The Theatre.
Crowds flooded the entrance, their voices echoing through the night as excitement filled the air. People rushed toward the ticket counters, waving money, clutching fan banners, and calling out one name again and again.
"Eun-woo!!"
Inside, the grand stage was set for the historical drama Kim Emperor.
"Arrange everything here! Quickly!"
Mr. Kim, the stage manager, moved like a storm, directing actors and crew with sharp urgency. Assistants rushed past him carrying props. Actors stood before mirrors—men adjusting their fake beards, women fixing their traditional dresses.
Mr. Kim pushed open the makeup room door and looked around before spotting him.
"Everything ready, king?"
Seo-jun turned around, a calm smile on his face.
"I'm getting ready, bro."
Mr. Kim let out a breath, half-laughing.
"The crowd is huge. Every single one of them came with banners for Eun-woo."
Seo-jun chuckled softly, though his eyes flickered for just a moment.
Then Mr. Kim's tone changed.
"Seo-jun… this is your chance. A villain role… after five years."
Seo-jun stood up slowly, determination settling into his expression.
"I won't waste it."
A loud bell rang across the backstage.
The show had begun.
The curtains rose.
Eun-woo stepped onto the stage like he owned the world.
The audience exploded.
Screams filled the theater as he began his performance, every movement graceful, every word commanding attention.
Backstage, Seo-jun watched from the darkness, his costume ready, his mind focused.
His scene would come in twenty minutes.
Just twenty minutes.
The moment that could change everything.
But before he could step forward—
"Seo-jun… can I talk to you?"
Woo-jin, the theater owner, stood behind him.
Seo-jun frowned slightly. "I have a scene."
Woo-jin hesitated.
Then quietly said, "You've been replaced."
Everything went silent.
"…What?"
Seo-jun turned slowly, disbelief written across his face.
Before Woo-jin could explain—
Gasps erupted from the audience.
Seo-jun looked toward the stage.
A different man stood there.
Hyun-woo.
Playing his role.
The makeup room felt suffocating.
"I know how it hurts, but—" Woo-jin began.
Seo-jun let out a bitter laugh, cutting him off.
"For five years… I worked here."
His voice trembled, not weak, but broken.
"I was a backup actor. A lighting guy. A stagehand. I did everything."
He turned, his eyes burning.
"And you were the one who finally gave me this role."
His fists clenched.
"I thought… it would change my life."
Woo-jin couldn't meet his eyes.
One Hour Earlier
Woo-jin sat in his office when the door opened.
"Hello, Mr. Woo-jin."
Eun-woo walked in, his presence as powerful as ever. His assistant followed, placing a file on the desk.
Woo-jin opened it.
Hyun-woo.
Resume. Portfolio. Experience.
He nodded slowly. "We'll find a good role for him. After all… he's your brother."
Eun-woo leaned back, crossing his legs.
"I want him as the villain. Tonight."
Woo-jin froze.
"That role is already given to Seo-jun. We even announced the cast."
Eun-woo's lips curved slightly.
"My brother has over 50K followers. If he performs, this show will trend."
Woo-jin's voice hardened. "Seo-jun worked for this."
Silence.
Then—
"If my brother isn't cast…"
Eun-woo stood up, putting on his sunglasses.
"I'm out."
Woo-jin stared at him.
"…So this is blackmail?"
Eun-woo smirked.
"Take your time."
And he walked out.
Back to Present
"You know how rare these shows are…" Woo-jin said quietly.
Seo-jun didn't respond.
Instead, he turned to the mirror.
Slowly… he wiped off his makeup.
Each stroke felt like erasing a dream.
"Don't miss the climax, Woo-jin."
His voice was cold now.
"Go."
Woo-jin hesitated… then left.
The door closed.
Seo-jun stood there alone.
He threw the wet tissue aside and stared at his reflection.
A villain…
Without a stage.
Across Seoul.
The girl ran through the busy streets, slightly out of breath as she entered an office building. She rushed into the elevator, pressing the button repeatedly.
When the doors opened, a long line of hopeful actors greeted her.
Audition day.
"Hye-jin! Over here!"
She walked into the room and took her seat at the recruitment table. The nameplate in front of her read:
SPS Casting Director
She pressed the bell.
"Next!"
One by one, actors stepped forward, performing with everything they had.
"Next."
"Next."
"Next."
Hours passed.
From 10 AM to 2 PM.
Finally—
"Lunch break."
In the cafeteria, Hye-jin sat across from her colleague, Su-min.
"How's today's audition?" Su-min asked.
Hye-jin sighed, resting her chin on her hand.
"I don't even know why I'm here."
Su-min laughed as they placed their orders.
"I'll have glass noodles."
"Seafood mixed noodles," Hye-jin added.
They took their token and sat down.
Su-min glanced at a poster nearby.
"You need charisma… and magnetic eyes."
Hye-jin let out another sigh.
"After lunch, I still have another batch. On the spot."
Su-min snapped a picture of the poster.
"I'll send this to my friends."
The food arrived.
Hye-jin picked up her chopsticks.
"Let me get some energy first."
Su-min suddenly frowned at her phone.
"Sent!"
Then she looked up—
"Hey! That's mine!"
Seo-jun stepped out of the theater.
The crowd that once screamed in excitement was slowly pouring out, laughing, talking, reliving the show… a show that wasn't his anymore.
He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and walked forward.
"Seo-jun! Wait! Seo-jun!"
Mr. Kim's voice called out from behind.
Seo-jun kept walking.
Pretending he didn't hear.
But after a few steps, he stopped.
His eyes closed briefly, a deep sigh escaping his lips.
He turned.
"Do you need anything?"
Mr. Kim rushed toward him, slightly out of breath, holding out his phone.
"They're holding auditions," he said quickly. "My niece works there—marketing lead. I told her about you. She saved you a slot."
Seo-jun's eyes flickered.
"Time is 1:30. If you take a taxi, you can make it in twenty minutes. Go!"
He showed him the poster.
SPS Casting Auditions.
Mr. Kim placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I know what happened today," he said softly. "But life doesn't end here. Sometimes… God shows another path."
Seo-jun didn't reply.
"Call me when you reach," Mr. Kim added before rushing back inside.
Seo-jun stood there for a moment.
"SPS…"
He murmured the name, then raised his hand and flagged a taxi.
The SPS building stood tall.
Seo-jun stepped out of the taxi and looked up at it.
"Should I… go in?"
He hesitated.
Then pulled out his phone and dialed.
"Reached?" Mr. Kim's voice came instantly.
"Yeah… I'm in front of the building."
Before he could say more—
Tap.
Someone touched his shoulder.
He turned.
"Seo-jun?"
A girl stood there.
Su-min.
"Yes…"
Mr. Kim's voice echoed from the phone, "All the best!" before the call disconnected.
Su-min smiled.
"Come with me."
Inside, everything felt… different.
Bright. Professional. Full of ambition.
Su-min scanned her ID and led him inside.
"My uncle called suddenly," she said. "He told me someone perfect would come. I guess that's you."
Seo-jun smiled faintly.
They stepped into the elevator.
Fifth floor.
When the doors opened—
A long line of actors stretched across the hallway.
Hope.
Desperation.
Dreams.
Su-min turned to a staff member.
"He's a recommendation. Prepare costume and makeup. Bring him through the back."
The man nodded.
Su-min looked at Seo-jun.
"All the best."
Seo-jun followed the staff silently.
In a small room, the man handed him clothes.
"Size?"
"L."
"These are your costumes. The makeup artist is outside after you change."
When he stepped out—
They walked past the long line.
People turned.
Whispers spread.
"Who is he?"
"He looks like a real actor…"
Knock.
"Come in."
Inside the audition room—
Panels sat in silence.
Hye-jin looked down at her papers.
"One minute," someone said, surprised.
"He is—"
Hye-jin lifted her head.
And froze.
For a second…
The presence.
The eyes.
The way he stood.
Like he belonged to the stage.
Seo-jun bowed.
"I'm Seo-jun. A stage artist… and backup actor."
One panelist frowned.
"You're not registered."
"He's recommended," another said.
Seo-jun quickly handed over his resume and portfolio.
They scanned through it.
Hye-jin spoke.
"Look at the screen. You'll have one minute. Then perform."
Seo-jun nodded.
He read the script carefully.
Every word.
Every emotion.
Then—
The screen turned off.
Silence.
Music began.
Soft. Emotional.
Seo-jun's eyes slowly filled with tears.
He dropped to his knees.
And became someone else.
"The words I spoke… the power I believed in…"
His voice trembled.
"…was everything I thought I was meant to be."
A tear fell.
"But now…"
He looked up, broken.
"I stand shattered… in front of you."
The room was silent.
"My world only had meaning… when you were beside me… my princess…"
He reached forward—grasping nothing.
Imagining someone there.
Crying.
Living.
Breaking.
The performance ended.
Hye-jin slowly stopped the music.
No one spoke for a moment.
Then—
Small nods.
Impressed.
Hye-jin smiled slightly.
"Your performance is good."
A pause.
"We'll call you."
He stepped out of the building.
His phone rang.
He answered.
"Hello?"
The house owner's harsh voice came through.
"You haven't paid rent for three months. I'll give you two days. After that—get out."
The call ended.
At the bus stop, he waited.
Got on.
Sat near the window.
The city moved past him in blurs of light.
Dreams… just out of reach.
He reached his apartment.
Picked up a letter from the floor.
Unlocked the door.
Dropped his bag onto the sofa.
Drank water straight from the bottle.
His phone buzzed.
He looked at it.
"Sorry. You are not selected for SPS's new drama."
He placed the phone face down on the table.
And stood there.
Alone.