Characters aren’t chosen——they walk in on their own. 24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKqvaLnVjK
From the moment their eyes met, reunion was inevitable.
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The audition meeting was supposed to be calm.
The director arrived an hour early.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfLgKicjre
The art lead came in carrying a box of prototype bunny ears.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDpeqyYywW
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?”24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWVZHs3dGZ
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcG65pW7GPh
The art lead pushed up her glasses.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFea50JfuV
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJq9awfHreq
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzRq3FV8EI
“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——24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BUbukguJ3
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,24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw964G2TM6z
“…this bunny might be a little too flexible.”
The third walked in with a cool, distant expression24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj74WX0UYTQ
She turned, nodded, and delivered her line:
“…You’re back.”
The director nodded.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCJYF8hKSr
“Not bad. Feels grounded.”
The boss shot up from their seat.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMDhCqwJzq
“Wrong! No chemistry! How can she be this calm right now?!”
The screenwriter tried to explain.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxIoG5y57Y
“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.
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“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——24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVISaCELx1Z
gaze drifting gently into the distance.
“…You’re back?”
The words were soft.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoIwzUnqKT
But in that moment, the entire room fell silent.
Only breathing remained.
The director slowly sat up.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHqKVP3oGJ
The art lead’s pen froze in mid-air.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZA8D1DLcv
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,24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlu39cvjeAw
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 ——24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChwwB5FLAA
and froze.
Not because it was quiet.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrAzLL0l0A
Everyone was waiting.
But the bunny was still crouching, head slightly raised.
Xi-Yu stood there, body leaning in just a little.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEYuA6Umod
They simply looked at each other.
The director didn’t call cut.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRABXZ5sYE7
The screenwriter didn’t type.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpvXvPl8cv
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl0nrNQcX4
“…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—24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Sinn3TaLE
just stamped their CP notebook like a maniac.
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The audition finally ended.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafYroMfeSB
Everyone exhaled at once.
They were here.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMvfSeyrZA
For real.
