Ji-Yeong went outside the building and made his way into a dark alley before bringing out a cigarette. "Hypocrites, all of them, even Jiwon. I hate all of them," he said, lighting the cigarette. Ji-Yeong sighed as he took out his phone and opened Kakao News. He saw the video of him pushing Jiwon down already at the top spot, trending as the number one video. He read the comments under the video, filled with hate and anger towards him.
Jiwon's wife: So much for our angel trying to help that animal. 'Ji-Yeong' does not deserve to live.
Haneul's baby mama: Did you see the way he beat up Haneul? I'll put a hex on him if Haneul has permanent scars.
Jiwon's momma: Look at my baby's face. Did you see his right eye? Ji-Yeong should just go and die.
The list went on, with many people expressing their wishes for him to die. Ji-Yeong turned off his phone and put it back in his pocket before heading back to the building.
Yujun walked into the audition room, registered his number, and sat down. "Host hate value has gone up to 100%. Host, if it keeps rising, we will get booted," Luck warned its host. "Shhhhh, system, go away. You're disturbing my peace of mind," Yujun said, ignoring what Luck said. A smile formed on his lips. "Patience is the key, Luck. We have to wait a while before everything settles. Besides, what fun will it be if I solve everything quickly? Relax, Luck, relax," Yujun said before his mind wandered off to dreamland. Luck couldn't help but think about how twisted its host's mentality could be. "Host is crazy," it whispered before going to sulk in the corner.
"One hundred thirty-four, please come on stage now," one of the judges called out loud enough for the person to hear. They waited a few minutes before Jiwon stepped onto the stage. The judges wanted to scold him for delaying them, but when they saw the beauty in front of them, they swallowed their anger. "Take this script and begin when you're ready," the director sitting on the side said, handing the script to Jiwon. Silence filled the room as everybody waited for Jiwon to perform.
Yujun flipped through the script until he found one that was easy to do. "I would love to act as An Min-Joon," Yujun announced to the crowd. The staff gasped in surprise. "Are you sure you did not come for the role of Lei Jun?" the director asked. Jiwon nodded. "Alright then, best of luck," the director said. The lights went off, leaving only one light pointed directly at Yeonwoo's face. The movie was called 'Tem1ed,' and the role Yujun chose to play was a major villain, although not the main villain role. But he knew this role suited him perfectly. "1..2..3.. action!" the director said.
Yujun sat on the edge of the stage, swinging his leg. "Ding dong, I know you can hear me," he sang softly before standing up and starting to walk. In the script, there was a classroom filled with dead bodies and blood. Yujun walked and pretended to lick the blood on the ground. His crazed eyes looked at the audience, and he smiled devilishly. "I didn't kill them. I only wanted them to play with me. Would you play with me, hy
ung?" Yujun said as he sat down on the floor, laughing like a maniac. Everybody was so immersed in his performance that they thought they were watching a movie. 'Tem1ed' was the most popular novel in Korea, and Min-Joon was one of the top three favorite characters in the novel. "You've got the role. No need to keep you waiting. Shooting starts in the second week of summer, but until then, we'll have to do a photo shoot, so report here every day," the director said. Luck couldn't help but think to himself, "If only you knew the host was not acting." It looked at its host and whispered to itself, "The role suits you."
Yujun thought to himself, smiling at the audience, "Ah, yes, praise me more, will ya? It takes talent to be perfect like me." He continued with his thoughts as he left the stage. "You killed the audition, Jiwon. I didn't know you could act that well," Harin complimented, handing Jiwon a bottle of water before they left the room.
"Ji-Yeong, what happened to you?" a woman named Bora asked as she rushed over to where he stood with a first aid kit. "Just treat it, Bora. I don't want to talk about it," Ji-Yeong replied, sitting on the couch as he waited for Bora to treat his wound. "Ji-Yeong, your haters keep multiplying with each passing hour. You better make an apology statement. We can't afford to mess up now that your fame is rising. Very soon, you'll become the film emperor, and I'll be the film empress," Bora said, smiling widely while treating Ji-Yeong's injury. "Sure thing, Bora. I will make an apology statement," he said and took out his phone. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the trending news: 'Jiwon confirmed for the role of An Min-Joon.' It overshadowed the recent posts about him. He scrolled down to read the comments to see if it was true.
Jiwon's lover: You should see his audition. He was sexy and beautiful at the same time. It's as if An Min-Joon came out of the novel.
Jiwon's momma: My baby got the role of my favorite character. I'm so happy!
I_Ship_Jiwon: OMG, this is good! 'Tem1ed' just got themselves a new fan.
Lil_Boy: Why are y'all hyping him? Fine, I agree he is pretty, but that doesn't mean he'll be able to act like Min-Joon. I feel like 'Tem1ed' is going to be trashed by the actors.
Haneul_Lover: Can't wait to see what role Haneul gets. Anyways, I agree with the fact that Jiwon can't act as Min-Joon. Their behaviors are very different.
Ji-Yeong continued reading the comments. "Are you hungry?" Bora asked. "Yes," he replied as he went to change.
Harin ended the call he was on and looked at Jiwon. "Pack your stuff and be ready by 9 a.m. sharp. We are moving to a hotel close to the filming set tomorrow. Also, I cleared your schedule, so you are free for the rest of the day. Okay? I suggest you go live and announce that you've gotten the role and that you wish for your fans to support you. See you tomorrow," Harin told him and excused himself. Yujun immediately asked Luck about finding the corrupted core in this
world. Luck replied, "I know where it is, but I can't pinpoint its exact location." Yujun sighed and said, "Fine, then. Okay, hey, you sell stuff, right? Give me a bowl of chicken noodle soup with a soda on the side." Luck reminded Yujun that his points were limited, with only 1000 points left, and suggested saving them for important future use. Yujun snapped at Luck, insisting on his request to satisfy his hunger. Luck complied without complaining.
Yujun then asked Luck if it knew what Jiwon's deepest desire was. Luck replied, "I don't know." Yujun, with his mouth full, responded, "Okay, then wake me up once it's 8 o'clock. I have a live to do."
Luck tapped Yujun with its paws, telling him it was time for his live session. Yujun, trying to go back to sleep, said, "Not now. I'm having a blissful nightmare." After some insistence from Luck, Yujun finally gave in. He went live as Gwan Jiwon and greeted his fans with a bright smile. The comments rushed in, mostly focusing on his body. Jiwon announced the big news, stating that he had been selected to play An Min-Joon from 'Tem1ed.' He addressed the doubts some had about his ability to portray the character and asked for their support and cheers. After reading some comments, Jiwon logged out, ending the session. Yujun settled down in his bathtub, expressing his disgust at people's obsession with his perfect skin. Luck then revealed to Yujun that Jiwon had been kissed by that brat, causing Yujun to be shocked.
Ji-Yeong lay down calmly after watching Jiwon's live session, realizing that Jiwon had lied to keep his image clean. He wondered if he had been too hard on Jiwon. "I'll just have to apologize tomorrow," Ji-Yeong said and closed his eyes to sleep.