Chapter 4

'This is why... people do theater.'

Then, Bryun, who had been freed from the do-not-disturb mode, abruptly replied.

【Those who have experienced the thrill of finishing a play tend to romanticize the painful memories and keep getting drawn into the world of theater.】

Meanwhile, Hyejiu, who had just dismissed the audience, embraced the two with teary eyes.

"Yoonil, Minji..."

"Ah, Jiyeon unnie."

"You did so well! You were amazing!"

And she began to sniffle, saying it was all thanks to them.

"It's because you wrote it so well, unnie."

"What? The people who saw the play only talked about the actors!"

"That's-"

Hyejiu, without listening to Han Yoonil's response, grabbed his wrist and pulled him.

Before he knew it, he was in the center of the stage. The drama club members were taking hundreds of photos with various poses, using the stage, which was about to be dismantled, as the background.

The end of the play was not just the end of the performance.

After dismantling the stage together and sharing the cake they received as a gift, the drama club members, exhausted, headed home.

Yoonil, who had returned with a bouquet of flowers, realized his phone, which he had put in his pocket, was ringing.

Bryun spoke as if he had been waiting for this moment.

【This is a good opportunity.】

'I don't even know why she called me.'

Then, Bryun began a long speech, saying he had calculated the probability.

【...Therefore, the probability that So Jin called Yoonil to propose a new audition or project is high. Do you understand?】

...Although Yoonil didn't really listen.

【...】

*

A few days later, Yoonil entered a large coffee shop near Hyehwa Station. From the basement to the second floor, the cafe was filled with tables, and So Jin was sitting by the window on the second floor.

"Hello, senior."

"Oh, you're here?"

As Yoonil approached the table, he realized there was another senior with So Jin. A woman with long black hair and striking red lipstick.

"We haven't met before, right? I'm Kim Mijin. Oh, by the way, I'm also from Wolmyeong University's Department of Korean Language and Literature. I'm a classmate of Jin."

The woman with a unique tone of voice extended her hand for a handshake.

"Ah, nice to meet you. I'm Han Yoonil."

Then, So Jin said with a grim expression.

"She insisted on coming with me today... I'm sorry, Yoonil."

"No, it's fine. I'm grateful that you came."

"Oh~ How gentlemanly. I just stopped by for a moment, so I didn't get to say hello, but I actually saw the play. You did really well, junior~?"

"Damn. You came to the opening?"

So Jin snorted and mocked, but Kim Mijin's expression didn't change.

‘Was So Jin senior... like this before?’

She looked completely different from the atmosphere when they first met in front of the theater.

Since they were classmates, they seemed to be quite close.

Yoonil exchanged simple greetings with the two and started the conversation. As the tension eased with some casual talk, So Jin straightened her posture and began to speak.

"Actually, I called you because I have something to ask."

Then, she took out a small pamphlet from her bag. It was a pamphlet with a navy background and a white star drawn on it.

"This is the play I wrote recently. The recent reading showcase received good reactions, so I'm going to put it on as a trial in early next year... but the protagonist is a bit unusual? It's a play with two main characters..."

Yoonil listened to So Jin's explanation with a serious face.

This time, So Jin's new play was about a vampire trapped under a collapsed building.

The story revolves around an immortal vampire suffering from extreme apathy, who meets a young child amidst the darkness filled with debris.

'This could be interesting.'

【A detailed analysis would be needed after seeing the entire script, but it seems to be a quite intriguing work.】

So Jin was proud, seeing Yoonil's eyes light up. Kim Mijin, who had been watching them, put down her cup and spoke.

"Um~ I also have something to say."

Then, she took out her phone from the bag she was holding.

"I'm involved in a film as a writer this time... Do you know this director? His name is Yoo Jae-ho."

"Ah, yes. I know him."

Yoonil nodded, recognizing the name.

"...But isn't he an animation director?"

Kim Mijin showed a photo of Yoo Jae-ho, a director known for his work in animation, which was more recognized overseas than in Korea.

"Oh, you know him! That's right. Actually, this director has been preparing for a long time to debut in films. He has also worked as an assistant director a few times... Anyway, we are currently receiving actors' profiles, so if you're okay with it, I want to show our junior's profile to the director~"

"Hey, you just said you were only going to look and leave!"

So Jin, with a triangular gaze, said. Then, Kim Mijin smiled widely and said.

"Oh, the person involved hasn't said anything yet~ Why are you raising your voice for no reason~?"

"Would Yoonil say anything while you're doing this?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Jin and Mijin looked at Han Yoonil simultaneously. Yoonil, looking back and forth between them, smiled awkwardly.

"Ah, it's fine. We usually play like this."

"Right~ So don't feel pressured and make your decision~"

"Right, think about it well. And if possible, come to the theater world."

"Oh! Do you even have a conscience~? How can you drag such a young and promising junior into such a hell~?"

"...Really, want to show him the taste of hell?"

Yoonil asked Bryun cautiously.

‘Are you two really close?’

【Yes, according to the investigation, the two have been friends for 13 years. There's no need to worry.】

Unlike Bryun's calm voice, the two were exchanging sharp words with smiles.

"Given the nature of the work, we need a fresh face with delicate acting... You know there aren't many good male actors in their 20s, right? Right?"

"Damn. Do you think I don't know that I've been rejected by everyone I've approached?"

"..."

Kim Mijin shot a glare at So Jin.

"You also had a failed casting, didn't you? Why, Choi Ji-won didn't want to do it, right~?"

So Jin bit her lip, hit where it hurt.

Choi Ji-won was a famous actor who had recently secured leading roles in major musicals one after another.

"Anyway... Anyway, Yoonil, come and see the audition. I'll speak well to the director."

"No~ I think our junior will look really good on camera. Acting too~"

Bryun, who had been silent, spoke calmly.

【...While the genres are different, both works are excellent in terms of quality and completeness. It's difficult to recommend one over the other.】

Yoonil agreed with Bryun's words for the first time in a while. Both works had clear strengths, and the content was interesting.

Most importantly, he knew that such opportunities to audition for non-student films were rare.

"Thank you both for coming to see me."

"Will you come to the audition?"

"Yes."

"..."

Yoonil held the two business cards given to him by the two. Then, he smiled brightly at Jin and Mijin and replied.

"I'll do my best for both."

────────────────────────────────────

────────────────────────────────────

The image is good.

"5,300 won."

"Thank you~"

The doorbell on the convenience store door rang pleasantly.

The convenience store where Yoonil worked was one of the closest to the school.

Bryun didn't stop nagging throughout Yoonil's shift.

【...It's not impossible, but it seems difficult for Yoonil to prepare for four final assignments, five exams, and auditions for theater and film simultaneously. The time it usually takes Yoonil to complete one assignment is...】

'Bryun.'

【Yes, Yoonil.】

'In my life so far, nothing has been more difficult than you.'

Then, Bryun fell silent.

‘...Actually, Bryun is right.’

The promise Yoonil made to Jin and Mijin, "I'll do my best for both works," had come out without much thought.

Yoonil was also worried, but the desire to try was stronger than the worry. If he would regret choosing one side, it was better to just try.

"Can you check this and this for me?"

"Ah, yes."

Yoonil scanned the barcode of the 1+1 orange juice handed by a student in pajamas.

"Payment is complete. Thank you."

However, the student in pajamas didn't seem to want to take the card even after the payment was complete. Yoonil looked up at the student. The student, making eye contact, asked with wide eyes.

"Hey, didn't you perform in the drama club recently?"

"Uh... Yes, that's right."

"Wow, that was amazing. Your acting was really good. I was really moved."

"Ah, thank you."

The student gave a thumbs up and handed an orange juice to Yoonil.

After the student left, Yoonil looked at his reflection in the mirror opposite and realized he was smiling. It was the first time someone had recognized him outside the theater.

His heart fluttered a little, not as much as on stage, but still.

‘...Bryun.’

【Yes, Yoonil.】

‘Whether it's theater or film, preparing while balancing studies will be tough. But...’

I want to try.

It was a new feeling. Yoonil had never strongly desired something related to his future before. Even when he got into college, he didn't feel this way.

After a moment of silence, Bryun slowly replied.

【...Understood. I will now modify some of the routes.】

It was a strangely solemn response.

‘Thank you.’

Smiling, Yoonil suddenly remembered one of his assignments.

‘Oh, Mijin senior said to send the profile by this week.’

【Don't worry. I have already considered three plans to achieve the best results with minimal cost.】

‘...Already?’

【I will continue to do my best for Yoonil's dreams.】

Dreams... A word he hadn't used since elementary school.

Unable to find a response, Yoonil just drank the orange juice.

*

"Wow."

Yoonil lay on the floor, gasping. He couldn't move a finger.

Bryun's promise to do his best was clearly sincere. Yoonil had to undergo training that far exceeded his previous intensity.

【Well done, Yoonil. You have 30 more to go.】

"What?"

【Get up.】

"Can't you help with something like stamina recovery? In movies, nanobots regenerate cells and stuff."

【I'm sorry, but Bryun Dictionary cannot affect the physical body. However, it can help the brain enter an alert state for a certain period.】

"..."

Yoonil closed his eyes in resignation.

Bryun, as an AI, knew various training methods. Vocal and movement exercises, which he had been doing since preparing for the theater audition, were now supplemented with new training, including camera acting.

【As you know, stage acting and camera acting have different textures. The energy, volume, and movements required are different.】

That's true. Even the spontaneity and quick thinking required in front of a camera are different from those required on stage.

Yoonil realized how difficult it was to move in front of a camera when he took his first profile photo.

The photo studio Bryun recommended was very close to the convenience store where Yoonil worked. The building was old, the stairs were narrow and dusty, and it looked like it was about to go out of business. However, the inside of the studio was surprisingly clean, and the owner was a graduate of Wolmyeong University's Film Department.

– Oh, you're here to take a profile photo? I thought you looked a bit different.

The owner, a man in his early 40s wearing a shirt with floral patterns, smiled brightly.

– How did you know? I usually give a big discount to my juniors. Several of them have debuted with the profiles I've taken~ Oh, do you know this person?

He pointed to several profile photos on the wall. It wasn't a lie; among the photos, there were familiar faces, including some famous celebrities.

Yoonil, impressed by the wall, made the owner even more excited, and he ended up taking many more photos than planned.

– Try to look more natural!

– Smile beautifully! No, not creepy, beautiful!

– Let's show off a bit~

However, for Yoonil, who was taking his first solo photo, the two-hour-plus continuous shooting was not an easy task. By the end, his mouth was twitching even when he wasn't moving.

– Hmm, despite the effort, the results are good. I'll send them all to you by tonight.

Han Yoonil barely managed to say goodbye and left the studio. Bryun, who had been silent during the photo session, spoke as soon as they were outside.

【...It seems we need to pay more attention to camera acting.】

‘...’

Yoonil couldn't deny it.

That's why emotional training and concentration exercises in front of the camera were added to the acting practice.

Lying on the floor with his eyes closed, Yoonil heard Bryun's voice again.

【Let's start again, Yoonil. Get up and prepare.】

“...Ah.”

Yoonil looked at his exhausted body.

‘I want to pass out right now.’

【No, Yoonil won't pass out.】

“...”

【This time, let's imagine a situation where you receive a confession from someone you hate. First, exaggerate your facial expressions using all the muscles in your face.】

“...Damn, this is intense.”

【Get up quickly.】

“...”

【...In 30 seconds, the device connected to the cerebral cortex will explode. If the device explodes...】

Yoonil muttered a curse and got up.

It was time to practice again.

*

“...Why?”

The staff slowly put down the phone after the call ended. Tension filled the small meeting room.

“Huh? What did he say? What did he say?”

In response to the urgent question, the staff shook his head slightly.

“...Ha, he's also unavailable?”

“Yes... His schedule is full until next year.”

The staff's words made Director Yoo sigh with a dark expression.

‘What a pity. He was a good match for the image.’

He was currently casting actors for his film. Despite the lack of production funds, it was a project he had been preparing for a long time, and he had poured a lot of effort into it from the planning stage.

However, the famous actors he had approached for casting were either fully booked or had declined.

‘They're all seasoned in commercial films...’

While it was understandable that actors would be cautious about a