Jiyeon considered herself to be quite close with Seoyeon. After all, they had spent nearly ten years together, relying on each other in many ways.

They both worked as actors. Academically and in other aspects, they leaned on each other a lot.

...If it weren’t for Seoyeon, Jiyeon would never have become a VTuber. Now, it was one of the things she enjoyed doing as a form of relaxation.

Jiyeon was confident in her ability to communicate with others and plan content. But still...

‘I really don’t know what she’s thinking sometimes.’

A film about same-sex love. It seemed to be a story about love between women.

‘A film by Director Baek Min.’

Of course, Jiyeon knew who the director was. He was a director known for his strong artistic vision, recognized more internationally than domestically.

In other words, he was a director you had to work with if you were considering advancing overseas. But that was that.

‘How can she be so calm about this?’

Jiyeon looked at Seoyeon with a half-asleep gaze. Seoyeon tilted her head slightly in response, as if wondering if she had done something wrong, a typical gesture of Seoyeon’s when she was unsure.

Looking at her like this, it seemed like she had brought it up with the best of intentions...

‘No, no, it’s weirder to take it the wrong way.’

But wasn’t it strange? Maybe an adult actor could accept this coolly and judge it logically, but Jiyeon was still a high school student. Isn’t this a normal reaction? It was Seoyeon’s calmness that was surprising. Sometimes, Jiyeon wondered if Seoyeon was just really professional about work, separating work and personal feelings so distinctly. How does she manage to do that? Jiyeon wasn’t sure.

‘Moreover, what about your school friends?’

Even if they worked together and the reaction was positive, how would their school friends react? A girl who was always with them at school, now starring in a film like that...

“Do you hate it?”

“...”

Seoyeon asked again, her tone somewhat dejected like a puppy with its tail between its legs. It seemed Seoyeon thought this film would be a great opportunity for Jiyeon.

‘Ugh.’

Jiyeon shut her eyes tightly as she looked at Seoyeon.

Well, so what? It’s not like I’m in a position to be picky. The only thing I’ve done so far is a cable drama. If it’s a film by Director Baek Min, it’s right to be a part of it, even if it’s as an extra.

“I don’t hate it.”

“Really? But you seemed surprised.”

“Hey, Ju Seoyeon. Of course, I’m surprised!”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why? This is...”

Watching the two of them talk, Jo Seohui looked on with interest.

‘They must be really close, huh?’

Judging by their conversation, they were both actors. Jo Seohui didn’t know who Jiyeon was.

But as she listened to their conversation, she quickly looked her up.

‘Ah, she’s in a cable drama right now.’

Seohui propped her chin up with her hand, watching them. When you start acting at a young age, it’s hard to make friends.

First of all, it’s hard to find time to hang out, and when you get used to the industry, people your age start to feel younger. It’s like they seem immature. Jo Seohui knew it wasn’t a good thing to feel, but what could she do when it was true?

‘Fellow actors, and close since they were young.’

Jo Seohui was secretly envious. It seemed that Seoyeon had a small circle of friends but kept her relationships deep.

Given that there were practically no other young actresses around, Jo Seohui was even more eager to find a way to slip into that circle.

“Seohui sunbae.”

“Yeah?”

“When does the audition for Gyeongseong Lady start exactly?”

Seoyeon had already gone through several auditions before. She assumed that the audition for Gyeongseong Lady was just like any other audition and asked casually.

“You don’t need to audition.”

“What?”

“You’ve already gained a fair amount of recognition from The Chaser and Dream Future.”

Jo Seohui had personally advocated for her. Director Baek Min had watched The Chaser and Dream Future. And Seohui had heard the evaluation the day before.

“Seohui, are you really close to Actress Ju Seoyeon?”

Jo Seohui flinched at Director Baek Min’s words. Was he doubting her relationship with Seoyeon?

“Yes, we’re best friends. We’ve known each other for ten years.”

“Ah, right. You auditioned together for The Moon and the Stars, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I lost that time...but I deserved it.”

She thought of herself as an arrogant kid back then. Well, she was still arrogant now.

But that was just her way of protecting her pride, and she had no intention of changing.

“As you suggested, I watched The Chaser. And Dream Future.”

“What did you think?”

Jo Seohui asked, her expression hopeful. Seohui rarely showed such a youthful look.

“The Chaser was impressive, and Dream Future was really enjoyable.”

“...What?”

Isn’t that backwards? she thought, but Seohui didn’t let it show.

“Well, I’m making a romance film.”

“Yes, of course.”

“So, the performance in Dream Future gave me a lot of inspiration.”

It was just yesterday. The 11th episode of Dream Future.

“It was fresh.”

Director Baek Min recalled Jo Harin’s performance. He had heard there were several issues during filming.

Apparently, a writer’s personal indiscretions led to her role being reduced. Ironically, that reduction made Jo Harin’s storyline more understandable.

Jo Harin was paired with Park Minyul. But their relationship had been slow to develop compared to other couples in the drama. Of course, she hadn’t appeared much.

But since she originally had a one-sided crush on Kim Si-hwan, it made sense that her romance with Park Minyul took a backseat.

“Her acting, showing how she was flustered as Park Minyul took steps toward her, while she had only experienced one-sided love before...”

It was the performance of a girl who didn’t know love, someone unfamiliar with those sweet, tender feelings, struggling to accept the emotional exchange with another person.

Was it acting? Honestly, it didn’t even feel like acting.

Personally, it made him completely forget the image of Cha Seo-ah from The Chaser. At least, that was the case for Baek Min.

The audience probably felt the same way. A few days ago, Director Baek Min had a meeting with GH Group.

During that meeting, the Cultural Affairs Department Director, Kang Taejin, had said something.

“It’s a shame, Director Baek Min. I thought it was a good opportunity.”

“Apologies. I have a film I want to make.”

“I’ve heard. You’ve secured investments from various places.”

The man, with snake-like eyes, smiled as he said that.

“Have you heard of an actress named Ju Seoyeon?”

“What?”

It was a name Baek Min hadn’t expected to hear, so he was caught off guard. It was the same actress Jo Seohui had been talking about non-stop.

“She’s a young actress who seems well-suited for your film.”

“For...my film?”

“Yes, Director Baek Min’s films are known for their emotional depth.”

Emotional depth. Was he saying that Ju Seoyeon was an actress capable of portraying such emotions?

“We were more inclined towards the ‘Cha Seo-ah’ character.”

He said, smiling at Director Baek Min.

“But I thought there might be others who preferred the ‘Jo Harin’ character.”

Baek Min chuckled inwardly at his words.

‘Is he trying to coax me into boosting an actress’s recognition?’

Even though their collaboration had soured, it was clear they still wanted to make use of Ju Seoyeon. It was a subtle way of saying they had already claimed the actress.

Whatever Ju Seoyeon’s rise in popularity might be, the side that claimed her first would reap the biggest benefits.

However, he couldn’t deny that his interest was piqued. Ju Seoyeon.

She had only played significant roles in four productions so far, but she left a strong impression. The way she portrayed a girl who gradually learned about love while not understanding it at first—it was the exact performance Baek Min had envisioned.

It was what he wanted to showcase in Gyeongseong Lady.

Baek Min closed his eyes slowly, then opened them.

He put his thoughts on Dream Future aside and looked at the quietly seated Jo Seohui in front of him.

“I would be thrilled if Seohui and Seoyeon could appear in my film.”

“That’s...really a kind thing to say.”

Seohui replied, slightly taken aback. Hadn’t he said earlier that an audition would be necessary?

Still, it was convenient. Oh, that reminded her, the girl had asked her to inquire about something else too.

“If I may, there’s one more actress I’d like to recommend...”

“Hmm, that’s okay. The auditions will be open to everyone.”

He meant that she would have to pass the audition. And who knows what role it would be for.

Seohui sighed quietly. She looked at the two girls in front of her: Ju Seoyeon and Lee Jiyeon.

Especially Seoyeon, who seemed a bit taken aback. She must have thought she would have to audition too. But Director Baek Min seemed more taken with her than expected.

“So, you’re the only one who has to audition.”

“Don’t point at people.”

“...”

Seohui, who had instinctively pointed at Jiyeon with her finger, hesitantly withdrew her hand. That was harsh.

Still, in a strange way, Seohui felt an odd satisfaction from receiving this criticism from someone her age. It made her feel like there was no wall between them. Most people around her were too intimidated by her, so this was refreshing.

“Ahem, so yeah, you’ll need to audition. But I’ve already spoken to Director Baek Min.”

Jiyeon thought for a moment at Seohui’s words. Unlike Seoyeon, the news that she would have to audition didn’t bother her much. It would be silly to compare herself to Seoyeon, a million-seller movie star with a hit network drama.

She had fallen behind again, but...

‘I have to do this.’

This was a chance to stand on the same stage as Seoyeon. In that sense...

“Thank you.”

“What?”

“For bringing up my name.”

Seohui was taken aback by Jiyeon’s words. She had thought Jiyeon disliked her, but maybe that wasn’t the case?

“Ahem! Well, yes, for me, this is nothing.”

She replied, glancing at Seoyeon. This time, Seoyeon was looking at Seohui with a disapproving expression.

‘What now?’

As Seohui looked back at her with a bewildered expression, Seoyeon huffed and turned away.

It was because Seoyeon had never really heard Jiyeon thank her before. Jiyeon was always the one who managed things for Seoyeon, so Seoyeon had often thanked Jiyeon, but never the other way around.

‘...Anyway.’

Seoyeon glanced at Jiyeon. The audition. She knew Jiyeon’s abilities well, but since it was Director Baek Min’s film, she wasn’t sure what the judging criteria would be. She had hoped they could both tackle it together, but...

‘She’ll be fine.’

Still, Seoyeon trusted Jiyeon. After all, she had watched Jiyeon closely for the past ten years.

“Director.”

Manager Park Eun-ha looked quite exhausted these days, and it was no wonder. Recently, her phone had been flooded with an overwhelming number of calls.

Naturally, these calls were all about Seoyeon. She was a rising star who was just starting to gain recognition.

There were many people trying to take advantage of her while her value was still relatively low. Some were even hoping that Seoyeon’s sudden rise in popularity would fade, considering it to be a “bubble” that would eventually burst.

They were waiting for the inflated value of her name to drop, even just a little.

“We have this much in advertising offers, but there have also been a lot of requests for variety shows.”

“Variety shows? Let’s take a look.”

Kang Chan-yul, the CEO of Nova Entertainment, looked through the recent requests. Seoyeon was one of the few entertainers he managed personally.

As he had once told Seoyeon, Kang Chan-yul thought of her as a star—a talent that would shine even brighter with the right guidance.

So, it was only natural that he would be directly involved in managing her schedule. Seoyeon had agreed to this arrangement, understanding that she didn’t yet fully grasp how the industry worked.

“What do you think would be good?”

“Hmm.”

Usually, these decisions depended on the actor’s personality. Some actors were so private that they never appeared on variety shows. Others were very selective about the advertisements they accepted, knowing that the wrong ad could damage their image.

‘If we consider the variety shows she’s done before...’

“If I Become King.” And “Wilderness Survival.”

Seoyeon had enjoyed both shows immensely, although those accompanying her during the shoots had found it quite challenging.

“Something a bit more active might be good... Oh, this one looks interesting.”

As he muttered to himself, Kang Chan-yul nodded as he found a particular variety show that caught his eye. Given how busy Seoyeon had been with filming, he thought it might be good to give her a chance to unwind a little.

‘Is this really for her to unwind?’

Of course, Park Eun-ha had her doubts when she saw it. It seemed more like something Kang Chan-yul himself would find relaxing rather than Seoyeon.