Chapter 50 : Lead Role Competition (2)

The audition for the role of Lim Yeon-ok in Assassination.

It’s not really an audition; it’s just a formal, forced setup created by Jeyoung.

But I plan to take this opportunity to land the lead role.

No matter how much I think about it, I don’t believe Jeon Ji-won would do a better job than me at playing Lim Yeon-ok.

“…Siyeon, just in case I’m saying this. Don’t force things with Director Kim Han-ul. Just show what you’ve prepared. And that’s it.”

“Okay. When have I ever forced anything?”

“…”

Before getting out of the car at the audition location.

Jeyoung looked at me with a worried expression and warned me.

“I’ll be back.”

I left Jeyoung behind and headed to the promised location.

I knocked and entered. There, Director Kim Han-ul and a few staff members were waiting.

The environment wasn’t prepared for selecting a lead actor at all.

It seemed, as expected, like a setup with no real purpose.

“01…”

“Hello, I’m actress Kim Siyeon.”

I interrupted whatever the director was about to say and greeted them.

Director Kim Han-ul was momentarily startled, but I didn’t care and continued speaking.

“I’ll show you the performance I’ve prepared.”

“Oh, oh… uh… yes…”

This wasn’t the attitude of a 15-year-old rookie actress (who had won the Best Acting Award).

But if I didn’t take control here, there would be no chance for a lead role.

Kim Han-ul probably wanted to gently say something like, “It might be tough to get the lead role,” and suggest I take another part.

Before he could say anything like that, I had to assert myself and make sure I created an opening.

Indeed, Director Kim Han-ul couldn’t continue speaking under the pressure I was creating.

Handling clients like this was easy for me.

“…Why did you betray Joseon?”

-…!!

As soon as I spoke the line, the expressions of the director and the staff changed.

I didn’t stop and continued my performance.

Starting with the highlight scene where Lim Yeon-ok, the lead, has a long speech.

I displayed my brilliant action skills, mimicking a sniper’s perfect pose while pretending to hold a gun.

At first, they looked annoyed.

But now, they were furrowing their brows, leaning forward, and staring at me.

The only sounds in the room were my lines and the rustling of my clothes as I moved.

“…That’s all.”

Phew…

When my performance ended, they exhaled heavily, as if they had been holding their breath.

“W-What…?”

“Director… this is…”

They hurriedly exchanged a few words among themselves.

I quietly bowed my head, waiting for them to speak.

Heh. No matter how much Jeon Ji-won is loved.

How could they overlook this performance after seeing it?

Especially, Assassination is a film I really want, so I poured everything I had into this performance, treating it like a real mission.

“Hmm… for now…”

After a long pause, Director Kim Han-ul spoke.

“Y-Your skills are amazing. You’re doing much better than when I saw you in Hereheart.”

I nodded quietly.

In my past works, I had to hold back, adjusting to the level of my co-actors.

I had never shown my full potential before.

Of course, they’ll pick me.

No matter how talented Jeon Ji-won is, she can’t beat me when it comes to playing an assassin.

“…To be direct. The role of Lim Yeon-ok is almost decided for Jeon Ji-won. And… there’s a meeting with her afterward.”

There’s a meeting with Jeon Ji-won today?
I didn’t expect that. It seemed the casting process was faster than I thought.

That could make things harder for me.
If Jeon Ji-won hears about this, it could leave a bad impression in the industry.
A middle schooler trying to take the lead role from Jeon Ji-won, boldly attempting to steal her spot.

But so what?
In the end, what matters is skill. The dead have no voice.
I know the entertainment industry is different from the underworld.
But if I cared about that, I wouldn’t have come this far.

“I know this is very rude for a rookie actress. But no one wants to be in this movie more than I do, and I can guarantee I’ll do well. This Assassination movie is a miracle that only happens once in a lifetime. I don’t want to miss my chance to be the lead, and I’m asking you to take me seriously.”

“Hmm… for now…”
Director Kim Han-ul didn’t seem ready to decide immediately.
He would need time to weigh his options.
Honestly, I don’t know much about the industry’s inner workings, so I shouldn’t push too hard.

At the moment I was thinking of wrapping things up and saying my goodbyes,

Suddenly—

“Director, I arrived a bit early.”

“J-Jeon Ji-won…!”

A woman wearing a hat that covered her face and leggings with a hoodie roughly thrown over her shoulders entered.

Although she tried to cover herself, an undeniable aura radiated from her.

She spoke lightly, but her voice filled the space with a full, resonating tone. Her intense gaze almost made my neck tingle.

The actress Jeon Ji-won was a more solid person than I had imagined.

“I heard there’s a cute child actress throwing a tantrum to get the role of Lim Yeon-ok?”

“…?”

A small smirk appeared on Jeon Ji-won’s lips, visible beneath the edge of her hat.

“I’m curious how good you are, since you’ve won Best Actor and even tried to take my role. I also really liked this movie.”

“Ah… Ji-won, that’s not…”

Director Kim Han-ul was flustered, unable to handle the situation.

It must have been awkward for him to ask a top-tier actress like Jeon Ji-won to appear while still auditioning for other new actors.

From what Jeyoung had told me, Jeon Ji-won wasn’t someone who had personality issues in the industry.

This must have been a legitimate protest from her point of view.

She had every right to be angry.

But…

“Hello, senior. I also really liked the role of Lim Yeon-ok. So, I threw a little tantrum. I’m in my second year of middle school, you know?”

“Ah… Is that so?”

Jeon Ji-won approached me with a smile, as if finding it amusing.

From what I had observed, her personality seemed pretty straightforward, not stuck-up, and quite cheerful.

In that case, this could actually turn into an opportunity for me.

“Yes. I just performed. And from what I gather, the director seems to think I’m better than you, senior.”

“…What?”

I thought I heard a sharp sound.

Though her face was mostly hidden by her hat, I could tell Jeon Ji-won’s usual calm expression had crumpled.

“Ah, no, Ji-won, that’s not…”

Director Kim Han-ul quickly stood up, looking like he didn’t know how to handle the situation.

It was clear from his flustered behavior that he had acknowledged my skill.

If Jeyoung were here, she’d probably yell, “You’re gonna get banned from the industry!”

But I didn’t care and continued.

“Normally, a senior like you wouldn’t have to show your acting, right? Since the director would have already requested it.”

“…So, do you want to say I’m worse than you?”

“Yes. Honestly, yes.”

“Ha… Haha, hahahahaha!”

Jeon Ji-won suddenly burst into laughter, as if she had lost her mind.

Then, she abruptly took off her hat.

Her silky hair fluttered as the scent of shampoo spread throughout the room.

“You’re cute, but isn’t this a bit too bold? If it were someone like Senior Kim Hee-su, you’d probably have been slapped by now.”

“Ordinary people can’t slap me. They’re too slow.”

“Oh, really… You’re saying you’re good at action, right?”

Jeon Ji-won clearly knew how to provoke people, and it worked well with me.

I had done my homework on her beforehand, so I wasn’t caught off guard.

Jeon Ji-won threw her hat onto the chair and immediately changed her expression.

Director Kim Han-ul was caught in the middle, unsure of how to handle the situation.

“Director, you called us here, so please make a decision now.”

“Y-Yes…? What do you mean?”

“Decide who’s better. Who fits the role of Lim Yeon-ok. Let’s have a little competition. It’s been a while since I’ve had fun like this. When I was younger, I used to work so hard to get a supporting role, trying to beat out actors who had a few extra small roles than me at auditions. Seems like everyone’s like that when they’re young.”

Jeon Ji-won chuckled as she looked at me.

Her reaction was still one of amusement.

Maybe it’s because she and I shared some similar traits.

“Kids these days are even bolder. Now they’re trying to take the lead roles. But do you know what?
At first, I struggled to even get a supporting role. I got pushed back by the seniors. But now, most of those seniors are beneath me. It’s not easy surviving as a female actor. I’ve taken all their spots and beaten them. You should feel that for once.”

Her confidence was undeniable.

She spoke well. But the spot she stole, I’d steal back today.

I didn’t respond and just opened the script.

Without either of us waiting, we began acting out the scene.

The competition began.

“Ha… Why are they both acting like that?”

“Two crazy women are at it…”

“So, even though Jeon Ji-won isn’t ordinary, who would have thought she’d act like that…”

The end of the sudden acting showdown between the two actresses.

In the end, Director Kim Han-ul decided that they’d contact the winner later and sent us both on our way.

This wasn’t even an audition program, so what’s all this about passing or failing?

But from the fact that both actresses chose this route, it was clear their personalities were similar—they both had high pride.

“So, what do we do now?”

“My head’s spinning… Aaaaahh!”

After the acting competition, the situation became even more complicated.

Jeon Ji-won’s performance, where she gave it her all, was undoubtedly top-notch.

“But what if you’re worse than a middle schooler, after being so confident?”

Kim Siyeon’s acting was so impressive that it was hard to believe she was in middle school.

“Why are they like this, those women? Aaaahhh!”

Kim Han-ul was left pulling his hair out, with both contact numbers in hand.