A Thousand Faces (Soon to be Published)

Chapter 54

It was a feeble excuse. Yoo Sang-jun knew it even as he spoke, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances.

"Honestly, Junwoo, I know you've come a long way from home to be here and that you care about this program. Just as you trusted us and came all this way, we plan to do our best moving forward. However, our priority is to keep the broadcast running, and if things continue this way, we'll need to devise a plan. I'm worried that might end up affecting you negatively."

But Junwoo's response to Yoo Sang-jun's efforts was dismissive, his expression suggesting he thought everything Yoo Sang-jun said was nonsense.

"Do whatever you want with that."

"...What?"

"Focus on saving the broadcast. It doesn't matter what I do."

His tone was cold, devoid of any emotion. Yoo Sang-jun found himself unable to continue speaking.

Junwoo's attitude seemed to say that engaging further was pointless.

He showed no regret or remorse, regardless of what happened to him.

His indifference until now indicated that everything happening in the program hadn't been stimulating or significant to him. It wasn't about caring for the other participants.

Glancing over, almost involuntarily, Yoo Sang-jun's eyes shifted to the script in Junwoo's hand.

He had already seen the astonishingly quick pace at which Junwoo had previously created a video.

He hadn't fully considered it before, given Junwoo's consistently incredible performances in the program.

From when Junwoo was in the corner of the practice room, holding a camcorder, Yoo Sang-jun had been thrilled, thinking he was just a genius doing his own thing, separate from the group. Now, he felt foolish for having such a simplistic view.

A participant who, without any help, created a movie in a setting meant for practicing acting.

And all this at the age of seventeen.

This was an issue that should have been contemplated much earlier.

What really occupied the mind of this young individual?

Yoo Sang-jun wondered what Junwoo was really doing, always a step apart from the other participants who were fiercely competitive and practiced without rest.

Was this place merely a playground for achieving some other purpose?

Suddenly, Yoo Sang-jun couldn't even begin to guess the extent of this young man's talent.

And even in this moment.

*Scribble, scribble, scribble.*

Junwoo had buried his face and was furiously writing something.

It is as if even Yoo Sang-jun's words and reactions a moment ago were being included as material for his script.

Yoo Sang-jun contemplated the worst-case scenario.

Even if Junwoo left the program, he wasn't the type to just sit idly by.

It was unpredictable what he might do next.

A genius bored with the low level of the program, declaring a self-withdrawal and leaving.

Such a move would not only tarnish the reputation of Actor's Kingdom but also the entire broadcasting station. It could severely hinder future content planning.

The public would lose interest. They would criticize the broadcasting station's inability to properly showcase a young participant's talent, leading to his exit from the show.