I Don’t Want to Play Villains Anymore - Chapter 16

Unquestionably a genius

“Indeed, that girl named Haneul. Her emotions have deepened even more than during the audition. How do you see it, Woo-a?”

Even when Yoon Seok-won spoke to her in admiration from the side, Choi Woo-a was lost in thought.

This was because the light-hearted viewing she had been doing turned into something entirely different.

“Woo-a?”

Yoon Seok-won called out to her again.

However, Choi Woo-a’s gaze remained fixed on the young girl standing in the field.

Woo-a slowly opened her mouth, seemingly flustered.

“Yes? Ah… yes, Director. I’m sorry. What did you say?”

Yoon Seok-won smiled, quickly understanding the reason for Woo-a’s distraction.

“Haneul. Doesn’t it seem to have deepened more than during the audition?”

Yoon Seok-won was still smiling, unable to take his eyes off Haneul.

But Woo-a could not respond even after hearing those words.

In her mind, Yoon Seok-won’s compliment hadn’t properly registered.

‘What is it… that girl…?’

To be honest, Choi Woo-a had never really paid much attention to child actors.

She thought that child actors were merely meant to appear briefly at the beginning of the drama to catch the audience’s attention.

Once adult actors began to appear, the audience would quickly forget the children.

The reason Woo-a had visited this filming site for the first time didn’t hold much significance either.

She just wanted to see the face of the child playing her younger self with a light heart.

No matter how pretty a child actor was, they could grow up and change drastically.

Honestly, at first, she was slightly impressed by the visuals, but now she felt okay about it.

However, as soon as the filming began, Woo-a found herself unknowingly holding her breath and gazing at Haneul on the screen.

‘Is that… acting?’

Choi Woo-a felt goosebumps running down her arms without realizing it.

Haneul wasn’t just acting; she had truly become Yoon Na-rae.

Every expression, every tiny tremor at her fingertips, and the subtle sounds she released were all incredibly real.

No, it was not enough to simply say it felt real.

Haneul’s acting dug deep into the viewers’ hearts, shaking their emotions.

When Haneul spoke about being lost with a worried look in her eyes, Woo-a felt her own heart drop unexpectedly.

She thought that acting was about helping a child who was lost and frightened.

She had never imagined that a young actor could portray such natural and delicate emotions so effortlessly.

‘If Ral comes out after that child… what will the audience feel?’

In an instant, Woo-a’s head swirled.

The image of young Yoon Na-rae created by Haneul was too strong.

Rather, it was enough to blur the character she was supposed to portray as the adult Yoon Na-rae.

‘… Am I lacking?’

Choi Woo-a had also been an actress who gained popularity because of her looks and good image.

She had never been particularly criticized for her acting skills and received decent evaluations in every project.

However, the performance Haneul had just shown was something that transcended the level of “good acting.”

It was a deeper and richer emotion that Woo-a had never felt while acting.

‘Is she… better than me?’

The moment that thought entered her mind, Woo-a’s heart began to race.

Though she had rarely compared herself to others or felt uneasy about her acting, she now felt a sense of crisis for the first time before Haneul’s performance.

It was not merely a matter of being a “good child actor.”

That little girl was already perfectly conveying deep emotions that even seasoned adult actors would struggle to express.

Woo-a recalled Haneul’s last line in the script.

“I want to show everyone! I am Yoon Na-rae, who has a big dream that will grow up like this!”

The words that came out of the small child’s mouth felt sincere, like those of a girl genuinely reciting her dreams.

It was not simply reciting lines but spoken with the essence of her soul.

‘Could it be that I am lacking compared to that child…?’

Woo-a unconsciously bit her lip.

From now on, this project was supposed to center around her.

The protagonist Yoon Na-rae was Choi Woo-a herself.

And the success of the project depended on her hands.

But this child was quietly stealing that center away right now.

“Director.”

Woo-a called out to Yoon Seok-won in a trembling voice.

“Yes, Woo-a?”

Yoon Seok-won smiled gently, as if he understood Woo-a’s inner thoughts.

“That child… is she really a rookie?”

“Yes, Haneul is still a rookie. But she’s truly a genius. I’ve never seen a child like that while directing.”

Yoon Seok-won’s voice mixed admiration with a hint of satisfaction.

Even the usually serious and sometimes irritated Yoon Seok-won couldn’t help but smile.

Choi Woo-a swallowed hard in her mind.

“When that child appears first, will the viewers… wait for my scenes?”

“Woo-a, are you worried?”

Yoon Seok-won said it playfully with a smile.

Choi Woo-a tried to smile back as she answered.

“I’m just… curious.”

“Don’t worry. Haneul and Woo-a will always have different charms.”

Yoon Seok-won’s words sounded reassuring, but to Woo-a, they felt somehow peculiar and inaccurate.

It felt like a complacent consolation, similar to “You’ll be fine as you are.”

Until now, Woo-a had always monopolized the spotlight.

But for the first time, she felt uneasy that she could fall behind a mere five-year-old child.

Choi Woo-a couldn’t restrain herself and looked back at the spot where Haneul was standing.

After finishing the shooting, Haneul was laughing and chatting with the people around her, looking entirely different, like a pure child.

But Woo-a understood.

The child only seemed pure on the surface.

In reality, she was a true actor with deeper and more delicate emotions than anyone.

“…Filming will be quite challenging in the future.”

As Woo-a muttered softly, Yoon Seok-won finally smiled slightly and patted her shoulder lightly.

“Still, since it has turned out this way, it would be good for you, Woo-a, to feel a bit stimulated. It’ll be good for the work too.”

Without a word, Choi Woo-a looked at Yoon Seok-won for a moment before turning her gaze back to Haneul.

The little girl was smiling innocently.

But in her eyes was an unusual spark.

It seemed to say, “If you can’t do well from here, you’ll be completely overshadowed by me.”

Choi Woo-a, without realizing it, let out a hollow laugh.

‘Who would have thought I would fall behind a child actor?’

However, after that thought, Woo-a steadied her mind.

It was a long-awaited sense of crisis.

‘Visuals and acting skills—this child is receiving both praise.’

Perhaps because of this little monster, she too might be able to develop more than she has now.

Choi Woo-a took a slow deep breath and made a small vow to herself.

“Alright, Baek Haneul. Let’s give it a proper go.”

Perhaps this project would become the most important turning point in her acting career.

“Jae-hyun! That’s not how you do it. You need to tense your stomach and speak!”

“Like this…?”

And to that little kid actor.

“No. That’s not how you do it… Never mind. Let’s see it once.”

Perhaps for Haneul, this would become the most critical turning point in her entire acting career, including both her past and present lives.

At first, it was merely a light-hearted joke to tease Jae-hyun’s pride and superiority as an actor.

But looking at the young and overly confident Na Jae-hyun, Haneul felt a strange urge to push him.

So she gave her light-hearted teasing a try.

However, today as the scene continued, Haneul found herself genuinely teaching this little actor without realizing it.

“No, junior. Do you think just speaking loudly will convey the emotion? Speak slowly and enhance your feelings.”

Even if she said that, this kid had an impressive ability to absorb.

Jae-hyun nodded seriously with a determined look in his eyes.

“…I understand. I’ll try again.”

Now it was somewhat amusing to see Na Jae-hyun calling himself a junior as if he were already familiar with it.

Haneul smiled softly as she watched him.

Even Haneul, from the start, had never genuinely taught anyone.

She had always been alone in her past life and didn’t have the time or heart to teach anyone.

When he acted as a villain, everyone thought he was truly a bad person.

He had acted perfectly enough for everyone to want to avoid him.

She had instinctively built walls against everyone and lived alone.

‘But… how did it end up like this?’

When Haneul felt the genuine respect and yearning in Jae-hyun’s gaze, a strange sense of responsibility welled up in her.

It was also exciting to have a student who followed her well as she taught them.

‘This kid might have what I lacked in my past life.’

That was ‘affection.’

Though it was a bit embarrassing, Haneul already knew.

No matter how brilliant her acting was, true recognition and growth as an actor relied on authentic relationships with others.

The reason she had always felt lonely in the countless roles she had played was that she had built walls, preventing anyone from approaching her sincerely.

But this time, Haneul wanted to be a bit different.

Without even realizing it, she wanted to gain something from this little actor who was just beginning to learn acting.

It was not simply about the fulfillment of teaching a junior or the satisfaction of nurturing.

‘Is it like camaraderie as an actor…?’

With that thought, Haneul felt a moment of confusion.

And Jae-hyun, unaware of Haneul’s feelings, composed himself seriously again.

“Haneul-sunbae! This time, let’s listen again. I think I can do it properly.”

“Alright, let’s hear it.”

Haneul steadied her heart once more, crossed her arms, and looked at Jae-hyun.

“Start!”

Jae-hyun took a deep breath and spoke with seriousness, putting as much tension in his stomach as possible.

“I will never let you go.”

Haneul quietly watched him.

After a moment of silence, Haneul burst into a small smile and said,

“Good. You’ve improved a lot.”

Jae-hyun’s face brightened.

“Really?”

“Yes, very much.”

Haneul beamed, raising her little hand to gently pat his shoulder.

“You could really become a good actor if you keep it up. I guarantee it.”

Hearing those words, Jae-hyun momentarily showed a shy face, then smiled slightly.

“Since sunbae said that, it feels real.”

Haneul felt her heart warming inexplicably at Jae-hyun’s smile.

The joy of growing together with someone was something she had never experienced in her past life.

Teaching someone like this and growing as actors together might be the happiest occurrence in her life, combining both past and present lives.

“So make sure to follow well from now on, junior Jae-hyun.”

At Haneul’s words, Jae-hyun nodded with a small smile.

“Yes, Haneul-sunbae.”

“…Isn’t it a bit embarrassing to call a five-year-old ‘sunbae’?”

“I’ll eventually call you senior just as I call you sunbae later. Please take care of me.”

Though the filming site remained tense as usual, the area around Haneul and Jae-hyun felt strangely peaceful and warm.

And far away, the director Yoon Seok-won, who was watching them, had a gentle smile on his face.

“Yeah, with those two, they might create something.”

What he had anticipated at the beginning of this drama was merely its success. However, Yoon Seok-won now found himself having other expectations.

“Alright. We’ll film the next scene now. Little actors, please come over here!”

Perhaps this drama would capture the beginning of two geniuses who would be remembered for a long time.