The next day. Seoyeon hurried to school, even skipping her usual visit to the convenience store, which had become part of her daily routine. She wanted to get there early and discreetly ask Lee Ji-yeon if what she had seen the previous day was real.

“Oh, Ji-yeon said she’ll be late this morning because of a shoot…”

Right, Seoyeon closed her eyes in frustration. She realized that Ji-yeon was a busy person as well.

She was currently acting in a drama, her popularity was steadily increasing, and she even had some CF deals lined up.

‘And she seems to have gotten close to PD Jung Min-jae after Looking Back at the Past.’

Ji-yeon was, in many ways, different from Seoyeon, especially when it came to communication skills. It was no surprise that she became a popular virtual YouTuber in such a short time in her previous life; she had the talent for it.

“…Tell her I wanted to talk when she gets here.”

With that, Seoyeon turned and walked away, her steps slow and heavy. This left the girl from Ji-yeon’s class, whom Seoyeon had spoken to, as the sudden center of attention.

“What did she want? What did she say?” “I’ve never seen her this close before—her face is so small. Is she really a celebrity?” “Seeing things like this, it’s clear that Ji-yeon is also a celebrity.”

The students whispered among themselves. They were friends who had become so familiar that they often forgot about Seoyeon’s fame, but the truth was, Ji-yeon had been in the entertainment industry longer and was more well-known.

Sometimes, when someone is too close, you forget certain things. The impact of the recent shoot for Looking Back at the Past was still fresh in their minds.

“I’d like to talk to her too, but…” “She’s a bit intimidating.”

There’s a saying that someone can be so beautiful that it’s scary. That phrase fit Seoyeon perfectly.

Moreover, she didn’t smile often, and her expression was usually serious. She unintentionally gave off a chilly impression to the other students.

If Ji-yeon had been there, she might have said, “Try smiling more like when you go to the convenience store,” but Ji-yeon wasn’t there.

Then came the fifth period, P.E. It was during the joint P.E. class with the neighboring class that Seoyeon finally got a glimpse of Ji-yeon.

“Just play dodgeball lightly. Be careful not to get hurt.”

As usual, P.E. class meant dodgeball. In truth, it was more of a self-study period than a proper game of dodgeball.

Not many students actually played, but since dodgeball was part of the school sports festival, there were a few who took it seriously.

After all, this was an arts-focused school, so there were plenty of students who were confident in their athletic abilities.

‘I want to talk to her.’

Seoyeon, who had been lingering nearby, somehow got roped into the dodgeball game with the other class and found herself deep in thought. She noticed Ji-yeon standing tiredly, her fatigue evident—probably from the morning shoot.

Meanwhile, across from Seoyeon, a girl from Ji-yeon’s class was watching Seoyeon with sharp eyes.

‘Joo Seoyeon.’

Even among a group of girls, her appearance stood out. She truly looked like an actress.

‘But still…’

The girl gripped the dodgeball in her hand tightly. The dodgeball team from Yeonhwa High School was a strong contender that consistently made it to the semifinals in national competitions. Although she was only a substitute, she was still a player on the team.

‘I’ll show her what I’m made of.’

This wasn’t about petty jealousy or anything like that. No, not at all. It’s not because Seoyeon stands out too much or because she monopolizes the attention of the boys.

Or because the senior she liked seemed to have a crush on Seoyeon. Definitely not because of that!

‘Now’s my chance.’

Seoyeon was distracted, looking at Ji-yeon. The girl seized the opportunity and swung her arm.

“Haaah!”

The ball flew with all her might, aiming for the gap in Seoyeon’s attention, and it soared towards her with ferocious speed.

Thwack.

“Huh?”

It was effortlessly caught by Seoyeon with one hand. It didn’t even bounce off—she caught it with one hand. The ball was visibly dented from where her fingers had gripped it.

‘Her hands aren’t even that big, are they?’

How did she catch that? How strong is her grip? And she wasn’t even looking this way. As those thoughts raced through her mind…

Bang!

“Ow!”

The dodgeball came flying back at her with such force that it struck her in the waist, knocking her down. The speed was so great that it was impossible to see, let alone catch or dodge.

Seeing this, Ji-yeon thought to herself,

‘…There she goes again.’

Seoyeon, who had taken out three players in one move, had a satisfied expression on her face. To others, it might have seemed like her usual calm demeanor, but Ji-yeon could tell.

“Hmph.”

Seoyeon was clearly reveling in her impressive dodgeball play. She had seemed like she wanted to say something earlier, but her attitude had changed the moment she started throwing the ball. Or rather, when the other girls started clapping and cheering.

“I forfeit.” “What?”

So Ji-yeon calmly forfeited the game. It was too painful to get hit by one of Seoyeon’s throws.

“So, you’ve decided to do the movie?” “Yeah.”

While Seoyeon’s team took a break after dodgeball, the two sat side by side, having a conversation.

‘Isn’t she taking on too many villain roles?’

As she pondered this, Seoyeon watched the usually quiet Ji-yeon, her lips moving hesitantly. She wanted to bring up the YouTube channel, but it wasn’t easy. She could just ask outright, but…

‘Red pill!’

Seoyeon bit her lower lip nervously. Asking about it now would be like taking the red pill herself. Well, in Ji-yeon’s case, it would be more like the blue pill, but either way, she wasn’t even sure if the channel was really meant for virtual YouTubing.

As Seoyeon’s thoughts wandered, her gaze darted around nervously.

“And about the variety show…”

Before Seoyeon could speak, Ji-yeon beat her to it.

“How about a cable variety show?” “Cable?” “There’s nothing suitable on the main networks right now, and they can be a bit overwhelming, don’t you think?”

Looking Back at the Past was technically a network variety show, though its ratings were so low it was almost like a cable show.

Seoyeon’s current recognition was that of a child actor making a comeback after ten years—a hot topic, thanks to the recent variety show.

She could probably get on a network show if she wanted to, but… honestly, she had never appeared on a proper variety show before, so she felt a bit pressured. Looking Back at the Past felt more like a theatrical performance than a variety show.

‘A cable variety show.’

Seoyeon thought of a few possibilities. But cable shows tended to be more raw and sometimes a bit too edgy.

Would it really help soften her villainous image? She wasn’t so sure…

“Oh.”

Then Seoyeon remembered something.

‘It shouldn’t have ended yet, right?’

She recalled a cable variety show that was likely still on the air. It was one of the rare cable shows that could influence an actor’s image. It was often mentioned in online communities.

“Well, I have an idea…”

She hesitantly mentioned it to Ji-yeon, wondering if it would be okay.

“…What?”

Ji-yeon’s response was one of genuine surprise. And it was understandable.

The cable variety show Seoyeon was interested in had been running for a decade on a cable gaming network, making it a long-running series.

With her role in The Chaser confirmed, Seoyeon and her agency finalized their plans.

Nova Entertainment. The agency where she would now be working.

As she let out a tense sigh during a rare outing with her mom…

“So, how about you, Mrs. Joo? I see real potential here.” “Oh, my…”

CEO Kang Chan-yul, who had also come to oversee Seoyeon’s contract, spoke to her mother with a smile. Mom seemed taken aback, chuckling awkwardly. …He was joking, right? Seoyeon glanced at him, but to her surprise, Kang Chan-yul looked serious.

‘Mom does look pretty young, though.’

Seoyeon glanced at Soo-ah’s face, then quickly looked down. That prominent feature was still there.

Seoyeon lowered her gaze further, this time focusing on herself.

There wasn’t any particular meaning to it. No real meaning at all, but…

‘Will these grow even bigger?’

Maybe it’s because of her mom’s genes? They’re already quite big enough, but if they get as big as Mom’s… well, it could be a bit uncomfortable for acting.

“I’m sorry, I’m too busy with household chores.” “What a shame.”

Kang Chan-yul genuinely looked disappointed. Given Soo-ah’s mysterious beauty, it made sense. Was that really the appearance and body of a woman nearing forty?

It was no wonder that actresses passing by would ask her what skincare products she used. Anyway, becoming a celebrity was out of the question for Mom.

Her personality didn’t mesh well with public life. Unlike me.

“So, have you made any friends at school? Besides Ji-yeon, of course.” “…….” “Hmm? Is there something wrong with your school life?”

Her sharp question pierced me, and I fell silent. It was as if she had read my mind.

“I have so many that I can’t count them on both hands.” “I see.”

Without Ji-yeon, that statement was an honest truth. Satisfied with my response, Kang Chan-yul nodded.

“You’ll be absent often, but maintaining good relationships is important. You know that, right?” “Yes.” “And if your friends want to visit, let me know in advance. Students would love to meet a celebrity, right?” “Y-yes. I’ll bring them next time. For sure.”

What should I do? I gave a dry laugh as I pondered. At least there was no set deadline, which was a relief.

“Well, that’s it for the contract. This is Park Eun-ha, your new manager, who will be handling things from now on.”

Thinking the conversation was over, he introduced the woman standing nearby. She appeared to be in her late twenties, with a kind expression, but she seemed quite tense.

“She was previously managing actor Hwang Min-hwa, so she knows the industry well. Feel free to ask her any questions.” “Okay.”

I nodded, studying Park Eun-ha’s face. If she had been Hwang Min-hwa’s manager, it meant she had been assigned to take good care of me. But at the same time, something felt odd.

‘Is she already preparing to leave?’

Normally, a manager doesn’t change unless there’s a special reason. Since they work closely together, changing managers comes with risks.

And it seemed strange for a manager of a top-tier actor like Hwang Min-hwa to be so tense.

‘…I’ll have to look into this later.’

There might have been some issues surrounding Hwang Min-hwa’s departure. When I thought about it, it was quite unusual for Nova Entertainment to let go of an actor like her.

After all, it’s rare for an agency to let a top star move to another company.

‘Hmm.’

I sensed that there was more to this transfer than met the eye. Of course, I didn’t have enough information to be certain, so I decided to keep an eye on the situation.

If there were any problems, they would likely surface soon enough.

And two days later…

“Alright, is everyone here?”

Director Bae Jin-hwan scanned the assembled actors with a satisfied smile. He seemed especially pleased as he looked at me, his eyes filled with strong anticipation.

“Let’s get started, then.”

The movie The Chaser. A film that would ultimately end with a total audience of 2.5 million—a tragic story. Its official filming had begun.