In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 61

My jaw dropped.

Wait, she’s mocking me this openly?

Is she just excessively blunt?

But still, how can she…

I tried to ignore it and took a sip of my drink.

The other people tensed up slightly as the conversation shifted to another topic.

The more I listened, the more I understood why these people were at the top.

I’d thought I monitored the industry quite a bit myself.

But these people had several times more industry news and information, doing far more monitoring than me.

As expected… you don’t reach the top for nothing.

I vaguely understood why Lee Seokhyun maintained connections with these people.

And I felt glad I’d come out here.

Though why are they all such heavy drinkers?

“By the way, Sena-ssi, you’re the model for Morning Dew. Do you drink well?”

A male actor threw the question my way.

I opened my mouth to answer, but Seo Jaeyeon cut in first.

“Even if she can’t drink well, she should drink well, right? This gathering was arranged so we can all get close.”

I couldn’t hold back anymore.

I set down my drink and looked at Seo Jaeyeon.

“My, are you trying to establish dominance?”

At that, Seo Jaeyeon overacted and waved her hand.

“No, Sena-ssi. Are you trying to paint me as the bad guy? I’m worried about you, that’s why I’m saying this. There are lots of directors who hold grudges if you don’t come to after-parties.”

What thoughtful concern.

Plus she’s even speaking informally now.

I definitely don’t like her.

The other actors began throwing me various questions, seemingly trying to ease the atmosphere.

How’s acting life been, who’d you learn acting from, how’d you meet Teacher Yoon Youngjae, and so on.

Even while answering appropriately, I couldn’t concentrate—too focused on Seo Jaeyeon.

“Right, I bought Eitech stock this time. Did it go up? Did you buy it?”

That’s when Seong Minhui changed the subject.

“Damn, I didn’t buy that one.”

“I told you to buy it!”

Seong Minhui was conversing with another actor when Seo Jaeyeon butted in again.

“That much you can catch up on quickly. I put in 50 million and pulled out 130 million this time.”

Hearing that, I paused for a moment.

Is she competing with other members too?

With that personality, how do people even hang out with her…?

But Seong Minhui just pouted her lips briefly as if unbothered and let it slide.

“Anyway, from now on you need to pay attention and manage your money well. We keep hearing about seniors getting scammed. Don’t just sign up for any insurance. Focus on safe investments.”

Lee Seokhyun, who’d been quietly listening to the conversation, looked at me.

“Sena-ssi, do you do financial management and stuff?”

“I’m just at the stage of learning little by little now. I don’t know much.”

I smiled vaguely and trailed off.

The financial assets I’d stashed away would probably just get criticized at this point for why I’d bought those things.

I kept sipping my drink while avoiding eye contact with Seo Jaeyeon.

* * *

About two hours passed.

When the gathering broke up, Lee Seokhyun stopped me from taking a taxi home.

“Now that you’re getting recognized more, what if something happens if you take a taxi after drinking? Get in my car.”

“It’s fine though.”

“Rejection forbidden.”

As Lee Seokhyun and I stood side by side waiting for his driver, a sharp voice pierced the back of my head.

“Hey!”

Hey…?

I turned around to find Seo Jaeyeon looking at me with a thin cigarette in her mouth.

My jaw dropped.

As expected.

She’s openly picking a fight with me now, isn’t she?

Without answering, I stared straight into Seo Jaeyeon’s eyes.

Her face looked slightly flushed, as if the alcohol had hit her, when Seo Jaeyeon casually tossed out.

“Heo Sojin’s scheming something.”

Who’s Heo Sojin?

Beside me, Lee Seokhyun frowned.

“Where’d you hear that?”

I stopped Lee Seokhyun from stepping in.

“Why are you telling me that?”

At my question, Seo Jaeyeon lit her cigarette.

“Just. That kind of thing pisses me off.”

“…?”

What is she, really? I can’t figure out her intentions at all.

“Anyway, you… Heo Sojin… no, wait. She won’t do it herself—she’ll have clueless Kim Jeonghun do it… Don’t go if he invites you to a gathering.”

Kim Jeonghun…

Seo Jaeyeon mentioned the actor she’d done Flat Shoes with.

This situation was confusing.

What is this even about?

Why is she warning me about Heo Sojin’s scheme in advance?

So should I just stand here and listen?

My mood’s terrible, but somehow it didn’t feel like Seo Jaeyeon was lying.

“Is Jeonghun-ssi in the same group as Heo Sojin?”

“Yeah. Don’t ask for details—if you get contacted, just don’t go. There’s nothing to gain for you or Kim Jeonghun.”

Beside me, Lee Seokhyun seemed to catch on and ran his hand through his hair.

“What, are they trying to write an article about catching her in something?”

At that, Seo Jaeyeon didn’t answer and just exhaled cigarette smoke.

Could it be a scandal, something like that?

Linking Jeonghun-ssi and me together?

I could only guess.

Seo Jaeyeon looked at me and spoke again.

“That’s why you should’ve completely crushed her spirit so she wouldn’t even try. Why can’t you even break one person’s will?”

Then she took another drag of her cigarette.

I still couldn’t come up with a good comeback.

“Back when I dealt with you, you acted all cunning like a fox. Why are you suddenly playing the part of a dumb bear?”

That…

For a moment I’d almost felt grateful enough to thank her, but that feeling completely vanished.

Always so infuriating.

That’s when the driver arrived, and Seo Jaeyeon walked off leisurely toward the van without saying goodbye.

I let out a deep sigh and climbed into Lee Seokhyun’s car.

“What a headache.”

I leaned my head heavily against the window, and Lee Seokhyun asked worriedly:

“Grandma… should I buy you some heart-calming pills?”

* * *

The next morning.

While binge-watching dramas I’d been behind on and eating snacks.

Bzzt—

A text came in.

– Sena-ssi, long time! Are you free this weekend? Want to come to a gathering?

It was Kim Jeonghun.

Well now.

I sat up and stared blankly at the text when another one came right after.

– Sena-ssi, Sojin who did Palace Flower with you will be there too!

I was momentarily speechless at his cheerfully oblivious suggestion.

So Seo Jaeyeon was telling the truth.

How should I deal with Heo Sojin?

I sent back a vague rejection first.

– I haven’t been feeling well since filming wrapped ㅠㅠ Sorry. Let’s hang out next time with Yuri-ssi when we can match schedules!

I closed my phone and turned on the TV.

I couldn’t focus on the drama content at all—only Seo Jaeyeon’s voice kept echoing in my ears.

‘Back when I dealt with you, you acted all cunning like a fox.’

Every single word from her mouth just drips with cold detachment.

Still, in the end I ended up getting help.

“But why are you even helping me, you psycho?”

As I muttered to myself while watching TV, Dad, who was in the kitchen, flinched and turned to look at me.

When our eyes met, Dad grinned knowingly and gave me a thumbs up.

This isn’t acting practice, Dad.

That’s when the phone vibrated again.

“I already said I’m not going.”

I checked the screen to find an unknown number calling.

Could it be Heo Sojin?

I decided to properly prepare myself mentally.

I took a deep breath and answered the call.

‘Hello, is this Sena-ssi?’

But the voice wasn’t Heo Sojin—it was an unfamiliar woman.

“Yes, that’s me. Who’s this?”

Usually work-related contacts come through the company, so who could this be?

‘It’s me, Seong Minhui.’

Huh?

“Oh, hello, Minhui-ssi.”

I remembered how Minhui-ssi had insisted on getting my number with sparkling eyes at the gathering.

‘Yes, are you free to talk right now? I called pretty randomly, didn’t I?’

“No, it’s fine. I can talk.”

Why is she calling?

‘Thank you. Actually, I really wanted to ask you a favor, so I got your number.’

“Ah, yes. What about…?”

‘It’s not anything else—I have a movie I’m about to start filming? It’s Director Hwangbo Jaejoon’s new project.’

Hwangbo Jaejoon?

My eyes widened at the name.

Director Hwangbo Jaejoon was someone you could trust with crime thrillers and crime comedies.

I knew he’d had several international film festival awards too.

Though they were from further back than now.

Wait, how far along is his filmography at this point?

But before that, why is she telling me this?

That’s when Seong Minhui continued.

‘But there’s a really important role in our movie that’s still unfilled. This role doesn’t have many scene minutes, so it was classified as a cameo… I feel bad asking since you already have name recognition, Sena-ssi, but it’s a role that absolutely needs strong acting skills to back it up, so I recommended you. Would that be okay?’

Role recommendation, cameo?

I blinked at the unexpected words that kept flowing.

“Ah, yes. That’s… I’d be happy to get recommendations here and there.”

At my words, joy filled Seong Minhui’s voice.

‘Then if it’s okay with you, Sena-ssi, would you be willing to do a phone call with the director? Just to lightly hear what it’s about.’

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

After hearing the story somewhat awkwardly, the call with Seong Minhui ended.

So suddenly.

I fell into thought for a moment.

“A cameo…”

An old memory came to mind.

‘Three cuts total. Comic villain role. You’re having a hard time lately—why don’t you do this to change your image.’

Even when I was at Yang Euichul’s company, I’d received cameo appearance offers once or twice.

Back then, those cameo spots felt like charity allocated to me.

Like throwing a bone to a villain-specialized actor who couldn’t even dream of bigger roles—giving her one spot to show her face.

I looked down at my phone.

How will it be this time?

My position has definitely changed a lot.

Following Minhui-ssi’s words, I planned to at least hear what the story was about, what kind of character it was.

I’d never done movie filming once since coming to this life.

Maybe… if I could participate in a skilled director’s work even in a small role, it could be an opportunity in its own way.

Just as I reached that thought, the phone rang.

-Hello, is this actress Han Sena? This is Director Hwangbo Jaejoon.

It was Director Hwangbo Jaejoon’s voice that I’d only heard in interview videos.

“Yes, hello. I already heard about it from Minhui-ssi.”

-Thank you for agreeing to hear me out. As you know, we have a project that’s finished pre-production and is right before filming. I couldn’t find an actor to take on the role I consider most important. But Minhui-ssi and several staff members all recommended you in unison, Sena-ssi.

“Ah, really? I’m grateful.”

Listening to the director’s words, one question was resolved.

As I recalled from my past life, there was no such cameo role in the director’s movie.

In my past life, had the director ultimately failed to find the actor he wanted for the cameo?

Then this time…?