I Want to Be a VTuber-Chapter 296: A Step of Miracle (2)

After successfully dealing with Jo Sehee, Director Kang Taejin finished the filming and approached Seoyeon, who was gathering her emotions.

"Your acting was impressive. It’s my first time seeing it live, and it was quite a fresh experience."

"Ah, hello."

Seoyeon was slightly startled by Kang Taejin’s sudden appearance. To be honest, Kang Taejin was still a relatively unfamiliar figure to her.

For reference, Seoyeon didn’t know that Kang Taejin was friends with Youngbin. Her parents had never mentioned it, so it was only natural.

‘He feels strangely familiar.’

It had been the same feeling when they first met.

Noticing Seoyeon’s reaction, Kang Taejin quickly understood the situation.

‘I guess he didn’t tell his daughter.’

Although he had heard about it during their drinking session, it seemed Youngbin had deliberately avoided telling Seoyeon. Kang Taejin thought this was just like him, then continued speaking.

"Filming for Mine is probably done up to episode 3, right?"

"Yes. If everything goes as expected, we should be done in about two months."

"Two months... That’s quick."

It really seemed like they’d be able to release it early next year. Kang Taejin couldn’t help but admire Director Han Yegeon’s exceptional abilities.

It must have been his skill in identifying potential delays early and addressing them quickly that made this possible.

"Then I suppose now is the right time."

"Does that mean you have something for me to do now?"

"I’m talking about the poster shoot."

"Ah."

Even though it was an OTT drama, a poster was still necessary to attract viewers. After all, you need to have a sign for people to come in.

"We’re planning to put it up for viewers at the upcoming film festival."

"Can we even do that for an OTT drama?"

"Of course. What’s stopping us?"

Is that so?

Even if it wasn’t allowed, GH Group had the power to make it happen. Their influence in South Korea’s cultural sector was enormous.

Right now, the only competition they faced came from groups like Newlike Group, which had diversified into various businesses, but it wasn’t much.

"The schedule is set for around this time, is that alright with you?"

"Yes, that should be fine."

Since the poster shoot wouldn’t take long, it didn’t interfere much with the schedule. Besides, Seoyeon didn’t really have any other commitments besides Mine filming.

The promotion for Kyungsung Lady was being handled entirely by Jo Sehee and Lee Jiyeon, and the only other thing was a one-day ad broadcast for Raywill Games.

That wouldn’t overlap with anything else.

‘But don’t these kinds of schedules usually get arranged by lower-level staff?’

Why was the director himself coming all the way here to tell her about it?

Though Seoyeon had that thought, she nodded calmly.

It was probably just a chance to see the set and casually talk to her. Especially since this project seemed to have caught his particular attention.

"Well then, I hope you’ll continue giving your best for the upcoming filming."

Kang Taejin politely said, then turned and left. Seoyeon watched his retreating figure as Jo Sehee quietly approached.

"Seoyeon, you..."

"Yes?"

Seoyeon looked at her blankly, and Jo Sehee hesitated for a moment. Originally, she had wanted to ask, ‘How far are you going with this parachute connection?’ but...

‘Now that I think about it, it’s not surprising for her to say that.’

At the time, Seoyeon wasn’t alone. She was with her mother, Suah, when it happened, and Seoyeon was only seven years old.

So, it was completely natural for the child to mention what had happened to her mother.

When Suah heard it, she told her husband Youngbin, and from there, it naturally reached his friend, Kang Taejin.

‘That person didn’t seem like he would talk too much, but...’

Thinking of his robotic face, Jo Sehee squinted her eyes.

‘I hope this parachute connection doesn’t expand any further.’

"By the way, what did you talk about just now?"

"They just told me to get ready for the poster shoot."

"...That’s it?"

"Yes."

Jo Sehee sighed deeply. At the same time, the words Kang Taejin had just spoken came to mind.

‘By the way, this is a secret from Seoyeon.’

What was the secret? It was the fact that Seoyeon’s father was friends with Kang Taejin. Apart from that, there was nothing else to hide.

If Seoyeon found out, it might lead her to think that she got the lead role not because of her acting skills, but because she was the daughter of a friend.

It was a possibility, and Jo Sehee knew that.

‘Looking at her now, she’s really surrounded by some unusual people...’

Not to brag, but she was the daughter of the Newlike Group’s heir, and her father’s friend happened to be the son of the chairman of GH Group.

Was there anyone else who had such a perfect environment to become a successful actor?

‘Well, it’s unlikely, but if Seoyeon ever catches on, it could cause a real problem.’

Jo Sehee wasn’t the type to sit back and accept things when she was wronged. And Kang Taejin, whom she had just met, was someone who could easily destroy others while smiling.

He was like a robot, and despite having met all kinds of strange people in the business world, Jo Sehee hadn’t felt this uneasy in a long time.

‘To think he’s friends with someone like that. That man is something else...’

She had felt this when Kang Taejin had mentioned being friends with the top star Yehee, but looking back, his connections were indeed extraordinary.

‘Anyway.’

The poster for Mine was coming up, and Jo Sehee was curious about how it would turn out.

Seoyeon had been the protagonist in Sky Garden, but that was more of an ensemble piece, so the poster had featured multiple people at once.

But Mine was different.

It was a drama focused solely on the main character. So, the poster would likely feature a solo shot.

‘Just don’t mess it up.’

Jo Sehee gritted her teeth, thinking about Kang Taejin. She vowed that someday, she would get revenge for being called a "parachute."

****

Seoyeon decided to stick with Sehee for a while. It wasn’t just about Mine—she also had to consider the upcoming awards ceremony.

"You said the dress for the poster shoot is a black dress, right?"

"Yes, that’s what they said, but we’ll probably know the exact details when the time comes."

The reason for the black dress was because the outfit she wore in the Hyper Action Star finals, during her battle with Narumi Sora, had left a strong impression.

Although her name had changed, it seemed that Jin Yeonseo’s signature outfit would be featured in the drama.

"The fireman’s axe too."

"...You really have a lot of connections with axes, don’t you?"

"I think so too."

She had used an axe during the Cha Seohwa shoot as well.

It did create a weird overlap in imagery.

But the color and feel of it were totally different, so Seoyeon thought it wouldn’t be an issue.

‘GH Group probably wants to use that image too.’

They used everything they could.

"Anyway, for the awards ceremony, we should go with a white dress so it doesn’t overlap with the poster. You know we need to coordinate our outfits, right?"

"Where should I sit? Kyungsung Lady? Or The Chaser?"

For Seoyeon, it was an important question. Kyungsung Lady was dear to her, but The Chaser, being her comeback project and her first movie, was also incredibly significant.

However, sitting with The Chaser meant she would have to leave behind Jiyeon and Sehee. It was a bit awkward to abandon her friends.

"That’s not something you need to worry about."

"Huh?"

"The seating arrangement isn’t something we decide anyway."

According to Jo Sehee, the seating at the awards ceremony would be decided by the event organizers. So, there was no need to worry—Seoyeon only had to sit in the assigned seat.

"And in situations like this, they’ll assign you the right seat."

"Is that so? That’s a relief."

Seoyeon felt a bit more at ease. At least, it wasn’t something she had to choose herself.

Jo Sehee, seeing Seoyeon’s reaction, felt a sense of satisfaction. Given the symbolism of the work and its domestic success, it made sense for Seoyeon to sit in the The Chaser section.

However, the fact that Seoyeon had been thinking about it meant she cared about Sehee and Jiyeon as well. Sometimes, Seoyeon could be surprisingly sensitive in situations like this.

"Anyway, for the awards ceremony dress, I know a place I go to often. Would it be okay if we get it there? Do you have a place in mind?"

"No, I don't."

Seoyeon had assumed her agency would take care of it, so she had been waiting quietly.

"Then it’s fine. I’ll let the agency know."

"...Just, not too expensive, please."

Thinking about it, Jo Sehee was the daughter of a chaebol family. If Seoyeon just followed along, she might end up being pushed into a ridiculously expensive dress.

Upon hearing this, Jo Sehee chuckled lightly.

"Well, it’s me paying for it anyway."

"Really?"

"Yeah. This amount is no big deal."

"What about the manager...?"

"She said it’s fine. She told me to do it however I want."

Jo Sehee spoke nonchalantly, but Seoyeon couldn’t just accept it without some hesitation. She thought about saying she’d pay her back later, but Jo Sehee picked up on it before she could speak.

"Heh, if you say that, it’ll make things uncomfortable. I want to pick out the dress from the place I want, and it could be a burden for you all, right?"

"It’s not really a burden..."

"You might not find it a burden, but Jiyeon will."

That was true. Seoyeon nodded reluctantly at Jo Sehee’s words.

Anyway, Jo Sehee took Kyungsung Lady very seriously. Aside from its domestic performance, it had done exceptionally well in Japan.

‘The overseas response will definitely be good too.’

Thinking about that, it was important to get the dress fitted ahead of time. After all, if the schedule didn’t align and there was no dress to wear, that would be a problem. freewёbnoνel.com

"And you know, right?"

Jo Sehee looked at Seoyeon seriously.

"Ten million. This is the last chance to aim for it."

At those words, Seoyeon slowly nodded. This awards ceremony had to generate as much buzz as possible.

That was the way to reach ten million.

In a way, this could be the last step toward achieving a miracle.

"I’ve been waiting for this. It’s been a while, Sehee."

With that, Seoyeon got into Sehee’s car for the first time in a while. Originally, Jiyeon was supposed to come along as well, but due to promotions, they had arranged to meet Sehee separately later.

"This is Designer An Sera."

Jo Sehee introduced the middle-aged woman, explaining that An Sera had worked with high-end luxury brands overseas for many years. She was also known for creating dresses for many celebrities in Korea.

"She’s also the CEO of Ephemeral."

Ephemeral was a brand that specialized in celebrity red carpet and wedding dresses. It was one of the hottest brands in Korea at the moment.

Seoyeon had never heard of it before, but she felt slightly nervous in the luxurious interior.

‘How many gachas could I pull with the price of one of these dresses?’

Seoyeon, who always calculated things in the most economical way, felt a chill when she heard the price of the dress—it was so high it could easily be called a fortune.

Listening quietly as Jo Sehee and An Sera Designer chatted, Seoyeon felt a slight tremor. If she accidentally messed up and tore the dress, it would be a disaster.

"We’re thinking of getting two dresses made. The awards ceremony dress should be ready by the end of this month, as I mentioned before."

"So the other one can take a little longer?"

"Yes. This one is for the poster shoot—just a simple black dress—and I’d like to have one more as a backup."

Upon hearing this, An Sera Designer calmly examined Seoyeon. Having worked with many models throughout her career, Seoyeon was definitely in a category of her own.

‘If only her height were a little taller.’

An Sera felt a bit regretful about that.

Her proportions were flawless, though. Her head was small, and her legs were long and slender.

But more than anything, it was her overwhelming presence. Honestly, An Sera thought that among her peers in Jo Sehee’s age group, no actress had as commanding a presence as she did.

Jo Sehee, born into a royal family, possessed an aura that no other actress could match. However, Seoyeon had a certain intensity that naturally drew attention beyond even that.

Her beautiful appearance? Of course, that played a part, but there was something even more special about her.

‘If only her chest were a little smaller and her height a little taller.’

An Sera looked at Seoyeon’s chest. Considering she was the same age as Jo Sehee and still in high school, it was quite full.

It wasn’t huge, but compared to girls her age, it was definitely noticeable. It was a bit of a drawback when it came to becoming a model where the outfit needed to stand out more.

‘Such a shame.’

Feeling genuinely regretful, An Sera stared at Seoyeon intently. If that were the case, she could easily see Seoyeon on her runway shows.

‘Strangely, her gaze tends to wander a bit lower.’

Just as Seoyeon, sensing the intensity of An Sera’s gaze, shrunk back...

"Ah!!"

Someone entered the dressing room with a short exclamation, almost like a scream.

A woman with a rather cute face, but she didn’t seem like a celebrity.

‘I’ve seen that face somewhere before?’

What was strange was that Seoyeon felt like she had seen this face somewhere too.

The girl alternated her gaze between Seoyeon and Jo Sehee, then scrunched her face in a way that seemed to express dissatisfaction.

There was a strange sense of discomfort. On the other hand, Jo Sehee remained calm, and An Sera spoke up with a look of mild confusion.

"Minyoung, wasn’t your reservation scheduled for two hours from now?"

At those words, a figure flashed through Seoyeon’s mind.

The girl from the upper-class party where she had met Rowe for the first time.

The girl who had hosted that party—Chae Minyoung. She was the one who had been subtly trying to keep Jo Sehee in check, and now, this girl was standing right in front of her.