I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me - Chapter 296

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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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Chapter 296

Aetami also quickly raised her camera and pressed the shutter toward Yeoreum. Every single step on the red carpet was precious.

‘Yeoreum… You’ve made it to terrestrial broadcasting now…’

What was all this about. Aetami’s nose tingled. Today Yeoreum was wearing white fur over her dress and even velvet gloves, making her look exactly like Huijae.

‘And even her hair is a perfect six…!’

The thick wavy bob brought out the classic elegance to its peak. Han Yeoreum, who had been standing in the center of the photo zone greeting people here and there, paused briefly in Aetami’s direction.

Then she lifted the corners of her mouth wide. Her cheeks rose up just like at the fan signing event. She waved her hand quickly. It wasn’t at an appropriate speed for taking photos, but rather a genuine greeting because she was truly happy to see her.

‘How did she recognize me from here?’

Aetami unconsciously lowered her camera and made eye contact with Yeoreum.

The moment their gazes met. It felt like there were only the two of them in this place.

“Yeoreum, make a finger heart-!”

The atmosphere around them relaxed. This was thanks to Han Yeoreum’s public favorability and the reporters’ goodwill being well above average.

Before they knew it, everyone was smiling.

It was when she was diligently photographing Yeoreum’s back as she finally left the red carpet after making a finger heart, greeting from left to right, and bowing her head once more.

Yeoreum turned her head slightly to look back and waved her hand once more.

‘This is crazy.’

Aetami unconsciously pressed the shutter like mad. And how much time had passed? It seemed like quite a long time had gone by before she came to her senses.

Aetami picked up her phone with stiff hands. Out of habit, she pressed on Yeoreum’s name.

There was no need to search. It was always at the top of her search history.

[Han Yeoreum tears up KBC Acting Awards with ultimate loveliness… “Hello”]

[【The Great Garland】’s Han Yeoreum, “I came to receive an award~” finger heart]

[KBC Acting Awards’ dazzling best dresser, rising actress Han Yeoreum’s bright smile]

Articles about Yeoreum had already poured out. But this wasn’t enough for Aetami.

‘Our Yeoreum is so cute…!’

Aetami felt frustrated after checking Twitter and fan cafes one after another.

‘I felt this during the fan signing too…’

Yeoreum’s core fanbase was by no means small for a rookie actress. Rather, it was just overshadowed by her high public appeal, but both fan cafe membership and Twitter mentions were substantial.

But the one thing that drove Aetami crazy.

‘Everyone in the world should know about her, but there’s too little content!’

Aetami didn’t want to be like this either. Certainly when she first started liking Yeoreum, she hadn’t planned to go this far.

[Would you like to change your nickname?

Input: Everyday Summer]

Aetami changed her InTube account name like that. It seemed like she needed to start promoting in earnest.

* * *

I sat in front of a table that was still empty. This was 【The Great Garland】’s table. I had arrived first.

Even though I should be getting used to seeing my name written on award ceremony tables by now, I still haven’t gotten used to it. It feels good every time I see it.

I drank water while thinking about the fan I had just met.

‘No matter how many people are around, I can find her at once.’

Today she was even wearing a Han Yeoreum long padding and Han Yeoreum muffler, so there was no way I couldn’t recognize her.

‘But that camera…’

She absolutely couldn’t stand not taking high-quality photos, right? That means she likes me that much, right? Even if scouts from other fan clubs came, she would never even glance at them – it’s like a kind of oath, right?

“Yeoreum. What’s making you so happy.”

Myeong Jeha approached and sat next to me while I was busy expanding my fantasy land.

His hair, which had been cut short, hadn’t grown out much yet, so he still had a style that revealed his forehead. But that actually made his face more visible.

“You look good today, sir.”

“Haha. Thanks.”

“It’s a moment worthy of repaying young Giyeon fans with your face.”

Han Yeoreum’s materialistic calculator started working, thinking that every scene caught on camera today would be able to generate enough buzz.

‘If this happens, there’ll be another boom with these scenes, and no one will complain about me winning the Best Couple Award. The atmosphere will be created that young Giyeon is the real deal…’

As I was calculating while looking from his straight eyebrows to his nose bridge casting clear shadows, Myeong Jeha burst into laughter.

“That’s quite an impure gaze.”

“Where else would you find someone as clear and pure as me.”

“Anyway, let’s manage our expressions well later. You know?”

I know. Eun Baekhap will appear as a presenter in the first part today.

‘That award presentation is obviously…’

It must be the Best Couple Award designed to create a heartwarming scene.

A loud cheer erupted from far away. I could tell instinctively.

‘Eun Baekhap is coming soon…!’

The Eun Baekhap I want to resemble, become, and surpass.

* * *

“We did well, right?”

“Why ask something so obvious…”

The KBC Drama Center Director, who was inside the award ceremony venue, fixed his gaze on 【The Great Garland】 table.

“Eun Baekhap is smiling? Her emotions must be no joke.”

“She’s an actress. She has to be professional when there are cameras.”

Eun Baekhap, who was properly aware of the surrounding attention, was a god of facial expression control. Her moderately greeting appearance seemed quite like an affectionate senior.

“She must be sharpening her knife inside…”

“Isn’t that obvious.”

A few days ago, the results about who would receive the Best Couple Award came out quickly.

“Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha.”

“As expected.”

“We have to give it to them.”

While they were conscious of public opinion, the internal staff couldn’t forget the terror of the early Korean Wave restrictions. The moment when the massive investment funds from China were cut off and they were in despair.

Hadn’t Han Yeoreum brought in another overseas investor, the Taiwanese money line?

In the worst-case scenario, everything poured into the drama would have disappeared like a mirage, and in the second-worst scenario, 【The Great Garland】, which was about to have its filming postponed indefinitely, surviving was nothing short of a miracle.

“Do you think ‘Huijae’ will only be popular now? No way. It’ll chart again every winter.”

“Who do you think people will think of while listening to that?”

Meanwhile, the popularity of ‘Huijae’ showed no signs of cooling down. Even after 【The Great Garland】 successfully ended, there was confidence that the OST would stay with the public for a long, long time.

The Best Couple Award result was decided unanimously by the judges.

Among the three terrestrial broadcasting companies, the award ceremony drawing the most public attention was undoubtedly KBC.

“But certainly, The Great Garland will become Eun Baekhap’s representative work, right?”

Even though the Best Couple Award was taken by Han Yeoreum, if we had to point out who the protagonists were, the public would say Ji Haebeom and Eun Baekhap.

The Center Director had to agree that 【The Great Garland】 would be the most brilliant work in Eun Baekhap’s filmography.

“Right…”

But he was sensing something.

Representative work.

The point when that celebrity’s popularity was highest, the period when they were most loved by the public, their most famous role.

A work that remains in everyone’s memory, where all of these elements align, is what we call a representative work.

“But why doesn’t it feel like Han Yeoreum will have just one representative work.”

While the Center Director was talking to himself. Finally, the KBC Acting Awards began.

* * *

While walking down the hallway after getting up from their seats to prepare for the presentation, a strange silence hung between Ji Haebeom and Eun Baekhap. The atmosphere itself felt awkward.

It wasn’t simply because of the fatigue of the lead actors who had to film until late the night before.

It was because of the subtle anger emanating from Eun Baekhap, who already knew who the Best Couple Award winners were.

“Here. The cue cards.”

Ji Haebeom tried to lighten the awkward atmosphere in his own way by handing Eun Baekhap the cue cards he received from the staff.

‘What’s he trying to share…’

But in a place without cameras, Eun Baekhap didn’t bother to lighten her mood.

She did smile slightly and take the cue cards because of the staff’s attention around them, but the heavy silence continued.

“Should we practice once before going up?”

“No. The script is short so it should be fine.”

“Yes. Well then.”

Eun Baekhap’s hand tightened as she read through the cue cards with her eyes. She really didn’t want to read each and every line.

‘What the hell does this bastard find so good that he keeps grinning like an idiot… If you hadn’t held that damn audition, there wouldn’t have been any award to steal.’

The two reached the hallway connected to the stage. Due to time constraints, they couldn’t attach microphones to all the presenters.

Thanks to that, the quiet conversation they were having now could only be heard by the two of them.

“Don’t hate me too much.”

“…I don’t hate you.”

“What a lie.”

Ji Haebeom lowered his head to look at Eun Baekhap and whispered.

“We might end up working on the same project later, all four of us.”

“…Then who would be the lead?”

“We’ll have to see when the time comes.”

Don’t talk such crazy bullshit, you bastard. I absolutely have to be the lead. This will be the last time I appear in the same work as that little brat.

Eun Baekhap swallowed the words she was about to say. A staff member was approaching just then.

“Time to go up now! Please link arms-.”

Finally, the damn moment had arrived. Eun Baekhap linked arms with Ji Haebeom and whispered in a low voice before going up on stage.

“Go to hell…”

As the camera approached on its rail, Eun Baekhap skillfully managed her facial expression. Ji Haebeom did the same.

The two, wearing smiles, linked arms and walked to the center of the stage.

“Waaaah!”

“Crazy, oh damn!”

When their faces appeared on the big screen, screams that couldn’t quite make it through the filter could be heard from the audience seats. Eun Baekhap smiled shyly, her dress hem swaying as she stood in front of the microphone.

“Hello. I’m Ji Haebeom.”

“Hello. I’m Eun Baekhap.”

As the two greeted the audience, explosive cheers erupted once again.

“We’re here to present the Best Couple Award. Haebeom, you’ve never missed a Best Couple Award thanks to your incredible chemistry, right? As a chemistry master, can you predict which couple will win?”

“Well, honestly…”

Ji Haebeom deliberately paused for effect. The big screen now showed the faces of actors who had been nominated for this year’s Best Couple Award one by one. It lingered particularly long on Han Yeoreum.

“I have hopes that we might receive it.”

People laughed pleasantly at Ji Haebeom’s playful comment.

A top actor whose market value was currently at its peak. Ji Haebeom was an actor who could afford to give up a small award like this without any problem.

‘But I’m not.’

She didn’t want to give up anything, not a single thing.

“Yes. So the best couple who made viewers’ hearts flutter the most sweetly in this year’s KBC productions.”

“The Best Couple Award winners are.”

Eun Baekhap made eye contact with Han Yeoreum sitting in the audience seats.

“Myeong Jeha and Han Yeoreum from <The Great Garland>. Congratulations.”

As Myeong Jeha and Han Yeoreum stood up, the actors sitting around them extended their hands.

Shaking hands, embracing, every movement of Han Yeoreum coming up to the stage made Eun Baekhap nervous.

“Yes. <The Great Garland> earned the nickname ‘Giyeon Couple’ and made viewers feel various emotions by displaying fresh and lovely chemistry in the drama…”

She couldn’t properly hear the MC explaining this year’s winners into the microphone.

Han Yeoreum, who climbed the stairs step by step while making direct eye contact, was someone who had never existed in Eun Baekhap’s life before.

The moment their hands brushed as she finally handed over the trophy, Eun Baekhap recalled Ji Haebeom’s earlier words.

“We’ll have to see when the time comes.”

Eun Baekhap, who had grown accustomed to others’ gazes her entire life, could tell immediately.

Everyone behind Han Yeoreum was looking only at her. She could feel the intense concentration from each and every person.

The power to draw attention.

Han Yeoreum possessed such a thing.

The trophy in Eun Baekhap’s hands passed to Han Yeoreum’s hands. Clenching her now empty hand once, Eun Baekhap pondered as she exited the stage for the two winners.

“Han Yeoreum…”

Those three syllables that felt different from the countless actresses who had been pushed aside by Eun Baekhap.

It was the first time she had ever felt such a sense of crisis.

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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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