I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 183

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 183

‘I got scolded.’

Go Yu-na, who had been lectured by Seon-woo, put a zero candy in her mouth with a bitter expression.

She had thought something like this would happen someday. Seon-woo was someone who was truly serious about acting.

He might not like working with someone who approached work as lightly as Go Yu-na did.

‘Am I a villain?’

Well, of course she would be a villain.

Rather than becoming someone easy to mess with, she would become someone untouchable who stood alone. Hadn’t she lived with that mindset? It would be hard for that not to make her a villain.

But why did she suddenly feel so empty?

‘How pathetic.’

She felt inexplicably shabby.

She didn’t want to do anything. She just wanted to put everything down and disappear somewhere.

But she couldn’t do that.

Go Yu-na looked at the pimple reflected in the mirror. She wanted to scream “What is all this because of you,” but she couldn’t.

Because she knew that it wasn’t the pimple that created this whole situation, but herself.

However, she couldn’t collapse like this.

She had to endure. She couldn’t fall. She had to somehow protect this position…

‘…And then what?’

Would she live her whole life doing acting that wasn’t even enjoyable?

Continuing to be hated by everyone like this?

For what purpose exactly?

It seemed like there used to be a reason for that, but now she couldn’t even remember it.

All that remained were the wary looks directed at her.

“We’re going into the shoot!”

The staff member’s voice pulled Go Yu-na out of her thoughts.

It was fortunate. If her thoughts had continued to spiral like that, it would have been quite difficult.

Go Yu-na got up.

The place they were at now was a temple. A temple that had served Imugi for generations.

Yeo-ui-ju had come to take refuge at this temple, temporarily leaving the city due to school violence allegations, and encounters Imugi there.

And the moment she faces Imugi there…

“Oh, you scared me!”

She screams in shock.

As if she never imagined there would be anyone else here besides her, she frowns and looks at Imugi.

“What are you? How did you know to come here? Are you a reporter? Don’t tell me you’re from Sunday Celeb?”

Yeo-ui-ju’s character can be briefly described like this. On the surface, she seems to live a more glamorous life than anyone, but inside, there’s a frightened girl hiding.

Obsessed with the thought that the world hates her, she’s like a cat character who immediately shows her claws to anyone she sees in this world.

It was a character that could easily become unlikable depending on how it was acted.

However, this is where Go Yu-na’s acting ability shone.

Even though she was doing things that anyone would find detestable, somehow she wasn’t hateable. Rather, her slightly foolish demeanor even seemed cute.

Even the staff members who were already tired of Go Yu-na nodded their heads at this moment.

Go Yu-na could feel it.

That at this moment, the entire narrative was flowing completely through her.

She no longer enjoyed acting.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t immerse herself in acting. The experience accumulated since her child actor days and her natural charm instantly transformed Yeo-ui-ju into the ‘romantic comedy female lead’ that people wanted to see.

And Seon-woo felt it too.

The world was being painted brightly with Go Yu-na at the center. It felt like the world was covered with a pastel-toned filter that would only suit a fairy tale book.

It felt like she herself had become the sun that illuminated this work.

It was regrettable.

Just seeing this light, he could feel how tremendous Go Yu-na’s talent was. Yet with such talent, she said things like ‘I hate acting.’

…What kind of life had she lived to become like this?

Perhaps he could just turn a blind eye to Go Yu-na’s shortcomings.

After all, with this level of acting, it wouldn’t cause major problems for the work.

But seeing this acting made Seon-woo feel even more greedy.

She was someone who showed this level of acting while saying she hated it.

If such a person could come to enjoy acting again… what would happen then?

What kind of work would [My Jade] be when created together with her at that time?

“Get lost.”

To find that out, Seon-woo had no choice but to paint with more force than ever before.

He painted.

He summoned the night lake into this world. A dangerous lake that looked beautiful at first glance, but could swallow a person in an instant if one wasn’t careful.

Seon-woo bared his teeth.

Imugi bared his teeth.

Imugi had already been on edge for a long time because Yeo-ui-ju hadn’t been found for ages.

It had already been over 300 years since he last had a chance to obtain Yeo-ui-ju.

He was already mentally and physically disturbed by the thought that perhaps there was no longer any Yeo-ui-ju meant for him, so when Go Yu-na came rushing at him, he was naturally displeased.

And the moment Seon-woo bared his teeth like that, Go Yu-na let out a gasp of admiration.

‘How chilling.’

Goosebumps rise.

It’s been a very long time since I felt this way while acting.

Get lost. It’s actually a childish curse.

The kind of curse only kids would use. But when such a curse comes from Seon-woo’s mouth, it feels different. Like I’ve made some huge mistake.

Like I’ve touched someone I shouldn’t have touched.

But why?

‘Because he’s Imugi?’

It was the most plausible reasoning.

But at the same time, she couldn’t help but feel absurd. He expressed the danger that the monster called Imugi possesses? How on earth did he do that?

She doesn’t know. All she knows is that her instincts keep screaming while looking at Seon-woo.

Shouting that she shouldn’t approach carelessly.

If it were Go Yu-na, she probably would have stepped back at this moment.

But right now she wasn’t Go Yu-na, she was Yeo-ui-ju.

And Yeo-ui-ju was a strong woman who wouldn’t be intimidated by anyone.

“What, get lost? Who’s telling who to get lost right now, you bastard!”

“….”

“And you, how did you know I was here? Don’t tell me you put a GPS tracker on my car? Or did you follow me? You know this is a crime, right? What newspaper are you from? You don’t still think that just because a reporter picks up a pen these days, the whole world will listen, do you?”

Yeo-ui-ju poured out her words rapidly.

Whether she had a lot of pent-up resentment, her words never broke once during that long speech.

It was excellent acting ability.

Seon-woo looked at Go Yu-na… at Yeo-ui-ju and slowly raised his eyes.

She sparkles.

Yeo-ui-ju herself probably couldn’t even imagine it. She’s hiding after being falsely accused of school violence. How could she shine in this situation?

And perhaps Go Yu-na might be the same.

She too probably thinks her current self is very gray.

That feeling could often be glimpsed in her characteristically listless expression. That expression as if all of this was meaningless, and she herself was the same.

It was a familiar expression. Because it was an expression that past Seon-woo had worn to the point of exhaustion.

So he had to let her know.

That you’re not as pathetic an existence as you think.

How?

Like this.

“…Pitiful thing.”

Imugi twisted his lips.

He could see it in his eyes. Unlike himself who could only sparkle by creating glimmers by borrowing the power of the sun and moon, Yeo-ui-ju was shining just by existing.

He couldn’t help but be envious of that.

Because Imugi couldn’t shine like that.

Because the life of Imugi was such that without the hope of someday becoming a dragon, it would just degenerate into a damp and gloomy snake.

So he had no choice but to be jealous,

“You seem afraid of people. So you’re trying to puff yourself up somehow. But you’re nothing more than mere prey.”

“…What, what did you say? What did you just say?”

So he had no choice but to be angry.

Imugi glared at Yeo-ui-ju with a momentum as if he would devour her at any moment.

It wasn’t that Yeo-ui-ju’s words made him irritated. What Yeo-ui-ju said wasn’t important in the first place.

But what bothered his eyes was… all things that sparkled.

All lives that could live as themselves.

“You thought if you raised your voice, people wouldn’t treat you carelessly.”

“…Stop it.”

It’s ironic.

Every time he speaks down to Yeo-ui-ju, every time he shows hostility toward her and tries to humiliate her somehow, the Yeo-ui-ju reflected in his pupils seems to sparkle even more.

“You thought if you bared your teeth first, no one would dare attack you. Right?”

It couldn’t be helped.

Because there was jealousy in that growling voice that simply couldn’t be hidden. Rather than getting angry while listening, it made one wonder what about me could make him so jealous.

Even the hostility contained in those eyes was enough to make skin tingle… Yeo-ui-ju felt a thrilling pleasure spread through her spine.

‘…Ah.’

It had been a long time.

When was the last time she felt this sensation?

She could feel it. What kind of gaze Seon-woo was looking at her with right now. How thrilling that gaze was…

Yes. This was that feeling.

Acting was like this… constantly making you tense and surprised.

Go Yu-na looked at Seon-woo. His appearance of wholeheartedly envying her was so stimulating that she couldn’t take her eyes off him…

“Cut! Yu-na, your silence is too long!”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”

Go Yu-na had momentarily forgotten even to continue her lines.

It was an uncharacteristic mistake for her. Except for the days when she filmed through several sleepless nights, she had never spaced out and missed her line timing like this.

‘…What is this.’

Go Yu-na unconsciously placed her hand on her chest.

Was she surprised by the stimulation after so long? She could feel her heart beating much faster than usual.

But Seon-woo’s expression looking at such Go Yu-na was just as calm as always.

The jealousy-filled gaze that had been looking at her just moments before was nowhere to be found.

She knows.

That gaze isn’t directed at her, but at Yeo-ui-ju.

So being enchanted by that jealousy would be a bit embarrassing. It would be like feeling happy on behalf of someone else receiving praise.

Nevertheless, at this moment, Go Yu-na wished the cue sign would drop as quickly as possible.

“Going into another shot. Ready~.”

She wanted to see it.

As quickly as possible,

For as long as possible….

“Cue!”

That gaze.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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