Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Team Play (3)
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“Yo, can’t we just call it a night and head home? Are we seriously pulling an all-nighter here?”
It was already nearing 2 a.m.
Min-tae’s eyelids were so heavy they could barely lift themselves anymore. Drowsiness was starting to take over.
He was forcing his eyes open for now, but it didn’t look like sleep would let him off easy.
“Where you going? The idea brainstorming’s just getting started.”
“Since when did you turn into this passionate type? You were always the guy who coasted by.”
“I realized that coasting leads straight to fifteen years of obscurity waiting for me at the end. That’s why I’m busting my ass.”
“Fifteen years?”
“Anyway, never mind that. If we’re doing an original skit, it’s gonna take some real work. Got any acting chops you’re confident in?”
“Acting I’m confident in? …Lifting heavy stuff?”
“What kind of acting is that?”
It was a perfectly Min-tae answer, given his regular workouts and gym sessions.
But heavy lifting wasn’t what Han-do was after.
“There’s tons of stuff you can do with just your voice. Like blowing up in anger, or deadpan comedy, or reading lines in an announcer tone.”
“Hmm. What about ecstatic acting? Not just regular happy… You know, that rush when you’ve poured everything into something and finally nail it. The sense of accomplishment. I’m great at that. It’s killer.”
“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
To craft a solid skit corner, he needed to pull out the emotional expressions that Han-do and Min-tae could nail best.
It wasn’t fair to assume the 44-year-old future Min-tae had the same skills as the current 23-year-old. That’s why Han-do had to zero in on what this Min-tae felt strongest about. Han-do gave a satisfied nod and patted his shoulder lightly.
“Good work. I’ll flesh out the plot from here and fill you in.”
“If we’re meeting this long next time, let’s start early in the morning. I’m dying here.”
“Got it. See ya.”
The walk home from the café was short enough for both of them.
No need for taxis or anything; that’s why Han-do had dragged out the meeting on purpose.
Idea brainstorming was the lifeblood of gag work—absolutely crucial.
No good ideas, no laughs.
From here on, Han-do would keep running these structured sessions.
Not just with Oh Min-tae, but he needed to drill this habit into himself too. That way, even marathon brainstorms wouldn’t wear him down, and solid ideas would keep flowing.
In the end, everything came down to stamina.
‘Guess I should hit the gym with Min-tae starting tomorrow.’
Even if it stung the wallet, signing up for six months or more would save money in the long run.
As he walked home, Han-do started sketching out tomorrow’s plans.
Right as he went to pull up the calendar app on his smartphone—
“…?!”
His eyes went wide at a text from an unknown number.
His hand trembled slightly as he read it.
“Ye-hee… messaged me?!”
The text had come at 9 p.m., but he’d been too locked into the brainstorm to check his phone.
He clicked his tongue at his own negligence.
Still, Ye-hee reaching out meant she wanted to talk—and that was cause for pure joy.
For Han-do, chatting privately with the beautiful singer Choi Ye-hee, whom he’d long admired rationally, was a massive blessing.
His heart pounding, he headed home.
“Looks like something good happened.”
A stranger spoke to Han-do.
In the dim street at 2:30 a.m., a translucent figure appeared.
Sheridel—the one who’d sent him back in time—had descended before him again.
* * *
Sheridel’s sudden appearance.
She rarely contacted him, but this was the first time in ages she’d shown up.
At 2:30 a.m., no less.
“Hello. Hope you’ve been well?”
“…Ah, yeah.”
The already dark surroundings made it hard to see her translucent form.
Han-do squinted, trying to make out her shape. Sheridel finally realized the visibility issue.
Snap! She flicked her fingers.
With a crisp sound, her translucent figure shifted into that of a stunning woman.
Even at night, her silver hair gleamed under the moonlight, radiant.
Her outfit was casual—something any woman might wear on the street.
“You seem different from last time.”
“Oh, don’t mind it. We don’t have fixed forms anyway.”
Meaning she could switch up her appearance anytime.
But that wasn’t the point.
What Han-do really wanted to know was why Sheridel had come.
She’d saddled him with a terrifying mission: raise the happiness index of the lowest country in this dimension—South Korea—or humanity gets reset.
But if the index rose, they’d reconsider humanity’s extinction too.
The reset hinged on that index, judged by the gods.
Han-do was the elite agent dispatched from the future to boost it.
Sure, he’d died in an freak accident, but getting a new life from higher beings made up for it.
The problem? All of humanity’s fate rested on his shoulders.
“How’s it going?”
She seemed here for a progress check, casually probing his status. Han-do gave a wry smile.
“Nothing’s started yet. I’ve gotta pass the public recruitment first before I can do anything.”
“Fair enough.”
The real start came after debuting in showbiz.
Han-do was still at the crawling stage.
“Alright, let’s see…”
Sheridel gestured in the air.
Holographic windows materialized around her hand movements.
Han-do’s pupils dilated at the unfamiliar sight.
But then, something even more astonishing unfolded.
Press.
She tapped a window labeled “Switch,” and a massive hologram bloomed behind her.
It was covered in countless graphs.
Numbers beyond counting.
“What’s all this?”
“Stats visualizing South Korea’s happiness index. As of today.”
“…”
“There’s a ton, so it might be overwhelming. Just check the center top for the raw South Korea happiness figure.”
“Center top…”
A black rectangular frame caught his eye.
[Happy Figure: 197/500]
“See it? The happiness figure.”
“Yeah.”
“You can see it’s pretty low. Out of 500, it’s 197. We’re aiming for an average of 300, and it’s way short.”
“First things first, raise it to average.”
“Right. And ultimately, get it close to 500—not quite full, but near. That’s your biggest goal.”
Sheridel closed the hologram and brushed back her long hair.
He’d heard about the happiness figure from her before, but seeing it visualized was new.
‘Damn, it’s that low? This’ll be tough.’
He had to become a star and bring laughs to people.
Judging by the numbers, it wouldn’t be easy.
But he had to do it.
Han-do steeled himself inwardly.
“Anyway, is that the only reason you came?”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“One more?”
“Gonna give you a handy ability.”
Sheridel extended her right hand. A small orb of light formed in her palm.
The softly glowing sphere suddenly shot straight at Han-do’s face!
“…!!”
He reflexively dodged the incoming light, but it was too fast!
“Ugh!!”
Eyes squeezed shut, bracing for impact…
“Okay, you can open your eyes now.”
“…?!”
Nothing happened.
He’d expected a crash, but no shock, nothing.
Just a brief flash.
He scanned his body for changes, but felt nothing unusual.
Still, he sensed Sheridel had done something to him.
No outward changes.
Vision sharper? Nope.
“What was that?”
Unable to hold back, Han-do demanded an explanation.
Sheridel answered promptly.
“See that cat on the wall?”
“Cat?”
He turned and spotted a cat yawning atop the wall.
The moment he saw it, Han-do realized the change.
“Ah…!!”
A small exclamation escaped him.
Just a cat.
But not ordinary.
Above its head floated the happiness figure he’d just seen.
[Happy Figure: 350/500]
“You see it?”
Han-do nodded at Sheridel’s repeated question.
“Yeah, I see it.”
Sheridel approached and stroked the cat’s head.
Despite just waking, it accepted her touch without resistance.
Then, the miracle: the cat’s happiness figure jumped from 350 to 370!
“Now you can check happiness figures in real time. That’s why I came—to give you this power.”
“Haha…”
In the dead of night, while most slept.
Han-do received an unexpected, unique gift.
What impact this ability would have down the line? Only time would tell.