After Sakurajima Mai's figure disappeared, Togo Takeshi glanced at Yuan Chuan You beside him, his expression turning gloomy once more.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not interested in men."
Yuan Chuan You flicked his wrist, his tone cold.
"Do you really think you can pass the audition? You have no acting skills whatsoever. I think you're just daydreaming." Togo Takeshi squeezed the words through his teeth, sneering, "I'd like to see just how long you can last in Tokyo!"
Oh, now I remember.
Yuan Chuan You couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose. He remembered first meeting Togo Takeshi on a Shinkansen heading to Tokyo. Both of them had come from small towns with the same dream of becoming an actor.
And then.
Due to some trivial matters, their relationship grew distant, even devolving into trading insults.
Are we children?
Yuan Chuan You couldn't be bothered to waste time on him. Besides acting, all he wanted now was to synthesize more entries and experience his hard-earned second life.
"Want to make a bet?"
"A bet? What do you want to bet on?" Togo Takeshi's expression changed slightly.
"The role I want to audition for today is [Inoue Satoshi]. I'm guessing that's your target as well, right?"
"How did you..."
"Let's just bet on who gets the role," Yuan Chuan You said nonchalantly.
[Inoue Satoshi] is the main character's classmate in '49,' a high school boy who loves photography and charges the main character a small fee for taking pictures of the campus goddess he likes, Minazuki Mana.
"That's hilarious. This character has scenes in at least four episodes. Do you really think you can get chosen?"
Although Togo Takeshi had a perverse personality, he had also put in a lot of effort to enter the entertainment industry.
"Cut the crap. Are you in or not?"
"Hmph, what are the stakes?"
"If I get the role, you have to take a detour whenever you see me from now on."
Yuan Chuan You thought for a moment, proposing a condition that would grant him some peace and quiet.
"And what if you don't get it?"
Togo Takeshi retorted with a sneer, folding his arms. He couldn't believe the other guy's audacity. He had at least participated in several productions, while this guy hadn't even been in a single show, yet he dared to spout such nonsense.
"If I don't get it, then from now on, whenever I'm at an audition for a crew that you're also trying out for, I'll immediately withdraw. How about that?"
"..."
Togo Takeshi thought for a moment. It seemed strange that he would propose such a bet, so he quickly pressed, "You really want to bet on this?"
"Heh, what's wrong? You've already been in quite a few shows. Don't tell me you're afraid of losing to me?"
Yuan Chuan You shook his head, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"Fine, you've got guts! Let's do it your way. If you don't get this role, from now on, whenever I'm at an audition, you have to withdraw immediately. It doesn't matter what level of production it is."
"Deal."
Yuan Chuan You nodded, then calmly regarded the blond young man before him. "The bet is on. Now can you stop bothering me? Let me have some quiet."
"Keep up the act."
Watching Yuan Chuan You's back as he walked to a corner, Togo Takeshi cursed under his breath, then pulled out the character biography he had prepared and began to study it seriously again.
Everyone was giving it their all. No one wanted to lose.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At three in the afternoon, the auditions began on time.
Although Yuan Chuan You's agent had a 'take-it-or-leave-it' tone when he called, he had actually arranged a rather early audition slot for him.
Could this also be tsundere?
After a forty-minute wait, a woman with short hair wearing a black short-sleeved shirt came out of the room and called Yuan Chuan You's name.
"Next, Yuan Chuan You, please get ready."
"Coming."
Taking a deep breath, Yuan Chuan You reviewed the information on the character [Inoue Satoshi] in his mind and stepped into the audition room.
The audition room wasn't very large. Besides the directing team sitting opposite him, there were two staff members standing to the side, holding cameras, apparently recording the audition process.
"I'm Yuan Chuan You, here to audition for [Inoue Satoshi]. It's a pleasure to be here."
A greeting, a bow, a smile.
Yuan Chuan You showed no sign of stage fright. Having mastered the [Newcomer Actor (Green)] entry, he felt completely relaxed walking into the audition.
"Heh, there are many rumors about you, Yuan Chuan-kun. But since Nakahara recommended you for the audition, please go ahead and prepare."
The director's name was Asano Nagahiro, a man with a beard on his chin. His gaze swept back and forth over Yuan Chuan You.
As a director, he had of course heard the rumors that Yuan Chuan You had never managed to pass an audition.
Normally, an actor who repeatedly failed auditions would exude an aura of anxiety, more or less, but the young man before him was completely different.
His demeanor was completely relaxed, as if this wasn't a nerve-wracking audition but rather his most familiar environment.
An interesting kid...
Director Asano thought for a moment, then said to Yuan Chuan You, "Yuan Chuan-kun, I'd like to see your acting first. How about we set the script aside and start with some improv?"
"Certainly."
Sensing the cameras at the side all pointing at him, Yuan Chuan You nodded.
"Let's start with a rebellious student. You're free to come up with the scene and plot." Director Asano rubbed his chin, his eyes fixed on Yuan Chuan You's handsome face.
"Okay."
He thought for a moment, and a scene immediately took shape in his mind.
He unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, and his previously downcast eyes shot up. The aura around him changed in an instant.
A mocking curve formed on Yuan Chuan You's lips, as if he'd heard the joke of the century. "Teacher, I think you need to get your eyes checked. Are you sure you found this in my backpack?"
He took half a step forward, miming the action of turning a backpack upside down and shaking it out. His voice was cold. "Take a good look. Are there any cigarettes in here?"
Because he had mastered [Foundational Acting Technique (White)], when he recited these lines, Yuan Chuan You's voice was that of a youth—raw yet filled with anger.
For any competent actor, this was just the basics of the basics.
"This..."
Director Asano's eyes widened. He instantly gained a deeper understanding of Yuan Chuan You's acting ability. He quickly glanced at the assistant sitting next to him. They had worked together for many years, and a single look was enough for the assistant to understand his meaning.
The next moment, the assistant stood up, walked forward, and directly questioned Yuan Chuan You.
"You say there are no cigarettes in your bag, so why do I smell smoke on your sleeve?"
An impromptu scene partner!
After seeing Yuan Chuan You's performance, Director Asano couldn't resist giving him an additional test.
"Heh, the smell of smoke?"
Looking at the approaching assistant, Yuan Chuan You let out another cold laugh. "If I said I picked up the smell by accident, I doubt you'd believe me, Teacher."
"If you're willing to explain, your teacher will believe you. Yuan Chuan, you're an important student to me too."
The assistant's tone suddenly softened, carrying a sense of care for a student. His acting wasn't unrefined; the assistant himself had a background as an actor.
"Hmph!"
But Yuan Chuan You suddenly mimed throwing a backpack to the ground, looking up to glare fiercely at the assistant's face. "Do you take me for an idiot? Calling everyone over today to watch you search my bag—is that what you call trusting me?"
"Since you've already judged me, why bother with this pretense?"
"You!"
"At worst, just have me expelled. Since you can't stand me, that's the most fitting solution, isn't it?"
Yuan Chuan You stared angrily at the assistant's face. Although he spoke quickly, every word that came out was crystal clear.
"..."
The assistant was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Director Asano and said with a smile, "Director, what do you think?"
"Very impressive, Yuan Chuan-kun."
A flash of admiration appeared in Director Asano's eyes. He shook his head. "You really can't trust rumors. I'm glad I didn't miss out on a promising talent like you."
"Huh?"
"Heh, Yuan Chuan-kun, you can go out and wait. We'll be announcing the casting for all roles shortly."
Director Asano smiled, announcing that his audition was over.
"But I haven't performed..."
Yuan Chuan You was a bit surprised, since he hadn't performed the character from the script.
"There's no need. You've already proven your skill to me."
"Alright."
Yuan Chuan You touched his hair. Feeling the director's gentle tone, he knew he had likely secured the part.
"Next, Kurokawa Akane, please get ready."
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