Hobbyist VTuber-Chapter 186

Ticket Power.

The influence an actor has on ticket sales for movies, musicals, and other performances.

A single actor’s ticket power significantly impacts the overall audience turnout, as many people choose what to watch based on the cast.

For some, their admiration for a particular actor is enough of a reason to buy a ticket. Veterans was no exception.

“Wait, this is really the girl who came to our house?”

“Yeah. She said she works with Ji Hye.”

“Ji Hye, are you secretly training to be an actress?”

“I-It’s nothing like that! The movie’s about to start, let’s just go in.”

Some audience members had purchased tickets simply because they were fans of one of the actors.

In Nael’s case, her admiration for Ha-eun was twice as intense as anyone else’s—but for reasons she couldn’t openly admit. That was why she went so far as to bring her parents along.

‘Ugh, I’m so nervous....’

Ever since Veterans had premiered, Nael had been avoiding social media and online communities to dodge spoilers.

Even during her streams as a second-gen VTuber of Illusionary Realm, she’d put up a bold warning: Mentioning Veterans = Instant Ban.

That was how seriously she took this. The moment she settled into her seat, a mix of anticipation and nervousness filled her.

After about ten minutes of previews—something neither she nor her parents usually paid much attention to—

Ssshh....“People always ask: How can I become more beautiful? How can I become even more radiant?”

“Oh? Isn’t that Lee Ha-eun?”

“I-It is!”

Coincidentally, Rev’s cosmetics commercial featuring Ha-eun appeared midway through the ads, immediately catching their attention.

Nael had already watched the ad several times, but seeing it on a giant theater screen felt completely different.

‘She looks so pretty....’

Before long, the theater dimmed. The packed auditorium fell into an expectant silence.

Step.Step.Neither fast nor slow—measured footsteps echoed across the screen.

The camera angle gradually tilted upward, revealing the figure walking down the spacious corridor of a luxury mansion.

Lee Ye-seo.

She moved alone, dragging a broad suitcase behind her. The soft, rolling sound of the wheels against the polished floor followed.

Thudrrr....Thudrrr....As all eyes fixated on Ye-seo and her suitcase—

Trriiing♪A phone rang from her pocket.

Ye-seo stopped, pulled out her phone, and answered.

“Oh, hey, Oppa. I’ll be there in time for the flight, so don’t worry and just wait for me.”

Hearing this, the audience naturally assumed her suitcase was a travel bag.

However, exactly ten seconds later—

Ziiip—.The moment Ye-seo unzipped the suitcase, the entire theater held its breath.

Because inside wasn’t luggage—but a man. His arms and legs were bound.

“Mmmph! Mmm...!!”

The man, exposed to fresh air for the first time in what seemed like ages, shuddered and whimpered.

He was battered and bruised, wearing nothing but a sweat-stained undershirt and boxers.

“...Hmm.”

Ye-seo simply observed him, tilting her head with mild curiosity.

She didn’t interfere as he squirmed and tried to crawl away. She didn’t stop him when he groaned and collapsed, writhing in pain.

But the moment he reached the boundary between the living room and the foyer—

Thud.“Mmm—!!”

Ye-seo drove a dagger through his hand.

A sickening squelch. The sound of blood splattering.

“Hang in there, Mister. You’re almost there, right?”

She smiled sweetly, lifting a delicate finger to point beyond him.

The camera zoomed in on her face—her serene, bewitching smile streaked with his blood.

A haunting blend of beauty and brutality.

Nael forgot how to breathe.

Turning her head slightly, she glanced at her parents, but they were just as absorbed in the scene, eyes locked on the screen.

‘...They say actors have a thousand faces, but....’

The Kim Jung-hyun from The Sunshine had been a poised and graceful young woman.

The Yeong-wol from The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds had been fierce, but beneath her steel exterior was an aching devotion to Crown Prince Lee Hyun.

But this?

This was something else entirely.

Pure, unadulterated malice.

Thud.Thud.Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud....“......Hah.”

Ye-seo’s face remained eerily blank as she continued stabbing the man until he fell silent.

Gone was the teasing smile—her expression had melted into complete emptiness.

Smack!Delivering a final kick to his lifeless body, Ye-seo turned toward the entrance.

She left behind nothing but a corpse in an eerily vacant house.

Not long after, the distant wail of police sirens rang out.

“Freeze! Police—!!”

Click.“What, are you signaling me to run? Relax your shoulders, rookie.”

The scene shifted. The screen no longer showed Ye-seo’s mansion but an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city.

Instead of Ye-seo, Detectives Jeon Jae-han and Kang Chan-seong were busting down a group of rugged gangsters.

Lighthearted background music accompanied their synchronized takedowns, a stark contrast to the chilling opening scene.

Despite the tonal shift, one thing had already been established in the audience’s minds—

Ye-seo was terrifying.

And with that, the title Veterans flashed across the screen, officially marking the beginning of the film.

Completely immersed, Nael didn’t even notice she had stopped chewing her popcorn.

***

“This young lady, she came by last time to help carry briquettes.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yeah. She’s got quite the strength.”

The elderly man reminisced about that day as he walked alongside his granddaughter.

They were currently at a small countryside theater. His granddaughter had come to visit him, and since she was here, she thought it’d be fun to take him out to watch Veterans, which had been receiving a lot of buzz.

Until her grandfather mentioned it, she had no idea he had met Lee Ha-eun in person.

Tilting her head slightly in curiosity, she asked about the encounter.

The story that followed was nothing but praise.

“She’s a really polite young lady. I couldn’t just let her leave empty-handed, so I told her to sit and have some fruit. But you know what? She peeled an apple and gave me the first piece.”

“She did?”

“Yeah. Look, I even took a picture.”

“Oh wow, you really did....”

Looking at the photo on her grandfather’s phone, the granddaughter was momentarily taken aback.

She instinctively glanced back at the Veterans movie poster, comparing the gentle-looking Ha-eun in the photo to the eerily cold-eyed Ye-seo in the poster.

Their atmospheres were entirely different.

But with only a few minutes left before the movie started, she decided to save the rest of the conversation for after the screening.

After settling into the relatively quiet theater, she sat beside her grandfather and watched Veterans with him.

Only for—

“Oh dear... I had no idea she was such a terrifying young lady....”

“Grandpa, it’s just a movie. It’s all acting!”

“You don’t just act like that. I really thought she was a kind, well-mannered girl, but oh dear, oh dear....”

She had to put in all her effort to dispel the misunderstanding Veterans had created in her grandfather’s mind.

It was inevitable, though—he couldn’t help but see the same hands that had skillfully peeled his apples now ruthlessly wielding a blade in the film.

“...But it was fun, right?” she asked.

“It was entertaining. But tell me, how does a young lady fight that well? Is she a boxer? No wonder she carried four briquettes at once....”

“...As long as you enjoyed it, Grandpa....”

In the end, she gave up on clearing the misunderstanding and simply helped her grandfather out of his seat.

For some reason, she kept feeling guilty toward Ha-eun, despite never having met her in person.

‘Though to be fair... even I thought she was scary....’

But acting was acting.

And an actor was an actor.

Since she knew Lee Ye-seo and Lee Ha-eun were completely different people, she was able to focus solely on the entertainment factor.

Besides, her grandfather had clearly been immersed in the movie.

She just hadn’t expected him to be so immersed that he’d mistake the actress for her character.

But if nothing else, it was proof of how incredible Ha-eun’s performance had been.

She wouldn’t be forgetting the actress anytime soon.

“Oh, Grandpa! Could you send me that picture of you and Lee Ha-eun?”

“Why?”

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“Well... you don’t just run into people like her every day. You have to be really lucky to take a picture with someone like that.”

“TV people are all like that.”

“That’s true... but one of my friends is huge fan of hers.”

If she sent them a picture of her grandfather with Ha-eun, they’d definitely freak out.

Seeing his granddaughter politely request the photo, the old man shrugged and sent it to her without much thought.

What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was that the picture would soon make its way into an online article.

Nor had he expected it to be featured in a segment on the evening news under the entertainment section.

***

Title > I Have a Heartwarming Story About Lee Ha-eun

Posted by: HaeuniLover | 15:32

(Photo: Group picture from the coal briquette volunteer event)

(Photo: Ha-eun carrying a massive stack of briquettes on her back)

I was volunteering to deliver coal briquettes with a friend when we suddenly spotted a familiar face...!

Turns out, it was Lee Ha-eun.

She kept carrying briquettes over and over again without showing any signs of exhaustion. 😭

It honestly made us adults feel embarrassed in comparison....

Every time she passed by an elderly person, she greeted them so politely. She even cleaned up houses that had gotten messy. 😭💙

Oh, and when we finished, I hesitantly asked if I could take a picture with her, and she agreed without hesitation!

With how many young people these days act all entitled, it’s really refreshing to see someone like her.

I guess celebrities are built different.

My friend and I have decided we’re going to support Lee Ha-eun from now on.

We’re planning to watch Veterans tomorrow!

───────────

ㄴ Wow.

ㄴ She’s amazing....

ㄴ Queen Ha-eun angel moment 😭😭

ㄴ No words needed. She’s literally an angel.

ㄴ I struggle just taking care of my own family, but she’s out here doing all this... she’s incredible.

ㄴ But wait, so they haven’t watched Veterans yet??

ㄴ They’re in for a shock lol

ㄴ Oh no, I can’t wait to see their reaction 😂😂😂