Chapter 9: Willpower

I guess I should say.

The team leader stared at Muyoung for a moment, speechless.

She had been to countless web drama auditions, but this was the first time she had heard such an answer.

“……That’s a great determination.”

And look at those sincere eyes.

No matter how much he was acting, it was pure sincerity without any pretense.

The other participants sitting next to him muttered inwardly.

‘Why is he doing that?’

‘It’s ridiculous. What’s he going to do after making a scene like that in front of everyone?’

To be honest, quite a few people came with a light heart.

Just to gain experience or because it looked fun.

Given the nature of web dramas, it was natural that they were treated much more lightly than regular dramas.

‘The CEO would have been impressed if she had seen this.’

But now, the entire company was staking its survival on this project.

It’s a situation where like-minded people should come together and fight with all their might, isn’t it?

“Well, I’ll look forward to it. Here you go.”

The supervisor’s exaggerated reaction to Muyoung’s attitude, calling him “eyes wide shut,” was obvious.

“From now on, please act out the directions we’ll give you. And do some free acting as well. The total time limit is a maximum of three minutes, so don’t exceed that.”

The team leader gestured to a staff member. There was a short script written on an A4 sheet of paper.

Muyoung realized that it was a passage from the work that was going to be produced.

“Start with number 76.”

[Alley / N]

[A student enters, lifting the pojangmacha tent.]

[Student: (with a tired expression) Hello. Are you open for business?]

[Main character: Sit down. What can I get you?]

[Student: (handing over a 5,000 won bill) Just give me the most popular thing, about this much. No tteokbokki or sundae. Something adults eat.]

[Main character: (curiously) What do adults eat?]

[Student: (slightly irritable tone) I don’t know, the boss would know that, not me.]

Since it was an act that had to be done within three minutes, it was definitely short.

Muyoung quickly scanned the script and identified the key points.

Starting with the one marked N at the very beginning.

Usually, day is marked with a low D and night with an N.

‘Night, pocha, and a student. Good.’

Muyoung became instantly immersed and delivered his lines, speaking each syllable weakly, as if with no energy.

“……Hello. Are you open for business?”

“……!”

It was definitely a pleasant, youthful voice just a moment ago!

The voice that came out of Muyoung was torn to pieces, like sand.

‘What just happened?’

‘How did his voice change like that?’

‘Oh, I’m startled.’

Just as the staff were about to murmur, Muyoung continued with the next line without giving them a chance.

“Just give me the most popular thing, about this much. No tteokbokki or sundae. Something adults eat.”

He slowly closed and opened his eyes.

It was a very small movement, but that one action explained everything.

‘A tiring and exhausting night for a high school student. If he’s asking if they’re open for business, it must be very late at night. Or maybe it’s his first time at a pojangmacha. Why did he come? Who is this character? What kind of life does he have…….’

It felt like Muyoung’s mind was exploding like a universe.

He could see the life of the character he met through the script from every angle, as if it were his own life, and he could deeply empathize with it.

Everything was instinctive and happened unconsciously.

“……I don’t know, the boss would know that, not me.”

Muttering the line with a rebellious look in his eyes, Muyoung bowed his head slightly.

The gentle-looking boy was gone, replaced by a student worn out by life.

“N, now for the free acting—”

“I’m sorry.”

A staff member tried to show him the remaining time on a stopwatch.

But Muyoung continued the lines naturally, as if the words were flowing like water.

“I, I was too tired, so that’s why I did that.”

The boy wiped his eyes with his palm and muttered. Everyone wondered what was going on and just stared with their mouths open.

‘Is he…… continuing the script now?’

Complete possession.

One could only conclude that he had completely merged with the character.

Muyoung wiped his tears and stared straight ahead with a blank expression.

The warmth of the bustling pojangmacha could be felt vividly.

Sleepiness, boiling broths, and even the orange lighting.

“I was curious. Why do people drink at pojangmachas instead of decent stores? What’s so special about this place…… But now that I’m here, I get it. It’s warm.”

Muyoung smiled faintly.

He was loosening his tight throat and listening to the invisible other person’s words.

Soon, he answered again.

“-Okay. Then give me that. Very spicy. Yeah. Today was one of those days. A day when stress builds up so much that it explodes.”

Muyoung muttered calmly. He closed his lips tightly and looked at the team leader.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…….

Time ticked by, but the conference room remained silent.

“Isn’t the time over yet?”

“Huh? Oh, my— I’m so sorry.”

The staff member who was timing the session was startled by Muyoung’s words.

Had he even calculated the time?

As the numbers exceeded three minutes and twenty-five seconds, the staff member just kept glancing at the team leader.

“That’s all.”

“Uh, wait. Just a moment.”

As number 77 was about to stand up, the team leader asked him to sit back down. Muyoung touched his cheeks, which had turned pink from heightened emotions.

“Th, the free acting was a continuation of the script, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Did you imagine it?”

The team leader asked, tapping her pen.

Of course, since this wasn’t an S-class star writer’s script, there was no need to worry about leaks.

She was just curious.

‘It was quite similar, wasn’t it?’

‘Yeah. Definitely. The lines were different, but the development and setting were.’

I don’t know how he was able to pinpoint parts he hadn’t seen.

As the staff whispered, Muyoung rolled his eyes.

“……Is there a problem?”

“No, no! Feel free to talk.”

At the team leader’s gesture, he cautiously opened his mouth.

“First of all, it’s not common for a student to look for a pocha at night. That proves that this guy had a tough day.”

Slowly, the character’s life flowed out of Muyoung’s mouth.

“When he greeted and asked if they were open for business, I felt that this guy was quite mature. So even though he was exhausted and momentarily irritated, I thought he would apologize right away.”

Right. It’s a bit unusual for a student to ask if they’re open for business as he enters.

“When he said, ‘Give me this and that,’ but then asked for only 5,000 won worth, I knew he wasn’t well off. It’s a similar situation, so I thought he would have matured quickly, too.”

In that short time, he had perfectly grasped the character through the script.

The team leader leaned forward, almost as if she were about to be sucked in.

“And?”

“……When he asked for something adults eat, I thought about my own case…….”

Right before becoming an adult. That time.

It was so hard that I just wanted to become an adult and escape.

So my attention went to things that were considered exclusive to adults.

“-So, I imagined that on a day when he didn’t want to go home, the character impulsively entered a pojangmacha, a place that felt like home yet also like an adult’s world.”

“Spicy food? He asked for something spicy?”

“Because that’s the best thing for stress.”

With entrance exam stress piling up, Muyoung had been eating spicy food every day.

“I especially liked Dakbul Ramen.”

As if it were nothing, Muyoung casually tossed out his analysis of the character.

Then, the staff member next to the team leader laughed in admiration.

“Instead of acting, you should write. Or be a critic.”

“I don’t have any talent in that area. Thank you for your kind words.”

“It’s like you’re possessed. How do you come up with all that?”

Mumbling while wagging her tongue. His analysis and time management were perfect.

And he even likes Dakbul Ramen, which is a PPL!

When coincidences keep happening, it’s fate.

The team leader felt a strong sense of revelation.

“You’ve got sense. Your observation and imagination are quite good. How long exactly have you been acting? If you get the role, will this be your first project?”

He had completely turned his body toward Muyoung, who was sitting at the very end.

His voice was full of interest, too.

“That’s right.”

“Filming is mostly done at night. Is that okay?”

“Ahem.”

A staff member coughed loudly at the team leader’s blunt question.

There were still applicants numbered 77 to 80 left, so the team leader tried to recover and added,

“It’s a common question for everyone. Is that okay with you?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, yes.”

“It’s not a problem.”

They answered, but their expressions weren’t very satisfied. And that’s understandable, given what he had just shown them earlier…….

‘Ah. Really. It’s annoying.’

‘Of all times, he had to do it first.’

‘It’s over.’

There was no possibility. It was safe to say that the atmosphere had completely shifted.

Muyoung thought about his schedule and nodded.

“I’m fine with night shoots, too.”

The dorm closes at 11 p.m. and opens at 6 a.m., so if worse comes to worst, I’ll just spend the night outside.

For Muyoung, who was hoping for the luck of flower pollen, that wasn’t a problem.

“Good.”

At his answer, the team leader raised the corners of her mouth.

A truly satisfied expression. She marked his application form with lots of stars using her pen.

Swish, swish—

‘Come to think of it, the CEO is also quite amazing.’

Cho Miyoung had muttered, firmly believing that a gem of a kid would appear.

And just as she had hoped, a real gem had appeared. One who possessed not only looks and acting skills but also sense.

“Then, let’s see number 77.”

The team leader gestured for them to proceed quickly.

They had already spent a lot of time on Muyoung’s turn.

The audition resumed, but…… wasn’t the outcome obvious?

‘Anyway—’

After seeing Muyoung’s possessed acting, the participants muttered that it was hopeless anyway.

‘Anyway—’

There was a strange atmosphere among the staff, as if the supporting role for Episode 1 had already been decided. Superficial acting and questions were exchanged, as if they were just going through the motions.

‘The audition was quite fun. I think I did pretty well, hehe.’

Only Muyoung failed to notice the mood and just smiled brightly.

Wondering what luck the flower pollen would bring him next.