Chapter 4
Just before the audition, a staff member with long straight hair took me to the audition room.
I didn’t look around, but someone would probably look at me and make a brief evaluation in their mind.
After a while, the staff and I arrived at the audition room.
The staff knocked on the door.
“I will apply for 4-01.”
An answer was heard from inside the room.
“Yes. Come on in.”
The staff opened the door and I went into the room.
In the past, when entering the audition room, I first scanned the judges in front of me.
To find out what kind of personality they have, what kind of person they are, and whether they are judges I have seen before.
But not now.
I calmly sat down on the chair with confidence even though my heart was pounding.
Before long, CEO Gayeon Yoon spoke.
He said, “Have you had a hard time coming here? “You’re actor Kang Jinseok, right?”
‘CEO Gayeon Yoon. He is the CEO of Yoon Entertainment, and today a huge figure is judging…’
Yoon Entertainment is a dream agency for new actors.
A management company with good company evaluations and many external connections. It is one of the few companies that does business for actors rather than money.
I answered calmly.
“No, CEO. “I came today on time because I could take a taxi.”
After that, we exchanged stories that we often shared at auditions. I felt like he was testing me, but he didn’t really care and answered.
After talking for some time, producer Kim Mansoo spoke in a somewhat indifferent voice.
“All right. Then, let’s look at the performance you have prepared. “You can start by looking at the camera in front of you.”
“Yes.”
As I slowly looked at the camera, my vision became blurry.
‘What’s going on?’
My blurry vision slowly became clearer, and I began to see something.
——
“Brother! Shall we eat ice cream?”
“What is an ice puzzle? “I guess it’s ice cream!”
“Ah~ Grandma calls me Ice Skkeki?”
“You idiot. That’s what grandmother called it! “It’s a bad thing to say, so don’t repeat it!”
“Huh!”
——
I was confused at first, but I quickly realized what it was.
‘This is Minsu’s memory.’
Minsu’s memories came to mind like a movie.
No, more accurately, I should say that I gained Minsu’s memories.
‘Is this the possession Minsu was talking about?’
Although it was my first time seeing this scene, I could tell that it was a memory of Minsu and his older brother. A time when his older brother and younger brother were so happy when they were young.
It was like brothers running barefoot through an alley and sharing ice cream.
After a while, the scene changed.
White walls and old wooden floor. It is an old hospital with an awkwardly drawn green cross.
There, Minsu and her mother were sharing a sad story.
——
“Mom… Brother, are you in a lot of pain? “More than me?”
“More than you… “What do you mean by that?”
“I heard you talking with the doctor and mom earlier. “Brother’s kidneys are much worse than mine.”
“… .”
“Originally, I was supposed to receive mom’s kidney, but you said my brother needed it?”
——
His mother made a complicated expression at Minsu’s words. It seems so painful to her as a mother that she can only help one of her two sons.
Did he read her mother’s mind?
Minsu spoke before her mother with a bright expression and voice.
——
“Mom! I want my brother to get surgery. “I like it better when my brother is healthy!”
“… Really? Really though… “Are you okay with that?”
“Huh!”
“… .”
——
His mother couldn’t say anything to Minsu’s words. Faced with the fact that she could only help one of her two sons, she could only swallow her tears.
The mother didn’t want her young son to see her weakness, so she hugged Minsu.
Although he couldn’t see her expression, the way her shoulders were shaking made it seem like she was barely holding back sad tears.
Minsu also wanted to cry.
I was happy to think that I could possibly be liberated from the pain that continued every day, but I ended up losing that.
But I didn’t mind the pain if I could save my brother.
Minsu was sad, but he was as happy as he was sad.
At least my brother will be able to escape this terrible pain.
——
“Minsu…. I’m sorry son… I’m so sorry… .”
——
As the mother’s crying voice passed through my ears.
Woe!
I returned to the audition room.
“… .”
What I see in front of me are three judges and a camera. There was a monitor above the camera, which showed the shooting scene in real-time.
Of course, the face on the monitor screen was me.
But something was different.
‘Right now my face is Minsu’s… Resembles.’
Tears were flowing from my eyes. But I didn’t cry or cry sadly.
There was a smile on his face and a hint of mischief in his eyes.
It’s not a feeling I forced. It wasn’t a feeling that came from being immersed in Minsu.
I was showing Minsu exactly what he was feeling right now.
‘Becoming completely that person…. ‘This is possession.’
He was using emotions that only Minsu, who was in that situation, could express.
The subtle tremors of my voice, my breathing, my voice, my eyes, and even something I couldn’t feel were changing me and leading me.
Although it was my first time using this ability, I was able to change my appearance as if I were changing into clothes I had been wearing for a long time.
This is not acting or imitation that anyone can do. It’s something that goes far beyond that.
Now there’s one thing I have to do.
‘When I gave up to my brother, that sad but happy feeling. Just show it. It hurts me too, but the way I cared for my brother more than for myself… .’
Recalling that moment, I slowly opened my mouth. Then the tears that he had barely been able to hold flowed down from the corners of his eyes.
At the same time, I smiled brightly, like Minsu always did.
“Mom…. “I’m really fine.”
“… .”
“I hope my brother is healthy.”
Similar to Minsu. However, in keeping with the role, he spoke clearly in a somewhat adult yet foolish manner.
Like Minsu, who was very mature at a young age and tried to ease the burden on her mother.
Originally, this line was a conversation with the actor who played the role of ‘mother’, but since it was an audition, it was expressed as a monologue.
“Why are you crying, Mom? I’m not dead yet. “It’s not as serious as my brother or father, so if I wait, I might be able to find another donor someday.”
“… .”
“I’m really fine. “I don’t regret it.”
“… .”
“Instead, Mom, just make one promise with me. When my older brother later asked you why he received the transplant and not me, just said it was because I was incapable of receiving my mother’s kidney. “You should definitely ask the doctor to tell him that too.”
“… .”
“I didn’t give in. got it?”
After saying the last line, I forced myself to smile so much that my gums showed.
It was because I felt like if I didn’t smile like this, I would end up crying unsightly due to the many emotions that were surging over me.
Ha.
He let out a sigh so soft that the judges couldn’t hear him, gathering his emotions. Then he wiped away his tears and spoke.
“… That is all. thank you.”
I showed everything I could in the short time that was allotted to me. Now all that was left was the judges’ evaluation.
“… .”
From the moment I started acting until now, the audition room was strangely quiet.
Usually, after finishing an act, the judges clap their hands.
Regardless of whether you did well or not, thank you for your hard work, and for your encouragement to do better in the future.
But now no one even moved.
At that time, the woman sitting behind the nameplate that said ‘Author Lee Yuna’ spoke. I had heard her name before, but this was my first time seeing her face.
“···And.”
The silence was broken by the exclamation of author Lee Yuna. After that, it was producer Kim Mansoo who spoke first.
“That···. uh···. “I need to organize my thoughts, so I’ll evaluate the CEO first…”
When PD Kim Mansoo handed it over, CEO Gayeon Yoon said in embarrassment.
“Me? “You want me to review first?”
“Yes, that… “I started thinking a lot…”
The judges were delaying their evaluations.
‘Wasn’t this the kind of acting the PD wanted?’
If that’s the case, no matter how good the acting is, it’s difficult to get good reviews. The PD has to consider the overall flow of the work and select actors.
I was a little anxious.
‘If that’s the case… it’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do. Still, I have no regrets.’
I didn’t think I could act any better than this.
No, no one will be able to do it.
I showed ‘Minsu’ who was in the same situation as the script, so how could I do better than this?
The CEO cleared his throat and looked at me.
“Hmm! Um… then I’ll do it first. Jinseok Kang, first of all, I really enjoyed your acting. But it’s really difficult for me to evaluate it.”
“···.”
“To be honest, the three of us talked about this while looking at Jinseok’s profile. “You don’t have any drama credits, I don’t have high expectations, things like that.”
“Representative, I didn’t say that… .”
“Try to be quiet. “I’m talking about me.”
Gayeon Yoon continued his words, lightly stopping producer Kim Mansoo from interrupting.
“But now I think a little differently.”
What has changed?
“What do you mean by that…?”
When I asked him carefully, Gayeon Yoon said firmly.
“The reason Jinseok has not been able to debut until now is not because he is lacking. “I’m sure the producers who auditioned gave up because they were afraid of using Jinseok.”
I do not get what it means. They gave up because they were afraid of using me. Why on earth?
But it seemed like I was the only one in the room who didn’t understand what the CEO was saying.
Producer Kim Mansoo and writer Lee Yeona were nodding their heads repeatedly to CEO Gayeon Yoon’s words.
Even PD Kim Mansoo muttered, ‘That’s right, that’s right.’
Gayeon Yoon continued speaking.
He said, “The performance I just showed felt like something different. Oh, in a good way, of course.”
“Yes···.”
“But what happens if you select a rookie with that type of acting and the work doesn’t do well?”
“···.”
“The PD must be very stressed. “It’s clear that the acting will be good, but the directing is lacking, and that is what the producers hate the most.”
CEO Gayeon Yoon is smiling and looking at PD Kim Mansoo.
“How is it? PD Kim. “Can you afford it?”
Producer Kim Mansoo scratched the back of his head and said.
“Ha… To be honest, I feel burdened…”
“···.”
“But if I lose Jinseok, I think I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”
CEO Gayeon Yoon laughed at PD Kim Mansoo’s words. After a while, PD Kim Mansoo spoke.
“It’s strange to say something like this at an audition, and it shouldn’t be said… Jinseok, we may start filming soon.”
“···.”
“So, I keep having that feeling. “Okay?”
In fact, it meant passing.
For the first time, I got a role in a proper drama.
What should I answer? thank you. I will do my best. I will do my best.
I do not know.
At that time, something suddenly occurred to me that I thought I would have to say if I got the role.
“Thank you for the opportunity. “I will definitely become famous.”
***
The audition room where Jinseok left.
The atmosphere filled with Jinseok’s acting had not yet gone away. Meanwhile, Kim Mansoo pondered Jinseok’s last words.
‘I’m going to become famous…’ ‘With that guy’s skills, it would be possible.’
I’ve seen a lot of actors so far, but none of them have shown acting like that.
‘No. No one will be able to copy it. Acting like that.’
While working as an assistant director for numerous works, Producer Kim Mansoo saw many actors who were said to be the best. Producer Kim Mansoo was making this kind of evaluation.
In all honesty, he wanted to do the casting all over again. He wanted Jinseok to be the main character.
‘But if that happens, there will be an uproar.’
I was that greedy.
‘I really need to use him for my next project as well. ‘I discovered this talent, so I should nurture it and use it well.’
While I was thinking that, someone knocked outside.
Hello.
“Applicant 4-02 come with me now.”
No one can beat Jinseok’s acting, but the audition isn’t over yet.
“Yes. Come on in.”
Although his heart was already set on Jinseok, Kim Mansoo planned to respect his remaining applicants until the end.
***
It stuck.
It stuck.
The whole time as I was leaving the audition room, this was all I could think of. I had a lot of imagination about how I would feel if I passed, but when I actually got accepted, I was just stunned.
I haven’t received an acceptance letter yet… Still, even though the PD and judges said so much, I won’t drop it.
‘I got the audition thanks to Minsu… Now it’s my turn to listen to Minsu’s request.’
I was happy for a moment, but my excited heart sank again at the thought of having to listen to Minsu’s request.
‘What Minsu asked for was… ‘He asked him to tell his brother that he should live happily and not feel sorry for his brother.’
It’s not a very difficult request.
However, if he suddenly goes to see him and tells him that he got Minsu’s memories and to tell him that Minsu is okay, he will be treated like a crazy person.
‘What do we do? ah!’
After thinking about it for a while, I came up with a good idea. I saw it in a movie and thought it would be a good idea to try imitating it.
‘Okay. Let’s do that.’
As soon as I gathered my thoughts, I caught a taxi passing by on the street and headed to Minsu’s house.
TN: I always making a pause while translating my tears, can’t help it.