Chapter 135
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: The Real Superstar
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The next day, Seo Eunchan received a call from Seojun.
“Walking Man?”
-Yeah!
Seo Eunchan blinked as he answered the phone. Walking Man was an SBC variety show where eight members and their guests formed teams to clear a series of games prepared by the production crew.
“So suddenly?”
Wasn’t this the same Seojun who had been agonizing over it all day yesterday? He made a decision this quickly? In response to Eunchan’s question, Seojun’s cheerful voice came through the phone.
-I asked my friends, and they said it looked fun. They said they wanted to try playing the games. Since they can’t, they thought it would be great if I did it.
Aha.
Seo Eunchan scratched his cheek.
‘Friends, huh….’
As Seojun spent more time at school than at home and started wanting his own world, he would inevitably be influenced more by his friends. It had been the same for Eunchan, and for Seo Eunhye too. As a student, anyone would trust and rely on their friends’ words more than anyone else’s.
It wasn’t strange that he decided to appear on this variety show after listening to his friends. It wasn’t a major decision like a drama or a movie, just a one-time appearance on a variety show.
‘Seojun is unusual, though.’
When child actors chose their projects, the opinions of their parents or teachers were heavily considered. That was because they couldn’t yet pick out good projects on their own. But Seojun was different. He would pick out stories he liked from among countless scripts.
Seo Eunchan fell into thought. Would his friends influence Seojun’s project choices? What if Seojun made different decisions because of his friends’ requests or words?
‘No, that’s not it.’
Seojun wasn’t like that. He was the kind of kid who would refuse a project from a renowned director or writer if he didn't like it. Two years ago, he’d even said the synopsis from Choi Daeman, the director of ‘The Devil,’ wasn’t very good.
-Samchon?
Seojun’s voice brought Eunchan back to his senses.
“What do you think? Do you want to do it?”
Unaware of his uncle’s complicated feelings, the thirteen-year-old nephew answered cheerfully.
-Yeah. I want to. I think playing games will be fun!
“If that’s the case. Alright. I’ll let Daho know as soon as the schedule is set.”
-Okay!
* * *
Inside a noisy coin karaoke.
The kids occupying one of the rooms quietly watched Seojun as he talked on the phone. After ending the call with his uncle, Seojun spoke.
“I decided to do Walking Man.”
“We recommended it, but are you sure you can decide that quickly?”
“Yeah. It’s work. Wouldn’t it be better to consider other shows too?”
Jihu asked while eating a snack. Jiyo, Mina, and Jiyun nodded in agreement. They had answered because Seojun asked, but they never imagined their answer would lead to a final decision.
Should they be impressed by Seojun’s decisiveness, or should they blame the agency for approving it so readily?
The kids suddenly felt a sense of fear, realizing their recommendation had influenced Seojun’s appearance. What if something went wrong? Their worries were written all over their faces.
Seojun, noticing this, let out a dramatic sigh. With that one sigh, he seemed to be carrying all the worries of the world.
“If it were a drama or a movie, I’d be the one to decide, but since it’s a variety show, I asked you guys. Choosing an acting project is easy. I just have to find something I want to do… but I don’t know about variety shows. So I’m actually really grateful you guys helped me.”
His words seemed to have the desired effect, as his relieved friends smiled brightly.
“Really? That’s a relief, then.”
Jiyo shot up from his seat.
“We’re done with the serious stuff, right? Let’s have some fun! Who’s singing first?”
“Me!”
Seojun raised his hand high. Taking the microphone from Jiyo, Seojun put in a coin and expertly punched in a number. The song title and artist appeared on the karaoke machine’s screen.
[Spark - Brown Black]
Seojun grabbed the microphone.
“Seojun really likes Brown Black’s songs.”
“He sings White’s songs a lot too.”
“Maybe it’s because they’re from the same agency.”
“Could be. But isn’t it strange?”
Mina, who had been clapping along while watching Seojun sing his heart out, said with a laugh.
“Who would ever think a Hollywood star would be at a coin karaoke?”
Jiyun, shaking a tambourine, and Jiyo and Jihu, who were huddled together looking for the next song, burst out laughing.
“Seojun’s bodyguards might know.”
“They must be here today, right? But I can never tell who they are.”
“There’s a way to do security like that. Hiding among the public to protect someone.”
“I’m done. Who’s next?”
“Me!”
Jiyo jumped up and took the microphone from Seojun. Starting with Jiyo, the kids began to sing enthusiastically, taking turns.
* * *
“What’s this?”
Park Youngjin, arriving at the Milky Way Center for the Walking Man shoot, blinked his eyes.
Despite the cold winter, he could feel the production crew’s excited atmosphere, as if they were basking in the spring sun.
“PD Jeon. Who’s the guest today?”
“It’s a secret.”
In response to Park Youngjin’s question, Jeon Minjae, the PD of [Walking Man?!], replied with a smile. Usually, he would give a little hint, but today, everyone was keeping their lips sealed.
Park Youngjin scratched his head. One by one, the other Walking Man members arrived. They too noticed the strange atmosphere among the crew.
“A female guest?”
“Or a male guest?”
It was definitely because of the guest, but unlike usual, they couldn’t even guess the gender. That was because both the male and female staff members were equally excited.
How could one person be liked by such a diverse group? Question marks popped up endlessly above the Walking Man members’ heads. Amidst the confusion, preparations for the shoot continued smoothly.
The Walking Man staff bustled around the Milky Way Center lobby, preparing for the opening shoot.
Among them, An Daho and a staff member from Cocoa Entertainment’s Team 2, who were observing the situation from a slight distance, had their eyes fixed on one person.
A staff member in a black hat was moving props, relaying messages, and carrying light luggage here and there.
He moved around so deftly, without bumping into the paths of other staff, that it looked as if he had been working there for years.
“Team Leader. Has Seojun ever done this kind of work before?”
“…There’s no way.”
But to say he hadn’t, he was blending in with the crew far too easily. The staff, busy with preparations, were so used to the black-hatted figure’s natural presence that they were unconsciously giving him tasks.
“Could you hold this for a moment?”
“Yes!”
Watching Seojun run towards the writers, An Daho and the Team 2 staff member let out a sigh.
“Should we call him over if he goes near the machinery or wiring?”
“Yes. Let’s just watch a little longer for now.”
Oblivious to the watchful eyes of An Daho and the Team 2 staff member, Seojun quickly made his way through the props to find a sketchbook.
Once all preparations were complete, the assistant director shouted loudly.
“Alright, let’s begin filming Walking Man!”
With Park Youngjin at the center, the opening of [Walking Man?!] began. As usual, they exchanged some light banter and listened to the PD’s explanation of the game.
“Today is a mystery special.”
“A mystery? A murder case?”
“A theft.”
“Wait, what about the guest?”
“Today’s guest will appear via video.”
At the PD’s words, everyone’s eyes widened. A video? And everyone was this excited?
“Something’s fishy.”
“I know, right? They probably have a spy or a hidden mission again.”
“It’s you, isn’t it? You’re the spy!”
“It is not!”
As usual, the Walking Man members started pointing fingers at each other.
“Now, we have a short filming time today, so I need everyone’s full attention.”
“See? The filming time is shorter too. Something is definitely weird.”
Despite the members’ suspicions, the PD only said what he needed to. Given the guest’s age, the time allotted to Walking Man was short. We have to make the most of it! The staff’s eyes gleamed in anticipation of a ratings explosion.
“The reason we’ve gathered you detectives today is because a superstar’s trophy has disappeared. We received a request for you to find it. And we’ve received a tip that the culprit is hiding among you.”
“A superstar? The youngest PD is probably going to show up in costume again.”
“Can’t you give us a gold badge instead of a trophy? I hear the price of gold has gone up recently.”
“The culprit is definitely him, right? I got him! The culprit!”
Amid the noisy chatter, PD Jeon continued with a smirk.
“Now, let me introduce our client.”
At PD Jeon’s words, the staff member in the black hat pressed a button on the remote. The television in the corner turned on, showing a desk and a chair on the screen. The chair was turned away, so only its back was visible.
“Can’t we just see their face?”
“Right? Is there a reason for all this setup?”
The chair slowly turned. And then, “Over the Rainbow” began to play.
“…?”
The Walking Man members, who had been expecting the youngest PD to appear in a wig, stared blankly at the screen. A moment of cognitive dissonance set in.
“Hey, why are you here?”
They were talking to the person on the screen who couldn’t even hear them. A young voice reached the frozen Walking Man members.
[Hello. I’m Lee Seojun.]
Sitting there was the real superstar, the Hollywood star, Lee Seojun, smiling like sunshine.
“What the!? It’s only been two weeks since the awards ceremony!”
“Is that really Lee Seojun? It’s not someone in disguise, is it?”
“…Nuna, can you even do that with makeup?”
“No, you can’t.”
[It’s a pleasure to meet you, detectives.]
“…Wow. It’s really Lee Seojun.”
The Walking Man members, who had been causing a ruckus, now stared quietly at the screen. Their individual cameras were capturing every single one of their reactions. Among them was a camera focused on the staff member in the black hat.
The client on the screen, superstar Lee Seojun, opened his mouth with a sad expression. His realistic acting made everyone groan in admiration.
[I heard that my trophy, which I sent to Korea yesterday, has gone missing. It’s the first Oscar trophy I’ve ever received, and I really want to find it, so I decided to ask for your help. Please work together to find my trophy!]
After the video ended, the staff member in the black hat turned off the television. PD Jeon, smiling brightly at the dumbfounded Walking Man members, opened his mouth.
“Yes. Superstar actor Lee Seojun’s Oscar trophy has disappeared. What you detectives must find is this very trophy.”
The staff member in the black hat brought over a box. The Walking Man members looked at the box with expressions of disbelief.
The box opened, revealing a shiny golden trophy. A trophy shaped like a person—an Oscar.
Everyone’s jaws dropped, unable to utter a word. In the long silence, Park Youngjin was the first to speak.
“Holy crap. You really brought the actual superstar.”
His words broke the dam, and the Walking Man members started chattering away.
They talked about how many times they had watched the awards ceremony rebroadcast, how they knew he would win. Normally, the PD would have filmed it all and edited it out later, but again, the filming time requested by Cocoa Entertainment was short.
“Now, we will select the culprit who stole the Oscar trophy. The culprit must hide the trophy well.”
“Oh, you haven’t picked the culprit yet?”
“I told you it’s not me!”
“…Wait a minute. PD Jeon. The production team made that trophy, right?”
At Park Youngjin’s question, the other Walking Man members laughed and waved their hands dismissively.
“Of course. Would they use the real thing for something like this?”
“No, but we thought the superstar was the youngest PD, and then the real one showed up. So the trophy could also be…”
At Park Youngjin’s words, the PD, writers, and staff laughed awkwardly. There was a reason why, out of all the staff members, the one in the black hat had been the one to bring the box with the trophy. He was the only one with the guts to touch it.
‘If I accidentally drop it….’
Just imagining it sent a shiver down their spines.
“Unfortunately…”
“Unfortunately?”
“It’s real!”
It’s real! It’s re, real, real… The PD’s voice echoed in their ears, followed by the screams of the Walking Man members.
“Is the production team insane!?”
“You mean that’s a real Oscar trophy!?”
“What are you going to do if it breaks while we’re hiding it!? Are you crazy!?”
“We’re going to pack it with a lot of cushioning. Besides, this isn’t a chase game, it’s a treasure hunt. As long as you’re careful when hiding and finding it, it’ll be fine.”
Despite the PD’s words, the Walking Man members continued to protest.
“We’re going to get cursed out by the entire world!”
“This wasn’t how I planned to become world-famous!”
The Walking Man members objected, but the PD continued. He couldn’t let go of such a huge opportunity. The higher-ups had already been informed.
“We have prepared detective offices numbered 1 through 8. The culprit’s room will contain the Oscar trophy. The culprit must hide the real Oscar trophy very carefully.”
The Walking Man members followed the staff member in the black hat to where the eight offices were located.
“As long as it’s not me. As long as it’s not me. As long as it’s not me!”
“Didn’t the trophy look really fragile, hyung? It looked like it would break if you dropped it even slightly.”
“Well, like PD Jeon said, we’re just hiding it. As long as we can secure it well, it should be fine.”
“Right? It’s not like we have to chase someone down, it’s a treasure hunt.”
“We just need to catch the culprit.”
“Let’s just have the culprit confess. The one hiding the Oscar trophy is going to have a harder time than the detectives looking for it.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
Though they said that, it was clear they would all try their best to hide it for the sake of the show. The eight Walking Man members each chose a number and stood in front of their designated office door.
‘Please don’t let it be me!’
With tense faces, they gripped the doorknobs and opened the doors.