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Characters aren’t chosen——they walk in on their own. 13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznQ7JtZJcO
From the moment their eyes met, reunion was inevitable.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UkjnKTz7o
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lBvacDGKT
The audition meeting was supposed to be calm.
The director arrived an hour early.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUH7acl7cuh
The art lead came in carrying a box of prototype bunny ears.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeOfCBUUUQ
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzETIWHj3a
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vcy9cz5IX
The art lead pushed up her glasses.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZe9hu7vY4q
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.
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The first bunny-role actor walked in wearing a fuzzy hat she brought herself.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wog2NRqKJ
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7r2nZ8iJ2
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqzO7t0sbR
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlDlHBFIIY
“…this bunny might be a little too flexible.”
The third walked in with a cool, distant expression13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP61TiXiPV
She turned, nodded, and delivered her line:
“…You’re back.”
The director nodded.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCprB3Gjsw
“Not bad. Feels grounded.”
The boss shot up from their seat.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhrsYOGdIN
“Wrong! No chemistry! How can she be this calm right now?!”
The screenwriter tried to explain.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ngqmEDb4B
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbLSHo2yFw
“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZ5qQnPfjB
gaze drifting gently into the distance.
“…You’re back?”
The words were soft.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHN5mydS12X
But in that moment, the entire room fell silent.
Only breathing remained.
The director slowly sat up.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbtMqR2UZQ
The art lead’s pen froze in mid-air.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxzz5iSX3I
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.”
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“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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwcXC9yKXk
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmC59zPSo9
and froze.
Not because it was quiet.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVH263OSsZ3
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3fKlCJNkg
They simply looked at each other.
The director didn’t call cut.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0N2PMg8Hr
The screenwriter didn’t type.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zzBYG81oR
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHF30TKmyt
“…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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWft6IEoEI
just stamped their CP notebook like a maniac.
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The audition finally ended.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71rFX3YNwa
Everyone exhaled at once.
They were here.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30PRoDOndx
For real.
