Shuun had noticed it from the start.
Jang Yohan’s tactics.
His carefully timed smiles.
His perfectly placed words.
How he never acted too soon—but never too late.
He let problems brew just long enough to escalate.
Then he’d step in, the perfect hero, the one who “fixes” everything.
And the worst part?
Everyone fell for it.
Everyone except him.
But Shuun didn’t care.
Or at least—he hadn’t.
Because Yohan’s little games never involved him.
And Shuun didn’t move unless something was worth moving for.
So Yohan could manipulate.
He could smooth-talk his way through the industry.
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It didn’t matter.
Because Shuun wasn’t playing.
And that?
That’s what Yohan hated most.
.
But this time—something changed.
Because this time, it wasn’t just some background power play between Yohan and the industry.
This time, it was about her.
Seo Minra.
A newly recruited crew assistant.
At least, that’s what they all thought.
But Shuun?
Shuun had been watching her.
And something was off.
Because she didn’t act like an assistant.
She acted like someone with authority.
Like someone who saw things.
Like someone who noticed things that only Shuun usually could.
And that—
That was interesting.
.
Minra wasn’t like the rest of the crew.
She wasn’t here to impress anyone.
She wasn’t here to flatter actors or directors.
She was watching.
Like she was searching for something.
Like she was waiting for something.
And when she had spoken out against the lead actor’s stiff delivery—she had been right.
Not just kind of right.
Perfectly right.
And that?
That was the first thing in a long time that actually made Shuun pay attention.
.
So now, as Yohan smoothly diffused the tension, as he turned Minra back into a harmless assistant, as he made sure to frame himself as the reasonable one—
Shuun simply watched.
Not interfering.
Not reacting.
Not playing the game.
Because he knew what Yohan was doing.
And Yohan knew that he knew.
But Shuun didn’t care.
Because Yohan’s games didn’t interest him.
Minra did.
.
Yohan had expected Shuun to push back against him.
To argue, to counter, to try to “win.”
But he didn’t.
Instead, he was watching Minra.
Not in a distracted way.
Not in a passing way.
In a way that was focused.
And that?
That made Yohan’s fingers twitch.
Because he had seen Shuun shut down directors.
He had seen him walk away from entire productions.
He had seen him turn down lead roles just because the script didn’t interest him.
Shuun never moved unless something was worth it.
And now?
Now, he was watching Minra.
Which meant—
Shuun had finally decided something was worth moving for.
And Yohan hated that.
.
Chapter 5: The Actor Who Starts Testing