Chapter 180

– Since it ended like that last week, will we see something today?

– Surprisingly, in situations like this, things tend to wrap up rather blandly most of the time.

– But, isn’t this about high schoolers taking their university entrance exams? Why would a murder weapon appear? Haha.

The tenth episode ended with someone grabbing a murder weapon.

Naturally, the anticipation among viewers reached its peak.

The actor playing Min-hyeok in this drama, Kim Hyun-seok, with a tense expression, waited for the soon-to-be aired twelfth episode.

It wasn’t just him though.

Today, some of the young actors involved in *Sky Garden* had gathered to watch episode twelve together.

“Did you hear what the ratings were for last Wednesday’s episode?”

“Fourteen percent.”

“That’s a three percent difference from *Grand Game.*”

Kim Hyun-seok thought that with those numbers, it was worth continuing.

He had already checked the content of this episode of *Grand Game.*

It was a risky move.

The episode interjected romance between the main protagonist and the female lead.

The reactions on the internet were, as expected, positive.

– Wow, I’m so thrilled! 😢

– Saving the female lead in that situation really made me tear up.

– Romance in a thriller??? This is insane!

From the continuous positive reviews on SNS, it seemed their strategy had hit the mark.

However…

“By the way, isn’t Seoyeon coming today?”

“That’s not right; you should call her Seoyeon Senior.”

“She’s not here.”

Of course, that statement was correct.

Who could stay quiet in front of someone who isn’t present?

That’s not to say there was any hostility.

Anyway, as Kim Hyun-seok had said, Seoyeon wasn’t there yet.

Perhaps she stopped by at Aids after another advertisement.

Or possibly, she’s busy with something else.

“Where is Seoyeon?”

“Well, during filming, she said something.”

“During episode twelve filming?”

“That’s right.”

Episode twelve was extremely intense filming.

First, there was relentless rain at the ravine, making it a bit dangerous.

Still, it wasn’t enough to disrupt shooting.

…Although, there were numerous hazards, but having Seoyeon Joo likely made all the difference.

Anyway, it was during that time that Seoyeon said something to Hyun-seok, whose anxiety was evident.

“Community reviews don’t directly translate to performance metrics.”

“What?”

“While it’s easy to get caught up in online feedback, losing sight of the bigger picture can be disastrous.”

That was something Hyun-seok understood on an intellectual level.

However, was it really Seoyeon’s place, someone his age, to remind him of this?

‘Moreover, even if we know it’s different, it’s not so easy to ignore.’

Besides, it’s not entirely wrong.

There are cases where it rings true.

When a sharp comment hits you, it can surely pierce you like a needle.

So, it’s impossible to ignore it completely.

“Grand Game’s a good drama. I think the original plot might have been different.”

“Why?”

“Because all the hints up until now seem to suggest that.”

What kind of hints? he thought, asking.

In a calm tone, Seoyeon explained.

It was reminiscent of Masked Singer when she reached the finals—a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice that was almost melodic.

“Most likely, the original culprit was set to be the female lead.”

“What? Really?”

“Yes. The supporting characters being around the protagonist were all due to that reason. Though, of course, this wouldn’t have been the final set plot.”

Perhaps the turning point was around episode ten.

It was the same for *Sky Garden.*

Just, in dramas, the female lead is often the audience’s primary point of empathy.

Making her the antagonist would have required a drastic decision.

Seoyeon knew.

Because in her previous life, she found *Grand Game* to be an extremely engaging series.

“Even without understanding emotions.”

There was something compelling in the story that drew her in, even if she couldn’t fully grasp the emotional factors.

“Originally, *Sky Garden* had concluded and aired at a different time, avoiding overlap.”

So, practically, *Grand Game* dominated the stage.

However, the ending was somewhat anti-climactic.

“Still, it wrapped up quite well, holding its own in terms of ratings.”

The reason became clear in the director’s later interview.

“The original script had the female lead as the culprit.”

Watching it again with that knowledge, there were certainly signs.

“The public was chosen.”

Balancing between those intrigued by a thriller and the original target demographic of the drama.

“So, what do you think will happen?”

Seoyeon’s words felt almost prophetic, so without thinking, Kim Hyun-seok asked.

Seoyeon, looking puzzled for a brief moment, soon smiled.

And in that smile, Kim Hyun-seok noticed something.

Lately, Seoyeon seemed to smile more often.

And her serene, gentle smile was strikingly beautiful, almost hypnotizing.

Even someone like him, who had worked with countless attractive entertainers, was momentarily captivated.

“You’ll see when you watch episode twelve.”

But this “twelve” wasn’t referring to *Grand Game*.

It was the twelfth episode of *Sky Garden* they were currently shooting.

“Did something like that happen?”

The actress playing Min-seo, Park Se-jin, asked with a puzzled expression.

“I didn’t realize that; I was too distracted at the time.”

“Yeah, Seoyeon fell down the ravine after that.”

“No, I fell while trying to catch her.”

“Really? Isn’t that dangerous!? What if the actress gets hurt?”

As Park Se-jin complained, Kim Hyun-seok felt baffled.

“Isn’t an actor supposed to be tough? You get injured when you fall off a cliff, right?”

“Was it really that dangerous?”

Recalling the incident, Han Sung-jin, a friend of Hyun-seok’s, remembered.

He arrived due to the commotion and saw Seoyeon waving from the bottom of the ravine.

Panic erupted among the staff and the director rushed over.

When she noticed the chaos, Seoyeon hurriedly shouted, “I’m fine! I’m never hurt by little falls like this!”

How could someone not get injured after rolling down such a steep ravine?

“Seriously, her skin didn’t even scratch. Is actresses’ skin naturally so resilient?”

“What’s a scratch anyway?”

Anyway, thanks to that, the shoot finished without issues.

Seoyeon’s selfless performance had the director almost fainting, but the 12th episode was successfully wrapped up with excellent shots.

As they conversed thusly…

“Ah, Seoyeon has arrived! I’ll go welcome her!”

“Yes, please do.”

The meeting place today was Park Se-jin’s mansion.

The idea to gather everyone to watch the drama together came from Park Se-jin.

Min-seo from the drama herself would be excited today, since she plays a major role in this episode.

Such enthusiasm was understandable.

“Indeed… How much can we expect the ratings to rebound with episode 12?”

Even though *Sky Garden* was already in the “blockbuster” category, ambition still lingered, despite the feeling that desiring anything further might be greedy.

It’s inevitable.

Actors, by nature, are such beings.

***

– It’s starting.

– This week, *Grand Game*, honestly, feels a bit awkward.

– Is *Sky Garden* going through a similar situation? I’m worried.

*Grand Game* certainly had aspects that appealed to its core demographic.

However, there were parts that left male viewers dissatisfied.

Of course, male viewers constituted only a tiny fraction of the core demographic, so their impact wasn’t significant.

Thus, they merely grumbled, “It’s romance again, I guess K-dramas are just like that.”

Still, I thought *Grand Game* would likely continue to gain traction, despite some criticism.

– This episode is also progressing from Yoo-joo’s perspective, isn’t it?

– Lately, Seoyeon has been delivering such sharp performances as Yoo-joo; they’re incredible.

– She was good from the start, but she just keeps getting better and better.

– She’s genuinely gorgeous, haha.

Seoyeon truly shines in sharp and intense roles rather than cute and innocent ones.

At least, that’s what her fans believed.

And there were many instances proving this.

– So, who grabbed the murder weapon in episode ten?

– It’s obvious, isn’t it? Isn’t it Min-hyeok?

– That’s too predictable. Rather, it could be Gil Soo-jin.

As these conversations unfolded, episode twelve progressed.

Episode eleven carried forward a strange tension, hinting at what happened in episode ten.

It proceeded from Gil Soo-jin’s point of view, revealing her dark intentions toward Yoo-joo.

In front of her, Yoo-joo said this:

“If that’s what you truly desire,”

That was proof that Yoo-joo held the upper hand in their relationship.

A suggestion that she would watch over both Min-seo and Min-hyeok.

Hearing that, Gil Soo-jin, while grinding her teeth in frustration internally, only greeted Yoo-joo warmly on the outside.

And then, someone else appeared.

“Ah, you two are here too? Hi, Yoo-joo.”

Song Ga-yeon, a classmate, and her boyfriend, Ji Chang-woo.

They made their presence known.

“It’s nice here, so you’ve come too?”

It was a face occasionally seen up to episode ten, a girl who kept approaching Yoo-joo.

Of course, Yoo-joo didn’t pay much attention to her, seeing Ga-yeon as someone lacking any particular merit.

Yoo-joo’s school, Taeyang High, was filled with upper-class students, and Song Ga-yeon came from a relatively modest background.

Barely qualifying as part of the upper class.

That was why Yoo-joo wasn’t particularly interested in her.

“Good timing.”

Watching her with her boyfriend, Yoo-joo teased her sarcastically.

Ga-yeon, hearing this, only tilted her head innocently and smiled brightly.

“You too.”

Of course, Ga-yeon’s words were pure-hearted, expressing her joy for others.

However, Yoo-joo’s expression, rare as it was, contorted with irritation.

– Haha, ouch, she hit a nerve.

– Sarcastic comments usually don’t work on genuinely kind people, right?

– Is Ga-yeon Cha Na-hee? Her acting has vastly improved.

– Cha Na-hee is pretty too, but next to Seoyeon, she definitely looks more ordinary.

– That’s why she’s more suited to the role of Ga-yeon.

To that extent, reactions like those were flooding the scene online.

However, Ga-yeon disappeared after that scene in episode eleven.

And then, episode twelve.

This time, the plot revolved around Yoo-joo’s point of view again.

A small argument with Min-hyeok,

and Min-seo stepping in to mediate.

“I already said I’ll handle my studies on my own!!”

“It’s only a valid argument if proven by grades.”

“So, has Min-seo outperformed me? She hasn’t, right!”

“True, but if you received help from Yoo-joo, it might speed up the process.”

Gil Soo-jin already knew all about Yoo-joo’s academic history: all perfect scores since enrollment.

She hasn’t once fallen short of top grades.

All A’s, consistently gathering bonus points alongside Min-seo, Yoo-joo became the darling of every teacher at Taeyang High School.

Definitely, she could choose any university she desired to attend.

If such a person were to assist her son…

Gil Soo-jin believed that becoming the top student at Baekyeon University’s medical school would be no challenge at all.

– Of course, it’s Min-hyeok.

– There doesn’t seem to be any reason for Gil Soo-jin to want to harm Yoo-joo.

– Alternatively, could Yoo-joo herself be the one to attack?

– Yoo-joo wouldn’t stab someone with a knife; she’d use an axe.

– Using an axe is more Seoyeon’s style.

As the drama gradually neared its climax, conflicts resolved, but the weapon’s whereabouts remained unknown.

Min-seo and Min-hyeok both went missing simultaneously.

Initially, it was thought that they’d simply stormed off after arguing with Gil Soo-jin.

However, as the storm intensified, and they still didn’t return, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Gil Soo-jin and her husband, Lee Hyuk-soo, ventured out to look for them.

Yoo-joo, without any other choice, had to join the search as well.

“I thought their rebellious phase had already passed.”

Grumbling that he had overestimated Min-hyeok, Yoo-joo set out to find them.

As she searched for them outside,

Yoo-joo received a call from Min-seo.

“Ah, big brother fell into the ravine and got injured.”

Normally, Min-seo calls Min-hyeok by his name.

Calling him “big brother” was a clear sign of how panicked she was.

With no other option, Yoo-joo headed towards the designated location.

The place wasn’t far from where they had played earlier that day.

“Min-seo? Where’s Auntie?”

Due to the rain, the ravine below was obscured by thick fog.

Approaching Min-seo, Yoo-joo glanced around.

She couldn’t see Gil Soo-jin or Lee Hyuk-soo, which was puzzling, since Min-seo had mentioned they’d already arrived.

“That’s not important right now. Look, he fell down there!”

Seeing Min-seo’s pale face frantically pacing around, Yoo-joo sighed and approached her.

Assuming Gil Soo-jin and Lee Hyuk-soo had gone elsewhere for a moment,

Yoo-joo didn’t suspect that Min-seo could attempt anything against her.

After all, she saw Min-seo as merely a stepping stone, of no real consequence to Yoo-joo’s grand plans.

Just a reference and bait to get closer to Min-hyeok.

Thus, Yoo-joo failed to consider Min-seo as any actual threat.

“Uh, Yoo-joo, my phone’s almost out of battery. I didn’t get to contact my parents. Could I borrow yours?”

Ah, so that’s why Gil Soo-jin and the others weren’t here.

Unconcerned, Yoo-joo handed over her phone.

There was really no reason for her to care much about anything that happened here.

All she wanted was for both of them to come back quickly and resolve this matter.

“Can’t see him at all?”

With the fog and rain limiting visibility, even the dense forest and thick bushes made it hard to see below.

If someone were to fall down there, they probably wouldn’t be able to climb back up alone.

Is Min-hyeok really down there?

While distracted by this thought,

She felt a burning sensation in her abdomen.

“Huh?”

Turning to see what had happened, she noticed the knife protruding from her stomach.

And, in Min-seo’s hand.

“Why?”

Weakened by the knife in her abdomen, she couldn’t muster the strength to speak.

Of course, Min-seo didn’t bother to explain to Yoo-joo why.

Tak.

Simply swaying, she was pushed off the cliff.

And just like that,

Episode twelve of *Sky Garden* ended, with an advertisement banner appearing.

It was an incredibly dramatic conclusion to episode twelve,

leaving viewers in complete shock as to where the story was heading.

– How could you cut it off like that???

– Ya, you ruthless bastards!

– So, what happened? Did the protagonist die?

– Was the lead just a fake lead this whole time??

– She stole the phone, stabbed her in the stomach, and shoved her off the cliff…

– If she survives this, won’t it be like *John Wick*??

Thus, it was only natural that community forums exploded with reactions.

And this marked the beginning of a massive counterattack—a turnaround for *Sky Garden*.

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