“Glad to be here,” Zeno said. He was sincerely thankful he had found such a lousy company.
However, he would become even more grateful if Dreamy Entertainment closed down in a few weeks or a month at most.
Honestly, it would be good for all of them!
Zeno would get to rest, while Bobby and Moby could focus on an entirely different career where they didn’t get scammed so much.
“You’re more handsome in real life,” Leni said, capturing his attention.
Zeno pursed his lips. “I am not that handsome. I’m sure you’ve met plenty more handsome actors before,” he pointed out.
Leni placed her hand under her chin. “Well, you’re right. But there’s something attractive to your look. Is it your eyes? I think they’re sparkling.”
“Ah, so that’s what it was!” Sarang exclaimed. “No wonder we feel so drawn to you. Your eyes sparkle so much.”
Zeno let out a soft sigh. He really needed to lose his penalty item. It wasn’t like he had a duration to use it, either. It was just embedded in him automatically.
With that, Zeno placed his straw hat back on, causing the two ladies to become disappointed.
“Let’s not bombard Zeno with too many questions,” Moby said. “He’s here to sign the contract to be our artist.”
Moby placed a stack of stapled paper on the table along with a pen. Then, they watched nervously as Zeno picked the two items up.
“Did you include my one condition?” he asked.
Moby pursed his lips before nodding. “One year, right?”
Leni and Sarang turned to each other and raised their eyebrows. “You offer three-year contracts, though,” Sarang said to Bobby.
“It’s Zeno’s request,” Bobby responded. “On Dreamy, we—”
“Place our artists above everything else,” Sarang, Leni, and Moby said at the same time, finishing Bobby’s statement for him.
Bobby cleared his throat and focused his attention back on Zeno, who was still reading through the contract.
“We cannot give you the signing fee now. However, rest assured that once work starts pouring in, we will pay you handsomely,” Bobby added.
Zeno shook his head and signed the contract before giving it back to Moby. “There’s no need for that. Just treat me like your other artists.”
Leni chuckled. “We’re not exactly paid well.”
Bobby and Moby turned to her with wide eyes, causing Leni to raise her hands in surrender.
“I mean, it’s mostly our fault, too. Dreamy gives us opportunities, but we aren’t able to seize them. So, it checks out.”
[Penalty Quest Accomplished]
[Notable Meter: 23.5%]
“Even better,” Zeno muttered.
Still, Sarang heard him, causing her to frown. “Is he a masochist?” she muttered.
Zeno leaned against the couch. “Are you the only artists in this place?”
“Nope,” Sarang answered. “We still have our most passionate employee. I think he’s in a call-back right now.”
Just then, the door opened, revealing an extremely familiar man.
Zeno’s brows furrowed as he came in.
“I swear I would do a great job if they just give me a chance, but why is it so difficult even getting a chance?” he exclaimed, sitting right next to Zeno and drinking the glass of water meant for the latter.
Moby’s eyes widened. “I’ll get you another glass right away.”
Zeno shook his head. “It’s alright.”
With his statement, the man finally noticed Zeno’s presence.
“Zeno Han?” he exclaimed.
“Jace Moon,” Zeno said. “You’re here, too.”
Bobby frowned in confusion, pointing at the two of them. “You two know each other?”
“Yeah,” Jace absent-mindedly said. “We auditioned for ‘Code Black’ together.”
“Ah, right,” Sarang said. “I almost forgot you auditioned for that role.”
Leni chuckled. “Me too. Jace auditions for too many projects that we can’t keep up. Did you get this one?”
Jace sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. “What do you think?” he muttered.
They were silent for a few seconds before Moby grabbed a marker from the desk and went to a covered part of the wall. He removed the cloth, revealing a bunch of tallies written on the light green surface.
“What’s that?” Zeno asked as Moby drew another line on it.
“It’s the amount of times Jace has auditioned for a role but wasn’t able to pass.”
Zeno looked at the multiple tallies and almost felt bad for him. With that amount of tries, he could have become an expert in a completely different field. Why was he wasting his time in acting if it was clear he wasn’t talented at all?
“We’re thinking of stopping the tallies when he finally gets some decent work,” Leni added.
“I thought you acted in some projects,” Zeno said.
“Well, it’s different,” Sarang chimed. “Those projects are questionable,” she chuckled.
“Hey,” Jace said in a defensive tone. “It’s not like your works are great either. We’re feathers on the same bird.”
“Birds of the same feather,” Zeno corrected.
“Ah, whatever,” Jace said. “I’ll get there someday!”
With that, he stood and pointed his fists high up in the sky.
“Well, that didn’t take long,” Bobby said. “Jace is all better again.”
With Jace feeling much better, he turned to Zeno. “I didn’t expect you to come here, though. I thought Bobby and Moby were joking.”
“Me too,” Leni said.
“Me three,” Sarang added.
“It’s not too late to back out,” Jace added, nudging his shoulder.
Zeno pointed at the signed contract on the table.
“Do you want me to rip it for you?” Jace seriously asked.
Moby quickly retrieved the contract from the table and safeguarded it inside the cabinet.
“Come on, Jace,” Bobby said. “It’s not so bad in our company.”
“I know,” Jace said. “You guys treat us really well. Just—the consequences for him signing with us wouldn’t be light. You already know that.”
Bobby cast his eyes to the ground. Moby, too, bit his lip in nervousness.
“Do you know what this means, Zeno?” Jace asked.
“Of course,” Zeno said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Since I signed with a company that doesn’t have enough money to protect me, the companies I have rejected wouldn’t stay still.”
“They would do their utmost best to eradicate me from the industry and make me regret not choosing their company in the first place.”
The others were astonished by the spot-on analysis.
“If you knew all of that, then why did you still sign the contract?” Jace asked.
Zeno merely shrugged, still appearing nonchalant.
Well, it wasn’t like that was his intention in the first place!