Chapter 92
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Cheers from the Nursing Home
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Before long, the packed nursing home lobby buzzed with excitement.
The volunteer club members, including me, were all huddled in the corner behind a pillar, waiting.
There was no backstage, so we had to make it look like we were entering. That’s why we clustered together just outside the stage area.
They’d already watched us prepare the stage from the start, so this was nothing.
Pretty fresh.
It was a novel experience even for me, having regressed.
I’d never done anything like this before regression either.
Click.
The lobby lights went out.
Sunlight streamed in through the large windows, illuminating the stage just enough.
Even so, the grandparents knew the blackout signaled the show’s start, and excitement lit up their faces.
Click.
As the audience fell into a hush, the lights flicked back on.
“Team 1, go.”
Under Chae Si-hyun’s direction from her spot beside the stage, the first-years moved with crisp efficiency.
Today, she was pulling triple duty as director, stage manager, and sound director—super busy.
It was a very simple play, so the blocking was straightforward.
Simple might not be the right word—free-form fit better.
The actors could improvise their movements based on the moment without any issues.
Maybe because it had been a while since they’d had some entertainment, the seniors’ faces bloomed with smiles at the student actors’ performances.
“Leave it here, I said!”
“Oh, come on, I didn’t steal it!”
“I saw you! This old guy stealing it.”
“Who’re you calling old guy!”
Laughter erupted at Moon Woo-hyuk’s outburst under the combined assault from Song Ha-na and Kim Sun-woo.
“That guy definitely stole it!”
“We all saw it, right?”
No need for stiff theater etiquette here—the audience chimed in now and then as they watched.
Buoyed by the enthusiastic responses, the students threw themselves into the somewhat childish material.
Song Ha-na was solid. Kim Sun-woo too.
Moon Woo-hyuk had been grumbling earlier, but now he was having a blast and nailing it.
‘This year’s newbies aren’t bad.’
Chae Si-hyun, standing back quietly by the stage, watched with the corner of her mouth twitching upward.
And now, my turn was coming up soon.
“Keuk.”
I checked my outfit in the full-length mirror behind the panel screening the stage backstage, and a laugh bubbled up.
A glittering blue sequin jacket and weird pants.
Even I had to admit it looked ridiculous—I couldn’t help but grin.
“Lee Do-hyun, get ready.”
“Got it.”
Face full of amusement, I waited in the wings for my cue.
“Now.”
On Chae Si-hyun’s signal, I bounded onto the stage.
The cheers exploded as I dashed out.
‘What’s so funny about this guy?’
Chae Si-hyun had noticed the new kid’s face full of laughter after the last scene and felt a spark of curiosity.
Not just that he’d volunteered for the role everyone else avoided.
She kept her eyes glued to Do-hyun as he headed onstage with that intrigued look.
“Oh man, hello there—!”
Sure enough, a hearty, un-high-school-like charm burst forth from the stage.
Chae Si-hyun couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.
The newbie in the sparkly getup owned the stage without a hint of embarrassment.
Before the backing track kicked in, he suddenly busted out the tourist bus dance, drawing cheers from the front-row seniors, then nailed the sultry opening notes right on the beat.
“Let’s go— to the blue ocean— to the wide plains—”
He belted out the upbeat trot number with total glee.
The grandparents got swept up in the resounding trot melody, their excitement overflowing.
Clapping was standard—some even stood up.
That’s when one grandpa, unable to hold back, started clapping and came forward.
“Huh?”
Even Chae Si-hyun, watching warmly, froze for a second.
She exchanged glances with the second-years—what now?
“On this train—”
But the newbie kept singing steadily, unfazed, watching the grandpa the whole time.
He even grabbed the grandpa’s hand as he came onstage and shared the fun.
“Sir, spin, spin around and around!”
“Aigoo, you rascal! I’m dizzy!”
“Keuk, but it feels great, right? Everyone together!”
He effortlessly stole the grandpa’s thunder, then during the highlight chorus, he had the luxury of passing the mic to the audience.
‘Not bad.’
Chae Si-hyun, who’d tensed up for a moment, relaxed and watched the stage with ease again.
And so, the Cheongyeom Arts High volunteer club’s little musical, led by the first-years, drew to a close.
“Thank you!”
The lights clicked off with the bright bow from all the first-years gathered onstage at the end.
A wave of reluctant cheers followed, as expected.
***
Back in the waiting room, the club team was buzzing with energy.
A far cry from the warm awkwardness when we’d first arrived.
“These kinds of stages aren’t half bad.”
“Yeah. A bit narrow for my talents, though.”
Even Moon Woo-hyuk and Song Ha-na were joining in on the good vibes for once.
They still bickered a bit, but their faces glowed with satisfaction.
Guess that’s seventeen for you.
To me, they just looked adorable.
“Why’re you grinning like a total creep?”
Song Ha-na eyed me like I was some weirdo.
Uncle smile my ass—creep? That’s harsh.
“At least take off that jacket? You look even weirder.”
Come to think of it, I was still wearing the sparkly thing.
I flashed a grin at her words and spun around on the spot.
Maybe I was still immersed in my trot king fantasy.
All an act, just acting.
Guess I hadn’t shaken off the role yet.
“What, it’s fine. Thinking of wearing it home today.”
“…Don’t get on our bus. It’s embarrassing being from the same school.”
Good vibes… right?
“You all did great today.”
Chae Si-hyun came into the waiting room after wrapping up with the nursing home staff.
“How was it? First time doing volunteer work—your thoughts?”
Her expression softer now that the tension was gone, she scanned the kids.
“Great. It felt like… I was the one getting healed.”
Nice. Classic Kim Sun-woo answer.
You could tell it was genuine from his beaming, real smile.
Makes sense—he’d been swarmed by the grannies after the show.
Though he always smiles like that anyway.
“I hope you all really feel that way.”
Chae Si-hyun nodded, pleased with Kim Sun-woo’s response, and pulled something out.
“These are musical tickets provided by the dad of Kim Cho-rong, a third-year member.”
She showed off several tickets.
This is why the volunteer club rocks.
Perks are insane with all these rich folks.
Decent school support, plus major sponsorships from members’ parents.
Seeing the rumors confirmed in person made my lips curl up.
Free musical tickets, though.
Wonder what show.
I was already excited to see a performance after so long—free made it even better.
“There are plenty of people who could see better shows in better seats if they wanted. But treat this as club activity and enjoy.”
Unlike me, thrilled at the freebie, the others probably didn’t need free tickets.
Kids who could rent out whole theaters if they felt like it.
No big reactions from them, yeah.
Am I too excited?
Chae Si-hyun handed out one ticket per member.
I took mine and checked it out—not a standard ticket, some new format I’d never seen.
Free ticket?
Instead of a show title, just the word ‘FREE’ printed on it.
What’s this?
“Here’s the list of musicals you can use these tickets for. Check dates and times, then come up and mark your pick.”
Chae Si-hyun passed out the lists next.
Oh. Classy volunteer club move.
Free means any of them, huh.
Heart racing, I peered at the list she handed out.
Tons of shows.
From hard-to-get major theater hits to small off-off-Broadway stuff.
Super famous ones to up-and-comers—super varied.
“Hm. This one’ll do.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Then I’ll go with that.”
Song Ha-na, Moon Woo-hyuk, Kim Sun-woo, and all the first-years picked fast.
And they all chose the same one.
‘The Last Show.’
A famous musical domestically and abroad, restaged in Korea every other year.
Plus, a British troupe was coming for a direct Korea run, already huge buzz.
But I thought it was sold out already—what’s with these free tickets… haha.
Rich people’s world is a mystery.
“Lee Do-hyun, what’re you waiting for? Pick already.”
While the others marked theirs, Song Ha-na nagged me for still staring at the list.
‘The Last Show’.
Great show, sure.
But great script doesn’t guarantee great performance every time.
Hard to find one that got trashed as bad as this.
The backlash was brutal—memories flooded back crystal clear at the title.
This sold-out hit on its Korea run? Turns out it was second-string cast instead of the A-team, scamming Korean audiences and catching hell.
The troupe director even flew in to apologize personally.
Historic in a way… but no way I’m wasting a free ticket on that.
Not just the B-team issue.
They were woefully underprepared.
Failed to deliver even half the show’s fun—total flop.
It was so long ago I’d almost forgotten, but it was this year, huh.
“You planning to memorize every title on there?”
Song Ha-na poked me again, unable to stand me lost in thought.
Guess she just wanted to pick quick and head home.
“Alright, alright.”
I finally got up and went to Chae Si-hyun, pen in hand.
I wrote my name next to one title on her checklist.
‘The Last Show’ stirred memories, but this one did too.
“I’ll take this one.”
Chae Si-hyun tilted her head at my choice.
“You sure about this?”
She double-checked the one I’d picked.
Totally unexpected, right.
Song Ha-na stared over, wondering what weird thing I’d chosen this time.
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
I nodded calmly, confirming. She checked the title again.
“By the Well?”
The show I picked: By the Well.
Out of all those on the list, the one no one else chose.
“First time hearing this title…”
Even Chae Si-hyun, who knew her musicals, hadn’t heard of it.
Natural reaction.
It had just premiered less than a month ago.
Though down the line, it’d become a Korean staple—one you’d star in yourself, Chae Si-hyun.