The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

THE director clapped to get everyone's attention.  "Okay, everyone in position!" 

The small cameras flew up, surrounding Astrid's position.  The cameramen who were controlling the small drones made sure that he would be captured at any angle.  The lighting crew also started to do their part. 

Astrid ignored all the bustle around him.  He closed his eyes and cleared his mind.  He put his emotion at zero.  So, it would be easy for him to dig out the right emotion later.  And he just calmly waited for the signal of the director to begin.

Before he could hear the signal, he first heard the music from the sound pods in his ears.  The director probably did that so he could ready himself easily.  He smiled inwardly.  It seemed the director wasn't that strict as one migh immediately think.

He concentrated on the music coming from the sound pods.  It was the first verse of the song.  In this part, it described one of the two prevalent themes of the song.  Which was desolation.  This verse was like the beginning of the story. 

It started with some kind of bleakness that one just couldn't shake off.  Just by listening to that verse, one could feel the increasing hopelessness.  People who would hear that would quickly think that this song was just about someone's never-ending suffering.  Even if there would be a turn around at the second half of the song, at least in this scene, he should show that that was indeed the case.

"Okay, action!"

When Astrid heard Director Hale shouting that very familiar phrase, he opened his eyes and turned to the persona that this music video needed.  Someone who was tired and had already given up on life.  Someone who was just waiting for everything to end.  That's how he should be at the first part of the song. 

The usual bright aura that was surrounding him as if he was shining was suddenly gone.  The glimmer in those beautiful black eyes was now gone.  All one could see was the bleakness.

And so, the once beautiful teenager who was covered in brilliance had now turned into someone full of gloom.  One couldn't even see his beauty.  All they could see was the sadness enveloping him.

That made the crew watching the whole scene truly amazed.  Because it's not as if the stylist made him look less pretty.  No, there was nothing like that.  He simply reduced his presence and overwhelmed everyone with the sheer amount of emotion he was showing.

The teenager looked towards the blue sea, his eyes full of longing.  As if there was something over the horizon that could alleviate the emptiness in his heart.  He tried to stretch out his hand, wanting to catch it.  But at the end, he just put it down.  He looked at his palm and a smile crossed his lips.       

It was the kind of smile that showed helplessness.  As if he was silently berating himself for thinking of something he shouldn't.  For wanting something he couldn't ever have. 

He clenched his fist and raised it close to his chest.  Then he closed his eyes tightly.  He looked as if he was trying to useless emotion in his heart to that tightly clenched fist.  He opened his eyes, there was no longer anything in it.  And then, he slowly opened his clenched fist.  The simple gesture was like him slowly letting go of the things that he couldn't have.  Things that would forever be out of his reach. 

The crew who was watching was once again amazed by the teenager's simple actions.  Because it conveyed a lot.  They couldn't hear the music that Astrid was hearing right now.  But somehow, they still knew what kind of song it was.  About being stuck in a quagmire that one just couldn't get out of no matter how much they tried.  That helplessness and desperateness, everyone there felt it.

They only had one thought at that moment – ah, so this was what watching a genuine acting felt like.

Harper stared at the virtual screen in front of her.  It was divided in panels, each for every camera filming Astrid at the moment.  No matter which panel she looked, this teenager was simply perfection.  He truly didn't let her down.  He really backed up all that bravado and confidence.  This was talent.  Pure and unadulterated talent.

Looking at this scene, she finally understood his uncle's excitement when telling her about this teenager.  Because she could feel that same excitement now.  How wonderful was this feeling?  Well, to explain it, it's like finding shiny crystal that you thought was just made of colored glass and then discovering that it was actually the rarest kind of gem.

She grinned.  She wondered just what kind of actor this teenager would become in the future.  If he walked to right path, then, surely, he would definitely climb at the very top.

Hearing that it was nearing the end of the first verse, Harper quickly shouted, "Okay, cut!"

-----

Wulfric stared at the virtual screen unblinkingly.  His emotions were currently all jumbled up.  Frustration, anger, worry, even some kind of pain he couldn't understand.  But despite all those confusing emotions, he still wanted to go over to that shore and wipe that expression on Aster's face. 

He didn't like seeing him like that.  Looking like there was no hope and so he decided to just give up.  Aster shouldn't look like that.  He remembered that time when they first met.  The teenager looked at him without fear, his dark eyes full of unwavering courage. 

He understood that the other was just acting.  Because it's clear as day now that he was indeed the star of this music video.  But even so, seeing him like that still put his stomach into knots.  Seriously, there must be something really wrong with his brain. 

Why would he feel distress for this little guy who's basically pretending to be in pain?  He seemed to be really good at that, 'pretending'.  Wulfric's focus should be on one and one thing only.

On the fact that this teenager undeniably and irrevocably duped him.