Hell's Actor-Chapter 117: Rude Sophistication

Averie pushed his friend forward.

"You go check it out."

But Hyerin did not dare. She held onto his arm.

"No, you should go," she replied through her clattering teeth.

"Who is the older one? You, right? Then, you go."

"You are the employer; you should be the one acting responsibly."

"I’ll give you a raise."

"How could I accept that? I have already received so much from you."

Another loud cry came from downstairs. It sounded like Min-Ha’s sobs.

The two looked at each other, held hands like preschoolers, and took a step forward.

"Nothing will hurt us if we are together."

"Yeah." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

It was past seven in the evening. Streetlights were burning outside, and the flat they were in was on the third floor.

The air was chilly, and the dust was making it difficult to breathe without coughing.

Hyerin stuck to Averie like glue as they made their way down the flight of stairs. The corridor was dark, with all the lights off. They couldn’t make out shapes or figures.

"Stay close to me," said Hyerin, practically hugging her friend.

The two walked through the empty corridors, paying attention to the sound of the wind. Once on the first floor, they turned around a corner.

There she was—Min-Ha Byun.

She was facing away from the pair, and her attention was entirely on the reflection in the glass window.

"How clumsy of me," she said with a ghastly tone.

"Hey there, beautiful," Averie stuttered. "Are you alright?"

The wind roared as the girl turned around.

Averie’s face paled.

She was white like a spirit, and red liquid was seeping from her eyes.

Bubbling from her mouth, Hyerin lost consciousness.

"I did my makeup wrong," Min-Ha complained, pouting. "It’s hard to do in the dark."

"Don’t die on me, Rin!"

***

’Would you love me even if you could not tell me it was me? Would you watch me with just as much reverence? Would you just be as captivated if I returned with another face?’

Such questions had long plagued Averie’s heart.

BSPH proved that Gene Conti’s charm hadn’t waned, yet Averie longed for that challenge.

’The challenge and ecstasy that only an unknown actor could face.’

To be praised solely for your role.

To forget the actor behind the character and applaud the role for its ingenuity was the greatest feat a great actor could demand from the audience.

’Love my roles first; love me only if you have affection left.’

Most actors did not think that way.

Why would they?

Actors were egoistic.

They lacked selflessness, and it was this flaw that brought them to stardom.

Yet Averie had grown far beyond such needs.

To him, acting was fun regardless of the audience’s perception of him. Although addictive, everything else came later.

So when the director told him about playing the role of a lady, he had one thought.

’Won’t it be fun to captivate the audience as something I could never hope to be?’

He understood the violence of Allaryx and the desire of Asmodeus, but he could not understand the womanhood of the lady.

’What does she represent?’ he asked himself again and again.

He did come up with a few answers, but they all felt vague.

’If I can’t capture the essence of this role, I won’t be able to bring to life the director’s vision.’

Averie sighed.

"This will take time."

He could not use the 10th Circle without understanding the direction of the novel.

"Is it that difficult?" Hyerin chimed in.

Recovering from the sudden scare, her head was resting on Min-Ha’s lap.

"Why don’t you ask the director for help?"

"I will, once he has some time."

He sighed again.

"Why did you even accept the role if it’s giving you such a headache?"

Averie tried to come up with a proper answer, but what came out of his mouth was far simpler.

"Because it’s fun."

Min-Ha’s ears perked. "You like crossdressing?"

She was sitting in a corner, massaging Hyerin’s head.

Averie had put her up to that task as punishment.

"I like experiencing different roles, personalities, and lives. It’s not about being a woman. It’s about being that woman."

’And that’s precisely what’s troubling me.’ He closed his eyes for a brief moment. ’Who is that woman?’

"Anyway, are we really going to share an apartment for months?" Min-Ha asked. "I suppose you two are used to it."

Averie pointed towards the bathroom.

"You can sleep there; Rin and I will take the bedroom."

"In your dreams, buddy," the girls replied simultaneously.

"What about the dinner?"

"We will have to eat out. Why?"

"I need to lose weight, fat, muscles, and all that."

"You don’t have muscles," Hyerin retorted.

"I have a brick in my bag."

"Wow, you do have great muscles!"

***

Days passed.

In the first week of October, Averie finally received all the documents for the mockumentary.

They had sent an outline of each episode, the venues they would film at, and the subjects they would approach.

"Thankfully, I can write my own jokes. The writers’ room won’t like it."

"Did they change the working title?"

"Yeah," he answered. "You will know soon."

By now, Averie had seamlessly adapted to life in London.

"Is that cute pug yours?" he said to a woman walking her dog with mild enthusiasm. "He looks just as stunning as you."

He had learned how to be rude while sounding sophisticated.

"Black Tea?" With his nose high, he scoffed. "I only drink Darjeeling and Oolong."

"Adult diapers?" He scoffed again. "I only wear baby diapers."

It didn’t take long for people in the area to deem him a man of wild tastes.

His strict diet and exercise had shown results. He had begun losing weight.

He had started closely observing his two lady friends.

The way they walked, the way they talked, the little movements they made with their wrists, the way they tucked their hair behind their ear—he watched every little movement.

He had started forming sets of habits in his mind that he could use for the role. He wanted to discuss something, but Director Groux couldn’t find time for him.

Still, he continued to prepare extensively for the role.

And soon, the day of their first shoot arrived.

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