A silent tension filled the air. The presence of Ma Yeon-woo, an idol from JustX, currently one of RY’s most successful groups, combined with Ju Seoyeon’s entrance, brought about a quiet unease.

Everyone participating in today’s audition felt nervous, especially the female idols and actors.

‘This is different from theater.’

Recently, Ju Seoyeon had made a stunning comeback through the play Eyes Closed. Although she had gained considerable recognition through several variety show appearances, she hadn’t yet achieved significant success in dramas or films.

So, they tried to reassure themselves with that thought. However, the recently released trailer for The Chaser lingered in their minds.

‘She appeared as a convenience store part-timer.’

In the nearly two-minute trailer, Seoyeon appeared for just about ten seconds. It wasn’t much, but even in that brief appearance, her acting ability was apparent.

‘If she’s seriously aiming for the role of Song So-ha...’

That would make her a strong competitor. Even with just decent acting, her chemistry with Park Jung-woo would likely give her a high chance of being cast.

And then there was another thought.

‘Isn’t she the girl who appeared on Survival on a Deserted Island?’

Ma Yeon-woo only thought of Seoyeon in that context. He knew about the “Princess of Memories,” of course. There had been a segment about her when she appeared on Survival on a Deserted Island.

‘She looks different from back then.’

Ma Yeon-woo looked at Seoyeon with a curious expression, causing Seoyeon’s eyes to narrow further.

‘Ma Yeon-woo.’

A key member of the popular idol group JustX, who had also ventured into acting and achieved some success with Dream Future, and later proved his acting skills in a war film... He was a person with some talent.

But, separate from that, Seoyeon didn’t particularly want to get close to him. And for good reason.

‘The other members of JustX...’

Ma Yeon-woo had his share of issues related to his personality. But the other members had even more problematic reputations... for things like drunk driving, drugs, and assault.

In any case, they had quite the track record. It was expected that more scandals would emerge within the next three years, so she had no desire to be associated with them. Ma Yeon-woo himself had already been involved in various abuse of power controversies.

“Excuse me, can I get by?” “Oh, sure.”

Ma Yeon-woo was slightly taken aback by Seoyeon’s lack of reaction to his appearance. As an idol, he was used to being admired, especially by women, and this was the first time someone had reacted so indifferently.

‘Is it because she’s really that stunning herself?’

There’s a saying that no matter how handsome an idol is, when they stand next to an actor, their light fades. Seoyeon was one of those people.

As she walked among the other actresses, it seemed as if she absorbed the light around her. Naturally, those around her subtly moved away.

‘Why did she have to come here?’ ‘There are plenty of other spots.’

The actresses nearby wore troubled expressions, while Seoyeon was quietly reviewing the script in her mind. She was here for the role of Jo Ha-rin, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

Then...

‘Ah, there he is.’

Seoyeon spotted Park Jung-woo and subtly nodded in greeting. When their eyes met, Park Jung-woo relaxed his furrowed brow and nodded back.

There was no need to draw unnecessary attention by acknowledging each other overtly. But even that small interaction made the actors observing them click their tongues.

‘She’s definitely aiming for the role of Song So-ha.’ ‘Isn’t it already decided? This isn’t looking good.’

Amidst this tense atmosphere, the audition began.

“Na-hee, you’ve prepared for the role of Song So-ha, correct?” “Yes.”

A young woman with a pure image answered with a nervous expression. She was a... no, she was an idol who had recently appeared as a supporting character in a popular cable drama.

‘For an idol, her acting is quite good.’

Casting director Shin Yoon thought as he tapped his pen on his chin. In Dream Future, acting ability wasn’t the only important factor.

Since the story revolved around an idol audition, singing ability was also somewhat crucial. In that sense, this drama audition was advantageous for idols.

“This is your second time trying acting, right?” “Yes, that’s correct.”

Shin Yoon nodded at her calm response. Her demeanor was pretty good. If it weren’t for the woman waiting right behind her, he might have already decided to give her the role of Song So-ha.

“...Alright. Thank you for your time.” “Th-thank you.”

Cha Na-hee let out a sigh of relief and turned around. Then she froze.

The next audition participant was already waiting, ready to perform.

‘Ju Seoyeon.’

Cha Na-hee felt her heart start to race. Nervousness. Anxiety.

A complex mix of emotions. She knew Seoyeon was a few years younger than her, but her presence was overwhelming. Lacking in career achievements?

She had already proven herself once as a child actor. And recently, she had shown her versatility on variety shows.

But the stark difference between the lively high school girl from those shows and the emotionless girl standing before her made Cha Na-hee shiver.

‘Could it be that the variety show persona was all an act?’

If that were true, it would be quite impressive. But if this was her usual self, then the cheerful persona she displayed on TV seemed almost unreal.

“...Seoyeon seems to be watching Na-hee quite closely. Is there some kind of issue between them? It feels like there’s some tension.”

Shin Yoon noticed Seoyeon’s intense gaze as Cha Na-hee left the room and asked Park Jung-woo about it. Since they had some history, he thought Jung-woo might know the reason.

“I don’t think it’s anything serious.” “For someone with no thoughts, she’s looking pretty intently.” “She’s probably just trying to figure out where she’s seen her before.” “...Really?” “Yes. She’s not the type to have complicated thoughts.”

In the past, Jung-woo might have misunderstood as well. But when Seoyeon looked at someone like that, it wasn’t out of malice. She was simply curious. About what, he didn’t know.

‘She must be the actress aiming for the role of Song So-ha.’

And Seoyeon was indeed watching out of pure curiosity. How could it be? She hadn’t expected Cha Na-hee to be the one auditioning right before her. She was simply interested in seeing Cha Na-hee’s acting.

‘So, she really is aiming for the role of Song So-ha.’

Cha Na-hee was one of the stars who had gained a lot of attention through Dream Future. This was her second attempt at acting, and although her acting skills were somewhat lacking, her singing ability had garnered attention.

Afterwards, she would go on to star in several hit films and begin her acting career in earnest.

‘Though her girl group would disband a year later.’

Despite becoming the sole breadwinner for her family, the other members couldn’t accept how much popularity Cha Na-hee had hogged.

“Well then.”

As Seoyeon was lost in thought, a low voice interrupted. It was a man with a face full of black stubble, Kim Pil-seok, the director of photography for Dream Future.

The audition panel consisted of five judges, and he had the most influence.

“Ju Seoyeon, please step forward.” “Yes.”

Feeling a pleasant tension in her chest, Seoyeon stood up. As she slowly approached, the judges couldn’t help but be impressed.

‘She’s definitely different from idols.’ ‘Her posture is straight, and she definitely has... an aura.’

It was known that she had recently filmed The Chaser. Although its release was still some time away, it would likely overlap with Dream Future.

‘If The Chaser becomes a hit, this show could benefit greatly too.’

Of course, if Dream Future succeeded, it would also help The Chaser. It was a win-win situation.

‘This is excellent.’

Kim Pil-seok kept his expression neutral, but he was pleased. In the current Dream Future situation, Ju Seoyeon was a significant catch.

Lack of experience? That didn’t matter. All the other candidates were lacking too. But she had starred in a hit drama as a child actor, showcased her skills on variety shows, and...

‘She’s an actress whose acting skills Park Jung-woo personally vouched for.’

Kim Pil-seok glanced at Park Jung-woo. He was trying to hide it, but it was clear that Jung-woo was in a good mood.

Jung-woo, despite his young age, was a veteran actor who placed a high value on an actor’s ability. You could even call him a young traditionalist. He had been the one to harshly criticize Cha Na-hee earlier, not hesitating to point out flaws even to his seniors.

But when it came to Ju Seoyeon’s acting, Jung-woo had said there was “nothing he could criticize.”

‘In fact, he mentioned several times that she even excelled in many areas.’

That was almost like indirectly asking them to cast her as Song So-ha. The judges were inclined to agree. If Seoyeon demonstrated her skills in this audition, the role of Song So-ha would be hers.

“Alright, very good.”

After a brief introduction and some simple questions...

“Is there a specific role you’re interested in? The role you’re auditioning for today.” “Yes, there is.”

As expected, there was. As everyone exchanged glances with Park Jung-woo, anticipating that she would say Song So-ha...

“I would like to play the role of Jo Ha-rin.” “Ah, of course, Jo Ha-rin...”

Kim Pil-seok, who had been murmuring absently, trailed off.

“...Pardon?”

Jo Ha-rin. One of the six main characters participating in the drama’s idol audition alongside Kim Si-hwan and Song So-ha.

Out of those six, Jo Ha-rin had the smallest role. She had a decent amount of screen time until episode 8, but her appearances dwindled significantly after that.

She was a quirky character, but that was about it.

“...”

The judges fell silent and stared at Seoyeon. In response to their reactions, Seoyeon just tilted her head slightly, puzzled.

The Dream Future audition was a great success. Surprisingly, despite feeling quite nervous about this audition...

“Um, yes. That was well done. Are you sure you want the role of Jo Ha-rin?”

I was asked that question several times, but I think I did well enough. I focused on the character’s quirkiness rather than the romantic scenes, and it seemed to work as a good distraction.

“If this goes well, I’ll need to get some vocal training.” “What...?”

As we walked home together, Ji-yeon frowned at my comment.

“What now? You’ve done it before.” “If I get cast in this drama, I’ll need to sing too.” “Oh, right, you said it was an idol drama.”

I nodded at Ji-yeon’s words. Singing. It’s something I’ve been practicing steadily since childhood because it’s also a skill needed for a VTuber.

“Ju Seoyeon, you’re not good at singing.” “...”

I shot Ji-yeon a sharp look at her comment. It’s not that I can’t sing. It’s just that it sounds flat because I can’t convey emotion in my voice.

That’s why no matter what I did, it sounded dull. I was stuck at karaoke level.

“But I’ve gotten better now.” “Really?”

Going through puberty, I had improved somewhat. I could now put a bit of emotion into my singing. It was enough not to sound weird.

‘But I’m still a bit lacking for an idol drama.’

As I wondered whether I should find a new academy...

“Shall I help you with that?”

Ji-yeon suddenly made the offer.

“Huh?” “I have a contact who helped me out a lot. She’s a former idol and trained in classical singing, so she’s good at it.”

Ji-yeon’s words gave me a strange feeling.

‘Ji-yeon has a contact like that?’

I felt a peculiar sensation and asked cautiously.

“Who... who is it?” “A senior I met at the voice acting academy. She helped me with a lot of things. I think it’s a good opportunity to introduce you.”

With Ji-yeon’s explanation, a certain person came to mind. It might be a coincidence. Or perhaps just a wild guess.

‘Magician!’

Since I had already subscribed to that VTuber and watched her several times, Seoyeon couldn’t help but think it had to be her. After all, Magician was a VTuber known primarily for her singing. In fact, in her past life, Ramiel’s singing skills were also at an impressive level.

‘If she learned her singing from that person...’

And finally, Seoyeon realized the reason behind it all.