Tap. Tap. Tap.
Kim Sun-il absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the desk.
The cause was Sua’s face. The strange discomfort etched upon her expression gave Kim Sun-il an indescribable sense of unease.
“…Did you find something you like?”
A single line spoken to break the suffocating silence.
Sua didn’t respond aloud.
Instead, after approaching Kim Sun-il, she neatly stacked the scripts on the desk in a predetermined order.
“Perhaps this is the correct sequence. Is it right?”
At a glance, it seemed like an unrelated answer.
When asked to choose the best script, she was now discussing the order. Wasn’t this conversation absurd? Yet, confidence shone on Sua’s face.
“These five are all from the same drama, aren’t they?”
“…”
Kim Sun-il’s brow twitched.
Each script seemed so different they could be from separate genres, and the characters were only marked with alphabets. If Sua didn’t have her unique talent, she might have embarrassingly failed.
A trap designed purely for someone to fall into.
Still, one variable stood out: her unique talent.
“I guess I’ve only reviewed one script. Please give me the next.”
Despite her polite tone, the statement carried a different meaning for Kim Sun-il. There was no trace of a smile on his face, as if he’d just been dealt a blow.
‘…How is this even possible?’
Kim Sun-il’s mind brimmed with questions.
These scripts had been edited with great care. The genre, characters, and even the background seemed entirely different dramas.
He would have marveled if Sua had only connected two of them. Three would’ve been remarkable.
But Sua’s answer was far from expected.
Right before Kim Sun-il’s eyes, she arranged all five scripts in the correct order. A brilliance far beyond mere words.
‘The editing of the scripts couldn’t have been off.’
Yes, that wouldn’t make sense. Even Kim Sun-il initially thought they were from different dramas.
Thus, the meaning was clear—
‘She really is this talented? This girl, with no professional experience, who considers acting a mere hobby?’
Admitting it was inevitable.
The depth of Sua’s insight—on an entirely different level.
“You have an extraordinary eye. ‘Exceptional’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
“Thankfully.”
“This isn’t just ‘thankfully’… ”
Kim Sun-il left the sentence unfinished, barely suppressing his urge to call her a once-in-a-century talent.
“…Maybe, you might even be better than me.”
“Well, you did say you had poor eyesight. That could be it.”
“…”
Sua tried to politely end the situation, though to Kim Sun-il, her words carried a much different weight.
“Haha!”
Suddenly, laughter erupted nearby.
“I told you Sua was different! Seeing you take a hit just makes me feel so much better!”
Sua barely suppressed an “huh” as she realized the voice belonged to Seo Yeon-joo.
Their eyes met, and Yeon-joo smiled brightly. Sua thought, “She’s like a playful rabbit turned human.”
Her warmth was pleasant, and her purity unsoiled. Watching Seo Yeon-joo evoked such feelings.
Meanwhile, the others couldn’t hide their surprise.
Directors Choi Hee-won and Lee Geum-sook closely inspected the arranged scripts, then hesitantly tapped Sua’s shoulder or arm, looking astounded.
“Sua, I bet you’re quite shocked, huh? We were all against it because of Sun-il’s pickiness. But now I’m more surprised! How did you even get the order right?”
“We can’t claim no responsibility for sitting back and watching. We apologize. We were genuinely curious about Sua’s insight, and honestly, we’re astonished. You’re incredible.”
Sua was left bewildered.
‘What? Everyone wasn’t in on this together?’
The atmosphere suggested concern for Sua rather than aiding Kim Sun-il. Quite contrary to her expectations.
Did her expression show it? Seo Yeon-joo asked.
“Sua, what’s wrong?”
“Not, it’s just…”
Sua fidgeted her lips before answering.
“…I was suddenly reminded that no one seems to be on Kim Sun-il’s side.”
“Huh?”
Then the judges exchanged glances and burst into loud laughter. Sua was utterly bemused. “Huh? I didn’t mean to make a joke…”
Seo Yeon-joo casually looped her arm around Sua’s.
“Of course. Who would side with that jerk? People call him ‘magnificent trash,’ but honestly, ‘trash’ fits perfectly—he’s useless.”
Sua held her breath. Wow, Seo Yeon-joo is actually hugging me.
Physical contact with a veteran actor came with an unexpected level of tension.
Sweating cold beads and unable to react, the moment was interrupted when Lee Geum-sook revealed more scripts.
“Sua, this is purely out of curiosity. What about these? Would you like to pick which one appeals most to you?”
“Hmm…”
Sua skimmed through the scripts, pretending to read them page by page—not wanting to appear too clairvoyant.
Judgment didn’t take long.
In fact, Sua discovered a trick—
‘Ah? I can choose even an extra role for experience, right?’
An extra part with merely a single line could be selected, making it an easy method to quickly gauge the script’s grade.
[Special Mobile Unit 808 Script]
▶️ Sufficient implementation elements
▶️ Experience complete / Grade 1
[Kickboxing King Script]
▶️ Sufficient implementation elements
▶️ Experience complete / Grade 4
Though there were four options, she barely glanced at three of them. Why?
‘Grade 1? Grade 1?’
The Grade 1 announcement already stood out. It was like the script was glowing. Without hesitation, Sua pointed to it.
“This one.”
Immediately, gasps of astonishment emerged from across the table.
“Wow? This is the exact next project of our director?”
“Crazy. Crazy… This must be fate…”
“…I’m truly amazed. How is this possible?”
However,
“…,”
As others grew happier, Sua’s expression became increasingly subtle—or more honestly, she was beginning to feel a little disappointed.
“Um, so does that mean this great opportunity is over?”
Sua asked out of genuine curiosity. She had come for the promised amazing chance, but all she was doing was reviewing scripts.
This stirred more reactions than expected. All eyes widened, followed by faces paling.
“Ah, Sua, it’s…”
“Sua, it’s not that…”
Sua continued calmly.
“Nothing else. I just thought I’d go home if it’s over.”
“…”
A brief silence followed.
“Sua, wait a moment. Sua!”
Seo Yeon-joo suddenly embraced Sua’s waist.
“No way! This is only the beginning. The real start begins now. Come, sit with me.”
“Uh?”
“Not letting you go. I’ll hold you tight.”
As Seo Yeon-joo sat down, Sua naturally landed on her thighs.
Sua wondered if this was really alright as softness and a pleasant fragrance tickled her nose.
“Right. Sua, so far, we only satisfied our curiosity, but now we’re going to offer you something extraordinary.”
“Sua, please stay for a bit longer.”
Not only Yeon-joo, but all the judges were holding Sua back. It was an entirely new experience for her.
“Uh, sure?”
Her mind blanked, and after a long moment of stuttering, Lee Geum-sook finally spoke.
“With that, let’s get straight to the point. Remember that script you chose just now? The one you liked?”
“Yes.”
“I mean, it’s our masterpiece in the works. Script, direction, casting, we’re putting everything into it.”
“Feels that way.”
It was the notification itself that glittered so brilliantly. Grade 1, after all.
And then, a moment later, Lee Geum-sook made an unexpected declaration.
“We want to cast you.”
“Cast?”
“Yes, casting. You’d take one of the roles, step in front of the camera, act, and this drama would eventually air.”
“…”
Sua unknowingly bit her tongue.
All movements froze. From the outside, she appeared icy, but internally, she’d broken down completely.
‘Cast me? On a Grade 1 script?’
Her hands began trembling.
‘Like this? So suddenly?’
Sua’s head turned awkwardly toward Lee Geum-sook. Fortunately, the latter didn’t notice the awkward movement.
“Winning the audition is usually required to earn a spot in our shows, right?”
“In your case, that’s unnecessary. You’ve proven yourself right in front of us. Quite convincingly, too.”
“Uh…”
Sua was at a loss for words.
She had let go of many things when leaving the auditions, planning to build her filmography step by step from the bottom. Was the process really going to be like this? Really? For real?
“…”
Sua quietly stood up.
“I’ll use the restroom for a bit.”
This seemed like the best course of action for now.
Her heart was pounding, and sitting on Yeon-joo’s thighs felt strange. She needed to regain her composure.
◈◈◈◈◈
In the restroom, Sua brushed her hair back several times.
“Ah… My gosh. Can’t believe I’m this nervous.”
Being invited to join Lee Geum-sook’s upcoming drama felt like a violent kind of hope—so intense she wanted to jump around on the spot.
But, Sua suddenly wondered.
“Why does everyone treat me so kindly?”
Reflecting on past memories, praise was rare.
“–Why waste time making a face when you could be practicing?”
“–What’s the point of being pretty if you’re so mean?”
“–Why are you always angry?”
“–You’re terrifying. Please relax your face!”
Yes, those were the only kind of remarks she usually heard.
However, her recent experiences were vastly different.
PD Son Ji-woong clinging to her, Seo Yeon-joo being overly friendly, and even going as far as trying to stop her when she mentioned leaving…
“Yeah, people seem to genuinely like me.”
After much contemplation, Sua arrived at a realization.
“Hmm… Come to think of it, I’ve never really excelled at anything before.”
Despite being praised for her looks, that popularity never lasted long. Each time ended with everyone either fearing or avoiding her.
“But now, isn’t my acting actually pretty good?”
PD Choi Hee-won, PD Son Ji-woong, writer Lee Geum-sook, even the aloof Kim Sun-il—didn’t they all acknowledge her?
“Hold on, could this…!”
Sua’s eyes widened.
Present-day her possessed a distinct advantage beyond appearance. Perhaps, this was why her strong expression now worked in her favor.
The three talents working cohesively had created a synergy.
Should she let herself go a bit more? Assert her needs, play tough—perhaps this would also become an advantage?
If being bold made her stronger, wasn’t this an excellent opportunity to test it?
Sua leaned both hands on the sink.
“Maybe push this vibe fully? Go all out with it?”
The script was Grade 1—nothing short of Grade 1.
Succeed here, and it could be a life-changing moment.
Sua tapped her cheeks a few times.
“Yeah, let’s fully commit. Great acting and no pushing-over demeanor. That’s the kind of woman I’ll be.”
The envisioned success filled her mind.
…Wow, this is such a great feeling, isn’t it?
Remembering the boxing movie script, she threw punches at the mirror.
Swish! Swish!
Could this be influenced by the script? She felt oddly skilled.
“Could I really succeed like this? Working alongside veteran actors, winning awards…”
Swish! Swish!
Pop! The fireworks of joy exploded in her mind.
“My fan club will be created, press conferences,…”
Upper cut!
That’s when she noticed.
Seeing her sudden intense behavior, someone else in the café glanced her way.
They made eye contact.
Seo immediately hid her hands behind her back.
“Let me explain.”
A brief silence. She felt as if someone was choking her.
“I’m an aspiring actress. This is for a boxing movie…”
“No, no, it’s my fault! I’m so sorry…”
The stranger interrupted without giving her a chance to explain and quickly disappeared.
“…”
Left alone, Sua quietly stiffened.
Very quietly. Without a single movement.
But her deeply bowed head turned bright red…
◈◈◈◈◈
Meanwhile, the others were busy discussing Sua.
“Sua, I did expect some difficulty, but she refused our proposal for my next project, something I never thought possible.”
Writer Lee Geum-sook’s words were met with a nod from Seo Yeon-joo.
“Sharp eyes, great acting, and a very strong spirit. Remember how she didn’t back down in front of Kim Sun-il?”
“Haha, who would’ve thought we’d be adjusting to the whims of a newcomer?”
While marveling at this remarkable newcomer, the main topic shifted to Sua’s role.
Opinions varied widely.
“This role fits, right? The personality and all.”
“Too obvious. This one is better.”
“Among the female roles, this is the best…”
Despite differing opinions, no one got angry. Instead, smiles abounded.
“Whatever she does, I’m looking forward to it. Haven’t felt this excited in a while.”
“Exactly.”
Just then, Sua returned.
Had it been hot? Her face was quite flushed.
PD Choi Hee-won spoke.
“Sua, we discussed the role we’d like to offer you. Could you give us a performance from any scene as ‘Kim Hyo-jin’?”
“Yes.”
Sua nodded absently, accepting the script.
‘…’
But after a brief moment, she couldn’t help but bite her tongue.
[TV Drama ‘Mobile Investigation Team 808’]
▶️ Sufficient implementation elements
▶️ Experience complete / Grade 1
Kim Yu-han (Lead) – 001
Lee Kang-chul (Lead) – 002
Ha Yoon-jin (Lead) – 003
It wasn’t there. The ‘Kim Hyo-jin’ role didn’t have an experience marker.
Rustle – Rustle –
Sua pretended to review the script but was, in fact, drenched in cold sweat.
This was a test for a Grade 1 script. She had to pass, but no such role existed.
Should she quit?
No, no.
Did she not decide just now to live boldly?
“…”
Finally, after deliberation, Sua stopped reviewing the script. Dropping it on the ground, she made her decision.
There was no other way.
This was the only option left.
“I’m not planning to do it lightly.”
“…”
Of course, everyone looked surprised. Reasonable given she’d just tossed the script. Internally, Sua wondered if this was right but…
Receiving the full attention of everyone present, she continued calmly, attempting to hide her trembling body.
“I’d need at least a lead role.”
