In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 8

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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 8

Oh. That was a mistake.
Did I reveal too much acting experience?
“Ah, yes. I saw it in another actor’s interview and used it as reference. It was from Do Eun-hee’s interview.”
“Oh… So you studied by watching interviews.”
Fortunately, Je-gal Se-yeon seemed to perceive me as a diligent newcomer.
‘It would be problematic if a newcomer who never formally trained looked too worn and seasoned.’
With that thought, I glanced toward Park Seo-woo.
He had been staring at me, but when he felt my gaze, he looked away.
‘He has a habit of observing people.’
Well, regardless.
If Park Seo-woo’s approach meant including slow-motion scenes, that was nothing but beneficial for me. My screen time in this production would increase.
After we reshot according to Park Seo-woo’s direction, I picked up the kimbap prepared for lunch and monitored the footage.
‘It really turned out beautifully.’
With the slow-motion effect Park Seo-woo suggested, my appearance was undeniably beautiful, and my smile was innocent.
It was so endearing that no one would believe I was playing a deranged character pretending to be a “ghost” illegally occupying someone else’s home.
“You’re really different in front of the camera, New Member.”
I looked at Hong Jong-ho’s face as he suddenly appeared beside me.
Seeing the light in his eyes, I offered him a tuna kimbap.
“What? You’re not eating?”
“I lose my appetite during filming.”
It was always like this. During shoots, I had no appetite. There was also the burden of maintaining my physique.
But Hong Jong-ho’s brow furrowed at my words.
He pulled something from his bag and handed it to me.
It was a protein shake.
“…?”
“You’ll lose muscle mass if you don’t eat, New Member.”
Ah, right.
This was exactly the kind of person he was.
I recalled Hong Jong-ho constantly feeding me protein snacks, protein shakes, and chicken breast whenever I was skipping meals on set.

“You’re telling me I need to lose weight?”
“If you don’t eat anything, it actually won’t come off. Plus, if you lose muscle mass, you won’t be able to act for long.”
“Ugh… Hong Jong-ho…”
“Eat instead of talking. You’re losing muscle mass every second as we speak.”

That crazy bastard.
When I stared at him intently, Hong Jong-ho spoke.
“As I mentioned, I have a woman of destiny in my life.”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
I was about to ask when he’d stop calling her New Member when it happened.
Hong Jong-ho looked behind me and shouted.
“Oh, you startled me!”
I spun around in surprise to find a man sitting right behind me—I had no idea when he’d arrived.
Deep-set eyes. Sharp cheekbones. A chiseled jawline.
A handsome actor in the truest sense—the kind of face that looked like it had been stamped from a mold.
It was Seo Kyung-bin, the male lead of “Cohabitation with a Ghost.”
He barely reacted to Hong Jong-ho’s surprise, simply nodding his head slightly.
‘…When on earth did he get here?’
Looking closer, it seemed he’d been watching my acting footage.
“…Hello.”
When I greeted him quietly, Seo Kyung-bin rolled his eyes for a moment before nodding.
For reference, Seo Kyung-bin was known for being very taciturn, which was why there were rumors in the Drama Industry that he was unpleasant when he first became famous.
He didn’t return others’ greetings well, and he rarely initiated them either.
‘He was famous for that…’
But the Seo Kyung-bin I knew was—
“Please have some of this.”
I held out a matcha-flavored chocolate to Seo Kyung-bin as he monitored the footage.
‘He was famous among fans for being obsessed with this.’
After all, he’d even filmed a commercial as a chocolate fanatic.
When Seo Kyung-bin saw the matcha-flavored chocolate I offered, his eyes widened.
He opened his mouth in surprise—the same mouth he’d barely opened except when delivering lines at the first reading.
“Th… th… th… thank you.”
That’s right.
Seo Kyung-bin wasn’t actually unpleasant—he was simply introverted.
Extremely so.
And surprisingly, he even had a slight stutter.
‘Though it disappears the moment filming starts.’
An actor who was that introverted and had a stutter too?
You might think it doesn’t make sense, but—
‘It makes perfect sense.’
It’s a surprisingly well-documented fact that many actors possess introverted personalities.
Seo Kyung-bin falls into that category.
‘I heard he even had trauma from being bullied as a child.’
His naturally timid disposition had apparently grown worse after that experience.
When rumors of his rudeness began spreading from the Entertainment Industry to the general public, his Talent Agency hastily arranged a Talk Show appearance—this was what he’d said then.
He’d sweated profusely that day.
To be honest, I’d been judging Seo Kyung-bin based solely on hearsay.
But seeing him on the Talk Show—
‘There’s no way that could be an act…!’

【I, I, I c-can’t… t-talk… in an interesting w-way… can I?】
【Haha, that’s fine though. Are you uncomfortable? I could wash my face with all the sweat Kyung-bin’s been shedding!】

It seemed like an exaggerated joke meant to lighten the mood, but seeing the towel soaked through, I realized it was anything but exaggeration.
If someone could actually act out their sweat glands like that, they should be winning The Oscars.
Well, anyway.
It’s surprising to hear even a single word from someone like Seo Kyung-bin.
“Is that person an actor….”
Intercepting Hong Jong-ho’s astonished reaction to Seo Kyung-bin’s stammering, I greeted him in a low tone.
“I finished my scenes and was having a meal. I didn’t expect you to arrive so early—have you eaten?”
I couldn’t let this introvert close his mouth again after finally opening it!
Building rapport with my romantic lead is crucial for the acting.
After all, the actual relationship between the two of us inevitably bleeds through to the camera to some degree.
In the worst case, a kiss scene can be ruined by the cold chemistry between us, and in the best case, if we’re already dating, the chemistry can absolutely explode.
‘Well, setting aside the possibility of dating Seo Kyung-bin… the chance of us even becoming close approaches zero.’
But things shouldn’t get worse between us.
“Ah, th… um… e… uh….”
Seo Kyung-bin began deliberating as if I’d posed some world-class riddle.
That’s when Hong Jong-ho spoke up from beside me.
“Looks like you haven’t eaten.”
I’d just signaled him not to interrupt!
The moment I thought that, Hong Jong-ho began rummaging through his bag.
It was a sealed container holding chicken breast with cabbage wraps.
“I made this myself. Please have some.”
“…!”
Seo Kyung-bin’s face flushed crimson.
As if thinking, ‘This is the first time a man has ever given me something like this.’ His shoulders curled inward.
But Hong Jong-ho paid no mind and set the container on his lap.
“If you go hungry, you’ll lose muscle mass.”
Is he actually going to eat that?
Seo Kyung-bin?
That was my first thought, but Seo Kyung-bin picked up the lock container and bowed his head toward Hong Jong-ho, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.
It was a gesture of gratitude.
I gently nudged Hong Jong-ho to the side and whispered softly.
“How did you manage that?”
“What do you mean how? It’s obvious he just came from working out. Once you know that, he can’t refuse chicken breast. As for chocolate—he likes it but he’s been denying himself.”
“….”
But how did he know all that?
I glanced over at Seo Kyung-bin.
By then, he had already placed a mouthful of chicken breast wrapped in cabbage into his mouth.
His eyes widened as he savored the taste.
It looked delicious.
Now that I thought about it, Hong Jong-ho really did have exceptional cooking skills.
Especially the way he boiled the chicken breast—it was flawless.
But seeing him this eager made me wonder—
“Is this about the manager position you mentioned before?”
“I’ve thought it over. I won’t do it.”
“…!”
What? If you were going to refuse so flatly, why did you even come here?
“Not right now.”
Hong Jong-ho added matter-of-factly.
“I need to get the Gym sorted out first, and there’s someone who specifically requested me.”
Hong Jong-ho pointed directly at me.
“…Me? You mean me?”
“Yes. You purchased ten PT sessions.”
“No, that was….”
You don’t have to do it!
I only bought them because of you.
I absolutely hate working out.
“Skeletal muscle mass of eighteen kilograms.”
“Pardon?”
“If you achieve that within a month, I’ll take the job.”
Hong Jong-ho looked at me with that stubborn, bear-like determination I’d grown so familiar with.
“I won’t even ask for payment then. As your manager.”

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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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