The Hidden Blue Script
"CEO?"
"Uh, yeah..."
Lee Hye-ri avoided his gaze. It wasn't as if there were only one or two scripts. She had carried out his request to show him as many different ones as possible, no matter what they were.
But something seemed to be pricking at her conscience. Whenever Woo Dan-wol called her not "Noona" or "Hye-ri noona," but "CEO," it sent a chill running down her spine.
"This script looks decent... but it's buried all the way at the bottom?"
"I-is it just your imagination?"
"Hmm..."
Her reaction was far too raw for that. She was avoiding his eyes like a dog trying to look innocent and about to start whistling any second.
The script radiating a blue aura was hidden at the very bottom. Only its tip was peeking out slightly, making her intentions obvious. He didn't know why it made her uncomfortable, but Woo Dan-wol wasn't the type to stop his script exploration over something like that.
"Ah, aah..."
Lee Hye-ri had caught sight of Woo Dan-wol's 'that expression.' The look of a predator that had found its prey. Whether it was intuition or instinct, he could smell a good script even before opening it.
The expression that appeared then was exactly the one on his face right now. It looked as if he were drooling. Like a child who had just received their favorite snack.
A deep sigh escaped Lee Hye-ri's lips. What could she do? These were the limits of the scripts available right now. In a situation where he had practically no recognition, most of them required auditions rather than direct casting.
But no one could stop their Woo Dan-wol. As if declaring that he would no longer tolerate any more rest, he was thoroughly devouring the drama script, examining every inch.
"Is this role still open? I'd like to audition for it."
"It is... It's a drama where only the male lead has been decided so far."
Lee Hye-ri's expression darkened. Woo Dan-wol, who had been tilting his head, asked.
"Is something wrong?"
"It's not exactly that there's a problem... but it's not exactly that there isn't, either."
He asked for an explanation, and Lee Hye-ri, letting out a heavy sigh, provided one.
The drama I Want to Stay for Just One More Minute was a romance series that captured trivial stories taking place at school.
With the broadcast scheduled for around September, casting was proceeding quickly. Since it was now mid-August, the timing for an audition was perfect.
Even so, the reason Lee Hye-ri felt reluctant was that the male lead had been cast as the actor Jang Seon-woo. The female lead was no issue. It was the actress Lee Ji-soo, who had a solid filmography and guaranteed acting ability. That part was fine.
But the former was the problem. In the narrow entertainment industry, the rumors surrounding him were ugly.
Of course, that alone wasn't what made her uneasy. It was also because E-Doon Entertainment—the company Lee Hye-ri had originally worked for—had gotten involved in the drama.
They might be able to handle it professionally when they actually met, but it was still uncomfortable.
"I see."
"Yeah. And above all, the lead..."
Can't act. The whispered tone was cautious. Even though there were only the two of them in the CEO's office, she was following the entertainment industry's unwritten rule that one must always watch their mouth.
Woo Dan-wol nodded in understanding at this part. But did that mean he was giving up? Not at all.
He didn't want to run experiments at the risk of ruining his filmography. Still, there was that ability of his that made it uncomfortable to simply ignore the matter. So Woo Dan-wol decided to test it this time.
After examining scripts from past masterpiece dramas, it seemed they were graded in the order of white, green, blue, purple, and yellow.
Blue was somewhat ambiguous, but it held enough value to be worth attempting. Even from the perspective of actor Woo Dan-wol—not his special ability—it was quite an interesting drama. Whether that interest came from its commercial potential or the script's completeness, he would find out this time.
"Can't I try...?"
"Well..."
Lee Hye-ri looked reluctant, but she found it difficult to resist Woo Dan-wol's sparkling eyes. That's right. Even if it was uncomfortable and the drama felt unstable, what could she do? Her own company's actor said he wanted to do it. It wasn't as if he was going off to die. At worst, it would just flop—what else could happen?
It could even help clean up his image. In fact, it was a good opportunity.
"Yeah, it's better than doing criminal roles back to back."
"That's true. I prefer taking on a variety of roles too."
"Right... If you like it, then I'm happy too..."
Lee Hye-ri let out a deep sigh. That didn't make her worries disappear, but when she looked at Woo Dan-wol smiling as he gazed at the script, she couldn't help but feel happy herself.
Suddenly overcome with curiosity, Lee Hye-ri asked.
"But which role are you planning to audition for?"
"Probably..."
Upon hearing the role name, Lee Hye-ri's expression turned strange. That was only natural—she knew that role as well.
There were plenty of oddballs in the drama industry. That went for directors chasing after good projects and writers living off their manuscripts. In an industry where everyone usually had to endure hardship and survive on sheer grit and malice, anyone who was sailing smoothly seemed strange somehow.
"Unnie. Are you sure this will be okay?"
"I don't know... We'll have to see."
Here, the sisters having this conversation were no exception. They were twins, but it was clear who had come out first and who had come out later. That established their roles as older and younger sister, but neither of them paid much attention to it.
They understood each other's worlds and had never once had the common fights that most siblings did. When they had grown up and reached the moment to choose their dreams, they entered the entertainment industry.
Of course, they didn't stand in front of the camera. One held the camera, the other held the stories. They had met as a director and a drama writer.
A fairly famous duo in the industry. Conflicts between PDs and writers existed everywhere. Of course, the director didn't hold much real power. Still, wasn't it better for people working in the same field to get along and support each other?
Well... It was a place where people lived, after all. There were people they hated and people they liked. It had always been that kind of world.
"The female side is fine, but..."
"As expected, the male side is the problem, right?"
If anyone overheard, the conversation was at a level that might make them worry the drama would collapse before it even started. But this was the sisters' own apartment. No one could hear them, and even if someone did, they wouldn't believe it.
Being sisters, they could speak honestly and openly. As people in the industry and as members of society, having a conversation without wearing the masks they usually had to was truly refreshing. The conversation continued, and they quickly reached a conclusion.
"Sigh... Why doesn't the acting controversy ever come up?"
"It's already set in concrete. That's the only reason he got cast, though."
"It's still a shame, isn't it?"
"That it is."
Even though they were in the positions of director and writer, their desire to create better work was the same. That was why this casting left them equally disappointed.
It was a truly bitter reality. They desperately wanted to do a luxurious casting with plenty of budget, but in order to achieve average viewership ratings, they had ended up making this choice.
"E-Doon Entertainment, of all places..."
"Still, they say actor Jang Seon-woo has good manners."
"Well..."
It was already done. They tried to think positively and point out whatever good aspects they could, but the realization that came too late turned their words into silence.
Wasn't it obvious? They were the director and writer. From an actor's perspective, of course he would show good manners. His unique brand of cuteness and flattery made it difficult for any woman to feel displeased. Especially when it came from a currently popular actor.
It was a night of deepening thoughts in many ways. Their worries only grew heavier.
Meanwhile, at home, Dan-wol was making a late-night snack for Ri-na when he said,
"Did your friends from back then get home safely?"
"Why are you bringing them up..."
In truth, Dan-wol hadn't been paying much attention to the matter. But when she reacted so adorably, how could he resist mentioning it?
Ri-na hissed like a cat with its fur standing on end. Her reaction was so vivid she practically jumped. Laughter flowed out of him naturally.
"Here, eat this..."
"I've gained weight, though..."
"Have you?"
But how could anyone resist chicken? Franchise chicken was fine, but the fact that it was homemade made the food even more enjoyable. In fact, this was a sort of offering.
"I made it with you in mind, Ri-na..."
"Ah, aah! Fine, I'll eat it!"
They say the body is honest. She avoided his eyes and expressed her determination not to eat, but her nostrils flared wider to take in more of the smell.
Though she avoided his gaze, the corners of her eyes trembled. Her mouth twitched as saliva pooled. With her ears perked up, she waited for a reason to rationalize it.
In the end, unable to ignore her brother's sincerity, Ri-na began tearing into the chicken.
"Is it good?"
"Mmm..."
Ri-na answered while chewing, her words growing fewer as it was clearly delicious. The sight was so cute that Woo Dan-wol stroked her head. The more he looked at her, the more she seemed like a daughter rather than a sister, making him want to take care of her even more.
"Euuu!!"
"Ah, okay, okay. Sorry."
With her mouth stuffed full of chicken, Ri-na couldn't shout. Instead, she shook her head vigorously with her lips sealed. It was the instinct and conviction of a woman who believed she shouldn't be casually stroked by a man.
Still, the vigorous chewing happening inside her mouth suggested it was quite tasty.
"When you're done eating, can you watch my acting? It'll only take five minutes."
"Whoa...?"
The chicken leg Ri-na had been holding dropped. It landed on the plate, but the fact that it fell at all showed how shocked she was. A bad memory had resurfaced.