Chapter: 84
Voice Acting Academy.
Once upon a time, Seoyeon used to attend this place with Ji-yeon.
Of course, she dropped out midway to learn other things, but she had spent quite a long time here.
Ji-yeon felt the same way, and although she didn’t go often nowadays, she visited occasionally.
“The Magician.”
Fortunately, Ramiel hadn’t featured the magician in any of her streams lately.
However, the occasional mention of him from Ramiel still kept her on edge.
“Who could it be?”
Is there someone I know in this academy?
From the way Ramiel acted back then, they didn’t seem like mere acquaintances…
While she held onto the flicker of curiosity in her heart, she soon met the person in question.
“Hello! I’m Han Da-young.”
First impressions?
“She’s tall.”
At least a head taller than me!
And she was quite big in other ways too…
“Not as big as my mom, though.”
Overall, she definitely had a significant presence.
She looked a few years older than us, which implied she was in college.
“Is she an idol with a background in vocal training?”
I paused mid-thought and rummaged through my brain.
There wasn’t any useful information.
This meant that the woman in front of me, Han Da-young, hadn’t been active in the industry.
She must have solely focused on being a Virtual YouTuber.
I couldn’t quite remember how her career in that area went.
If it wasn’t about the entertainment industry, it was hard for me to recall.
“You can speak comfortably with me,” she said.
“Oh really?”
“…….”
I thought it was okay to be casual, but I didn’t expect her to just dive right in.
Anyway, Da-young got snugly close to Ji-yeon and gently ruffled her hair.
“I thought it must be a lie when you said Ji-yeon was a bit of a handful growing up since we’ve been friends for so long,” she quipped, winking at me.
What’s with the flaunting?
“Oh, unnie.”
Ji-yeon shot Da-young a nonchalant glance.
That was a refreshing sight.
I mean, typically, Ji-yeon was the one taking care of me.
So, seeing her treated like a little kid was a first.
“Shall we go inside and talk? You mentioned you came for a song, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then. I hope it helps.”
Her warm smile really carried a mature, older sister vibe.
Now that I looked closer, she had a rather gentle appearance, and the impression was quite good.
As we moved into the academy, we had a short chat.
First off, it was indeed Da-young who assisted Ji-yeon in becoming a Virtual YouTuber.
However, Ji-yeon wasn’t about to mention anything about Ramiel or herself being a magician.
“Ji-yeon had something she needed help with recently, so she’s been busy.”
“Well, yeah, I did get a lot of help from you,” Ji-yeon said, glancing at me.
That was a rare sight, one where she was actually concerned about my feelings.
Could it be that she was shy…?
“Oh my, is Ji-yeon feeling bashful?”
“Ah, no, not at all!”
“Oh, come on.”
Saying that, Da-young gave Ji-yeon a big hug.
That looked incredibly friendly.
Ji-yeon didn’t seem to mind it either.
And then came the private conversation that only those two understood.
It seemed like they were discussing their preparations for being a Virtual YouTuber, but I didn’t care to know the details.
I had no interest in hearing about Ramiel’s secret sauce.
But.
“……”
What is this feeling?
“She’s my friend.”
I mean, sure, I had recently become closer to my class representative, but Ji-yeon was really the only one I could confidently call my friend. So seeing her talk with Da-young made me…
“……”
I felt my lips twitch slightly.
It was oddly similar to a past feeling I’d had.
The moment Ramiel was nestled in the magician’s arms.
“Come on, don’t do that, unnie.”
In that instant, I felt a rush of pent-up anger rising within me.
My hands trembled.
Jealousy!
That was an alien feeling for me, akin to what I had felt when acting as Chae Seo-ah.
Plus, this new role I was challenging myself with, ‘Jo Ha-rin’, probably felt the same way.
“So this is what that feeling is…”
Surely it would be worse for Jo Ha-rin, considering her was in unrequited love with the male lead, Kim Si-hwan.
I could imagine how she must have felt watching the lovey-dovey moments between Kim Si-hwan and Song So-ha.
Annoyance.
Seoyeon had never really understood annoyance until now.
“Joo Seoyeon.”
“……What?”
Upon my curt response, Ji-yeon tilted her head thoughtfully and then burst out laughing.
“You know, what’s your plan for the singing?”
Then she plopped down next to me.
Her smile was so cute, it made my face go hot.
Ugh.
I must be showing all my feelings on my face right now.
I covered my face with both hands.
“This unfamiliar feeling isn’t fun.”
Unfamiliar feelings make it hard to keep my cool.
When I get too excited, I just want to jump around.
“Y-yeah, I should try to practice.”
“You should practice?”
“Yeah, I need to pass the audition first.”
Anyway, back to the main point, above all else, I needed to pass the audition.
Dream Future dealt with an idol audition drama.
Of course, I had to have the skills to be an idol.
“It’s hard to gauge my odds for the audition results.”
Just for reference, I had sung at the audition.
That judge’s unsure expression was still vivid in my mind.
“I might fail.”
With that looming sense of crisis in mind, I had also considered if learning to sing was worth it.
Honestly, today was less about learning to sing and more about getting a glimpse of the magician’s face.
“……”
One thing I realized was that Ramiel and the magician seemed to share a pretty deep bond.
They had known each other for at least five years.
While it wasn’t as long as me, they were quite close.
It seemed Ji-yeon got assistance from Da-young during her time as an idol.
Just thinking about that made my stomach churn, but seeing Ji-yeon smiling like that made me churn for a different reason.
“Well then.”
Just then, Da-young spoke up.
“Want to give us a quick song?”
“Right now?”
The voice acting academy had a recording studio nearby,
So it shouldn’t be too difficult.
“Yep. I need to know what you can do to help you out.”
“But the audition…”
“It’s fine.”
She flashed a bright smile.
“You’ll definitely pass. Ji-yeon spoke so highly of your acting.”
“Ah, unnie!”
Ji-yeon squawked at her statement.
I felt a surge of embarrassment sweep over me.
“……Not that she mentioned anything else, right?”
When I shot Ji-yeon a sharp glare, she looked away.
That was the same look I often wore at Ji-yeon.
And just like that, I sang a simple tune in the recording studio.
“……Ah.”
Da-young’s expression turned curious and complex.
It mirrored that face the judges had made during my audition not long ago.
*
The audition for Dream Future was going quite smoothly.
To begin with, way more idols and actors applied than anticipated, and many had prepared quite well.
It was a rare ‘youth romance’ genre.
Maybe it was the rarity that made KMB promote it vigorously.
“So, who do you think would suit the role of Song So-ha?”
As casting director Shin-yoon spoke, the once lively discussion room fell silent.
It wasn’t that there weren’t any suitable candidates.
Rather…
“I personally believe Joo Seoyeon would be a great fit.”
The one to voice that was the director of photography, Kim Pil-seok.
A few nodded, clearly swayed by his influential position.
“But isn’t she lacking with the singing…”
“Ahem, well, given a few months, she could do some vocal training.”
“That’s uncertain, though.”
With Seoyeon having acted for both Jo Ha-rin and Song So-ha,
She performed both for her own reasons and based on the judges’ requests.
“Her acting is incredible.”
“Yes, I saw Seoyeon’s performance for the first time, and I get why Jung-woo praised her.”
At that, Park Jung-woo couldn’t help but puff out his chest a little.
Better than could be said for his acting performance.
“She’s improved even more.”
Her performance had become richer since those days.
Most importantly, she seemed to act “effortlessly.”
No method acting and still flawless.
That meant Seoyeon had notably improved her acting skills.
“From a balanced viewpoint, Chae Na-hee might be better though…”
It felt strange to call her an actress since she was an idol, but one of the crew said that anyway.
Her acting didn’t quite match Seoyeon’s, but her singing ability was lightyears ahead.
Solely based on that, it was clear Chae Na-hee would dominate the role of Song So-ha.
“But….”
“That would be a waste.”
Jung-woo remained silent as the heated debate continued.
He knew his friendly remarks could sway opinions unfavorably.
“Indeed, the singing could use some work.”
Seoyeon herself was aware of that.
Her hard work showed through too.
She wasn’t horrible at singing, but…
She just lacked the skill to match the ‘Song So-ha’ title.
The fact that she wasn’t totally lacking was evident, but it felt like her heart wasn’t in it when she sang.
“But…”
Park Jung-woo recalled how it had been at the audition.
Seoyeon’s acting.
And all the things she prepared for this audition.
One week ago.
At the audition venue.
“I’ll do it! I want to do it!”
The bubbly girl dashed around the audition room, waving her hands.
As if she were a puppy.
Like a retriever, that kind of vibe.
“Can a person’s atmosphere shift this much?”
The judges couldn’t help but feel that way.
Just before the audition began, she was a woman with a chilly demeanor.
But once the performance commenced, she was bursting with energy.
Only Park Jung-woo thought: “Deserted Island.”
She was channeling those emotions from the deserted island experience directly.
He recognized it immediately.
Seoyeon had been just as lively when she was running around in the jungle back then.
Amidst Jo Ha-rin’s vibrant performance…
“Why does it have to be me, of all people…?”
That mournful tone.
But it was clear there was jealousy hidden within that voice.
Seoyeon had funneled feelings from what she felt as Chae Seo-ah in The Chaser into a portion of Jo Ha-rin’s performance.
As the judges nodded in approval, they became simultaneously aware that her performance had distinct qualities.
“Truly, there’s a marked difference in the acting of idols and actors.”
“The gap in quality is undeniable.”
When viewing one side, it was easy to overlook things, but alternating between them reveals just how pronounced the difference is.
“Ah, Seoyeon. Have you memorized the script for Song So-ha? If you don’t mind, could we see it?”
“Song So-ha?”
Seoyeon nodded, nonchalantly.
Of course, she had memorized the entire script.
And when she delivered Song So-ha’s lines…
“Wow, both performances are really good.”
Her audition surpassed all the other idols and actors vying for the role of Song So-ha.
“Then, finally, could we hear your song…? You do know this is an idol audition drama, right?”
“Oh, sure, I’ve got something ready.”
Seoyeon spoke with enough confidence that judges couldn’t help but mumble “oh” in admiration,
But that awe didn’t last long.
“……Ahem.”
“Ah, thank you for your effort, Seoyeon.”
Complex emotions mingled in the room as glances were exchanged.
It wasn’t that she sang badly, but…
Actually, was she bad?
An odd sensation filled the air.
Though her acting was top-notch, the singing felt a tad ambiguous.
“Seoyeon.”
It was then that Park Jung-woo, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up.
Everyone’s gaze shifted toward Jung-woo.
Was he about to make a suggestion?
Given previous such occasions, the judges all felt that way.
“No, maybe he’s going to defend her.”
If that was the case, it might be…
Everyone awaited Jung-woo’s words, filled with that anticipation.
“Can you dance?”
“Pardon?”
He said it in a tone full of conviction.
“She must not only present her flaws in an audition.”
She was aware of her singing weaknesses.
“Though she did have a hint of confidence in her tone.”
But surely—
“Being an idol means singing isn’t everything. You need to dance too. Would that be okay?”
Dance.
All eyes shifted to Jung-woo in disbelief.
An actor dancing?
There were a few actors known for their singing talent, but dancing wasn’t the norm.
“Yes.”
At Jung-woo’s words, Seoyeon nodded earnestly.
“I can do it.”
A blush crept into Seoyeon’s cheeks.
Jung-woo gave a reassuring nod, signaling the staff.
Then, the song they had heard several times during the auditions began to play,
And Seoyeon allowed her body to sway to the rhythm, smoothly closing her eyes.
One, two.
She seemed to be counting the beat.
And then,
Seoyeon opened her eyes slowly as the music kicked in, initiating her dance.
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