I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me - Chapter 185

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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 185

It was the use of facial muscles.

Any actor inevitably had what was commonly called their ‘quirks.’

Habits that couldn’t be hidden no matter how many different characters they layered over their face.

The mannerisms that made that actor look like themselves.

Among these, Eun Baekhap had the quirk of opening her mouth slightly small, then mixing a bit of air into the voice that followed.

‘Down to lowering her gaze downward, then quietly lifting her eyelids.’

Right now, this was a place for selecting child actors for .

Gi Juye chose to offer a preview of the acting ability that Eun Baekhap would show, instead of perfectly displaying her own acting skills.

‘One of the things audiences judge most harshly is the sense of disconnect when child actors transition to adults.’

Episodes 1 through 4 serve to introduce the characters’ personalities, the work’s background, and the story and message that will unfold to the viewers.

Most masterpieces captivate viewers with solid appeal from the very first episode.

‘If the child actor’s appearance naturally overlaps…’

Taeseok already had to carry Yeonhuijae’s photo in a necklace. Ji Haebeom smiled at this result that showed even more cunning than expected.

It was just as Yoon Hyeonjo had said. It was interesting. Irrepressible laughter mixed in.

“I’ll pick one for you later.”

Gi Taeseok asking if he should pick one for her looked momentarily tender.

“ほんとに(Really)?”

Huijae, excited by this, asked if it was really true. She brought one hand to her mouth with refined movements. As if unable to hide her joy.

Watching such Huijae, Taeseok nodded his head.

“Well, it’s not like there’s just one or two white flowers. Apples, spirea, they’re all over the place underfoot. There are dozens of different kinds. Most of them look pretty much the same anyway.”

Huijae extended her hand. With her thumb and pinky extended and the other fingers carefully folded. It meant she wanted him to promise.

Even if words didn’t get through, these small gestures did.

Even without words, the two could understand each other.

“Yes, that was very good.”

Ji Haebeom gave light applause. His large hands clapped together. The applause from the other judges rang out noisily.

“Hey! That was great!”

“Right! It’s like Eun Baekhap was copied exactly!”

Amid the noise, Ji Haebeom looked at Han Yeoreum.

Han Yeoreum already had too strong an image as Seoryeong. Her opponent had shown a hand that could easily blend in with anyone.

The judges seemed to immediately grasp that message, emphasizing the name Eun Baekhap with force.

‘Now what will Han Yeoreum show us?’

Director Ja’s pen, which had been scribbling something on the script, stopped.

“Then Han Yeoreum, please begin.”

* * *

Gi Juye’s investor pressed their lips together in a firm line.

‘Let’s see how well she does.’

Gi Juye had performed even better than expected. Copying Eun Baekhap’s characteristic quirks was truly a perfect joker move.

Han Yeoreum had an anxious look in her eyes.

That’s when it happened. Han Yeoreum stepped half a step backward. The hem of her pure white cape fluttered briefly.

“Coming here, tree, uh…”

It was the same line, but the intonation was different. Han Yeoreum’s ‘uh’ was used ambiguously.

Like saying ‘on that tree,’ like a girl familiar with Japanese confusing or omitting particles like -e, -ga, -neun, trailing off her words.

Like a distinctly Japanese interjection.

“I saw something pretty hanging there.”

Her gaze briefly turned toward the upper left ceiling. As if struggling to pull known words from her mind. Han Yeoreum’s basic posture was also refined.

But unlike Gi Juye, who seemed like a butterfly pinned in place, her gaze was free.

Han Yeoreum’s shyness was expressed through not making eye contact.

“What was it? Where did you see it?”

“When I was in the car, over there… I saw it.”

She slightly changed the line. She used ‘over there’ instead of ‘outside.’ When her gaze, which had been directed toward the upper left, slowly moved to the floor and then lifted her eyelids to look forward again, her gaze toward Ji Haebeom wasn’t simple shyness.

It carried the curiosity of a girl who wanted to become friends with someone.

“It was so, so white that I was startled. But… I, わからない(don’t know), sorry, I don’t know. What that’s called… I’m not sure. If you おしえて(teach) me, I’d be happy.”

She changed the line once more. While doing so, she stepped forward. As if gradually closing the distance with the other person. Han Yeoreum’s footsteps didn’t even echo on the floor. It was a quiet movement.

“You want me to teach you the flower’s name?”

“Yes.”

She nodded a couple of times. Her hair, cut in a neat bob, swayed at her chin. The white Huijae was slow to speak, as she first had to form sentences in her mind before explaining in an unfamiliar language.

“Really white. きれい(Pretty), no, it was pretty.”

“Must be apple blossoms.”

“Really?”

At Taeseok’s words, Huijae again stepped forward. As if unable to contain her curiosity about the other person. The way her body instinctively moved forward first looked natural.

Unlike Gi Juye, Han Yeoreum’s voice projection used the area close to her mouth. It wasn’t a deep, gentle voice but a light, wavering one. It was a small voice with lots of air mixed in, precise pronunciation but quiet.

‘…Is that why? The closer she comes, the better I can hear her.’

It was different from Gi Juye, who seemed like she was being heard through a monitor screen and speakers. Han Yeoreum was using this space like a real-time stage.

“I don’t know either. How can I teach you something I haven’t seen? It’s just a flower. A flower. You didn’t ask because you don’t know what to call it.”

Thanks to coming closer just before, Huijae’s voice, which had been a bit louder, diminished again.

“…I know that too. (Flower)…”

Some sharp-eyed investors suddenly realized. If Gi Juye’s acting ability used facial muscles, Han Yeoreum’s acting ability used spatial distance.

Huijae’s voice, which had finally come close, became small again. Her deflated voice scattered in the air.

“But it’s hard to say. It’s not that I don’t know… I just want to learn.”

Because of her smaller voice, distance was created despite being close. As if she might move away again at any moment.

“Should I pick one for you later?”

Ji Haebeom asked curtly. It was clearly different from how he had spoken to the previous Huijae. The speed of delivering the line was also different.

His words to this Huijae were more urgent. And it wasn’t a suggestion.

It was a question.

Like words trying to hold onto someone who seemed like they might run away after getting a bit closer.

“ほんとに(Really)?”

At those words, Huijae asked back. She didn’t smile. Instead, she blinked and folded both hands over her chest.

As if letting anyone know that her heart was beating fiercely.

“Well, it’s not like there’s just one or two white flowers. Apples, spirea, they’re all over the place underfoot…”

Gi Taeseok had changed. Like a boy who became shy at the thought of getting close again. He had no composure.

“There are dozens of different kinds. Most of them look pretty much the same anyway.”

This wasn’t Taeseok explaining. It was closer to someone chattering earnestly, worried that the conversation might sour like before.

That’s when it happened. Huijae came several steps closer. She extended her hand. Right in front of Taeseok’s nose.

She even lightly shook her hand as if asking him to promise.

Because they could understand without words. So that Taeseok had no choice but to understand.

‘What, is it okay to come this close?’

Gi Juye’s investor looked up at Han Yeoreum, who had come close. Tension momentarily settled on the white Huijae’s face. As if not believing, she rolled her lips inward and bit them.

While staring intently at Taeseok.

Ji Haebeom extended his hand. He intertwined his hand with the slender, white pinky and pressed his thumb down firmly.

That’s when it happened.

Huijae finally smiled. It was a relieved face, as if she could finally believe what Taeseok had said.

“…That was very good.”

Ji Haebeom offered his greeting. Still not releasing their intertwined hands as he looked up at the white Huijae.

* * *

“Alright, now that I’ve seen both of you act, next we’ll do some light Script Reading.”

The air in the Audition Hall grew heavier and heavier. Everyone was taking on a serious demeanor. The numbers unfolding before my eyes pressed against my heart.

Tick-tick-tick-tick-.

Time was passing quickly. The usage period for the item I’d spent all my points on had already passed the halfway mark.

‘No matter how hard I practice Japanese, I’m bound to lose to someone who’s built up their skills over several years.’

Gi Juye’s Japanese skills were better than I’d expected. As expected of someone with an idol background. Like someone who had sung on Stage, she properly knew how to use her vocal cords.

‘Her Voice Projection itself is different from an actor’s, but she more than meets the baseline requirements.’

Gi Juye, spouting fluent Japanese sentences, really looked convincing. Director Ja nodded his head after hearing Gi Juye’s Script Reading.

Now it was my turn.

The item’s remaining time kept decreasing. The lines I had to speak kept increasing, line by line.

‘Please.’

‘Please.’

“But Yeoreum, where did you learn Japanese? You’re really good at it.”

Just then, Ji Haebeom spoke to me playfully as I sat there completely tense.

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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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