Time had flown by so quickly that it was hard to believe, but two months had already passed from the day I signed the contract to become an actor under the agency until today. It had been two months filled with new experiences. I got to try so many things I'd never done in my twenty-one years of life. The series Deep Dive: Into Your Heart' had already completed its pilot shoot and was in the editing process, set to premiere next week.

 

That's right, I had my first chance to act in front of the camera. But it was only for two short scenes, each with just one line of dialogue. I'd prepared extensively before the shoot, and P'Pai, the director, complimented me, saying I did well for a newcomer. I was pretty satisfied with my performance. Now, all that was left was to wait and see how the audience would react.

 

P'Cher told me to brace myself for criticism. I wasn't too worried about it. As a public figure, it was inevitable. Criticism could help improve my acting skills. But if you ask if I regretted anything about the pilot shoot, I'd say I was a bit disappointed that I didn't fully absorb the atmosphere of life on set. 

 

The shoot coincided with my midterm exams as if fate (or my professors) were deliberately testing me. P'Pai shot my scenes first so I could rush back to the university for my afternoon exams. That day, I filmed in the morning and immediately dashed off to take my tests. The life of an actor wasn't easy. But P'Cher reassured me not to feel bad about it. Once the full production started, I'd spend so much time on set that I'd probably get sick of it.

 

Over the past month or so, I felt like the twenty-four hours in a day just weren't enough. Or maybe it was because I had too much on my plate. Balancing school and work, I lost track of the days. I relied on Jay to remind me what day it was, what classes I had, and when assignments were due. It was funny how the roles had reversed after three years of my being the one to remind him. But Jay had been a huge help. He said he'd take care of me so that when I became famous, I wouldn't forget him. And when I got interviewed, I had to mention him. That reason... well, he was probably joking

 

The period before the pilot shoot was the busiest time for me. I had to juggle writing my research paper, studying scripts, attending acting workshops, doing photoshoots, and more. It was exhausting to the point of nausea. I came home every day looking like a wilted vegetable, prompting my little sister to ask if I was okay frequently. Luckily, after the pilot shoot, I had a bit of time to catch my breath before the full production began in two weeks.

 

"Let's go, Renji," I said, slinging my backpack over my shoulder and addressing my junior, who'd kindly driven to pick me up early in the morning. I stepped out of the luxury sports car and added, "Our time has come."

 

"It's just a script reading, not an execution," Renji laughed as he locked the car and walked beside me toward P'Pai's studio. The director had scheduled the main cast of eight to gather for a script reading of the first half of the series at 8 AM today.

 

It was only 7:30 AM when I pushed open the studio door and headed to the meeting room. Inside, I found P’Pai already there, along with the assistant director and two scriptwriters, who were busy ordering food through a delivery app.

 

At first, I thought Renji and I were the first actors to arrive. But just as I was about to sit down, I saw Third's tall figure enter the room. He was dressed in an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. His sharp eyes briefly met mine before he looked away and took a seat across from me, where his bag was already placed. Once again, I failed to beat him here. For some reason, it stung a little.

 

"Good morning, P'Third," Renji, ever polite, greeted the senior actor with a respectful wai. Third nodded in acknowledgement, exchanging a few words of courtesy. Meanwhile, I pretended to scroll through my phone, ignoring their conversation. Just hearing Third's deep, aloof voice was enough to irritate me.

 

As for my relationship with Third over the past month, it hasn't improved. We still didn't get along. We avoided each other to prevent conflicts on set. But I had to admit, he was a professional. He never showed up late, no matter how early the call time was or how far the location was. He usually arrived about thirty minutes early, driving himself instead of taking the agency's van.

 

On set, he was focused and prepared. Even during the brief time I was there for the pilot shoot, I noticed him reading his script and focusing on his character before his scenes. Most of the time, he nailed his takes in one go. He was undeniably skilled. While everyone had their strengths and weaknesses, for me, his professionalism didn't outweigh his flaws.

 

Third's words were still as blunt as ever, and his demeanour was cold and unapproachable. His poor social skills earned him the nickname 'The Icy Prince' among the makeup, hair, and wardrobe teams, who often gossiped about him. He rarely interacted with the crew and was straightforward when their work didn't align with his vision of the character. While his honesty was commendable, it didn't endear him to the team, who preferred more easygoing personalities. They'd smile to his face but talk behind his back.

 

Honestly, his personality didn't seem suited for the entertainment industry. Even though I'd only been in the business for two months, I could tell how much connections mattered. If you rubbed the crew the wrong way, your future could be tough. But on the other hand, he was striving to deliver the best performance. Different perspectives, that was my guess. I tried not to meddle in other people's business. I had enough on my plate as it was!

 

After Renji greeted Third, the room fell into an awkward silence. P'Pai and the rest of the team were discussing work outside, leaving just the three of us actors sitting in uncomfortable silence. Thankfully, other cast members started arriving shortly after, easing the tension.

 

The clock on the meeting room wall struck 8 AM. P'Pai and the scriptwriters returned to the room, but one (the lead actor was still missing)

 

"Is Nine here yet? Where is he?" P'Pai asked, frowning as he took his seat at the head of the table.

 

"Not sure. He hasn't replied to LINE," P'Jen, the assistant director, replied.

 

"Try calling him. If he doesn't answer, call his AR or manager," P'Pai instructed. As his assistant began dialling, the director added, "In the meantime, let's read other parts to kill time. Today, we'll cover episodes one through four, so next time, we can finish up to episode eight in one go."

 

"Got it," everyone responded.

 

I glanced at the door, wondering if something had happened to Nine. Or maybe he was just stuck in traffic.

 

The script reading began, but without one of the lead actors, it didn't flow as smoothly as it should have. At first, I thought he'd show up in ten or twenty minutes, but an hour passed, and Nine was still nowhere to be seen. When the AR was contacted, they said they'd follow up, but the AR also disappeared. P'Pai's frustration became increasingly evident.

 

"Enough! Break for lunch. We'll start over when Nine gets here," the middle-aged director snapped after over an hour of little progress. He stood abruptly, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and stormed out of the room, visibly upset. I swallowed hard, silently vowing never to get on P'Pai's bad side.

 

"Alright, kids, time to eat. Who wants what? We've got basil chicken and garlic pork," P'Jen called out, lightening the tense atmosphere.

 

"I'm here!"

 

Just as we were halfway through our meal, the door swung open, and Nine entered, drawing everyone's attention. He smiled apologetically as he made his way to the empty seat next to Third.

 

"I'm so sorry, everyone. I set my alarm, but it didn't go off. When I woke up, it was almost 8 AM, and I couldn't get a ride," Nine explained, his voice soft and genuinely remorseful.

 

"It's okay. Eat first. But we only have garlic pork left," P’Jen said, reaching for a meal box to hand to him. But Nine shook his head with a small smile. "It's alright. I'll order something myself."

 

"Are you sure?" P'Jen hesitated slightly. I sat quietly, eating my meal and observing the situation. I guessed she probably wanted everyone to finish eating quickly so they could dive into the script without taking breaks. But as a fan, I knew Nine didn't like food with garlic, so he ordered his own meal.

 

While scrolling through the delivery app to choose his order, Nine asked, "So, how far have we gotten with the script?"

 

"Not far, because we haven't been able to do anything," Third's deep voice answered on behalf of the team. His sharp, cold eyes glanced at his fellow cast members.

 

"It's because of me, isn't it?" Nine's face fell. 

 

"I'm sorry. My alarm really didn't go off."

 

"Let's hope that's true," the other replied in disbelief, making me perk up and look away from my food container. A wave of irritation surged through me because someone was criticising my favourite actor. Nine was stunned for a moment before asking, "Why would you say that?"

 

The tension between the two lead actors was so thick that everyone in the room could feel it. But before things could escalate, P'Jen quickly intervened.

 

"Alright, alright! Whoever's done eating, help clean up the table. Go to the restroom if you need to. P'Pai said we'll start reading the script in five minutes."

 

The meeting room returned to normal. Those who'd finished eating helped clean up while others headed to the restroom. I took the last bite of my basil chicken and rice just as Third abruptly stood up and walked out to the restroom.

 

That guy's sharp tongue was something he could never fix. I understood he was upset that Nine was late, but couldn't he have addressed it privately instead of calling him out in front of everyone? That said, I couldn't entirely blame Third this time. Nine wasn't just ten or twenty minutes late. Making a group of actors and crew wait for one person wasn't exactly ideal...

 

I let out a long sigh and got up to throw away my food container. I planned to comfort Nine a bit, but I froze when I saw the look in his eyes as he stared at the door Third had just exited.

 

Everyone else in the room was busy and didn't notice, but I could clearly see Nine's expression from where I stood. His face was filled with anger, frustration, and even hatred. I was so shocked I couldn't move. But in just a split second, Nine's face returned to normal as he turned toward P'Jen, who'd called his name.

 

"P'Wan, are you throwing that away? Let me do it for you," Renji said, grabbing the container from my hand and heading to the trash before helping the crew wipe the table. I walked back to my seat in a daze, still trying to process what I'd just seen. 

 

The more I thought about Nine's downcast face as he hurried to apologise to P'Pai, who'd just returned, the more I doubted myself. Maybe I imagined it. Nine was usually so calm and composed, never losing his temper on or off camera. How could he have such a vengeful expression toward anyone, even someone like Third with his sharp tongue? Maybe I was just sleep-deprived and hallucinating. Yes, that's it.

 

"Alright, let's start from the first scene again," P'Pai announced loudly once everyone was seated. I took a deep breath and focused, waiting for my turn. In the meantime, I listened intently to Nine's soft voice as he read his lines.

 

"Nine, read it again. Add more emotion to the character. This isn't the tone I briefed you on," P'Pai's stern voice interrupted as soon as Nine finished the first scene.

 

"Got it," Nine replied with a sweet smile before starting over.

 

"Put more emotion into it," P'Pai instructed again.

 

"Alright."

 

As I waited for my turn, I watched Nine quietly. He seemed tired today, and his reading felt... off. It was like he was just going through the motions. Normally, Nine was much better. But he was still a normal human, after all. Everyone had their bad days. Maybe he wasn't feeling well.

 

"Third, go ahead. No need to wait for me to tell you," P'Pai said. The lead actor's deep, captivating voice filled the room. I glanced at Third, who was sitting across from me. He was as focused as ever, his voice, expressions, and eyes embodying Copter perfectly, even though this was just a script reading.

"Episode one, scene 5/2, Sky," P'Jen called out my character's name as she helped read the script. I took a deep breath, channelling my character's cunning and complex nature. I used the tone the acting coach and director had briefed me, but I still stumbled over some lines. P'Pai had the writing team note down areas where the wording could be adjusted to suit me better and asked me to continue reading.

 

After reading through two episodes, the pressure in my chest grew heavier. Even during my practice readings at home, there were parts where the character's emotions were so complex that I struggled to understand them. I felt like I wasn't delivering them well enough. If this continued during filming, it could be a problem. I marked the challenging parts and plan to discuss them with the writing team after the session.

 

Reading all four episodes took about 4.5 hours. When Nine finished the last line of the final scene in episode four, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Some slumped over the table, visibly exhausted.

 

“That's it. Thank you, everyone. See you next week," P'Pai said.

 

I locked my iPad screen and leaned back in my chair, feeling like my soul had left my body. But my work wasn't done yet. I kept an eye on the two writers who were talking to P'Pai, planning to quickly use the restroom and then wait to ask them my questions.

 

"Everyone, I'll head out now. I have to meet a client," Nine announced, swiftly grabbing his luxury bag and slinging it over his shoulder. I saw Third glance at him and ask in a neutral tone, "You have work today?"

 

"Of course," Nine replied with a cheerful smile before giving the director and crew a wai and leaving the studio. I watched him leave, thinking to myself that we barely talked today. And Nine seemed... off somehow.

 

While I was lost in thought, Renji came over and tapped my shoulder. "P'Wan, are you heading home?"

 

"Not yet. I need to ask the writers something about the script," I replied.

 

"Alright, I'll wait for you," the tall kid said, sitting down next to me. I shook my head. 

 

"No need. Don't you have plans with your friends this evening? Go ahead."

 

"How will you get home?"

 

"I'll just grab a taxi," I shrugged. In the worst case, I could take a motorbike taxi if no taxis were available. No big deal.

 

"Are you sure..?" Renji hesitated, but I reassured him. He eventually left, as did the other actors, who said their goodbyes and headed home.

 

I went to the restroom to take care of business. When I returned to the room, I rolled my eyes upon seeing that the writers had been cornered by none other than Mr Famous Actor, who was discussing the script with a serious expression. Alright, fine. I'm late. I'll just have to wait for my turn. But how long would Third take with them?

 

I went back to my seat, placed my bag on the table, and rested my chin on it, observing the room. Mr Famous Actor was as meticulous as ever, asking detailed questions about the script and discussing changes to certain lines to see if they would affect the character's intent in the scene.

 

The more I listened, the more I realised how deeply Third delved into the details. It was like he was determined to fully embody the Copter character. His passion for acting was evident, and maybe that's what made him so captivating to fans. P'Pai often praised him for it. People with a passion for what they do are always attractive, right? Wait, hold on! Did I just think he was attractive? What's wrong with me? Get it together, Wan!

 

"Alright, I've noted everything down. I'll consult with P'Pai about this later. Do you have any other questions, Third?"

 

"No, that's all for now. But if I have more questions, may I message the group chat?" he replied, closing his iPad case.

 

I glanced at the clock. He'd taken a full thirty minutes. But from what he overheard, he'd meticulously noted down every point of confusion. If I were P'Pai or the writing team, I'd be thrilled to have an actor so invested in his character.

 

"Wan, you're still here?" one of the writers asked, tilting her head at me.

 

"I wanted to ask you guys something. There are a few parts of the script I don't quite understand," I explained.

 

"Sure, give us a moment to use the restroom," she said before she and her colleague left the room. Now, it was just Third and me who maintained his usual stoic expression. The atmosphere was unbearably awkward!

 

"Still here?" Third said casually as he packed his iPad into his bag.

 

"Why? Am I not allowed to stay here? Or did you buy this place?" I raised an eyebrow, responding with a teasing tone. You could say I was asking for trouble, but honestly, I just didn't like him. Every time we talked, my words naturally came out sarcastically. Third didn't seem angry. He simply looked up at me with an expressionless face. "I was just asking nicely."

 

"And I didn't give a bad answer, did I? Also, Mr Famous Actor, you're not the only one here who's serious about their work." When he didn't snap back at me, I puffed out my chest a little. I was a man of my word. I'd already promised myself that I wouldn't be a burden to the team. I was determined to prove him wrong, to show him I wasn't the unprofessional, lazy person he thought I was!

 

Third's response was a slight curve of his lips-a faint smile that didn't reveal much of his intentions. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and left me with a parting comment before walking out of the room.

 

"Good, then."

 

The door closed behind him, and I found myself staring at it as if I could see through to the person who'd just left. I pouted. Why does everything about him-his words, his face, his demeanour- have to be so annoyingly cool? But... is this the first time we've talked without him throwing some snide remark at me? Or is that a snide remark? I can't tell. That guy is impossible to read. Whatever. I don't care enough to figure him out anyway.

 

"Alright. What do you want to ask me?"

 

When the two scriptwriters came back into the room, I shook off all thoughts of Third, grabbed my iPad, and refocused on work. This is my debut as an actor, my first series. I'm going to give it my all and make it the best it can be!