Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 043
Chapter Title: Radio Appearance (2)
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It felt like a massive carnivore was prowling in.
“Ouch, why’d you show up dressed like that again! I told you to dress like a normal person!”
“It’s hot, what do you want me to do?”
Smack!
But he didn’t seem to have a ferocious personality. The radio writer casually swatted the arm of the man whose shoulders were fully exposed.
“I told you, if you dress like that, you look like a gorilla. Yeah, you’ve got muscles! But what about your image management?”
“It’s radio anyway—what does it matter what I wear? Right?”
The last question was tossed at Yeonwoo.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter.”
Yeonwoo shrugged once.
The area was littered with disemboweled guts, eyeballs, and limbs missing from torsos.
A perfectly healthy human in a sleeveless tee was downright mild by comparison.
“See? Even the guest says it’s fine. Noona worries too much.”
“Haha… Yeonwoo-ssi. Sorry about this. He’s a total gym rat. Sometimes he walks around half-naked like this. He might look weird dressed like that, but he’s surprisingly normal, so don’t worry.”
“Nice to meet you. First time, right?”
The man stuck out his hand abruptly.
“I’m Lee Juha. Twenty-three years old. Occupation…”
“You’re a singer.”
“Oh, you know me?”
“Well, yeah…”
-Name: Lee Juha (25/Male)
-Occupation: Soul-Stirring Singer-Songwriter
-Disposition: Chaotic Neutral
-Specialties: Perfect Pitch [A], Soul-Stirring Voice [A+]
-Favorability: Neutral
-Current Physical Condition: Optimal
-Current Emotional State: Intrigued
***Some items are currently unavailable.
***Detailed information on this person is hidden.
***Additional Harvestable Ability: Enchanting Voice [A]
The status window popped up the moment they shook hands.
Impossible not to notice.
‘Enchanting Voice?’
An additional harvestable ability was attached.
It was the first one he’d seen since harvesting from the radio writer’s son.
And it was a full A-rank ability, no less.
‘Tch.’
Looking at the singer and the ability, he could guess what ‘Enchanting Voice’ entailed.
He wanted it.
Badly.
‘If only he’d give me a quest.’
Unfortunately, nothing floated above Lee Juha’s head.
Yeonwoo smacked his lips and stared up at it, prompting Lee Juha to speak.
“I’m not a scary guy. I don’t even associate with those idiots who freak out over nothing and try to assert some weird dominance, so don’t worry about that.”
“Hey, watch your mouth! Mouth! I told you to watch it!”
“Ah, come on. The broadcast hasn’t even started. Anyway, I heard you’re a rookie, but you look super tense. No need. Our show’s famous for being chill. Even if you mess up, I’ll cover for you, so relax.”
“He might seem a bit sloppy at first glance, but he runs the show smoothly and quietly. It’s known as an easy listen, too.”
The writer sighed and smacked Lee Juha’s arm a few more times.
It looked like scolding, but it felt like doting—like watching siblings.
What was funny was how good Lee Juha’s voice sounded, even in the middle of all this.
‘Man, harvesting that additional ability would be perfect.’
Sigh.
Gain influence and snag an extra stat.
Talk about killing two birds with one stone.
“Noona, you’re not mixing in some fan bias, are you?”
“What are you even saying?! Hurry up and get in. No mistakes today, so double-check the question sheets and all that. Yeonwoo-ssi’s new here, so take good care of him. Show him the app and how the program works!”
“Yes, yes, got it~!”
The radio booth had a totally different vibe from a filming set.
Soundproof walls sealed tight to keep noise out, a massive mic set up in front of the laptop—it evoked a pro recording studio.
“Use this for headphones, and speak into this mic here. You don’t have to get right up on it, so get comfortable. Juha handles the pacing mostly, but us writers up front will cue timings on the sheet for you to reference. And the program…”
The head writer who’d accompanied Yeonwoo explained everything step by step.
Lee Juha, watching, clicked his tongue.
“Noona, aren’t you fan-girling too hard? It’s been intense since earlier.”
“Ugh, just be quiet, Juha.”
“It’s best to learn by bumping into things yourself. I’ll handle Kang Yeonwoo-ssi, so you can head out, Noona.”
The writer smacked his arm once more and left the booth. Lee Juha spun his chair to face Yeonwoo.
“You two are really close?”
“Yes?”
“You and Kwon Sung-hyun. Honestly, I’m not that tight with him.”
“Yes?”
“You might not know, but we’re the same age. He started as a child actor, and I debuted around then too as this music prodigy kid genius and blew up. Maybe ’cause we’re the same age, they kept pitting us together, but our personalities just don’t mesh.”
Lee Juha shuddered, his thick shoulders shaking at the gross memory.
“That kid’s all polite honorifics and keeping distance—you can’t even deal. But weirdly, he’s thorough on broadcasts. Plays friendly just right. Anyway, we just never clicked. Still don’t. I don’t like him, and I’m pretty sure he feels the same? Or maybe ‘disapproves’ is the word.”
That tracked.
-He’s usually a sly bastard…
It was the first time Yeonwoo had heard Kwon Sung-hyun call someone a ‘bastard.’
‘Come to think of it, he was smiling, but the vibe was off. Wondered why…’
They personally didn’t get along but mutually respected each other’s skills—an odd dynamic.
“He avoids me like the plague usually, but our writer noona’s persistent as hell. I figured since you seemed so tight with Kwon Sung-hyun, you’d bail, but here you are. Kinda wild.”
Everything’s wild to him.
If he knew a child spirit was pummeling his own head, he’d be even more shocked—might even faint.
Wish he couldn’t see it right now.
[This guy’s no good. Every song he drops is a hit, so I was curious what kinda great person he was, and he’s badmouthing our actor?! Die!]
A curse from a ghost over twenty years old.
Wonder if a heart attack headline for Lee Juha would pop up soon.
“We’re spending another night together. Hot one today, huh? But we can’t skip our daily evening stroll. Midnight Stroll—let’s kick it off fun as always. First track tonight: ‘Hungry Hours’ from Midnight Diner.”
ON AIR lit up, and the broadcast began.
A low, deep tone flowed through the mic.
After the intro song ended, the intro continued.
“We’ve got a super special guest tonight. None other than the star from that scorching hot drama lately. The cold Grim Reaper who also has a hot side, willing to sacrifice for one person—Kang Yeonwoo-ssi.”
“Hello, I’m Kang Yeonwoo.”
“Oh. Our owls are already going nuts. ‘Voice is too good,’ ‘Just the voice and I know he’s handsome’—whew. All this? You used to say my voice was the handsomest.”
Lee Juha’s hosting was slick.
-His skills are decent. Knows his limits on the job.
Just like Kwon Sung-hyun said.
“Chat’s scrolling at warp speed. Yeah, this pace—it’s been ages. Everyone prefers the new guy over me, huh?”
Unlike his laid-back vibe, he had witty flow, manners that didn’t cross lines, and consideration.
Lee Juha was famous for treating fans like insiders, no pretenses.
No wonder he had so many.
“Our owls have tons of questions about Yeonwoo-ssi. Special tonight! A one-on-one with Kang Yeonwoo-ssi on Midnight Stroll. Yeonwoo-ssi, heard there’s a story behind your drama casting?”
“Nothing huge, but there’s an episode.”
“Super curious.”
“I wasn’t there to act originally—I was filling in as Kwon Sung-hyun-ssi’s temp manager. Then…”
The drama had just wrapped.
Interest in Yeonwoo was peaking.
-Drop info now or fans thirst to death on crumbs.
The interview flowed mostly about Yeonwoo.
“‘Favorite drink?’ from a fan. Yeonwoo-ssi’s pick?”
“I like most, but if I had to choose, mint choco.”
“Isn’t that toothpaste flavor?”
“Nope.”
“‘Our Yeonwoo looks pissed. Oppa Juha, stop.’ Yeah, better quit. Yeonwoo-ssi’s smiling, but somehow scary. Oh, Grim Reaper descended. Wait, our Yeonwoo? That your nickname? Oh, spot on. ‘Our Yeonwoo’—shortened to Woo-yeon-i.”
Lee Juha burst laughing reading messages.
“Strikes the heart hard like a coincidence, so Woo-yeon-i. Hilarious. Ownership wars incoming if everyone claims ‘our Yeonwoo.’”
He asked about minor on-set episodes too.
After the interview-disguised info dump, listener stories and chit-chat kicked in proper.
“Special tonight! Guest Yeonwoo-ssi picks stories himself. Post anything on the talk board. Winner gets sweet prizes~!”
As briefed, Yeonwoo picked and read a few.
Deep truths spilled only at midnight.
Sleepless flips through the day’s events.
Or just words for Yeonwoo.
Reactions to Yeonwoo’s careful reading voice were scorching.
“Wow, this heat at this hour—first time ever. Even our writer’s shocked. ‘Yeonwoo-nim, your pronunciation sticks perfectly in my ears. Do you practice enunciation?’ Good point. Actors have good projection, but perfect pronunciation’s rare. Dramas and movies prioritize feel and emotion over news-perfect diction—sometimes it slips. Any special practice?”
As if.
Ear-sticking premium pronunciation—that was Yeonwoo’s ability secret.
‘Can’t say that.’
“Thanks for the praise first off. No special practice, but I do try to speak clearly.”
“Born talent in one word! So jealous.”
Lee Juha’s words flooded chat with lololols.
“Owls, don’t laugh. I’m hurt. Mocking my weird guide pronunciations now?”
They traded stories, played requests—time flew to end.
“Already? Time to part again. Thanks again, Kang Yeonwoo-ssi. Owls! Till tomorrow, stroll in dreams together.”
Post-greetings, Lee Juha closed.
Then, right as it wrapped.
“But ending like this feels off, right? One last word from our Yeonwoo-ssi, please.”
Lee Juha threw an impromptu line.
Unscripted.
The writer outside counting down went wide-eyed.
You crazy?!
Her lip shape screamed it.
One side worried, the other openly intrigued.
‘Perfect timing for a good idea.’
Yeonwoo smirked and leaned forward.