Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber - Chapter 101

In the end, I couldn’t explain myself to Kang Hana.

To be exact, I did find out where she was after going outside, but she was in the middle of filming, so I couldn’t approach her.

More importantly… she really is the lead, huh?

The timid demeanor she showed earlier is nowhere to be seen, and now she’s completely playing the role of a confident woman.

Watching her act on set, I can understand why she’s getting so much attention.

She’s younger than Moon Chang-sik and, as a rookie actress with a great look and acting skills, isn’t she the center of a lot of buzz?

Well, I can see why—she’s pretty, and she can act.

Even now, she’s filming a scene with Moon Chang-sik, and she just shines.

Yeah, they really do look good together, so don’t jump to conclusions.

I closed my eyes, thinking about the articles I had just seen.

[Actress Kang Hana names fellow actor and senior Moon Chang-sik as her role model.]

[Are they just friends? Or maybe something more?]

[Amid dating rumors, Moon Chang-sik’s side says “They’re just friends.”]

With articles like these coming up in search results, plus the reaction I saw earlier…

It’s likely that Kang Hana, the actress, at least has some feelings for Moon Chang-sik.

So, I need to clear this misunderstanding… It’d be disrespectful to Moon Chang-sik, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable if such a misunderstanding was hanging over me.

That’s why, to clear up the misunderstanding quickly, I stood near the filming area with my arms crossed, but I couldn’t help but attract a lot of attention.

“…Who is that?”

“Oh, the director…”

“Wow…”

“Is she from an idol group?”

Most of the looks I received were filled with admiration or envy due to my appearance, but every now and then, I could feel sharp, piercing gazes.

It was mostly from other actresses, especially those with minor roles who weren’t the leads—it made me feel a little uncomfortable.

They probably think I was just picked for my looks, a parachute hire.

Which, to be honest, isn’t entirely wrong.

Well, I had thought about this a little when I first came here.

But thankfully, it’s only a small number of them.

The majority are sending me friendly glances, so it’s okay.

Anyway, as I watched the filming scene, it was definitely a different experience seeing it up close.

So this is how the actors’ performances on TV come to life.

There were more NGs (mistakes) than I expected, but the overall atmosphere was warm and friendly.

Everyone was smiling and saying it was okay.

If the atmosphere were like this, I thought I could act comfortably too, and before I knew it, filming was over.

Afterward, the two actors who had finished filming in the distance spotted me and reacted in different ways.

Kang Hana flinched as if feeling guilty, and Moon Chang-sik gave a surprised look as if seeing me was unexpected.

“What brings you out here?”

“Oh, I…”

I hesitated for a moment as I was about to speak to Kang Hana, who was standing next to Moon Chang-sik as he walked toward me.

With the person involved right there, would it be inappropriate if I suddenly said, “Oh, I have no relationship with Moon Chang-sik. We’re just friends, so please don’t misunderstand”?

And besides, it’s not even certain that Kang Hana has any misunderstanding about the situation.

It would probably be better to carefully talk to them when it’s just the two of us…

I awkwardly smiled and spoke first.

“Hahaha, the director told me to get a feel for the atmosphere.”

“You’re not someone who listens to others, though, are you?”

“In this situation, I have to.”

“Is that so? So, what do you think of the atmosphere?”

Hmm… it’s a bit awkward to have a conversation with Kang Hana while she’s right here… But I still answered the question.

“I think it was good.”

“Right? We’re in the early stages of filming, so everyone is really excited. All of us.”

It looks that way. The set has been newly built, so everything looks neat and nice.

It feels like the excitement of moving into a new place?

“Anyway, it’s break time now, so let’s go back inside. We’ll be filming soon, and I’ll watch your acting one last time.”

“Oh, then thank you.”

I didn’t know. I’d better focus on my own work.

After all, Kang Hana isn’t sure about anything either, right?

If I don’t see her again after today, the misunderstanding will probably resolve on its own.

Just as I was about to head back to the dressing room tent.

“Ah, um…”

Kang Hana, who had been hesitating beside Moon Chang-sik, spoke up.

“Can I have you watch my acting too…?”

Her tightly closed lips made it clear she had made a big decision.

With her acting like this, how could I possibly refuse?

Besides, it would be beneficial for me to get more acting guidance. If it’s from someone already recognized by the public, even better.

“I’d be happy to. It’s an honor.”

“Really?!”

Was she surprised I accepted so easily?

Kang Hana beamed with a bright smile.

Just as I was about to smile in return at her beautiful grin…

“No. Junior, don’t you have another scene? You should practice a bit more…”

Moon Chang-sik’s calm words made her expression darken again.

Does this guy seriously have no sense?

I can’t let this continue and disappoint her (who’s older than me).

I pinched him.

Quickly, I pinched Moon Chang-sik in the side.

“As the director said… Ugh…”

Surprised by my sudden action, Moon Chang-sik frowned for a rare moment and stopped speaking. As soon as his words halted, I jumped in.

“Could you just watch my acting for a moment and then leave? Please?”

Having witnessed this whole exchange, Kang Hana looked at me with shining eyes, as if she had been saved.

“Yes, yes!”

With this, the misunderstanding should be mostly cleared up, right?

Anyway, the three of us returned to the tent I had been in earlier.

“Shall we give it a try?”

As soon as we entered the tent, Moon Chang-sik pulled up some chairs around and sat down, as if urging me to show my acting.

Maybe they’re just playing their roles.

But watching Kang Hana too is a bit of a burden. It won’t be long before a lot more people will be watching.

“I’ll, uh… just stand here.”

Once Kang Hana entered, she seemed to settle into a corner and stare at me, whether she was actually planning to watch the performance. Her gaze was oddly like a camera, which made me laugh, but I held back the smile and focused on creating the image I had been practicing for.

This is a recording studio. In front of me is Moon Chang-sik, a rude producer…

I skipped the part where I was singing in a non-soundproof tent to avoid attracting too much attention and dove right into the role assigned to me, fully immersing myself in the performance.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

And so, in the small tent, I performed according to the script I had memorized and practiced.

“How was that?”

As soon as the scene ended, I observed the reactions of the other actors around me.

First, Moon Chang-sik…

“Good, nice. You’d have no problem standing in front of a camera now.”

He clapped with a satisfied smile, and Kang Hana…

“Uh. Wow, you’re doing well…”

She seemed a little surprised that I performed better than she expected.

Seeing that reaction gave me an immense sense of satisfaction.

So, there was nothing really lacking in their eyes, right?

That’s all that matters.

At least, it seems like there won’t be any NG takes ruining the mood, as I feared.

With a lighter heart, I slumped into the empty chair.

“You’ve practiced a lot, haven’t you? There’s less awkwardness now.”

As I sat, Moon Chang-sik, who had been my scene partner, stood up and handed me a paper cup.

“Haha, can you tell I practiced? Well, I’m glad to hear that.”

“Yes, it’s much better.”

“That’s right! You were really like Han Hye-jin.”

Oh… even Kang Hana’s praising me like that.

Han Hye-jin is the name of the character I’m playing.

It was odd that even a supporting role had a name, but maybe it will come up later on TV or something.

As I relaxed and took a sip from the paper cup, Moon Chang-sik stood up again.

“Alright, let’s try it one more time.”

“Right now?”

“We don’t have much time. I’ll point out the awkward parts you missed earlier.”

Sigh, well… I didn’t think it would end right away anyway.

It’s not bad to get more feedback on my performance.

Without saying anything, I stood up and repeated the scene.

Still, continuing to do the same scene was tiring.

It felt like a video on repeat.

However, the more I did it, the more the issues were corrected, and the feedback from the two actors pointed out things I had never even considered.

“Aren’t you walking a little too humbly for a top star?”

“Huh?”

“You could probably carry yourself more confidently.”

“Ah. I understand.”

Especially since Kang Hana had played many female roles, she gave helpful feedback on the finer details that Moon Chang-sik hadn’t mentioned, which was really helpful.

The acting practice continued with feedback from the two actors until just before the shooting time, and as the thought of it starting soon made my nerves tighten, I tried to shake off the sudden anxiety and headed to the set.

“Just do what we practiced. You did really well.”

When I arrived on set, Kang Hana, who had eased the awkwardness from earlier while giving feedback, came over to cheer me on.

“…Thank you.”

Wow, I feel so honored to be getting this kind of support.

Anyway, after taking a deep breath, I waited, watching the previous scenes being shot, and finally, it was my turn.

“Alright, Suhyun, you’re up.”

With those words, I stepped forward and found myself standing in a set that was better prepared than the one I had seen at the broadcast station, and now it really felt like we were about to start filming.

I glanced around at the cameras and lights surrounding me.

I have to perform in front of all this?

No, wait, why are there so many cameras? It’s just a simple scene.

Still, I’m not worried.

Yeah, I practiced a lot, and I’ve received recognition, so…

I briefly cleared my throat and did some mind control.

I am a star… the confident, high-self-esteem celebrity Han Hyejin…

Right, I’m in a recording studio now.

I’m here to collaborate with a washed-up producer and am recording for that.

After controlling my thoughts, I opened my eyes.

When I did, neither Kim Suhyun nor Miro was there anymore.

Only the arrogant star, Han Hyejin, remained.