At Hwi-gyeom’s calm answer, the expressions of those sitting at the table changed. Actually, except for the director, everyone was sending friendly gazes toward Hwi-gyeom.
The scenario writer clicked the pen in her hand. Her heart pounded at the appearance more handsome than the male lead’s face she had imagined while writing the scenario. Didn’t someone say 3D can’t beat 2D? If she showed everyone that face, they would all agree.
Even the camera couldn’t capture his real appearance fully. Currently, cameras were installed at various angles in the audition room to see how the applicant’s face appeared on screen.
The judges were looking at the applicant’s face standing in front of them in person, and also comparing it by looking at the face being filmed on the monitors installed on the table.
But Hwi-gyeom was more outstanding in person. That’s not to say his face captured by the camera was ugly either. It was frustrating that his unique atmosphere wasn’t well captured by the lens.
“Since you memorized it all, you won’t need separate preparation time, right? Try doing the lines for Scene 12.”
At Hwi-gyeom’s confident attitude, the director requested the most difficult acting of episode 1. It was a scene where Cha Da-on in the drama witnesses what appears to be Lee Seo-jin murdering someone and staggers in shock.
It was a scene where all the applicants who came before Hwi-gyeom struggled because they had to explain emotions only through facial expressions without a single line of dialogue. Even those who did everyday acting fairly well showed disappointing performances when it came to just this scene.
However, moments later, Du-hyeon froze with his eyes wide open. His reaction was the most intense, but the faces of those sitting next to him were also filled with astonishment, every one of them.
Especially Yi-hyun’s face, which had been constantly smiling as if watching an amusing spectacle, had all expression completely washed away. In his face that looked cold without any trace of laughter, only his eyes trembled as if caught in a storm.
Whether those sitting in front fell into shock or not, Hwi-gyeom was already immersed in his acting. The somewhat bleak audition venue transformed into a campus where drizzle fell.
A dim night. The deserted backyard behind the engineering building.
Before Hwi-gyeom’s eyes was Seo-jin holding a blood-stained knife. Looking down at the blood-covered female student with a pale white face, he looked precariously as if about to collapse at any moment.
Hwi-gyeom’s heart skipped a beat then began beating wildly. His vision shook and the lighting illuminating the backyard distorted. The sound of wind gradually grew distant. Instead, his heartbeat rang noisily in his ears.
Seo-jin-ah…… a person……?
His head rolled heavily. He drew in breath but his chest felt stuffy. His fingertips froze cold, and his gaze wouldn’t leave Seo-jin.
Seo-jin’s two eyes looking back at him were filled with fear that seemed about to crumble. Hwi-gyeom bit his trembling lips.
This might be a dream. There’s no way Seo-jin killed someone.
He forcibly moved his frozen legs and approached Seo-jin. Each step, each step was tremendously heavy. As if walking with chains dangling from his ankles.
The closer he got to Seo-jin, the more the smell of blood stabbed his nose. It wasn’t the smell of animal blood but human blood. The person collapsed on the ground already seemed to have stopped breathing, their complexion too pale.
The traces of the chest and abdomen being hacked with a knife also painfully stabbed Hwi-gyeom’s heart. Drip, drop. Blood droplets forming on the blade Seo-jin was holding fell to the ground. It was as if that sound rang in his ears like thunder.
A single teardrop that had formed in Hwi-gyeom’s eyes also flowed down his cheek. The affection that had been like scattering cherry blossoms just hours ago was now stained with a different color in this moment.
Shock, confusion, terror, despair.
The emotions that had turned pitch black whirled inside Hwi-gyeom’s chest. His reason screamed at him to run away leaving Seo-jin behind, but his body was moving on its own.
His trembling hand reached toward Seo-jin’s face. And time stopped.
“Whew……”
Having finished acting, Hwi-gyeom let out a long sigh. The emotions he’d just felt didn’t easily disappear. Was it the effect of memorizing the lines thoroughly? Momentarily, he felt tremendous immersion as if he’d really become Cha Da-on.
Hwi-gyeom smoothly wiped the tears formed in his eyes. Then he realized the surroundings were too quiet. The people sitting in the judges’ seats each had shocked faces. Only Yi-hyun’s expression was cold.
Seeing the mouth of the director who had looked down on him hanging wide open, Hwi-gyeom smiled contentedly inside. Before, no matter how excellent the acting, there had only been indifferent or regretful reactions, but now everyone was admiring his performance.
Though he felt proud, he didn’t show it outwardly. He stood obediently and waited for someone to speak first.
“Pass…!”
The writer who was about to shout something covered her mouth with both hands. She’d liked him from his appearance, but didn’t know he’d act this well too.
But she didn’t have the authority to unilaterally give a pass without consulting with the others. The writer looked at the director and casting manager’s reactions. Surely they wouldn’t refuse to cast him even after seeing this acting? Suddenly an uneasy feeling came over her.
“Director-nim, do you want to see more acting?”
Then Yi-hyun spoke to the director. Only then did Du-hyeon clear his throat and compose his expression. His heart was still beating fast from how shocked he’d been.
Method acting. He never thought he’d see directly the kind of acting he’d only seen in excellent works. And at an audition site at that.
“No. I don’t think we need to see more.”
Du-hyeon had strong pride but wasn’t a completely closed-minded person. He’d thought he was a parachute hire but turned out to be skilled. His buttocks fidgeted with the desire to quickly capture Hwi-gyeom’s acting on camera.
* * *
“Yi-hyun-ah.”
Hwi-gyeom had been moving his legs almost at a run because Yi-hyun had been holding his wrist and walking without a word since earlier. Yi-hyun had hardened his expression even at the audition venue, and he looked angry now too.
Why is he acting like this?
Suppressing the urge to say this, Hwi-gyeom let himself be dragged along as Yi-hyun led him. Then he let out a groan because his wrist hurt too much. At that, Yi-hyun paused for a moment.
Stopping in place, he roughly pulled away the clothing covering the wrist. Because the bruise from Ha-seok hadn’t disappeared yet, Hwi-gyeom’s wrist was dyed a bluish-purple color.
Clicking his tongue softly, Yi-hyun grabbed Hwi-gyeom’s arm instead of his wrist. Hwi-gyeom was curious about why the kid was acting this way, but he had no desire to argue, so he just hugged his bag tightly to his chest to avoid dropping it. It was the first bag he’d bought spending a lot of money. He planned to carry it for at least 20 years.
“You’re out already?”
Yi-hyun’s manager, who had been leaning against the van looking at his phone, spotted the two of them. Yi-hyun smiled brightly at the manager. However, his eyes weren’t smiling at all.
“Hyung, my throat is really dry, could you buy me some coffee? Two cups, one for Hwi-gyeom hyung too.”
“Got it. Need anything else?”
“Mm. I’m a bit hungry too. Could you also get sandwiches or cookies or something?”
“Okay. I’ll give you the car keys, so get in. Keep the doors locked.”
“Okay.”
Yi-hyun opened the car door with the car keys the manager handed him. Then he immediately pushed Hwi-gyeom into the back seat.
“Ugh. Wait……”
Before Hwi-gyeom, who had hit the back of his head against the car window, could say anything, soft hot flesh touched his lips. Through Hwi-gyeom’s lips that parted in surprise, Yi-hyun slipped his tongue inside.
He kissed so roughly that his lips, hitting against teeth, tore slightly and bled. Because Yi-hyun was swallowing his lips hurriedly like someone who had starved for days, Hwi-gyeom received the saliva coming over in an uncomfortable position.
“Mmm……”
As their tongues wetly tangled, a low moan escaped. Yi-hyun stroked down Hwi-gyeom’s side and gripped his waist. At the smooth texture without an ounce of excess fat, Yi-hyun’s brow furrowed.
“Hey, wait, mm……”
Hwi-gyeom tried to speak to Yi-hyun when their lips briefly separated, but it was useless. Instead, Yi-hyun sucked on the root of Hwi-gyeom’s tongue even more fiercely and kissed him deeply.
Hwi-gyeom felt himself running out of breath. He needed to breathe through his nose, but Yi-hyun didn’t give him a chance. As he suffocated, his face flushed bright red.
He pushed against Yi-hyun’s shoulder, but Yi-hyun persistently bit Hwi-gyeom’s lower lip. At the stinging yet electrifying pain, Hwi-gyeom had no choice but to wrap his arms around Yi-hyun’s neck.
When Hwi-gyeom, who had only been pushing him away, actively responded, Yi-hyun lost his mind even more. He lifted Hwi-gyeom’s chin and pushed his tongue even deeper. He was like someone who wanted to swallow everything inside Hwi-gyeom’s mouth.
His downcast eyes were heated with fever. When he briefly opened his eyes and met Yi-hyun’s gaze, Hwi-gyeom felt his mind turning pitch black.
