Zeno and the rest watched as Marvin struggled to execute the move. He did it over and over again but to no avail. It was honestly pathetic to watch for some, but with him trying so hard, it was more heartbreaking than anything.
Victor watched with a scowl. This was supposed to be his final warning, but with Zeno insisting Marvin could do it, he had to sit there and watch how he made such a fool of himself.
Sangwon was still at the side, sipping coffee without a care in the world while waiting for his scene.
Sora bit her lip and turned her gaze to the ground. It was often that she saw the discrimination that people with less ‘important’ roles faced. For most, if you haven’t made a name for yourself, then you were as good as a piece of tissue paper—disposable and replaceable.
Misha’s fists clenched at her side. “I think that’s enough,” she muttered, but it was drowned out by the tension in the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Zeno merely watched with an unreadable expression. Misha glanced at him once, and her eyes dimmed visibly.
It was clear that Marvin wanted to prove a point, and Zeno knew he needed to do this because it was the one thing Marvin wouldn’t want to get rid of—his dignity as a stunt double.
Victor sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. “Alright, wrap it up. Let’s look for someone to replace Marvin as Zeno’s stunt double. I’m sure there are other actors out there with a similar physique. We’ll just have to move the filming to a later time and focus on the ones that don’t have as many fighting scenes.”
Just then, Zeno received yet another side quest.
[Side Quest Available: Athletics]
[Show off your athleticism, and gain the skill: Athletics. Upgradeable.]
Zeno shook his head in amusement. Meanwhile, Misha was on the verge of tears—not because she was sad but because her heart began filling with rage.
“I don’t think—”
She began, but Zeno once again cut her off.
“That’s not necessary, director,” Zeno chimed, stepping forward and capturing everybody’s attention.
Marvin turned to him with a slight glare. What was he planning now?
The staff held their breaths because they couldn’t predict what Zeno would do next. It also seemed that Victor PD was more sensitive than usual, as seen in his clenched fists and red-bitten lips.
“Zeno,” Devon muttered, trying to de-escalate the situation, but Zeno had already made up his mind.
With the friendliness of someone who had known each other for a long time, Zeno approached Victor with a wide smile.
“It’s not necessary to replace them. Their team has been doing a good job until now.”
Victor bit his lip once more but forced a smile. “Is that so? Who will execute these moves then if he cannot?” he asked in an innocent tone. “As much as I care for these extras, we cannot delay the filming because of them.”
“I’ll do it.”
The silence turned even more deafening after Zeno said those words.
“Is he insane?” the staff began to whisper.
Jace held his breath. “What is he doing?” he muttered.
Marvin turned to him with furrowed brows.
“I’ll do the stunts,” Zeno said with a slight shrug. “Marvin can just teach me. I’m a fast learner.”
Victor suddenly burst into laughter. However, when he saw how serious Zeno’s face was, his smile quickly fell. He cleared his throat and lifted his chin.
“Do you have any background in martial arts?”
Zeno tried to suppress his smirk. “No,” he responded. “But I’ve gone to the military.”
Victor laughed out loud once more, but he wasn’t the only one. Sangwon, who was watching from the side, found the scene very interesting, so he joined in.
“Oh, buddy,” he said. “Which division did you serve in?”
“The Special Forces?”
Zeno shook his head.
“Marines? Navy Seals?”
“Nope.”
“Goodness,” Sangwon laughed while holding his stomach. “How do you expect to be able to pull off the moves that Marvin does, then? He has special training.”
Zeno didn’t respond and let Sangwon do all of the talking and laughing.
If he only knew…
Victor placed his hand over Zeno’s shoulder. “You might get hurt, Zeno. We cannot afford to lose you in this filming. So, with that, I suggest we just hold off on this filming this scene…”
“You don’t like that, right?”
Victor paused.
“You don’t like delays and all that.”
Victor crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Well, that’s just every director in the world.”
“Yes, but you loathe it,” Zeno added, making Victor even more confused.
“I can do it,” Zeno said with confidence. “Like I said, I am a fast learner, so Marvin can only teach it to me once, and I’ll be able to do it.”
The others watched with their breaths held. Shin, who had just arrived, still hung-over after the amount of alcohol he drank yesterday, completely sobered up the moment he saw Zeno talking against Victor. As someone who was there during the latter filming of the first season, he was already aware of Victor’s work ethic.
Zeno looked into Victor’s eyes with a sense of challenge. If there was another thing he knew about his uncle, it was that he didn’t like being challenged.
Victor threw his head back, laughing loudly. Sangwon also appeared amused.
“You know, I can replace you if you get hurt, right?” Victor asked, forgetting about Zeno’s indispensable nature for a moment just to give him some kind of slap of reality.
However, Zeno remained unfazed.
“It’s alright,” he said. “I take full responsibility for what I’m about to do.”
Misha watched the scene cautiously, unable to understand what Zeno was planning. Sora, on the other hand, became more intrigued. It seemed to her that Zeno said these words to keep Marvin’s team in the production.
“Well then, let’s proceed with the markings,” Victor continued, the smirk not leaving his lips. “In a few, we’ll be continuing on with the scene.”
With that, the staff discreetly talked about the outcome of Zeno’s decision.
“Does he have any fighting experience?” Shin asked Moby.
Moby gulped before shaking his head. “Not that I know of.”
Shin scratched the back of his neck. “Seriously, I can’t read Zeno’s mind. He does have some fighting knowledge from The Forsaken Prince, but even then, the stunt doubles did all of the complicated ones.”
“It’s going to be a disaster,” some whispered.
“He shouldn’t have challenged Victor PD.”
Misha, on the other hand, was once again training with Apple. Sora was right by their side, also testing out the weight of the knife.
“You don’t have to feel bad about hitting Marvin, Miss Misha,” Apple muttered. “It’s just that his injury has gotten worse, so he couldn’t dodge on time.”
“And yet, Zeno still pushed him to do more tricks,” Misha grumbled. “How can people even find him cool?”
Apple’s eyebrows raised. “Oh, so you’re interested in him, too?”
“Huh?” Misha turned to her with wide eyes. Sora also stopped what she was doing.
“Zeno.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m interested in him. A lot of us are, really. It seems you are, too, because you keep muttering his name under your breath.”
Misha’s cheeks reddened before she frantically shook her head. “Goodness, no! Why would I be interested in him?”
Apple scratched the back of her neck. “It was just an innocent question. You don’t have to be so defensive about it,” she lightheartedly said.
Misha pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Zeno, who seemed to be talking seriously with Marvin.
“I was a bit hesitant to throw the knife a while ago because of Marvin,” Misha started off. “But with Zeno, I’m determined to get this in one take.”
“I can throw this as fast as I could, right?”
Meanwhile, Marvin was still confused about Zeno’s motive.
“What was that?”
Zeno turned to him with a tilt of his head.
“What was what?”
“I don’t know if you’re feeling guilty because of my words from a while ago or if you’re genuinely feeling bad for me.”
“Neither,” Zeno responded.
“I’m capable of doing the scene, so I want to get it over with.”
“You’re so unpredictable,” Marvin sighed.
Then, he pursed his lips before letting out a deep breath. “Still, thank you.”
“Victor spoke to me a while ago that if I fucked this up, then this would be the last chance for our team.”
Zeno shrugged. “That much is expected of him, right?”
“Just teach me what to do,” he added. “We don’t have much time.”
Marvin sighed. “I really don’t know why you suggested this in the first place. I’ve only mastered this skill in my fifth year of being a stunt double. It’s not easy.”
“I know,” Zeno said.
“So, why are you still going on with it if you knew it was difficult?”
“Because I can do it.”
“You’re awfully cocky.”
“Cockiness is confidence without basis,” Zeno chimed.
A small chuckle escaped Marvin’s lips. In the beginning, he felt that Zeno was the average, overconfident guy, but for some reason, Marvin had an inclination to believe in his words.
“Alright,” Marvin finally muttered. “The first move is a cartwheel. That’s simple enough. Just make it fast enough so you won’t be hit with the knife.”
“I wish I can do it right now, but—”
“You don’t have to do it,” Zeno said. “You’re already injured as it is.”
Marvin sighed and nodded. “The stakes are doubled for the next move because as soon as you land, you have to do a spontaneous triple flip. What makes it difficult is that you can’t build the momentum. You have to do it with just potential energy. While standing still, you plant one of your feet behind you and flip.”
“However, since you’re a beginner, you can start with a single backflip. You can also try gaining momentum by stepping back a few times before doing it.”
“It wouldn’t be as fast then,” Zeno said. “I would get hit.”
Marvin stayed silent. “Maybe I should just do it…”
Zeno scoffed. “And what? Risk your entire career just because you destroyed your body for this one scene?”
“It’s better than you being hurt,” Marvin muttered, turning to the side.
“And who decided that?”
Marvin lifted his gaze to Zeno.
“What makes a person more valuable than the other? Is it their looks? Their status? Their value determined by society?”
Zeno clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Don’t bow for anyone just because they want you to.”
“You’re not more important than me, nor am I more important than you.”
“Especially not Victor PD,” Zeno added.
“If there is a deemed worth among humans, then it is based on how you treat other people. Not who you are or how much influence you have.”
Marvin didn’t know what to say. He should have continued teaching Zeno the moves at that point, but Victor PD’s voice already resonated in the open area.
“Alright, let’s do this!”
“Everyone—in their positions.”