Lee So-yeon nodded along furiously.
She was scribbling in her notebook like she was decoding missile launch codes: Zombie swarm... No "Oppa"... "Hey man"...
When they arrived at the famous street corner, there were already over a hundred people gathered.
The air smelled like the usual breakfast of champions: caffeine and nicotine.
It was like a United Nations meeting, with people of every color present. But instead of world peace, the topic of discussion was whether they could scrape together twenty bucks today.
Cassius expertly found a spot that had some shade but wasn't too hidden.
Lee So-yeon, looking nervous, trailed half a step behind him, her eyes wide as she took everything in.
There were huge guys with bulging muscles showing off their tattoos in tank tops.
Latina beauties who looked hot even in plain T-shirts.
Old character actors with white hair and cloudy eyes, who looked like they'd been squatting on this corner for decades.
And a few other Asian faces like them, mostly standing silently in the corners, blending into the background.
"See that?"
Cassius jutted his chin toward the other Asian extras. "That's our default state. Waiting to be chosen."
Just as he finished speaking, a dirty Ford pickup screeched to a halt. A white guy with a beer belly hopped out and yelled before his feet even hit the pavement:
"Need five construction workers! Gotta look like you've actually done manual labor! You, you, and you guys!"
The crowd instantly rippled like a pond after a stone was thrown in.
Several burly white and Latino men shoved their way to the front.
Lee So-yeon was startled by the commotion and instinctively gripped her backpack straps tighter.
Cassius didn't budge. He whispered:
"Pure labor background roles like that usually don't go to us. Unless the director suddenly decides he needs some 'diversity' on the construction site."
Sure enough, the foreman picked the five biggest guys. The pickup drove off in a cloud of black smoke, leaving behind a collective sigh of disappointment.
Not long after, a young woman wearing a production vest and holding an iPad appeared.
Her voice was crisp: "Need a girl who looks like a college student. Blonde, blue eyes, can play tennis. There's a close-up!"
Immediately, several blonde girls shot their hands up, flashing practiced, sweet smiles.
One of them even pulled a tennis racket out of her bag. Talk about professional readiness.
Lee So-yeon watched, dumbfounded. She whispered to Cassius:
"They're like special forces soldiers. Ready to deploy their talents at any moment."
"This is Hollywood," Cassius smirked. "The hustle starts from the background."
Just then, a familiar figure sauntered over.
Han!
The broker who specialized in peddling stereotypes.
He was wearing an even louder Hawaiian shirt today, strutting like a peacock.
"Hey! Cass! You think about it?"
Han smiled, his eyes sweeping over Cassius before landing on Lee So-yeon. His eyes lit up. "Ooh, fresh face? From Korea?"
"Perfect timing. That party scene next weekend still needs an Asian 'Tech Geek Girl.' Thick black glasses, oversized sweater, looking clumsy. Eighty bucks a day. You in?"
Lee So-yeon blinked, clearly not processing what "Tech Geek Girl" and "clumsy" implied.
Cassius took half a step forward, blocking her from view. His tone was flat.
"Brother Han, she's my roommate. She's new, doesn't know the rules yet. Let me think about the gig. I'll get back to you later."
Han shrugged. He didn't push it. He patted Cassius on the shoulder.
"Don't wait too long. Opportunities don't wait for people! And little lady, if you figure it out, you can contact me directly too!"
With that, he walked off whistling.
"What role was he talking about?" Lee So-yeon asked, frowning slightly as she caught up.
"One of Hollywood's favorite roles to give Asians," Cassius explained.
"The nerd. Socially awkward, dresses terribly. Used to make the main characters look cooler."
"So, still want to be a director? Someday you might be the one directing crap like that."
Lee So-yeon pursed her lips and didn't say anything, but she wrote something down in her notebook with extra force.
The sun climbed higher. The temperature rose.
The waiting became long and grueling.
Cassius saw Li Zhe, the Asian guy with glasses, arrive. They nodded to each other across the crowd—a silent acknowledgement.
Li Zhe got lucky today. A crew looking for a "convenience store clerk" picked him up. Another stereotype, sure, but at least it was fifty bucks.
In the meantime, Cassius raised his hand for a few "generic pedestrian" roles.
But the foremen either picked people who fit their aesthetic better—meaning white people—or people with more "character," usually Black guys with dreads.
He and the other Asians were like unpopular products on a shelf, passed over again and again.
Lee So-yeon went from excitement, to nervousness, to silence.
She watched Cassius raise his hand over and over, then lower it over and over. She watched the habitual calmness on his face, and she seemed to understand something.
"Oppa, is it always like this for you guys?"
Her voice was dry.
"What else?" Cassius cracked open a water bottle. "You think every day is a James Wan set? That was hitting the lottery."
Just then, a decent-looking van pulled up. A guy in a polo shirt who looked like a legitimate Assistant Director got out.
He scanned a list and shouted:
"Need an Asian couple! Playing tourists taking a selfie on the Walk of Fame. Need to look happy and natural! Anyone?"
Opportunity!
Cassius shot his hand up instantly. At the same time, he grabbed Lee So-yeon, who was still processing, and whispered:
"Smile! Act like a tourist visiting LA for the first time!"
Lee So-yeon was stunned for a second.
But her director's instinct kicked in. She flashed a smile—slightly exaggerated but undeniably bright—and instinctively threw up a peace sign.
The AD looked at Cassius, then at Lee So-yeon. He nodded.
"Alright, you two! Get in. Eighty bucks for the pair, lunch included!"
Got it!
Cassius breathed a sigh of relief and pulled Lee So-yeon toward the van.
As he approached the passenger side, he saw a grey orb drop near the AD's feet while he was checking his list.
[Rhythm Attribute: Efficiency +1]
Wait, I can pick up attributes outside of a set?
Cassius paused.
This was the first time this had happened off-camera.
Was it because the AD was so focused on his work?
He looked at the AD diligently checking off names and made a bold guess. The sample size was too small to be sure, but...
Absorb!
Cassius didn't hesitate. Even mosquito legs are meat.
Sitting in the van heading to the Walk of Fame, Lee So-yeon seemed excited. She whispered:
"Does this count as having a role?"
Cassius watched the street scenes fly by outside the window.
"Background couple. Bottom of the Hollywood food chain. But it beats squatting on the curb."
The shoot was simple.
On the crowded Walk of Fame, they played tourists happily taking selfies while the protagonist ran past them in a hurry.
No lines. Just big, stereotypical "Asian Tourist" smiles.
Before rolling, the execution director gave simple instructions:
"Right, just look at that fake Madame Tussauds entrance. Pretend you're super excited. Take photos of each other. Smile big! Like you've never seen a celebrity handprint in your life!"
Action!
Cassius engaged his facial muscles, plastered on a standard tourist grin, and held up his phone.
Lee So-yeon was much more natural.
She seemed to completely embody the character. She bounced around, pointing at the stars on the ground, her smile infectious.
She even improvised, linking arms with Cassius and leaning her head on his shoulder while flashing a peace sign.
"Cut! Great! The girl was good! Very natural!"
The director gave a compliment.
Cassius had mixed feelings.
The difference in talent was obvious.
If he didn't have his cheat code, he really had zero natural talent for acting.
Oh well.
At least he picked up [Efficiency +1]!
And his new roommate seemed to have intuitively mastered the "Background Survival Rules."
Sometimes, leaning into the stereotype was just smart survival.
At wrap, they got their eighty bucks.
Lee So-yeon held her forty dollars cash, flipping the bills over and over, her expression a mix of novelty and complexity.
"This is the first Hollywood money I have ever earned," she murmured.
On the bus ride back, both of them were tired and didn't talk much.
The setting sun shone through the dirty windows, casting dappled shadows inside the bus.
Lee So-yeon suddenly spoke, her voice soft. "Cass... I think I understand what you said yesterday."
Cassius hummed in acknowledgement, eyes closed.
"But!"
She turned her head, that little fire seemingly reignited in her eyes.
"I still want to be a director. And if I make movies in the future, I definitely won't give Asians those stupid roles."
Cassius's mouth curved up slightly.