240 Lee Yeo Ri, Debuting on National Television (2/2)

Soon enough, the episode reached its climax. The heroine finally caught up to the ghost, and convinced her to tell the truth so that she could pass on peacefully.

”We were best friends...”

Yeo Ri's soft voice could be heard as the ghost told the supernatural heroine her story. Her tearful, weak voice complimented her forlorn expression, making her seem more melancholic than scary.

A series of flashbacks appeared. It was the girl Yeo Ri was playing, 'Da Hee', and the person who had murdered her, 'Yu Na'. From being best friends up until the last moment, the watchers could see how their relationship degraded as Yu Na's jealousy towards Da Hee grew.

Finally, the scene moved to the girls' bathroom where Da Hee and Yu Na was having a conversation.

”—With the recommendation letter from the professor, I think I'll be able to make it in. Isn't it great?” Da Hee said joyously as she fixed her hair in front of the mirror.

Yu Na, who was currently washing her hands at the sink, paused. She clenched her jaw, a trace of envy flashing in her eyes. Why is she always the one who had everything, when she was born with nothing, the girl thought begrudgingly.

”The professor said she's waiting for m—” Before she could finish her words, the hairpin she had been trying to pin her hair with was suddenly snatched out of her hand. ”Y-Yu Na..?”

Da Hee stared wide-eyed at her friend who was holding her hairpin threateningly as if it was a weapon. ”Yu—aaaaaah!”

Without any forewarning, Yu Na stabbed the hairpin into the other girl's neck. The stabbed girl faltered and collapsed on the floor, a disbelieving look crossing her eyes.

Gun, watching the scene, flinched. He held his sister tightly, glancing at her pristine, clean neck as if to make sure. He knew it was just acting, but he couldn't help but be worried.

”Wow, it looks so real,” Yeo Ri commented. Yeo Ri could feel her brother's anxiousness, and so she leaned closer to him.

Though, for her, it wasn't as scary-looking while she was filming it, what with the tubes and the obviously fake bags of blood pumping and splattering everywhere. Even her wound wasn't real—it was prosthetics that took over an hour to apply. The weapon, too, was just a simple, easily breakable prop.

—Yu Na ruthlessly pulled out the hairpin from her friend's neck, letting the blood quickly spill out and pool on the floor.

”—!” Yu Na gasped, as if finally realising what she had done. Panic filled her eyes as she tremblingly dropped the murder weapon. ”D-Da Hee! Da Hee-ah?! I-I'm—what do I do?!” Guilt rushed into her brain as she felt the brunt of her reckless act of aggression.

As Da Hee felt her life drain out of her body, she opened her mouth as if wanting to speak. However, her throat had been punctured and no proper words could come out. The last thing she saw before dying had been her friend's guilt-filled visage.

A few more scenes flashed, showing the girl's life after the murder. Yu Na, unwilling to be convicted as a murderer, had her parents cover up her deed, and both the body and the murder weapon was immediately disposed of by someone they had hired.

And so, the on-screen Yeo Ri finished recounting her tale to the heroine. ”I don't know what to do,” she sobbed. On one hand, she loved her friend, but on the other hand, her friend's betrayal had pained her greatly.

Yeo Ri's ability to cry on cue had earned her praises from the director and the crew, and watching herself back on the screen, she could see why.

Tears streamed down Da Hee's cheeks, her eyes reflecting the pain she was carrying deep inside her heart. Not even the blood staining her clothes could smear her beautiful soul.

Gun patted his sister's head, frowning ever-so-slightly. It always broke his heart when she cried, and seeing her cry on TV brought out the same effect.

”Was filming this hard?” He asked gently.

”It was okay. It was just for a few days, after all. It's pretty fun, actually,” she replied, smiling at her brother's concerned look.

”I should come with you next time,” he muttered. He hadn't been able to accompany Yeo Ri due to school and work, and he even contemplated taking several days off just so he could go with her. Of course, the girl forbade him from doing so, as her shoots weren't as important as his education.

”At least for the night shoots,” he added. Since Yeo Ri was still a young girl, it was not good for her to he out late. However, some of her scenes had to be filmed under the covers of the night sky. While he had no intentions of stopping Yeo Ri from pursuing her dreams, he was still worried for her safety when she had to go out to film in those kinds of random conditions.

Finally, after a gut-wrenching confrontation with the murderer, the arc concluded. Ghost Yeo Ri was safely sent away, her murderer was captured, and once again, the two leads cracked another mystery and saved the day.

”That was a good episode,” Gun remarked with a smile. Although he hadn't seen any other episodes of the show, he thought it was good only due to the sole reason that his baby sister was featured in it.

”What do you think about my performance?” Yeo Ri asked, tilting her head and staring at her brother with glittering, hopeful eyes.

Gun smiled dotingly, patting her head. ”Good job, Yeo Ri-ah. You're a really good actress. I'm so proud of you!”

”Hehe.” Receiving the praise she wanted to hear, Yeo Ri's eyes curved into crescents. She smiled genuinely towards Gun.

Gun matched her smile with one of his own. Burying his nose affectionately in her hair, he sighed, ”From now on, things will only get better.”

”Yes,” Yeo Ri nodded, sighing in content as she laid in her brother's arm.

Life was so good to her lately.

—How frightening.