Her teeth tugging at her bottom lip anxiously, Minyoung re-read the final episode review of her latest drama. She'd only played a side-character, but the drama had become more well-known than she'd anticipated - she couldn't help but feel nervous. "It takes so long for them to mention me..." she mumbled bitterly to herself.

'The final scenes of Lee Sooyeon, played by Ellin, was a heart-wrenching performance that showcased the vulnerability of the drama's antagonist when it came to love. Ellin's acting - particularly in this final episode - turned a frustrating-by-nature character into a person with whom the audience was able to sympathise; someone who love inspired to become a better person, even if the love was unrequited.'

She shook her head, brows furrowing as she read over her paragraph once more. "Particularly in this final episode... Are they saying my acting was bad before that? Ah, they hated me... damn it..." she complained before shutting down the laptop screen. An ongoing groan of regret continued to escape her lips as she dragged her feet over to her sofa, letting herself fall heavily against the pillows. "I wonder if the producer hated me, too... ah, why do I read these reviews?!"

Her face was buried in a pillow until the sound of her phone ringing snapped her out of her moping. "Hello?"

"Minyoung-ah, I just got off the phone. You've been accepted - 'Vanishing Points', you got the lead."

"What? Seriously?" her eyes widened at the words of her manager. In the four years and five projects she'd participated in, she'd held only sub-plots. Lee Sooyeon had been her largest role to date.

"Script reading is Saturday from 8AM onward. I'll be at your house at 6:30, so be prepared to leave," he continued. "I excused myself from a meeting to take the call, so I'll hang up first. Congratulations! You'll be fantastic."

She couldn't wipe the grin off her face - maybe the review weren't being sarcastic, after all. Maybe she really was good at her job. "Wait, wait! Who's the other lead? Did you find out?"

"Mm. Cha Hakyeon. You're pretty lucky. I'm hanging up!"

Not even a single beep had passed before her smile was gone.

* * *

"Cha Hakyeon? Really? Yah, wanna swap lives?" Soyul laughed after receiving the call from her friend.

"Yes, yes I do!" the elder snapped, running a finger through her hair worriedly. "I can't work with him!"

Her concerns were met with a snort. "Look, I know he rejected you and all, but there's something really important you need to take into consideration so listen carefully. Are you listening? Okay..." she paused for a moment before shouting- "You were both nine years old! Move on with your life!"

"Yah-- is that how you talk to an unni?" Minyoung argued. "I know it was a long time ago, but you don't understand. It wasn't just a simple rejection. He brutally, cruelly--"

"I know, I know," Soyul sighed. "I've heard it a hundred times. I may as well have been there. Honestly, unni - are you going to throw out a fantastic opportunity like this just because of a prepubescent voice? He probably doesn't even remember who you are!"

She huffed, sinking down into the mattress of her bed. "Fantastic opportunity..." she repeated. "That's what everyone keeps saying. 'Fantastic.' You'll be fantastic. This is fantastic. It's not fantastic at all, don't you have any other word for it?!"

"I do, but you're not going to like it."

"What?"

There was a pause on the other line before a cheeky laugh could be heard. "Fate."

"Y-Yah-- are you joking right now? Is my situation funny to you?!"

"It is, a little bit." she admitted.

"I hate you. I'm hanging up. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye."

After throwing her phone on her pillow, she to her stomach and kicked against the mattress childishly. "Why? Of all people, why, why, why?!" she groaned, words muffled by her blanket. Letting out a heavy sigh, she bit her lip. Perhaps she'd just have to deal with it. Soyul was right - she'd be crazy to throw away such an important moment in her career just because of a couple of bad memories. She was a professional, and she'd deal with it properly and maturely.

"I'll just avoid him completely whenever we're not filming," she decided aloud. "I'll be nice at all the press conferences, all the script readings, but the moment those cameras turn away... so will I."

As she finally came to terms with how she would deal with the matter at hand, she couldn't help but feel slightly smug. This program might just be her best acting yet.