I Want to Be a VTuber-Chapter 261: Clash (2)

Seoyeon had recently begun establishing proper human relationships, and her confidence was steadily growing.

More and more students in her class had started approaching her to talk.

At this rate, having a large number of friends was practically inevitable.

In addition, her circle of actor colleagues—people she could consider workplace companions—was steadily expanding.

"Well, it feels a bit strange, but even Stella said I was good."

Though Stella’s idea of "good" might have been slightly different, it was still a compliment.

Even with Stella, who built walls around herself, Seoyeon had managed to get along.

So, it was only natural that she had recently begun to overestimate her communication skills.

Could it be that she was, in fact, already a social butterfly?

Brimming with confidence, Seoyeon feared nothing.

Even when Park Eunha expressed concerns about Arthur Diaz, Seoyeon thought, I already got along with Stella, didn’t I?

Though not as a friend, of course.

That was how she saw it, more or less.

But I mustn’t become arrogant.

The better things were going, the harder she needed to work.

In that sense, Seoyeon had recently been reading books about building relationships.

The opening lines of those books were almost always the same:

"Be someone who praises and encourages others."

It made sense.

So, as Seoyeon quietly waited in the GH Group conference room for Arthur to arrive, she repeatedly rehearsed in her head.

Stella said he’s a very famous actor overseas. According to her, she’s even taught Arthur Diaz a thing or two about acting.

If they had taught each other, they must have been close.

While Stella’s personality might be debatable, her acting skills were highly respected by Seoyeon.

Being compared to Stella essentially meant Arthur was one of the best actors of his generation, unmatched by his peers.

Alright.

Seoyeon felt more confident as she thought about what to say.

Since they’d be working together, it was important to build a good relationship.

"He’s late."

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Unlike the eager Seoyeon, Kim Changgyu, the department head of GH Group’s cultural division overseeing Majin, frowned.

Today, he was attending in place of Director Kang Taejin, who was leading the project.

In truth, meetings like this usually only required the director and a few investment staff.

But since they were dealing with Arthur Diaz, a Hollywood actor, they had to keep up appearances.

"Arthur Diaz is rumored to be very polite in Hollywood."

The director of Majin, Han Yegun, glanced sharply at Kim Changgyu and commented,

"Rumors don’t always match reality."

A young genius director, Han Yegun was as challenging to deal with as Arthur Diaz.

Kim Changgyu was beginning to understand why Kang Taejin hadn’t attended today.

At least Ju Seoyeon is well-mannered.

After hearing so much about Seoyeon from Director Kang, Kim Changgyu had developed a certain fondness for her.

He always kept track of her recent achievements and brought them up during meals or work conversations.

To an outsider, it might seem like he was talking about his own daughter.

Even that robot-like director has a human side.

Kang Taejin had mentioned she was the daughter of an old friend.

It wasn’t entirely free from the influence of connections.

GH Group had undoubtedly given Seoyeon some privileges behind the scenes.

However, no one complained because she had been selected publicly through an audition.

Her position had been earned through skill, not favoritism.

If anything, people thought GH Group treated its lead actors well.

For someone who’s achieved so much in just one year, she’s remarkably humble.

What Kim Changgyu liked most about Seoyeon was her lack of arrogance, a rarity among rising stars.

Not that arrogance was inherently bad—it was expected for someone with her accomplishments.

But arrogance combined with insolence was a different matter entirely.

Perhaps it was because she surrounded herself with disciplined actors like Park Jungwoo and Jo Sehee, who never courted scandals.

Being among such peers might have led Seoyeon to see self-discipline as the norm.

"Director, he’s here."

At that moment, an employee whispered to Kim Changgyu.

The door to the conference room opened, and a tall man stepped inside.

Behind him, a group of people entered—Arthur Diaz, his manager, and several representatives from his agency.

Their numbers exceeded those of the people already waiting in the room.

"Hello, I’m Arthur Diaz."

Sensing the tension in the room, Arthur greeted the group with a warm smile.

The strained atmosphere eased as his fluent Korean left a favorable impression.

People tend to feel goodwill when foreigners speak their language fluently.

This is easy, Arthur thought, smiling faintly.

The discussion would primarily involve his agency, manager, and the GH Group staff.

In truth, the actors had little reason to attend today’s meeting.

However, both Seoyeon and Arthur Diaz had come to meet as the lead actors of Majin, even before the script reading.

As the meeting began in calm English, Arthur leaned back in his chair.

Is it her?

Arthur glanced at Seoyeon, sitting upright with an air of composure.

Her appearance is impressive.

He was genuinely struck.

While he had no particular expectations of an East Asian actress, seeing her in person left him at a loss for words.

Her sharp features, piercing eyes, pale skin, and crimson lips gave her the appearance of a meticulously crafted doll.

But what stood out most was the aura of presence she exuded—a presence befitting an actor.

Maybe Stella wasn’t exaggerating.

Arthur found himself intrigued.

Although his perception of her as a young Eastern actress hadn’t changed, her looks were undeniably striking.

Since she seemed much younger than him, he had no inappropriate thoughts.

But imagining how furious Stella might be if he charmed her brought a smile to his lips.

"?"

Sensing his gaze, Seoyeon turned her head, and their eyes met.

Arthur responded with a gentle smile.

Even Hollywood actresses often blushed or averted their gaze when faced with his smile.

But.

"??"

Seoyeon simply stared back.

Did he have something to say? Or was he challenging her to a staring contest out of boredom?

Is this what they call eye contact?

According to her books, proper communication involves looking into each other’s eyes.

Perhaps Arthur Diaz had something to convey.

Thinking this, Seoyeon continued to meet his gaze.

...What’s this about?

From Arthur Diaz's perspective, the way Seoyeon suddenly glared at him was utterly bewildering.

Her intense, sharp gaze startled him enough to make him flinch slightly.

For someone like Arthur, who was used to receiving warm, affectionate looks from women, this was a deeply unsettling experience.

She must have heard something from Stella, he concluded.

There was no other explanation for such a reaction to his smile.

Well, things will change once we start talking.

With that thought, Arthur patiently endured the remainder of the meeting, gracefully deflecting the glances from Director Han Yegun and Kim Changgyu.

About two hours later—

"Finally, we can have a proper conversation," Arthur said smoothly to Seoyeon.

As the meeting dragged on, the two of them had moved to a lounge within the GH Group building.

The purpose of today’s gathering was to provide the lead actors of Majin an opportunity to interact before filming began—Seoyeon’s primary reason for coming to GH Group today.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Arthur Diaz."

He bowed slightly as he greeted her, his appearance resembling that of a prince from a fairy tale.

With shining blond hair, deep green eyes, a tall stature, and a lean figure, it was easy to see why he had so many female fans in Korea.

"I’m Ju Seoyeon."

Her response was calm and straightforward.

Arthur was momentarily taken aback.

No reaction at all?

Not even the faintest hint of emotion crossed her face.

Usually, women who met him would show some kind of response.

Even Stella—who had greeted him with, "You’re the most fake person I’ve ever met"—had displayed some kind of reaction.

In contrast, Seoyeon seemed completely indifferent.

In the midst of this awkward standoff, Seoyeon realized the silence had dragged on.

Oh, is it my turn to say something now?

The lack of response was because she had been running mental simulations, preparing what to say next. She needed to compliment him.

"I heard from Stella that you learned acting from her. That must be why the two of you seem so similar."

"..."

Her comment was intended as praise, comparing him to Stella, a remarkable actress.

But it came across as deliberate provocation.

Arthur struggled to maintain his composure.

Is she trying to provoke me?

He resisted the urge to clench his fists, suppressing the sudden rush of irritation.

He wouldn’t give Stella the satisfaction of seeing him react.

"...Is that so."

"Yes. You remind me of the impression I had when I first met Stella."

"...I see."

Although her first impression of Stella hadn’t been great, Seoyeon had quickly recognized that she wasn’t an ordinary person.

She sensed something unique about her.

Arthur, on the other hand, didn’t sense anything special about Seoyeon, but from her perspective, it was a polite compliment.

Of course, Arthur was grinding his teeth so hard it was a wonder they didn’t shatter.

Did I say something wrong?

Seoyeon tilted her head, puzzled.

She had meticulously prepared for today, knowing she would meet a Hollywood actor. She thought she had done everything right.

"Mr. Arthur Diaz, you have so many fans overseas, and it’s incredible. I heard your performance as a medieval knight in Lionheart, recently released in Korea, received rave reviews from foreign media. It reportedly brought in over three million viewers here, making it the most successful foreign film this year. They said your role had a significant impact on its success in Korea."

"..."

Seoyeon continued showering Arthur with compliments.

She mentioned box office figures, audience numbers, and accolades, reciting them as if she had memorized internet articles.

What is this woman?

Arthur clenched his teeth as he stared at her.

It wasn’t just his pride that was wounded—he felt like his mind was spiraling into chaos.

Her tone was devoid of genuine interest, as if she were a malfunctioning chatbot spewing information.

Fearing he might end up hearing every statistic about his Korean box office performance, Arthur interrupted her.

"...More importantly, I’d like to propose something."

"A proposal?"

Seoyeon’s mechanical recital finally halted.

Her memory was impressive—she still had about five prepared articles left to mention, which she felt slightly disappointed about. But she listened attentively.

After all, the books said listening to others was an essential skill.

"I’ll be staying in Seoul for a while. Could you show me around the city?"

Now it was a matter of pride.

Arthur was determined to win Seoyeon over, both to mock Stella and to return the humiliation he felt today.

"No."

"...Excuse me?"

"I’d get in trouble."

Seoyeon firmly crossed her arms in an X gesture.

If she wandered around with Arthur alone, Jo Sehee or Park Jungwoo would surely have a fit.

They’d yell at her, asking if she wanted a scandal and if she’d lost her mind.

Surprisingly, Seoyeon took such warnings very seriously.

"..."

"But it was nice meeting you today."

Arthur felt like his brain was about to short-circuit.

He spent the next hour listening to Seoyeon’s endless praises, feeling like a radio stuck on a single station.

When it was finally over—

"Seoyeon, are you okay?"

In the van {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} heading back, Park Eunha asked Seoyeon with a hint of concern.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. He listened to everything I said."

"Really? I was worried, but I’m glad to hear that."

It seemed like young actors got along easily.

Watching Seoyeon beam with confidence, Park Eunha smiled faintly.

In the end, she concluded the meeting must have gone well.

****

"Hello...? Yes, this is me."

A woman groggily answered her phone, her voice hoarse.

She had stayed up until dawn writing a novel, leaving her utterly exhausted.

But her mind snapped awake at the words that followed.

"A meeting? With whom? What?"

It was news about the drama adaptation of her work—a project she had been eagerly anticipating—and the surprising casting of an actor she never expected.