“Why don’t you try expressing a little more? They say restraint is good, but it might make you look like a shy actor. It’s fine if you did that intentionally, but if you didn’t, then you should try making your actions look a little bigger.”

“Like this?”

The junior shook off her hands and stepped back.

“I think that looks better.”

“Ah, okay.”

“What do you think?”

“I’m not sure. It feels a little exaggerated.”

“Then let’s research it together. If you can’t accept your own acting, no one will.”

I’ll think about it some more - her junior stood in front of the mirror with a contemplating expression. She looked at the back of her junior before sighing. The first year students that joined this year had strong colors. On top of that, their natural senses in bringing those colors into their own acting were good as well. The reason why the audition, which would usually end in a week, took two weeks this time was because there were a lot of competent first year students. The first year students that were picked were filled with the passion to learn, and thanks to that, the 2nd and 3rd year students had become a lot busier than before. Her friends were already saying that Myunghwa High had won the nationals.

“The first year students are scary,” said Kim Seol as she wiped her sweat with the towel around her neck.

She was someone who had joined the acting club in her first year, and was now currently the club president. She originally had long hair that reached beneath her shoulders, but she showed up two months ago in February, after having cut her hair short. That day was the graduation day of the senior who was the club president until last year. The former club president laughed big time when she saw Seol’s short hair. It was probably her way of showing her resolve as she succeeded the title of the president, but the graduating seniors and her friends chuckled until the end.

“In a few years, I feel like kids who have been studying acting since elementary school might enter. It’s good to see Myunghwa High’s fame rising, but it does put a lot of pressure on me as a senior,” Kim Seol said as she looked at the juniors.

“I have so many worries since I’m graduating this year,” she replied.

“Should I repeat a year? I like this acting club too much.”

“I feel like you’re someone who would really do that so don’t say that.”

She blocked Kim Seol’s mouth. Just then, she was startled by the sticky sensation that she felt from her palm and immediately lifted her hand. Kim Seol was reaching out her tongue.

“Bunbun, your palm is too salty.”

“Who told you to lick it?”

She pouted and wiped her hand on Kim Seol’s towel. This girl was really unpredictable.

“Who do you think is going to win the individual prize this year?” Kim Seol asked as she looked at the practicing first year students.

The first year students took most of the important roles for the summer competition. Although the 2nd year students applied for the audition as well, they were unfortunately pushed back to being supporting characters since the new members were so good.

“I don’t know. Everyone’s so good.”

“Don’t say that. There are two that have already caught your eyes, no?”

“You don’t say that in front of everyone, right?” she asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“Of course not. I’m only saying it because it’s just between us.”

Kim Seol pointed at two of the first year students.

“Park Hoyoung, Kim Yuna. I guarantee that one of those two will win the individual prize. Bunbun, you think so too, right?”

She nodded unwillingly. The two that Kim Seol just talked about had top skills even among the new members.

“They both learned acting after all,” she said as she did some stretches.

Unlike the other first year members, who had started learning acting after joining the club, those two have already been studying acting and were seriously considering taking that path in the future. Those two possessed acting skills that got the unanimous approval to join when they applied for the club.

If someone did get a prize, it would be one of those two, just as Seol had said. She looked at the two juniors who were reading their scripts as she thought about it.

“So look after them, will ya?”

Hearing her words, she, who was stretching her legs, raised her head.

“Me?”

“Yes. Honestly, ever since the seniors graduated, there’s no one in the club who’s as good as you when it comes to acting. Above all, you have experience appearing on TV. On the days when the instructor is here, we’ll follow the instructor, but otherwise, I hope you can be the one to take care of those two. That will help them out as well.”

“I don’t think there’s a need to go that far though.”

Kim Seol shook her head.

“They are people who can bring out more of their skills if there’s someone to guide them. I hope you can be the one to do that.”

She quietly looked at Kim Seol. She was an unpredictable girl, but she wasn’t someone who would speak out of line. The reason she succeeded the title of club president was because she had sufficient talent and leadership skills.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes. I think they want that as well.”

“But is there anything I can even help with? They probably know everything from acting schools.”

“Acting schools don’t teach you everything. Plus you have first-hand experience in shooting the real thing, meaning, you got to act with real actors. I hope you can use your experiences and guide them. They aren’t treating acting as a mere hobby, so I want to help them out as much as I can.”

She sighed and stood up. She approached the smiling Kim Seol and pinched her waist.

“Don’t blame me if something goes wrong.”

“If someone says something to you, bring that person to me. I’ll punish that person for daring to tease our Bunbun.”

How could she win against that? She smiled and approached the two juniors. Because they were so absorbed, they didn’t realize that she was standing behind them. Their concentration was really something.

She tapped on the two people’s shoulders.

“Oh, seonbae-nim.”

Hoyoung closed the script and looked at her. Yuna, who stood next to him, seemed a little startled as she dazed out for a while before standing up straight.

“How is it? Did you learn your lines?”

“Yes. I can probably recite them in my sleep.”

“You sound confident. How about you, Yuna?”

“Me too,” Yuna replied in a small voice.

She really found Yuna cute. Her soft skin and her facial features that were so delicate that they made her look like a doll. From what she heard, there were at least five boys among the first year students who had an interest in her. She was really polite as well, so she was doted on a lot by the older students. Furthermore, unlike her cheerful-looking appearance, she was actually really calm, making her think that she was a shy girl at first, but now she knew that the girl was filled with passion. There were times when she looked quite dull, but that was because her actions were streamlined without any wasted movements. Yuna showed really clean movement when one observed her.

“Do you want to go through the lines? I’ll fill the other roles.”

“Really?”

Yuna became visibly happier. She smiled awkwardly because of the pressuring gaze.

“I would love to have you check on us.”

Hoyoung urged Yuna, saying that they should begin quickly. Yuna also quickly got ready.

“We aren’t just going over the lines. Put your emotions into the lines as well. We’re going to exchange what we felt from each other’s lines and think about how we can change them after.”

She no longer spoke and just looked at the other two. Since these two were really good, she might actually distract them if she wasn’t serious. She would have to watch them while maintaining the tension she was in during shoots.

“Begin once you’re ready,” she said as she opened the script.

* * *

“...That is my opinion. These are purely my opinions so if you don’t think one is right, then just ignore it. I know that both of you are learning in acting schools.”

“I think I like your teachings better. In acting schools, it’s not personal guidance. It’s more like checking homework when we prepare some acting. We rarely get the chance to have someone comment on our every action,” Hoyoung said.

“What you taught me is the same as what I learned in acting schools. No, I found it a lot easier to understand so it was very helpful.”

Yuna nodded after saying those words. It was as though she was trying to cheer her up. She inwardly felt relieved. She was worried since she had never taught junior like this one-on-one, but it seemed that they were satisfied.

“I’ll do this in the future as well. If you want to practice with me, talk to me any time. I’m an extra in the play this time, so I have a lot of time. Don’t feel too bad and just talk to me whenever you’d like.”

“Right, seonbae-nim. I find that strange. Why did you not take up any roles this time?” Hoyoung expressed his dissatisfaction.

“Because I’m in my 3rd year. Myunghwa High has always been like this. In our 3rd years, we either take insignificant roles or don’t participate at all and help out as staff instead. Only then do the juniors get a chance. Of course, if the juniors are not worth looking at, all of us 3rd years would have to participate....”

She looked at the other first year students who were practicing on the other side of the clubroom.

“But as you see, we have a splendid new batch of members this year. We need to be the ones to support you since we have stage experience, because who else will?”

“Wouldn’t we get the grand prize if the seniors go on stage though?”

“You can’t say that for sure. Even if we do, we won’t feel that happy about it. After all, there will be a gap once we graduate. If the alumni happened to hear about that, they’ll immediately barge in and scold us, you know?”

“Well, the seniors were a little scary back then.”

“They’re all working in society after all. You’ll realize what I mean once you become 2nd and then 3rd years. Going on stage might be fun, but it's even more fun helping out the juniors. I think that’s the driving force behind Myunghwa High getting the grand prize every year.”

She smiled and closed the script.

“Well done, both of you. It’s time to go home.”

Hearing her words, the two juniors looked at the clock simultaneously.

“Oh, it’s gotten so late already.”

“I didn’t realize.”

“Sorry for holding you up so late on a Sunday. Get your things. Let’s leave together.”

Hoyoung replied ‘yes’ in a big voice before running over to the other first year students. She turned around after putting her script between her arm and her body. She had to get changed and then get ready to go home.

“Uhm, seonbae-nim.”

“Yeah?”

She turned around. She saw Yuna hesitant to do something.

“What is it?”

“Uhm… can I ask you about one thing?”

“Do you have something to ask already? What is it?”

“Uhm… there’s this thing I coincidentally overheard.”

“Yeah, go on.”

“I heard that you know Han Maru-seonbae who appears in ‘New Semester’.”

“Han Maru? Uh, yeah. What about him?”

“Do you really know him?”

“Yeah.”

Hearing that, Yuna became even more hesitant to say something. She tilted her head and took a step closer.

“What’s this about? Don’t be too stiff. I won’t eat you.”

“...Uhm, seonbae-nim. Can I meet Han Maru-seonbae?”

“Meet Maru?”

“Yes! I mean, it’s not me who wants to meet him. My sister says she wants to meet him.”

“Your sister?”

“Yes. She’s called Kim Bitna. She just entered elementary school this year.”

“Really? She must be cute if she’s anything like you.”

“Yes, she’s really cute.”

“But she wants to see Maru?”

“...Yes.”

Yuna turned her head away slightly. She tilted her head in confusion but still replied.

“I’ll ask him for you. It sounds like your sister really likes New Semester.”

“No, she doesn’t watch New Semester that much.”

“But she knows Maru?”

“I heard that she got to act together in the same drama before.”

“Drama?”

“Yes. My sister is a child actress.”

“Wow, that’s incredible.”

“Heheh, my sister’s good at acting.”

Seeing Yuna smiling happily made her realize just how much Yuna cherished her sister. She took out her phone on the spot.

“I’ll try calling him.”

“Thank you.”

She checked the time. 9 p.m. He probably had a shoot today since it was Sunday, but he also said that it might end early, so he should probably be home by now.

She long-pressed the shortcut number: 2.