Chapter 4

It's been 13 years since the last audition (1)

"Good job, good job. Thank you, really."

As soon as the filming ended, Hyuntae hyung ran over and patted my shoulder.

I swallowed hard. My throat was dry, and the thirst lingered.

This wasn't acting; just this one interview...

I can't control my excitement.

"Was it okay?"

"Don't even talk about it. It was amazing. Especially when you said it felt good to greet everyone after so long, I almost teared up. If people remember Haebi, they would have been lost in nostalgia, right? Isn't that so, host?"

"Absolutely. I cried a lot in the theater, and those memories came flooding back..."

The host, who had organized the cue cards and stood up, turned to me and gave a thumbs up.

Then, he turned to Hyuntae hyung and clicked his tongue.

"To be honest, I was a bit surprised. At first, you seemed a bit nervous, but you quickly found your composure, and your diction was excellent. The story about Haebi's recent life was naturally interesting. I think quite a few people will have tears in their eyes, too."

"Hehe, right?"

Seeing Hyuntae hyung and the host smiling, I naturally lifted the corners of my mouth.

"Thank goodness. I hope the ratings are good."

"Hey, this will do well. It's a hundred percent. And it's not about ratings, it's about views."

"Oh, right."

I don't watch much Muteube, so it doesn't come naturally to me. I've been living far from the internet for a long time.

I made an awkward expression and took a big lap around the café.

After thanking everyone, I finally left the café.

Hyuntae hyung, who followed me out, said again, "Good job," and added,

"Next Tuesday, 6 PM. Remember that. That's when today's footage will be uploaded. I'll really pour my soul into editing it."

"You're editing it?"

"No, the editors will do it."

"..."

Ah, he meant the editors' souls, not his own.

I clicked my tongue at Hyuntae hyung's grin and got into the taxi that had just arrived.

Hyuntae hyung, who had been waving his hand continuously, disappeared from my view, and I sank into the back seat.

I couldn't tell if the trembling was from the taxi's engine or my own body.

"Next Tuesday, 6 PM."

I muttered it softly, so I wouldn't forget.

After that, I returned to my life of delivering packages.

It was the daily routine I had missed so much during the funeral, but now it felt strangely empty.

When the tunnel ended, and the streetlights flickered on as the sun set,

I would often recall the filming.

The dim surroundings, the pouring lights, the red glow.

Those moments when I felt like the protagonist of the world, with their strong addictive quality.

...And so, today has come.

Tuesday. The day I greet people in front of the camera after a long time.

I smiled at Hyuntae hyung's text. Yesterday was yesterday, last week was a week away.

He keeps sending texts, more excited than I am.

"..."

No, not really.

My heart feels like it's in my throat, but it's not an unpleasant feeling.

In this self-induced excitement, I wonder,

What reactions will people have to the video?

Will they be happy to see me after so long? Will they be cold like before?

Or will they be indifferent? Wow, that would be a bit heartbreaking...

Tick-tock. Time approaches with the answer in hand.

#

Lim Hyuntae had overcome a difficult hurdle with Baek Seunggyul's appearance.

The editors cut and pasted the video, pouring their souls into completing the editing, while the rest of the team steadily moved on to the next casting.

Finding new guests is always a challenge, but at least the immediate crisis was averted.

However, a shadow still lingered on his face.

It was because the upload time was approaching.

He had uploaded countless videos while working on Muteube after leaving the broadcasting station.

He had become so indifferent that he would immediately start the next project after uploading.

But today, he was trembling, immensely.

"I'll upload it."

"Okay, go ahead."

Nodding, he looked at the monitor of the team member in charge of uploading.

The upload bar seemed unusually fast today.

So fast that he wanted to grab a pair of scissors and cut it off.

"Check the reactions regularly and delete any negative comments immediately."

"Got it."

After giving the instructions, he returned to his seat, but instead of focusing on work, he started tapping his leg.

One of the team members laughed at the sight.

"Why are you so nervous?"

"He's a really good kid. I'm afraid he might get hurt again because of my greed."

"Wow, PD, you're a better person than I thought?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is there anyone in the world who is purely evil? Someone might be bad to us, but they can be good to someone else."

"Why are you saying this too?"

Feeling attacked from both sides, Lim Hyuntae looked dejected. Another team member, the writer who had helped Baek Seunggyul with the script while he was getting makeup done, spoke up.

"He really is a good kid. When I talked to him briefly on the filming day, he seemed like a good person. Humble, and he didn't seem to have any greed."

"That's right. He's five years younger than me, but sometimes he feels like an older brother. He really helped me a lot with mind control and other aspects when I was preparing for the media exam."

"No wonder. It's been a long time since he was in front of the camera, but he was definitely calm. Maybe early education is important."

The team members chuckled at her joke, and the one in charge of uploading turned his chair and said,

"It's up."

In the next moment, Lim Hyuntae scratched the back of his neck and sat down. He clicked the mouse a few times and then crossed his arms.

"Ah, I won't check the reactions right away. You guys keep an eye on it."

"Then, please confirm the next filming locations quickly."

"Okay, I'll check it right away. I need to focus on other things."

Lim Hyuntae finally started working. The team members also stopped chatting and focused.

They didn't forget to check the reactions from time to time.

Some even opened a comment window on one of their monitors and checked it regularly.

All the team members hoped this episode would get a good response.

How long had it been?

"Guys, we've decided on the next filming location..."

Lim Hyuntae, who had stood up, stiffened.

It was because all the team members had the same screen open.

The comment window. They all stretched their necks to look at it.

"What's going on? Is there a problem?"

The one who had been pushing aside his worries while working asked anxiously.

"It's not a problem... "

The writer burst into a nervous laugh.

"The reactions are explosive."

"R-really?"

Hearing that, Lim Hyuntae quickly sat down.

He immediately went to Muteube and checked the comments, stretching his neck like the team members had.

He scrolled through the reactions, which were pouring in, with a look of ecstasy. It was good, better than it could be.

And it wasn't just the reactions that were good. The views had skyrocketed. His video was proudly listed among the trending videos.

Finally, Lim Hyuntae broke into a wide smile.

"It's a hit. This is it."

#

Hmm, so...

"Is it a hit?"

—Yeah, it's insane!

Hyuntae hyung barked, lowering the call volume and answering sarcastically.

"Overreacting."

—No, I'm not. The click-through rate and traffic distribution... but let me put it simply. We usually say, 'We can sleep soundly tonight' if we get over ten thousand views in an hour. Do you know how many views we have now? Thirty thousand, thirty thousand. If this keeps up, we could easily hit four or five hundred thousand in a few days. Are you listening?

"Uh, yeah. That's great."

Despite my tone, my hand was busy tapping on the phone. Muteube, Muteube. How do you even do this? I'm really a tech noob...

—Hey, if you get any calls from drama producers or something, can you give them my number?

My finger, which was about to press the magnifying glass on the red icon, stopped.

When I didn't answer, Hyuntae hyung asked again, "Got it?"

I didn't answer. That was my answer.

After ending the call, which was filled with Hyuntae hyung's relief and pride,

I started reading the comments on my video, which I had found with some difficulty (or not).

—Wow. Usually, child actors change a lot as they grow up, but this person has changed perfectly.

—It's been a long time since I've seen this face. It's really nice to see you. Are you starting to act again? If so, I hope it goes well...

—If someone asks me which movie I found the most entertaining, I always say 'Haebi.' And the standout in that movie wasn't Chun Gwangyun or Cha Yunju, but Haebi, Baek Seunggyul. He showed acting skills that could overshadow even the seasoned actors, despite being only ten years old.

Bad comments? There must be some, but all the comments I saw, with thumbs up, were welcoming me.

So, that's the problem.

I'm really going crazy.

Greed spreads like wildfire.

That's who I am.

I always guarded against this greed, so I feel both ecstasy and unease.

"This won't last long."

That's why.

"I know."

I tried to calm myself with a self-deprecating remark.

But when I shifted gears and looked up, everything became meaningless.

Seeing myself smiling in the rearview mirror.

#

"Writer Seo, I'm here."

PD Yoo Jongwon entered the office and greeted Writer Seo Eunyoung, who was sitting at a table like a ghost.

But there was no answer. She was focused on her tablet with headphones in.

PD Yoo Jongwon didn't bother to greet her again and headed inside.

Still curious, he asked the staff,

"What's she looking at so intently?"

"Who knows."

The assistant director, who greeted him, scratched his head.

"Don't worry about it. It's better than her being sensitive and sighing deeply like before."

"Still about the casting?"

"What else?"

"Isn't it? The main roles are already set as she wanted. The rest can be filled with newbies. It's a daily drama; how grand can it be?"

"Exactly. By the way, she's not looking for a studio? What, is she not a debut writer? She's writing here?"

"They say it's better to write here. What can you do?"

'If only the script was to her liking...' he grumbled, when he heard the sound of a chair being pulled from behind.

The assistant director, who was frozen in front, with wide eyes.

PD Yoo Jongwon slowly turned his head, like a scene from a horror movie.

Sure enough, Writer Seo Eunyoung, who had taken out her headphones, was walking over with her tablet.

"What, why, why."

The flustered PD Yoo Jongwon spoke hastily, but Writer Seo Eunyoung placed the tablet on the table with a bright expression.

"Is this what?"

"An Ju-yeon seems like a good fit. What do you think?"

Surprised, PD Yoo Jongwon looked down at the tablet. A man's face appeared on the screen.

An Ju-yeon was the role of an unemployed man aspiring to be an actor in the upcoming daily drama...

"His face isn't bad. A new actor?"

Writer Seo Eunyoung smiled. A look that said, 'Don't you know?'

"It's Haebi."

"Haebi? Who's that..."

Suddenly, a child's face appeared in his mind. He blinked and looked at the face on the screen again.

After a moment, he noticed the similarity between the two faces and suddenly looked up.

"Could it be. That Haebi?"