Chapter 38: Old Promises

Yeonwoo’s maid role? It’s called Chae-hee.

‘Perfect fit. Thanks, Hae-jin!’

“Yes! Yes! I just wanted to greet you as a junior.”

Junior. The word swelled my heart.

‘I have a junior now…’

My emotions were subtle yet complex. Always scraping by as an extra, the concept of a “junior” was foreign.

The world moves fast, and actors rise quickly. Who’d call an extra “sunbae” despite debuting later?

‘To think I’d see this day.’

“Sunbae… right, I’m your sunbae.”

The title of “sunbae” made me speak in a deep, elegant tone without realizing it.

Ignoring Seo-eun unnie’s amused gaze, I cleared my throat and extended my hand to Seong Sae-byeok.

“Ahem, nice to meet you. Is this your debut?”

“Yes! My first shoot.”

That explains the mistakes.

“We’ll see each other again. You can call me unnie if you want.”

“…I’m not ready for that yet. Can I stick with sunbae-nim for now?”

“Of course.”

“Yes, sunbae-nim!”

Looking at her, I realized this must be how Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim and Yoon Hee-ae felt. How adorable.

“Seong Sae-byeok-ssi!”

It was time to prep for shooting. At the staff’s call, she bowed.

“Sunbae-nim, I’ll head off.”

“Take care.”

I waved gently, exuding a sunbae’s dignified charm.

“Bada-ya, what’re you doing?” Seo-eun asked.

“Huh?”

She covered her mouth, as if she’d seen something shocking.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“You don’t seem like Ian, but sometimes you do.”

“Why say that? I’m super offended.”

“Offended? After that display?”

“It was a cool, dignified sunbae vibe.”

I thought I channeled Tae Jin-hwa and Yoon Hee-ae’s mix.

‘Why Ian, of all people?’

There are others. It felt like an insult.

“Resuming shooting!” Director Shin Yi-sang’s booming voice silenced the set. My scene’s next.

I stepped back to quietly review the script.

★★★

Days after wrapping Monster Class.

My phone buzzed wildly.

[Im Hoon: Yo, is historical drama always this tough? (Seal waving a bat emoji)]

Must be drama shooting stress.

[Go Eun-hyuk: Bada-ya, have a great day. EAT the ginseng and supplements I sent, okay?]

[Cheon Ian sunbae-nim: Sent a massage chair. Check it.]

[Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim: Ian said you don’t have a microwave. Sent one.]

[Yoon Hee-ae: Sent the perfume you liked on set. Check it.]

[Song Heo-jun: What’s the most essential thing? Coffee. Sent 300,000 won Starbells! (Winking emoji)]

Why’s everyone sending stuff? New Year’s?

‘Oh, my birthday.’

It’s my birthday today.

Gifts from sunbaes flooded in. My small apartment was packed with a massage chair and a microwave.

‘Is this right?’

Sorting Eun-hyuk’s ginseng and supplements, I sniffed Hee-ae’s perfume.

Thanking each one drained me, and I flopped back.

‘Has this ever happened?’

I stared at my phone, stunned by the sudden gift onslaught. I never celebrated birthdays…

A sub-quest completion alert popped up, relentless.

[Sub-Quest ‘Make an Impression on Jo Jang-hee in Monster Class’ Succeeded.]

[Reward Obtained: 1 Point]

“…1 point.”

I didn’t use the point from the sub-quest.

I wanted to save it for after YoungYoung’s shoot, to boost vocalization or appearance post-monitoring.

What about fatigue from time-travel buffs?

“Fatigue?”

The status window flashed.

[Fatigue Accumulated: 29:02:33]

Pretty risky.

‘Fatigue’s piling up. Need to rest…’

But I was too lazy.

Staring blankly at the status window, my phone buzzed again.

[Yeom Hae-jin: Bada-ya, come to my place?]

‘Hae-jin?’

“Why’s she suddenly inviting me?”

Staring at the phone, I speculated. What’s up?

YoungYoung drama issues?

Script problems?

‘What is it?’

Something’s up, making me anxious.

[Me: Why? What’s up?]

[Yeom Hae-jin: About Yeonwoo’s character.]

Yeonwoo’s character?

[Me: Out of nowhere?]

[Yeom Hae-jin: Oh, you’re already dressed?]

[Me: ??? Me?]

[Yeom Hae-jin: Hurry over.]

I’m still in pajamas. But if it’s about Yeonwoo, I had to go.

[Yeom Hae-jin: Byul’s coming too!]

[Me: Huh? Why her?]

[Yeom Hae-jin: She’s still struggling with her character.]

[Me: Got it.]

I was about to head out casually when Seo-eun unnie’s words hit me.

“Right… mask.”

I’m a celebrity now, so I should cover up. Rumors say reporters are tailing me.

‘Reporters on me?’

Feels good, but what’s there to dig up?

In my past life, a reporter once approached me—not for me, but to spill on lead actors’ private lives.

I refused. Annoyed I wouldn’t budge, he wrote a bad article about me. As a nobody extra, it sank without a trace.

‘Things are different now…’

Following Seo-eun unnie’s advice, I put on a hat and mask and stepped out.

The moment I did, I felt dizzy.

When would I get to Hae-jin’s? When would I get home? I wanted to stay on my warm floor, reading scripts. Not that I didn’t want to go.

“…Ugh, so annoying.”

Just a hassle.

★★★

Knock knock.

Knock knock knock.

I knocked on the door instead of ringing the bell. Hurry up. As I knocked again—

“Huh? What?”

It wasn’t Hae-jin—Ryu Byul greeted me. Messy tied-up hair, horn-rimmed glasses, and a T-shirt stained with sauce.

“Where’s Hae-jin?”

“Hae-jin? Bathroom.”

“Oh, bathroom.”

I passed Byul, entering the living room. Not a big place, like mine. I shed my jacket and sat on the sofa.

“Hey!”

Hae-jin emerged from the bathroom, beaming.

“You’re here! I ordered chicken and pizza, so let’s eat.”

“Chicken and pizza?”

“Yup, got ‘em ready~.”

Chicken and pizza meant…

“You’re not letting me go home?”

“How’d you know?”

“In drama club, you held me hostage with chicken and pizza for 24 hours!”

No going home early.

“Anyway, what’s up with Yeonwoo’s character?”

“It’s more three-dimensional now. They thought a lovable character was too much.”

She glanced at the script on the table.

“This one?”

“Yup, the revised script.”

I read it. Not just the lines…

“The directions changed a lot, Hae-jin?”

Yeonwoo’s passive personality was now active.

“Haha, right? Trying to make it more layered…”

“If it’s like this…”

“Bada-ya, I agonized over this.”

Her trembling voice listed reasons, but despair drowned her out.

This meant reanalyzing the character.

Changed episodes or lines? Just re-memorize. But a core character change meant reinterpreting every emotion, action, and tone.

“I’m gonna hate you, Yeom Hae-jin.”

“Sorry!!”

She rubbed her hands, apologizing loudly.

“Ugh… my ears.”

She had no choice but to call me. I got it. Good thing it changed now, with time before shooting.

“By the way, why’s she here?”

Ryu Byul pouted.

“What about me…”

“Still struggling with your character?”

“Struggling? It’s hard, not crude like that.”

“Sorry, my bad habits.”

“Good you know.”

Hae-jin, caught in our bickering, stopped us.

‘Funny to me.’

Not understanding Kim So-hyun’s distinct character?

“You lack empathy.”

“Hey? I’m super empathetic…”

Cutting off Byul, I said, “You?”

“I’m not here to fight you.”

“I know.”

“Knowing that—”

But she’s the drama’s female lead. I’m the supporting lead. If she can’t grasp the emotional arc, it’s trouble.

“Why can’t you get the emotional arc?”

“Kim So-hyun’s pure good. I can’t do pure roles.”

“Why not? Can’t relate?”

“Yeah, I can’t. Why does she fall for Prince Lee Young? Isn’t she just hunting the killer who took the real So-hyun’s place?”

‘Talking like a total rookie.’

Romance is a must in Korean dramas, especially for female viewers—a proven formula, so higher-ups demand it.

Medical dramas? Romance. Mysteries? Romance. Historicals? Romance. Always romance.

“Haven’t you done a lot of romance dramas?”

“Hey.”

Byul suddenly got serious.

“What?”

“You really don’t care about me?”

Why’s she acting like that? Pouting like she’s hurt. No way…

“…Oh.”

‘She hasn’t done a romance drama.’

I spoke from my past life’s perspective.

“Sorry, my mistake.”

“Super hurt.”

“My bad, really.”

I messed up. I bowed, hand on chest.

“But since you’ve done romance, you’d know, right?”

“Uh, yeah, you got a Baeksang.”

“Well… yeah.”

I rarely did emotional roles, but my character did have a romance arc at the end.

“So, how do I do it? Romance!”

“Love the character.”

“Character… what? What’s that mean?”

“You can’t love the actor.”

During that drama, I separated Go Eun-hyuk, my friend, from Min Do-hyuk, the man I loved.

“Right, not the actor.”

“So, become Kim So-hyun and look at Prince Lee Young.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Immerse yourself in the character. Imagine you’re dropped in a place where you know no one, and the only person kind to you appears.”

Byul fell silent, chewing on my words, her eyes rolling as she imagined it.