Chapter 47: Hey, Lee Sua, f*ck.

She was blank. No thoughts came to her.

She could feel that screaming was only possible under a suitable shock, experiencing it firsthand.

Having gone through a strange miracle, her body had frozen, just like a statue.

It felt like time had stopped.

It was only after a while that Sua was able to slowly retrace what she had just gone through.

It was filled with an enormous amount of unfamiliarity.

“Again, again… just once more…”

Sua placed her hand on the keyboard again.

Do, Mi, Sol. Her fingers pressed the keys very slowly, full of awkwardness.

However, the sound that was produced was clear.

It was strange. Sua realized that she had bad hearing.

But now, how did she know that the sound was clear?

Darararan—

The performance continued. There was no need for sheet music.

When she wanted to bring out her emotions in the form of melody, her fingers moved effortlessly.

It was a feeling that made her ears feel cozy.

Sua had never properly learned an instrument.

To be exact, she had gone to a piano academy to find her aptitude, but her fingers were stiff like a robot, so she quit immediately.

But now it was different.

It felt like her ten fingers each had their own personality.

On the keys forming the crosswalk, the ten little rabbits that sat on Sua’s nails hopped around.

“…Ha.”

Sweat dripped down from beneath her ears.

It would be a lie to say she hadn’t expected anything.

She had secretly anticipated something.

However, what she had now was something that overwhelmed all of her predictions.

It was what people commonly refer to as a miracle.

Sua’s chest swelled with emotion.

“The sound is really beautiful…”

Sua muttered as if she were enchanted.

Someone’s lifelong efforts had been in her grasp.

Her now sensitive ears kept whispering to her.

She could easily blend in among music majors.

The privilege, it really was a privilege.

Soon after stopping the performance, Sua checked the new information.

“Ah, wait a second, my mind is filled with so many things…”

Sonata, Hanon, Czerny 30, and so on.

The sheet music that would polish her weapon, the keyboard, was perfectly embedded in her mind.

Was that all?

Sua, as if in a trance, grabbed the blank paper and a pen nearby.

There was so much that came to her mind that she had to write something down.

The staff lines and ledger lines, the treble and bass clefs, the note names, accidentals, vertical lines, and bars…

All of these things formed an almost perfect shape, as if measured with a ruler.

Somehow, she had become well-versed in theory.

Sua’s entire body was drenched in sweat.

Her joints trembled, but it wasn’t from fear.

It was just another kind of thrill.

“…No way.”

It started as a light doubt.

How much would the script experience affect her body?

Now, she knew the answer.

It had an enormous impact. It was a perfect realization.

“This is what ‘injection’ meant.”

Of course, the result that Sua obtained was not free.

To achieve this outcome, she had to forcibly experience the life of the genius Ryu Hyun-ah hundreds of times.

It must have been countless years.

But it’s okay.

After all, after the experience ended, it felt like it was just a moment.

It was worth enduring for the result.

Sua’s hands no longer trembled.

However, the corners of her mouth formed a smile.

“I can try various genres now. It feels like the road ahead is wide open.”

Also, what Sua had to do became clearer.

Meet even better connections and use them to get better scripts in her hands.

It was a stepping stone that lifted Sua up.

As Sua imagined what the next few years would look like,

she quietly licked her lips.

Just thinking about it, her lips felt dry.

“Is there any other script?”

She became eager to find another script quickly.

Action, comedy, cyberpunk, fantasy… There were so many genres in the world.

She wanted to inject them all into her own body.

But then.

—LDA

Sua’s phone rang.

The caller was writer Lee Geum-sook.

In the past, just seeing the name would have shocked her, but now Sua was more concerned about something else.

“How annoying.”

The sound of the phone ringing through the speaker felt like unrefined noise to Sua.

Without realizing it, she furrowed her brow.

She had grown sensitive to sound by now.

Sua took the call while experiencing various emotions.

“Hello.”

“Did our Arctic Fox like the script?”

Writer Lee Geum-sook spoke with an expectant voice.

“It’s time to show Sua’s interpretation. It’s a week away.”

Finally, it was time to start the main filming.

Director Kim Jun-ki’s production room was always red.

The red lighting was the first sign, and the posters of Director Kim Jun-ki placed all around punctuated it.

Each of them was provocative.

They were all female actresses, and each wore clothes that were barely covering them.

Some of them even struck provocative poses.

However, that space, which would normally feel hot and intense, was now very cold.

This was because Manager Seo Jae-woo had just finished a call with Mystic’s CEO Kim Yi-seo.

The conversation, of course, was a rejection.

The newcomer from Mystic, Lee Sua, had rejected the audition for the role of the youngest daughter of a chaebol family.

“So,”

Kim Jun-ki, who had been blatantly staring at the poster’s exposed backside, asked.

“The newcomer rejected my script after reading it?”

“Sorry.”

“No, answer my question. You rejected it, right?”

“…Yes. That’s correct.”

Manager Seo Jae-woo felt like he was standing barefoot on an icy road.

Kim Jun-ki, who had been gazing at the provocative poster with a lustful look, slowly turned around and looked at Manager Seo Jae-woo.

“Seo Manager. You’ve been boasting so loudly that you’ve found the gems, so I’ve had to stop all the other actors who were begging to audition. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But now, you’re going around contacting everyone, saying that the role is still available and asking them to come audition. What do you think they’ll think? ‘Wow, luck is on my side. Could there be an actor as lucky as me in the world?’ Do you think they’ll think that?”

“Ah, I was looking into other actor castings, but it looks like they fell through. So they contacted me. Do you think they wouldn’t think that?”

“I think they would.”

“Then their thoughts naturally go like this: ‘Wow, even after making a lot of money, Kim Jun-ki is still getting rejected.’ Is that all he is?”

“Especially when they find out he’s an unknown? Oh, so Kim Jun-ki is getting rejected by even the unknowns?”

“Answer me. Are they thinking it or not?”

“I don’t think so, but some actors might think that…”

“Then you better know, you brat!”

Whack!

A pile of scripts slammed into Seo Jae-woo’s head.

“You should have either brought a confident rookie, or not even brought it up at all. One of those two things should have been done for sure. How dare you handle things like this?”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

Seo Jae-woo kept bowing his head, but Kim Jun-ki’s mood was already beyond repair.

After a moment, Kim Jun-ki rubbed his face with his palm, trying to calm his anger.

“Jae-woo.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Let’s hear the reason for the rejection. What did they say?”

“Well…”

Seo Jae-woo looked for the right words, but then decided to be honest.

It was not the kind of situation where he could lie.

“They said… they want to focus on their current project, being a rookie…”

“What?”

“They thanked me for the offer and said they hoped the movie would do well…”

“Ridiculous.”

Kim Jun-ki let out a bitter laugh, as if he had just heard the moon was hanging in the sky during the day.

“Isn’t it obvious? It wasn’t that I was confirming their role in my project. All I was offering was a chance to audition. But what? They refused even that, saying they wanted to focus on their current work?”

For someone like Kim Jun-ki, even if rejection was inevitable, many actors still came to show their faces, just to get their names stamped.

It was to get on the director’s good side.

They would purposely create an atmosphere saying “This audition is very popular” by showing up.

The more visitors, the more the director’s aura grew.

But how dare a rookie refuse to even audition?

And for the excuse of focusing on their own project?

“Unbelievable. Does being a rookie make them feel like they have nothing to lose?”

“Excuse me?”

“They must have the confidence that if they show up, they’re guaranteed the role. That’s why they won’t even come to audition.”

Seo Jae-woo, as he recalled a few things, nodded his head.

“They’re actually a decent actor. I saw it with my own eyes…”

“Is that really important right now? There are plenty of actors who are good at acting. What’s important is whether they know how to follow my work. What’s the name of that one?”

“Ah, yes. Lee Sua. She’s with Mystic.”

“Mystic? The same one with Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-ju?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Kim Jun-ki rubbed his temples.

“Kim Yi-seo, I didn’t expect that from her. She was supposed to have good judgment. But now that Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-ju are gaining more recognition, has she gotten a little too big for her boots? Her judgment is odd.”

Kim Jun-ki scoffed.

“Is she trying to stab me in the back to raise her rookie up? She wants to make a name for herself by slamming my work and spreading rumors, huh?”

“I don’t think that’s the case. The rejection itself was very polite…”

“Politeness should be shown through actions, not words. If she were polite, she should have at least come to me to leave a good impression!”

Seo Jae-woo closed his mouth under Kim Jun-ki’s roar.

“This is the second time Mystic has given me the cold shoulder. Seo Yeon-ju did the same thing before. Trying to act all high and mighty…”

“Yes.”

Seo Jae-woo nodded.

In Kim Jun-ki’s previous work, Seo Yeon-ju’s casting had been all but confirmed. However, during discussions about raising the rating from 15 to restricted, Seo Yeon-ju had boldly dropped out.

And Seo Jae-woo knew that Kim Jun-ki held a grudge longer than most directors.

“Those arrogant brats. There’s a directors’ meeting soon, and I’ll have to say something. I’ll tell them not to accept these scoundrels. With that kind of attitude, how are they going to protect their rice bowl?”

At Kim Jun-ki’s harsh words, Seo Jae-woo lowered his head.

“I’m sorry. It’s because of me…”

“Focus on the task at hand for now, and don’t think about trying to do anything on your own. Understood? And the role of the youngest daughter of a chaebol family? Give that to someone with a higher profile.”

“Yes.”

“Make it look like they were already set for the role so it naturally appears that we rejected an unknown. The important thing is that, no matter what happens, we must always appear to be in control. After all, we are the ones in charge, right?”

“Yes!”

Without delay, the promotional work for Kim Jun-ki’s new film began. Since everything was already ready except for the youngest daughter role, it could be done quickly.

[Kim Jun-ki and Park In-sol’s luxurious new film ‘Life is All About Money’ release date?]

[‘Life is All About Money’, Kim Jun-ki says: We’ll show all the fun that money can buy. The audience better be prepared.]

The director’s new film, which was a hit every time, was coming back.

It was more than enough to set the internet on fire.

A secret party room in a club.

“Hey, girls, it’s been a while!”

“Wow, it’s been forever!”

“It’s been a really long time since we had a break like this.”

The five women gathered in a cheerful atmosphere.

‘Live’ is a corporate virtual YouTuber group that brings together virtual YouTubers with diverse personalities and has gained immense popularity. All five members of Neo have quite a large number of subscribers.

Recently, as viewers flooded in like a tidal wave, the group had surged in popularity and was now riding high on its success.

There were reaction videos like:
“A watched B, then B watched A.”
“A watched B, then B watched C’s reaction.”
“A watched B, then B watched C, and C watched D’s reaction.”

Even just repeating these videos had generated immense profits. One contributing factor to this success was the fact that Neo Live hadn’t yet caused any controversy.

While other companies were dealing with controversies like personality issues or ideological debates, Neo Live remained spotless. Thanks to this, a large number of viewers flocked to Neo Live, and it eventually became a major player in the industry.

Today, the five members were having a collective break and gathered in a secret party room to relax and have fun.

Among them, the one currently receiving the most attention was, as usual, Go Eun-bi.

“Eun-bi, you’re crazy as always today.”

“Why is Eun-bi even doing virtual YouTube? She’s way prettier in real life.”

The other members, who were hiding their lower faces with masks, all agreed.

Go Eun-bi confidently revealed her face. She wore a two-tone hairstyle and a dress from the brand Dima Love, with long nails painted in a flashy design.

She was adorned with large ribbons everywhere, the kind of fashion that was often referred to as “menhera” on the internet.

“Isn’t Eun-bi’s red pill not working? It’d actually be a good thing if it did.”

“Right? Should I make it explode?”

Go Eun-bi’s reaction was indifferent, as if she had heard this kind of compliment countless times. Without any special reaction, she casually glanced around before speaking.

“I don’t need any more compliments. By the way, you seem in a good mood today, unni. You used to look like you were about to die, but today you’re smiling.”

The woman wearing a black mask fell silent for a moment. It was then that the other members tilted their heads in curiosity.

“Wow, you’re right? Unni, are you not crying today?”

“You used to cry every time we met, but today you’re smiling?”

After a brief moment of contemplation, the woman in the black mask seemed to make up her mind and finally spoke.

“I think the problem that’s been weighing on my heart is finally going to be resolved. I’ve thought about it, and now I think I can share it with you all.”

With a serious tone, the other members quickly turned off the music. They all began to pour drinks into their cups, continuing to ask questions.

“What is it? I’ve been dying to know.”

“You know I told you before that I was aiming to become an actor before I debuted as a virtual YouTuber, right? I used to practice acting all day long.”

“Yeah, you talked about that on the broadcast.”

“Well, the reason I quit was because of one director. You’ll probably recognize him when I tell you. He’s the one who made the really intense movie…”

“Really intense? I know him! The one with all the violence and nudity!”

The woman in the black mask nodded.

“That’s right. But, actually, it was originally a 15-rated movie. But later they changed it to an adult rating. I found out that’s just the kind of director he is. He always changes his mind and insists on making it adult-rated.”

“Hmm, what changed when it became adult-rated?”

“Well, he suddenly told me to strip.”

“…Huh?”

A brief silence.

The woman in the black mask continued slowly in front of the wide-eyed members.

“I had no choice but to do it. He asked so naturally, like it was obvious, and I started wondering, ‘Is this something I have to do?’”

Her breathing became increasingly shallow.

He kept demanding more. Later, he wanted me to meet him privately and told me I had to strip, saying that he had to see it on camera to know if it was right.

“And then he even forced me to do the filming…”

“Crazy! Did he really ask you to do that?”

If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was just a joke, but every time we filmed, he’d say the same thing. “The reason I’m doing this is to make you, an unknown, more popular. You should thank me for helping you.”

“Wow…”

“Eventually, he even asked for s*x. He started mentioning other celebrities’ names, saying that they all went through the same process, so I should relax and do it too…”

The other members were shocked by the director’s trashy behavior as it came to light. Their faces were full of disgust.

“How is such a trashy person even allowed to work?”

“He should be cut off immediately.”

“Is there no way to ruin him? How can someone like that even be called a director?”

The woman in the black mask nodded.

“I was struggling with it for a long time, but it’s finally getting resolved.”

“Really? How?”

“There were many other victims besides me. We already reported it as a group to a news program. It’s going to be made public soon. The journalists have already got the details. I’m a bit nervous, though…”

“You’re not going to get hurt, are you?”

“Don’t worry. There are people who went through even worse than me, and some have even gathered solid evidence.”

“Thank goodness. What’s that trashy director’s name?”

“It’s Kim Jun-ki. He’s going to pay for it properly next week.”

While comforting the woman in the black mask, Go Eun-bi quietly shook her head. Her soft muttering was almost a whisper.

“That’s really creepy. I’m glad I became a virtual YouTuber.”

Go Eun-bi’s gaze, however, was fixed on her phone. Tap, tap, her long nails tapped on the screen.

[Deer: Hey Lee Sua]
[Deer: Unban me 🥲]
[Deer: Unban me, unban me, you little jerk]
[Deer: I’ll hit you until your ass explodes]
[Deer: Or should I just jump off the balcony??]