Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Even as a Villain, I Want to Debut
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「Won Ji-an: Hey, what are you up to?」
Checking the notification on my phone, I saw a message from Won Ji-an.
‘…That’s unexpected.’
What should I say?
It was a little surprising that Won Ji-an was messaging me at such a late hour.
Of course, it wasn’t weird that he was still up. The broadcast had only ended a short while ago.
‘But given Won Ji-an’s personality, I figured he’d send it tomorrow…’
Was there something so important that he had to message me this late?
Curiosity got the better of me, so I replied.
「Me: Lying down after watching the broadcast. You?」
「Won Ji-an: Same here.」
And then a flowing silence.
‘No way it’s awkward in person and over text?’
In the end, I took the lead in the conversation.
「Me: What’d you think of the premiere?」
「Won Ji-an: Hm…」
After a brief silence, another message came.
「Won Ji-an: It’s kinda surreal.」
「Won Ji-an: And a bit scary too.」
‘Scary.’
It was a phrase loaded with thoughts.
‘Surreal and scary, huh…’
I could understand Won Ji-an’s feelings. It’s rare in everyday life to feel both wonder and fear at once. Probably a new emotion for him.
For regular people, even appearing on TV is uncommon.
「Won Ji-an: I wasn’t gonna message this late.」
「Won Ji-an: But I can’t sleep and I’m getting a little scared, so…」
‘Ah, so that’s why he messaged so late.’
The broadcast freaked him out, and he wanted to talk to someone.
I could relate. Watching it myself had left me a bit uneasy too.
Sure, you could say what’s there to fear after dying once already in this life.
「Me: Did you watch it alone?」
「Won Ji-an: Yeah.」
「Me: Me too.」
What should I say?
A strange sense of kinship washed over me.
‘Won Ji-an’s alone too.’
That thought eased my mind. I wasn’t the only one.
Truth be told, watching alone was more comfortable. Imagine family or friends seeing me on TV? Just thinking about it gave me a headache.
It was a little lonely too, without anyone to share the feelings with.
「Me: Wanna watch together next time?」
Right as I was about to send that and keep chatting—
Rustle—
A sudden noise.
I whipped my head around in surprise, locking eyes with a dark shape outside the window.
My body flinched instinctively.
「…You scared me.」
It was a cat.
The same one I’d seen earlier outside, sprinting off with a mouse in its mouth.
「What’s your name? You come here often?」
I cautiously approached the window and extended my hand to the cat.
Thankfully, it didn’t run, rubbing its face against my hand through the bars with a purr.
‘Cute.’
Then it hit me—my chat with Won Ji-an had stalled.
Sure enough, checking my phone, there were anxious messages from him.
「Won Ji-an: Yeah! Let’s watch together next time.」
「Won Ji-an: Won-woo?」
「Won Ji-an: Won-woo? Do Won-woo? What’re you doing?」
I snapped a photo of the cat outside and sent it straight to Won Ji-an.
「Me: (photo)」
「Me: Cat here.」
「Won Ji-an: Whoa! What’s that?」
「Me: It’s hanging out by my window.」
「Won Ji-an: So cute!」
As we bantered about trivial stuff, I figured now was the time.
「Me: You free next Friday?」
「Won Ji-an: Next Friday?」
「Won Ji-an: Why? Wanna hang out?」
「Me: Yeah. Been bored lately, and it’d be nice to watch the broadcast together at your place.」
Saying that, I glanced at the quest window.
To complete this quest, I had to visit Won Ji-an’s house no matter what.
It was all just to uncover his true identity anyway.
I’d planned this ever since getting the quest.
‘Didn’t expect him to message first, though. Especially not this late.’
Maybe because I wasn’t prepared, it felt like a free-for-all chat. Sending a random cat pic too.
Still, I’d call it a decent conversation.
Now that the bait was cast, all that was left was Won Ji-an’s reply.
「Won Ji-an: Sure, let’s meet next week!」
‘…Done.’
The appointment was set. Now it was up to me how to play it.
The aftermath of the first broadcast—and Dream Stage—was scorching hot.
True to the original story’s setup of a massively popular survival show, reality was mirroring it.
‘Already trending in popular videos.’
The trending clips were Han I-jae’s performance and mine.
‘…This much reaction?’
Looking back, Do Won-woo had started with decent buzz despite his abysmal skills.
So in a way, the response wasn’t that weird. He’d shone brightest in the ranking evaluation, building momentum.
But I hadn’t expected it to blow up this much.
‘Should I be laughing?’
Others might just enjoy it, but worry hit me first.
How to put it—my stage got a C-rank. Yet it was getting more attention than some A-rank trainee’s. Felt off.
I’d always tied results to scores, taking it as normal.
But things were different here.
‘Guess I have to get used to this.’
A line from the novel popped into my head.
Skill and popularity don’t always correlate.
‘I knew that.’
Sure, even talented trainees fail to debut.
But it felt weird all the same. My head was a mess. I’d changed fate, so why this nagging unease?
‘…Nah. It’ll be fine.’
I’d altered my destiny.
It worked, and I wouldn’t get dragged down like in the original.
「Lee Hae-won: What’re you up to?」
Right on cue, my phone buzzed.
「Lee Hae-won: Do Won-woo!」
「Lee Hae-won: Congrats on going viral!」
「Lee Hae-won: (emoticon)」
Checking it, Lee Hae-won had sent congrats.
「Lee Hae-won: You killed it for real.」
「Lee Hae-won: Was shocked the first time」
「Lee Hae-won: And again on rewatch. Insane.」
「Lee Hae-won: Do Won-woo, you’re the best!」
「Lee Hae-won: (emoticon)」
Reading the barrage, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘No matter how tangled my thoughts get, this guy always makes me laugh without thinking.’
Honestly, after his own rough stage yesterday, he must be rattled.
But Lee Hae-won’s genuine congrats, no malice—just pure gratitude.
‘Glad I befriended Lee Hae-won.’
At first, it was purely for the perks.
But now? He really felt like a friend. Me, who’d lived friendless—this is what it’s like?
On the day of our meetup, I arrived in Won Ji-an’s neighborhood early.
Minutes later, Won Ji-an appeared in a hoodie.
‘Won Ji-an’s early too?’
We both blinked in surprise at seeing each other ahead of schedule.
「Ah… Hey! Won-woo. You always show up early?」
Hmm, with almost zero experience making plans with friends, no clue how to answer.
But I nodded vaguely.
「Whoa, same as me! Crazy.」
Won Ji-an pulled down his mask and grinned brightly.
「Shall we go?」
「Yeah!」
With that, we headed to the restaurant we’d agreed on.
An awkward, weird vibe hung in the air the whole walk.
‘Lee Hae-won was easy—I memorized his profile from the settings. But Won Ji-an? No idea how to approach.’
A few passersby started glancing our way. Mostly teens and twenties, probably recognizing us from the show.
Won Ji-an fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with the stares.
「M-Mask and all, and they still know?」
「Yeah.」
「It’s nice, but… I’m not used to it yet.」
Same here.
「This the place you mentioned?」
How long had we walked? Finally, the restaurant appeared.
Won Ji-an looked up at the sign, voice proud.
「I searched super hard online yesterday…!」
‘…Here? For real?’
Something felt off.
Supposed “hot spot,” but eerily empty inside.
An uneasy feeling rose before even opening the door, but we went in anyway.
‘Not a soul?’
I scanned the empty interior.
Lunchtime, and zero customers? Possible?
Won Ji-an stood frozen, glancing around in panic.
「Wanna order first?」
「Y-Yeah!」
We sat, ordered, and food arrived quick.
One bite, and I got why it was deserted.
Glancing up, I saw Won Ji-an in full meltdown.
「Uh…」
His face screamed on the verge of tears, so I tried calming him.
「It’s fine, though. Quiet spot, just us chatting comfortably, right?」
Won Ji-an, staring blankly at his plate, nodded.
「You okay?」
「Yeah, it’s good for me. Tasty.」
Not really tasty. But edible enough.
I’m not picky anyway, so it was passable. Won Ji-an? Who knows.
「Sorry.」
He whispered after peeking at the counter.
「Nah, why sorry?」
「Still…」
「What made you pick this place?」
Won Ji-an quietly showed me his phone—a blog post.
Scroll down: sure enough, “This post was sponsored by the establishment with compensation…”
He’s the type to fall for that.
Moment I realized he had more naive sides than expected.
After eating, we wandered the neighborhood, hitting every spot: cafes, arcade, karaoke—every friend hangout imaginable.
‘Is this what hanging with friends is like?’
Felt novel.
First time properly chilling with someone friend-like.
I’d always just shuttled between home, school, library—no real chances for this.
「Won-woo?」
「Yeah?」
「That’s your fourth whack-a-mole already…」
I fumbled the mallet in shock.
‘That many?’
「Whoa, never seen someone actually play that for real.」
「Whack-a-mole still a thing?」
Passersby voices drifted from behind.
「……」
「……」
As I cringed, Won Ji-an clapped and cheered awkwardly.
「Wow, Won-woo! You’re a whack-a-mole pro? Thought a legend appeared. The moles are probably terrified and flipped out because of you, you kn-know?」
His forced acting was painful to watch, so I bolted.
「H-Hey, where to?」
「Getting tired of this. Let’s head to your place for dinner.」
「Okay… let’s!」
We’d bonded enough. Time to complete the quest.