“I can’t believe this,” Oska scoffed as he looked at the script in his hand.
The floral scent of the restroom made him even more agitated, causing him to crumple the piece of paper through his grip.
“A second audition?” he muttered, shaking his head.
He could just walk away from this building and never look back. How is it that they were making him take a second audition? Didn’t they know who he was?
However, even then, he didn’t have it in him to walk away from a role that he thought would be well-loved by the public.
He reached for his phone inside his pocket and searched for his cousin’s number to see if he had really talked to Daeshim PD.
However, he stopped when the door suddenly opened, revealing Zeno with bloodshot eyes.
Oska immediately placed his phone back into his pocket and straightened his posture. Zeno, on the other hand, went to the sink next to him and began dousing his face with water.
He sighed in relief when the cool water touched his hot skin. He knew his fever was at an all-time high, but he couldn’t leave until he was finished with this.
Oska turned to him and pursed his lips. As Zeno patted his face with a paper towel, Oska realized that he didn’t go to the salon like the rest of the guys did to get his makeup and hair done.
He pursed his lips and felt another unimaginable annoyance go through his veins. What was even more annoying was that Zeno didn’t spare him a glance. He merely threw the paper towels in the bin before leaving the room.
Oska’s fists clenched by his side. Since he was young, he was used to being pampered. Being born into a well-known and rich family, he was even called a ‘young master.’
Even when he was a new actor in his teens, people treated him like he was a veteran because of his name. However, Zeno completely blew him off.
Meanwhile, Zeno ran his fingers through his hair as he walked back to the conference hall.
“Was there a person in there?” he muttered, stopping after a while. Then, he shrugged and continued on his way.
However, he stopped when he suddenly received a notification.
[+1 Public Perception. +100,000 followers.]
[Fame Meter: 10%]
His meter was increasing at a slower pace now that it has changed. It seemed that fame was much harder to achieve. Earlier this morning, when he received the news that he had a callback, he had another increase, which meant that he was going to get another item.
[+1 White Aura Potion]
[Awakens an ethereal glow beneath the skin. Under its enchantment, the actor becomes the center of attention. A natural spotlight.]
***
“This is insane, by the way,” Shin said as the aspiring Hajins went out of the room to practice for a short while. “This is the first time I’ve encountered something like this.”
Hyunbin chuckled and patted his shoulder. “It happens more often than you think.”
“Oh,” Shin muttered, scratching the back of his neck. “It must be because I haven’t been in the industry for long.”
Risa chuckled. “Trust me, it’s a good thing you haven’t experienced it. I had to do this once in front of so many huge actors, and I thought I was going to faint.”
“What made you want to do something like this, PD?” she then asked, turning to the older man.
Daeshim pursed his lips, his eyes straying toward the young girl who was doodling on her notebook. There was a small smile playing on her lips that appeared to be that of excitement.
“Hajin Yi is a beloved character because of the well-written novel,” he started off. “I believe that choosing the person to play him could make or break the drama.”
“I agree,” Risa muttered. As someone who had read the published novel, she also wanted the best for the drama.
“Well, I think that’s enough,” Daeshim said a small smile on his lips. “Bring them in.”
Chachi nodded and asked the actors to enter the room.
As soon as all of them were gathered, the tension increased even more.
Oska was still in a bad mood as he wasn’t able to contact his cousin. Instead, he had turned to Assistant Byun, but even then, the foolish assistant couldn’t answer his question.
In the end, his bad mood intensified, which wasn’t great because they were going to enact quite a sad scene.
“The scene has been given,” Daeshim started off. “Annie,” he said, gesturing to the clueless woman at the side.
Her eyes widened when her name was called.
“Yes, PD?” she muttered.
Zeno focused his attention on her. Meanwhile, the other actors were getting in some last-minute practice. They still didn’t know that the woman was the author of ‘The Forsaken Prince.’
“As the writer of this piece, can you tell us what was your inspiration when you wrote it?” Daeshim asked.
That seemed to capture their attention. They turned to her in an instant, eyes slightly widening when they realized they hadn’t buttered up to the right person.
Who knew that such a petite woman would have a great role in this drama?
Annie felt her pulse quickening and her palms growing sweaty. She didn’t like how all of the attention was on her. However, when she slightly lifted her head and met gazes with Zeno, she felt her breath slightly hitch.
He was looking at her like he was genuinely interested in her answer, as opposed to the other actors who only started paying attention to her only after they knew she was the author of ‘The Forsaken Prince.’
With that, she spoke.
“It came from the feeling of wanting to be wanted,” she muttered.
“When you’re born into this world, there’s one thing that you’re supposed to have—a family. Why else would you be born? In fact, there is no other way you can be born without it,” she started off, gaining more confidence.
“Because of a union, we were born; however, it isn’t always certain that we’ll get something as simple as a family. Some people get a complete one, some people get an incomplete one, and some have none at all. Some people just have it for show, while some have gotten used to the feeling of being unloved.”
“However, at the end of the day, it is in our nature to desire to be precious to someone else, even if it’s one individual. I wrote this scene because Hajin has been alone for most of his life, and although I had portrayed him as a strong character from the beginning, he still longs for a family,” she continued.
“That is why I wrote this scene… to make Hajin Yi appear more…”
“… human.”