– I think we broke him.
– I, too, would be broken if I won six awards—four individual ones and two general ones.
– He can’t even say anything.
– He looks so cute! He must be so happy!
‘I am fucked,’ Zeno thought.
Meanwhile, his friends, who were watching from the rooftop of their apartment unit, were in disbelief over the number of awards Zeno had accumulated. They were on a video chat with Zeno’s parents and siblings, who were screaming in joy when his name was called again.
“Why are you crying?” Eli asked, despite the tears brimming in his own eyes.
Minji turned to him, mascara streaking down her cheeks. She hadn’t had time to remove her makeup after rushing home from work. Eli couldn’t help but chuckle as he opened his arms to offer a hug. Minji didn’t hesitate any longer and rushed into his embrace, seeking comfort.
“I’m just so… proud,” she sobbed.
Doha observed the two of them and felt a wave of loneliness wash over him as he sat by himself.
He grabbed Maxie and wiped his tears on her soft fur. She sighed, as if she were the only normal being amidst the human chaos.
Zeno struggled to articulate anything coherent before he was once again escorted back to his seat.
It felt as though he had regressed to the time when he first received his mission and began to grow exponentially out of the ordinary.
While he had come to embrace the rebellion of wanting to stray further away from his original goal, it still felt surreal to him. So all Zeno could do was sit in silence, reflecting on everything that was unfolding around him.
Initially, he had simply wanted to complete his mission—to live a normal life. Acting was a tool he had hoped would bring him some semblance of stability amid his otherwise below-average existence.
However, his circumstances spiraled out of control as people began to admire him for seemingly no reason at all.
Yes, he had been admired plenty of times before—don’t get him wrong. He was just charming like that. But what made this life any different?
It was undeniable that he had friends.
A family.
Good people who didn’t exploit him.
But even then, he had encountered individuals like them in his past lives.
Zeno cursed under his breath.
Was this what they called… an existential crisis?
He never imagined he would have to experience another one of these again.
Why does he live?
His fists clenched beneath the table, feeling like he was losing control over his own mind. Of course, he could easily provide a short answer to the aforementioned question.
He lived for others.
For those who had lost their desire to live, and for those who yearned for another chance yet didn’t know how to pursue it.
He was that kind of being for these humans.
However, Zeno Han seemed to be living a perfectly good life, and his desire to be normal appeared to be the most outrageous request, especially considering its literal mediocrity.
At times, he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, there was something more to the life than merely completing his original mission.
Zeno’s hand began to tremble beneath the table, and he felt an overwhelming urge to leap off a cliff for acting too… human.
Risa glanced at him with concern, registering the look in his eyes. She reached out, but suddenly it felt like an invisible force held her back. Instead, she focused on the stage once more, forcing herself to look away from Zeno. Somehow, gazing at him made her heart… ache.
“What the hell is happening?” Zeno whispered to himself—a statement audible only to him, and, unironically, one that only he could truly answer.
After committing to his rebellion and finally taking the plunge, he found that it wasn’t too bad. It was an experience unlike any he was accustomed to.
He liked efficiency.
He favored following the rules, because frankly, that was what they were there for.
He had questioned the system in the past—why did it exist? Yet, he had come to realize that sometimes, some things simply are.
However, at this very moment, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more beneath the surface. Known only as 25, he had lived a life meant for others.
But what if… this life had been bestowed upon him precisely so he could finally live for himself?
While it was true he enjoyed certain aspects of his previous missions, he found that it was only in this life that his heart raced with excitement—when he was acting.
Zeno was so deeply immersed in his thoughts that he became oblivious to the chatter surrounding him.
To his surprise, the award he had been so certain he would win—Best Supporting Actor—was awarded to Phoenix Hyun instead. Even Best Actor went to Ian for his performance in Code Black.
Yet, even in defeat, Zeno found himself not particularly caring.
Phoenix had glanced in his direction as he accepted the Best Supporting Actor award, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sorrowful or even bitter look on Zeno’s face.
But when Phoenix noticed that Zeno was lost in his thoughts, appearing to be in a world of his own, irritation filled his veins. Why wasn’t Zeno paying attention?
At the same time, Ian sought validation from his self-proclaimed best friend but received nothing more than an indifferent silence in return.
Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) for Zeno, Ian belonged to that rare breed of people who tended to grow attached to those who opposed him. His cat had only started warming up to him this year after six long years of living together!
Finally, Phoenix and Sora returned to the stage.
After the Best Actor and Best Actress awards were handed out, majority assumed the show was coming to an end. Some artists began to gather their belongings, with a few even eying the plants adorning the table, eager to take them home.
Manshik PD shamelessly shoved a cactus into his backpack. It was a rare variety, and he didn’t want to miss this golden opportunity. However, just as he was about to settle into his victory, Sora spoke up again, revealing that the show wasn’t over just yet.
“For this year, we have a special award—one that is planned to be introduced for years to come,” she began, her voice brimming with excitement.
– Omo, what is this?
– Don’t tell me they’re including adult influencers in the categories this time.
– Ay-yo, calm down!
– I’m cracking up with these speculations.
“We will have…,” she paused for dramatic effect, shooting a glance at Phoenix, who was ready to speak at the same time as her.
“The Grand Prize Award!”