Kim Hyunji watched, captivated, as the lead actress performed.
"Wow, Purple Girls' Semi-nim..."
A popular idol, and among them, the visual member called the center.
When a person like that even had actor's makeup on, her charm was incredible.
Moreover, she was the one-top female lead of a 16-episode drama.
It was a level that seemed far too high for a rookie actress.
She wasn't sure if she could reach it in 5 years at the earliest, or perhaps even in 10.
As much as her appearance was dazzling, her acting also sparkled.
She effortlessly digested a performance in which it was impossible to find a flaw.
"She's so perfect that I don't even feel envious."
The way she got the director's sign-off without a single NG.
Kim Hyunji could only look at Semi with eyes of admiration.
"...She's a genius."
She had heard that she had almost no acting experience as an actress.
But she had far surpassed the level of other idol members.
An overwhelming talent, as if she had simply projected herself onto the character.
"Cut. Next scene."
Semi donned the overcoat her manager draped around her and slowly walked over.
'Oh, sh-she's coming this way...!'
Hyunji was flustered as she watched the approaching Semi.
It was the feeling of encountering a person from a different world in real life.
"Ah, hello!"
"Pardon?"
"W-well... I'm rookie actress Kim Hyunji from Tempest Entertainment!"
"Ah... actress Kim Hyunji, nice to meet you."
Smile—
The way she smiled brightly and greeted her was nothing short of a goddess.
"Ex-excuse me... could I possibly get just one autograph..."
"Of course! I should give you ten."
A demeanor that was a 100% match with her public image.
In real life as well, Semi was an angel itself.
Kim Hyunji hurriedly tried to find a piece of paper and a pen.
At that moment, Semi called out to someone and broke into a huge grin.
"Writer-nim!!!"
She was looking behind her with a bright smile.
Who on earth could make Semi make such an expression? It was a lovely smile, enough to make one feel jealous of that someone, even as a woman. I turned around to see with my own two eyes who it was.
'Writer Kim Jinwoo...?'
Hyunji was startled and greeted Jinwoo.
"Hello! My name is Kim Hyunji!"
The situation was a 180-degree reversal from when they had met at the cafe.
He was already in a position to stand shoulder to shoulder with stars and be in charge of a drama.
'Why... why is he looking at me with those eyes?'
Kim Jinwoo didn't even respond and just stared at her with a strange expression.
He didn't even acknowledge Semi's greeting and slowly opened his mouth.
"We've met before, haven't we?"
"Ah, at the cafe... I'm so sorry about that time. I didn't even know you were a writer..."
"Actress Kim Hyunji."
"Ah, y-yes! Writer-nim."
Kim Hyunji answered like a new recruit standing at sharp attention.
The person who had discovered the actors Semi and Im Jaejun, and had recommended her to Tempest.
If she got on his bad side, her acting career was bound to get seriously twisted.
"Thank you."
"Pardon?"
"Thanks to you, I'll be able to write without a hiatus."
"???"
Meanwhile, Semi, who was watching from the side, was staring intently at Kim Hyunji.
To think a second drama would pop up so suddenly.
Actually, I had expected this day might come when I first met actress Kim Hyunji.
'It was a good thing I came here.'
What would I have done if I had run into a different actor while wandering around?
I could have gotten stuck with a strange actor and had my project tied up.
For example, a prickly actress like Yeo Minseo.
It was then.
"Semi-ya! We have to go to your next schedule right away."
"Ah, okay."
The manager from Rainbow Entertainment called out to Semi from a distance.
"Ah! Semi-ssi, I'm sorry about just now. How was filming today?"
"...It was fine."
"You must have to get going."
"Yeees..."
For some reason, Semi's shoulders were slumped.
She glanced at actress Kim Hyunji and then turned her head.
'She was fine when she was acting... but she suddenly seems down. Is something wrong?'
Kim Hyunji, looking at me with a questioning expression from the side.
I left her be and checked the next work the system had given me.
[Content: The Regressor Who Erases Memories, Part 1] [Genre: Time Loop, Romance, Crime Thriller] [Location: Room 403, Geumcheon Building, Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul] [Time Limit: 34 days] [※ Silver Promotion: 110-110101-1011(Virtual Account, W Bank)] [※ Deposit Amount: 0 won / 100,000,000 won]
'The Regressor Who Erases Memories...'
I like the genre. There's a lot of time left, too.
It's better than being typecast as a writer who only writes romance.
The system has always set generous deadlines until now.
It was the same when I went to Jeju Island, and when I wrote two parts consecutively.
Perhaps because the first broadcast hasn't even aired yet, I was given a deadline of over a month.
This is why I usually think the location is much more important than the time.
Should I stop by the place first?
At that moment, Kim Hyunji spoke to me.
"Um, Writer-nim...?"
It seems I had been staring at her too intently.
Soon after, I asked her something I was curious about.
"Have you, by any chance, been to Guro recently? Or even a long time ago."
"What? No. I don't really remember..."
Of course, there was a high probability that it would be a place the lead actor had visited.
It could be related to actress Kim Hyunji, or...
'It could be related to the male protagonist.'
The press conference is scheduled for the weekend.
I should stop by and check before then.
"This male protagonist... surely he's not a gangster in real life?"
Somehow, I thought things were going too well.
The genre is a crime thriller, so I'm getting needlessly intimidated.
Swish—
I picked up a flyer that was scattered in front of the office.
『We'll lend you money! Lowest interest rate guaranteed!!!』
The inside of the Geumcheon Building had a strangely gloomy atmosphere.
In particular, room 403 of the building was a loan shark's office.
"Does this make any sense?"
This just looks like a gangster's office.
Whose idea was it to have me write a drama script inside there?
"Still, I've come this far..."
I want to at least check if there's a light.
But I can't easily bring myself to take a step.
It was then.
"What is it."
A tough-looking, big-built bro stared at me with a cynical gaze.
"Um... I'm here for a consultation..."
"Come in."
Creeeak—
The big guy led the way, opened the door, and went inside.
'I'm going crazy.'
Because of the system, I'm even entering a gangster's office; all sorts of things are happening.
"How much are you here to borrow?"
"Well..."
Ignoring his question, I walked in one direction.
One of the fluorescent lights was out, but it was brighter than anywhere else.
Plop—
For now, I sat on the sofa and foolishly entrusted my body to the light.
Even if I couldn't write the script, I wanted to see the drama's content in advance.
In an instant, the pure white halo of light entered my mind.
The memory came to me as if I had seen the entire drama in one go.
'Wow, this is insane...'
The moment I remembered the first part of the new drama, only admiration came out.
"If you look at the interest here..."
"I'm really sorry. But could I just take a business card and come back next time?"
"Are you messing with me right now... Hmm, fine. Do as you please."
"I'm sorry!"
The man scowled and waved his hand.
It seemed I wasn't the first or second person like this.
Creeeak—
Soon, I left the Geumcheon Building and entered a nearby cafe.
"First... I have to write down what I remember."
Just because I've seen a whole drama doesn't mean I can remember every single line.
But if I write down enough in advance and go back, the time will be cut by less than half.
Even if it's not as vivid as when I'm surrounded by the light.
Most of the scenes came to mind intermittently.
Clack-clack, clack-clack-clack—
「The Regressor Who Erases Memories」
He had the cheat-like ability to go back 24 hours.
But as a side effect of the ability, the protagonist lost his own existence.
When he first awakened the ability, he thought it was a blessing and overused it.
He accumulated enormous wealth and made a name for himself as an anonymous genius investor.
But the people around him gradually erased him from their memories.
When a close acquaintance couldn't remember him, he felt doubt.
When a close friend forgot him, he felt a sense of crisis.
And only after losing his entire family did he realize there was a serious error in his regression ability.
After that, he lives for 5 years, having sealed his regression ability himself.
Living like a close neighbor with his family, who doesn't remember him.
"So actress Kim Hyunji appears at the end."
Part 1 ended with a scene late at night, where the man witnesses a hit-and-run accident.
The ending scene, where the protagonist regresses as soon as Kim Hyunji is hit by a car and sent flying 10 meters.
"But... who is this guy?"
As always, it was certain that he was an unknown actor.
But it was a little questionable because I felt like I had seen him somewhere before.
"I can't quite remember."
He could be a has-been actor, a former child actor, or maybe a rookie.
A face optimized for acting that reveals sadness and emotional lines.
The actor's expression when playing a pitiful role was a masterpiece.
"Wait a minute."
The office I visited was a loan shark business.
Is there a rule that only gangsters can enter such an office?
Wouldn't there be more people like me today, who stop by to borrow money?
If I check the list of customers, I might be able to find the actor among them.
"First, I'll meet him once... and if he's a hopeless case, I'll have to change him with the skill."
Ah, but how do I get into that office again?
I have to go back anyway since I have to write the script.
I think that big bro from before remembered my face exactly.
"Hey, there's still a month left."
I should stop by again around the time he forgets my face.
A few days later, at the press conference venue.
Manager Jung Saerom sent a message to the invariably late writer Kim Jinwoo.
"Ugh, I told you to arrive 30 minutes early."
Tiring—
Soon, a message arrived from Jinwoo.
［Overslept ㅠㅠ］ ［Taking a taxi now ;;;］ ［Was writing the script last night.... ㅎ］
"The script? Does he have more to revise?"
I felt it during the Jeju trip, but his sense of time was on par with any star writer.
If it weren't for his script-churning skills, I wouldn't even associate with him.
"How can he be late every single time on an important day!"
A moment later, she spotted Writer Kim Jinwoo running frantically from a distance.
Thankfully, it seemed he wouldn't be completely late this time.
"Writer Kim, you can go to the waiting room and get your makeup done right now."
"Ah, yes."
As he turned away, Jinwoo rummaged through his bag.
Soon, he took out about a dozen crumpled A4 sheets that had been carelessly stuffed in.
"I wrote this last night, please take a look."
"Pardon?"
"Because the female lead is your Tempest actress."
"???"
Writer Kim Jinwoo, who disappeared after leaving a strange remark.
Saerom was curious and was about to open the script.
"Manager-nim, there's something I need to tell you about the poster..."
Hearing a request from an employee, she had to leave her spot.
"Team Leader Byun, please take a look at this."
"Pardon?"
"Please check if there are any suitable roles for our actors."
"Ah, yes! I understand."
Team Leader Byun Hyukjoon, who handles various tasks behind Manager Jung.
He was a person whose eye for projects was as accurate as Saerom's.
"This is..."
Team Leader Byukjoo was one of actress Yeo Minseo's closest colleagues.
He had even been her road manager for 4 years since her rookie days.
"The female lead only has one scene, so it's hard to say, but..."
Perhaps because of that, the charm of the sub-female lead stood out even more.
The scent of a hit was wafting from this project.
The main characters of this work were certain to enjoy brilliant glory.
"So this is why Manager-nim treasures Writer Kim Jinwoo so much."
A completely different roadmap from Kim Jinwoo's unfolded in his mind.
He thought of the optimal people, from the male protagonist to the female protagonist.
A single part of a script written by Kim Jinwoo 'himself,' not by the system.
No one knew who would become the main characters of the work.