Life, Once Again!

rprisingly suited him.

“Uhm….”

What was she supposed to say here? It was too late for excuses.
But telling the truth here would be kinda funny as well.
She was very distant from the word ‘ethics’ but she was hesitating inside due to ‘ethics’ as well.
No, it wasn’t just because of ethics.
She was scared as well.
She was afraid of the man in front of her.

“Oops, it looks like I made you even more nervous even though I did that to get you to calm down.”

Joongjin stuck out his tongue and rubbed his fingers on top of it before washing his fingers with the water in the cup.
Dayoon just watched as Joongjin slowly stood up.
He walked towards her, step by step.
He stopped right next to her, and he looked extremely big.
Even though he looked to be less than 170cm tall, he looked like an insurmountable mountain right now.

She couldn’t endure his gaze that looked at her.
Just as she was about to turn her head away, Joongjin grabbed her by the chin.
She twitched as though she fell into shock.
Didn’t she have to flick away that hand? Yet, her body flinched back as though she was tied up with some rope.

“Hm, you would look pretty with some makeup.”

“Y-yes.”

“Your neck looks good as well.
No wonder hyung-nim loves you.”

His other hand descended upon her.
It stroked her neck once before moving downwards.
Dayoon was reminded of a snail.
It felt like a disgusting snail dripping with mucus was crawling all over her body.
She wanted to scream, but her reason suppressed her voice.
Everything would be over if she screamed here.

The hand stopped just as it was about to approach her cleavage.
The hand did not proceed.
It just touched the necklace with a cross on it.

“Do you go to Church?”

“Y-yes.”

“Jesus, he’s a good man.
I heard that praying was enough for you to get salvation.
He must be a generous man.
In that sense, Buddha is also a thankful person.
Don’t you think so?”

“I-I do.”

Joongjin put down the necklace and straightened out her one-piece dress that creased a little.

“You’re in good shape.
Did you get treatment or something?”

“No.”

“It must have been hard.
I mean, it’s not easy for a girl to shape up, right? It involves exercise and balancing diets.”

Joongjin formed a rectangle with the thumb and index fingers from each hand and scanned her from three steps away as though he was taking a photo of her.

“You have a good body figure as well.
Can you try smiling for me?”

She smiled like an obedient dog.
From a faint smile to a bright happy smile.
She did everything she was told to do.

“Have you ever watched a movie of mine?”

“Yes, in middle school.”

“When was that?”

“I think it was 10 years ago.”

“How was it?”

“I was touched.”

“Touched, huh.
You flatter me.”

Joongjin sat down as he stretched his hands out.
Dayoon pressed down on her knees with shaking hands.
The more they talked, the deeper her fear became.
This man she didn’t know the identity of pressured her too much.

“Miss Dayoon.”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to shoot a commercial movie.
I kept shooting independent, artistic-purpose movies, but that lowered people’s awareness of me too much.
I’m planning to rake in some money with a commercial movie.”

“I-I see.”

“Actually, movies are quite strange.
They’re like stocks in a sense.
There are cases where even after casting all the super popular actors, you fail miserably, and there are cases where only less well-known B-grade actors are used, yet still become six million-view hits.
It’s very hard to predict the success of a movie just like the stock market.
That’s why I don’t trust filmography.
I trust my intuition.”

“Intuition?”

“Yes, intuition.
When hyung-nim said he wanted to introduce me to someone, I had that feeling.
That hyung-nim has a good intuition as well.
And when I saw you, I was sure that you were worth it to put inside my screen as the goddess of luck.”

Joongjin picked up his fork and knife.
He no longer ate his food like a savage and started using cutlery like a gentleman.

“Have you ever tried acting?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Then I guess you will need to practice from now.
If I chop the scenes where you have to act in accordance with another actor as much as possible, that will decrease the burden on you, so you don’t need to worry about that.
Also, I’ve already finished casting the actors that are reliable, so I’m going to focus on them more.
After all, for you, Miss Dayoon, it’s more important to get career experience as an actor, am I wrong?”

“….”

“Let’s be honest.
Don’t tell me that your dream is to become an actress.
You just need a point of breakthrough, don’t you?”

“A point of breakthrough….”

“This movie will do well.
I am planning to use the elements that would make it popular.
What you need to do, Miss Dayoon, is to stand on screen without looking awkward.
That’s it.
A mesmerizing act? I don’t even expect that from you.
You just need to not break the flow.
If you become the flower that’s pleasing to look at, the rest of us will take care of everything for you.”

“Are you really going to use me?”

“Yes.
My intuition tells me to, so I am going to.
Oh, and starting today, practice looking at your own expression as you talk in front of the mirror.
I’ll give you a few movie CDs.
Try copying the actresses that appear in those.
We just need a short-term solution after all.”

“Will that be enough?”

Hearing that question, Joongjin smiled and put down his fork.

“Miss Dayoon.”

“…Yes.”

“Listen to me carefully.
You don’t need the word ‘enough’.
Didn’t I tell you that you should become the flower? I don’t mean a living flower.
You can be an artificial flower.
It will suffice as long as people think that it’s an act.
Don’t try to do something.
Miss Dayoon, you aren’t anyone great.
Just do what you’re told.
Do that and I’ll give you the title of the idol that successfully debuted into the movie industry.”

He seemed to have great confidence in himself.
His words were smooth without any stops.
Although it sounded absurd and nonsensical, it was somewhat acceptable as well.
She had the feeling that things would turn out the way he said they would.

“Uhm, Miss Dayoon.”

Joongjin continued speaking as he looked at the steak.

“Can you sleep with me as well? I’m curious about your night skills.”

Dayoon flinched and looked at Joongjin.
When she did, Joongjin immediately made a rectangle with his fingers and looked at her through the frame.

“That expression, that’s the one.
Remember that feeling.
The role you’re about to act has such a role.”

Dayoon couldn’t do anything other than just stare at the man.
Only the sound of cutlery filled the room.

“Phew, thanks for the meal.”

Joongjin wiped his mouth and stood up after his meal.

“I’ll take my leave here since I have to see other people for some roles.
I have to go and see some energetic high school students.
Ah, it would be great if my intuition tells me something this time as well.”

Joongjin turned around with a smile.

“Miss Dayoon, good luck.”

Dayoon stared at his back for a while until the door closed.
When the door closed, she curled up and frowned.
A scream escaped her clenched teeth.

* * *

The man who introduced himself as director Park Joongjin took off the fedora he was wearing as he sat down.
He seemed close with Choongho and the two had an energetic handshake when they met.

“Nice to meet you, everyone.
You should have heard the general story from Choongho hyung-nim here.
I need some young actors filled with spirit for the movie I’m shooting this time.”

Joongjin spoke with a smile.