A small smile curved Yuna's lips as she met Muyeong's gaze.
He pulled out her chair naturally, and the child's eyes sparkled with pure affection.
"Hi, oppa."
"Been doing well? You look taller."
"Liar!"
They covered their mouths and whispered quietly.
Muyeong did it to avoid disturbing others; Yuna did it simply because he did —
but to anyone watching, they looked incredibly close.
"Alright, since everyone's here, let's begin. Oh, the screenwriter couldn't make it due to personal reasons."
"Personal reasons," of course, meaning social anxiety.
Director Jin Kyung-moon exchanged a brief glance with the Montnet staff.
The murmur settled, replaced by attentive silence.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Jin Kyung-moon, director of Epidemic.
It's an honor to meet you all — let's make something great together. Thank you."
Clap clap clap—
The introductions began with the head of the team.
Muyeong clapped with all his might.
Before he could wonder who'd go next, the assistant director stood up.
"Hello, I'm Assistant Director Jang Min. Nice to meet you."
Then, across the table—
"I'm Lee Hee-jun, playing the role of Jin."
Strangely, no one had to be told whose turn it was.
Without direction, the actors naturally followed the order — right-hand side from the director, circling the table.
As expected of the veterans!
Muyeong, whose only experience was a web drama reading, was impressed by even that.
So this was what people meant by "seasoned."
"I'm Seong Hye-jun, playing Aeri, Jin's supervisor. Let's work well together."
"I'm Hyo-jung, playing Sora."
Click, click—
Staff captured each introduction with their cameras — for behind-the-scenes footage, PR clips, or press materials.
Then it was Yuna's turn.
"I'm Yoo Yuna, playing the main character, Jannie. Please take care of me."
She put extra emphasis on main character.
Her smile was bright, but her heart was fuming — the staff had irked her earlier, and now this seat placement?
"Oh my, how adorable."
"How old did you say Yuna was again?"
"Nine years old."
She might've been young, but she was the lead.
Normally, the protagonist would sit next to the director or senior actors.
Well, look at her, all feisty.
That expression—she's going places.
But nine was very young.
Despite four years as a lead, Yuna still had to yield her spot to the adults.
Across from her, Hye-jun and Hyo-jung exchanged faint smiles.
Tiny, but fierce.
They could already tell what kind of kid she was — sharp, talented, maybe a bit spoiled.
To veterans who'd seen it all, she was cute, funny, and a little exasperating.
Still, you need that kind of fire if you want to survive in this business.
Experience had taught them — talent and luck weren't enough.
You had to withstand it.
"Please take good care of me!"
Yuna bowed deeply, earning warm smiles and light applause.
Then came Muyeong's turn.
The atmosphere shifted the moment he stood.
"Who's that?"
"Must be a rookie."
"But he's playing Louis?"
Unlike the others, hardly anyone recognized him.
Except for Hee-jun, Yuna, and the director, this was everyone's first meeting.
"Hello, I'm Ha Muyeong, playing the role of Louis.
It's a huge honor to work with such incredible seniors and the director.
I'll do my best! I'd greatly appreciate your guidance and feedback. Thank you!"
The energy radiating from him was pure rookie fervor.
Hye-jun clapped elegantly, eyeing him up and down.
Good face, good posture, good voice. Cute, too.
"Unnie," Hyo-jung warned softly.
Everyone knew about Hye-jun's colorful dating history.
She winked playfully in response.
"What do you mean, guidance? You're talented yourself."
Hee-jun interjected smoothly.
Only later would they all learn he'd been cast in one go — the role practically written for him.
If he hadn't landed Jin that day…
That could've been awkward.
It was a casual remark, but Hyo-jung added,
"Well, since the director chose him, I'm looking forward to it.
Individual charm matters a lot. I'm curious what made you stand out as Louis."
Individual charm!
As she said it, she shot a glance at Hee-jun.
Most wouldn't notice, but she knew.
She knew exactly how messy Sealing Actors had been behind the scenes —
how the investors had twisted things until Hee-jun got the Jin role instead.
What are you looking at?
If you don't like it, deal with it.
Thanks to that, the actor originally cast — Kim Sang-yeon — was dropped.
And he happened to be Hyo-jung's secret boyfriend.
She'd accepted the project expecting to work with him, only for this switch to happen.
Snap!
Tension crackled across the table, invisible but sharp.
In the middle of it all, Muyeong just stood there smiling, blissfully unaware.
He could tell something was happening, but not what.
"Then… may I sit down now?"
The director nodded.
He was already sweating buckets — his handkerchief had long given up.
So much for smooth casting and funding…
'What a lineup.'
The pre-interviews had suggested no conflicts between cast members.
But no matter how professional things looked on paper, relationships mattered.
They've all got such strong personalities… ha.
He always found this part tricky.
Once filming began, focus and camaraderie usually grew naturally.
The beginning's always the hardest.
He sighed inwardly, watching the rest of the introductions.
Even the no-name actors without tables got their turn.
"Alright! Let's start the reading."
Just the introductions had taken over ten minutes.
At the director's cue, pages rustled briskly.
"It'll take around six hours.
Those in the back can leave early if needed.
After one full read, we'll do a quick camera test and mark key scenes."
A polite way of saying: the later part's only for main and supporting roles.
The director began by explaining the project's themes —
the tone he envisioned, the symbolism he wanted to emphasize.
"—Alright, let's start. Scene 1. Hee-jun, ready? Hye-jun, please add the narration."
"Yes."
Hee-jun cleared his throat and read the first line of Epidemic.
The opening scene: his first day as an employee of FG Pharmaceuticals, demoted to factory management.
"Mm. The air's f***ing foul."
"Jin. You've crossed the line this time."
"The stench here is unbearable."
"You're the kind of guy who'd embezzle funds and take advance paychecks. Got it?
I can't cover for you this time. Go down there and settle in."
Muyeong watched as Hye-jun narrated and Hee-jun muttered his lines alone.
This is different.
He'd seen grown-ups act before — Na Geum-dong, Go Kyung-min, even the principal —
but this atmosphere was something else entirely.
"Fine. Damn it. I'll go."
Hee-jun exhaled a long, rough breath as if snuffing out a cigarette, perfectly matching the script's direction.
His performance was raw, unpolished, but full of weight.
Real actors.
That phrase echoed again and again in Muyeong's mind.
"There wasn't a single flaw."
Muyeong couldn't find a thing to criticize.
Unlike with Enbin, there wasn't even a small detail he could have suggested improving.
He couldn't look away — drawn in completely by their performances.
"A-mazing."
His heart pounded wildly.
This was what it truly meant to act among professionals.
"Oppa, are you okay?"
Yuna tapped the back of his hand, worry in her eyes.
He gave her a reassuring smile — nothing was wrong.
He was just thrilled.
"This'll be good for me."
To grow, one had to aim higher.
This was the truest form of training — real, raw, and alive.
The kind that would sharpen him without him even realizing it.
Muyeong focused, tracing every word in his script.
"Okay, good. That was nice, but the last line—try saying it more calmly. Don't overdo it."
"Flatten the tone? Should I try again?"
"Yes. Think of it as pressing the words down. You know what I mean, right?"
Real-time feedback flowed naturally between the director and actors.
Even though it wasn't his turn, Muyeong scribbled notes like his life depended on it.
Every line felt like something that would feed his craft.
"—Next, scene sixteen."
Finally, it was the scene with Yuna, Muyeong, and Hee-jun —
their first time acting together, trapped inside a sealed-off area.
"What the hell?"
Hee-jun's tone was sharp.
Yuna, trembling as the frightened Jannie, instinctively grabbed Muyeong's hand.
The others noticed the movement.
"The door's locked, mister."
"You alone?"
"I-I need to go. I didn't mean to come in here, it was an accident."
Her tiny hands shook as she spoke, her voice quivering.
Watching her, Hye-jun couldn't help but let out a silent gasp.
That kid's incredible.
It wasn't the usual, polished child-actor delivery.
"You're alone, huh?"
Hee-jun sneered, fixing his gaze on her wrist.
A child wandering alone at this hour, with faint bruises on her wrist —
the meaning was obvious.
"Come here."
A discarded child. Someone the world wouldn't miss if she disappeared.
Yuna flinched — Jannie had sensed the danger.
BANG!
"I said come here!"
Hee-jun slammed the table.
Yuna jerked in her seat, shrinking back in fear.
Tears welled up in her eyes — even knowing it was acting, Muyeong's chest tightened.
"F***!"
"...!"
The curse made Yuna freeze.
Her rhythm broke; the line and emotion vanished midair.
Like a machine that had suddenly stopped.
"Get her guardian."
"Yes, Director."
The director motioned to a staff member.
The film was rated R — a heavy, grim story.
He'd worried about that, even knowing Yuna's talent and experience.
Still, she's just a kid.
He intended to comfort her, to remind everyone it was only acting —
But then—
"...?"
"...!"
Rustle.
Muyeong reached into his pocket and pulled out a small chocolate.
He lightly tapped Yuna's cheek until her eyes met his.
"Ah—"
Muyeong — no, Louis — opened his mouth a little.
Yuna subconsciously mimicked him.
A sweet chocolate slipped between her lips.
"Jannie. What are you doing here?"
"Ah..."
"You know her? You're her guardian?"
Without missing a beat, Muyeong held her hand and carried on the dialogue.
Yuna, momentarily dazed, answered instinctively.
"No."
Just that one word —
and suddenly everything snapped back into place.
The broken rhythm, the frozen emotion — all restored.
Yuna was Jannie again, and Louis was right beside her.
"Come on. There are people talking over there."
Then, with a calm, cold gaze, Muyeong looked at Hee-jun.
His eyes were empty —
detached yet quietly threatening.
Don't touch the child.
A silent warning, delivered without a single line.
Hee-jun blinked, momentarily thrown off.
"...Hee-jun, your line?"
"Ah—sorry. Ahem. What the hell's that? Not even human."
The director's prompt snapped him out of it.
He fumbled to finish, clearing his throat awkwardly.
Meanwhile, Yuna's clear eyes lingered on Muyeong.
In fact, everyone's did.
What was that just now?
Even veterans struggle to pull a partner back in after a break.
That look in his eyes—insane. How do you say that much without speaking?
Now I get it. That's why he's Louis.
Muyeong, unaware of the silent awe around him, calmly returned to his script.
The actors exchanged glances — admiration softening their features.
It had only been a brief moment, but he'd shown unmistakable depth.
A focus strong enough to pull a lost scene back together.
A gaze that embodied the character itself.
That was when the nameless rookie Ha Muyeong began to be seen as Ha Muyeong, the actor.
And still oblivious to the weight of that moment, he grinned at Yuna.
"Tastes good, huh?"
He patted his bulging pocket lightly.
"I brought lots just for you."
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