Chapter 87

Late at night.

When Seonwooju asked the two people who had come to the studio to watch his acting, they watched it with a light heart.

"Alright, let me show you."

Standing in the middle of the studio, he made an awkward expression.

Kim Bijoo chuckled softly.

It was strange to see his brother, who usually flew around on stage, nervous just because of an advertisement acting.

As Daisy and I clapped to encourage him, I thought to myself.

'...Huh?'

The atmosphere suddenly changed.

The person who had been scratching his cheek awkwardly a moment ago had vanished, replaced by someone else.

It was the same face, but the expression was different.

An expression that exuded confidence, almost to the point of arrogance.

Not only his face, but even the details of his movements were different from the Seonwooju I knew.

A relaxed movement.

A posture that minimized bodily movements, as if he were of high status.

Being a dancer, I could clearly feel the difference in his movements.

"What is that, brother?"

Daisy asked, nudging me, but I had no words to answer.

I had never seen him like this before.

With a complicated mind, Seonwooju walked calmly towards the studio wall.

Then he stopped.

"Hello."

A pleasant, deep voice.

It was a bit lower than the tone Seonwooju usually used, but it didn't sound awkward.

"You're the new student, right?"

As if in a scene from a play, Seonwooju continued his lines naturally, without any sign of embarrassment.

Daisy and I clapped and cheered.

'...Huh?'

I had always thought of him as a multi-talented brother, but I had assumed he had his limits.

Surely there must be something he can't do.

Moreover, he had recently told us that he had only received average reviews for his acting during his TJ days.

'I've been fooled again.'

A sense of resignation made me laugh.

Indeed.

When my brother says he can't do something, it's usually not to be believed.

"Um?"

Seonwooju's acting stopped when he realized that the two of us were looking at him strangely.

Everything returned to normal.

The arrogant expression turned into a relaxed one.

The relaxed steps became light.

The precise movements that imitated someone else became fluid.

When I felt the atmosphere of the studio return to normal, Seonwooju asked.

"Why are you guys like that?"

Why are you guys like that?

That was the question we wanted to ask.

* * *

"Didn't you hear that he has a talent for acting?"

As we locked the studio door and came out, Daisy asked.

Bijoo nodded.

"Brother, have you really never learned acting?"

Why are you guys like this?

"Brother, this is the first time I've heard that you have a talent for acting. As for Bijoo's question, I only learned once."

"Didn't he say anything?"

"Didn't he say that he wouldn't stop you from becoming an idol and that he thought your acting wasn't bad during the TJ days?"

"Still, how do you two get along so well?"

"Let's answer first."

"Brother, I'm asking you seriously."

As we hurried to leave, the two kids blocked my way.

I laughed.

"No."

After taking a sip of water, I said.

"What did I do in there that made you both react like that?"

Daisy frowned and asked.

"Are you really asking?"

"Yes."

"You said it was awkward and that you couldn't do it."

"It was awkward, and I couldn't do it."

Honestly, I don't know how well I did.

I've never seriously tried it.

But the expressions and movements I had studied and applied through my usual mimicry skills were embellishing my lack of acting ability.

When the expressions, movements, and voice all came together, it looked like I was doing an amazing job.

That's why I felt a bit uncomfortable with the admiring reactions of my juniors.

If I try emotional acting, I might really show my true colors...

"Wow, this is still amazing. Janghyun, can you play it forward a bit?"

"Here?"

"Wow, how did you make that expression? Brother, can you do that?"

"Janghyun, don't."

"But, Brother, you said you never learned acting, right?"

I answered awkwardly.

"I never learned."

While making eye contact with the admiring juniors, I hoped they wouldn't say anything strange.

Janghyun seemed to be the only one who didn't get it.

I pointed to the youngest, who was lying on my thigh, staring intently at the screen.

I couldn't see his expression from my angle.

But through his delicate neck and the exposed arms and legs, I could feel the tension in his muscles.

He was pretending to be relaxed, but inside, he was stiff.

This is bad.

Every time they praised me, I felt the weight of Jihoo's head on my lap getting heavier.

He was already boasting that he was better at acting than the rest of us.

If they kept praising me, what would he become?

Especially since he had been learning for three years, and if they praised someone who had never learned, how would he feel?

As if they understood my intentions, Bijoo and Rihyuk changed the topic.

"Damn, I don't want to admit it, but Jihoo is really good. Why are you so good?"

I nodded at Rihyuk's 'How about it?'.

"Still, it seems Jihoo stands out the most because of his acting experience. His diction and pronunciation are the best."

I also nodded at Bijoo.

"I think Jihoo will do well in dramas. I'll probably download and watch them."

Finally, Janghyun.

It seemed he was just saying what he felt, as he couldn't lie, and Jihoo was the only one who showed a positive reaction.

Everyone seemed to finally realize the youngest's mood and was fidgeting.

"Wow, it's so much fun."

The youngest got up with a grin.

"I think we all did well. Brother Rihyuk is really bad, though."

"Hey, Jihoo."

"And I got fooled by you, brother."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you said you were bad at acting, but it was all an act. You said you never learned, but you're really good."

"It's because the lines were simple. If it involved emotional acting, it would have been impossible."

"I don't care, I got fooled."

Everyone seemed relieved to see the youngest back to his usual self, while I was scratching my cheek.

It didn't seem like he was really upset.

If he had pouted like he usually did when I teased him, it would have been fine.

But this reaction was confusing.

He was full of desire for his own things.

If someone who had never learned suddenly appeared in a field he was best at and wanted to make a career out of, how would he feel?

He should be upset.

"Why are you like that, brother?"

"No, nothing."

I felt uneasy as I laughed.

* * *

The problem arose during the acting lesson.

The teacher, who was supposed to be teaching Jihoo, watched us read the script in silence.

As soon as we finished, she looked at the youngest with a dubious expression.

"Jihoo."

"Uh-huh?"

"Your acting today seemed a bit too forceful. Was there a reason for that?"

"...Yeah."

With a deflated voice, the teacher's gaze turned to me.

Please.

I hoped she wouldn't say anything strange.

"What's your name again?"

"Seonwoo, teacher."

"You did well. At this level, you could have pursued acting."

"...Thank you."

"Even though it was your first time, you really have no experience?"

Then she bombarded me with various questions for five minutes, which made me feel like I was going to die, with the youngest right in front of me.

But I was relieved that there was no real issue.

The acting teacher narrowed her eyes as she looked at the advertisement storyboard.

"Did you guys divide the roles among yourselves?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..."

She muttered with a subtle expression.

"I think we chose the wrong lead."

I was taken aback and gulped.

No.

With her student right next to her, what was she saying?

If words had a physical form, I would have wanted to put them back into the teacher's mouth, but it was too late.

When I turned my head, the youngest's face, which had been smiling all day, was now cracked.

* * *

New Black dormitory.

After the lesson, Wang Jihoo had been surrounded by his brothers all day, hearing them badmouth the teacher and praise him as the best.

Late at night.

Wang Jihoo pulled back the curtain and gazed at the full moon. Soaked in the moonlight, he fell into thought.

Various thoughts came one after another.

And when his thoughts reached a certain point, he put on his sweatpants, grabbed his phone, and came down.

The door to the dormitory was quietly closed.

Right then.

"What is it?"

The four of us, who had been pretending to sleep, got up simultaneously.

"Where is he going?"

* * *

"Didn't you sleep?"

"Brother, too?"

"None of us slept?"

"No, I thought Jihoo was pretending to sleep."

Having shared a room for almost six months, we could tell whether he was pretending or really sleeping.

Everyone seemed to be quietly watching, bothered by what had happened earlier.

Rihyuk changed his pants.

"This crazy kid... going out without fear of the world!"

"It's not a runaway."

I said.

"He's a coward, he can't go anywhere."

"Brother, we should still go out and check."

"I was about to go out. Janghyun, you've walked around the neighborhood a lot with him. Is there anywhere he might go?"

"There are a few places."

We all got dressed and rushed out of the dormitory.

But as we went down the stairs, we had to stop.

Because Jihoo was squatting on the steps in front of the first-floor entrance.

We heard a sniffle.

From the frequency of his breathing and the way he rubbed his eyes with his arm, it seemed he was crying.

Just as I felt a pang in my heart.

Sniffle—

We all tilted our heads at the sudden sound.

What was that?

As we looked at each other, hiding behind the wall, we heard Jihoo crying again.

Then, again.

Sniffle—

After adjusting our angle slightly, we discovered the source of the sound.

Our youngest was crying while eating convenience store tteokbokki.