In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 169

So this is what I’ve been expecting.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

In the script, Park Inha faced conflict with the team members trying to stop her too.

Tae Sunwoo stood at the center of it.

Though everyone without exception tried to stop her out of concern, not one of them viewed Park Inha’s ability as a positive asset for the team.

Park Inha’s ability demanded a tremendous price, and in the worst case, paying that price could cost her life.

Having witnessed their teammates die countless times before, it was only natural they’d react this way.

I worked my mind quickly.

After collapsing several times today, a lie about being fine wouldn’t work anymore.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t focus only on my ability’s drawbacks.”

“…”

“While I rescue targets using my ability, you can support me. That’s all.”

“You think that makes sense?”

“Think of it as the team gaining a special ability. Special abilities require special approaches.”

The team leader made a dumbfounded expression and spoke.

“Sounds like you’re saying the team should revolve around you.”

“That’s not it. Just consider the way to utilize my ability. Once.”

“You’re mistaken about something. To us, team members are more important than rescue targets.”

“Then don’t kick me out. I have no reason to be kicked out.”

The chief pressed his temple as if his head ached.

“Sure, I’ve caused problems, but I’ve also contributed that much. Please consider that too. I have zero intention of leaving the fire station.”

I walked out of the office steeped in silence.

When I opened the office door, the team members who’d had their ears pressed against it jumped back in alarm.

The team members also stared at me with the same eyes as the team leader and chief.

Faces that seemed to ask, ‘what exactly are you?’

Gazes that looked at me like I was some kind of monster.

That’s when the second mission appeared.

<Persuade your colleagues. (2/3)>

* * *

On the rooftop.

I was drinking cold juice and sighing when Kim Youngwoo approached.

Kim Youngwoo had been wearing an angry face ever since the last fire scene.

“…What?”

What did I do wrong?

Kim Youngwoo spoke bluntly with an expression like he’d been bottling something up.

“Think about me too.”

“…?”

“I get that you can’t bend your stubbornness. Please just stop doing dangerous things.”

Dangerous things.

I silently repeated those words inside.

“I’m sorry for acting on my own at the scene.”

“Not that.”

“…?”

“You talking about your ability in front of everyone without saying a word to me first.”

“Why would that—”

I couldn’t understand Kim Youngwoo’s intentions.

“Even though they’re our teammates, no one knows how they’ll react to you. They could exploit you or try to kick you out.”

I had nothing to say.

Kim Youngwoo had a point.

The opinions within the station were probably split between the two right now.

“You acting independently, getting crushed at a fire scene, getting kicked out because of your ability—both situations leave me alone. Both ways make me lose you. There are too many scenarios where I lose you. You get it?”

Only then did I notice the anxiety and urgency in Kim Youngwoo’s eyes.

Probably fear about losing me.

“You’re my only friend in this life. I became a firefighter following you, barely hanging on here, and if you disappear what do I do?”

“I’m sorry…”

Real guilt washed over me.

Kim Youngwoo’s expression looked as pained as I felt.

Kim Youngwoo was another character who felt guilty about Park Inha.

For someone as kind-hearted as Kim Youngwoo, not being able to share his only friend’s pain was the most agonizing thing.

“Really sorry.”

I reached out and took Kim Youngwoo’s hand.

Kim Youngwoo’s warm body heat transferred directly to me.

Living in Park Inha’s body made so many things feel warmer and hotter than usual.

This was the first time someone else’s hand felt this burning hot.

“You hate physical contact with people but you’re doing this anyway.”

Kim Youngwoo grumbled.

Looking at his face made me laugh.

“You’re laughing? Right now downstairs the team members are in a total mess arguing whether to kick you out or not.”

“Oh really. Why are they discussing me behind my back?”

Kim Youngwoo sighed.

Then asked cautiously.

“Should we try something else?”

“…”

“We’re still young—we can do anything. Right?”

I couldn’t answer easily.

I want that too.

That does seem better.

But living as Park Inha for a while, I couldn’t picture any other life.

For example, a life without fire.

Park Inha somewhere without heat.

An ordinary daily life without pain.

Did Park Inha even want something like that?

When I didn’t answer, Kim Youngwoo sighed again.

“I’m an idiot for even asking. I’m heading down first.”

* * *

A few days later, the station’s emergency siren wailed again.

And I faced the problem I’d been avoiding for days.

“Park Inha stays behind.”

“I’m going too.”

I confronted the team members blocking my way with Tae Sunwoo at the front.

“The discussion about you isn’t finished yet. Stay.”

“This is unfair. The team members don’t have the right to stop me.”

Tae Sunwoo furrowed his brow as he listened.

“I don’t know about rights, but we have a duty. A duty to save teammates trying to get themselves killed.”

Tae Sunwoo pressed down on my shoulder firmly, making me sit.

Then he quickly grabbed gear with the team members and headed outside.

I watched their disappearing backs through the door, fury rising.

Of course I understood the team members’ feelings completely.

But unconditionally blocking me, never even trying to listen to what I had to say—that I couldn’t understand.

This rescue work was desperately important to me too, just like it was to them.

I clenched my fist in frustration for a moment, then shot to my feet.

If they’re going to block me, I just won’t get blocked.

I hurried out the door at a run.

* * *

Eventually, inside the responding fire truck.

I sat silently under everyone’s collective stares.

Jang Haemi, the only other woman on the team besides me, snapped.

“What kind of stunt are you pulling today?”

“I absolutely won’t act independently.”

When I spoke like an oath, Shin Huiryeong beside Jang Haemi mocked me.

“Can someone with main character syndrome really manage that?”

“I don’t have main character syndrome.”

“Then get a doctor’s note.”

Hearing Shin Huiryeong’s words, a few team members snickered.

I was on the verge of tears over this warm team atmosphere that even looked after my health.

Kim Youngwoo, who’d been sitting quietly, spoke up.

“What are you all doing?”

“…”

“You’re damaging teamwork just as much right now.”

“We can’t even say this much? Things got messed up how many times because of her?”

“Don’t you remember the times things got solved thanks to Park Inha?”

Kim Youngwoo asked sharply.

“And if I remember correctly, Huiryeong sunbae also nearly died once and got help from Park Inha.”

“So acting independently is okay??”

As the team members’ voices rose, Tae Sunwoo, who’d been sitting quietly, sighed.

“Cut it out, everyone. This is seriously pissing me off.”

The atmosphere grew solemn at Tae Sunwoo’s single remark.

Jang Haemi glared at me.

I turned my head away, pretending not to notice, just as the fire truck came to a stop.

After bickering briefly, the team members quickly opened the door and descended in perfect formation.

Hot heat surged from the construction site where the call had come in.

It was a place where a structure collapse had caused a fire.

One look made it clear finding survivors would be incredibly difficult.

Plus we didn’t even have the new equipment that should’ve arrived last week—we only had outdated gear.

The situation naturally drew sighs.

That’s when the team leader, who’d gotten out of the truck, made a shocking statement.

“From now on, Park Inha will command the scene with me.”

“!!!”

The team members’ eyes went wide.

“Team leader!”

“What are you saying!”

“No matter what, she’s just a rookie. We’re all going to die!”

The team leader calmed the boiling team members as if he’d expected this.

“Before kicking her out, we should give her a chance to prove herself. To see how useful this kid really is.”

* * *

The building’s collapsed interior looked ready to cave in any second amid the flames.

Inside, I sweated profusely, barely managing to breathe.

Three teams were following behind me.

I still couldn’t adapt to fire scenes.

I searched for a passageway while inhaling acrid smoke and feeling the scorching heat.

Four rescue targets total.

As I moved forward, I found a spot with a passage.

“There are two passages here. Let’s split into both directions.”

Tae Sunwoo spoke from behind.

Hearing that made me stop briefly.

I stared at a fallen structure occupying one side of the wall.

“There are three passages.”

“…?”

“There’s a passage behind this.”

A cool temperature emanated from behind the structure.

It seemed like a spot the flames hadn’t reached yet.

Please let there be rescue targets inside.

Kim Youngwoo strode forward.

Shin Huiryeong also moved toward the exit.

“Requesting backup!”

Leaving Kim Youngwoo, Shin Huiryeong, and one more person, I moved forward again.

I sent the remaining team members to the other passage and entered the last one with Tae Sunwoo.

The spot with the most intense heat.

“Can just the two of us handle this?”

Tae Sunwoo asked worriedly.

“This is the best with our current numbers.”

There was a reason I’d sent all the other colleagues except Tae Sunwoo to different passages.

My instinct said this passage was the most dangerous.

I moved forward with Tae Sunwoo behind me.

Anxiety about Tae Sunwoo getting hurt because of me gnawed at me.

The weight of responsibility for my teammates’ lives made my head swim.

My steps naturally quickened.

I hurried forward suppressing flames as I walked, when I spotted a rescue target collapsed up ahead.

I rushed forward.

The man in a hard hat had lost consciousness.

When Tae Sunwoo lifted the rescue target onto his back, his body wavered for a moment under the weight.

Watching that made me bite my lip.

I should’ve brought one more person.

That’s when I felt vibrations through my soles.

The sound of something breaking came from overhead.

Steel rebar was falling toward Tae Sunwoo’s head.

“No!”

I quickly shoved Tae Sunwoo.

The rebar crashed down covering my body in an instant.

“Park Inha!!!”

<You have failed the mission>

* * *

I opened my eyes again in pain.

“Ugh.”

A groan escaped involuntarily.

My breathing was labored.

“You okay?”

Tae Sunwoo asked with a deeply furrowed brow.

“I’m fine.”

In front of the three-way passage, the team members stood waiting.

“Requesting backup!”

Shin Huiryeong ran toward the exit again.

My heart pounded irregularly fast.

I’d just made the wrong choice.

That’s why I came back.

The team members stood staring at me.

Tae Sunwoo reached out toward me.

“You okay?”

Was the team distribution the problem?

“I’ll take Tae Sunwoo sunbae and Kim Cheolgyu sunbae this way. Everyone else go the opposite direction.”

The moment my words finished, the team members dashed off in their assigned directions.