Chapter 97 – Audition Entry Number 1 After Qualifying 2

“Jin-woo, do you remember that time?”
“Then when?”
“Why, you came here together before.”

Of course I remember.
But I deliberately pretended not to know.
I didn’t want to find out that I was still thinking of Suna.
Pretending to be cool, pretending to be arrogant.
Even so, when he is sweet, he is infinitely sweet.
Because that’s me when I’m with Suna, Hwang Jinwoo.

“That was my first kiss. I guess it’s true that even if it’s the first man a woman can’t forget, it’s just a woman who passed away to a man.”
“Should be good.”

Sun-ah’s lonely face haunts her heart.
I didn’t want to make that face.
Maybe Sunah is still me…

Grab Seona’s arms.

“Can we start over? It may be very late, but I am still Suna you.”
“Stop it, Mr. Jinwoo. You know you can’t. Or can you throw away the Jinwoo scene and come to me?”

Throw it all away
My wife, my daughter, my parents and my company.
Throw it all away

Can I do it
Can I throw everything away and choose Suna?

I hugged Seona tightly.
I didn’t want to see reality.
I didn’t want her Sun-ah to see me abandoning Sun-ah and choosing reality.

“You can’t. Why are you doing this when you can’t? Why are you pretending to love me?”

The eyes of Suna pushing me away are overflowing with love and hatred.

“I hate men like you, really.”

Unlike the words that criticize me.
Suna kissed me.

That sweet, sad kiss,
Before I can even think of her first kiss with Suna,
Got away from me

“We are going to end here. Hi.”

Seon-a turns around in tears
I couldn’t catch it.

* * *

Thud.

“The kiss wasn’t in the script!”
“Oh. I’m sorry, senior Sua. I saw if you could accept an ad lib.”

Actress Shin Ji-hye smiled and passed Su-ah’s protest.
It was an ad lib. No wonder.
It was so natural I thought I read the script wrong.

“I have nothing to be sorry for, but… Still.”

Sua looks at her mother, actress Lim Im-hye, with eyes asking for her support.
But her mother was just staring at me.
With a little sad eyes, a little proud eyes.

“Uh, hmm.”

I cleared my throat as if to hide my embarrassment.
If the newcomer is too casual, he may lose points.
The sudden kiss scene is embarrassing, but it plays an image that seems to hide its feelings.

“Hey, is there anyone else you can try?”

This time a young woman raised her hand.
She doesn’t seem to be learning.

“This is Lee Yeon-soo from the PR team. I know there is no problem with Jin Seon-hoo’s acting. However, it is true that the question remains whether she is outstandingly superior to the other actors under review.”

Her question spoke for everyone here.
Just because she was fine and she could act, she couldn’t risk writing a complete rookie.
It was a poignant but objective evaluation.

“Is there any other selling point that only you have?”

That was the question I was waiting for.
I am possessed by an orator now.

“Yes. In fact, I am not the real son of actor Im Im-hye. I am an adopted child.”

A very obvious fact to me.
However, a story that people are not familiar with yet, adopted children.

Surprisingly, there were many people who did not know even among my fellow actors and production crew.
It was because even Soo-ah had the expression that she was hearing it for the first time.

“I came from an abused child protection center and was adopted by my current mother, actress Im Im-hye. My biological parents went to prison for child abuse. Even now, if you look for it, you will find news or documentaries related to me.”
“Ah.”

I looked at her mother as if I remembered a few things.
She vaguely knew that her mother had adopted her child, but did she not know that it was me she was?
Her mother was still looking at me.

“I was continuously abused by my biological parents in my infancy, and at the time of adoption, I had late intelligence development and language skills problems. As you can see, it’s improved to the point where it’s almost imperceptible on the outside. It was thanks to the dedicated efforts of actress Im Im-hye, her mother.”

People like Hwang Soo-ah who don’t know who I used to be may find it hard to believe.
Even if it’s a disability, you won’t even know what it is.
Crying and screaming all the time…
Now that I think about it, I’m glad I didn’t get returned.

“Actress Lim Im-hye, who became my mother, started practicing the script with me to cure my disability. It’s time for ‘The Witch’s Temptation’.”
“Witch’s Temptation? At the beginning of the comeback. You won the best supporting actress award then.”
“You’re right. Her mother paralleled her acting and parenting, achieving the best of both worlds. She won the Best Supporting Actress Award for acting, and I am now for parenting. It raised me, who was at the level of intellectual disability, into a full-fledged actor.”

At some point, the camera was also running in this room.
Okay. Get it right
And to let the world know about my mother’s greatness.
Even a 48-hour program would not be enough to contain all of them.

“… Even though my mother was busy filming, she spared no time in rehearsing the script with me.
He worked hard to raise me up right, even while splitting up his sleeping time every day and skipping meals.

I thought about it even in my young mind.
Let’s repay even one hundredth of Mother’s devotion.
And if one day I become an actor and stand on the same stage as my mother…
I have read the script and practiced acting while dreaming of such a dream.”

I clenched my fists and looked around the crowd.
Everyone in this place was concentrating on me, even holding their breath.
This feeling of crying right now won’t be my own.

“And I am here as an adult now.
This drama that my mother has been preparing for a long time.
In that crisis, I thought.
For the drama and for me, this could be a crisis and an opportunity at the same time.
The worst scandal created by a leading actor can be covered up by a new actor’s good story,
For me, it could be the best opportunity to act with my mother.

Respected actors, shooting team, and drama staff.
I am still immature and lacking in body. However.
This me to my mother, and to this drama that my mother prepared,
If you can help in any way.
Using my abilities and more
I promise to put everything into this drama.
There is no one who would take this role more seriously than me.
There is no one who can focus on this drama more than me,
I will tell you with confidence.
Thank you.”

I bowed deeply.
I didn’t forget to mix in the trembling voice at the end.

Sua wiped away her tears and applauded.
Actress Shin Ji-hye also smiled warmly and clapped her hands.
Other actors, officials, everyone.
The person in charge of the PR team who asked the question was crying and clapping.

And mom.
Mom couldn’t hold back her tears and she couldn’t even clap.
The makeup will smudge.
I’m a little worried.

Listening to everyone’s applause, I hung my head for a long time.

After a while.
When the applause subsided a little, the director spoke as a representative.

“Eh, it suddenly became like a real audition hall. Since we have to decide after the meeting, Mr. Jin Seon-hoo, please leave for a while. I’ll call you after the meeting.”
“Director! What does my son not like?!”
“No no, Shin-hye, it’s not that I don’t like it. I have to guess the story.”

The director was also terrified at the mother’s tearful criticism.
Even if he becomes a director, he seems to be stuck with his mother.
The people around him were watching him with a warm smile.

“Thank you!”

I said goodbye again and left the meeting room.
A warm feeling of exhilaration raced beneath her chest.

* * *

As soon as I left the conference room, my tension was relieved.

Phew.
Would I have acted properly?

I had never thought about participating in an audition, so I was nervous.
After all, life is all live broadcasting.
I’m also good at improvisation.
All that remains is to wait for the results.

Surprisingly, someone like Shin Ji-hye might be against it.
Actors or sponsors will try to put actors in their agency or connections.
I think the director or writer still liked it.
How will it be Will it stick?
If you do this and fall… Hmm.

Oops Worrying about it doesn’t change the result.
It will work out somehow.

“Ah. Soo-jung, no, it’s Seung-hee.”

I found Seung-hee while thinking about where to do and what to do while waiting.
Embraced by her mother, Seunghee turned into rabbit eyes and sobbed.

“Dad!”

When Seunghee spotted me, she got down from her mother and ran toward me.
I’m embarrassed not my dad

“Ugh.”

He lifted Seunghee up and hugged him.
Seunghee hung around my neck like a koala.

“Thank you, Seunghee. Help me, uncle.”
“Huh…”

Seunghee went into shy mode again.
You showed such a terrifying performance earlier.

Looking at Seunghee, I felt once again that a born child actor is different.
I can’t believe the aura of an actress is coming out even though it’s so small.
Maybe in 10 years, Na Seung-hee will become the best actress like Hwang Soo-ah.

“Thank you to Seunghee’s mother too. If I win, it’s all thanks to Seunghee.”
“No. It’s because Seonhoo is good at it.”
“To be able to act so suddenly like Seunghee is really amazing. I also want to learn from Seunghee. It’s all because Seunghee’s mother taught me well.”
“Yes… Thank you.”

Seung-hee’s mother also lowers her head, as if embarrassed.
Still, Seunghee’s acting was really great.
No matter how much I praised it, it wasn’t enough.

“Seunghee, don’t you want something? Uncle will buy it for you.”
“You don’t have to!”
“I want to do something. They say that when kids do well, they should get an award. Because Seunghee did really well this time.”

Children should be praised when they do well.
If you do better than that, you should get a prize.
No matter how much I gave to Seunghee, it was not a waste.

“Um~ Um~ Then I, Happy Meal Set!”
“Happy Meal? The one that gives you toys?”
“Huh!”
“It’s Seunghee. I told you not to eat too many hamburgers.”
“Still!”
“Seunghee’s mother, please look at me just once. Even just by looking at my face.”
“… If Mr. Seonhu says that… Seunghee, you, only this once.”
“Huh!”

Fortunately, Seung-hee’s mother also agreed.

“Then shall we go now? It’s a bit early, but for lunch. Oh, can we go out yet?”
“Now! I want to go now! Dad!”

The word “Perfect father” Stuck to Seunghee.
My real dad would be sad if he knew.

“I’ll be leaving soon. It’s right in front of you anyway.”

With Seunghee’s mother’s decision, we went straight to the hamburger shop in front of the broadcasting station.
If the reward is only a hamburger, it might be too shabby, but when you’re young, expensive doesn’t mean everything is good.

“To.”

A crappy mushroom doll came out of my random toy.
At least Seunghee is glad that the princess doll she was aiming for came out.

“Seunghee is the prettiest.”

Seung-hee’s mother was a turtle.

As expected, this is too lame in return.
Maybe I should send a separate gift.

“Would you like Seunghee’s toys too?”
“Huh.”

I also decided to just be a father.
It’s not because I felt repulsed by the title Mister!
After all, if you stick with it, you will become a father.
It’s a mess if you leave it like this… Then there’s nothing you can do about it, what?

“I’ll give you mine, Dad.”
“Uh? You say?”

Seunghee holds out the toy she picked out.
I liked that I picked a princess, but you’re trying to give it to me again.
How can you be so nice

“Yeah, Dad. Keep it well Because this is the first gift exchange.”
“Thank you, Seunghee. I will keep it for the rest of my life.”

It’s a small toy that’s nothing, but I bought it, but I’m still happy.
For children, this would be a great gift.
Even if it’s too much to keep for the rest of your life, you should let it go.
Shall I put it on top of the piano because the withers are dead and empty?

As I was eating a hamburger so amicably, my phone vibrated.
It was a message from Sua.

『Hwang Soo-ah: Congratulations, Mr. Seonhu! Passed unanimously! Let’s work hard together in the future!”

I clenched my fist under the table.