"This year, the KMB Drama Awards Grand Prize goes to... the actress who displayed tremendous prowess in Sky Garden and Dream Future!"
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On a snowy winter night.
Families gathered cozily in front of the television couldn't tear their gazes from the screen, without exception.
"Actress Ju Seoyeon!"
Along with the cheerful host's voice, thunderous applause erupted from the crowd.
A girl naturally rose from among countless stars.
Her slightly more youthful appearance stood out compared to the other celebrities.
A bright white dress and black hair contrasting against it.
An actress memorable for her eyes, gleaming like the sunset.
"Didn't she also win Best Supporting Actress at the film festival this year?"
"She did. I didn't watch it, but I heard she was in a movie, too."
"Whew, she's so young, yet she's living a busy life."
Her parents' conversation reached her ears.
The sight of the girl on stage holding a glittering trophy and delivering an acceptance speech looked all too familiar.
One year.
An achievement akin to a miracle, reaped in just a single year.
The figure of the girl standing upon the award stage was so beautiful that it made one stare blankly.
"Ara."
Her parents spoke to the girl, whose eyes were fixed on the television, pointing at the screen.
"So, you're saying that actress is currently a student at the school you're entering, Ara?"
At her parents' words, the girl—
No, Yeon Ara slowly nodded.
Simply a fan.
Beyond that, her heart was filled with the desire to become like the girl reflected on that screen.
That was precisely why she had chosen Yeonhwa High School.
Even though she could have gone to a different arts high school, she had insisted.
"Yeah, that's right."
Having said that, the girl caressed her blonde hair with her fingers.
Blonde hair symbolizing the proof of her mixed heritage.
Touching it out of habit, Ara gazed at the girl smiling brightly on the screen.
The day she would finally meet her was truly not far off.
***
"*Gkh, guuuh!!*"
A young actor steadily raising his profile by appearing in various cable dramas.
Jeong Hyeonu slowly released the strength from his swollen, burning arms and set down the barbell he had been lifting.
"*Huuu.*"
His breathing was ragged and his arms were numb, but the thought that he had finally crossed the threshold of the Big Three 400 filled him with pride.
If only his acting skills would maintain such a steady upward trend too.
As Jeong Hyeonu thought so and turned around—
"*Hwaahk!!*"
"...Why are you so surprised to see me?"
"Ah, no. Anyone would be surprised if someone suddenly appeared behind them."
"*Hmm.*"
Seoyeon looked at Jeong Hyeonu with half-lidded eyes.
At that change in her expression, Jeong Hyeonu swallowed dryly.
She was a girl who appeared delicate and frail, but Jeong Hyeonu knew.
He knew that Seoyeon easily lifted and lowered weights equivalent to her own body weight.
'Does this even make sense?'
He had thought that more than once or twice, but in truth, that part didn't really matter.
He could resign himself to her athletic ability, but other aspects were still hard to get used to.
'Will she be as active this year as she was last year?'
The diverse feats Seoyeon had shown last year were a shock to Jeong Hyeonu in and of themselves.
To him, who had spent the past year going from one supporting role to another, Seoyeon seemed like a monster who made a hit every time she appeared.
At first, he had felt great envy, but now she was like a lucky charm.
On days when he saw Seoyeon at the gym, he somehow felt his acting went better.
So while he didn't know about other days, he made sure to come to the gym on audition days.
It felt like he would only pass auditions if he saw Seoyeon.
"I saw you in the drama last week."
"Ah, really? How was it?"
"I enjoyed it. It was a cable drama, but everyone's acting was amazing."
At Seoyeon's words, Jeong Hyeonu sighed in relief.
Truthfully, meeting Seoyeon at the gym was partly because she was a lucky charm, but also because she occasionally gave him tips.
At first, she had said she was too young and not in a position to advise others given her own skills, but before long she had been helping Jeong Hyeonu several times.
"But why are you here today?"
"Huh?"
"It seems like you have something to say."
Seoyeon was inwardly surprised by Jeong Hyeonu's words.
She hadn't expected him to grasp her intentions first.
That made it easier to broach the subject.
"By any chance, are you interested in appearing in a film?"
"A film? I'd love to, but... no, of course I'd love to."
"You'd be a supporting role, and the screen time is rather small."
"And the director's evaluation isn't favorable either."
Seoyeon added such words.
Of course, to Jeong Hyeonu, who was still practically a rookie, none of that mattered.
What mattered was appearing in a film!
"Come on, just being in it is already a huge deal."
If it was a film recommended by Seoyeon, Jeong Hyeonu had the confidence to appear without even receiving a fee if it was just an extra role.
A film recommended by none other than Ju Seoyeon.
He believed there was value here that couldn't be measured in money.
Rather, Seoyeon felt a bit embarrassed by Jeong Hyeonu, who looked at her with fervent eyes as if worshipping her.
'Wow, he answered so firmly.'
But from Jeong Hyeonu's perspective, he had no choice.
It was because Jeong Hyeonu had become quite the topic of conversation when Seoyeon visited the gym during The Golden Duckling.
Thanks to that, he had even shot a commercial, and in his recent cable drama, he had a fairly significant supporting role.
At this rate, appearing in a public broadcast drama this year wasn't a dream either.
"Then... I'll contact you again later. Ah, I don't think I'll be the one contacting you, but someone else will..."
"It doesn't matter."
Seoyeon nodded at Jeong Hyeonu's words as he spoke while patting his bulging pectoral muscles.
'I've filled one actor slot.'
Seoyeon inwardly sighed in relief.
'I need actors, actors.'
Specifically, an actor to appear in Seoul Escape.
Honestly, if she held auditions, people would swarm in, but what mattered was 'having the acting skills.'
And being suitable for the role.
In that sense, Jeong Hyeonu met both criteria.
'His acting has improved greatly over the past year.'
His performance in the recent cable drama was applause-worthy.
On top of consistently working out, his cool features were the perfect look for the male lead's bodyguard in Seoul Escape.
'Jeong-u senior said he'd look into the rest, but I wonder if it'll be okay.'
Seoyeon recalled the bolt-from-the-blue news she had recently heard from Bak Jeong-u.
Namely, that The Thief had a high chance of overlapping with Seoul Escape's release window.
At the café they always met at, Seoyeon lowered her sunglasses slightly and spoke.
"Isn't there the option to just delay it?"
"Director Jo Bangwu would want that too. He'd want to avoid a head-on clash with his son."
It could hinder his son's debut work.
If his own work lost to his son's, that would also come as a shock.
"Of course, as a father, he should be happy that his son beat him, but..."
"Director Jo Bangwu must be under considerable pressure."
"That's right."
So he would try to avoid it, but the investors' opinions were another matter.
First, whether there was really a need to delay the release.
Adding to that, the reaction was that clashing would actually be better in terms of 'buzz.'
A rare father-son showdown in the film industry.
If they adjusted the number of screens, it could make for quite a compelling picture.
'At least it's a relief that Newlike Group has a hand in it.'
The existing investors held the most authority, but since Newlike Group was involved, they wouldn't be able to do as they pleased. That was a small mercy.
'If that's the case, unlike my previous life, they won't try to cast a problematic actor.'
That alone was good.
The problem was that even so, among decent actors, almost none could be seen wanting to participate in Seoul Escape.
"I have a lot to talk about... but that can wait."
"By the way, do I have to wear that modified hanbok again?"
"It's something like that."
"Hmmm."
At those words from Bak Jeong-u, Seoyeon looked at him with a strange smile.
As if to say, 'You like that, don't you?'
Naturally, Bak Jeong-u couldn't help but take offense.
"Hey, that thing with you is just like a seizure."
"Could you not describe me like some kind of disease?"
"I'm not gullible enough to fall for that kind of acting."
Should that even be called acting?
Even Seoyeon was puzzled now.
At first, it had started with method acting, but now, whenever she wanted, she could become like that at any time.
"Hmm, from what I see, I think I'd fall for it quite easily..."
"..."
"What do you say I try it right now?"
Bak Jeong-u squeezed his eyes shut at Seoyeon, who spoke in a subtle tone.
"N-no, I mean. More importantly, that game commercial. I saw it. It looked pretty fun?"
Knowing this was a fight he absolutely could not win, Bak Jeong-u smoothly changed the subject.
After all, against Princess Yeonhwa, who had greatly influenced his childhood, Bak Jeong-u could not possibly dare to confront her.
Seoyeon also knew that, so she burst into a laugh.
Because Bak Jeong-u's reactions were so satisfying, she found herself acting like this without thinking.
"If you watched the broadcast, you'd know. I'm an I-cam master. If you want to play together next time, practice beforehand."
"...A master? At that?"
"..."
"N-no, you're a master. Right, a master."
Watching Seoyeon's eyes gradually turn a sunset hue, Bak Jeong-u obediently nodded.
Bak Jeong-u knew that if you teased Seoyeon about games, she would never let it slide.
***
The end of winter break.
And with the spring break ending too, the start of a new semester.
Spring, with classes shuffled and a new school year beginning.
"Want a ride?"
"..."
Seoyeon looked at Jo Seohui, who was standing in front of her house on a bicycle, gripping her phone in her hand.
"...How did you know my address?"
"Ah, n-no, I've been to your house before. Why are you holding your phone! I'm not some suspicious person!"
"Hmm. But I'll pass on riding on the back."
Anyway, Seoyeon found Jo Seohui amazing.
The first day of the new semester.
Lee Jiyeon had gone to school perfectly fine on her own, yet here was Jo Seohui, who went to a different school, coming to meet her.
"You must not have many friends."
"..."
At Seoyeon's words, Seohui had almost retorted, 'I have more than you,' but held it back.
Those words might be a joke to someone for whom they were false, but to someone for whom they were true, it would just become a documentary.
"I had something to talk about on the way."
"Ah, filming is over, right?"
"Yeah."
Jo Seohui smiled confidently at Seoyeon.
"It was really close."
Because the reshoots for Mine had only wrapped up two days before winter break ended.
"Thanks to you, I was able to do it."
"I didn't really do anything."
"No, if that hadn't happened..."
Seohui recalled the day she had gone to the winter sea with Seoyeon.
For reference, Seohui's current phone wallpaper was a photo of the two of them at the winter sea that day.
It had been to steel her will during the reshoots, but even now, she hadn't bothered to change it.
"Couldn't you have just told me that over the phone?"
"...Don't people sometimes say you're heartless?"
At Seohui's words, Seoyeon shrugged.
Seohui seemed quite disappointed that she hadn't checked in on her, but to Seoyeon, it was only natural.
Seoyeon believed in Seohui's skills and was confident she had filmed good scenes during the reshoots.
"If I asked for no reason, I felt like I'd end up prying into everything."
"Then just ask."
"I want to watch it as a drama without any spoilers."
Seohui's previous acting remained in her memory.
It had been good, but ordinary.
She didn't particularly want to ask how much and in what ways it had changed.
"That way, I'll be able to be more moved by Seohui's acting."
"...R-really?"
At Seoyeon's rather direct words, Seohui let out a small cough, "Ahem."
It was obvious that her slightly subdued mood quickly brightened.
"Ah, we're already at the fork."
The midpoint where the directions to their respective schools diverged.
Seohui stopped the bicycle she had been pushing and said.
"Then later, let's watch Mine together when it's released."
"Sure."
"I'll come find you again then."
Having said that, Seohui pedaled vigorously and disappeared in an instant, waving her hand.
She has great stamina, Seoyeon thought occasionally.
'She could just take a car.'
Seoyeon had that thought but didn't say it.
She probably didn't want to look like a show-off.
'Oh right, I almost forgot to stop by the convenience store.'
After parting with Seohui, Seoyeon broke into a light jog.
A distance she could cover within five minutes if she ran from here.
So she had plenty of time to stop by the convenience store.
With the new semester starting, the convenience store part-timer would have changed too.
Then, wouldn't it be polite to stop by once?
"Nice."
Seoyeon smiled brightly as she looked at the trees budding with green.
Now, a new year.
The first day of eighteen-year-old Ju Seoyeon was about to begin.