Hwang Min-hwa, actress of Nova Entertainment.
What I remembered from my past life was that she was an actress who had appeared in a ten-million movie.
She was someone with no particular scandals, and if there was one slightly unusual aspect to her career, it was this.
She moved agencies frequently.
The agency she left Nova Entertainment for was Horizon Company.
It was reasonably classified as a second-tier agency.
After that, she passed through several agencies, and the final place she went was RY Entertainment, one of the top three management companies.
Yes, the very place I had refused.
'Her career was flawless too.'
I thought so as I took a sip of my Americano.
She was decent in dramas, but when it came to movies, she soared.
Should I say she had a good eye for projects.
Hwang Min-hwa would appear in two movies with over 5 million viewers in the next 5 years.
And one ten-million movie.
Also, there was one reason she became a hot topic.
'That she appeared in Director Jo Bang-woo's final work.'
Hwang Min-hwa, who had never tasted failure in movies, had exactly one failed movie.
Of all things, it was Director Jo Bang-woo's film, Gold Hunt.
It was a movie that flopped unbelievably despite receiving ample investment.
It had many hurdles to clear, and reviews said the movie's content was decent, but it ended with poor box office performance.
Total audience of 1.5 million.
Considering the invested amount, it was an absurdly low figure.
It all ended with Director Jo Bang-woo's suicide, leaving it as his final work.
Perhaps because of that.
Actress Hwang Min-hwa did not include Director Jo Bang-woo's film in her career.
Since she hadn't appeared as the lead actress in the first place, she could do that but…….
"Seo-yeon, nothing happened at school?"
"Yes."
Because I came out of school a little early, I had rushed to the agency.
By the time I finished my Americano, Park Eun-ha came running, out of breath.
She was holding two canned coffees in her hands, but when she saw the Americano in my hand, she smiled awkwardly.
"Ah, you already bought some. Sorry."
"No, it's fine. If you give them to me, I'll drink them on the way."
"Really?"
Park Eun-ha, who had been deflated, smiled happily when I took the cans.
'I heard that originally, this unnie was in charge of Actress Hwang Min-hwa.'
Would she know why Hwang Min-hwa was leaving Nova Entertainment?
But whenever I tried to ask, she showed subtle reactions whenever Hwang Min-hwa was mentioned, so I couldn't bring myself to ask.
Also, Park Eun-ha apologized strangely easily.
Just now too, she apologized even though she hadn't done anything wrong.
"The first shoot is in a few days, so don't overexert……."
It was when Park Eun-ha was just saying that.
The moment we were leaving the agency.
A woman was just coming in through the entrance.
Age roughly late twenties.
With striking blonde hair, a slender figure, and sharp features, she gave a luxurious impression.
Even without wearing any designer brands, her appearance brought luxury brands to mind.
It was as if a golden aura was visible to the eye.
Enough to make me unknowingly stop in my tracks.
"Oh my."
Perhaps she saw me too, as she lowered the large black sunglasses on her face and smiled.
"Nice to meet you. You're Seo-yeon, right? I've heard a lot about you."
Hwang Min-hwa.
A ten-million actress, and the face of Nova Entertainment.
"Hello."
"Wow, I heard about it, but you're really pretty. A high schooler?"
"Yes."
She smiled softly at my answer.
"I see. Unfortunately, I'll be leaving soon, but let's be close for the remaining time."
"Yes. Thank you for your concern."
When I bowed my head in greeting, a gleam of interest appeared in Hwang Min-hwa's eyes, and she smiled.
It was a smile as if she were satisfied.
"See you next time."
After saying that, Hwang Min-hwa walked away, her heels clicking.
And following behind her was the manager…….
'……Huh?'
The face of the manager passing by in a glimpse.
It was a face with nothing particularly special, but I could tell.
Emotions faintly protruding, enough that even I, who was sensitive to others' emotions, could feel them.
Fear.
That was an emotion I had recently become familiar with while playing a certain game.
Fear was a very complex emotion, so it couldn't be pinned down to just one thing.
And that.
"……."
The same was true for Park Eun-ha, who had been chattering beside me while walking until just now.
I watched that for a moment.
Then contacted someone on my phone.
***
"Park Jung-woo oppaaaaa!!"
"Please look over here just once!!"
Park Jung-woo, who was recently selected as the advertising model for the new luxury brand Viol, was greeting people at a department store in Gangnam, wearing luxury clothes.
His first official external activity in a while.
Park Jung-woo waved his hand at the lined-up women while wearing a proper suit.
Every time he waved once, women screaming as if their souls were leaving their bodies kept appearing.
The top among male actors in their twenties.
His popularity was proof that such reputation wasn't just bubbles.
"Awesome──."
At that moment, Park Jung-woo heard some spiritless cheering in his ears.
A voice as if forcibly squeezing it out.
It was a strange sound that could be heard clearly even amid the deafening cheers.
"……?"
When he turned his head in doubt.
He could see a black-haired girl with both hands cupped around her mouth, shouting rather enthusiastically.
Since it was in front of a department store, the school uniform stood out among the flashy crowd.
"……."
Park Jung-woo unconsciously rubbed his eyes.
Why is she there?
For a moment, he thought he was seeing a hallucination.
Is it because I'm tired?
After firmly pressing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, he looked ahead again.
"……Wow."
An even more deflated cheer was heard.
It wasn't a hallucination.
"Bring that kid to the van."
Park Jung-woo said in a small voice to the bodyguard beside him.
Pointing carefully at a girl with a discreet hand gesture so people wouldn't notice.
And.
After the event ended.
Park Jung-woo barely managed to reach his van.
"……Are you out of your mind?"
Were Park Jung-woo's first words as he opened the van door and came in.
There sat Seo-yeon, drinking canned coffee.
"Why did you come suddenly without even contacting me?"
"You came without contacting me too."
"……."
At those words, Park Jung-woo couldn't say anything back either.
"And I did contact you. You're the one who didn't answer."
Seo-yeon showed her phone screen.
Then, the caller ID was clearly displayed properly.
When Jung-woo looked at his phone, he realized that Seo-yeon was indeed in his recent call list.
He must have been too busy the past few days to notice.
"Well, fine. Anyway……."
Crossing his arms and tilting his head halfway, he then roughly swept his hair back.
"You should be careful. What if someone sees you?"
"There aren't many people who know my face that well yet."
Well, since she hadn't appeared in any dramas or movies yet, that could be true.
Still, a level where anyone would know if they heard her name.
Should I say she has a lot of nerve.
Should I tell her a female actress is truly fearless.
"Sigh."
She wasn't going to listen even if I said something anyway.
"So."
Park Jung-woo said as he took off the stuffy suit jacket.
"……?"
When he took off the jacket, he could feel Seo-yeon staring at his body.
"What?"
When he asked wondering why she was looking like that.
"What's your three-lift total?"
"Three-lift?"
"For weightlifting."
Why is she asking something like this? Such a thought crossed his mind, but Jung-woo looked at his own body.
He had been working out quite hard recently, so his body had become fairly solid.
Feeling inexplicably proud, Jung-woo grinned.
"Almost 400 now? Passed 300 a long time ago."
"Ah, I see."
"……?"
A somewhat deflating reaction.
Furthermore, a rarely seen smug smile hung on Seo-yeon's lips.
As if saying I won.
A face like that.
"……What's yours?"
"Ah, I haven't bothered counting after 600."
"?"
600?
Was she saying the 600 he knew?
He looked at Seo-yeon's body. It was clearly the body of a delicate high school girl.
Park Jung-woo chuckled.
If you're going to boast, at least make it believable.
'……What kind of conversation am I even having with a girl.'
It felt like secretly burning with competitive spirit, asking a same-sex friend, "What's your three-lift total?"
Anyway.
"So why did you come?"
"You know Actress Hwang Min-hwa, right?"
"I do."
Actress Hwang Min-hwa. Of course he knew.
After all, Park Jung-woo had co-starred in the 6-million audience movie
Seo-yeon also knew this fact and had come to Park Jung-woo.
"What kind of person is she?"
"Why…… Ah. Your agency was Nova Entertainment, right?"
Actress Hwang Min-hwa.
Jung-woo stroked his chin with his thumb and fell into thought.
Even so, she was ordinary on set.
She had a good reputation among actors…….
"……Is there some problem?"
"It just caught my attention."
"Caught your attention?"
Seo-yeon nodded.
"My manager was originally in charge of Hwang Min-hwa's manager."
"Ah~, okay. I get the gist."
Park Jung-woo raised his hand to stop her from saying more.
"I'll tell you in advance, but it'd be better not to say such things to other actors. As long as you're in the same industry."
You should always watch what you say, anytime, anywhere, to anyone.
Especially if they're in the same industry.
At Jung-woo's reaction, Seo-yeon slightly furrowed her brows.
"I don't say things like this to just anyone, you know?"
"……."
At Seo-yeon's words, Park Jung-woo pondered for a moment.
Then what was her intention in telling him?
Was she saying he wasn't just anyone?
What did she mean?
"……Anyway, this is by no means about any specific actress. It's just a rumor."
Jung-woo calmed his momentarily confused mind and continued speaking.
"There's an actress who has a very good reputation among fellow actors, but there's a rumor that she hurls verbal abuse at juniors and managers."
"Verbal abuse?"
"I'll say it in advance, it's a rumor. There are no witnesses, and I don't even know if it was really just verbal abuse."
Abuse of power.
Jung-woo didn't bother to utter that word.
It was surprisingly common among stars who had suddenly risen to fame.
'I was in danger too.'
Park Jung-woo had never not been a star even once since childhood.
Having achieved success at a young age, it was easy to become arrogant.
Arrogant people naturally look down on others.
It was just that his father.
And the shock he received when he was young remained, preventing him from becoming so.
"And, as far as I know, she's a very ambitious person."
"Ambitious?"
"I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It's just that when the desire to rise is excessive, it can become dangerous."
Seo-yeon listened carefully to Jung-woo's words.
She felt she could roughly understand the reason Hwang Min-hwa frequently changed agencies.
The CEO of Nova Entertainment, Kang Chan-yul, was not the type to mistreat his agency's entertainers.
Naturally, he would have treated Hwang Min-hwa with the treatment fitting a top star.
It was just that Hwang Min-hwa wasn't satisfied with being Nova Entertainment's top star.
"I'll say it in advance, it's just a rumor. Don't go blabbing about it."
"Okay."
Seo-yeon nodding quietly looked very untrustworthy.
Seeing that she had even appeared on some cable variety show this time, she seemed to be the type to do whatever she wanted, which made him extremely uneasy.
'I'm uneasy.'
Park Jung-woo, looking at Seo-yeon's face which was impossible to read, carefully asked.
"……Just in case, did she say anything to you too?"
"No."
"I guess she picks her targets……."
"You told me to watch what I say."
At Seo-yeon's words, Jung-woo chuckled.
Then he gave a glance to the waiting manager, signaling to start moving slowly.
"I'll give you a ride first, so get in. Contact me in advance next time you come."
"I said I did contact you."
Seo-yeon replied sullenly to Jung-woo's words.
Anyway.
'Abuse of power, huh.'
Of course, Seo-yeon had no intention of saying anything to Hwang Min-hwa about this, just as Jung-woo had said.
However.
'Clearly Hwang Min-hwa's next work is…….'
It overlaps with the release date of the movie
In her past life, Hwang Min-hwa's starring movie
'……I can't lose.'
Seo-yeon made that resolution.
Originally, Seo-yeon had a highly competitive personality.
But this time, she especially didn't want to lose.
Like that, 3 days later.
The first shoot of