The Chaser was a film with relatively few characters.

This aspect was an advantage because a significant portion of the film's budget could be allocated elsewhere, rather than being spent on casting. For the actors, having fewer characters meant a mix of both pressure and opportunity—more focus on a smaller group meant more screen time for each of them.

"Minah, great job today."

"Yes, thank you!"

Kang Minah, who played the younger sister of Detective Seo Gwangil in The Chaser, let out a sigh of relief. Still a rookie and quite young, she often found herself nervous on set.

‘I need to work hard and not embarrass my company.’

Minah was managed by Loren Company, a mid-tier agency that had pushed hard to secure her role in this film. Although it was only a supporting role, she had more opportunities to appear on screen as the younger sister of the main character. This was a significant step forward compared to the three dramas where she had only appeared as an extra.

‘I never know what expression I’m making when the camera is on me.’

Despite her nerves, she had managed to get through the shoot without many NGs, and she felt good about it. The crew had praised her, saying she was doing well for her age.

‘But still, talent really makes a difference.’

Minah glanced over at the girl sitting quietly nearby. She was two years younger than Minah, only seventeen, but her polished appearance made her look around twenty.

Sitting with her eyes closed and her back straight, she looked like a refined young lady from a noble family. Her appearance was like that of a flower, but after watching her act, Minah couldn’t see Seoyeon as just a pretty flower.

Today’s shoot…

S#37, a scene where Han Yehwa and Cha Seoa confront each other in an alley. It was a crucial scene where Seoa, instead of killing Yehwa on the spot, knocks her out and kidnaps her, taking her to her parents’ home, where she had been left alone after their murder.

Watching the scene, Minah couldn’t help but think:

‘Isn’t she really Cha Seoa?’

She felt a chill run down her spine, especially from Seoyeon’s gaze—it was like looking at something inhuman, something pretending to be human. It was so convincing that Minah questioned whether it was truly just acting.

The sense of unease was palpable, and the intensity Seoyeon brought to the scene was astonishing. Her portrayal of inferiority and jealousy toward Han Yehwa was vividly evident on her unsettling face. It was a level of acting that Minah couldn’t even begin to emulate.

‘But still…’

Noticing Minah’s frequent glances toward Seoyeon, Shin Seongmi, who played the role of the "Convenience Store Lady," chuckled.

"Why don’t you try to get closer to her? You’re about the same age."

"Huh?"

"You’ll be seeing a lot of each other throughout this shoot."

Shin Seongmi had suggested this because she recognized Seoyeon’s potential.

‘This girl is going to be big.’

Especially once this film is released—her status will change dramatically. For Minah, this might be the only chance to get close to someone like Seoyeon. However, Seongmi didn’t mention the importance of building connections because she knew Minah wasn’t the type to be swayed by such talk.

"Yeah, you’re right."

Minah nodded. Although Seoyeon was two years younger, they were indeed close in age, and Minah had much to learn from her.

‘What is she thinking?’

Minah swallowed nervously as she watched Seoyeon, who remained still, eyes closed, and posture straight. There was an aura around her that made it difficult to approach.

Was she reflecting deeply on today’s performance? Or was she still immersed in the emotions of her character, Cha Seoa?

“...It doesn’t seem like the right time.”

Minah decided not to interrupt. She would try to talk to Seoyeon later, when it seemed more appropriate.

And just like Minah thought, Seoyeon was indeed deep in thought.

‘What do I do about my 400 million won?’

It was a crucial concern. The role of Cha Seoa was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Seoyeon. She was confident about her portrayal and had a clear vision of how the audience would perceive Cha Seoa.

‘The contract didn’t have any restrictions on roles…’

Sometimes, contracts would include clauses that restricted an actor from taking certain roles or appearing on specific shows due to concerns about brand image. Fortunately, there were no such restrictions in her contract.

However, if the film’s image was too strongly associated with her, it could damage her public persona. There were cases where actors were dropped from advertisements despite there being no official restrictions, purely because the film’s image was too overpowering.

‘If I need to improve my image…’

Two possibilities came to mind. Since it was a cosmetics commercial, emphasizing femininity would be key.

There was one drama and one movie that could help with this.

‘But the movie The Chaser will be released first, so I’ll have to put that off.’

The movie’s release was still some time away, and even if she auditioned for a new role, it would take time for it to be released.

So, that left the drama.

“Of all things…”

Seoyeon sighed and crossed her arms, lowering her head. Two issues immediately came to mind.

First, the genre of the drama was “youth romance.”

Second… the male lead was Park Jungwoo.

‘Dream Future. A drama featuring actors in their late teens and early twenties.’

It was a rare youth drama. For a youth drama, its average viewership rating was over 15%, with a peak rating of about 17.6%. For any drama, these were considered good ratings, but for a youth drama, they were exceptional.

The most significant part was that more than half of the young actors who appeared in this drama saw their careers skyrocket within three years. Seoyeon had initially considered appearing in this drama, but had given up because it was a “youth romance.”

While it was more of a fresh and innocent romance, given that the cast was mainly teenagers, and there were no scenes with intense romantic content, it still wasn’t something she was keen on.

‘If I joined now…’

But Seoyeon was no longer in a position to simply dismiss it. She needed to salvage her situation, and her options were limited.

‘Besides, the role I’m considering doesn’t involve much romance, so it should be fine.’

Even though Park Jungwoo was the male lead, Seoyeon wouldn’t be playing the main heroine. The role she was aiming for was more of a cute, mascot-like character—a stark contrast to the “murderer” role. It wouldn’t completely erase the impact of Cha Seoa, but it could certainly help mitigate it.

‘That should do.’

She remembered that the actress who previously held the role had even managed to secure a few commercial deals, despite receiving harsh critiques for her acting. Of course, that had been the extent of her success.

‘Romance… maybe later.’

For now, she wasn’t ready. Maybe one day, but not yet.

***

The Yeonhwa High School Festival. This was a significant event, big enough that even outsiders were given invitations. Depending on the success of the festival, there were even additional rewards for participants, which meant that many students were eager to take part.

‘…I’ll have to audition. Luckily, it’s on a day with no filming, so I don’t have to worry about conflicts.’

Of course, this festival had nothing to do with Seoyeon. Once again, she sat in her usual isolated spot, lost in thought.

‘…’

Is this really what I imagined high school life would be like? She suddenly felt a bit melancholic.

Watching her classmates eagerly prepare for the festival, the lively atmosphere in the classroom made her feel something she couldn’t quite describe.

‘…Maybe I should try participating in the festival more actively.’

Improving her image wasn’t just about the role of Cha Seoa. Perhaps Ju Seoyeon herself needed a bit of an image makeover.

“Uh, Seoyeon?”

Just then, someone spoke to her. It was a girl with round glasses—the class president.

“Hm?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure if you’d heard about our class’s booth for the festival…”

Class president Gil Dahyeon swallowed nervously. There was something about Seoyeon’s gaze that was overwhelming. For Dahyeon, who had always been studious and focused on academics, this was quite intimidating.

‘I understand why everyone avoids talking to her.’

She had heard that Seoyeon was an actress. The impact of her performance in Past Memories had been so intense that Dahyeon still watched reruns of the show.

On screen, Seoyeon had been as beautiful as a flower. Even now, she was no different.

However, if Princess Yeonhwa was a flower, then Seoyeon was like a sharp blade—too beautiful to be real.

“Um, our class is running a haunted house booth.”

“A haunted house?”

Seoyeon tilted her head slightly at this. She had a general idea of what that involved.

She remembered seeing a similar setup at a high school festival in her previous life—dark curtains creating a spooky atmosphere, with the halls and classrooms decorated to scare visitors. Students dressed up and hid, ready to jump out and scare anyone who entered.

‘Honestly, it wasn’t that scary.’

It was more about the atmosphere. For someone like her, who wasn’t easily frightened, it hadn’t left much of an impression.

For the record, the game that had scared her before was purely due to a jump scare. That was all.

“The principal said we could use the abandoned building at the back of the school, so we decided to use it.”

“Huh?”

An abandoned building?

“Don’t worry, we’ll check it out with the teachers first to make sure it’s safe.”

“Oh, okay.”

Seoyeon nodded. So they were using an entire abandoned building.

“…”

Still, it was just a high school haunted house. But an abandoned building could add a genuine sense of atmosphere.

She had heard about the abandoned building at Yeonhwa High School. It was an old, unused school building that had been left empty after the construction of new facilities and the decrease in student numbers.

‘The atmosphere should be pretty good.’

Using the old building was a clever idea. As Seoyeon nodded thoughtfully, the class president returned to the other students.

“There’s still a ghost role that needs to be filled. Anyone want to do it?”

“A ghost role? Where?”

“On the second floor, near the old science lab.”

“Oh…”

The students’ reactions were hesitant. Seoyeon pretended not to listen, casually flipping through a book she wasn’t actually reading.

“Is anyone willing to do it? The person who was going to dropped out suddenly.”

“Well, that makes sense.”

“But it’s an important part, right? We were planning to make it the highlight…”

The students trailed off awkwardly. Seoyeon briefly considered the situation.

It seemed like they were short one ghost.

‘…’

Her mind started to work quickly. If she volunteered, wouldn’t this be a good chance to get closer to the other students?

“Um.”

When Seoyeon spoke up, all eyes turned toward her. She flinched slightly at the sudden intensity of their stares.

Did I say something wrong? I haven’t even said anything yet.

“If no one else wants to do it, I could be the ghost.”

“What? Really?”

The students exchanged glances, surprised by Seoyeon’s offer. An active actress playing the ghost role… and considering Seoyeon’s looks…

“Are you sure? The second floor can be a bit scary since there won’t be many people around. We’re going to block out all the windows with dark curtains.”

Despite the class president’s warning, Seoyeon nodded confidently. It was just a high school haunted house in broad daylight—how scary could it be? Most of the fear was usually just about the ambiance.

“I’ll be fine.”

Seoyeon spoke firmly. The class president slowly nodded in agreement.

If Seoyeon was willing, there was no problem. Besides, the idea of an active actress playing the ghost was quite exciting.

‘This could be more successful than I thought.’

If the festival went well, it would look good on their school records. The class president was filled with enthusiasm.

Of course, this wasn’t Seoyeon’s intention at all.