Audition (2)

Unexpected.

That was the thought shared by every single person who walked out of the audition room.

And it was a thought aimed squarely at Gil Ara.

One after another, those who finished their auditions found themselves thinking of the same person.

"Is she really going to take this lying down?"

Ryu Mi-so.

Given her personality, could she possibly accept this without a fight?

No.

The answer was easy enough to predict.

It wasn't a prediction.

It was foresight. Prophecy.

Something that was absolutely going to happen.

"Hey. Are you ignoring me?"

Oh...... She's ridiculously pretty.

Ryu Mi-so fired off the line with venom, but it never reached Ara.

Whoa?! Look at this profile. Her filmography is stacked. Why is she here? Did she fall for the script?

It wasn't that she wasn't listening. She simply couldn't.

Ara was too busy absorbing the dazzling résumé in front of her for the first time.

Her acting must be incredible, right?

Ara's eyes flicked back and forth between the profile and Ryu Mi-so.

Her image even fits Park Seung-a perfectly.

And right as that thought crossed her mind—

"Hey!!"

!

The shout snapped Ara back to reality.

Holy crap, that scared me.

"Yes? Ah! I'm so sorry, sunbaenim. Please begin your performance."

She hurried to apologize for her mistake(?) and asked her to start.

"What the hell is wrong with this girl??? Are you messing with me right now?"

"Pardon? Me?"

Messing with her? Me? Who? Why?

"No?"

So she answered honestly.

"Ha!"

A hollow laugh escaped Ryu Mi-so.

"Director Bong Jun-seo. First of all, I apologize. I was out of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠line."

"It's fine. Though I will admit I was a little surprised."

Ryu Mi-so offered her apology to Bong Jun-seo.

"Yes. But I still need to address this. She is Gil Ara, right? Why is she here? Don't tell me she's actually a judge?"

Ryu Mi-so pointed a finger straight at Ara.

"Look, her recent success? Fine. I acknowledge it. But? There's still such a thing as industry etiquette, isn't there? Have you even considered how the actors being judged by a rookie who hasn't even been in the business a full year might feel?"

Her head whipped around toward Ara.

"And you. Even if the director told you to do it, you just swallowed it whole? Do you have no sense of decency? Were you hoping to feel superior sitting there judging your seniors, or what?"

And how, exactly, did Ara feel hearing all of this?

Damn~

She was impressed.

So this is what a successful industry senior looks like?

Wasn't this what people meant by the courage to be disliked?

Something everyone understood but almost no one could actually do.

She was pinpointing, with perfect accuracy, every discomfort Ara herself had felt about being put on the judging panel.

Honestly, that's refreshing.

It was probably pride forged through years of experience as an actress.

And for that, Ara respected her.

That said—

"Hey! Have you been tuning me out this whole time?"

Not the kind of thing you say to a senior, but she was being pretty damn rude.

We're short on time......

There were still quite a few auditions left to get through.

So first things first—they needed to get this audition done.

Ara was good at persuasion.

Not because she was particularly silver-tongued.

Looks were narrative plausibility. Looks were a weapon.

"Sunbaenim. I understand. Of course you'd be offended. But this was the director's decision either way—could we please proceed with the audition? I'll listen to everything you have to say once we're finished."

I'm on your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠side.

How could I not understand how you feel?

So please, just cooperate for now.

The ultimate female weapon: empathy.

No one had ever failed to fall for it.

Not that she'd had many occasions to use it....

In any case, Ara made her attempt at persuasion, and—

"You little—!! I'm not doing this."

The effect was tremendous.

Tremendously counterproductive, that is.

This woman must be a T-type.

"Uh.... Then... you'd need to leave, wouldn't you......?"

"What? And this girl? Wait. I'm not done talking yet."

Ryu Mi-so turned to Bong Jun-seo.

"Director. Did she take the role of Cheon Eun-bin?"

"That's correct. Why do you ask?"

"Honestly, I wasn't thrilled about having to audition. But I like this project of yours, Director. No—I love it. Especially Cheon Eun-bin. I want this character. It's a little frustrating to hear it's already been decided."

"So what is it you'd like to do, Mi-so-ssi?"

"At least give me a chance. I want to audition for Cheon Eun-bin."

"Hmm......"

Damn......

Bong Jun-seo fell into thought, and Ara found herself impressed all over again.

An actress with real hunger.

It brought her back—to the days of filming Forest of Crime, when they'd been staying overnight on set.

Back then, Lee Seo-jun had come to her after endless hours of rehearsing with the script in hand.

"Ara-ssi."

For reference, this was still before they'd dropped the formal speech with each other.

"I'd like your help. If the Lee Eun-ju that Ara-ssi is playing fails to shine because of me, I won't be able to hold my head up."

A man who would ask even a junior for help if it meant better acting—if it meant success.

And now, looking at the well-worn pages of the script in Ryu Mi-so's hands, the notes and fingerprints filling the margins—

The two of them, both grinding away where no one could see, somehow overlapped in her mind.

"I'm fine with it."

"Ara-ssi?"

"If there's someone who fits better, that person should take the role. Obviously."

She came here locked and loaded from the start. Of course.

What a hell of a buildup.

"Don't act all cool about it."

Yeah, yeah.

That aside, her temper really was something else.

"All right then. Understood. Mi-so-ssi?"

"Yes, Director."

"Which part of Cheon Eun-bin will you be performing?"

"I'll do the final scene."

The final scene.

Cheon Eun-bin's monologue.

The section that demanded the most raw emotion.

"Understood. Take a moment to find the emotion, and let us know when you're ready."

Haa— hoo—

She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

And when she opened them, only Cheon Eun-bin remained.

.

.

.

"S#99. An empty park. She sits alone on a bench."

A faint smile touched her lips as her body slowly crumpled, until at last she vanished, leaving only flower petals behind.

The final consequence of repeatedly leaking the secrets of heaven.

After Cheon Eun-bin disappeared, all that remained in her place was a small scrap of paper.

.

.

.

Ryu Mi-so opened her eyes and wiped away her tears.

"That's all. How was it?"

"Ah. Yes. Well done. It's clearly different...... That was excellent."

"Well? How about it, my oh-so-talented junior? Care to give me a little evaluation?"

Cheon Eun-bin was gone without a trace, and Ryu Mi-so was back.

"Why so quiet? Were you moved?"

Ryu Mi-so fluttered the scrap of paper—Cheon Eun-bin's not-quite-a-will—between her fingers.

Where did she even get that paper?

Her prep work is no joke.

That aside—

"Sunbaenim."

"Yeah? What is it, Judge Junior?"

Ryu Mi-so snarked at her, but Ara didn't flinch.

"I watched your performance carefully. You were incredible. The best out of everyone I've seen today. I mean that."

An honest assessment.

"Hmph. I'm so grateful I don't know what to do with myself."

Sarcasm, sure—but Ara's impression had been genuine.

Ara turned to Bong Jun-seo.

"Director. From your perspective, how do they compare? Sunbaenim's Cheon Eun-bin, and mine."

"Hmm. That's a difficult one."

Even though Gil Ara had only performed a single line—the briefest of moments—there was a feeling that came through.

The two of them were clearly different.

A difference in interpretation, most likely.

And yet both had been outstanding.

Ryu Mi-so.

The Cheon Eun-bin she portrayed carried a sorrow at the end that was also somehow liberating.

And Gil Ara's......

"I don't know."

"Huh? Don't know what?"

"They're both Cheon Eun-bin, but they're not the same."

"What? Are you saying my interpretation was wrong?"

"Sunbaenim. Not wrong—different."

Ara cut in.

"Director, what kind of Cheon Eun-bin do you want? You had a character in mind from the beginning, didn't you?"

"I did. But at this point, even I'm not sure anymore. The two of you have such completely different colors. Ara-ssi—this is sudden, but could you perform the same section Mi-so-ssi just did? I think I'll need that to decide."

The development she'd expected.

Once it became a competition for Cheon Eun-bin, she'd figured she would end up performing too.

"Yes."

She answered evenly and rose from her seat.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Sunbaenim. Could I borrow that paper?"

Ryu Mi-so handed it over without protest.

"Hmph! Go ahead. Try it. If it's different or whatever and it just turns out terrible, don't think I'll let it slide."

Then she snarked her way into the judge's seat Ara had just vacated, crossed her legs, and folded her arms.

"All right. I'll begin."

.

.

.

Yes. This feeling.

Different from Ryu Mi-so's Cheon Eun-bin.

Holding that feeling fully, Cheon Eun-bin parted her lips.

The paper clenched in her fist was soaked through with tears, the writing bleeding sideways across the page.

Ah. I'm lying, right to the very end....

After Cheon Eun-bin disappeared, all that remained in her place was a small scrap of paper.

.

.

.

Yes.... This is it.

Bong Jun-seo was in awe.

If Ryu Mi-so's Cheon Eun-bin had carried the release of something finished—Gil Ara's Cheon Eun-bin was pure attachment.

Attachment to her friends. To the one she loved. And to life itself......

And so, though both were deaths, they were different deaths.

Tears streamed down—

"......"

At some point, Ryu Mi-so's crossed legs and folded arms had come undone, and tracks of water were running down her face.

"Well? How did it look to you, Mi-so-ssi?"

Director Bong Jun-seo's words snapped Ryu Mi-so back, and she hurriedly scrubbed at her face.

"Ah↗, ah!"

Her voice cracked.

"Sunbaenim. What did you think?"

"Huh? Ah, um.... Not... bad."

"Thank you."

Ryu Mi-so thought to herself.

What the hell is this girl? She's a monster....

She had believed her own acting ability was never going to fall short.

This was a difference in interpretation.

But that difference was the kind that could decide an entire production's outcome.

Her Cheon Eun-bin hadn't been wrong.

But a better Cheon Eun-bin existed.

Ha! Shit? This girl is interesting.

"Fine. I'll give it to you. You take Cheon Eun-bin."

Ryu Mi-so conceded without a fight.

"Thank you for yielding, sunbaenim."

"Hmph! Rubbing it in?"

"Of course not."

Ara meant it.

Annoying as hell. Still, I'm interested now.

"I can take Park Seung-a, right? Director?"

"Hmm? That would be wonderful, yes."

"Just a moment."

Bong Jun-seo agreed readily—but Ara threw up a roadblock.

"Sunbaenim. The role of Park Seung-a still requires a separate audition and a pass from the panel."

"What? Hey! Do you have zero flexibility???"

"We should pursue fair competition. What about all the actors waiting outside?"

"This girl, I swear...? You—ha.... This one's a crazy bitch......"

"I'm not a crazy bitch, though."

"Shut up, junior."

"Yes, sunbae."

In the end, Ryu Mi-so had no choice but to perform for Park Seung-a all over again.

"Do well, sunbaenim."

"Shut up."

"You'll hear about the results later."

"......"

What the hell is wrong with this girl?

"Well then, I'll be going. Director."

"Good work."

Ryu Mi-so said her goodbyes only to Bong Jun-seo and walked out of the audition room.

"Aargh!! Seriously!!! I'm so pissed!!!!!!!"

Everyone flinched—

What's her problem?

Hey, hey, don't look. You'll make eye contact.

Ugh. That temper is lethal.