With his half dead phone in one hand and a hefty envelope of screenplays in the other, Min-joon ran up the Golden Star Talent Agency's stairs while his stomach rumbled. His black sweatshirt was soaked with sweat from running through the muggy Seoul day, and his breath came in short gasps.
As he checked the clock, he murmured, "I swear, if Jun-seo doesn't get me at least a walk-on role for this…"
3:57 PM.
The audition was at 4:00 PM sharp.
He had exactly three minutes to get the script to his friend before the agency's doors shut.Latecomers were the one thing casting directors detested the most. Furthermore, in this business, being late risked being blacklisted in addition to missing an audition.
When Min-joon entered the foyer, his sneakers squeaking on the shiny marble floor, his heart was racing. The air was heavy with ambition and the scent of expensive cologne. The waiting room was packed with aspiring actors and actresses; some squatted awkwardly over their phones, while others practiced lines in private.
Min-joon truly didn't belong here.
For three years, he had been chasing fame, alternating between embarrassing side gigs, failed auditions, and tiny parts. Becoming an actor had always been his goal, but lately it had taken on more of a punitive role.
"Just drop off the script and leave," he told himself, as he walked through the crowd to the receptionist's desk.
As she frantically worked on her keyboard, a young woman with a tight bun and a Bluetooth headset hardly looked at him.
In order to regain his breath, Min-joon stated, "I'm here to drop off a script for Jun-seo."
The receptionist scowled without raising her gaze. "Name?"
"Min-joon."
"Min-joon…" She repeated, flipping through a clipboard. "Not on the list."
He groaned. "I'm not auditioning! I'm just delivering something for Jun-seo."
Unimpressed, the receptionist looked up at last. "If you're not on the list, you can't go in."
Min-joon took a quick look at the audition rooms' double doors. He would never get there in time if he stood here fighting.
"Screw it."
He slipped through the doors and ducked by the desk before she could stop him.
The long, white, and antiseptic hallway beyond was lined with numbered doors that led to separate audition rooms.
"Jun-seo said Room 3."
Min-joon jogged down the corridor, scanning the numbers. 1… 2… 4—wait.
He backtracked.
There was something strange about the slightly open door of Room 3. It was unnaturally quiet, in contrast to the other rooms that hummed with muted sounds.
Was he late?
Heart pounding, Min-joon pushed the door open and stepped inside.
A Room Not Meant for Him
He realised he had made a mistake as soon as he stepped through the door.
This room was different from the others.
This room was enormous, with high ceilings and dark walls lined with floor-to-ceiling LED screens, in place of the typical folding seats and a little camera setup. A sleek black stage was illuminated by a single spotlight shining down in the middle.
Three dark people sat at a large table, the dim illumination hiding their features.
There was the director after that.
Standing close to the platform was a tall, wiry man carrying a clipboard while wearing a sharp black suit. Power screamed from his piercing stare and keen features.
Min-joon froze.
This wasn't some low-budget drama audition. This was something big.
"Late again?" The director's voice was cool, clipped.
Min-joon opened his mouth, then closed it. He had no idea what was happening.
A mistake. This was a mistake.
"I—uh—"
"Save it," the director snapped, marking something on the clipboard. "We're already behind schedule. Get on stage."
Min-joon's brain short-circuited.
"Wait. What? No, no, I—"
He looked toward the exit, but the door had silently shut behind him.
The director glanced up, impatient. "We don't have all day, Mr. Kang."
"Who the hell is Kang?"
Before Min-joon could correct him, something strange happened.
His vision flickered.
The room jerked for a second, like a computer screen pausing in the middle of a shot. The air around him became heavy and dense, the LED panels buzzed, and the shadows got deeper.
Then it snapped back to normal as abruptly as it had begun.
Min-joon's breath caught as he stumbled.
"What the hell was that?"
He gave a headshake. Maybe he was just lightheaded from running.
Maybe he was just imagining things.
But then—
A voice whispered directly into his ear.
"Ultimate Celebrity System activating… Initialization in progress."
An Unseen Presence
Min-joon jerked around, but there was no one there.
The room was the same, the director still waiting, the shadowed figures silent.
However, there was a problem.
Before him, a little blue holographic screen materialised, appearing to float in midair.
[SYSTEM START-UP…]
Welcome, Min-joon. You have entered a classified audition room.
Min-joon's heart nearly stopped.
The words were as clear as day as they blinked in front of him, but nobody else in the room responded.
"What the—"
The screen displayed further text.
[SYSTEM FOUNDATION: POSSIBLE CANDIDATE]
There is a special chance ahead.
Do you accept?
Then, beneath the words—
A countdown timer appeared.
10… 9… 8…
Min-joon's stomach lurched.
"What the hell is this? Some kind of prank? A game?"
His fingers twitched, his whole body screaming at him to leave.
But as he turned to run—
His legs wouldn't move.
He was frozen in place.
Panic clawed up his throat. This wasn't normal. This wasn't right.
7… 6… 5…
The director sighed. "Mr. Kang, if you're not going to take this seriously, leave now."
Leave?
Min-joon wanted to. But he couldn't.
Because the system—whatever it was—wasn't letting him.
Then—
4… 3… 2…
Min-joon took a deep breath.
"What happens if I don't choose?"
Would he be kicked out? Disqualified? Worse?
He didn't know.
And he had only one second left to decide.