Chapter 5: The Audition That Changed Everything

At Yoo Hee’s reaction, Myungwoo grinned inwardly.  

I put, I did it quite sincerely, and it seems to have hit properly.  

Looking beside, the director also had surprised eyes.  

Well, it was much more refined and deeper acting than what she saw in the classroom earlier.  

“No, does this…… make sense?”  

Yoo Hee still had an admiring face.  

Myungwoo made a shy expression and smiled small.  

“Hyoyeon, what is this kid? Does this make sense?”  

Yoo Hee, having lost composure, even threw away the ‘gun’ honorific she kept using and pointed at Myungwoo.  

“Uh, yeah…… No, when I saw, it wasn’t this much…….?”  

The director, Park Hyoyeon, also stared at Myungwoo with a dazed expression.  

She repeated admiration, forgetting the purpose of teasing Yoo Hee.  

“No, honestly, since only 3 days since starting, I didn’t expect much, but to be good, and this good…… Especially instantly dropping tears here…….”  

Yoo Hee poured out words without pause, truly surprised.  

Success.  

The situation was very smooth.  

Myungwoo smiled inwardly watching Yoo Hee and the director admiring in front.  

Both half out of their minds from his acting, very satisfying.  

At this level, smooth pass.  

And his prediction was not wrong.  

After exchanging impressions for a while, the two turned their heads sharply to Myungwoo and opened their mouths.  

“Mm, good. Myungwoo gun?”  

“Yes?”  

Yoo Hee’s eyes looking at Myungwoo sparkled differently from earlier.  

“What do you think about acting directly on set, besides practicing at the academy?”  

Finally, the words he wanted to hear came out.  

“Acting directly on set? Of course, I like it.”  

At Myungwoo’s positive answer, Yoo Hee smiled brightly.  

“Good, good. Any aversion to starting as a child actor?”  

“No, none.”  

“Family opposing this path?”  

Family.  

That was no problem at all.  

Mom fully supports him, and will continue to.  

Myungwoo, briefly lost in thought, soon shook his head.  

“No, nothing like that.”  

“Mm, good! Hyoyeon-ah, can you connect with Myungwoo gun’s guardian?”  

As Myungwoo’s answer ended, Yoo Hee stood up excitedly.  

Anyone seeing Yoo Hee’s burning motivation, Park Hyoyeon burst a laugh.  

“Really, why so rushed?”  

“But you saw too, Myungwoo gun acting. This level, the later start, the more loss. Must step into the industry even a day sooner!”  

At Yoo Hee’s words, Park Hyoyeon also nodded looking down at Myungwoo.  

“Mm, certainly. Good, shall I contact right now?”  

“Too good!”  

Whether finding a good actor after long, both looked very happy.  

Still Yoo Hee-like.  

That unchanged driving force.  

Myungwoo smiled small seeing Yoo Hee not different from memories.  

*** 

“Myungwoo ya, what’s this? Suddenly why Yoo Hee actress you……?”  

Mom’s reaction was as expected.  

Too surprised to know how to react.  

Myungwoo smiled and explained the situation to his mom No Yeonhee.  

“Good heavens, the director teacher knew Yoo Hee…….”  

Even after explanation, No Yeonhee was dazed for a while.  

Well, not easily believable fact.  

The director noticed Myungwoo’s acting, that reached Yoo Hee, acted in front of her, she liked it, got chance to walk actor path.  

How to accept at once.  

Fortunately, perhaps director explained well, No Yeonhee didn’t ask Myungwoo other questions.  

All.  

After a bit, barely calming confused emotions, No Yeonhee asked Myungwoo.  

“Myungwoo, do…… you want to be an actor?”  

No Yeonhee asked Myungwoo with a serious face.  

“Yes.”  

Myungwoo’s answering voice had deep conviction.  

Excessively deep for a mere ten-year-old.  

At Myungwoo’s firm attitude, No Yeonhee quietly fell into thought.  

But that brief.  

Soon she smiled brightly and hugged Myungwoo tight.  

“Yeah, son. If son wants, must do. Perfect good opportunity came too.”  

As expected, his mom would support.  

Myungwoo also smiled brightly and hugged mom back.  

“Then what happens? Shoot right away?”  

“Ah, first, Yoo Hee nim said to audition at a place she recommends.”  

Even Yoo Hee recommendation, can’t get role without simple acting test.  

Thus, Myungwoo’s first step was audition for a drama seeking new child actor.  

Well, enters a bit with Yoo Hee recommendation, but ultimately clash with own skills.  

But that much was fine.  

Opportunity to grab faster than others, a bit more info.  

With that, Myungwoo confident to make name faster than anyone.  

30 years acting experience previous life not in vain.  

Myungwoo thought that and grinned.  

“Who is it this time?”  

***

A nervous-looking man rubbed his forehead and said.  

“‘That’ acting academy. 10-year-old acting genius.”  

A expressionless-faced woman answered flipping script.  

“Ah, again there?”  

“The director is close with Yoo Hee.”  

“Wow, after Yoo Seunghyun, this child actor too? Again there?”  

The oldest among them said in a skeptical voice.  

They were the director and staff of the new investigation drama <Black and White Mask>.  

Thus, people to evaluate Kang Myungwoo’s acting.  

<Black and White Mask> depicted veteran and rookie detective duo to catch a murderer who killed a young girl, Myungwoo’s audition role was the boy who liked the murdered girl in the story.  

Content being content, male child actor’s weight not big, but since Yoo Hee rejected once and brought new, all had expectation in eyes.  

“But Yoo Hee’s eye for actors is top-notch. Could be good actor this time too.”  

“No, probabilistically. Only that academy has good actors flocking like this make sense?”  

“Hey, director knows Yoo Hee’s insight.”  

A soft-impression woman said smiling slyly.  

“That’s why I didn’t reject. Worth seeing at least.”  

“Worth seeing what, usually Yoo Hee introduced actors get picked, you know.”  

Expressionless woman muttered small.  

“What, you?! Rebelling against me now?”  

“Ahaha, director too. You know not that meaning.”  

Soft-impression woman alternated looking at two and mediated atmosphere.  

KNOCK KNOCK-  

Knock sound echoed in briefly silent room.  

“Already here?”  

“Yes, come in.”  

Soft-impression woman permitted entry, door opened.  

CLICK-  

Kang Myungwoo entered with smiling face and his mom.  

“Hmm.”  

“Oh.”  

Seeing Kang Myungwoo’s face, they swallowed small bursting admiration.  

Face pass first.  

Knew 10-year-old, really handsome.  

Similar thoughts brushed in minds.  

And simultaneously expectation rose.  

Yoo Hee never recommends just because extremely pretty or handsome.  

What she values most is acting skills.  

If kid like that acts well too?  

Worth gathering early morning overflows.  

They thought that and looked at Kang Myungwoo.  

More expectation in faces than thought.  

What did Yoo Hee say.  

Or Yoo Hee recommendation one word has bigger power than thought.  

Well, that’s not important.  

Important is their gazes quite favorable, and he has enough confidence to satisfy them.  

I just need to act well.  

Myungwoo thought that, smiled, bowed waist.  

“Hello, I’m Kang Myungwoo.”  

“Uh uh, yes. Nice to meet you, Myungwoo gun.”  

Soft-impression woman received Myungwoo’s greeting.  

“I’m the writer of this work, this side is……!”  

Simple introductions and some small talk.  

“Then shall we see Myungwoo gun’s acting?”  

The oldest man ended the talk.  

“Ah, yes!”  

Myungwoo answered still brightly smiling.  

“Counterpart here, Jaeeun ssi will do.”  

“Yes!”  

“Then start.”  

Man’s words fell, brief silence followed.  

Soon soft-impression woman read lines looking at script.  

“Mm, Dongha ya? Can you lend that to nuna for a bit?”  

The scene acting now, rookie detective asks child who is witness and has important evidence to lend it.  

Rookie detective was counterpart, Jaeeun, evidence-holding child was Kang Myungwoo.  

“Yes? B-but, this is my precious, can’t give…….”  

First meeting person, even if counterpart’s acting somewhat lacking, no big obstacle to show own acting.  

He instantly created appearance of child scared of stranger, not wanting toy taken.  

Body flinch and step back at stranger adult approaching, while tightly clutching something in hand.  

All.  

Actually natural reaction.  

This doll was gift ‘Yoo Dongha’ wanted to give to liked child.  

Not something to give rashly, Myungwoo acted wary child full of guard.  

“Mm, nuna not strange person. And that, promise to borrow briefly and return right away!”  

Counterpart Jaeeun, surprised by Myungwoo’s better acting, lines came a beat late.  

What acting skills……..  

To act scared instantly yet not wanting item taken at pro level.  

“Mm, but it’s mine…….”  

Of course, her lines late no issue for Myungwoo holding emotions.  

Acting continued like that.  

“Alright. Nuna pretty, so specially lend. But must return quick!”  

Myungwoo’s last line came.  

While handing with trembling hand.  

Hand trembling yet not withdrawing, portrayed innocent child not wanting to give doll but succumbed to rookie detective’s words.  

Surprised Jaeeun stopped lines a moment.  

Following silence, no coming lines.  

Others could cue, but they too immersed in Myungwoo’s acting, couldn’t continue words.  

Despite situation, Myungwoo continued acting.  

As if hearing next line.  

Myungwoo still looked at her with anxious face.  

Thus one scene ended.  

And silence continued.  

No problem in acting. 

Then this silence…… too surprised?  

He knows best how his acting was.  

Just now acting no lacking.  

“Wow.”  

And as predicted, admiration burst among people.  

“There was reason Yoo Hee recommended.”  

“No, really 10? At that age put that much emotion?”  

“Nonsense. Vocalization, pronunciation, breathing, emotion, all crazy.”  

At pouring admiration, Myungwoo’s mood good.  

Director teacher’s reaction big too, but seeing insiders’—though related to Yoo Hee—this reaction after long, mood couldn’t help but good.  

“Haha, thank you for favorable view.”  

Of course outwardly humble attitude.  

“At this level, no need separate audition..  

“I”  

“I think must grab Myungwoo gun right now. That mask with that acting, absolutely can’t find.”  

Whispering long with Myungwoo in front, soon organized, looked at Myungwoo.  

“Ahem, Kang Myungwoo gun?”  

Director opened mouth.  

“Yes, director nim!”  

Gazes clearly more favorable than earlier toward Myungwoo.  

What he heard, naturally pass declaration.  

“Thank you for favorable view, I’ll work hard!”  

Myungwoo said that and bowed.  

Finally, finally…… can start acting again!  

Not practicing with worn script pages at academy.  

Not practicing alone at home no one watching.  

On set, where camera rolling.  

Finally stand as actor again.  

Moreover from much younger age than previous life!  

Run to top actor faster than anyone.  

Thinking that, Myungwoo smiled brightly.  

The writer of <Black and White Mask> quietly watching such Myungwoo.  

Acts too well?  

How perfectly draws Yoo Dongha.  

Yoo Dongha not high weight in story, but in her mind already living moving one character.  

Child innocently liking one child, scared of stranger adult but eventually succumbs to persuasion.  

As drama, couldn’t put scenes demanding acting level beyond child actor expectation.  

But this level, the scene of Yoo Dongha sobbing that only thought but couldn’t put….  

No, don’t get ahead.  

Good here, but may not on set.  

Moreover as rookie, that risk bigger.  

Rookie acting falling more on set than audition almost established in industry.  

Watch a bit more first.  

Writer thought that and nodded.