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Chapter 27
“Ah, Seyeon. You’re not upset, are you?”
“Come on, what’s there to be upset about?”
At that moment, the director patted Seyeon on the shoulder and smiled warmly.
“Where else would you find a senior like this? She even helps you set up your emotions. Watch closely and learn. I’ve worked with Sara a few times, and trust me, she doesn’t do this for just anyone.”
“Of course. Do you know how much I value Seyeon?”
At Sara’s glib response, Seyeon wanted to grab her by the hair and drag her down on the spot.
“You’re fine with this, right, Seyeon?”
“……”
Supporting actors standing nearby whispered among themselves as they looked at Sara and Seyeon.
Their stares felt brazenly obvious.
The thought of how much they must be mocking her sent a wave of shame so strong it made her dizzy.
Shame overwhelmed Seyeon more than anger did.
In the end, she said she’d go fix her makeup and hurriedly left the set.
As soon as Seyeon disappeared, Director Kwak and Sara, as if on cue, dropped the smiles from their faces.
“So exhausting. I can only put up with her so much. Doesn’t even read the script properly but always talks back.”
His tone was so cold it dripped with contempt.
Sara just smiled faintly without answering.
“Maybe I should just finish this project and quit for good.”
Director Kwak asked half-jokingly. His lips curved in a smile, but his eyes were stiff with fatigue.
“You need to at least win the Daehun Directing Award before you quit. Didn’t you just miss it last year? Wouldn’t it be such a waste?”
“Ah, I’d finally forgotten about that, but Seo is poking the sore spot again.”
“This year, you’ll definitely win.”
Sara ended the conversation with a warm, pleasant smile.
It was much later when Seyeon finally returned to the set.
“Cut, cut! Seyeon! How many takes is this already?”
That day’s filming dragged on for sixteen hours.
With Seyeon’s repeated mistakes, everyone—including the director—grew increasingly irritable.
Eventually, Seyeon walked off set on her own, forcing them to shoot around her, focusing only on the scenes without her.
“Let’s call it a day.”
As dawn broke, the director flung his hat down halfway and snapped irritably.
“Good work, everyone.”
The assistant directors, carefully watching the director’s mood, quietly signaled the end of the grueling shoot.
“Noona! Great job today. Let’s go quickly.”
Juyoung, who had been waiting eagerly for filming to end, fussed over Sara and guided her toward the parking lot.
Probably worried she might go looking for the golf club again.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Thankfully, Sara was too drained from the long, delayed shoot to even lift her eyelids properly.
She trudged toward the parking lot, but something seemed noisy up ahead.
“What’s going on?”
“Uh… uh, noona, wait here just a sec. Please, just stay here.”
Juyoung, who had been walking ahead, suddenly turned pale.
It didn’t take long for Sara to find out the cause of the commotion.
“Aaah! Who do you think you are? Who are you to tell me what to do!”
Someone was kicking and pounding her van, screaming at the top of their lungs.
Sara didn’t even need to wonder who it was.
“She’s lost it.”
Her drowsiness vanished instantly.
“N-noona! Let me handle this, please?”
The van was already covered in scratches and dents from the relentless kicks.
Pushing past Juyoung, who tried to stop her, Sara stepped in front of Seyeon.
“Seyeon. What are you doing right now?”
“Hey, you. Think you’re so great? You some kind of veteran actress? Who are you to lecture me?”
Seyeon’s eyes were bloodshot.
And every time she opened her mouth, she reeked of alcohol.
By now, staff members and a few actors had gathered, drawn by the noise.
“Ugh, the smell. You’ve been drinking?”
“Don’t change the subject. Who are you to teach me anything? I’m the lead of this drama, you hear? Giving me lessons about emotions? What a joke!”
“Seyeon, you’re drunk. Just go home, okay? You’re making a scene.”
“Ha? A scene? You’re the pathetic one. Don’t you think it’s worse to snag roles through backdoor lobbying? You got this part the same way too, didn’t you?”
Her eyes were filled with madness, rage, and contempt.
“Your words are crossing the line. Stop this now!”
Unable to hold back, Juyoung stepped forward and shouted.
“Stay out of this. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“…You’re spreading weird rumors. You know that’s defamation, right?”
“Ha! Defamation? What honor do you even have to defend? What, that Attrae award? Don’t strut around just because you won some trophy. You think you’re the only one in the world with that award?”
Even as she ranted, she lashed out with another kick, this time at the tire.
Seyeon’s stylist, panicking, tried to hold her back timidly.
But Seyeon fought her off violently.
“Let go! I said let go!”
At this point, Sara felt more pity than anger.
The way Seyeon screamed, all twisted up with insecurity and inferiority, was just pathetic.
“Juyoung. Call Kim Seyeon’s manager and tell them to come get her.”
“Ah, yes!”
Clearly, the manager wasn’t around—otherwise, they would have shown up by now.
Juyoung quickly dialed, phone clutched tightly to his ear.
“What on earth is going on here?”
The director finally arrived late, surveying the damaged car and the furious Seyeon. With a heavy sigh, he seemed to understand enough of the situation.
“Seyeon. Don’t you think that’s enough? You’re not planning to shoot tomorrow?”
“Director, I’m in the middle of talking to Seo Sara right now. Could you step back?”
“What?”
Her reply wasn’t just bold—it was flat-out rude. The director looked dumbfounded.
“Her manager isn’t picking up…”
Juyoung clutched his phone tightly and glanced at Sara.
Right after a shoot had wrapped—if a manager wasn’t answering calls, it was either an accident or they were dodging on purpose.
“Hey, Seo Sara! Don’t hide back there—come out! What, cat got your tongue?”
“Seyeon, please. Let’s just stop and go home, yeah?”
The stylist practically begged, tugging at her arm, but it was useless.
The scene was utter chaos.
There was no better word for it.
And of course, no one was leaving. Who would walk away from such entertainment? The parking lot was already crowded with onlookers.
“This is insane…”
Sara muttered so softly no one could hear.
Honestly, she was just exhausted. She only wanted to go home and collapse into bed.
“Seyeon, you’re drunk. Let’s talk tomorrow. We’ll see each other again then anyway.”
Since so many people were watching, Sara kept her tone calm and even, gently tugging Seyeon’s arm.
But Seyeon’s eyes went wide, and she jerked her body violently.
“How dare you touch me! Disgusting!”
“Ah.”
“Noona!”
It wasn’t as bad as when she’d been shoved in the bathroom earlier.
But her luck ran out.
She stumbled as she dodged Seyeon’s hand, and when Juyoung tried to catch her, his balance tipped backward instead. Suddenly her body lifted into the air.
It felt like a slow-motion scene from a movie.
“Ugh!”
As she fell, her head slammed hard against something sharp and solid.
Fortunately, it didn’t hurt.
Because she blacked out instantly.
Sara was eleven years old when her father left home.
According to her mother, he ran off with a barmaid and abandoned his wife and child.
That was also the day her mother started hitting her.
Her mother would come home late at night after work, always drunk, and seek Sara out.
She would see her husband’s features in Sara’s face and be consumed with rage.
Slaps and kicks became routine.
At some point, the sound of the front door opening filled Sara with terror.
Late at night, when the door slammed shut with that cold mechanical click, her heart would pound so fast she thought it would burst.
Her mother always found excuses to beat her.
For not greeting her at the door. For not cleaning the house. For talking back. For not studying. For being rude. For being a parasite who only drained her. For ruining her life. For looking like her father.
Those moments were unbearably painful, but Sara never hated her mother. Because her world began and ended with her mother. She was everything.
Then one day—
Sara went to a friend’s house and received the shock of her life.
― Mom! I’ve got PE tomorrow, did you wash my uniform?
― Goodness, why are you telling me just now? Hand it over, quick.
To Sara, that scene felt strange and wondrous.
Her friend’s mother didn’t slap her when she whined. She didn’t curse or scream at her either.
