"What a disaster."
"Time. Moves faster. Than I thought. And the sun. Always. Rises!"
Wow.
Mooyoung stared blankly in astonishment.
The only lead actor in the drama, and this was what they got?How could someone in that condition possibly carry an entire show?
He'd only ever seen acting from his BV Academy classmates before,so this raw, unfiltered performance hit him like a train.
Damn.
Of course, that shock was nothing compared to CEO Jo Miyoung's.
She immediately grabbed the team leader by the collar and hissed,"What the hell? What's wrong with him?"
"I—I don't know! He wasn't this bad before!"
"Is this a joke to him? We're screwed!"
She mouthed the words in silent fury, veins standing out on her neck.The team leader could only gape helplessly.
"What was his last project again?""KBC's Carlona and Toy Friend.""Are you kidding me!?"
Those were public broadcast dramas — both with solid ratings.Sure, there were murmurs about his acting,but for an idol's first foray into acting, the reviews had been relatively kind.
That's why Square Film had even accepted this project.
"Team leader?"
"Huh? Oh, uh—yeah?"
"Is there a problem?"
Envin looked up from his script with an expression of pure boredom.His jaw tilted lazily to one side — uninterested, dismissive.
And that's when Jo Miyoung realized what was going on.
'This bastard's… ignoring us.'
He'd worked himself half to death for his network dramas —rehearsing until the script was worn thin,his voice going hoarse from practice.
But this? This was just a web drama.
"Shall we continue?"
He hadn't auditioned for it. His agency had accepted the role for him,mostly because he happened to be Seoul's promotional ambassador.
To him, this project was nothing more than another PR obligation.
'The city channel barely has 120,000 subscribers.'
He clearly didn't expect much.Only his fans would watch, and even they wouldn't notice bad acting —especially not the overseas ones.
"Yaaawn— Let's go home already."
The CEO inhaled sharply through her teeth.
'This is bad. Seriously bad.'
To one person, this was a forgettable gig.To another, it was a matter of survival.
Her lips pressed thin as she glared at Envin's profile.
What could she even do? She couldn't publicly humiliate him.
Pffft!
A laugh suddenly escaped.
Mooyoung.
He couldn't help it. That robotic yawn was too much —he clapped a hand over his mouth and straightened up immediately.
"I'm sorry."
"…What's so funny?"
Thud.
The director and writer froze mid-motion.
Envin had just tossed his script onto the table.
Everyone's eyes went wide — even his manager's.Only Mooyoung remained perfectly calm.
"Your acting's so… unique."
"…What?"
"I didn't mean to interrupt the flow. My apologies."
Then he bowed politely to the room.
Envin turned to his manager, as if to say, Are you seeing this shit?
Was that supposed to be an apology?
"Is this supporting role finalized?"
His manager's sharp tone made the team leader flinch.That tone — steeped in entitlement — carried the clear message:Extras like this are replaceable.
"Yes. I am finalized," Mooyoung answered brightly.
The director and writer exchanged nervous glances, silently pleading with CEO Jo Miyoung to intervene.
"Director, about the shooting schedule for that scene…"
Jo Miyoung stepped in smoothly, giving the director a look — a reminder that they were professionals at work.
"Oh, right! Uh, yes— that segment. We were planning a loose shot, focusing more on the background. Mostly a set piece, but we might—"
"There's no 'finalized' anything before filming even starts."
Envin cut him off coldly.
Web drama or not, productions fall apart all the time, even after press releases.
"I can't do this. I don't want to act with someone who doesn't take it seriously."
Good grief.
The team leader silently prayed for divine intervention.
Why now? Why today? It's just a reading, for god's sake!
"Ah— well…"
Mooyoung hesitated, clearly holding something back — but then he fell quiet.
To Envin, that silence felt smug.
"What? Got something to say?"
"No. I'm capable of reading the room."
"Great. Then you can read the exit too. You're fired."
"For real? I'm actually fired?"
Mooyoung blinked at the team leader, genuinely curious.
The poor man couldn't say anything — he just gave a tiny nod,meaning 'Just apologize and smooth this over!'
But Mooyoung misunderstood.
"Oh? So I am fired. That's strange."
This wasn't how his streak of lucky fortune was supposed to end.
"Well then, since I'm fired, I can speak freely, right? The one lacking sincerity is you. You got the script first, but you clearly didn't study it. Who the hell reads their lines chopped up like that?"
His words sliced through the air like glass.
Same age, no future ties — why hold back?
Envin just stared, dumbstruck.Honestly, so did everyone else in the room.
"Your pacing's all over the place too. Maybe try rehearsing properly."
"You— you little—!"
"We're all here to make something good, right? The lead shouldn't be dragging everyone down. Okay, I'm done. Take care, everyone."
Mooyoung clapped his hands together and slung his bag over his shoulder.
Envin's stunned face twisted as he shot to his feet—
Click.
"Oppa?"
The door opened, and a woman peeked in.
The tension shattered like glass.
"Wh-what the hell?"
Envin's pointing finger shifted from Mooyoung to her.
She wore a hat and mask, a massive camera hanging from her neck —a telephoto lens, the kind only fans or paparazzi used.
Click.
She snapped a picture like it was a keepsake.
Everyone froze — except Envin, who exploded.
"Hehe. Sorry, did I interrupt something?"
"You've gotta be f***ing kidding me!"
The woman apologized sheepishly, but his fury was volcanic.His manager swore and lunged toward the door, face dark with panic.
"You Really Want to Know?"
"How did you even find this place?"
"There's always a way."
He wasn't buying it.
"Did you forget what the lawyer said? One more stunt like this and the penalties get worse. This is illegal—"
"Yeah, go ahead. Call them. Do what you want."
Click—
"You crazy bitch!"
"I'm recording. And if you touch me, you know what'll happen. Just like last time."
Just like last time.
At those words, pure dread washed over Envin's face.
He'd dealt with obsessive fans before—plenty of them, in fact—but this woman was something else entirely.It was as if he'd wronged her in a past life.Each day under her warped, obsessive "love" left him more drained and hollow.
"I'm not here to interfere. Just pretend I'm not here. I'll wait outside."
Click.
She rolled up her sleeve slightly as she closed the door.A faint line of scars glimmered across her wrist.
Envin buried his face in his hands and slumped into his chair.
"Haah…"
"Bin, are you alright? I'll call the police.""Tell them to hurry."
His voice was low and flat, stripped of all energy.
Mooyoung's anger toward him dissipated instantly.The fury evaporated, replaced by quiet pity.
The team leader and the Square Film staff rushed toward the door in a panic.
"How'd she even get in here?""She's one of those stalkers, right? We'll get her out.""No. Leave her."
The manager held out a hand, whispering sharply, blocking their way.
Through the frosted glass, they could see the woman crouching in the hallway.
"She's a new stalker. Totally unhinged. She showed up at the agency—caused a scene—so we dragged her out, and then she, uh… she cut herself."
"What?"
The word froze everyone in place.
"Ever since then, every time the guards try to remove her, she threatens to kill herself. Pulls a knife, even. We can't afford for this to hit the news…"He grimaced. "Sorry. The cops will handle it. She usually calms down once they arrive."
He quickly started making calls—police, the agency, maybe both.
"Should've filed charges," Jo Miyoung muttered grimly.
"We're going to," Envin said hoarsely."She's only been around a short while, so the company wanted to observe first. God… I'm sorry. I spent all morning trying to shake her off."
So that's why he'd been late.And why he'd seemed so tense, so on edge.
"She's back again. Where are you guys?"
—"We're right downstairs!"
The bodyguards' confused reply only made the manager's brow furrow.
If they were downstairs, then how had she gotten in?
"This is a disaster," the team leader muttered, eyeing the clock.
Envin's next schedule was coming up fast.Their first script reading was now completely ruined.
And Mooyoung—who'd been their most promising new find—had just blown up at the star actor.There was no saving this project now.
"Boss, we're doomed.""Shut it."
Jo Miyoung snapped, cutting him off.
There was no way Envin could continue the reading after this.Even if he did, it wouldn't matter—his attitude, his "acting," none of it was usable.
A web drama is still a drama, she thought bitterly, massaging her temple.
They said every disaster left a hole to crawl out of—but where was it this time?
Shhh—
Meanwhile, Mooyoung adjusted the strap of his bag.
While everyone else gawked at the hallway in shock, his eyes gleamed with curiosity.
'Behind that woman…'
A swirl of black smog.
For the first time in ages, he saw one—dark haze clinging to her neck, coiled around her back.
But it looked… wrong.Distorted. Misshapen.
"Well then, I'll be going."
"Ah…"
Creak.
Before the team leader could stop him, Mooyoung stepped out into the hall.
He looked down at the woman, still crouched on the floor, fiddling with her camera.
"What?" she muttered, glaring up at him.
Mooyoung tilted his head.
It was smog—but not quite the same.It was almost human-shaped.
Was it a wandering spirit? Something else?
"What are you staring at?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he crouched down to meet her gaze.
Ordinary ghosts didn't appear pure black like that.They shimmered, translucent, mixed with other colors.
"Could it be…"
His eyes reflected in her sunglasses—clear, bright, and impossibly calm.
Everyone else stared through the frosted glass, breath held.They could see Mooyoung and the woman facing each other,but couldn't make out a word.
"When are the police getting here?""Any minute."
If that woman lashed out with a knife…
The thought alone made everyone uneasy.
Envin, still slumped at the desk, watched their hazy outlines.
And then—
"Aaaagh!"
A piercing scream. The woman shot to her feet.
Everyone flinched.
"What the—?""What's happening?""Hyung! Do something!"
Was she having a breakdown?
But then—she bolted.Racing down the hallway, gone in an instant.
Envin's heart pounded. He got up, opened the door slowly.
Creak.
"What the hell…"
The hall was quiet again.Only Mooyoung remained, crouched where she'd been,the same innocent look on his face.
"What did you do?"
Envin's voice trembled in disbelief.
What could he have possibly done to scare her away like that?
Mooyoung smiled.
"You really want to know?"