Chapter 102:
Yooil made his way to the practice studio in Seocho-gu. As soon as he entered, he was greeted by Director Kim Juwon.
"Yooil~ How have you been?"
Director Kim Juwon was still wearing his usual beanie.
According to the staff, Director Kim Juwon owned multiple identical beanies. The staff whispered as if they were sharing a secret.
When we get into the serious practice period, he becomes very sensitive. It's like a beanie and always wears similar clothes Maybe it's a kind of superstition or something?
It seems like he just wears them because they're comfortable.'
Whatever the reason, the beanie had become his iconic fashion item.
After exchanging greetings with Director Kim Juwon, Yooil took his seat and waited for the other actors.
The main cast of <Ordinary Family> consisted of three actors: Han Yooil, Lee Soyun, and Kwon Mija. Lee Soyun was known as a serious actor', having performed in theater since her twenties and recently started appearing in dramas. Kwon Mija was a veteran actress, famous for her acting skills as much as her extensive career.
As the door to the practice room opened, Yooil stood up immediately.
The person who entered was the actor Yooil was most looking forward to meeting in this play, Kwon Mija. Her grey hair neatly combed, she entered the practice room and noticed Yooil in the center.
"It's been a while, ma'am."
"Oh, just call me senior', that's fine."
Kwon Mija and Yooil knew each other. They had worked together just a few months ago in <The Sun and the Moon>.
"Yes, I remember Congratulations on your award. I watched it on TV; your acting was good."
"Thank you, senior."
A faint anticipation appeared on Kwon Mija's face.
I was curious.'
She hadn't been able to see Yooil's acting up close during the shooting of <The Sun and the Moon>.
Most of her scenes were shot inside the palace set, so the days she saw Yooil's face during the shooting period could be counted on one hand. Only now did she feel like they were really going to act together.
"Well, we will see each other often this time."
Then, the practice room door opened again. Short black hair and monolid eyes caught attention.
"Hellooo~!"
The girl who entered cheerfully looked at Yooil and Kwon Mija in the center of the practice room.
Kwon Mija senior looks happy?'
Lee Soyun, who had already performed in a play with Kwon Mija, was a bit surprised. Although Kwon Mija was gentle, she wasn't someone you could easily approach.
Was she more playful than expected?
Quickly composing her thoughts, Lee Soyun wore a full smile on her face.
"Seniooooor!"
"Ah, Soyun is here."
Lee Soyun, with a coquettish voice, ran and hugged Kwon Mija. Their interaction resembled that of a grandmother and granddaughter, just like the roles they were about to portray.
"I'm Han Yooil."
"And I'm Lee Soyun!"
After a brief greeting, Lee Soyun looked at Yooil with a curious eye.
Lee Soyun was intrigued by Han Yooil.
She knew he was a rising star. And with such popularity, there were always rumors. But he wasn't particularly notorious. Even when she asked around, few people knew him well, making her curiosity harder to satisfy.
I didn't expect him to do theater.'
It wasn't unheard of for actors famous in the theater scene to receive acclaim in dramas or movies, but it was rare for rising stars to participate in theater.
As the white practice room filled with a similar yet distinct sense of anticipation, Kim Juwon opened his mouth.
All the actors are here, so I guess we can start soon.
After briefly explaining the play and the direction of the production, he clapped his hands loudly once and shrugged her shoulders.
Let's start the reading.
Simultaneously, the expression on Kim Juwon's face, which had been relatively soft and malleable until a moment ago, sharpened instantly. The atmosphere among the staff also noticeably shifted.
It begins.
Yooil slowly opened his eyes.
Jisoo, do the cleaning today.
Ah, got it~
With the opening lines from Kwon Mija and Lee Soyun signaling the start of the play, the serious reading session began.
* * *
Originally, <Ordinary Family> was a play with a strong genre identity, but after a few performances, its fantasy elements intensified.
<Ordinary Family> was set in a distant future. The air, contaminated with radiation, was unlivable for people, and those with wealth and power left for other planets. Only a handful of survivors, who had anticipated the future, managed to preserve their lives in pre-built underground bunkers.
Then one day, while postponing the cleaning of the bunker entrance, a girl accidentally encountered a humanoid exploration robot.
The girl, who met an android robot for the first time, was greatly surprised.
Ah!
She even fell on her buttocks.
Initially, Jisoo, the girl, thought he was a living person, not a robot, and was confused about what to do.
What should I do? Could he really be a human?
And then, Jisoos monologue begins. On the actual stage, this would be staged using lighting and props to reflect a flashback.
Ive always been curious about the outside world.
Jisoo, born in the bunker, had never been outside. Her parents had left the bunker to find food and never returned. Thats also why her grandmother was overprotective of her.
But once, just once, the girl saw an outsider.
That person was a woman, balding so severely her age was indiscernible, her skin filled with pus.
Uh Uh.
The woman, peering through the hazy bunker window, could only make a small groaning noise. That was the only sound she could make.
Jisoo didnt hesitate. The bunker was made of multiple steel doors to block external air and disinfect. Jisoo quickly opened the triple-filtered doors of the bunker, and after being disinfected, the woman was able to enter.
That day, the grandmother didnt scold the girl. Instead, she handed the woman the coolest water available.
The next day, the woman was dead. Without even telling her name.
Jisoo rolls her eyes. She cautiously glances at the robot and then, with trembling hands, takes the microphone installed in the bunker.
Excuse me.
And after some contemplation, she tentatively asks,
Are you a refugee?
After the radiation contamination progressed, humans exposed to the atmosphere without any protective shield met their fate within a week at most, regardless of any treatment or food consumed.
Some were forced outside due to their homes collapsing or running out of food, but there were also a few who chose to leave the bunkers of their own volition.
The former were called refugees.
"Or perhaps an ascetic?"
The latter were called ascetics.
The outsider, upon hearing Jisoo's question, looked at her with an inscrutable face.
Unknowingly, Jisoo swallowed her saliva.
"Yes. I am, an ascetic."
* * *
The artistic director looked around at the actors engaged in the reading with an intrigued expression.
<Ordinary Family> was a play that had been recognized for its experimental and unique stage since its premiere about 20 years ago. It had been a topic of discussion due to the design created by a then very young famous artist.
Anyway, the artistic director had plans to create the stage in a different direction from the previous stage designs. Although the general design and the parts that needed key mechanical devices had already been decided upon after consulting with the director, the finer details had not yet been determined.
What troubled him until the last moment was the outside world, the part beyond the bunker. Although a dystopian world could be created using screens or lighting, this time he wanted to present the outside world more distinctly in the play.
However, it was not feasible to use expensive equipment like the LED ICVFX (In-Camera Visual Effects) used in Hollywood movie sets.
It was while the artistic director was deep in thought that it happened.
"Yes. I am, an ascetic."
The moment Yooil delivered his first line.
Precisely, the moment he moved, the artistic directors eyes lit up.
Han Yooil moved slowly. One step, half a step. And then another step, half a step.
The artistic director, following his movements with his eyes, suddenly had a realization.
!'
Thats it.
Yooil's movement now. If we create the world outside the bunker as a regular spiral path
We could solve the space issue as well.'
With this unexpected solution in mind, the artistic director started to run simulations in his head and began scribbling notes frantically on the empty margins of his notebook.
* * *
Meanwhile, Jisoo, realizing that the being she let into the bunker was a robot, became annoyed.
"What, you're not a human? Why did you lie about being an ascetic?"
"I am an android created for exploration purposes, Ascetic B-234."
"What kind of name is that for an exploration robot? Is that really true?"
As Jisoo spoke irritably, the robot, as if it had been waiting, spoke up.
"Exploration, start- 9914th day."
The robot continued, staring straight into Jisoos eyes.
"Current time, local time 16:34. Lifeform, discovered."
Its eyes were devoid of life.
Lee Soyun, acting opposite Yooil, racked her brain each time he delivered a line.
What is it?'
Each word had a subtly different pitch. The intervals between words were also unusual. It was a peculiar way of speaking. Yet, it wasnt strange or awkward in its execution.
<Ordinary Family>s script did not specify a particular manner of speaking. Since proper rehearsals had not yet begun, all aspects of the performance were the actors own interpretations.
How did he do that?!'
She was overwhelmingly curious!
Lee Soyun's eyes sparkled with curiosity, a trait she never allowed to wane. As soon as it was break time, a white arm suddenly appeared in front of Yooil. It was because Lee Soyun had firmly grabbed Han Yooil's arm.
"Do you have a reference for this character? How did you decide on the way of speaking? Do you practice alone?"
Lee Soyun looked directly at Yooil with fiery eyes. Observing this, Kim Juwon quietly smiled.
Good.'
She started to anticipate the synergy that the three actors would show. It was a moment that proved she had chosen the right people.
* * *
That night.
Han Yooil sat in his room for background immersion.
Although he had prepared for his acting through background immersion even when auditioning for <Ordinary Family>, after the first reading, Yooil had become acutely aware of his shortcomings.
I want to do better.'
That was why Yooil repeatedly went through the background immersion for the same scene.
Starting the background immersion for Chapter 1.
Empty streets. A ghost town where dust swirled. Buildings lost to humanity and in ruin. Corroded cars, signs with faded letters.
Dust had taken the place where life once thrived.
It was a street he had walked countless times.
Yooil slowly walked down the street, clearing his mind of all distractions.
Exploration Day 9914.'
With each step, layers of emotions and thoughts were peeled away.
As Yooil methodically surveyed his surroundings with dry eyes, the voice of Brion echoed in his head.
Heart rate decreased by 18bpm. Body temperature dropped by 2.1C. Oxygen saturation at 93.5%. Warning: Hypoxia. Terminating background immersion'
The next moment, Yooil staggered due to a sudden wave of dizziness. His vision started to blur. Dizziness overcame him, a predictable outcome considering he had been in background immersion longer than usual.
I'll be fine after a little rest.'
Yooil let his body relax, waiting for the surrounding background to fade away.
?'
But soon, he looked around in panic. The background immersion didn't fade away as it usually did.
"Brion?"
For the first time in a long while, Yooil called out to Brion with his voice.
But there was no response.
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