I Want to Be a VTuber Chapter 98 (98/718)

Sometimes, people think.

That their life has changed when they open their eyes in the morning.

And lately, I have been feeling that, just a little, indirectly.

In a slightly different sense.

"W-welcome... Gasp!!"

As I entered the convenience store I visit on Wednesdays, the part-timer gasped.

They always gasped, but the gasp today felt strangely different.

As I stared intently, the part-timer's gaze, who was perhaps in the middle of opening a box, shifted to the industrial box cutter on the counter.

"H-ha. N-nice weather, right?"

And slowly, carefully moving the box cutter away.

"……."

As I frowned slightly and looked at them, the part-timer seemed a bit embarrassed.

Or perhaps with a slightly frightened face, they gave a soft ahem, clearing their throat.

"...I watched yesterday."

"Yes."

"The one... who appeared as Cha Seo-ah... right?"

At his trailing question, I nodded.

At my answer, his face became hard to describe.

The excitement of wanting to talk to me right away, but a strangely subdued aura.

"T-the acting, it was really good. I-I didn't know there was such a thing as alexithymia. I-it felt like the real thing?"

"Did it?"

"...Yes, totally real... ...."

Under my calm gaze, he paused his words for a moment.

"...It is acting, right?"

At his words, I smiled brightly.

And stroked the corner of my eye with one hand.

"Of course."

"……!!"

In the mirror next to me, I saw my eyes briefly turn red.

Seeing that, the part-timer's body scuttled backward.

Seeing his reaction, I let out a small laugh.

"I'm just joking."

"Ah, r-really?"

"Of course."

Saying so, I grabbed the vitamin drink I had paid for.

"Keep up the good work. And don't open the storage room for just anyone."

As I left the convenience store with those words, a gaze followed my back.

A gaze filled with bewilderment.

Or eyes wary of whether it was real or fake.

It was a gaze I had often received since the movie was released.

It was a bit like that at first, but.

'Now it's a bit fun.'

I should go to a different convenience store tomorrow.

Just thinking about it made me look forward to it.

***

Rookie actor Jeong Hyeon-woo.

He was a well-behaved actor who lived a regular life.

He went to the gym to exercise in the morning, and looked for work in the afternoon.

...Although it wasn't easy to find work these days, he still worked hard at it.

'Should I do a play?'

After playing a supporting role in a cable drama, he hadn't been able to find suitable work.

This was because it was miserably crushed by another cable drama airing in the same time slot.

At first, they were at a similar level, but as it went on, the story fell apart and it completely lost to the other drama.

"Sigh."

Letting out such a sigh, he was about to do a deadlift when he saw a woman entering the gym.

It was a girl he couldn't not recognize now.

At first, he had heard that she made a splash in the play and .

Then, an actor who gathered issue after issue by appearing consecutively in and .

Joo Seo-yeon.

At this point, Jeong Hyeon-woo couldn't help but know.

'I thought I had seen her somewhere... '

The young Princess Yeon-hwa.

But now, that image had mostly faded.

Because a much more intense image now enveloped this girl.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"!!!"

When Seo-yeon spoke to him, Jeong Hyeon-woo flinched and stepped back.

It was understandable since this was the first time Seo-yeon had initiated a conversation.

Looking at her face, it seemed like she had something she wanted to hear.

Surely not.

"The movie... I enjoyed it. Your acting as Cha Seo-ah... was truly amazing."

"Ah, thank you."

Only at those words did Seo-yeon's face relax.

As expected, this was what she wanted to hear.

She had been asking the middle-aged men something every time she came to the gym lately; was she going around asking for that?

'Ten-million actor.'

It's worth wanting to brag about.

Practically today, or tomorrow.

was sure to surpass ten million.

Then Seo-yeon would become a ten-million actor with her very first movie appearance.

'I don't even feel jealous.'

Jealousy only arises when there is a certain degree of reality to it.

If it's beyond your imagination, you just feel amazement and awe.

On top of that.

Clank!!

"Wow, our Seo-yeon, you're in great condition these days?"

"There have been a lot of good things lately."

"Of course, it should be. I watched the movie too, you know. Look at this. After seeing Cha Seo-ah yesterday, my muscles are trembling looking at Seo-yeon right now."

At the gym trainer's words as he laughed heartily, Jeong Hyeon-woo swallowed dryly.

How could he be jealous of a woman lifting weights he couldn't even dare to attempt?

He'd be lucky if he didn't get folded in half.

"But, aren't you worried that you might get a negative image because of Cha Seo-ah?"

Jeong Hyeon-woo asked Seo-yeon, who was taking a short break.

The role of Cha Seo-ah this time had certainly brought a huge impact.

It would affect the actor's image that much.

Especially for a female actor.

"There are some... negative parts."

At Jeong Hyeon-woo's words, Seo-yeon recalled what had happened so far.

There were definitely things to worry about in many ways, but for now, it was fine.

Above all.

'Thank goodness the commercial wasn't canceled.'

I protected my 400 million.

Just thinking about it made Seo-yeon want to laugh for no reason.

Since that was her primary goal, getting past it safely was truly something to be happy about.

It seemed the influence of was definitely there too.

Because there was an episode 1 where Jo Ha-rin left a strong impression on the viewers, the acting of Cha Seo-ah was slightly offset.

And it seemed that Cha Seo-ah, contrary to expectations, also gained some sympathy from the audience.

"It's fine. If I do a different acting role, it will change quickly."

"Is-Is that so?"

Jeong Hyeon-woo was a bit surprised by Seo-yeon's answer.

Thinking that a successful actor's mindset was different after all.

'Because Cha Seo-ah's image looks strong.'

Of course, Seo-yeon thought a little differently.

As long as the 400 million didn't fly away, she didn't particularly dislike Cha Seo-ah's image.

'I should try action acting next time.'

In fact, the brawl scene between Cha Seo-ah, Seo Gwang-il, and Detective Im Seung-cheol received great reviews.

It was thanks to not using a stunt double, allowing for a more natural action sequence.

...Of course, after filming the action scene, the two actors had to rest in the hospital for a while.

Anyway, with such passionate acting, was a huge box office success.

"You're an actor, right? I heard about you."

"Yes? Ah, t-thank you. Although appearing in one cable drama is all I've done so far."

"I heard. A friend of mine also appeared in another cable drama around the same time slot. So I wanted to talk to you. To tell you to keep your chin up."

Seo-yeon said that and tilted her head.

Following that, her long black hair flowed to the side, revealing her white neck damp with sweat.

"So, if you need help, let me know."

"R-really?"

"Of course, I can teach you as much as you want when it comes to working out."

"...?"

"Seeing as you're still not very good at lifting weights."

Usually, don't they offer to teach acting around here?

"Keep your chin up" meant physically?

Such doubts crossed his mind, but.

'Ah, is she speaking in metaphors?'

Jeong Hyeon-woo thought so and nodded.

And, he would have no choice but to regret nodding not long after.

***

And, at the point when was released and had just surpassed 5 million.

It was when had aired exactly up to episode 6.

"Who wrote this article?"

Im Jin-ha trembled with rage.

First, she checked which internet newspaper posted the article.

'Sunyang Media, the reporter's name is Han Seon-ah.'

She knew her.

The reporter who had been pouring out positive articles about Joo Seo-yeon recently.

That much was fine.

But, how.

[ Power Trip Allegations?]

It was a short but impactful article title.

And looking at the content, it was an article containing a testimony from a certain staff member.

It stated that the drama's writer had drastically reduced the screen time of a specific actor because she didn't like them.

'How did they... ?'

She had reduced it as naturally as possible.

But, how did they catch the scent and come to investigate?

"Are you two close? Ha, I'm so dumbfounded."

Im Jin-ha said that, but her hands were shaking.

As it was, PD Baek hadn't been taking her side lately either.

It seemed it wasn't a lie that words had come down from above.

But revising the script?

'At this point?'

Reducing the screen time had already created a flaw in the situation.

But listening to the demands from above, it was a request to increase the screen time, beyond simply restoring it.

"Writer Im. You know. Who the most talked-about actor is right now."

And the next day, Im Jin-ha was called to the drama broadcasting station and heard those words from PD Baek.

"The bureau chief watched the movie."

"...Pardon?"

"So, he said it's okay to increase it. You know? I'm telling you to increase this."

PD Baek said so, pressuring Im Jin-ha.

"Do you want this to be your last career?"

"But, I..."

"Ah, you have a hit work. I know. You're somewhat promising. But, the story is different now."

PD Baek had also watched .

What he thought after watching it was.

'I have to push this.'

Anyone who is a PD, anyone in broadcasting, would have thought so.

Cha Seo-ah's image?

That could easily be covered up with the role of Jo Ha-rin.

If it were another actor, maybe not, but Joo Seo-yeon definitely had that kind of potential.

A ten-million actor in her teens.

How many actors would have such a career?

Park Jung-woo, and Jo Seo-hee?

"I think you're misunderstanding something, Writer Im. You're a rookie writer."

"..."

"Without me, you would have been cut a long time ago."

At those words, Im Jin-ha's hands trembled.

She hadn't expected PD Baek to go this far.

"Look here."

PD Baek turned on his smartphone screen and showed it to Im Jin-ha.

"The reduced screen time, the media has already caught wind of it. Can you see it? The number of articles coming up?"

"I-I reduced it this much because... !"

"That's not important anymore. You did reduce it, didn't you? In reality, Jo Ha-rin is only appearing at the bare minimum since episode 1."

"That's, true, but."

She didn't know who started the first spark.

That reporter Han Seon-ah? It could be.

But ultimately, someone must have asked.

With being a box office hit, it was natural for people to be interested in the drama Joo Seo-yeon was filming.

"This can't just be fixed by restoring the original screen time. Even if you left it alone, it was a role that would have disappeared in importance by episode 8."

"..."

"You touched that and caused this mess. I'm telling you this with my truly last bit of mercy..."

PD Baek slapped his hand onto Im Jin-ha's shoulder and said.

"It'd be best if you behaved yourself. I'll let Director Kim Pil-seok know."

"...Yes."

Im Jin-ha, with her head down, was completely broken in confidence.

She couldn't believe it.

That this was the ripple effect brought about by just one actor.

But, anyone who knew this industry would know.

You never know what an actor's fate will be.

How much influence they can wield when one of them properly explodes in popularity.

The point where the amount of money an individual can move turns towards a corporation.

'Right now, Joo Seo-yeon stands at that point.'

So, wouldn't anyone want to reach out their hand?

An actor who everyone can see will rise.

The time when that actor is the cheapest.

When is that?

[ Surpasses 10 Million! Astonishing Sprint!]

Right now.