In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 17

“Breaking news?”

What now.

An ominous feeling crept over me.

“Park Hyukmin hit someone in a drunk driving accident.”

Jieun-ssi pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in her mouth as she spoke.

Huh? Park Hyukmin?

I clicked my tongue—so what had to happen finally happened.

Because in my previous life too, Park Hyukmin had gone down for a drunk driving incident.

“The nerve on that guy. To pull this stunt when he’s at the top of his game.”

“Their agency’s really going to have their hands full.”

The staff members each threw in their two cents.

Park Hyukmin was a popular male actor who’d built his reputation with his handsome face and solid performances in romantic comedies.

Their agency must be in complete chaos…

Wait, which agency is he with again?

“Where’s Park Hyukmin’s agency?”

Jieun-ssi answered.

“Park Hyukmin’s with True Actors. He was getting major support from them too.”

In that moment, the source of my ominous feeling became clearer.

Jieun-ssi continued.

“Right now True Actors tried to cover it up, but one of the company employees spilled everything during the investigation. That’s why it’s all over the news now.”

Jieun-ssi waved her phone showing the article at me.

Ah.

I pressed my hand to my forehead and sighed.

It felt like the last missing puzzle piece had just fallen into place.

So this was it.

A dizzy sensation washed over me for a moment.

Of all times.

It had to be… Kwon Minyeong.

Could this incident have been the decisive trigger that made Kwon Minyeong storm out before establishing her own agency?

“I’ll head out first. I have another schedule.”

“All right, Sena-ssi. Get home safe!”

Everyone waved goodbye, and I turned to leave the broadcasting station.

I organized my thoughts.

If my memory was correct, after this the victim Park Hyukmin hit would die in the ICU, and Park Hyukmin would ultimately receive a prison sentence.

And right now, Kwon Minyeong must be under tremendous pressure at the company…

So much for tonight’s dinner plans.

I left a text for Seon Yuseok.

– Tell Director Kwon to reach out once things settle down, when she’s feeling okay.

I closed my phone, then opened it again.

– Let’s meet soon.

* * *

Back at the filming location.

The reason I’d arrived late today was because we had overnight dawn shoots scheduled.

“Sena-ssi, did you rest well? Today’s the big hurdle.”

Park Hoon sunbaenim struck up a conversation.

“Yes, sunbaenim. You look worn out. Tired, aren’t you?”

“Oof, I’ve only got a bit more to film. Need to hurry up and die.”

We both laughed dryly at that.

Yoo Ji-an’s uncle was scheduled to die soon, caught up in his own schemes.

From far off, Yu-ri-ssi also walked over while stretching hard.

“Good afternoon, everyone.”

“Yu-ri-ssi, are you feeling okay? I heard you’ve been in and out of the hospital.”

I spoke with concern.

And for good reason—anyone could see she’d lost a lot of weight.

She was already thin to begin with.

“What choice do I have if I’m not okay… I still have to film.”

She’s reached enlightenment.

Even her playful words were tinged with exhaustion.

Without needing to say it, all three of us smiled knowingly at each other’s shared understanding.

“That’s true.”

“Let’s all hang in there just a bit longer. We’ve come so far, so far.”

Park Hoon sunbaenim comforted the two female leads.

The faces of staff rushing around were also sporting dark circles that reached down to their jaws.

Then one of the makeup staff members approached and grabbed my arm familiarly.

“Sena-ssi.”

“Oh, Wonyoung-ssi.”

“We need to put some effort into your makeup for today’s concept. Let’s go quickly.”

The staff member pulled me along.

Behind me, Yu-ri-ssi and sunbaenim waved goodbye.

With faint smiles that seemed to say, ‘Let’s all survive this…’

* * *

The moment I sat down in front of the mirror under bright lights, staff members carrying cosmetics and various tools moved even more busily.

Everyone seems especially busy today.

It was a different picture from what I’d expected.

“By the way, Wonyoung-ssi. How did that marriage talk with your boyfriend go?”

At my words, Wonyoung-ssi’s hands stopped dead while fixing my hair.

“How did you know about that, Sena-ssi?”

“Hm?”

Silence fell over the waiting room for a moment.

Oh no.

She was a staff member I’d been close with twenty years ago, so I’d spoken familiarly out of fondness.

I’d gotten confused and blurted out information I’d heard back then.

“No, I overheard the makeup team chatting about it recently. I was curious.”

I tried to recover with a smile.

At my words, Wonyoung-ssi tilted her head.

“I only talked about marriage with my boyfriend yesterday…”

Cold sweat ran down my back at that response.

“Wasn’t it you, Wonyoung-ssi? I’m sure there was some staff member talking about marriage.”

I forced a laugh and tried to gloss over it.

“Oh? But today Yoo Ji-an’s supposed to be practically falling apart, so I thought there wouldn’t be much makeup needed.”

I quickly changed the subject.

The most senior staff member who’d been listening rolled her eyes.

“This is why you can’t communicate with pretty people.”

“Pardon?”

“When your base is good, you don’t need makeup or anything, unnie.”

The makeup team joked amongst themselves and laughed.

“Sena-ssi, do you know how hard it is to show a falling-apart state on broadcast?”

“Ah.”

“When an actress falls apart, do you think she’s really falling apart? Even falling apart has to be ‘pretty’ falling apart!”

Hearing that made me laugh.

Only then did Wonyoung-ssi also turn her attention this way and smile.

Phew, that was close.

A twenty-year veteran actress not knowing something like that?

At least I’d successfully diverted attention.

“Making someone look pretty with heavy makeup versus looking pretty naturally, like bare-faced—the latter is way harder.”

“You’re talking about dewy makeup, right?”

“Yeah. You know, since Yoo Ji-an blew up, do you know how much sales have jumped for what Sena-ssi wears, applies, and carries?”

“It’s brutal when a drama hits big like this.”

Ah…?

I hadn’t known that much.

This was also something that hadn’t happened in my previous life.

These days I’d been so preoccupied with agency issues, hate comments, and just filming that I hadn’t had time to notice other things.

“Sena-ssi, you know that lip product you wore when drinking wine sold out completely, right?”

“What? Really?”

“Whoa. Sena-ssi, you need to get an agency fast.”

I really was hearing this for the first time.

“You’ll probably get quite a few CF offers soon.”

“Ah, I hope it’s for our makeup products. Right, unnie?”

Wonyoung-ssi answered while curling my hair.

Listening to the conversation made me smile.

“Let’s make another dewy makeup splash this time.”

Energy returned to the makeup team.

The light touch of cosmetics being applied to my face felt refreshing.

“Let’s drain the color from the lips too and keep it as natural as possible today.”

With those final words, the staff’s hands began moving even more busily.

* * *

Inside the set.

“Ready, action.”

Sitting on the bed in natural pajamas, I poured soju into the glass on the table.

My face was practically bare.

Or rather, appeared bare.

To be precise, it was the result of staff pouring their souls into dewy makeup.

While sweeping back my hair, I downed one glass of soju, then another…

Making a kr sound, I tossed back the alcohol.

It was a scene of Yoo Ji-an drinking while letting down her usual vicious and venomous demeanor.

I filled the glass once more and downed it.

Then picking up chopsticks, I lifted a piece of fried chicken gizzard from the table, examining it from all angles before carefully putting it in my mouth.

I chewed, my eyes sparkling.

I downed another drink and set the glass on the table with a thunk.

Then I began earnestly tossing back the fried chicken gizzards.

It was food Yoo Ji-an had learned from employee friends she’d somehow made during her company life.

Though it seemed like nothing special, it was a scene that could show Yoo Ji-an’s unexpected charm.

Also, by approaching viewers this familiarly, it would add poignancy to Yoo Ji-an’s later downfall.

“Cut. Okay.”

The director’s voice calling okay in one take rang out.

“Man, Sena-ssi. You eat so deliciously.”

“First the wine last time, now the soju. This is going to be another hot topic, right?”

“Seriously.”

Everyone added their comments warmly about the scene we’d just filmed.

“Let’s grab a few insert shots. Starting from picking up food with chopsticks—”

The cinematographer hurriedly moved on to the next scene.

Like that, we filmed scenes of picking up food with chopsticks and putting it in my mouth one by one, making delicious expressions.

“At this rate, won’t our Sena-ssi snag a liquor CF?”

“Oh come on, how could a newcomer get something like that? But thanks for saying so.”

Despite everyone’s exhaustion, people kept the energy up with conversation.

I’d heard that among other filming sets too, the Flat Shoes set was known for having a good atmosphere.

I really felt it was true.

“All right, next let’s go outdoors. We’re doing the scene of Yoo Ji-an alone on the swing.”

“Yes!”

Stepping out of the set, I downed some coffee.

When I briefly opened my phone, the time had already passed 2 AM.

Staff members busily began setting up lights in front of the swing near the set.

Nearby, I could see Jung Chaesung checking the next scene markers while running his hand through his hair.

I quietly approached and tapped his shoulder.

“Chaesung-ssi, are you okay?”

“Hm? Ah, yes.”

Jung Chaesung forced a smile, but his condition was a mess.

His hair was matted, he’d been wearing the same hoodie for three days, not to mention his dark circles, and both cheeks were sunken in.

I carefully offered him my coffee.

Jung Chaesung smiled and waved his hand.

“Ah, I have coffee.”

“Oh, you bought some already.”

“No, Jieun-ssi gave it to me.”

Just then, I spotted Jieun-ssi passing by in the distance.

“Hey, Jieun-ssi!”

We waved at each other with happy smiles.

“Oof, it’s chilly out. I heard you came early today. Aren’t you going home, Jieun-ssi?”

“No. I’m also learning various things while rolling around on set, and I want to write and direct later too.”

“Wow, as expected. Go-getter Jieun. Amazing.”

Jieun-ssi slurped up coffee through her straw.

“But Jieun-ssi, aren’t you drinking too much coffee?”

Every time I see this person, she’s drinking coffee.

Black coffee, at that.

“Ah, whatever. Chaesung-ssi bought me this.”

Jieun-ssi drank the coffee then pulled out a cigarette.

“Jieun-ssi, you’re going to die at this rate.”

“I’m already not living to my natural lifespan.”

Jieun-ssi patted my shoulder and walked away.

“Setup complete!”

“Starting filming.”

“Bring the reflector over here.”

Phew…

Before entering the filming location again, I took a deep breath.

* * *

“So, did you find an agency?”

Inside Dad’s small sedan that smelled of familiar air freshener.

Dad looked at my face through the rearview mirror and asked.

“No, not yet. It’ll probably take some time.”

I answered with my eyes closed, leaning my exhausted face against the window.

“That’s fine, daughter. Take your time finding one. Your dad can drive you back and forth like this.”

At my answer, Dad laughed heartily.

Dad had finished work and waited until my filming ended before coming to pick me up.

“You really don’t need to come pick me up at dawn like this. There are taxis, and I can catch rides with other actors.”

At that, Dad answered firmly.

“Now that my daughter’s a successful actress, how can I not provide at least this much care?”

Though exhaustion was making my eyes close, laughter escaped at those words.

Dad hummed a tune while driving at 4:30 in the morning.

“Dad. Are you happy your daughter’s doing well?”

At those words, Dad smiled pleasantly.

“Of course. Whether you do well or not. Everything my daughter does is good.”

Laughter escaped again at that.

My nose stung ridiculously.

“Don’t worry about the hate comments. You don’t need to report them one by one either.”

At those words, Dad played innocent.

“Dad doesn’t know about that stuff. I can barely use the internet, so what.”

At that response, I held back tears that threatened to flow.

I leaned my head against the window.

These were the moments I’d always missed in my previous life.

The trivial moments of staying by the people I loved…

“Dad, get a health checkup soon. You and Mom.”

“A checkup? Why suddenly?”

“Just do it. I’ll make the appointment. Let’s check everything thoroughly, from head to toe. Okay?”

“Goodness. Yes, yes.”

Ding—

Just then, a text notification sounded on my phone.

I was about to check it briefly and close it…

– Hello, Actress Han Sena. This is Kwon Minyeong. Please contact me when you’re available for a meeting. Thank you.

After checking the text, I sat up from where I’d been leaning against the car.

Did things get sorted out faster than expected?

I’d thought it would take at least another week…

I held my phone quietly, lost in thought.