Closer and Closer

In the middle of the corridor, screams were flying everywhere, but I headed straight for the table. Everyone was too preoccupied with the NO ENTRY sign to spare the table beneath it even a glance.

And just as I'd expected, someone had beaten me there.

It'll be Go Jaeseong.

Thud—

Darkness. I grabbed the hand reaching up over a flashlight.

"…!"

My opponent shook his hand violently, but I snatched the flashlight away like a fish stealing bait.

Click.

When I shone the light, there he was—Go Jaeseong, flinching in surprise. His other hand was already holding a flashlight of his own.

I figured he'd try to take both, but still…

That signature sneakiness of his never disappointed.

The moment light appeared, the trainees came swarming.

"Waaaagh!"

"I can't see a thing!"

"Wh-who's holding the flashlight?"

I aimed the flashlight straight at Go Jaeseong. Right at the hand clutching his.

"There he is!"

"Jaeseong!"

Thanks to me, every trainee in the corridor surged toward him. After all, someone standing right there in the light would always take priority over someone they couldn't find at all.

Serves him right.

In the meantime, Choi Woonjo, without a single flashlight, marched boldly up to the second floor on his own two feet.

Back then and now, his fearlessness never changes.

"Sh-should we go up too?"

"Jaeseong's got a flashlight, so—"

The trainees crowded in behind Go Jaeseong in a pack.

I turned my gaze the opposite way.

Now, where would someone hide—

Sure enough, there was someone crouched beneath the emergency exit sign.

"…"

Knees drawn up to his chest, head buried low. Not so much as a twitch.

"Iyul."

I pointed the flashlight not at his face but at the floor by his feet. No point in scaring him more than necessary.

Only then—a flinch.

"…Seongwoo-hyung?"

His voice had crawled down into his throat.

"What are you doing here?"

"…I was scared."

You really shouldn't be that honest about it, you know.

Sorry to a kid who's terrified, but fans who saw that face would be lining up by the truckload calling him adorable. Thank goodness it was dark—otherwise my expression would've given everything away.

"Let's go together."

As if he'd just been thrown a lifeline, Kang Iyul grabbed my outstretched hand with desperate urgency.

His hand was ice-cold.

He really is terrified.

"…Ha."

Only now did he seem embarrassed, biting down hard on his lip.

"What's this? Neither of you has gone up yet?"

Han Sangyoon had somehow appeared at my side.

"Yeah."

"Perfect timing. Let's stick together, then."

And so the three of us set off.

The production team had clearly gone all out.

Even watching it on the broadcast, I'd thought the scale was over the top, but seeing it in person was on another level entirely.

Clack. Somewhere, the sound of a door slamming shut.

Thud-thud-thud. Footsteps of someone running overhead.

Eeeeeeek. Eerie static leaking from an old speaker.

It was so thoroughly staged that I could hardly believe this was the same office building I knew.

No wonder this gave Iyul trauma.

I could fully understand why he'd apparently avoided going anywhere in the company for a while after this mission.

"Whoa… that thing's not a person, right?"

"…It's a mannequin, probably."

Atop the stairs stood a lone mannequin.

My steps froze for an instant. A memory from before my regression flickered past.

"Let's go the other way."

I turned my body as casually as I could manage.

"Why all of a sudden?"

"Just got a bad feeling about it."

And I smoothly steered Kang Iyul to the opposite side.

"Huh, and here I thought you were secretly a scaredy-cat too, Seongwoo."

Into that vacated spot, Han Sangyoon strode right up.

"The New Artist Development Team is that way, you know."

"Hyung, can't we just take a different route—"

"It's fine, it's fine. I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠go first, so follow behind me."

…I distinctly remember trying to stop him.

Han Sangyoon came to a stop in front of the mannequin.

"See? It's nothing."

That exact moment.

PABABABAK!!

The mannequin flailed its body like a madman and lunged.

"WAAAAAAAAGH!!"

With a scream powerful enough to rattle the entire corridor, Han Sangyoon collapsed to the floor.

Huh. Nice projection, though?

That was a decibel range I'd never heard from Han Sangyoon before.

"What is this! What IS this!!"

Wasn't there a saying that life is a comedy when viewed from afar and a tragedy up close?

I hastily turned my head away.

Don't laugh. Absolutely do not laugh.

"Hyung…"

Grabbing my arm, Kang Iyul's face had gone ghost-pale.

"Thank you…"

It was a rewarding enough moment to ignore whatever my conscience had to say about it.

Supporting a weak-kneed Han Sangyoon between us, we barely made it to the next location.

Still, thanks to the mannequin, we were naturally able to skip the New Artist Development Team and head toward the second spot, the PR Team office.

He'll have found the first hint by now, I bet.

Before long, the broadcast rang out, just as I'd predicted.

"Huh…?"

The moment Iyul looked up and saw the words PR TEAM on the door, he opened it straight away.

Trainees' footsteps echoed behind us.

"Gyaah!"

Pretending to trip over a cable, I grabbed hold of the desk where the hint was placed.

"Oh—this it?"

When I held out the paper with perfect nonchalance, Iyul nodded with wide, astonished eyes.

"No way, how did you find it so fast?"

"My foot got caught, I grabbed the desk to catch myself, and it just happened to be there… Anyway, let's head right back out."

Screech—BANG—!

Where the flashlight beam landed stood Go Jaeseong. Silently, he lifted his hint paper and waved it.

"…"

BANG!

With a tremendous racket, he hurried off. Presumably toward wherever the third hint was.

Though if that guy had any sense, he wouldn't head straight for the hint location either.

Soon the broadcast rang out again.

From then on, it was a race against the clock.

There were seven hints hidden in total. If we searched them in order, we'd keep running into Go Jaeseong, so I worked through them in reverse.

It felt like a game of tag where everyone was dodging everyone else.

"Huh? You found another one?"

"Hyung, what is with your instincts today?"

The more hints we found, the wider Kang Iyul's eyes grew.

I gave a casual shrug.

"Guess I'm feeling lucky today."

Truthfully, it wasn't luck—it was the conscience-free cheat code of a regressor. But he didn't need to know that.

That was two more hints down, and somehow only the final one remained. Han Sangyoon, thoroughly spent, was leaning against a wall.

"I'm gonna sit this one out."

"Rest up. You've seriously earned it, hyung."

And then I stopped in front of the last location.

I don't think we're supposed to go in here.

A bleak, funereal air seeped through the gap under the door. Even before my regression, this had been the most notoriously dreaded spot of all.

"Iyul, hold the flashlight here. I'll be right back."

"…I'm coming with you."

"Don't worry. Honestly, stuff like this doesn't scare me at all."

"…"

Kang Iyul's expression said it all: the scariest thing here is how unafraid you are, hyung.

"Then at least take the flashlight."

The hand he held out was trembling pitifully. A short laugh escaped me along with my breath.

Good grief. Now's not the time for you to be worrying about anyone else.

Watching him offer me that flashlight even while shaking like a leaf, a strange warmth washed over me.

"Fine. Let's go in together."

Creeeak—

The moment the door opened, cold air rushed out to meet us.

It was on a completely different level from everything we'd passed through so far.

The ceiling was shrouded pitch-black, and tattered cloths hanging here and there swayed in an unseen draft.

Screeeech— somewhere, metal scraped against metal.

Unidentifiable red stains trailed across the floor, and the walls were smeared all over with what looked like handprints.

Anyone could tell this was the final stage.

Kang Iyul had somehow already seized hold of the hem of my shirt.

This thing's going to tear, Iyul.

Clack. A cabinet swung open, and something came crawling out.

Movements so lurching I wondered if it was actually human. An arm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bent at an impossible angle, a head lolling on a slack neck.

"KYEEEEEEEEEEHH!!"

At an entrance straight out of a zombie film set, Kang Iyul nearly launched off the floor where he stood.

Shrrrip— and with that, my t-shirt met its untimely end.

Me, on the other hand—

"Whoa—"

I was genuinely impressed.

The acting is really good.

Even by the standards of a diehard zombie movie fanatic like me, the movements were satisfying.

Now I see where the budget went.

This much production value just to reveal a single mission. Truly an unfathomable company.

The zombie continued its passionate performance—crawling along the floor, slamming its head against the wall, then suddenly wrenching its back backward with a scream.

"Uh… hello there?"

"…"

Timing my greeting for the instant it rose to its feet, I bowed politely.

"First place among all the zombies I've ever seen."

"…"

I stuck my thumb up.

"…Thank you?"

Having thanked me purely on reflex, the poor zombie seemed even more startled than I was, and hastily resumed its act.

"Hyung…"

Kang Iyul was on the verge of tears.

"Please don't talk to that person…"

"Why not?"

"Because that's scarier…"

Ah. That, I hadn't considered.

Just then, a mask dropped from the ceiling with a plop.

KUDANGTANG—!

"…Heek!"

Seeing his own reflection in a mirror, he nearly burst out laughing himself.

Did he really think hiding behind me was going to conceal a frame that size…?

I reached straight into the mask's open mouth.

"How did you even know…"

Eyes wide with terror.

"They always stash things in the unlikeliest places. Same in movies. Same in dramas."

"Whoa…"

"I'm actually a horror movie maniac, you see."

Sure enough, tucked inside was the hint paper.

"Iyul, this one you pull out."

"I c-can't look."

"Then just stick your hand in."

Kang Iyul squeezed his eyes shut and thrust his arm out, nothing more.

"That's it, we're done!"

"Yeah."

Kang Iyul's face brightened visibly.

On our way out, I paid my respects to the zombie once more.

"Great work out there—"

"…Thanks."

After a brief pause, the zombie spoke.

"That's a first."

"What is?"

"Getting greeted."

I felt inexplicably awkward.

"You were really good, by the way."

At that, a strange expression crossed his face.

He couldn't tell whether to be pleased or baffled. That was the look he wore.

"Hyung!"

Having already made it out the door, Kang Iyul was calling for me.

"Come on, hurry!"

Holding back a smile, I quickened my pace.

Really. The man must have wanted out of that room more desperately than anyone knew.

Iyul, who had trailed after me clutching my shirt hem, let go the instant we reached the studio doors and pretended it had never happened.

"Whew… I thought I was going to die…"

"Well! That was truly fun, wasn't it?"

"Waaaagh…"

Kang Sejun, appearing in full vampire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠makeup, said it with unflappable composure and a smile.

"Now then—shall we put your hints together?"

When the trainees stuck the letters they'd gathered onto the NO ENTRY sign, a single word took shape.

"Fantasy. That's exactly what this is."

The studio doors swung open. The first thing that caught the eye were the costumes hanging on the racks.

"What do all of these have in common?"

"…Huh?"

"They're the costumes of the male idol—the outfits that fulfill the fantasies the public holds."

With his words, the mission for this round was unveiled.

"Fantasy?"

"For this mission, you will each choose a song of your own that fits your costume, and build your stage around it."

A free-choice song. In an instant, the look in the trainees' eyes changed completely.

"We'll proceed with team selection shortly. Please take a short break."

Filming halted, and sighs of relief burst out all around the set.

"If they were going to hand out a mission this terrifying, we didn't need to go hunting for it."

"Right?!"

I crouched down in a corner by the wall as well. Dragging two scaredy-cats around all night was harder work than it sounded.

Just as I was catching my breath—

"You must like scary stuff, huh?"

Go Jaeseong appeared, alive and unkillable as ever.

I finally try to rest for five minutes, and…

Somehow, this guy always showed up at the exact moment I least wanted to see his face.

I gave an easy smile and shrugged.

"Yeah! You found them pretty fast yourself, didn't you?"

Go Jaeseong plopped down beside me.

And that was when a single thought cut through my mind.

Now.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

A way to probe his regression without ever exposing my own identity.

I hummed a tune as if it meant nothing at all.

Snap— my shoulder was seized.

"You. What is that?"

I turned my head, and Go Jaeseong was staring at me as though he'd seen a ghost.

"What's what?"

"Th-the song just now."

Gotcha.

As expected, that reaction was not one of someone hearing it for the first time.

For the first time, real certainty settled in.

He did regress.

I answered with a perfectly unbothered face.

"It's mine. I wrote it."

"What? You wrote it?"

At first, his pupils wavered with disbelief.

"Yeah. Made it recently, so it's been stuck in my head."

"…"

Then his eyes narrowed—calculating whether to believe me or doubt me.

"Why? You don't like it?"

So I threw one more punch.

"No, it's not that, it's just…"

His voice was trailing off at the edges.

"It sounded kind of familiar."

That's right—be confused. This song hasn't even been released in this world yet.

"What? Familiar from where?"

I fired back instantly.

"…"

Go Jaeseong went silent. Hesitation flickered across his eyes, and I didn't miss the opening.

"Come on, at least tell me what it reminds you of. What if I accidentally plagiarized something and don't even know it?"

I deliberately overplayed the reaction.

A flustered face. The sharpness in his eyes from moments ago slowly drained away.

His suspicion wavered.

"No. It's nothing."

A short denial.

"It's just…"

He took a breath.

"I liked it so much, I must have imagined it."

"Oh, thank god. You had me thinking I'd plagiarized something without knowing."

Only then did I let out a relieved-sounding laugh.

"You're getting all the compliments today, huh."

"Well, you're the one who's good at everything."

Words tossed out carelessly.

But the feeling packed inside them was anything but light. A subtly unhinged edge, in a voice straining to stay calm.

"Filming resumes now—trainees, please gather!"

The timing couldn't have been better.

"Gotta go."

I turned away first.

His attitude was telling me everything. He was on the verge of swallowing the bait I'd just thrown him.