Chapter 368: Last Five Standing
Zeno naturally had to go to the team that had four members. Shin and Sangwon’s team was already full—the younger actors had gravitated toward the veterans like moths to flame. Despite the eager glances from his original circle, Zeno didn’t go back to them. His eyes scanned the room and landed on a quieter group huddled near the edge. Shelly was there, along with some small-time actors who looked too surprised to even be breathing.
Zeno approached them. "Mind if I join?"
Their eyes widened all at once, a silent moment passing before they sputtered out a response.
"O-of course!"
"Please do!"
They couldn’t believe it. Zeno—someone who had topped trends for weeks and earned a fanbase practically overnight—wanted to be in their group. It felt unreal. Shelly gave him a subtle nod of acknowledgement, her lips curled slightly as she couldn’t help but smirk at the others’ reactions.
That’s when Zeno spotted someone else—Daniel.
"Oh. You’re here," Zeno said casually.
Daniel scoffed and looked away, but his clenched jaw said enough. He had noticed Zeno since the beginning of the show, but Zeno hadn’t noticed him since then. After The Forsaken Prince, it had been getting harder and harder to look for quality work, so he came here! Goodness, Zeno was rubbing off on him. Usually, he would choose the dramas that would make him the most handsome.
At the front of the room, the seats for the judges were finally filled. Bacon PD sat comfortably with his clipboard, flipping through the pages. Gene tapped his pen against the table. Ari looked animated, whispering something to Ryeo Wang, who only nodded. But when he spoke, his voice was solid.
"I won’t go easy, even if I know most of the actors here."
He wasn’t bluffing either. There were several actors on that stage he’d once co-starred with or mentored, but he wasn’t going to go easy on them.