༺ A Newbie Actor’s Best ༻
Miho had returned.
{How are you?}
‘I’m good. Did things go well?’
{Yep. It was nothing major.}
Yoomyeong, who had been lying under the blanket, sat up as Miho crawled under the gap of the blanket.
Rustle, rustle—
{I want to drink beer.}
‘Do you?’
Thankfully, everything seemed normal.
Miho’s tone was now back to normal. It was neither the sharp one from when she hastily left nor the unenthusiastic one she’d used when she was sullen.
Yoomyeong gently stroked Miho’s ear.
{Kyung, that tickles! Hehehe.}
It was the same, old response of flapping her long ears as if shaking off an itch.
Yoomyeong found it impossible to not find her adorable as she cooled her ears with the cold beer.
The sight comforted him a bit.
In hindsight, he thought that he was greatly blessed.
Miho solved his lifelong lack of presence instantly and sent him back in time by 15 years. It wasn’t something that could be done just as a mere act of kindness.
Even if it came at a cost, it was inevitable.
However, Yoomyeong was too greedy right now to willingly give up everything.
Although his greed was not about anything else but a greed for acting.
He felt glad that the frequently mentioned ‘Law of the Celestial Realm’ seemed fairer than he thought, and that Miho was actually kinder than she appeared to be.
Who exactly is she?
Either way, she was a benefactor to Yoomyeong.
So, he felt a bit guilty for not answering her question about how much presence he had.
{What happened to that drama you were interested in?}
Thankfully, her mood seems to have lifted.
‘I sent my profile to the casting director, and she contacted me and we had a meeting.’
{Oh, I like your proactive attitude. How did it go?}
‘They suggested considering me for a different role due to some complications, but I insisted on that particular role.’
{Why?}
‘If the acting for that role changes, then the drama itself might gain more traction. The other roles don’t have that potential.’
Miho’s eyes narrowed.
This guy is surprisingly greedy.
{When is the audition?}
‘There’s only one week left.’
{Is this the script?}
‘Yeah.’
A gust of wind flipped a page of the script in Yoomyeong’s hand.
{Hmm… so that’s the character.}
She seemed to have read it in the blink of an eye.
He once admired her ability to memorize a script in 10 minutes during the <Perfume> performance, but it seemed that it was actually a ‘show’ she did to pretend to be human.
{Do you have any friends who like luxury goods?}
‘Luxury goods…?’
*
“Hey, look at that person.”
“Hahaha, is he filming a variety show?”
“But isn’t that watch from Xlex?”
“No way…”
KBK Drama Department.
Employees passing by in the hallway giggled at the sight of him.
Yoomyeong, unfazed by their laughter, opened the door to the main seminar room.
Suddenly—
A few people burst out laughing at his appearance.
Yoomyeong went back to his earlier seat and put down his bag. It contained the clothes he had been wearing since he changed into the costume he had prepared.
The spacious seminar room was filled with people.
There were actors and also managers.
Their relationships were evident from the way each team was seated, and it was intriguing.
In front of a relatively well-known actor, a young manager who looked like a rookie was fanning him with a script.
In a corner, a team’s manager appeared older with a luxurious-looking outfit, indicating some stature. The actor beside him, perhaps a newcomer, frequently glanced at him, seeking cues.
Ah, that person… was the actor who played the role of Bohyung in his previous life.
“Oh, Mr. Shin Yoomyeong! You’re here.”
Director Lee Min-jung, who was checking the participants from a corner, approached Yoomyeong.
“Pfft— What’s that you’re wearing? Ah… did you recreate Bohyung’s outfit?”
“Yes.”
“I never pictured him like that… that’s quite an eye-opener for our department, huh. Hehe.”
Actors often wore costumes that matched the concept of their roles during auditions.
However, the outfit Yoomyeong wore was strange. The worn-out shirt was missing a sleeve, and the pants were absurdly large, held up clumsily by a belt.
Yet, on the wrist of the arm missing its sleeve sparkled an Xlex watch. Also, he was wearing brand new DolC shoes. What kind of concept was this?
“I tried my best to increase my chances because I have no connections and only have limited experience.”
“Writer Yook will love it. Haha.”
The casting director’s burst of laughter caught the attention of those around them.
‘Who’s that? He doesn’t look familiar.’
‘Is he a newbie? Is he close with the casting director?’
Min-jung patted Yoomyeong’s shoulder and spoke as she passed by.
“You were added at the last minute, so you’ll be last. It’ll be a while. Wait patiently.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Even after she left with the first candidate, the seminar room continued to buzz.
Anticipation, anxiety, uncertainty, and hope.
The audition venue was brimming with human emotions, much like Pandora’s box.
As Yoomyeong lowered his gaze to the script in his hand…
“You’re an actor, right?”
A shadow approached him.
“Yes, I am.”
“Hello. I’m Moon Yu-seok from Good Entertainment. Do you have an agency?”
“Not yet…”
Moon Yu-seok?
Yoomyeong’s ears perked up.
When he looked up, the familiar face in his sight indeed belonged to the man known for numerous rumors in the entertainment industry during his past life.
“I overheard earlier that you’re last in line. Would you mind stepping out for a brief chat?”
“…Here?”
Chatter chatter—
Numerous eyes turned to them as they sensed an interesting situation unfold.
Moon Yu-seok gestured for Yoomyeong to follow with a smile.
“Let’s go outside. I’ll get permission from the organizing team.”
“Ah… okay.”
“Director! Where are you going?”
The actor he seemed to have brought with him raised a feeble protest.
“You still have a while before your turn. Keep rehearsing with the script.”
Brushing off the protest, he took the lead and stepped outside.
*
“I’m Moon Yu-seok.”
A white business card was presented to Yoomyeong.
[Good Entertainment – Executive Director Moon Yuseok]
The silver letters printed on premium silk paper shimmered.
The president of a company… Normally, someone in this position wouldn’t attend an audition for a role less than a lead.
Either there was a shortage of managers, or he had a specific intention for coming personally.
“Yes, my name is Shin Yoomyeong.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you come to this private audition without a management agency? Were you directly cast by the casting director?”
“I heard about the drama somewhere, so I contacted them myself.”
Hmm…
There was a spark of interest in the man’s face.
With his wavy hair, perfectly tailored suit, and elegant shoes, he could easily pass for a celebrity.
The man in his mid-thirties, dressed in luxury, curiously eyed Yoomyeong, who was oddly clad in mismatched clothes and accessories.
“By any chance, is the role you’re after the role of Bohyung?”
“Yes.”
Indeed, that was the costume for Bohyung’s entrance scene. He chuckled lightly.
Then, he went straight to the point.
“How about joining Good Entertainment? Although not large, our actors are top-notch. We offer new talents an advantageous rate. We’ll give the best conditions especially for you, Mr. Yoomyeong, since we did not incur any investment costs.”
Good Entertainment.
It was indeed as he described: a mid-sized agency with a solid lineup of actors.
At its core was this man.
Executive Director Moon Yu-seok. Though his title was only ‘Executive Director’, he was the actual founder and leader behind the agency.
The title ‘Executive Director’ was just a ruse for him to operate freely.
Just like a tiger pretending to be a cat amidst a group of real cats.
“You’re offering without even seeing my audition or profile?”
“Haha, I’m not a scammer. I just trust my instincts. I admire your audacity for directly approaching the casting director without an agency backing.”
Despite his playful demeanor, he was also renowned for his ruthless business acumen.
Moreover, there were rumors that managing the agency was just his ‘hobby’.
“Our contract is for 5 years. Since you’re a newcomer, there is no signing fee, just a profit-sharing model. If your acting is too amateurish, we might adjust the contract duration to include training, but I somehow doubt that’ll be necessary. Those are our terms.”
He jotted down a few figures on the back of his card.
‘The terms seem okay, but…’
“I’d like you to see my audition first before offering to me.”
Yoomyeong had something to confirm.
“Nothing will change even if I watch. Besides, I can’t go in when you audition in the first place…”
“You can come in and watch. I’m sure you have the capability to do that.”
The new actor’s words were strange, as if he was leisurely testing him.
‘Look at this kid…’
Moon Yu-seok felt a spark of interest he hadn’t felt in a long time.
*
“Shin Yoomyeong.”
The crowded room had thinned out.
Even the actor who originally played the role of Bohyung had auditioned and left.
Finally, Yoomyeong was called.
Startled—
“What… is that outfit?”
“Hahaha!”
Hysterical laughter erupted as soon as the door to Seminar Room 1 of the drama department opened.
The heavy atmosphere inside, a result of hours-long auditions, lightened up a bit with that laughter.
About six people were seated at the long conference table in the front, with a camera in one corner.
And in another corner was, unmistakably, the familiar face of Director Moon Yu-seok.
He had successfully managed to sneak into the audition room.
“Last up is Shin Yoomyeong, 24 years old, and not affiliated with any agency. He has no drama experience, but he recently played a supporting role in an independent film that’s currently in production. Previously, he acted in a university theater club.”
As Director Lee Min-jung shared the brief profile, those at the table scanned the documents in front of them.
A middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses looked like the director. Next to him, a woman with eccentric fashion and hairstyle was undoubtedly the famed quirky writer, Yook Mi-young.
The rest were probably assistant directors and production PDs…
“Hello. My name is Shin Yoomyeong, a rookie actor. I’ll do my best.”
Yoomyeong stood in the center and gave a slight bow.
“Nice to meet you. Is that Bohyung’s outfit from Scene 27 of Episode 1?”
The writer, who had burst into laughter as soon as he entered, asked in a friendly tone.
“Yes. It’s not enough, but I tried to set it up as closely as possible.”
“It seems good enough to use as-is, doesn’t it? Hehe. Are the watch and shoes genuine luxury brands or knock-offs?”
“I borrowed them from someone I know.”
“Ah… I thought so. They genuinely look luxurious.”
Yoomyeong had paired a few luxury items lent to him by Jeon Minhee with clothes he found in a donation bin.
“It stands out, but… we need to see how well you act. I’m hungry, so let’s get this moving quickly. You’ve prepared the assigned acting scene, right?”
The director seemed particularly irritable. Was it because he was tired…?
Before starting his performance, Yoomyeong politely asked a question.
“Yes, I have. But for the assigned scene where ‘Bohyung approaches Hana,’ I’ve prepared two versions: a ‘real’ pitiful version and one where he’s ‘pretending’ to be pitiable. Which one would you like to see?”
At those words, writer Yook Mi-young’s eyes sparkled, and the interest evident on Moon Yu-seok’s face intensified.
[TL/N: Although Miho is androgynous and can take on different forms, we’ll be referring to her as ‘she/her’ from now. This is to make things easier for the readers and avoid confusion in the future since her default human form is a female either way. Thank you so much for your understanding! <3]
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