’d arrived at after so long.

My body was completely stiff.

Ugh, I’m absolutely dying.

Far away, I could see Solar Music staff and Rodriguez’s personal manager who’d come to pick me up.

The two gave me polite Korean-style greetings.

“Ah, hello!”

Seeing them bow made me laugh.

“Let’s go this way.”

The two guided me to the vehicle they’d prepared.

But wait.

“Um… you want me to ride in a limo?”

A black limousine was waiting for me, drawing every eye of people passing through the airport.

No, this is way too much.

Seeing my expression, the two looked flustered.

“Ah, Rodriguez personally picked this car.”

“Ah… that wasn’t necessary.”

Hearing my response, the manager grinned.

“If you’re feeling burdened by this much, the upcoming schedule’s going to be tough for you.”

“Excuse me…?”

That’s when the driver walked out and opened the car door for me.

I climbed into the car feeling dazed.

The interior was just as luxurious as the exterior.

Inside—spacious enough for five adults to lie down however they wanted—featured a wide beige-toned sofa with dark blue curtains and flooring.

On the central table sat simple foods to curb hunger and several bottles of wine.

“We’ll take you straight to the hotel.”

The limousine gliding smoothly down the road dropped me off at a 5-star hotel 30 minutes later.

The moment I opened the prepared suite, my eyes went wide.

What on earth.

The room overlooking the LA landscape at a glance looked easily over a hundred and fifty square meter, and even had a private pool attached to the balcony.

In the center of the room sat gift boxes Rodriguez’s team had prepared in advance.

Foreign luxury brand bags, shoes, and jewelry that rarely even made it into Korea.

“How much even is all this.”

Korean words slipped out without me realizing.

The manager, who’d been enjoying my surprised expressions this whole time, smiled broadly again.

“I’m glad you seem to like it! If you need to go out anywhere, call the number we gave you anytime. A driver will take you.”

“Yes…”

That’s when a messenger notification dinged and arrived.

‘MOM! I MISS U!!!’

It was Chloe, who I’d arranged to meet as soon as I arrived in LA.

I hurried to get ready to leave.

I was excited to see Chloe again after so long.