Chapter 9: Choose one.

Sua furrowed her brows, irritated by the sudden call.

‘What kind of voice phishing is this?’

However, it was subtly different from what she knew.

Usually, scammers pretend to be public officials and demand advance payments, but this caller introduced himself as an actor and even offered her money.

“This…”

She was about to firmly tell them not to make such calls.

“200,000 won? Fine. Consider it as covering round-trip travel expenses.”

“Hm?”

Sua raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Come to think of it, there were more peculiarities. The fluent and natural tone of Korean, the call coming from a legitimate number, the clear pronunciation even in a low-pitched voice…

“Come right away then. I don’t want to waste any more time.”

Even upon hearing it again, the voice was impressive—so much so that it didn’t feel like a sloppy scam call. Had scammers advanced this much lately?

Either way, she was about to hang up the call when she heard a rustling sound, the distinct noise of the phone being passed to someone else.

Then came an entirely different voice.

“Hello. Can you hear me clearly?”

The voice was firm and resolute.

“This is PD Choi Hee-won speaking. I took over the call since Sun-il isn’t great with words. Do you remember me?”

“Huh? The one built like a rock.”

She blurted out without realizing.

Indeed, the image of Choi Hee-won that lingered in Sua’s mind was just that—a massive build and defined muscles. A solid human being.

‘…Wait, why are the two of them together?’

If Choi Hee-won PD was there, it meant this call wasn’t a voice phishing scam. Could the person she had been speaking to earlier really be the actor himself?

As Sua’s brain raced to process everything, Choi Hee-won continued.

“I’m glad you remember. Sun-il might’ve come across as a bit intense, but we’d like to see you, Sua.”

“This is so sudden.”

Her confusion spilled out in her response.

“Haha, you’re just as straightforward as ever. Even with my build, you make me hesitate sometimes.”

“But Sua, we were caught off guard too.”

Choi Hee-won’s voice remained firm yet composed.

“We fully expected to see you during the second round, but then we heard you’d withdrawn. It left us surprised and, honestly, quite disappointed. Many people had high hopes for you. Was there a particular reason?”

“A reason…”

There wasn’t much to think about.

Torture. No way.

“The script didn’t sit well with me.”

“The script didn’t suit you… Hmm, that sounds about right.”

Choi Hee-won’s response was calm yet reflective.

“You mentioned before that you joined the audition just for fun. It makes sense you’d step back if the script wasn’t to your liking. I understand.”

“What?”

Sua’s mind blanked momentarily. Had she misheard?

“It seems the audition gained more from you than you did from it. You absorbed all the dense experience and left with it, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

She couldn’t count how many times she had thrown out question marks today.

“But Sua…”

It was then that Choi Hee-won’s tone became even more resolute.

“If you withdrew because the script was unsatisfactory, does that mean you’d perform if the script were better? Did I understand correctly?”

“First, could you clarify the reason for your call?”

“The question I just posed is the main reason for my call.”

Choi Hee-won replied calmly.

“I want to discuss with you an unparalleled opportunity.”

An opportunity?

The term made Sua frown, sensing where this might lead.

“I’m not doing any auditions. I’m not changing my mind.”

She disliked scripts that felt torturous, and even if they offered to rewrite the second-round script, she wouldn’t accept. Joining again after breaking fairness would never sit right with her.

“I understand. You must have felt that auditions were like a cramped lake.”

“Excuse me?”

“For someone like you, Sua, I’m confident I’ve brought an opportunity as vast as the sea. You can just come and take a look.”

She wasn’t sure what they thought of her, but the mention of a “great opportunity” caught her attention. An opportunity likened to the sea?

Sua quickly reviewed her current commitments.

[Energy Drink Commercial]
[Historical Short Film: The Sword]

She had already applied for two projects and was struggling to find anything else appealing. Perhaps this wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“A good opportunity… an opportunity like the sea…”

As Sua muttered to herself, she was interrupted.

“Hahaha!”

Out of nowhere, an enormous burst of laughter. Sua nearly dropped her phone in shock.

“…Why, why, why are you laughing?”

“Oh, I apologize. It’s just…”

Choi Hee-won spoke, his voice still tinged with amusement.

“I could vividly imagine how unaffected you’d look, even in the face of such a proposal. It’s clear how many offers you must have received.”

“That makes no sense…”

“Exactly. Everyone probably gave you nonsensical offers. But I’m different. I guarantee this is a good opportunity.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?”

He’s like a rock—unyielding and impossible to reason with.

Still, if there’s no harm, maybe it’s worth a shot?

“I’m listening. If you have any conditions, just state them.”

“No, not really…”

He let out a deep sigh.

Sua decided to just speak her mind.

“This isn’t some hidden camera prank, is it?”

“Absolutely not.”

“And when you say ‘we,’ what do you mean?”

“Aside from Sun-il and myself, there are a few faces you’ll likely find familiar. I’ll send you the address via text.”

After a brief moment of consideration, Sua decided to accept the proposal.

With that, the call came to an end.

Right after hanging up, the address arrived by text. Only then did reality set in. Sua quietly replayed the situation in her mind.

“It wasn’t a voice phishing scam, right?”

No, wait.

Maybe it’s something similar.

She still shouldn’t let her guard down. After all, they could have used the lure of a great opportunity to get her there, and she had no idea what they might do once she arrived. She knew well enough that in any industry, if you let your guard down, you’ll get burned.

“Plus, I don’t know these two people at all…”

An opportunity as vast as the sea, and not even an audition.

She had been lured by the words and quickly accepted, but the problem was the lack of information. She didn’t know Kim Sun-il or Choi Hee-won at all.

Lee Sua immediately picked up her phone.

After entering the actor’s gallery, she posted two things.

[Kim Sun-il isn’t really like that]
[Choi Hee-won isn’t really like that]

These posts were somewhat vague. Normally, when she posted like this, there would be a slew of replies. Afterward, she took off her clothes and took a bath.

A little while later,

Sua, now moist and covered in steam, carefully dried her body with a towel, even wiping the moisture from under her chest.

“…Wow. The response is really hot.”

As expected, her posts were receiving far more attention than she anticipated.

[Title: Kim Sun-il isn’t really like that]
– These days, there’s no better actor than Kim Sun-il, right?
– Did you not watch Psychometry?
– Don’t you know the “handsome trash” meme?
– Go online and check it out.

Even just seeing the ads, Kim Sun-il is becoming more popular.

[Title: Choi Hee-won isn’t really like that]
– We’ve been watching him for so long, so…
– It’s just because we’re used to him, always reliable.
– I heard he’s working on a new project with writer Lee Geum-sook.
– Then, tell me about better direction, haha.

“They must both be incredible people. A bit too much…”

She felt a little scared, but she quickly tried to push the thought aside. In truth, being nervous didn’t matter much. As long as the other person didn’t notice, it was fine.

After drying her hair and doing her basic makeup, she got ready in earnest. It had been a long time since the group chat pinged.

[@Sua]
[Are you alive?]
[Why have you been so quiet lately?]

Sua paused, tapping her cheek, and glanced at the screen.

“Now that I think about it, I haven’t said a word since unlocking the special missions.”

Soccer, golf, swimming… Despite experiencing countless failures, Sua still found games enjoyable, even if she had no talent for them.

Naturally, she made some game friends, which led to the creation of a group chat.

For Sua, who had no family or friends after her reincarnation, this had become somewhat of a refuge.

Though, of course, she had never actually met them in person.

Sua lightly applied lipstick and touched her phone.

[Sua: Me]
[Sua: I started working again, that’s why]
[Black Bear: How long do you think you’ll last this time?]
[Deer: Probably just one day, then you’ll hit the wall again]
[Deer: Let’s play some games tonight, haha]
[Monkeying: Is this your second job after Sengji?]
[Sengji: Tell us what you’re doing then]

“Ah?”

Come to think of it, there was one more person who had found a job. The friend with the “mouse” profile. I think they said their job was as a reporter…

“Ugh, I shouldn’t have said that. It’ll be embarrassing for no reason.”

Sua chuckled and tapped on the screen.

[Sua: Haha]
[Sua: This time is different, I promise]
[Sengji: Just like last time (twisted my ankle while playing soccer)]
[Monkeying: Just like last time (sucks at gaming)]
[Sengji: Just like last time (burned all the food while cooking)]
[Black Bear: Just like last time (collapsed after running for 3 minutes)]

After that, countless jokes and laughter filled the chat, but she didn’t mind. The unique friendliness of this place always helped her relax.

Sua smiled for the first time in a while as she left the house.

She gave the address the taxi driver had provided and arrived at a huge café. Sua stood there for a moment, staring at its stylish exterior.

“…Wow, I can’t believe I’m here.”

It was the kind of café that seemed like only the upper class would visit. For Sua, who had no knowledge of coffee or photography, it was just a pretty building.

– We’ve rented out the entire 3rd floor.
– Please feel free to come up.

These were the additional messages from PD Choi Hee-won.

Sua took a deep breath and reassured herself that there was nothing to be nervous about as she climbed the stairs.

When she reached the 3rd floor, everyone, except one person, was familiar. It was the judging panel from How I Became an Actor.

Surprisingly, very surprisingly, Seo Yeon-joo was the first to smile and wave.

“Ah? It’s Sua! Sua!”

The feeling of being greeted by Seo Yeon-joo, as if she had become an amazing person, was truly overwhelming.

PD Choi Hee-won and writer Lee Geum-sook’s reactions weren’t much different. They greeted her with smiles. In fact, this writer immediately approached her and handed her a card.

“It must’ve been tough to come all the way here. Pick something you want from the first floor.”

“It’s okay.”

Sua politely returned the card.

No, she was pretending to be polite, but her hands were actually trembling…

Even if they told her to buy something, she couldn’t.

There were too many types of coffee and desserts. She had no idea what to order.

Just standing in front of the counter itself felt like a certain kind of fear.

“Are you sure you don’t want something to drink?”

“Yes. I’d prefer if we just got straight to the point.”

“Alright. First, Sun-il wanted to say something. You’re meeting him for the first time, right? His way of speaking is a bit rough. I hope you won’t mind it too much.”

“I don’t think Sua will feel pressured at all. Not now, anyway. I’m actually more scared of her…”

While Seo Yeon-joo answered on behalf of Lee Geum-sook, Sua finally turned her head and looked around.

The seat that should have been taken by variety PD Son Ji-woong was now occupied by a man who had neatly combed his hair.

‘Kim Sun-il.’

Even without an explanation, she knew.

He was the person who fit the description of ‘decent trash’ from the comments.

His all-black attire was calm, but his expression on his face was rather rude.

Actors are actors. Just like Seo Yeon-joo, they have a different presence.

If Seo Yeon-joo was light, then Kim Sun-il was darkness.

Kim Sun-il tilted his head slightly.

“I have a few questions.”

A small yet precise movement.

“You didn’t like the script. What exactly does that mean?”

“It means exactly what I said. I didn’t like it.”

“Does that mean you were just bored or uninterested? You have no experience. You shouldn’t be in a position to pick and choose scripts.”

Sua only slowly shook her head.

“I don’t need experience. I won’t do scripts like that.”

Kim Sun-il’s eyes narrowed.

This was why Lee Sua’s attitude was different from what he had expected.

‘…She has her own acting principles?’

No matter how good an actor is, rookies always lower their heads. They have to do whatever it takes to fill their empty resumes.

But Lee Sua was different when facing Kim Sun-il.

With no regret whatsoever, her attitude was like she could leave this massive audition at any time if it didn’t sit right with her. She was confident.

Kim Sun-il quietly took a sip of his coffee.

…He couldn’t tell.

The more questions he asked, the more his curiosity grew.

“Alright. Being selective about scripts is a good attitude. But…”

Kim Sun-il continued.

Throwing away a bad script and keeping a good one… That’s something you can only do if you have the discernment to judge scripts.

“Right?”

“Well, I suppose so.”

“That’s good. I’m kind of stuck right now.”

A wry smile spread across Kim Sun-il’s face.

“When I see a talented junior like you, I want to give you a good opportunity. But my taste isn’t great. I can’t pick the right scripts.”

“It must be tough for you.”

Kim Sun-il unknowingly twitched his eyebrows.

…Is that really what you just said?

How strange. She was such an odd woman. The way she nodded as if she felt a bit sorry for him, and how she wasn’t intimidated in front of him.

He continued speaking after a brief pause.

“But it’s lucky that you have a good eye, right? Choose a script yourself. I think it’ll be good for both of us.”

Kim Sun-il slightly raised his chin.

“If you choose a good script, it’s as if I’ve recommended something good, and you’ll benefit from it… Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“It’s nothing complicated. I’ll show you a few scripts, and I want you to pick one. I’ll give you enough time.”

Tap, tap.

Kim Sun-il tapped the desk with his fingernail. On the desk, aside from coffee and desserts, were five thin scripts.

“These are all scripts written by Lee Geum-sook. Take a look.”

“Tell me what you expect.”

“Pick the one you think is the best. I’ll give you a chance to participate in that drama. I can’t choose it myself with my limited taste.”

Sua sighed inwardly.

‘I knew it. There’s no way they’d just give me the opportunity like that.’

Sua wasn’t clueless either.

Kim Sun-il had clearly put her on the spot intentionally. The fact that she had to pick just one from the five was obvious.

He was asking her to pick the best and closest to the right answer.

“Is it hard? You can give up. I did, too.”

“No.”

But…

“It won’t take long. Just a moment.”

A few short words. That was how Sua replied.

How much time had passed?

A sneer appeared on Kim Sun-il’s lips.

‘As expected.’

In his eyes, Lee Sua’s behavior seemed utterly strange.

She was flipping through the pages very quickly, but at that speed, it was impossible to be reading the content. It was obvious she was just moving her hands because she was anxious.

Moreover, Sua occasionally did something odd.

She placed her hand on top of the pages and briefly closed her eyes. Was she trying to feel something, or perhaps sense a vibe? Ridiculous. It was almost laughable.

‘Second-round non-participation. Was she just avoiding it out of fear?’

Someone who avoids a scary script.

Someone who can accurately identify and discard a bad script.

The difference is as vast as the sky and the earth.

The former is a coward, and the latter is first-rate.

Kim Sun-il had hoped that Sua might be first-rate, but seeing her struggling over five thin scripts made it clear.

Yes, Sua wasn’t a rookie with solid principles. She was just a scaredy-cat who feared the second round.

Let’s forget about it. Kim Sun-il was about to say that.

But just then, Sua raised her eyelids.

Their gazes met. Eyes that shone like jewels.

And it wasn’t even an expressionless face. There was a slight upward curve at the corners of her mouth.

Kim Sun-il felt a strange discomfort.