Chapter 43

The departure of actor Min Se-ho, who played the lead role of Baesung-hak, was swift.

Even before the issue had arisen, doubts about whether he would indeed be replaced lingered, but the production crew, including director Jo Do-yul, seemed set on finding another actor.

“It appears there are too many people entangled.”

“Even if we just pin this down on one person…”

Perhaps, in my absence, there had been heated debates.

With just over a month left until the opening of the play, a decision had to be made right now.

“Generally, the preparation period for a play is between one and a half to three months.”

In other words, the baseline is six to twelve weeks. Anything longer is excessive, and anything shorter is insufficient.

Thus, replacing an actor before rehearsals even started wasn’t too difficult—provided there was another actor ready to step in.

“…Cheong-sek Sim.”

Director Jo Do-yul had promptly found someone perfectly suited for the role of Baesung-hak—Cheong-sek Sim.

An actor who had already played leading roles in several plays in Jongno.

“Wow, Cheong-sek is joining?”

“Is this his first romance part? It’s really exciting.”

As the new actor appeared before the cast, staff members let out excited squeals. Seoyeon stared at him intently, tilting her head slightly.

“Definitely good-looking.”

However, it was unclear if he fit well with the character “closed-eyes.”

Min Se-ho, the original actor for the role, was what people called a refreshing handsome man. Honestly, his appearance suggested the embodiment of innocence.

‘So the Swordmaster didn’t suspect a thing.’

If he did, he probably thought it was a mistake.

Hadn’t someone said that longing is the farthest thing from understanding?

“Alright, let the actors briefly exchange introductions for today. Rehearsals start tomorrow, right?”

This was said by the stage manager, Lee Hyung-hak, who smiled warmly and gestured to the gathered actors.

The number was fifteen. Among them, three were lead actors, with two others serving multiple roles, making it quite a large cast.

“Isn’t this girl…”

“Isn’t this the same girl from *The Moon That Hid the Sun*?”

Among the gathered actors, Seoyeon was the one attracting the most attention. It was understandable.

Ten years ago, she disappeared suddenly from the limelight as a child actress. No one had imagined she would reappear in such a setting.

The most awkward situation was for the two actresses playing Hong Jeong-hee, who had already seen Seoyeon’s audition tape, making comparisons inevitable.

“Moreover, is she really this beautiful?”

Playing Hong Jeong-hee, she looked almost overwhelmingly so.

While the two actresses had confidence in their own looks, Seoyeon seemed to be in a different league. Plus, her presence was strong.

Even among the various actors in Jongno, it was rare to feel someone’s presence as distinctly as hers.

An actress who’d won a youth acting award at a young age indeed possessed top-tier qualities.

“Why is someone like her here?”

While it was burdensome, it also raised doubts. Why did Seoyeon, of all people, audition for this particular play?

Even if it was her long-awaited return, there were definitely better options if she wished.

Amidst these thoughts, everyone’s eyes were drawn to Seoyeon.

“Hmm.”

Someone let out a small cough.

“Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Park Hee-joon, one of the Baesung-hak actors. I hope we work well together.”

The first to introduce himself to Seoyeon was Park Hee-joon, one of Baesung-hak’s actors. He was also the oldest in the group, an experienced actor who’d been active in Jongno for a long time.

“Wow, should I call you ‘senior’ considering your debut year? Seoyeon’s been around for a while…”

“Feel free to call me anything.”

“I suppose that’s fine then. Alright!”

Despite the fact that everyone had acted for a long time, none were older in terms of acting debut than Seoyeon herself.

Though drama and theater are different fields, no one stays permanently in one place, do they? It was good to get an early impression from promising actors.

“Cheong-sek, introduce yourself too. You’ll be working closely in the same scenes.”

With a slight chuckle, Park Hee-joon’s words prompted Cheong-sek Sim to slowly nod.

Seoyeon glanced at him and, oddly enough, wondered, “Isn’t he a bit too young?”

“Nice to meet you.”

And that was it.

A man of few words, with a stern appearance—that was Seoyeon’s first impression of Cheong-sek Sim.

***

Basic rehearsals lasted three hours a day.

Of course, part of the afternoon classes had to be skipped, but…

“I’ve gotten the teacher’s permission.”

As I made the “V” sign with my fingers, Lee Ji-yeon shook her head in disbelief.

“But when I said it, you dragged your feet!”

“The teacher seemed to prefer it?”

“I am so aggrieved. Hitting a home run really matters, huh?”

While grumbling like this, Lee Ji-yeon was still a proud figure at Yeonhwa High School. After all, the existence of celebrities helps heavily with the promotion of such private institutions, and Lee Ji-yeon was currently starring in a cable drama, making her one of the school’s most important figures.

“In fact, I only got approval so quickly thanks to Lee Ji-yeon.”

Thanks to her successful promotion, the school also aimed to actively support my entertainment activities. However, I didn’t say it aloud, certain that she would swell with pride otherwise.

“By the way.”

At that moment, Lee Ji-yeon seemed to recall something, pulling out her smartphone.

“What is it?”

“Isn’t this you?”

Confused by what she meant, I glanced at the smartphone’s screen.

– Wow, wow? I just saw that. Was this man actually flying?

(Noisy background)

– Oh, is it because she’s a high school girl? The whole “1 male student versus 3 high school girls” thing?

Apparently, it was the video of a YouTuber. The video was short—roughly one minute.

The problem arose from the two people in the video.

Though the resolution was poor, a tall high school girl with long black hair could be seen, and a woman who appeared to be dragged halfway by her hand.

– It seemed like she got startled when the club bouncer approached, but look how far this guy went.

-Ah, I saw that too. This is impressive.

The YouTube comment section was lively. Some said it was fabricated, others questioned why someone would bother fabricating it, especially since it could result in complaints from the club.

“I’m a professional fitness trainer. Judging by her build, the high school girl likely weighs around 50 kg. This is impossible due to the weight difference.

That’s something any trainer would know;;

I’m in high school, and that’s considered basic these days.

It works-> works

Following these comments, there was a flurry of opinions. Most agreed that the scenario was unrealistic.

Despite the YouTuber’s insistence of innocence, there were few believers.

“Is that you?”

“…”

“Don’t turn away, Seoyeon. Wasn’t this what you mentioned before?”

Lee Ji-yeon put her smartphone back in her pocket with a click, clicking her tongue.

“Filmed without anyone noticing, huh? You’re making a comeback through YouTube rather than theater. This person has over 500,000 subscribers and is quite well-known, right?”

“I didn’t know.”

Lee Ji-yeon’s comment left me feeling aggrieved. How could anyone have expected to be filmed in that situation?

‘I thought I was hiding well in the alley.’

Certainly, I hadn’t felt any eyes on us, yet it seems we were unlucky enough to be caught by the YouTuber. From the looks of the video, few seemed to notice our identities.

Had it caused any significant disturbance, Min Se-ho would have known.

“Hmm.”

Lee Ji-yeon stared at me as if trying to figure out what trouble I’d been getting into.

“Have you met that woman since?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. It’s better not to get tangled up with dangerous people, so be careful.”

Her words made her sound like a mother. Thinking about that, a mild sense of unease crept in, because it reminded me of my real mother.

‘Could mom have seen it?’

My mother, Sua, often watched YouTube. If this video gained traction, there was a chance she might see it.

If she did, a couple of hours of lectures wouldn’t suffice. Just imagining it made me shiver.

“Seoyeon.”

“Uh-huh?”

“Remember our previous agreement?”

After a moment’s thought, I recalled what she was referring to.

“Ah, visiting my house?”

“That’s right. Once your play starts, it might be difficult for a while. Is this week good?”

“Yes.”

Though rehearsals were starting today, this week would still be fine. My parents had mentioned they’d be shopping with my younger sibling that day.

‘This day… I hope it goes well.’

I peeked at Lee Ji-yeon. While things seemed to be going smoothly, I wished she could also indulge me in this.

***

“Alright, let’s begin in earnest from today. Let’s all give it our best.”

The theater rehearsals, for now, began after the afternoon classes ended. Thus, by rushing a bit, it was doable to make it on time without falling behind. Of course, if it came to actual performances, skipping some school would become necessary.

‘Joosun Seo.’

The main acting guidance was typically handled by the assistant director.

Joosun Cheong-won looked at the late-arriving high school student, Seo Yun, narrowing his eyes.

“Would she be alright? Her acting skills are undoubtedly solid, though.”

A bit of worry surfaced. The audition had been impressive.

He had been there during the audition, so Seoyeon’s successful casting was understandable.

‘Talent and personality are different things though.’

A talented child actor, combined with still being in her teen years, carried several concerns. Even if the adolescent phase had passed, there was still the emotional side to consider.

“First, let’s watch some performances with Baeseong and then we’ll work on synchronizing the chemistry between Cheong-sek and Seoyeon. Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

Short responses followed. Cheong-sek Sim and Seoyeon Joosun.

Both had minimal facial expressions and shallow emotional expressions.

“Geez, this is going to be tough.”

He noticed that this segment’s actors were particularly taciturn.

Would this really be okay?

However, Seoyeon had no such thoughts. It was actually relieving to not have to say too much.

She was currently deep in thought.

‘Cheong-sek Sim…’

As Seoyeon watched Cheong-sek stretching, she narrowed her eyes. She had felt like she’d seen him before, even upon their first meeting.

Upon closer inspection, it became evident that he was a familiar figure.

“Certainly… he became a sensation in an OTT drama later.”

Outstanding acting skills combined with good looks. An actor who rapidly ascended to stardom.

The reason Seoyeon remembered him was for another cause entirely. He was the unfortunate actor who had passed away shortly before the final episode of the mentioned drama was filmed.

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