Heart-Pounding Finale: Mission Success
No, Donghu! You're an actor! Time rewinds just a bit. [Ji Seoksam OUT, Ji Seoksam OUT] The moment Ji Seoksam's trust starter out signal echoed through the SKS Broadcasting Station.
Ha Ha Hyung had already secured two tapes with his quick judgment.
'Where do I stash the ones from the 6th and 8th floors.' That was why Ji Seoksam had said over the radio, "We're almost done collecting them all." Because Ji Seoksam and Ha Ha Hyung had been together.
Then, upon receiving Kang Su's radio call, Ji Seoksam waited on the 6th floor. Ha Ha Hyung, sensing something off, headed straight to the 8th floor.
And back to the present.
Ji Seoksam
"Whoa, did you see that? I was right there—if I'd been with him, I would've gotten ripped off too!"
"...."
Ha Ha Hyung shared his near-death scare straight to the VJ's camera. Then he racked his brain, figuring out his next move.
"Once we collect five tapes, we win immediately, right?"
Shake, shake.
"Ah... right, yeah! The 7th floor! We have to go to the 7th floor and... hand over all the tapes."
So he needed to head to the 7th floor with the ones he'd gathered. Reaching that conclusion, Ha Ha Hyung radioed right away.
"This is Ha Ha Hyung, Ha Ha Hyung over. We've secured two tapes and are heading to the 7th floor early with the secured tapes. Notify."
"Yeah, good radio work, Sujin. But is Kang Su there too?"
"Got it, okay."
With the situation grasped, Ha Ha Hyung started toward the 7th floor. And right then—
Cheon Suyeon
The out signal for Cheon Suyeon, the team's sole woman, rang out. And then—
Yoo Jiseok's frantic radio burst in, his voice dripping with terror—like a scream laced with pure fear.
"W-what the hell is going on?!"
Ha Ha Hyung shuddered, goosebumps rising for no reason.
+++++
About two minutes after Kim Donghu declared the 13th floor.
The standoff dissolved in an instant as Kim Donghu swiftly grabbed Cheon Suyeon from behind—rip! He tore off her name tag cleanly.
Ignoring all questions of when or how. He flattened himself like a cheetah, crept forward silently—minimizing even the jingle of his bell—and struck like an assassin.
"No way, I didn't hear the elevator!"
Cheon Suyeon cried out in protest, but—
"I took the stairs, got off on the 12th."
To Kim Donghu, it wasn't worth dwelling on. Yoo Jiseok, witnessing it all, yelled in disbelief.
"Donghu! What are you, some hitman?! Why go this far?!"
"Sunbaenim! I really want to rip off name tags!"
"Look at his eyes! Those eyes! Why are they so damn clear?!"
The 13th floor plunged into fear. Even teammate Kim Gukjong felt a faint dread toward Kim Donghu.
'A real variety rookie just dropped.'
That was the shared thought between Yoo Jiseok and Kim Gukjong.
The industry was always thirsty for new faces. But not just any—they craved rookies with a whole new level of personality and fun!
But they didn't pop out like magic. Even great characters might not fit TV, or vice versa. No wonder fixed casts dominated variety shows.
'But Donghu could...'
'...be the cherry on top.'
They couldn't say it outright, but his face alone was premium. No—with Kim Donghu as the benchmark, he was the only premium one.
And on top: straightforward personality, polite, skilled at his job, popular, and now crushing variety too?
'This is a real blue-chip stock.'
The situation needed watching, but assuming he kept this up, full buy-in wouldn't be overkill.
Shaking off those thoughts, Yoo Jiseok and Kim Gukjong synced up.
"Donghu! Let's just end this quick and clean! No need to drag it out!"
"Yes, agreed!"
"Hey hey hey! Donghu! Hold up! Let's negotiate!"
They advanced the play. Then Yoo Jiseok had a flash of genius.
"Kim Donghu, leg use ban!"
He used the leg use ban item—already spent on Kim Gukjong—but this was variety; deception ruled.
"Huh?!"
For a split second, Kim Donghu froze solid.
Normally, that'd be it—but whoosh.
"No way, he's handstand walking for real?!"
Kim Donghu flipped into a handstand without hesitation and advanced.
"Donghu! It's a trap! That hyung already used it!"
"What?!"
Too late—Kim Gukjong's warning came after.
"Give me the camera! Cover here!"
"Huh?!"
"Just for a sec! We'll meet up later!"
Seizing the moment, Yoo Jiseok shoved the VJ as a blocker, dashed past Kim Donghu, and bolted.
Tat-tat-tat-tat! He mashed the elevator button dramatically and escaped.
Kim Gukjong, watching calmly, chuckled at Kim Donghu.
"Donghu, you fell for that? Don't buy everything Ji Seok hyung says at face value!"
"Gasp... sorry."
"Nah, happens. Anyway, let's hit the 16th—we still need one there."
"So everything's done except that one?"
"Yeah, but we just defend the 16th now. Basically over."
With that, Kim Gukjong and Kim Donghu headed to the 16th. All victory hung there.
+++++
The decisive clash as everyone converged on the 16th.
'Hmm, Sujin really can't do a bungee jump.'
Kim Donghu pondered how to spare her the penalty. She'd be terrified, hesitate endlessly before jumping.
'Viewers hate when you bail someone out too obviously after a couple times.'
He worried about backlash for being a burden. Lost in thought on solutions—
Ding! The elevator doors opened.
And right there—
"Kyaaah!"
"Ugh?!"
Sujin and Kang Su. Instant crisis.
"Kim Donghu, leg use ban!"
Kim Sujin made her best call. Hearing it, Kim Gukjong sensed victory.
"Ha! Our Donghu can just handstand anyway?!"
Knock out these two in a row, handle the rest—easy win. He turned to Kim Donghu with a triumphant grin.
"Uh... legs banned."
Defying all expectations, Kim Donghu stopped dead.
"You bastard, Kim Donghu!"
"...Sunbaenim, sorry."
He froze. Amid the shock, Kim Gukjong grabbed Kang Su's legs.
"Why so soft on your childhood friend?!"
"...."
Rip! Name tag gone.
Kang Su
Now just three survivors left. But with everyone piled on the 16th? Kang Giri, waiting in ambush—
Ha Ha Hyung
Numbers dropped from 3:6 to 3:2 in a flash. Now the chasers held numerical superiority—everyone trapped on one floor, encirclement inevitable.
Then Yoo Jiseok's unforeseen ploy shone again.
"Sujin, know how to hold a camera?"
"Huh?"
"Cameras... go like this."
"Wha-wha-what?!"
He roped in their VJs. Turned 3:2 into 3:4, then bolted for the farthest elevator—straight to the 7th floor!
Stack all tapes on the 7th floor altar? Victory.
"Using VJs? That's not fair!"
"Ah, screwed again."
As Kim Gukjong and Kang Giri panicked in the sudden deficit—
"I'll wrap this up."
Three minutes past, Kim Donghu sprinted for the stairwell.
"How do you 'wrap it up'...?"
Leaving the stunned chasers behind.
'Please... spare me.'
VJ Park Seongryeol, Kim Donghu's cameraman, stared despairingly at the stairs. Stair hell redux.
+++++
"At least he's soft on you—childhood friends are the best."
"A-and I'm kinda his school sunbae! I'm a second-year."
"Oh yeah? At that age, even a one-year gap is scary."
Chatting like victory was theirs, Yoo Jiseok and Kim Sujin exited on the 7th. Head to the control room, dump tapes on the altar—done.
The gap was uncrossable; they could stroll.
Or so they thought.
Jingle-jingle-jingle-jingle.
If not for the mad bell tolls echoing from afar.
"You absolutely cannot pass!"
"No, Donghu! You're an actor! How are you faster than the elevator from the 16th?!"
No time for Yoo Jiseok's stunned reply. Kim Donghu charged their name tags.
No more leg bans left.
"I'll hold here—Sujin, go first!"
"Got it!"
Yoo Jiseok played gatekeeper, sending Sujin ahead. Kim Donghu barreled straight—no slowdown.
Collision imminent.
"Donghu, Donghu, careful...!"
Yoo Jiseok flinched, eyes shut at the speed—
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
God-given boxing talent in harmony. Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson fused.
Swish-swish—whoosh.
Muhammad Tyson's footwork ghosted past Yoo Jiseok.
Rip! Bonus: his name tag, back exposed.
Now only Kim Sujin left.
"Hiyaaah!"
She bolted like mad. 3km in 15 minutes—elite for girls, fast by any standard.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
Kim Donghu: top 5% human speed.
Their chase: razor-thin margin.
Kim Sujin Victory!
"Haaah!"
Kim Sujin's win. By a fingertip's breadth.
Thus, Kim Donghu and Kim Sujin's variety debut ended triumphantly.
+++++
"Oh, and we'll do the bungee jump too. The chase wrapped quick... footage is a bit short."
"Whaaat?!"
Bungee was extra.
"Donghu, you threw the win for your childhood friend...? So she skips the jump?"
You're no ordinary guy—you're a real man. Hearing the story, Ji Seoksam teased.
Kim Donghu ducked shyly.
"Seoksam hyung, why ruin the kids' fun."
"Worried you'll get left out?"
"Should've bailed earlier, ugh...."
"That hyung never times it right."
"Hyung! Had that ending vibe, now ruined again!"
"...Kang Su, even you now...."
Teasing Ji Seoksam was the souvenir.
Kim Sujin sidled up to Kim Donghu, watching.
"You did that for me?"
"Bungee scares you."
"...Kim Donghu, you're insane."
She bowed her head quick.
Insane—'Stop making my heart race!'
Her chest pounded wildly.