'I don't know... how to act.' He remembered.
The realization was late but stark.
His scene was about to start in ten minutes. He could hear the male lead's dialogues through the thin aluminum wall of the makeshift makeup-cum-costume compartment.
He turned to the only helper he knew, "System, what should I do? I don't know how to act."
He didn't want to get humiliated in front of the camera. This was his acting debut, and this will be the first impression the audience will get of him.
Even though the idol community fans hated him, the acting audience was much broader and larger than the former.
If he did great acting, he could gain new fans who would praise him for his acting and not ridicule him for his past.
He dreaded the answer he would receive from the system. If the system told him to just go and act, he wouldn't know what to do then. It would be better to just run away instead of letting himself get humiliated in front of everyone.
Even though he died after becoming the CEO of the major entertainment agency, he first started as a simple manager, and he had witnessed firsthand the scolding actors get after not being able to perform acceptably.
However, the system didn't disappoint him.
[Host, since this is only a short scene, the system will give you a beginner help to headstart your journey to becoming the greatest actor in the world.]
'Now we are talking.' Aren commented internally.
"So? What is the beginner's help?" He asked excitedly, "Will you raise my acting ability for a short while?"
[No, Host.]
[The system will temporarily let you use full immersion.]
Aren blinked twice.
"Full immersion?"
[The system will temper your memories to make you actually believe something similar to the scene has happened in your real life. The system will control the immersion time and flash the dialogues in your mind to let them come out as your natural words. This is similar to method acting; however, this is the final step, the pinnacle that actors strive to achieve.]
Aren's eyes widened as he realized the meaning of system's words. He had worked in the entertainment industry and with actors, so he knew what this would mean.
But then, the system's screen changed, showing further text.
[However, this is only a one time use for you as a beginner. After today, you will have to rely on raising your acting ability.]
"Of course." Aren nodded in satisfaction. "That's a given."
Soon, he was called for the scene.
Finding himself in front of three to four cameras, capturing him from different angles, his heart raced in his chest. The bright light fell on his face.
On the ICU bed lay the heroine, eyes closed, skin pale under the lights. Transparent tubes ran beneath the blanket, connecting her to softly humming machines.
She was supposed to be in the coma, and Aren's character was supposed to cry beside her and promise her revenge against the villain.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
The vital monitors, the mic hidden in his clothes, the boom mic above him, the clapperboy ready to clap, the director ready to speak his lines, the intense stares of the crew, and the camera lens trying to gaze into his soul; all made his nerves tense, making his heart hammer against his ribs.
"Are you ready?"
The director's voice reached Aren's ears.
Believing in the system, Aren took a deep breath and then nodded, "Yes."
"Alright, then," the director began giving commands.
The clapperboard was raised.
"Lights."
The ward brightened.
"Camera."
The lens focused.
"…Action."
Clap—!
As soon as the clap happened, Aren's emotions, memories, and eyes changed.
In his head, a new memory had planted itself.
His daughter, the one he loved more than himself, even though she wasn't his, had been living in Neil's house after his death.
She was bullied and physically assaulted by someone amongst Neil's son and three daughters, sending her into a coma.
Aren was now seeing her on the bed, lying bruised and still. Even the bodyguard friend who swore to protect his daughter had failed.
Suddenly, Aren forgot about the shoot, lights, crew, camera, and even himself.
His gaze fixed on the lead actress, however, he saw her as his daughter instead. Her face and body had been replaced by his daughter's thanks to the system.
Aren fully believed the story conjured by the system in his head.
Tears gathered in his eyes as he lowered his gaze to the woman on the bed—
So still that it felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too fragile.
He wanted to deny what he was witnessing, but he couldn't.
His gaze lingered on her face, a look of silent shock and denial slowly creeping into his eyes.
He couldn't believe it could hurt that much...
The pain was unreal...
Even screaming for days in pain wouldn't express even half of what he felt.
However, only his gaze was enough to express what he was feeling.
His lips trembled when he spoke, his voice coming out uneven.
"N–No…" he gulped, "this can't be true."
His hand slowly reached for her face, trembling in the air.
Not from nervousness, but from pure emotions.
However, his hand didn't reach her.
Midway, it descended onto the fabric, curling into it.
As if even the slightest touch might cause her more pain.
"I wanted you to be happy… not to end up like this."
His chest tightened painfully.
He felt choked with emotions, a lump in his throat as his voice began to crack.
He bit his lower lip just to stop himself from breaking into cries of pain.
He swallowed and forced himself to keep looking at her pale face.
"I left you with him… because I believed he would protect you."
His breathing grew heavier.
His eyes squeezed shut for a brief moment, as if he was trying to suppress something darker rising from his chest.
And when he opened them again, the tears were still there.
But the softness was gone.
His jaw tightened.
His fingers slowly clenched into a fist at his side.
His eyes turned cold.
"Who did this to you…?"
The words were quiet.
Too quiet.
But they carried a dangerous weight.
"I'll make them regret ever touching you."
His fist tightened until his knuckles turned pale.
"No one touches what's dear to me… especially not you..."
He leaned closer, his voice lowering, trembling no longer with sadness—
But with fury barely kept under control.
"They'll come and apologize to you…"
His teeth clenched.
"I'll make them."
For a second, the anger cracked.
Pain slipped through.
His hand loosened, trembling as it hovered near her hand, afraid to grip it too tightly.
"This is my promise…"
His voice softened, breaking at the edges.
"The promise of someone who loves you... more than himself."
The words left his lips like a confession he had never planned to make.
His forehead lowered, hovering close to her hand, his breath uneven.
"I won't let it end like this…"