Chapter 40: Why should I?

Three days later, in the Cypress Forest of Wanju, Jeonbuk.

Originally, a week of filming was planned for this location, but it wrapped up much earlier than expected. The reason? A lead actor who completed every scene without a single NG.

Lee Sua.

Thanks to her, the crew was now entirely focused on packing up equipment. Although filming wasn’t fully complete, the remaining scenes could be easily shot indoors, eliminating any reason to stay near the forest.

With the short film festival’s submission deadline fast approaching, time was of the essence. Everyone worked swiftly and efficiently.

Meanwhile, the black van rattled as Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il boarded it together. Both leaned back into their seats, clearly exhausted, letting out deep sighs as they closed their eyes.

The driver, observing their state, asked hesitantly, “You’ve worked hard. Shall we head out right away?”

Both simply nodded in response, remaining silent.

There was no sound from them, only the occasional tapping of their fingers on the armrests, a clear sign of heavy thoughts occupying their minds.

It was a peculiar scene. Unlike most of the production team, who still had indoor shooting schedules left, Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il had no remaining commitments.

Their scenes had been condensed into a single block for convenience. The production team had made this arrangement to accommodate the busy schedules of these two high-profile actors, which was only natural given their stature.

So, in theory, they should have felt relieved, free to leave without any lingering concerns.

Yet, something weighed heavily on their minds.

It wasn’t the physical exhaustion of filming. There weren’t any particularly challenging scenes for them, and even the weather had been flawless for three consecutive days.

The reason lay elsewhere.

It was the scenes they had filmed with Lee Sua.

Seo Yeon-ju’s final scene had been with Sua, and neither she nor Kim Sun-il could stop thinking about it. That was the root of their unease.

“Give me the script.”

“Give me the script.”

They spoke simultaneously, then exchanged knowing glances, recognizing their shared thoughts. Without hesitation, they both opened the script and began to review it.

Scene 42: Deep in the forest / Daytime.

Haryeong realizes that her master-disciple relationship has come to an end.

She gazes at Wi Ji-hye with eyes full of resentment.

Wi Ji-hye meets her gaze but emotionally distances herself.

Finally, Haryeong leaves the forest with a heavy heart.

Even upon rereading it, the scene didn’t seem particularly difficult. Seo Yeon-ju only had to express her character’s resentment toward her mentor, Wi Ji-hye.

But still…

“…It’s strange.”

The emotions Seo Yeon-ju had felt during filming were complex, and she began to recall them one by one.

“Hey, Sun-il. Did you feel something different while acting with Sua? Like I was putting in more effort than usual. It wasn’t nervousness…”

“There weren’t any mistakes. In fact, you performed even better than usual.”

“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying.”

Seo Yeon-ju shook her head, her tone tinged with confusion.

A face-off between Lee Sua and Seo Yeon-ju.

Both had excelled. So was it a tie? Really?

No, at least Seo Yeon-ju didn’t feel that way. The fact that it ended in a draw with a rookie was a huge contradiction in itself.

“What’s the reason? Why did I do better than usual? I just acted as I normally do. I didn’t even particularly practice that scene more than usual.”

But despite muttering these words, Seo Yeon-ju had a feeling of what might have caused it. One comment from Kim Sun-il confirmed her suspicion.

“It must be Lee Sua.”

Seo Yeon-ju nodded. Yes, it had to be Sua.

“It was as if… Sua had her own space.”

When Seo Yeon-ju acted alongside Lee Sua, she felt like she was stepping into some kind of realm. It was a mix of being encouraged and a rising sense of exhilaration.

It was strange. How could she, an established actress, feel encouraged by a rookie?

“It was unusually harmonious, and I felt inspired when I was with her. I didn’t feel that way during any other scenes. Only when I worked with Sua.”

The difference was particularly noticeable when filming other scenes. Seo Yeon-ju was confident that she put in equal effort in every scene, but the scenes with Sua stood out as exceptionally good.

The other scenes weren’t lacking either. Director Park Jun and the staff had given abundant praise, and it had been cross-verified by Kim Sun-il, her rival.

However…

“Excellent acting on its own is one thing, but acting that lifts the other person’s performance… That’s a huge difference.”

Saying it aloud, Seo Yeon-ju realized how absurd it sounded. It didn’t make sense.

“How did she do it? She didn’t praise me, she didn’t give me advice. She just fills the space, as if she’s painting the world of the script… Is this some kind of talent that’s been bestowed from the heavens?”

Seo Yeon-ju had been trying to understand Sua, to get a glimpse of her, and she had jumped in with that intention. But in the end, she was left with even more doubts and questions.

Kim Sun-il added his thoughts at that moment.

“The thing that shocked me the most was that she could handle both the Special Forces 808 role and Wi Ji-hye. You know, right? Kim Yuhan and Wi Ji-hye have completely opposite personalities.”

“Yeah, right. What is her secret? Most actors try to avoid doing too many roles because it’s dangerous for their emotions to overlap between characters.”

“Does she have a split personality or something? She’s a monster in her own right.”

A monstrous talent, and on top of that, she inspired others around her…

Seo Yeon-ju quickly came to a conclusion.

“Hey, Kim Sun-il. You’re not stopping here, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Right, we’ll have to take on international markets one day. But I think if we keep Sua by our side, it might actually be possible. Every time we work with her, we grow so much.”

Just as those who seek power yearn for elixirs, people obsessed with acting long for inspiration. And Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il had never seen a talent as inspiring as Lee Sua.

The decision was made. Seo Yeon-ju immediately called their representative, Kim Yi-seo.

“Yeah, representative. Could you make sure to keep Sua? If we miss this chance, we’re really in trouble. We can’t let her go. You remember the terms we discussed before, right? I think we need to raise them at least double.”

After finishing their preparations to leave, the ‘Sword’ production team gathered for their last meal together in the field.

Perhaps it was because they had earned a few extra days, or maybe it was because every scene they filmed turned out better than expected. Probably both. Everyone had a relaxed expression as they picked up their spoons.

Of course, Sua was sitting alone in a corner.

“…I’m alone again.”

But unlike before, Sua didn’t feel like an outsider, and she didn’t feel down about it. Instead, the emotion she felt now was closer to joy.

Yes, she was in the middle of isolating herself from the world.

Eating alone, immersed in the atmosphere, she thought it was actually quite cool, right?

At that moment, as Sua was reflecting on the lonely diner she had become, she heard a voice.

“Oh dear, looks like this is the only seat left…”

“Really? I guess I have no choice but to eat here.”

“I suppose so.”

One by one, the minor actors started to settle near Sua. Every time they made eye contact with her, they would quickly avert their gazes, but once they sat down, they didn’t move.

Sua calmly spoke.

“…There are plenty of seats around, though?”

The ‘Sword’ production team was eating outdoors, so any seat could become a seat as long as they could sit anywhere. Sua couldn’t understand why they kept crowding around her.

One of the minor actors cleared his throat at that moment.

“To be honest, the people sitting here all want to eat with you, Sua. We’d like to get closer to you and talk about various things.”

Want to get closer? How long had it been since someone said that?

“Do as you please.”

Sua nodded briefly. She pressed her lips tightly together, wondering if she was about to smile. Meanwhile, the minor actors continued to gather around her.

It was almost like she was a human magnet.

“Were you all gathered here? Oh, with the mast? Well, that makes sense. I guess I’ll sit here too.”

“Oh, do you really have to sit here? It’s so cramped.”

“Let’s bear with it. When else would such an opportunity come by…?”

Although noisy, Sua didn’t dislike the atmosphere.

It reminded her of the time when she did a free acting session with Seo Yeon-ju. Back then, all she received were doubtful looks, but now, everyone’s eyes were sparkling like baby birds.

Sua, who had been trying hard to maintain a seemingly indifferent expression while fuming with anger, suddenly heard something that caught her attention.

“…By the way, what does ‘mast’ mean?”

“Haha! Of course, it’s referring to you, Sua! ‘Sword’ was a boat that looked ready to capsize at any moment, but now, thanks to you playing the role of the mast, it’s sailing smoothly, isn’t it?”

Sua pressed her lips together. She blushed and held it back.

The minor actors paused eating and each added a comment.

“Sua, how can we blend into our roles like you do?”

“That’s right. Please share your acting routine with us. Even though we’re all rookies, there’s such a big difference, it feels like there’s a wall…”

“Was that ad-lib something you prepared beforehand?”

Sua quietly raised a hand.

“…That’s enough, enough.”

At once, everyone stopped praising her with expressions of realizing they had made a mistake. Sua felt a slight regret. Why did she really say stop?

“Hahaha… We’ve gotten too excited. We ended up gaining so much from this shoot that we hadn’t expected.”

“That’s true. So many unexpected things happened.”

It was then.

“By the way… I don’t see that person around?”

“Who?”

When Sua asked, the minor actor responded as if it was obvious.

“The person who had the role of Yuhan. Every time there was a break or a scene change, they only looked at you, Sua.”

“Yeah, I saw that too.”

Sua was just curious. Why were they looking at me?

“Even though they caused trouble, they’re being quiet about it. They stopped acting in the middle, right? If you hadn’t been there, that scene would’ve definitely been an NG.”

“Maybe they’re trying to apologize? They have something they want to say but are too shy to approach because they’re worried about how you might react.”

“By the way, your acting during that scene, the more I think about it, the more impressive it seems.”

Well, Sua soon didn’t think much about it. Sure, she had been flustered at the time, but in the end, didn’t it work out in her favor?

Just like now, surrounded by everyone.

So, she replied,

“I’m not really bothered by it.”

She genuinely meant it. And there was one more thing.

Right now, there was something else on Sua’s mind that was far more distracting. Even while eating, her hands itched to do something.

After the meal, in a tent set up as a waiting room.

Whoosh─!

Sua immediately swung a prop sword. There was something she had been wanting to test ever since she sat down to eat.

It was a very light movement, but when she looked in the mirror, her actions seemed incredibly precise. Of course, it wasn’t like her strength had increased, so she couldn’t slice something as thick as a bundle of sticks, but…

What should she call it…?

‘Choreography?’

Yes, choreography. The movements.

At least, the motions she had fully mastered were the ones that would appear to be excellent swordsmanship to anyone watching. Looking through a phone camera or mirror, she felt like she was the best in the world.

“Q…?”

Sua shivered slightly. Why do I look so cool?

‘Come to think of it, even when I first earned a special skill…’

Her first experience was a racing movie called ‘Speeding Violation.’

She recalled the sensations left on her body. The knowledge of driving a car, turning the wheel, pressing the accelerator and brake, all felt so vivid as if she had learned them in real life.

She felt like she could drive right now. Maybe for sure.

…Could it be that the experiences actually enhance her physical abilities too?

‘Really? Seriously? Does that mean there’s no genre I can’t tackle?’

Just imagining it gave her an exhilarating thrill. Of course, she excluded adult films with bed scenes, as those experiences were impossible.

Whoosh─! Whoosh!

Excited even more, Sua began to swing the sword again.

She quickly lost herself in her thoughts.

In a desolate battlefield, Sua faces enemies coming from all directions, alone.

In her arms, she carefully holds a baby rabbit.

All sorts of strong foes close in on Sua and the rabbit, but Sua silently draws near-perfect sword lines. Day after day, she fights, and after three full days of battle, she finally wins.

Eventually, if she took the baby rabbit and brought it to the Rabbit Kingdom, the Rabbit King and Rabbit Queen would kneel down, crying tears of gratitude.

They would bow their heads at Sua’s feet.

• Sua! Please take care of the Rabbit Kingdom!
• We can’t do it without you!

Of course, Sua would refuse.

“I am the wind. I cannot stay in one place.”

• No, it’s impossible! Without you, we will go extinct.
• For the future of the Rabbit Kingdom, please…!
• We will give you all the carrots we have!

Sigh, then she would exhale, pretending to give in.

“Well, I guess I have no choice, just for a moment…”

It was then.

“Lee Sua.”

“…!”

Sua was startled. In her mind, she screamed, and without realizing it, she swung her sword. She twisted her waist and drew a curved sword path in an instant.

Swish!

In that brief moment, when Sua came to her senses, she found herself with the blade of her sword at the person’s neck. The person was a beat late in reacting.

“W-wait!”

It was someone Sua recognized. Son Jia, who had played the role of Yuhan.

She quickly raised both hands.

“It’s me! Son Jia! I’m not here to do anything strange!”

“…Since when have you been here?”

“Since you were performing Wi Ji-hye’s sword dance. I was watching in a daze.”

In reality, it wasn’t Wi Ji-hye’s dance, but the one she had wielded as the protector of the Rabbit Kingdom, but Sua barely managed to calm her blushing face.

Meanwhile, Son Jia continued speaking.

“Hey, have you ever thought about acting on stage? Musicals, or plays, that kind of thing. I think you’d be amazing at it. Your gestures aren’t ordinary, you know?”

“Just get to the point.”

Sua’s voice was rough from embarrassment.

“Ah, ah, sorry, sorry.”

Then, Son Jia took a breath as if preparing to say something important. Her expression became serious at the same time.

“First of all, I want to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Yeah. Because I stopped acting halfway, you had to fill in the scene alone. I was really impressed with your skill, but still, it was my fault. I apologize now, even if it’s late.”

Ah, Sua finally understood.

Because Son Jia had suddenly stopped doing anything, Sua had to fill in the scene by herself. Everything, from the movements to the lines.

…Was it intentional? Was she not forgetting her lines?

Well, still, she wouldn’t get angry.

Thanks to that, it had turned into a good situation for Sua. She needed to manage her image since she was aiming to be a big actress.

So, she responded with humility, though just a brief, calculated one.

“Don’t worry about it. I did it because you seemed to be lacking.”

Is there anything more heartwarming than someone with more helping those with less? Although, I don’t know why Son Jia’s face suddenly stiffened.

Son Jia scratched her head.

“…Lacking? No, no. It’s not wrong.”

Son Jia nodded.

“Anyway, thanks for accepting my apology, and I came to thank you as well. Because of the advice you gave me, I remembered my original intention. From now on, I will never forget and try my best.”

“What advice?”

“You knew all of it, right? My situation, my mindset. But how did you do that? Giving me advice through Wi Ji-hye’s words? That’s true free acting.”

“…?”

First, Sua understood the situation.

“…Hmm, you remember well.”

“It’s been a long time since I felt motivated. My heart’s racing. I decided not to renew my contract with CT Entertainment, and from now on, I’m going to focus solely on acting without interfering with anything else.”

Sua nodded briefly.

“Yeah. Alright.”

“Well, here’s the thing.”

Son Jia hesitated for a moment.

After a long pause, it seemed difficult for her to say the next words, but then, suddenly, Son Jia bent her waist ninety degrees. It was the most polite posture for a request.

“I want to start over completely! One day, I want to act like you! Please, become my acting teacher!”

“…Why me?”