That was Minseok, of course.
The others stared at him like he had saved their firstborn child.
“As expected, Senior Minseok is the best!”
“He’s the most dependable.”
“Let’s see how he does it.”
The others continued reading through the script, trying to memorize the lines. Meanwhile, Zeno placed the piece of paper down, watching as Minseok immersed himself in the character of Dr. Baekjin.
“Action!” Yura exclaimed, and the three of them started.
“We’re taking charge of the field hospital. I want all non-medical personnel out of our way,” Minseok desperately screamed, capturing everyone’s attention.
Even with one line, everyone seemed captivated. Yura, too, was surprised by the volume of his voice.
Then, Sam stepped up for his line.
“Who put you in charge?” he asked as Dr. Minjae.
Zeno actually felt the hairs on his arms stand up. The way Sam delivered those five words was chilling. He took note of this since they didn’t bother holding a proper lesson.
The two of them began bickering. Minseok portrayed Baekjin as desperate, while Sam portrayed Minjae as someone stubborn, opposing all of Baekjin’s methods.
However, Yura, as Yewon, stepped between them. “Stop arguing. We have no time for this. We need to start triaging. NOW!” she exclaimed, her shaky voice trying to sound strong.
Zeno raised one eyebrow. She was a great actress, too. Her role as a mentor in this workshop was well-deserved.
With that, Minseok and Sam began to triage the patients. Those watching knew that the climax was coming next.
Yura walked to the human-sized teddy bear on the ground, pretending it was a little girl.
“No pulse,” she muttered.
Minseok walked over and placed his hand over her shoulder before giving her a black tag—the tag that signified death.
“No… we can’t just give up on her,” she whispered.
“We have to,” Minseok said in a loud voice once again.
“Wow, he’s amazing,” the others said.
“I’m going to act just like him.”
“I didn’t know how to interpret it, but now, I know. This is the right way.”
“It’s a good thing Minseok went first.”
Amidst the compliments, Minseok began to tear up, surprising them even more. He could cry this easily?
“The more lives we save, the more we have to let go,” he said, a lone tear slipping from his eyes.
Then, he said the last line, still with tears in his eyes.
“End scene,” Sam said right after that.
The room was filled with applause. Minseok stood with a proud smile, wiping his tears. He bowed before heading back to his spot. Meanwhile, the others continued to praise him.
“Please give me tips on how to cry instantly.”
“You did so good.”
“As expected from Minseok.”
However, Sam and Yura had ambiguous expressions.
“It was good,” Sam finally said. “There were moments where you exaggerated the emotion too much. You also glanced at the script from time to time. For the time given, you should have memorized it.”
Minseok nodded.
“Still, you did pretty well,” Yura added, giving him a thumbs up. His confidence was boosted once again.
“Next,” Sam said, and the other actors fought for the chance to show their talent.
Minseok smiled at Zeno. “You should do what I did,” he said. “That’s a tip I could give as your senior.”
Zeno ignored him, causing Minseok to click his tongue.
As expected, the other actors had copied Minseok’s portrayal. They all tried their best to channel tears, but only a few of them managed to do so. In the end, Minseok’s portrayal was still considered the best.
With every attempt, Minseok was there, telling them they did a great job. However, deep inside his mind, he knew they would never be able to beat him.
“Last,” Sam said, knowing who was coming. Yura lifted her head, already tired from repeating the same lines over and over again. However, when she saw who the last person to act was, she felt even more exhausted.
Minseok smirked as Zeno stood in the center.
“Let’s see what he does.”
“Can he even act? His facial expression hasn’t changed since he came here.”
“Now, we’ll see the portrayal of the worst actor in this room.”
“Where’s your script?” Yura asked, looking at his hands.
“I don’t need it anymore,” Zeno said, making her raise her eyebrows in surprise. Meanwhile, Sam’s eyes narrowed. What was he acting so cocky for when he hadn’t proved anything just yet?
“The session is almost up,” Sam said. “Let’s make it fast.”
Yura nodded and shouted the magic word—”Action!”
Flashing lights from ambulances and sirens from police cars filled the space. The wreckage of a bus lay on its side, surrounded by debris and bodies.
Media crews swarmed the perimeter, cameras flashing, and reporters shouting over each other. Paramedics and firefighters scrambled to pull survivors from the wreckage. Parents screamed for their children as the police held them back.
It was pure chaos.
In the center of it all stood Dr. Baekjin.
Zeno closed his eyes and channeled something from deep within.
Mission 23. Jeju Island, South Korea. Save your son from death.
Then, he opened them, his eyes appearing sharper than before. Yura frowned slightly. It was a minuscule shift in his expression, but it was there. It was a different portrayal compared to the rest.
While watching the other’s act, Zeno found it quite strange.
Their desperation felt out of place. It might be fitting if the character was a rookie doctor who only had a few years of experience. However, Dr. Baekjin was considered a genius, dealing with even more severe trauma cases with fewer resources in rural clinics.
He wouldn’t focus as much on emotion but on saving as many lives as possible.
With that, he stood tall, looking at the others like they were gum beneath his feet.
“We’re taking charge of the field hospital. I want all non-medical personnel out of our way. Media—back behind the barricade. We need a clear route for emergency transport.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but everyone heard him clearly. Every pair of eyes were set on him.
It was strange.
He didn’t sound desperate or forceful, but why couldn’t they look away?