I was dumbfounded.

What just happened? What was that?

It felt like I had lived another life for a moment. My mind couldn’t fully comprehend it, but my body had absorbed the experience completely.

‘Did I momentarily become Lee Jae?’

Lee Jae, a boy obsessively fixated on talent—I had completely immersed myself in his life and then snapped back to reality.

‘What in the world is going on?’

The strange thing was that, despite having such an intense experience, I felt no aftereffects. Typically, method acting leaves residual emotions that are hard to shake off, but I didn’t feel any of that. It was as if I had consumed the essence and discarded everything else.

Flip, flip.

How far had I immersed myself? Upon checking, I realized I had only covered a section clipped off—roughly one episode's worth of material.

‘I’ve got scripts up to episode 5.’

That left only one thing to do.

"Immersion."

+++++

On the day of the script reading, the set was bustling around a rectangular table.

"Move quickly! We have so many people, why is the setup taking so long?!" "Yes, sir!"

The first script reading wasn’t being filmed for a behind-the-scenes feature, which actually made the atmosphere even more tense. Since the event wasn’t exposed to the public, it was more fierce and cutthroat. No need to put on airs, which led to more aggressive behavior.

As a result, the lower-level staff were having a hard time. They had been up since dawn and hadn’t even had time to eat.

Still, the reason for this intensity was understandable. Since it was the first script reading, a sharp tension between the actors was inevitable. Thorough preparation outside the script was essential.

This was especially true for High Dream, where the tension was bound to be even higher because several agencies were involved. If it were simply a gathering of actors, it would just be a competition of acting skills. However, this was a reading involving KBC, ST Entertainment, and Fullady, creating a subtle competitive atmosphere.

Who would perform the best?

However, there was one group that wasn’t getting much attention in this competitive landscape: KBC.

Even though the script reading was taking place at KBC, no one thought KBC would come out on top in this scenario.

The reason was simple: KBC only had one actor, and it was revealed that this actor wasn’t even experienced.

"They really chose just one out of 3,000 people?" "Well, it wasn’t really 3,000; in the application phase, there were tens of thousands." "And the one who beat those odds is fourteen years old? That’s unbelievable." "Yeah, I really don’t get what the higher-ups were thinking."

The idea of hiring a veteran actor wasn’t enough, yet they chose a fourteen-year-old they had seen for the first time.

There were rumors that this kid was extraordinary, but most people were still skeptical. Even if you hadn’t seen him yet, sometimes you could just tell.

The staff made small talk while subtly keeping an eye on the time. There were about two hours left until the script reading, just enough time to finish preparations if they hustled.

Grumble.

But I’m so hungry.

If only there were some kimbap, I could nibble on it while working. That thought had barely crossed my mind when—

"Wait?"

A strong whiff of sesame oil wafted from somewhere. My extremely empty stomach locked onto the source of the scent.

‘It’s getting closer.’

But who’s bringing it? As far as I remembered, no one was supposed to come.

And then, as the kimbap—and the face of the stranger bringing it—slowly came into view—

"Wow... what the heck?"

I couldn’t help but be amazed.

He wasn’t that tall. At most, maybe 174 cm. But the ratio of his features, and the face those proportions supported, was unreal.

Like a perfectly crafted Christmas tree with a diamond star on top, his appearance was dazzling, as if God had worked extra hard on his sculpture and accidentally dropped it on Earth.

I had seen countless faces while working at the broadcasting station, but this one was undoubtedly number one. He looked like a high school freshman, but the potential radiating from him was insane.

At the same time, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. A face like that, just delivering kimbap?

‘Forget about that fourteen-year-old; shouldn’t we be casting this guy?’

While all the staff were having similar thoughts, the kimbap delivery boy politely bowed and introduced himself.

"Hello! I’m Kim Dong-hoo, playing the role of Lee Jae in this script reading. I’ve brought some kimbap and coffee as a small token of appreciation for all your hard work."

As soon as Kim Dong-hoo—no, not the kimbap delivery boy, but Kim Dong-hoo—finished speaking, everyone’s eyes widened. They all thought the same thing at that moment.

The higher-ups really know how to pick people, don’t they?

"Wait, is this tuna kimbap?!"

Someone’s exclamation left everyone in shock.

Not only had he brought kimbap, but it was tuna kimbap? As soon as they heard that, Kim Dong-hoo spoke again.

"Oh, and I made sure to leave out the cucumber for those who don’t like it."

+++++

My dad, Kim Jung-ryeol, always said:

"The youngest one should show up to work early, and it’ll never hurt."

"Son, listen. You’re only there because of the people working on set. So, always make a good impression on them."

Making a good impression isn’t that hard. Just greet them well, say ‘thank you,’ and if you can, offer them something small, like coffee or kimbap.

If you do that, you’ll leave a lasting positive impression, and no matter what you do, you won’t be disliked.

So, as my father’s son, I faithfully carried out his advice.

"Dong-hoo! Kim Dong-hoo! Ah, my boy! You’re always doing the sweetest things!"

PD Kim Young-mo’s grin stretched up to his ears as he rushed over to hug me the moment he heard I had arrived.

"I’ll never let you go! Never again, Dong-hoo! Let’s stick together for life!"

Honestly, the reaction was way better than I had anticipated.

"I haven’t even done anything yet; you’re making me nervous with all this praise." "You don’t need to do anything! Just doing something like this is already amazing!"

At PD Kim Young-mo’s words, everyone around nodded in agreement.

‘This wasn’t even meant to get this much attention.’

Sure, I did it to score some points, but I never expected it to be so highly praised. Thanks to that, I had a really comfortable two hours ahead of me.

‘I’m looking forward to seeing her again.’

As I waited for the script reading to start, I kept glancing at the entrance. I was about to see Kim Soo-jin again after a long time.

‘She’s fourteen, too. I can’t believe she made it into High Dream.’

As I thought that, a new message arrived.

"Really? That’s great. I didn’t pass either." "Can you believe it? I was told I passed, but at the last minute, my senior took my spot..." "I’m so upset."

Wait, this isn’t from Kim Soo-jin?

‘Oh, right.’

Suddenly, I remembered the cast of High Dream from my past life. Kim Soo-jin definitely wasn’t part of it.

‘Who from ST Entertainment was it again?’

Ah.

But I did remember one person.

"Dong-hoo, it’s been a while."

Kim Soo-jin’s mother, the former queen of the TV screen, Kim Yu-ryeon, was smiling brightly at me.

+++++

About 30 minutes before the script reading was set to start, the cast and crew slowly gathered.

Actors, directors, producers, and writers—everyone greeted each other warmly, trying to ease the tension of the reading.

Or at least, they should have been.

"Dong-hoo, you’re really too handsome. It’s almost unfair." "Oh, no. You’re only saying that because you’re being nice." "Not at all. It’s so nice to meet you in person."

Veteran actress Kim Yu-ryeon.

The fact that such an industry icon was openly chatting with an unknown rookie naturally drew everyone’s attention.

‘Who is he?’ ‘He’s the one who beat the odds to win the KBC audition, huh? He is really handsome.’ ‘Does Kim Yu-ryeon know him? So he’s not a complete unknown after all?’

Everyone was curious, but no one dared to ask for clarification.

"Let’s begin the script reading. I’ll be narrating. We’ll read up to episode 3, focusing on the parts where all the main characters appear."

PD Kim Young-mo’s voice silenced the room, and everyone nodded in agreement.

They all sat in their assigned seats and started reading their lines. This was where the difference in skill became apparent.

The lead actors of High Dream, who played the students, were relatively new to the industry, so their reading felt a bit awkward.

It felt more like they were just reciting lines rather than truly acting. The seasoned actors had to skillfully guide them through the process, masking the inexperience.

The older actors playing roles like the principal, vice-principal, and homeroom teachers were pros at this, both in the drama and in real life. They seamlessly covered the younger actors’ rough edges.

However, there was one person who wasn’t at all satisfied with the situation.

‘These days, the younger generation just isn’t prepared.’

Especially actor Jang Geon-ho, who was playing the principal in High Dream. Having started his career in a theater troupe, he took great pride in his acting. He was especially irritated by the underprepared rookies at this first script reading.

‘How can they call themselves actors when they’re barely distinguishable from ST Entertainment’s trainees?’

Jang Geon-ho frowned as he lowered his script.

It was almost his turn. His script was filled with countless notes and underlines from his meticulous research.

But what about the rookie who was supposed to respond to his lines?

He glanced over.

‘That script is too clean.’

There wasn’t a single note or mark on the rookie’s script, and that only deepened Jang Geon-ho’s displeasure.

‘Kim Dong-hoo, was it?’

He didn’t know how the boy had managed to pass the audition, but he intended to show him just how hard one had to work to reach this level. From what he could tell, the boy had probably been selected for his looks.

‘Being an actor isn’t just about appearance.’

Jang Geon-ho was determined to teach this young rookie what it really meant to be an actor.

"Scene 55, Principal Wang Ho calls the special scholarship student, Lee Jae."

I’ll show him what kind of path he’s chosen.

"Lee Jae, do you know why I called you?"

He didn’t need to look at the script. His eyes stayed fixed on his partner, silently commanding him to meet his gaze.

This was the action of someone who had fully memorized the script. It was an unspoken pressure to face him head-on, not as part of a script reading, but as real acting.

Most rookies would falter here, losing the flow of the scene. Jang Geon-ho fully expected the boy to crumble.

But then—

"I know. You called me to get rid of the trash at the bottom, didn’t you?"

The rookie responded to Jang Geon-ho’s line. And in that moment, the atmosphere shifted.

The lighthearted space where they were supposed to simply get a feel for each other’s rhythm vanished.

The boy named Kim Dong-hoo disappeared. In his place stood Lee Jae, a prodigy born from contempt.

His disdain for the inferior students.

The way he intermittently bit his lip conveyed the unfiltered disgust he felt.

"Gathering up all those useless people—honestly, it bothered me, too."

Lee Jae’s words echoed through the room.

Inferior people should be wiped away.

The other actors in the room heard the line differently. It was as if Lee Jae was telling them that anyone who wasn’t prepared should leave, and anyone not at his level should bow their heads.

Faced with that overwhelming presence, Jang Geon-ho’s eyes widened.

‘This kid.’

He’s a monster.