Silence hung in the forest. The sun had just come up, and despite it shining down on them, they felt goosebumps rise from their skin after witnessing the previous scene.
The smell of fake gunpowder still lingered, and the echoes of the twin gunshots vibrated through their bones.
“What the heck was that?”
Someone from the back of the crew whispered it first, followed by a string of stunned breaths and muttered exclamations.
“He’s… he’s so good,” said one of the younger assistants, still clutching his headset.
Zeno took them on a journey. He was given an inch, and he took an extra mile. He made them root for him, only to reveal all wasn’t true in the end.
“Yeah,” another staff member murmured. “I felt genuinely fooled.”
In the center of the set, Zeno slowly let his hands drop, the faint ghost of a smirk still clinging to his lips as the final gunshot’s echo faded.
“Cut!”
Victor PD’s voice rang sharp, cutting through the daze.
Cameras powered down. Some of the sound crew took off their headsets, breaking from a trance.
Victor clapped his hands together, then pointed at Zeno.
“That,” he said, before he could stop himself, “was genius.”
Around him, the rest of the crew nodded in stunned agreement. Most were still too caught in the spell Zeno had cast.
Victor looked down at the script monitor, then back at Zeno.
“That last bullet,” he murmured to himself. “It was supposed to go to #41. But he took it instead.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “And I can’t even find it in me to correct it.”
He turned to the crew. “We got it. That’s the take.”
The camera crew nodded immediately.
Sangwon sat frozen, his jaw set tight.
He couldn’t even argue.
He’d been at the center of it, and even he had flinched when Zeno’s gaze turned on him. He’d believed the story. And when Zeno smirked and whispered, “You didn’t believe that, did you?” it sent chills down his spine.
The fear and disbelief on everyone’s faces was real, and it had been captured on camera.
Devon watched Zeno with both curiosity and wonder. After their confrontation last week, he felt awkward around him. He knew that Zeno’s words held some truth, and frankly, he felt quite… ashamed for not being able to fight for what was his.
However, it has been like this ever since. If he broke out of it, what was the certainty that the series would still go well?
Some of the writers and editors also talked about Zeno’s storytelling.
“You think he’s got writing chops?”
“He definitely knows the structure,” Devon muttered.”That’s the foundation of a good writer.”
Not far off, Misha was still in place, arms crossed over her chest. Her brow was furrowed as she wrestled with something internally.
She didn’t want to like Zeno. Her opinion of him was already long-established.
But after that scene… it was hard to pretend she hadn’t seen something else.
She nodded slowly to herself.
“He’s… really a good actor,” she muttered.
Next to her, Shin grinned knowingly.
Of course, Zeno had done it again.
Zeno never begged for attention. He simply performed—and in doing so, made people watch.
Shin had seen it happen in auditions, in rehearsals, and even in passing lines. Even the people who claimed to hate Zeno would end up talking about him the longest.
He laughed under his breath.
“Still charming the whole damn set,” he murmured.
Victor turned to the crew. “It’s still not over,” he said. “Let’s get this over with. The sun is in a perfect place, too. Let’s proceed.”
They nodded and began preparing for the next scene.
Victor clapped twice. “All right, we’re rolling from the aftermath. Reaction shots. Get in place.”
Jace smiled nervously to himself. It was finally his time! He had the longest line ever in his whole career!
Along with that, he was going to grab Zeno by the collar! When and where else will he have this grand opportunity!
“What a freaking bonus,” he whispered under his breath, bouncing on his toes.
“Set!” called Devon.
Everyone stilled.
“Action!”
The forest was deathly quiet.
No one moved for a beat. The bodies lay around them, faces pale with fake blood. Eyes wide open.
#41 finally found his voice weak and raspy.
“…What did you do?” he asked like the words had to crawl up his throat.
#25 turned his head slowly. He gave a glance at the hourglass. The sand was almost out.
“We’re running out of time,” he said calmly. “I did everyone a favor.”
On cue, the buzzer blared.
A few of them jumped in place, causing #25 to chuckle.
He tilted his head and looked around.
“What makes the difference?” he asked. “A life will be taken anyway. So why delay it?”
Another chuckle escaped his lips when nobody responded.
“Ah, I see,” he said. “Because you want to see me die. That must be it.”
His eyes scanned them—each face, each stunned expression.
“That must be disheartening.”
#33 stepped forward. Her face was filled with hurt.
“Is it really a lie?” she asked. “Did you make up a fake story for us to pity you?”
“You should’ve given me the bullet!” Billy shouted from behind, fists clenched.
Chaos ensued once more as others tried to go up to #25, screams filling the open space.
Then, off to the side, came #69.
He looked down at one of the fallen—his friend. His real-life friend is now “dead” in the scene.
His face showed that of disbelief and desperation.
He turned to #25.
“You!” he shouted, voice breaking.
That should have come out strong, able to break through the chaos the same way Sangwon did in the beginning.
However, Jace’s scream came out shrill and weak.
Amateurish.
“Cut!”
Jace’s head snapped down. “Apologies,” he said, bowing his head.
“I—please. I can do it. Please.”
Victor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. However, a small smile played on his lips.
“All right. Once more.”
They reset again. The crew was patient, but the tension had shifted.
Jace looked across at Zeno. This time, there was no sparkle in his eyes. Just shame and behind it—determination.
Zeno met his gaze, then walked over to him.
He didn’t speak for a long moment. Then, quietly, he said. “That friend that died—that’s your dream.”
Jace blinked.
Zeno leaned closer, his voice even softer.
“You wanted this. To be here. That’s your dream, right?”
Jace nodded slowly.
“So act like I just killed it.”
Jace’s eyes widened. The words sank in like a hook into his chest.
He gave a sharp nod, stepping back into place.
Devon raised the clapper again. “Rolling—scene 54. Take 2”
“Action!”
Zeno snapped back into character.
Jace’s breath picked up. He took a step forward.
But just as he opened his mouth—
“STOP!” Victor roared.
Everyone froze.
Victor stood up from his chair, his voice sharp as glass.
“Just stop.”