I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me - Chapter 14

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

Episode 14

“Hah…”

Let me be grateful that he’s not prying like last time.

After a brief moment of consideration, I nodded slightly.

“I know. But it’s a problem I can solve if I do well, right?”

I could see Myeong Jeha’s eyebrows rise slightly at my answer. As if he was somewhat surprised that I admitted it so readily.

‘There’s no point in scheming since it’ll only hurt me anyway.’

This is my first leading role that I somehow managed to get. I absolutely don’t want to lose it.

“Your confidence is quite high. You weren’t doing that well though.”

Does he have all his stats maxed out or something? Myeong Jeha’s truth-telling made my fists clench with strength once again.

‘I want to punch him just once.’

Myeong Jeha watched me glaring at him intently for a moment, then lightly fixed my hair that had gotten disheveled from running.

“Ju Junseo’s personality isn’t normal. Don’t get close to him.”

Then he left those words casually and disappeared.

Left alone, I let out a hollow laugh.

‘Anyone would probably be better than you…’

* * *

Han Taeyang looked through the window at the group holding cameras.

They were bustling around in a crowd, as if there was some kind of event happening.

A friend who noticed Taeyang’s gaze immediately provided an answer.

“That’s some drama filming at our school, Han. I heard it from the faculty office.”

“Ah… a drama.”

Even while nodding with an indifferent tone, Taeyang didn’t take his eyes off them.

“Oh, I heard the title. It was really unique, so I feel like I remember it but not quite.”

At Han Taeyang’s reaction, the friends surrounding him began sharing the rumors they had each heard in passing.

“Wait a sec. Let me ask the other kids.”

In a school where every day was a repetition of boredom, drama filming brought quick rumors.

Piecing together the fragmented stories, Han Taeyang’s friends eventually found out the proper information.

“? It’s a web drama.”

One friend who had been pacing near the window spoke up as if he just remembered something.

“Come to think of it, didn’t you say your sister does acting, Han Taeyang?”

At those words, Taeyang grinned. Conversely, his friends’ expressions hardened. Then they glared at the guy who brought it up as if they wanted to kill him.

“Yeah. She acts. She’s fucking good at it.”

Taeyang even turned his head away from the window to make proper eye contact. Encouraged by that positive reaction, the clueless friend asked the next question.

“How old is she? Which school?”

The glaring friends silently made X marks with their hands from the side. It meant to stop right there.

“Twenty years old. She got into KNUA. You know KNUA, right? Korea National University of Arts. Yeah. There’s no way you wouldn’t know it. She… well, she wasn’t particularly good at studying, but she got in because she’s fucking good at acting. You know how long she trained? Just six months. So I thought that idiot would obviously have to repeat senior year. What kind of crazy person gets into KNUA in just six months? Don’t you think so, really?”

But it was already too late.

“But after going to academy for a month, she roughly got the hang of it? She doesn’t usually have that good of a memory, but she memorizes scenarios several pages at a time. Hah, really… she should study like that. She always forgets household chores, you know? But she never forgets a single line. It’s amazing, really.”

Han Taeyang’s endless stories about his sister had begun.

“Oh, and by the way, she doesn’t have autographs yet, so don’t ask me to get one in advance or anything like that, really. Got it? I could get one if you ask, but don’t do that.”

The friend who first asked about his sister was forced to listen to Han Yeoreum’s information until one ear went numb.

* * *

JC ENM headquarters. I arrived at the announced location with a temporary access pass hanging around my neck.

[The Cherry on the Parfait Belongs to the Heroine]

The script reading day had finally come. Just in case, I even had nightmares about Myeong Jeha replacing the main character.

“But really… he’s not touching it…”

I stayed tense until the very end, worried I might get fired on the day itself.

‘I came two whole hours early.’

Only after confirming that there was a designated seat with my name written on it on the table did I feel relieved.

“Phew…”

I took out the script book that I had read over and over again.

‘I’ve already memorized it all though.’

It was because it was a short 8-episode drama. I practiced my lines quietly once more.

“Friends? They probably aren’t at this school right now.”

My voice echoed softly in the spacious reading room.

Since it was a small web drama, there weren’t any reporters here like on typical script reading days, so I felt rather comfortable…

Bang!!!

What am I saying. Now I’m getting anxious.

‘What the hell was that sound?’

I got up from my seat and looked around.

“I said I didn’t want to do it!”

Ah. It’s not here but the next room. The angry voice echoed loudly, as if the soundproofing wasn’t working properly.

“Junseo, still, let’s calm down first…”

“Calm down? Do I look like I can calm down? Fine, I can accept not being able to perform on stage this season. I made the contract myself. But why are you peddling me off to some shitty drama that only kids watch?”

Ah, I immediately knew who it was.

The person in the next room was the male lead Ju Junseo. He has quite good lung capacity. No trembling in his delivery.

“There’s a limit to making people look like idiots. You clearly said no, right? When I asked, you said it was cancelled, right? But what? You come in the morning and say it ended up happening anyway?”

“Junseo, we tried to change it thinking about your image, but… you know the situation…”

“I don’t know the situation. Does this make sense logically? Fuck, this is ridiculous.”

The manager’s quiet attempts to calm him down were immediately drowned out.

Ju Junseo poured out his anger without taking a break.

“So what if it doesn’t take much time? If I appear in this kind of drama, the career I’ve built up will go to shit!!!”

There was a clattering sound as if he was pushing a desk. Myeong Jeha was right.

‘Ju Junseo really doesn’t have a normal temper.’

It seemed like he thought it was cancelled and was forcibly dragged here.

‘No wonder. Ju Junseo has name value…’

For him to be filming this concept of web drama.

‘Judging by how the situation is going… the higher-ups forcibly pushed him in.’

Everyone doesn’t want to be the pioneer of such adventurous works.

Ju Junseo, who has no acting experience but is quite popular with teenagers, would have seemed perfect.

“Did I say I wanted to be a model or did I say I wanted to be a clown? Do you find me amusing because I’m desperately trying to extend my lifespan by even a year?”

The noisy next room fell into silence as Ju Junseo closed his mouth.

‘Is it over?’

I put my ear to the wall. I could hear Ju Junseo breathing heavily.

‘It would be really bad if Ju Junseo runs away now.’

The entire drama investment could collapse.

‘The influence of the male lead on a project is beyond imagination…’

Most investors make decisions based on the male lead.

‘No! Anything but that!!! My first leading role!!!’

I barely escaped from Myeong Jeha, and now Ju Junseo is the problem.

‘Should I open the door and go in to beg him even now…?’

While I was thinking about how to cling to him effectively, I heard the sound of Ju Junseo’s manager crying from beyond the wall.

“Sob… Junseo…”

“Ah, damn it. Why are you crying, hyung? Who’s the one who should be crying here?”

“I tried to stop it too… You know that. But they already set you as the lead and got investors involved… Do you think they’ll easily change it…?”

“That’s not my problem, so I’m not doing it.”

Then Ju Junseo’s voice changed. There was still irritation in it, but I could sense his confusion.

‘Well done! Manager!’

Yes! Keep holding him back like that! It wasn’t just me who sensed Ju Junseo’s change—the manager started sobbing even louder.

“Junseo. If you quit and leave here, I’ll get fired…”

“Why would you get fired? Someone like you, hyung, would get assigned to anyone, so don’t make excuses to me.”

“I… the director said he’d send me to Bang Munhwan…”

Bang Munhwan.

At that name, I covered my mouth. He’s a notorious troublemaker.

‘I guess he’s from the same entertainment agency as Ju Junseo?’

His reputation is so bad because he’s done every kind of power harassment imaginable. Whenever you hear complaints at extra drinking parties, Bang Munhwan is always involved.

Of course, that’s why he disappears in a few years, but the problem was that he’s still a pretty successful actor right now.

‘Since this is his peak period, his power harassment must be beyond imagination.’

Ju Junseo seemed to know this too, as he hesitated.

“Junseo… please save hyung just this once…”

“Ah, if you get assigned to Bang Munhwan, hyung, you can just quit too, right? When I go to another entertainment agency, I can take you with me!”

“Sob… You know how hard it gets when you’re in a lawsuit with JC… How can you take responsibility for me too… I’d rather go to Bang Munhwan’s management team now so I don’t cause you any trouble—”

The more pleading the manager’s voice became, the softer Ju Junseo’s voice got.

‘Bastard. He didn’t seem like it, but he’s actually quite soft-hearted.’

Ju Junseo was like a warm iced americano.

Bang—!!!

Once again, the sound of kicking a chair rang out loudly. Ju Junseo spoke while suppressing his anger.

“…Tell them to revise my scenes. Damn it, give more scenes to that female lead or whatever. I can’t compromise any more than this.”

Hey, damn. Ju Junseo. You’re really a good person. Give more scenes to the female lead?

‘I’m really grateful for that.’

If my scenes increase, that’s good for me.

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