Dramatic Persona Chapter 0 - Prologue

“The 20XX Golden Dragon Film Festival has begun its glamorous opening!”

The veteran MC, who started as a comedian, the actress who won Best Actress last year, and the rookie actor Jin Doyoung, who was beginning to make a name for himself as both an idol singer and an actor, stood side by side, smiling brightly. On the large screen, famous actors attending the awards ceremony appeared. Each time a glamorous face was shown up close, cheers from the fans filling the second and third-floor seats poured down like a heavy rain.

However, Seowon, sitting somewhere in the actors’ section, could not simply smile.

「Seowon oppa. I feel like it’s wrong for me to know and not say anything.」

It was because of a message sent by a younger staff member he had gotten close to while working on a movie together. Of all times, he had seen it just before stepping onto the awards ceremony’s red carpet, so he couldn’t even smile with a purely happy heart.

「That… Assistant Director Choi Yoon.」

Attached to the message was a picture of Doyoung, who was smiling brightly on the stage, and Choi Yoon kissing in the dimly lit backstage of the set. It wasn’t clearly visible. But there was no way Seowon wouldn’t recognize the plaid shirt Yoon often wore during filming. It was a gift he had given to the Choi Yoon he loved.

「You know Jin Doyoung originally dates anyone, regardless of whether they’re men or women.」

The entertainment industry was full of all sorts of people. It was a world where angels, devils, and aliens coexisted, regardless of gender. Naturally, romantic relationships were also more complex and diverse. Dating someone of the same sex wasn’t a huge issue. That is, as long as it didn’t leak to the outside world. Seowon had also thought that was a great relief when he started dating Choi Yoon.

「Recently… I heard Jin Doyoung has been telling people that he’s dating the assistant director. Did you know, oppa?」

No, he had thought it was a relief.

“A misunderstanding… It must be a misunderstanding.”

“Hm?”

The thought that had not just filled but overflowed his mind had popped out of his mouth. He had mumbled it quietly, but somehow the much older senior actor sitting next to him heard it and tilted his head. She was the actress who had played Seowon’s mother in their last movie.

“Seowon, what did you say?”

“Pardon? Ah… it’s nothing.”

“Oh my, are you sick? You have no color in your face. Your already pale face is like a blank sheet of paper.”

“I’m alright, sunbae-nim.”

“Are you nervous? The Best New Actor award is coming up soon. Have you thought about your acceptance speech?”

“No.”

Seowon shook his head with a gentle smile.

“I saw the nominees, and they’re all so strong. I cleared my mind of any expectations the moment I saw them.”

“Why, I think my son will get it. You’re an incredibly strong nominee too.”

Receiving a compliment from a great senior actor was, despite everything, a great joy. The moment Seowon’s smile deepened at the warm encouragement, his face was captured on the big screen.

“Thank you, Mom.”

Since there was no microphone, only the shape of his mouth was shown on screen, but a thunderous cheer erupted nonetheless.

“On the screen right now, we can see Mr. Yeon Seowon, who showed us his incredible acting in the movie <My Mom is an Alien>! Wow, the cheers are amazing!”

Seowon’s smile quickly stiffened. It was because of Doyoung’s comment. No matter how hard he tried to focus on the awards ceremony, every time he saw him on stage, something surged up from within him.

Seowon took out the phone in his suit jacket and secretly sent a message to Yoon.

「Hyung. Can we talk for a moment?」

Yoon, who was attending on behalf of the director who was overseas, should be sitting nearby.

However, even after waiting for a long time, there was no reply.

“After the Part 1 congratulatory performance, we will have the presentation of this year’s Best New Actor award!”

An announcement followed that there would be commercials after the congratulatory performance. Like sweat drenching his back, anxiety finally broke through his skin. Seowon shot up from his seat and started looking around.

“Seowon, what’s wrong?”

He couldn’t see Choi Yoon. He wasn’t even running, but he was already out of breath and his heart was racing.

“…Sunbae-nim, I’ll be right back.”

“What? The Best New Actor award is about to be presented.”

“It’ll only take a moment. Just a moment!”

The slim-fit suit was a perfect fit for Seowon’s slender frame, but it was uncomfortable as he wasn’t used to it. The sleek dress shoes were also made to shine on the red carpet, not to be run in like this. Seowon, who had almost slipped, barely regained his balance and headed backstage.

“Hyung!”

He opened the waiting room door, but Choi Yoon wasn’t there either. As he ran back down the hallway, of all things, he ran into Jin Doyoung, who was coming out of the restroom.

“Seowon hyung?”

“…Doyoung.”

Seowon, who was breathing hard with his upper body slightly bent, even had his slicked-back hair in disarray. Whether he knew what was on his mind or not, Jin Doyoung’s eyes widened in pure admiration.

“Wow, hyung, the suit you’re wearing today is killer. Where is it from?”

“Doyoung. I… I heard something really unbelievable.”

Jin Doyoung was one of the few people who knew that Seowon and Yoon were dating.

He had even said they looked good together and congratulated them.

“Hyung. The commercial is about to end. I have to go up on stage.”

Jin Doyoung checked his wristwatch and started to walk away.

“…Hyung?”

But Seowon rudely grabbed Doyoung’s arm and wouldn’t let go. His hesitant, light pink lips barely formed a single word.

“Yoon hyung.”

The smiling face of Doyoung subtly hardened at Seowon’s one phrase.

“What about Yoon hyung?”

He had to ask. But his mouth wouldn’t open. Why was it that his heart was pounding, but his lips were frozen solid? The facial muscles he so skillfully manipulated when playing other characters wouldn’t listen to him at all now that he was trying to express Yeon Seowon’s own thoughts.

“You, you and Yoon hyung, I mean…”

“What about us?”

Jin Doyoung asked back innocently. Seowon froze on the spot, as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him.

“‘Us’…? What do you mean ‘us,’ Jin Doyoung.”

Jin Doyoung wore a puzzled expression, as if he had never known that Seowon and Yoon were dating in the first place.

“Why? I’m dating Yoon hyung.”

“…What?”

Just as a drawing paper turns black when too much is drawn on it, his mind, packed tight with thoughts, eventually went dark.

As if to add insult to injury, Jin Doyoung even confirmed it with a look of disbelief.

“Choi Yoon and I, we’re dating.”

That line belonged to Seowon. It had to. But why was it coming out of Jin Doyoung’s mouth? Seowon, whose line had been stolen, waited for the ‘cut’ sign, but unfortunately, this situation was reality. Not the circumstances of a character whose ending was set from the beginning, but the reality faced by a human named Yeon Seowon, who could not see even an inch ahead.

“You, you knew I was dating Yoon hyung. You even congratulated me, so how could you…”

“Yoon hyung said he was going to break up with you soon. Don’t tell me you two haven’t broken up yet?”

Jin Doyoung pushed Seowon’s hand away with a smile. Seowon was frozen white. His lost hand dropped limply.

“Ah, fuck. I’m late.”

Jin Doyoung spat out a quiet curse. Seowon gritted his teeth. The muscles on his pale jawline hardened.

Right. I haven’t confirmed it with Choi Yoon directly yet. There’s no need to be scared already.

Seowon took a deep breath and forced a smile onto his lips. But the more he tried, the more wretchedly it twisted.

“I’ll talk to Yoon hyung first. But if this is a joke, Doyoung, I think I’m going to be very angry.”

Since he couldn’t think straight, just maintaining his composure was a struggle. He couldn’t see or hear anything.

“Hello, viewers! I’m now entering the backstage hallway to meet the stars shining at the Golden Dragon Film Festival tonight. The plan is to have a brief interview with those coming down from the stage after receiving their awards!”

And so, he didn’t realize that a camera with its light on was approaching from the far end of the hallway.

“A joke?”

Jin Doyoung, who had been about to walk past Seowon, turned back.

“You’re the one who needs to get a grip, hyung. Why would I joke about the person I love?”

“Stop it, Jin Doyoung.”

“But you know. I congratulated you when you said you were dating, so why don’t you have a word of congratulations for me?”

“Oh, oh, there are already beautiful stars over there! Looking closely, it’s Mr. Jin Doyoung and Mr. Yeon Seowon from the movie <Boys’ High Ghost Story>. What could the two of them be talking about? I’ll go closer for a quick interview…”

“…Congratulations?”

Even after repeating it with his own mouth, he couldn’t understand.

Ah, maybe not. Perhaps Seowon had forgotten the most important fact.

“Right, congratulations.”

Jin Doyoung’s innocent smile twisted cunningly for a moment.

“The reason Choi Yoon got tired of hyung? How would I know. But for now, since I’ve started a new relationship, you should at least congratulate your dear dongsaeng.”

“You…!”

Seowon grabbed Jin Doyoung’s shoulder and pushed him against the wall.

“Say that again. What did you just say?”

“It means that I took away the most precious thing from you…!”

Thwack!

Along with a great impact, every knuckle on his hand throbbed.

Until the moment he clenched his fist, he had intended to drive it into Jin Doyoung’s stomach.

But Seowon’s fist had struck the blameless wall instead.

“You have to go on stage, so I’m holding back for now. Let’s talk again later. After I find Yoon hyung.”

“You should have just hit me.”

Just then, Jin Doyoung suddenly clutched his stomach with both hands, as if he had been hit, and slid down.

“What?”

“This angle should look pretty convincing, right?”

“…What are you—”

“Uh… T-Turn off the camera!”

He was so caught up with Jin Doyoung that he hadn’t checked his surroundings, a realization that came too late. The black, transparent camera lens and the reporter who had been approaching for an interview finally entered Seowon’s field of vision.

“Hyung….”

Doyoung, who had slumped to the floor, looked shocked, his eyes turning red. On the film set, he had struggled so much that tears wouldn’t come out no matter how hard he tried, making everyone suffer, but now his eyes were already brimming with them.

“…Congratulations. You’re fucked now, aren’t you?”

However, the words that came from that pitiful face were not ones that made you want to comfort him at all.

Right. Seowon had forgotten the most important fact.

That this world was a bizarre place where angels, devils, and aliens coexisted, regardless of gender.