I'm Just a Regular Person (6)
I'm Just a Regular Person (6)
《'Rex Nova's Show La Eve' Live Board》
[Wtf lol only ads are coming on]
Not even five minutes in and they hit an ad, already legendary, and now they're throwing out another ad right away lololol
Do they think the viewers are a joke?
Isn't this the broadcast accident of the century?
- Actually, the viewers really are water. Because 70% of the human body is water.
- But this is the reason we watch live broadcasts
- It's not the accident of the century. There was someone back in the day who shot himself in the head right at the start.
└ Ah (author)
[I just got here, can someone summarize the situation]
Hasn't it been a while since it started?
Why is it still on ads?
- We don't know either lolololol
- You can just watch along from now on
[Lololol I don't know and idc lolol]
(Andrea photo image)
Just show Andrea or "show me"
We, Andrea's 48 million fans, stand by her through any controversy
- That's a lot, damn. Are half of them orcs?
└ Don't slander, no no (author)
[Oh it started again]
The title says it all
- ? (author)
- ??? (author)
- The fuck, who's he calling? (author)
19. I'm Really Just an Ordinary Person (6)
No matter how much you keep turning away from reality,
time inevitably flows.
The advertisements that had shielded our peace ended, and the shoot—with abyss lurking everywhere—began.
Honestly, you could tell just by looking at the lead PD's and Rex Nova's complexions that they were in no condition to proceed normally.
But maybe a pro is still a pro.
They stubbornly continued the broadcast.
"...Show La Eve, we'll continue!"
As Rex Nova spoke, the laughter and applause of a nonexistent studio audience noisily filled the venue.
"What segment were we doing— Ah, a voice call. Haha, I almost forgot."
It looked like he'd simply lost his mind.
Rex Nova, still filled with chaos and confusion, turned his gaze toward me.
"...Actually, do you all know that this call could be the last of our show? ...Of course, that's a joke."
Rex Nova laughed emptily.
Andrea and Vince Barbo still seemed completely unaware of the situation.
They watched Rex Nova's bizarre antics with bewildered expressions.
Right now, on this stage, the only guest who could guess what was really going on inside his mind was me.
[Voice call waiting, caller 'Chairman-nim']
I barely suppressed the sigh that was about to burst out when I saw the name that appeared on my vision interface.
How the hell did this happen.
Who am I, and where is this.
I thought all I had to do was appear on the show and deny my relationship with Andrea.
How did things get so twisted?
I just felt endlessly dizzy.
"...First, we will listen to the call content of the 'Man in the Rumors' guest we invited!"
After finishing his comment, Rex Nova approached me.
His expression was so lifeless I wondered if an entertainer was even allowed to show such a face.
He turned his back to the camera and looked at me. He covered the microphone with his palm so his voice wouldn't be picked up by the audio equipment.
"......Please, I beg you."
His tone was desperate and pitiful.
I didn't know what exactly he was begging for, but I decided to just try my best at what I could do.
I nodded to Rex Nova.
Seeing us, Vince Barbo muttered discontentedly.
"Hah, what's the big deal about a phone call? Anyone would think he's talking to someone important."
Even though it was a very quiet mumble to himself, his mic picked it up and transmitted it throughout the venue.
The PD and Rex Nova, whose faces had been pale as if drained of blood, were slowly turning black.
It wouldn't have been strange if their hearts stopped then and there.
Anyway, the Chairman-nim lightly ignored my question and continued speaking.
[Oh dear, I should introduce myself first. After all, this is live.]
"More importantly, how on earth did you know to call—"
[Nice to meet you, viewers.]
The PD and Rex Nova, the only ones on site who knew the truth, started turning from black to blue.
It looked like their hearts could stop at any moment and no one would be surprised.
Nevertheless, the Chairman-nim ignored my question and continued.
[I am 'Taylor Blackstar,' the Chairman of Black Monolith Corporation. The truth of my words will be verified through an official statement on the Monolith website.]
.......
A brief silence followed.
The set was generally quiet anyway, but this silence felt a little different from the ones before.
The staff, previously anxious about the broadcast, now feared for their heads and remained silent.
...At least the ratings will be guaranteed.
I wondered if I should negotiate my appearance fee with the relevant parties right now.
Breaking the silence, the Chairman-nim spoke.
[I heard that my close little brother was appearing on the show, so I called.]
.......
Since when was I a "close little brother"?
Anyway, I slightly turned my head to look around.
Vince Barbo, still apparently not grasping reality, was staring at me with his mouth wide open. It was the kind of face that would circulate on Net Space as a "Vince Barbo humiliation meme."
Andrea, who had taken on the Chairman's escort request with me, was listening to the call with a somewhat displeased expression.
Rex Nova and the PD looked as if they had already achieved enlightenment and departed this world—I couldn't even begin to guess what they were feeling.
The Chairman-nim, who (probably) didn't know the situation on set, continued to speak without mercy. Truly the head of a mega-corp, of Monolith.
[So, what was the show's topic again?]
"I will explain."
It was just a voice call, but Rex Nova bowed his head as if the Chairman-nim were right in front of him and prepared to explain.
[Ah, the chief of staff informed me. It's about a bigamy issue involving a famous singer.]
"...Haha."
Rex Nova took a step back, glancing at me as if he was trying to gauge the nature of my relationship with the Chairman-nim.
On the very off chance—if the Chairman-nim and I had some special relationship, the broadcasting station would have been crushed on the spot.
The Chairman-nim's voice came through the line.
[Surely it's a lie, don't you think?]
Hearing that, I let out a light sigh.
If the Chairman-nim had decided to act playful and say something weird, I could've been in a difficult spot. Fortunately, it seemed they'd be honest.
I trusted you, Chairman-nim...!
[As someone who thinks of you as a close little brother, I think someone better—not just an ordinary person—should be your marriage partner.]
"?"
Chairman-nim?
[For example, I─.]
Then, suddenly, the Chairman-nim's voice cut off.
Checking my vision interface, I saw the call had been disconnected midway.
What the hell now?
[I blocked the unnecessary call content.]
Eve's voice came through.
......As expected, I really trusted you!
Andrea, who could also hear Eve's voice with me, secretly gave a thumbs up.
What was that about?
Noticing the call had ended, Rex Nova immediately seized the mood.
"...Yes! What an unbelievable event! To think we could actually have a call with the real Monolith Chairman! We sincerely thank you for taking the time!"
He was the epitome of a professional.
He was trying to end the broadcast properly.
"The Monolith Chairman himself explained it! It's not true! So of course it wouldn't be true!"
Maybe it was his desire to quickly move past this topic.
He tried to move on without further explanation.
If he were a dragon, flames would have shot from his mouth, but unfortunately as a human, only spittle came out.
"Today, another noisy topic in Neon City turned out to be false. That's a real—I mean, what a shame!"
After finishing his final comment, Rex Nova approached Andrea.
It seemed he intended to hear from the person at the center of the rumor and end the story.
"Now, finally, we'll hear from Ms. Andrea and move on to the next topic!"
Of course, he could have come to me first for an interview, but since I'd already caused so many problems, he was preemptively avoiding any chance of another.
I, who had no intention of causing trouble, felt deeply wronged.
Rex Nova once again turned his back to the camera and faced Andrea.
His eyebrows twitched fiercely. He was pleading with his whole face, asking her to please help end this without any problems.
But somehow, Andrea's expression was strange.
She looked deeply displeased.
It had been that way ever since she listened to the Chairman-nim's call.
I, having long watched Catherine—Neon City's number one handful—instantly sensed an ominous premonition from those signs.
...This. Something was about to blow up.
But before I could get up to stop her, Andrea was the first to crush Rex Nova's desperate plea.
"It's not."
"...Excuse me?"
At the unexpected words, a dumbfounded voice escaped Rex Nova's mouth.
Everyone froze as if time had stopped.
"I'm seriously considering bigamy. So many people are gunning for him, I can't help it. But if I'm going to have him, I want the first wife position—"
"We'll go to an ad break!!"
Rex Nova cut off Andrea and shouted.
I buried my face in my hands.
How did things end up like this?
While Rex Nova was sweating buckets over the broadcast accident, outside the stage, the PD was suffering over a different problem.
"Because of the hacking, the later part didn't go out? ...Should I call that a relief."
Listening in, the entire broadcasting station had been hacked, so the live broadcast had stopped, and thanks to that, Andrea's shocking statement didn't go out.
I overheard Andrea muttering quietly to herself, making sure the mic didn't pick it up.
"Hey, you did the hacking, didn't you?"
[No, I didn't.]
"No my ass, who else would hack at a time like this?"
[Hu hu hu]
"You little sh—."
.......
I felt like I'd be carted off to the hospital with a migraine soon.
* * *
"...Exhausted, so exhausted."
After all the trouble, I safely returned home and slowly opened the front door.
Then I stopped.
"?"
Something was off.
...Since when was my house this big?
"You're back?"
Catherine, who had come over from "next door" into "my house," said as she looked at me.
The reason such a physically impossible act was possible was because the wall separating the two houses had vanished without a trace.
"...What's this?"
"I decided to live with you, so I merged them."
"......."
What about my privacy?
And then, from behind me as I stood dazed, Andrea's voice came.
"Oh, I moved here too."
"?"
"A room on this floor became vacant. I figured it was perfect timing and signed the contract."
I looked in the direction Andrea pointed.
It was the house where Bill used to live.
He'd run away, so it had become vacant, and she hadn't missed that opportunity.
...Hm.
I seriously considered moving.