Stars Storm the Audition
"When does the audition start?"
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
The moment Seo Jinu spoke, Han Taekon panicked. Are you really some kind of beast? He'd always known the guy had killer instincts. But this level? He's basically a shaman. He had no idea what basis there was for Kim Donghu popping into the conversation. Just because I'd only recently seen that casting notice for the theater troupe that had hit 11 views? Does that even work?
Han Taekon tried his best to hide his fluster and pressed on. "Why'd Kim Donghu come up out of nowhere?"
"Does it make sense for you to suddenly be browsing casting sites? You, the national treasure actor Han Taekon?"
Seo Jinu stared him down with eyes that said excuses wouldn't fly.
"Why are you even looking at stuff like this? A high school kid's directorial debut, no less?"
"Wh-what?! You figured out the director's a high schooler just from that?"
"It's really a high schooler?"
Han Taekon regretted it the instant Seo Jinu replied. He'd bitten down on the bait this beast had dangled without a second thought.
"Donghu's our maknae, just starting high school... Saw in the news he got into Daejong High School?"
You see it sometimes at Daejong High—high school kids trying their hand at directing and posting casting calls. Of course, none ever succeeded. Who'd work under a high school director?
Seo Jinu continued calmly. A beast that had perfectly cornered its prey never let go of the neck.
"And this notice? No open call for the lead. That's when it clicked."
Ah, so they don't need to cast the lead because it's Kim Donghu.
There, Seo Jinu stopped and fixed Han Taekon with a look. My deduction's spot on, so explain yourself. It was like a pint-sized detective prodigy laying out the whole case and waiting for the culprit's backstory.
Han Taekon couldn't hide his eyes darting wildly left and right. He steeled himself for a frontal assault instead.
"So what? What're you gonna do about it?"
"Huh?"
"If Donghu's in it, then what?"
Seo Jinu's eyebrows shot up at Han Taekon's bold retort.
"What do you mean, what?"
As if the answer had been obvious from the start. He grinned deeply, pulled out his phone, and searched up the notice.
"Obviously, I'm going to the audition."
He grinned even deeper.
++++++
Time flew by, and audition day for Star and Moon Story arrived.
Whew, I'm more nervous than I thought.
Veteran no-name actor Jin Myeongtae of ten years steadied his trembling heart. Honestly, the casting notice had struck him as ridiculous at first. A high school sophomore holding auditions in Daehak-ro?
But once he set aside his biases and read the script, his mind flipped completely.
This script's a surefire hit.
It was so clean and moving, he thought the writer was a genius. The most common mistake theater playwrights made was ignoring the medium's unique demands. Since you had to perform right in front of the audience, they often shoehorned in scenes that wouldn't work on stage.
But Star and Moon Story had none of that. It was a script made purely for theater.
There were several roles open, but Jin Myeongtae wanted the fool tree.
Isn't that the baobab tree? Maybe they'd adapted it and changed the name. Whatever.
Muttering lines from the script, Jin Myeongtae headed to the audition site.
They're doing it in such an out-of-the-way spot.
This part puzzled him a bit. Normally, you'd hold auditions somewhere public for the promo. But Star and Moon Story was in a real backwater.
This building's owner was trying to sell the theater cheap not long ago.
How'd they rent this place? As that thought crossed his mind, Jin Myeongtae froze in his tracks.
"...What the?"
The first thing he saw: three massive vans.
Did vans usually show up at auditions? It was so rare, curiosity piqued—right then.
"You really planning to go head-to-head with me for the role?"
"It's been a while; feels good being back to rookie days. What's the problem?"
"Oh yeah? Wanna compete for Jong-su for real? Cool, cool. Let's do it."
Two voices—unfamiliar yet familiar—rang out in succession.
"...?"
Were these voices supposed to be here? Doubting, Jin Myeongtae took one step, then another. The moment he peeked into the source of the voices.
"Gasp!"
He was so shocked, a literal gasp escaped his lips.
"S-Seo Jinu actor and... H-Han Taekon actor?!"
One side: the lead of Geomgeom Baek Dongsu, which pulled 30% ratings.
The other: the lead of the 10-million-ticket blockbuster Endless Frontline.
Even one of them would've caused a riot. Why were they here?
As he stood there stunned, another voice.
"Oh my, you're here for the audition too. Nice to meet you. Kim Yuryeon."
"K-K-K-Kim Yuryeon actress?!?!"
The once-queen of the small screen stepped gracefully from a van.
What? Wrong place? Was this somewhere else? Jin Myeongtae shoved down his shock and frantically checked the address.
It's right...
Why were A-listers at the Star and Moon Story audition? Where was the glitch?
There were too many points to question. But then.
"...You guys are really here for the audition?"
As if there was more shock in store. Jin Myeongtae's eyes caught another figure.
"You know this is a theater play in Daehak-ro, right?"
The one who'd voiced his exact doubts. But no sense of camaraderie.
Th-the lead... that's why the lead was already cast...!
He didn't even have the energy to exclaim aloud anymore.
The star of 40% ratings. The nation's prince, the rising next-gen actor sweeping rookie awards at all three networks' year-end ceremonies. What people called the pinnacle of looks—a living, breathing statue.
"Kim Donghu... u-ugh...."
He couldn't continue. Jin Myeongtae staggered, on the verge of collapse—right then.
"Haha, kid's young but his legs are this weak? Useless."
Someone caught him.
"Th-thank...?"
Jin Myeongtae looked up late to express his gratitude.
"J-Jang Geonho act-actor...!?"
His head dropped. Staying sane was too harsh for a ten-year no-name.
++++++
"Haha, the young buck fainted from the shock."
"...."
Of course he did. I'd faint too.
I scratched my head, wondering how things had spiraled like this. What's wrong with the members?
On paper, it was an elite squad of top actors assembled to chase ratings.
"You guys are really here for the audition?"
I asked half-disbelievingly.
"Obviously. I've been waiting forever to act with you."
I dry-washed my face watching them all nod at Jang Geonho's words.
"I'm really, really sorry, but I can't match your fees."
A polite refusal. A bad feeling that this was blowing up too big.
Even lumped together, it didn't faze them.
"We're not here for the money. We're the ones auditioning, so just fit us in comfortably."
I dry-washed again as they nodded at Han Taekon's words.
"You know the premiere isn't for general audiences, right?"
"We know. You think we wouldn't?"
Again, nods at Seo Jinu's reply.
This is way too big.
I'd just wanted to do a Daehak-ro show, see how impressive an A-grade play could be, figure out why Sim recommended it.
Did he see this coming? Too grand a picture—the canvas was ripping.
These aren't Daehak-ro performers.
The funny-sad part? These auditionees were everyone who showed. The notice had 23 views. Impressive, in a way.
The problem was quality over quantity.
Can Bong Jinu even handle this? He won't faint, right? Why do my hunches always nail the bad stuff?
And sure enough.
"What's going on outside? Why all the commotion...?"
Bong Jinu stepped out, beheld the absurd scene, and.
"The director's here."
At Jang Geonho's leisurely laugh.
"Huuuh...."
His soul fled, and he faceplanted.
"...How about you seniors chat with me for a sec first?"
Seeing that, I knew we needed a strategy meeting bad.
++++++
Why the Little Prince? Why adapt that story?
Bong Jinu answered.
"Because it's our story."
Born in isolation, like.
Dropped at an orphanage, denied every proper childhood right from a young age.
Deprived of the experiences every kid should have.
That's why we're still children, stuck on our tiny planet despite having so much left to learn.
"This is our play... for planting dreams."
That's what Star and Moon Story was for. A tale from the orphanage, about living uncrushed by reality.
So he wished for success. So he'd rudely grabbed Kim Donghu.
"So it has to—"
As he tried to continue, his vision blurred.
Flash!
He opened his eyes. I was out cold till just now.
Why? Barely four hours of sleep a day? What was it?
That thought hit as light seeped through his fluttering eyelids, vision clearing.
He'd definitely seen something insane before blacking out.
"Oh, our director-slash-writer's up!"
A familiar voice. One he often heard from screens.
"...?"
Bong Jinu lost his words at the sight before him.
Han Taekon, Seo Jinu, Kim Yuryeon, Jang Geonho, Kim Sujin, Kim Donghu.
Actors who could generate ten headlines just by sharing space—all staring at him.
And then Seo Jinu's bombshell.
"When does the audition start?"
Me judging and evaluating these people?
Me?
Bong Jinu blacked out again. Too brutal a trial for a high school sophomore.