YDCF 23

Chapter – 23

The child actor portion of the shoot was gradually coming to an end.

After finishing the day’s filming, I didn’t leave right away—I stayed behind on set.

“Adult Doyeon!”

Because our schedules never matched before, I’d never actually seen actress Park Yeon-hee as adult Doyeon. But today, finally, I had the chance.

Just thinking about seeing adult Doyeon made the exhaustion that had weighed down my body moments ago feel like it was lifting.

“Saeyi, here—drink this.”

Director Woo Byun-hwa handed me a beverage. My throat was dry, so I gratefully took it.

“So… you wanted to see adult Doyeon, right?”

“Yes!”

“Her dedication to acting is incredible. Don’t lose that enthusiasm.”

For some reason, the sharpness that had always been in the director’s gaze seemed to soften a little.

My heart racing, I was bouncing on my toes when Park Yeon-hee finally took her place on set.

‘Why does her face look so dark?’

Thinking back, Park Yeon-hee had been oddly pale and tense even during the previous script reading.

I’d always heard she was cheerful and bright, so it seemed strange.

Now that I think about it, it was probably around the time I had just become an adult myself that Park Yeon-hee, who had been so popular, suddenly disappeared.

Was it a slump causing her dark expression?

“Ready… action!”

The first take of the scene began. I craned my neck to get a look at adult Doyeon from afar.

“Little Doyeon~ Was that you, Ju Saeyi? Your acting was amazing!”

“Oh, thank you!”

“Are you not signed with an agency yet?”

Huh?

A company staff member who had been trailing behind Park Yeon-hee started talking to me, handing me a business card before disappearing.

‘Ah! I didn’t even get to see adult Doyeon!’

Would a staff member really do something like this while their actor was filming? Being new to the set, I wasn’t sure.

I glanced at the card I had been handed.

[Moragi Planning – Team Leader Kim Song-jun]

Moragi Planning…

It felt oddly familiar, like the first time I’d heard of Un Seong-ha. Had there been some kind of incident?

“Cut! Yeon-hee, not focused enough? Let’s do it one more time!”

Ah, we had to retake it.

Determined to finally see adult Doyeon, I got to my feet.

“Give me that…!”

Suddenly, Park Yeon-hee ran toward me, snatching the business card from my hand.

She glanced around as if checking for company staff nearby, then tore the card to pieces in an instant.

“……!”

Why did she suddenly run over and destroy the card?

I stared at her, then at the shredded fragments of the card, barely able to make out the text.

“You, Saeyi… you will never work with them.”

“Huh? Why not…?”

“Don’t. Just don’t!”

We’d barely spoken, yet she was calling me Saeyi and stopping me.

There had to be a reason why someone who wasn’t close would react so fiercely. Plus, she was part of the agency herself.

One possibility was that the company was protective and wanted to monopolize talent. Another possibility…

‘Was there some controversy?’

I tried to recall memories from my past life while staring at Park Yeon-hee.

Park Yeon-hee. Moragi Planning. Kim Song-jun.

After a moment, a news article flashed through my mind.

It was about Park Yeon-hee filing a lawsuit against Team Leader Kim Song-jun and the agency’s CEO.

The case detailed the agency’s repeated unreasonable demands and threats of contract violations if she refused, which she took to court.

‘Why did I forget this!’

I’d heard Park Yeon-hee won that case. I’d thought she would return to acting, so her disappearance had puzzled me.

Moragi Planning had been known for making young Park Yeon-hee a famous actress, but after the lawsuit, it was destroyed as a company and treated like garbage.

Some malicious netizens labeled Park Yeon-hee an ungrateful villain for suing the agency that made her famous.

‘Now I understand why she disappeared and didn’t return to the industry…’

Countless comments like that must have been left online. It’s strange to not be disheartened by the industry.

“Yeon-hee, filming will resume!”

The staff called Park Yeon-hee back after she suddenly left her position. She returned to the camera, but her gaze didn’t easily leave me.

“Team Leader Kim, don’t get involved with that jerk!”

“…….”

“Did you hear what I said?”

Even though she wasn’t personally involved, she had gone so far to warn me.

She could have ignored it entirely, yet she didn’t.

I could only glance and think, ‘She’s worried I’m about to step in it.’

“……Thank you for the advice.”

Some might call it meddling, but I was genuinely touched by her concern.

And it wasn’t just me. The teacher waiting for the next take slowly came over, as if observing from afar.

“Yeon-hee is a good person and diligent, but it’s a shame. The company isn’t letting her go.”

“Oh…”

In this industry, it’s not uncommon for young, naive actors to be trapped in exploitative contracts. Park Yeon-hee was likely one such victim.

I sincerely hoped she had safely terminated her contract…

“She’s really good at acting, right?”

“Yes. Among her peers, she’s one of the few real talents.”

Though she seemed a bit drained from company troubles these days… the teacher murmured quietly.

‘Her wings are being clipped because of the company.’

A young, budding talent, nearly crushed by the wrong company…

‘This is exactly the kind of story our Chairman Joo Taebaek would like.’

…Maybe I should tell him about it.

School started at 9 a.m.

It was currently 6 a.m.

And I…

“Heading out!”

I politely greeted the cleaning staff and headed for the gate.

Even giving myself plenty of time, it would take only thirty minutes from home to school, but I had a reason for leaving so early.

‘No way!’

To shake off Ryu Do-kyung, who insisted on taking the bus with me to school, I left extra early.

This was already the third day in a row I’d set off at this hour.

The bus was relatively empty, probably because I left so early. Lucky for me—I could get a seat.

A few third-year seniors were arriving in their gym clothes. They were the “exam warriors”… something like that.

I passed the second-year hallway and peeked into other classrooms. Most were still dark, with no students yet.

But our class was different.

Click, clack.

Sliding open the door revealed…

“…….”

Correction: no one greeted me.

Next to me, lying on his desk like usual, was Un Seong-ha, who always arrived earlier and fell asleep.

I didn’t want to wake him, so I just sat beside him, reviewing my script.

I’d tried talking to him before he woke up, but he ignored me so much that I gave up.

I pulled out my script. My scenes as a child actor were almost finished.

So the script I had to read now was for adult Doyeon—specifically, the grand finale episode.

Wiping my hands on my skirt, I turned the cover with a solemn heart.

Just then…

Ding!

A CocoaTalk notification popped up.

No need to look—I knew it was Ryu Do-kyung. He must have arrived at school by now.

Sure enough.

[Ju Saeyi]
[Enjoying going alone for days while leaving me behind?]

…What would happen if I admitted I was secretly enjoying the peaceful commute?

Just imagining the icy glare Ryu Do-kyung would send me gave me goosebumps.

‘Better keep this reply for later.’

Ryu Do-kyung was probably still at the school anyway, and my focus on reading the script was completely gone.

I stood up and headed for the school store!

‘The school I went to before didn’t even have a store!’

Since transferring after the reincarnation, I’d always wanted to experience a high school store. Excited, my pace quickened.

[I’m on my way to class, so wait quietly.]

I didn’t even notice the rest of Ryu Do-kyung’s message.