Survive! Foolish Bottom!

 

The place Haeun and Ilhyun went to together was the company’s acting practice room. While Haeun had been in and out of the idol practice rooms countless times, this was his first time stepping into the actors’ space. At Stone Cherry, the agency’s acting and music training rooms were kept strictly separate.

 

“You look nervous, like it’s your first time coming here.”

 

Ilhyun teased in the elevator, noticing Haeun’s less-than-pleasant expression. 

 

To Ilhyun, it was a joke, but for Haeun, it really was his first time in the actor’s practice area, so the comment didn’t have much of an effect. It wasn’t that he was nervous—this wasn’t something worth getting worked up about. It was just that heading into an acting practice session of his own accord dredged up unpleasant memories from his past, which made him feel uneasy.

 

Ilhyun walked into the practice room confidently, and Haeun followed closely behind, shoulders squared. A person who appeared to be a trainer, probably from the acting division, approached them with a smile.

 

“Oh, Ilhyun’s here! And so is Park Ha.”

 

The trainer seemed genuinely glad to see Ilhyun, but their reaction toward Haeun was much more subdued. While the trainer might have been familiar with “Park Ha”—the idol persona Haeun had assumed—Haeun didn’t know who this person was, making it difficult to know how to respond. He didn’t even know how to address them, which made him hesitate to speak at all.

 

In the end, Haeun just bowed silently as a greeting.

 

“It’s been a while! You’ve slimmed down a bit, haven’t you?” 

 

The trainer commented, lightly patting Haeun’s shoulder. Since Haeun had maintained this body’s current weight since he’d first inhabited it, there was no way for him to know if this person’s comment was accurate. Feeling a bit awkward, Haeun just smiled, and Ilhyun answered for him.

 

“Park Ha’s been working hard for the comeback.”

 

It was definitely easier being with Ilhyun. Whenever Haeun was at a loss for words, Ilhyun would step in to manage the situation and provide the right response.

 

“Teacher, do you have Park Ha’s script?”

 

“Yep, it’s all checked and ready.”

 

Hearing Ilhyun refer to the trainer as “teacher,” Haeun figured he could use that same term going forward. The trainer handed him the script, and Haeun immediately opened it to the first page, skimming through.

 

“Looks like you’ve been waiting for this.” 

 

The trainer teased, but Haeun ignored the comment, focusing entirely on the script. Seeing that Haeun wasn’t going to respond, the trainer grunted and pointed at a specific part of the script.

 

“The character marked as Soohyung is your role. Go ahead and read through it, and think about how you’d play it.”

 

Haeun nodded, sitting down on the practice room floor with the script in hand. The trainer watched him for a moment before turning to Ilhyun to continue their conversation.

 

“When I heard there was an audition, I naturally assumed it was for you. I was about to ask why they didn’t have you going for the role, but I bit my tongue.”

 

“There’s no need for that.”

 

“No, seriously, I just thought you’d have a better shot at landing the role.”

 

Was this really something to talk about with someone else right there? Or did they seriously think I wouldn’t hear it? 

 

Haeun stopped flipping through the script for a moment and glanced toward Ilhyun and the teacher. Ilhyun’s expression was one of discomfort, his face slightly scrunched as he listened to the conversation.

 

Honestly, Haeun was also curious why the company had chosen him for the audition instead of Ilhyun, who had more acting experience. It seemed only logical that Ilhyun, who had been training in acting for a longer time, would be better suited for the role. However, Haeun had his own reasons for needing to meet Kim Gyowon, and out of courtesy, he didn’t suggest that Ilhyun take his spot.

 

The teacher shrugged and continued, “But after looking at the script, I gotta say—yeah, this isn’t your role.”

 

“Do you think it’ll suit Park Ha?”

 

“Well, that depends on how he approaches it. It’s hard to say right now. But yeah, it’s definitely a role for someone around his age, maybe a bit younger.”

 

It seemed that this was because of Park Ha’s youthful appearance. Sensing that the teacher’s attention was drifting back toward him, Haeun quickly ducked his head down again, pretending to focus on the script.

 

“The supporting male role suits you perfectly though. I wonder who’s going to end up with that part. They say it’s already pre-cast, but no one’s heard anything yet.”

 

“Whoever it is, they won’t leave as much of an impression as Kim Gyowon sunbaenim.”

 

“Exactly. That’s why everyone keeps talking about it. Man, it’s a shame, though. That role was made for you.”

 

The teacher said, genuinely sounding disappointed. Ilhyun let out a small, dry laugh. 

 

“Do you really think I’m at the level to be in such an important role?”

 

“That’s why it’s a shame. You should’ve debuted as an actor.”

 

“I chose this path because I prefer it.”

 

Haeun, uninterested in the rest of their conversation, turned his attention back to the script. As the discussion continued in the background, he skimmed the pages, only half listening. 

 

It wasn’t hard to find the name of the character he’d be auditioning for—‘Soohyung.’ Sure enough, the character seemed to be a significant one. The script was heavily marked with highlighter, indicating a substantial number of lines. Clearly, the role was as important as they had said.

 

Haeun had opened the script with mixed emotions, but as he read more of Soohyung’s lines, his eyes widened. The character seemed to resonate with him more than he had anticipated. 

 

Meanwhile, Ilhyun and the trainer continued their conversation in the background.

 

“Anyway, you should start taking on more web dramas during your break. It’s your chance to build up a resume, so you can land bigger roles next time.”

 

“Haha. Weren’t you the one who told me to avoid web drama lead roles? That if you get typecast as a web drama lead, you’ll be stuck doing those forever?”

 

“Yeah, well, things are changing now.”

 

Haeun, still unnoticed by the two, began muttering Soohyung’s lines under his breath. It was almost an unconscious act, his focus fully drawn into the script. 

 

Then, the trainer turned his attention to Haeun. 

 

“You should act some proper roles during the break……Anyway, what do you think, Park Ha?”

 

But before the trainer could continue with his advice, Haeun interrupted.

 

“This role… it feels like it’s mine.”

 

Both the trainer and Ilhyun were taken aback by the sudden, confident statement. The trainer looked momentarily flustered but quickly recovered, encouraging Haeun to aim for the role while setting up some acting lessons for him. 

 

When Haeun explained that he couldn’t remember any prior lessons, the trainer seemed a bit annoyed but agreed to start with the basics—vocal exercises.

 『‘Acting’ stat has been unlocked! (4/10)』 

During the session, Haeun was surprised to discover that he had gained a new skill—acting. Even more shocking was that it wasn’t a low level; it started at 4/10. Given that he was starting from scratch, he had expected it to be at zero or one. Did this mean he had some hidden talent?

 

On the way back to the dorm, Ilhyun, who had been quietly walking beside him, finally asked.

 

“What kind of role is it that you got so eager all of a sudden? Is it different from what we thought?”

 

Haeun looked up at Ilhyun’s face. What they had initially imagined was the usual cutesy younger brother role. He nodded before explaining further.

 

“It just feels right, like it’s really made for me. The writer must have good instincts or something.”

 

It wasn’t just about being liked by the writer. The role seemed perfectly suited to him—as if it had been tailor-made. Haeun glanced at Ilhyun, gauging his reaction.

 

Haeun felt a strange mix of thoughts swirling in his mind. He couldn’t help but agree with the trainer’s comment about Ilhyun being perfect for the supporting male lead role. It matched his personality and looks to a tee. 

 

But the question gnawed at him—was Ilhyun really indifferent about the fact that the company had chosen only Haeun to audition? When it came to acting, Ilhyun was clearly the more serious one. Haeun had noticed how much more natural Ilhyun seemed during their practice, compared to his own clumsy efforts.

 

Could it really be that Ilhyun had no feelings about it? Maybe because, in the end, he was just a game character, programmed without complicated emotions? Haeun’s thoughts grew heavy, weighing him down with uncertainty.

 

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

Haeun slowly shook his head, deciding it wasn’t worth stressing over. Whatever Ilhyun was feeling, it wasn’t something Haeun could fix. And honestly, he didn’t want to get involved. Trying to shrug off his concerns, he changed the subject. 

 

“Hey, can you help me run lines from the script?”

 

“What, I’m supposed to be your sister or something?”

 

Since Ilhyun wasn’t taking it too seriously, Haeun casually played along. 

 

“No, it’s 3 in 1 role. You’re the female lead, the male lead, and the second male lead.”

 

“I’m not that talented, you know.”

 

“I think you’re still better than Seongjae or Junwoo.”

 

Ilhyun chuckled again but didn’t deny it, a sign he probably agreed. Haeun, observing his face, asked more seriously.

 

“Do you hate acting?”

 

“…”

 『Ilhyun’s favorability has decreased by 2!』 

The system notification took Haeun by surprise. He hadn’t expected his question to have such an impact. Maybe Ilhyun’s feelings about acting were more complicated than he let on, and Haeun’s casual remark had touched a sensitive spot.

 

A brief silence accompanied the notification that popped up, something Haeun hadn’t seen in a while. Recently, Ilhyun’s favorability level hadn’t dropped at all. 

 

With Haeun putting in his best effort to act like a kind and diligent member, the points had steadily climbed, currently sitting just above 30. Ilhyun was difficult to deal with in some ways, but once you knew how to navigate his personality, you could manage a smooth relationship.

 

But for just that one question, his affection dropped? This must mean that acting was a sensitive issue for Ilhyun—his weak spot.

 

“Why do you think that? I’ve been practising steadily.”

 

Ilhyun asked calmly. The silence had been so brief that if it weren’t for the affection notification, Haeun wouldn’t have even realized Ilhyun was uncomfortable.

 

“I don’t know. You just don’t seem like you’re eager to take on any projects.”

 

“Well… if a good opportunity comes, I guess I’ll take it.”

 

Ilhyun answered, brushing it off casually. He acted nonchalant, but if you listened closely, you could hear that he was trying to avoid the topic. Haeun glanced at his face.

 

He did think Ilhyun was a decent guy, but that was only as a member and leader, not as a romantic interest. In a game like this, where understanding someone’s deep feelings could trigger a romance flag, it was best not to dig into people’s personal matters too much.

 

So Haeun held back his curiosity, silently praising himself for his restraint.

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