Chapter 96
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: 【Today's À La Carte: Nightmare Course】
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Clank.
"Hm?"
The door wouldn't open. No matter how many times I grabbed the handle and shook it, all I got was that clanking sound, and it only cracked open enough for one foot.
Even when I pressed the 'Gourmet's Fork' against the handle, poked it, or pulled on it, nothing changed.
'Looks like I've got no choice...'
I closed my right eye and gazed down at the door through the Savior's left pupil. Something was glinting right in the center of the handle.
I opened both eyes and bent down. There was a small keyhole next to the handle.
Good thing no one saw my idiot routine just now.
Click.
I inserted the Gourmet's Fork into the keyhole and twisted it sideways. The door slid smoothly open.
Beyond the wide-open door stretched an ordinary building corridor.
'This must be where Han Jin-woo Hunter's nightmare begins.'
I didn't want to peek into someone else's nightmare like this, but I couldn't just wait around forever. If he didn't escape it, the rest of the hunters would end up on the Gourmet's table.
"Sorry, Han Jin-woo Hunter!"
Steeling my resolve, I stepped into Han Jin-woo Hunter's nightmare.
Dong, dong, dong.
Han Jin-woo Hunter's nightmare began in some stark white corridor.
'A broadcasting station? Or their agency building?'
As I hurried down the corridor, I heard people's voices and thumping beats growing louder.
"Level Five, standby~"
"Yes!"
"Yes~"
"Ah, this is huge. I'm so nervous."
Young men's voices piled up layer by layer. With faint singing in the air, it felt like a music show set. I quickened my pace around the corner, spotting the backs of guys in weird outfits somewhere between school uniforms and casual clothes.
"Jin-woo hyung! You feeling okay after that motion sickness earlier?"
"Ah, yeah. Better now."
"Han Jin-woo Hunter!"
It was Han Jin-woo Hunter. I shouted at him, but it was like my voice didn't reach—he didn't even seem to notice me.
"Han Jin-woo Hun...!"
Whoosh—
My hand, reaching to grab his arm, passed straight through his body. I jumped back in shock.
Bzzz.
That's when the Gourmet's Fork vibrated. It slipped from my hand and pointed toward the stage.
'Right, it said it'd guide me to the ingredients.'
The Han Jin-woo Hunter in front of me seemed to be just an illusion.
The real one was probably suffering somewhere in the middle or end of this nightmare.
"The idol of idols! We've just seen Papiyong's stage! Next up, who is it, Ha-rin-ssi?"
"The five guys here to steal our noonas' hearts! Level Five is waiting in the wings!"
"Whoa! I'm really looking forward to this. Shall we bring them out now?"
The hyped-up MCs' voices echoed from the stage stairs. Han Jin-woo Hunter and the Level Five members stopped checking themselves in the mirror and turned toward the stage.
Level Five, with Han Jin-woo Hunter as main vocal, had a decent fanbase but hadn't blown up big despite their time in the industry. They'd done every variety show and drama to boost recognition, but it only sparked brief buzz before fading from the public eye, or so I'd heard.
"Ah, hello!"
"Yeah, good luck on stage~"
"Yes. Thank you, sunbaenim!"
Just then, Papiyong came down the stairs. They were famous enough that even someone like me, who didn't care about idols, knew their name and a few hit songs.
Han Jin-woo Hunter and the Level Five guys bowed politely to Papiyong, who waved casually in return.
"Huh?"
But one of Papiyong's members had black grime smeared all over his face.
'He looks kinda familiar...'
As the memory teased at the edge of my mind, another Papiyong member approached him.
"Hwi-yeon hyung! Towel!"
"Ah, thanks."
"Ah!"
It was Han Hwi-yeon. Papiyong's leader and most popular member. His handsome looks had even landed him lead roles in dramas.
'But why's only that guy covered in dirt?'
While I couldn't tear my eyes from Han Hwi-yeon, Han Jin-woo Hunter had already climbed onto the stage. Amid faint fan cheers, upbeat backing music started flowing.
"They're going with the cute concept again."
"But isn't the main vocal kinda old for that?"
"Ah, Jin-woo?"
Papiyong's members tossed comments while eyeing the TV screen on the corridor wall. Right then, Han Jin-woo Hunter appeared on it.
"Must be tough doing that concept at twenty-four."
"Right? They've been around a while."
Was twenty-four too old for idols?
Ignoring their chatter, I turned toward the stage as the Gourmet's Fork directed.
"Group would look better without him."
'What?'
Han Hwi-yeon spoke up. The other members shut their mouths. Even the staff helping with mics stopped and stared at him.
The sudden silence was broken by one member bursting into laughter to lighten the mood.
"Ah, geez. Hyung's doing the rep's impression again~"
"Haha! Yeah, yeah. Right before debut, the rep said that to tease you."
The members laughed among themselves, glancing at Han Hwi-yeon and the staff.
'They were definitely talking about Han Jin-woo Hunter.'
Soon, all of Papiyong vanished down the corridor toward the waiting room.
Peeing—
The Gourmet's Fork shot toward the stage. I chased after it, leaping onstage.
"Wak!"
My foot dropped into emptiness. Instinctively stepping on air activated 'Bird That Hears Daytime Words', saving me from plummeting. The Gourmet's Fork sliced through the darkness ahead.
Where in the nightmare was Han Jin-woo Hunter by now?
Pushing aside my unease, I followed the fork.
After wandering the dark for a while, another door appeared. It had a "No Entry Except Authorized Personnel" sign. The Gourmet's Fork knocked on it. I grabbed the fork and opened the door.
Inside was the same corridor I'd entered earlier.
"There's an easy way, but you always~ take the long one?"
Han Hwi-yeon's voice rang out. I ran down the corridor to see him facing Han Jin-woo Hunter, poking his forehead mockingly with a finger.
"Just tell them you're my cousin already."
"Don't piss me off. And watch your mouth."
"What's the big deal with your pride?"
Han Jin-woo Hunter scowled and turned away.
'I just overheard something huge.'
I'd never imagined those two were cousins. And ones who hated each other's guts, at that.
"Hyung, what's your problem? Why are you so desperate to torment me?"
"......"
"You still hung up on what Aunt said?"
Han Hwi-yeon clamped his mouth shut. His face was now completely covered in black grime.
"Running your mouth like a fool."
"......"
"A fifth-year flop who's never even contended for number one."
Grind.
Han Jin-woo Hunter ground his teeth. His clenched fist trembled with rage at the words. Han Hwi-yeon patted his shoulder a couple times and sauntered toward the waiting room.
The root of Han Jin-woo Hunter's nightmare was 100 percent—no, 200 percent—Han Hwi-yeon.
Thud.
I charged at the leisurely departing Han Hwi-yeon, fork in hand, and swung down at his neck.
Crackle.
[The root of the nightmare must be captured by the ingredient dreaming the nightmare.]
"Tch."
One fork swing, one annoying condition. But it made sense. You couldn't fully escape trauma and nightmares without conquering them yourself.
I withdrew the Gourmet's Fork and turned to Han Jin-woo Hunter. His head was bowed, face hidden, but tears were plopping onto his spotless canvas sneakers.
Now that I knew the root, the priority was finding the real Han Jin-woo Hunter to deal with it himself.
Vmmm—
I tossed the Gourmet's Fork skyward. It floated up like before and flew toward Han Jin-woo Hunter's location.
I sprinted down identical corridors, opening "No Entry Except Authorized Personnel" doors over and over, checking the wall TVs repeatedly.
"Ah, someone I wanna get close to lately? Uh... I'd say Level Five's Jin-woo sunbae!"
Han Hwi-yeon's voice came from nowhere. I halted and turned. A talk show was on the corridor TV. Han Hwi-yeon grinned handsomely while praising Han Jin-woo Hunter. The MCs chuckled, intrigued.
"Okay, one message to Level Five's Jin-woo!"
"Uh... Jin-woo sunbae! Saw on a show you like pizza, so let's grab some sometime. My treat!"
"That crazy bas...!"
A curse slipped out. The screen glitched with noise, switching to another program—Han Hwi-yeon watching a music show MC.
"Who's next, Hwi-yeon-ssi?"
"Level Five's back as winter boys! Woo~"
"More excited than before? Is it 'cause of Jin-woo? No favoritism~?"
Han Hwi-yeon was slyly cornering Han Jin-woo Hunter, name-dropping him to link them subtly.
Probably Han Jin-woo Hunter's worst nightmare scenario.
"...Gotta get him out of here fast."
For Han Jin-woo Hunter suffering somewhere in this nightmare, I hurried after the fork. It scratched furiously at the door handle at the corridor's end. The screeching made my skin crawl; I snatched the fork and yanked the handle.
Click.
"Ack."
The door opened straight into a plush passenger seat.
—Left turn in a moment.
A van's front seat. Glancing in the rearview confirmed it—Level Five members in the back.
Vroom—
The Gourmet's Fork spun to follow the van's direction. Han Jin-woo Hunter would be at its destination.
'Please, not too late.'
The van cruised along the Han River, then slipped smoothly into a forest of buildings.