As soon as Semi arrived at the broadcasting station, she headed to the variety department head's office.
Knock, knock—
"Come in."
When she entered upon hearing the department head's words, there were several familiar faces inside.
Im Jaejun and Ji Seongho, who had been called regarding the casting for "Knowing Neighborhood Hyungnim."
And,
"Writer-nim?"
"Ah, Semi-ssi, you're here?"
"Yeees..."
Writer Kim Jinwoo greeted Semi once and then focused back on his laptop.
'Why on earth are they handling guest casting in the department head's office...'
It was a matter that could be sufficiently handled at the director level, through the broadcast writers.
But today, for some reason, the head of the variety department was personally involved.
"I hope this drama does well."
"Ah, yes! Thank you!"
"Think of us as part of the same JTBS family and stop by the variety department from time to to time."
"Yes!"
Director Han Youngok, trying to wrap things up with some well-wishes.
Im Jaejun and Ji Seongho answered her words in unison.
Clack-clack-clack-clack—
However, Writer Kim didn't seem to have any intention of getting up.
'Come to think of it, last time the writer also...'
Thinking about it now, he was always like that.
He was the type to always write on the spot once inspiration struck.
She had a vague thought that he was probably in that state right now.
"Um, we should probably be getting up soon..."
PD Jin Jaehoon was about to say something to Writer Kim.
But Semi quickly cut in and continued the conversation with PD Jin.
"Excuse me, just a moment..."
"???"
"Is my appearance already confirmed?"
"No. Let's go out now and discuss the conditions."
"Umm..."
It seems Writer Kim Jinwoo wants to write here. But the people around were already hinting that it was time to get up. Soon, a heavy silence fell upon the department head's office.
"...Are you perhaps interested in casting a male idol?"
"Suddenly?"
It seems Writer Kim Jinwoo is always this immersed.Once he concentrates, he can't even hear the sounds around him.
"If it's a male idol, who..."
"Ah, I'm a little close with the Red Sun oppas!"
"What? D-do you mean..."
"I think I can help with the casting."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. But I have a favor to ask..."
The most popular boy group from Rainbow Entertainment.
Not just PD Jin, but Director Han's eyes also lit up with a strange light.
"Look, the writer seems to want to write... so should we just talk amongst ourselves?"
"Ah, well..."
PD Jin Jaehoon glanced at Director Han.
Director Han gave a smirk and asked Semi back.
"The Red Sun casting, are you sure?"
"I'll try my best."
"No. I don't want effort, I want a firm answer."
"...I'll talk to them today."
"Well, let's go out and talk."
Director Han had an air of pretending to lose to Semi.
"The writer seems busy, so let him write."
In the end, Jinwoo was left alone in the variety department head's office and began to write.
Clack-clack-clack-clack—
Only the quiet noise of the laptop filled the space.
Jinwoo was writing, having forgotten even the fact that he was alone.
The final stretch towards the destination of a 16-episode drama.
"The story is pretty much over at this point."
The pure-hearted macho rescuing Cha Yejoo, who was kidnapped by the villain.
In the end, the villain loses his action-oriented right-hand man.
He made his exit after leaving a short but powerful impression.
"The actor I registered in advance at the script reading."
Since I had registered the actor in the most impactful scene.
The system accurately implemented his face and voice.
He would be able to portray a more realistic villainous performance than anyone else.
Moreover, setting aside the fact that he was a spitting image of the actor's appearance.
Even his lines and actions strangely overlapped with the actor himself.
The force felt from his terrifying gaze in the final moment.
A depiction of him making his exit, showing the standard of a classic villain.
It ended with a prison ending where he's roughly discarded.
He would show 100% of his ability, just like Semi, Ji Seongho, and Im Jaejun.
"Actor Shin Johoon might also... escape obscurity with this opportunity."
Afterward, the protagonist's father, Chairman Cheon, becomes greatly enraged.
Because his beloved son lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital.
"I couldn't register teacher Choi Manho, but..."
Actor Choi's performance was already close to perfection, even without the system.
"I'm really blessed."
What are the chances of meeting such good actors in my first drama?
Not just the three lead actors, but every single one of the supporting actors shone brightly.
What great fortune this is.
The final scene of Part 14 was the male protagonist waking up in the hospital.
-I'm glad. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. -Just stay by my side like this. That's helping.
Soon, Part 14 concludes with Semi and Jaejun's first kiss scene...
Halt—
"A kiss scene?"
Im Jaejun with Semi?
I think I can take this out.
"For now, I have to preserve the system..."
I can just write it now and change it later.
Let's write it as is and revise it next time.
"Hyaaawn—"
After finishing the Part 14 script, I yawned widely and looked around.
I was sitting all alone in the empty variety department head's office.
"What is this?"
I was so immersed from the middle part onwards that I didn't even think to check my surroundings.
It had taken about four hours since I opened my laptop.
Perhaps because it was quiet around, I had broken my personal best time.
"Since when was I alone?"
I remember about an hour, so I think I was alone for at most three hours.
"What did you just say?"
"That the variety show filming was pushed back a week..."
"No, before that."
"Because of the drama promotion..."
"Hah... I've been living too nicely these days, haven't I?"
"..."
Yeo Minseo looked at her manager with an expression of disbelief.
"Whose manager are you, oppa?"
"Huh? Th-that's, of course, your manager, Minseo..."
"Then you should have argued! You should have fought!!!"
The manager couldn't say a single word to the screaming Yeo Minseo.
"Why do I have to change my schedule because of that drama?"
"W-well, that's..."
"I'm going to talk to Manager Jung myself."
"No, I think it's better to just let it go... Manager Jung's mood is like a block of ice these days."
"Then what am I, a flower garden!? Is it only spring for me?"
"I-I'm sorry. I'll somehow..."
"Just get out."
"Minseo-ya..."
"I said get out!"
She suppressed her anger as she watched the back of her manager, who actually left when told to.
"Have I been too quiet lately?"
With her level of popularity and career, she could land a lead role in any drama.
But how could she have been pushed aside by a drama starting with two rookies?
"Writer Kim Jinwoo..."
Things had started to change subtly around the time he appeared.
It felt like the agency, which had always pushed for her, had hit the brakes.
"I admit the script is good, but so what?"
If they held a contest under the Tempest name, hundreds of good works would pour in.
Why on earth was Manager Jung Saerom coddling writer Kim Jinwoo so much?
"Purple Girls' Semi? Don't make me laugh, seriously."
An idol starting as the lead of a 16-episode drama was the same.
She had never seen a case succeed by pushing through like that.
"Just you two wait and see. I'll be watching to see if you succeed."
I finished writing the script and walked out of the department head's office with confidence.
However, when I came outside, the way people were looking at me was a little strange.
A lunatic obsessed with writing.What a great work he must be writing.A rude brat.
People were glaring at me with these kinds of gazes.
It seemed they had no intention of acknowledging an artist's noble spirit.
'We're all artists together, this is too much.'
When I got down to the 1st-floor lobby of the broadcasting station, Semi was waving with a bright smile.
Seeing her welcome me with a smile, my down mood lifted a little.
"Writer-nim—!"
Semi called out to me in a loud voice and came running, pat-pat-pat.
Since she was the center of a well-known idol group, people around were sneaking glances.
It was a relief that we were inside the station; if we had met outside, it might have caused a strange misunderstanding.
"Writer-nim, did you finish the script?"
"Yes. Sorry about before. I was busy writing..."
"No! It's okay. Did the writing go well?"
"Yes. Up to Part 14."
"Wow, episode 14 already...?"
I felt bad lying to Semi, so I told her the truth.
"Manager Jung Saerom thinks I've only written up to episode 12, so it's a secret."
"A secret...? Just between the two of us!?"
"Ah... well, I guess so."
"I'll be sure to keep it."
While I was at it, I sent her the script I had saved on my messenger.
Tiring—
"I'll send you up to Part 14, so please read it when you get to your dorm."
"At the dorm? I want to practice with you right now."
Seeing her slumped shoulders, I couldn't just ignore her.
"Okay. Then let's practice just once. Since you have a schedule tomorrow too."
"That doesn't matter..."
"Ah! Wait, just a moment!"
"Yes?"
Come to think of it, in today's part,
"There's a kiss scene, too."
"???"
Isn't there a saying like this?
Practice like it's the real thing. And the real thing like it's practice.
I failed.
I didn't know her manager would be watching with his eyes wide open from the side.
"As expected, I'm most comfortable practicing the script with you, Writer-nim."
"Don't your members practice with you?"
"Th-they do, but..."
Semi suddenly blushed.
She lowered her head and continued to the end.
"Still, it's different from the writer who wrote the script."
Hearing this, I felt a prick of conscience.
Can I say the system wrote half, and I wrote half?Still, it's a fact that it passed through my hands.
"Semi-ssi, thank you."
"What? Why?"
"Just... because it feels like my life has changed thanks to you."
"What? Me too..."
The first love image I felt when we first met had faded.
But Semi was still my most precious actress.
"But, Semi-ssi. You've been smiling a lot more lately."
"Have I?"
"Yes."
A flower of laughter bloomed on her face the entire time she was practicing the script.
"When I first saw you... you seemed a little gloomy."
"Ah..."
Is it because the "Pure-hearted Macho" female lead is always smiling?A born actress, already preparing with method acting.
Tiring—
At that moment, I received a message from Manager Jung Saerom.
'Ah, right. Today was the day the writer's fee comes in.'
Soon, with a fluttering heart, I checked the message.
［Writer-nim, your 2nd writer's fee should have been deposited. It's for episodes 3 through 12. Please check.］
"Then... 50 million won!"
"Pardon?"
"With this money...!"
I smiled brightly at Semi, who was looking at me with a questioning expression.
"Let's go, Bronze!!!"
"What...? Ah, you must like games, Writer-nim."
I immediately took out my smartphone and deposited the money into the account number.
The phrase that had sparked my curiosity every time the system activated.
[※ Bronze Promotion: 110-110101-1011(Virtual Account, W Bank)] [※ Deposit Amount: 10,000,000 won / 10,000,000 won]
I was curious about what would happen if I leveled up, so I deposited it right away.
Ding-dong—
[You have been promoted to Bronze Tier.] [The range of actors to whom the system applies increases.] [The probability of writing two or more parts consecutively increases.] [You have acquired an additional benefit.
I had expected the range of actors to increase.
But the probability of writing two or more parts consecutively was a little new.
Not only that,
"View Details?"
What additional benefit could I have received?