Chapter 32: Creative Courage

Anyone could see “I didn’t study” written on Im Bada’s innocent face.

‘She’s cute, though.’

“No, no! I wasn’t listening!”

“Really? You weren’t?”

“I was studying hard… probably?”

She tried to explain, but—

“You were listening.”

“And not studying.”

It didn’t fool them.

What now? Caught.

★★★

Thanks to time travel, I memorized lines quickly, leaving extra time. I used it to sneakily observe Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim.

She looked deep in thought, so I stayed quiet.

“It’s homework,” she said.

“You gotta do homework diligently.”

Tch. Didn’t work.

“Noona doesn’t care for kids who don’t study~,” Cheon Ian teased.

“…Really?”

“Kidding.”

“Sunbae-nim, please.”

Tae Jin-hwa nudged Cheon Ian’s side. “Stop bullying your junior.”

“Noona, bullying?”

“New kind of bullying,” I quipped.

“Look at that mouth!” Cheon Ian shot back.

“Guess I got it from being your junior.”

“I’m an angel with a sweet mouth.”

Not angelic at all. Where’s the angel? As Cheon Ian and I exchanged glares, Tae Jin-hwa spoke.

“Ian-ah, coach Bada’s acting.”

“…Me?”

“Yeah, you.”

“I’m expensive.”

“Do it as my birthday gift.”

“Whoa, playing dirty? Fine.”

‘Gave in quick.’

“Noona says birthday gift, so I’m in…”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” I said.

“Junior, no tact?”

“Maybe a little.”

“Not a little—a lot.”

He sat beside me, eyeing me to explain.

“I’m starting a drama soon. My first historical one. In my club, I only played maids.”

“Toughest role, huh?”

“So I’ve rarely done proper historical acting.”

He asked how I’d been studying. I shared Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim’s advice.

“Then show me now.”

“What?”

“Before the mille-feuille nabe’s ready, let’s act.”

Right now?

“I can do it.”

It felt like an audition. Cheon Ian crossed his arms and legs like a director.

“You know, junior, imitate the acting, not the actor.”

“Don’t copy their entire performance~!”

“…..”

Each actor has quirks—mannerisms. Copying those makes it look like you’re mimicking the actor, not the role.

“You get it, right? I believe you do.”

“Don’t take their quirks too.”

“Exactly! That’s our Bada!”

Cheon Ian clapped sharply.

“Let’s see your acting.”

“It might be a bit different.”

“We’ll see.”

I breathed shortly, closing and opening my eyes. I pictured Jian from Atonement: Scent of a Woman.

Jian, who lost her beloved, had to go to the crown prince. A lively, cheerful girl, she lost her smile, ascending to queen.

Hiding her true self, she had to seduce the prince who killed her love—to kill him.

The scene I’d act?

The prince realizes Jian’s heart and clings to her, crying.

A love too tangled to define. Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim chose tears to stir emotions.

But me? I wouldn’t cry.

Jian, caught by the prince, would already be thinking of death.

‘My Jian.’

I breathed softly, looking at Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim. I couldn’t perfectly mimic her, but…

‘I can reach her toes.’

Sitting on the floor, I raised my eyes, seeing Cheon Ian as the prince.

‘Here goes.’

I calmed my heart.

“I was an ordinary girl, happy giving or receiving love.”

“……”

“But when my beloved died before my eyes, I realized.”

What’s life after losing your first love? Enduring, surviving, unable to die.

“I can’t give love anymore. I can’t live ordinarily. The me Your Highness wanted died then. You’ve gained only a shell.”

Don’t fall in love; long for him, who left alone. Despite resolve, she’d be anxious in the palace, unsure when her mission would succeed or when she’d join him.

“So don’t seek my heart. I’ll bear your heir. Be content with that.”

That was it. I conveyed it with steady eyes, neither crying nor smiling.

Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim, preparing nabe, watched silently. She broke the quiet.

“You acted differently from me.”

“Was it bad?”

“No, it was refreshing.”

Raw and unpolished from the rushed setting, but it worked.

“Great approach.”

“Thanks for the praise?”

“But the historical tone’s off, so you’d get scolded.”

Cheon Ian lifted me up. “Fix that, and you’re set, right, Noona?”

“Yeah, just that.”

As she set the nabe on the table, she added casually, “It was very different from what I expected.”

“Huh?”

Disappointed again?

“I was surprised.”

“Surprised?”

I wanted her advice. I stepped closer, standing tall.

“I was shocked at first.”

“……”

“Your acting differed from the video. And you mimicked my habits—why?”

‘She noticed.’

In intense emotional scenes, Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim closes her eyes briefly—a habit adjusted with experience.

I scratched my head shyly. “You created the character. Its habits are yours, so I had to resemble Jian.”

Her eyes widened, then softened, as if enlightened.

“Not a bad thing. Your acting surprised me, and so did I.”

“…..”

“I’m reflecting too.”

Resolved, she handed Cheon Ian a spoon and chopsticks. “I’ll do it.”

The drama?

“You’ll do it?”

“Yeah, I want to.”

“First drama in five years, Noona,” Cheon Ian noted.

“Guess so.”

She’s joining. Thrilling. But why?

“For real?”

“You don’t want me to?”

“No, why so sudden?”

“Your acting woke me up.”

I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

“When I hit my 40s, the roles I wanted stopped coming. I was told to accept my age—mother roles, all similar.”

The harsh reality for actresses and age.

“People said those roles matter, but…”

“……”

“It felt like surrendering. I didn’t want to be just a heroine. I wanted fresh roles.”

Age doesn’t kill ambition. Who can judge?

“But…”

She looked at me. “Seeing you, I wanted to act together.”

“Sunbae-nim…”

The highest praise.

“Even with the same roles, I can act differently. You gave me courage.”

That’s why she was surprised. Sitting with her, I held my spoon and chopsticks as she texted someone, showing her sincerity.

“Just told Director Yeom Hae-jin I’m in.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off her serving nabe.

“But…”

“But?”

“When I act with close people, I’m tough—pointing out flaws.”

Got it. Will she be harsh on set?

“You’re my daughter now. My nagging’s out of love, got it?”

“No, I don’t.”

“You will.”

She piled nabe into my bowl, nearly spilling. Still, it was delicious. I tilted my head, chewing.

This feels right. Cheon Ian laughed, choking.

“Why’re you laughing, sunbae-nim?”

“Nothing, nothing. I’ve been through it.”

His bright laughter rang out.

“You won’t be too harsh, right?”

“Hmm, the more I like someone, the more I nitpick.”

“……”

“So, do well?”

Cheon Ian grinned, slicing his throat with his thumb. What, am I dead?

“Don’t like it?”

“…No, I love it.”

Just eat quietly.

★★★

Days later.

Z Chocolate ad shoot. In my past life, only rising stars got this ad.

My first ad felt surreal. I’d done extra roles in ads—background actions—but…

‘Back then, I envied ad stars.’

Now I’m the lead. Incredibly surreal. Just regressing changed my future.

While Seo-eun unnie grabbed coffee, I finished makeup and styling.

“Bada-ssi, listening?”

“Yes.”

The director explained the ad concept.

“…Just look out the window and eat chocolate?”

“Yes, the client requested that.”

Eat milk chocolate prettily. Sounds simple, but…

‘Is this how ads work?’

Never shot one before, so I wasn’t sure. Just follow the client and director, I guess…

“We’ll start in an hour.”

“Got it.”

Staring at the concept PPT, a black liquid appeared.

“Bada-ya, Americano.”

She’s back fast.

“Thanks, unnie!”

Sleepless, I needed caffeine. She pulled mini kimbap from her bag.

“Asked for chopped peppers in it.”

“Unnie! Perfect.”

“You love spicy.”

Sleeplessness made my stomach queasy. Spicy food was perfect.

“Thanks, unnie.”

“Eat up. I’ll buy anytime.”

“Yup!”

Stuffing kimbap like a chipmunk, she checked the PPT.

“Just eat for the concept?”

Yeah… just eat?

“Actually…”

As I started discussing with her, a commotion turned my head.

“Oh!”

A mid-60s man frowned gruffly at me.

“I like it!”