Chapter 55: Drama’s Triumph

 “What, better than expected?” 

 [Youngyoung, a drama brimming with the boldness of rookies.] 

[You can’t help but trust and rely on Im Bada’s trajectory.]   

The reporters’ reviews were better than expected. Moreover, the feedback from those who watched Youngyoung episode 1 at the press conference was decent. 

3_3@enm_z 

Watched Youngyoung with no expectations since it’s a cable drama. A rookie director and a rookie writer—it’s like it’s written on their faces to keep expectations low. 

This drama’s early episodes are practically a showdown between Ryubyul and Im Bada’s acting. Ryubyul’s naturalistic acting in the first half and Im Bada’s delicate performance in the second half. 

3_3@enm_z

Im Bada said at the press conference that Yeonwoo could come off as unlikable… After watching episode 1, I understood why she said that.

A character embodying ‘good girl syndrome’ mixed with inferiority complex. Im Bada nailed a character that could easily be hated with her intricate and nuanced acting. 

Park Boojung felt a sense of relief. 

“…Bada did well.” 

Relief and pride washed over him. Now, Park Boojung had to make a decision. Would he stan the actor herself or just enjoy the drama’s filmography? 

As a drama enthusiast, Park Boojung usually loved dramas themselves, rarely getting attached to the actors. 

But now, he decided to slowly accept that he was becoming a fan of Im Bada. 

Negative@Q_E

Hello. This account will likely turn into an Im Bada fan account. From now on, I’ll be Negative, the actor stan, not just a casual fan! 

First, I need to separate my accounts. It’s a hassle, but if not now… 

“Huh?” 

[(Im Bada) The Monster Lessons trailer dropped, you know?] 

Doesn’t that silhouette look like Bada? 

Am I the only one who thinks so? 

Am I too Bada-focused? 

The Monster Lessons movie trailer dropped. It’s out. And the silhouette at the end of the trailer is supposed to be our Bada? 

“No way, that’s not true.” 

*** 

Two weeks after the preview screening, the atmosphere on the Youngyoung set was great. Everyone was laughing at the smallest things. 

“LOL!” 

“The sky’s so clear today.” 

Despite the cloudy sky looking like rain, the world seemed bright. Probably because the episode 1 screening reviews were good. 

‘Especially… the praise for my acting.’

Anyway, at the screening, reporters said that as the drama progresses, it’d be hard to see Ryubyul and me acting together. Probably because if my value rises, I won’t be in the same drama as her. 

That’s a bit disappointing. 

Tap. Tap.

Huh? Tap? 

“Bada-ya!” 

“…What?” 

“Nosebleed!” 

I looked down, and blood dripped onto my phone screen. Blinking in panic, Manager Min Seo-eun rushed over, stuffing tissue in my nose. 

“…You haven’t had a break lately.” 

“Must be tired. Ugh.” 

I really hadn’t had a break. 

[42:01:14] 

With no time to rest, my hours just kept stretching. I rolled the tissue Min Seo-eun gave me and stuffed it in my nose. 

“Bada-ya, the Monster Lessons trailer dropped.” 

“Already?” 

“People are saying the silhouette at the end is you.” 

The trailer for the Monster Lessons movie, coming out in two months, was out. A silhouette appeared like a shadow in the final cookie scene… 

‘They sure know how to spot me.’ 

Even I thought it looked like me. The director said it’d be hard to recognize since it’s just a silhouette, but… 

“Fans’ eyes don’t miss a thing.” 

“…I’d probably say it’s me too.” 

I shook my head, popping a spicy tuna kimbap from Min Seo-eun into my mouth. 

“By the way, Bada, did you watch The Tormented Him and the Happy Her?” 

I watched it while resting to shake off the time-travel debuff. 

“They did well.” 

It was practically Jo Janghee’s one-woman show. Scenes with her were suspiciously entertaining. 

“Jo Janghee’s acting is great.” 

“Too great…” 

Jealousy and envy bubbled up. 

“What about Kim Jungwoo?” 

“Of course, he was terrible.” 

Kim Jungwoo’s acting was so bad it got bombarded with comments. His acting controversies followed him everywhere. 

“…Good.” 

Min Seo-eun whispered quietly. 

“I’m glad you didn’t do that drama.” 

“…Unnie, people might hear.” 

“I know, I know. There are lots of listeners.” 

I understood Min Seo-eun’s sentiment. Like she said, I was lucky not to be in that drama. Its ratings up to episode 4 were 2.1%. And its buzz… 

‘Disastrous…’ 

Only Jo Janghee’s acting skills and Kim Jungwoo’s controversies were mentioned. Nothing about the drama itself. 

By the way, today’s the day for Ryubyul and Im Hoon’s kiss scene. 

“Why don’t you rest at home? You don’t have a shoot today.” 

“I want to watch the kiss scene.” 

“Don’t tease your friends.” 

It’s not a real kiss scene—just a finger kiss. 

Kim Sohyun and Lee young hide in a warehouse after an attack. In the cramped space, Lee young’s finger brushes Ryubyul’s lips. 

Those two acting that out? Just imagining it… 

‘…It’ll be fun.’

“Huh? Bada-ya?” 

“Oh, nothing.” 

No, I shouldn’t. 

‘I wanted to feel jealousy.’ 

There’s a scene later where Yeonwoo meets Lee young. Seeing Lee young completely in love with someone else, Yeonwoo’s supposed to feel jealous. But to feel that… 

“Ugh! That guy!” 

“Finger kiss?!” 

The two were already bickering. 

‘How am I supposed to feel jealous with them like this…’ 

Ryubyul frowned, crossing her legs. 

“I hate you too.” 

“Hey, same here.” 

“Don’t use big words.” 

“What’s so big about ‘same here’?” 

Maybe because it’s not a real lip kiss. 

“What? Im Bada! Why are you here?” 

Im Hoon, spotting me first, grimaced. 

“To watch.” 

“The kiss?” 

“Yeah, why else would I be here?” 

Ryubyul personally made a gagging gesture from behind, then glared at me, laughing. 

“…You came to have fun, didn’t you?” 

How’d she know? 

“No, I came for the next shoot.” 

“…Sounds like a lie.” 

“Half true, half false.” 

“You really came to tease.” 

How could I not? 

Trying to hide my gleeful expression, Ryubyul suddenly turned to Im Hoon. 

“Hey, Im Hoon.” 

“Huh? What?” 

“That thing we talked about. Should we not do it?” 

“Oh… that.” 

They seemed to have a secret. What was it? They whispered in each other’s ears. This kind of vibe calls for caution… 

“You guys, be careful. Looks like a scandal’s brewing.” 

When I warned them, both shouted in shock. 

“Im Bada, are you crazy?” 

“Hey! Just call me rude! Insult my personality!” 

Don’t they know? There are tons of posts saying Ryubyul and Im Hoon have great chemistry. People are even fangirling over them, yet they act like they hate each other… 

“Is warning you a crime?” 

“It is.” 

“It’s a crime!” 

Ryubyul, still upset, pounded her chest with her fist. 

“Thinking about the kiss made me nauseous. I need an antacid.” 

Saying the jeuk deopbap from breakfast wasn’t sitting well, she went to get an antacid. Looking at the relatively calm Im Hoon, I asked, 

“You’re not nervous?” 

“Nervous about what? It’s just a finger kiss.” 

“Oh, you’re confident.” 

“Of course.” 

…His confidence is something else. Seeing Im Hoon’s smug expression, my true feelings slipped out. 

“I really want to hit you…” 

Is he bragging that much? 

“You want to do something shameless to this precious face?” 

It is a precious face. A face like his isn’t common. But the problem is it’s only the face that’s impressive. 

“What were you and Ryubyul talking about earlier?” 

“Earlier?” 

Im Hoon grinned slyly. 

“Why’re you smiling like that?” 

“Curious, huh? Super curious, right? You’d be curious too.” 

Clenching my fist at his teasing, I thought, ‘Should I kill him?’

“Hey, hey! There’s murder in your eyes…” 

“Spill it.” 

I raised both fists, ready to strike. Im Hoon flinched but quickly surrendered. 

“A bet. We made a bet!” 

“A bet? What kind?” 

“Just… to hear you say we acted well.” 

“But… why me?” 

There’s Yeom Haejin and others. Why me? My fists loosened at the absurdity. 

“…Uh, what? Just… you’re the closest.” 

“You’d get a more objective opinion from Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim.” 

“We don’t have much connection with her to ask.” 

Fair point. 

“Sorry.” 

I apologized immediately. 

“But during the seven episodes, you never once said I acted well?” 

“…I’m not good enough at acting to judge others.” 

“No, you’re Im-sensei.” 

Why’s he fixating on that? Im Hoon awkwardly shrugged, trying some cringeworthy aegyo. 

“Do iiiit!” 

But could I evaluate Im Hoon’s acting…? 

“You…” 

Sorry. I turned my head silently. 

“Hey… hey?” 

“…” 

“Don’t make me feel pathetic. Say something.” 

“…” 

“Am I still bad at acting?” 

What should I say? He’s improved. Just improved. 

“You’ve gotten better.” 

“…You’re not looking me in the eye right now.” 

His expression acting and gaze handling are still clumsy. Luckily, his character doesn’t demand much acting… 

‘Good thing Ryubyul covers for him.’ 

Ryubyul returned but was caught by Yeom Haejin. 

“Im Hoon-ssi, come here for a sec!” 

She gestured for him to come. 

“I’m going?” 

“Yeah, go.” 

“Don’t tell Ryubyul I spilled about the bet, got it?” 

As Im Hoon joined Yeom Haejin, the stunt team came to explain. I watched, lost in thought. 

‘Why’d she agree to that bet?’ 

She’s not better at acting than me. Objectively, she’s winning. I don’t want to admit it, but… 

As I turned to check the script, I saw a man I’d never seen before taking photos of Ryubyul and Im Hoon. He was holding a Youngyoung script, posing like it was a proof shot. 

‘A proof shot?’ 

A stranger taking photos? This is… 

“Seo-eun unnie?” 

I woke Manager Min Seo-eun, who was napping in the car. 

“Huh? Huh! I wasn’t sleeping.” 

“Unnie, do you know that guy?” 

“That guy?” 

She put on her glasses from the passenger seat and peered at him. 

“…No?” 

Before I could ask who he was, the man, catching my eye, bolted. 

‘Suspicious.’ 

And why them specifically? Something felt off. 

“…Unnie, there’s a manager meeting, right?” 

Min Seo-eun waved her phone at me. 

“Already told them.” 

Forget the kiss scene. I need to see what trouble’s brewing tomorrow. I hope it’s not something that’ll harm the drama. 

Episode 4 is out, and it’s when viewers start getting overly immersed. I shouldn’t face any fallout, right? 

That’s what I thought. 

*** 

The day cable channel NTV’s Youngyoung episode 1 aired. 

– Cable channel’s first historical drama lol 

– Doesn’t seem like it’ll be fun 

– What even is a time-travel drama ;; 

– ㅠ Time-travel dramas are awesome though 

– Episode 1 started ㄱㄱㄱ 

From the start of episode 1, it was a dark night with rain pouring. Lightning struck, splitting a tree, and a human figure was barely visible. 

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

The sound of horse hooves echoed rapidly. Guard Cheongrip dismounted, drenched in rain, Ros, shouting at the Eastern Palace. 

The moment Prince Lee young, quietly writing hanja alone, looked up. 

“Your Highness! The lady of the Kim clan has died!” 

The brush he held fell, rolling on the floor, ink splattering everywhere.