Did she eat something bad? Or maybe she forgot to eat something she should have?

That was Ha-eun’s first thought after hearing Da-yeon suddenly declare she wanted to slap her. This time, she really couldn’t figure out the reason.

"…Did I do something wrong?"  
"No, it’s probably not your fault, Ha-eun."  
"??"

Ha-eun knew that Da-yeon wasn’t the warmest person and was well aware that she had no reservations about expressing her feelings toward Ha-eun.

Throughout their 11 years of friendship, Ha-eun had always figured she just needed to wait until Da-yeon’s mood improved. Things had always sorted themselves out over time.

However, this was the first time Da-yeon had shown the desire to act on her feelings. And Ha-eun couldn’t even guess what could have triggered them.

The expression on Da-yeon’s face was different from her usual look when she was angry or sulking. It looked as if she was being cautious about something.

Seeing that rare, almost careful expression on Da-yeon’s familiar face, a thought flashed through Ha-eun's mind. At the same time, the word "No way" popped up in her head, but everyone has their secrets.

“…Is that your thing?”

Taking a step closer to Da-yeon, Ha-eun leaned in and whispered daringly. At that, Da-yeon’s face turned red instantly.

"Wh-what the hell are you saying, you crazy girl!!"

Sure enough, Da-yeon’s shout echoed down the hallway, making Ha-eun’s whispered approach pointless.

A few seconds later, curious stares from people in the hallway fixed on Da-yeon, whose face now burned bright red. Embarrassed, Da-yeon turned on her heels and fled.

"…Did she really eat something bad?"

Ha-eun’s question about Da-yeon’s behavior remained unanswered. Although, even with her usual calm demeanor, Ha-eun wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of getting slapped out of nowhere.

She decided to talk to Da-yeon again when they could be alone. As much as Da-yeon might love picking on her, she couldn’t have asked about slapping her for no reason.

However, Da-yeon seemed to start avoiding Ha-eun. For a full week.

By Friday, they still hadn’t had a chance to talk. The little "1" by Ha-eun's last message to Da-yeon remained unread.

But as the newly cast lead of *Moonlight Drawn by Clouds*, Ha-eun couldn’t keep dwelling on Da-yeon’s behavior. Deciding to try solving it on Monday, she focused on her upcoming first script reading scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

As time passed, with about an hour left until the first script reading began…

"Oh, am I the first one here?"  
"Ah… Hello. It’s nice to meet you."

Ha-eun greeted each actor and staff member arriving, starting with a middle-aged actor who had a minor role. Polite greetings were the best way to make a good first impression.

But as Ha-eun prepared to greet the last arrival, the main male lead for today’s reading—a young actor playing Crown Prince Lee Hyun, named Yoo Sung-jae—approached her warmly.

"I’m older than you, but you’re far more experienced, Ha-eun, so please feel free to talk to me comfortably."

As a courtesy, Ha-eun took a seat next to Sung-jae, stopping her rounds of polite introductions. If Ha-eun, as his senior, remained standing, it would make things awkward for Sung-jae.

Their conversation naturally turned to *Moonlight Drawn by Clouds*, the original novel that both had read multiple times.

“What’s your favorite scene, Ha-eun? Mine is when Yeongwol reappears in a completely new light.”  
"Hmm… I like the scene where the two talk through a closed door."  
"The one in the middle of the story, right? When Crown Prince Lee Hyun first reveals his true feelings."  
"Yes."  
"Yeah, that scene really leaves an impression."

As they continued discussing the story, the time for the script reading arrived, and all the actors and staff members took their seats.

"Hello, everyone. I’m Jin Gyuseong, the director of *Moonlight Drawn by Clouds*."

Director Jin Gyuseong kicked off the reading with a brief introduction about taking on the project.

Sitting right next to Ha-eun, Yoo Sung-jae stood and introduced himself as Crown Prince Lee Hyun with a gentle smile and a bright voice. His handsome face, charming even to a fault, drew applause.

When Sung-jae sat back down, all eyes naturally shifted to Ha-eun. Given that she had mainly taken on supporting or minor roles up until now, the anticipation was understandable.

Her ability to steal scenes was well-known, and she often produced memorable highlights in each of her projects. Now, as a lead in *Moonlight Drawn by Clouds*, people were naturally excited to see what she would bring to the role.

The video of her audition had circulated somewhat. Though she hadn’t seen it herself, the footage had certainly added to the anticipation around her performance.

With that, Ha-eun stood up.

"I’m Lee Ha-eun, playing the role of Yeongwol… I’ll do my best."

Ha-eun’s slightly nervous greeting was met with applause nearly as enthusiastic as Sung-jae’s.

Even after Ha-eun sat back down, the introductions continued. Feeling a bit parched, she reached for a bottle of water as a minor actress wrapped up her introduction.

Then, just as she was about to take a sip…

"…I’m Min Da-yeon, playing Queen Yoon."

"Keuh!"

Ha-eun choked on her water as the identity of the person who had been hiding under a black baseball cap all along was revealed.

Sung-jae glanced at her in concern, but at this moment, Ha-eun couldn’t hear a word he was saying.

After all, Queen Yoon was the character who would relentlessly antagonize her character, Yeongwol.

And to think that Da-yeon had been cast as Queen Yoon… it was enough to make Ha-eun worry about what lay ahead on the set of *Moonlight Drawn by Clouds*.

Her eyes widened, and, subtly, she even felt a twinge of betrayal.

Still, no matter her feelings, this was the script reading for *Moonlight Drawn by Clouds*.

"Let’s start with [S#13. The Three in the East Palace]."

Ha-eun did her best to steady her slightly sore throat and focused on the script. However, it was hard to ignore Da-yeon, especially since the upcoming scene involved Queen Yoon.

In the scene, Queen Yoon, who had replaced Crown Prince Lee Hyun’s late mother, subtly kept him in check. Meanwhile, Crown Prince Lee Hyun silently guarded by Yeongwol, held his own stance.

Queen Yoon’s lines were sharp and taunting. Like:

"How leisurely you must be to stroll into the East Palace in broad daylight, Your Majesty."

A mocking line from Sung-jae, pointing out that while the king lay ill, the queen was freely wandering around.

Or Da-yeon’s biting retort:

"I cannot help but worry about the fragile Crown Prince. Isn’t he too afraid to leave the East Palace without his guard?"

A thinly veiled insult targeting the Crown Prince, who, despite his age, still relied heavily on Yeongwol’s presence.

But the sharpest line was directed squarely at Yeongwol.

"How can a mere servant coddle the Crown Prince’s every whim? Even a sparrow stops feeding its young when they’re grown."

It was a line targeting Yeongwol, who never left the Crown Prince’s side, and Da-yeon’s intense glare was deadly.

‘…Just as expected.’

From Director Jin’s perspective, Da-yeon’s performance as Queen Yoon was exactly what he had hoped for.

Unlike other actresses, who played Queen Yoon with a refined demeanor, Da-yeon brought a raw sense of distrust, acknowledging both the Crown Prince and Yeongwol as adversaries.

While other actresses could have tried to act wary of Yeongwol, Da-yeon was the only one who did.

"I am merely a humble servant, Your Majesty. My teeth are bared only for the Crown Prince’s enemies. Rest assured."

Ha-eun’s line followed, directly clashing with Da-yeon’s performance, and brought a look of satisfaction to Director Jin’s face once more.