Chapter 53: A Glimpse of Shadows

The meeting room was heavy with tension, the air thick and stifling. In the midst of this atmosphere, Hyeonjae opened his mouth.

“Don’t do it. No… it’s not true.”

He murmured in a low tone, continuing his lines.

Just average.

As soon as he delivered his first line, countless psychopaths from past dramas flashed through Sungho’s mind. There was nothing particularly standout about it.

“I’m not that kind of person… I said I’m not!”

Hyeonjae muttered to himself, then suddenly raised his voice, veins bulging in his neck as he shouted, exuding a precarious intensity, as if he might collapse from his own fury.

His diction and delivery are good, but it’s definitely weak…

Even though it was a child role, it needed the commanding presence of a psychopath, and it seemed unlikely Hyeonjae could dominate the screen.

Guess we’ll go with Jaehoon.

Sungho made up his mind and looked up. At that moment, Hyeonjae lifted his gaze from the script, and their eyes met.

“How many times do I have to say it? I told you it’s not me.”

The instant their eyes locked, Sungho felt his breath catch. The soft, innocent eyes he’d seen when Hyeonjae walked in were gone, replaced by a chilling, hollow stare that sent shivers down his spine.

What… what is that look?

“It’s not me.”

Though Sungho knew it was irrational, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Hyeonjae might lunge across the table and strangle him. He instinctively touched his neck.

“Get up.”

Jaehoon, sitting beside him, fed him the next line as another character.

“I’ll make sure you get what you want.”

“Do you even know what I want?”

“I do.”

At Jaehoon’s words, Hyeonjae licked his lips, as if ready to devour the person in front of him.

“Just do exactly as I say, and it’s possible.”

“Really?”

It was a pivotal scene where the accomplice, who had lost everything to villains, meets the psychopathic protagonist.

“Yeah.”

Sungho had read the script dozens of times, but he couldn’t help thinking, Was this part always this short?

“Well done.”

“Thank you.”

Hyeonjae’s eyes reverted to their original warmth, crinkling into a smile.

This kid.

Now Sungho understood why Jaehoon had recommended him so confidently.

“You filmed a drama with Jaehoon, and now you’re working on a web drama?”

Sungho skimmed the profile Hyeonjae’s agency sent over.

“Yes, the web drama wraps this week.”

“Just so you know, even if you get the role, it won’t have much screen time.”

“That’s okay! I think just being part of the project is meaningful. And above all, since Jaehoon hyung recommended me, I want to do well.”

It was a textbook answer, but there wasn’t a hint of insincerity. Jaehoon’s lips curled into a pleased smile.

“Then we’ll discuss a bit more and get back to you later.”

“Thank you!”

Hyeonjae bowed and left the room. As soon as he was gone, Sungho’s expression brightened, but Jaehoon’s grew slightly darker.

“Where’d you find a kid like that?”

It was hard to find young actors with that kind of edge these days. With every tall, decent-looking kid rushing to become an actor, there were bound to be few standouts. Sungho had initially thought Hyeonjae was one of them.

“Better than expected, right?”

Jaehoon, as if he’d anticipated this reaction, was relaxed.

“What’s the plan?”

“Gotta go with him.”

No need to think twice. Why hesitate?

“Knew you’d say that.”

“But…”

Sungho replayed the scene Hyeonjae had performed in his mind, envisioning it anew.

“The casting stays under wraps until the reveal.”

“Huh?”

“We can create a new twist—wouldn’t want to miss that.”

Unlike Sungho, whose heart raced with excitement for the new scene he imagined, Jaehoon, despite getting his way, seemed lost in deep thought.

“Hyung!”

“Hey, you wait long?”

“Nope.”

After the short audition, Jaehoon had called me to treat me to a meal.

“Good job today.”

“I don’t know if I did well. It’s a role you recommended…”

I’d done what I’d prepared, but I wasn’t confident.

“Let’s eat first.”

We headed to a traditional Korean restaurant in Cheongdam-dong.

This is a restaurant?

Nestled among houses with no sign, passersby would mistake it for a regular home.

Jaehoon, clearly a regular, was greeted familiarly by the staff and led us to a private room.

“What do you want?”

“Uh…”

I opened the menu, but it was filled with long, unfamiliar dish names. And where were the prices that should’ve been there?

Yeah, I have no idea.

I quietly closed the menu and left the choice to Jaehoon.

“I don’t know what’s what. I’ll eat whatever you order.”

“Haha, got it.”

Jaehoon skillfully ordered a variety of dishes.

“Thanks for treating me.”

“Enjoy.”

Soon, an array of elegant dishes filled the table, though the portions were tiny, like grains of rice.

Why do fancy restaurants’ portions and prices always seem inversely proportional?

Wishing for a bit more, I took a bite of the braised short ribs in front of me.

“Wow!”

The sweet, savory sauce and tender meat exploded with flavor, drawing an involuntary gasp.

“It’s so good!”

“When I first came here and tried this, it was so delicious I thought, ‘I gotta work hard to afford this.’”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Guess the feeling of eating good food is universal.”

I thought becoming human made food taste better, but apparently not.

“How’d you find this place?”

“This place? A senior I like brought me here.”

“Oh, really?”

Even while listening to Jaehoon, I couldn’t stop my chopsticks.

Next time, I’ll bring Boss, Jiwon, Manager hyung… everyone.

It was easily in my top three meals ever, and I wanted to share it with all my favorite people.

“So that’s why I’m treating you here.”

“Thanks to that senior, I’m eating at a place like this. I don’t know who they are, but I’m grateful.”

“It was Jaehyun sunbae who treated me.”

At the mention of Jaehyun’s name, my chopsticks froze mid-motion.

“Surprised?”

“No. I mean, yes. I mean… huh?”

I stammered like a broken machine, and Jaehoon burst out laughing.

“Pfft! What are you saying?”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine, I get it.”

The casual mention of my master caught me off guard, especially since it was the first time he’d come up in such a normal, positive context.

“You’re a Jaehyun hyung fan, right?”

“Uh… how’d you know?”

Since it came up, I leaned into my role as an unapologetic fan of my master.

“I can just tell. So…”

Jaehoon, as if he’d expected this, smiled, took a sip of water, and set the glass down, his eyes turning serious.

“Are you copying Jaehyun hyung?”

“What?”

Copying my master? I’d never thought of it that way.

“When you practice, don’t you reference Jaehyun hyung?”

“Oh…”

I had mimicked his practice methods, character studies, and script analysis. So, in a way, he was right.

“Does it show?”

“I keep seeing Jaehyun hyung in you. I bet I’m not the only one who notices.”

I had no idea. I never thought mimicking my master’s methods would make him visible in my acting.

“Honestly, you know you’re good, right?”

“Uh…”

I couldn’t just say, “Yeah, I think I’m decent,” so I trailed off. Jaehoon didn’t miss my hesitation.

“No need for fake humility. If copying Jaehyun hyung even slightly means nailing his acting, you should do it.”

“It wasn’t on purpose.”

“What? You mean it came out naturally?”

Jaehoon was shocked that I hadn’t intentionally tried to emulate him.

“Yeah.”

“That’s even crazier. You didn’t try, and Jaehyun hyung still shows up in you.”

He leaned forward, staring intently at my face.

“You don’t look like him, but… is it just natural?”

My current appearance doesn’t resemble my master, but back when I was a dog, people often said I looked just like him.

“Haha, Jaehyun sunbae’s way better looking, right?”

“Yeah, Jaehyun hyung’s more handsome.”

“Totally.”

He was the only human who sparkled like no other.

“No matter who you bring, in my eyes, Jaehyun hyung would always be the best-looking.”

Jaehoon gave a bittersweet smile, as if picturing Jaehyun in his mind.

This guy hasn’t changed.

After that incident, every celebrity even slightly close to my master turned their backs and pretended not to know him. But Jaehoon, like me, was still waiting and missing him.

“They might call me stupid or blind, but I don’t believe Jaehyun hyung did it.”

No, you’re the smartest, the one who sees clearly.

I wanted to shout that he was right, that his belief was correct, but I held back.

“I think so too.”

“Glad to meet someone who thinks like me. When did you start liking him so much?”

“Well…”

“Hm?”

“From the start.”

“Since I was born.”

Since Jaehyun found me abandoned and gave me a new birthday, it was true—I’d loved him since birth.

“When you were born, he hadn’t even debuted yet. Isn’t that a bit much?”

“It’s true…”

I insisted, but Jaehoon still didn’t believe me.

“Alright, you’re a true fan. Anyway, that’s not what I meant to say…”

The conversation, briefly derailed by Jaehyun, got back on track.

“If you’re planning to act like that in the shoot, don’t.”

The Jaehoon who’d been laughing and talking about my master was gone, replaced by a serious expression.

Was my acting off? He just said I was good.

Moments ago, he’d said I knew I was good and told me not to be humble, but now he was saying not to act like that?

“If you’re thinking of filming with the acting you showed today, even if the director approves, I’ll oppose it. So drop that idea.”

“Was my acting weird?”

What went wrong? I mentally replayed my performance, but nothing stood out as bad.

“No, your acting wasn’t bad.”

“Then?”

“I keep seeing Jaehyun hyung in your acting.”

He’d just said that wasn’t a bad thing. His roundabout way of talking was starting to frustrate me when he cut straight to the point.

“I’m supposed to be your older version, so it’s weird if Jaehyun hyung shows up in you.”

“Oh.”

It hit me like a punch to the head, leaving me dazed.

How did I forget that? I’m playing Jaehoon’s younger self.

I’d been so focused on the psychopath role that I forgot the most critical part.

“The director will probably cast you. But like I said, if you act the same way as today, I’ll do everything in my power to have your role recast.”

With that, Jaehoon issued a warning that felt like a declaration of war.