The atmosphere of the meeting was better than PD Jeon had expected.

After spending his entire career behind a camera, it was only natural that appearances were the first thing he noticed. A handsome face that was guaranteed to look good on camera from any angle immediately caught his eye.

His gentle voice carried strength, and above all, the refined, cultured tone that suited the character was impressive. The words he chose sounded like something someone ten years older than his actual age might use, yet they never felt out of place.

His polite attitude and character were, of course, impeccable. He spoke his mind calmly, yet his words were laced with humility.

Thanks to this, the meeting room maintained a friendly atmosphere until the script reading.

Where had it all started to go wrong? At what point did the smoothly flowing conversation suddenly turn uncomfortable?

PD Jeon swore that he had never once treated Kim Iwol like a ‘wannabe actor idol punk.’ Not just because he was in a weaker position, but genuinely.

Even when Kim Iwol showed him his scar, he had thought, ‘This person really looks ahead to the finest details,’ not ‘He’s doing all sorts of things to land one role.’ He was able to think that way entirely because he felt that Kim Iwol had come to this place with the mindset of a professional.

"Lastly, I’d like to see some free acting..."

And so, PD Jeon had been at ease until he asked for the free acting, an essential part of the audition process.

"In the case of Cheon Yoonsung, the key scene is when he sheds his disguise as a sociable and capable heir and reveals himself as a villain. So I’d like you to show me an acting that can portray this reversal."

Had PD Jeon been momentarily mistaken because he’d seen an overly ideal actor? Or had he unconsciously become convinced that the person in front of him wouldn’t push back against him?

"Ah..."

Kim Iwol clasped his hands and tilted his head.

"You said I just had to answer a few questions and leave. This isn’t what you told me."

"Pardon?"

The oppressive aura he had seen in "Act On" was reproduced right before his eyes. If it had been just this, PD Jeon would have just understood it as Kim Iwol having a decent sense for acting.

"I just think you’re demanding a lot."

However, there was a difference between the Kim Iwol seen through the screen and the Kim Iwol faced in person.

A subtle irritation, displeasure, and an arrogant, high handed gaze were directed at PD Jeon.

"Don’t you think so? Is there anyone who wouldn’t be pissed off if they came here thinking the role was theirs, only to have their qualifications questioned now?"

A disbelieving laugh followed.

"You should have just been honest. If you said you don’t trust me because I’m young, or that it feels like a gamble to stake so many people’s livelihoods on this, I’d at least understand. But this—this is just toying with someone."

Is this free acting?

To say that, the content of what Kim Iwol was saying was pointing to the current situation. He was using polite language, but there wasn’t an ounce of respect toward the other party.

Most of all, Kim Iwol looked genuinely annoyed. The atmosphere he exuded, the kind that only someone who had grown up with innate arrogance could produce, also played a part in confusing PD Jeon.

"Wouldn’t it be better for you to change professions now? If you’re going to work ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) with people and can only conduct yourself like this."

An insolent attitude that didn’t treat others as human beings. The belief that he held the upper hand, without a single doubt, was evident in his fingertips and gaze.

"Excuse me."

A staff member from the production company cut in. The cold expression on Kim Iwol’s face as he stared at the visibly angry man instantly returned to its usual neat composure.

"Yes!"

"...?"

Seeing Kim Iwol straighten his back and place his hands politely on his knees, the staff member asked with a dubious expression.

"...Was that free acting?"

"Yes. You asked me to show the reversal, so I tried to make it look as different as possible from the earlier meeting."

"Was there a part... you put particular emphasis on in your lines?"

PD Jeon threw a question, pretending not to be flustered. The shock of "I just think you’re demanding a lot" still lingered.

"The setting is that the female protagonist, a reporter, is digging into the corruption of a chaebol family, so I thought there would be a confrontation with Cheon Yoonsung at some point. So I assumed a situation where the media is verifying the heir’s qualifications, but as you mentioned, if it’s a scene where he reveals himself as a villain, it would likely be a one on one scene with the protagonist, so I tried to be relaxed but openly show hostility."

The script delivered to the actors was only the synopsis and the script for episodes 1–3. From PD Jeon’s perspective, knowing that the very scene Kim Iwol had anticipated appeared exactly the same way in the latter half, it was impossible not to be surprised.

Moreover, if you thought about it, Kim Iwol’s lines had plenty of room to be interpreted not as ‘the tantrum of a disgruntled idol,’ but as ‘a situation where Cheon Yoonsung, the number one heir, has become displeased due to media play.’

‘There was a reason the director of "In My Office" praised him for being smart.’

PD Jeon was inwardly impressed. At that moment, the staff member next to him threw a joking comment.

"For a performance like that, the lines had quite a bite to them."

No—why would you kill the mood now?! If we don’t cast him, we’ll have to go pounding the pavement again! Was there something you felt guilty about or something?

"My acting is still very lacking, but I believe that if I can’t convey what I want to say to the people in front of me, I won’t be able to show anything to the people beyond the screen."

I think it’ll be conveyed. I think everyone will be super pissed.

"I need to be able to persuade the two of you to be able to persuade the viewers, but I didn’t have many techniques to provoke enough anger for the protagonist to feel betrayed. I apologize if you were offended."

Kim Iwol stood up from his seat and bowed politely. The production company staff waved their hands and made an excuse.

Was it an overstatement to say that even the sight of Kim Iwol willingly accepting the apology and sitting down was reminiscent of Cheon Yoonsung, who held everything in his grasp and manipulated the world? Even if his judgment was clouded by bias, PD Jeon found himself wanting to cast Kim Iwol no matter what.

As soon as I got in the car, Manager Chanyoung asked how the audition went. It wasn’t my intention to reduce his expectations to zero, but I answered honestly.

"It might not work out."

"Why? Are they trying to make you play too bad of a role?"

"It’s not that, I think I misunderstood the questioner’s intention."

"No way. They probably asked the question vaguely."

The manager took my side without a moment’s hesitation. My conscience pricked me. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed one of the interviewers thought I was throwing a tantrum.

"You’re going straight to the practice room, right?"

"Yes."

While the manager was starting the car, I took out my planner from my bag. I was planning to mark the audition, which was the biggest event of the day, as complete.

The moment I took out the pen, the planner lit up. To be precise, the top of the page sparkled and the system appeared.

 [SYSTEM] A work directive from the ‘Superior’ has arrived.

▶ Manager Kim, this is a document that was stuck in that cabinet, you see? It’s old, so just give it a quick check and throw it away. I’ll have it placed at your desk.

 My desk? Is it talking about my suitcase?

I quickly checked the time. To check what the system had given me, it was best to aim for a time when the members were not at the dorm. It would be a problem if one of them popped out from somewhere and asked what that was.

Everyone would be out around now, so if I said I’d forgotten something and stopped by the dorm...

"Manager nim, is my lunchbox in the car?"

"Yeah. I picked it up earlier to give it to you as soon as you get to the practice room." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"If it won’t distract you while you’re driving, could I eat it now? And I want to stop by the dorm for just a moment!"

"The dorm? So you’ll go to the dorm first and then to the company?"

The manager turned the car around. The lunchbox disappeared into my mouth so quickly I couldn’t even tell whether it went into my mouth or my nose.

I left the manager in the car and headed to the dorm alone. When I opened the door, the gap in my suitcase was flashing.

Is this system crazy? What’s it thinking, letting loose a mirrorball in someone else’s bag where anyone could see?

Panting with anger, I opened the suitcase to find an old plastic document case. It was an ordinary document case with blue latches on both ends. I could see that it was full of paper through the translucent case.

"You’re not really making me work again, are you?"

I asked inwardly, but the system didn’t answer. This was already work overload—couldn’t they at least hire a newbie?

Grumbling, I opened the lid of the document case and was at a loss for words.

Everything inside was material I recognized.

An old diary, prescriptions, a copy of a self reflection statement I’d written on the day I received demerits in high school, and...

...dozens of official incident and accident confirmation forms.

Some of the papers were so old that their edges were discolored, while some were as crisp as if they had just been printed. There were two to as many as four copies of the same paper, and the original documents were sorted separately.

"Why is this."

At the same time as I discovered the forgotten item, old memories came flooding back.

"So you said you were going through regular admissions—guess you’re pretty free, if you can come all the way here."

Around the time the autumn breeze was blowing, one Friday evening, I had gone to see my sister. Even as she scolded me, she took me to a stone pot rice restaurant she claimed was the best near her office.

She said it would take some time for the food to come out. In the meantime, my sister poured me a cup of water and asked.

"What’s wrong. Is studying not going well? Are you worried you’ll have to take the exam again?"

"It’s not like that."

I couldn’t bring myself to meet my sister’s eyes. So I remember bowing my head as low as I could and casting my gaze to the floor.

"I told you to go to a goshiwon for the month before the CSAT. Goshiwons aren’t that expensive. Should I look for a short term rental for you now?"

"It’s not about that, really."

And then I had taken a deep breath. For what felt like eternity, I hesitated before handing my sister the plastic document case. I kept hesitating even up to the moment I pulled it out of the bag resting on my knees.

"What’s this?"

My sister asked with wide eyes. My sister, who had taken the case, looked back and forth between me and the papers inside, then opened the lid and checked the contents.

My sister’s hand, flipping through the papers, grew faster and faster.

"You..."

"Domestic violence... I heard the statute of limitations starts when you become an adult."

"So?"

At that time, I couldn’t say anything. I think I had a slight anxiety that my sister might stop me if I said I was going to sue our family. No matter how much I resented our parents, my sister had always tried to fulfill her duties as their child.

"Before I start arguing with them... I was wondering if they would agree to a settlement. I came to ask what you think."

"A settlement?"

"I’m thinking of getting money and leaving for good. Before it goes to a legal battle."

Am I being too naive?

How much I trembled as I asked that.

And how sad my sister’s eyes looked as she looked at me.