Right after seeing Bong Jinwoo senior faint twice in a row.
We all went into the theater.
‘What the heck is going on?’
After getting Bong Jinwoo senior comfortably settled in the lounge.
I opened my mouth with great difficulty while looking at the seniors who were on stage.
“…But how did Jang Geonho senior get here?”
“I took a taxi; the audition location was tucked away, so it was hard to find.”
“Huh?”
“Haha, just kidding. I was shooting an ad with Seo Jinwoo, and that guy was reading the script.”
He’s usually not the type to read the script.
So I took a sneak peek, and that’s how it happened.
As Jang Geonho senior spoke with a grin, I repeatedly splashed my face with water.
‘Han Tae-geon called Seo Jinwoo, and Seo Jinwoo called Jang Geonho…’
Of course, Kim Yu-ryun senior must have come because of Su-Jin.
Once this connection hit me, I wondered if that made sense.
‘The scale is too big.’
They gathered actors who were all eager and struggling to be called.
Sure, someone might say they’re just having a full dinner with their grand thoughts.
But this was actually quite a serious issue.
“Seo Jinwoo, I’m warning you now. Give up the pilot role.”
“You do it; I’m totally serious this time.”
Especially if leading actors are competing for the same role, it becomes even more serious.
‘What on earth are they fighting over?’
I couldn’t speak up either.
What could I possibly say when industry veterans gathered in one place?
In reality.
‘Soo-Jin is completely tucked away in the corner.’
Soo-Jin had tucked herself away in the corner, looking extremely shy.
I understood. If I weren’t the lead, I would be just like her.
Maybe that’s why my eyes were genuinely drawn to the one who actually came for the audition.
The only center point in this ridiculous situation.
“Jin Myeong-tae?”
“Yes?! Yes!”
“I… I saw you glance at the script earlier, and there was a line marked by the Fool Tree. You applied for the Fool Tree role, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Setting the scene again, starting with Jin Myeong-tae’s audition.
Just as I thought I might start preparing for the audition, right then.
“Haha, the Fool Tree sounds good. I wanted to do that too.”
I naturally noticed Jang Geonho sitting in the audience.
Just when I wondered why he was sitting there.
“So what role are you applying for, senior?”
“I like the king role; I’ve been doing sageuk king roles all the time, so I wanted to try a Western king.”
“Kings are great; I’m definitely going for the pilot.”
“They say you’ll be going up against Jinwoo? I can’t believe I’m seeing Han Tae-geon versus Seo Jinwoo in auditions.”
The actors seemed to have made a pact.
They sat in the audience, chatting away.
At this point, only Jin Myeong-tae and I were on stage.
I immediately realized the meaning of their actions and was horrified.
“Are you seniors intending to watch the audition?”
“Of course, that’s how it always is; the maknae should come down too.”
Seo Jinwoo looked puzzled, tapping the seat next to him.
A signal to come and sit.
‘So what? They plan to watch Jin Myeong-tae’s audition…?’
Do they really think this makes sense? Is this even a situation that can exist?
“Do you really think you can perform well because you’re nervous?”
‘Nope, you’re probably acting like this because you think you can.’
The actors sitting in the audience were extraordinary since their tadpole days.
They were all referred to as monster rookies, blessed with talents that were no joking matter.
In other words, they were completely different cases compared to ordinary folks.
So perhaps that’s why?
“Is th-th-th-this… a-a-audition?”
Jin Myeong-tae began to shake uncontrollably.
The biggest misfortune in this situation was.
‘I should’ve snatched a hat when I invested.’
It was the fact that I had no authority to direct anything.
Why did I delegate most of the authority to senior Bong Jinwoo during the investment?
Why didn’t I express my opinions strongly as an investor and just trusted Bong Jinwoo?
‘Because I didn’t know.’
I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.
I never imagined those big names would just show up like this when no one called for them!
Now, the only one I could trust was senior Bong Jinwoo.
But I already knew how this story would end.
“…It really wasn’t a dream.”
Bong Jinwoo was just waking up in the break room, grasping the situation.
When I approached him, I said, “Oh, look who’s awake! Can we watch the audition together here?”
It was the queen of the screen, Kim Yu-ryun.
Refusal? Do you think I could do that?
“…Y-yes, sure! It’s my honor.”
“Honor? The honor is all mine since you allowed it. Please, sit in the middle.”
Naturally, Bong Jinwoo’s answer was YES.
And so, the curtain rose on the audition for [The Tale of Stars and Moons].
As I watched, one thought crossed my mind.
‘This isn’t a college theater scale.’
And then it happened.
Ding ding ding!
A message arrived from Sims.
‘…Is this for real?’
As soon as I checked, I was flabbergasted.
+++++
Bong Jinwoo struggled to comprehend what was happening.
‘Why are Jang Geonho and Kim Yu-ryun sitting next to me?’
Is this a dream? Can dreams happen like this?
It felt too unrealistic.
Regardless of those thoughts.
“I’m just a silly tree, thinking only about growing up. Huge! Huge! I’m going to be a gigantic tree!”
The long-awaited audition for [The Tale of Stars and Moons] was about to begin.
The target audience for [The Tale of Stars and Moons] was rated for all ages.
Among them, elementary and middle school kids were the main focus.
The reason was simple.
The kids who grew up in the orphanage were exactly that age.
Therefore, the dialogue and direction were often silly and juvenile.
But here’s the important point.
‘That doesn’t mean the actors should act juvenile too.’
We wanted a performance that was childish yet irresistibly entertaining.
Because of that, solid acting skills were essential.
We needed someone who could deliver silly lines without sounding silly.
That’s why we held an audition.
‘The first flow is already fantastic.’
Was it Jin Myeong-tae?
I couldn’t understand why he had been anonymous for ten years; his basics were solid.
His fundamentals were solid to the point of being incomprehensible.
“I love eating the most, so I’ll eat everything and grow big! Swoosh! Swoosh!”
Especially since he seemed to have a precise understanding of the nature of theater.
It was evident that his gaze was centered around the audience.
“Wow, this is nice…”
The admiration slipped out involuntarily.
The foolish tree was a character that embodied the primal desires of a child, focused only on its own growth.
A character indifferent to how others fared as long as it found happiness.
The emotions of a spiteful five-year-old needed to be clearly expressed.
“I don’t think I need to see anymore. Thank you.”
And because actor Jin Myeong-tae clearly demonstrated that,
There was no need to look further; he passed immediately.
‘Now, it’s time to see the next one.’
I couldn’t dare to utter a word to go up on stage.
Is it right for a mere high school student like me to evaluate such industry veterans?
But then, as the director, I guess I have to take the lead?
Just then, while Bong Jinwoo’s mind was spinning.
“Hyung, could you let me handle everything for a moment?”
Like a savior, Kim Donghu appeared before Bong Jinwoo.
Approaching so naturally that it was hard to tell when he arrived, Kim Donghu went up on stage as soon as Bong Jinwoo nodded.
“I feel like the audition started a bit too hastily, so I’ve stepped up to organize things for a moment.”
Allow me to formally introduce myself.
Hello, I’m Kim Donghu, the lead in ‘The Tale of Stars and Moons,’ playing the role of the Little Prince.
With that introduction, the atmosphere that was previously chaotic settled down.
Actor Jin Myeong-tae, who was nervous after the audition,
Bong Jinwoo, who was nervously rolling his eyes in confusion,
And the industry seniors who were leisurely observing the audition,
All focused their attention on Kim Donghu.
“I am the lead actor and also an investor for ‘The Tale of Stars and Moons.’ So for a moment… before we delve into the main audition, I want to share the dream behind this play.”
Everyone was taken aback by his words.
He even invested?
What on earth is this performance about?
What kind of dream does he have?
If that’s the case, I absolutely cannot give up the role of the conductor.
Neither can I.
There was a brief commotion.
After the chaos subsided, Kim Donghu continued.
“Actually, we were only planning to prepare ‘The Tale of Stars and Moons’ for children for the first performance.”
There are various circumstances. With fees and venue costs,
We can only afford to do a free performance once.
As he listened to Kim Donghu’s words,
Bong Jinwoo recalled their past conversation.
“I want to give children dreams.”
“A dream?”
He had once lamented how impossible that seemed.
“Yeah, a dream. It’s sudden, but I’m an orphan, and the funny thing is, that makes me mature faster.”
For reasons unknown, he felt compelled to share his family history.
“And I gradually realized, oh, my starting line and finish line are behind others, and they will be short.”
A hymn for the dream he sought since the time he wrote ‘The Tale of Stars and Moons.’
“One day, when I become a truly great director… I want to call all the kids together and do a performance.”
If I become a truly great director… when that time comes, I want to gather all the kids and put on a show.
-What kind of show?
-A performance that makes them dream that they can do it too… Doesn’t that sound awesome? I won’t even charge the kids a dime.
I don’t know how long it will take, but it’s something I absolutely want to achieve.
I remember the moment I spoke about my goal and climbed up.
As he rose to that point, Bong Jinwoo hurriedly jumped onto the stage.
From here on out, it was something he had to do alone.
Even if it meant breaking this perfect cast,
it had to be the director holding the mic.
“Le, let me speak.”
“Yes, we’ve been waiting.”
As soon as Bong Jinwoo came up, Kim Donghu naturally handed him the mic.
He had a look like he knew he’d be coming up from the start.
Moving so smoothly, it felt as if he had seen the future.
With the mic in hand, Bong Jinwoo summoned the dream he thought was in the future into the present.
“I, I want to borrow the strength of the ac, actors to perform a show for kids!”
Dreams are not just things to be dreamed; they are things to be realized.
Opportunities must be seized when they come!
“I want to be greedy by using proactive marketing… leveraging the names of my seniors!”
A non-profit show.
A performance that brings hope to kids in similar situations as him.
But the feasibility of such a story is extremely low.
However.
“I see you came prepared?”
Starting with Jang Geonho’s words.
“I expected that, of course.”
“Anyway, the pilot role is mine.”
“We might be witnessing the birth of a master.”
Han Tae-geon, Seo Jin-woo, and Kim Yu-ryun all showed signs of agreement.
Even.
“We have to do it for sure.”
“Mm, mm! Exactly.”
Even latecomers Kim Sujin and the moved Jin Myeong-tae joined in.
Everyone grasped tightly onto Bong Jinwoo’s dream.
To ensure that the dream doesn’t just scatter into mere wishes.
They firmly held it to bring it into reality.
Seeing that, Kim Donghu felt a thrill.
‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime story.’
With almost no pay,
to bring hope to the kids,
the curtain on the performance is now rising.
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