Chapter 207 - Drama Queen

She couldn't believe what she just heard,

"Yes, Ye Rim ssi, the lead role in 'Bullet' will be yours! Most interestingly, the broadcaster decided to rewrite the drama, turning Se Yeon into a protagonist. The screenwriter apparently really liked your point of view about the character, and here's her message for you!"

The director played the recorded message from the famous drama screenwriter for them to hear:

"Ye Rim ssi… After your audition I could barely sleep. It felt like you had opened my eyes to some flaws in my script. I would be presumptuous if I didn't admit that Se Yeon is much more interesting than Chae Ah, and that she stirs the plotline in more engaging ways too. The next morning I had a lot of fresh ideas and I had to convince some people I wasn't crazy about wanting to change everything at this point. What I mean, Ye Rim ssi, is that I am grateful. And now that I know we can change the script with that in mind, I hope you can accept our invitation to work on this drama. I am thrilled, scared and excited about this restart. But I hope you take excellent care of Se Yeon! Fighting!"

The spontaneous speech took some emotional tears from Ye Rim. She felt her body tremble out of overexcitation, and knew that the blood had drained from her face. It was such wonderful news and so scary! It was something she would never have imagined!

Eun Ha embraced her, under the satisfied and smiling look of the Optimus Director and also the Casting Director's cheerful semblance.

"Aigoo, I am also surprised and thrilled!" told her boss. "I had a good feeling about seeing your portfolio, but I wasn't expecting it! Modesty aside, I have an incredible feeling for promising stars!" he clapped his hands. "I will need your time in the coming weeks, and a lot of effort from your part so that nothing goes wrong! Tomorrow we will start the paper signings and so on, and meet with the production team. They are preliminary meetings, which should define the costume, makeup and hair, etc. The team must designate a specialist to help the cast with the historical setting ... But our casting director will keep you up to date! Congratulations, Ye Rim ssi!"

Only then did things seemed real, and Ye Rim bowed in deep thanks. After all, the agency had helped her so far in several ways.

Only after the primary subject had been exhausted by the hour, Director Choi suggested,

"Why doesn't Director Gong show our wardrobe room to Stylist Jung? I would like to clear up some issues with Y Rim ssi, but it will be quick. We will meet you there in a few minutes." 

The singer saw that her friend didn't want to go, but she signaled Eun Ha not to be worried. 

A little after they left the room, the Director turned to Ye Rim, 

"Ye Rim ssi, you must imagine how concerned I am with what is happening now. A person I considered a great professional, an example in my career, and a person of excellent character, proved to be someone very different. And today he's in the news for the wrong things. "

"..." Ye Rim held an anxious smile on her face, she would like to say many things about it but after all, they had a professional relationship and she should not say everything that came to mind.

"Aigoo, Ye Rim ssi! I don't want this horrible situation to tarnish Optimus' reputation, let alone yours! But I already predict that, as soon as they announce your name as a co-star in this drama, everyone will remember that you were at the Fashion Ball with Musician Lee in that beautiful red dress!"

It was a very subtle way of saying that he was also concerned that they would remember him as one more person who might be called 'friend' of Musician Lee by the press. It was certainly sad to think he was now desperate to break any ties with a person like Lee, no matter how he would be judged by Korean justice in the future. But very understandable since, after all, Ye Rim imagined that Dae Won did not consider him a friend either.

"Oh! Well ... I hadn't thought of that," she mumbled.

"My dear Ye Rim ssi. It would ruin your career before it starts just so that pseudo-journalists can gain some views!" he reinforced. 

Ye Rim frowned. She supposed that, as much as she denied having any involvement with Dae Won, there were facts that could be misinterpreted. 

Dae Won's efforts to help her. 

Her official appearance along with him at the Fashion Ball.

And even the fact that she went to his house alone on a rainy morning, which could easily be checked in her testimony, could be fertile ground for malicious assumptions.

"I have no control over the past, Director Choi. I supposed that they may misinterpret my acquaintance with Musician Lee, although it was just that, a superficial friendship, I would say. I was also wrong about his character, from the day I was introduced to him by a mutual friend. I think we all were."

"Hmmm," he was thoughtful for a moment. "So you are sure that there is no kind of evidence that can tarnish your image right now, are you?"

It was a boring subject, but Ye Rim knew he had to endure it, as it was in Optimus' interest, which gave him a very generous and liberal contract, certainly thanks to Dae Won.

"I gave my testimony to the police and it can be used against me, I think. I reported that we saw the gravedigger while eating street food one night. And I went to his house the morning of the murder. Even I, looking at it from the point of view of a malicious person, would find it very suspicious that we didn't have a romance. But, I swear, it was not the case," she could do nothing but be sincere.

"Ye Rim ssi, we are going to get you a famous boyfriend. It is crucial. We will make a confidentiality contract, something that will be good for both involved. It just has to look like you have a beautiful, pure romance with a nice guy."

"But ..."

"Trust me. We will remedy the damage before it becomes public. I know the press, they will already be furious that Han Ri lost the role to a newbie. It will be tough, but we can win this battle."

Ye Rim felt his chest tighten. But she thought she should try something,

"Director Choi ..."

But the ever smiling director interrupted her, although he still had a smile on his lips, his eyes did not.

"Ye Rim ssi… I never asked you for anything hard to accomplish. I hope you can reciprocate everything I have done so far. Let's do this, will we?"

She knew she owed him a lot, and Ye Rim just had to agree.