Seoyeon paused, wondering what she should say. She ran a quick simulation in her head:

    "Hello, Actress Gomi-eun." "Why are your eyes so wide?" "Actress, you don’t like me, do you?"

    ...Though it wouldn’t go exactly like that, she couldn’t imagine a positive outcome. If Gomi-eun acted hostile, was she supposed to just stand there and take it? If Seoyeon retaliated in frustration, it was clear Gomi-eun would be the one getting hurt.

    After all, Gomi-eun wasn’t a notorious fighter like Pyo Ji-woo—she was just an ordinary actress.

    "Hello, Actress Gomi-eun."

    Following the script from her mental simulation, Seoyeon greeted her first. She sensed Gomi-eun flinch slightly.

    It was as if Gomi-eun was thinking, Why is she at KMB Broadcasting Station?

    But there was nothing strange about Seoyeon being there; just like Gomi-eun, she was also starring in a drama.

    "...Hello."

    Contrary to her expectations, Gomi-eun, though hesitant, returned the greeting normally. Seoyeon felt relieved. Thankfully, Gomi-eun seems like a reasonable person. She didn’t suddenly appear and scoff about her being a "nepotism hire." How nice, Seoyeon thought.

    And yet—

    "You must be pleased." "Excuse me?" "Your drama, it’s doing well, isn’t it?"

    Gomi-eun brought it up out of nowhere. Seoyeon looked at her blankly, unable to guess the intent behind her words.

    Is she genuinely congratulating me, or is she being sarcastic?

    Judging by her face, it doesn’t seem like sarcasm.

    Seoyeon studied Gomi-eun’s face. Her expression was relatively gentle.

    But considering her tall stature and the sharp look in her eyes earlier, she might have a bold personality. So, was it the latter?

    But how do I respond? Saying, “Yes, it’s doing well,” sounds arrogant, but modestly saying, “Oh, it’s not that great” wouldn’t be sincere either.

    Seoyeon wasn’t the type to misinterpret others’ words, so she decided to take it positively.

    Besides, she’d recently been reading a book on communication skills.

    “The Art of Giving Compliments.”

    The book was meant to improve her relatively unpolished speaking skills.

    "Your Grand Game is doing well too. That’s amazing."

    "...But not quite like Sky Garden, right?"

    Gomi-eun replied with a smile. Being an actress, she was good at hiding her emotions.@@@@

    "I think the appeal lies in the unpredictable developments. I’ve realized that sometimes sacrificing logic for bold twists can be effective."

    Gomi-eun carefully offered her assessment of Sky Garden in response to Seoyeon’s remark. Her tone was polite, but the implication was clear: Sky Garden relied on extreme plot twists to boost ratings.

    Indeed, the later episodes of Sky Garden did get a bit intense.

    "Certainly, Grand Game also had that unpredictable feel. Really impressive."

    "...What?"

    Seoyeon nodded in response. Is she taking a jab at the sudden romance plot? That’s how it sounded.

    Clearly, she’s not one to be easily intimidated.

    Gomi-eun narrowed her eyes at Seoyeon. It wasn’t by chance she often played villains. Honestly, if it weren’t for this situation, Gomi-eun wouldn’t have started this conversation.

    Besides, the way Seoyeon kept saying "impressive" was getting on her nerves. But it wasn’t like she could hit another actor just because she didn’t like them.

    Yet... Hyper Action Star came to mind. She’d initially thought Seoyeon’s performance might have been staged, but she remembered Seoyeon’s live stunts.

    It might have been a pre-recorded performance passed off as live, but—

    As Gomi-eun remained silent, Seoyeon looked at her briefly and said,

    "I hope things go as well for you every time."

    "Huh?"

    Gomi-eun was momentarily speechless at Seoyeon’s words. It sounded like well-wishing, but didn’t feel like it.

    If Grand Game maintained its current level of success, it would indeed be good for Gomi-eun. But hearing it from someone who was essentially outperforming her... it was a strange feeling.

    Well, that might have been an issue in my past life, but now it’s fine, she thought, since she was actually a high school girl in this life.

    "After watching The Chaser and Dream Future, I thought, This is it! and decided to come. Wow, it’s really you... Actress Ju, right? You’re really a high school student?"

    "Yes, that’s right."

    The energy felt a bit different from what she was used to in Korea—he had a serious look but an upbeat personality. Seeing that Seoyeon was a high school student, the Japanese staff began whispering among themselves.

    "The genius actress from Korea. The child star who disappeared ten years ago. It’s a good title."

    Hearing this, Seoyeon asked Lee Minha quietly,

    "Did he come here because of Sky Garden?"

    "It hasn’t been broadcast in Japan yet. He saw The Chaser on a recent visit, and Dream Future is airing there now."

    Today’s discussion was about potentially broadcasting Sky Garden on YHJ in a similar manner to Dream Future. And apparently, they had a lot of interest in Seoyeon.

    In fact, one of the visiting team members was from YHJ’s variety department.

    "Before discussing Sky Garden, I have a personal suggestion for Actress Ju Seoyeon."

    PD Nanjo Katsuo looked directly at Seoyeon as he spoke.

    "Recently, the Hallyu wave is rising again in Japan, thanks to the expansion of OTT dramas and the idol industry. We’re thinking about inviting Actress Ju, who’s become quite popular in Korea, to appear on a Japanese variety show."

    The main reason was her titles as both a high school student and a genius actress. According to PD Lee Minha, these two titles were especially popular in Japan.

    "Plus, Seoyeon, you have black hair—neat black hair."

    "Uh, yes, that’s right."

    "A lot of people love that."

    This preference was especially true among older viewers, though it hadn’t entirely disappeared even in modern times. In Japan, some people still criticized idols for dyeing their hair.

    It had changed a bit, but that sentiment wasn’t gone.

    "But it’s not a bad suggestion. Increasing your exposure can’t hurt, right?"

    Why not take a trip to Japan and try out a variety show? At PD Lee Minha’s suggestion, Seoyeon nodded.

    It wasn’t a bad idea.

    "PD Nanjo."

    After the meeting about Sky Garden concluded, the Japanese broadcasting team returned to their lodging and spoke to their leader, PD Nanjo.

    He was set to become the next director of the variety department at YHJ, making his opinions influential.

    But his attitude was somewhat controversial; he was a fan of international stars, yet didn’t particularly like Korean celebrities appearing on Japanese shows.

    It wasn’t that he disliked Korean movies or dramas. Quite the opposite—he was a fan, which was why he learned Korean.

    However, he wasn’t enthusiastic about Korean celebrities appearing in Japan. His suggestion this time felt unusual to the others.

    "Why are you interested in this actress Seoyeon? Wouldn’t an idol be better?"

    Nanjo looked at him, slightly exasperated.

    "Because she’s a great product. And if no one else has claimed her yet, it’s only right to be the first."

    "That... really?"

    "Have you seen The Chaser? Oh, right, it hasn’t been released in Japan yet."

    He couldn’t remember the last time a young actor had made such a strong impression on him. Seoyeon’s appearance, her aura—it was everything that would captivate the Japanese audience.

    Her slightly sharp look... but still, she had it all.

    "If we build a small bridge now, we can reach out when something really significant happens later."

    PD Nanjo was sure of it—Actress Ju Seoyeon would only grow from here.

    And then—

    "...A trip to Japan? For me??"

    The woman, half-awake in bed, widened her eyes in surprise as she answered her phone.

    It was Narumi Sora, the runner-up of Hyper Action Star, receiving an unexpected invitation to join Seoyeon’s trip to Japan.