Chapter 26: The Lingering Warmth of a Broken Pen and Expired Tickets

Three seconds after the door lock clicked, the four interviewers held a brief discussion regarding his performance.

"Vocal monster."

The executive producer flipped to the page detailing Kang Jae-hoon’s dubbing experience. "His emotional control and rhythmic progression over those three lines were spot on. No wonder he landed the role of Gru."

The executive producer had been reading opposite Kang Jae-hoon the entire time, so his assessment was more direct than the other three.

"As for his acting… all I can say is that a great teacher produces a great student."

The producer turned down the air conditioning by two degrees. "No matter how good the layers are, what do we do about those tan lines that foundation can’t cover? Kim Won was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, not working on a construction site."

"Sunburns can be fixed with makeup in two hours."

The casting director tapped Kang Jae-hoon’s headshot. "The problem is the bone structure—his cheekbones are too rugged. He doesn’t look like a pampered chaebol heir."

"Let’s see the next one."

Kim Eun-sook drew a spiral question mark in the top right corner of Kang Jae-hoon’s resume. "We’ll discuss this after all the auditions are finished."

"Auditionee number 34—"

As the staff member opened the door, the casting director tucked Kang Jae-hoon’s resume into the "Pending" pile.

Outside the audition room, the fluorescent lights in the hallway flickered with a buzz. As soon as Kang Jae-hoon closed the door, Park Hyung-sik sprang over.

"Why were you in there so long? Which role did you audition for?"

Kang Jae-hoon instinctively stepped back half a step. "I auditioned for Yoon Chan-young, and then they had me read for Kim Won as well."

"You did two?"

"Yes."

Park Hyung-sik felt the pressure mount. Usually, rookie actors only get one shot. The casting directors base the role on the resume and the actor's tone during their self-introduction. Being asked to try for two roles proved that the casting team had higher expectations for his range than anticipated.

"Let me soak up some of your good luck." He grabbed Kang Jae-hoon’s hand.

Kang Ha-neul handed him a bottle of water. "Did you use a dialect when you read for Kim Won?"

"Thanks. I used a Seoul accent."

"That improvisation you did earlier... did you learn that from Hwang Jung-min too?"

"What do you mean?"

Kang Ha-neul suddenly spasmed, his eyes rolling back as he let out a frantic, hissing wheeze, only to switch back to a composed posture a second later. He even smoothed his hem with elegant, slow-motion fingers.

Watching Kang Ha-neul’s textbook-style exaggerated imitation, Kang Jae-hoon suddenly felt that Hwang Jung-min’s shoe soles were more pleasant to look at.

"I learned that from the senior who trained me when I was an intern at a real estate agency."

"A real estate agent?"

"Yeah, I was experiencing life for a film role."

"Are you a method actor?"

"I suppose so."

Kang Jae-hoon wasn’t a strict method actor, but since his previous roles were small, he had plenty of time to study his characters. Hwang Jung-min, for instance, was a method actor in his early days, once living with homeless people for a week to prepare for a role. Later, after winning Best Actor, his approach shifted toward technique as his schedule filled up.

Kang Ha-neul unlocked his phone and opened Kakao.

"Want to exchange contacts? Your approach to improvisation is pretty interesting."

Kang Jae-hoon pulled out his phone. "Sure, we can discuss acting theory later."

Park Hyung-sik hurriedly shoved his phone between them. "Include me!"

Soon, the three of them had added each other on Kakao. Kang Ha-neul pulled out his planner.

"Writer Kim Eun-sook’s new project, *My Love from the Star*, is holding auditions next week. Want to sign up together?"

"Sure."

Park Hyung-sik turned serious. "But if we all get cast in this drama..." He opened his arms to gesture toward them. "Should we call ourselves the 'Heir Alliance'?"

"How about 'Survivors of the Audition Room'?"

"Auditionee number 35—" a staff member shouted from the doorway.

"That's me!" Park Hyung-sik straightened his clothes.

"Hope you get a script you’re good at."

"From your lips to God’s ears." Park Hyung-sik grinned and made a finger-gun gesture. "If I land the role of Choi Young-do, I’m buying you guys barbecue."

Once Park Hyung-sik disappeared from view, Kang Jae-hoon turned to ask, "Didn’t you say Choi Young-do was already promised to Kim Woo-bin?"

Kang Ha-neul closed his planner. "A promise isn't a legal contract."

"Fair point."

Kang Jae-hoon picked up his backpack and retreated to the fire hydrant. "I'm heading out. Good luck with your audition."

"Same to you."

As the elevator descended, Kang Jae-hoon took one last look at the audition room. Through the frosted glass, he could see Park Hyung-sik’s silhouette dancing around like a shadow puppet of a little general.

***

The air conditioning in the van carried a faint scent of leather.

"How was the audition?" Kim Dae-won asked, hanging a toothpick from his lip as he passed a cold can of cola to the back seat.

Kang Jae-hoon took the cola and reviewed his performance. "I think it went okay, if you ignore the little incident."

"What incident?" Kim Dae-won turned in surprise.

Kang Jae-hoon recounted how he had pretended to have a medical episode to stop the conflict between the real estate agents from escalating.

"Then you’re set."

"Why?"

Kim Dae-won moved the toothpick from the left side of his mouth to the right. "There are cameras in the audition room."

Kang Jae-hoon popped the tab on his cola. "So?"

"A fool who pretends to be sick to save the day is more likable than a lunatic who picks a fight." Kim Dae-won tilted the rearview mirror to look at him. "Besides, your audition performance was bright enough. Being Hwang Jung-min’s protégé is worth more than ten press releases."

"But when I left, I think I caught them marking an 'X' in the skin-tone management column."

Kim Dae-won jerked the steering wheel to exit the SBS underground parking lot. "I’ll take you to the dermatologist tomorrow for whitening injections."

"No."

"Then a milk bath. If you get any darker, you'll be starring in *African Mining Diaries*."

"Teacher Hwang Jung-min said..."

"He said an actor should sacrifice for the role! He didn't say you should play a chaebol with the complexion of a refugee!"

"..."

When Kang Jae-hoon ducked into a convenience store, a calico cat was licking its paws by the register.

The clerk gestured with his chin. "New imported canned food arrived today."

"You’ve gotten fat lately." Kang Jae-hoon scratched the cat under the chin. "Time for a diet."

The cat’s purring stopped, and it turned away to lick its paw.

"Snob." Kang Jae-hoon chuckled and tapped its head. "Give me one can."

"Meow."

The cat followed him to the automatic door. The sensor beeped, and its tail brushed against his pant leg.

The motion-activated lights in the stairwell flickered on as he walked, and moths bumped against the plastic light covers with tiny, frantic sounds. The iron door sliced the moonlight into slanted trapezoids.

Lee Sung-kyung’s lint roller from last week was still by the door; Kang Jae-hoon crouched in the hallway and rolled his clothes three times before daring to open the door.

The entryway light clicked on as he stepped inside. Lee Sung-kyung was standing in front of a full-length mirror, adjusting her corset, the metal buckles leaving faint red marks on her waist.

"What’s the result?"

She didn't turn around, her fingertips still struggling with the back clasp.

Kang Jae-hoon placed his shoes at a 30-degree angle. "Waiting for notice."

"What role did you try for?"

"Chaebol heir."

"Pfft—" The sound of the corset snapping open drowned out her snort.

"I met two interesting guys today. Kang Ha-neul from Chung-Ang University, and an idol named Park Hyung-sik."

"Park Hyung-sik?" Lee Sung-kyung finally turned around. "ZE:A?"

"Are you a fan?"

"The gym played their songs last week."

"Oh."

Lee Sung-kyung suddenly shook her yoga mat with a loud snap. "Clear your schedule for the 7th of next month."

"Why?"

"Seoul Fashion Week. I have a family ticket that’s about to expire."

Kang Jae-hoon stared at her back and blinked.

"Expired tickets only get you a seat in the back row," she added as she rolled the mat for the third time. "Come if you want, or don't."

"Can you even see the runway from the back row?"

"If you think it's too far, don't come."

Kang Jae-hoon scrambled to catch the invitation she tossed at him. The gold-leaf lettering glinted under the light, with "Lee Sung-kyung" handwritten in the model name field.

"Wear a suit, but don't wear that polyester one from the real estate agency."

"Does this count as an invitation?"

She turned and slammed the bedroom door. "It counts as recycling waste."

Kang Jae-hoon stood in the entryway, clutching the invitation for a long while. The sound of the calico cat scratching at the vending machine drifted up from downstairs. The moonlight cast the shadow of the security bars onto the invitation, as if framing the name "Lee Sung-kyung" in silver.