Chapter 162 - ACTING POINTS

IF that was the case, then Reas thought that he and his brother should reevaluate everything about this company.  There’s no use having all these good facilities if the one sitting at the top would have his own bias among the company’s artists. 

He wouldn’t even be angry if that was the case.  After all, that Blair guy was the president’s brother.  He could understand why he would side with him.  Because if he was in his position, he would absolutely do the same.

But what if this was not the last time that guy, Blair, attacked his brother?  Even if Astrid won, if it would just affect his career, then it’s better to go just go to a different company.  It wouldn’t matter anyway if his brother chose to sign in this company or chose to go to another company.  At the end of the day, no matter where Astrid was, he would still shine.

“No, Grant will definitely be objective,” said the unknown woman who came here with Lauren and the agent guy. 

All four looked at her and they’re opinions were basically divided into two.  Reas and the assistant were wondering who this woman was while Lauren and Chris were wondering if her relationship with the president was close enough to call him by his first name.

Chris was the first one to recover and said, “Miss Payne is right.  The president is the most objective person I know.  Even if Astrid fought with young master Blair, it wouldn’t affect his future in the company at all.”

“That’s right, that’s right,” Lauren quickly seconded for fear that this guy would convince Astrid that Polaris was not the right company for the other because of what just happened.  He even forgot the awkwardness he was feeling.  “Just look at me.  Blair and I are always fighting and yet it never affected my career at all!”

Hearing that, Reas glanced down at Lauren.  The gazes of the two collided and the awkwardness the two felt since earlier came back again.  Both took back their gaze almost instantly.

Lauren wanted to slap himself for that small action just now.  He felt like he just ran away for some reason.  And he didn’t like that feeling at all.  Seriously, just what was happening to him?  Acting so idiotic.  Did his backbone disappear or something? 

He probably should some mental and emotional deconstructing later so when he met Andreas again he would be back to normal.  He’s older than this guy, so he should at least be the more mature one. 

Yes, that’s what he would do.  He would stop bickering with this guy and just act his age.  Further awkwardness would definitely be stopped once he did it like that.

Reas actually also wanted to scold himself or the cowardly action just now.  It’s like a dog running away with its tail tucked between its legs.  He didn’t like this analogy at all.  In the first place, was there really a reason for him to even act this way?  No, absolutely none. 

He had to get a grip.  This was not even the time to even think about these things.  He should focus more on what’s happening to his brother right now.  Besides, once he started going to the military academy, he was sure that he would quickly forget this ‘awkward’ feelings as if it wasn’t there in the first place.

“It’s good if that was really the case,” he only said and then no longer paid attention to the people around him.  He just stared at the door of the holographic room where his brother was.

Lauren also did the same.  Just like how Astrid had teased the two earlier – telling them that they’re ‘in sync’.

—–

Inside one of the holographic rooms, Blair was already halfway through one of the scenes of the movie Lauren’s assistant chose.  It was a literary film that won many awards 30 years ago. 

The setting was during the period of war of the four nations.  The protagonist was a slave on a planet belonging to the Kingdom of Terra.  If this was a commercial film, then the plot would most likely go in the direction where the protagonist would rise up to his status as a slave, join some kind of revolution, and then free the other slaves.  But this was not that kind of film.

This film detailed all the bleakness of a slave’s life.  It was just a film that was filled with hopelessness.  At the end, the protagonist died without even truly being freed.  This was also the film that solidified the status of the current number one on the Star List – Valentine Davis. 

He won his first acting award from this film.  This recognition simply paved the way for Valentine Davis to reach the heights that he had reached today.  It also made this movie a veritable classic.

The scene that the assistant picked was the scene when the protagonist first killed someone.  All for a loaf of bread.  The one he killed was also a slave like him. 

After working all day, he finally earned enough to buy a loaf of bread.  His brothers hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday.  That’s why he wanted to go home quickly to let them eat the bread.  But who would have thought that on his way home, a homeless slave would try to take the bread from him. 

The two fought.  Because he was much smaller and skinnier, the other slave quickly overpowered him.  When he saw that the other was about to eat the bread, the images of his siblings waiting for him flashed in his mind. Before he could stop himself, he had already picked up a stone on the side and then bashed the other slave’s head.

When he came back to his senses, the other slave was already dead and the loaf of bread was now soaking in blood.  That red color was very glaring.  It pierced his eyes and every fiber of his being.  Then he laughed like a maniac.  But that laugh soon into uncontrollable sobbing.  His cry was so heartbreaking that anyone who heard it would know that something inside him just died at that moment.

It was a scene that involved a lot of complex emotions.  It’s not something that a newcomer could simply act on.  That’s why Blair was confident that he would definitely win.   

When he was done, a huge 88 appeared on the virtual screen.  This number represented his acting points.  He wasn’t disappointed by that.  In fact, he was even proud because this score was already considered high especially when it came to this particular movie.  He wasn’t worried that the newcomer would surpass his points.  The other probably would not even get passed 50. 

Acting points usually appeared on the small monitor on the side of the holographic rooms.  There was an option whether one wanted to post it or not.  Not posting it meant that the practice session they just had wouldn’t enter the records of the company.  After all, not many people would want to publicize their incompetence.

But when he walked out of the holographic room, the score that was flashing on the door of the holographic room across from him, almost blinded Blair.  He didn’t even notice the people standing in front of the door. 

90 points!

“No- how could that be?!” – he could only blurt out.