“It’s 5,300 won.”

“Thank you~”

The doorbell attached to the convenience store door chimed cheerfully.

The convenience store where Yooil worked was one of the closest to the school.

During his shifts, Brion V.15 never ceased to nag.

【…Of course, it’s not impossible. However, considering Yooil’s workload with four final projects and five exams, and preparing for both a play and a movie audition, it realistically seems to be a challenging task. Typically, the time it takes for Yooil to complete a single assignment is…】

‘Brion.’

【Yes, Yooil.】

‘In my life so far, nothing has been realistically more challenging than you.’

Then, Brion fell silent.

 

‘…Truthfully, Brion does have a point.’

Yooil’s promise in front of Mijin and Leejin to ‘give my best to both projects equally’ was a spur-of-the-moment statement, made without much thought.

Yooil wasn’t without worries. However, the desire to overcome those worries was stronger. If he was going to regret choosing one over the other, he figured it was better to just take on the challenge.

“Please ring these up for me.”

“Ah, yes.”

Yooil scanned the barcode of the 1+1 orange juice offered by a student in a varsity jacket.

“…Payment is complete. Thank you.”

However, the student in the varsity jacket didn’t seem to take his card back even after the payment was completed. Yooil lifted his head to look at the student. As their eyes met, the student widened his eyes and asked,

“Excuse me, didn’t you perform in the theater club’s recent play?”

“Uh… Yes. That’s correct.”

 

“Wow, that’s amazing. I really enjoyed it. Your acting was really good. I was totally moved.”

“Ah, thank you.”

The student gave a thumbs up and then offered Yooil an orange juice.

After the student left, Yooil realized he was smiling only after seeing his reflection in the mirror across from him. It was the first time someone had recognized him outside the theater.

Though it wasn’t the same as being on stage, his heart fluttered a bit.

‘…Brion.’

【Yes, Yooil.】

‘It does seem like it’s going to be tight, preparing properly for both the play and the movie while juggling my studies. But still…’

I want to try.

It was a feeling he was experiencing for the first time. Yooil had never passionately desired something related to his future. Not even when he got into college.

 

After a brief silence, Brion responded slowly.

【…Understood. I will now start modifying certain routes.】

There was a peculiar determination in that response.

‘Thank you.’

Yooil responded with a chuckle and then suddenly remembered one of his assignments.

‘Oh right, Senior Mijin told me to send my profile by this week.’

【Do not worry. I have already considered options 1, 2, and 3 that will yield the best results at the minimum cost.】

‘…Already?’

【For your dream, Yooil, I will continue to give my all.】

Dream… That was a word he hadn’t used since elementary school.

At a loss for words, Yooil simply gulped down the orange juice he didn’t need.

* * *

“Wow.”

Yooil, sprawled on the floor, let out an exclamation. He couldn’t move a single finger.

Brion’s commitment to give his all was evidently sincere. Yooil had to practice beyond the intensity he had ever experienced before.

【Well done, Yooil. There are 30 more sessions to go.】

“What?”

【Please get up.】

“…Can’t you do something like recovering stamina? In movies, nanobots do cell regeneration and stuff like that.”

【I am sorry. Brion Dictionary cannot physically affect the real body. However, it is possible to help the brain enter a state of alertness for a certain period.】

“…”

Yooil closed his eyes in resignation.

Brion, true to its artificial intelligence, was well-versed in a variety of training methods. New drills were added to the vocal and movement exercises that he had been doing since preparing for the theater audition, including practices specifically for camera acting.

【As you know, Yooil, stage acting and camera acting are fundamentally different. They require different energy, volume, and even movements.】

That was true. Even the quick thinking and improvisation required in front of a camera were different from those needed on stage.

Yooil realized that moving in front of a camera was not as easy as he thought when he took his first professional profile photo.

The studio recommended by Brion was very close to the convenience store where Yooil worked. The building itself was quite old, with narrow, dusty stairs leading down to it.

Despite its nearly dilapidated exterior, the interior of the photo studio was cleaner than expected. Moreover, the owner was an alumnus of the Film Department at Wolmyeong University.

– Oh, are you here for a profile shoot? I thought there was something different about you.

The owner, a man in his early 40s wearing a shirt covered in flower and grass patterns, said with a bright smile.

– How did you know to come here? I give a big discount to my juniors. I’ve helped many debut with the profiles I’ve shot~ By the way, do you know this person?

He said so, pointing at various profile photos on the wall. And it wasn’t a lie—Yooil recognized some familiar faces among the photos, including some quite famous celebrities.

As Yooil looked around the wall in amazement, the owner got even more enthusiastic and took far more photos than planned.

– Be more natural!

– Smile beautifully! No, not sinisterly, beautifully!

– Shall we show a bit of our charm?

However, for Yooil, taking solo photos for the first time, the relentless shooting session lasting over two hours was no easy task. Towards the end, even standing still was enough to cause his lips to twitch.

– Hmm, the results are quite good, considering how tough it seemed for you. I’ll send them all to you by tonight.

Han Yooil managed to thank the owner before leaving the studio. Brion, which had been quiet during the photo session, spoke up as soon as they stepped outside.

【…It seems we need to pay more attention to camera acting.】

“…”

Yooil couldn’t deny it.

And that was exactly why emotional training and concentration exercises in front of the camera were added to the acting practice sessions.

Yooil, lying down with his eyes closed, heard the voice in his head again.

【Let’s start again, Yooil. Please get up and prepare.】

“…Ah.”

Yooil looked down at his exhausted body.

“I just want to lose consciousness.”

【That won’t happen. You, Yooil, will not lose consciousness.】

“…”

【This time, let’s assume a situation where you are confessed to by someone you hate. First, act it out exaggeratedly, using all the muscles in your face.】

“…Ha, this is really tough.”

【Please get up quickly.】

“…”

【…In 30 seconds, the device connected to your cerebral cortex will explode. If the device explodes…】

Yooil muttered curses as he forced himself up.

It was time to practice again.

* * *

“…Why?”

The staff member slowly put down the phone after the call ended, bringing a tense atmosphere to the compact meeting room.

“What? What did they say?”

In response to the urgent question, the staff member shook their head slightly.

“…So, they’re not available either?”

“Yes… Their schedule is packed until next year.”

At the staff’s words, Director Yoo let out a sigh with a gloomy face.

“It’s a pity. That actor fit the image well.”

He was in the midst of casting actors for his film, a project that had been in preparation for quite a long time despite financial difficulties in production. The amount of passion he had poured in from the planning stage was immense.

However, all the prominent actors he had approached for casting were either fully booked or had declined the offer.

‘These are people who have already made it in commercial feature films…’

Even though Director Yoo was famous in the animation industry, this was his debut in films, so it wasn’t incomprehensible that actors would be cautious about a ‘risky’ challenge. Still, it was frustrating.

“Director, we’re still in touch with the agencies, and we have an audition scheduled for next week, so let’s wait a bit longer.”

“…Okay.”

As Director Yoo nodded with a sigh, his phone rang. It was Kim Mijin, the writer of this film.

“Hey, Writer Kim, what’s up?”

– Director~ Can you check your email right now~?

“Yes, I can, but what’s the matter?”

– Just check it quickly! We’ll talk after you see it.

The call ended abruptly. Holding his silent phone for a few seconds, Director Yoo accessed his mailbox on his laptop.

“A profile?”

Apparently, Writer Kim had found a new actor. Director Yoo clicked on the attachment without much expectation.

“Han… Yooil?”

That’s an unusual name. No significant filmography to speak of. Student theater is the entirety of his acting experience…

As Director Yoo muttered to himself, his gaze drifted to the department section.

“What? Korean Literature?”

Just some kid with a unique character. He quietly adjusted his thoughts and examined the photos.

However, as he closely observed Yooil’s face in the photos, his expression subtly changed.

He promptly called Kim Mijin again. Mijin answered the phone almost immediately after two rings.

“Is this kid someone you know, Writer Kim?”

– He’s my junior~ I asked for his profile after seeing him act in a play~

“Invite this guy to the audition.”

– I already did~

“What? Already?”

– Of course~ You know I have an eye for talent~ How about it, isn’t the image good?

Director Yoo made a tsk sound.

“…The image is indeed good.”

However, as important as the image was how he acted. Even though Kim Mijin had seen him act on stage, camera acting was a different matter. It wasn’t uncommon for seasoned theater actors to struggle with acting for different mediums.

“Don’t get your hopes up too high, just tell him to come.”

– Yes, yes~

Kim Mijin cheerfully ended the call. While Director Yoo was on the phone, the production team was already passing around Yooil’s profile.

“Oh, this guy has a good vibe, doesn’t he?”

“Especially when he’s expressionless, he has a great atmosphere.”

The assistant director pointed out a photo of Yooil with a neutral expression among the various frontal and side photos with different expressions.

In the film directed by Yoo Jaeho, characters of various ages with their own stories were to appear. Among them, the most effort was being put into finding an actor for the role of a ’20-something male, frustrated with job-seeking failures and filled with a sense of inferiority’. It might sound simple, but finding the right actor for this central character was challenging for the director.

The production team members murmured as they looked through the photos.

“He looks cool, yet… there’s a certain sadness about him. I like this guy.”

“But it’s a pity he doesn’t have any filmography.”

“That’s right. He seems perfect just by the image!”

“Ugh, acting is more important than the image, acting.”

Director Yoo stretched and muttered to himself.

“Let’s have a proper look next week… Ah, my back.”

And he gave Yooil’s profile one last glance.

‘…Wonder if he can even deliver his lines properly at the audition.’

However, Director Yoo would only realize the following week.

All his worries had been for nothing.