The audition(1)

but it didn't take long for Mingwa to feel a pair of eyes burning into her. Seo Harin, sitting elegantly in a corner, was glaring at her, the annoyance clear on her face.

Mingwa barely had time to settle before Harin sauntered over, heels clicking sharply on the floor. "Mingwa," she greeted coolly, her lips curling into a smirk. "I didn't realize this audition was open to just anyone."

Mingwa's brow lifted, but she kept her composure. "Harin," she responded calmly, not rising to the bait.

Harin crossed her arms, her gaze flicking over Mingwa's casual outfit, before returning to her face with a sneer. "This is supposed to be an exclusive audition. How exactly did you get in here?"

Before Mingwa could respond, a few other actors nearby started to murmur among themselves, casting glances her way. The hushed whispers grew louder, and it was clear they were questioning the same thing. It was obvious that Harin's words had sparked something.

Mingwa's lips pressed into a thin line, but she remained composed. She wasn't about to be intimidated by Harin or anyone else in the room. "I got here because I was invited, just like you," she replied firmly, her eyes locking onto Harin's. "I have just as much right to be here as anyone else."

Harin's eyes narrowed as she leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "It's because of Moon Taewoo, isn't it?" she hissed. "Everyone knows he's an investor in this project. What did you do to get his favor, Mingwa?"

Mingwa felt a flash of heat rise in her chest, but she refused to give Harin the satisfaction of seeing her flustered. "Whatever Taewoo's involvement is, it has nothing to do with me being here," she replied coolly. "I'm here because of my own merit."

The murmurs in the room grew louder, and Jihoon, who had been silent until now, stepped closer to Mingwa. "Mingwa is more than capable of holding her own," he said firmly, addressing Harin and the others in the room. "Maybe instead of questioning why she's here, you should focus on your own auditions."

Harin's smirk faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a huff. "We'll see about that," she said, turning to walk away. "Good luck, Mingwa. You'll need it."

Mingwa exhaled softly as Harin stalked back to her seat, the tension in the room palpable. But as she glanced at Jihoon, who gave her an encouraging nod, she reminded herself of her purpose. She wasn't about to let Seo Harin or anyone else distract her from what she came to do.

Mingwa took a deep breath as her name was called. Her conversation with Harin had left her tense, but she pushed those thoughts aside. This was her moment, and she couldn't afford to be distracted now. She walked into the audition room, nerves buzzing under her skin. The lights dimmed slightly, casting an intense focus on the center stage.

As her eyes adjusted to the room, the first person she spotted was Moon Taewoo, sitting in the front row among the panel of judges and producers. He offered her a reassuring smile, followed by a quick thumbs-up. It was subtle but comforting, a reminder that despite everything, he was rooting for her. Mingwa allowed herself a small smile in return before stepping onto the stage.

"Whenever you're ready, Miss Kim," one of the producers said, their voice breaking the silence.

Mingwa stood in the center of the stage, her heart pounding as she prepared herself for the emotionally charged scene. This was the aftermath—the moment where the woman finally breaks, unable to cope with the loss of her first love after he had been cremated. It was the scene where her grief transformed into a raw, uncontrollable force.

As soon as the scene began, Mingwa fell to her knees, clutching an invisible urn as though her life depended on it. Her eyes were wide, wild with grief. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the mascara running in dark streaks down her cheeks.

"No… no, this can't be real…" she whispered, her voice trembling, her fingers digging into the air as if she were holding onto something fragile. "You said you'd never leave me… You said we'd always be together. How could you just leave like this? Come back! Please!" Her voice escalated into a scream, her body convulsing with sobs.

Mingwa clutched the imaginary urn closer, rocking back and forth as her emotions overtook her. "Please… just come back," she begged, her voice cracking, hoarse from the desperation in her cries. "I can't do this without you! I need you… I need you!" Her hands trembled as she pulled at her hair, her face contorted in anguish.

She held the urn to her chest, hugging it as if it were the last piece of her love she had left. "How am I supposed to keep living when you're gone?" she cried, her voice barely a whisper now, broken and defeated. "Why did you leave me? I'm begging you… please… just come back…"

Her tears fell onto the stage as she bent over, her body curling into itself, as if she were trying to hide from the unbearable pain. Her sobs were uncontrolled, her hands pulling at her hair in frustration, in grief, in absolute despair. It was as though she had lost not just her love, but her reason for existing.

Mingwa's entire body shook, her cries filling the room. She buried her face in her hands.

"I need you," she whispered, her voice breaking into a whimper. "Please… come back. I can't do this without you… I don't want to. Yejun..i beg you." Her fingers traced the edge of the imaginary vase, as though she were trying to feel some connection, some remnant of the person she had lost. Her sobs quieted, but her body continued to shake, the silence of the room amplifying the rawness of her grief.

Her eyes, swollen with tears, flicked up toward Taewoo in the audience once again. The way she looked at him—full of brokenness and desperation—hit him harder than he anticipated. It was as if in that moment, he became the man she had lost. The room disappeared, and it was just them. The connection was intense, palpable, leaving everyone else in the room breathless.

Mingwa's voice dropped to a whisper, almost too soft to hear. "You promised… you promised you'd never leave me. I can't… I don't know how to do this without you."