The person who appeared in the meeting room was none other than Lee Soo-Yeon. She had been the only surviving victim of the criminal behind the serial disappearance case in Seongnam twenty years ago—the very case that had inspired Missing – The Lost Ones. Ahn Jung-Hae had invited her to the meeting today. A woman in her late twenties with a slender frame and a bob haircut gave a faint smile and bowed her head. "Hello. My name is Lee Soo-Yeon." She was Ahn Jung-Hae's informant, but unfortunately, she wasn't the police insider I had been looking for. That's when I noticed her left pinky finger didn't bend when she brought her hands together. The reason her finger didn't bend was because she had been stabbed when she and her mother were abducted. Though the scar had nearly faded, her left hand still carried the memory of that day. The room fell into an awkward silence, unsure of how to respond. Lee Soo-Yeon gave a bittersweet smile. "Maybe I should've come a little later..." Ahn Jung-Hae quickly waved his hand. "No, no. Ms. Soo-Yeon, it's my fault for not saying something earlier." Then Ahn Jung-Hae addressed everyone in the room. "The reason I invited Ms. Soo-Yeon here today is..." Just then, a chair slid across the floor. Miso got up from her seat and toddled over to Lee Soo-Yeon. "Hello, Auntie Soo-Yeon! I'm Jung Miso. I'll be playing you!" Miso clasped her hands together and gave a deep bow. Her bright energy brought a small smile to Lee Soo-Yeon's face. "Hi, Miso. Mr. Ahn told me about you. And honestly, I was so happy when I heard you'd be the one playing me. I'm a big fan of yours." Miso beamed as she replied. "Wow~ thank you!" However, something didn't sit right. 'What is it? What's causing this sense of unease?' Then my gaze drifted to Miso's left hand. She was holding her left pinky finger straight, just like Lee Soo-Yeon. 'No way...Since when has she been doing that?' Trying to recall, I realized Miso had already been doing it when she held the sketchbook. 'No, it was even earlier when she had been drawing on the living room floor.' I had assumed Miso was just holding the sketchbook steady, but that wasn't it. Lee Soo-Yeon had been injured when she was first abducted, and Miso would have to maintain that detail throughout filming. After reading the script, Miso had started practicing that posture in everyday life to embody the character. I turned to Yoo-Jin sitting next to me. Seeing the surprise on my face, she nodded and quietly whispered, "I didn't tell her to do that. Miso... she did it all on her own." "Yeah. She said she wanted to understand how hard things must have been for Soo-Yeon unnie." Yet again, Miso never failed to amaze me. Just then, Lee Soo-Yeon's gaze drifted toward Miso's extended pinky. A chill ran down my spine. As impressive as Miso's commitment was, we didn't know how the real Lee Soo-Yeon would take it. "Miso... your finger... who told you to do that?" Ahn Jung-Hae tried to answer on her behalf, but Miso was quicker. "No one. I read the script and decided to do it myself!" "You did it... on your own?" Lee Soo-Yeon looked genuinely confused. After all, Miso was only eight years old by Korean age. Yet Miso answered without the slightest hesitation. Miso wore a slightly sad expression and said, "Yes! I thought about how much Auntie Soo-Yeon must've hurt, and it made my heart ache. I didn't really know how uncomfortable or painful it must've been after you got hurt, so I tried it myself. But even just one day of it... it was really hard!" Lee Soo-Yeon said nothing when she realized that no adult had told Miso to do it. Miso had chosen, all on her own, to acknowledge her pain. Just then, Miso turned around as if she had remembered something. Miso ran back to her seat and returned with the sketchbook she had been drawing in since the morning. Then she held it out to Lee Soo-Yeon. "I really wanted to give this to you when we met!" "It's a guardian spirit! If you keep this with you, it'll protect you from all the bad guys!" My mind blanked for a moment. 'So the terrifying, hellhound-like creature Miso had drawn was a guardian spirit she meant to give to Lee Soo-Yeon?' Suddenly, the drawing that had looked so monstrous before began to appear differently in my mind. What had seemed like sharp, deadly horns now looked like powerful weapons to ward off evil. The six legs, which had seemed bizarre, were now sturdy supports that grounded it firmly. The snake heads on the tail were now fierce protectors to strike down evil. The jagged scales became armor-like plating. The creature, once a demonic warden, was now transforming in my mind into the strongest, most reliable guardian that could protect a victim. I felt slightly ashamed for not recognizing Miso's kind heart sooner. Then, tears welled up in Lee Soo-Yeon's eyes as she took the sketchbook. A healthy flush returned to her pale face as the tears streamed down her cheeks. "Thank you... Miso..." With those words, Lee Soo-Yeon embraced Miso. She knew it wasn't done to mock her, nor was it because an adult had made her. Miso had genuinely tried to understand her pain and to portray her with care. As she sat in Lee Soo-Yeon's arms, Miso gently patted her back instead. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride for Miso. After a moment, they let go of each other and calmed down. Only then did Ahn Jung-Hae speak up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell everyone beforehand. The reason is..." Then, Lee Soo-Chan stood up and spoke. "It was actually my idea to invite her." I immediately turned to him and asked, "Why?" Crime victims often carried deep trauma. Even if Lee Soo-Yeon had received sufficient treatment after her story became public, there was still risk involved. I was about to criticize him when Lee Soo-Chan met my gaze and said, "As you know, life isn't easy for victims. Medical bills, therapy... the government basically ignores them." "So we decided that a portion of the profits from this film, funded by Reverse Capital, should go to the victims and their families. But we couldn't just hand it over. So we decided to bring Ms. Soo-Yeon on board as a consultant. Of course, she agreed to come on her own." Lee Soo-Yeon nodded beside him. "That's right. The criminal will never get out of prison, and the other accomplices and family members are dead. So I wanted to be brave." The perpetrator, Lee Tae-Gil, had received a life sentence. His wife and accomplice, Park Gyu-Yeon, had taken her own life when the police closed in. His younger sister, Lee Tae-Yi, was killed by Lee Tae-Gil while trying to report the trapped victims. Lastly, his son Lee Hyun-Sung, who had been eight at the time, was adopted overseas and later reported to have died. So now, Lee Soo-Yeon was trying to step back into the world. As her explanation ended, Ahn Jung-Hae looked around and said, "Is there anyone else who needs to speak? Can I go ahead now?" After so many interruptions, he joked as he checked. Everyone shut their mouths apologetically. "I wasn't sure if Ms. Soo-Yeon would actually show up, so I didn't tell anyone in advance. I hope you'll all understand." Well, it did feel strange to inform everyone beforehand when there was no certainty she would even come. In any case, I had planned to help the victims if the movie became successful. And it seemed Lee Soo-Chan had sensed that and acted ahead of me. Catching my glance, Lee Soo-Chan gave a wide grin. It reminded me of his childhood—the innocent sparkle in his eyes when he brought me a bucket of crayfish from the orphanage hill, calling it a gift. Though he once lived a rough life as a gangster, watching him change made my chest swell. 'Yeah. Soo-Chan, let's keep living .' As if he understood what I was thinking, Lee Soo-Chan's smile brightened even more. Lee Soo-Yeon sat next to me, holding Miso's sketchbook tightly against her chest. Actors continued to trickle in and take their seats. From the production side, Ahn Jung-Hae and Chief Producer Park Hyun-Soo were present, while the distributor CK Entertainment was represented by Director Lee Jin-Hak. Once everyone had gathered, Ahn Jung-Hae looked around and spoke. "Since this is our first script reading, let's begin with introductions." In Missing - The Lost Ones, four key roles led the story: They were the perpetrator Lee Tae-Gil, the eight-year-old Lee Soo-Yeon, Lee Soo-Yeon's mother Oh Jung-Hyun, and rookie officer Park Dong-Joon. The first to rise was Choi Dong-Woo from Ace Entertainment. "I'll be playing Lee Tae-Gil, the perpetrator. I look forward to working with you." Choi Dong-Woo had a sturdy 175 cm frame, which matched the description of Lee Tae-Gil's appearance and build. A rising expressionist actor, he had also played the lead in this film before the regression. Despite his rough looks, he was a gentle soul who didn't drink or curse. For this reason, I had heard he struggled greatly during the original filming. Yet, it was that sensitivity that had led him to deliver such realistic performances. As Choi Dong-Woo introduced himself, the others responded with soft and hesitant applause. It was hard to clap too loudly, given that this was based on a true crime and there were real victims. Next, Ju Yung-In, who had since started her own independent agency, stood up. "I'll be playing Oh Jung-Hyun, the mother who dies at the hands of the criminal. Nice to meet you." At that moment, Lee Soo-Yeon beside me gave a small shiver. I immediately turned to her. "Ms. Soo-Yeon. If this is too much, you can step outside." Lee Soo-Yeon took a deep breath and replied, "No, I'm okay. It's not the trauma... it's just that it reminded me of my mom." While we were waiting for the cast earlier, I had spoken briefly with Lee Soo-Yeon. Though she had survived and revealed the truth, it was her mother Oh Jung-Hyun's selfless actions during their abduction that had made it possible. She had come today hoping that her mother's bravery would be faithfully portrayed in the film. Miso then stood up and greeted everyone. "I'm playing Lee Soo-Yeon. I'll do my best~!" After Miso's confident greeting, TK Entertainment's Ahn Tae-Sik stood and introduced himself. "I'm Ahn Tae-Sik, playing rookie officer Park Dong-Joon." Ahn Tae-Sik, 22 years old, was an up-and-coming actor that TK Entertainment had been training with high hopes. With the key roles introduced, the supporting cast followed suit. Once all introductions were done, Park Hyun-Soo, Ahn Jung-Hae, and Lee Jin-Hak also gave their greetings. Ahn Jung-Hae took a deep breath and looked around. "Before we begin... I'd like to take a moment of silence to honor those lost in the events of 20 years ago." As Ahn Jung-Hae bowed his head, everyone in the room followed suit. After a moment, he lifted his head and opened his script. "Alright, let's begin the script reading. Ms. Soo-Yeon, who is here with us today, hopes for the actors to perform as truthfully as possible. Please give it your all." The actors bowed their heads toward Lee Soo-Yeon, and she received the gesture with a solemn nod. Lee Soo-Yeon said, "If anything feels inaccurate, I'll offer advice." "Thank you, Ms. Soo-Yeon." Then Ahn Jung-Hae took a final deep breath and called the start. "Now, the story begins with the serial missing persons case in Seongnam, twenty years ago. Scene one. A rainy night. Lee Soo-Yeon and her mother, Oh Jung-Hyun, are closing their snack shop. At that moment, the perpetrator enters. Let's begin. Ready, action!" Just like that, the script reading for Missing - The Lost Ones began. Choi Dong-Woo, playing the criminal Lee Tae-Gil, delivered his lines in a chilling voice. 『Hey~ Ms. Oh. You're... leaving work a bit late tonight.』 His voice was raspy, as though he had already had a drink. Ju Yung-In, holding the script in hand as the snack shop owner Oh Jung-Hyun, replied. 『It turned out that way. But it's too late now, so we can only do takeout kimbap.』 『Aw, come on~ We've known each other forever, haven't we? Just give me a bowl of ramen and one roll of kimbap with some makgeolli.』[1] 『I'm sorry. It's time to put Soo-Yeon to bed. You can buy your drinks at the market next door.』 Ju Yung-In's voice was firm and cold. Then Choi Dong-Woo's tone grew harsher. 『You little... Are you looking down on me now?』 『What? What do you mean? I never—』 『Fuck! Don't play dumb! You're disrespecting me!』 When Choi Dong-Woo let out heavy breaths as he shouted profanities, the startled Ju Yung-In responded. As their voices rose, a chilling atmosphere settled over the set. Then, Choi Dong-Woo slammed the meeting room table. As the table trembled, Ju Yung-In went silent. That was the moment in the film when the snack shop owner was struck and collapsed. At that moment, Ahn Jung-Hae gave a cue to Miso. Miso nodded, then gently scraped her pencil case against the table. She was mimicking the sound of young Lee Soo-Yeon opening the snack shop door after seeing Choi Dong-Woo's acting earlier. Then, with a trembling voice, Miso began acting the moment she discovered her fallen mother. Miso's eyes widened as her small body began to tremble. Ju Yung-In, now slumped over the table, groaned through her lines. 『R-run... Soo-Yeon...』 Next to me, Lee Soo-Yeon clenched her eyes shut. Twenty years ago, that day—instead of running away, the real Lee Soo-Yeon had rushed in, determined to save her mother. That was how both of them ended up disappearing. Ahn Jung-Hae shouted energetically, and everyone collapsed into their seats, panting. The intense performances of Choi Dong-Woo, Ju Yung-In, and Miso had left the room breathless. Thanks to that whirlwind of acting right from the start, everyone now wore an exhilarated expression. "Phew~ You guys are... absolutely incredible," the visibly excited Ahn Jung-Hae said. At that moment, a knock came from the meeting room door. -Mr. Ahn, it's me. Sorry I'm late. Ahn Jung-Hae replied in a delighted voice. "Oh, you're here. This is another advisor to our film. He's one of the people who helped make this movie possible." Finally, I was about to meet the informant who had provided the critical data needed for the film's production. The door opened, and a healthy-looking man in his late forties entered. He stood about 185 centimeters tall with a build that reminded me of a judo athlete. Everyone was visibly startled. The man was none other than Chief Park Dong-Joon. He was the one who had first investigated the case twenty years ago, and he turned out to be Ahn Jung-Hae's informant. 'No wonder Missing – The Lost Ones had felt so realistic before the regression.' The person who led the actual investigation had been the one supplying the information. Park Dong-Joon greeted us. "Hello, I'm Chief Park Dong-Joon. I was in charge of missing persons at Gwacheon Police Station." It was an enormous relief that Park Dong-Joon was currently assigned to Gwacheon Police Station. That meant he would be the one in charge of the Gwacheon serial child abduction case, which inspired Missing 2 – The Story of That Day. Now that I had identified the police informant I had been looking for, I planned to build a rapport with him as soon as the script reading was over. In this life, I had to stop Missing 2 – The Story of That Day from becoming a reality. But then, another officer in his late twenties entered behind Park Dong-Joon. Standing just over 170 centimeters, he had such a kind and gentle face that it was hard to believe he was a police officer. He smiled with his eyes as he stepped in. Just then, my phone vibrated and an Everyday notification message popped up. [Notification: Fortune of the Day has been updated.] Curious, I quickly checked Fortune of the Day. However, what I read made no sense at all. 'What the heck is this?'