"I already knew."
Yeohui told Seoyeon some things about her past.
How she came to be with her parents.
How she came to love.
"A person's dream is sometimes decided by something that isn't really a big deal, you know?"
It was the same for Yeohui.
Until then, singing was simply a hobby for Yeohui.
She had never even considered making it her profession.
"I was in the gaming club, but I never even thought of using my song as an OST."
But then a guy who suddenly barged in said those words.
"You sing well. It seems like it'd be perfect for an OST?"
Yes, it really wasn't anything special.
"Yeohui, you sing well."
That was all there was to it.
With those words, she found herself holding a guitar without realizing it, and by the time she came to her senses, she had become a singer.
"Of course, who says those words also matters."
He never said anything meaningless.
Since he wasn't one to easily compliment others, it seemed to resonate even more.
Because he said she sang well, she felt like she had to be really good at it.
As if she had become someone truly remarkable.
Perhaps that's why she continued walking this path.
"Though I didn't expect to be unable to forget those words until now."
Yeohui looked at Seoyeon.
A face that seemed to have many thoughts.
"Is it not difficult?"
Seoyeon carefully asked that.
Honestly, it was an emotion that didn't truly resonate with Seoyeon.
However, she felt like she vaguely understood.
Like her own past life.
A fact she had recently learned.
Seoyeon originally likes herself quite a lot.
But she didn't know that would include her past life as well.
For Seoyeon's past didn't have many good things in it.
"I'm not sure about that either."
To Seoyeon's words, Yeohui answered with a puzzled face.
Is it difficult?
She wasn't sure about that either.
However, the form of love differs for each person, so it was difficult to define it as anything specific.
What was certain was—
"I just can't forget it."
To the point of foolishness.
"When I saw their happy appearance, I felt quite joyful again, you see."
Honestly, Yeohui wasn't confident she could ever see him again.
But after watching the aired
Watching their appearance on TV, she felt a ticklish sensation.
Seeing them all looking happy together, she felt relief and joy.
She thought she wanted to see them again.
Of course, without revealing the lingering attachment she held.
"Just this much."
This was all Yeohui could answer to Seoyeon's question.
As she said, the form of love is different for everyone, so the rest was something she had to figure out herself.
Surely, she asked about this because of the role she was taking on this time.
Seoyeon slowly nodded at Yeohui's answer.
Somehow, she felt like she understood a little.
It wasn't simply because of Yeohui's story, but perhaps because she felt she had a similar emotion as well.
She had realized it previously in
That there was no need to be too impatient.
And that impatience was ultimately Seoyeon's past life.
Stemming from her past self.
Just as Yeohui had lingering attachments.
She also had lingering attachments.
'The exact opposite of the past.'
Seoyeon chuckled as she dressed as 'Kasugayama Yuina' from
Her appearance being colored with flashy makeup.
Looking at Yuina's face reflected in the mirror, not Seoyeon's, she thought.
It was a one-sided love.
Of course, it wasn't love between lovers.
It was a mother's downward love.
Leaving behind a child who couldn't empathize with that love.
For a lifetime.
She gave an unrequited love.
And Seoyeon probably realized that after being reborn.
"My teacher said that."
When she closed her eyes, words she had heard long ago came to mind.
"Usually, other people can't even express themselves at all."
Those words spoken while embracing her with both arms.
"That adorning oneself and imitating others to act is impossible."
It's not just about not understanding emotions, but forgetting how to express them entirely.
She had said that seeing a lot of things wasn't something that could be considered a feat.
"You are special."
Though she couldn't empathize with those emotions, perhaps those words definitely left something behind.
Like Yeohui said, it's trivial words that move people.
Her mother must have wanted Seoyeon to become an ordinary person then and look back at her.
And now, it's the opposite.
Seoyeon thinks she is probably doing the same act in the form of an actress.
Lingering attachment.
Surely, Seoyeon had harbored that emotion from early on.
She just hadn't been aware of it.
'I think I understand a little.'
Of course, Yuina's emotions are different.
Not love between parents and herself, but love between lovers.
Love wanting to become lovers.
The desire to possess and monopolize him.
Seoyeon still doesn't perfectly understand that feeling.
However, since there are many forms of love.
Seoyeon decided to interpret it in her own way.
Yuina's emotions.
Why she decided to let go of Yeon Seon-ye.
Why she decided to wish happiness for Michiko, who deserved hatred.
'Just.'
She must have wanted her to be happy.
What reason would there be.
Seeing someone cry is sad.
Because she's seen it too much.
Though she didn't know it then, she knows now.
「You're right.」
So Yuina says.
「It was my lifelong wish. To take revenge on the parents who betrayed me, and to kill that girl who received everything.」
Amanabi Michiko.
The hateful woman who took everything from her.
She wanted to take everything equally.
Perhaps even her life.
But now, she couldn't do that anymore.
「But, she keeps haunting me.」
She was a girl she brought in for that purpose in the first place.
A somewhat smooth-talking Korean woman who didn't know her place.
She brought her as someone who could die at any time without it being strange.
She was just meant to be used and discarded.
「That girl chattering beside me. Those annoying words she keeps spouting.」
Staggering, Yuina grabbed the arm of Isamu who held her.
「That smiling face she showed me keeps coming to mind.」
Even if that smile wasn't directed at her.
Even if it was directed at the woman who took everything from her.
Yuina couldn't bear to see that smile disappear.
Since when was it?
Was it from the moment that girl helped her without knowing her place?
「I know this shouldn't happen.」
It was a lifelong grudge.
But she could feel the burning flames of her desire for revenge gradually dying down.
The hatred didn't rise as much as before.
「But.」
Yuina looked at Isamu and smiled bleakly.
「I can't do it.」
That was all she could say.
Though her head was full of thoughts, that was all she could say.
Isamu's eyes wavered as he watched that.
He realized.
That now, Yuina was beyond return.
He witnessed the moment the doll he had carefully raised since childhood broke.
Seeing that, Isamu couldn't empathize with Yuina's emotions.
His chin trembled, and the whites of his wide-open eyes became bloodshot.
Smack!!
He shook off Yuina's hand that had grabbed his arm and turned his back.
With that impact, Yuina collapsed on the spot, but he didn't look back.
He just strode out.
If she couldn't do it, it was something he had to do.
「Isamu.」
And Yuina, who had collapsed bleakly, looked at his back and opened her teary eyes sharply.
Staggering, Yuina stood up and glared in the direction he disappeared.
「Yes, Yeon Seon-ye. You were right.」
In the end, it seemed the one who helped her at the end was her.
She had trusted Isamu too.
But what he showed her gave her certainty.
Who the true enemy was.
What she had to do.
Like that.
One scene came to a close.
Then, as Director Baek Min shouted 'Cut,' silence momentarily visited the filming set.
That was how intense their acting just now had been.
Especially, Jo Seohui, who was to act together next, opened her eyes wide.
Because the current 'Yuina' was much more intensely colored than the 'Yuina' she had seen before.
The acting like starlight she had seen long ago.
And that she had seen in Cha Seoa's acting.
She didn't expect to see it here today.
A scene that was merely a sequence of lines felt like a climax with such immersive power.
Of course, this didn't mean only Seoyeon did well.
'Actor I Sang-soo, his acting was originally... remarkable, but.'
Today he was even more remarkable.
Even though I Sang-soo didn't have many lines today.
He clearly displayed Goto Isamu's rage with simply facial expressions and actions.
It wasn't just Seohui who thought so.
I Ji-yeon also had a considerably surprised face.
Because it was Ji-yeon's first time seeing such acting from Seoyeon on set.
Though she had seen much acting, this level of deep emotional acting was a first.
'From midway, it seemed like method acting.'
This level of immersive acting from Seoyeon was rare.
Especially after maturing, she didn't do method acting often, thinking it unnecessarily wasteful.
'It doesn't seem like it was intentional, though.'
Seohui vaguely thought while looking at Seoyeon, who was still standing on the set.
She closed her eyes and didn't move, as if collecting her emotions for a moment.
Certainly, Yuina didn't show a single drop of tear just now.
But everyone present must have felt it.
That Yuina's appearance just now seemed as if she was wailing.
Especially, Director Baek Min couldn't help but be surprised as he repeatedly played and checked the scene just filmed.
It was an important scene in its own right.
'I didn't expect it to turn out this well.'
Even without excessive action, even he as the director was pulled in, as if watching a musical or play.
"Miss Seoyeon, are you okay?"
I Sang-soo quietly approached Seoyeon, who was standing quietly, and asked.
Actor Jeong Eun-seon had worried a lot because I Sang-soo had been so strongly earnest with her.
"Yes."
Seoyeon, who quietly opened her eyes, had an impassive face.
Her eyes were a bit red, but that was always the case.
Actually, Seoyeon wasn't in a particularly bad condition.
She just felt like she had consumed some mental energy.
She just felt a slightly unpleasant emotion from being emotionally shaken.
'Especially, the next acting is from a point in the past compared to just now.'
If scenes aren't filmed in order, this part is a bit troublesome.
Because of that, Seoyeon also needed to collect her emotions.
It felt like diving deep into the ocean after a long time.
Not an aquarium, but the ocean.
It had truly been a long time.
"Joo Seoyeon."
At some point, I Ji-yeon and Jo Seohui were standing behind Seoyeon.
Especially I Ji-yeon had a face with a lot to say.
"You have to act like that when you're with me too."
It was a strange thing to say.
As if saying she hadn't acted properly when she was with her.
Of course, Seoyeon had never acted half-heartedly when acting with Ji-yeon.
Always sincere.
That was Seoyeon's motto.
"Well, that's something we'll have to see."
It was Seohui, who had been quietly watching their conversation, who answered that.
Seohui knew what acting Ji-yeon was referring to.
In short, romance acting.
The acting that I Ji-yeon and Seoyeon would do later was quite intense romance acting.
However, she knew that Seoyeon was considerably struggling with romance acting.
Should she say she found it difficult.
So, she was worried that Ji-yeon might think Seoyeon was doing it half-heartedly.
"Don't worry."
Contrary to Seohui's worries, Seoyeon said with a quite confident smile.
"I'm confident."
"……."
Could she be confident in romance acting?
Seohui felt a slightly uneasy premonition.
'Still.'
Seohui smiled, recalling Seoyeon's acting just now.
Surely, the acting shown today was really good.
***
Japan YHJ Broadcasting Station.
Recently checking the footage sent from Korea.
They were in the process of combining previously filmed footage related to Seoyeon to create a video.
A broadcast to be released when
But then.
"Ah, hello!!"
Several people at the broadcasting station could be seen greeting with energetic voices.
It was a group of people.
They whispered among themselves as they looked at the director who had just entered.
"That person is the..."
"Yes. The director who is said to be participating in the film production this time."
A director.
But not a Japanese director.
He was a Caucasian man with light blonde hair.
An appearance quite alien to see at a Japanese broadcasting station.
Academy Award-winning director.
Though his recently released film didn't achieve results matching his reputation, he was definitely a great director with enough fame to be counted in America.
A director brought in to bring a new wind to the Japanese film industry this time.
He was looking around the YHJ broadcasting station interior, showing interest in various things.
There should be someone to stop him, but everyone looked like they didn't know what to do.
After all, they had literally 'invited' him.
Making him displeased and possibly refusing to participate in the film production—there was nothing more troublesome than that.
"T-this way, Director."
Finally, they sat down and began the meeting in earnest.
They showed various videos and introduced the Japanese actors who were scheduled to participate in the film.
"Um, the female lead of this film is Goto Reika. Her acting skills are definitely verified..."
YHJ, who participated in this film production, played the video of the drama produced by the broadcasting station, Director Kakeba Hiro's
Because it was the most recent drama Goto Reika had appeared in.
Since the acting was also well-received, they thought the director would like it.
『Hmm.』
However, he watched that video with a very bored face.
A face showing no interest at all.
Even though Reika was acting passionately on screen, there was no reaction at all.
Rather, he was frowning.
'It's over.'
Everyone intuitively thought so.
Should they make someone other than Goto Reika the female lead?
But among young actresses, would there be an actress who could show acting beyond Goto Reika?
Honestly, no one came to mind.
But seeing that reaction, it felt like they definitely had to find another actress.
Thinking that, just as they were about to play another video.
『Wait.』
"Yes?"
"He says wait, wait!!"
At the director's words, everyone's gazes focused and their faces became tense.
Could he be refusing to film?
He had been watching the video with a displeased face from the beginning.
Even being able to bring him to Japan was because they paid an enormous amount of money.
But if even that didn't please him, he could return at any time.
『That Japanese actress, who is she?』
"Yes! Yes, which actress?"
"That scene is after the scene Goto appeared in..."
That was the most talked-about scene recently in
The appearance of women pointlessly talking to the male lead who was in despair at the playground.
Honestly, the scene itself had no importance at all.
It was merely a device to deepen the conflict.
But the director directly pointed at that scene with his finger and named a person.
『I mean, this Japanese actress.』
Those who saw the person he was pointing at couldn't help but be astounded.
Because the female actress he was pointing at was not a Japanese actress.