Chapter 226 (1/2)

Although he felt unlucky when he picked the number four, he never realized that he would be one of the first to be picked. Thinking about how numbers 1, 2, and 3 would be sighing in relief and laughing at him, he felt a headache. Unlike his name, Gwangseok, which was a manifestation of his parents’ wishes for him to grow up brightly like the light (Gwang, 光), and sturdily like a rock (seok, 石), Moon Gwangseok’s expression was very dark.

‘Since it’s like this anyway’, Gwangseok decided to think positively about it and opened the door to the audition room. What he saw were two men sitting behind a long table, as well as a monitor and a camera that stood next to them. He was expecting that much, but the people behind the two men weren't something he expected at all. There were people who were staring at him with their lip sealed.

‘Wasn’t there supposed to be two judges?’

“Number four, step forward and the rest of you may wait behind, “ Hoyoung, who introduced himself as the film director, spoke. He gave off a heavy pressure. Junmin, who spoke softly outside the room, also looked very serious. Gwangseok felt his legs go limp.

“Stand on top of the x mark and get ready.”

He stood on top of the spot marked x with duct tape. He felt like going crazy right now. This was the first time he stood in front of so many people in an audition. Gwangseok’s first audition was more of self-introduction for someone else’s graduation project, and the one after that was for a short film and only the director was present during the audition. However, over five people were staring at him along with Lee Junmin, who was a famous producer.

‘This is a minor role, why are there so many people here?’

He gulped subconsciously. He felt a tingle behind his knees. His lips felt dry. It would be over if he got nervous here. Gwangseok remembered about his parents who were fully supporting him and faced his fears.

“Don’t mind the camera and look wherever you want. You can look at the camera, or you can look at us.”

“Y, yes!”

“Don’t be too nervous. If you get nervous, we will get nervous as well. Just drop all your worries.”

Hoyoung acted quite nicely. Gwangseok cheered up and took deep breaths.

“Once you're ready, you can begin.”

Gwangseok introduced himself with a “I’m number four, Moon Gwangseok from Star Academy,” and started his free acting. The short skit he prepared was ditching after school self-study sessions and persuading his friend to join him.

“Stop,” it was Junmin, who had never spoken a word until now.

“Do you know why I told you to stop?”

“N, no.”

“Come here.”

Gwangseok walked towards the table and had a look at the monitor, which Junmin was pointing at. Right now, the monitor only showed empty space. When Junmin pressed a few keys, the video rewinded. Soon, his own skit started rewinding. Junmin stopped and resumed the footage. When Gwangseok watched his own skit, he couldn’t help but frown and bite his lips.

“We’re not an academy. I don’t even have time to tell you what you did wrong. But you should at least have something to earn from this place, right? You see what you did wrong, don’t you?”

“Yes….”

“Go and wait on the side.”

“Yes.”

He wasn’t able to ask if it was over for him. He did poorly according to what he saw in the footage. His expression was stiff like a rock and lacked vitality, and his gaze was all over the place. When he pondered to himself about why he did so, he realized that he was too conscious of the people behind the judges. Above all, his actions were terrible when viewed through the monitor. He mistook that the camera was taking a bust shot and did not control his hand movements properly. Gwangseok grieved when he saw that he was fidgeting to himself when he was acting.

‘I was too conscious about the camera.’

Hyoung definitely told him not to mind the camera. Gwangseok closed his eyes and went back in line with the rest.

‘It’s over.’

He didn’t even fill the five minute time limit and only spent 20 seconds. As for his script acting…

“Next,” a cold voice sounded out. Gwangseok looked downwards in dejection.

* * * *

Although he expected it, it really wasn’t easy just like what he thought. The two people sitting in front of him weren’t looking for students for a school festival musical but a proper actor. Meaning, they would not forgive any mistakes. If there were a few people applying, then they might have given him another chance, but there were a lot of people waiting outside. It would take an extremely long time to go through their skits one by one, so there was no way they would give another chance to someone who missed their opportunity. They were extremely rational and cruel. Junmin’s eyes as he looked at the rest of the participants contained no hint of affection. He was looking for just skills, just character, and just creativity. The fact that he signed a contract with Junmin was useless here.

‘In fact, it might be a disadvantage.’

Junmin was a clever man. He would give full support if it seemed like something or someone profited him, but immediately cut all connections if he deemed otherwise. If someone became close to him, then he might change his mind, but right now, there was nothing like that between Maru and him. In fact, Maru had the obligation to prove his worth to him.

“Next, number 11.”

“My name is Park Jintae. Please take care of me.”

“That’s what I want to say, and you’re supposed to do well.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Stand on top of the x mark and begin once you’re ready,” Hoyoung spoke as he had a look at the monitor and the person alternately. He looked like a completely different man from the interview. His casual impression was gone and his eyes contained a hint of sharpness. His eyes were fiercely looking at the candidates. If one was pressured, then they wouldn’t be able to bring out even half of their skills. Taking lessons from the first candidate, the second person did better. This boy, named Jintae, acted a delinquent. His swaying motion looked very good. It was just that…

“Wait,” Junmin raised his hand and stopped him. It wasn’t a ‘stop’ but a ‘wait’. The boy immediately stopped his act and stood upright. Then, he looked at the judges.

“If you keep fumbling your words like that, the boom mic won’t pick up anything. Try again.”

“Yes.”

The boy seemed to have understood and started over, but as his rhythm was interrupted once, his actions started becoming awkward. As Maru watched from the back, the swaying motion now seemed to stem from injury rather than from being a delinquent. Jungmin gestured for him to stop. However, before he could say anything another voice sounded out from behind.

“Let’s have him try the lines.”

It was a man wearing a baseball cap. His voice was quite deep. Junmin nodded his head and passed a script onto the boy through another person.

‘Is he an actor?’

Due to the baseball cap and the script in the man’s hands, his face couldn’t be seen. Maru predicted that the man was in his forties from his voice.