Scene Number 17 was the first meeting between Gilsujin, the wife of Lee Hyuksoo and one of the other main characters in the story, and Lee Yuju. Up until this point, the narrative had been progressing from both of their perspectives, but from this moment onward, their stories would begin to intertwine like cogs in a machine.

    The successful academic achievement of her son. A mother, Gilsujin, who wants to ensure her child walks a successful life.

    And Lee Yuju, the one holding the answer sheet. In a way, this wasn’t too different from a chase.

    The hunter and the hunted. The only difference from a typical chase was:

    "The hunted is at an advantage."

    Limiran, who played both Seoyeon and Gilsujin, understood this well. Gilsujin wanted the entrance exam plan that Yuju possessed—more precisely, the flawless portfolio that had helped Yuju''s brother, Lee Seokchan, achieve the top rank at Baekyeon University.

    Gilsujin''s goal was simple: she wanted to claim Yuju for herself before anyone else did.

    "I wonder if starting this intense from the get-go was the right choice."

    Veteran middle-aged actors, who had been acting for a long time, thought so. This scene didn’t involve any action or strong emotions.

    That’s what made it even more challenging to act. If there were exaggerated emotions, one could just throw oneself into the role and deliver the lines with passion.

    However, this scene was quiet. Endlessly still, yet chilling, and in a way, it needed to express a fierce, burning emotion.

    It was an extremely complex scene. It also revealed the theme and essence of the entire work.

    The two main characters driving the plot. It was suitable to kick off the script reading with a conversation between them.

    But...

    "It''s difficult." "It’s really difficult."

    No one in the room had missed the series The Chaser. Whether out of pure jealousy for the rising young actors or with a sense of expectation for these emerging stars, everyone watched the performance with varying emotions.

    And then...

    Limiran, who faced Seoyeon, inwardly smiled.

    "Impressive."

    Seoyeon’s atmosphere had shifted. It was chillingly noticeable.

    Perhaps the others couldn’t clearly tell the difference between the old Seoyeon and the new one. After all, Seoyeon and Yuju had many overlapping traits.

    An emotionless expression, a calm tone. The overall lack of large gestures made them similar. But there was also a distinct difference.

    "Yuju is an extremely cynical character."

    From a young age, she was subjected to education that bordered on abuse by her parents. Along with her brother, Lee Seokchan.

    The moment she saw her younger brother, a year younger than her, fail to keep up with that education and face discrimination, she believed that she had to succeed no matter what.

    Years passed like that. By the time Yuju became a high school student, academics were nothing more than an inevitable achievement for her. A goal for the future. Something she must accomplish.

    There were no personal desires or dreams. She existed solely to restore the glory of her father''s position as an "admissions coordinator." Thus, adults coveted her.

    A girl who despised students who mechanically immersed themselves in studies.

    "That disgust."

    Although Yuju’s face remained utterly emotionless, her eyes revealed a profound disgust. The deep loathing contained in her calm pupils could be felt distinctly.

    It wasn’t just an impression. Subtle facial muscle changes naturally conveyed that feeling.

    A faintly furrowed brow. Slightly narrowed eyes. A mouth subtly twisted into a smile.

    These elements combined to give the impression of a sneer. Or perhaps, it could even be interpreted as self-mockery.

    Yuju’s loathing wasn’t directed solely at others, but also at herself. And so...

    "Yuju, it’s nice to meet you."

    Limiran, in her role as Gilsujin, welcomed her with anticipation.

    "Be good friends with Minseo. As classmates, you’ll be seeing each other for life."

    Scene Number 17. Upon entering Taeyang High School, Yuju found herself paired with Gilsujin’s daughter, Minseo, in the school dormitory. They were seated next to each other simply because they shared the same surname.

    Gilsujin considered this a stroke of luck. Her long-desired target had ended up sitting right next to her daughter.

    So, she asked her daughter to invite Yuju to their house. To win Yuju’s favor, probe her true intentions.

    And somehow, to obtain the portfolio Yuju’s brother, Lee Seokchan, had used to reach the top of Baekyeon University.

    "We''ll see."

    Yuju responded with a serene smile. A smile that looked like it was drawn in a painting.

    It wasn’t a human expression but a meticulously crafted smile.

    "Forever? I wouldn’t be so sure."

    "It’s just a figure of speech. But Minseo’s told me quite a bit about you."

    "Has she? I haven’t had many conversations with her."

    "Then that’s good. It means there’s room to get to know each other better."

    "That’s true."

    Their conversation was calm. Both of them wore smiles as they spoke.

    "So, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. As a friend’s mother, I’ll help as much as I can."

    "Thank you, but I’m fine."

    "No, there must be things you need, things you want. Tell me, I can make them happen."

    But after watching that performance, all those words now felt like empty compliments.

    And it wasn’t just him. All the young actors who had made it through the auditions and joined the drama probably felt similarly.

    Previously, the way people looked at Seoyeon was filled with jealousy, suspicion, or disdain.

    On a screen or TV, it was easy to think, "I could do that." But facing it in person, the pressure was entirely different.

    From the start, Limiran, who played Gilsujin, had acted with full sincerity. As if she was ready to devour Seoyeon’s very presence if she let her guard down for even a second.

    However, Seoyeon had accepted that intensity with such composure. As if it were only natural.

    That difference made the young actors feel a deep sense of defeat.

    "Moreover, she doesn’t even care about us."

    It was as if Seoyeon didn’t give a single thought to how the other actors viewed her. She simply scanned through her script leisurely.

    Kim Hyunseok bit his lower lip at the overwhelming sense of defeat, even though he hadn’t even acted alongside her yet.

    Then...

    "?

    Sensing his gaze, Seoyeon shifted her eyes towards Kim Hyunseok. Startled, he quickly averted his gaze.

    "Why are you looking away? She’s watching you."

    "...No reason."

    Although he was still filled with jealousy and frustration, it was difficult to express blatant hostility like before.

    "...That coin."

    That coin still sat in his pocket. For some reason, it made it hard to glare at Seoyeon with the same animosity as before.

    He didn’t know what that coin meant. But something inside him instinctively led him to avoid her.

    It was better to steer clear of her. Han Sungjin tilted his head at Kim Hyunseok’s strange reaction. But soon, he nodded in understanding.

    "Oh, you’re already worried about shooting scenes with her, huh?"

    "......"

    Kim Hyunseok slowly nodded in response to Han Sungjin’s comment. Of course, the meaning behind his nod was entirely different.

    "It’s definitely tough."

    Back in her room after the script reading, Seoyeon sighed. She didn’t know how others felt, but for her, the script reading had been incredibly challenging.

    No one criticized her acting, and there weren’t any particular revisions to the script. From an outsider’s perspective, Seoyeon had delivered the most relaxed performance today.

    But...

    "My stomach feels queasy."

    It was difficult to act out emotions of hatred. In her past life, she had never experienced such emotions, and there was little room for hatred in the life of "Ju Seoyeon."

    Good parents. Good friends. The things she considered the greatest fortune in her life.

    That made it even harder to portray hatred. If...

    If she hadn’t followed Jo Seohui to an upper-class party. If she hadn’t met "Roh" there, the emotions might have remained vague.

    The feelings Seoyeon experienced then were far more intense than they were now. She had felt something much more powerful than mere anger.

    An indescribable revulsion. The feeling one gets when encountering a fundamentally different kind of existence.

    She wanted to express that through her acting, but it didn’t turn out as well as she had hoped. Everyone had praised her, but personally, she felt unsatisfied.

    She could have done better. That was the general feeling.

    "Whew."

    Sighing, Seoyeon turned on her computer. She saw the new graphics card, which she had recently bought, light up and start working.

    "I hadn’t planned to replace it."

    Her father, Youngbin, had pestered her to buy it, saying graphics cards were cheap these days, so she ended up buying it with him. In fact, since it was a rare occasion, she just bought it as a gift.

    Seoyeon’s parents never expected her to use her earnings for anything special. Whatever Seoyeon earned was hers to keep. They always supported her when she wanted to do something, and they were always there to listen if she had a tough time.

    ...Of course, there were times she felt like hitting her dad for various reasons. But overall, that was the vibe.

    That might be why it was even harder to immerse herself in the character of Lee Yuju. Because when she tried to immerse herself, it was too exhausting. More so than even the killer, Cha Seo-ah, from her past life.

    "Maybe it’s because it feels strangely real."

    The emotions felt stronger than murder itself, probably because they weren’t something she could just imagine her way through.

    "Alright."

    Seoyeon finally pulled herself together. She decided to watch Lamiel’s stream to cheer herself up from the gloomy mood. With that thought, she entered the channel.

    "I think I’ll be introducing a new friend soon! Ta-da~!"

    "?

    Suddenly, a black silhouette appeared on Lamiel’s channel. A debut announcement for a new VTuber on Lamiel’s personal channel?

    What in the world is going on? And who are you?

    "I’m excited to introduce my new friend soon!"

    Lamiel smiled kindly as she spoke. The horrible emotions that had been swirling in Seoyeon’s chest until just moments ago were now being consumed by something else.

    A burning feeling, intense and fiery.