15 - The Second is Proficient
The teacher, who knew nothing, spoke with a welcoming expression, but Ji-an's face hardened.
Ji-an couldn't step forward to play the piano because she had transferred schools abruptly without revealing the accident to the public. She hadn't yet accepted the fact that she could no longer play the piano.
The music teacher knew that Ji-an was a pianist, but Sol-mi didn't even know that. She couldn't imagine someone from the arts transferring to the humanities. So, it was just a remark made to embarrass Ji-an.
Either way, it was indeed embarrassing. Ji-an clenched and unclenched her fist. It was because she couldn't give up her dream of being a pianist. Even now. At the request to play the piano, she slowly stood up.
"Yes."
It had been a long time since she had played the piano. But her hands were fine. She could do everyday tasks, so why couldn't she play the piano? She couldn't understand it at all. Ji-an got up as if possessed and walked towards the piano.
Meanwhile, Hyun-joo, who played the role of Min Hyo-ryeong and was waiting for her scene to be filmed, sat nearby and observed Se-ah. Watching the real Se-ah act made her feel like sweat was trickling down her spine.
'How can she do that?'
It was fine that she expressed the emotion of losing a dream with a straight posture, expressionless face, and listless actions. That was normal. The fear she had felt during the reading seemed like a lie.
But when asked to play the piano, all sorts of emotions swirled on Se-ah's face. As if she had been suppressing them well until now, and they burst out with a single word from someone who knew nothing.
She stared blankly at her hands, completely conveying the silent rage that engulfed her with her expression.
As if determined, she stood up and stood before the piano with a solemn and combative air. As if sad and happy at the same time. As if she couldn't live without playing the piano. She played like crazy.
As if rejecting her fate, she pounded the piano with her unmoving fingers, pouring all her strength into it. The resentment of an incomprehensible frustration and the manic obsession that she could still play were strangely mixed. All of that was conveyed in just the back view of her playing.
"No way..."
Hyun-joo muttered without realizing it. A deep sense of defeat. She had a scene with Se-ah in the afternoon, and she felt a surge of fear that she would be swept away by that performance.
After the long shot, Se-ah's piano close-up filming continued. The supporting actors and extras were sitting somewhat freely. At that time, Yu-ri, who was sitting next to Hyun-joo, sighed as if bored, examined her nails, and spoke.
"It's really ridiculous, isn't it? We can do better than her."
"We?"
Since when were we a 'we'? Besides, are you saying you can do better than that performance right now? What is this crazy woman? Are you blind? Are you really thinking that after seeing that performance? Hyun-joo's face contorted in absurdity.
"She's nothing special. You don't have to look at her like that."
Ignoring Yu-ri's arrogant words as she continued to groom her nails, Hyun-joo took out the script. She found the scene where she faced Se-ah and studied it again and again.
Joy and sorrow. She was an actress who evoked such empathy while expressing conflicting emotions at the same time. Im Se-ah was. She wondered why she was only realizing it now, but she also thought it was good that she had met her now.
Hyun-joo was always thirsty for acting and roles. She wanted to immerse herself in the role a little more. She felt like she was doing well, but she wanted to do better.
How should she respond to her performance? It seemed that the only way to face the complete Seo Ji-an was to become the complete Min Hyo-ryeong. Hyun-joo's lips curled up in pleasant tension and joy.
\\
After the filming of Elite High School Romance Records was over, Ye-won dropped Se-ah off and returned to the office.
"You're back?"
"Yes, Director. How have you been?"
It was to meet Director Song Yoon-mi. She was going to answer in advance to the words that she should work for three months and then quit. As soon as Song saw Ye-won, she smiled and said.
"I can tell without asking you."
"Does it show that much on my face?"
"Your eyes are sparkling. Just like when I first met you."
At those words, Ye-won smiled brightly. She had met Director Song Yoon-mi when she had just started working as a manager. She was a grateful person who had helped her a lot psychologically when she was young and full of enthusiasm. She was happy and relieved to hear that she had eyes similar to when they first met from such a person.
"Our Se-ah is amazing."
"Oh my, is it already 'our'?"
Ye-won smiled and accepted the coffee that Song handed her.
"She's my actress that I just met."
Ye-won began to brag about Se-ah in a slightly doting tone. From how hard she practiced to how the staff and even the director were mesmerized when she acted.
Song was inwardly surprised once again as she listened to Ye-won's words.
"When we were filming the music video last time. I was honestly embarrassed when I heard about the preparations. I wondered if it was necessary to go that far..."
To practice being blind to the point of bruising her whole body. Still, she thought that there would be a use for it someday and let it go. But the moment she saw Se-ah's performance, which completely understood the concept in the music video, Ye-won was truly impressed and got goosebumps.
"Was it that good?"
"Director. You have to watch the music video. You really have to."
Song quietly looked at Ye-won's eyes and nodded. She had never felt that Se-ah's acting was that good. It was just 'a little talented' or 'I think she can be developed well', but when did she practice so much and improve her skills?
"Okay. I'll definitely watch it."
"Oh, and Director."
Ye-won, who had been smiling at Song's positive response, glanced at the situation outside the door and lowered her voice.
"Are you really going to start an entertainment company?"
At those words, Song sighed as if contemplating. She was a senior and junior in college with Heo Jun-seong, the CEO of UZ Entertainment. They got along well, so she had joined the company he had started. But as time went on, Jun-seong seemed to be only focused on making money.
"I don't know."
Song liked movies and dramas, but she was more interested in other things than acting. She liked to take in friends with dreams, educate them, and watch them grow.
"I'm not sure."
There were many desperate kids, but the kids at UZ Entertainment were not like that. Rather than acting, it was more like they wanted to be in the spotlight and become famous in an instant. Of course, she knew that there were many kids like that in this industry, but she was sad that the company she was helping to run was changing like that.
"Could you stay at least for Se-ah's contract period?"
Song's thoughts deepened at Ye-won's cautious words. The work related to starting a business was almost finished, but she had not yet submitted her resignation. Should she talk to Jun-seong one more time before quitting?
"I'll think about it."
"Thank you."
How much time was left on Se-ah's contract? Song, who was estimating, got up from her seat.
"Go and rest a bit. I should go see CEO Heo."
"Yes, Director. I'll see you next time."
After cleaning up the coffee cups, Song scanned the list of affiliated actors once again. Se-ah's contract was ending at the end of this year.
CEO Heo had recently engaged in inappropriate lobbying with Miso Confectionery. Although such lobbying was secretly taking place in this industry, there were plenty of agencies that did not do so. Song, recalling the problems she had recently argued about, sighed and headed to the CEO's office.
"CEO Heo."
She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. She glanced through the small glass window in the door and saw him talking on the phone. When their eyes met, CEO Heo gestured for her to come in.
"Yes, yes, don't worry. Oh, you're stating the obvious."
CEO Heo, who was bowing and scraping to someone on the phone, hung up and hardened his expression.
"Director Song. Are you going to assign road managers as you please?"
He was talking about the fact that she had assigned Ye-won to Se-ah this time. Song shrugged and sat on the reception sofa. Then CEO Heo also moved from his office desk to the sofa and sat down.
"Then should I send an actor affiliated with the company alone?"
"No, we have Yu-ri's manager! They can go together. We've been doing that all along, why are you suddenly changing things?"
"How can they go together when their schedules are different? That's more inefficient."
"How much does she earn to have a manager attached to her? Her family isn't interested in her, so she can't get any connections."
At the blatant words, Song's eyebrows twitched. So, he meant that if Se-ah's family, who were tycoons, had shown some interest, her treatment would have been different. CEO Heo, who was taking out a cigarette case from his inside pocket, said that lobbying would have been easier.
"Smoke when I'm not here."
When Song openly showed her discomfort, CEO Heo clicked his tongue and put the cigarette case back in.
"Did you see Se-ah's acting?"
"Acting? Is that important?"
It was important. But Song's eyes narrowed at CEO Heo's words, as if it didn't matter at all. Where had the person she had gotten along with in college gone?
The words that she would quit right away were on the tip of her tongue, but she held back when she remembered Ye-won's face, who had asked her to stay until the end of the year.
"Im Se-ah can't act for long anyway."
Song, who was taken aback by the sudden words, burst out laughing.
"What did you say?"
"She's getting married soon."
At the following words, Song's expression hardened as if she was dumbfounded. At that, CEO Heo smirked and sneered.
"Don't waste your energy on her."
CEO Heo tapped Song's shoulder and went outside. It seemed like he was going to smoke the cigarette he couldn't smoke earlier. Song, who was lost in thought for a moment, returned to her office and looked at Se-ah's schedule.
It seemed wise to listen to her first.
\\
The filming set was always busy. Se-ah was focused on reviewing the script when she heard Ye-won's call and looked up.
"Se-ah, Hyun-joo's filming is starting now."
Hyun-joo's solo filming was what she had been waiting for. Hyun-joo's filming so far had mostly been scenes where she acted like a queen in a group. But this solo filming was a scene where the emotional changes of the role Hyun-joo played were diverse.
"Ah! Thank you, Unnie."
Se-ah, who had been focusing on the script until the end was worn out, smiled brightly and got up to leave the waiting room.
"What's the point of watching?"
Yu-ri, who was sitting with her legs crossed on one side, sneered, but she didn't even glance at her and opened the door. When she heard Yu-ri shouting "Hey!" from behind, Ye-won clicked her tongue.
"She's really..."
Se-ah chuckled at that pathetic reaction. Since they were using the waiting room together at the filming set, she couldn't help but run into Yu-ri. She was tired, but it was ridiculous to ask to change the waiting room. Well, she wasn't doing anything too harmful, so she would just endure it.
She erased Yu-ri from her mind and stared at Hyun-joo, who was out on the filming set. She was monitoring after finishing filming with the male lead.
At that time, she made eye contact with Hyun-joo, who turned her head.
