‘Why make it more dramatic than it is?’ Zeno couldn’t help but ask.
It was a casting call. This PD was acting like they had to put down everything on the line.
“I will act as if I’m standing on the edge of the cliff,” Jace said, making Zeno shake his head.
Chaewon PD continued. “I have Ian Seo here with me,” she said. The famous actor stood, earning cheers and squeals from the hopefuls.
“And my assistant director, Jiho, as well as the main producer of the show, Insu.”
They cheered once more.
“Now, I don’t want to waste any more time. With so many of you, I know we are going to stay here until the evening.”
“Do we have to stay here until the last audition?” Jisoo couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes,” Chaewon PD said. “Another trait I need for the chosen extras is patience. In this final scene, we might be stuck on the set for an entire day or two. If you cannot do that, I suggest you leave now.”
The extras looked around nervously.
At that moment, Zeno truly wanted to leave. However, his penalty quest wasn’t finished yet.
“I can do anything,” Jace said, his hands clenched at his sides.
Zeno shook his head. It seemed he had met a very passionate person.
“None are leaving?” Chaewon asked. “Very well. We shall start then.”
She pointed to Hyunjin, who was in the very first seat. “Young man,” she said. “You will go first.”
Hyunjin stood, surprised.
“Don’t be surprised now,” Chaewon said. “You chose that seat. That means you are confident. Most of the time, the first row is reserved for the VIP—the most important and skilled. So, I have a lot of expectations.”
“We will follow this seating arrangement for the order,” she added. Just then, Zeno felt everybody’s eyes on him, envy seen in their gazes.
Jace pursed his lips. “Does that mean the expectations here would be low? I love it!”
Zeno, on the other hand, shook his head. The expectations needed to be high so he could disappoint them even more.
“They should have the same level of critiquing for every applicant,” he said.
Jace looked at him with raised eyebrows. “O-ho, you’re a cool one, aren’t you?”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Chaewon PD asked. “Go ahead. Pick a scene here,” she said, pointing to the stack of papers on their table.
Hyunjin pursed his lips and nodded, going to the raised platform at the very front and center with his script in hand.
A cold reading.
A type of audition where actors were asked to read a scene from a script they hadn’t seen before. In short, it was an impromptu act where they had no preparation time.
“What scene number did you pick?” Chaewon PD asked.
“Scene 45,” Hyunjin responded.
“Alright, go ahead,” she said.
Ian held the same script, ready to act as the counterpart.
Despite having years of experience, Hyunjin’s initial confidence had gone down the drain. There truly was no context given. It was just a bunch of lines. It didn’t have any emotion cues, either, which made it harder for him to understand what he needed to portray.
Ian started off.
“You’re losing blood. If I don’t patch you up now, you’re not walking out of here.”
Hyunjin angrily glared at Ian. “I don’t need your help. I’ve had worse.”
Ian scoffed. “Yeah? And who patched you up then? Your buddies? Because they’re not here right now.”
Even after just reading the script, Ian’s acting skills have shone through.
Jace’s eyes lit up in excitement. “He’s so cool.”
Zeno couldn’t help but agree. It was evident that Ian Seo’s acting skills were beyond what Zeno had seen in real life. Daniel Byeon couldn’t even come close.
Hyunjin blanked out for a moment, causing Chaewon PD’s eyebrows to rise.
He winced, but it was obvious he was trying to look handsome while doing it.
Chaewon PD shook her head. The producers, too, took note of this deficit.
“Look, just give me some painkillers, and I’ll be on my way.”
Ian sighed and shook his head. “Look, I get it. You don’t trust hospitals. You don’t trust me. But you’ve got people counting on you, don’t you?”
Hyunjin once again hesitated, staring at his script for a little too long. “What do you know about my life?”
Before Ian could state his next line, Chaewon PD had raised her hand in the air.
Hyunjin turned to her in surprise. “Umm, the scene is still not finished, PD.”
Chaewon smirked. “I know,” he said. “But if I say it’s over, then it’s over.”
Hyunjin froze, the color draining from his face.
“Next!”