The script reading.
The first official event, and the day my name would be known to the public for the first time.
The directing team had set up cameras everywhere, filming the main and supporting actors.
"Nice to meet you. I'm writer Kim Jinwoo."
"Ah, yes! I look forward to working with you."
"Excuse me, actor Shin Johoon. You recently became an uncle, right?"
"Pardon? How did you know that?"
"Haha. You're my actor, so of course, I should know."
Actor Shin's eyes widened.
It seemed that because he was a rookie actor, he had assumed I wouldn't know who he was.
Ding-dong—
'Alright!'
[An actor with 82% compatibility with the role has been discovered.] [Do you want to register this actor for the role of 'Oh Jisuk'? (Y/N)]
I exchanged pleasantries with almost all the actors, shaking their hands for 5 seconds each.
Because of the condition that they had to be at least 80% compatible, actor Shin was the only one.
But thanks to that, I was able to make a rough guess about another one of the system's limitations.
'It only applies to actors with short careers...!'
There was a common thread between Semi, Im Jaejun, and Ji Seongho.
Rookie actors who had debuted within the last 2 or 3 years at most.
This must be the reason why it didn't apply to the veteran actor Choi Manho.
'This is why... I have to raise my tier.'
A moment later, the assistant director announced the start of the script reading.
"Hello. I'm director Sung Kihoon. This time, I will be..."
After Director Sung finished his short remarks, everyone's eyes turned to me.
From the lead actors to the rookies and the experienced actors with seniority.
"I'm writer Kim Jinwoo. I don't have much to say, um... I just hope you will be faithful to the script."
Ad-libs are not welcome in the sacred script handed down by the system.
Of course, if it was a brilliant ad-lib that would go down in drama history, I would acknowledge it.
Next were the self-introductions of the main and supporting actors.
The eyes of several actors, including Semi and Im Jaejun, were blazing.
A look of determination to show something today for sure.
A strange tension flowed between some of the actors.
In particular, people were busy sneaking glances at the controversial rookie actor, Im Jaejun.
People's reactions to his handsomer-than-expected real-life appearance were unusual.
Next, Ji Seongho introduced himself.
"Hello! I'm Ji Seongho, playing the role of Seo Hyungmin! Actor Choi Manho, I respect you!"
"Hahaha."
He lightened the mood in a way that was light but not frivolous.
A moment later,
Director Sung finally announced the start of the script reading.
The assistant director kicked things off by explaining the situation and background.
"This is the first scene of Part 1. Cheon Seongho, as soon as he gets in the sports car, he nervously takes off his watch."
The moment Im Jaejun opened his mouth to deliver the first line.
Everyone gulped and watched him.
'H-he's incredibly good!?'
Semi was confident that she had worked harder than anyone else.
Excluding choreography practice time, she had even sacrificed sleep to read the script.
A script that was now tattered from being read so many times.
Each page was filled with pencil-scribed analyses and highlighter marks.
However,
'What, Im Jaejun... what happened to him in that time?'
When we filmed the web drama together, why didn't I recognize that kind of skill? Everyone in the room was looking at him, marveling at his acting ability. Even actor Choi Manho had a surprised expression, so what more needed to be said?
'I... I can do it too.'
The first scene where they run into each other in a hotel lobby on Jeju Island.
Im Jaejun maintained his emotional line and opened his mouth.
"Hey, you over there! Call the parking attendant and have my car brought around."
"I-I'm not an employee here... Ah!"
I practiced it hundreds, thousands of times, how could I mess up in such an important place?
"Hey, hey! Where are you going! No, what's with that guy!?"
I'm screwed.
Perhaps it was because I was overwhelmed by Im Jaejun's presence.
In the end, I made a huge mistake.
My intonation crumbled, and my timing was off.
I tried to pull myself together and fix everything.
But the nightmare was just beginning.
"Ex-excuse me, I told you I'm not an employee... Ah, no! Th-this looks like an expensive car...!"
Once I made a mistake, I panicked and the words wouldn't come out even more.
My already awkward speech showed no signs of returning.
The more I tried to speak naturally, the more it felt like I was sinking into a swamp.
"Ahem."
Senior Choi Manho's cough sounded as loud as thunder.
From that moment on, my pace rapidly collapsed.
'W-what do I do...'
My jumbled mind showed no signs of returning, no matter what I did.
One mistake led to another, in a vicious cycle.
Not knowing what to do, I could only lower my head and frantically read the script.
On the other hand, the moment Im Jaejun delivered his lines, everyone in the room burst out in admiration.
I was just afraid of the sighs that would come during my turn, proportional to their admiration for him.
'The next scene is my turn...'
My turn is coming again.
I desperately wished someone would please stop this moment.
I was too afraid to go through another painful time.
At that moment, a familiar voice was heard, changing the atmosphere.
"Let's stop here, and start again after a 30-minute break."
Hearing writer Kim Jinwoo's voice, I lifted my head.
His figure, not even giving me a glance.
In an instant, my face flushed and a wave of shame washed over me.
The fact that it was none other than myself who had caused this whole situation was despairing.
How much must people be mocking me inside?How disappointed must writer Kim Jinwoo be in me?
Soon, I shot up from my seat and ran outside.
"In the end... I ruined everything..."
I practiced 12 hours every day.I practiced every day, except when I was dancing.I can confidently say that I worked harder than anyone else.
Finally, a single tear rolled down from her reddened eyes.
"Semi-ya... are you okay?"
"No."
It was her manager's voice.
In what way do I look okay?
"Look, don't be too discouraged..."
"I want to be alone."
"Ah, o-okay! I'll be nearby, so make sure to call me! O-okay?"
"..."
A pounding of the heart that could not be expressed with the word "nervous."
The beginning of this trembling was after seeing just a single-line malicious comment.
-Looks like Semi is going to grab the rookie writer by the hair and slam him into the ground lololol
The interview video of actor Choi Manho that was uploaded to YouTube this morning.
The moment she saw the comment below it, Semi's confidence plummeted.
She had passed by hateful or insulting comments without a thought until now.
But for some reason, she couldn't just let that comment go with a comfortable heart.
Afraid that because of her, writer Kim Jinwoo's first project would fall into the abyss.
"I really worked hard too..."
The thought of causing harm to writer Kim Jinwoo, who had believed in her, was terrifyingly 싫었다.
It would be better if her own talentless career had a problem instead.
At that moment, the sound of slowly approaching footsteps.
"I said I wanted to be alon... wr-writer-nim...?"
"Semi-ssi, is it okay if I sit next to you?"
"..."
She couldn't possibly refuse.
'Semi is so different from her usual self.'
Her greed and passion for acting were second to none.
But crushed under excessive pressure, she couldn't show her skills at all.
"Why are you so dispirited?"
"I'm sorry..."
"No, that's not what I mean."
"..."
Kim Jinwoo paused for a moment and continued.
"Semi-ssi. Do you know how I ended up writing this drama?"
"What...?"
"It's all thanks to you, Semi-ssi."
At his sudden confession, Semi was bewildered.
"From the very beginning, you were the main character of this drama."
"Ah... but I might ruin everything..."
"Well, I wonder. Honestly, if it's you, I don't care at all if you ruin it."
"What? What does that..."
She had expected warm comfort, of course.
But for comfort, it was a very strange thing to say.
"I don't care if everyone else is cut. As long as you remain, I'll continue to film this drama."
"..."
"If I couldn't cast you, I wouldn't have done this drama. No, I probably couldn't have done it."
"Ah..."
"This drama is simply a stage for Semi."
Jinwoo said to Semi with an indifferent expression.
The way he laid out a simple fact as if it were nothing.
There was not a single speck of falsehood in his serious expression.
"Um... Writer-nim, I feel comfortable now."
"Really?"
"Yes. As long as you believe in me, that's all that matters."
"That's a given."
"Then that's enough. I don't care about anyone else."
Semi regained her original bright smile.
The actors and directing team gathered again at the script reading.
Director Sung glanced my way and nodded.
"We'll start again. Let's go again from Part 1, scene 39."
Semi's expression, unlike before, was full of life.
But there were also some who looked at her with unfriendly eyes.
'That's why she gets discouraged.'
The supporting actors who had snickered as if they knew it would happen every time Semi made a mistake.
They were the ones who were prejudiced against her from the start for being from a girl group with unproven acting skills.
But, thankfully, Semi didn't seem to care about their gazes at all.
Except for glancing at me once in a while, she was no different from the usual Semi.
A moment later,
finally, Semi's turn came again.
A scene where she reacts strongly following Im Jaejun's line.
"You're going to have to pay for my car repairs, right now."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Wh-what did you say?"
"You did whatever you wanted when you left the car keys, and now what?"
"You... I think you're making a mistake right now."
"The one making a mistake right now is you!"
The way she shot back without being pushed back by Im Jaejun at all.
The Cha Yejoo in the drama I saw was Semi, and Semi was Cha Yejoo.
'K-euu. I'm drunk on this.'
In the following lines as well, Semi freely exuded her bubbly charm.
Every time she glanced at me, I could feel her skills improving by leaps and bounds.
In the end,
it felt as if the true protagonist of the drama "Pure-hearted Macho" was not Im Jaejun, but Semi.
Anyone who saw her today would not be able to utter the "girl group" tag.
"Hehe, I'll have to work hard not to get buried among the young actors."
The actors laughed at Choi Manho's pleasantry.
Among them, Ji Seongho didn't miss the opportunity and threw in a word.
"Aigoo, sir. How can you say such a thing?"
"Then are you going to hang out with me and all that?"
"Hey, of course. Do you even have to ask?"
At that moment, Choi Manho smiled as if he had been waiting for those words.
"Then will you join the drinking session with Director Bang today?"
"What? Th-that's a little..."
"You'd love to?"
"Yeees. I'd love to... But. Jaejun wants to go too."
Ji Seongho, dragging Jaejun into the uncomfortable situation like a leech.
"M-me? W-well... right. But the writer too... haha."
"Me too! If the writer goes, I'll go too!"
In the end, all the lead actors, including Jaejun and Semi, attended.
'That punk Ji Seongho.'
Not only that, but he had dragged me and Director Sung into the drinking session as well.
That evening, a photo was uploaded to Choi Manho's social media account.
Actor Choi Manho drew attention by using words unbefitting his age.
［Looks like I'll be riding the bus thanks to my lead actors ㅎㅎ］
Comments with various opinions lined up on actor Choi Manho's social media account.
-Looks like a real bus? a village bus lolololol -I heard Im Jaejun's acting at the script reading was insane -ㄴI'm an insider. From the middle part, Semi was even more amazing fr -Sir, where did you learn such words lolol
A single photo where the writer, director, and actors of "Pure-hearted Macho" were gathered.
The figures who would one day become legends were captured in a single frame.
It was a day less than three weeks before the first filming.
"Ah, I think I'm going to die."
How much did I drink yesterday?Honestly, I don't even know how I crawled back home.
Creeeak—
I opened my room door, walked like a zombie to the sofa, and lay down.
My sister, who was already sitting on the sofa, looked at me as if I were a pathetic person.
"Oppa, just how much did you drink?"
"About two bottles, maybe. No, was it three bottles...?"
"What? Your limit is one bottle!"
"Yeah. I feel like I'm going to die."
"Ugh... I've made hangover soup, so just scoop some rice and eat."
"You made it?"
"Yeah."
K-euu, it was worth raising you on my back.Sometimes, a younger sister is better than busy parents.
Ding-dong—
At that moment, the system notification sound echoed in my head.
[Content: The Chaebol Heir is a Pure-hearted Macho, Part 14] [Genre: Romance, Chaebol] [Location: JTBS Broadcasting Station, Randomly Assigned] [Time Limit: 10 days] [※ Bronze Promotion: 110-110101-1011(Virtual Account, W Bank)] [※ Deposit Amount: 0 won / 10,000,000 won]
Forgetting that my sister was in front of me, I muttered to myself.
"Random...? Is this for real?"
Does a randomly assigned location within the broadcasting station even make sense?
How am I supposed to wander around that entire vast station?
The 10-day time limit felt far too short.