A strange tension filled the room. The atmosphere had turned cold, a testament to how impactful Seoyeon''s performance had been.

    It wasn’t just a matter of whether her acting was good or bad—it was disturbingly accurate.

    “Has she... actually killed someone before?”

    Director Bae Jin-hwan found himself slapping his own cheek as the thought crossed his mind. What was he even thinking about a young actress?

    Apparently, he wasn’t the only one with such thoughts. The other actors exchanged uneasy glances.

    “Did I... do something wrong?”

    Seoyeon, sensing the strange atmosphere, looked a bit downcast as she asked.

    “No!” “Absolutely not, right?” “Seoyeon, you were just so good that everyone got surprised.” “Yes, that’s exactly it.”

    The male actors, followed by actress Jung Si-hyun who was playing Han Ye-hwa, quickly tried to reassure her. It was easy to forget, with her mature appearance and demeanor, that Seoyeon was still a teenager.

    There was nothing wrong with her performance. It was just that her acting was so chilling.

    “Really?”

    Of course, Seoyeon wasn’t actually upset. She had just been fishing for reactions. But she had been nervous, and their responses made her feel relieved.

    ‘Was it too much?’

    No, this was the right approach, Seoyeon reassured herself.

    She understood why they reacted the way they did. This role might end up being her defining role.

    ‘Or rather...’

    It was a role that mirrored her past life—a character that closely resembled who she had once been.

    “Um, let''s try a few more scenes,” Director Bae Jin-hwan suggested, trying to lighten the mood. He also wanted to see if the eerie feeling he’d experienced from Seoyeon’s performance was just a fluke.

    He wasn’t the only one. The other actors were equally curious.

    “Could I go next?”

    The actress playing the victim, Han Ye-hwa, raised her hand. Jung Si-hyun swallowed nervously as she looked at Seoyeon.

    ‘So that’s Joo Seoyeon...’

    Jung Si-hyun was feeling the pressure. After all, her agency had already faced defeat at the hands of Seoyeon once.

    “This is just too much,” a woman had said, angrily stabbing at her salad with a fork. She was in her mid-thirties but looked ageless, one of Korea’s top actresses, Ha Ye-seo, seethed with frustration.

    “Why come back after ten years just to dig up old wounds?” “You could just reshoot it, right?” “...Are you kidding? How could an old woman like me play that role now? I’d be playing Queen Yeonhwa, not Princess Yeonhwa.”

    “Old woman” was quite an understatement. Jung Si-hyun thought to herself. Only someone who knows they don’t look like an old woman would joke about being one. If someone else called her an old woman, she’d probably explode.

    “Anyway,” Ha Ye-seo continued, sipping her drink.

    “So, you’re going to be acting with that girl?” “Yes. I heard she’s been cast as the villain, Cha Seo-ah.” “Hmm, a villain.”

    Ha Ye-seo recalled the young Seoyeon from long ago. Her acting was still rough, but she wasn’t an ordinary child actor.

    When Ha Ye-seo had seen Seoyeon’s performance back then, she had been...

    “Creepy.” “Sorry?” “The emotional acting was off for a child. There was something unsettling about it. That’s why Actress Jung Eun-sun was so harsh on her.” “I guess she didn’t have the best personality even back then.” “It’s not just about having a bad personality—she’s just a clueless old woman.”

    Is it okay to say that about a senior actress? Jung Si-hyun wondered, but when it’s just the two of them, anything goes.

    “Anyway. Be careful.” “Careful?” “If you don’t want to end up like me, having your past dug up.”

    Honestly, Ha Ye-seo had wanted to act with Seoyeon again. To redeem herself, she thought. Yes, she definitely wanted a chance at redemption. Ha Ye-seo bit into a cherry tomato, glancing at her junior actress.

    A talented actress with good looks and a promising future.

    ‘She’s definitely talented, but she’s been acting in a bubble for too long.’

    This movie might be the perfect opportunity to break that bubble. Sometimes, you have to see the wall before you can break through it.

    The genius child actor making a comeback after ten years. Ha Ye-seo had quietly watched her first stage performance.

    “Do your best.”

    That’s what Ha Ye-seo had told her. Jung Si-hyun didn’t think much of it. After all, Seoyeon was just a teenager.

    But seeing her now, in person, was a completely different experience.

    If she wasn’t careful, she might end up just like her senior—or worse.

    The girl’s hand moved, raising the hammer. Han Ye-hwa was supposed to push her away with all her might.

    She was supposed to struggle and break free from her grip.

    The scene was supposed to continue.

    But Jung Si-hyun froze, staring into the face of Seoyeon, who loomed over her.

    She was completely overwhelmed by the presence before her.

    Even though she was supposed to struggle and then be struck unconscious by the hammer.

    “That’s enough.”

    The dark alley transformed back into the brightly lit indoor setting. Director Bae Jin-hwan wiped the sweat from his forehead, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

    “You both did a fantastic job.”

    His praise was genuine. Up until the moment Seoyeon began to overpower Jung Si-hyun, everything had been perfect. Until the moment Jung Si-hyun froze at the sight of Seoyeon’s face up close.

    Normally, he would give feedback on such mistakes, but this time, he was left with a strange feeling.

    It was as if he had underestimated Jung Si-hyun as an actress.

    ‘But...’

    The actors watching Jung Si-hyun, who now stood frozen in place, began to worry.

    ‘As soon as they were in the same scene, she completely disappeared.’

    When they were a bit apart, Jung Si-hyun’s acting had been commendable. But the moment she was overpowered by Seoyeon, the character of Han Ye-hwa, and the actress Jung Si-hyun herself, completely vanished.

    ‘This is a scene where the villain should stand out.’ ‘But being this overwhelmed is a problem.’

    The actors imagined themselves in Jung Si-hyun’s place, wondering how they would have handled the situation.

    It wouldn’t be easy.

    The pressure Seoyeon exerted was something only veteran actors who could dominate a scene would possess. It was that powerful.

    ‘I have to be careful.’

    Especially for the lead actor, Kim Dae-heon, who played Detective Im Seung-chul, he resolved to stay sharp.

    He had never been accused of lacking in acting skills.

    ‘But...’

    Kim Dae-heon chuckled to himself. He was actually looking forward to it.

    He was eager to see what kind of brilliant scenes they could create together, to see what kind of performance he could deliver.

    “...”

    Meanwhile, Jung Si-hyun, who had just acted alongside Seoyeon, bit her lower lip. She looked down, feeling utterly defeated by Seoyeon.

    “I’m sorry.” “What?” “I’ll make sure not to make any mistakes next time.”

    Jung Si-hyun apologized to the actress ten years her junior. It was an apology born out of self-reflection.

    If she hadn’t made that mistake, they could have created something truly amazing.

    But she had ruined it.

    ‘Next time...’

    She resolved never to let this happen again. She wouldn’t ruin Seoyeon’s performance next time.

    ‘...Hmm.’

    Seoyeon, watching Jung Si-hyun, hesitated, unsure of what to say. She wasn’t good at dealing with situations like this.

    Should she offer words of comfort? No, maybe she should give some encouragement instead...

    “F-Fighting.” “What?” “N-Never mind...”

    Seoyeon cursed her own poor communication skills, truly frustrated.

    And then, a week later, the final performance of the play Eyes Closed came to a close.

    Seoyeon received a call from the cable network she had asked Lee Ji-yeon about.

    It was from Up to the King, a show that had been running on a game channel for ten years.