In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 32

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

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This life, I choose The Oscars over a husband.
Chapter 32

Standing on the street, Eun-rae’s eyes turned glacial in an instant.
She gazed up at the placard and murmured softly to herself.

【That could have been me. That could have been….】

That could have been me.
Speaking those words, Eun-rae’s face flushed crimson as she walked down the street, then hurled her phone away.
She even threw down the bag slung across her shoulder.
Transfer preparation books spilled from the bag, but Eun-rae didn’t stop walking, continuing to mutter to herself.
It could have been me.
Me….
Me….
Tears welled up in her eyes, burning with rage.
She exhaled rough, ragged breaths before those tears erupted like a dam bursting.
Soon the background shifted, leaving only her face.
From the street to the Interrogation Room.
As she wept with unbearable fury, the Prosecutor left the room, looking exhausted.
Yet Lee Eun-rae didn’t stop crying.
It was a weeping filled only with malice and resentment.
Her lips continued to move ceaselessly.
That could have been me.
Me….
A long take of Eun-rae’s weeping face.
Beyond the door, the voices of the Prosecutor and Investigator conversing drift in.

【Did you notify the Orphanage Director to appear?】
【Yes. She said she’ll come this afternoon. But I’m not sure if it’ll matter. She seemed genuinely unaware. She said she took in Lee Eun-rae out of pity when she was found in rags with complete memory loss, and from what I observed, it seemed genuine.】
【Still, we need to investigate. Ah, I’m exhausted. What kind of bizarre case is this anyway? I really can’t understand people like that. Abandoning their own parents, their friends, everything….】

Hearing every word, Eun-rae reached toward the fingerprint report in front of her.
Above two fingerprints, a single word touched her fingertip.

‘Kim Ji-hyun’

Eun-rae traced the name carefully and spoke softly.

【It could have been me. I….】

Eun-rae, who had been streaming tears while examining the fingerprint report, suddenly looks ahead.
The anger vanishes from Eun-rae’s eyes as she gazes directly into the camera.
A close-up of Eun-rae’s face, tinged with melancholy.
The end credits roll over that visage—defeated, as though drained of all vitality.

To Kim Ji-hyun>

Before the film’s title with the added phrase “my dearest,” Park Chang-sung finally released a breath he had been holding for far too long.
Each name appearing in the end credits entered Park Chang-sung’s vision.

[director Park Seo-woo
scenario Park Seo-woo
Ha Eun-rae
Maeng Hye-seung
…
…]

Park Seo-woo, Ha Eun-rae. Where on earth did these two come from?
Where did such a concept even originate?
Where did such acting even come from?
It was a talent that inspired fear.
“Ha Eun-rae’s talent agency is Naru Stage.”
As Park Chang-sung was lost in these thoughts, the Adaptation Writer glanced at his phone and spoke.
At those words, Park Chang-sung—still immersed in the film’s lingering impression—turned to the Adaptation Writer with a puzzled expression.
The Adaptation Writer simply shrugged.
“Just like that.”
Damn it.
After ten years of working in sync with this writer, there was no such thing as keeping secrets.
I wanted to hold out a little longer, but there was no way.
Park Chang-sung thought this and immediately called the Production Company Representative.
“I think Soo-hyun found her.”
Park Chang-sung spoke, recalling Ha Eun-rae’s performance that lingered before his eyes.
“No, she didn’t find her—she came and found me. Soo-hyun did.”

* * *

The Meeting Room at Naru Stage.
I stared at my enormous face projected on the beam screen.
More precisely, at the image of Lee Eun-rae.
‘Ah… the emotion is slightly excessive.’
I watched myself crying at the end and jotted down monitoring notes in my notebook. My notebook was already densely filled.
As the credits began to roll, I glanced sideways at Manager Jang and Heo Representative.
“Um… should we turn on the lights now?”
…or not?
I was about to ask, but for some reason, both of them remained transfixed on the beam screen.
I had no choice but to nudge Hong Jong-ho sitting beside me.
“Oppa, turn on the lights.”
“Wait a moment.”
“What?”
What’s wrong with him?
“I’m savoring the lingering impression right now.”
What lingering impression?
Didn’t we gather here to monitor this film?
Still, I thought we should watch it together in case there was feedback to receive.
“Representative, the lights…”
“Eun-rae, sorry, but let me stay like this a moment. I’m savoring the lingering impression.”
“But what lingering impression are you even…”
I gazed at Manager Jang Hee-ja with the feeling of a last savior.
She was the only one who had regained her senses.
She sprang to her feet and turned on the lights.
Then a sigh escaped from Heo Representative.
“Manager Jang, really? I’m savoring the aftertaste right now. And Eun-rae, what were you doing? Weren’t you watching the film?”
Heo Kyung-hoe looked at me in disbelief as I held a pen.
“I was watching. Isn’t that why we gathered—to discuss areas for improvement?”
At my question, the eyes of all three people turned fierce.
“What areas for improvement!”
Heo Kyung-hoe bellowed with an enraged face.
Goodness, you startled me.
“My actress has no shortcomings! Where are the flaws in that performance!”
“Representative, please keep your voice down. Eun-rae will get frightened.”
Manager Jang soothed the fuming Heo Kyung-hoe.
“Right. You tend to underestimate yourself too much, don’t you?”
Hong Jong-ho also spoke to me in disbelief, then looked at Heo Kyung-hoe.
“Shouldn’t we be sending our Eun-rae to Cannes, Representative?”
There it is.
Old habits die hard. He’s getting ahead of himself.
“Of course we should send her! I’ll contact the production company right away! I’ll sell my car to cover the drinks for all the production company representatives!”
Please don’t sell the car.
What will you drive if you sell that car?
Once again, Manager Jang, the only one still in his right mind, was the first to bring up something productive.
“I thought turning on the lights would create even more of an aftertaste.”
Manager Jang said so and showed us the tablet screen.
“The views have already exceeded a million. On SNS, it’s gone viral as Ha Eun-rae’s filmography. Most importantly, the content is so good that people are demanding a full-length feature.”
I examined the reactions from people displayed on the screen.

– This is based on a true story? Crazy. Still, the script was written so well;
– Even though it’s based on a true story, it’s a pretty common plot, but how did they bring it to life like this? I got chills watching those crazed eyes
– An ending I never imagined
– I cried along with the protagonist when they were crying
└ Crying is a bit much. I don’t understand the protagonist. No matter what, abandoning family and friends for a different life?
└ They must have had such a hard life to do that
– Ha Eun-rae is unexpected. Honestly, she acted well in music videos, but I thought that was just her face carrying it. Turns out she’s insanely talented
– Honestly, not many people can act like this at her age. She’s going to grow in terrifying ways
– I want her to be an actress only I know about
└ It’s too late for that—she’s already surpassed 500k followers

Park Seo-woo, as expected.
With this project, I transformed from an actress known through commercials and music videos into a promising acting talent overnight.
‘The script was absolutely brilliant.’
It was the perfect fit for Park Seo-woo, who had always excelled at directing thrillers and social commentary films.
‘In my past life, I think they just shelved this and eventually made it into a feature film, but this time I took the lead role starting from the short film.’
Which meant that if it were expanded into a feature, the probability of me becoming the protagonist was quite high.
The lead role in “We, Kim Ji-hyun”—a film that drew ten million viewers and swept countless film awards.
‘And Park Seo-woo… he seems to think quite highly of me, doesn’t he?’
Only now did I understand Park Seo-woo’s directorial style.
When he likes a performance, creativity flows even more abundantly, and he offers detailed, meticulous feedback.

“Could you lower your voice just a bit in that line? It’ll create contrast with this one.”
“But it was so good?”

When the Cinematographer questioned this note on set, Park Seo-woo answered like this.

“Precisely because it was so good. It can be even better.”

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

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