I Want to Be a VTuber-Chapter 278: A Flame That Couldn’t Become a Star (1)

The release date for Kyungsung Lady was set for early November.

Considering the timing of film award ceremonies, it was a rather precarious period.

"With the late release, it might be difficult to receive positive evaluations at the awards."

If they were aiming for recognition, it would have been better to target the Baeksang Arts Awards in May of the following year instead.

Seoyeon thought as much and glanced at Jiyeon.

"Lee Jiyeon wouldn’t care about something like that."

A tense expression.

It was only natural to be nervous since this was the official promotional event as the lead actress of the film.

More than anything, it was her first lead role.

The pressure that came with it was beyond imagination.

There was no way she could remain calm.

Her own failure would directly translate into the film’s failure.

There was always the possibility of turning the efforts of countless people into nothing.

If the public ridiculed her acting and blamed the movie’s failure on her...

How many actors could withstand that?

"But."

Seoyeon smiled faintly as she looked at the nervous Jiyeon.

"She’d hate it if I tried to comfort her."

Seoyeon knew.

Jiyeon was proud, and back in middle school, she had once shown her true self to Seoyeon.

So she understood.

Poke.

Seoyeon lightly jabbed Jiyeon’s side with her finger.

Jiyeon turned toward her with a displeased face.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Hey, I’m nervous. Are you seriously messing around?”

Normally, Jiyeon would have retaliated immediately, but today, her reaction was lackluster.

So Seoyeon poked her a few more times.

Each time, Jiyeon flinched.

Even though Seoyeon was doing it lightly, it still hurt when she did it.

"Ah, seriously! I swear I’ll get back at you during the interview!"

"It won’t work."

“Damn it.”

Jiyeon glared at Seoyeon while holding her aching side.

Then again, Seoyeon’s skin was unusually thick.

Even if Jiyeon poked her all day, the only thing that would end up hurting was her own finger.

She still remembered vividly how, back in elementary school, she had tried to retaliate with a sharp jab—only to end up breaking her index finger.

"...Well."

At least she had relaxed a little.

Thinking that somehow felt frustrating.

Jiyeon had always been someone whose emotions didn’t easily show.

Unlike Seoyeon’s expressionless demeanor, her default face was just a perpetual scowl, making even her parents unsure whether she was in a good or bad mood.

“What?”

She answered coolly, embodying the classic cold beauty.

But despite her haughty exterior, she was really just a timid little lamb inside.

Most of the time, she was hopelessly oblivious, yet strangely, she could be surprisingly perceptive in moments like these.

Maybe it was a family trait.

"Seriously."

Jiyeon sighed.

Her side still throbbed a little...

But she did feel a bit calmer.

And that was precisely what frustrated her.

Today's filming location was the KMB broadcasting station.

By now, it was a familiar place.

People who saw Seoyeon greeted her warmly.

And of course, they would.

She had made quite an impact at KMB this year.

If they could, they would probably roll out a red carpet along the path she walked.

As she and Jiyeon made their way to the set, they were greeted by Director Baek Min, who had arrived ahead of them.

He glanced at both of their faces before smiling.

"Just relax. Jiyeon, Seoyeon."

His smile was always oddly reassuring.

On set, though, it was one of the most ominous sights.

"Shall we? The staff is waiting for us."

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Today's broadcast was a light interview for film promotion.

KMB’s Star Catch 24 was a show that covered entertainment gossip.

In keeping with modern trends, it was broadcasted both on national television and simultaneously uploaded to the internet.

Among KMB’s YouTube content, it was one of the few programs that consistently pulled in high viewership.

“Hello! I’m Gong Yechan.”

“And I’m Lee Doa. Looking forward to today's interview.”

Inside a studio with a pink backdrop, a well-dressed man and a female idol greeted them.

Both were members of separate idol groups but had gained significant recognition as hosts of Star Catch 24.

In fact, they were the main reason the program’s viewership had surged.

After first greeting Director Baek Min, they turned their attention to the two actresses entering the room.

"Wow, I’ve heard about her, but..."

"I should definitely avoid sitting next to her."

Gong Yechan and Lee Doa exchanged stiff smiles.

As Seoyeon slowly walked in behind Jiyeon, their mouths involuntarily parted.

Ju Seoyeon was undeniably one of the hottest names in the industry right now.

Movies.

Dramas.

Even variety shows and commercials.

Wherever she appeared, she created a sensation.

Naturally, many idols and actors had been scrambling to build a connection with her.

In the entertainment industry, networking was one of the greatest assets.

Gong Yechan and Lee Doa had also planned to exchange numbers with her today.

"But... she seems hard to approach."

"Agreed."

The two hosts exchanged glances.

Even just facing Seoyeon felt overwhelming.

Her aura, her presence as an actress—

Even though she was just a teenage girl, she wasn’t easy to deal with.

"Please have a seat here... We’ll begin once you’re ready."

For the interview, Gong Yechan would handle most of the questions.

Lee Doa would chime in with occasional comments or follow-ups.

Once everyone was seated, Gong Yechan exchanged a quick look with the camera director before speaking in a calm tone.

"Wow, it’s such an honor to meet you in person. I’m a huge fan of Director Baek Min’s films."

"Thank you. I imagine they must have been quite tedious to watch."

"No way, not at all! Your films make people think. It really made me feel like, ‘Ah, so this is what watching a movie is all about.’"

The interview started off lightheartedly.

The initial questions were directed at Director Baek Min.

"Kyungsung Lady deals with LGBTQ+ themes. That’s quite a bold choice. The trailer also feels very different from your usual style."

"Yes, well, several things changed throughout the production process."

They discussed the film—its themes and overall concept.

After that conversation wrapped up, Gong Yechan finally turned to Seoyeon.

"The Kyungsung Lady trailer showcased another one of your intense performances, Seoyeon. Earlier this year, # Nоvеlight # you captivated audiences as Cha Seoa in The Chaser, and now, you're leaving another unforgettable impression at the end of the year."

"Ah, thank you."

Seoyeon replied calmly.

But her brow subtly furrowed.

For someone whose facial expressions rarely changed, it was a stark reaction.

"Japan seems to be showing significant interest as well. You've been making waves over there, especially after your appearance on Japanese variety shows. How did that come about?"

Gong Yechan continued, unaware.

It was a fairly ordinary question.

There was nothing offensive about it.

So neither he nor Lee Doa noticed anything unusual.

However.

"Oh boy."

Director Baek Min chuckled bitterly to himself.

"Seoyeon’s not happy."

After working with her throughout Kyungsung Lady, he had learned how to read her moods.

“......”

Seoyeon’s gaze briefly flickered toward the clock on set.

Star Catch 24 typically uploaded 20-minute segments.

While edits were involved, the actual interview usually took an hour or two.

Yet, after Director Baek Min’s segment and now Seoyeon’s, more than an hour had already passed.

"I'm curious—what kind of performance can we expect from you this time? Are there any behind-the-scenes stories from filming?"

As Gong Yechan spoke, he hesitated mid-sentence.

Because Seoyeon raised her right hand.

What?

Did she have something to say?

Both hosts looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, I just felt like my interview was running a bit long."

Generally, supporting actors weren’t given much interview time.

Even when they were, it was kept to a minimum.

After all, in a movie, the lead actors were far more important than the supporting cast.

Of course, Yuina was technically considered a lead role.

But she wasn’t the protagonist.

In Kyungsung Lady, the protagonists were Yeon Seonye and Michiko.

Seoyeon's character, Kasugayama Yuina, was the villain and a heroine, but not the main character.

"Then why are they only asking me?"

Since this was a promotional interview, the focus should have been on the film’s lead actors.

Seoyeon had only planned to answer a few secondary questions.

She never expected them to direct all the time toward her.

If time had been plentiful, she wouldn’t have minded.

But she had another engagement lined up, so she couldn’t afford to stay much longer.

"I think we might be running out of time for Lee Jiyeon's interview."

Up until now, far too much time had been spent on Seoyeon.

More than anything, the very first question had been directed at her, not Jiyeon, the actual lead actress.

"Ah."

Gong Yechan belatedly turned his gaze to Jiyeon, sitting beside Seoyeon.

Apart from a few occasional interjections from Lee Doa, nearly all the questions had been aimed at Seoyeon.

Gong Yechan subtly glanced toward the Star Catch 24 producer.

The producer looked a little flustered.

Typically, celebrities liked having the spotlight on them.

The more questions Seoyeon received, the more screen time she would get, which only added to her star power.

This kind of exposure was an asset for an actor.

Yet, Seoyeon had just pushed it away.

"But what choice do we have?"

The Star Catch 24 producer exchanged glances between Seoyeon and Jiyeon.

Who did the audience want to hear from?

A relatively unknown actress playing the lead?

Or the genius actress who had been making headlines all year?

It was a practical decision.

They had given Jiyeon some questions.

The atmosphere grew tense for a moment—

"Huh? I was actually enjoying just sitting quietly. I'm glad Seoyeon answered for me."

Jiyeon spoke in a lighthearted tone, shrugging her shoulders.

Seoyeon narrowed her eyes at Jiyeon.

A look of mild dissatisfaction.

Jiyeon noticed and jabbed Seoyeon in the side with her index finger.

"Don’t you dare shove the interview onto me. I'm already nervous as it is."

Her words helped break the awkward tension.

The atmosphere, which had momentarily frozen, lightened again.

"Ah, haha. Right, right. We left Jiyeon sitting idle for too long. Oh, now that I think about it, you two went to the same high school, right?"

Gong Yechan swiftly redirected the conversation.

Seoyeon shot him a blank stare, unimpressed by his smooth recovery.

But she didn’t press the issue further.

Mainly because Jiyeon kept poking her in the ribs.

As the interview finally settled into a comfortable rhythm, Jiyeon let out a small sigh of relief.

This was fine.

"I don’t really mind."

It was only natural.

Of course people would prefer to interview someone more famous and recognizable.

She wasn’t disappointed, nor did she resent the situation.

"That’s just how it is."

The acting world was brutally fair.

There were actors who shined like starlight—

And actors whose presence was barely as bright as a match flame.

Some actors received standing ovations just for appearing—

While others made audiences frown at the mere sight of them.

She sometimes wondered—

Which category did she fall into?

Seoyeon was obviously a star.

In the past, Jiyeon had even been angry at her for it.

Though looking back, it was probably just adolescent insecurity.

A bit of a cringeworthy phase.

"I didn’t like that."

Once the interview ended, the first thing Seoyeon said was—

With a sullen face.

And it wasn’t her usual playful pouting.

She was genuinely upset.

"It’s fine."

"But—"

"Well, once the movie is out, things will change."

Inside the van on their way back, Jiyeon spoke while gazing out at the rapidly passing scenery.

"Really."

She didn’t let trivial things like this make her question her career.

Once the movie was out, things would be different.

It wasn’t blind optimism.

Oddly enough, Jiyeon felt confident about this film.

Between a star and a match flame, she was undeniably the latter.

"But even a match flame can ignite a fire."

As she rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought, Seoyeon tilted her head slightly.

It was unlike Jiyeon to be this composed.

She was usually so proud.

"...She really seems fine."

That was a relief.

Like Jiyeon said, things would change once the movie premiered.

Seoyeon thought so too.

"I wish it would hurry up and release."

She watched the scenery outside, waiting for that day to arrive.

***

Two weeks after the interview—

By mid-October, the Kyungsung Lady premiere date had finally been set.

"I’ll give you plenty of tickets, so share them with anyone you want."

As part of the film’s team, getting premiere tickets was easy.

Normally, she would have just given them to her family.

But this time, Seoyeon had a different idea.

"I should invite my school friends too!"

After the last party, more classmates had started talking to her.

They still mostly kept their distance, but it was progress.

Especially the class president and her friends—

They even had lunch together sometimes.

"Only two months left of freshman year."

The thought was a little sad.

She had worked hard to build these connections, and now there was a countdown.

Still, some of them would be in her class next year.

Maybe things would be easier in sophomore year.

"Thanks, Seoyeon! I’ll definitely come watch the premiere!"

Feeling proud, Seoyeon handed out tickets to her classmates.

Later, when she told Jiyeon about it—

"Ju Seoyeon, are you crazy?!"

Jiyeon nearly jumped out of her seat.

"?"

"How could you casually give those out at school?!"

Seoyeon blinked.

What was the problem?

People who wanted to watch the movie would watch it anyway.

It was only then that she belatedly remembered—

Kyungsung Lady’s genre.

It wasn’t a film that most people would just casually pick up.

For the average audience, it had a very high barrier to entry.

"Oh."

"Oh?! Oh, my ass! How am I supposed to show my face at school now?!"

"But—"

"But what?! You—! You better start coming to school separately from me for a while. Got it?!"

Jiyeon shouted before storming off.

Watching her retreating figure, Seoyeon swallowed dryly.

"...What do I do now?"

She had no idea how her classmates would react after the premiere.