Chapter 8

“They say speak of the tiger and it appears…”

Lee Hwa-young curled her lips into a mocking smile.

“So, Actor Han Seo-jun, did your second audition go well?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, it went very well.”

Han Seo-jun answered her sarcastic question with a relaxed smile.

His unrealistically handsome face was overflowing with confidence.

“…!”

The unexpected response made Hwa-young’s eyes waver for a moment.

Whenever they happened to cross paths before, Han Seo-jun would always avoid her gaze.

In fact, he usually avoided talking to most actors altogether.

And it made sense.

He probably knew better than anyone how much other actors mocked his acting.

Even beginner actors comforted themselves by watching shorts of his infamous performances and thinking, “At least I’m not that bad.”

But now?

What was this attitude?

He was smiling confidently and answering without hesitation.

Had he become so used to being called the “King of Terrible Acting” that he’d reached enlightenment?

As she stared at the handsome man smiling so openly, another voice cut in.

“My actor doing well in an audition is only natural. Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Hwa-young shifted her gaze toward Manager Hwang Dong-jun.

A mocking smile appeared on her lips.

“Oh, I was just praising Team Leader Hwang and Actor Han Seo-jun for being so amazing. Since he passed the first audition, I suggested we put up a congratulatory banner. Maybe at the entrance of the park across from the company? Lots of people pass by there.”

“Not funny.”

Hwang Dong-jun cut her off immediately.

His expression hardened.

“Why don’t you stop worrying about other actors and get to the point?”

“Hey, hey. He’s still an actor from our company. She was just showing some interest.”

Team Leader Joo Tae-hwan stepped in and lightly tapped Hwang’s arm.

“You know that Gu Man-ho disappeared without a word, right? Hwa-young needs a manager right now. Giving her Oh Jun-sik doesn’t make sense. The kid’s only been with the company for a month. How is he supposed to take care of an actress by himself?”

“…So you’re telling me to manage Lee Hwa-young? Surely that’s not what you’re saying.”

“Not as her dedicated manager. Just help out a little.”

Hwang Dong-jun’s lips twisted.

Hwa-young lifted her chin proudly.

“Oh please. Do you think I’m doing this because I like Manager Hwang?”

She glared coldly at him.

“Don’t you know I’m appearing on SBN’s Omniscient Drinking Point of View starting next month on the 16th? It’s a show where the actor and manager drink bomb shots together and chat. The chemistry has to be good. What if you send some clueless rookie manager and he accidentally says something stupid while drunk? What happens if that gets broadcast?”

She tapped the tip of her shoe against the floor and raised an eyebrow.

“The company would have to deal with all the fallout. Is that what you want?”

“You have Dong-hyuk and Jae-hoon. Pick one of them.”

“No.”

“…!”

She smiled as if deliberately provoking him.

“They’re both unmarried and around my age. Do you think there aren’t trash reporters looking for gossip? You’re basically handing them bait to create ridiculous dating rumors.”

“I’m unmarried too.”

“Yeah, but you’re not my age.”

She answered immediately, as if waiting for that reply.

“And honestly, shouldn’t you be thinking about your own future by now? How long are you going to keep watering a tree that will never grow? Anyone can see the roots are completely rotten.”

That comment crossed a line.

Hwang Dong-jun’s face darkened instantly.

“…What?”

His brows furrowed deeply as he looked away from her.

“Haa…!”

He let out a deep breath, forcing down his anger.

Yet the person who had just been insulted, Han Seo-jun, remained calm.

He even had a faint smile on his face.

Seeing Hwang Dong-jun getting visibly angry, Team Leader Joo quickly intervened.

“Come on, Hwa-young. That joke went a little too far. I know filming has been rough these past few days and you’re sensitive right now, but let’s just get you home so you can rest.”

He hurriedly pulled out his phone and grumbled.

“Seriously, where is that kid? Why isn’t he here yet?”

He stood between Hwa-young and the two men with his large frame while muttering to himself.

At that moment, the office door suddenly opened.

A man who looked about twenty-five rushed inside.

Looking directly at Joo Tae-hwan, he immediately started talking.

“Team Leader! I checked the filming location and they said Actress Lee Hwa-young had already left. I called her too, but she ignored all my calls. Seriously, this is—”

The man suddenly noticed Hwa-young peeking out from beside Joo Tae-hwan’s large figure.

The moment their eyes met, he froze.

“Hey. If you can’t reach your actor, you’re supposed to come here immediately.”

Although he sounded scolding, Joo Tae-hwan was clearly amused.

“Now hurry up and escort our Actress Lee Hwa-young safely home.”

He then turned toward Hwa-young and blinked at her discreetly.

It meant he would handle things.

“Don’t worry about anything. Just go rest. I heard your co-star came unprepared today and made filming difficult for you. You should hurry home and take care of yourself. What if your skin gets damaged?”

Hwa-young reluctantly uncrossed her legs and stood up.

“If you need anything, just tell me. If it’s our great actress Lee Hwa-young asking, I’d even climb to heaven and pick a divine herb for you.”

His playful joke finally softened her expression.

“That’s a promise?”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

As Tae-hwan joked around, he glanced at Oh Jun-sik.

The young manager sighed and quickly opened the door.

While he held it open, Hwa-young walked out proudly like a queen.

***

Hwang Dong-jun, still frowning, glanced at me.

Then he spoke with a surprised look.

“Hey. Are you okay? That crazy—”

He stopped himself before finishing the sentence.

“Anyway, everyone keeps treating her like a queen and telling her she’s the best, so she’s gotten completely out of control. You know that’s all because of Team Leader Joo and the Director, right?”

Joo Tae-hwan frowned at Hwang’s irritated complaint.

“And how is that our fault? Let’s be honest. Is there anyone in Blizzard Entertainment who’d argue that Lee Hwa-young isn’t our biggest star?”

While speaking, his eyes briefly landed on me.

“Ahem.”

He awkwardly cleared his throat and looked away.

“Of course not. Who would argue with that? Just look at how many commercials she’s filmed this year.”

I answered casually.

Hwang Dong-jun looked at me like he couldn’t understand me at all.

Naturally.

It wasn’t true that her insults hadn’t affected me.

The sarcastic banner comment.

Comparing me to a rotten tree root.

Those words definitely stung.

But I knew Lee Hwa-young better than anyone else.

Because I had once been the actor who helped her shed the label of being a bad actress.

Back when I was Do Hyun-woo.

Before the terrible fire.

During the peak of my acting career.

Of course, even back then I didn’t appear in romance dramas.

I wasn’t handsome enough to play charming male leads.

But in other genres, my presence stood out.

Crime investigations.

Horror.

Thrillers.

Action dramas.

Those were where my acting shined the brightest.

Among them, one drama about punishing corruption and injustice became an enormous sensation.

Despite the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, it achieved nearly 20% viewership ratings.

It was a masterpiece that thrilled audiences with charismatic acting and satisfying action scenes.

Every episode felt like a movie.

The show became such a hit that it eventually received multiple seasons.

I played the protagonist known as the “Iron Pursuer,” a man driven by justice.

Lee Hwa-young played a journalist who secretly supported my character while hiding his existence from the public.

But acting wasn’t easy for her.

Her role required showing many emotions and reactions in various situations.

If it had been a movie, she would have had plenty of time.

But drama filming schedules were brutal.

As filming progressed, last-minute script revisions poured in constantly.

Even veterans struggled with that.

One day, after finishing my scenes and resting in my trailer, she knocked on my door.

She was holding a crumpled script and looked like she was about to cry.

“Senior… I just can’t figure out this scene.”

After reading the script, I understood immediately.

A kind informant suddenly transformed into a murderer, and she had to portray all the fear alone in a one-take shot.

“They told me to imagine a killer reaching for me from behind… but when I try, I just can’t…”

“Didn’t the actor rehearse it with you?”

“…He did. But he wasn’t scary.”

I nodded.

The camera would only show her face.

The killer’s expression would be filmed separately.

Without real interaction, creating genuine fear was difficult.

“Then watch carefully. I’ll show you. You’ll understand immediately.”

“O-Okay.”

Relief finally appeared on her face.

Smiling, I gestured to my manager.

“Action!”

Instantly, the image before me changed.

Her face lost all color.

Blue veins bulged beneath pale skin.

Her eyes became hollow and bloodshot.

The script in her hand transformed into a sharp knife.

Moonlight glinted coldly along the blade.

My entire body reacted as if I had become a helpless woman.

Goosebumps covered my skin.

A muffled groan escaped my lips.

Fear crushed my lungs.

My breathing caught in my throat.

The murderous presence behind me made me collapse backward instinctively.

As I crawled away, a knife slashed through the air and barely missed my face.

A burning sensation spread from the cut.

“Haa…!”

Even my cry for help wouldn’t come out properly.

That was what true terror looked like.

“Ms. Lee Do-hee?”

A male voice came from outside the window.

The killer stopped moving.

Clinging desperately to that voice as her only salvation, she screamed.

“AAAAAHHHHH—!!”

At the same time, something smashed through the window.

Slowly, I stood up.

The emotion left me.

I became Do Hyun-woo again.

And the killer became Lee Hwa-young once more.

“Haa… haa…!”

She covered her mouth with both hands.

I looked at her and said:

“Do exactly what I just did.”

“…Yes. I-I think I can.”

“Of course you can. Especially when a monster like this is walking toward you.”

I casually messed up my hair and looked at her.

Not glaring.

Simply staring with cold, empty eyes while slowly smiling.

“…How did you find out?”

The cruelty hidden in my voice made her freeze instantly.

“Holy shit… that seriously made my heart stop.”

Even the manager standing beside her stepped backward while swearing in amazement.

A moment later, she hurried back to the filming set.

And when filming began—

The scene was approved in a single take.

After that, I often helped her with her acting.

The drama’s perfect story, powerful performances, and theme of justice triumphing over evil earned enormous praise.

That year, I even won Best Actor at the MBS Drama Awards.

Many of the actors remained close and continued meeting regularly afterward.

During that time, Hwa-young and I also met privately several times.

She talked about her personal worries and struggles as an actress.

It never became romantic.

She treated me like an older brother and respected senior.

I felt the same.

But the Lee Hwa-young of those days was very different.

She was sensitive.

She got hurt by careless remarks.

She cried over anonymous comments on internet forums.

Yet now she had become someone who openly looked down on others without hesitation.

Watching her felt like seeing a younger sister who had changed completely.

Still…

Back then she told me all kinds of secrets.

Even some extremely personal things when she was drunk.

Of course, I had no intention of using those against her.

Besides.

I’m no longer Do Hyun-woo.

I’m Han Seo-jun now.

***

“Seriously, why does she specifically want me?”

Hwang Dong-jun’s grumbling voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Hey, I’m the one who brought it up.”

The team leader tried to calm him down.

“Min-jun is leaving for Japan, so Jang Dong-hyuk finally has free time. Hwa-young originally asked for him. But I said no. I suggested you instead.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re the best manager in this company. If we’re talking about a star like Hwa-young, she deserves a manager at your level.”

“You think I’ll just fall for that?”

Hwang waved his hands in frustration.

“No chance.”

“You know someone managed her for six months without complaining.”

“Gu Man-ho disappeared! I already told you! Damn it. I thought he was responsible and competent, but now he’s vanished and hasn’t answered his phone for three days!”

“That’s exactly why he lasted six months. I can’t do it. You manage her yourself. If she’s the face of Blizzard Entertainment, shouldn’t she have a team leader-level manager?”

Joo Tae-hwan frowned deeply.

“Are you really going to be this stubborn?”

Despite the glare, Hwang didn’t look intimidated at all.

The two clearly had a close relationship.

“Look, if my actor passes this audition, he’s going to get extremely busy. So it’s impossible.”

“…Fine.”

The team leader glanced at me before speaking again.

“If Seo-jun gets the role, we’ll forget this conversation ever happened. But if he fails, no arguments. You’re taking Hwa-young. Got it?”

“…!”

Hwang immediately turned toward me.

One eyebrow twitched.

Was it trust?

Or doubt?

“Sounds good!”

I answered before Hwang could.

A relaxed smile spread across my face.

“So all I have to do is pass, right?”