Sometimes, life could take an unbelievable turn in the blink of an eye. Take me, for example. Just two weeks ago, I was a fourth-year university student, stressed out with brainstorming research topics and worrying about whether I'd find a job after graduation. But now, here I was, standing in front of a massive house in the Krungthep Kreetha area, about to sign a contract to become an actor for a production company.

 

Honestly, the word 'house' didn't quite do justice to the enormous structure in front of me. It was more like a mansion or a villa. It was far too grand to be just a residence, at least from my perspective, having grown up in a three-story shophouse. Maybe it doubled as the company's office, too.

 

I sent a LINE message to P'Cher, the AR (Artist Relations), who had called me the day before to let her know I'd arrived. After awkwardly waiting in front of the gate for about two or three minutes, someone came to open it for me.

 

"Hello," I quickly greeted the woman in front of me with a polite wai. P'Cher was a stunning woman with sharp eyes and a model-like figure. She wore gold-rimmed glasses, giving off the vibe of a strict secretary from a drama series.

 

"Hi there. You can park your bike over there. That parking area is for our office," she said, pointing to a small parking lot on the left. I quickly moved my beloved Scoopy to a shaded spot and then hurried to follow P'Cher into the house, trailing behind her like a chick following a mother hen.

 

"Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Cher. I'm P'Jarin's assistant and the AR who will be taking care of everything for you from now on. P'Jarin, your manager, will be here at 4 PM. I'll introduce you to him then," she explained.

 

"Alright," I replied briefly. I wasn't exactly the most sociable person, nor was I great at striking up conversations with new people. It usually took me some time to warm up to someone I'd just met.

 

P'Cher led me into a living room that was as spacious as a hotel lobby. There, I noticed a young man sitting on the sofa. He was strikingly handsome. When he saw us, he turned and gave us a friendly smile.

 

"Wan, this is another actor from our agency. Get to know each other. Wan, you're the senior here, right?! I think you're two years apart," P'Cher said.

 

"Hello, P'Wan. I'm Ren," the young man stood up and greeted me with a wai, which I quickly returned. As he introduced himself, I suddenly remembered seeing the name Ren in the casting announcement. He'd been cast as the friend of Copter, the lead character. If he were two years younger than me, that meant he was only nineteen. Yet, he was so tall that I had to tilt my head back to look at him. He must've been close to 190 cm tall.

 

"Renji," P'Cher suddenly said. The young man smiled sheepishly and quickly responded, "Oh, right! I'm Renji. Sorry, I'm still getting used to it."

 

"Uh... what's going on?" I asked, confused.

 

"We added a unique gimmick to his original one to make it stand out and avoid duplication with others. Ren's real name is Jirapat, so we decided on Renji. From now on, whenever someone asks, introduce yourself as Renji, okay? You'll get used to it faster that way," P'Cher explained, directing her last sentence to the new actor. Renji nodded obediently while I just stood there, blinking in confusion.

 

"So, do I have to change my name too?" I asked.

 

"We'll discuss it later. Why? You don't want to change it?"

 

"Well.. no," I admitted, nodding. I have been using the name Wan, given to me by my parents, for twenty-one years. I'd never thought about changing or adding anything to it. Besides, I was already clumsy enough. If I changed my name, I'd probably forget to respond when someone called me because I wouldn't recognise it as my own.

 

"No problem. Let's talk about something else for now," P'Cher said, cutting the conversation short. She then turned to Renji. 

 

"Renji, wait here to meet P'Jarin. I'll take P'Wan to discuss the contract in another room."

 

"Okay," Renji nodded obediently and gave me another smile. I patted the younger guy on the shoulder lightly and told him we'd meet again soon. Then, I followed P'Cher into a room that had been set up like a meeting room.

 

After we sat down and a maid brought us some water, P'Cher, sitting across from me, got straight to the point.

 

"Alright, first things first. Tell me about yourself in detail," she said.

 

"Sure. Um... My name is Archawin Sukkosol, but everyone calls me Wan. I'm twenty-one years old and currently a fourth-year student majoring in Public Relations at the Faculty of Communication Arts. I have one younger sister," I began, recounting my rather uneventful life story.

 

"I'm originally from Ayutthaya. My parents are merchants; they run a boat noodle shop. I studied in Ayutthaya from kindergarten to ninth grade. After that, my parents sent me to study in Bangkok. I got into a public high school here. Back then, I lived with my uncle, who was my guardian. But when I started university, I moved out and rented a condo near Phaya Thai. Later, when my younger sister started high school, she moved in with me."

 

"...That's about it," I said, scratching my cheek awkwardly.

 

"Do you have any special talents? Singing, dancing, rapping, playing sports, or musical instruments? Or any hobbies?"

 

"Uh... I can play the guitar. I can sing decently, but I'm not great at dancing. I don't play sports often, but I'm okay with badminton and ping pong. As for hobbies, um.." I hesitated. Should I admit that my hobby is being a fan of artists and following them around? That might sound odd. I decided to give a safer answer instead.

 

"I like photography. I've done some freelance work as a photographer for outdoor shoots," I said.

 

"That's great! So, you probably have some basic skills in this area," P'Cher said with a slight smile. When she smiled, her strict, teacher-like demeanour softened into that of a kind older sister. "Do you have an Instagram account? I didn't see one listed on your application."

 

"Oh, I do have an Instagram account, but it's just for posting general photos," I said, showing her my Instagram. It was an account where I posted landscape photos, so I hadn't included it in my application since it didn't have any pictures of me.

 

"Don't you have an Instagram account with pictures of yourself?"

 

"No, I don't."

 

"That's fine. After you sign the contract, you'll need to create one. It'll serve as your profile for clients," she concluded quickly. Then, she got up, grabbed a folder from a shelf, and placed two sets of documents in front of me.

 

"These are the artist contracts for our agency. One is the original, and the other is a copy. Both have the same details, including terms, profit sharing, and restrictions. Let's go through them together. I'll explain each page in detail. If you have any questions, feel free to ask," she said.

For the next twenty minutes, we went through the contract in detail. P'Cher was very patient, never rushing or showing any signs of annoyance, even though I asked her about almost every clause. Since I had no knowledge of the entertainment industry, I wanted to make sure I understood everything to avoid being at a disadvantage.

 

While we were discussing the contract, P'Jarin, my manager, arrived at the office. He was openly gay and introduced himself briefly before we returned to discussing the contract. Both he and P'Cher also took the time to explain various aspects of the entertainment industry to me

 

"Excuse me, I have a question," I said just before signing the contract. There was something I'd been dying to know.

 

"What is it? Go ahead," P'Jarin encouraged.

 

"I want to know why I was chosen during the casting process," I asked, looking at both of them expectantly. There had been hundreds of people auditioning for this role, yet somehow, a complete acting novice like me had been selected. I wanted to know what the judges had seen in me.

 

"Hmm... you'd probably have to ask P'Wut, the company owner, and P'Pai, the director," P'Jarin replied.

 

"Oh, I see.." I said with a sheepish smile. That makes sense. I have to ask the people who made the decision.

 

"But if you ask me, your looks played a big part. You're very eye-catching. I also watched your casting clip. You have potential. Your acting might not be perfect yet, but there's a certain charm about you that makes people stop and take notice. Do you get what I mean?" P'Jarin explained, and P'Cher nodded in agreement.

 

"Exactly! I felt the same way. Good-looking people are everywhere, but someone with a clear character who can bring out their own charm is rare. And when that charm shines through in their acting, it's even rarer. That's a talent not every actor has. P'Wut and P'Pai probably saw that you were perfect for the role, which is why they chose you," P'Cher added.

 

"Th-thank you," I said, smiling with relief. Their words lifted a heavyweight off my chest. I'd been doubting myself for days, wondering if I truly deserved to be chosen. Had I taken the opportunity away from someone more deserving? But hearing their reassurance that I had potential made me feel much better.

"So, what kind of character do I have?" I asked.

 

"Hmm... you're a bit clumsy but still cool. You're approachable but also have a tsundere, uke vibe. It's hard to explain. Let's just say it's rare to find someone with such a clear character all in one person."

 

"..." I was left speechless after hearing P'Cher's explanation. I could understand most of it, but what was this about being an uke? Were there really types for this kind of thing? Like, this look meant you were the dominant one, and that look meant you were the submissive one? Didn't it just depend on the person to decide?

 

"Let's put that aside for now. Let's get to the important stuff before signing the contract," P' Jarin shifted from a sweet smile to a serious expression, which also made me tense up.

 

"Y-yes, sir."

 

"Wan, have you ever done anything bad before?"

 

"Huh?" I blinked in confusion. Suddenly, it felt like I was being interrogated. What did he mean by 'bad"?

 

"Have you ever bullied anyone?"

 

"Huh? N-no, sir," I quickly shook my head.

Do I look like someone who would bully others? If anything, I think I look more like someone who would get bullied.

 

"Have you ever used drugs? Marijuana? Vapes?"

 

"Never!"

 

"Have you ever gotten into a fight? Physically hurt someone? Hurt a partner? Done anything that could potentially be dug up and exposed online?"

 

"Never," I replied firmly. I mean, I'd killed mosquitoes and flies before, but everything else he mentioned? Those were things you just didn't do to other people, right?

 

"If there's anything, tell me honestly right now," P'Jarin pressed further.

 

My brain finally caught up, and I understood his purpose. He was checking my background to see if I had any skeletons in my closet that could be exposed on social media and tarnish my reputation, potentially affecting the company. Celebrities could always get exposed, so it was only natural for the company to be cautious.

 

"I really haven't done any of those things. Honestly," I insisted. Sure, I mightn't have followed every moral rule perfectly, like lying to my mom to get extra allowance for toys, drinking alcohol, or killing those mosquitoes, but that was all.

 

"Good. However, we'll still do a background check. Also, we'll need all your social media accounts so we can scan through them. Suppose there's anything risky you've posted. In that case, we can delete it before it becomes a problem," P'Jarin said, switching back to a sweet smile, which made it easier for me to breathe.

 

P'Cher asked in a calm tone, "Have you ever had a girlfriend?"

 

"Yes," I answered honestly.

 

At my age, it wasn't surprising. But it was just one, my high school classmate, who became my girlfriend. We eventually broke up in senior year because I realised I didn't feel any difference between being friends and being in a relationship.

 

"Did it end well? Any chance of her exposing something about you?"

 

"...I don't think so. We're still friends," I assured them.

 

I genuinely liked her, even admired her. I was the one who pursued her first. But once we started dating, it didn't feel any different from being friends. Later, I realised I mightn't have had romantic feelings for her-it was probably just admiration. She felt the same way, so we ended things amicably. She had a new boyfriend, and we still check in on each other occasionally.

 

"Do you have a girlfriend now?"

 

"No," I replied.

 

"If you do, you can tell us."

 

"I really don't," I emphasised. With my intense studies and being a fanboy, I barely had time for anything else. Twenty-four hours a day wasn't even enough for everything I wanted to do. How would I find time for a girlfriend? We'd probably break up even if I had one because I wouldn't have time for her.

 

"Okay," P'Cher and P'Jarin seemed satisfied and smiled at me.

 

"Alright, Wan, do you want to read the contract again, or are you ready to sign?"

 

"I'm ready to sign," I said, picking up the pen. I'd already checked earlier that both copies of the contract were identical. There were no issues, so I signed my name on the last page. My heart pounded heavily.

 

I'm officially becoming an artist. Who would've thought my life would come to this point?

 

"Alright then, let's go chat in the lounge. I have a lot to discuss with you and Renji," P'Jarin said, standing up with a sweet smile. He linked his arm with mine and led me to the lounge. The close contact made me a bit nervous, but he wasn't a stranger anymore. Besides, it wasn't overly physical to the point of feeling uncomfortable. I decided to let him link arms with me and told myself to get used to it quickly.

 

"You two aren't in a rush to leave today, right?" P'Cher asked as we sat on the sofa. Her tone was casual, but her eyes clearly said, 'Don't even think about leaving early.'

 

"No," I replied.

 

"Good. We'll order some food, and in the meantime, P'Jarin and I will explain the basics of how to conduct yourselves in this industry with seniors, fellow artists, reporters, and fans. It's okay if you don't remember everything, but listen carefully. We'll remind you when the time comes."

 

"Exactly. Also, you'll need to take classes to improve your personality and speech. I've noticed both of you speak a bit unclearly, probably from having braces, right?" P'Jarin asked.

 

"Yes," Renji nodded, and I did too. I hadn't realised my speech was unclear until now. It must've been a habit from wearing braces.

 

"And you'll need to visit a clinic. Renji, I think you might need a little work on your nose to make it more defined. But we might not have time since the series shoot is coming up soon. For now, makeup can help enhance it."

 

When P'Jarin said that, I, who'd been listening casually, suddenly froze. I'd never considered cosmetic surgery before, since I never planned to work in the entertainment industry. Do I really have to do that, too?

 

"As for Wan..."

"..."

 

"Your features are already great, but you'll need to take care of your skin. First, you'll need laser treatments and maybe a few injections. I'll take you to consult with a doctor. This clinic is popular among celebrities, so don't worry about the quality," P'Jarin said with a sweet smile. Meanwhile, I started sweating because all of that sounded expensive.

 

"And... who pays for that?" I asked.

 

"The company, of course. But sometimes the clinic sponsors us, and all you have to do is post a review on Instagram..."

 

Hearing that, I let out a sigh of relief. My family wasn't wealthy, so I wouldn't have been able to afford it myself. Come to think of it, grooming an artist must cost the company a lot. They had to send us to classes and treatments. But if we became successful, the revenue would probably far exceed the investment. After all, I still saw production companies constantly scouting for new talent.

 

"Alright, let's start with the first lesson: how to behave in public. Remember this: unless you're in your own condo, always smile, no matter the situation. Never show a sour face or look annoyed. And..."

 

For the next two hours, P'Jarin and P’Cher bombarded us with information. Renji seemed to handle it well since he had some experience in the industry, like modelling and being an extra. But I was a complete newbie. I barely knew anything and could only sit there, trying to process the overwhelming amount of information. At one point, I even wondered if I could cancel the contract now. Being an artist seemed far from easy. Can I really do this?

 

"Alright, that's enough for today. See you on the profile shoot day," P'Jarin said, popping a piece of pickled mango into his mouth as the digital clock next to the TV showed 7:30 PM.

 

I placed the empty bubble tea cup we had ordered for Renji and me on the table. It was as empty as my brain felt at that moment.

"If there are any updates, like class schedules or appointments, P'Cher will message you. She'll send a daily schedule every night at 11 PM, along with a weekly schedule. Got it?"

 

"Yes," I replied.

 

"Oh, I almost forgot. I'll send the pilot script to both of you on LINE. Read it and try to understand it," P'Cher said, typing on her phone and sending us the file.

 

"This script was written specifically for the series by the production team. There's no novel it's based on. P'Pai, the director, just approved the first episode. Try to familiarise yourselves with it. Also, on the 16th, there will be a workshop with the other cast members."

 

"Got it," I nodded, starting to feel excited. That meant I'd get to meet Nine up close as a colleague in two weeks!

 

"If you have any questions or issues, feel free to message P'Jarin or me. See you on the profile shoot day, this Saturday at 8 AM. Don't be late," P'Cher said before finally letting us go.

 

I gave the two seniors a wai before leaving the office with Renji. I still felt like I was floating. I couldn't believe I was about to enter the entertainment industry...

 

"How are you getting home, P'Wan?" Renji asked.

 

"I rode my motorbike here," I replied as we walked to the parking lot together. I figured if Renji needed to call a ride, I could drop him off at the Skytrain station or, if he lived nearby, take him home. Since we're in the same agency, working on the same series, and will be collaborating for a long time, I think I should build some connections. That way, I'll have someone to share my troubles with.

 

"Alright, I thought you rode a bus here. I was going to give you a ride," the other guy said with an innocent smile, looking at me like a puppy that hadn't been weaned yet as he pulled his car key out of his jeans pocket.

 

The sound of a car unlocking echoed through the parking lot. I gave a dry smile when I realised the car responding to the sound was a metallic white Porsche Taycan. If I remembered correctly, it cost over seven million baht.

 

Kid, who are you?! And here I was, thinking about giving him a ride on my motorcycle. Oh, Wan, know your place!

 

"See you on Saturday then, P'Wan," the junior waved at me cheerfully.

 

"Uh-huh, see you," I waved back awkwardly, forcing a smile as I watched the luxury sports car drive away. Then, I let out a loud sigh. It's only the first day, and I'm exhausted. How am I going to survive this? Ugh.

 

Two weeks flew by in the blink of an eye.

 

Maybe it was because ever since I signed the contract with the agency, I'd been swamped with things to do. Besides starting to write the first chapter of my research paper for my professor, I also had to attend personality development classes, speech training, beauty clinics, profile photoshoots, and so much more. Normally, I was a pretty laid-back person, not someone bursting with energy. These days, by the time I got back to my dorm, I'd drag myself to the shower and practically collapse into bed.

 

"P'Wan, you come home drained every day. Are you going to burn out before you even get famous?" View teased me like that. I wondered the same thing. Would I die before making it as an artist? It was so tough. It'd probably take some time for my body and mind to adjust to this new routine. Lately, whenever I heard my alarm clock, I'd whine a little before convincing myself to get out of bed. But not today. Today, I jumped up the moment the alarm went off, rushing to the shower without hesitation.

 

Today was the first acting class for the cast of the series Deep Dive: Into Your Heart.' Today, I'd finally get to meet Nine! Ever since the casting, I hadn't had time to attend any of Nine's events to take pictures like I used to. I was so bummed about not seeing my bias. But as they said, good things came to those who waited. Today, I'd get to be closer to Nine than any top-spender fan ever could!

 

I'd been mentally preparing myself for days, telling myself to hold it together and not act weird or make Nine uncomfortable. Last night, I could barely sleep. I was so excited, staring at the LINE group chat with the cast, rereading Nine's message, 'See you all tomorrow, at least twenty times!

 

"Wow, you look so cheerful today. If I didn't know you were going to acting class, I'd think you were going on a date," View commented as I grabbed my backpack, ready to leave the room. My beautiful little sister, with her messy bedhead, had just woken up but still got up to see me off at the door.

"Of course! If you were meeting your bias, wouldn't you be excited?"

 

"Alright, alright. I hope you get lots of moments with him," she said, rolling her eyes but smiling slightly. I winked at her before leaving the room, my heart soaring. silently prayed for a smooth and happy day ahead!

 

Have you ever expected something, only for it not go as planned? That's me, all the time!

 

"Excuse me... hufff.. is ATZ Studio in this building?" I asked, panting like a dog after sprinting from the parking lot and addressing the security guard standing at the entrance.

 

"Yes, young man. It's on the third floor."

 

"Thank... huff... thank you!" I gave him a quick wai and dashed toward the fire escape stairs, not wasting time on the escalator. I was already twenty minutes late! To say it was bad luck wouldn't be entirely accurate. It was mostly my own stupidity. Here's what happened: 

 

I was originally from the countryside. Even though I'd been living in Bangkok for over six years, I didn't travel around much. I only knew places near my home, school, university, shopping malls and event halls. Last night, when P'Cher sent me the location of the acting studio, I skimmed through it and thought I knew the place, that it was near Lat Phrao. But I was wrong. It wasn't Lat Phrao; it was Lat Pla Khao. And to make matters worse, I didn't use Google Maps because I was overconfident.

So, jackpot. By the time I realised I was at the wrong place, I only had twenty minutes left before the appointment. I channelled my inner street racer, becoming a menace to other drivers and traffic police, speeding to Lat Pla Khao. But even then, I was still twenty minutes late.

 

"I'm... huff. I'm here!" I announced as I pushed the door open, a dry smile on my face as I saw the seven other cast members and the crew already seated in a circle on the floor, all turning to look at me.

 

"Uh... hello... sorry I'm late. I... went to the wrong place..."

 

"It's fine. Go put your bag in the corner and come sit here," P'Pai, the director, said with a smile, not scolding me, which made me feel a bit better.

 

"Over there, sit next to Nine," P'Luang, the acting coach, pointed to an empty spot. I swallowed hard, dragging my stiff legs to the empty spot next to the person. My heart raced as I felt Nine glance up and flash me a friendly smile.

 

"Hello, Wan. Nice to be working with you," he whispered, smiling with his eyes as I sat down. I almost tripped over my own feet in excitement. I was so nervous I couldn't even speak!

 

"Th-thank you. Please take care of me," I stammered.

 

"Can we continue now?"

 

Suddenly, my heart-fluttering moment was interrupted by a deep, calm voice. I felt a piercing gaze from my left and turned to see Third, another lead actor in the series, staring at me.

 

"Alright, now that everyone's here, let's get started. Let's go around and introduce ourselves again, and then we'll warm up. Renji, you start," P'Luang said, initiating the ice-breaking session before diving into character.

 

Third's sharp eyes lingered on me, his gaze clearly disapproving. My face burned with embarrassment as I quickly looked away, taking a deep breath to focus on the lesson before the director or acting coach could scold me.

 

The acting class lasted about an hour and a half before P'Luang announced a ten-minute break for everyone to relax and use the restroom.

 

"P'Wan," as soon as the break started, Renji approached me and plopped down beside me, tilting his head and looking at me with puppy-like eyes. It made me feel a lot better, especially since I didn't know the other cast members well yet. I almost wanted to wai him in gratitude.

 

"How's the class going? Are you managing okay?"

 

"I guess... kind of," I replied with a dry smile. This was my first serious acting class, so I had to try harder than others who already had some experience or background in acting. "Wan."

 

Then, a familiar soft voice called my name. My heart pounded like a drum as I saw Nine walking toward me, his perfectly handsome face adorned with a friendly smile.

 

"Can I just call you casually? I noticed we're the same age during introductions," he said.

 

"Y-yeah," I stammered, my ears burning. The artist who shone so brightly on stage, the person I used to admire from afar, was now talking to me. And now, he was sitting next to me, less than half a meter away. Oh my gosh!!!

 

"I heard you went to the wrong place before coming here. Where did you end up?"

 

"Uh, I... I mistook Lat Pla Khao for Lat Phrao," I admitted sheepishly, rubbing my neck in embarrassment. From now on, I'm never relying on my instincts again. Bangkok is dangerous!

 

"Sorry for making everyone wait," I apologised.

 

"It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes," Nine said with a smile. His gentle smile made me feel as light as a feather, as if I were floating on soft, fluffy clouds. The encouragement from my idol was incredible!

 

"Mistakes happen because of carelessness, don't they?"

 

But then, out of nowhere, a thunderbolt struck the middle of my cloud. The bright blue sky turned dark and stormy as if a tornado was about to hit. I turned to see the owner of the voice, none other than the cold and aloof lead actor of the series, Third, standing not far away.

 

"If you'd paid more attention to today's lesson, you wouldn't have made such a simple mistake like confusing the location," he said.

 

"Third," Nine said, trying to calm him down.

 

The name's owner let out a soft scoff from his throat before striding out of the room. Behind the camera, his image was that of a cold and distant person, completely opposite to the friendly but bad-boy persona he displayed in front of the media. It was as if he were two entirely different people.

 

Nine let out a long sigh. Renji's face turned pale, and I sat frozen in place, my entire body numb with embarrassment.

 

"Don't take Third too seriously, okay? He's just a very serious person, so he doesn't like it when people are late," Nine said, turning to me.

"Alright," I replied softly, my mind still confused and unable to fully process what had just happened. But one feeling stood out clearly above all else. I don't like that guy!!!

 

Call me petty or say I'm overreacting if you want. Sure, I know it was my fault for being late, but come on, people make mistakes sometimes, right? It's not like it's the end of the world or anything. Even P'Pai and P'Luang didn't say anything to me about it. So why was that guy so worked up? Has he never made a mistake in his life? Did he really have to rub it in and make such a big deal out of it?

 

"I'm stepping out for a bit," Nine said, giving my shoulder a light pat before getting up and walking out of the room with long strides. Meanwhile, I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes in frustration.

 

"P'Wan... P'Third is so scary," Renji whispered, leaning in close. His imaginary ears and tail drooped, even though he wasn't the one who got scolded.

 

"Like a Rottweiler," I muttered through gritted teeth. I know, talking behind someone's back isn't a good thing. But I'm willing to let this one slide when it comes to that guy!

 

See? My instincts weren't wrong. Just from this, I could already tell that we'd never get along. Not in a million years!