“Ms. Sua, did I do something wrong…?”
As soon as Lee Geum-sook heard the question, she let out a sigh.
This itself was enough to make the other person anxious, but Lee Geum-sook’s heart remained calm. Her mind was also blank. It was just another instance of something that happened all the time.
“I’m not angry at all.”
She’d lost count of how many times she’d had to explain this.
[Reincarnation Bonus]
[1. Exceptional appearance granted regardless of gender.]
[2. No family. Age set at 20.]
One day, she was forcibly reincarnated under strange circumstances.
She had no complaints about being reborn as a woman and was grateful for the excellent appearance. But she wondered if they had gone too far by giving her such a benevolent look. Every time, she felt incredibly wronged.
“Really…?”
“Yes. This is just how I look.”
Lee Geum-sook glanced at the nearby mirror as she responded.
Her sharp jawline was as cutting as a blade, and her eyes held a mysterious depth. Her porcelain skin and prominent nose were all commendable…
It was the eyes.
The overly sharp eyes were the problem. If described positively, they were cat-like; negatively, snake-like. Lee Geum-sook herself admitted that her appearance was far from friendly.
To make matters worse, she had a mole under her left eye. Though currently covered by foundation, when revealed, it often led to misunderstandings.
“I felt your tone was somewhat angry… Could you just tell me directly? I’ll really try to fix it…”
“My tone is naturally like this.”
It wasn’t a lie. She was trying to be kind right now.
“Ah, could it be because I cut the parsley a bit too thickly…?”
“Go back to your work.”
“Ah, yes… Yes…!”
However, the misunderstanding didn’t dissipate easily, and eventually, she received the same remark from the head chef.
“Geum-sook, this is a kitchen where knives are wielded. With your intimidating presence, aren’t you scaring the others? How many times are we going to have this talk?”
After a brief moment of contemplation…
“…Maybe I should quit. Thank you for everything.”
She bowed respectfully.
But leaving her job wasn’t because it was strenuous.
[Reincarnation Bonus]
[3. Unlocked]
[▶ Unlocks when you encounter your aptitude field.]
The yet-to-be-activated third reincarnation bonus.
She had just confirmed that cooking wasn’t her field.
◈◈◈◈◈
Upon returning home.
Lee Geum-sook carefully inspected the whiteboard in the living room. It was almost wall-sized, yet packed with writing.
[Swimming], [Golf], [Cooking]…
She crossed out [Cooking].
“Cooking wasn’t it either. This is insane.”
The reason Lee Geum-sook quit her kitchen job was simple. She had started with the goal of confirming her aptitude, not for money.
“So, what exactly is my aptitude?”
Sua muttered with a frustrated tone.
Her previous life had likely ended when she was hit by a car. She was sure of it. The last thing she remembered was starting to cross the street when the light had just turned green.
Was it a gift for her wrongful death? Although the mechanism was unclear, she had received bonuses.
[Reincarnation Bonus]
[1. Exceptional appearance granted regardless of gender.]
[2. No family. Age set at 20.]
She was extremely satisfied with both the first and second bonuses.
…Though her sharp countenance was an issue, it was nothing compared to the benefits. Frankly, there were numerous times she’d benefited from her appearance.
Nonetheless, the reason she was desperately trying to find her aptitude was different.
[3. Unlocked]
[▶ Unlocks when you encounter your aptitude field.]
“Why don’t you just tell me what my aptitude is…!”
The problem was this.
The so-called ‘bonus’ undoubtedly held tremendous potential. After all, the faster she unlocked it, the faster her life would become more comfortable. Yet, she hadn’t managed to unlock it yet.
“At least give me a hint.”
If only she knew her aptitude, she could plan her life accordingly with her bonuses. It had been almost a year of desperate attempts.
…And the result was as follows.
Sua glanced at the whiteboard again.
Baseball, soccer, basketball, gaming, golf, snowboarding, music…
Every field she had tried was marked with a cross. They were not her aptitude.
“I really have tried everything, haven’t I?”
Could her aptitude be immortality like in novels or movies? No, that was unrealistic unless she attempted suicide, which obviously wasn’t an option.
In any case, over the year, she had tried practically everything.
Golf almost ruined her waist, swimming nearly drowned her. Every time she ambitiously set out to find her aptitude, she returned home embarrassed.
What exactly is it? The talent I haven’t unlocked.
“…I don’t know, I’ll just lie down and use my phone today.”
That’s when it happened.
Sua came across an advertisement on her phone.
[How I Became an Actor]
▶ Recruitment in full swing
▶ Winner casts in Lee Geum-sook’s drama
▶ Special judges on standby
▶ More details via the link
“Acting?”
Sua quickly turned her head to look at the board.
[Acting]
Curiously, among the things listed on her board, acting was the only one without a cross.
“Acting. Now that I think about it, I haven’t tried acting yet.”
Should I give it a shot?
No, no.
Sua quickly shook her head.
“Ah, I can just join an acting school. There’s no need for an audition.”
However, as she thought this, her mind was racing.
“…But what if acting is my aptitude?”
Truthfully, Sua had often entertained such hopes. Every time she confidently pursued something she thought would surely be her aptitude, she ended up crying and kicking her blanket.
Right.
But still…
That kind of anxiety was quickly overshadowed by great anticipation.
“Could I really become a star in one shot…?”
People make endless mistakes, after all.
Just one more mistake won’t hurt.
Does it really make a big difference to kick the blanket one more time?
There’s nothing more to think about. Her hand was already pressing the application button.
◈◈◈◈◈
One week later.
The day of the “How I Became an Actor” audition.
An entire exhibition hall was rented out for this audition. After arriving, Sua pondered about just going home.
“Why did I apply? Why did I?”
She disliked crowded places.
But the crowd in the exhibition hall was overwhelming. People marked with [STAFF] on their backs were bustling around, and sometimes, high-end filming equipment was being transported. It felt suffocating.
“If I had a friend, it would’ve been easier.”
Sua was alone. There was no friend to spend the waiting time with or calm her nerves. Well, it wasn’t too bad.
After all, she had her phone as her companion.
Such a large event invariably spawns related communities. Sure enough, the “How I Became an Actor gallery” had already been created.
[Title: There are so many people]
[Is it normal for this many people to gather?]
– It’s because of Lee Geum-sook’s drama casting
– If it’s Lee Geum-sook’s work, it’s like a life-changing opportunity
– Besides, today is only the first day; there are still two more days.
[Title: Special Judge Seo Yeon-joo]
[I literally can’t speak when I see her. She’s an acting goddess.]
– This is probably just clickbait
– That’s absurd. How busy could Seo Yeon-joo be?
– Seriously, would they invite a star of that caliber just for this?
Sua’s hand paused momentarily.
“Seo Yeon-joo?”
Though she thought it was highly unlikely, like the comments suggested, it would be astonishing if true. After all, Seo Yeon-joo’s face graced advertisements across various media.
That’s when it happened.
[Title: Saw an insanely beautiful woman]
[She’s wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, and she’s stunning.]
– Stop writing so lewdly and ask for her contact details
– I couldn’t approach her because she seemed fierce
– Did someone see her too? She has a mole under her eye
– You weirdos, seriously.
– But once you see her, you can’t forget her.
…Black t-shirt, jeans. Could it be her?
No way. Sua quickly dismissed the thought.
[Title: Hey, kids, behave yourselves]
[This is an audition created with entertainment funding. They’re recording every process to air it later like a documentary. Try not to end up in bad edits.]
– Wow, that almost got me into trouble
– Do I need to quit smoking too?
– This was announced beforehand though, right?
– Seriously, so many people don’t read the announcements lol
To be honest, it made Sua uneasy. She hadn’t read the announcements either. She only came here to confirm her aptitude, not to get caught up in this.
Focusing on the posts, the time had flown by. Finally, the staff called out a familiar name.
“Sua Lee, are you here? Sua Lee!”
“Yes, here.”
Sua stood up and followed the instructions. After passing through the corridor, she was guided to a spacious waiting room.
The staff asked again,
“Sua Lee, is that you?”
“Yes.”
“Excuse me, may I check your ID once?”
While handing over her ID, Sua noticed something odd. They hadn’t apologized as much to other people, right? Just to her?
After confirming her ID, a envelope was handed to her.
“This is the script for today’s performance. Please do not open it now. The reaction when you open the script will also be filmed, so you’ll be able to check it for the first time in front of the judges.”
“Yes.”
Sua quietly nodded.
‘The intention is clear.’
There was definitely a hidden camera in this waiting room. If she were to open the script prematurely, intending to practice the lines…
– Oh look! That contestant couldn’t resist peeking at the script!
…It would likely be broadcasted with such narration.
No. She absolutely didn’t want that.
Just then…
Thud!
The envelope slipped out of her hand, the script falling to the floor. It seemed the envelope wasn’t sealed deliberately, probably to tempt her to open it.
Fortunately, the staff had seen her drop it; another near miss.
As Sua picked up the script, she said,
“…The envelope isn’t properly sealed.”
That’s when it happened.
Thud…
The moment her fingertips touched the script…
Whoosh!
A sudden dizziness overcame her, followed by a revelation.
[We’ve encountered your aptitude.]
[Your aptitude: Acting]
[The third bonus is now unlocked.]
[3. Acting Time]
[The ‘Acting Time’ ability is activated.]
“What? What kind of time?”
As she murmured, the scenery around her completely changed.
