Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Becoming a Genius
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I know it won't be as easy as it sounds.
Having seen Doyoung in person, Seonwoo knew exactly what a genius was like.
But... yeah.
Let's be honest.
Seonwoo wanted to become a genius.
More precisely, he wanted to become an actor like Doyoung.
Because the brilliant, beautiful wave of color that Doyoung had emitted was still vivid in his memory.
He wanted to become an actor who could paint such a magnificent color.
And if that meant becoming a genius... then he would.
Of course, wanting to become one didn't make it happen,
'But I've got you.'
Seonwoo summoned a color orb.
Seonwoo wasn't a genius.
But he had an ability even geniuses didn't possess. This color orb ability.
If he borrowed its power and kept honing his craft relentlessly... he might not become a true genius, but he could mimic a genius's performance.
'Let's do it.'
It wouldn't be an easy path.
But in this industry, was there ever an easy road?
He'd just have to give it a shot.
'Wonder what the next mission's theme will be.'
What Seonwoo wanted was the most provocative theme possible.
The more stimulating the theme, the more impactful the acting he could deliver.
And, fortunately... his wish came true.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The theme of this mission is 'Death'. The day after Episode 1 aired,
That very evening—the same day some sort of deal had gone down between Seonwoo and Im Youngdo—the mission was announced.
All the participants stared blankly at the speaker.
"...Death?"
"This is a new one."
"Forget new... I've never even tried acting a death scene before."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ This mission will be conducted in pairs of two. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Partners will be assigned by the production team, so participants do not need to find their own. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Additionally, this mission will select the TOP 10 finalists. Finally!
At the words "TOP 10," many participants' eyes lit up.
They were now just one step away from making the cut.
But not everyone was thrilled.
"Can't pick our own teams this time."
Yeonwoo muttered with a disappointed look, as if TOP 10 meant nothing to her.
Seonwoo tilted his head at her.
"Was there someone you wanted to pair with?"
"Yeah. I wanted to team up with you, Seonwoo."
Yeonwoo flashed a thin smile.
"Death scene with you sounded like it'd be fun."
"...Hmm, yeah, it probably would be."
Seonwoo nodded.
Yeonwoo probably would've nailed something like that.
He was curious what color she'd show... what expression she'd make in a scene killing someone.
...Was that a rude thought?
That's when it happened.
His pocket buzzed.
It wasn't just him. Everyone's phones in the room were ringing.
Seonwoo's eyes narrowed as he pulled out his phone.
A text had come in.
—Your partner is Kwon Sori. Kwon Sori.
He knew the name. One of the people who'd left a deep impression on him recently.
Seonwoo rubbed his dry face and sighed.
He'd drawn an unwelcome partner.
And for good reason. Kwon Sori was...
—Oh no, this is bad. Sion's really messing up. What do I do?
The very person who'd openly chewed out Sion not long ago.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hi there!"
Kwon Sori greeted him with a beaming smile.
Just looking at her face, she seemed perfectly normal. More like a gentle lamb, the friendly type.
But Seonwoo could still hear the harsh words she'd hurled at Sion.
Even that smile felt utterly repulsive.
"...Hi."
He couldn't exactly ignore the greeting.
As he responded curtly, Kwon Sori clasped her hands and her eyes sparkled.
"Ah, I'm so glad to be teamed with you, oppa! I've been a big fan of your acting personally. Oh, can I call you oppa? I think I'm younger. I'm born in '02!"
"...I'll call you Sori. I don't really drop formal speech easily."
It was a lie, of course.
He just didn't want to get casual with Kwon Sori.
Seonwoo sighed inwardly. They were stuck doing the mission anyway. Best to play nice and keep it smooth.
But every time Sion crossed his mind, he couldn't.
She'd been so cruel to that kid.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see her in a good light.
But Kwon Sori was a tough opponent.
"Sure! No problem! But can I still call you oppa?"
"...Yeah."
Seonwoo couldn't hide his reluctance.
It was an old flaw of his.
Once someone rubbed him wrong, he couldn't open up to them. That's why things were still awkward with Seo Jinwook.
'...How does he act while hiding his feelings this badly?'
Well, nothing to be done.
He couldn't force himself to do what his heart rejected.
Seonwoo inwardly suspected Im Youngdo. Why pair him with her of all people? Coincidence? Or did the production team think it'd make for good drama?
Who knew. First, the script.
Seonwoo slowly read through the script provided by the crew.
Settings, genres, emotions—all varied, but one common thread: one character dying, the other having killed them... or watching them die.
How long had he been reading?
Kwon Sori suddenly spoke up.
"Oppa! Can I ask a favor?"
"...Go ahead."
"I want to play the one who dies."
Instead of answering, Seonwoo stared at her blankly.
Kwon Sori smiled brightly.
"I've played dying roles a bunch in school plays. Better if someone's done it before, right?"
"...Let's see the script first and decide. We don't even know how the death plays out yet."
"Mmm... okay."
Kwon Sori pouted but nodded.
Seonwoo kept reading.
As scenes dealing with death, plenty already looked intriguing.
The problem? Their opinions didn't mesh.
Kwon Sori couldn't settle on any scene easily, and whenever Seonwoo suggested one...
"That character's kinda unlikable."
"Hmm. My lines are too short."
"Ah, it's like I like it but I don't~."
Like that.
Exhausted from suggesting, he stayed quiet, and Kwon Sori piped up slyly.
"Oppa, what about 15?"
"......Hold on."
Seonwoo checked the script.
Number 15—one of the scenes that had stuck with him.
From the movie Little Things.
A weary high school girl, Junhee, climbs to the rooftop to give up on life. Her brother Jeonghwan follows to stop her. Despite his desperate pleas, Junhee never regains her will to live and jumps to her death.
But he hadn't recommended it because...
"Isn't it tough?"
"Huh? Junhee?"
"Yeah. Expressing Junhee's emotional arc... seems pretty hard."
Junhee's emotions weren't straightforward.
She was actively choosing to end her own life, after all. Without diving deep into the character, conveying that emptiness of severing one's own life wouldn't be easy.
It was genuine concern, but for the first time, Kwon Sori's ever-smiling eyes narrowed.
"Oppa, I go to Hanyejin University's Film Department."
"...Pardon?"
"I've trained properly in acting. You think I can't handle a character like that?"
"It's not that you can't... it's just tricky."
It was only worry that it might be challenging.
But Seonwoo shook his head. Right. No need to overthink for her.
"No, I was worrying unnecessarily. Sorry."
"...Whatever. So this one's fine?"
"Yeah. Let's analyze separately, then sync up tonight."
"Okay."
Only after settling on the script could Seonwoo finally escape Kwon Sori.
Being around someone uncomfortable made everything miserable, but now he could breathe.
'...Focus on the acting for now.'
Seonwoo sat alone in the dorm and took a deep breath.
At least the script itself was solid.
Little Things had been a hit school drama once.
Seonwoo's role: Jeonghwan, a high schooler trying to live right but inevitably breaking down amid endless incidents.
Kwon Sori's: his little sister, whose suicide becomes the breaking point that forces Jeonghwan to let go after all his efforts.
When he'd watched the movie, the actress's insect-like eyes and corpse-like aura had been masterful.
Seonwoo first summoned Jeonghwan's color orb.
A flickering hot pink like a neon sign. Delinquent, unstable, rage-filled—just like Jeonghwan's psyche.
Popping the orb,
"......!"
A wave of intense emotion crashed in, numbing his brain—a sensation he'd missed.
Self-loathing, hatred for society, love-hate for family. Jeonghwan's feelings flooded every cell.
Everything else faded.
The stress from Kwon Sori,
The ridiculous rumors from haters.
When he came to, the world was painted in Jeonghwan's colors.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'What a prick. Why's he so stuck-up?'
After talking with Seonwoo, Kwon Sori stewed in resentment for a while.
She could tell he disliked her on sight. Staring at her reflection, she felt baffled.
'My makeup looks great today, though?'
Why was he so curt with her?
If it were anyone else, she'd have snapped back already. But not Seonwoo.
He fit her type, and more importantly...
'That oppa's gonna make it big.'
Yeah, it was obvious.
The PD was openly pushing him. Sure, the internet was raging about his impossible six months of experience, but that could even be a plus.
People were watching him now.
She had a feeling.
In a few years, he'd be a top actor in the industry.
No point making an enemy.
...But,
'Gotta knock that ego down a peg!'
Kwon Sori smiled leisurely.
She knew Seonwoo was talented. The "genius" talk from Im Youngdo's mouth wasn't baseless. Still, she was confident this time.
'I've practiced this for entrance exams.'
That's why.
How many months had she drilled this? Nearly a year of prep.
No matter how great Seonwoo was, he couldn't top a year with just hours... days of practice.
She waited for him to finish reading and return.
Once they ran it and she showed her skills... maybe that arrogance would soften.
And now, finally.
"Ready?"
"Ah, wait. Lines are still fuzzy... lemme read once more."
"Sure."
A lie, of course.
A year's lessons—lines weren't slipping.
But acting green like this would humble him more.
"Ah, good now! Wanna try?"
"Start when you're ready."
Kwon Sori steadied her emotions slowly.
And in that moment.
Seonwoo's eyes changed.
In an instant, an incredibly dense dark purple spiderweb began tightly wrapping Kwon Sori.
Too intricate for a first-time character color... enveloping her precisely.
'...Wasn't this style that delicate.'
Kwon Sori read his surprise.
Emboldened, she powered through her lines.
"I'm tired now, oppa. Watching you struggle, living in this shithole... I'm sick of it all! So let me go! Just get lost!"
Seonwoo was genuinely impressed.
Stronger than expected.
Most would've wilted a bit. Bringing a character to this level in hours wasn't easy for anyone.
But Seonwoo didn't back down.
Instead, he burst Jeonghwan's color orb.
Vessels constricted, heart pounded, mouth dried, a damp rage swelled from his chest—unbearable heat he couldn't handle,
Seonwoo finally spoke.
"Don't talk bullshit!"
And the spiderweb around Kwon Sori tore apart in an instant.