The YHJ broadcasting station became as quiet as if cold water had been splashed on it.
It couldn't be helped.
The person the director had just pointed out was none other than a Korean actress.
Following that, Reika's passionate performance—which they had thought was amazing—continued to play, but the director's gaze was already on the woman who had exited the screen.
'What do we do, Producer Nanjo?'
'This is truly an unexpected situation.'
Producer Kazuo Nanjo, who had brought Seoyeon to Japan, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
It couldn't be helped.
How much effort had they put into inviting him to Japan this time?
To move a man who usually wouldn't budge, it wasn't something that could be done with just money.
It was by mobilizing all their connections from the Film Production Committee that they had barely managed to bring him over.
"Uh, Mr. Baldwin."
In the end, Producer Nanjo, whose English was the best among them, had no choice but to open his mouth.
Asher Baldwin.
A director in America who didn't discriminate much by genre.
He built his recognition making indie films and such, and as soon as he received investment, he filmed a fantastic fantasy movie and won Best Director.
Then, the biographical films he made in succession also won various awards in a row.
His career was at such a tremendous level that it couldn't be condensed into a simple "great."
However, he had slipped a few years ago while on his road to success.
From about five years ago, he hadn't been producing results worthy of his name.
Of course, it was only lacking compared to the director's name value; it was by no means at a level where one could say he had failed.
'Above all, it was only because of that situation that we barely managed to bring him to Japan.'
Nanjo sighed inwardly as he looked at Asher Baldwin, who was staring at him with listless eyes.
The filming environment in Japan and overseas has quite a lot of differences.
The behavior of such an overseas maestro was usually something the Production Committee wouldn't accept.
From the standpoint of a broadcasting station PD, it was also a very unfamiliar experience.
Depending on the case, Japanese directors were often worse off than regular salarymen.
"I made a request."
"Are you asking who that actress is?"
"Yes, that actress. The one mixed in with the other extras."
Asher Baldwin moved his hand, asking them to rewind the video.
His face showed not an ounce of interest in the performance of Japan's pride, actress Reika Goto.
Thanks to that, the broadcasting station, which had been strongly pushing for Reika, couldn't help but have a bitter taste in their mouths.
"May I ask the reason?"
At Producer Nanjo's words, Asher's elegant eyebrows twitched.
It was as if he was glaring to check whether they were asking sincerely.
A gaze that seemed to say, "Do you lot not even have the eyes to see that properly?"
'I know.'
Of course, Producer Nanjo knew.
Probably, most of the people in this room knew as well.
Even those who turned their noses up and ignored her because she was a Korean actress couldn't take their eyes off the screen when the video was actually playing.
A video of just over a minute.
Simple gestures, and a few words.
The diverse changes in expression that followed in between.
There were several impressive aspects like that, but two stood out the most.
'Appearance.'
The most striking thing in that one minute would probably be that above all else.
And secondly.
'Presence.'
He didn't want to say this out loud, but in this short video, the others were invisible.
Even though Kento, the male lead, was clearly in the scene, the gaze was drawn to the unnamed extra.
A comic he had read in the past came to mind.
Unfortunately, it had gone on hiatus, but there was a saying in it.
'Getting the whole scene devoured by an extra, was it?'
It was truly a remark that couldn't even bring out a laugh, but it was a scene where one could understand it a little.
"You know."
Asher, having read Nanjo's expression, spoke.
Why he had pointed out that actress in that scene.
"Drawing the gaze of others is a more important talent for an actor than anything else. No... I misspoke."
He chose his words for a moment before opening his mouth again.
"To be precise, it could be called a quality necessary for a lead actor."
Unqualified as an extra.
It seemed like he was saying that, but not quite.
Looking at that scene, it was originally composed with the intention of standing out.
'The director has good sense.'
Asher thought so.
Of course, that was under the premise that he knew the talent of that actress.
Honestly, he had a tendency to look down a bit on movies and dramas made in Japan.
Well, he still thought so even now.
However, there were things one could tell to some extent from the composition of that little over a minute.
It could be a coincidence, but if it was intentional...
"So, this actress."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ha."
Asher shook his head.
He had said this much, so they should obviously understand, but these people were just making stupid faces.
"I mean, if I make a movie, I want to use this actress."
It was an expected statement.
Producer Nanjo felt like he would collapse in this terrible situation.
No, it was fortunate that he didn't kick his chair and leave saying all Japanese actors were trash, so maybe they avoided the worst?
When showing the profiles of other actresses so far, he had looked like he wanted to leave right away.
In fact, Asher Baldwin was famous for his eccentric temperament.
He was the kind of man who would say what he had to say, even if it meant never stepping foot in Japan again.
"That actress might be a bit... difficult."
"What? Wasn't this video shown to show me this actress? Didn't you say it? Goto Reika."
It seemed Asher was firmly mistaken.
Well, that was why he hadn't paid even a sliver of attention to Reika's acting.
From the start, she was treated the same as the other extras.
"The actress you mentioned is a Korean actress."
Facing the bewildered Asher, Producer Nanjo mentioned the name of the actress who had visited this broadcasting station just a short while ago.
The interview variety show filmed last time was broadcast just last week, and the actress YHJ was also keeping an eye on regarding the
That name.
And.
That Korean actress.
"Wait, wait, Joo Seoyeon wait!! Jo Seohee, tear this off right now!! I said tear it off! Why are you looking at me with those eyes!"
It was a situation where she was practically glued to her close friend.
***
Seoyeon had become a romance master.
Truly a long time.
After hearing stories of the past from Yeonhee, getting a general sense of it, and watching several movies related to it.
Recently, she had even completely read a few female-oriented romance fantasies, roughly understanding the vibe.
'There are still many parts of female-oriented fantasy I don't understand, though.'
However, even though she tried to do the acting, Seoyeon's romance parts were pushed back quite a bit.
Mostly, it was to film the important scenes first, and then film the romance parts consecutively.
[Well, that's obvious.]
A fairly cool male voice was heard near her ear.
For reference, Seoyeon wasn't exactly on a phone call with that man right now.
Discord.
In other words, she was voice chatting while playing a game.
And, there was only one person around Seoyeon who could have such a conversation with her.
The only person around Seoyeon who was worse at games than her.
Park Jungwoo.
[In the first place, the character you mentioned, Yuina, is romance too, but she's a villain first, right? It'd be easier and have less emotional fluctuation to show her side as a villain first, and then do the romance parts.]
"Rather than that reason, I think it's because the filming is in Japan later."
[Ah, because there's no suitable building for Michiko's mansion?]
"Yes."
Seoyeon diligently clicked her mouse to throw a mushroom.
Seeing her opponent suffer from stepping on the mushroom made her feel quite good.
[I heard about Director Baek Min, he's really amazing. He's going all the way to Japan just for that?]
"Other than that, I got the feeling that the appropriate scenery and landscapes were mainly in Japan?"
[Do a lot of snowy scenes come out?]
"Yes."
[Then that makes sense. Around here, Japan is about the only place to film that. CG costs a lot of money. Ah!]
The moment he said that, Park Jungwoo's character died.
Since it was Howling Abyss, dying wasn't a big deal, but dying like this usually meant...
"You die way too much. Almost like a headbutting dinosaur."
[Don't try to attach that meme to me.]
"But your death count is higher than mine?"
Listening to Seoyeon's boastful voice, Jungwoo felt like his veins were popping on his forehead.
Actually, Jungwoo originally only played games occasionally when he was resting.
However, getting scratched like this by Seoyeon every time, he found himself practicing alone.
He realized anew that for a man, there was nothing as grating as being told he's bad at games.
[I'm already Platinum tier, though?]
"...."
Seoyeon lost her words for a moment.
In the Howling Abyss, where physical mechanics were important, Seoyeon practically flew, but Summoner's Rift was different.
Of course, Seoyeon was Platinum too.
She was Platinum, but Jungwoo had taken fewer games to climb up.
Seoyeon, who hadn't been able to raise her tier because she was focused on Howling Abyss for a while, felt a sense of crisis.
To be precise, she was just a bit tired of the Rift, though.
"People who talk about their tier first look uncool."
"...Didn't you do that to me before?"
"And high schoolers these days don't play LoL much."
"Then what, Valorant?"
"Something like that..."
It felt like she didn't play PC games much in the first place.
Anyway, while saying such things, Seoyeon suddenly thought of Youngbin.
There was the matter with Yeonhee, and she knew there were many things he was worrying about at
Whether to make his own game.
Or to stay at a large corporation.
But even if he made a game, she was worried about various things.
'I also have to grant Yeonhee unnie's request.'
Since she had helped with Seoyeon's acting, Seoyeon had to listen to Yeonhee's words one way or another.
What did she say again?
Probably.
'That, you don't have to do it if it's too much. But later, can you tell Sua that she absolutely! must meet me once? I mean, I said it, but it's Sua, not Youngbin, okay? Really? But you don't have to force yourself. Really.'
No matter how you looked at it, it didn't sound like an adult telling her not to overdo it.
From the moment the word "absolutely" was included in the statement, it was contradictory.
And calling her "mom" right off the bat...
Didn't that reveal a strangely dark, obsessive intention?
'If I pass this message on, we won't end up shooting an affair drama, right?'
Seoyeon was slowly getting a bit worried.
Had she underestimated Yeonhee's lingering attachment?
She thought it was just left as a good memory, but maybe she was mistaken.
Thinking such thoughts, Seoyeon suddenly checked the time.
"Ah, I think I need to go. I have an appointment."
[You? An appointment?]
"...That sounds like you're saying I don't have anyone to make appointments with. I'm a busy person, you know."
[I know, I know. Actor Joo Seoyeon. You're doing well.]
"If I run there right now, it'll take me 5 minutes. One round of sparring?"
[Huh? I'm in Gangnam right now?]
"That's why I said 5 minutes."
[No, what are you, an airplane?]
Even while thinking it was ridiculous, Jungwoo felt confused as to whether it was real or a lie.
Of course, it was a lie.
Even for Seoyeon, there was no way she could run to Gangnam in 5 minutes.
It was literally only possible by airplane.
But Jungwoo couldn't immediately dismiss Seoyeon's words as a joke.
Somehow, he felt like Seoyeon could actually do it.
"Of course it's a joke. Do you believe that?"
"...No. Hah, whatever."
Jungwoo sighed.
More than that, he was bothered by the fact that Seoyeon said she had an appointment.
When Seoyeon didn't have work, she mostly spent her time playing games.
Even if she didn't play games with Jungwoo, she spent a lot of time playing console games.
"I'm going to hang out at my friend in the reserves' house."
[Friend in the reserves?]
"She's actually a friend, but I call her that because it's just funny."
[Ah, Jo Seohee...]
Jungwoo sighed, recalling the junior actress burdened with the original sin of being a parachute for life.
'I must never give off such an opening.'
Seoyeon thought she was quite a generous person, but Jungwoo knew.
She was definitely generous about most things.
But if you touched her pride, she became extremely petty.
***
Actually, Seoyeon had never really felt that Seohee was rich.
The nice car she showed off a few times had at some point changed to a nice bicycle.
Other than that, she didn't wear particularly expensive clothes.
She had taken Seoyeon to Mirinae Park, but honestly, it didn't feel real.
From her perspective, it just felt like receiving a company assignment and participating in an event.
It was nothing more, nothing less.
But that's how people are.
"How is it?"
Seoyeon said, raising her gaze upward.
"...It's big."
To think that this large detached house in this spacious garden was Seohee's house.
Seoyeon, who lived in an ordinary house, lost her words for a moment.
Seoyeon's house wasn't exactly on the poor side either, but how should she put this.
Should she say it was on a completely different level?
"The land here is cheap because it's a bit far from the city center."
Even if she said it's just like that, honestly, it was a bit hard to just nod at that.
"Look, Jiyeon doesn't even care much."
"I come here often. And why are you smiling like an idiot?"
"Huh? No."
Jo Seohee gently rubbed her smiling face with both hands for no reason.
After all, it had been a really long time since a friend visited her house.
Moreover!
Hadn't Seoyeon said she wanted to visit first?
'Am I finally escaping from being a friend in distress?'
Half-friend. Friend in the reserves. Or friend in distress—Seohee knew that was the vibe.
Therefore, Seoyeon visiting her house this time was a very special event.
"But, Lee Jiyeon, what is that?"
"Huh? This is beer."
"?"
"It's non-alcoholic. Non-alcoholic."
No, even non-alcoholic, minors can't buy it, right?
When she looked at Lee Jiyeon with those eyes.
"There was some at home so I brought it. It's not usually like this?"
Seohee narrowed her eyes again at Lee Jiyeon's words.
As expected, isn't this kid a delinquent?
Seohee couldn't erase that suspicion.