I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

You can instinctively recognize works that will succeed. It literally functions like a calculator in your head, deriving the outcome for you. A skill that lets you select not just good projects, but blockbuster ones. Depending on proficiency, it influences box-office performance.

“Wow....”

This is insane. Absolutely insane. Staring at the status window, I clenched my fist tightly. The sensation of my nails digging into my palm was sharp.

‘This is Ji Haebeom’s skill....’

Just imagining that I now had the same eye as Ji Haebeom, that top actor who hit jackpot after jackpot with every project he chose, sent a thrill through me too intense to describe.

I could already see my rock-solid filmography unfolding before my eyes.

That was when it happened.

“Hi, hi. What are you doing?”

“Ah, sunbae!”

A voice that had now become familiar reached me. If Ji Haebeom’s voice resonated low as if echoing throughout the room, Shin Seojin’s voice had a heavy ending, as though it gently pushed outward.

I stood up and bowed.

“Stay seated. Relax, relax. I heard you had a nosebleed.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re clearly not fine. I was really worried when I heard.”

Shin Seojin softly pressed my shoulder and sat me back down.

We hadn’t overlapped during filming on 〈The Great Garland〉, so we never got to meet there, and even during the reward trip to Taiwan, we hadn’t gotten particularly close.

Even with 〈Unfair Trade〉, Shin Seojin’s filming schedule and mine rarely overlapped, so this was only the second time.

‘Shin Seojin... as far as I remember, he’s never had a single controversy.’

Han Yeoreum’s vulgar little calculator started turning. Shin Seojin had been acting for over ten years. As someone who bloomed late, he was one of those actors known for steady longevity.

“Were you really that nervous when Writer Seomun Ihwa came? Enough for a nosebleed?”

“I think I got nervous because Writer Seomun was watching.”

“Drink this.”

I accepted the beverage Shin Seojin handed me. It was warm and carried an unfamiliar scent.

“It’s lotus root tea. Good for nosebleeds.”

“Ah....”

So he was naturally this thoughtful. I drank it right in front of him for the sake of the performance. Shin Seojin watched me with a pleased gaze.

Then something caught in my vision.

‘Huh?’

It was the making-of camera. The casual behind-the-scenes cam they filmed before shooting was approaching me.

Shin Seojin was smiling at the making camera as if a little shy.

‘This....’

Tsk. Or maybe not? No, I think it is. I waved at the camera lens. The subtitles would probably come out as something like [Seohae taking care of her throat before filming]. Then I’d need to say what I was drinking. Which would naturally lead into Shin Seojin....

“It’s hot, so you should blow on it before drinking. Are you okay?”

Yep.... I could tell instinctively.

‘He’s the same type as me.’

The staff member holding the camera gave me a look that clearly said hurry up and explain what’s going on. I raised one hand and gave a thumbs-up.

“A little while ago, I got a nosebleed on set... and sunbae gave me lotus root tea that’s supposed to be good for the body. Personally.”

“Aaaah, come on. That’s embarrassing... I just bought it from the café.”

He totally aimed for this... I was genuinely impressed by Shin Seojin’s acting.

‘As expected of a skilled actor. There’s a reason he shined even # Nоvеlight # if it was later than others....’

Had he been monitoring the reactions of all the drama addicts who’d be thrilled that he was working with child Huijae thanks to 〈The Great Garland〉? Of course he had. He absolutely had.

‘Because I did too.’

I had an overwhelming feeling that if we checked his phone usage history, it’d be packed with drama communities....

Standing beside Shin Seojin, who was doing that actor-specific “why are you filming something like this, it’s embarrassing” performance, I smiled brightly.

“Thanks to sunbae, I feel like even if I got, what, three more nosebleeds? It’d still be worth it. Seriously.”

Everyone. I work so hard I get nosebleeds. Please pay attention to me.

“You shouldn’t say things like that. Not even as a joke.”

Solid defense.... He was naturally burying my statement while perfectly presenting himself as the kind yet firm senior. I could see the ambition.

“What scene are we filming next?” 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The staff member holding the camera spoke up. An indirect way of saying the nosebleed topic ends here.

‘They’re probably planning to use the nosebleed scene as footage from a few days ago, so there’s nothing more to squeeze out of it now.’

I’d watched so many making films that I could practically see the editing points.

“It’s the scene where we arrest the suspect at the scene and interrogate them.”

Time to test this once. Shin Seojin sunbae... if you really are the same breed as me, I trust you’ll calculate this well.

“I saw the rehearsal earlier and it was no joke, right? Like, bam!”

If he just laughed and moved on, it would end there.... Then every time there was a making film shoot from now on, I’d snatch the spotlight away with desperation.... I’ll erase your presence with my cuteness, sunbae....

“Ah, now I’m getting nervous....”

Why are you smiling? Hurry up and praise me.

“My junior’s line count today is honestly unbelievable, so this is kind of embarrassing. The senior should be the one memorizing more and showing that kind of example, but I’m just slamming a desk.”

That’s exactly it. So he does know what he’s doing. As if they planned to move on to actual set footage next, the making camera drifted away.

‘He’s pretty good.’

Naturally boosting each other like that made the atmosphere warm. Shin Seojin smiled softly at me, the dimple at the corner of his lips deepening.

“Why would you say that in front of the camera...? Now it feels embarrassing, like I deliberately took care of you. Haha.”

But you did.

Don’t lie to yourself, sunbae.

“What do you mean...! Of course this kind of thing should be said.”

I looked at Shin Seojin with eyes full of trust. Hidden in what I’d just said was the unspoken meaning: So you should also go around talking about my good deeds.

For a moment, we exchanged glances.

‘You too?’

‘Mm, me too....’

Even without words, I could feel something.

“...Then keep this a real secret.”

Shin Seojin took something out of his pocket.

“Ta-da.”

What Shin Seojin placed into my hand was...

“I checked on my way here, and it turns out your lucky color and mine matched today.”

A tiny frog keyring.

And it was sticking its tongue out.

“But I’m ranked first on OhAhaAsa today... while you’re tenth. So I figured for today only, it’d be better to yield it to you. Something like that. Hahahaha.”

“...What?”

“Hahahaha. Aren’t you a Leo? Then it’s right, tenth place.”

How did he even know my zodiac sign in the middle of all this...?

“You don’t watch OhAhaAsa? OhAhaAsa. The zodiac fortune.”

“Not... really.”

“It’s weirdly accurate. Two days ago, when Writer Seomun came, you were ranked first on OhAhaAsa.”

Now that he mentioned it, it did sound strangely believable. I really had been lucky that day. Even the nosebleed had happened at the perfect timing.

“Anyway, thanks for just now. Honestly, I really wanted you to say it.”

As if we were sharing the secret of OhAhaAsa, Shin Seojin lowered his voice conspiratorially.

“But seriously, keep this keyring a secret. A male actor caring about stuff like this... that’s not exactly a selling point. Women don’t like it, okay?”

“...Y-yes. Okay....”

“Honestly, in a lot of ways, it feels like you were born with good luck. Don’t take it the wrong way. Being lucky just means the whole universe is pushing you forward, right? That’s a good thing.”

Listening to that cult-leader-sounding line in Shin Seojin’s uniquely soft, outward-pushing voice, I suddenly thought... this guy could totally make it as the head of a cult.

‘Why is he so convincing?’

With a plain expression, as if he’d been waiting for this exact moment to say it, Shin Seojin lifted his phone.

“So look at this.”

“What is it... me?”

“This was Director Ja’s phone wallpaper. He shared it with me.”

My chest suddenly swelled with emotion. What? Director Ja had me as his wallpaper?

“You know how this industry is really superstitious. Jinxes and all that.”

True. Beliefs like “if you see a ghost in the recording booth, the project will succeed” were passed around almost like religion.

“Director Ja even bought an industrial fan that time because he said your luck had to be spread all over the set. Hahahaha.”

Shin Seojin lowered his voice again. Then, with a deadly serious face, he said:

“When that son of a... ah, sorry, sorry. Anyway, when Noh Seungchan almost got cast as Lee Seohae, that fucking... ah, sorry, sorry. I’m really sorry. Anyway right before the casting, when Noh Seungchan’s crazy... ah. Why do I keep doing this? Haaaah.... Sorry. I’m trying not to swear, but it’s not easy.”

The fact that I could understand every filtered curse perfectly made it obvious: Shin Seojin must have really hated the idea of Noh Seungchan coming in. My favorability toward him exploded.

‘A senior with taste.’

Exactly. Lee Seohae had to be Han Yeoreum.

“You know the SBC bureau chief is famous for being insanely picky, right? So I thought, wow, that bastard’s definitely... ah, this level is okay, right? I thought he’d force his way in, but they overturned it again. That almost never happens.”

“Right. Usually they change it into a male character instead.”

“So that’s when I really thought, wow, luck is following you. I was jealous too. Something like that. Hahahaha.”

Shin Seojin brushed over his eyebrow, still marked with scratch makeup.

“So... can I borrow some of your luck for this project too?”

So that was what he’d really wanted to say. Even though he acted carefree, maybe because this was his first lead role, I could sense a slight unease.

So I lifted the frog keyring he had placed in my hand.

“Of course. We’re both going to blow up properly this time.”

I was certain. Ever since earlier, the script resting on my lap had been sparkling.

(C)