Chapter 421
Chapter 421
Park Moon-dae received passionate attention for a week after the airing of Episode 4, where his preparation for the horror experience had missed the mark by a hair.
Since it was exactly as he had predicted, he stoically accepted his fate as the group’s "laugh button."
‘Good grief.’
There was even a fan who threw a ghost doll at him during a concert.
Such behavior vanished after causing quite a stir on social media, but it was proof that his variety show image had left a strong impression.
A guy so cowardly you just want to tease him.
Of course, that only lasted for a week.
‘Naturally.’
While he found ghosts unsettling, he didn't mind any other kind of thrill.
The next episode.
[Great White Shark Cage Experience]
Inside a cage submerged under the sea.
While the TeSTAR members, clad in snorkeling gear, were screaming and flailing like mimes, Park Moon-dae just stood there.
To an onlooker, it would have looked like he was standing on flat ground.
Immovable Heart. He expressed his interest by resting his chin on his hand. It meant that despite being trapped in a cage underwater looking at a great white shark, he was calmly enjoying himself.
[↑ Believe it or not, he is currently in a state of extreme interest]
Just like that, Park Moon-dae restored his dignity in one fell swoop!
The interesting part was that Park Moon-dae wasn't the only one who found it intriguing.
After a few minutes of collective fussing:
[(Gyaaaaah!)]
[Kim Rae-bin: (They are surprisingly delicate-looking creatures!)]
[Bae Se-jin: (Doesn't understand a single word he's saying)]
[Kim Rae-bin: (You don't agree! That's perfectly fine!)]
[Bae Se-jin: (Still has no clue)]
Surprisingly, despite its terrifying name, the shark cage experience received favorable reviews from most of the members.
The safety was reliable enough for it to be a commercial product, and since their fear thresholds had already been pushed to the limit by the horror experience, they accepted it as reasonably fun.
Besides, it was certainly a wondrous and unique experience.
The course for the team was practically a "healing" success.
Although the team leader had picked these items while being extremely conscious of the broadcast, that comment rang true for him.
[Cha Yu-jin: Moon-dae hyung and I were right!]
In the interview cut, Cha Yu-jin grinned.
…Even though a shot of Park Moon-dae going along with whatever Cha Yu-jin threw at him under the guise of being a "duo" flashed behind him, they were a team nonetheless.
[Cha Yu-jin: Best teamwork!]
And Park Moon-dae managed to vent some of his feelings of betrayal by taking a two-shot photo of Seon A-hyun and the shark.
[Seon A-hyun: (Like this?)]
[Park Moon-dae: (Good)]
Then, on the jungle speedboat they rode next, he cleared his (private) grudge by showing incredible chemistry with Ryu Cheong-woo.
Finally, the zipline over the cliff.
[Cha Yu-jin: Woo-hoo!!!]
It was extremely exciting, but since everyone participated without backing out and had fun, it surprisingly didn't cross the line into pain. And Kim Rae-bin’s full course that followed immediately after soothed all the fans' lingering regrets about the lack of "healing."
After the long "killing" segments, the viewers found the sweet "healing" even more enjoyable. Kim Rae-bin thus overtook Mung-ge to become the mascot of healing.
[Mung-ge: (I miss you! Hyungs, come back to Korea soon!)]
The healing variety show concluded in a truly healing fashion, ending with a beautiful outdoor night shot of the members waving during a video call with Mung-ge, who had returned to Korea from Indonesia.
Total of 8 episodes. It was a short and intense piece of self-produced content.
And the fans in Chile took an unexpected win.
Though some were a bit disappointed.
And all of this was what usually happened when TeSTAR handled a variety show properly.
Happy viewers, fans' reviews.
Park Moon-dae lay on his bed and put down his smartphone.
He had already deleted the amateurish, freshly-made account he'd created for the horror "preview" to show on the broadcast.
Instead, the name of the monitoring account he rotated regularly sparkled at the top of the screen.
“…….”
As if it were a signal that everything was returning to normal.
Watching the pouring comments, Park Moon-dae finally felt it properly once more.
The certainty and realization that he had returned.
“…Whew.”
He put his phone down.
The end of the tour.
For the first time in a long while, he was able to fall into a deep sleep without having nightmares of waking up in that ambiguous, skeletal system space.
It was a complete return to the orbit of TeSTAR.
And the next day, Park Moon-dae made a certain decision.
He agreed with the company and the members about "preparing for the album," but there was something he wanted to do before that.
“Keun-dal.”
[Oh, Hyung! Are you available to talk now? What’s up?]
“…There’s a place I’d like you to go.”
[Pardon?]
Ryu Gun-woo, inside Park Moon-dae, spoke with his eyes closed.
“…I’m going to see my parents.”
*
The return to the country was quite noisy.
Since it was difficult to schedule domestic activities while filming a variety show during the tour, it had been a while since they’d entered the country.
However, their movements after arrival were carried out quietly.
After spending a few days doing several private schedules, today arrived.
I got dressed and left the room.
“Going today?”
“Yeah.”
“Have a safe trip.”
Thump. I didn't bother protesting when Keun Se-jin lightly tapped my back. Instead, we bumped fists, and I kept walking.
I couldn't involve company staff in this, and public transportation was out of the question.
But since Park Moon-dae’s body didn't have a license, I couldn't drive either. So, I recruited one more person.
“We’re going to that studio apartment first, right?”
“Yeah.”
It was Ryu Cheong-woo, who had both a license and a car.
The SUV he bought just before the tour had been useful during the camping trip as well.
“Thanks.”
“It’s nothing.”
Ryu Cheong-woo, who had readily sacrificed his day off, took the wheel.
“I’m heading out.”
After picking up Keun-dal from the studio apartment and spending quite a while on the road, we finally reached our destination.
“…Hello.”
It had been a very long time since I’d visited the memorial.
I approached the glass case that filled an entire wall and looked at the single white ceramic jar behind one of the panes.
An urn.
It was a simple setup with their names written on it, and a few photos nearby were all there was.
“…….”
Burial would have cost too much money, and since I was a minor at the time, there wasn't much I could properly do.
So, by the time I came to my senses, it had ended with cremation and placement in a columbarium.
I hadn't even chosen the spot myself, so it was too high up for my line of sight… but it’s fine now.
I lightly wiped the glass case.
“Hello.”
Keun-dal—the guy who was now Ryu Gun-woo—spoke up and bowed his head deeply toward the urn.
I was grateful for that.
I reached out, opened the glass, and placed the bouquet I had bought inside.
The space was narrow. Narrow enough that the bouquet was slightly crushed.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to move them to a more spacious spot.”
“…Ye-Yes?”
Yes, I’m talking to you.
I gave a small smile.
“The spot for the urn. I can’t do it myself, so please sign for it. I’ll cover the costs, of course.”
“…! Of course I’ll do it… No, you don’t have to give me the money.”
“No, I should.”
If I don't, wouldn't that be like shaking you down?
Besides, if I don't at least provide the money, it won't feel like I’m the one who did it.
I pulled my hat down.
It was a weekday, not a holiday, so there were hardly any people. Still, it would be a commotion if I were caught.
‘Even three people is a lot.’
The fact that rumors might spread about me visiting a friend’s parents’ memorial… feels a bit strange.
‘It doesn't matter.’
I looked up, took out the bouquet, and disassembled it. It had been treated with some kind of preservative, so it was barely damaged. I took out just a few flowers, put them in the glass case, and closed it.
Click.
It didn't look bad.
Just as I was about to turn to Ryu Cheong-woo to say I’d stay a bit longer:
“…!”
Are you… crying?
“Hyung.”
“Ah… sorry, for some reason, I just…”
“…….”
Right.
They were relatives to this guy, too. My parents, I mean.
I looked at the white urn and thought to myself.
‘…That’s how it turned out.’
I don't particularly believe my parents are actually here.
But since they’re visible to my eyes.
‘I’m living well, so don't worry. …I’m sorry the body you gave me changed. But that person is living well, too.’
Whether it’s the soul or the shell, I hope the fact that I brought a healthy Ryu Gun-woo here counts as some kind of restitution. I smiled faintly.
After Ryu Cheong-woo wiped the moisture from his face, he seemed to stand calmly again.
The sunlit interior.
In the quiet morning, we stood before the columbarium for quite a long time.
After moving the urn to a better location, the ride back was quiet, but the atmosphere wasn't uncomfortable. However, I couldn't help but ask about this.
“What about your parents?”
Keun-dal’s shoulders trembled slightly.
“Ah, they… they’re in the sea. They said they wanted that for a long time…….”
“…I see.”
Considering this guy’s circumstances, a suspicion flashed through my mind that it might have been done that way by officials because there was no money for a columbarium, but I stopped myself.
Instead of wasting time on such useless thoughts…
“If you have time, why don't we go together?”
“Ah….”
“Is it far?”
“Ah, um. It’s Ganghwa Island, but….”
I figured as much.
“Then, since you’re off this weekend.”
“Heck! It’s okay. You’re going to be busy again, Hyung….”
“Then do you want to go today?”
“…!”
The words above didn't come from me.
“We have time today. Let’s go. I’ll drive you.”
It was Ryu Cheong-woo in the driver’s seat who spoke.
And after a few rounds of persuasion, the destination was finally set.
“Thanks.”
“No, I’ll get to see the sea for the first time in a while, too.”
The guy who saw it just a month ago while filming a variety show sure talks well. So, we stopped by Ganghwa Island on the way.
Whoosh—
The season when summer was almost over.
The beach wasn't completely empty, but it was still quiet.
Thanks to that, Keun-dal could sit on a beach bench and look at the sea for as long as he wanted.
“…….”
I sat silently on the bench next to him, keeping some distance. It was because I knew there was no need to strike up a conversation.
Then, Ryu Cheong-woo lowered his voice politely.
“Wait a moment, I’ll go buy something.”
“The guy who did all the driving is doing what?”
But he didn't wait for an answer; he turned around and started walking toward the shops with his back to the beach.
‘Good grief.’
He was consistent in many ways.
It was then.
As the sea breeze blew behind him…
For some reason, the scene in my current field of vision felt like a familiar one.
And I realized it immediately.
‘Ah.’
That guy… he came to Ganghwa Island for a variety show he filmed during Steer.
A new variety show that had just started on a major network; it didn't do very well.
— Oh~ As expected of a national representative!
‘This is coming back so vividly.’
The memories I regained while smashing the system had settled into my head as if they had always been there.
So, they don't pop up in a bizarre way normally, but they are naturally associated like this once in a while.
‘Thinking about it, this is an even more peculiar situation.’
The fact that I’m in a team with an idol I used to look up, and we’re even relatives.
I hadn't consciously realized it because I’d lived as TeSTAR for so long, but this… feels a bit strange.
The fact that I’ve become someone who meddles with a person I only knew one-sidedly, and that we’ve spent quite a long time together.
Ryu Cheong-woo, and the other guys, too.
“…….”
I leaned my head back against the bench.
It was then.
“Park Moon-dae…?”
“…!”
“It really is Park Moon-dae.”
Finally, this timing has come. I’ve been caught.
Two high school students, who seemed to have come to play or were running along the beach, pulled out their smartphones with excited faces.
“Can I get a picture!”
“Me too!”
“Yes. Just a moment.”
Well, this much is fine.
I lowered my mask and looked alternately at the lenses of their two smartphones.
Then, Park Moon-dae’s face was reflected on the screens.
With my parents… well, there’s no way we’d look alike.
“…….”
“Thank you!”
“No, thank you.”
That’s enough.
Let’s not fall into useless sentimentality just because it’s been a few years.
‘That damn system bastard is no help at all.’
My head must be full of hot air because that bastard mimicked my parents as Antarctic researchers.
‘If they knew I’d earned this much, they’d be giving me a thumbs up from the urn regardless of whether our faces look alike or not.’
I nodded inwardly and smiled dutifully at the camera.
“Uwaaaa, have a safe trip back!!”
“Yes.”
I gave a nod to the departing high school students and then turned my head, clicking my tongue inwardly.
…At that moment.
[Sudden!]
Status Effect: ‘■■ if Not ■■!’ has occurred!
“…!!”
A hologram.
What is this now…, wait.
“Ah.”
But when I turned my head again, the hologram window that had felt like an afterimage had vanished.
I took a breath.
What was that?
‘……Status Window.’
It was the same even when I called up the status window and scrutinized everything.
There were no emergency pop-ups.
“…….”
“Hyung?”
“No.”
As soon as the high school students left, Keun-dal spoke to me from the next bench.
I asked hurriedly.
“Did you happen to see that?”
“…?? Those people from earlier? The ones you took pictures with?”
I scanned his face. He looked puzzled and slightly tense, but there was no sign of him hiding anything.
Truth.
I slowly opened my mouth again.
“…Yeah. I took pictures with them.”
“Yes…. Right?”
I relaxed my shoulders.
If the guy who would best sense an abnormality in the status window doesn't know, there’s no way something like that would suddenly pop up for me.
‘I’ve gone a bit crazy, too.’
I guess I’ve been tormented so much that I’m even seeing hallucinations.
I clicked my tongue and adjusted my posture.
“I bought some ice cream, do you each want one?”
“Ah, thank you!”
Not long after, Ryu Cheong-woo returned, and I decided to cool my head while eating ice cream. I started to wonder if I’d caught heatstroke.
However, the shocking news wasn't over yet.
“And, I just got a call from the company.”
“The company?”
“Yeah. They said they have something urgent to discuss.”
And Ryu Cheong-woo continued, sounding as if he couldn't understand it.
“…They want to postpone the album?”
What?