Chapter 163
Chapter 163
Translator: Penny
Chapter 163
"Should we ask it?"
"Yeah, on the way to the agency, I found some YouTube videos of real shamans performing exorcisms. Apparently, when someone's possessed like this, they ask about the spirit's story, help it resolve its grudges, and then send it on its way."
Ryu Jaehee explained, showing them a YouTube video titled "#Exorcist Possession Case."
Kim Dobin covered his eyes, already terrified by the thumbnail alone.
"Wouldn't it be better to leave this to a professional shaman? We're just amateurs—we might accidentally provoke it with clumsy questions."
Gyeon Hajun looked like he wanted to drag Yoon Eden to a shaman's house right then and there.
And who could blame him? One morning, without any warning or incident, Yoon Eden had completely transformed, his personality flipping 180 degrees. How could this be a mere psychological issue? It was a situation that defied explanation unless attributed to supernatural phenomena.
And on YouTube, videos about people supposedly possessed are trending with labels claiming they're "100% real," even though we can't verify if they're genuine or staged.
"Still, it's better to try everything we can ourselves than risk rumors leaking about an idol getting possessed after visiting a shaman's house," Ryu Jaehee argued.
Gyeon Hajun reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Yehyeon Hyung, can I leave the light on tonight? This video is starting to scare me..." Ryu Jaehee asked, pointing to a YouTube video of a man rolling his eyes back.
Seo Yehyeon shuddered and nodded. "Sure. I'm getting spooked too."
Kim Dobin, who had been sitting beside Seo Yehyeon with his chin propped on his hand, muttered gravely, "This Hyung is really freaking me out."
"But in novels, when someone gets possessed, they usually just stay in that body and live there forever."
"Tell it to get out. Who does it think it is, occupying someone else's body, squatting there, and stealing their life?" Gyeon Hajun spat out the words, his face twisted in a grimace.
While everyone else was either startled or impressed by this rare display of Gyeon Hajun's temper, Kim Dobin, who had first suggested the possession theory, tilted his head and asked, "But what if Eden Hyung really made a big decision? What if he was moved by my wish and decided to become a new person? What if this isn't possession at all, but the real Eden Hyung?"
"Yoon Eden? As if." Seo Yehyeon scoffed, then paused, slumped over the conference table, and groaned in despair.
"I'd rather it were that. It's better than being possessed by a ghost, right? This doesn't make any sense. If it's really possession, then I just got encouragement from a ghost who stole someone else's body."
"Exactly. It's better to get encouragement from Eden Hyung, who's decided to become a new person, than from a ghost who wanted to be an idol," Ryu Jaehee chimed in, nodding in agreement.
First, we should ask Yoon Eden what kind of resolution he's made that's causing him to act like this.
Then, we should suggest that while we don't particularly love his current self, for the sake of our mental health, he should try to find a compromise by blending his old and new selves.
This was the conclusion Reve's four members reached in the conference room, desperately trying to avoid the possession theory and find a way out.
Back at the dorm, Animal Farm, a variety show featuring animals, was airing.
As a dog lover who owned a pet, Yoon Eden would erupt in fury whenever an abandoned dog appeared on screen, clearly left behind by someone. He'd shout at the top of his lungs, "Those jerks who abandon dogs should be dumped in the middle of nowhere themselves!"
If anyone tried to change the channel, worried about his blood pressure, he'd insist on watching the abandoned dog find happiness and refuse to let them switch.
His usual routine was to point the remote at the screen as the rescued dog underwent a veterinary checkup, got groomed, and waited for adoption, all while showering the screen with curses devoid of profanity.
But now, as Yoon Eden watched the abandoned dogs on Animal Farm, he sat motionless, staring at the TV screen, tears streaming down his face.
Even when the others burst into the dorm, he showed no reaction. It wasn't the embarrassed look of someone caught crying in secret.
A terror even greater than the oppressive atmosphere of the Practice Room enveloped them.
This couldn't be the Yoon Eden who had resolved to become a new person. No matter what, some trace of the original should remain, shouldn't it?
Gyeon Hajun clenched his fist and stood before Yoon Eden, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"Who are you? Who are you to possess Eden's body and act like this?"
Who else could it be? It's me, you idiot.
Now even you, Jun, have been corrupted by Kim Dobin? Seriously, no matter how I think about it, we need to confiscate that guy's phone.
Sighing, I shifted my gaze to Seo Yehyeon and Ryu Jaehee behind him, signaling them to talk some sense into Gyeon Hajun.
What's wrong with these guys now?
They were staring at me with the same wary, frightened expressions as Gyeon Hajun.
I wondered where Kim Dobin was, only to find him clinging to Seo Yehyeon's back, trembling like a leaf.
When I tried to unleash my usual fury at the sight of the pitifully abandoned puppy, I was once again thwarted by that damn filter. Instead of anger, tears welled up, which I awkwardly wiped away, blinking blankly.
I had already gotten a full, brutal taste of this Penalty's horrors since morning.
I had fully intended to throw Kim Dobin, who was sprawled out in bed until 9:30 AM because he had no morning schedule, off the bed and send him rolling to the dining table.
But the moment I reached for the nape of his neck as he lay on his side, my body betrayed my will. Instead of shoving him, I gently shook him awake, then lifted him into my arms and carefully placed him in a chair at the dining table.
Fuck! How does that even make sense? I was supposed to rough him up and send him rolling, but instead, I kindly carried him to the table like a goddamn butler? How does that make any sense?!
And this godforsaken Penalty didn't just filter my actions; it twisted my words too.
Seriously, how does "Hey, Kim Dobin, stop lazing around and get up already!" become "Dobin-ah, Kim Dobin. You need to wake up now"?
How could "What are you doing? Stop staring at people and just eat your food" become "Why are you looking at Hyung? Hurry up and eat"?
During dinner, Kim Dobin, through sheer luck, stumbled upon the reason for my strange behavior. I desperately blinked my eyes, signaling that he was right, but no one understood.
The true horror of this damn Penalty reached its peak in the Practice Room.
Seriously? After practicing this song hundreds of times, why am I messing up the choreography now?
Even as I automatically filtered out curses and threats, replacing them with forced encouragement, I felt like exploding. I tried to vent my frustration by playfully slapping Seo Yehyeon's back, pretending to encourage him, but I couldn't muster enough force.
Just like now. Seriously, why the hell is the action filter forcing me to gently place my hand on my chest when I just want to pound on it out of frustration?
"Jun-a, you're talking nonsense. If I'm not Yoon Eden, then who am I?"
And how the hell did "Jun-a, after all this time, you've fallen for that jerk Kim Dobin's, no, that damn weeb's possession theory? How can a person's soul just switch bodies?" get filtered into that?!
As I placed my hand over my chest and answered softly, Ryu Jaehee, standing beside Seo Yehyeon, burst out in a fit of protest.
"No! Eden Hyung wouldn't say that!"
I know! I know better than anyone!
"What do you even want, possessing this body? Did you want to be a rapper? Or maybe you just wanted to live as a tall guy with a scary face that makes people cower? I don't know about dancing, but if you wanted to sing, you've come to the wrong place. This Hyung can't sing. And don't even think about taking over my body either."
The only good thing about this penalty was that I could swear as much as I wanted, knowing it would be automatically filtered out.
Of course, the filtered version that came out of my mouth sounded completely different.
"Jaehee, if even you're acting like this, Hyung's going to be upset."
(Fuck, Jaehee. You too? Did you, the brilliant one, decide to drive me crazy too?)
"Stop pretending to be Eden Hyung! What do you even want? Tell me quickly! I'll grant it so you can finally rest in peace!"
"I am Eden. All I want is for my Reve members to trust and follow me."
(Fuck, I'm Yoon Eden! What do I want? For you bastards to just leave me the hell alone until this penalty ends! That's all, you fuckers!)
"There's no way Eden Hyung would say something like that!"
Seriously, what is this, the Bible? Denying me three times? If I have to perform the Filial Scoundrelism Diss Rap word-for-word to make you believe me, I will!
"We need to get to our radio schedule first," Seo Yehyeon said, checking the time with a heavy tone. Ryu Jaehee cautiously asked, "Then what about this... ghost... sir?"
Why the hell are you calling a perfectly normal person a ghost?!
"What else can we do? The body's Yoon Eden, so we have to take him. And since he knows all our names, he probably has some information. It shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Um, Ghost... Sir? If you get a question you can't answer, blink three times. We'll answer for you."
This is driving me crazy.
On the way to the radio station for our schedule, Manager Hyung asked, "What's with this atmosphere? Did you guys fight?"
The awkward tension surrounding us made it impossible for anyone to answer readily.
I almost wished we had fought. Right now, the members were unilaterally terrified of me, all because of some absurd misunderstanding about me being possessed.
Still, since no one was talking to me, I could keep my mouth shut, which was the only comfortable part of this situation.
"So, Mr. Eden, what about you? Any leader's struggles you want to confess honestly on air?"
"Thanks to the members' willingness to follow along, I haven't really faced any particular hardships."
I gave a carefully filtered answer to the DJ's question on the radio, while quickly scanning the rapidly scrolling chat.
The damn Penalty had permanently fixed my default expression into a benevolent smile.
My cheeks and the corners of my mouth ached so badly from being stretched so wide, I was on the verge of a spasm.
"He said he was sorry, and it looks like he really meant it."
"Eden, you can stop apologizing now."
"Is he trying to change his image after being shocked by the bullying rumors?"
"No matter how much he smiles like Buddha, the image that's already stuck is 'Dark Knight who beats up bullies.'"
"Wait, why does he actually look so kind when he smiles and speaks so gently? Can someone with that face really look kind?"
And of all days, it had to be a live radio broadcast. Ha ha.
Two hours, one minute, and twenty-five seconds remained until this goddamn Penalty ended.
I was extremely curious to see which would come first: the end of the Penalty, or me dying of frustration and time reverting back to my debut days.
Rough, inconsiderate hands shook his body violently.
"Hey, Dobin. The sun's at its peak. If you're not up by the time I count to three, you're doing Ranger Training all the way to the dining table in a duck walk."
The familiar, slightly sarcastic mid-low voice.
"He's back..."
Kim Dobin murmured unconsciously, wiping his face. He blinked his eyes wide, realizing what he'd said.
Before him stood Yoon Eden, his face twisted into a grimace instead of yesterday's benevolent Buddha-like smile.
"Eden Hyung is back!"
Dobin exclaimed in a voice brimming with emotion, like the protagonist's companion 1 witnessing the hero's triumphant return after sacrificing himself for the world in the final chapter, greeting them as if nothing had happened.
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny