Wubin caught the subtle meaning behind Yua's words about Shia and chose to leave it at that, knowing she had her reasons. Yet, he couldn’t help but check in on her.

"By the way, Noona. Are you okay?"

Yua blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Hm? Why do you ask?"

"Well... you did that window jump scene by yourself, and I just wanted to make sure—"

"Oh gosh." Yua interrupted with a laugh, shaking her head. "I'm your senior. I should be the one worrying about you! Relax and keep up your amazing acting."

Wubin chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Haha... thanks, Noona."

They shared a warm camaraderie, aware that the cameras capturing behind-the-scenes content were still rolling somewhere, eager to catch any entertaining moments. Their off-camera friendliness was genuine, yet both knew how those unguarded moments added to the show’s charm.

The day’s shoot wrapped up smoothly, and the public's opinion of Shia began to shift in her favor. With just a few words from Yua, viewers reconsidered their opinions of Shia, softening their harsh judgments. Although there were still skeptics, Yua’s influence on the show’s audience was undeniable. The clash between Nova and Shia lost its edge, smoothed over by Yua’s well-timed intervention. As the conversation between Wubin and Yua came to a natural close, the camera crew redirected their lenses toward other cast members, while the actors made preparations to leave.

Later, Yunjin led Yua back to the dressing room. It was already well past midnight. Grabbing her coat and notes, Yua was ready to call it a night. Just outside, Yunjin waited patiently, but as Yua was about to step out, the door creaked open, and someone else entered. Yua turned, expecting Yunjin.

"Yunjin, you—" she began but stopped short, recognizing Director Nova.

Nova closed the door firmly behind her, her expression unusually serious. She moved to one of the chairs near the dressing mirrors, sighing as she lowered herself into the seat. The room, decorated in soft shades of pink and framed by the dim, warm lights, took on an almost surreal glow under the tension of the moment. Nova idly spun in the swiveling chair, exuding a cool, intimidating aura that made Yua’s pulse quicken. Even after all these years, Nova’s presence held a certain edge.

Finally, Nova stopped spinning, folding her hands in her lap. "Listen, Yua," she said, fixing her gaze on her.

Yua took a deep breath, bracing herself. No matter how much she respected Nova, that air of authority could be intimidating.

"That girl, Shia," Nova continued. Her voice was quiet, almost reflective, but her sharp gaze held Yua in place. "Have you met her before?"

The question caught Yua off guard, and she faltered. "I… I’m sorry?" she stammered.

Nova’s gaze didn’t waver. "It seems like you two have known each other for quite some time, isn’t that right?"

The question seemed innocent enough, perhaps even casual, yet Yua could tell there was more to it than Nova let on. She knew Nova wasn’t asking if they’d simply crossed paths before the drama; she was digging deeper, probing at an old history, one Yua wasn’t sure she wanted to revisit.

Nova’s gaze remained locked on Yua, the tension thickening in the pink-hued dressing room. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing in a way that seemed to probe past Yua’s surface, as if she were dissecting the young actress's thoughts, unearthing buried memories and unspoken truths.

"Well, whatever it is," Nova finally said, her voice low but cutting. "I want the history of my actors clean. Some people can’t seem to bury their past, no matter how hard they try. Everything eventually comes out. But others…" She paused, her eyes hardening. "Others are cunning. They bury their secrets deep enough to live like they’d never done anything at all."

Yua’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to brush it off, pretend she didn’t understand, but Nova’s words hit close to home. She felt her usual confidence falter, the steady façade she always kept in front of Nova slipping. "I… I fail to understand what you mean, Director," Yua replied, her voice barely a whisper. The confident, bright responses she usually gave Nova were gone, diminished by the weight of what Nova implied. Yua knew Nova wasn’t accusing her. No—she was pointing at someone else.

Shia.

Although things between her and Shia had been rocky for sometime now, they had once been friends. She’d fought against believing the rumors and whispers that surfaced in this cutthroat industry. Despite the unspoken tension between them, part of her didn’t want to believe Shia had done anything wrong. The Shia she once knew wouldn’t resort to underhanded tactics… or at least that’s what Yua kept telling herself.

Nova sighed, running her hand over her face before dropping it to her lap in exasperation. "Look, Han Yua. Miss Kwon’s manager tried to bribe me during our previous shoot," she revealed, her tone simmering with barely-contained irritation.

"What?" Yua blinked, genuinely stunned.

Nova’s gaze hardened. "If you’ve done your research right, Yua, then you know the kind of person I am. I despise underhanded tactics. The sheer arrogance of it—it made me furious. So, yes, I picked on Shia every chance I got after that. How dare they? How dare they try to secure a place in my show through shortcuts and deception just because Kwon Shia has some ‘basic talent’? It’s ridiculous."

She gripped the armrest tightly, her knuckles turning white as her voice edged on anger.

Yua’s hands clenched involuntarily as she listened, her expression turning solemn. It wasn’t surprising, in a way. In this industry, it was all too common for people to use influence, money, or connections to pull strings. These were no fairy tales, and everyone in the industry understood that. But the damage caused by those who relied on these methods wasn’t just theirs to bear. When the truth inevitably came out, it brought everyone down with them—staff, directors, crew, and even the cast. Yua knew all too well the bitter reality behind the glamour of the spotlight.

She thought back to her own journey. She hadn’t exactly dreamed of being an actress, but she’d worked her way here nonetheless. She had spent countless nights rehearsing until dawn, endured public criticism, pushed through failures that broke her spirit, and fought against her own doubts and anxieties. She knew what it felt like to be on the verge of giving up, only to claw her way back to where she was now. If Shia and her manager’s unethical moves were exposed, everyone on this show—Nova, the crew, her fellow castmates—would suffer. And she would, too.

Yua took a shaky breath, and Nova’s gaze softened just slightly, sensing her unspoken frustration.

"But ma’am," Yua began, her voice firm but guarded, "why are you telling me this?"

Nova’s eyes didn’t waver. "You defended her today in front of the cameras because you wanted to protect the drama, I get that. But I also know you see your old friend in her. I don’t know what went down between you two in the past," she said, her tone gentler now, "but I’m warning you, Yua. You’re a good kid. Don’t mingle with her."

Yua felt the weight of Nova’s words settle over her. It wasn’t an order, but rather a plea and a warning, an attempt to shield her from getting tangled in something darker, something that could threaten the integrity she’d fought so hard to build.