In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 73

The absurd interview content continued.

‘…Actually, I was threatened on the Palace Flower filming site by Han Sena, who told me not to act up. Han Sena is the type who always needs to be at the center. Both Yoo Ji-an from Flat Shoes and Song Sunim from Palace Flower ended up changed to Han Sena’s taste, didn’t they? A person who’s been trying to have everything her way since her rookie days stepping forward as the OTT field’s leader will throw the actors’ ecosystem into chaos.’

“This is Heo Sojin, right?”

Kim Eunseo read the interview and asked.

“It seems like it…?”

“Crazy bitch.”

Kim Eunseo muttered a curse.

That’s when a call came in from Minyeong unnie.

The moment I answered, Minyeong unnie spoke rapidly.

-Sena, there are weird articles going up online right now. Something about you making nepotism dramas, some actress claiming she was threatened…

“I just saw them, unnie.”

-You saw?

Unnie seemed flustered for a moment, then returned to her usual calm voice.

-Then I don’t need to explain. The person who wrote the column is someone from HBC. They’re probably pissed off and stirred up trouble. Wait a bit. I’ll handle this quickly.

The short call ended.

The moment I hung up, I looked at the floor and sighed.

My head felt hazy.

What’s with HBC.

HBC—the broadcasting station where I’d auditioned for the last time in my past life.

What on earth is going on?

Kim Eunseo, uncharacteristically, patted my shoulder.

“Don’t worry. Just clarify things, and bury both the columnist and Heo Sojin.”

When I didn’t respond, Kim Eunseo also let out a frustrated sigh.

More than that, there was only one thing worrying me.

“I’m fine. Clarifying is easy enough. But what about the other actors, including you, and the staff?”

Kim Eunseo looked at me with confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

“Everyone’s getting dragged through the mud because I gathered people.”

This wasn’t just about the current project—it affected everyone I’d worked with since my debut.

Writer Lee Siyoung, Writer Nam Jihye, Director Kang Jeonghwan, my co-stars…

Familiar faces flashed through my mind.

At that, Kim Eunseo let out a hollow laugh as if rendered speechless.

“You’re worried about other people in the middle of all this? Worry about yourself.”

That’s when voices calling for me came from the distance.

“Where’s our Sena!”

“Hey, Sena! Where are you hiding, are you crying?!”

It was Won Hyerim sunbaenim and Jang Heeyeong sunbaenim’s voices.

“…?”

As I lifted my bowed head, Kim Eunseo shouted on my behalf.

“She’s over here! She’s not crying.”

At that, Chaeseong-ssi and the actors came rushing over in a group.

The moment Won Hyerim sunbaenim arrived, she leaned against the wall and put a cigarette in her mouth.

“Heo Sojin, that bitch. Hah…”

“Hey, with that nasty temper of yours, why didn’t you stomp on something like this sooner? What were you doing!”

Jang Heeyeong sunbaenim said to Won Hyerim sunbaenim.

“Hah… right? My fault. Should’ve cut off that yellow sprout who’s been going around tormenting people from the start.”

Won Hyerim sunbaenim accepted it matter-of-factly and exhaled cigarette smoke.

Seon Yuseok stood beside them with an unprecedentedly serious expression, arms crossed.

Not just Seon Yuseok—everyone stood there with worried faces.

Seeing those faces made my heart heavier.

“I’m sorry, everyone. Causing trouble from the start of the new year because of me… The agency will release a clarification article. If things don’t go well, I’ll say I recruited everyone…”

“Oppa, what is she even saying right now?”

Won Hyerim sunbaenim cut off my words with wide eyes.

At that, Jang Heeyeong sunbaenim responded.

“I know, right…?”

“Hey, Sena. We did this because we wanted to.”

“Noona, I’m the one who begged to audition when you hadn’t even asked.”

Yuseok also quickly spoke up.

Jaehyung-ssi, standing in the back, also added casually as if it was no big deal.

“You know how it is in this industry—they’re good at mixing fabricated claims with facts to make things sound plausible. But… Sena-ssi, did you ever get blacklisted by HBC?”

At that, people looked at Jaehyung-ssi.

“An actor from my agency got hit by that columnist once before. This person’s daughter is the fiancée of HBC’s vice president’s son, or something like that.”

Among those listening, only Won Hyerim sunbaenim showed no reaction, as if she’d already known.

“What’s the connection?”

Yuri-ssi asked back.

“From what my agency dug up, this person only writes columns on HBC’s orders.”

Hearing that, it finally made sense.

“I just rejected all the appearance offers that came in.”

At my words, Jaehyung-ssi nodded.

“That’s reason enough. They’re famous for throwing their weight around and destroying people when their mood turns sour.”

Of course, I’d heard about HBC in my past life too.

However, since no one around me had actually experienced it and I’d only heard rumors, I’d quickly stopped paying attention.

But now I’m actually dealing with this myself.

“I just rejected them because there were no projects I wanted to do, and things ended up like this.”

Hearing my words, Won Hyerim sunbaenim ground out her cigarette.

“Those facts don’t matter anymore. We need to destroy them.”

“Pardon…?”

“Steel yourself. There’s probably a truckload of people in this industry who are pissed off at HBC and Heo Sojin right now. We need to gather those people first. Well, your capable boss will probably handle everything anyway.”

Jaehyung-ssi also handed me a heat pack as if telling me not to worry.

“I’ll help too. These guys are overdue for a downfall.”

The other actors also shouted “Me too, me too!”

“Thank you, everyone. I can overcome something like this easily.”

I forced myself to speak in a bright voice to match everyone’s fighting spirit.

At that, Jang Heeyeong sunbaenim shook his head slightly, erasing the hint of a smile.

“Hey hey, that’s not it. You do need to steel yourself. But I’m not telling you to pretend you’re okay.”

“Pardon?”

“How do you just easily overcome something like this? Are you a machine, Sena?”

Huh…?

That’s when Hyeonsu-ssi, who’d been standing quietly, asked.

“Sena-ssi, you were shocked, right?”

It was a calm voice that settled the mood.

The moment I heard those words, I suddenly couldn’t think of anything to say in response.

“Don’t try to be composed even in front of us.”

If you say things like that suddenly, I’ll…

I bit my lip hard.

“Ugh, I knew this would happen.”

That’s when Yuri-ssi walked over briskly and pulled me into a tight hug.

Yuri-ssi’s signature sweet perfume scent hit me all at once.

I held back the tears that wanted to come.

Meanwhile, Chaeseong-ssi was typing something into his phone in the back.

“What are you doing, Director?”

When Kim Eunseo peeked at his phone and asked, Chaeseong-ssi smiled awkwardly.

“I’m not even an actor, and I’m a director just making my debut, so this kind of thing is new to me. I don’t know how the situation works… so I’m taking notes.”

At Chaeseong-ssi’s words, the actors laughed.

That made me laugh too.

“And Sena-ssi, if you need… I’ll adjust tomorrow’s filming schedule so you can go to Seoul and come back.”

I bowed my head at Chaeseong-ssi’s consideration.

“Thank you…”

This many people weren’t even thinking about the damage they’d taken, only worrying about me.

I felt grateful yet somehow a corner of my heart felt heavy, as if a stone had been placed there.

“Then let’s resume night filming. Let’s wrap this up quickly.”

Hearing Chaeseong-ssi’s words, the actors and I all headed back to the filming site together.

* * *

The next morning, Seoul.

Without sleeping a wink all night, I boarded the boat at the crack of dawn.

On the way, I deliberately didn’t look at my phone.

When I opened the office door, I saw Minyeong unnie mid-phone call.

Unnie abruptly stopped talking and looked at me with a startled expression.

“…Yes, I’ll call you back later.”

After hanging up, unnie stood up abruptly.

“Why are you here? What about filming?”

I just stood there, unsure what to say.

“What’s with you? What about filming?”

“I postponed filming for a bit.”

“Why?”

“Well…”

My words got stuck.

Right, why did I postpone it?

I’d just been consumed by this feeling that I naturally had to postpone and come to Seoul.

“As an actress, you should focus on acting. Are you going to step forward and play politics?”

Unnie’s straightforward words left me speechless.

“Is… that so? Should I not have come here since there’s nothing I can really do…?”

“Of course. Sena, don’t worry too much and don’t step forward. It’ll be fine anyway.”

“Don’t step forward? But still… it’s my problem?”

Hearing my words, Minyeong unnie took a sip of coffee.

“You came planning to step forward, didn’t you? Always trying to shoulder everything alone. If you’re going to do that, why even have a company?”

“…”

“I already contacted all the directors, writers, and actors from your previous projects since this morning. Some people contacted me first too. Writer Lee Siyoung—man, she called at five in the morning and chewed me out. Said to clarify quickly. That a young actress is getting hurt.”

At those words, my nose suddenly stung.

“I’ve also commissioned columns from content industry experts. The woman who targeted you is a complete fraud. Apparently she came from some regional university and even lied about her credentials.”

“Ah…”

“I’ve also discreetly contacted the rookie actresses who were victimized by Heo Sojin. When I contacted one, the names of other actors victimized by Heo Sojin just kept coming out.”

Unnie relayed new information like a string of sausages.

Hearing all that, the strength gradually left my legs.

I walked over weakly and slid onto the sofa.

Without realizing it, all the tension that had filled my body released.

“Ugh.”

Unnie put new water in the coffee pot.

As I listened to the sound of water boiling, I sank into thought.

Why I’d come to Seoul without any awareness.

It was definitely because of my previous life.

In my past life, I’d always had to fight alone.

And I’d always lost, become exhausted and collapsed, then faced the next ordeal alone again with my tattered heart.

That way, fighting alone had become a habit without me realizing it.

Minyeong unnie took my hands, frozen stiff from the cold, and handed me warm coffee.

“Look how frozen your hands are. Since you came anyway, get some sleep and rest before you go.”

“Unnie, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Taking a sip of warm coffee made my body feel like it was melting.

Right, let’s rest a bit.

Just for a little while.

I leaned back on the sofa and closed my eyes.

* * *

After finishing that brief rest and returning to the island.

I walked around the island alone, incomparably colder than Seoul.

To think I’d feel glad to see this island with its fierce crashing waves.

Having stayed just briefly, it already felt like a hideout.

Like I was escaping the noisy world somehow.

The staff treated me the same as usual.

“Oh, no muffler this time? I was looking forward to it!”

“Hey, after getting one, you should buy the next one yourself, humanly speaking!”

I laughed emptily at the staff’s teasing.

That’s when Seon Yuseok, spotting me, came over.

“Noona, you’re back?”

“Yeah, filming progressed a lot.”

“You better brace yourself today, noona. We’ve got to film all the postponed stuff.”

“I’m in trouble…”

But Yuseok’s expression seemed somehow awkward, catching my eye.

When our eyes met, Seon Yuseok brought up something he’d been hesitating about.

“Noona, is the Heo Sojin thing getting resolved?”

“Yeah… seems like it. Minyeong unnie is handling everything so well that I’m trying not to worry about it.”

Seon Yuseok nodded.

“Our company thinks they can help too. If noona wants, we could set up a meeting…”

But Seon Yuseok’s expression as he trailed off looked uncomfortable, like he was about to say something he shouldn’t.