Chapter 558
Chapter 558
In the past, Cheong-ryeo supposedly confessed the truth about his "restarts" to someone, but that person didn't believe him.
'That’s possible.'
But that person was Ju-dan.
“…….”
The beginning and end of that sentence didn't quite match up.
'This guy?'
I looked up. Ju-dan was currently shoving dishes into the dishwasher. It was convenient that he moved on his own once he had a solid meal of spicy stir-fried pork in him.
“By any chance, will artificial intelligence be applied to dishwashers in a few years?”
“……To some extent.”
“I see.”
This was the kind of guy he was.
I watched him with suspicious eyes.
This was a guy who once believed a homeless person he met on the street abroad when they claimed to be from the future.
That person was me.
And yet, he didn't believe a member he’d promoted with in the same group for years when they sat him down and seriously said, "I'm from the future"?
He even ran away from home over it?
'Surely he didn't just dash out to do "research" because he was excited and then forgot to get in touch, right?'
The funny thing was... that actually sounded somewhat plausible.
“…….”
Well, it wasn't any of my business.
I decided to stop thinking about it.
Whatever.
Instead of worrying about other people's problems, I should focus on my own dog-shit situation.
“Will you continue working as an actor tomorrow as well?”
Right. This was what I should be worrying about.
I accepted the mix coffee Ju-dan brought over after starting the dishwasher.
“Yeah. I have one variety show left.”
For several weeks now, I had been faithfully engaged in actor work.
Specifically, appearing on TV and the internet to promote the movie I’d already filmed.
I’d wasted some time drinking with that actor guy to dig for information in between... but that was over now, so I planned to wrap things up without looking too suspicious.
Ju-dan rubbed his chin.
“Hmm. It seems about time for the major commercial films pushed by theaters to change. Promotion at this point is a bit inefficient.”
I replied calmly.
“I’m not trying to promote the movie.”
“…?”
“I’m promoting myself.”
Exactly.
This wasn't a schedule set by the film production company. It was a schedule set by Ryu Mun’s agency.
“…! You’re trying to expand the recognition you gained through this movie.”
Correct.
The agency was really putting their all into it.
The 2010s. It was an era when public broadcast networks were still powerful. And it was the beginning of the era where observation variety shows were becoming the trend after a string of hits.
'It’s appropriate in many ways.'
Even from the perspective of someone trying to maintain an air of mystery, it was better than spilling every little detail in a talk show or a professional interview.
The problem was that rookies usually tried too hard and ended up looking unnatural.
Especially if they were actors who only focused on acting...
“Hmm. I suppose this is familiar territory for you, Hyung, since you were an idol who debuted under a large agency in the future.”
I just gave a short laugh.
I’d let him think he was right.
“The weather is nice….”
One-Person Travel.
It was one of the many observation variety shows that cropped up like mushrooms during this period, sending celebrities on trips to "heal."
However, this program sent the cast members completely alone.
'They told me to do a lot of monologues since there’s no one to talk to.'
Because of that, some praised it as the essence of observation variety, but Park Moon-dae had an intuition.
This was the kind of format that was only interesting if the editors worked their magic.
If the editing didn't catch the vibe, it was just a story of someone practicing a vow of silence.
In other words, the production crew was more important than the performer.
'It flopped after the production crew changed.'
But for now, the crew hadn't changed yet.
Trusting them to create a narrative arc on their own, he was truly enjoying his two-day, one-night trip.
It was sweet.
'Trying too hard would only make it look unnatural.'
He was simply staying in a remote village, cooking meals, and looking at the scenery.
Park Moon-dae lay on the wooden veranda and closed his eyes, watching the drifting clouds.
Whoosh—
A breeze blowing from the mountains passed over his forehead.
Late spring, when the sunlight was strong. Lying in the shade, feeling the wind, and quietly listening to the sound of the grass had a way of soothing a person's heart.
Even more so for someone so accustomed to cameras that they didn't feel uncomfortable.
“…….”
Since falling into this bizarre situation, this was the first time Park Moon-dae felt the relaxation of a trip.
Only, in the past... there was never a gap in the audio in situations like this.
Because the seven members always moved together.
'There was even a dog.'
A bit of bitterness lingered in his mouth.
Still, that dog Bae Se-jin’s mother took in was probably doing well.
And the other guys, too.
He blinked while lying down.
For about an hour... this should be fine.
[The Unsatisfied Idol relaxes at your rest.]
It was Lee Se-jin’s pop-up.
'Were you not relaxed before?'
Park Moon-dae was baffled, but he eventually let out a chuckle. It wasn't bad to have a companion like this, after all.
“Should I make some seasoned vegetables?”
That evening, Park Moon-dae made mountain vegetable stone-pot bibimbap with greens he had picked himself.
He borrowed sesame oil pressed by the neighbor and even meticulously included a fried egg from a chicken raised there.
“It looks natural and nice.”
“I agree.”
“He’s good at cooking, too.”
The production crew, who had watched the entire process, whispered among themselves.
He really looked like he wasn't conscious of the cameras, yet he uncannily avoided any inappropriate expressions and perfectly hit the timing for the shots they needed.
No matter how much magic the editors worked, it was impossible without the raw material.
But this... the material was more abundant than ever.
The poise of a veteran celebrity who had been on observation variety shows for ten years!
Yet he was a rookie with no image consumption!
'Why... is filming so easy?'
The production crew was confused but soon satisfied. A win was a win.
'I should put more effort... into the interview.'
A few of the writers made that vow.
The interview.
Just as you couldn't avoid talking about a number-one hit song when an idol appeared, you couldn't avoid talking about an actor's work on a show promoting them.
Especially if it was a recent hit blockbuster.
“I received this watch as a memento. It’s the toy watch for kids that the pickpocket always wore in the movie.”
The program worked like this.
The cast member would look at items related to their recent hit—photos, posters, videos—while resting and reminisce to start the story.
And then they would take separate interviews to insert there.
Like this.
“As expected! There are rumors everywhere that the filming process was very harmonious.”
“Ah, thank you.”
That night.
After filming the cut where he fell asleep on the blankets of the heated floor, Park Moon-dae got back up to conduct the interview in the storehouse behind the rural house.
The writer meticulously asked him various things to scrape up any backstory related to the movie.
'Being nice is one thing, but if I can pull out something slightly controversial, that’s good too!'
She even subtly probed about the actor who was originally supposed to play his role but was cut due to a sex scandal.
“I imagine you studied the character by watching the pickpocket’s pre-revision film. How was it?”
“Character study... since I’m still a rookie, I focused on the script so as not to miss any details. It’s a bit embarrassing... but it’s become quite tattered. Shall I show you?”
“Oh, yes!”
But Park Moon-dae didn't get defensive; he casually diverted the question with his answer.
'…She fell for it!'
The writer, who had been fishing for an interview scoop, only realized it after she was handed Park Moon-dae’s script.
I guess LeTi... makes even their actors go through grueling comprehensive training....
'He’s airtight.'
The writers laughed hollowly.
Still, the interview continued.
“Even so, being suddenly cast in such a big movie at a young age, there must have been many difficulties.”
“Well... but thankfully, everyone was so kind that I was able to focus quickly.”
“Ah! I heard you were the youngest.”
“Yes.”
Park Moon-dae’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
This was because the director, who had treated him with borderline contempt during the additional filming, was now going around in interviews saying he was a diligent and lucky youngest member.
'There’s no need to say he treated me like shit here.'
Seeing as his attitude was similar even after the cameras were off, it seemed he had internally beautified the memory himself.
Park Moon-dae made an assessment while faithfully carrying out the interview.
'If things go well, I might even get an offer for his next project.'
Of course, he planned to disappear before then.
[The Focusing Genius Actor is stomping his feet.]
'Right.'
He would find a way to go back before he had to borrow Bae Se-jin’s ability again.
Park Moon-dae nodded slightly, looking at the pop-up without letting it show.
Come to think of it, these kinds of expressions had been appearing frequently in the pop-ups lately.
Gestures or expressions the members would use when they were nervous before a big event.
[The Midnight Maestro glares.]
[The Dancer of Noble Mind clasps his hands.]
Things like that.
Park Moon-dae had an intuition.
'The preparations must be in the final stages.'
The preparations to bring him back, that is.
To avoid passing the risk onto them, he had to move before the members' "preparations" were complete.
'Proceed steadily according to plan.'
He had already proven several deals to Cheong-ryeo as an informant in the acting world.
Since he had bought time that way, it was now time to use it properly.
'I’ll pour everything into properly analyzing that bizarre terminal inside Cheong-ryeo’s system.'
That was Park Moon-dae’s judgment.
As a result of digging in step by step over the past few weeks, it seemed he would soon be able to stably access the core of the terminal.
And as soon as the verification was over, he had to focus all his mind on finding a way to use it as a hint to return to reality.
Yes.
'This is righ—'
“Ah, Ryu Mun-ssi.”
The writer called him again.
“Yes.”
“This is a personal question……”
The expression used when trying to wittily gloss over an out-of-context or private question came out.
Park Moon-dae leisurely sharpened his focus on the interview again.
The writer asked with a smile.
“What do you think about the pickpocket’s end?”
“…His end.”
As expected, the context had escaped.
Park Moon-dae thought he should ask the agency to have this edited out before the program got bashed for movie spoilers.
But the writer was serious.
“Yes. Such a sad ending happened because of a hair's breadth of a mistake. As the pickpocket, didn't you want a different ending?”
Dying in the climax while caught in handcuffs? It was symbolic, so it was a sweet deal.
Of course, he couldn't answer like that.
“Well. I suppose so.”
'I’ll say something like... as an actor, I’m sad, but the pickpocket himself wouldn't have had regrets...'
But Park Moon-dae, who was preparing a smooth and sophisticated answer, suddenly paused.
Something about the writer’s phrasing reminded him of something.
Hmm.
'…A hair's breadth of a mistake.'
It was the case of Cheong-ryeo and Ju-dan that he’d heard just yesterday.
The situation where Cheong-ryeo talked about his supernatural experience, and Ju-dan panicked and ran away from home.
Probably because of that, Ju-dan, who was in VTIC in reality, couldn't debut here and was still stuck as a trainee.
Because Cheong-ryeo had already devalued and appraised Ju-dan as "below standard."
This was...
'…It feels like it would go back to normal if I just adjusted it a little.'
Of course, he knew it was all resolved in reality anyway.
But the situation unfolding right before his eyes... didn't it make his hands itch?
It felt like if he just touched it a little, if he just controlled it slightly, it would work.
“……”
Ah, damn it.
Park Moon-dae suppressed a groan.
I’m doing this exactly, truly, once.
'No more after this, you punks.'
And the next morning, after filming was finished.
Park Moon-dae called Ju-dan.
“Jung Ju-dan.”
It was the weekend with no school. Having just finished his morning practice, he answered the phone immediately.
“No, nothing like that.”
Park Moon-dae said all at once.
“I’m going to explain a specific situation to you now, and I want to know what choice you would make. So, it’s……”
The right word.
“A kind of human psychological test.”
-…!
“I ask for a careful answer.”
Ju-dan listened intently to the person on the other end of the line.
Blunt, wise, slightly mysterious, and sometimes bold. This person from the future had completely captivated Ju-dan’s soul.
And it was the same now.
“I’ve debuted as an idol and am actively promoting. Then one day, a group member suddenly says, ‘I went back to the past and lived again to succeed’… is that it?”
In that calm answer, Ju-dan received a lightning-bolt-like inspiration.
'Has he experienced a similar situation?'
He felt that the other person was talking about something they had personally experienced.
But Ju-dan didn't let it show. Being swayed by such predictions was a good way to produce an ordinary and illogical answer.
'An objective answer comes first.'
So, after a moment of meticulous thought, he added a comment.
“Then right now... it’s a situation where he’s confessing after the group has succeeded.”
The other person continued in a low voice.
In other words, it meant a situation where they hadn't succeeded, had already failed, and were just about to restart.
“…….”
Ju-dan squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.
A hypothetical situation. But the answer had already come to mind.
It was... simple.
“I’d have to run away.”
“It’s dangerous.”
Ju-dan reached a cold-headed conclusion.
“Right now, the other person is in a situation where they have nothing to lose or gain no matter what they do. In such a situation, there are only two reasons why they would bother to tell me.”
“Yes.”
Ju-dan swallowed.
The first.
“Because trust has built up over the years, they’re telling me as a test.”
That would be recruiting a colleague.
If so, a situation could be staged where he, as a colleague, would willingly lend his abilities to this protagonist of fate.
Just as he was doing for Hyung now.
However.
“But there is another possibility. That is……”
Ju-dan swallowed.
This was the problem. The other case.
The second.
“Because that person was curious. About how I would react.”
“If you keep repeating a task for a long time, wouldn't boredom and weariness follow you like companions?”
The situation just before starting a new game.
If they were venting to him because they were frustrated or angry in the heat of the moment.
Then.
“In the worst-case scenario, I might be murdered because my reaction wasn't interesting.”
“There’s no law saying an idol member can’t become a serial killer. I always move assuming the worst-case scenario.”
Idol and serial killer. The intersection was always possible.
'Especially if it’s someone who repeated the past several times to succeed!'
Wouldn't it be easy for them to disregard human life? Since they’d just come back to life once they went back to the past anyway.
Ju-dan responded based on a perfect Venn diagram.
“But running away immediately... hmm, I see. That might cause unnecessary resentment.”
In that case.
“First, I should send a signal like, ‘Thank you for telling me, but I’ll think about it more deeply.’ And then run away secretly.”
“It sounds like a perfect survival method.”
Park Moon-dae buried his face in his hands.
“Yes?”
He immediately fired off a "Help" message to Cheong-ryeo.