The Rising Star, in Action

The next day.

Yeo Ri was on set first thing in the morning.

Her morning, which had originally been free, was now used to fill in for her scenes in the period drama she was suddenly given a slightly bigger role in.

The cast and crew gathered in front of a forested hill, where they would be filming. As the staff went around setting up the equipment, the morning joggers and hikers who were passing by curiously glanced at the group.

The scene they were supposed to shoot took place inside the forest. It was a scene where the Prince's bodyguard sacrifices his life to save the second male lead's younger sister as they fled from pursuers after the civil war broke out.

Since the scene had only been added at the last minute, Yeo Ri only received her script when she came to the meeting spot.

"From here to here," the director pointed out at the map of the route they were supposed to take. "Once you reach the clearing here, the fight will begin. Yi Seok gets fatally injured by one of the assassins, but cuts through several more opponents before he falls. Seo Yeon then picks up the sword Yi Seok dropped and tries to fight back while channelling the spirit of her military family. Of course, being raised as a noble young lady, she fought without technique and only managed to hold on out of sheer willpower. The allied subordinates finally find them but it was too late. She ends up dying while grieving over the man she loves. That's about it. Any questions?"

The director looked around. Seeing no one voicing out any objections or questions, he ended the briefing. "Let's get straight to rehearsals, shall we?"

Yeo Ri held onto her script and followed the rest of the crew like a little chick as they walked down the route for the scene. The set director pointed out several spots to take note of during the scene, such as where to step and what they should watch out for to prevent injury in the unfamiliar terrain.

She watched attentively as the fight choreographer instructed the actors and stuntmen on the fighting sequence, and when her turn came up, Yeo Ri excitedly held onto the prop sword and mimicked the choreographer step-by-step.

After making sure that everything was covered, it was finally time to shoot the scene.

Since Yeo Ri had another different project to film later, the director was aiming to wrap up the filming before lunch, thus he wanted to reduce the number of takes and hoped that the mistakes were minimal.

As everyone got into position, Yeo Ri brought herself into the zone, gathering all her focus so that she could execute her job well.

In the back of her mind, she was reminded of that day—the day the devil had found her and destroyed her.

'I have to get away!' her mind shrieked at her.

'That's right, remember... how scared you were. How pitiful and weak,' the devil cackled. 'How you never got away.'

Yeo Ri closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'No—the past is the past. Don't let it control you. Learn from it and use it well.'

She remembered how it felt like when he caught her—

Yeo Ri opened her eyes. 'Yes...' she exhaled slowly. 'Let it be fuel.'

—and she channeled the fear she once felt into her act.

She felt her arms tingle, and her fingers trembled. A sudden urge to hit or choke something—someone—emerged as the memories of the past replayed in her head but she pushed it down. This wasn't the time to be 'Lee Yeo Ri', she reminded herself. It was not the time to get lost in her personal grudges. She was supposed to be 'Seo Yeon' right now; the girl who was running away from the people sent to kill her.

Seo Yeon; the sweet, fragile lady of noble birth. A lady who, had her life ran its normal course, would have gone on peacefully, in her safe and luxurious boudoir. But now, here she was—running for her life.

Oh, how tragic. At least she had the man she was secretly pining for with her by her side, doing his best to keep her alive.

Ryeon Jae Hwan held a sword in one hand and offered her his other hand. Yeo Ri unhesitatingly held onto the man's offered hand, and at the director's signal, her face morphed into that of muted fear and trepidation as the two began running through the established route.

"'Catch them!'" One of the stuntmen yelled out his line as several of them began chasing after the duo.

"'Over here!'" Ryeon Jae Hwan said, tugging her towards the left trail as they approached a branching path.

A drone followed them from the top, and several cameramen were placed at several different points along the route.

Finally, after running for a few more seconds, they reached the small clearing where they were supposed to engage in combat.

One of the extras whistled as they burst through to the clearing, and another group of stuntmen entered from the other side, all garbed in black.

"'—Tsk! The assassins...'" Ryeon Jae Hwan muttered.

"'Eeeek—!'" Yeo Ri screamed as the man pulled her closer to him in a protective manner.

His sword expertly slashed at anyone and everyone who dared to take even one step closer, but with a liability he needed to protect and being outnumbered by a swarm of assassins, even the man famed for his strength could not win.

Several attacks landed on him, causing several bleeding gashes to appear.

He pushed the girl behind him as they were forced to back away. Behind them was a large tree, and coming in from all sides except the back were assassins; they were stuck.

One party were experienced killers and soldiers, while the other party consisted of a weak lady and an injured man. There was little chance they could get out of this alive.

However, 'Yi Seok' refused to give up.

Ryeon Jae Hwan gritted his teeth, appearing to be in pain yet determined. He eyed his enemies with his sharp eyes, and as if he spotted an opening, he launched an attack at the group's weakest link.

Another bout ensued.

As the assassins flanked around the injured bodyguard, one of them managed to slip past his defences and reached the girl.

"'No—!'" He rushed towards the girl, forgetting his own life, and threw himself in the way right before the sword landed on the girl.

Yeo Ri's eyes widened as if in disbelief as the man faltered in front of her. "'Sir Seok—!'" She screamed, hands shooting out to catch him.

The relentless attacker did not stop and proceeded to stab him in the chest once for good measure.

Ryeon Jae Hwan bit the fake blood capsule hidden in his mouth and coughed up a mouthful of blood. His eyes flared as he ignored the pain. He managed to take down a few more able-bodied men even with his condition before he caved to his injuries.

"'No—!'" Yeo Ri sobbed. "'No, you can't die...!'"

Her body shook as she let out a sorrowful howl. The man she loved was bleeding his life away, and they were still surrounded by enemies despite the man's effort to cull down their numbers.

"'R...un... save your...self... please, as long as y...ou live...'" the man rasped. He begged the girl to leave him and run, hoping that at least she would get out of this alive.

"'No...! No...! This isn't how it's supposed to be...! This... this isn't how it should've turned out...! Please, Sir Seok...! Don't leave me!'" she sobbed.

Unfortunately, there was no time to mourn. The enemies raised their swords again, ready to cut her down.

Yeo Ri let out another howl. With her hands trembling, she snatched the sword out of her beloved's hand, and stood unsteadily on her feet, glaring at the assassins with anger and anguish in her eyes.

"'I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!'"

"'Give it up, Lady Seo. Your general's manor is no more—reduced to nothing but a relic of the past. The only choice you have now is to die,'" one of the assassins said.

"'Ha!'" she scoffed. "'The general's family may have been eradicated by you lot, but its spirit lives on, in the people's heart and in all the scattered descendants! I swear upon the heavens that I will have my revenge, or my name is not Seo!'"

With a yell, she launched herself at the remaining assassins, swinging the sword wildly. She poured all of her strength into her swings, ignoring her defences as she went on the offence. She was full of openings, but none could get close to her due to her violent movements.

After cutting down two men, she finally expended all her strength. Her arms shook as she struggled to hold up the heavy iron blade.

Now only one more. She only needed to defeat one more person and this would all finally end.

The assassin easily slashed her arm as she raised her blade several moments too late. And with that, she was incapacitated.

A fatal blow landed on her.

However, she did not give up. She flung herself at the enemy, biting his arm. The two fell, and taking advantage of her position, she swatted his sword away and began punching him with her remaining good arm.

The strength of a weak noble lady was clearly not enough to knock him out. Very easily, he threw her off and reached for his sword.

He raised his sword above his head—

Thwack-thwack-thwack!

—Several arrows shot towards the last remaining assassin.

"'Sweep the area! Check for any other survivors! His Highness has ordered for total annihilation!'"

"""'Sir, yes sir!'"""

"'Captain Yi, Lady Seo, we have arrived on the orders of the Crown Prince to assist you. Forgive us for being late—Captain?!'"

"'No...'" Yeo Ri ignored the newcomers, her eyes zeroing on the fallen bodyguard. She pushed away anyone who tried to help her up, shakily crawling towards the man.

He was sprawled on the dirt, arms out as if reaching towards something.

Hyuk's figure superimposed on the man. Yeo Ri could remember vividly of the day Hyuk had found her, violated, and almost lost his life. It was a traumatic time for both of them. Yeo Ri's breath hitched as she recalled the specific memory.

Her eyes reddened as she suppressed her emotions. 'Don't lose focus!' she reminded herself.

She bit her lips and continued to crawl. Only she knew of the agonising, twisting pain in her heart, which seemed to unknowingly add to her heartbreakingly tragic act.

Once she reached Ryeon Jae Hwan's side, she pulled his torso up to her lap with difficulty, laying his head on her shoulder. She touched his pale face, laying her head on his. Her tears dropped onto his face. Sobbing quietly, she took his bloodied hand and laid it on her cheek. "'No...'"

"'Not like this... no...'" she wept. "'I love you... please... wake up, Seok-ah! Wake up...!'"

The subordinates stood around the two star-crossed lovers, watching in silence as they, too, mourned for the loss.

Perhaps, at this point in the post-production process, they would insert a montage of the time the two secretly spent together, showcasing the pure and quiet love of the stoic man and his lovely lady. Yeo Ri could imagine the sad background music they would add to heighten the painful ending of the two. Luckily for her—and also for legal reasons—the setting of their loveline was one that did not include any kissing scenes due to the time period and the nature of the characters.

Yeo Ri drooped over Ryeon Jae Hwan's figure as she cried. The accrued 'pain' which she seemed to have forgotten about suddenly assaulted her all at once, causing her to freeze up and falter. Her hand holding up his palm slowly lost his strength, and the lady weakly breathed her last as she held her beloved's cold body.

"—And cut!"