Chapter 77

In a not-so-large office, Park Ji-hoon looked at the documents in his hand. Beside him, Choi Ha-jun sat leisurely drinking mineral water.

It was the audition for the new movie.

A week had passed, and after the staff's screening of the numerous audition materials, they finally organized the documents now in his hands. The script he had sent out also received responses; some were rejections, some were acceptances, but it still wasn't enough; a few more roles were needed.

However, none of the people who came for the audition today satisfied him.

Reality was harsh. There were actors he liked, but they definitely wouldn't look favorably upon him, a complete novice director. The actors who came for the audition, on the other hand, didn't meet his standards.

After a few hours, he was starting to feel frustrated.

"Brother Ha-jun, let's take a break," Park Ji-hoon said to Choi Ha-jun after directly rejecting another model. The current situation was like a teacher grading papers; after grading dozens, one's mood would inevitably become irritable. He didn't want his mood to affect his judgment of the subsequent actors.

"Sure!" Choi Ha-jun agreed, "Let's have lunch first. I'll order takeout. This kind of thing also depends on luck." If someone unfamiliar saw this, they might think Park Ji-hoon was his most valued student, to whom he had entrusted "great power" and personally supported and cared for.

"Okay." Park Ji-hoon nodded.

Indeed, such things couldn't be rushed. The script and the actors were interdependent. A good script could provide ample space for an actor to showcase their talent; similarly, a good actor could bring a mediocre script to life through their skill and creativity, making the character vivid and radiant.

The quality of the script in his hand was beyond doubt. What he needed now was to add the finishing touches—selecting a few suitable actors!

However, as Choi Ha-jun said, this also depended on luck and couldn't be rushed.

After instructing the staff to inform the people waiting outside for the audition, Park Ji-hoon tidied up the remaining list. Although he wasn't well-known, the number of people who came for the audition was surprisingly high. Perhaps they thought the threshold was low, so trainees, models—those with lukewarm popularity—and even students came in large numbers.

Just at the beginning, he already felt the difficulty of being a director, as the myriad of tasks were indeed too complicated!

"Ji-hoon." As if guessing his thoughts, Choi Ha-jun said, "Actually, it's easy to simplify things. Just pass on those you don't like and only audition those who have been recommended or those you like."

"I'll try that when I have the qualifications," Park Ji-hoon said with a smile.

"Ha ha..." Choi Ha-jun nodded with a smile, feeling increasingly satisfied. He had observed Park Ji-hoon's performance throughout the morning, noting his diligence and practicality, which reminded him of his younger self. Who hasn't had a time of youthful vigor? What was rare was that Park Ji-hoon neither insincerely agreed nor contradicted him but handled it with a light-hearted joke, subtly praising him. After all, with ten years of experience, he was far from the talkative newcomers!

"Brother Ha-jun, I'm really grateful for the assistant directors you helped me find!" Park Ji-hoon said sincerely. The story written by Park Min-ya was set in the 1980s, and many specific scenes, including dialogues, vocabulary, and background, were filled in thanks to the experienced assistant directors. Writing such a story was already impressive; it was unfair to expect Park Min-ya to be perfect in every aspect.

"Ji-hoon, you're too polite!" Choi Ha-jun said, pretending to be displeased.

"Yes! I'll improve," Park Ji-hoon said with a smile.

"Don't just say that!" Choi Ha-jun shook his head helplessly. He could sense that Park Ji-hoon always kept a certain distance from him, clearly not wanting to be too close. But thinking about the other person's identity, he understood.

Just as he was speaking, his phone rang.

"Sorry, I'll take this call." He said to Park Ji-hoon and walked out of the office.

Park Ji-hoon didn't mind and continued organizing the remaining documents.

A while later, Choi Ha-jun returned to the office, looking somewhat awkward and hesitant.

"Brother Ha-jun, what's wrong?" Park Ji-hoon, sensing something, stood up and asked. He could tell that his awkwardness and hesitation were deliberate, and he had a vague idea of the reason. This was life experience, something young people just entering society found hard to grasp.

"Just now, a friend called to recommend a role," Choi Ha-jun said directly, knowing that Park Ji-hoon was not someone easily fooled.

"Sure!" Park Ji-hoon nodded without hesitation but then added, "But, they need to pass my audition." He was very serious about his first movie and didn't want to be anyone's "whetstone" or "stepping stone."

"Alright!" Choi Ha-jun nodded with a bitter smile. He had expected this result but had to go through the motions. It wasn't that he wouldn't help, but that Park Ji-hoon disagreed, and he could explain this to his friend.

"Thank you, Brother Ha-jun." Park Ji-hoon thanked him sincerely. Although he clearly understood why Choi Ha-jun supported him, he still felt grateful—there was no such thing as unconditional love in this world.

"Being so polite again?" Choi Ha-jun said, putting on a serious face.

"It's my fault. I'll treat you to a meal when I have time!" Park Ji-hoon said hurriedly.

"I'll remember that!" Choi Ha-jun said immediately.

Park Ji-hoon nodded with a smile.

It was all fake! Their relationship wasn't that close, but they played it smoothly. Six months ago, Park Ji-hoon was a laid-back artist who seemed out of place in the entertainment industry, but now he seemed like a seasoned veteran. Who would have thought? Even Taeyeon wouldn't believe it if she saw it with her own eyes.

A while later, the takeout arrived.

During their meal, the people waiting outside for the audition also took the opportunity to eat and drink. Time was limited, only an hour, so they had to eat nearby or simply buy a bottle of water. Many were new and very nervous!

Finally, after an hour, the auditions resumed.

A tall girl walked in.

Standing around 168 cm, she had long legs, white casual shoes, black skinny pants, and a red short-sleeved T-shirt, a height that would make most men feel inferior. Her shoulder-length hair seemed recently cut, with thick, bold eyebrows and beautiful, expressive eyes. She wasn't fat but was more athletic than the average girl, exuding a clean and sharp aura.

Park Ji-hoon's eyes lit up, and his somewhat relaxed nerves quickly tightened. He looked at her intently and said, "Miss Kang So-ra, please introduce yourself." Before each actor came in, he would memorize their basic information and was very serious, showing no arrogance of power.

"Yes!" Kang So-ra was a bit nervous, responding while subtly glancing at Choi Ha-jun's expression. Every auditioner did this, treating the silent Choi Ha-jun as the boss and slightly neglecting Park Ji-hoon, who conducted the direct interview.

Park Ji-hoon didn't mind this. Recognizing his position was crucial. Although he had almost all the power, he always remembered that Choi Ha-jun was the producer.

"My name is Kang So-ra. I debuted in 2009 and have acted in movies like 'The Fourth Lesson' and 'Gwangtae's Basics.' I like challenging roles with unique personalities..." Although nervous, Kang So-ra's introduction was smooth.

"What role are you auditioning for this time?" Park Ji-hoon interrupted her directly.

"Xia Chunhua!" Kang So-ra hesitated for a moment and answered.

Park Ji-hoon nodded slowly and said, "Let's see your performance. Do you need any help?"

"No, thank you." Kang So-ra bowed slightly and walked to the wall.

Choi Ha-jun and Park Ji-hoon's gazes followed her.

Kang So-ra leaned against the wall, one hand in her pocket, the other casually hanging by her side. Her thick eyebrows were slightly raised, and she tilted her head, looking straight at Park Ji-hoon with a casual, indifferent gaze, as if his image didn't exist in her eyes. She said in a light tone, "Move your butt now." It was neither cold nor warm, but exuded a casual arrogance.

Park Ji-hoon nodded slightly and, without waiting for her to do anything else, said, "That's enough! Go back and wait for the news." This image, this aura, was exactly what he was looking for! He decided to hire her on the spot.

"Uh!" Kang So-ra was taken aback. What did this mean? She had never seen such a "straightforward" interviewer before. Was he satisfied or not?

"Ha ha..." Choi Ha-jun suddenly chuckled, tapped the table, and instructed the staff, "Tell the people outside that the role of 'Xia Chunhua' has been filled."

"Yes!" The staff glanced at Kang So-ra and left.

Kang So-ra finally realized what had happened and hurriedly bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, director, producer!" She didn't expect it to be so easy!

"Um." Park Ji-hoon didn't say any polite words, just nodded and said, "Prepare more after you go back."

"Okay, thank you, director." Kang So-ra suddenly realized that the one in charge wasn't the authoritative producer but this young-looking director!

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