[crow]

But then he seemed to rethink his words, lacing his fingers together on the desk in front of him as he glanced up, as if reminiscing about something. "Hmm. I suppose you would have been too young to remember. It was quite popular when I was younger. They ran for four different seasons, and many of the alumni, so to speak, are household names now."

Ji-won blinked. He hadn't thought there was such history to the franchise. Suddenly the script felt heavier in his hands.

[crow]

He had thought it would be a less significant drama, since he had been away from the industry for so long. Another daytime role, or a mini web drama or something. But for them to have given him something like this... If it was really as the director said--- and he doubted the director would lie to him--- they were expecting more from him than he had thought.

But it was also true that he hadn't heard of the franchise before today. "It's a reboot?" he said.

[crow]

The director nodded. "The original writer thought the time was right, and penned this with the help of a younger co-author. They're looking for fresh, young talent waiting for their big break, since that was how the original tended to cast its actors. We thought it would be a good opportunity for you to make your comeback to acting."

The director's words confirmed what Ji-won had suspected. This really wasn't a project to be taken lightly, then. He felt grateful, of course he did, but at the same time...

[crow]

No, he wouldn't doubt himself like that. Ji-won forced the thought from his mind. He had only taken a break, that was all. When he was younger, he had been lauded as a genius. Surely that kind of talent wouldn't simply evaporate, even in the face of a few years' disuse.

And worrying on the matter wasn't going to make him any more likely to succeed anyway, so he ought to throw away such useless thoughts and focus his energy on what actually mattered.

[crow]

"What's the plot?" he asked. He had already flipped open the first page and begun skimming through the lines, but it looked as though this was only the script for the first episode. How much of the whole picture he would be able to glean from this was debatable at best.

"Do you think the name is a metaphor?" said the director, with a hint of amusement in his voice. "If you were hoping for a twist, I'll have to disappoint you. It's simply a drama about the trials and tribulations of students."

[crow]

"Students..." Based on what he was reading, Ji-won got that sense too. It was mostly casual language; he had seen references to teachers; and there was at least one conversation about homework. He frowned.

"You're wondering how it became so popular?" said the director. Ji-won didn't answer him, but what he had said was true. "Well, a drama doesn't need an exciting premise to be popular. Though I suppose this is a step down in the excitement factor compared to the melodramatics of weekend dramas and historical pieces."

[crow]

Weekend dramas and historical pieces were the kinds of shows that Ji-won had been in when he had still been acting as a child. It hadn't been a choice on his part, or even on the parts of his parents or his company.

It was just the reality of the industry, that these two genres tended to make use of children the most. So it wasn't an unusual thing, nor would it be considered a mark against his career, the way it might have for an older actor.

[crow]

Occasionally there would be a few flashback scenes in modern dramas in need of child actors, or there would be a plot revolving around a character with children, but these tended to be rarer in prime time shows set in the modern day.

So the sets that Ji-won grew up on were fairly different from the kind of script he had been given now. A school drama would be populated almost exclusively with actors who were at least young enough to pass for high school students.

[crow]

"The charm of a drama is always in the emotions it stirs in its audience," said the director. These were words that Ji-won had heard before. "School had solid writing, so that drew in the fans. It's been some time since its heyday, but I'm sure that hasn't changed."

"I'll make sure to do well," said Ji-won.

"Oh, I'm sure you will, Ji-wonnie," said the director, smiling at him. "You've always had a good work ethic. I look forward to seeing it."

[crow]

The director made a show of glancing at his watch, as if he were only just noticing the time. "I'm afraid I have another meeting, but your manager will fill you in on the details of the role. If you have any more questions, I'm sure he'll be able to help you."

It was a dismissal, and Ji-won knew it. He stood, then bowed to the director before excusing himself and walking out of the office, carrying the script rolled up in his hands.