Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Sitcom Audition
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‘As expected, since it’s an unpopular sitcom, there aren’t many people here for the audition?’
Including me and Yu-na, there were only fifteen people sitting in the waiting room.
Everyone was staring holes through their papers, mumbling under their breaths.
‘Are they looking at this?’
I unfolded the paper I’d just received from the staff and examined it closely. It had a short line of dialogue written on it.
‘Knew it.’
After the line on the paper, we had to improvise for over three minutes on our own.
‘No wonder there aren’t many people trying out for sitcom auditions….’
I calmly read the dialogue on the paper, then imagined what might happen next.
How could I make it funny and attention-grabbing? A gang boss causing a ruckus at a pojangmacha tent bar.
“The auditions are about to start!”
The staff member’s booming voice echoed through the waiting room. Everyone’s faces stiffened instantly.
I’ve been there myself….
Watching their tense expressions brought back memories of my rookie days.
“Daddy!”
Yu-na suddenly called out to me, pointing at the writing on her paper.
“How do you read this?”
“You mean the line written here?”
“Yeah! Yu-na wants to read it too.”
The dialogue on the paper was pretty rough. It didn’t seem like something educational to teach a kid.
“Hmm….”
She’d hear it when she acted it out anyway.
Well, it should be fine to tell her now.
“This one goes like….”
“Numbers 6 and 7? Are you here?”
Right on cue, my number was called.
Thump. Thump.
The thought of acting again had me so excited I couldn’t control it—my heart was racing.
‘Did I really love acting this much?’
I placed a hand on my chest.
This was the pounding of joyful anticipation.
‘It’s been five years as a bum….’
I’d holed up at home all that time, not even bothering to watch dramas or movies.
But feeling my heart race like this…
Looks like I really did love acting.
“Is no one here? Then….”
I snapped to attention, waving my number tag high.
“Yes! Number 7’s right here.”
“I’m number 6.”
I flinched at the pleasant voice of the latecomer raising his hand. His pronunciation was so precise, he could’ve passed for a voice actor.
‘Is he a working actor?’
He had a neatly trimmed goatee and deep wrinkles around his mouth.
Looked about fifty.
‘Never seen his face before….’
Even if I’d been an actor once, it was only natural I couldn’t remember every celebrity’s face.
“Numbers confirmed. Please follow me.”
“Got it.”
“Y-Yes, got it.”
The middle-aged man shuffled along behind me with creaky movements.
Guess he’s not a pro after all….
His rock-hard expression confirmed it.
Bang!
The staff ahead opened a large door and left.
‘W-Wait… that guy?’
I froze at the sight of the stern judge seated inside.
The world really is small….
There, before my eyes, sat Director Lee Han-sol—the first director I’d worked with as a child actor in my previous life.
Minor roles were usually handled by casting directors, so why was the director here himself…?
His dry skin and hollow eyes.
Seeing how much he’d changed stirred up nostalgia and joy.
“Ah, Director….”
“Ahem. Let’s start with number 6.”
I quickly clamped my mouth shut.
I wasn’t ‘Lee Seo-jun’ from his memories—I was ‘Lee Jun-seo,’ here for today’s audition.
Almost slipped up and greeted Director Lee Han-sol like an old friend.
‘Gotta be careful.’
I steadied myself and watched the middle-aged man prepare to start his performance.
How good would he be?
“You fucking punks, what the hell are you doing here without my permission? Running a business?”
The middle-aged man’s acting began.
Despite his fine voice, it was disappointing.
His clear enunciation conveyed what he meant to express…
But it didn’t suit a sitcom.
Felt like I was watching a daily drama.
Before long, he’d perfectly finished the scripted line. Now came the improv section.
“You gonna keep this up?”
I shook my head at his suddenly intense gaze. It was no longer sitcom territory.
That serious demeanor and look were straight out of a thriller.
“Get the boss out here!”
As he started kicking at the air.
The director sighed.
“Sigh…. That’s enough.”
“Huh? I’ve still got two minutes left.”
“I said that’s enough.”
We had three minutes total.
Telling him to stop meant there was nothing more to see.
He was definitely skilled at acting.
However.
His lack of understanding for the sitcom genre held him back.
If this had been a different genre’s audition, he might’ve gotten a great response….
It was a bit regrettable.
“Yes, sir….”
The middle-aged man’s slumped shoulders looked utterly dejected as he walked away.
But this was the industry.
I coldly turned to face the director head-on.
“Number 7. Begin.”
“…….”
It stung a little that the director didn’t recognize me.
No, no reason to feel hurt….
“…Understood.”
I told Yu-na to behave, then stepped forward.
“Hoo, hoo….”
I can do this.
After deep breaths to immerse myself in the thug role, I slowly parted my lips.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing here?”
Big hand gestures.
Serious but playful.
Using the exaggerated tone unique to sitcoms, I boldly continued.
Now, put some fire in the eyes….
“Running a business without my say-so? And what’s this crap? Clear it out now!”
I kicked wildly at the air—then froze stiff. Yu-na, who’d promised to stay put, was right beside me now.
Had a feeling. And sure enough….
Yu-na glared fiercely and opened her little mouth.
“Right! What you doing here? Without our daddy’s say-so… running business?”
She’d said she’d behave….
But Yu-na fired back my line and kicked at the air with her short legs.
“Yap! Yap! Yap!”
“…….”
The director’s eyes changed.
Wrinkles formed between his narrowed brows.
We were still in the middle of the audition. No stopping—time to turn this around.
‘See it through to the end.’
The short scripted line was done; now to build the scene.
Drawing on all my past experience, I wove in improv.
“Yeah, you keep this up, it’s only gonna end bad for you.”
“Bad for you! Only bad for you!”
A contrived situation.
The director’s expression shifted noticeably.
I knew that look—he made it when something intrigued him.
I needed to blow him away with my full acting chops, but reining in my rattled emotions would take time.
“Yap! Yap!”
Right. Yeah.
Then a good idea hit.
I reached out and scooped up Yu-na, who was still kicking away energetically.
This bought me time.
Do it again.
‘Sorry, Yu-na… just hang in there a bit.’
Still holding her, I tickled her sides to create a new moment.
“Eeeek! Daddy! That tickles!”
“Ssh! Stay still. There’s broken glass on the floor—it’s dangerous.”
A tough thug who turns into a total goofball in front of his daughter.
Now, if I tripped like an idiot here and made a fool of myself, it’d be perfect.
“Ow!”
“Daddy! Does it hurt? Hurt a lot?”
Basking in Yu-na’s worry, I checked the director’s reaction. He was watching intently, arms crossed.
‘Better response than expected?’
Anyone else might think the audition was tanking based on his vibe.
But I knew him well.
Leaning back with arms crossed meant he liked it.
If his habits hadn’t changed…
I was in for sure.
‘Yep, my acting skills are still alive.’
Later I found out we’d gone three minutes over the limit, using the full time and then some.
A month flew by as I scraped by on short-term gigs, waiting for the final audition results.
Summer arrived swiftly in June.
Just moving made sweat pour.
And those cicadas screaming at every chance.
Maaaeem! Maaaeem! Maaaeeeem!
Don’t they ever get tired?
I shaded my eyes from the blazing sun, but the heat was unrelenting.
‘The weather’s annoyingly perfect.’
Or rather…
‘Is this the same kid who was bawling her eyes out?’
Yu-na walked beside me, her face blooming with smiles. Hard to believe this was the girl who’d been scrubbing the floor with her clothes, begging to go out.
But it was a good thing.
This was the first time she’d clearly stated what she wanted.
Despite the neglectful abuse of indifference, Yu-na’s behavior and expressions had brightened quickly.
‘Four months.’
That’s probably how long I’d ignored Yu-na. I was sure because of when my wife passed.
It’d been two months since I possessed this body.
I’d looked into Lee Jun-seo’s life, and surprisingly, Yu-na’s birthday was the anniversary of his wife’s death.
He must’ve thought blaming others would ease his pain. What an idiot.
“Hee hee hee. So fun.”
Hop! Hop!
I pushed serious thoughts aside and asked Yu-na.
“Really fun? It’s just a walk.”
“Yeah! Coming out with Daddy makes me happy.”
“Ahaha. Yeah. Daddy’s happy too.”
Walking cozily with Yu-na, we soon entered a street lined with shops.
Early morning, and plenty were already bustling to prep for customers.
‘Everyone’s so diligent from the crack of dawn.’
Early bird catches the worm, huh?
Having some leisure time brought out proverbs I rarely used.
“Huh? It’s gone….”
“Hm? What?”
Yu-na, who’d been walking fine, suddenly stopped dead. Her bright eyes reached out to me.
“Daddy! Help!”
Help with what?
Maybe she meant carry her?
I knelt slowly to meet her eye level and asked carefully.
“Want a piggyback?”
She shook her head vigorously, pointing ahead with a tiny finger.
“Piggyback me just to there.”
Her little finger pointed at the ground. She’d asked first again, so I just smiled it off.
Kids have their reasons.
As requested, I slipped hands under her arms and lifted her gently.
“Wheee! So high!”
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
Exactly five steps in, flailing Yu-na kicked me right in the goods.
“Right here! Here!”
“Urk!”
Pain like I might die again.
As I groaned, Yu-na hopped down and scampered off.
Only when I collapsed to her eye level did I guess why she’d wanted carrying.
‘The line’s broken—that’s why.’
A memory from my past life surfaced.
I’d once thought my parents, who wouldn’t even pay attention, were fake.
So I’d tried to find my “real” ones by stepping only on white lines, got lost, and cried….
Bad memory for me, but I hoped it’d be a good one for Yu-na.
‘Huh? Broken again?’
Yu-na’s brows furrowed, tiny wrinkles forming as she faced another crisis.
She’ll ask for help again.
“W-What do I do?”
“Hmm.”
I crossed my arms, pondering.
Should I tell her the rule I’d made up back then? Or just watch…?
That’s when it happened.
Sure enough, Yu-na turned and stretched both arms toward me.
“Daddyyy. Help….”
That’s my girl.
Her antics were so cute, I never got tired of being with her. Clearing my throat, I slowly spoke.
“Wanna hear a fun fact?”
“A fun fact?”
“When the line’s broken, just pinch your nose like this and hop over.”
“R-Really?”
“Yep. Daddy doesn’t lie.”
Yu-na’s face lit up.
Head high, she pinched her nose and hopped to the other side.
‘Such a goofball.’
Her sudden antics threw me sometimes, but looking back, they were fun and adorable.
Was I getting attached now?
She waved her little hand at me with a beaming smile.
Weirdly, since becoming Lee Jun-seo, I smiled more. Not fake acting smiles—from the heart.
As I smiled back and approached, my pocket buzzed like a rock-hard stone—my phone.
Bzzzzt!
‘Whoa, scared me….’
I pulled it out, checked the text, and grinned wider than usual.
[<Guard the Pojangmacha!> Sitcom minor role audition: Passed.
Detailed info will be sent via file. Contact us if you have questions.]
‘Knew I’d get picked.’
I had memories and know-how from my pro days in countless projects.
I’d use it all…
To climb back to the top.
This is my first step….
I clenched my fist, steeling my resolve.