Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 67

The door closed softly, but the parents felt otherwise.

They were all speechless at the unexpected and unimaginable situation.

Director Park Ji-soo opened his mouth.

Please keep the secret about actor Lee Seo-jun. And please tell your children as well.

Why? If Lee Seo-jun is in it, it will be a huge buzz.

At the question of the acting academy staff, Director Park Ji-soo explained slowly why Lee Seo-jun used a stage name. The parents nodded and listened to his story.

That makes sense, but

Still, they wanted to spread the rumor that their son, daughter, or student was acting with Lee Seo-jun. They wanted to brag.

People would flock in, and reporters would take pictures. It was an opportunity to become a star, even if not as much as Lee Seo-jun.

Director Park Ji-soo seemed to know what the parents were thinking, and he opened his mouth again.

If the secret is revealed during the practice period, Lee Seo-jun will quit. And if it is revealed during the performance, the rest of the shows will be replaced by another voice actor.

The practice room became quiet at Director Park Ji-soos words. He looked at the parents who were making displeased expressions, and he met someones eyes and quietly went outside.

When the director disappeared, they all expressed their thoughts comfortably. They were all dissatisfied with why they didnt promote with Lee Seo-juns name. Then, a woman opened her mouth.

It might be better to reveal it after the play is over.

Why?

If he drops out during the practice period, this play wont be in Lee Seo-juns filmography.

Then what about revealing it during the show?

If he drops out in the middle of the show, the kids will get attention at first. Are you close with Lee Seo-jun? How was it during the practice? How was it during the show? But soon, everyone will only dig into why Lee Seo-jun left the play.

They all got absorbed in the womans story.

Then the story will spread. Someone didnt keep the secret and thats why it happened. Then the publics criticism will pour on the kids, the parents, and the academy. They will say they are the people who broke the contract to make their names known.

Will it go that far?

The reporters will do it. They cant touch Lee Seo-jun who hid himself for the kids, so they will find a way to increase the views with provocative content that will be a buzz, while putting Lee Seo-juns name in it. Lee Seo-jun couldnt do the play because of someones selfishness? Theres no way it wont be a buzz.

Someone swallowed their saliva, as if they could imagine the headlines.

They will easily find out the kids names on the play pamphlet and their elementary schools. The same goes for the acting academy. You can guess the rest. Thats the worst case scenario.

Thats true.

Then whats the best case scenario?

At someones question, the woman opened her mouth.

Everyone keeps the secret and the play ends safely. As the director said, we can reveal it after the play is over. We can say that our child was on the same stage with Lee Seo-jun. Rather, since we cant see the play anymore, the kids who were on the stage with him will get a lot of interviews. If they leave a good impression there, drama or movie appearances wont be a problem either.

The parents eyes sparkled. The academy staff were the same.

An acting academy with child actors who acted with Lee Seo-jun.

It was a bit of a strange phrase, but in the world of child actors, anything with Lee Seo-juns name sold.

The elephant milk that was still selling well. The monster companys doll that Lee Seo-jun played with. The daily items that appeared in the occasional YouTube vlogs.

Things that seemed like they had to have, things that seemed like they had to raise them like this to enter Hollywood, strange beliefs.

The parents here had them too.

Well, we have to keep the secret until the play is over.

At the womans words, they all nodded their heads heavily, thinking about their childrens and students futures.

-Mission complete!

<Thank you for your hard work.

-Thank you too, Da-ho!

Anda-ho put his phone in his pocket, looking at Seo-jun who was having fun talking with the kids.

The second day of practice was over.

The kids and the parents couldnt take their eyes off Seo-jun and Anda-ho who were heading to the underground parking lot.

When Seo-jun got on the car seat, Anda-ho checked it and got on the drivers seat.

How were the kids?

Anda-ho watched from afar and they looked friendly, but it could be different from the direct conversation with Seo-jun. Seo-jun answered with a bright smile.

Theyre all nice! But they said theyre going to practice by scene, so there wont be much time to meet if its not a group practice.

At Seo-juns words, Anda-ho thought of the script of Spring.

Seo-jun comes out at the very end. The character that comes out with him

The main character! I only practice with So-yeong unnie!

Thats something.

He thought of the parents who were disappointed with the scene-by-scene practice, but Anda-ho shrugged his shoulders.

The staff of Team 2 who secretly infiltrated among the parents told them a lot of worst-case scenarios, so they would keep the secret as much as possible.

Even if they didnt get close with Lee Seo-jun, being in the same play with Lee Seo-jun would be a very impressive title as Lee Seo-jun became more famous. When they met Seo-jun as an actor next time, it would be easier to start a conversation.

I hope it ends quietly as Team 2 planned.

Anda-ho started the car and wished in his heart.

***

Half of the one-month practice period passed like a flash.

It was a short time, but not for the kids. 

The kids who were awkward at first soon forgot that Lee Seo-jun was a famous actor and became close enough to play jokes with him. 

The parents and the academy staff who were disappointed with the scene-by-scene practice were also satisfied with their appearance.

Seo-jun! Have some ice cream! My mom bought it!

Okay! Im coming, hyung!

Buying snacks was the easiest way to gather the kids who were scattered in different practice rooms.

Most of the time, it was simple snacks like ice cream, bread, or milk, but sometimes Seo-jun brought pizza or burgers.

Seo-jun, lets have chicken next time!

Lee Da-jin, who played the role of a hunter, smiled brightly with ice cream in his mouth. It was his fourth time appearing in a play, but it was the first time he got snacks every practice day.

Should we?

I want pizza.

Unnie. We had that last time.

The parents took pictures of the cheerful kids. A video of the kids with Seo-jun! When they met eyes with Director Park Ji-soo, they pretended to zip their mouths. Director Park Ji-soo hoped that the secret would be kept and nodded awkwardly.

Well start the group practice today.

For the next two weeks, the group practice would begin on the stage where the play would be performed.

The kids arrived at the stage where they had auditioned with Director Park Ji-soo and swallowed their saliva.

Unlike the audition when there was nothing, the stage production team had placed empty boxes that would become the background props according to Director Park Ji-soos instructions.

First, well check the movements in order.

The scene-by-scene acting instructors stuck to the kids. Director Park Ji-soo followed Choi So-yeong, who played the main character Spring.

The screen background was already completed, and a beam poured from the audience seats and showed the background on the screen behind the stage. It was a cute fairy tale background that suited the kids play.

Finally, it was Seo-juns turn to appear. At Director Park Ji-soos gesture, Seo-jun went up to the stage. And a white cloth fell from the ceiling and spread out.

Wow!

The kids shouted and Seo-jun also exclaimed. It was a blue dragon. A cool blue dragon was drawn on the white cloth.

This is the blue dragon that will appear on the screen later. Its the role that Seo-jun plays. Seo-jun just has to speak with the microphone here.

Seo-jun stood where Director Park Ji-soo pointed. There was a thin board in front of Seo-jun, and there was a round hole in the middle. It seemed to fit Seo-juns height, and he could see the stage without anything in front of him.

Well make sure Seo-jun can see well here. Of course, the audience wont be able to see it. When you act with So-yeong, you have to look at her and match the timing. Got it?

Yes!

Thats how the kids were told the positions and movements of their roles and had time to practice with each other.

When the kids were practicing and talking with the teachers, Director Park Ji-soo checked the time and clapped his hands to gather the kids attention.

Then well start the final practice today! The lights, music, and sound effects will all be like the performance. Even if you make a mistake or miss the timing, well go to the end this time! Please focus.

The kids looked at the stage with nervous expressions.

The sound effects and lights were made by the teachers words in the practice room.

Spotlight!

A loud noise is heard.

The background changes.

Now it was really standing on the stage.

The kids who appeared in the first scene stood on the stage. The staff also moved the boxes to set up the first scene.

The kids who appeared in the second scene stood close to make it easy to go up, and the other kids waited for their turn or sat nearby.

Seo-jun, who appeared last, sat a little away from the kids so as not to interfere with their movement. Seo-juns eyes never left the stage.

Cameras were installed in a few places in the audience seats to monitor with the kids.

The staff checked that the stage was well lit and sent a signal. Director Park Ji-soo shouted loudly.

Lets start!

The music flowed.

The kids stumbled to find their movements and acted timidly, unlike the lively practice in the practice room, but the story progressed slowly.

Choi So-yeong, who played the main character, led the kids like a veteran. Director Park Ji-soo checked the places where the kids made mistakes and thought about the background, props, and lights.

The last scene, it was Seo-juns turn.

The kids who had finished their turn sat comfortably in the audience seats, and the parents were busy taking pictures of their kids with their phones.

The staff also moved with half their minds relaxed as the group practice was ending.

At Director Park Ji-soos gesture, a blue dragon picture fluttered down from the ceiling, and Seo-jun brought the microphone close to his mouth.

[(Line)The weak bloodline of the Blue Dragon Hatchling is activated.]

Seo-juns black eyes turned into the color of the sea. The ends of his black hair also turned blue. His senses, especially his hearing, were sharpened, and he felt like he could hear the breathing of Da-ho hyung who was sitting in the audience seats.

More. More.

Two hard horns grew out of his black hair. Pink scales appeared on his chubby cheeks, shining blue.

Seo-jun looked at the blue scales that sprouted on the back of his hand.

[(Line)The weak bloodline of the Blue Dragon Hatchling Intermediate]

It is the bloodline of a young blue dragon (hatchling).

The bloodline alone shows the difference in rank.

Depending on the strength of the bloodline, some parts of the body become blue dragonized.

Thats why I couldnt use it in the practice room.

At the audition, everyone was far away, and the bright lights hid not only the color of his eyes but also his hair.

But in the practice room, So-yeong unnie was close, and the lights were moderate. It was a perfect situation to be caught, so he didnt use his ability.

So, the bloodline was weak at the audition, and he didnt use it after that. That was the story.

Even though the people were satisfied with his acting, Seo-jun felt regretful. He could have done better. Now that his appearance was hidden behind the board, it was his chance to show off his skills.

He breathed in and out deeply,

And then,

A blue dragon appeared in the theater.

The kids who were sitting in the audience seats after the stage was over, the parents who were watching, and the staff who were walking around, all looked at the blue dragon installed on the stage.

There was no wind, so it was just a dull and ordinary picture. It was just a coolly drawn blue dragon picture, but,

What kind of device did they use?

One of the parents asked, and the staff shook their heads.

It was just a cool but ordinary blue dragon picture printed by a large printer.

Wow. I thought it was a real blue dragon.

Me too! It felt like I was making a wish to the blue dragon.

As the kids chattered, the adults finally came to their senses.

The president who came to watch the first group practice and Director Park Ji-soo looked at the blue dragon picture and Seo-jun who was sitting in the audience seat and drinking water alternately with a blank face.

Im so sorry to waste this.

I agree.

Im really sorry!

I agree a hundred thousand times.

As the two people were talking only about how sorry they were, someone approached them.

Sorry

Excuse me, Mr. President.

Yes Oh, yes. What is it?

It was the stage director who wore his hat backwards. He opened the note he brought with a flushed face.

While watching the group practice earlier, I thought of something. I want to add more devices here. Like the real world. Trees, flowers, houses, everything realistic. Especially the blue dragon, not just a video, but something more three-dimensional

The stage directors talk went on for a while. The president and Director Park Ji-soo nodded repeatedly. In the meantime, the assistant director checked the time and sent the kids and parents home.

The president counted the remaining days. Two weeks. There were two weeks left until the performance.

Will we have enough time to make it until the performance?

We have time, but the budget

The stage director rubbed his neck. The background, props, and blue dragon he wanted to make were different from the cute ones he planned to make. He had a rough idea of how much it would cost.

The stage directors eyes rolled and headed towards the president.

Dont worry about the budget.

As he saw Seo-juns acting and heard the stage directors talk, his tight head stopped. The president of Eunhasu Centers eyes sparkled.

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