16 - The Second is Proficient
Their dark pupils lingered on each other for quite some time.
Hyun-joo averted her gaze for the next scene, but Se-ah was lost in thought. She had seen Hyun-joo's interview before her regression. Hyun-joo had said she joined the drama club after being drawn to a poster she saw by chance in middle school.
She had said the A4 paper on the school wall depicted a stage and spotlights. Hyun-joo had laughed, saying she found herself standing in front of the club without realizing it, drawn to the actor standing in the center of that light.
That laughter looked so happy, and she had been so envious back then.
"Se-ah-ssi."
Hyun-joo, who had finished talking with Director Kim, approached and spoke to her. Se-ah was expressionless, but Hyun-joo was even more so. Perhaps it was because of her sharp eyes. It was difficult to talk to her when she was still. It didn't seem like she was the type to initiate a conversation like this.
"Did you come to see my acting?"
"Yes. I'll leave if you're uncomfortable."
"No, it's not that."
Se-ah awkwardly raised the corners of her lips. They shared the waiting room but had never talked, so the time spent facing each other felt awkward. Hyun-joo, who had been staring at her as if observing her, parted her lips.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Ah, yes. What..."
"Why do you act?"
Se-ah's eyes widened slightly at the direct question. Why do I act? She paused, lost in thought. How did she start acting? Her mother's influence was significant at first. She liked her mother's appearance in movies, and naturally became immersed in the stories. Her mother on screen seemed so grand, and she admired that image.
"I loved Ahn Hye-soo's acting."
Se-ah lowered her eyes slightly, lost in reminiscence, and spoke carefully. It had been a long time since she had spoken her mother's name. Even before her regression, she could count on one hand the number of times she had mentioned her mother's name. Had she missed her mother for too long? She felt bitter at the dulled and blurred emotions.
"Ahn Hye-soo's acting is great."
Hyun-joo's eyes sparkled. The corners of her lips seemed to lift slightly, and a faint smile spread across Se-ah's face as well. It seemed like she was seeing Hyun-joo's bright expression for the first time. She had seen her smile in her roles, but this was the first time she had seen her smile in real life. The atmosphere became a little more comfortable, and the corners of their eyes crinkled slightly.
"I accidentally joined the drama club in middle school."
"Drama club?"
Since she couldn't say that she had seen an interview that Hyun-joo hadn't done yet, Se-ah pretended not to know and asked back. Hyun-joo nodded and continued.
"Yes. You've seen my plays, right, Se-ah-ssi?"
"Of course."
"The teacher took us to Daehakro during club activities."
Se-ah was surprised that Hyun-joo was telling her her story, but she felt good. She wanted to become friends. She knew that Hyun-joo loved acting and that she was a good person.
At the same time, Do Geon-ha came to mind. That person also loved acting and was a good person... Se-ah, startled by the unconscious thought, flinched.
"I saw a play then and was immediately captivated."
Fortunately, Hyun-joo seemed not to have noticed because she was looking at the set. Se-ah, secretly sighing, nodded in agreement.
"I think I know what you mean. The actors must have been really good."
The charm of stories. Showing stories to someone. Telling stories without causing discomfort. Drawing the viewer's soul and immersing them in the role was not an easy task at all.
"I thought you would understand, Se-ah-ssi."
Hyun-joo, feeling that they were on the same wavelength, met Se-ah's eyes, and the corners of her lips curved smoothly. Her complete smile, not just a hint of one like before, was charming.
"Okay, we'll start filming soon!"
Se-ah, hearing Director Kim's voice, took a step back.
Hyun-joo nodded to her and went up the stairs where the filming would take place. The staff, who had been running around busily, stopped moving. The audio team, camera team, lighting team, and everyone else focused on one scene. Hyun-joo, getting into character for the filming, looked radiant.
Meanwhile, Hyun-joo stood in the spot she had agreed upon with Director Kim in advance and closed her eyes.
It was to calm her excited emotions. She had wanted to have a conversation with Se-ah. It was hard to find someone her age who acted as well as she did. She was even wondering why she hadn't seen her until now, considering how well she acted.
"Cue!"
At the director's signal, Hyun-joo opened her eyes, straightened her back, and lifted her chin. Her family was not wealthy, but 'Min Hyo-ryeong', the character she was playing, was the granddaughter of a well-known conglomerate, and her pride was considerable.
An aristocrat. Literally, a young lady who had learned and grown up with noblesse oblige. She had a noble pride, but she was also brought down by jealousy. She was elated and despondent because of one person she liked, and she was hurt as if her insides were being gouged out by the glances that person gave to someone else.
Softly, softly. Hyo-ryeong, descending the stairs with a straight posture, stopped abruptly. She was told that a flashback scene would be inserted here. Hyo-ryeong watching the male lead, Woo-seok, not taking his eyes off the female lead, Ji-an.
The tightly closed eyes and lips in the monitor revealed deep emotion. Director Kim nodded and gave a signal, and Hyo-ryeong let out a trembling sigh and opened her eyes again.
Her exposed pupils were so calm that it was impossible to imagine the emotions from before.
'As expected, amazing.'
Se-ah, who was watching, also held her breath and became immersed. The next scene was the key. Hyo-ryeong, who slowly descended the stairs, turned her gaze to the sign that read "Infirmary." She had come to get medicine because she was suffering from a persistent headache even during class. The hand she reached out to open the door hesitated.
It was because of the sound coming from inside the infirmary. The scene inside the infirmary had already been filmed. It was a scene where Se-ah, playing Ji-an, was talking to the school nurse.
The school nurse had received information about Ji-an's condition from her parents. Ji-an had been in a traffic accident where her hands were crushed under a tire. She had recovered a lot over a sufficient period, but delicate activities like playing the piano were impossible. Repeated impacts would only damage her hands further.
"Ji-an-ah. Shouldn't you tell the public now?"
Since this part would be edited later, one of the staff recited the teacher's lines instead. It was a cruel statement to tell her to announce her retirement because she could no longer play the piano. Se-ah's acting was replayed in Hyun-joo's head, who was playing Hyo-ryeong.
Her tearful, bloodshot eyes flickered with despair. Her slender hands were trembling uncontrollably, and her fingers were taped to support the muscles in each joint due to throbbing pain.
Ji-an cried. Like an animal. Long and sorrowfully.
As if hearing the sound of crying, Hyo-ryeong's hand trembled. Hyo-ryeong's eyelids fluttered as she reflexively took a step back. So, pianist Seo Ji-an was her. Surprised by the newly realized fact, Hyo-ryeong's lips twitched as she interpreted the meaning that she could no longer play the piano.
Pianist Seo Ji-an. She had heard that she had been talented since she was a child and had been invited to all the famous concerts.
That was all Hyo-ryeong had heard. Ji-an did not have many external activities, so people did not know her face well unless they were interested or involved.
Pianist Seo Ji-an's family was not very well-off. This child would have nowhere to go now. Even if she started studying now, she could not be the same as them. No matter how much Woo-seok was interested in her, Woo-seok's family would not allow it.
"Ah..."
The smile that appeared as if the throbbing headache had disappeared was clearly 'relief'. Then, she paused, and her expression hardened.
"What am I thinking...?"
As a fellow student attending the same school, she was rejoicing at Ji-an's misfortune instead of feeling sorry for her. Hyo-ryeong's mind, which had seen, heard, and learned differently, thought that Ji-an was pitiful, but her heart did not.
Woo-seok's family wanted someone who would actively engage in work rather than just support him. So, Ji-an could never be with Woo-seok. Her face contorted with the joy rising from her toes.
She thoroughly learned etiquette and hid her emotions. It was the moment when Hyo-ryeong's true nature, which had been hidden within, was revealed. Her head tilted slightly, and the subtle corners of her lips, as if she was about to smile, were eerie.
"Okay, cut!"
At Director Kim's energetic shout, Hyun-joo washed her face with her hands. Hyun-joo, who came out of the camera and monitored, wanted to reshoot, saying that the hand trying to open the infirmary door was awkward. She persuaded the director for various reasons and went back into the camera.
"Se-ah-ssi."
Director Kim called her and whispered.
"Aren't you looking forward to it? Filming a two-shot with Hyun-joo-ssi."
In the scenes to be filmed soon, Se-ah and Hyun-joo had a scene where they properly confronted each other. She was looking forward to it during the reading, but she was even more looking forward to it after seeing Hyun-joo's acting.
"Yes. I think I need to prepare thoroughly."
She didn't want to lose. Se-ah's face, watching Hyun-joo getting into character, was tinged with pleasant tension.
\*
[New song] Did you see Dan's music video? Who is the actor?
The title is the content. Does anyone know who the actor in this new Dan's music video is?
└This new song is crazy... so good. The actor was pretty, is she a rookie?
└Just pretty? I was so surprised by her acting; I really thought she couldn't see. D D
└I know. Im Se-ah. She does a late-night radio show, and her voice is pretty too. She also filmed a Snack Chips commercial, and her face is pretty too.
└Everything is pretty, huh? You're Im Se-ah.
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I admit her acting. I want to see other things. There are only independent films.
└What's the radio frequency?
"CEO Im, this is the reaction to the music video that was released this time."
Se-ah's father, CEO Im, carefully examined the reactions brought by his secretary. The public's reaction was good. It was difficult to conclude with just one music video, but there were quite a few favorable reviews about her acting skills. There were also reactions that they wanted to see other works.
[Advertisement] Snack Chips girlfriend pic.
Isn't she pretty? She's my girlfriend. (photo)
└She is pretty.
└It's obviously an actress. ㅋㅋ
└It's Im Se-ah.
└This commercialㅋ She was pretty and her acting was good, but it wasn't exposed.
└It comes out in the early morning. Who's watching at that time.
└I agree. It seems like her agency is an anti. ㅋ
CEO Im, who was looking at the reactions to the advertisement, sighed and closed the pad.
"The bloodline doesn't go anywhere."
Tsk, he clicked his tongue and handed the pad over, and the secretary, who received it, bowed her head and left the CEO's office. CEO Im, who cast his gaze out the window, thought of his wife, who was no longer in this world.
"She's good at acting, huh."
Could she have talent? She went out to act, but she hadn't produced a proper work yet. Perhaps he was relieved at heart. Since her face resembled him, her father, more, he thought that she would not have inherited her mother's talent.
CEO Im stood up the frame that was lying face down on the desk. It was a photo that looked at least 20 years old. A five-year-old Se-ah and a young CEO Im and his wife were sitting together affectionately.
"Ahn Hye-soo..."
There was another reason why CEO Im disliked Se-ah's dream. The reason why he hated the profession of acting was the same.
Of course, the family atmosphere was the biggest reason, but that wasn't the only reason.
When Se-ah entered high school, his wife, who was an actress, passed away while working on a role. He was afraid that his daughter would become like his wife.
It wasn't an accident.
