Chapter 10

Rainbow Entertainment Building, 1st Floor Lobby.

【Time Limit: 2 minutes 12 seconds】

“Phew, it was really tough.”

I completed Part 4 while checking the remaining time in real-time.

The secondary male lead watches the main male and female leads after the helicopter scene.

It was the signal for the start of a full-fledged love triangle.

I came in the morning, but it was already evening, like magic.

If I hadn’t brought a spare battery, it would have been a disaster.

“Writing a whole part on my phone is really hard. My hands are numb.”

Today’s scriptwriting was extremely difficult.

First, there were too many typos when writing on a smartphone.

I’ll fix the typos at home and just check the content a bit more here...

At that moment, I heard Miseong’s voice from the side.

“Writer! You’re still here?”

“Ah, Se-mi.”

“Did you wait for me because you wanted to be with me?”

“Hmm, something like that.”

“Moe. That’s what it is.”

Se-mi looked at me with a playful expression.

At that moment, I heard the manager calling from a distance.

“Go ahead.”

“Aah, I wanted to spend more time with you...”

“I’ll send you Part 4 when it’s done.”

“Really? To me first?”

“Yes, to you first.”

Her sweet smile was almost lethal.

Her raven-black hair still shone, and her small face was perfectly proportioned.

As a true fan, I wished this moment could last forever.

“You promised! Ah, my smartphone!”

“Yes... Yes?”

“Save it.”

She handed me her personal number and walked away.

Ding─

At that moment, my smartphone beeped.

“Oh, Se-mi? ...No, it’s the money.”

The first installment of 10 million won for two episodes.

Even when I was an assistant writer, I had some income, but only about 1.2 million won a month.

With that level of income, it was tight to cover living expenses, but my luck had turned.

‘This is all thanks to the system’s ability...’

10 million won could even be enough to upgrade to Bronze level.

But, for now, I needed to add it to my living expenses.

When I was hired as an assistant writer for Im Joo, I only bought a cheap pajama set.

I sent a light text to my sister and headed to the department store.

But then, the familiar notification sound rang in my head again.

Ding─

I froze when I saw the new writing location.

【Content: The Heir of the Chaebol is a Pure Macho 5th Part】

【Genre: Romance, Chaebol】

【Location: Purple Girls Dance Practice Room】

【Time Limit: 1 day 6 hours】

【※ Bronze Upgrade: 110-110101-1011 (Virtual Account, W Bank)】

【※ Deposit Amount: 0 won / 10,000,000 won】

“...Purple Girls Dance Practice Room? Is this possible?”

Everyone except Se-mi will probably hate me.

It seems the system has found a singularity.

* * *

I returned home with a strange feeling.

After receiving the advance payment, I boasted to Hee-jung via text.

Thanks to that, my family gave me a small debut celebration party.

“Kim Hee-jung, where did you get the money to buy a cake?”

“I also earn money from the theater.”

“Do you get the minimum wage?”

“Hey.”

“Here, this is a gift. It’s cosmetics.”

When I asked via text, Se-mi kindly explained the brand and product name.

Thanks to that, I could tell from Hee-jung’s expression that she was quite happy.

“Wow, what a gift sense? Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Se-mi picked it out.”

“Stop it.”

“Really.”

Even my gruff father said a word of encouragement, which made my heart warm.

But as soon as I returned to my room, I was back to reality.

“How do I get into the Purple Girls Dance Practice Room?”

The location seemed off.

If the system’s goal was to make me suffer, it had succeeded 100%.

“29 hours left...”

I tried to find a way by continuing to text with Se-mi.

Like a hyena circling a rotting carcass, I was looking for an excuse to visit the practice room.

Ding─

After a few text exchanges, I could confirm the Purple Girls’ schedule for tomorrow.

［I have to practice choreography with the seniors all day tomorrow... ㅠㅠ］

“Phew, the timing is terrible.”

［Is it before the drama schedule?］

［I’ll let them know.］

I didn’t mention my own schedule.

［I’ll bring the printed Part 4.］

［What? Part 4 is already done?］

Ignoring the other members and writing the script on the side should be fine.

Or, I could pretend to practice acting with just Se-mi in a corner.

“Haste makes waste.”

With a slow and steady mindset, I sent a text.

［Let’s have a coffee tomorrow.］

［???］

I decided to stop sending more texts to avoid making it awkward.

* * *

“Oh, so this is the script.”

Director Sung Ki-hoon, who had been working overtime, returned home.

Now that the production was wrapping up, he wanted to take a break.

“Ha... I can’t believe I’m directing a rookie writer’s work.”

In fact, he had no choice but to accept it.

He had received help from Tempest Entertainment during the production of his previous work.

Of course, they couldn’t interfere with how hard he would work on the production.

He was confident he could make a decent work even with a rookie writer’s script.

“Well, I should at least read the synopsis.”

Director Sung lay on the bed, fidgeting as he opened the script.

A common romantic chaebol story, he didn’t even feel the need to read it.

“The Heir of the Chaebol is a Pure Macho 1st Part”

But as soon as he read the first scene, he felt a strange sense of dissonance.

“What kind of description is this detailed?”

This was beyond the norm.

It was as if the writer had crossed into the director’s domain.

“Damn, is this a joke?”

At first, he thought it was just the detailed description causing the dissonance.

Or maybe it was the rookie writer’s audacity, ignoring the director’s role.

But this wasn’t a work that could be summed up by good expression.

Soon, Director Sung grasped the essence of the subtle feeling.

“This person... is a former director?”

How could someone write such a script without seeing the visualized drama?

Even the many star writers he had worked with before didn’t write like this.

Even a director-turned-writer couldn’t write like this.

Or, someone with imagination like Writer Berber.

Maybe they could visualize a drama in their head.

“Wow, is this the realm of a genius?”

Before he knew it, Director Sung was sitting up straight, reading the script.

A work that could be filmed exactly as written in the script.

A fully formed scenario with no room for directorial intervention.

Ironically, he felt his pride was hurt because there was nothing he could do.

He wondered what kind of person the rookie writer was to write such a script.

“Wow, this is unbelievable.”

He quickly read the 4-part script, imagining the scenes.

As he read, a drama unfolded in his mind.

Usually, during the production of a drama, the script would be revised and edited countless times.

But with this script, it was questionable what scenes could be modified to improve quality.

Especially the helicopter scene in the latest episode, which reached the pinnacle of completion.

“This person... is a complete monster!”

A director-turned-writer, a species that could disrupt the ecosystem.

If not a director, it would be an even more unbelievable talent.

Director Sung opened the front page of the script to check the writer’s name.

“Kim Jin-woo? It sounds familiar...”

* * *

The next morning.

I frowned when I received a text from Manager Jung in the early morning.

The director for this production had been finalized.

“Why, of all people, Director Sung Ki-hoon? He has a terrible personality.”

Most rookie writers disappear like the wind after producing one work.

In contrast, even if a director at a broadcasting station fails, they usually get to direct the next work.

As a result, the director’s authority in the drama industry was strong.

How much more so for Director Sung, who had long been a star director.

Devilish talent.

The number of actors who had been emotionally drained by Director Sung on set was countless.

He was fine normally, but his personality would turn fiery once a project started.

If there was a conflict during casting, he would start cursing.

I was planning to push for Se-mi and Jae-jun, but seeing the opponent, I hesitated.

“Tempest Entertainment... is it because they do things too well?”

A top-class star producer recruited by JTBS with a billion-won salary.

A director who usually wouldn’t work with a rookie writer, but was assigned to me.

“Does he remember my name?”

In the past, I had met Director Sung Ki-hoon when filming Im Joo’s drama.

At the time, I was the youngest assistant writer, and there was no way he would remember me.

But the opponent was a devil who wouldn’t hesitate to fight even a star writer.

Moreover, I had no idea what demands he might make of a rookie writer like me.

The more I changed my script, the higher the probability that the quality of the work would decrease.

What I needed was a director who would faithfully film my script.

A director with strong opinions like Director Sung could be a poison to me.

Ding─

［Writer, when can I see you today?］

I had set up a meeting at the Purple Girls’ dorm to write today.

I would have to work on other projects simultaneously.

Ding─

I called Se-mi.

-Writer! You’re contacting me so early in the morning?

I spoke firmly, not intimidated by her affectionate voice.

I needed to be strong from the start, thinking about the possibility of being crushed by Director Sung.

“Prepare a short acting practice by 11 AM today. It’s your homework.”

-What, suddenly?

“Yes. It’s nothing in front of me. Because the director is Director Sung Ki-hoon.”

-Who is that...?

“The director who filmed ‘Prince’s Indulgence’ and ‘Dawn of the Empire.’ Don’t you know?”

-Ah, that’s him...?

Se-mi’s short acting career was evident here.

If she knew a bit more about the industry, she would have recalled his notorious reputation.

“Do you know about the girl group actor Hye-sun who fled to America while filming a drama?”

-Yes, of course I know.

“She fled because she was afraid of Director Sung.”

-...Wasn’t she visiting her family?

“Why would she go to America to visit her family while filming a drama?”

It was an industry secret that most staff didn’t know.

It was also the reason for the falling out between Im Joo and Director Sung.

-...Is it okay?

“It’s not okay, which is why I’m going. Show me what you practiced in front of me today.”

-Yes! Then where should we meet?

Good. Very natural.

“Purple Girls Dance Practice Room.”

-But... there’s a separate acting lesson room.

“Think of acting as an extension of dancing.”

-Yes, Writer!

Even though my logic was flawed, the angelic Se-mi unconditionally agreed with me.

I then got the manager’s permission and headed to Rainbow Entertainment.

It was the first time I had been assigned to write in the same place for two consecutive days.

The system had first activated when I saw Se-mi’s face.

【Time Limit: 19 hours 51 minutes 11 seconds】

With plenty of time, I entered the entertainment company’s gate, and the manager came out to greet me.

But his gloomy expression made me feel uneasy, as if something had gone wrong.

“Sorry, what’s wrong?”

“Is something the matter?”

“Se-mi might find the drama too difficult.”

“...”

No matter how popular an idol, it’s impossible to become the lead in a 16-episode drama without acting experience.

In other words, it was a rare opportunity for both me and Se-mi.

“What’s the reason?”

“Well, this production hasn’t been confirmed for production or scheduling... and...”

Before the manager could speak, I cut in.

“It’s Im Joo, right?”

“Ah, that’s... yes.”

“What did she say?”

“She said she would cast Se-mi as a supporting lead in her next work, so don’t do Kim Writer’s work...”

“Do you think she’ll keep that promise?”

I can’t understand how she could accept such an absurd condition.

Especially since she had already broken her promise to me like turning a spoon upside down.

“Se-mi has been so happy lately, and I was really happy too...”

“...”

“It’s the decision of our CEO.”

“I want to meet the CEO directly.”

“R-right now? She’s with Im Joo.”

She’s in the middle of her own production, yet she has time for this.

“Three is better. Please tell her I want to meet her.”

“...Ha, yes. Please wait a moment.”

I watched the manager’s back as he walked away and called someone.

Ding─

-Yes, Manager Jung here.

“Manager Jung, are you busy?”

-No, go ahead.

“I have a favor to ask.”

-...What is it?

A moment later, I saw the manager approaching from a distance.

‘Im Joo, do you still see me as your assistant writer?’