NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

Seo Ji-eun greeted her manager as usual in front of her house and went to the café in front of her house where she always stops by to order coffee.

“Thank you.”

Smiling, she greeted and carried her coffee while opening the door to leave.

The café part-timer stared blankly at Ji-eun’s figure, then the café owner chuckled and nudged the part-timer’s side.

“Is that young lady so nice? She’s a regular customer, you should at least respond when she greets you.”

“Boss, I’ll just quickly run to the supermarket for a moment. My mother has some errands.”

“Really? Since there are no customers anyway, hurry back.”

Listening to the boss’s words, the part-timer took off his apron and left the café with a stiff face.

Meanwhile, Ji-eun, at the site, saw her reflection on the field monitor and worried that she seemed to have gained a bit of weight recently.

So, although she usually drank café mocha, today she ordered only Americano without syrup.

Ji-eun hesitated as she held the coffee, about to press the elevator button.

She checked her reflection in the mirror next to the elevator, puffing out her cheeks.

“Should I take the stairs today? Hm, why does it feel like my cheeks are getting chubby?”

In the end, she didn’t press the elevator button and went up to her house using the stairs.

Step by step,

While panting heavily as she climbed, Ji-eun felt something strange.

Whenever she moved her feet about two floors below, it felt like someone was following her up the stairs, and when she paused for a moment due to exhaustion, it felt like even her steps stopped.

‘Perhaps it’s just a hallucination caused by the echoing sound on the stairs, right…?’

She started walking again, and footsteps followed from behind.

No matter how much she thought about it, it didn’t seem like the sound was distorted.

Ji-eun suddenly stopped her steps on a few stairs.

Step by step.

It clearly stopped a beat later than she did.

Suddenly, a chill ran down Ji-eun’s spine, and with all her might, she leaped up the stairs.

Then, from behind, loud footsteps began to chase after her.

“Ah-! Mommy!”

As she ran, she looked at the numbers between the floors, realizing that her house was on the 7th floor, just half a floor up.

Too scared to look back, but seeing the footsteps so close, it felt like they were sticking to her even half a floor below.

With trembling legs, Ji-eun quickly entered the 7th floor and tightly grabbed the gray iron gate, pulling it shut.

– Clank, clank. –

It seemed like she had entered first from a hair’s breadth away, but the emergency stair door on the opposite side also rattled by the intruder.

“Mommy! Help me! Sob, sob.”

In extreme fear, tears streamed down as Ji-eun shouted with all her might, using all the strength she had left.

Even if it wasn’t her mom, Ji-eun shouted loudly, hoping that anyone from the five households on the same floor of the apartment complex would come out.

The intruder outside the door seemed to have heard the noise from the staircase and tried to escape, but Ji-eun was too scared to let go of her grip due to fear.

The doors of the houses opened in the hallway, and neighbouring residents, both couples and mothers, came out simultaneously.

“Oh my, Ji-eun! What’s going on?”

Her mother, who had rushed out barefoot, ran towards Ji-eun.

Seeing her mother’s face, Ji-eun finally let go of the handle she had been holding onto with all her strength and burst into tears.

“Mom!”

Listening to Ji-eun’s choked explanation, the neighbour next door opened the emergency stairwell door and rushed downstairs, but there was no trace of the intruder.

The nearby police officers who received the report checked the CCTV at the entrance of the apartment complex and said they would investigate, but apart from wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, it was difficult to distinguish other facial features due to the poor resolution.

Tortured by nightmares all night, Seo Ji-eun dragged her exhausted body to the filming set.

Yesterday, after finishing shooting, Jin Yu-han left for overseas location shooting, and and for today’s filming, he has to film a chase scene on horseback with Yeon-woo.

In terms of time, the scene filmed bamboo forest in Damyang with action yesterday was later, and today’s scene was of Ji-eun witnessing the arsonist and starting the pursuit.

Due to Jin Yu-han’s overseas schedule, they had no choice but to shoot the latter part first, contrary to the time in the drama.

Yeon-woo noticed Ji-eun looking unusually tired at the filming set and approached her.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“Uh, no. Just didn’t sleep well.”

It wasn’t something that could be solved by talking to Yeon-woo, so she just brushed it off.

While chatting about this and that, they heard the assistant director’s voice from afar.

“Okay, let’s start shooting.”

The staff came and adjusted their outfits, and the two took their positions within the frame.

The director’s sign came down.

“Action.”

Forgetting yesterday’s events completely, Ji-eun immersed herself in the acting and started her lines.

“Young Master Seo, it seems like that’s the hideout we’re looking for!”

“If we miss it now, we don’t know how many more houses will be set on fire. I’ll pursue him.”

“Just a moment.”

Ji-eun grabbed Yeon-woo’s arm as he was about to chase after. At that moment, Ji-eun felt a tingling pain in her arm.

Enduring the tingling pain, Ji-eun spoke to Hyang-ah, who was behind her, playing the role of a servant.

“Hyang-ah, go to the magistrate’s house now and report this situation to Magistrate Lee quickly.”

“Yes, madam.”

After exchanging glances, Ji-eun and Yeon-woo left the frame together and went outside the frame.

“Okay! That was good.”

The director’s okay sign was heard, and Seo Ji-eun felt pain in her arm, probably from yesterday’s struggle with the stalker through the door and massaged her arm.

During the morning shoot, Ji-eun seemed to gradually recover her condition, but Yeon-woo couldn’t help but tilt his head at the dark expression still lingering on her face.

‘She’s always been cheerful, what’s going on?’

After shooting a few more scenes at the folk village, they were preparing to shoot the scene of horseback pursuit in the afternoon.

At that moment, Yeon-woo approached where Ji-eun was.

“Have you ridden a horse before?”

At Yeon-woo’s question, Ji-eun shook her head hesitantly.

“I asked the director earlier, and he said that the close-up shots of riding fast are done on a model frame, but for the scene of starting the pursuit, you need to actually ride the horse.”

“Do you know how to ride, Yeon-woo?”

Yeon-woo reassured Ji-eun with a slightly intimidating look.

“Yeah. I’m quite good at it, so just leave it to me. We’ll finish shooting in about twenty seconds.”

“Thank goodness.”

Ji-eun nodded her head at Yeon-woo’s words.

At that moment, a stableman came in leading a horse.

“Is that the one we shot with in Taean?”

“They all look the same, but you recognize it?”

Smiling at the approaching Yeon-woo, the stableman handed over the reins.

He skillfully received the reins and a lump of sugar from the stableman and fed the sugar to the horse’s mouth.

“They all look the same indeed. And this one’s quite handsome.”

“Isn’t that your self-reflection?”

Ji-eun joked as she approached, showing interest in the horse and gently patting its head.

“Wow, it’s really cute. Look at those big eyes and chubby cheeks. I envy it.”

“Huh?”

Ji-eun, who seemed to be pointing at something slightly different from herself, still joked, indicating that her condition had improved a lot.

“Give it to me.”

“Huh? Hand.”

As Yeon-woo extended his hand, Ji-eun extended hers like a puppy, and he handed her the lump of sugar.

“It’s the horse’s favorite snack. Give it to him to make friends.”

“Oh, really? That’s interesting. It likes sugar.”

Approaching the horse, Ji-eun extended the lump of sugar, which the horse licked with its tongue and took away.

“Eek! It got saliva on me.”

“Hahaha.”

Watching the cute scene, the stableman laughed and took out a tissue from his front pocket.

“Use this.”

“Oh, thank you!”

After wiping her hands with the tissue and patting the horse again, the supporting director shouted from afar.

“Actors, please get ready. Shooting preparations are complete.”

Upon hearing that, Yeon-woo mounted the horse first, and the stableman rummaged through his front pocket, pulling out a large blanket and sitting down, resting it on his knees.

However, how is stuff keep coming out of that pocket?

Thinking of a character who takes out various interesting items from his front pocket, Yeon-woo shook his head to shake off the thought.

“Step here and hold hands with the male actor to get on at once.”

“Step on it? What if it hurts? I’m heavy.”

Looking at her thin body, it’s true that women always look thinner when they look at themselves in the mirror.

“It’s okay. Step on it.”

“Then, excuse me.”

Ji-eun stepped on the stableman’s thigh and Yeon-woo lifted her up, holding her hand.

Struggling to climb up while holding Yeon-woo’s hand.

“Wow. It’s really high.”

Once Ji-eun got on the horse, she marveled at the height, which seemed higher than it looked.

“I’ll go slowly in that direction.”

Yeon-woo fixed Ji-eun between his arms and entered the frame after preparing for the shoot.

Director Lee Sang-hoon checked the two on the horse and raised his thumb.

“The picture looks great. Let’s shoot the scene of starting quickly. We don’t need to go far. Let’s go about ten meters.”

Hearing this, Yeon-woo nodded, looking ahead.

“I’m blocking the sides with my arms, but still, hold the saddle tightly in front. Don’t fall off.”

“Okay!”

Afraid the horse might startle, Yeon-woo heard the director’s quiet cue sign and kicked the horse’s sides, starting them off.

“Hyah!”

With the signal, the horse moved forward without hesitation.

Surprised by the recoil, Ji-eun tightly gripped the front of the saddle.

Since his arms were wrapped around Ji-eun, her posture was quite stable.

After going about ten meters as the director instructed, Yeon-woo returned to the frame.

The director, looking somewhat disappointed as he checked the footage just shot on the field monitor, asked the stableman.

“Hmm, would it be okay if the actress rides behind?”

“Well, riding in front is safer, but many also ride behind.”

When they actually started slowly with Ji-eun in front, rather than going for a pursuit, it felt more like a leisurely ride, which made the director hesitate.

Seeing the director’s face, Ji-eun spoke up.

“Should I get off and get on again? I’m fine with it.”

After pondering over Ji-eun’s suggestion, the director nodded.

“Since we’re only going a short distance, it should be fine.”

With the impromptu decision, Ji-eun got off and got on behind him again, and they resumed riding into the camera frame.