The participants glanced at Junwoo unconsciously.

Without realizing it, they stopped their practice and just watched. Junwoo was receiving attention from all directions.

"You know how it feels, right?"

Junwoo finished the demonstration and looked down at Ro-woon.

Ro-woon suddenly came to his senses and shook his head. "I get it," he said. But the more he got it, the more of a problem it became.

Junwoo's performance as the murderer was a perfect fit for Ro-woon, down to his expressions, body language, and habits.

'He's clearly messing with me.'

"This is crazy. How am I supposed to do that?"

And another figure was watching the scene from the sidelines.

"That kid..."

He had been coaching the participants until now, mixing in among them.

He is the acting mentor assigned to the program.

He was a person who would enrich the program's practice scenes by giving participants professional advice and feedback on each mission.

He wasn't a very important character. The production team's goal for his role was to create a scene where the participants get scolded. This was to tell a story of their growth.

The participant who had been listening to his feedback until now gasped.

"Wow. That line is from the movie 'The Client.' Look at Han Junwoo play the murderer this time."

"...It looks like he's giving a demonstration."

"Huh? He's making Lee Ro-woon play that role?"

The mentor, who was listening to the conversation, had a look of both confusion and interest on his face.

He was the one who had seen Ro-woon's acting a few times in previous missions.

It was in the studio hallway. When Junwoo came out of the bathroom.

The mentor, arms crossed, waited ahead.

"I have something I want to ask you."

"...?"

Junwoo looked confused. The mentor had never approached him before.

After seeing Junwoo's performance in the first mission, he had given up on coaching him. Plus, he had recently heard from his superior that he should not demand or force anything from the kid.

But he wanted to address this issue.

"Why did you ask Lee Ro-woon to play that role?"

The mentor frowned slightly and asked.

He remembered the moments when Ro-woon had been practicing his acting hard.

He had seen Ro-woon's passion and madness. That was because of the responsibility that the group's life depended on him. Watching that process, the mentor had developed some affection for Lee Ro-woon.

The mentor was worried that Ro-woon would just be a background character if he got caught up in this genius.

But Junwoo was confused and wondered what that meant.

"The role of the culprit?"

"Yes."

"Why not?"

Junwoo scratched his head. It was too obvious a judgment.

"Lee Ro-woon has his own strengths. I don't want to ruin what I've been building up and developing just because you tried something stupid."

"Ruin? What are you talking about?"

"He's not the right person for that role. He's actually more suited for the protagonist character. The role of a pitiful and unfortunate victim. In the previous mission, he received praise because I coached him in a way that fit his original image."

'Ah, now I get it.'

"No wonder. That was the issue."

"What do you mean?"

It was then that he finally understood why Ro-woon had been acting so gruff all along.

He thought he just wanted a different role in the movie, but he was being typecasted.

But what makes him so sure of it? It's a bit funny.

"Of course, he'll do well if you only ask him to do the same thing all the time. That's the problem."

"What?"

"You just said that, didn't you? 'To match his original image.' Why are you judging him based on his looks?"

Junwoo felt a little sorry for Ro-woon. He must have been surrounded by people like that so far. He wasn't just suited for a tragic role; he was just tragic.

The mentor frowned.

"Judging him based on his looks? That's not it. It's that child's unique aura. It's not an aura that others can easily have. He can tell a story even if he just stands there."

... That's just saying he's handsome.

"I was sure that would be his strength as an actor. My role is to find that and bring it to life so that he can maximize his potential."

Junwoo, a little annoyed, narrowed his brow. I don't know, I don't think so.

It was nonsense. Stories come out of a kid who just stands there? Why don't you just set up a doll and shoot it?

It seems like he never even wondered what Ro-woon could do well.

I don't know if I should be arguing with someone like that.

"I don't know. It seems like you're the one who's locking him in the concept you want. You said you wanted him to grow, right?"

"...!"

The mentor was speechless. He had never thought of it that way. Come to think of it, he had never seen Ro-woon act in a different concept.

"But."

Junwoo was a little confused.

"If you're worried about him, why don't you go see him yourself? Why are you coming to me?"

"..."

The mentor shut his mouth. He had no words to say. It was true.

To be honest, he thought it was an opportunity. He was curious about the person who everyone was watching. This incident gave him an excuse to talk to him. He had been nervous since he was waiting outside the bathroom.

In this situation, he thought a question was better than an answer.

"Hmm. I know what you're saying, but Ro-woon isn't as talented as you are naturally. Do you think he can do a new type of acting in a short amount of time, like a mission?"

"Well,"

Junwoo looked like he didn't see the problem.

"I'll handle it, so don't worry."

The mentor was stunned. It was a statement that could only be made with such confidence. It was an attitude that had never even considered the slightest doubt. Was it pointless to explain it in detail here?

"...But why are you going so far for that kid? To be honest, you can easily win on your own."

At those words, Junwoo, who was passing by the mentor, stopped in his tracks.

"Hmm..."

Junwoo recalled the moment he first laid eyes on Ro-woon's face. The moment he had involuntarily gasped in admiration.

To be honest, he liked it.

"Because it's such a waste?"

Junwoo said that and then left the room leisurely.

***

That night, Ro-woon visited his agency.

He was in a meeting with his agency's CEO.

"How's the Actor Kingdom going? I don't even expect you to win, but you need to make your mark as an actor through this opportunity."

"..."

As soon as the program was mentioned, Ro-woon's face scrunched up, and he turned his head away.

The CEO raised his eyebrows.

It was Ro-woon's habit to do that whenever he had something to complain about.

"Why are you making that face?"

"CEO, to be honest, I've been a little unhappy since this mission started."

"What? Why?"

Ro-woon began to tell the CEO about everything that had happened to him so far. About the fact that his partner was Junwoo and the ridiculous things, Junwoo was demanding of him.

As Ro-woon was complaining at length, the CEO's ears only heard one name.

"Han Junwoo? You're partners with him?"

"You know him too, CEO?"

"Of course I do."

"I mean, whatever. That's not the important thing right now."

The CEO, whose expression had changed, thought for a moment.

He couldn't help but hear it. The rumors that had even reached his ears, a talent agency specializing in idols that had nothing to do with the acting world. And the names of the high-ranking figures in that industry mixed in.

And that kid's closest companion was this guy?

"I'm going to be buried, I tell you. It's honestly an insult to my pride. Since you have connections with those people, CEO, can you please request a change of partners,"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"...Yes?"

The CEO's sudden change in attitude. Ro-woon's head froze for a moment.

"Ro-woon. Ha..."

He sighed, looking frustrated.

The CEO thought he was crazy. At a time when even a big actor like Jo Sungrae was focusing on him, what nonsense is he talking about?

"You want to brush him aside. You should ask for as many experts as possible to help you. Isn't that the first thing you should do?"

"...Yes? But..."

"Why are you kicking away the opportunity yourself? You should think about riding the wave of the topic he started."

"Opportunity?"

"He's just a teenager, right? Kids look better even if they do a half-assed job. You should know that from experience. Honestly, what can he do? He's only successful because he's young and handsome."

Ro-woon had already seen Junwoo's acting. He was so astounded by what the boss was saying that he didn't know where to start explaining.

"I don't think I'm at that level yet..."

Ro-woon bit his lip instead of answering.

The boss clicked his tongue.

"You useless idiot. You need to be thinking about how to climb back up, no matter what. You're in this position because you keep saying weak things like that."

"..."

"You need to wake up. If that's the case, why don't you just leech off of him and make some pretty pictures? If you don't have any confidence, you should at least know your limits. Right?"

Ro-woon was shocked and aggrieved. He felt like he was going to cry. He couldn't believe that even his agency, which he had trusted, would say something like this.

'Who's telling who to come to their senses? I'm your artist. Me.'

But Ro-woon couldn't do anything but hold back his surging emotions.

***

Two people entered the empty practice room. Ro-woon was looking much more downcast than he had been the day before.

He seemed to be trying to hide it, but there was no way that Junwoo couldn't see it.

"...So, what should I do first?"

Who could have taken all the life out of him like that?

Even though he felt a little sorry for him, Junwoo immediately opened the script for "The Client."

"Can you do it? If you really don't want to, I won't force you. You can play any role you want. But then I'll have to change it a lot,"

"No, I'll do it. If you're doing this, there must be a reason."

What is this sudden attitude of resignation and acceptance?

On top of that, Ro-woon had been glancing at Junwoo from time to time.

Even though he was a little confused, Junwoo just nodded.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm going to do what I do best now."

"Huh?"

Ro-woon's shoulders were slumped. He had been feeling so insecure that he had been completely withdrawn. But then he raised his head.

Meanwhile, outside the practice room, Park Jun-gil and Yoo Sang-jun were watching their rehearsal through the window.

What they saw was Junwoo holding the script and Ro-woon being dragged around by him.

They were no longer surprised.

"That's an interesting picture. Ro-woon was really popular at one point. I wonder if I should feel sorry for him."

Yoo Sang-jun said, stroking his chin. Junwoo, who had taken over the practice room, was constantly giving Ro-woon instructions and making corrections.

"Or maybe he's just taking advantage of an opportunity."

Ro-woon, who seemed to have blurted out a line, made a gesture as if he was surprised at himself.

Junwoo raised his thumb from the side.

They couldn't hear any sound, so they didn't know what was happening.

Then Park Jun-gil, who had been watching quietly from the side, said.

"I can't believe I thought I could just use him for a few episodes at the beginning."

He had to admit it, even if he didn't want to.

"If the show airs, he becomes popular. No, that's not it. Is it the show that becomes popular because he appears on it?"

No matter what, the scale this child will bring when he stands in front of the public will be enormous. There was no doubt about it.

Park Jun-gil raised the corners of his mouth. If only this continues...

But Park Jun-gil felt a sense of unease. Just like this?

'It feels like a missed opportunity.'

If the show airs, the impact will be enormous. I understand that now.

'It's just a little...for now, the only guarantee is viewership ratings. There must be something else we can use.'

Park Jun-gil, who was thinking about something, spoke to Yoo Sang-jun, who was next to him, as if he had made up his mind.

"I did some rough calculations."

"Huh? What...?"

"Do you still have that?"

"That?"

"When the first round of the finals was interrupted, what did the old director say? What was that solo play you filmed? I'm talking about the footage."

"Oh."

Yoo Sang-jun immediately understood what Park Jun-gil was talking about. He was referring to Junwoo's 23-minute stage from the 'Black Spirit Island' mission.

'Why bring it up now? It's a long-gone mission.'

When he turned around, Park Jun-gil was snickering. That's... that's the look he makes when he smells money.