Seoyeon looked over the revised script.
The filming of Kyungsung Lady had been going smoothly so far.
In that context, this script change was quite unusual.
‘Well, it’s not exactly unheard of.’
In film production, scripts often undergo multiple revisions for various reasons.
Sometimes, they even shoot several versions of similar scenes just to cover different possibilities.
There could ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ also be multiple versions of the script circulating simultaneously, sometimes written by entirely different writers.
Of course, Seoyeon had never personally experienced that, but for seasoned actors, it was considered just another professional hurdle.
‘At least the scene was added rather than altered.’
If an existing scene had been changed, the emotional flow might have shifted, requiring her to approach the performance with a new mindset.
But this time, it was a simple case of an additional scene being inserted.
‘...Wait, is this more action?’
When she glanced at Director Baek-min, she saw him smirk knowingly.
It was clear he’d already anticipated her reaction.
Then he made a tossing gesture.
‘He’s probably referring to that scene where I threw Jo Seohui.’
That ad-libbed moment had left quite the impression, it seemed.
Now, Yuina’s character had shifted slightly—from a pampered rich girl to someone with more of a yakuza vibe.
In short, Yuina’s backstory had been partially rewritten.
‘Honestly, considering her role, the yakuza angle makes more sense.’
Thinking about it, Yuina’s objectives were to use Yeonseonye to locate the hidden treasure of the Amanabi family and the key that led to it.
The second objective was to kill Michiko.
Looking at those two goals alone, it made perfect sense for Yuina to be from a yakuza family.
Filming additional scenes early on wouldn’t be too difficult, either.
Yuina being portrayed as far stronger than Michiko during their confrontation was a reasonable addition.
The only surprise was that this setup was being introduced during their very first shoot in Japan.
“Seoyeon, did you check the script?”
While memorizing her lines, Seoyeon was approached by a few actors participating in the shoot.
“There’s not much added action, but we should probably rehearse the timing. Are you okay with that?”
“Don’t actors usually practice action scenes more thoroughly?”
“Well, as you can see, this scene isn’t that intense.”
True, a quick look at the script revealed it wasn’t complicated—just a brief scuffle for Yuina.
“Besides, action scenes are mostly handled by the stunt performers.”
The actor who said that smiled, motioning to the group of foreigners standing behind them.
They were likely stunt performers flown in from Japan.
Stella’s role, after all, was a Western heiress and merchant’s daughter.
Her character was Michiko’s friend, but ultimately betrayed her.
...Though her actual screen time was short, the role was quite dramatic for a cameo.
It was closer to a minor role than a true cameo.
Because of that setup, all of her guards and subordinates were foreigners.
Since Korean actors wouldn’t fit those roles, they had to rely on Japanese support.
Fortunately, Japan had plenty of white actors, so it wasn’t difficult.
Incidentally, all of them were stunt performers.
“Seoyeon, I heard the rumors.”
“Hm?”
As Seoyeon observed the stunt actors, a male co-star grinned mischievously.
“The stunt team at Cheonghong Action School trembles every time they see you, apparently?”
“...”
“They say it’s like facing a tiger. Practicing fight choreography with you, I mean.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Am I? I could’ve sworn I saw someone fly through the air when I visited for action training...”
“That was just an accident—”
How could someone ‘accidentally’ go flying?
Seoyeon cut herself off mid-sentence, deciding that saying any more would only hurt her image.
‘I need to tone it down.’
She let out a quiet sigh.
In her younger days, she’d only been as strong as an average adult man.
But lately, it felt like she’d crossed a line.
Her looks aside, what was the reason for this absurd physical ability?
She often joked that she had a “TS invincible body,” but maybe she’d accidentally spoken it into reality.
“Anyway, I’m joking. I’m actually looking forward to seeing how those guys handle you.”
The actor gestured for Seoyeon to follow him, clearly ready to rehearse their movements.
‘The shoot feels more delayed than usual.’
It was probably because Stella needed time to check the script.
Even as a cameo, she had quite a bit of dialogue in this scene.
Of course, it could also be because Stella wasn’t just looking at the scene itself.
‘Judging by the amount of paper she’s holding, it’s not just the script for this scene.’
Seoyeon glanced over at Stella.
There was far too much paper in her hands for it to be a single scene.
Most likely, Stella was reading through the entire storyline of Kyungsung Lady.
All that just to prepare for a single scene.
And, just as Seoyeon suspected...
‘The opening scene starts with Yuina giving Yeonseonye an assignment.’
Stella was poring over a summary of the entire movie, leading up to the current moment.
The movie began with Kasugayama Yuina realizing her prized gombangdae was missing while walking through the streets of Kyungsung.
She suddenly recalled bumping into a woman moments earlier.
It had been so brief that even Yuina hadn’t noticed when the theft occurred.
Yuina wasn’t the type to let such things slide and ordered Isamu to retrieve the woman.
But Isamu merely smiled and revealed that he already knew her.
In fact, he had instructed the woman to steal Yuina’s gombangdae—just to show off her skills.
As proof, Isamu handed the stolen item back to Yuina.
“What’s your game, Isamu?”
“That woman will reclaim what you’ve lost.”
Thus, the story began.
Isamu and Yeonseonye already had a secret arrangement.
Yuina came into the picture later.
But their goals aligned—at least until their relationships started to shift.
‘This is getting interesting.’
Stella smirked as she studied the script.
The scenes played vividly in her mind.
Yuina, desperate to reclaim what Michiko had taken from her.
And Michiko, indifferent to Yuina’s struggles.
Caught between them was Yeonseonye.
What started as a chance encounter slowly turned her into something irreplaceable to both.
From Yeonseonye’s perspective, the two women represented victim and villain.
Yet their differences gradually faded, pulling Yeonseonye into the same emotional web.
Yuina used Yeonseonye to dig into Michiko’s secrets.
Michiko, meanwhile, became attached to Yeonseonye, even as she began to suspect her motives.
Neither revealed their true feelings, despite the tension and betrayal.
‘And Yuina...’
Yuina initially saw Yeonseonye as just a pawn.
But that was starting to change.
Today’s additional scene was designed to amplify that shift.
‘Originally, the focus was more on Michiko and Yeonseonye’s bond.’
Now, it seemed they were giving Yuina’s role more weight, pushing for a love triangle rather than a straightforward romance.
With the last scene highlighting Michiko and Yeonseonye’s dynamic, this new scene aimed to elevate Yuina’s connection to Yeonseonye.
Meanwhile, Stella’s character remained disposable—an expendable plot device.
Despite the dramatic setup, it was still just a minor role.
But she liked it that way.
“It looks like we’re starting soon.”
Asher Baldwin finally spoke after skimming through the script one last time.
“Are you ready for this?”
His words weren’t directed at Stella but at the entire cast.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
Stella closed the script and stepped forward.
The world before her was a stage filled with mannequins—lifeless and cold.
Yet Seoyeon stood out among them.
‘You’re like me, aren’t you?’
Stella smiled, her heart racing.
For the first time in ages, she felt truly alive.
****
‘...She’s definitely misunderstanding something.’
Seoyeon shuddered slightly under Stella’s intense gaze as she approached with a faint smile.
It wasn’t the first time Seoyeon had felt this way.
Stella’s emotions were always hard to read.
But regardless of the ambiguity, there was one thing Seoyeon had consistently noticed.
A sense of kinship.
Stella must have felt something similar.
That’s probably why she looked at Seoyeon like that.
‘Hmm.’
Of course, Seoyeon didn’t know the reason.
But she was sure Stella had gotten the wrong idea about something.
‘Acting, huh.’
Judging by their past conversations, that had to be it.
Stella struggled to recognize people properly, most likely due to her condition.
Seoyeon had already confirmed it before filming began.
‘Does she think I’m similar to her because we both present ourselves as something we’re not?’
It was possible.
But deep down, Seoyeon felt it wasn’t quite the same.
‘Maybe it’s related to me being tied to my past life.’
Perhaps it was a lingering effect because she hadn’t fully “graduated” from her old life.
It was just a theory, but one thing was certain—Stella’s view and her own perspective were fundamentally different.
“I don’t know,” Seoyeon muttered.
“What?” Jiyeon asked.
“Nothing. Anyway, are you okay with filming alongside Stella?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Jiyeon’s tone was confident.
Seoyeon almost clapped at how bold she sounded.
But despite Jiyeon’s confidence, Seoyeon had her doubts.
The Stella who was now flashing that cheerful smile wasn’t here to play along.
She was here to steal the spotlight and shatter expectations.
“Since you’re playing Yeonseonye, you’ll probably be fine.”
“...Why does that sound insulting?”
“No, I just mean you’re good at matching your acting to whoever you’re working with.”
If nothing else, Seoyeon trusted Jiyeon’s skills.
She had absolute faith in Lamiel.
‘Even if Stella turns out to be the worst kind of troublemaker.’
Seoyeon had seen Jiyeon handle plenty of problem viewers with a smile in her previous life.
So, at the very least, she knew Jiyeon could adapt—no matter the circumstances.
Jiyeon might not overpower her co-stars, but there was no one better at making them shine.
“That’s not something you should say to the lead actor,” Jiyeon grumbled, stepping over to stand next to Jo Seohui.
Stella and Seoyeon were positioned farther away.
The opening scene started with Michiko and Yeonseonye at an auction showcasing Western goods brought in by traders.
Yuina would enter later, having rushed to the auction upon hearing about the two.
That was the setup for the scene.
“Miss, are you sure it’s okay for me to attend this auction? What if they throw me out?”
“Yeonseonye, stop worrying. With me by your side, who could possibly throw you out?”
Jo Seohui delivered her lines and took a sweeping look around the set.
Eventually, her gaze settled on Stella and Seoyeon.
Michiko didn’t have much to do in this scene.
For once, she could simply sit back and watch the performance unfold.
And there was something about it she looked forward to—watching Stella and Seoyeon.
While Stella’s real-life presence had been a little underwhelming, she was still a star capable of delivering the kind of brilliant performance Seohui dreamed of.
“We’re about to see a lot of dazzling things. Get ready. It’ll be worth watching.”
Seohui’s words carried a genuine sense of anticipation, reflected in her smile.
Read 𝓁at𝙚st chapters at ƒrēewebnovel.com Only.
It wasn’t just acting.
She was truly excited about the gems she was about to witness.