x
Characters aren’t chosen——they walk in on their own. 13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5CnIjU1V8
From the moment their eyes met, reunion was inevitable.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl7DNfLAeg
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoQ4sXfhzq
The audition meeting was supposed to be calm.
The director arrived an hour early.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGwX1Nm64T
The art lead came in carrying a box of prototype bunny ears.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna1Vze5gnb
The screenwriter sat in the corner, half-dead, gnawing on an energy bar.
The manager had already arranged the candidates into four Excel tiers and reminded everyone:
“Today’s focus is on the character’s aura——not their looks.”
Then the door swung open.
The boss walked in wearing sunglasses, dragging behind a suitcase clearly packed for CP emergencies—romantic pairings he was way too obsessed with.
“I’m here to supervise. Personally.”
He sounded like he was about to launch a military operation.
“…You sure you’re not just here to emotionally manipulate us?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnNv1YMroc
The director muttered under his breath.
The boss took off his sunglasses. His eyes were glistening.
“I just want to see the moment they reunite.”
No one responded.
The screenwriter quietly put away the energy bar and opened his laptop.
“If this fails, I’ll open a death route. Everyone. Dies.”
“No no no! I’ll behave. I promise.” The boss panicked.
The manager glanced at the time. “First actor’s here.”
Silence for two seconds.
The director straightened.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSt0GVfIvNy
The art lead pushed up her glasses.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaRsTXB8XX
The screenwriter opened a new document:
“How Do You Act Like You’ve Met Before?”
The boss was already seated in the front row, solemn as a high priest.
Auditions——begin.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4DqpRiSov
The first bunny-role actor walked in wearing a fuzzy hat she brought herself.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhyMSvtj4S
She took her mark, then suddenly threw both hands into the air——
“You can’t do this to me!”
Three seconds of awkward silence followed.
The director flipped a page in the audition script.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYyzYkhJFh
“We’re doing a scene from episode two today. The reunion in the back hills.”
“And uh… which scene were you performing, exactly?”
“Oh… sorry. Got too into it.”
The boss frowned.
The second bunny came from a dance background——13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUevtwF8XA
She turned her head with such extreme flexibility it looked like her neck had no bones.
“I think…” the art lead muttered, sketching as she observed,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlcG3oxZqb
“…this bunny might be a little too flexible.”
The third walked in with a cool, distant expression13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWXU8iVcr3
She turned, nodded, and delivered her line:
“…You’re back.”
The director nodded.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkpJe6PRUc
“Not bad. Feels grounded.”
The boss shot up from their seat.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUJ1zcXYgY
“Wrong! No chemistry! How can she be this calm right now?!”
The screenwriter tried to explain.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJ7TO5dG7a
“It’s not calm——it’s emotional suppression. She’s holding it in.”
“That’s suppression?! I just feel like I can’t ship them!”
“…Okay, fine. I give up on character arcs.”
He shut his laptop. The director patted his shoulder in sympathy.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV75eI7zLD
“Next one. Trying for the bunny role.”
The manager announced. No one responded.
She was the seventh of the day. Everyone’s eyes were starting to glaze over.
The girl stepped in, standard audition outfit on, hair loosely tied.
She lowered herself and lightly brushed her fingers across the synthetic grass mat.
No lines.
Then, she looked up——13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDCx6W88MR
gaze drifting gently into the distance.
“…You’re back?”
The words were soft.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLDoxJJaJ3
But in that moment, the entire room fell silent.
Only breathing remained.
The director slowly sat up.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJM2UUy3Qkn
The art lead’s pen froze in mid-air.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhE4S4P4nx
The screenwriter hit the save key without realizing it.
The boss, eyes wide——
“That’s it. I ship them.”
The director cleared his throat.
“…Alright. She stays.”
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfN2cpbh43
“Next, we’re testing for Xi-Yu. With the bunny.”
The manager spoke.
Several candidates took turns stepping in.
The first had a solar-system-level smile,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU2GTKqXgC
but once she hit her mark, she delivered her lines like she was reciting from flashcards.
The second walked like she was on a runway.
The third actor turned to look at the bunny ——13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBUNrOmZ7O
and froze.
Not because it was quiet.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHQBOLBxl4
Everyone was waiting.
But the bunny was still crouching, head slightly raised.
Xi-Yu stood there, body leaning in just a little.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4MHIYTgQB
They simply looked at each other.
The director didn’t call cut.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNUFtfZ8bA
The screenwriter didn’t type.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYT7uTQjiV
The art lead didn’t sketch.
The manager slowly lifted their hand off the earpiece.
The boss’s eyes shimmered, and a smile crept across their face before they could stop it.
The director finally spoke.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVzb6D0y3u
“…Okay. It’s them.”
No one objected.
“I can write them.”
“I want to draw them.”
“Honestly, it’s almost illegal putting them together.”
The boss said nothing—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSDpMj3FZk
just stamped their CP notebook like a maniac.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IqRmJP2i4
The audition finally ended.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2QhR5Bzto
Everyone exhaled at once.
They were here.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7aq6Dc9zv
For real.
