The video of Seoyeon participating in the street event spread like wildfire.

    It first surfaced as a YouTube short, and soon snippets of it started circulating across various online communities.

    "LOL what’s she doing there??""I didn’t know, but Joo Seoyeon is actually kind of cute when you see her like this.""Is that her little sister? Haha, the younger sibling really is just a knockoff of the older one."

    └ "???"

    It seemed like Seoyeon participated in the event because her little sister wanted the toy.

    Initially, there were even claims that the whole thing was staged by the company for publicity, or that it was some kind of setup.

    "They could’ve hired the actress for promotion, right?""But doesn’t she look way too embarrassed for this to be a promotional stunt?""For real, lol, I’ve never seen Joo Seoyeon this flustered."

    Seoyeon had acted in numerous scenes broadcast on TV before.

    When she was working on Dream Future, many clips of her doing challenging or awkward acting had circulated.

    However, Seoyeon had always maintained a straight face, even during the most embarrassing scenes.

    Yet, in this event, her embarrassment was plainly visible for all to see.

    In a way, the emotional depth that was her forte as an actress now worked to convey her embarrassment clearly to the audience.

    "Suyeon is too cute ???""I want a little sister like Suyeon, or maybe a daughter like her.""Me too... Apparently, she said she gave her sister the good role because the sister always plays the bad guy.""Really?""Yeah, one of the event organizers asked her afterward. Of course, she also admitted she likes Zeroro more, lol."

    The event organizers were summoned by their headquarters to explain what happened.

    Meanwhile, Loop Entertainment, the production company behind Magical Girl Harara, quickly uploaded the footage to their official YouTube channel.

    This all happened within just three days.

    It was a whirlwind.

    "How about casting Joo Seoyeon and her little sister for our new toy commercial?"

    "I already reached out."

    The company’s swift action made it clear how influential Seoyeon had become recently.

    And as for Seoyeon herself...

    "What do you think, Seoyeon? You’ve already done it once—might as well do it again!"

    "..."

    Seoyeon stared at the YouTube short, which was quickly approaching 5 million views.

    She had wanted to improve her image, but she never expected it to happen so dramatically and so easily.

    ‘Improving your image isn’t something you can force.’

    Though her previous efforts had helped somewhat, this event brought a much more drastic and positive change.

    As an actress, Seoyeon had always been seen as a bit distant from the public.

    She was mainly known for playing antagonistic roles.

    Even though she had portrayed Cho Harin in Dream Future, people often remembered actors for their most memorable roles.

    For those who watched Dream Future first, they might have thought of her as Cho Harin’s actress, but Cho Harin’s role wasn’t as prominent.

    ‘Come to think of it, I’ve played quite a few intense roles.’

    Lee Yoojoo, too, wasn’t exactly the most virtuous character—she wasn’t a murderer, but she didn’t give off a particularly wholesome vibe either.

    Still, Yoojoo was a popular character, largely because she was a victim of her parents’ forced education and had a flawed, unstable personality that made her compelling to watch, like a ticking time bomb.

    ‘Plus, Yoojoo is incredibly talented.’

    In the story, no one was portrayed as more capable than Yoojoo.

    Yet despite her abilities, she was an incomplete protagonist, mainly due to her mental fragility, which was often highlighted in the show.

    ‘Anyway.’

    The real issue Seoyeon faced now was the proposal for the Magical Girl Harara toy commercial.

    "What do you think? If you do the toy commercial, it’ll really boost your image with mothers!"

    "But it’s a toy promotion..."

    When Seoyeon looked into Magical Girl Harara later, she discovered that the sheer number of transformation options had led to the series being dubbed “Bankrupt Girl Harara” because it drained parents’ wallets.

    The show was popular not only among young children but also among middle schoolers, with even some adults appreciating the character designs.

    "Come on, it’s just for fun."

    Maybe, but the decision wasn’t hers alone to make.

    After all, the offer wasn’t just for her—it was also for her little sister, Joo Suyeon.

    When she brought it up at home...

    "I want to do it!!!!"

    Suyeon’s near-screaming response made Seoyeon cover her ears.

    With Seoyeon’s sensitive hearing and strong body, it felt like her eardrums might burst.

    "I want to be on TV with you, unnie!!"

    Not that her eardrums were weak enough to actually rupture.

    "Oh, did Suyeon get a commercial offer?"

    "Yes, apparently so."

    Their mother, Sua, seemed amused by the whole situation, smiling as she watched Suyeon jump around in excitement.

    ‘You turned down every other offer that came in.’

    Sua had rejected numerous proposals for Seoyeon to appear on TV, saying it might be dangerous if too much attention was drawn to her.

    But since Suyeon had been repeatedly asking to see her mom on TV, it seemed there was still a possibility left open.

    Sua, too, seemed a bit conflicted, but with the way things were going, it felt like she might give in to at least one appearance.

    "But you haven’t given up on the other thing, right?"

    "That..."

    Seoyeon wanted to say no, but the words didn’t come easily.

    She hadn’t really given up, but something was holding her back.

    "Why did you decide to take acting seriously?"

    "..."

    Sua smiled as Seoyeon remained silent.

    "I think that’s the question you’re struggling with."

    Seoyeon had her reasons for becoming serious about acting and for wanting to become a famous actress.

    "You’ve never been the type to leave things unfinished, Seoyeon."

    She was someone who had to complete one thing before moving on to the next.

    That’s just how she was.

    "And there’s still that dream from your childhood."

    Of course, the thing Seoyeon needed to finish wasn’t acting itself.

    It was likely something else.

    Sua believed that there was something in Seoyeon that she still hadn’t finished, though she didn’t know exactly what it was.

    Even after episode 6 of Sky Garden aired, the viewership didn’t change much.

    Grand Game remained more popular, and discussions in online communities were still mostly about that show.

    However, starting with episode 4 of Sky Garden, Adiz began heavily promoting their chairs.

    Episode 4 prominently featured the main characters Yoojoo and Minseo studying hard for their exams while using Adiz chairs.

    "How are the Adiz chairs? They looked nice in Sky Garden.""Not sure about the older models, but the kids’ chairs are great."

    It was a small buzz, nothing major yet, as Sky Garden hadn’t become a huge hit.

    "Are you tired today, Seoyeon?"

    "Huh?"

    "Your performance seems a bit lacking today."

    Really?

    Seoyeon tilted her head at director Kim Ilsu’s comment, though it didn’t seem impossible.

    "Go home and rest after today’s shoot. The upcoming scenes will be tougher."

    "Okay."

    Once episode 10 started filming, there would be more outdoor shoots, and that’s when Yoojoo’s character would really start to unravel.

    It was the turning point in the story.

    ‘Childhood dreams...’

    Back at home, Seoyeon watched the episodes of Sky Garden that had aired so far from the beginning.

    Yoojoo was a very flat character.

    It wasn’t that Seoyeon was playing her that way; the character had been designed like that from the start.

    Yoojoo merely mimicked her father’s words and actions.

    Even if she denied it, the viewers knew.

    Yoojoo was just repeating her father’s behavior.

    She was a child who hadn’t found what she wanted to do, an immature kid.

    That’s who Lee Yoojoo was.

    ‘Acting.’

    In some ways, Seoyeon and Yoojoo were alike, having both started on their paths because of parental influence.

    They had chosen that path, and in that sense, they were similar.

    But they were also different.

    Yoojoo had nothing else, but Seoyeon did.

    So why did Seoyeon feel like she had to pursue acting first?

    ‘I think I know the answer.’

    It had to do with Han Yuna, the girl she had recently met whose name was so similar to her own in her previous life.

    Yuna’s life was different—her circumstances were different, and she hadn’t been subjected to harsh education from a young age like Seoyeon had been.

    Yuna was happy, well-adjusted, and simply a pretty, sweet girl.

    Seoyeon didn’t feel envious or upset about that.

    She was relieved for Yuna’s sake.

    But through Yuna, Seoyeon realized something.

    It was one of the reasons she had spoken to writer Min Sehee recently, and it tied into what Seoyeon truly wanted to do moving forward.

    There was something Seoyeon needed to do before she could fulfill her childhood dream.

    ‘Acting is my only way of communicating.’

    Maybe, deep down, that’s what she had wanted to show.

    No, it was clear.

    If she became a famous actress, a star that everyone knew, her parents from her previous life would see her.

    So,

    "I made a mistake with Yoojoo’s character."

    After watching the drama repeatedly, Seoyeon realized that she had missed something in her portrayal of Yoojoo.

    She had only just realized it today.

    Yoojoo, in many ways, was a character very much like herself.