I Don’t Want to Play Villains Anymore - Chapter 51

Ielay, Ieny, Ierenmen

Tap.

Ral places his hand on the desk, and a male student with sleepy eyes approaches.

Noticing the different tie color, he must be a second-year. Dimbae.

“Haneul, I saw you in the broadcast of Wukiwaf. I didn’t know you had such a side. If you ever want to talk…”

“Ah. I’m fine.”

d*mn it. Not this again.

This dimbae in front of Ral with his sparkling eyes is already the fourth visitor.

At this point, I should create a Baek Haneul emotional support group at school.

“Are you really okay, Haneul? You looked… hurt on the broadcast.”

That guy’s hurt.

I’ve already been warned by Director Gong Mu-heon, so is he going to do this now?

“Um… I mean, if you’re having a hard time, I’m always ready to talk, you know?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

I’m sorry, but you’re not the only one who has said this. There are already hundreds of people like Dimbae.

A look of confusion crossed the student’s face.

Ah, having such blatant concern makes for a different expectation from reality.

Yeah. This is reality.

What you expected might have been a beautiful, delicate Baek Haneul leaning on your shoulder while shedding a tear, but…

Unfortunately, such a Baek Haneul does not exist in this world.

If only I could shed a few tears and say something like, “Thank you for being here for me,” I could instantly become the protagonist of a romance.

“Still, Haneul, don’t hold it in alone. If you’re ever struggling…”

Is Dimbae even listening to Ral?

I briefly closed my dry lips and let out a small sigh, mustering the kindest smile possible.

“Really, it’s fine, so please don’t worry and go back. If I really need counseling…”

Dimbae’s face sparkled with hope like a puppy’s eyes. That look is indeed precious and cute.

“Yeah! Anytime, just come to me…”

“I’m going to find a professional counselor and pay for it.”

Dimbae’s mouth shut tight.

Seeing the look on his face rapidly cool down, I felt a slight thrill inside.

‘Sorry, but your emotional concerns are not something you can handle for free.’

I hope you find your career path toward professional counseling in your next life since you seem far from it this time.

Dimbae slouched his shoulders and walked away dejectedly.

What a ridiculous situation.

‘This was a waste of time from the start.’

How old is Ral mentally, and does he think he can have a romantic relationship with these kids just because they wear school uniforms?

“Ha, I’m tired.”

I rested my chin on the desk and quietly closed my eyes. Outside the window, the sunshine was blazing fiercely.

“…It’s spring, but why is it so hot all of a sudden?”

Is the Earth doomed after all…

Buzz!

“Oh, it’s the manager.”

Buzz!

Once again, the vibrations rang loudly. The name Seong Jeong-hoon, my manager, appeared on the screen, along with “5 missed calls,” making it feel like a major disaster had occurred.

“What is it, manager? Are you about to exaggerate again…”

How annoying that this is happening again.

When I answered the phone, Seong Jeong-hoon’s urgent voice poured through the receiver.

[Haneul! Aren’t you coming soon? I was really worried something happened…]

“What’s going on? Did some donation fall through again?”

[No, it’s not that… But you need to hurry and come!]

Ugh. Annoying.

Seong Jeong-hoon sounded genuinely desperate.

This was the first time I’d heard him this anxious.

“Okay, but what exactly is happening?”

[Do you know you might get cast in a movie?]

“Huh?”

What on earth was he talking about?

[It’s Yoon Byeol-ha’s ‘All Day!’ They’re saying they want to cast you as the lead!]

Oh, really?

It is true I want to act in that role, but I didn’t think it would actually happen.

“You mean I got cast? Me?”

[Yes. They’ve been developing this project with you in mind for a long time. What do you know about Yoon Byeol-ha?]

“Ah, well… it’s been a long time…”

It’s not something I can grasp easily. What is this about?

I did mention ‘All Day’ during Wukiwaf as a project I liked before.

‘I loved this movie in my past life.’

All Day.

A dark comedy that satirizes the problems of health insurance.

It’s a biting satire of insurance companies, a film I had watched multiple times before in my past life.

At that time, both critics and viewers were sharply divided in their opinions.

Some said the film was excessively sharp and cruel, while others considered it a masterpiece.

I was closer to the latter.

To sum it up, All Day is a work that extreme contrasts the absurdities of life, particularly through the twisted nature of insurance companies.

Although it seems to exist for people’s safety, in reality, money dictates life and d*ath in that chilling reality.

The film humorously wedged this duality while delivering endless discomfort to its audience.

Especially the protagonist, Ryu Seung-ha, was a character firmly etched in my memories from my past life.

A killer who assassinates the CEO of a major insurance company, Ryu Seung-ha became a judge for those who unjustly met their demise due to company policies while being a victim of the same absurdities himself.

Whenever I recalled his final scene, an unsettling stirring emerged within me.

In my past life as an actor, he was the character I would have loved to portray given even a single chance.

Though he’s a character hard to label merely as a villain, I might still have missed that opportunity.

‘Wasn’t he originally a man, though?’

So Yoon Byeol-ha wants to make such a work with me in mind.

Something feels unusual about this.

“Are you saying you’ve been thinking of me for a long time?”

[Yes! The director said so. I couldn’t believe it at first. Where did you and the director even meet?]

“I haven’t met him. In real life…”

That’s right. I haven’t.

In this life or even in the previous one, I never met Yoon Byeol-ha even once.

So why is it that he’s gone to such lengths to think of me?

Or could it be because I brought up ‘All Day’ in Wukiwaf intentionally?

Did he think I already grasped the meaning of the film because of that?

Regardless, it didn’t matter.

The important thing was that it was a role I genuinely wanted, and I had something to prove through this project.

I confirmed it again with Seong Jeong-hoon.

“So… I accepted the casting offer, right?”

[He said you wouldn’t have a reason to refuse. The director said he would confirm the details if you’re on board. I assumed you would be thrilled.]

In his voice, I could feel a subtle pride. I mean, Yoon Byeol-ha is indeed regarded as an extraordinary person in the industry.

“Yes, that’s right. I should definitely do it.”

A relieved sigh from the manager came through.

[That’s a relief. If you hadn’t, I would’ve been in big trouble in front of the director.]

“Do I look like that kind of person?”

[No. You honestly seem like that kind of person, though.]

I silently laughed at the manager’s joking remark. It felt good that he respected my talents and could have such a light-hearted conversation.

I hung up and lay down briefly on the desk.

As the classroom noise faded slightly, scenes from the movie began to vividly appear in my mind.

The final scene of Ryu Seung-ha, which was the movie’s highlight.

His desperate voice echoed vividly in my ears.

It felt as if the chills I experienced while watching that scene in my past life were washing over me again.

Now, the thought of being able to act out all those scenes, all those emotions—filling me with excitement.

‘I monitored this project several times.’

In this life, I resolved that I would complete this work with my own hands. And now, that opportunity had finally arrived.

“Hehe.”

“Oh? Haneul smiled.”

“Wow, that’s so pretty.”

“I hope you smile more often.”

…

…

“…Alright. Here we go.”

Haneul took a deep breath and stared intently at the door in front of her.

Behind this door is a director I’ve been fangirling over since my past life, making my heart race a bit.

“Okay… One. Two…”

“Creek!”

Did I just hear a voice there?

Haneul pushed with all her strength, but the door didn’t budge.

It felt as if someone from behind was pushing it back.

“…Hmm?”

Haneul pressed the door again, but even stronger resistance seemed to come from the other side.

“Alright then. Let’s see about that…”

With a defiant spirit, as Haneul rolled up her sleeves, suddenly, the door opened on its own, revealing a man.

He wore a neatly pressed shirt but showed fatigue in his eyes.

A genius director making a huge splash in the film industry at barely over thirty years old.

“Y-Yoon Byeol-ha…!”

“Baek-Haneul!”

Haneul felt her entire body freeze in disbelief.

Her dream idol who she had adored in her past life was standing right in front of her, saying her name correctly.

Those weary dark circles, the worn checkered shirt that looked like he had been at the filming site for days, and his slightly disheveled hair.

No doubt, this was the Yoon Byeol-ha that Haneul knew.

“Huh? Wait a second. Is he really going to stare at me right now?”

At that moment, Yoon Byeol-ha also opened his eyes wide and stared intently at Haneul.

His face reflected the awe of a fan meeting a celebrity for the first time.

“Is it really… you, Baek Haneul? For real? You’re the one who played ‘Suha,’ right? That chilling smile at the end of ‘Villain Diary’ was amazing!”

“Eh…? Ah… Uh, that’s not… wait a minute! Director?”

Hold on. This isn’t going as I expected.

The director nervously retrieved something from his bag.

“Actor! I actually always carried this photobook around for this day. I was hoping to get it signed by you if we ever met.”

“W-What? You brought my photobook? No, Director…”

As Haneul frantically tugged at her hair, Yoon Byeol-ha had already prepared a marker, holding the photobook in front of her with both hands respectfully.

His eyes looked just like the fans from my past life who had stood before the manager, filled with that same longing.

Almost too much so.

“Please, just one page…!”

Yoon Byeol-ha’s eyes were filled with desperation.

Though something felt odd, Haneul couldn’t help but switch to fan service mode.

Ever since coming to this world, I had grown quite accustomed to those overwhelming feelings of fangirling.

“…If I sign it, can we start talking about the movie, right?”

“Of course! That’s not all. I’m ready to prepare everything from the movie’s synopsis to the analysis in a week if the actor wants!”

“…That feels a bit overwhelming.”

As Haneul received the marker and wrote her signature lovingly on the photobook, Yoon Byeol-ha was holding his breath, gazing at her intently.

Keeping her emotions in check, Haneul finished signing.

“To Director Yoon Byeol-ha, always cheering for you. Looking forward to your amazing work! – Actor Baek Haneul.”

Upon seeing it, Yoon Byeol-ha’s eyes glistened, and he looked genuinely moved.

“I’m so glad I’m alive. I guess this is the reward for all that hard work.”

Director, what kind of hardships have you endured for you to say you’re glad to be alive?

Holding the photobook carefully, Yoon Byeol-ha’s shoulders slightly shook, and Haneul almost burst into laughter at such a ridiculous and endearing sight.

Just then, Yoon Byeol-ha snapped back to reality, chuckling awkwardly and asked,

“By the way, I think you called for me earlier… Have you seen my work before?”

Haneul’s eyes sparkled as if she had been waiting for that question, and she replied enthusiastically.

“Of course! I’ve seen all of your films, especially ‘All Day.’ It’s my favorite movie!”

Yoon Byeol-ha’s eyes widened in surprise.

“…‘All Day’ is the movie we’re shooting for the first time, though?”

Oh. Right. It hasn’t come out yet in this life.

Haneul quickly backtracked.

“No, I mean, I love your film style, so I just have a feeling that I’m going to really like this one… That’s what I meant! It’s only natural for a fan, right?”

As Haneul hastily finished her sentence, Yoon Byeol-ha grinned broadly, believing every word.

“You’re a genius after all!”

For a moment, Haneul was speechless at that innocent smile.

‘…This guy. He’s definitely not normal.’

It seems that this director would be remembered for different reasons than Gong Mu-heon.