The luxurious apartment was certainly to my liking. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, highlighting the high-end finishes and the expansive view. I took another sip of the exquisite tea from the delicate porcelain cup.
"Is this place to your liking?" my manager, with his striking silver hair and impeccably tailored suit, asked.
I smiled genuinely. "Yes, thank you. I didn't know the housing accommodations would be this nice."
"I'm glad you like the house," he replied. "You're one of our actors now, so we had to do our best to take care of you."
I felt a surge of gratitude. "Thank you so much."
He then slid a script across the polished table. "And this... is the script."
I picked it up. The title read: The Working Girl And The Salaryman. I flipped it open, my eyes scanning the first few pages.
"Basically," he continued, "it's a romance between an ordinary woman and a rich man."
I looked up, waiting. He elaborated, "You play the rich man's first love."
My eyes widened slightly. "His... first love." The weight of the role settled on me.
"It's not the lead," he admitted, "but I believe it's a role that can stand out even more than the main character. That's why the director wanted you to take on this role."
I took a deep breath, the pressure mounting, but I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. "Guess I'd better do a good job then, haha..."
"We know you've got this," he said confidently.
"So much pressure..." I muttered playfully.
"Then... has the actor I'll be working with been cast yet?" I asked, suddenly serious.
"Yes," he confirmed.
Then he asked, "Do you know who Lily is?"
A vivid mental image of the popular idol—pigtails, a cheerful yet provocative style—flashed in my mind. "She's a popular idol."
He nodded. "She's playing the lead female role."
I couldn't help but feel a sudden spark of excitement mixed with apprehension. This was certainly going to be an interesting project.
"She's the female lead."
"...An idol?" I asked, surprised. Idol actors weren't always known for their acting prowess.
My manager responded, "I was a bit worried as well... but she seemed surprisingly well-suited for the role at her audition." He added, "The co-producers strongly insisted on her to help market the drama for global appeal."
"Oh... I see." That made sense from a business standpoint.
He continued, "And the male lead is an actor from our agency, so you don't need to worry about the drama's quality."
"Oh... he's also part of Metaphor?" I asked, relieved to be working with an agency colleague.
"Yes. His name is Haedo Kang."
The name struck me like a physical blow. My breath hitched, and my eyes widened in shock. "What?" I thought, a flood of memories rushing in.
My manager gave me a knowing look. "I believe you're well-acquainted."
I was speechless, the apartment suddenly feeling small and suffocating.
Elsewhere...
Meanwhile, in a shabby apartment building, a man with dark hair and glasses sat on his couch, surrounded by empty green bottles. He took a long, heavy swig straight from a bottle of soju.
Glug glug.
He sighed deeply, staring vacantly at the bottles on the floor. His apartment was the antithesis of the luxurious flat I was just shown.
Suddenly, a sharp ding-dong of the doorbell echoed through the small space.
DING DONG.
He looked toward the door, annoyed by the interruption. He put down his bottle and slowly walked over.
Creak.
He cautiously opened the door just a crack. "...Who is it--"
His eyes went wide. He froze, the rest of his question dying in his throat. "...!"
I opened the door to see a familiar face, a woman in a casual pink hoodie and a baseball cap. My expression must have fallen, as I knew who I was truly hoping to see.
"...Oh, it's you," I muttered, the disappointment evident in my voice.
The woman smiled brightly, yet there was a challenging look in her eyes. "You seem disappointed. Was there someone you were expecting?"
I didn't answer right away. I stepped back, letting her see the mess of empty soju bottles scattered on my floor. I wasn't in the mood for company.
"I can come in, right? Assistant Director Woo." She was already walking past me.
I closed the door and turned to face her. "What do you want?"
"See? I walk in and that's the first thing you say." She looked around the apartment, then back at me. "Are you still mad at me? You were acting cold at the shoot too..."
I stopped her. "I'm really sorry for what happened," she said, her voice softening. "Did you two break up because of me...?"
I rubbed the back of my neck, sighing. "...Sigh... That's not it."
She looked genuinely concerned. "It must be hard... you were together for eight years..."
I shook my head, avoiding her gaze. "So what did you come to my house for?"
She fidgeted with the cap in her hands. "I was just... worried about you, Hyeonjae-- I mean, Assistant Director Woo. You seem so down these days..."
I stared at her, still not sure what to make of her sudden visit or her words. The past few days had been a blur of disappointment and alcohol, and her presence only complicated things further.
I listened to her apologize, her voice laced with guilt. "And I think it's all my fault... because I kissed you..."
I turned my back to her. "Don't worry about it. You were drunk, and you made a mistake." I tried to dismiss the moment, but it was a lie, and she saw right through it.
She pressed me. "Why do you keep acting like you don't know?"
I heard her move closer, and then she whispered, her voice cracking, "You know it wasn't an accident."
I spun around, frustrated. She tried to reach for my hand.
"Stop it." I pulled my hand away with a swift movement. "LET GO...!"
I took a step back, the bottles of soju scattered on the floor a testament to my recent troubles, and met her gaze. My voice was loud, ringing with finality. "I don't see you that way. I only see you as an actor--"
She cut me off, her expression shifting from vulnerable to wry. "You're probably the only man who thinks that way, even after seeing my debut film."
I sighed, running a hand through my messy hair. "That's just a movie...! Is it easy for you to distinguish the actor from the role?"
She smiled, a sad, knowing expression. "That's hard even for actors to do."
I looked down at the floor, the truth heavy between us. We both knew the kiss wasn't what truly broke things. She was deflecting, trying to take the blame for the sake of an easier narrative.
Her voice dropped, becoming quiet and probing. "...You still have feelings for Myeong, don't you?"
She had finally hit the real core of my current misery. I didn't answer, but my silence was all the confirmation she needed.
My silence spoke volumes. After a moment, she seemed to accept the uncomfortable truth and began to retreat, pulling her cap down slightly over her eyes.
"...I'm going to go."
As she reached the door, she paused and turned back, her voice lower. "By the way, you know who Myeong's going to be shooting a drama with?"
I looked at her, my heart already bracing for impact.
"Haedo Kang," she said.
The name hit me again. !
I looked at her, then down at the floor, a single thought forming in my mind. "Do you think she'll be able to make the distinction? Between her role and herself?" The question was loaded with past anxieties and present fears. I knew how deeply she immersed herself in a role, and if the male lead was Haedo Kang—my old flame, now my co-star—I worried Myeong would struggle to separate the fiction from reality.
Table Read: The Working Girl And The Salaryman
A few days later, I walked into the production room for the table read. The door had a sign taped to it: THE WORKING GIRL AND THE SALARYMAN TABLE READ.
I stood at the doorway and announced to the assembled cast and crew, who were already seated around the long table, "...I'm back."
Applause erupted immediately. "THANK YOU, GREAT WORK EVERYONE!"
I took my seat, looking at the familiar faces and a few new ones. Sitting directly across from me was Haedo Kang. His hair was a lighter brown now, his amber eyes bright, and he greeted me with a relaxed, confident smile.
He spoke first, with an easy charm. "It's good to see you after so long. You haven't changed at all."
I met his gaze, my expression cool and composed, giving no hint of the turmoil his presence caused. I knew this was the start of something complex, and the line between my role and myself would be tested every single day. I just hoped I could draw it clearly.
The Setup
The luxurious apartment, with its high-end accommodations in a modern tower, was where my new life as an actress with Metaphor began.
"Is this place to your liking?" my manager asked, his silver hair gleaming under the ambient light.
"Yes, thank you. I didn't know the housing accommodations would be this nice." I replied gratefully.
"I'm glad you like the house," he said. "You're one of our actors now, so we had to do our best to take care of you."
He handed me the script for "The Working Girl And The Salaryman," a romance between an ordinary woman and a rich man. My role, he explained, was a critical one: "You play the rich man's first love."
"His... first love," I repeated, a mix of excitement and trepidation.
"It's not the lead, but I believe it's a role that can stand out even more than the main character. That's why the director wanted you to take on this role."
I smiled nervously. "Guess I'd better do a good job then, haha... So much pressure..."
"We know you've got this," he reassured me.
I pressed him about the co-stars. "Then... has the actor I'll be working with been cast yet?"
"Yes." He told me the female lead was Lily, a popular idol. "I was a bit worried as well... but she seemed surprisingly well-suited for the role at her audition." He added, "The co-producers strongly insisted on her to help market the drama for global appeal."
Then came the kicker. "And the male lead is an actor from our agency, so you don't need to worry about the drama's quality."
"Oh... he's also part of Metaphor?"
"Yes. His name is Haedo Kang."
My breath caught. "...What?" I felt a jolt of recognition.
My manager gave me a knowing look. "I believe you're well-acquainted."
Table Read and Confrontation
Later, at the table read, the tension was palpable. Haedo Kang, the male lead and my former connection, approached me after we finished.
"It's good to see you after so long," he said with a relaxed smile. "You haven't changed a bit."
Before I could fully process his casual greeting, my friend Myeong swooped in, engulfing me in a big hug. "WOW, MYEONG!!! IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU!! I REALLY MISSED YOU!!!" She then held me at arm's length, spinning me around. "NOW, NOW. LET ME TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOU!"
I pulled away, my face hot with embarrassment, especially under Haedo Kang's gaze. "LET GO, DAMN IT..." I hissed quietly, but it was too late.
Haedo Kang stepped in, his voice firm as he addressed Myeong. "You're making our actor uncomfortable."
Myeong immediately recoiled, throwing her hands up. "O-OH...! SORRY!!!" She laughed it off quickly. "I was so happy to see you, I went back to my old habits! HAHA!!" She then winked at me. "I know you've got a boyfriend, yeah?"
The words hung in the air, a thinly veiled reminder of my recent heartbreak, and a potential complication to my new role.
My manager stepped in to smooth things over, addressing Myeong directly. "Well, let's grab a meal sometime, Myeong. We're shooting a drama together, so Hyeonjae will have to understand, right?" The casual mention of my ex's name was a deliberate, sharp nudge.
I simply nodded, my face a mask of neutrality, but inside, I knew this drama was going to be complicated both on and off-screen.
What do you think the dynamic between me and Haedo Kang will be like during the shooting of the drama?
My manager's comment about my ex-boyfriend, Hyeonjae, hung heavy in the air. He was certainly enjoying the awkwardness he had created. I kept my face blank, maintaining my professional composure.
Haedo Kang, ever the smooth operator, just smiled and reiterated the offer. "Well, let's grab a meal sometime, I. We're shooting a drama together, so Hyeonjae will have to understand, right?"
It was a statement, not a question, a subtle test of my boundaries. My manager, sensing my hesitation, stepped in, his expression turning sharp.
"You must be tired. There's nothing scheduled next, so--" He was attempting to extract me from the situation.
But Haedo Kang cut him off, his smile widening with calculated malice. "Wait a second, Manager Kang." He put a hand on my shoulder, a gesture that was far too familiar. "I just want to get to know my co-star better!"
My manager pushed Haedo Kang's hand away gently but firmly. "You're making our actor uncomfortable."
"O-OH...! SORRY!!!" Haedo Kang drew back, though his eyes showed no genuine remorse, only amusement. He clapped his hands together, still radiating confidence.
He looked at me, his gaze lingering. "I really missed you, I!!!" He didn't mean it in a friendly way; it was a clear declaration of renewed interest. "I was so happy to see you, I went back to my old habits! HAHA!!"
I kept my own demeanor cold. "Mr. Kang," I said, my voice steady, putting distance between us. I had a life and an ex-boyfriend whose name Haedo Kang kept casually dropping.
"I've got to head to my next appointment now. See ya!" Haedo Kang said, flashing a carefree smile and a wave as he walked away.
My manager turned to me, his jaw clenched in frustration, rubbing his temples. "...Sigh... That guy..."
I tried to shake off the unsettling encounter. I didn't need this kind of drama, literal or otherwise, right now. I just wanted to focus on my role as the rich man's first love and make a successful comeback.
"I'll drive you home," my manager offered, his voice returning to a professional tone.
I nodded, grateful for the escape.
As we walked out, my manager muttered, "Haedo Kang is a good actor, but his personality is..." He trailed off, shaking his head.
"I know," I replied quietly. I knew Haedo Kang's personality all too well. It was going to be a long, difficult shoot.
The drama shoot is about to start. What part of the production are you most worried about: the scenes with Haedo Kang, or working with the idol, Lily?