The Next Project (5)
"Wait—you're asking me to play Jin Deokchun?"
Baek Junyeong fired the question at me in a rush.
"Yes! You've read the script, haven't you? While you were reading, didn't it ever cross your mind that you might be the person who fits Teacher Jin Deokchun best?"
"Not even slightly?"
He didn't so much as pause to think before blurting out the answer.
Well then.
"Oh. In that case, from this moment on you can just work yourself half to death until you do fit the part."
"???"
What good would it do him to keep insisting he wasn't the one? In my head, the person best suited for Jin Deokchun was already locked in as him.
"Honestly, with so many of JYB's idols appearing in the show, it would feel a little sad if the CEO himself sat it out."
"Mm. Fair point, fair point."
"I get it. Acting for the first time might be rough, but I'm not demanding perfect performances from the idols—or from you, CEO."
"That's a relief. More than that, though… making my very first acting appearance in a work by Writer 927… This is already starting to sound fun."
"For now I'll do everything I can to—hm?"
Baek Junyeong, who had been listening to me the whole time, suddenly lit up with genuine excitement.
What was this? His reaction was completely different from a moment ago. He seemed far more positive about taking on Jin Deokchun than I had expected.
I leaned in and whispered carefully to PD Na.
"PD Na. Why is he being so enthusiastic all of a sudden?"
"Word is he's a huge fan of yours, Writer. Having you come in person and even ask him to take a role… I imagine he's dying of happiness on the inside."
"Oh, really? And where exactly did this rumor come from, that you're so sure?"
"Ah—I never mentioned it. I heard it while coordinating a meeting schedule with the head of JYB Entertainment's First Division."
Ah. Got it. Coming from someone who also served as Baek Junyeong's manager, it was practically confirmed.
In that case, the conversation got simple.
"CEO Baek Junyeong. May I take it that you're on board with the casting?"
"Of course! From where I'm standing, there isn't a single reason to refuse."
"Okay. Then let's talk about the next step right away."
"Already the next step?"
"Yes. If we're going to hit the schedule I've mapped out, time is a little tight. Things are going to get pretty busy for a while."
If everything went according to plan, Baek Junyeong and I were going to be the ones grinding the hardest until Fly High officially aired. Possibly even more than me… the CEO sitting right in front of me might end up suffering worse?
"That's fine. Choice 30 just wrapped, and being busy suits me better than sitting around idle anyway."
Haha… is that so. Then I sincerely hoped that particular conviction of his would last a nice, long time.
The next day.
When I returned to the CEO's office, Baek Junyeong handed me a file.
"Writer. Just as you requested, that file contains rough profile information on the kids under our agency."
"I know JYB has quite a few people. And it only took a day?"
"They all pass through me at least once during training, so I've got a decent handle on their personalities and tendencies."
"Don't tell me—every single one of them?"
"Yes. I am the agency's CEO, after all. It's only natural."
It did not, in fact, sound all that natural. The man clearly had an enormous amount of affection for his idols.
"But will you really be able to lock in roles with only that much information?"
Baek Junyeong asked, worry creasing his face.
"I can't exactly make already-busy idols sit through acting auditions on top of everything else, can I? So we'll have to go mostly by feel. I plan to lean heavily on your input, CEO."
For the filming of Fly High, we would be casting a total of five people from JYB in leading roles. Including the CEO sitting in front of me, that meant we only needed four more.
"First, let's decide who plays Minjae."
"Hold on. Shouldn't we start by casting Bomi, the protagonist of this drama?"
"Ah—the person who'll play Bomi was already decided from the moment I structured the drama."
"Who is it? To play Bomi, you'd need someone with seriously strong vocals."
"No need to worry about that part. Someone at Soyoung's level will handle it just fine."
"Soyoung…? You don't mean the actress who played the female lead in Welcome to Cafe Violet…?"
I nodded at his question.
"Yes. She's definitely a strong singer, but I can't guarantee her dancing will match Bomi's character settings. So I'd appreciate it if you could coach her closely, CEO Baek—"
"After Writer 927, now I get to teach Seol Soyoung? Is this real life? Baek Junyeong's luck is broken…"
Mm. I would have liked him to coach her well, but I couldn't exactly interrupt that little monologue swelling with anticipation.
"R-right, then. Let's get started."
I opened the file and looked over the profile of the idol at the very front.
Age twenty-two. Group: Dash, currently active. And the name was…
"Choi Wonseok?"
"Ah, Wonseok is an incredible dancer. Great personality, too—he's popular with both the seniors and the juniors."
"Is that so? Then I'll pass on him right away."
"Huh?! What's wrong with Wonseok?!"
"Because the character Minjae is a long way from the model-student image. So—disqualified."
At my firm decision, disappointment lingered thickly on CEO Baek Junyeong's face. Unfortunately, when it came to anything related to the drama, I did not compromise. Ever.
The next idol I looked at was someone named Kang Haneul.
Age twenty-two, same as Choi Wonseok. Group: Green Day. Special notes… he had an energy that brightened everyone around him?
"What about this one?"
"Haneul? In a word, a free-spirited social butterfly. Though with an extreme E for an MBTI, the kid wanders off a lot. He also holds the record for requesting the most vacation days at JYB."
Less "free spirit" and more "professional headache," from the sound of it—or was I imagining that?
Anyway.
"And his dancing?"
"Objectively speaking, he's near the top among male idols. Still a clear step below Wonseok, though."
"Okay—half confirmed. If no one better turns up, I'll lock Minjae in with this guy."
"…For real?"
Haha. You can make that hollow face all you want, CEO—I am absolutely not casting Choi Wonseok.
I kept flipping through the file, listening to Baek Junyeong's additional commentary, when a particularly striking trainee profile caught my eye.
Just like the first time I had seen her on the show Choice 30, my gaze locked naturally onto her face photo.
"Our Dahye really is pretty, isn't she."
"Pardon?"
Out of nowhere, CEO Baek Junyeong made a strange remark. When I looked up, he was grinning at me.
"What are you talking about?"
"Up until now you've been breezing past everyone—active idols and trainees alike—without a flicker of interest. The second Dahye's profile came up, your eyes did a complete one-eighty."
…No. Had I really done that?
"Haha. I get it. The first time you see Dahye, that's exactly the reaction you have."
"Ugh… stop teasing and just tell me about trainee I Dahye."
"Dahye? That kid is a born idol. Dances well, sings well, and on top of that she's gorgeous—a perfect trinity."
In short, a straight-up broken character, huh?
She was a perfect match for the settings of Ha Jiwon, the rival to the protagonist Bomi.
"You're praising her so much it's making me want to hear about her flaws instead."
"If I had to pick one… she's still young, so she's very curious, and she's a little stubborn."
Oh—then she fit Jiwon's role even better.
That was the thought running through my head when—
—Kyaaak!
A crash and a woman's scream came from the direction of the door.
…I still wasn't sure about the "stubborn" part.
"Ugh…"
But the "curious" part was coming through loud and clear.
I turned toward the noise and found I Dahye sprawled on the floor for some reason.
Well. This was bad, wasn't it?
Exactly how much of that conversation had she overheard?
One hour before the incident began.
"Hey, did you guys hear the rumor? Apparently the CEO's been meeting with some huge big shot lately."
"A big shot? Do you know who?"
"It's a rumor, so of course I don't. But looking at how he canceled every single schedule, it doesn't seem like something ordinary."
The members of Hongryeon were chatting as they headed toward the practice room.
"Dahye?"
Chaerin, Hongryeon's eldest unnie and leader, noticed that I Dahye—who had been following behind—had suddenly stopped in her tracks. Chaerin turned to their maknae with a puzzled look.
"What are you staring at so hard? Is there a guy over there who matches your type or something?"
"Ah—no!"
At her eldest unnie's playful question, I Dahye's face flushed crimson in an instant. The overreaction was so cute that smiles naturally tugged at the lips of the members beside her.
"Unnie, what are you talking about. Do you even know how locked-in our Dahye's ideal type is?"
"Her ideal type is locked in?"
"Yep. She said she thinks people who are kind and give their all to what they do are cool."
"Ideal type or not, though—if someone wants to be Dahye's boyfriend, don't they have to pass an interview with us first?"
"Oh, that's actually a fair point."
"Ugh… everyone stop teasing me!"
In the end, I Dahye properly exploded under her unnies' teasing. The members of Hongryeon, long accustomed to their maknae's outbursts, gently soothed her sulking as they continued on toward the practice room.
Except.
For some reason, I Dahye's choreography mistakes were piling up far more than usual that day.