“Eat up!” Bobby exclaimed as soon as the food arrived.
Zeno stared at the spread before him. It had been a while since he saw a proper Italian spread. When was it again? His 18th mission? Yeah, that was one of the most eventful missions he ever had.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Jace asked, seemingly back to his usual clueless and happy self.
Zeno merely nodded, placed some food on his plate, and began eating.
“So, when are you going to start filming?” Sarang excitedly asked.
Bobby answered. “It’s in a month. Then, the series is bound to be released by the end of the year.”
“I’m so happy,” Leni said. “Jace won’t be a freeloader anymore!”
Jace chuckled, his cheeks filled with pasta. He swallowed and nodded in agreement. “Right? It’s my time to shine!”
Leni chuckled. “How many lines do you have?”
“Probably one… or two. Honestly, I don’t know. I’m player number 69.”
There was silence at the table for a few moments before Sarang spoke once more. “Well, that’s unfortunate.”
Jace didn’t heed her comment and continued babbling about his excitement. “I’m especially looking forward to meeting Victor PD. He’s such an admirable man! He came from a very humble family, but he had a talent for directing. He wrote this story five years ago, and no one believed in him.”
“He pushed for it until the end, and now, he’s a globally renowned director. In a way, he’s just like me,” he dreamily said. “Starting from the bottom…”
“Is he that admirable?” Zeno asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
“He is,” Moby confirmed. “There were rumors that he wasn’t the kindest on set; however, after the success of the show, all of that dissipated.”
“Why did it dissipate?” Zeno followed-up.
Moby scratched the back of his head. “Because… it did well?”
“Anyway,” Bobby continued. “This is a great opportunity for the two of you. Do a good job on the set, and I’m sure the fruitful results will follow.”
Jace answered enthusiastically while Zeno remained silent.
After the Italian lunch, Moby decided to extend their celebration by treating everyone to drinks this time. So, despite it only being the afternoon, they were already at a karaoke bar, singing their hearts out.
They had tried multiple times to convince Zeno to sing, but he refused, saying he would leave if they forced him. Fortunately, they dropped it as soon as he made the threat.
“Shout out to Jace, who finally got his first minor role in a non-sketchy production!” Leni exclaimed.
“Finally, after seven whole years!” Sarang added before they continued singing a pop idol song.
They raised their cups in the air, but Zeno focused his gaze on Jace. He had been like this since lunch. Although he had a smile on his face, it was obvious that he was hiding something much deeper.
Zeno’s thought was proven right when Jace stood while the other four were dancing on the stage. Then, he quietly slipped away. Zeno watched his back, appearing even lonelier than his expression.
After a few moments, Zeno decided to follow after him, also slipping away without any word while the other four continued to scream-sing to a breakup song.
Zeno pulled on his mask and hood and looked for Jace. It didn’t take long to see him. The moment Zeno saw a trail of smoke coming from behind the building, he knew it was Jace.
He quickly followed after it and finally found him smoking a cigarette.
Jace didn’t notice him at first, but when Zeno cleared his throat, Jace’s eyes widened, and he quickly dropped the cigarette.
“It’s alright,” Zeno said, leaning against the hard wall. “You must have your reasons.”
Jace pursed his lips and scratched the back of his neck out of embarrassment. “Yeah,” he muttered. “I just do it when I’m stressed.”
“You got the role,” Zeno started off. “Aren’t you happy?”
A small smile appeared on his lips. “Of course I am. How could I not?”
Zeno stayed silent since he knew Jace still had something to say.
“However, it just hit me. I am celebrating something so trivial in my seventh year of debut. Along with that, I don’t even have a speaking role. I just have a minor one that would definitely die before the show even reaches the climax,” he continued.
“I’m just wondering—should I be happy with this? I’ve been taking little steps forward for the past seven years, only to take large steps backward.”
He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the cold, hard wall.
Zeno didn’t respond right away. He stared at the smoke curling up from the half-burnt cigarette on the ground, rising slowly like a sigh from the earth.
Jace’s voice broke through the quiet. “You know… I work hard. I show up. I memorize every line—even if it’s not mine. I practice emotions for characters I’ll never get to play.”
His voice wavered.
“But it just… it never seems to be enough. I’m working so damn hard, but it doesn’t beat people who were just born for this. People walk into a room, and everyone turns. Their eyes sparkle on camera.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against these people. I know they work hard. Maybe… I just wish I was like them.”
Zeno glanced over, the shadows of the alley cutting across Jace’s features. He looked tired. Not physically—but soul-deep.
“What am I doing with my life?” Jace whispered to himself.
Silence settled between them.
Zeno exhaled slowly. Then, quietly, “Do you see yourself doing anything else?”
Jace didn’t answer at first. His jaw clenched. Then, his voice cracked as he answered. “That’s the problem… I don’t.”
His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, a nervous habit. “I don’t know who I am without this. I don’t know who I’d be if I let it go. But this hurts. It’s like I’m dragging myself up a cliff, only for the rocks to crumble beneath me every time I get close.”
“Some things in life aren’t meant to be,” Zeno said.
Jace turned to him, eyes filled with something close to panic—but Zeno kept going.
“That’s what they say, anyway. But… I don’t believe in that.”
“If it’s not meant to be,” Zeno continued, “then it means something still needs to change. A choice. A sacrifice. A push. If fate says no, then maybe it just means you haven’t said ‘yes’ loud enough.”
At least, that was what Zeno had been doing up until now—changing fate for people who felt like they never had a chance.
Jace stared at him, the glint of the afternoon sun catching the wetness in his eyes.
He looked down. “I want this. The universe knows I want it so much.”
He paused before some words came out like a prayer, whispered to no god in particular.
“I hope… it truly becomes mine.”