The "beep" sound rang out, and the audience seats darkened.
Clap, clap—the applause echoed as the curtain rose. Everyone gazed at the stage in amazement. They had expected a simple, round, and childlike set for a children's play, but instead, the background depicted houses and swaying trees that could have come straight out of a fantasy movie.
The protagonist, Bom, lived in a village that had been suffering from a drought for several years. When her younger sister finally collapsed, Bom set out on a journey to find the legendary guardian of the world, the Azure Dragon, to make a wish.
Bom traveled around, helping people and, in return, received an unknown piece of glass. Though it seemed useless, Bom decided to keep it as a gift for her sister and carefully stored it in her bundle.
The audience couldn't help but rub their eyes. No, are these really kids? The stage design and props were so realistic, not a single detail was out of place.
Especially, the children's natural acting, or rather, their presence, made it feel like watching the daily lives of people in a foreign country on television.
Some of the kids on stage were performing for the first time. Despite this, they looked so much like real farmers and woodcutters that their guardians wondered if their children had such talent and if they should pursue acting.
However, when they tried other acting roles, the kids were still at a beginner level, realizing that this play was a special case.
Finally, Bom arrived at the entrance of the Azure Dragon's cave.
"Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon! Please hear my wish."
Bom clasped her hands and prayed earnestly.
"Please save my sister, please save our village."
The children from the same acting school, like Choi So-young, were surprised by her performance. She was good, but not to this extent.
Bom recalled the people she had met during her journey, who were suffering from the drought. She had helped with their immediate needs, but the only fundamental solution was one.
For the Azure Dragon to bring rain!
"Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon! Everyone is suffering."
At that moment, a loud rumble shook the theater. The stage manager trembled at the power of the newly installed speakers. Indeed, you get what you pay for!
The clear sky on the screen filled with clouds, and the sun disappeared. The stage darkened, and a flash of lightning struck.
Then, the eyes of Seo Jun, who was standing behind a prop in the center of the stage, glowed with a sea-like color.
Now that no one was looking at him, he could use his ability freely.
[(Pro) Blue Dragon Hatchling's Weak Aura activated.]
Seo Jun's eyes and hair color changed. Small horns grew, and dragon scales sprouted on his cheeks and the backs of his hands.
This time, his vision seemed enhanced, and he could see So-young, who was performing with her back to the audience, beyond the props.
Despite the bright lighting, the dragonized Seo Jun could see the expressions and faces of each person in the audience.
Some were casually leaning back, some chatting with their neighbors, some children were enjoying it, and some were uninterested.
This was why plays were so enjoyable. You could see the audience's reactions directly.
He looked forward to the surprised expressions of the people. Seo Jun smiled.
Here, there is a Blue Dragon that no one can ignore.
Seo Jun opened his mouth.
Through the voice-changing machine prepared by the stage manager, his voice was filtered once, but the mid-level ability was impressive.
[It's noisy.]
That one word.
A voice that sounded both like a child and an adult, indistinguishable.
It connected the world on stage with the world below the stage, breaking through the screen of the television.
The audience opened their mouths in awe of the overwhelming presence. Bom, who had been praying to an unknown entity, and her attitude, which had seemed distant, now felt right in front of them. They felt as if they were standing before a tremendous being.
Now, the play was no longer just a play.
The cave on the screen grew larger, and a large Azure Dragon appeared inside.
The Azure Dragon emerged from the cave and flew in the vast sky.
Bom and the audience looked up to see the Azure Dragon reaching the ceiling.
Then, the Azure Dragon approached Bom. The dragon, which had been flying at the far end, came closer.
Very close.
So close that their eyes met.
"Huh? Oh!"
As the adults saw the Azure Dragon getting closer, they instinctively moved backward. But they couldn't move further because of the chair backs. They huddled into the backs of their seats.
Just as it seemed the dragon was getting too close,
The head of the Azure Dragon broke through the screen and appeared on the stage.
Huh!
The audience gasped and buried themselves in their seats.
Unlike the overwhelmed adults, the children opened their mouths wide, staring at the real Azure Dragon.
The Azure Dragon's long beard waved like waves, reaching the ends of the stage, and its sharp eyes looked down at Bom and the audience.
Feeling like a real Azure Dragon, everyone in front of him seemed small. His enhanced vision showed him the entire audience.
The adults, feeling a strange sense of reverence, stepped back, while the children, feeling a warm sanctity, sparkled with excitement.
Seo Jun, recalling the grandfather of the hatchling who had guarded the human kingdom, opened his mouth.
[It's noisy, child.]
At that voice, the audience instinctively clasped their hands. Goosebumps ran down their spines, even though they weren't cold.
A being they had never seen in their lives was right there.
It wasn't scary. It was just enormous and divine, something they couldn't imagine.
Kim Hee-sang suddenly realized he had felt something similar before.
A spirit.
Of course, it was a bit different. The spirit's performance was playful and more human, but this felt like a real, non-human entity speaking.
"Azure Dragon! Please help us."
While the audience couldn't even open their mouths, Bom, who was familiar with the lines from practice, spoke confidently.
She told the Azure Dragon, with large eyes, about everything she had experienced during her journey, using expressive gestures.
The Azure Dragon, blinking its eyes, seemed to calm down a bit.
[Hmm. I'm sorry.]
"Huh?"
[Someone stole my pearl. I need it to make it rain...]
At the Azure Dragon's words, Bom jumped up.
"I'll find it! I just need the pearl, right?"
[Yes, but I don't know where it is. It seems to be broken.]
"That's okay! I'll find it quickly! Please tell me what it looks like!"
The Azure Dragon slowly opened its mouth. Its half-closed eyes blinked as if searching for a memory.
[It's blue and beautiful. It has this pattern.]
A water-drop pattern appeared in front of Bom. The children gasped and sparkled with admiration at the Azure Dragon's ability. Suddenly, Bom thought she had seen this before. So, it must be very close.
My bundle!
"My bundle!"
[Hmm?]
Bom quickly untied the bundle on her back. Three pieces of glass came out. Bom held them up for the Azure Dragon to see clearly.
"Azure Dragon! Is this the pearl!?"
The Azure Dragon's always half-closed eyes widened and it smiled.
[Yes, it's my pearl. Thank you very much. As a reward, I will grant you one wish.]
"That's great! Azure Dragon! My wish! Please make it rain quickly."
[Don't you have any other wishes?]
"Yes!"
[Alright. Wait a moment!]
The Azure Dragon nodded, and the glass pieces in Bom's hand rose into the air, shining and transforming into a round pearl. The pearl fit perfectly into the Azure Dragon's foot.
[Hmm!]
The Azure Dragon's head, emitting a satisfied sigh, slowly disappeared into the screen. The screen showed the Azure Dragon moving around.
Seo Jun recalled the laughter of the only family of the Blue Dragon Hatchling, the owner of the ability.
A cheerful, trustworthy, and comforting laugh that made all worries disappear.
Following the faint laughter of his grandfather, which he remembered thanks to the Book of Life, he laughed.
[Ha-ha-ha-ha!]
With the Azure Dragon's refreshing laugh, the rain began. The audience's hearts, heavy with the thunderous laughter, felt refreshed as if the rain had washed away their burdens.
Rain also started to fall on the stage. Of course, it was a stage effect that cost a lot of money.
Days passed, and Bom arrived at her village.
It seemed the rain from the Azure Dragon had a mysterious power, as the fields and rice paddies had grown enough to be harvested. Everyone was happily harvesting.
"Sister!"
Bom's sister, Gaeul, who had recovered from her illness, ran to welcome Bom.
The play ended with the sisters' embrace. The heavy black curtain descended, covering the stage.
Soon, the audience seats lit up.
Clap!
Clap, clap, clap!!!
The applause echoed through the theater.
* * *
After the first performance, a small party was held. Although many more performances were left, everyone enjoyed the food prepared by their parents and laughed happily. Director Park, sitting with the children, said,
"Let's change the order a bit?"
Seo Jun, sitting next to Director Park, nodded. He held a slice of pizza and a glass of milk.
"Yes. From the audience's reaction, it felt a bit distant at first."
"That's true. Even a daily drama can feel that way, let alone a completely fairy-tale story."
Director Park continued,
"But in the end, they were completely immersed, right?"
"Yes."
Director Park, who had been watching the stage and the audience alternately, knew this very well. At first, people were just watching with their arms crossed, thinking the kids were doing well for a children's play, but from the moment the Azure Dragon appeared, they were completely absorbed, moving their bodies and getting into the play.
Even the restless young audience members, who had been fidgeting, were now staring at the stage with their mouths open, not blinking.
Another sign of immersion was the pearl. The blue pearl, prepared as a souvenir by the Galaxy Center owner, sold out. Both adults and children bought the sparkling blue pearls as they left.
Even though they knew it was a made-up story, they had a half-believing, half-doubting expression.
"It's all thanks to Seo Jun."
"So, how about having the Azure Dragon appear a bit earlier in the beginning?"
"How?"
"Hmm. Maybe the Azure Dragon crying because it lost its pearl?"
Seo Jun's suggestion was met with Choi So-young, who had joined the conversation.
"Isn't that a bit too much?"
"But, sister, the laughing Azure Dragon also seemed... "
It was in the script, and the grandfather of the hatchling laughed like that, making it fun, but thinking about it, the grandfather who had gone to the human kingdom never laughed like that.
The always dignified and serious guardian dragon, who pretended to be serious, would smile and look for his grandchild as soon as he returned to his lair.
"True, the tone is also 'child.'"
Lee Da-jin and the children, who had joined the conversation, added their opinions.
The children's opinions converged, and they decided to add and change the Azure Dragon's lines. They planned to practice during the three days before the next performance.
"Is it okay? Director Park? The kids are changing the lines."
The assistant director's question made Director Park laugh.
"We see it from the outside, but they feel it while acting. There must be a world inside the stage that we don't know. If we were aiming for a hit, it would be different, but this project is for the kids, so a little modification is fine."
Director Park, looking at Seo Jun and the children discussing enthusiastically, as if watching a well-grown student, said,
"Still, I should say something."
As usual, Director Park got the children's attention with applause and said,
"Kids."
"Yes!"
"Don't change lines like this in other plays. It's only possible because it's us."
"Yes!!"
Us.
The word stuck in Seo Jun and the children's hearts.
The children, including Seo Jun, knew that such a free and fun stage was hard to come by.