Rewrite the Script || MINSUNG

87

Rehearsals for Much Ado About Nothing had been going well. Minho had surprised himself with how quickly he fell back into the rhythm of it—reading through scenes, blocking movements, finding the right tone and delivery. It was familiar in a way that made his heart ache, but in the best way possible.

And Jisung? Jisung was thriving.

Minho had never doubted Jisung's talent, but watching him slip into character, playing Claudio with such ease, was something else entirely. It was the kind of thing that made Minho realize just how much Jisung belonged on stage.

It was also the kind of thing that made Minho stare just a little too long when Jisung delivered his lines with so much passion that Minho felt it in his bones. But that was a whole other problem.

Now, a few days after rehearsals had started, the cast list was finally being sent out. Minho and Jisung were curled up on the couch, Minho lazily scrolling through his phone while Jisung anxiously refreshed his email over and over again.

"Any second now," Jisung muttered, bouncing his knee.

Minho, not looking up, hummed. "You said that five minutes ago."

"Yeah, well, I meant it this time."

Minho smirked, but before he could say anything else, Jisung gasped dramatically.

"IT'S HERE."

Minho immediately sat up. "Well? Open it!"

Jisung's fingers fumbled as he tapped on the email, eyes darting across the screen. Then, his mouth fell open. "Oh my god."

Minho leaned in, trying to see. "What?"

Jisung whipped his head around to look at him, eyes wide with excitement. "You got Benedick."

Minho blinked.

Then, he grabbed the phone out of Jisung's hands to see for himself.

Sure enough, there it was. Lee Minho – Benedick.

For a second, he didn't know what to say. Then, it hit him all at once.

"Oh my god," Minho breathed, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I got Benedick?"

Jisung was already grinning. "You got Benedick!"

Minho let out a short laugh of disbelief. "Holy shit."

"I told you you'd get a good role!" Jisung smacked his arm before snatching his phone back. "Wait, wait, let's see who I got—" He scrolled further down, and suddenly, his entire body tensed.

Minho raised an eyebrow. "Who'd you get?"

Jisung turned the screen toward him, practically vibrating.

Han Jisung – Claudio.

Minho's lips parted.

"No way."

Jisung let out a loud laugh. "I GOT CLAUDIO?"

Minho cackled. "Oh my god, this is too perfect—"

"Right?! The Dead Poets Society parallel* is insane!" Jisung threw himself back against the couch, covering his face. "This is too much."

Minho was still grinning. "Okay, but, real talk—you playing Claudio? You're gonna kill it."

Jisung peeked at him through his fingers. "You think?"

Minho scoffed. "Obviously. You're gonna be dramatic as hell, and the audience is gonna eat it up."

Jisung snorted. "You calling me dramatic when you're playing Benedick?"

Minho smirked. "Touché."

Still grinning, Jisung sat up. "We have to tell the others."

Minho nodded. "Let's go."

—

The share house was as chaotic as always.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were met with loud chatter, laughter, and the distant sound of Felix playing some random song on his guitar in the corner of the room.

Jisung immediately clapped his hands together, gathering everyone's attention. "Alright, listen up! We have huge news."

Seungmin, sprawled out on the couch, barely glanced at him. "If you're about to tell us you and Minho got cast in Much Ado About Nothing, we already assumed that."

Jisung ignored him. "We got cast in Much Ado About Nothing!"

Seungmin rolled his eyes, but there was an amused smile on his lips. "Congrats, I guess."

Felix perked up. "Who are you playing?"

Minho puffed his chest out. "I got Benedick."

That got a reaction.

Felix gasped. Hyunjin clapped his hands dramatically. Changbin pointed at Minho with an approving nod. Even Jeongin looked impressed.

"Oh, that's a big role," Chan said, leaning forward. "Nice."

Minho smirked. "I know."

Jisung grinned. "And I got Claudio!"

The room erupted.

"NO WAY," Felix shouted.

"Jisung is Claudio," Hyunjin said, nodding to himself.

"That's actually insane," Jeongin added.

"Wait, wait," Chan suddenly said, holding up a hand. "You guys haven't heard our news yet."

Minho and Jisung exchanged glances.

"Our news?" Jisung repeated.

Seungmin smirked. "I also auditioned."

Minho's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, what?"

Seubgmin chuckled, "I got Don Pedro."

Minho let out a short laugh. "No way."

"Way," Seungmin said smugly.

Hyunjin whistled. "Damn, you really infiltrated this play, huh?"

Jisung practically vibrated with excitement. "This is gonna be so good."

Felix grinned. "You guys are gonna be amazing."

Minho felt warmth bloom in his chest as he looked around the room, at his friends, at Jisung beside him, still beaming with excitement.

He had missed this. The energy, the passion, the camaraderie. And now, he was stepping back into it, surrounded by people who supported him, with Jisung right there beside him.

Minho turned to Jisung, nudging him slightly. "Guess we're really doing this, huh?"

Jisung grinned. "Oh, we're so doing this."

And Minho couldn't wait.

* in the 1993 movie of much ado about nothing— robert sean leonard plays claudio—but he also plays the main character in dead poet society. i only mention this because earlier in the book, Minho says that Jisung's "backstory" is a lot like dead poet society. (which is true, and what i inspired this book off)