Sizzle—the sound of meat grilling. Moo-young watched the meat browning to perfection and reminisced about old times. That barbecue party they all had at the academy. Come to think of it, Jun-ho had footed the bill back then...
"Now I'm the one buying."
"Huh? Why? You hate it?"
"Nah. Just moved."
Jun-ho, catching Moo-young's mutter, flipped the meat with gusto.
Bora took a sip of soda and turned to Yu-chan. "So, what's the plan from here on out?"
Yu-chan beamed. The answer was obvious.
"Gonna focus on theater."
The academy had deliberately shunned theater. Director O-seok himself had gone down that road and suffered for it, and the acting styles in theater and broadcasting were worlds apart anyway.
"Now I get why they call theater the flower of acting."
Drama's the flower of writers. Film's the flower of directors. Theater's the flower of actors, right?
Standing on a bare stage with minimal sound and lights, carrying the whole play on acting alone.
"Tried it, and it's so fun. Finally figured out what I really wanted."
Yu-chan glanced at the director with a subtle confession. "Turns out, drama or movies were just the medium. I wanted to act, but somewhere along the line, it flipped—I thought I had to chase those to act."
"One play and you achieve enlightenment."
Bora laughed, dropping meat onto his side plate. Jun-ho whined soundlessly at her. Sure enough—whoosh—meat slid into his mouth.
"Even if I starve, planning to live like this awhile."
"Sigh. Fine. Your call. Was tough on me too, but looking back, those were the best times. Happy ones. Industry's changed a ton lately anyway."
Back in the day, theater actors stuck to theater, drama to drama—strict lines drawn.
These days, those boundaries were crumbling.
"I'll cheer you on."
"Thanks, teacher."
"Your acting killed it today. When'd you grow up so fast?"
O-seok ruffled his hair, beaming with pride and mischief.
That brief summer wandering had steered him onto his life's path. What a relief.
"Me too. Hit me up every time you stage a show."
"You bet. Saw it earlier, right? Audience full of friends and family."
Especially for opening night. Actors' kin, lovers, buddies filling the seats.
Moo-young grinned wide and crammed meat into his mouth—chomp.
"Oh, right. Taking a leave of absence, huh?"
"Huh? How'd you know?"
"When you hit the bathroom earlier."
Moo-young blinked at O-seok's question. Not set in stone, but yeah, probably.
With drama shoots lined up, focusing on school would be impossible.
And tuition's a waste.
But man, that dorm tempted. Just 800,000 won a semester... No utilities, no fees.
"Still mulling it."
"What about your current officetel?"
"Gotta clear out in a couple weeks."
Ghost gone to the great beyond now—just sweet-talk the landlord Bu-yong.
Moo-young eyed the director steadily, wheels turning. Come clean to teacher, ask for backup?
Drama airs soon, Bu-yong'll learn he's an actor, not some Doctor Mart drone.
Too risky admitting the exorcism.
Introduce teacher as uncle...?
Hmm. No easy fix.
Moo-young shook his head at O-seok's quizzical eyebrow wiggle.
"Haunted house anyway—empty. Be great if you stayed. Nice place."
"Ghost? Real talk?"
"Yup. Never spotted it once while living there."
'Cause Moo-young had laid down the law with Ghostie.
Moo-young chewed meat thoughtfully, deep in thought.
"Yu-chan, straight back to the theater?"
"Yeah. Show tomorrow anyway—no big pack-up. Swapping feedback with the team. You and Jun-ho?"
"Home—"
"Date night!"
Bora said home, but Jun-ho cut in slyly. Yu-chan stared, then cracked up for real.
"Cool. Have a good date."
Whatever spark they'd had was ancient history. Jealous, fidgety Jun-ho was kinda cute.
He turned to Moo-young. "You?"
"Gotta record a song."
"Record? This late? Night's falling."
Record, my ass—bedtime after scrubbing up.
Moo-young shrugged at Jun-ho's grumble. Civilians wouldn't get it.
"Vocals loosen evenings usually. Si-won hyung's sched didn't align. Had to delay."
"Whoa. Si-won hyung? Zero Team's Si-won?"
"Ha Moo-young's blown up. Legit."
Bros with top idols. Leading public miniseries. Jin Kyung-mun film dropping soon.
Jun-ho clasped his hand solemnly. "Even when your rates skyrocket, you'll stick with Bontoori modeling, right?"
"Pay's right?"
"Ow! Discount for me!"
"Haha. Kidding. Kidding."
Stick with Bontoori long as possible. Jun-ho'd hooked him up plenty.
Moo-young joked; Bora shot him a look.
"Presser and scheds coming soon—snag Bontoori sponsors then. I'm getting mine this time."
"For real? It's locked?"
"Yup. SNS modeling gig. Your feed exploded—you didn't notice?"
Nope. SNS ain't his jam; barely checks comments/DMs. Company runs it anyway.
"Agency asks, they'll hook you up smooth."
Right? Jun-ho bobbed his head at Bora's glance.
"Duh. For Moo-young? Head-to-toe kit."
"Grateful already."
Moo-young scraped up every last grain and scrap.
Studio next—belt songs till dawn. Belly full it is!
Meal done, he snatched the bill confidently.
"My treat today."
"Ooh— Ha Moo-young!"
"Superstar Ha Moo-young~"
Alleyway pork belly hole-in-the-wall, but damn grateful for nights like this.
Moo-young struck a haughty pose, handing over his card.
"Ate great!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇Seocho-dong studio.
Si-won dragged in, wiped from back-to-back scheds. Morning CF overruns.
"Hey."
"Yo. Here already? You look beat."
"Nighttime now."
Even to shared-studio crew, Si-won snapped. Skips meals, brutal day—no shock he's prickly.
Today's that day.
Shh. Play dumb.
Work on top? Full cranky mode unlocked.
Manager zipped it, unpacking his bag.
"Ha Moo-young?"
"Any minute—"
Sigh, mid-change—rustle outside.
"Hellooo! Ha Moo-young here! Pumped to work together!"
Hyper Moo-young, worlds from Si-won's gloom. Strode in, meat-scented.
Si-won's brow cratered.
"Hey. Si-won hyung."
"Meat run?"
"Yup. All-nighter ahead—fueled up."
"...Good life."
Grunted, vanished into side room.
Moo-young blinked, scanning staff. "What'd I do?"
"Nah. Rough day for him. Triple the edge today."
"...That bad?"
Go Kyung-min gripped his arm, worried. Music perfectionist rep...
"Let's nail it. Moo-young."
Damn straight. Full throttle!
Moo-young winked reassurance; Si-won emerged, casual fit.
"Let's roll. Sit. Play you the track."
Moo-young headset up, per orders.
Melody hit—pumped, hefty, beat drops heavy.
"Thoughts?"
Go Kyung-min probed; Moo-young thumbs-upped.
Spot-on for self-obsessed, unrivaled Do-ha.
"Perfect?"
Chorus hooks hard. Love it!
"Next: guide vocals."
Si-won's pipes. Guide-lyrics trainwreck: "East Sea waters and Baekdu Mountain" to gibberish.
"Whoa, guides always this wild?"
"...? Hyung! Prep right, I said!"
Si-won scowled, barked.
That was lyricless temp; lyrics done—fresh version existed.
Gasp.
Moo-young near-bit tongue.
Room iced over.
Si-won raked hair, sorry. "My bad. Guide-listen, then record. One day won't cut it."
"Got it."
Moo-young lyrics-crammed on playback.
No memorize—onscreen anyway.
But...
"This fixed?"
"Why?"
"Eh. Kinda."
Something snagged reading through.
Moo-young mulled, spilled. "'Sometimes regrets from far past find me—' Off for the character."
Do-ha? Zero-regrets bulldozer.
Si-won pen-clicked. "Swap?"
"Uh. Beats me."
No quick fix.
Moo-young grinned; Si-won slashed lines, defeated.
"Park it, record front. Lyrics rethink."
Regular OST? Breeze past. But drama: Do-ha pens/composes it. Band flagship. Personality bleed inevitable.
Tough nut.
Si-won's OST debut.
Nodded Moo-young to booth. "Full run once. Part-by-part after. Hum your flagged bit. Cool?"
Karaoke warmup vibes.
Moo-young booth-bound, OK circle.
Heehee. Thrilling.
Whoa. Sound dead. Zero outside leak.
Sealed vault, speaker link only.
Headset: track cue.
-Light sing-through.
"Yessir."
Eyes shut.
Do-ha. Im Do-ha! Melilgelin's frontman, music zealot artist. Thinks he's peak hotshot—and backs it. Stage god, peerless.
This instant? Moo-young was Do-ha.
"Beautiful sunlight it was—"
Lyrics-scroll, mouth open.
Listening Si-won peered booth-ward.
"Singing voice shifts, huh?"
"But way smoother. Pitch spot-on."
"Can't sing, he said? Huh, Si-won?"
"Tone slays. Song-match perfect."
Do-ha-possessed Moo-young unleashed.
Meat-stuffed, pals sorted, ghost evicted!
Prime night.
"You're hooked on my charm— no escape!"
Hum-spot? Nailed fresh lyrics seamless.
Instant vibe hit the duo.
Si-won: hunger, edge—poof. Gone.
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Read 99 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
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