Chapter 56
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 56
If there were subtitles, they would have read: [Noona, why are you here...?!]
Yoo Ji-ah delivered a line clearly provided by the production staff with a nonchalant expression. She brushed her hair back and strode toward us. Her acting was truly top-notch.
"Th-that’s...!"
"The queen of Korean hip-hop, Yoo Ji-ah!"
"Long time no see, everyone."
I didn't even know what to say anymore and didn't feel like talking, so I kept my mouth shut. Ju Woo-seong’s eyes darted around before he asked Yoo Ji-ah a question.
"Senior. What are you doing here?"
At that moment, the ceiling suddenly opened, and a metal tray came crashing down on Ju Woo-seong’s head.
CLANG!!
"Agh!"
"...Wh-what the?"
Ju Woo-seong groaned, clutching his head as he looked up.
This isn't exactly Tray Karaoke... At the same time, a screen lowered in front of the chalkboard, and large subtitles appeared.
[Staff: Ju Woo-seong failed to stay in character!]
"In character?"
"Why did I get hit...?"
As Ju Woo-seong muttered in a daze, Yoo Ji-ah smirked and tapped her temple.
"There are rules to be followed in this 'world.'"
What is wrong with her?
Why is she putting so much emphasis on specific keywords?
"If you fail to interpret your character or break your immersion, a 'penalty' will come flying at you."
I mean, but why...?
"Heh."
Yoo Ji-ah let out a stylized chuckle. No matter how much of a variety show this was, the fact that she could immerse herself that deeply... there was a reason she was so successful.
[Staff: Points will increase if you immerse yourself in the setting!]
Ding!
[This is insane...]
Even the system window seemed bewildered.
This was a first. I stood there blankly for a moment before quickly scanning the instructions on the screen and reading the brief character profile that popped into my head.
"Seo Ho-yun. One of the Four Heavenly Kings. Cold-hearted and serves as the 'Brain' of the group... Has a painful past."
"That’s right. For your information, I’m the 'Cool' type."
Yoo Ji-ah actually said that out loud. Ju Woo-seong, forgetting to stay in character, looked so embarrassed for me—the 'Brain'—that he got hit by the tray for a second time.
"...You’re truly wonderful."
"I don't want to be bound by the standards you set."
"......"
Don't get sucked in. I didn't want to get hit by a tray falling from the ceiling like Ju Woo-seong.
Ju Woo-seong looked deeply troubled by his own character setting: a playboy with a light but painful past. It must have hit close to home.
"Ho-Ho-yun! Is it true you caused a stir by defying your seniors recently?"
My desk mate, who had stood up from the floor and sat back down, made a huge fuss.
Defying seniors...?
"...Against, uh, which one?"
There were too many for me to be sure. Yoo Ji-ah looked impressed by my sincere response.
"Seo Ho-yun is so shameless. How does he just roll with it?"
"I think he’s genuinely confused."
Yoo Ji-ah and Ju Woo-seong whispered to each other and were promptly smacked by the trays.
[Staff: Yoo Ji-ah, Ju Woo-seong, both failed to stay in character!]
"...S-so, Ho-yun! Even if life is a bit tough, you’re still going to take first place in this exam easily, right?"
"Exam?"
My desk mate almost lost his composure at my blatant shamelessness, but he exercised his professional spirit and fulfilled his assigned role.
What is it this time?
At that moment, as if on cue, the homeroom teacher walked in.
"Alright, kids, time for the exam! Everyone, put your books away."
"An exam?"
While Ju Woo-seong asked in a daze, my mind raced. Another instruction appeared on the screen.
[Seo Ho-yun, if you get 1st place, we’ll give you extra immersion points! ^_^ There’s a penalty if you fail!]
"Come on, pass out the test papers quickly!"
A penalty?
I took the test paper with a sense of dread.
I picked up a pencil and scanned the paper, feeling a bit lightheaded. It was a subject from the CSAT, provided by the evaluation board.
'They're basically telling me to fail.'
"Hmph."
While I was debating what to do, Yoo Ji-ah suddenly stood up and threw the classroom door open.
The startled teacher shouted with wide eyes.
"Yoo Ji-ah! Where do you think you're going!"
"A place like this... doesn't suit someone like me, who can go anywhere as long as there's a breeze and a piece of cloth."
"Yoo Ji-ah! Hey!"
[Staff: Yoo Ji-ah successfully immersed as a 'Free Spirit'!]
'Wow.'
She sure knows how to make an exit.
Yoo Ji-ah vanished after saying her piece. Seeing as even the teacher didn't stop her, I guess that was her way of "staying in character."
Ju Woo-seong rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought for a moment, before folding his test paper into a paper airplane and flying it toward the teacher.
"Ju Woo-seong! You think this exam is a joke?"
"Teacher."
Ju Woo-seong stood up from his chair.
He strode over with his long legs and met the teacher's gaze. Even as the teacher flinched back in surprise, he leaned in close, propping one arm against the chalkboard.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Teacher, why do you always wear the same 'tee' every day?"
"Huh? No, I don't?"
The teacher stammered, "This is actually the first time I've worn this—" but Ju Woo-seong silenced him by placing an index finger over the teacher's lips. He winked and curled the corner of his mouth.
"A cu-tie."
"......"
Seriously, these people...
For the record, the teacher was just an ordinary middle-aged man you'd see in your neighborhood. After casually dropping the kind of cheesy line he probably hears from fans all the time, Ju Woo-seong snickered. The teacher regained his senses and scolded him.
"Hey, hey! Stop playing around and get back to—"
"I'm not playing."
Ju Woo-seong cut him off, slowly lowering his gaze. He looked like he knew exactly when he was at his most charming, letting a slight smirk play on his lips.
"When do you get off work today?"
"......"
[Staff: Ju Woo-seong successfully immersed as a 'Playboy'!]
'He's actually insane... what a persistent bastard...'
Being a first-tier idol isn't for everyone...
"Sweet! Ho-yun, I'm heading out first."
While the teacher stood there speechless with his mouth agape, Ju Woo-seong checked the screen, waved, and hummed as he walked out of the classroom.
The remaining actors in the classroom stared blankly at the spot where Ju Woo-seong had been, looking utterly exhausted.
I was the only one left.
"S-Seo Ho-yun! What are you doing! Hurry up and solve the problems!"
"I don't... do such trivial things."
"Stop messing around and just solve them."
"......"
I guess it's true that it's better to go first. Since Yoo Ji-ah and Ju Woo-seong had already made their big moves, the impact of anything I did would naturally be diminished.
"Sigh..."
I let out a breath and picked up my pencil. It seemed I had no choice but to solve these exam questions to fit the 'Genius' concept.
I lightly scanned the questions on the front and back.
Is this CSAT English? Fortunately, I remembered how to solve them to some extent. I remembered, but...
I'm a bit conflicted.
'Should I try my best? Or not?'
If I establish an "intelligent" image here, how much attention will it draw in the future? Or would it backfire in a worst-case scenario?
Drawing attention is good, but how much of a buzz would it actually create?
'...To avoid losing to those intense people, I have no choice.'
After weighing the various conditions, I nodded.
I twirled my pencil, wrote my name, and began scratching out the answers starting from question number one.
* * *
"Wow, this is really difficult."
Choi PD looked over the submitted test paper with Yoo Ji-ah, who had come out first. Seo Ho-yun was talking with Ju Woo-seong after turning in his paper.
Choi PD let out a sly chuckle.
"Right? They say it's from the CSAT two years ago."
"Why would you bring this for them to solve?"
"Haha, do you think I brought it for them to solve? I brought it so they'd get the penalty."
"If that's the case, it feels like you're really targeting Seo Ho-yun."
"Seo Ho-yun is a variety rookie. He needs an initiation ceremony. For the penalty... yeah, should we have him wear a fake mustache and write his name with his butt?"
"For an idol...?"
"It'll be cute!"
'Has he lost his touch?'
Choi PD winked. Yoo Ji-ah, twitching an eyebrow, glanced at Seo Ho-yun.
She had felt it when she saw him on Shining Star, but he was a peculiar junior. He was unusually calm, and even Kim Hee-yeong PD treated him with a certain kindness, as if he were a precious protégé.
'He has a good mental game, he's shameless, and he has a good look in his eyes. I bet he'd be a decent actor, too.'
Yoo Ji-ah sipped her coffee, stealing glances at Seo Ho-yun. She didn't really care if her junior had to wear a fake mustache or not, but she was busy gauging his potential.
She was curious if the thick-skinned Seo Ho-yun had any intention of trying his hand at acting later on.
'It might be overstepping, but... maybe I'll ask him later?'
"Producer! Choi PD!"
"Oh, are the results in?"
A staff member who had gone to grade the submitted test paper came running back, panting. Choi PD was giggling, excited at the thought of teasing a rookie idol for the first time in a while.
"What's Seo Ho-yun's score? If he just guessed, maybe a 30?"
"No, the thing is..."
"Why? Is it even worse? If it's too bad, we'll just edit out the score. It's a bad look for a celebrity to be mocked for being uneducated."
'Then why the hell did you make him take a CSAT English exam...?'
The staff member grumbled internally, but that wasn't the point.
Yoo Ji-ah, who had been mindlessly drinking her coffee, spat it out at the staff member's next words.
"Seo Ho-yun got a 97! He only missed one three-point question!"
"......What?"
"He's first place! Even among the extras, he's first!"
Choi PD, who had frozen like a computer that had hit a lag, snatched the paper away. He immediately checked the name written neatly in the top right corner.
[Seo Ho-yun]
"......??"
While Choi PD stared at the test paper with an expression of disbelief, Seo Ho-yun and Ju Woo-seong, who had been talking in the corner, wandered over, curious about the score.
"Can I see it too?"
"......Se-Seo Ho-yun."
Not only was he calm upon seeing the score of 97, but he simply glanced at the back of the paper and let out a sheepish laugh.
"Ah, I missed this one. That's a shame."
"......"
"It was difficult."
At that moment, the same thought flashed through everyone's mind on set:
'What is up with this guy...?'
* * *
"Seo Ho-yun, shouldn't you go to university even now? How about studying instead of being an idol?"
Ju Woo-seong was pestering me with serious questions, so I raised an eyebrow and met his gaze.
"I'm fine."
I've already been.
"Why! That brain is a waste."
"I just guessed well."
"Wow, even humble... it's almost annoyingly cool..."
Do you have any idea how hard it is to pass the open recruitment for a PD...? I studied until my nose bled. It's been over ten years, so I thought I might have forgotten, but it all came back to me as I solved the problems.
It's a bit ridiculous to play up a genius concept just because I did well on one CSAT subject, but when someone completely unexpected pulls it off, it becomes a hot topic.
"Seo Ho-yun, did you perhaps prepare for the CSAT?"
"Even you, Senior? Why are you like this?"
Seeing even Yoo Ji-ah ask with such a serious expression, it seemed I had played my cards a bit too well. Ju Woo-seong continued to chirp beside me.
"What was your highest rank in school?"
"Stop asking. Is it a holiday family gathering or something?"
"You should enter a competition for making people speechless."
Despite the fuss Yoo Ji-ah and Ju Woo-seong were making, I only kept my eyes on the PD.
I definitely secured my screen time.
* * *
[Title: New Variety 'Over-immersion Master' Clip 'As long as there's a breeze and a piece of cloth, I can go anywhere ◟( ˘ ³˘)’
Yoo Ji-ah: I don't want to be bound by the standards you set...
Seo Ho-yun: (Stifled laugh)
Ju Woo-seong: (Horrified) (Gets hit by tray again)
Who can stay in character the best?!
└ My cringe tolerance was so low I had to watch this in three parts (Likes: 2195)
└└ The secondhand embarrassment is real, I'm taking deep breaths while watching
└└ LOLOLOLOL
└└ Choi PD must have sharpened his blade after his last failure, this show is so fresh and fun lol
└└ I think Woo-seong carried just by being cute...
└ Yoo Ji-ah lololol she escaped the exam like a ghost because of the breeze and cloth lol I didn't see her like that before, but this show made her feel like a relatable unnie (Likes: 313)
└ Ju Woo-seong is so bad at staying in character, his laughter threshold is too low, but I screamed when he dropped that pick-up line (Likes: 1283)
└└ Let's start slowly with a lawsuit]
[Title: 'Over-immersion Master' Clip 'I didn't see Seo Ho-yun like that, but he's a scary person...'
(The Brain of the Four Heavenly Kings finishes a CSAT English exam)
Choi PD: What should Ho-yun's penalty be? hehe
(A moment later...)
Choi PD: 97 points...?
Seo Ho-yun: (Glance) That's a shame.
Choi PD: ???
Seo Ho-yun: It was difficult lol
Staff: ?????
(※ Attaching a photo of the test paper Seo Ho-yun solved)
(※ I swear there was no cheating/script/prior mention. If I'm lying, I'll resign.)
└ Seo Ho-yun... I didn't see him like that, but he's a scary person
└ The #1 video you shouldn't show your parents (Likes: 3041)
└└ ??: Even celebrities study like that while making money! Huh?
└└ Ah! That's just a script~!
└ Seo Ho-yun, the man who has the face, the talent, and the brains... but he doesn't have me, Kim Je-eun, 24th generation of the Gyeongju Kim clan (Likes: 411)
└└ Kim Je-eun, go wash your feet and go to sleep
└ I got annoyed watching and turned it off ffs
└└ I feel so pathetic right now, I hope the 'no script' thing is a lie]