Chapter 235: Auditions 2
The auditions for Jin-hee ended without ceremony.
The last actress bowed and was guided out, the door closing softly behind her. The once-busy hall grew quiet, the air settling into a calm that only ca after long hours of judgnt and decision-making.
Inside the room, four people sat around the table.
Dayo.
Director Jang-Wook.
The assistant director.
And the casting coordinator.
No one spoke imdiately.
Jang-Wook was the first to break the silence.
"So," he said, leaning back slightly. "Thoughts?"
The assistant director exchanged a glance with the casting coordinator before speaking.
"Min-Ji stood out the most," she said carefully. "From the beginning."
The casting coordinator nodded. "She understood the role instinctively. No overacting. No hesitation she delivered it good."
Jang-Wook looked toward Dayo. "Dayo and your thought ?"
Dayo didn’t answer right away he knew his answer but. He replayed Min-Ji’s performance in his mind—her restraint, her control, the way she carried fear without exaggeration.
"She fits," Dayo said calmly. "For Jin-hee."
No hesitation.
No qualifiers.
Jang-Wook studied him for a mont, then nodded with a smile he thought Dayo would go for soone else but he was happy that the actress he picked got the role.
"I agree."
There was no disagreent around the table.
The decision wasn’t announced—yet—but it was settled.
The assistant director jotted sothing down quietly.
"Alright," Jang-Wook said, straightening. "Next."
They moved on.
The hours that followed were intense.
Role after role. Character after character.
So decisions were easy.
Others... not so much.
There were monts when Jang-Wook suggested a na—actors he’d worked with before, perforrs backed by strong agencies, people with proven track records.
Twice, Dayo declined.
Politely.
Firmly.
Jang-Wook felt the sting of irritation rise—but he suppressed it.
This was Dayo’s project.
Dayo was the one holding the reins.
And as much as it bothered him, Jang-Wook couldn’t deny it—Dayo’s choices made sense he picked those who had perform better.
Which suprised him after all he thought Dayo was a newbie and he wouldn’t be able to see flaws becasue most actors of these caliber finding their flaws for a director was hard but he did it effortlessly.
He now understood why Dayo said he could finished the auditions in such small ti fra tye things Dayo spotted and said even him as an experienced director didn’t see it.
That on it own made him calm when Dayo spoke.
By the end of the second day, the process narrowed sharply.
The crowded waiting area outside, once filled with dozens of hopeful faces, was now nearly empty.
Only a handful remained.
Six.
All of them contenders for the main male roles.
Outside the audition hall, Park Hyun-Seo sat quietly.
His hands rested on his knees.
The hallway was silent except for the faint hum of the building’s air system.
His thoughts, however, were anything but quiet.
So much had happened so fast.
He hadn’t expected to make it this far.
In truth, when he submitted his na, he’d done it without hope.
The industry had already made its decision about him.
Blacklisted.
Months without work.
Cancelled roles.
Quiet phone lines.
Park leaned back slightly and stared at the ceiling.
He thought of his wife.
The accident.
The courtroom.
The silence that followed his victory.
Winning the case had cost him everything else.
He lowered his gaze if he was giving a chance to go back he would do the exact sa thing without regret.
His daughter’s face surfaced in his mind—eight years old, smiling even when she sensed sothing was wrong.
He clenched his jaw.
If this fails...
No.
He stopped himself.
He had promised himself he wouldn’t spiral before it even began.
One thing had steadied him earlier.
Director Jang-Wook.
When Park first entered the building, their eyes had t.
Recognition had flashed across Jang-Wook’s face.
Surprise.
Sothing darker.
But then... restraint.
What mattered was this:
Jang-Wook wasn’t the one calling the shots.
Park had noticed it quickly.
There was another man.
Younger.
Calr.
Quietly authoritative.
The one the staff deferred to.
The real decision-maker, Park realized.
That alone gave him a thread of hope.
If decisions were being made on ability, not connections, then maybe—just maybe—he still had a chance.
The door opened.
An assistant stepped out.
"Next group for lead role, prepare," she said.
The remaining candidates straightened.
One by one, they were called in.
Inside the hall, the atmosphere shifted again.
Focus sharpened.
The stakes were clear now.
The first candidate perford well.
Solid delivery.
Strong presence.
But sothing was missing.
Dayo watched without expression.
Compatibility scores hovered in his perception—respectable, but not remarkable.
Then ca the next.
A man in his late twenties stepped forward.
Confident.
Well-grood.
Industry polish.
Dayo activated Director’s Instinct.
Actor Profile
Na: Tae-Oh
Talent Grade: A
Potential: S
Experience: Extensive
Expressive Compatibility (Role: Seung-gyu): 85%
Jang-Wook’s interest sharpened imdiately.
He leaned forward.
This was one of theirs.
VIREX had been pushing this na aggressively.
The performance followed—and it was good.
Very good.
Controlled emotions.
Powerful presence.
Convincing desperation.
The highest compatibility they’d seen so far.
When the man finished, Jang-Wook exhaled slowly.
"That," he said quietly, "was impressive."
Jang-Wook looked at Dayo after all Tae-Oh agency actually contacted him to help push him.
Dayo didn’t disagree.
He nodded. "Hmm he is good."
They exchanged a brief look.
Jang-Wook spoke again, more carefully this ti.
"He fits the role well."
Dayo turned to him.
"I know."
A pause.
Jang-Wook hesitated, then said, "VIREX is... invested in him."
Dayo’s eyes were steady.
"I’m invested in the film."
Silence followed.
Jang-Wook leaned back, jaw tightening slightly.
He said nothing more.
The assistant checked her list.
"One more."
The room grew still.
Outside, Park Hyun-Seo rose slowly when his na was called.
He stepped into the hall.
The mont he entered, murmurs stirred faintly among the staff.
Recognition.
Whispers.
Isn’t that...
Why is he here?
Jang-Wook’s eyes widened briefly.
Then he masked it.
He already told his assistant to tell Park Hyun-Seo to leave and it made him pissed.
Dayo noticed everything.
Park stood tall.
Calm.
He didn’t flinch under the attention.
Dayo leaned forward slightly.
"Introduce yourself."
Park opened his mouth—
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