The sun hadn't even risen when Lina stood in front of Crystal Tide Studios, clutching a thin folder with her lines.
Her first professional audition.
For the role of Jiwoo, a rebellious art student in Evening Blossoms, an indie film with a subtle but growing online buzz. The kind of film that launched quiet careers into stardom.
She had barely slept.
Her mind kept replaying Kael's message.
> If you get the part, I'll take you out to dinner.
Not as a patron. Not as a friend. As a man.
---
[System Task: Enter Audition Room Calmly – Maintain Composure]
[Reward: Temporary +2 to Charisma, First Impression Boost]
[Failure: -5 to Confidence, Delay in Task Tree Advancement]
Lina exhaled.
"I'm not going to let nerves bury me."
[System Comment: You never had to.]
---
Inside, the waiting room buzzed with low tension. Girls with model-perfect faces sat cross-legged with their scripts. A few men too, lean and sharp-eyed.
One looked up as Lina entered.
She recognized him instantly.
Noel Hwan.
Child actor turned idol trainee turned film darling.
He gave her a once-over, then returned to his phone.
"New face," he muttered, not unkindly. "You don't look nervous."
"I am," she said simply.
He looked up again. "Good."
---
The casting room was colder than she expected.
A long table. Three judges. And Riel, watching silently from the back.
"Name," the main judge said.
"Lina Vale."
"Scene 4. You have sixty seconds to prepare. Begin when ready."
She stood in the center of the taped square. Took a breath.
And became Jiwoo.
---
A messy, chaotic girl. Angry at a world that never understood her art. Shouting at her lover, paint staining her hands. Tears behind her fury.
"I gave you everything!" she screamed, not at the judges, but through them. "And you looked at me like I was broken glass. Something sharp to walk around!"
She slammed the script down—unplanned, but it felt right.
Silence.
Riel tilted his head.
The head judge tapped his pen. "Again. But quieter. Let the pain bleed through, not explode."
She did.
---
When the audition ended, no one smiled.
But one of the assistants scribbled something quickly on her notes.
Riel caught her eye as she left.
He gave her a slow nod.
And something in Lina's chest eased, just a little.
---
Outside, her phone buzzed.
> Unknown Number:
You moved the room.
Another buzz.
> Kael:
I saw.
> Kael:
You were terrifying.
> Kael:
I'll pick you up at 7.
She smiled into the wind.
[System Notification: Task Complete – Audition Passed (Preliminary)]
[Reward: Charisma +1, Acting Aptitude +1, New Connection: Noel Hwan, +20K credits]
[System Comment: You didn't audition. You claimed the role.]
---
Elsewhere, on the 52nd floor of a quiet, heavily guarded building, Kael leaned back in his chair.
Levan sipped his espresso.
"She's still being watched," he said. "Jealousies are forming. Rival sponsors. The usual."
Kael's fingers drummed on the table.
"Let them."
Levan raised a brow. "You're going to let her handle it all herself?"
"No," Kael said softly. "I'll let her believe she is."
---
System Log: Lina Vale
Acting Aptitude: +3
Role Status: Pending Approval
Charisma: Lv. 3
Confidence Level: 74% ↑
Kael Affection: 5.0 / 5 (Critical Threshold)
New Contact: Noel Hwan (Curious | Reserved)
Influence Score: 2.3 / 10
Emotional Development: In Progress
Risk Index: Rising
---
End of Chapter 19
---