In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 153

A quiet restaurant.

Chloe, who’d grown at least a hand’s length taller, shouted “Mom!!” and came running to throw her arms around me.

Behind her, even Aiden with his scruffy beard approached, raising his hand in greeting.

Holding Chloe close and looking at Aiden, I felt oddly like a family reunited.

As if thinking the same thing, Aiden scratched awkwardly at the bridge of his nose.

“Feels like meeting my ex-wife.”

Hearing that, Aiden’s manager spit out the water he’d been drinking.

After even the manager left, the three of us sat together cozily and started eating dinner.

“So did you really come in that limousine?”

Aiden asked with his eyes wide.

He seemed to have seen me arriving earlier.

I shrugged awkwardly at his words.

“It’s not my car.”

“Thought so. I was wondering how much money you could possibly have made in Korea.”

Aiden joked while taking a sip of wine.

At that, I also laughed and took a sip of wine.

Then I looked at Chloe, who’d somehow gained muscle definition in her arms and legs.

“I heard you started learning dance, Chloe?”

Chloe nodded proudly with a smile.

“Yes!”

Still seated, Chloe stretched both arms out and showed off elegant gestures.

Aiden and I clapped in unison.

Excited, Chloe started explaining about the dance she was learning.

“I’m even entering an amateur competition next month! Everyone who dances has their own ‘line.’ My teacher says my line is unique and very beautiful.”

“I had a feeling. Show me the videos later!”

“Entering a competition already. That’s more impressive than I thought?”

After listening to Chloe’s stories for a while, I looked at Aiden.

“I heard you started a new project, Aiden? You’ve lost some weight. And grew a beard?”

Aiden nodded and stroked his beard.

“I’m still not used to it. This kind of macho… vibe.”

Hearing that made me chuckle.

Chloe reached out and touched Aiden’s beard.

“Dad, even with a beard you’re lovely.”

Hearing those words, both Aiden and I melted simultaneously.

How could Chloe be so adorable?

If someone else’s kid is this pretty, wouldn’t mine be even prettier later on?

Though I’m not confident about having one yet, of course.

I reached out and stroked Chloe’s head as she kept touching Aiden’s beard.

“But what kind of project is it? From the looks of it, definitely not another superhero film.”

I asked Aiden again.

Aiden shook his head as if to say I was too much.

“It’s a very experimental piece. A Director Yuister project.”

“Ah…!”

The moment I heard the director’s name, I understood immediately.

Yuister was famous as a director who filmed warm themes like ‘growth’ and ‘love’ in the world’s most bizarre and grotesque way.

Korea had a small but dedicated fanbase for Yuister too.

“Sounds fun!”

“Yeah, it’s fun. Except I have nightmares every night.”

“Yikes.”

I grimaced with a laugh at Aiden’s words.

Even without detailed explanation, I felt like I understood what he meant.

“Hang in there just a bit longer.”

“Yeah. But you’re shooting Rodriguez’s music video, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I answered Aiden without hiding anything.

Aiden made an interested face.

“That’ll be fun work. Sort of like, a proper Hollywood debut?”

“Why are you talking like that. It’s a Billboard debut!”

Aiden and Chloe both laughed at my words.

* * *

The next day.

I headed straight to Solar Music’s headquarters building.

The moment I got out of the car and saw the building, my eyes went wide.

Even during <Hometown>, I’d worked with a film company so I never had a chance to come here—I hadn’t known.

The buildings under Solar Music formed almost a whole town on the scale of a film company.

So this is American capital.

I walked toward the building where Rodriguez was, mouth hanging open as the manager guided me.

When I entered the top-floor office, Roddy sat in the head seat reviewing a storyboard.

In a ratty t-shirt and jeans with his shaggy hair.

What a peculiar person.

Roddy waved happily.

“Come sit here, Sena!”

Roddy jumped up and gave me the seat he’d been sitting in.

Then Roddy sat back down at the table.

“Thanks.”

Roddy began discussing the music video storyboard in earnest.

“From now on, I’m going to like you.”

“Huh?”

I looked at Rodriguez with a bewildered expression.

“Oh, I mean in the music video. Sorry. I’m not good with words.”

Do I have to get explanations from him?

I forced myself to suppress that sudden thought and nodded calmly.

“You’re playing the love interest? You’re acting in it yourself, Roddy?”

When I asked, Roddy scratched his head sheepishly and laughed.

“Yeah. It’s my acting debut.”

“Mmm.”

Why am I suddenly worried?

Will this be okay?

“Like I said before, we’re shooting music videos for all the tracks. From the lovers’ meeting to their breakup—everything. Each track carries that flow too.”

“Yeah. Sounds fun. The songs were good.”

“All these tracks contain bits of my own experiences. A nerdy, timid guy falls for this really cool woman and hovers around her, they date, he gets jealous, they fight, make up again, go through all kinds of things and eventually break up… but keep it as good memories—I’m going to show that whole story through the music videos.”

Hearing the story again, it really was a radical attempt.

To make all the tracks into a connected story and film them as music videos.

Capital aside, this attempt itself was so Rodriguez.

A challenge no one else would dare try.

“What order are you planning to shoot in?”

“Sorry, but there are still some unfinished tracks in the middle. We’re planning to shoot out of order. Is that okay?”

Roddy looked worried.

I gave him a thumbs up to show it was fine.

“No problem. Let’s make it great.”

Roddy smiled brightly.

This really felt like it would be a fresh experience.

My heart was already pounding.

* * *

The big day—first day of filming.

It was track number 2.

I was a bit tired from staying up all night checking the storyboard.

After the drama concert, I’d flown straight to America without proper rest.

Still, seeing the massive set made me feel overwhelmed and instantly awake.

From the moment I arrived on set, the staff were obviously following Roddy’s instructions, treating me with more than necessary kindness.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I was receiving better care than Roddy.

While getting makeup done and preparing for filming under that pressure…

I heard staff members chattering outside the container.

“Why go that overboard?”

“Who even is she?”

“I’m seriously so sick of these fussy-looking Asians. I’m just barely holding it together to work.”

These were staff members who’d been checking my wardrobe from head to toe with sweet smiles just moments ago.

It was in English, but those pointed words with their sharp intent stuck precisely in my ears.

Before coming to set, I’d briefly thought something like this might happen.

Even though I’d won at Snowfall Film Festival with <Hometown>, it wasn’t even a mainstream festival and wasn’t enough to make my name known in Hollywood.

Even with <Desert Island> and <Say Your Name> being popular on Netmate, North America had such a huge population and massive market that far more people hadn’t seen my work.

No matter how many articles poured out with headlines like ‘Han Sena Conquers America’ or ‘Han Sena’s Successful International Expansion’—

Experiencing the local reaction firsthand like this was completely different.

After so long, those sharp words hitting right where it hurt gave me an odd feeling.

“Tch, nasty people.”

I muttered to myself in Korean while checking the storyboard one last time.

This was something neither Rodriguez nor I could help.

I had no choice but to just silently do my work.

Like always.

“Standby!”

I heard a staff member shouting from outside.

* * *

With motion sensors attached all over my face, I stood before the camera.

Right from the start, we were attempting high-difficulty work I’d never tried before.

I had to go back and forth between ‘the unrealistic female lead in Roddy’s imagination’ and ‘the real-life female lead,’ filming both characters.

For the unrealistic female lead, that meant a demon seducing Roddy, a goddess of absolute existence, an Amazon warrior conquering Roddy—roles like that.

Most would rely on CG processing, making the acting environment challenging.

“Let’s rehearse.”

At the director’s words, the wires attached to my body grew taut.

Entrusting my body to those wires, I closed my eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

Who knew the practice from <Fabulous> would come in handy like this.

My body lifted into the air.

The dizzying sensation I hadn’t felt in a while was thrilling.

I cast my eyes downward with a gaze that looked upon the lowly human world.

As if uninterested, as if bored…

I wore an expression of tedium.

This cut would be made into a scene of me as an absolute being looking down at Roddy from above a blazing red sky.

I relaxed the strength in my arms and legs to make my flying posture look as natural as possible.

The wire gently lowered me from the air to the ground.

While descending, I wrapped my arms around my body and closed my eyes.

Like a god living in the heavens descending naked to the human world.

This cut would also be surrounded by brilliant light through CG processing.

The prepared fan turned on, scattering my hair.

I held my breath for a moment to keep my shoulders and chest from heaving.

The set instantly fell silent.

The director, who’d been watching the monitor wordlessly, clapped.

“Okay! Too perfect, isn’t it?”

The staff also clapped while letting out sounds of admiration.

Completely lowered to the floor, I relaxed and let out the breath I’d been holding.

The director looked amazed.

In the distance, Roddy was also watching me with his jaw dropped like it might fall off.

Seeing his face, I smiled.

The director’s expression brightened.

“Filming’s really going to end early!”

At those words, even the staff who’d been talking behind my back started lowering their guard one by one and laughing.

“Well then, shall we go for real?”

After finishing preparations, Roddy also approached and stood beside me.

Roddy wore a tense expression.