I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

* * *

Seoul. The Gangnam district—saying that you could spot 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 just by turning your head wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

“Oh? That’s that one, right?”

“Ah, yeah. I remember they said it’d be out around now.”

Bus wrappings, station billboards, subway LED screens, giant displays mounted on building exteriors—and even the massive ad board above Gangnam Station GCV—all of them were playing the 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 trailer. Even the small monitors inside the theater ran the trailer simultaneously.

“Ah, seriously, my heart’s freaking pounding....”

Aetami loosened her fingers as she headed to work past Gangnam Station.

Today was the day the stage greeting schedule for 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 would be released. She absolutely had to succeed in ticketing.

‘First Gangnam GCV, then Samsung M-Box, and following the route, Jamsil L Cinema, then maybe Konkuk or Wangsimni....’

Aetami pressed her forehead as she recalled Yeoreum from the fan signing event after 〈The Great Garland〉 ended.

“We’re close, you know.”

Yeoreum’s voice, the way she had said it while holding her hand at the fan signing, still lingered in her ears.

“We’re close, you know....”

Aetami replayed it so often that now it echoed with full reverb, making it sound even more wistful.

‘Ah! I should’ve recorded that!’

Whenever she happened to see idol fancams or fan signing clips on her timeline, Aetami would tear up.

‘Do people really not realize how cute our Baby Melon Bread is...?’

There was an unbridgeable gap between liking someone casually and knowing the real thing.

This time, Aetami decided it was time to properly promote her.

‘My subscribers are growing way too slowly.’

Every video she uploaded on Intube consistently pulled around a thousand views. But people watched lightly, enjoyed it, and then left.

‘This won’t do....’

Han Yeoreum clearly had strong core fandom for a rising actress. Her general popularity was high too. But it still wasn’t enough for what Aetami wanted. She sighed and refreshed the page—

‘It’s up!’

Finally, the stage greeting schedule for 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 had been released.

* * *

IP 85.152 happened to be free at that exact day and time. That was the reason.

[Your reservation has been successfully completed. -GCV]

As a result of ‘coincidence,’ a ticket for a screening that included a stage greeting had been purchased. It was a bit far from the workplace, but it just so happened to overlap with the route home, so there was no choice but to pick this location.

And above all, as a cultured individual who appreciated art and culture,

[Reservation completed successfully! -L Cinema]

[Buy a combo now and get 5% off – M-Box]

Even if it wasn’t necessarily to their taste, one had to revisit a work multiple times to turn it into something interpreted through one’s own lens.

So, inevitably, L Cinema and M-Box would also have to be visited.

By sheer coincidence—completely unintentionally—every single one of them had stage greetings.

* * *

〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 Release D-3. Cheongdam GCV. Today was the VIP premiere.

Before stepping onto the photo wall, Choo Gaeul sprayed perfume one last time.

‘This is Eun Baekhap’s perfume....’

It was a gift Han Yeoreum had brought back from the 〈The Great Garland〉 reward vacation.

“Hey! Han Yeoreum! It’s a travel gift, so why perfume? And what’s with the hand cream?”

Everything was available domestically. Choo Gaeul alternated her gaze between Yeoreum’s oddly proud expression and the gifts she had received.

“Don’t be surprised, guys.... Do you know what this is?”

So Dami, who had been sniffing the hand cream beside her, tilted her head.

“What? I already use this! Just a different scent.”

Han Yeoreum raised her index finger and wagged it side to side.

“This isn’t just hand cream.”

“Then...?”

“What is it...?”

The two fell silent for a moment, caught in the tension. Yeoreum sighed and answered.

“This is literally what Eun Baekhap uses. Her ‘Eun Baekhap pick’ products.”

“What!”

“Seriously?”

Yeoreum nodded with a smug face.

“Yeah. I saw them in her room myself. This, this, and this mask pack too. I didn’t even realize this was an actual actress mask pack, seriously. And also this.”

She pulled out all kinds of beauty products from her bag.

“Aaaah!”

“Huaaah!”

At the words “what Eun Baekhap actually uses,” the two hurriedly gathered up all the gifts into their arms.

“No wonder. It did feel kind of different.”

“Wow! Yeoreum, seriously, this smells way better than what I usually use!”

So Dami’s eyes sparkled as she asked,

“But you went into Eun Baekhap’s room?”

“...Wait, you hung out with her inside her room?”

At their questions, Han Yeoreum gave a short nod, as if it were nothing.

“Well, if you put it that way. Yeah.”

Both So Dami and Choo Gaeul already knew that the 〈The Great Garland〉 team had gone on a reward vacation. There had been plenty of staff SNS posts and articles uploaded.

But they hadn’t known Yeoreum was this close to Eun Baekhap—the top actress.

“She even calls me something other than my name sometimes....”

So jealous. Really jealous—even though being jealous meant losing, she couldn’t help it. Choo Gaeul pressed her lips inward.

Not long ago, Episode 2 of the 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 script reading vlog had been uploaded.

Thanks to the 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 promotional video featuring Han Yeoreum naturally attaching itself through the algorithm, the initial views were significantly higher than Episode 1.

More and more people were clicking just because Yeoreum was in the thumbnail.

Ever since 〈ParCheHi〉, Han Yeoreum had naturally settled in the public’s mind as the trendiest actress.

INTUBE

[Youth Disqualified! So what are we even doing? Rock-paper-scissors first ⎜So Dami Choo Gaeul Han Yeoreum] 40:21

–Wait they’re even making the OST themselves?? How desperate are they to succeed lol;;

–Ah this is so good TT_TT Gaeul looks like a total city girl and she’s playing drums?? Trying to make a million girls fall for her???

–Han Yeoreum’s working like crazy lately, I keep seeing her everywhere (ง˙∇˙)ว so cute Baby Melon Bread

–Hmm.. personally I don’t look favorably on actors trying bands lol Standing in front of the public with pretty faces and amateur skills, that kind of light attitude. If you truly love music, it’s honestly irritating to watch. 100% they’ll hand-sync^^ Actors should just act. That’s all I’ll say

ㄴWho even are you, old man? Get out

ㄴHa... what’s wrong with him T_T

People who watched the 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 promo videos flowed into the 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 vlog, and those who watched the vlog flowed back into the promo videos—a virtuous cycle that rapidly increased over just a few days.

‘As expected of Han Yeoreum.... No wonder Eun Baekhap treats her like that.’

While acknowledging how Yeoreum had grown close to a top actress like Eun Baekhap, Choo Gaeul found herself thinking something else.

‘But what if she ends up getting closer to her than us?’

Knowing exactly how calculating Yeoreum could be, Gaeul felt a flicker of anxiety.

Meanwhile, So Dami was still busy opening and examining the rest of the gifts.

“But Eun Baekhap really seems hard to get close to. She doesn’t really have any close actor friends either, right?”

At So Dami’s question, Han Yeoreum looked straight at Choo Gaeul.

“Well.... Not that she’s hard to get close to...? It’s more like....”

Without breaking her gaze, Yeoreum said,

“She reminded me of Gaeul, actually.”

Ever since hearing that, Choo Gaeul thought of it every time she sprayed the perfume.

‘What... me... and Eun Baekhap...?’

Just recalling it again made her heart race. A moment later, standing in front of the photo wall, Choo Gaeul smiled brighter than ever.

“Gaeul! Hand heart, please!”

Because Choo Gaeul resembled Eun Baekhap—a top actress.

With hands roughened and calloused from drum practice, she waved at the cameras, hoping to greet them again soon through 〈Youth Disqualified!〉.

* * *

Eun Baekhap also attended the VIP premiere of 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉.

With Ji Haebeom, Shin Seojin, and even Myeong Jeha—all the cast of 〈The Great Garland〉 were attending, so it would’ve looked strange if Eun Baekhap alone didn’t show up.

“Baekhap! Over here, please!”

“Unniii!”

“So prettyyyy!”

True to its name, the VIP premiere was packed with famous celebrities. An even stronger lineup than 〈Faster Than the Law 1〉.

Eun Baekhap waved without blinking once at the flood of white flashes pouring toward her.

As she entered the dim theater guided by security, familiar gazes followed her, as always.

A celebrity among celebrities.

That was the nickname attached to the individualist Eun Baekhap. It was hard to even see her in private, and she had no close celebrity friends—that’s how she got called that.

So these looks were familiar—

‘What?’

But the two sitting in the front row kept staring at her without looking away.

Normally, even celebrities had their pride—they’d sneak glances at most. No matter how pretty someone was, they wouldn’t stare so openly.

Eun Baekhap passed by them and climbed up to her assigned seat.

‘Huh?’

But for some reason, there was a familiar scent. Just like the one from her own bathroom.

‘Why are those two still staring at me?’

The two seated on the right side even turned their heads to keep looking at her behind them.

Thinking of someone, Eun Baekhap pressed her lips together to stop a curse from slipping out.

She turned to her manager beside her.

“Who are those two at two o’clock?”

“Ah, them? Yeoreum’s friends. You know—Choo Gaeul and So Dami. Rising these days.”

“Rising, my ass—everyone and their dog is rising....”

Ignoring the shy gazes directed at her, Eun Baekhap crossed her arms and leaned back into the seat.

‘Drop one thing and now two of them latch on... annoying....’

In a short time, the theater filled with people whose names you could recognize instantly just by seeing their faces.

All those with “top” attached to their names fixed their eyes on the screen.

“Thank you so much for coming. I’m Gong Mujin, director of 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉. I thought a lot while making this film. Yes—on a cold day like this, it’s not easy to leave the house. I get that. So the 100 minutes you spend on this film—I promise it won’t be boring!”

Director Gong, holding a microphone in front of the screen, greeted first. On both sides of him ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) stood the cast of 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉.

Eun Baekhap looked at Han Yeoreum holding the mic.

“Hello. I’m Influencer 1 of 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉, Han Yeoreum. I’m grateful to be able to work with such a great director and seniors again, and as the director said, I hope you all have an enjoyable 100 minutes!”

After finishing her greeting, Han Yeoreum looked around—and met Eun Baekhap’s eyes. That upward gaze, looking from below, seemed especially bright today.

‘Annoying....’

Soon, the lights inside the theater went out.

〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 was about to begin.

* * *

It opened with the lively streets of Cheongdam Boulevard.

The camera swept across a road lined with expensive imported cars from above. A cheerful soundtrack played.

Then, a brunch café where everyone was dressed head to toe.

Sunlight poured through wide glass windows. On the pickup table, delicate desserts were arranged. An employee carried a tray forward.

“Your Very Berry Afternoon Tea Set is ready—.”

Behind the employee’s politely bright voice, another voice came from beyond the frame—lively, cute.

“Wow, what is this—. Why is it so pretty!”

A voice that pierced straight into the audience’s ears.

With just that one line, the loosely scattered attention of the audience snapped back to the screen in an instant.

〈Faster Than the Law 2〉 began—with Han Yeoreum.