Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: I Survived...!
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Survived...!
Seonwoo clenched his fist tight.
He'd done it. They'd been recognized. Everyone could stay here.
But unfortunately, at this moment, he couldn't express that joy freely.
"Ah......"
"That's it for you."
Someone surviving meant others hadn't.
The 46 dropouts had now lost their last shred of hope. Dark expressions, staring blankly at the screen in disbelief.
Sung Junil's voice echoed quietly through the silent studio.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Everyone, thank you for your hard work. With this, the first round of preliminaries is over. A straightforward declaration, without any clumsy consolation.
No more variables to hope for.
Some burst into tears, others smiled bitterly.
Watching them, Seonwoo realized anew.
This is reality.
They were walking a slippery slope where one misstep could send them tumbling.
The irony of the place where dream-chasers gathered being the most realistic of all.
His clenched fist was slick with sweat.
Now it finally hit him. The opportunity given to him could vanish like a mirage overnight.
Yes, as if such a miracle had never existed to begin with.
...No, I won't let it.
Seonwoo steeled his resolve.
He would survive.
Even if it meant grinding his flesh and bones to dust, he would endure somehow.
This lifeline he'd finally grasped.
He couldn't let it go.
Never.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Lucky break.
The first prelim shoot was over.
And Im Youngdo's expression was more relaxed than ever.
Thanks to his gut feeling. This show was going to sail smoothly.
More good characters than I expected.
To clarify, "good characters" here didn't mean good actors.
This was fundamentally a variety show, not a drama. In the end, viewers needed characters that hooked them.
Looks, backstory, personality—anything that appealed to the audience.
And this batch of contestants had brought far more diverse hooks than Im Youngdo had anticipated.
An elderly man chasing the dream he'd only gazed at longingly in his twilight years.
A nameless actor who'd devoted his life to acting but never seen the spotlight.
Wide-eyed rookies thrilled by every moment, and passionate youths juggling day jobs with their craft...
Characters rare in typical audition shows.
Their very existence would hook viewers powerfully.
Of course, hooks alone didn't guarantee success.
To keep those viewers glued to the screen, you needed someone with star quality to draw them in.
A star who could captivate.
"Good to see you made it again, Seonwoo."
"Yes. Great to see you too, PD."
And the one Im Youngdo was interviewing now was prime star material.
Kim Seonwoo.
Im Youngdo studied Seonwoo's face slowly. He'd always thought the guy was handsome, but today... he looked almost pretty.
Probably biased by favoritism.
Seonwoo had delivered another stunning scene today.
"I got emotional today. With Hyungbin, and the way you looked after Sion... it felt so genuine. Not easy to pull off. Impressive."
"Nah. I just did it because I wanted to."
Seonwoo waved it off.
He could've milked it more, but he genuinely didn't care for the credit.
Im Youngdo wondered for a second.
Did he know that kind of thing plays well with viewers?
...No, that's not it.
As a seasoned PD, Im Youngdo had seen all types.
Spotting fake virtue was child's play. Seonwoo was sincere. That's what made it gold. Helping without calculation, following his heart... not your everyday archetype these days.
Pure... no, innocent felt right.
Not naive, though.
Anyway, magnetic.
And that magnetism would surely reach the viewers.
Im Youngdo's lips curved up.
"Your acting style changed a lot from last time. How'd you nail supporting roles like that?"
"Hm... Seemed like the situation called for it."
A disarmingly simple answer.
Tone like it was no big deal.
Im Youngdo couldn't help but marvel.
He'd once dreamed of acting himself. He knew better than most that "needed" performances don't just materialize.
But that made it all the better.
A genius who won't admit it to himself.
Character he'd clocked last time too.
Stubbornly denying his own genius. Apparently unchanged.
Wonder how viewers would eat it up... He was already looking forward to it.
"Were you gunning for the Golden Ticket from the start?"
"Yes. That's right."
"So many teams. Hitting top two minimum is no small feat... Confident?"
"Hm... Not like I thought we could definitely pull it off."
Seonwoo answered honestly.
During prep, he'd doubted the Golden Ticket more than once.
Luckily, ways to salvage the stage had appeared midway; otherwise, it'd have been impossible.
"Just wanted to try. Felt like I had to."
"If something like this happens again, would you keep prioritizing good acting over winning?"
"Before I answer... mind if I ask something first?"
"Go ahead."
Im Youngdo nodded readily.
Seonwoo hesitated, glancing at him. Might come off aggressive.
But it needed saying.
So he did.
"If good acting isn't enough to win... what kind of acting does the winner do?"
"...Haha."
Direct hit.
Im Youngdo let out a dry laugh. A point even he hadn't considered. Seonwoo followed up smoothly.
"I'm grateful to you, PD."
"For what?"
"Things felt hopeless. The path to acting seemed narrower than I thought. Then this show appeared... like a lifeline."
Unexpected gratitude.
Those straightforward eyes brimmed with sincerity. Im Youngdo thought: Been a while since I've seen eyes like that.
Reason he'd focused on Seonwoo.
He believed viewers would adore them too.
They'd cherish this guy.
Reaffirmed his conviction.
This one deserved the spotlight.
That's why.
That day, every survivor interviewed after Seonwoo got the exact same question.
—What do you think of participant Kim Seonwoo?
Their surface responses went like this.
"Ah, that guy was good. Really memorable."
"Handsome? That's all I got for now."
"...Who's that?"
"Pro-level."
But their inner thoughts were more complex.
Why ask about Kim Seonwoo all of a sudden?
Some brushed it off, but the puzzled ones soon got their answer.
The PD was eyeing Kim Seonwoo.
No reason to probe otherwise unless they planned to push him.
Once that clicked... the next thought was inevitable.
Kim Seonwoo... who the hell is this guy?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "To everyone's survival... cheers!"
That night, Seonwoo and his teammates threw a modest party in the communal lounge.
Modest meaning sharing convenience store snacks and drinks.
For the record, Seo Jinwook skipped it.
They'd asked, but he'd firmly declined, citing early bedtime.
Yeah, not the type for this anyway.
No expectations from the start.
Seonwoo chugged an electrolyte drink and grabbed some rice crackers. Hyungbin eyed the non-alcoholic spread on their table with a wistful look.
"A night like this calls for beer..."
"You like drinking?"
"Not enough to solo it, but in this vibe? Perfect. You hold your liquor, Seonwoo?"
"...Hm, just average."
"What's your limit?"
"Uh... Never really gotten smashed."
"Aw, you haven't explored it much yet."
No, not quite.
But Seonwoo didn't bother explaining. What good would admitting he barely gets drunk do?
"When we get out, let's grab one. My treat."
"Sounds good."
Seonwoo nodded, then glanced at Sion.
"Sion, let's hang out after. Bro'll get you... what do you like? Chicken?"
"Love chicken!"
"Cool, chicken it is. Bone-in, no boneless."
"Ack... Yes! I prefer bone-in too!"
Sion beamed, nodding vigorously.
Hm. Well-trained early on.
Seonwoo smiled warmly, reaching to ruffle Sion's hair—
"Seonwoo! There you are!"
"Seonwoo hyung!"
Familiar voices.
Turning, there were Hyeseong and Yechun. Hyeseong grinned broadly, greeting Hyungbin and Sion too.
"Hey! You guys Seonwoo's teammates?"
"Yeah. You from the same troupe?"
"Yep! Caught your show today—awesome!"
"You too! Weren't you the doctor?"
"Oh, you remember? I'm touched."
"Psh, your acting was killer!"
Hyungbin unleashed his social superpowers, bonding with Hyeseong fast.
Is office socializing always this potent?
Watching them, Yechun approached flushed, slapping the table.
"I had no idea that hyung could pull off that style. Thought he was all about quirky roles...!"
"...He's done a lot of edgy stuff lately."
Both Seungdo and Heejae were strong-personality types.
More about standing out than blending.
Made sense it'd surprise Yechun.
But not Sion.
Sion planted himself in front of Yechun, arms crossed, shaking his head firmly.
"Seonwoo hyung's great at any acting."
"...Huh?"
"Seonwoo hyung excels at everything. Not just quirky or whatever."
"I'm not saying that 'cause I don't know..."
"You just said you had no idea."
"No, that was contextual! And you—how long have you even known Seonwoo hyung? Seen him do other styles?"
"Doesn't take eyes to know."
"This kid..."
Out-argued by a child, Yechun turned to Seonwoo with a wronged look.
What's with her? Seonwoo just chuckled instead of explaining. Cute chemistry.
Then a hand on his shoulder.
"Seonwoo."
"Ah, Jaewon sunbae."
Jaewon.
Same impassive face as always, he spoke.
"Saw the show. You killed it."
"You too. Your team was insane."
Sincere.
Seeing Jaewon's team, he'd instantly known they'd snag the Golden Ticket.
Minhee's team impressed too, but it was her and one other carrying it.
Only those two survived.
Wonder where Minhee was—
"Yo, Minhee. Made it?"
"Yeah."
Minhee appeared.
Oddly, her face was stormy for a survivor.
Hyeseong noticed.
"Whoa, what's got our queen so troubled?"
"Not troubled. Just tired."
"Nah, looks like trouble."
"I said no!"
Minhee snapped, and Hyeseong flinched back.
Deflated, Hyeseong whispered to Seonwoo.
'Why's she mad at me?'
'Don't poke. She might blow.'
Seonwoo murmured back, pondering.
Why so down? Teammates dropping, probably.
Sure, they were new acquaintances, but Seonwoo cared deeply about Hyungbin and Sion too.
And then.
Minhee gestured behind her.
"Oh, introduce. This is Yeonwoo. My roommate."
Yeonwoo.
Seonwoo's eyes lit up at the name.
Curious about her since seeing her act with Minhee.
Her details rivaled anyone—even Cha Doyoung.
Wondered what kind of person pulled that off.
Likely a top rival here.
And she seemed curious about him too.
Yeonwoo grinned, extending a hand.
"Hi! Loved your acting! I'm Yeonwoo."
"Yeah, Kim Seonwoo..."
As Seonwoo grasped her hand to greet— he froze solid.
No choice.
Something inexplicable was happening before his eyes.
Until now, Seonwoo saw colors in only two cases.
One: Imagining a character he'd act.
Two: Watching someone act.
Never otherwise. No colors in daily life.
Right. It should be...
"Huh? You okay?"
"Ah, yeah. Sorry. Just zoned out."
This woman was different.
Every moment—talking, eyes crinkling, head tilt— a sky-blue aura flowed from her whole body.
On stage, he'd praise the natural acting.
Problem: this wasn't a stage.
Just ordinary life.
No acting involved.
"Kim Seonwoo. Nice... to meet you."
Who is this person?