"And that's it."
The producer collected the contract Averie had just signed.
In the end, he had to negotiate with Hyerin, who turned out to be very good at it. She removed some unsavory clauses and raised his appearance fee.
She added clauses that assured bonuses based on the show's ratings. She made sure it was explicitly mentioned that Asmodeus Binsfeld was a main role and not a supporting role.
Averie didn't understand all the fuss, but Hyerin wanted to ensure that there would be no backpedaling on that front.
"Table-read will be in a week. Two days after that, we will begin filming," Director Lee mentioned, happy as a woman at her wedding. "I will mail you the exact time and place."
He leaned back in his chair.
"As you know, there are seven main roles in the drama, so there will be a lot of expectation and pressure from the media and the audience. The quality of the show will deteriorate if even one of you does not deliver at least a decent performance."
He tapped his fingers on table. "So, although you are new to the industry and have not had enough time to prepare, I will be expecting a professional performance."
Averie nodded in silence.
"The series will only have seven episodes," Director Lee continued, "each around seventy minutes long. We will make the announcement by tonight."
"The TV network has already been decided," the producer chimed in. "It will be domestically aired on TVN, one of the four big networks. They were very excited about this drama."
The director nodded. "Because of its extremely adult and explicit nature, we cannot air it before 10 PM. So, they have provided us with the best time slot possible—Friday and Saturday, 10:00 PM through 11:30 PM. If the show does well, they have promised reruns on Sunday."
"This sort of content has never been shown on television in the country," the producer said.
He produced a book containing guidelines for censorship in the country.
"Until last year, the censor wouldn't have allowed it. But they are willing to show leniency this once. They are considering some policy changes, and they want to check the response from the audience. So, this will be the first of its kind drama on TV in the country. The latest episode will be uploaded to streaming service Trinix a day after it has aired on TVN."
Director Lee handed Averie two stacks of papers. "And here's the script for episodes 2 and 3. The remaining will be distributed as filming progresses. Writer Moon doesn't want the actors to know what happens in advance, you see."
'What's there left to know?' Averie thought. 'We read the synopsis, you know.'
"Filming will last from two to three months," Director Lee continued. "I would have preferred more time, but delays caused by casting issues left us no choice. We will have two teams working at all times. While we won't risk the quality of the drama, we will have to shoot some of the less demanding scenes simultaneously."
***
On the way back, Averie spent all his time reading the script for episodes 2 and 3.
Unlike the first episode, episode 2 didn't have much screen time for Asmodeus. Episode 3 was different, though.
"Is—is this alright?" Averie muttered, wide-eyed and shocked. "Will they allow something like this on television?"
"What is it?" Hyerin asked.
She leaned over to read, and in just two minutes, her face turned horrified.
"There is no way this can be aired on TV," she said.
"It is the last scene of episode 3, so maybe they will allow it if it is filmed right, edited well, and cut short."
"Are you okay with this?" Hyerin turned to her friend, worry plastered over her face. "This scene won't be one bit pleasant."
"It is a delicate matter, but I will be fine," he answered.
In the evening, the two ordered pizza while watching TV.
"You know, I have always thought that Rina isn't a great actress, but she gets away with it because she is famous," Hyerin said while grating a cube of cheese over her salad. "Anyway, my boss called earlier today. I don't understand, what does he want from me? I took a day off, and I informed him in advance. Now if it—"
Suddenly, Hyerin's phone rang.
Looking at the caller, she sighed.
"It's my boss." She picked up the call. "Hello. Yes? Yes, sir. No—I mean, I am sure it can be done, but—Yes, I..."
Observing her, Averie thought she looked utterly lifeless. The girl—who celebrated like it was the greatest day of her life when he got the role—looked exhausted and pathetic.
The call ended, and again, Hyerin sighed.
"What's the matter?" Averie asked.
"He was complaining about how my day off affected his job and threw extra work at me. Most of what he was complaining about wasn't even my responsibility. On top of that, I have to put up with his leer—" She suddenly shut her mouth.
"He harasses you?" Averie asked, his eyes sharper than ever.
There was a threatening chill in his voice.
"He—um—leers…sometimes—a lot of times," she muttered, her eyes full of shame.
Averie knew where her boss was going after his death—straight to Hell.
"Anyway, it's the workload that's really killing me," Hyerin complained, opening another can of beer. "All because I rejected his advances…"
Averie clicked his tongue. "Don't drink too much."
"Oh, who cares? I need it to cope."
Averie knew work culture wasn't great in most nations, but his research indicated it was extremely bad in Asian countries. Long working hours, unpaid overtime, and workplace harassment—these were only a few of the problems.
'When applicants are plenty and jobs are few, would there be any enticement for the management to strive for change?'
Certainly not.
It was a tale as old as time.
"You should quit," Averie suggested.
Hyerin sighed. "No matter where I go, this situation won't change. This industry is especially hard on women. And it only cares about profit—ethics be damned. At least, Sartre Entertainment is a big name."
Averie was about to make a suggestion when suddenly he received a message.
He read it aloud. "We have made the announcement."
It was from Director Lee.