Chapter Text
”The comeback schedule is officially over.” Seo Hoyun let out like a sigh through his teeth.
He sank back heavily into the chair, arms dangling limply over the armrests. His stamina bar was drained into the negatives.
The door to the room swung open after knocking 3 times. The manager stepped in, also letting out a sigh before dropping the thick stacks of scripts onto the table— letting out a harsh thud.
”Seo Hoyun-ssi you’ve got acting offers.” The manager said, looking completely haggard. His heavy eyebags dragged so low they practically touched his chin.
Hoyun straightened his back and slowly opened one eye. ”…Three?”
”Yes. Three stacks.”
dding!~
[hihi ^^ Hoyunnie~~]
[QUEST: Shake the industry!]
[Make an appearance that will completely shake the media. People won’t be able to stop talking about you!
Success: 30,000 points.
Failure: All shows and dramas featuring ’Seo Hoyun’ will face a massive boycott and fail!]
’30,000 points?’ Hoyun’s eyes narrowed instantly ’What’s with the system, Is it up to something? The reward is suspiciously high for a standard quest.’
dding!
[Hey!!!! I hear the gears turning in your head.]
[…Stop looking at me like that. I haven’t done anything! I’m the victim here, you hear?!]
[There was a minor system malfunction last time >< but it’s totally fixed now! Just accept the quest, okay? Please???]
Hoyun swiped away the illuminating blue screen away, simply treating it like no less than a buzzing fly. He ignored the popping messages, whining and asking whether he do it or not.
’Well, there is no way I’m not doing it.
The manager, sensing something creep up his spine he shot up and quickly picked up a dozen thick scripts at the top.
”Oh! Right. The agency already filtered through the ones with highest market demand and production budget. It would be best if you appeared in one of these.”
Hoyun took the scripts and flipped through them with practiced speed.
’Interesting’ he thought, noting why the company picked them.
But ultimately the last one caught his eye the most. The writing was dangerously immersive, the pacing was just right and the psychological was complex but was weighted right.
…But it was BL.
.
.
.
The synopsis grew progressively darker. It all contained serial killers, underground organizations, government corruption, psychological warfare. Halfway through Baek Yul’s relationship charts and his hand froze briefly.
The central narrative drive was a toxic plot and a codependent romance between two male leads.
”…A BL.”
Hoyun frowned. He never once played a romantic lead before. Even if this project was closer to a crime thriller than a standard romance.
dding!
[QUEST!: Appear on ’Stuck in your clutch’!]
[Accept the proposal and star in the drama!
Success: Additional 10,000 points.
Failure: All shows featuring ’The Dawn’ will get boycotted and fail for 3 consecutive years!]
’…Why is it specifically forcing down this one?’ Hoyun thought, ticked off while a chill ran down his spine.
dding!
[hehe Hoyunnie~ you should be thanking me *(o x o)*]
Hoyun ignored the system. Turning down the project wasn’t an option anymore—not with the survival of The Dawn on the line. But honestly, even without the systems threat, rejecting a script like this would only render you a madman.
The only real issue was how to accurately convey the psychological romance without ruining it. If he acted poorly the forums would completely tear him apart for running a masterpiece, which would negatively impact the group’s reputation.
.
.
.
He flipped directly to Baek Yul’s character profile and psychological analysis. He read it through multiple times, again but slower than the last time.
- Displays affection through possession rather than emotional comfort.
- Completely unable to distinguish love from ownership and control
”…”
His manager watched him closely, the intense silenced atmosphere made him wanna break down. ”Any thoughts, Hoyun-ssi?”
Hoyun closed the script halfway.
’A high concept BL will cause a massive stir anyway.’ he imagined through the scenarios, his fingers tapping the latest comeback songs rhythm against the armrest.
’Half the public will hype it, and the more closed media will try to trash it. But controversy is the fastest way to grab public recognition.’
He reopened the script and kept reading the completely raw and unhinged scenes.
- Baek Yul smiling peacefully while Cha Seungwoo holds a knife to his throat and threatens to kill him.
- Baek Yul looking satisfied after witnessing and leading Cha Seungwoo to a mental breakdown.
- Baek Yul looking genuinely ecstatic because Cha Seunwgwoo is finally chasing him work mysterious intent, completely obsessed with catching him.
’The hell. This is crazy.’ A chilling smile with a masked polite and warm on top, blended with eachother, which made it come out more disturbing.
If he’d done that in a meeting, all the employees—especially Jihyun would grit their teeth in absolute frustration, cursing Hoyun under their breaths. They knew all to well what it meant and what Hoyun would do when he smiled like that.
Even the manager twitched and averted his gaze. The manager hummed quietly to the Korean national anthem song.
Hoyun checked the production credits—the directors past hits, the writers award history, the massive investment, and a worthy broadcasting slot. His smile sharpened.
”No wonder the agency made a fuss over this.” Hoyun murmured. ” Even paying a background character would guarantee massive media traction.”
The manager cleared his throat. ”Yes! Exactly. Oh, also… I heard Min Jiheon-ssi was offered a script for this project aswell..!”
The manager chose his words to the aligned information. ”The production team is aggressively eyeing him for the male lead, Cha Seungwoo. His status isn’t yet to be confirmed, though.”
Hoyun eyes widened slightly, but he instantly masked his surprise behind his usual expression and a deadpan composure, he stated. ”I’ll go to the audition.”
”Really?” The manager looked shocked over the immediate positive feedback. ”Okay, I will notify the casting director right away.”
”Send the schedule over as soon it’s done.” Seo Hoyun smiled and gave a polite nod to the manager—and so did the manager before rushing out.
”This might work out perfectly...” Hoyun murmured as he stared at the pages.
’Firstly, Baek Yul doesn’t realize his behavior is abnormal.’ He analyzed the character roughly in his mind.
Minutes later, his phone buzzed. He picked it up, expecting a schedule update.
[Manager-ssi: Seo Hoyun-ssi, the production company just confirmed. Min Jiheon-ssi had been signed to play as Cha Seungwoo.]
Hoyun let out a quiet laugh, a light one, though it held a snickering undertone. ’’pfttt wow…really, it’s going too well…’
With Min Jiheon playing as his partner, Hoyun wouldn’t have to fake the intense feelings required for the role. He’s just have to twist around to fit it to Baek Yul’s lens of madness and insanity, and deliver it.
’But seriously, if he messes up. I’ll give him a personal one on one.’
***
On the other side of the agency, Min Jiheon stood completely frozen in front of a buzzing vending machine. He had been staring at the glass for five minutes.
The machine had taken his coins, but his orange juice was firmly stuck on the metal coil.
”There you are!” A loud frantic voice echoed down the hallway.
Min Jiheon looked up, looking completely black and aloof. ”…Hello.”
His manager marched over looking like he’d aged over the past few minutes.
”I’ve been looking for you for twenty minutes! I searched everywhere!” The manager said as he pinched Min Jiheon’s cheek.
”Ow!” Jiheon said while rubbing his cheek.
”Why are you hiding out here?”
”I was thirsty.”
”You literally just ate.”
”…”
”You had seventeen servings at the restaurant.”
”…Seventeen.” He mumbled as his face grew longer; as if dreading the fact that he could’ve stuffed himself more.
His manager clutched his head in pure agony. ”Seventeen servings! And somehow you’re standing before a vending machine?”
Min Jiheon looked at the trapped orange juice, his face pale and drained, he let out a mumble. ”I’m still hungry.”
”You’re always hungry!” He lashed. The staff around gave a few sympathetic glances, completely used to the daily spectacle of Min Jiheon’s bottemless pit of an appetite.
The manager took a deep breath, fighting the urge to lose his mind, and whipped out a thick black binder from his bag.
”You’ve got another script.” His manager said more calmly as he held out a thick black binder.
”I was planning on taking a break.”
”I know. But the production crew requested you specifically. It’s a psychological thriller by Director Ryu. It’s a highly complex character and setting you’ve never attempted before.”
His manager told him to read the synopsis and Jiheon eyes twinkled; he had the same look when he ate Gamjatang—or any meal at all. (except for Dajun’s)
The director was known for many well received creations. He created deeply flawed, morally grey characters that capture the audiences.
He flipped through the pages stopping directly at the main character description.
- Cha Seungwoo
- Occupation: homicide detective.
- Psychological state: Gradually loses his sanity and moral compass as he realizes absolutely justice cannot exist within the legal system. Completely breaking down when realizing his one truth is a disgusting lie.
Then his eye hit the relationship status.
- Relationship with Baek Yul: A dark, highly toxic romance that completely consumes both characters.
”…A BL.”
His manager nodded. ”You’ve never done one right? The agency was hesitant, but the writing was incredible.
Jiheon nodded and hummed, ”yeah.”
Jiheon flipped to Baek Yul’s character profile to see who his character would be acting against.
Baek Yul was written as a terrifyingly insane—one who committed unimaginable acts of violence and unjust things, it was framed with sick madness, strangely, it came to be very eye-catching and a perfect, beautiful tragedy.
The writer never excused the actions—instead highlighting them as to remind the viewers who they were really watching.
As he was reading through the dialogues between the two, the manager remembered something.
”Oh.” The manager let out, ”I heard Seo Hoyun-ssi also got a script for the same project.”
Jiheon turned stopped flipping the pages. He slowly looked up from the script, the heavy, drained aura around him instantly vanishing as a bright, colorful energy practically radiated from him.
”Hoyun…?”
The manner hummed, checking the text on his phone for confirmation.
”Yeah. The production team is aggressively considering him for Baek Yul’s part. They think his cold visual style fits him perfectly.”
Jiheon shot up, his already smile turning brighter. ”I want to play Cha Seungwoo!” His voice filled with sudden enthusiasm.
”Huh, really?” The manager caught off guard by the sudden change of attitude.
He finished, ”Well, that’s good! It’s good that you like the script! I’ll contact the director immediately for your part. Continue reading the script for now and don’t wander off to the cafeteria” The manager said, his voice changing from giddy to serious and back just seconds between each.
Left alone by the buzzing machine. Jiheon flipped through the rest of the script binder.
His eyes looked over the scene directions.
- [Baek Yul pulls Cha Seungwoo down by the collar, breathing heavily as their lips clash in the night light.]
- [Cha Seungwoo pins Baek Yul against the glass window. He unbuttons Baek Yul’s top and takes a intense bite before licking the wound. And in the end he kisses him on the lips with suffocating desperation.]
- [……
…….] (more scenes but I couldn’t bother typing it out. I’m sorry.)
’Ah, I get to kiss hyung more than once in front of the camera.’ Jiheon hummed happily to himself.
Usually they had to keep their relationship a secret and be cautious. But now? They could do whatever(?). Jiheon started skipping to the cafeteria, thinking what he could pull off under the guise of ”method acting”.