The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 76

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

Episode 76

***

“Wait, I think Sae-i misunderstood something…”

Representative Kim smiled mysteriously and tapped the synopsis.

“This project isn’t for you and Woon Seong-ha together, but specifically came addressed to Ju Sae-i personally.”

“…What? Just me alone?”

Ju Sae-i’s eyes widened. Representative Kim nodded and continued.

“The director who watched ‘The Mountain God Blesses’ was completely captivated by Ju Sae-i’s acting.”

Well, he already told me that earlier.

So I thought he just gave it to Wave Actors because they recognized me. But it turns out he specifically pointed me out.

“He said your charisma and atmosphere, which are uncommon for a newcomer, are perfect for the female lead image of Season 3.”

Ju Sae-i looked bewildered.

I only came here today to introduce Woon Seong-ha to Chairman Ju Taeback, but I’m leaving with a casting offer as an actor.

And as the female lead of ‘Romance Record’ no less.

“Anyway… there originally wasn’t an opportunity for Woon Seong-ha.”

Sae-i gulped. “Originally wasn’t” seemed to imply there was one now.

“But the production situation for this drama isn’t good right now. The main investor suddenly pulled out, so the production is in crisis.”

Representative Kim looked at Seong-ha with the eyes of a seasoned businessman.

“So I’m thinking of making a deal. We provide production funding with our financial power, and in exchange, we push Woon Seong-ha into the vacant male lead candidate position.”

“…!”

“Woon Seong-ha’s looks seem to match well with this character here.”

‘Romance Record’ has one universal formula.

The female protagonist has at least two to at most four male protagonist candidates.

Representative Kim pointed his finger at a role called ‘Lee Ju-eon’ among the male protagonist candidates.

“The director won’t have any reason to refuse if the investment is secured.”

Representative Kim turned his head to Woon Seong-ha.

“How about it, Woon Seong-ha? Are you confident? There’s a high probability that Ju Sae-i will be the female lead, and you would be the male lead. The scale is quite big for a newcomer to handle…”

Before the question was even finished.

“I’ll do it.”

Woon Seong-ha answered immediately without even looking at the script. It was a clear answer without a second of hesitation.

‘Actually, it doesn’t matter what the character is like or how much screen time there is.’

Woon Seong-ha’s inner thoughts were simple. His mind was filled only with the thought of being able to stand next to Ju Sae-i.

Not as an aspiring actor and an actor, but as partners breathing together on the same level.

The dream he’d harbored ever since meeting Ju Sae-i, ever since seeing her act.

Being captured in the same frame as her.

With that dream right before his eyes, what did it matter if the scale was too big for a newcomer? He would have gratefully accepted even a villain role or passerby #1.

“Haha, you have good spirit just as the Chairman said. Then let’s start by looking at the character description.”

Representative Kim opened the character introduction page of the script.

Ju Sae-i also read through the description of Lee Ju-eon, the male protagonist candidate.

[Lee Ju-eon (19 years old) / Archery athlete]

A genius called a divine archer in the archery world, but a boy who acts infinitely weak in front of the female protagonist who is his childhood friend.

Usually quiet and gentle like a deer, but transforms when he holds a bow. Surprisingly decisive. Usually someone you want to take care of, but when it really matters, Ju-eon steps up to take care of others.

The type who becomes obsessed with one thing and pursues only that. Both with archery and love.

Ju Sae-i’s mouth gradually fell open as she read the description.

‘…Wow.’

This was just Woon Seong-ha.

Of course, Seong-ha wasn’t exactly the quiet type. And I didn’t always feel like taking care of him…

But that characteristic of being gentle normally but transforming the moment he holds a bow was eerily perfect.

It was like the intersection between Lee Ju-eon the archery genius and Woon Seong-ha the acting genius.

Ju Sae-i imagined Woon Seong-ha in a white archery uniform, drawing the bowstring taut while holding his breath. Woon Seong-ha’s eyes shining fiercely as if to pierce through the center of the target.

Then coming out of the competition venue, touching his calloused fingers with a blank expression as if nothing had happened.

‘…This is amazing.’

This will work. No, it has to work. Sae-i lifted her head with confident eyes.

Woon Seong-ha sitting next to her was also smiling mysteriously while looking at the character description.

“How is it? Can you do it?”

“Yeah. It seems a bit similar to me too.”

“What is? Being a genius?”

“No.”

Seong-ha stared intently at Sae-i and whispered meaningfully.

“Getting obsessed with one thing and only seeing that.”

His gaze lingered persistently on Sae-i.

As if like Lee Ju-eon looking only at the target, Woon Seong-ha’s world was already filled entirely with Ju Sae-i.

***

It had been a stormy day.

Many things happened at school, and I even secured an audition spot for the lead role in Romance Record at the office.

Perhaps because I accomplished so much, my body was exhausted but my mind was clear.

“A delivery arrived for you, miss.”

As soon as I entered the Jaedamjae annex, the housekeeper handed me a box.

I didn’t order any packages though?

When I checked the sender, an unexpected name was written there. It was Ryu Dokyung.

I sat on the bed and opened the box. Inside was a note and an envelope.

[Take it if you want. You can throw it away if you really hate it.]

A laugh escaped me as soon as I saw the handwriting on the note.

Just like how he talks. Adding that I could throw it away was so typical of Ryu Dokyung.

I grumbled and opened the document envelope.

The moment I saw the contents spilling onto the bed, I had to freeze.

“…When were all these taken?”

They were photos. Very old photos from times that had grown dim even in my memory.

Me as a snotty kid wearing a yellow kindergarten hat and tightly holding Ryu Dokyung’s hand.

At a sports day, Ryu Dokyung making a V-sign with a first-place stamp on his wrist, and me eating ice cream next to him.

Even a photo of us playing in the dirt in the Jaedamjae yard, our faces all dirty, laughing while looking at each other.

‘…He kept all of these.’

Our history was much longer and deeper than I thought.

Young Ryu Dokyung, though prickly like now, was busy taking care of me.

Looking closely at the photos now, Ryu Dokyung’s gaze in every photo was always directed toward me.

When I was being distracted, when I was crying, when I was laughing.

‘I didn’t know back then…’

I flipped through the photos one by one with a strange feeling. But the texture I felt was a bit odd.

This photo paper texture…

Just one that wasn’t stiff. A slightly worn photo with frayed edges was mixed among them. It seemed to be the only original.

“Oh, this is…”

A scene of me crying for some reason I can’t even remember, with Ryu Dokyung crouched down wiping my tears with clumsy hands.

‘He must have accidentally included the original.’

I casually flipped the photo over. And at that moment, I stopped breathing.

Something was written on the back of the photo in familiar handwriting. From the smudged ink, it seemed to have been written long ago.

[When will you come back. I miss you.]

[I might never see you again, so why am I still sitting here holding onto you.]

[Nothing is more foolish than clinging to uncertainty. You’re ruining me.]

“…”

My heart seemed to drop with a thud at the sentences that appeared to have been written over several occasions.

He had been waiting for me in that empty room, going through our memories, waiting for me who never came.

‘I miss you… he said.’

The usual arrogant and sly third-generation chaebol Ryu Dokyung was nowhere to be found.

Only a clumsy boy remained, left all alone, who had been waiting for me after I suddenly disappeared and secretly wrote his true feelings behind the photo.

“…Ah.”

Why am I getting so choked up…

I pressed my heated eyes firmly with the back of my hand.

“Really… making me feel sorry.”

I felt like I had confirmed that his words in front of the cafeteria, those words about calling it jealousy, were never light jokes.

I gently traced the rough handwriting written on the back with my finger.

Ryu Dokyung said I could throw it away, but I had no choice but to carefully place this photo in the box where I kept my precious things.

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