WebNovels

Chapter 4 - CHAPTER 4

Acting for the first time?

"Wh–what!"

The silence was broken by Junho's startled exclamation, which burst out reflexively. He quickly covered his mouth and stared at his friend. Strange. So strange it gave him goosebumps.

"Should I keep going?"

Since scenes usually ended with a short gesture or two, Muyeong paused to ask. Director Oh Seok bent over the monitor and replied,

"Go on. Don't stop—show me everything you want to show."

His tone had grown casual without anyone noticing. Everyone was too shocked by Muyeong's acting to care.

Didn't he say this was his first time?

Oh Seok had been acting since his first year of college. He had met countless talented actors—but this was a first.

How could a beginner express emotions like that?

He leaned so close to the screen it looked like he might bump his nose on it.

"If possible, try showing anger as well as love."

Muyeong simply nodded and turned his gaze toward Bora. What she had taken on lightly was now turning into regret.

Oh no…

That feeling of being overwhelmed by the other person.

It was just acting—something she had done countless times—but when she looked into Muyeong's eyes, it felt like she really was his lover.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Keep going."

Muyeong whispered softly. The moment Bora's answer left her lips, he was immersed again. This time, he lightly brushed her earlobe, then slid his finger down to her chin.

This guy's insane. Totally insane.

Junho peeked nervously through the gaps between his fingers, afraid to watch yet unable to look away. It felt wrong, like intruding on something private.

He called me a flirt, but he's the real one here.

Muyeong kept expressing love through just his fingertips:

Under her chin—provocative sensuality.Over her eyebrow—a seasoned lover.Beneath her nose—a playful first love.

"I'll stop the love part here."

He paused to change the theme.

As he caught his breath, he noticed everyone staring blankly. Their stunned faces made his first time in front of a camera seem absurd.

Is something off?

Especially Junho—his friend looked like he'd seen a ghost. The other students weren't much different.

What the… wasn't this just a test?Didn't he say it was his first time acting?He's the same age as me, a senior in high school?Wow. Damn. That's real talent.Whichever arts university he applies to, he's gonna be top of the class.

Everyone was equally shocked.

The director spoke again, his voice slightly excited.

"Try saying a line while you're angry."

"A line?"

He wanted to check Muyeong's vocalization and breathing, since no beginner should be that good.

Muyeong pulled out a chair for Bora and bowed slightly.

"You can sit down now. Thank you."

Bora pressed her lips together and sat.

Heat rose in her face. Along with the feelings from acting as a lover came an unfamiliar sting of inferiority. She lowered her head to hide her expression.

"But I don't know any lines."

"TV drama, meme—anything's fine."

"Hmm…"

After a short thought, Muyeong remembered a notorious morning drama—the kind known for its absurd "kimchi slap" scenes, recently updated with "rice paddle slaps."

"Ha-ha! Hahaha—!"

He hadn't actually watched the show, just seen short clips online, so he decided to imitate from memory.

"Maybe it's because you've lived your whole life as a leech—how impressive. A rice paddle? Ha!"

As he said the line, a thought struck him.

What's the difference between impression mimicry and acting?

"Fine. Let's see how this goes."

Thanks to the word "rice paddle," everyone immediately realized which drama he was recreating. The scene played in their minds.

How's he gonna pull this off?

When re-enacting a famous scene, actors usually either add their own flair or get overshadowed by the original.

"I'll kill you all."

Muyeong wiped imaginary rice off his cheek with one hand, then clenched his fist as if crushing something. Up to this point, it matched the original.

"I said I'll kill you—!"

But then, he went further—scratching the desk with his nails, channeling the character's pathetic rage. The sticky, degrading remnants of rice came alive through him.

"That's it."

When he said "that's it," everyone released the breath they'd been holding. Silent glances darted across the room.

So he really is a beginner.

Oh Seok thought the same.

Finally straightening up, he looked from the monitor to Muyeong himself.

"I don't know the rest of the lines," Muyeong admitted.

His breathing and voice were indeed that of an amateur.

Well… strictly speaking, maybe not a total newbie, the director thought.

Even his first-ever delivery was impressive—but after witnessing that level of emotional expression, it just felt less dazzling in comparison.

"Muyeong, this really is your first time acting?"

"Yes. Why?"

Oh Seok stroked his short beard in thought. The room buzzed with low murmurs. Students couldn't hold back their comments.

"Wow, seriously. You're amazing.""What acting school did you apply to?""You've never performed before?"

A mix of disbelief, awe, and envy filled the air. Muyeong just nodded awkwardly.

"…I told you, it's my first time."

The director started packing up the camera and addressed the class.

"Alright, everyone. Watch your recordings and figure out what to improve. Submit your notes to me, and we'll reshoot. Next time, you'll need to express both love and anger—so practice. Muyeong, stay for a minute."

As Oh Seok gently guided Muyeong out, Junho hurriedly grabbed his bag and followed.

Bang!

The door closed, but the buzz in the practice room didn't die down.

"Crazy, right?" Yuchan muttered, fiddling with his laptop.

"Totally. Born to be—born to act."

They had only watched for a few minutes, yet everyone instinctively knew—Muyeong was someone born to perform.

"Bora."

Yuchan called out to her quietly. She sat still, trying to hide her feelings, but it was obvious.

That mix of relative deprivation and quiet despair.

"You okay?"

"…Why wouldn't I be?"

Bora looked dazed. Understandably so—she had been acting since she was a child.

But as the years passed, her progress slowed, and the path of acting only grew steeper.

"The Difference in Talent."

It felt like she was running with all her might, only for Usain Bolt to casually jog past her. Bora let out a short, bitter laugh.

"Hey. What was that just now?"

"What was what? Acting."

"Why were you touching her face like that?"

"Because it was a love scene. I mean, an acting love scene."

Whisper whisper. The two friends bickered endlessly. Then, when Director Oh Seok sat down on the sofa, Muyeong hesitated before calling out to him.

"Um, sir."

He didn't plan to enroll, and any further consultation would just waste the man's time. Smiling politely, he tried to wrap things up.

"Thank you for the advice, but I've got another appointment—"

"Oh, right? We're late," Junho chimed in.

"I'll take the pamphlet and think about it," Muyeong added, giving Junho a discreet jab in the ribs—a signal to hurry up and leave.

But Oh Seok had no intention of letting them go. Not them—no, him.

What's the most important factor for an acting academy's success?

"Audition success rate."

Or perhaps—

"Producing famous actors."

Two sides of the same coin: a high audition success rate brings more exposure, and that exposure produces stars.

I have to keep him.

Oh Seok genuinely loved acting hopefuls—their pure determination to perform moved him. But in this case, with a student showing such overwhelming potential...

"Muyeong."

He wasn't just a prospect a director would want—he was a gem. A prodigy whose raw talent made Oh Seok's heart race with excitement.

"Sit down for a moment."

He took a moment to choose his words carefully. Whatever it took, he had to reel this kid in.

"You've got talent."

"Sorry? Oh, um, thank you."

He really doesn't get it, Oh Seok thought. Muyeong clearly didn't grasp how deep that compliment ran.

"You can't train natural-born instincts—but you've got them. If you just refine the parts training can fix, you'll really…"

How far could he go?

The thought of this kid's potential future made Oh Seok fall silent. Inside, a flood of things he wanted to teach him rushed through his mind—

How to express emotion.How to internalize lines.How to control movement, voice, and breath.Even intuition and endurance on set.

Argh! This is driving me crazy!

"Having a natural grasp of emotional expression is a huge advantage. There are tons of students who hit a wall because they can't do that, no matter how hard they try."

Muyeong just nodded blankly. The unexpected praise felt too surreal.

No wonder—he had gone through all of high school without ever realizing he had any talent for acting. If not for today, he probably never would have.

"I'll be honest with you. Come study here. I want to personally teach you."

"…What?"

That meant one-on-one lessons beyond the standard classes. Not just teacher and student, but mentor and protégé—a partnership where they could inspire each other. Oh Seok wanted to act alongside this once-in-a-lifetime genius.

"Uh, well…"

But Muyeong's expression only grew more uncomfortable.

Something wrong?

Quickly, Oh Seok tried to sweeten the deal.

"I'll only charge the base tuition."

Meaning the 300,000-won rate for the advanced course. He swallowed nervously and waited for an answer.

"I'm sorry," Muyeong said firmly.

A flat rejection.

The director began to panic.

Maybe he's checking out other academies? Or this is the last stop after seeing others? No way—nobody in their right mind would let a student like this slip away. Damn it. I'm confident, though…

Thoughts tangled like yarn in his head. After a pause, he asked,

"Do you already have another place in mind?"

He had to go all in.

"Ah, um…"

"Then just sit in on three trial classes. I'm sure other teachers are great, but BV has its own—"

"It's not that."

Muyeong cut him off mid-sentence, clearly flustered. Junho looked just as uneasy.

"…What's the problem?"

"I'm sorry. I can't afford it."

"Huh?"

Oh Seok blinked.

Couldn't afford it? Money?

"I only came to get some information. I didn't mean to trouble you."

"Yeah," Junho added, backing his friend up. "We just wanted to check the prices. Hehe."

Then he tugged on Muyeong's sleeve—time to go.

"Well, sorry for the trouble."

"Goodbye."

When Oh Seok didn't respond, they hurried out like they were escaping. He was already running through all kinds of contingency plans in his head, but of course, they had no idea.

"Phew. I feel kind of bad now."

"Same. That tteokbokki we ate earlier's gonna come back up."

Tap tap tap.

They were halfway down the stairs when they heard footsteps behind them—

"Hey, Muyeong!"

Oh Seok had chased after them. The two froze and edged toward the wall, ready to bolt at any second. A few silent glances between friends were all it took to communicate.

"Then let me make you an offer," said Oh Seok.

"An offer?"

What he said next took them by surprise.

"Just take the classes. Free. Study with me. In return, if you ever get cast or make it big later, just list our academy as your alma mater."

"I… don't quite get it."

"Don't go anywhere else. Come here."

Muyeong blinked at Junho, as if to confirm he'd heard that right.

"So… you mean the classes are free?"

Exactly. It was an offer filled with confidence—an investment made with certainty that this boy would succeed. Muyeong and Junho were too stunned to realize it, but Oh Seok had already done the math.

"Think of it as an investment," he said with a wink, urging an answer.

Muyeong slowly turned his gaze toward the entrance. Outside, flower petals were still drifting through the air.

"…Thank you. Really."

What on earth was happening?

He'd never received such kindness—or such expectation—before.

Still watching the petals, he smiled faintly.

"No need to thank me. Think of it as business."

Oh Seok exhaled in relief; if he'd been rejected again, it would've crushed him.

And then—

"But actually, I have an offer too."

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