Late at night.

Baek Soo-kyung practically limped out of Park Seok-jin’s place. Because of his obedience and talent for playing dumb, Park Seok-jin was very satisfied with him. He changed into different “costumes” to match Park Seok-jin, always the same skittish, sensitive performance.

The dull ache made him walk slowly; only at the next corner did he spot Choi Min-jun’s black BMW.

Holding back his discomfort, Baek Soo-kyung said to Choi Min-jun, “Min-jun hyung, I didn’t land the role of Oh Seung-hwan. I’m sorry, but…”

Choi Min-jun hooked his lips and narrowed his eyes at him, the look slick as a snake’s tongue. “You two…”

Baek Soo-kyung pressed his lips together and nodded. “Mm.”

Choi Min-jun smiled. “It’s just a clickbait-y bit part. Don’t worry about it. There’ll be plenty of mini-series openings this year. If not this one, then the next. Sooner or later it’ll be your turn. I’ll keep an eye out for better scripts for you.”

Baek Soo-kyung felt a little better. “Thank you, Min-jun hyung.”

Choi Min-jun glanced at him. “Hurting a lot?”

Baek Soo-kyung silently shook his head. “I’m okay.”

Choi Min-jun: “Want to go to a hospital?”

Baek Soo-kyung’s face went white. “No need, hyung. I don’t need a hospital.”

With the marks all over him, if he went to a hospital like this, it would become a stain on his acting career.

“Oh.” Maintaining a smile, Choi Min-jun said, “Then let me take a look.”

“Min-jun hyung!?” Baek Soo-kyung startled.

Gazing at the bruises, something playful flickered in Choi Min-jun’s eyes, his voice very soft. “Looks like he was very pleased with you, Soo-kyung. A few more ‘lessons’ with your sunbae Seok-jin and he’ll let his guard down. Once our plan runs smoothly, I’ll help you pay off your debts. You’ll be free. Then you can act in whatever roles you want, okay? I’ll help you with all of it.”

Uneasy and afraid, Baek Soo-kyung lowered his eyes and asked meekly, “But… Woosan’s mini-series all require public auditions, right? What if…”

Choi Min-jun laughed at him. “Silly Soo-kyung. Not every audition has Yoon Nam-hyuk in the room, got it?”

Only now did Baek Soo-kyung faintly understand why Choi Min-jun, who had always shown interest in him, had never laid a hand on him.

It didn’t matter. It had nothing to do with him.

Stairs, just stairs—these people were all steps leading him to a better life.

One day, he too would live in a big house like Park Seok-jin’s, with a fridge full of Korean beef, lobster, avocados, and fresh vegetables; bread custom-made whole-grain, gluten-free from a private bakery.

And then he’d smile at his juniors and say, “Sorry, I never eat instant ramen.”

—

“Host oppa…”

In the cramped rooftop room’s living area, Qi Huai frowned deeply, staring at his system.

In just over half an hour, the romantic progress between the uke protagonist and both Park Seok-jin and Choi Min-jun had advanced to “ambiguous”…

Half an hour. With two people.

How was that different from “at the same time”? What kind of myth is this?

“I’m just saying, Host oppa, have you been more concerned with Gong No. 1 than with the uke lately? You’ve been patching him up, checking on him… but when the uke was auditioning, why didn’t you pay more attention?”

Qi Huai was silent. “…Have I?”

System: “Haven’t you?”