Chapter 365
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 365
Kang Yeon-hu turned his head away with an awkward expression and let out a dry, nervous cough.
“…Ahem. Anyway, let’s just get in there and keep the talking to a minimum, okay?”
The way his neck was stiff and his eyes were darting around made it seem like he was genuinely terrified. For some reason, his actual age suddenly came to mind; only now did he truly look like someone in his own age group.
“Yeon-hu hyung, don't go clinging to me just because you’re scared.”
“…That will never happen, even if I die.”
Immediately turning serious, Kang Yeon-hu spun around and headed back toward the staff to put his microphone on.
I know it’s all fake, so what exactly is there to be afraid of?
I didn’t quite understand it, but since he was someone who looked out for his own interests, I figured he’d handle himself. He was a grown man, after all. I expected his reaction to be, at most, on the level of Kim Seong-hyeon or Jeong Da-jun. Those two had genuinely sobbed, but it hadn't been so bad that they couldn't film.
Jeong Da-jun, who had fully utilized his status as the youngest to wheedle snacks out of Black Call with all sorts of aegyo and flattery, crept up to me.
“But hyung, are you going to be okay with the penalty?!”
“Hey, why are you even asking him? Back at the old dorm, when I said I thought I saw a ghost, Seo Ho-yun just told me I was being noisy, threw salt at me, and told me to go to sleep.”
Kim Seong-hyeon suddenly cut in from the side. Perhaps because he had escaped last place, the color had returned to his previously pale face. I shooed away the two of them, who were clinging to me like nuisances, along with Seong Ji-won, who had been following me around whenever he had a spare moment.
Glancing at the crowd gathered at the monitoring station to watch the penalty being carried out, I walked toward the haunted house with Ju Woo-seong, Min Ji-heon, and the still-pale Kang Yeon-hu.
<Providing the Ultimate Terror! ‘Horror Hospital’>
Ah, I remember this place.
Broadcasting stations have long been notorious for using "tradition" as an excuse for strict discipline and territorial behavior. Naturally, when a newbie arrived, they had to undergo an initiation ceremony. I was no exception.
And one of the many useless tasks assigned to me back then was scouting "scary locations" that could be used for variety shows.
I remember looking through this place thoroughly to see if it was usable.
This ‘Horror Hospital’ was one of those spots.
At the time, I had checked things like how long it took to clear, how many ghosts usually appeared, and where the props were placed. I’d even suggested changing a few parts to make it more novel, only to be harshly shut down.
Anyway, the program ended up using it quite well. The viewership ratings were pretty decent, too.
While I was indulging in memories I couldn't share with anyone, the staff member fitting a helmet with a camera onto my head spoke up as if suddenly remembering something.
“Ah, come to think of it, this place is really famous. People say real ghosts get mixed in with the actors and stuff. Sightings are pretty frequent, so there’s even a rumor that they hold a shamanic ritual every time before they open…”
Is that a marketing tactic?
Just as I was thinking it was a fairly efficient way to draw attention, Ju Woo-seong spoke with a slightly disgusted face.
“Seriously, did you have to say that right before we go in…?”
“—Is that true?!”
I tried to speak, but my voice was drowned out by Kang Yeon-hu’s.
He looked properly terrified.
Ju Woo-seong looked at Kang Yeon-hu for a moment, then sighed and scratched the back of his neck.
“…Yeon-hu, do you want to stand in the middle?”
“Wh-what? Oh… no, no, sunbae-nim. It’s fine. I’ll stand at the very front.”
Kang Yeon-hu lifted his chin stiffly, trying his best to look composed as he stepped forward. However, his tightly clenched hands were already trembling.
“…Then, for the Seo-Min-Kang-Ju team, you can enter in the order you’re standing, right? Kang Yeon-hu-ssi, Ju Woo-seong-ssi, Min Ji-heon-ssi, and then Seo Ho-yun-ssi. Please line up along the line on the floor.”
Taking my place at the very back, I glanced at the guys in front of me. For some reason, Min Ji-heon was staring at the haunted house with a peculiar look in his eyes.
“…Sunbae-nim, we need to get in formation.”
I was going to let it slide, but my internal radar picked up a faint sense of unease, so I spoke to him. However, Min Ji-heon didn't even look my way and just stared into the air.
“Sunbae-nim?”
“……Uh?”
“The formation.”
“Ah, sorry.”
Min Ji-heon, who had been dazed until the moment he blinked several times, gave a small smile and whispered.
“I have a bad feeling about this….”
“…Are you laying the groundwork for an excuse?”
“Ahaha. No. Okay, ready?”
As Min Ji-heon straightened his body, which had been leaning out of line, PD Kim Hee-yeong gave an OK sign with her hand.
“Alright, then, have a safe trip!”
The filming officially began, and one cameraman and four celebrities entered the haunted house.
The smell of disinfectant rushed to the tip of my nose. After walking a bit further, a small waiting room with a monitor on one wall appeared.
Static, crackle…
As if waiting for someone to appear, the sound of noise rang out, and soon a man in a white gown appeared on the CRT screen.
【…Reporter, didn’t I tell you crackle not to come? This is just crackle an old abandoned crackle ward….】
“…What, am I a reporter here?”
Ju Woo-seong muttered, his eyes fixed on the screen.
【…I’ve told you many times, I worked at that psychiatric hospital and eventually fled. Crackle Even after that, I suffered from sleep paralysis for three years due to the crackle eerie energy…. Unlike you, Reporter, I crackle don’t want to know anything more about that place….】
【…Hah. Looking at the look in your eyes, I see you’ll never give up. Crackle You’re a funny one. Anyway, I tried to stop you. Crackle But, I will warn you of this one thing.】
【Never, ever go into the deep parts.】
“No, what’s wrong with the look in my eyes? Do I really look that full of a sense of duty?”
I waved my hand at Ju Woo-seong, who was turning his head back in disbelief, telling him to pay attention and look ahead. This guy was definitely the type to talk to himself while watching TV at home.
【Then, I hope you return safely…….】
With that final warning, the entrance connected to one side of the waiting room opened with a clunk.
At the eerie creak, Kang Yeon-hu, who was completely stiff, hesitated for a long time before cautiously stepping forward.
Ho.
At the same time, the flickering fluorescent lights went out with a spark, as if a fuse had blown. I was observing the differences with interest, thinking it had been updated quite a bit since before, when—
BANG!!!
“Waaaagh!!”
The door we had just passed through slammed shut automatically.
“…Wow, that startled me too. Yeon-hu, why are you so jumpy?”
“Ah, th-that… I’m sorry, sunbae-nim.”
That guy, he’s managed to push a calm image all this time despite being like that….
Ju Woo-seong, who had been startled by Kang Yeon-hu’s scream, clutched his chest. Kang Yeon-hu hurried to apologize, but his performance was only just beginning.
“Waaaaagh!”
“Aaaakh!”
“Euaaaakh!”
Whenever they made a bit of progress, he’d see something and shriek, and if he discovered something new, he’d habitually scramble backward.
Well, he’s certainly secured enough screen time for High Five, I thought as I craned my neck to check the path ahead.
Hmm… is this the Kang Yeon-hu bottleneck zone?
Beep beep.
I honked an imaginary car horn in my head.
We had already been stuck in the same spot for five minutes. If we weren't filming, I would have had a field day teasing Kang Yeon-hu, so I was disappointed to have to give up that bit of fun.
“Gurgle… gurgle…….”
The part-timer, who had been enthusiastically rattling the iron bars while waving their limbs wrapped in messy bandages, seemed to have lost energy in the meantime and was just staring at us blankly.
“Excuse me. Do you guys open late at night these days? Or are you working overtime because of us?”
“Gueok…. Cough, hey, cough, over, cough… time, cough….”
“So it was overtime. My apologies.”
“Seo Ho-yun, don't chat from the back.”
Ju Woo-seong, who turned around to scold me, faced forward again and spoke to Kang Yeon-hu.
“Hey, it’s okay to go slow—”
“Wagh! …Ah, yes, yes, sir.”
He had intended to put him at ease, but the moment Ju Woo-seong patted his shoulder, Kang Yeon-hu jumped in surprise and crouched down, clutching his head with both hands. After looking down at him for a moment, Ju Woo-seong tilted his helmet slightly and asked the cameraman.
“…This isn't going to work. Excuse me, can we not give up halfway?”
“I’m sorry, but since it’s a penalty, you must complete it to the end.”
“Haa….”
“It’s… fine.”
Kang Yeon-hu, who had managed to steady himself and stand up, clenched his fists and pretended nothing was wrong. Deciding it was useless to try and stop him further, Ju Woo-seong wrinkled his nose slightly and added one more casual remark.
“If you’re scared, try singing a song or something.”
“……S-singing?”
After hesitating, Kang Yeon-hu gulped and slowly opened his mouth.
“If things turn out the way we wish… Wagh! Happily, the two of us together—Euaaaakh!”
And then he sang ‘Our,’ the song that every idol under WH Entertainment invariably sings at the end of a concert. It was a remarkable display of company loyalty.
While the cameraman was focusing on Kang Yeon-hu, who was delivering a spectacular performance of 70% screaming and 30% singing,
“Seo Ho-yun-ssi.”
Min Ji-heon, who had been quiet the whole time, came close to me and called out in a low voice.
“I think we need to move a bit faster.”
“Ah, yes. I’d like to do that too.”
“No, seriously…. I’m starting to get a bad feeling.”
So what?
I shifted my gaze from Min Ji-heon to Kang Yeon-hu. Currently, Kang Yeon-hu looked like a walking corpse.
“I’m already scared, so please refrain from saying creepy things, sunbae-nim.”
I whispered as if I were scared, but there was no way Min Ji-heon wouldn't realize it was because of Kang Yeon-hu. However, Min Ji-heon, who would usually have backed off by now, hardened his face and added in a low voice.
“I’m not joking.”
“…….”
“Just look ahead and go.”
Wondering what kind of trick this was, I glared at Min Ji-heon, but his behavior was indeed suspicious. His head wouldn't stay still for a second as he looked around, and one hand kept fruitlessly rubbing his wrist, which was empty due to the filming.
After a moment of thought, I let out a deep sigh.
Fine, we’ve probably got enough footage.
Once I made a decision, there was no hesitation in my actions.
“What? Min Ji-heon sunbae-nim, you’re hungry?”
“Huh? Me?”
Before Min Ji-heon could speak again, I hurried past Ju Woo-seong.
“Oh dear! We can’t have that!”
As I overtook them to take the lead, Kang Yeon-hu was startled by my sudden appearance.
“Wagh!”
“Sunbae-nim, let’s swap places. I’m going to pick up the pace from now on.”
“……Yes?”
“Because Min Ji-heon sunbae-nim said he’s hungry.”
Kang Yeon-hu, who had been pushed aside in the confusion, walked toward the back with a bewildered expression.
From then on, it was smooth sailing.
I took over the song Kang Yeon-hu had stopped singing and belted it out as I marched forward.
“I will always be by your side—. Receiving the warm light that love gives, let us move forward together.”
After walking for about five more minutes, I saw an exit marked ‘EXIT.’ I reached out and pushed it open with force.
“……!”
In an instant, a flood of pure white light washed over my vision. Soon, several cameras filming, lights, and the staff standing around them came into view.
“Whoo—!! Great job, everyone!”
Applause and cheers erupted toward us.
Realizing that he had successfully completed the penalty, Kang Yeon-hu’s legs finally gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor, leaning his back against the wall.
“—It was seriously amazing when Min Ji-heon-ssi set the mood earlier!!”
The cameraman who had been moving with us said as he put down his equipment.
“…Ah, ahaha, I guess it’s because I’m an actor?”
“I was really spooked~! You know, that feeling like the beginning of a horror movie?! Honestly, if we’d stayed just a bit longer, I might have cried.”
“Wow, then should I try filming a horror movie next time?”
Seriously, what is it?
I felt a bit uneasy, but digging further seemed like a hassle, so I ignored it and took off the microphone I was wearing. Kang Yeon-hu seemed exhausted, just repeatedly drinking water in the same posture as before.
Then, Ju Woo-seong sidled up and nudged my side with his elbow.
“Hey, you were kind of cool back there.”
“Pardon?”
“Didn't you finish it quickly because Kang Yeon-hu was so scared? You avoided even talking to him throughout the shoot, saying you wouldn't get involved with him… man, you’ve got loyalty.”
Whatever.
Ju Woo-seong, who had been rambling nonsense like, ‘You’re still a beta male, but I guess you’re still Seo Ho-yun,’ disappeared with a strangely satisfied expression.
Just as I thought I could finally rest, this time Kang Yeon-hu approached me hesitantly.
“…Seo Ho-yun-ssi, good job.”
“Yes, you too, sunbae-nim.”
“……Do you think this will be edited out?”
“Do you think this could be edited out? After you used your throat like that?”
“…….”
Kang Yeon-hu rubbed his haggard face with his hands.
Now that he’d come to his senses, he was finally starting to worry about how he’d appear on screen.
“…Weren't you scared, Seo Ho-yun-ssi?”
“There’s nothing in the world scarier than people.”
At my firm answer, Kang Yeon-hu lowered his head and mumbled something.
“……you.”
“Pardon?”
“…I said, thank you for going first.”
Even though it was just a word of thanks, Kang Yeon-hu’s neck and ears were flushed red as if he were embarrassed.