Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Devilish Audition
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"…That was great. Next up is applicant Lee Jun-seo."
As Han Mun-jin spoke softly, the two other judges flinched and picked up their pens, scribbling something on their papers.
My turn was finally here.
I swallowed hard.
‘...Am I nervous?’
Kwon In-ju's performance had been incredibly immersive. My fists, clenched tight, were slick with cold sweat.
I forced my lips into a smile.
Yeah. This was what made the competition exciting.
Handsome looks as a weapon?
Didn't need it.
I didn't want to lose in acting to someone my age. Let's see who came out on top.
"Lee Jun-seo. Applicant. Come on out."
"Yes, sir!"
I replied energetically and strode forward confidently.
This was, in a way...
A battle with my past life's self.
I'd somehow seen echoes of my former self in Kwon In-ju.
My heart was pounding like mad.
Step. Step.
As I crossed paths with Kwon In-ju, fresh off his performance, our eyes met in midair.
He flashed a smug smile, his gaze arrogant. It was as if he was asking how his acting had been.
‘Watch closely. Mine's good too.’
I stopped at the spot where Kwon In-ju had stood and slowly closed my eyes.
"Begin."
"Hoo. Hoo."
I cleared my mind with deep breaths and conjured the image of the devil I had in mind.
Arrogant. Overflowing with dignity...
***
The atmosphere around Lee Jun-seo, eyes still closed as he exhaled deeply, shifted dramatically.
‘What kind of performance did he prepare?’
Han Mun-jin shuddered at the cold glint in Lee Jun-seo's eyes as they opened.
"...Where am I?"
Lee Jun-seo lifted his head in a haughty posture and murmured softly.
It was chilling, cold enough to freeze to the bone.
Then, lowering his head, he smirked as if discovering something intriguing.
It sent chills racing across my skin.
A dangerous aura emanated from him, urging me to flee right then.
In the suffocating tension, Kwon In-ju swallowed hard.
"Human, did you summon me? Speak clearly. I'm not known for my patience. Where is this place?"
The character Lee Jun-seo had crafted felt eerily similar to the one I'd envisioned.
The difference?
He'd twisted the script's setup into a more threatening tone and vibe.
Even with the lead writer boldly seated among the judges, Lee Jun-seo pressed on confidently.
"Humans' greed knows no bounds. That's why I like it. Human who summoned me, do you seek revenge?"
Kwon In-ju forgot it was an audition and opened his mouth.
"It's really good..."
He muttered softly, then snapped back to reality and clamped his mouth shut.
He refocused on the performance.
‘He's really good.’
Truth be told, Kwon In-ju despised actors who coasted on looks alone.
But.
An actor who drew you in regardless of appearance? He didn't mind those.
Like the one right in front of him... Lee Jun-seo.
The sitcom Guard the Pojangmacha!
Of course he'd watched it.
The thug role who appeared with his daughter— that actor's performance had been spot-on. No wasted movements, paired with hilariously over-the-top lines.
His acting had real comedic charm.
And the follow-up, High School 2022.
He planned to watch that live too. How would he perform in a drama so different in genre?
He'd been dying to know.
‘High School 2022... It's gonna be a hit.’
Kwon In-ju relaxed his shoulders.
He could picture Lee Jun-seo landing the lead and shining.
It was a clear defeat, plain as day.
"Do you seek revenge? I asked. Offer your lifespan, and I can make it certain. Don't you hate living like this?"
After giving up everything, strangely, he started seeing what he'd been missing.
Ah, so that's how you express it.
Why hadn't he thought of something so simple?
‘The devil.’
He needed to come off as arrogant to a mere human. Reciting sweet words arrogantly made the emotions hit home.
‘Can I act like that too?’
Kwon In-ju shook his head vigorously.
He shoved aside stray thoughts and focused on Lee Jun-seo's acting.
There was plenty to learn.
"Still hesitating? Foolish. Even when I offer a chance, you waver."
Lee Jun-seo suddenly extended his hand, lordly dignity flowing from his fingertips.
"Change your mind... and tear up that business card. The price for summoning me is ten years of your life. The request itself will cost extra lifespan, of course."
Lee Jun-seo glanced at his watch and his sharp eyes softened slightly.
‘Did he break character?’
That was the moment—
"That's it. Three minutes up."
A pang of regret lingered at the call to stop.
The judges felt it too.
The director smacked his lips in disappointment, while the man and woman on either side pressed their lips together, eyes downcast.
"Ah, uh... Yeah. You two can go now. We'll notify those who pass tomorrow morning."
Han Mun-jin finished speaking, smiled, and leaned back in his chair.
Just from their reactions, Kwon In-ju's loss was obvious.
Yet, oddly, it didn't bother him.
He'd learned so much from Lee Jun-seo.
And pinpointed his own shortcomings.
***
I let out a deep sigh after leaving the audition room.
It had been ages since I'd taken an audition this seriously.
"Haa. Made it just in time."
If I hadn't checked the clock, I might've gone overtime.
Good thing I nailed it.
Continuing would've been a huge hassle for the actors waiting behind me.
"Um, excuse me!"
Someone called from behind.
Kwon In-ju was rushing over, sweaty and flustered.
I'm exhausted...
Couldn't he just leave me alone?
I suppressed my annoyance and smiled.
"Why'd you call me?"
Kwon In-ju flinched.
Step. Step.
As I closed the distance, his trembling intensified. Head bowed, avoiding my eyes, he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.
Just answer already...
"Excuse me. If you're gonna call—"
"Y-your eyes are scary right now. You haven't shaken off the emotion yet."
"What?"
His words were so odd I approached the hallway mirror to check my face.
"...!"
My naturally sharp eyes had turned razor-edged, making my expression fierce.
‘I definitely look like me...’
Guess I hadn't fully exited the devil role; it had altered my eyes.
"If you tidy up your emotions before heading out, that'd be best. Sometimes when you dive too deep, it's hard to surface."
He was right—going out like this? Everyone would whisper about my upturned eyes making me look mean.
"Ah... Thanks for the tip."
I bowed politely and turned toward the lobby bench, but he trailed after me like a puppy.
I sat in the middle of the bench; he sat right next to me.
"Uh, why are you following me?"
I realized my mistake.
Lingering emotions had sharpened my tone too, just like my eyes.
Luckily, Kwon In-ju didn't seem uncomfortable at all.
"I had questions. Wanted your thoughts on my performance today."
His gaze was earnest.
He really wanted honest feedback. After a moment's thought, I replied carefully.
"Ah... Honestly, I was impressed. You really get that devil character."
Kwon In-ju's face lit up.
"Then..."
I scratched my head, pausing.
From the perspective of a peer who acted well.
How had my performance looked?
"How was mine?"
"Same here. I thought, ‘This guy gets the character.’"
He gave the exact same answer to my question.
"Really?"
"Got more questions... Mind if I ask?"
I just shrugged.
Kwon In-ju asked about filming the sitcom versus drama—what were the differences?
Naturally, I explained how sitcoms had that snappy, lively feel unlike dramas.
And after that...
He stuck around for a full hour, keeping the conversation going.
Half of it was his questions...
From what I learned about him.
A senior who'd debuted three years ahead of me.
Always taking small supporting or bit roles across various projects.
‘Why hasn't he blown up?’
It didn't make sense.
Given today's performance, he should've had tons of fans...
What a shame...
"Ah, time flew by."
"Yeah. Thanks for everything, sunbae-nim. It was fun. I gotta head out."
Once we got friendly, Kwon In-ju dropped formal speech with me. I still called him sunbae-nim and kept polite, of course.
"Yeah, fun for me too. Let's get up."
We'd been chatting in the corner of the lobby and rose together.
"Jun-seo-ya. Wanna grab a bite?"
"Gotta head home."
"Aw, was hoping to treat you. Too bad."
"Haha."
I donned a mask and cap to hide my face; Kwon In-ju went barefaced as we headed to the parking lot.
Now that it was time to part, regret filled his expression.
"Even if you pass, don't forget me."
"Come on, sunbae-nim, your acting was great too. Results aren't out yet."
I shrugged, and he let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha! After years rolling in the audition trenches? Think I don't know? Get home safe."
With Kwon In-ju seeing me off, I climbed into the manager's car.
"Thanks for your hard work today."
"Yeah."
I gazed at the shifting scenery outside, my lips curving naturally into a smile.
He'd make a great rival.
***
As soon as I got home, Yu-na came sprinting over.
"Daddy!"
Her face was smeared with white powder, which she rubbed against my legs.
White dust clung to my expensive slacks, faintly outlining her chubby cheeks.
"Yu-na-ya, what were you up to?"
"Making cookies with auntie!"
The savory aroma wafting through the entryway confirmed it.
In the kitchen with Yu-na, the smell grew stronger. The woman who'd been caring for Yu-na so well spotted me, wiped her hands, and approached.
"Oh, you're back?"
"Daddy! Daddy! Yu-na's cookies are yummy. Try some!"
"Got it. Yu-na, go wash up first. You can do it alone, right?"
"Yessir!"
While sending Yu-na to the bathroom, Kim Mi-so tidied her bag and stood.
Spending a day with hyperactive Yu-na couldn't have been easy...
"Thanks for all your hard work today."
"Oh, no biggie. Taking care of such a cute little girl is fun."
"Really?"
She seemed to have something on her mind, fidgeting and working her lips.
"Before I go... Could you sign something? My daughter's a fan. When I told her I'd be watching Yu-na, she nagged me nonstop to get an autograph..."
Ah, a signature request.
"Haha, no problem at all. Where should I sign?"
She fumbled in her bag and pulled out a pamphlet with a photo of me dramatically tossing my hair.
"...Where'd you get this?"
"She said she bought it cheap online. Won't tell me how much. How much do these go for?"
Beats me...
I'd given those away for free to fans who asked whenever seniors sent coffee trucks.
If she got it online...
Someone must've resold it.
It stung a little.
After signing the front, Yu-na dashed out from washing up and shot her hand up.
"Daddy! Yu-na wants one too! Autograph!"
"Hmm, is that okay?"
"Sure. She insisted on getting Yu-na's too."
As soon as Yu-na scribbled her signature, the woman's face broke into a grin.
Not for her daughter, huh?
Or had she become a Yu-na fan?
I couldn't shake the suspicion.