Chapter 7

Translator: Diva

Chapter: 7

Chapter Title: In This Life, It's the Oscar, Not My Husband

At that moment, a staff member clapped sharply.

"Alright, let's start shooting!"

For actors, the first shoot is always nerve-wracking.

It's the moment of truth, testing how the character you've built comes to life on camera.

Even after nearly ten years in the industry, my hands still shake.

But it's different from my very first time acting.

I do get nervous.

Plus, this scene is from the early part, with just the beastkin character alone.

So, I'm not too worried.

"Cue!"

At Director Jeon Se-yeon's cue, I snapped into focus.

The 'Sui-in,' who believes she's a ghost, peeks out through the door camera before sneaking out to steal food delivery from next door and mutters to herself.

"Hee hee hee... This is exciting... No humans around..."

Then she abruptly opens the front door.

"Cut! That's a take!"

Director Jeon Se-yeon looked satisfied, as expected.

Whispers rippled through the staff nearby.

"That's way too good, right?"

"Is she really a rookie?"

I'm no rookie, you idiots.

I'm practically a ten-year veteran now.

And among them was Hong Jong-ho, slurping the iced caramel macchiato I'd bought (oppa always drank only that), his mouth agape in awe at my performance—

And Park Seo-woo, wearing a dissatisfied expression as he watched me.

What the hell is your problem now, you punk?

Why don't you say it to my face.

Feeling a surge of irritation, I glared at Park Seo-woo.

'They call him a production staffer, but he's just running every errand under the sun.'

From accounting to food delivery, coffee runs, and handling all the receipts.

'The future youngest Oscar-winning director playing gofer...'

What a weird feeling.

Twenty-year-old Park Seo-woo feels so unfamiliar.

Just then, Jeon Se-yeon approached me.

"Your acting is amazing. I think we can use this take as is... Uh... Um... What am I supposed to say here..."

Jeon Se-yeon scratched her head.

Even as a director who's won awards at short film festivals, giving feedback to actors seemed tricky for her.

"Usually, the first shoot is about aligning the image I have in mind with what the actor brings to the table. But this time, nothing's off. I had some ideas from the audition, but this is completely different from those too."

Ah.

Well, that can happen.

No matter how good your acting, if it doesn't match the director's vision, the actor has to adjust.

Actors are like puzzle pieces fitting into the director's picture.

"...Ah. Then please tell me whatever, and I'll adjust to it..."

She's the future blockbuster director, so of course I should match her...

"...No, it's perfect. Just like this."

But Jeon Se-yeon's next words threw me off.

"...Pardon?"

"It's even creepier and cuter than before. What's with that gaze that wasn't in my script? Especially with the incense stick on the altar. How did you come up with blowing it out before leaving?"

"Ah... Ghosts usually hate the smell of incense. Even when they swarm out for the ancestral meal, they blow it out first, right?"

"...You thought of that?"

"It just came to me after reading the script a bunch of times."

I smiled humbly, acting shy.

But truthfully, it was a carefully researched ad-lib I was proud of.

'I got greedy.'

The revised script was really fun.

With the romance part opened up, Jeon Se-yeon's witty comedy shone even brighter.

Honestly, this could even be a commercial hit...

'No counting chickens.'

It's just the first shoot, after all.

That's when I thought that.

Park Seo-woo, who'd been listening to our whole conversation, spoke up.

"Director-nim."

Of course.

No way that hotheaded punk at twenty would stay quiet.

I waited silently for what he'd say about my acting.

"How about we shoot this scene once more?"

"Huh? Why?"

Jeon Se-yeon asked.

"I think more close-ups would be good. Especially when she blows out the incense—"

Park Seo-woo looked my way.

"You looked really pretty. With those stray hairs floating. In slow motion, it'd come out great."

"Oh, yeah. That's a good idea."

"And around 1 minute 25 seconds in the earlier footage, when you smile. That way your face crinkles up. That—"

Listening to Park Seo-woo, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

"I watched your work. At 39 minutes 25 seconds, the eye acting was good, but the tone at the start of the line felt off."

"In that drama, episode 8, around 17 minutes, the lighting was bad. It doesn't suit you, that lighting."

...What?

Has he been watching me like this all along?

The words I'd felt were nitpicking me to the nano level now sounded different.

'This is how I'd shoot you.'

Like that.

"That smile when blowing out the incense would be perfect. It's innocent and cute."

I stared at Park Seo-woo, who spoke as if envisioning my face right there, like I was inside his personal viewfinder imagination.

Noticing my gaze, Park Seo-woo stopped and bowed his head.

"Sorry if I overstepped. I wasn't trying to critique your acting."

What.

His tone was as stiff and sharp as ever, so why did it feel so different?

"Don't you think retiring because of marriage is so outdated?"

Those were his words at an industry sunbae's birthday party right after our engagement announcement, a place I'd gone to hang out with close colleagues.

He was someone who never touched alcohol, but that day he was pretty drunk.

He looked displeased, and it was obvious I was the cause.

Above all, that contemptuous gaze looking down at me.

"I thought you were... smarter than this."

The contempt in those eyes touched something deep inside me.

The shame of fleeing the industry when my career hit rock bottom.

Or—

'Maybe I really made the wrong choice... no, a stupid one, and the regret of that.'

Honestly, Park Seo-woo wasn't wrong.

My marriage was a stupid move.

A guy proposing marriage on the condition of retirement was never normal to begin with.

Why didn't I see that attitude, showing zero respect for the career of the person he loved?

'Well, I was that blind.'

To the idea of a 'real family.'

I made a slightly bitter face, then snapped out of it as I realized eyes were on me.

"...Of course, if reshooting is inconvenient, we don't have to..."

Jeon Se-yeon was trying to be considerate, thinking I was uncomfortable!

I quickly waved my hands.

"Oh, no. I'm fine with another chance. I was imagining it anyway. I prepare by rolling footage in my head."

"So, you mean visuals pop into your mind? That's not easy for a rookie actor."

Jeon Se-yeon said, sounding impressed.

"Eun-rae-ssi, you're such a smart actor."