“Understood.”

Jae Ha quickly returned to his usual self.

Nonchalantly giving orders to Secretary Han, he turned back to me.

“Can you stand up?”

“Yes? Yes…”

Jae Ha helped me up by holding my wrist.

The moment our gazes met, I remembered what had just happened, and my face grew hot.

His breath, which had been close to my ear, felt so vivid that I unknowingly fanned myself.

“Are you okay? No, why is the Young Lady sweating so much?”

Secretary Han, who had finished his call, approached and looked at me in surprise.

As he said, strands of my hair had become stuck to my forehead with sweat.

“Shouldn’t you hurry to the camera test?”

I snapped back to reality at the mention of the camera test.

My rationality, which had been absent after the sudden incident, returned.

“Secretary Han, what time is it now?”

“It’s 3 o’clock. Let’s get going.”

Secretary Han glanced at his phone, which had just passed 3 o’clock, and answered me.

“Ah… If it’s 3 o’clock, then there’s no time to review the audition lines…”

It was time for the camera test of the applicant right before me.

‘I’m swamped with just skimming through the audition lines.’

Feeling downhearted, I covered my face with both hands.

However, my hands, which had been covering my face, were soon pulled away by someone.

“Will 10 minutes be enough?”

“…Yes?”

Jae Ha, who had grabbed my wrist, raised the corners of his mouth as if to tell me not to worry.

“I already talked to the director. I’ll buy you about 10 minutes.”

Then he pulled me closer and led the way, saying:

“Let’s go win.”

Inside the studio, the onair light turned off.

The staff were busy wrapping up the camera test.

“Good job.”

“Seo Rin, you did well too. You were great, weren’t you?”

Seo Rin deeply bowed to the staff and the director.

A smile spread across her lips, having finished the test quite satisfactorily.

“Who’s next?”

“Ah, well… They haven’t arrived at the waiting room yet.”

“What? Who’s next?”

“Announcer Yoon Yeo Jin.”

Seo Rin, who had been walking past, stopped upon hearing the conversation between the director and the staff.

Her mouth twitched.

There was no way Yeo Jin, who would be trapped on the set by now, could attend the audition.

No one would be going to the set on the second basement floor either.

‘So… I told you to quit before you hit rock bottom, sis.’

“Is it Yeo Jin’s turn next?”

“Yes, but she’s not coming. We can’t reach her either.”

The staff, who looked at the approaching Seo Rin, had a troubled expression.

“What should we do… My sister is not usually that irresponsible.”

“Right. I saw her writing the lines in the waiting room. But she’s not coming back after going for makeup…”

The director, with a puzzled face, glanced through the list of interviewees and then looked at the returning director.

“I guess the audition will be difficult for her. I should tell the director. Is the PD in the control room?”

“Yes, they’re in there.”

Seo Rin quietly cheered, knowing that if Yeo Jin didn’t show up, it would be over.

“By the way, where did the director go?”

Seo Rin quietly asked the staff next to her.

She was uneasy because the director had suddenly left his seat before Seo Rin’s test had started.

“They received an urgent call and left.”

Seo Rin was about to ask the staff again when a noisy sound came from the entrance.

“It’s an honor to have President Seo personally attend.”

“I wanted to see it in person, not just in video.”

Seo Rin turned towards the direction where the voices were coming from.

‘Why is he here?’

Jae Ha was talking with the director as he entered through the entrance.

“Haha. It’s indeed different from watching the video. Also, it’s Announcer Yoon’s turn.”

‘Yoon… Announcer?’

As Jae Ha nodded at the director’s words, his gaze reached Seo Rin, who was standing at a distance.

It was a deep, sharp gaze, as if he knew everything.

‘No way…’

For a moment, Seo Rin was engulfed by an anxiety that made her heart sink.

Jae Ha stared at her with a strong gaze and wore a strange smile.

Seo Rin turned around again when she heard the buzzing sound of people talking.

The door to the studio, which had been closed, opened, and the sound of high heels tapping on the floor was heard.

“Announcer Yoon has arrived!”

Jae Ha had kept his promise to give her ten minutes.

While he was talking with the director, she was able to prepare her audition lines.

Thanks to the repeated practice, she was ready in no time.

As she walked past the bustling entrance towards the news desk, people’s gazes were fixed on her.

‘Did the filming staff also receive the message?’

Only Chae Seo Rin would pull off something so absurd.

‘Of course, it’s just a suspicion.’

She was the one who had been watching me closely as I went to get my makeup done while preparing the script.

As I walked, my eyes met Jae Ha’s, who was standing in the center, staring at me.

He quietly curled the corner of his mouth and mouthed words of encouragement, telling me to do well.

“What are you all staring at? Aren’t you going to get ready?”

Only when the director yelled did the people who had been standing still begin to move busily.

‘She was here. Chae Seo Rin.’

I glanced at Seo Rin as I passed by the camera.

She stared at me in disbelief, her face a picture of dismay.

“Standby.”

I sat down. The camera I had faced dozens of times in the past was right in front of me.

Seo Rin, who had been standing not far away, walked over to the side of the camera.

Her hand gripping her phone was red with rage.

She tried to act composed, looking down at me with her arms crossed, but there was a strong poison in her eyes.

A haughty gaze seemed to say, ‘Go ahead and try.’ It was directed at me.

She must have been curious whether I could do well in just under ten minutes.

I smiled at her, who was looking forward to seeing me mess up the audition.

Seo Rin’s face hardened as she looked at me smiling brightly.

‘Watch closely. See what’s different between you and me.’

I had experienced countless incidents and accidents while presenting the news.

I was already used to the news changing numerous times right before it went on air.

The moment I saw Seo Rin’s face, my pounding heart calmed down.

As soon as the green light indicating onair came on, the test began.

lu lu lo la ▪️ net (lululola.net)