Hobbyist VTuber

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Haeun found out she had been finally cast in the role of Kim Ji-a after her singing lesson with Doubly.

To be exact, it was in the black van heading home.

“From now on, things are going to get busy. So make sure to let me know in advance if you need anything.”

“…Okay.”

If I said I hadn’t expected this at all, that would be a lie.

Having put forth my best performance, I secretly hoped I would pass the screen test.

However, now that I’d actually snagged the role of Kim Ji-a instead of Min Da-yeon,

it felt surreal.

With a mix of bewilderment and seriousness, I started flipping through the script from Mr. Next Door again.

The official shooting script would likely be delivered separately later, but nothing much would change in it anyway.

The memorable highlight scenes of Mr. Next Door remained vividly in Haeun’s memory,

as did the unique Kim Ji-a that Haeun had crafted during her previous screen test.

I planned to utilize both of these elements to make this shooting session with Mr. Next Door a meaningful experience.

In a way, this was the first time I’d found myself in a competitive position in the acting field.

Being finally cast in the role of Kim Ji-a, ahead of the famous child actor Min Da-yeon, was proof that Haeun’s acting had potential.

That also meant that when Haeun eventually became the VTuber “Dia,” she was likely to attract attention from people.

“Thank goodness.”

Without realizing it, I breathed a small sigh of relief.

Just then, I heard the cautious voice of Joo Jung-yoon, who had been glancing at Haeun through the rearview mirror.

“Uh, Haeun, reading the script in the car makes me carsick.”

‘…I should probably take motion sickness pills next time.’

I thought I really needed to have a serious and profound conversation with Joo Jung-yoon at least once.

After all, she was still at an age where being protected by adults was expected.

While I could understand Joo Jung-yoon’s excessive worry to some extent,

either way, having someone worry about me was one of the things I wanted to avoid the most.

Rather than continuously hold back Joo Jung-yoon’s excessive concern, it would be better to gradually improve things little by little.

“Oh, by the way, I think it’s better for you to take a break from singing lessons for a while. The Doubly members also have a scheduled overseas performance next month—”

As I continued to listen intently to Joo Jung-yoon’s ongoing discussion about future schedules,

it was only when we finally arrived in front of Haeun’s house that I spoke.

“Let’s do well from now on… please, Jung-yoon unni.”

I reached out my hand for a handshake towards Joo Jung-yoon, who would be just as busy as I was until Mr. Next Door’s shoot wrapped up.

No matter what anyone said, Joo Jung-yoon was the only person Haeun could rely on at the filming site of Mr. Next Door.

“Oh, yes. I’m counting on you too.”

With a calm exchange of eye contact and a light handshake, we struck a deal between someone new to movie shooting and someone new to being a manager.

However, as time flowed again,

finally, on the day of Mr. Next Door’s first shoot,

“H-Haeun, I’m going to take some calmative medicine for a moment.”

For some reason, Joo Jung-yoon seemed even more nervous than Haeun, making Haeun’s gaze narrow for a moment.

It seemed I had picked the wrong person to rely on.

But since we were already at the filming location,

Haeun knew what she had to do.

As soon as Joo Jung-yoon returned from the ladies’ room, she stepped into the chaotic film set.

“Hello.”

She displayed the kind of expression, voice, and gestures that defined the term “Land of Courtesy” in front of the various staff.

Fortunately, there wasn’t a single person who ignored Haeun’s greeting.

In that way, I made everyone I encountered perceive Haeun as a well-mannered child,

then headed to the makeup room to get ready for the actual shoot.

But, it was purely coincidental,

at the very moment Haeun was about to step into the makeup room.

-Screech!

“Ah.”

I had just bumped into an actress who had just finished her makeup and was stepping out of the makeup room,

so I slightly stepped back and bowed my back to greet her politely.

“Hello…”

However, before I could completely finish my usual polite greeting,

-Swoosh.

Without a single glance in Haeun’s direction, she breezed past and disappeared somewhere,

causing Haeun’s polite greeting to be the first to be half-ignored.

In response, Haeun fixed her gaze on the back of the vanishing figure with slightly stiffened eyes.

Then, not long after, she realized one thing.

‘…Kim So-hyun?’

The identity of the actress who had just overlooked Haeun was the role of Kim Ji-a’s mother in Mr. Next Door.

In other words, it was actress Kim So-hyun, who was playing the role of the extremely alcoholic “Seo Do-yeon.”

To be honest, this wasn’t the first time Haeun had met Kim So-hyun.

Before the first filming of Mr. Next Door, they had met several times for script reading.

“Hello, I’m Lee Haeun, cast as Kim Ji-a.”

“…Hi.”

When they had the script reading, Kim So-hyun had responded normally to Haeun’s greeting.

Wondering if she had unintentionally committed any rudeness against Kim So-hyun, Haeun pondered deeply.

In the end, the only conclusion Haeun could arrive at was, well, she had no idea.

For now, she moved her steps inward toward the makeup room.

As expected, after that, there was a series of itches.

The makeup she had received during the screen test felt trivial compared to the extensive, meticulous touches the makeup brushes made.

Haeun’s appearance transformed completely into the figure of Kim Ji-a roughly two hours later.

‘…Hmm.’

From the disheveled outfit to the unkempt hair,

every part of Haeun except for her face mirrored Min Da-yeon from her memories.

Seeing how Haeun was transformed into a completely different person, the power of makeup categorized as special effects truly surpassed imagination.

Anyway, since the preparation for shooting was now complete,

she decided to spend the time left before the first shoot exploring the various areas of the Mr. Next Door set.

All those petty experiences could become stories for Haeun.

Of course, she didn’t forget to politely greet everyone she encountered along the way.

For some reason, Kim So-hyun was the only person she couldn’t meet anywhere, but since they’d have to meet once filming started anyway,

coincidentally, today’s first shooting scene was also about Kim Ji-a being bullied by her mother, Seo Do-yeon.

In fact, although it was called bullying, it was more like outright abuse she was about to endure.

In retrospect, it might be better for Haeun, who had to play Seo Do-yeon’s emotional dumpster, not to meet Kim So-hyun in advance.

If Haeun chatted with her even briefly, her immersion would inevitably drop.

Thus, by the time the first shooting of Mr. Next Door was drawing near,

she explored every ordinary little place without skipping anything.

“So, are you both ready, So-hyun and Haeun? Alright, then… action!”

It was only when director Kwon Jong-hyeok’s signal to start filming sounded that Haeun brought back things she didn’t want to recall from the depths of her memory.

*

Several days before the filming of Mr. Next Door started, during script reading under the pretense of rehearsing together with Haeun,

finally, on the day of filming, when she stood in front of the camera only with Haeun,

‘Could I really bully such a cute kid…?’

Not being a star actor or an unknown actor, but rather being awkwardly positioned somewhere in between, actress Kim So-hyun was lacking self-confidence.

She really didn’t think she could coldly bully someone as lovely and cute as Haeun.

In fact, this was Kim So-hyun’s first time playing an evil role like Seo Do-yeon.

It was a role she had found difficult to refuse since it was recommended to her by the great actor Kang Seon-woo, who happened to be with the same agency as her.

It was still a mystery why Kang Seon-woo had recommended Kim So-hyun for the role of Seo Do-yeon.

However, one thing was crystal clear—she didn’t want to disappoint the senior actor Kang Seon-woo, whom she had long admired.

“Hello…”

-Whoosh.

She deliberately brushed off Haeun’s greeting to gather her thoughts.

Yet, no matter how much she tried to ignore it, what bothered her couldn’t be helped, and she began to feel that she had to apologize as soon as today’s shoot finished.

Anyway, just a few seconds would pass until she had to be Seo Do-yeon, a notorious alcoholic, and make her daughter Kim Ji-a—

in other words, Haeun, playing Kim Ji-a’s role—to literally have a hard time.

After a quick self-indoctrination into the bizarre mindset of Seo Do-yeon,

the director’s cue signal rang out.

“…You think I’m funny, don’t you?”

She squeezed out a voice thick with rage and a hint of sorrow.

Almost simultaneously, she began to stagger toward her daughter, Kim Ji-a, but eventually—

-Bang!

She pushed her daughter all the way against the wall of the dark, dank room, leaving her with nowhere to escape.

Lowering her body slowly, she finally met the fierce gaze of Seo Do-yeon, closing in on Kim Ji-a.

“Tell me. Where did you hide the money from the drawer?”

This scene depicted Kim Ji-a being mistakenly accused of stealing Seo Do-yeon’s money.

In reality, Seo Do-yeon had already used her own money, but in her drunken state, she had completely forgotten that she had taken money from the drawer.

However, Kim Ji-a, who was silently looking up at Seo Do-yeon,

could offer no explanations or excuses.

She already knew Seo Do-yeon wouldn’t listen to a word.

Unfortunately, Kim Ji-a’s silence only exacerbated Seo Do-yeon’s fury.

-Slap!

In the end, the explosion of emotions fueled by alcohol hit Kim Ji-a,

and with no resistance against the adult’s heavy hand, she fell helplessly to the floor.

“Stop whining and get up. Where did you hide my money?!”

So, at that moment, Seo Do-yeon, who was utterly indifferent to her daughter, grabbed Kim Ji-a by the scruff and forced her back up.

“…………..”

The silence from Kim Ji-a from before was the same as now.

However, unlike earlier, her trembling lips bit tightly together.

Kim Ji-a’s eyes transitioned into a hollow form, devoid of any glimmers of life,

drawing in Seo Do-yeon’s emotions beneath them like a deep swamp.

“So, let’s see you die today, Kim Ji-a…”

It was a moment that made veteran actress Kim So-hyun falter for an instant in front of the camera.

Seo Do-yeon, who was supposed to overwhelm Kim Ji-a with a terrifying voice devoid of reason, was instead overshadowed by Kim Ji-a’s voiceless despair.