Contrary to last week, the set for ‘Stars in My Ordinary Sky’ was bright and energetic.
Shelly was all smiles while Jaehyun happily replied to his fans who claimed they enjoyed watching the show. Sammy was already sharing the products she used for her makeup. Jordie, too, was smiling as he read the comments.
For once, he wasn’t called the gym guy who only knew how to thirst trap. They called him a decent actor with lots of potential!
Young and Yujin couldn’t stop talking about the highlights of last week’s episode. It was only Monday, yet all the episodes have already broken through half a million views, with episode four surpassing a million.
In no time, it was going to beat the record that ‘Stars Among Us’ had set.
Right on time, the perceived reason for this success has finally arrived.
However, instead of a bright smile, he appeared tired, weary, and borderline lonely.
That wasn’t the only thing that captured their attention, though. It was the tank top he was wearing. It had skulls all over it with the text—’please let me die.’
He was the embodiment of his shirt, and Young didn’t know how to react.
Still, his happiness couldn’t be dampened. He patted Zeno’s shoulder.
“Zeno,” he started off. “Last week was a success.”
“Thank you so much for everything you have done for the production. If it wasn’t for your great acting skills, we wouldn’t have done it.”
“Along with that, the lecture you did for the other cast members was a significant help. You’re the reason why we have this kind of success!”
The words echoed over and over again in Zeno’s mind.
“I’m… the reason for this success,” he muttered in disbelief.
“Yes!” Yujin exclaimed. “You’re the man, Zeno!”
“I’m… the man,” he said, on the verge of crying.
Yujin was even happier to see him act in such a way. “You’re ready for the first scene of the day, aren’t you? Let’s not waste any time then. Let’s get to filming!”
“Do you want to get dressed first, Zeno?” Young softly asked.
Zeno nodded and went straight to the dressing room. In the process, he bumped into Shelly, who seemed elated about the situation.
“Zeno,” she said, but he wasn’t listening. “Thank you for talking some sense into me last week. I realized I wasn’t working hard enough and that I should get out of my comfort zone.”
Zeno merely nodded and continued on his way. Shelly was confused, but she also found it endearing. Zeno must find it unbelievable, too!
He entered the dressing room and got dressed in the high school uniform. However, what he failed to notice was that the buttons were misaligned.
He went out of the room, appearing even more pitiful than before. Yujin was about to fix it for him, but Young held her back.
Somehow, he felt this was better for the scene—the scene where Jimin was going to get rejected by Sohee.
It wasn’t going to be an explicit rejection, but it was going to hurt nonetheless.
Moreover, they were going to be utilizing some artificial rain, so the actors were going to get drenched.
“It’s a good thing I’m not in this scene,” Jordie muttered. “I’d look atrocious under the rain.”
He was looking forward to monitoring it, though. He definitely became more passionate the moment they started receiving more recognition.
With that, he stayed behind the crew and focused on the screen that captured the scenes in real-time.
“Let’s turn it on!” Young exclaimed. The crew followed and turned on the cheap artificial rain machine they had rented.
Because it was cheap, the raindrops were larger than usual, and instead of soft rain, it appeared more like a storm.
“Scene 87. Shot 1. Take 1!” Young exclaimed.
The rain fell in aggressive sheets, drenching Sohee’s shoulders as she stood on the driveway, waiting for someone.
She hadn’t meant to fall asleep in the library and lose track of time. However, the exhaustion crept in after hours and hours of studying for their finals. When she finally woke up, the campus was empty, and the rain had already started.
She had told her friends, and they all expressed their concern. Now, she was waiting for Jake, who promised he would be there to pick her up.
However, instead of Jake’s car, an old bike pulled up to the driveway, capturing Sohee’s attention.
The small screen showed Zeno, his hair drenched and his entire face wet. However, instead of looking atrocious like how Jordie projected, he looked… handsome.
Jordie’s eyes widened. Was that possible? His eyes were even open through it all!
It was only possible because Zeno had become numb. The water in his eyes was no competitor to the emptiness he felt in his heart.
He stopped right behind Sohee, who slowly turned around to meet his eyes.
She gasped in surprise, wondering why he was there.
“Jimin?” she called hesitantly.
He blinked as he was pulled from his daze. However, he didn’t respond.
Sohee’s fingers tightened around the umbrella in her hand. Without thinking, she rushed toward him, lifting it over his head. The rain pelted her shoulder now, but she didn’t care.
She was close enough to see the droplets clinging to his lashes, and at that moment, Shelly realized just how handsome Zeno truly was.
“What are you doing?” she asked softly. “You never said you were going to come here.”
Jimin let out a breathy laugh, barely audible over the rain. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
What am I even doing on this planet?1
Sohee bit her lip. “I… fell asleep. I didn’t mean to stay so late.”
“I know,” he said. “I figured.”
I don’t have anything figured out.
She swallowed. “You should’ve told me.”
Jimin gave her a small, lopsided smile. “Would that change anything?”
Should I have changed something about my strategy?
She didn’t know how to answer.
The silence stretched, filled only by the sound of raindrops hitting the pavement.
Then, so softly she almost didn’t hear it, Jimin said, “Come with me?”
Take me back, please! Just take me back to Avalis!
Sohee stilled. Her grip on the umbrella tightened, and her breathing became heavier.
She hesitated, but that pause was all he needed to understand.
Jimin let out a small, almost imperceptible breath, his throat bobbing.
Is there really no chance for me to go back?
He looked down at his shoes, his wet fringe clinging to his forehead, and nodded like he already knew the answer before she even said it.
“I told Jake I’d wait for him,” she finally murmured.
Jimin exhaled—a hopeless breath.
“Can’t it be me?” His voice was so soft.
“I got here first.”
I was the first Rennis! Why can’t they give me a break?
Sohee swallowed hard.
He wasn’t wrong. He had always been the first. The first to wait for her after class. The first to notice when she was struggling. The first to make her laugh when she felt like crying.
Her first… friend.
But being first wasn’t the same as being chosen.
“Jimin…”
“I should go home,” he whispered, his voice breaking near the end.
I want to go home.
Young gasped at his delivery. He had known Zeno was amazing, but this seemed real. Like he had truly lost all hope.
And maybe Zeno did. Because why the heck was his acting skills improving in the middle of a scene?
[+1 Talent and Skills. Acting improved.]
[Notable meter: 39.5%]
[Acting: A]
internal dialogue
