Chapter 80

80

"Hey, what do you want to eat?"

"There are some wild vegetables in this field. We were talking about making bibimbap with them, like I mentioned earlier."

"Sounds good."

Although I wanted to throw away the T-shirt that Gang Ichae said he had specially made, the production team, almost collapsing from laughter, insisted that I wear it. They probably thought it would be a surefire source of entertainment, but it seemed their main motivation was their grudge against me.

In the end, I reluctantly put on the 'Troublemaker' T-shirt and started cooking, beginning with the pot.

"Do we have any kimchi?"

"What do you think I am, not Korean?"

Always serious about food, we had a solemn conversation while dividing the tasks.

Jeong Daejun, who somehow managed to borrow a lighter from the staff, started the fire in the hearth and added the rice and water he had washed. Gang Ichae searched for kimchi nearby, and Kim Sung-hyun neatly sliced the pink sausages.

"Then I'll go with Ho Yun to dig up some mizuna."

"Come back soon~!"

Thankfully, I was dressed comfortably. Although the rain had stopped, the humid air made the 80% cotton T-shirt and shorts that Gang Ichae had made feel damp after just a few steps. A staff member with a camera quickly followed behind.

"I've never dug up mizuna before."

"Oh, really?"

"...What, have you done it before?"

"I lived with my grandmother. She did a lot of field work."

Upon arriving at the field, Seo Jiwon, who had been carrying a basket under his arm, put it down and put on the gardening gloves with great familiarity. The staff member moved closer to Seo Jiwon, trying to get a good shot.

I bet they'll add a subtitle like 'Main Vocalist's Unexpected Charm.'

"Okay, you too."

"Thanks."

I put on the gardening gloves I was handed and stood there blankly, while Seo Jiwon squatted down and started digging up the mizuna.

...Just grab it from the top and pull, right? But for some reason, when I pulled, only the stems came off, not the roots.

"Seo Ho Yun."

"Whoa, you scared me."

Feeling competitive, I was trying my best, but Seo Jiwon had already moved closer and was giving me a serious look.

'...Why do you have to give me that look and even call me by my last name...'

I calmed my racing heart and turned my head. Seo Jiwon showed me how to dig up the mizuna.

"Don't just grab the top; you need to grab the roots and pull them out smoothly, not forcefully. Smoothly."

"Forcefully... smoothly?"

"Smoothly."

"Forcefully...?"

"Just watch me."

Ding!

[Oh, it's been a while since I've seen someone so incompetent~]

It's natural since it's my first time doing field work...

I shut my mouth and started pulling up the mizuna the way Seo Jiwon showed me. As I did, I hummed a song I had heard earlier on the LP.

"Immature me~ how much~."

"..."

"Can it mean something~?"

"Ho Yun... that doesn't make sense."

Since it was rare to see Seo Jiwon so averse to something, I sang even louder. Encouraged by the staff member's enthusiastic gaze, I finished the first verse while Seo Jiwon sighed and worked quickly.

After finishing the perfect song, I took off the gardening gloves, which weren't very dirty, and wiped my forehead proudly.

"Feeling accomplished~."

"..."

Seo Jiwon, holding a full basket, quietly ignored me and walked past. I followed him, and a delicious smell wafted through the air.

"Guys! We're back?"

"We're frying ham and egg pancakes!"

After returning, we cleaned and washed the mizuna, mixed the cooked rice evenly, and transferred it to a large bowl. Strangely, there was a lot of it.

"What, why did you make so much rice?"

"Guys, what's with all the mizuna? It's like a mountain."

"Sung-hyun, why are there so many sausages? We don't have enough bowls."

"Um, it just happened?"

'Ah, these guys... they're really Korean.'

This amount is enough for 15 servings, not 5. I quickly counted the staff members. This should be enough for everyone.

"Make them small and stick them in someone's nose~."

"Quickly, mix it up."

We chopped the fresh mizuna and kimchi, added sesame oil and chili paste, and mixed it thoroughly. The savory smell filled my nose. I fed a bite to Jeong Daejun, who was drooling beside me.

The amount was so much that my arms ached from mixing, but I managed to fill the bowls. There were 15 servings, so I gave the extras to the staff.

"Good job~!"

"You should eat before you do that. Oh, have you already eaten?"

"No, not yet..."

"Then it's a good thing we made a lot."

Since it's a small entertainment company, the planning team couldn't staff everyone, so there were also video and broadcasting majors trying to gain experience.

It's so sad to see the cast eating deliciously while the staff members are just watching and feeling hungry...

I remembered my days as a new employee, running around the set with just a triangle rice ball, and felt a bit teary-eyed.

Ding!

[1. Ho Yun's homemade bibimbap~♡ 2. I, um, I... really love fresh green mizuna. Please enjoy it (green drink version)]

"...Ho Yun's homemade bibimbap."

"...T, thank you?"

The staff members, who were flustered, fixed the camera and awkwardly took the bowls.

...Thanks for not saying anything.

We laid out a mat and placed the bibimbap, ham and egg pancakes, and utensils.

"Wow, it's really delicious. Did our rice-cooking skills improve?"

"It's all thanks to Seo Ho Yun. He kept nagging us to eat properly."

"That's why you don't want to put the egg on top?"

"Sorry!"

Everyone nodded quickly.

The highlight of the bibimbap was, of course, the over-easy fried egg. I placed one on each member's bowl, which I had cooked and set aside separately.

"Fresh is good. It's a bit hot, but the wind is nice..."

"Stay still, and you'll cool down."

"Our grandmother always says...!!"

Seo Jiwon shivered and rubbed his arms. Looking at the members, I felt a bit better.

Ding!

[You look happy. Is it because the members are enjoying their meal?]

No.

I looked at them with a warm smile.

"Looking forward to it..."

[...Character...]

The system window grumbled.

What. What do you want.

What.

"Enjoyed the meal~."

After finishing the meal and even the ice cream we had put in the fridge earlier, the show proceeded without any special missions, as it was a healing variety show.

At that moment, Lee Ji-hyun from the planning team came forward and passed around blank papers to the members.

"Everyone, we still have some time before dinner, right?"

"Yes."

"Shall we write our time capsules in the meantime?"

My eyebrows twitched. I don't remember planning this... I gave a hint, and Lee Ji-hyun quickly responded.

'It's to fill the time.'

'Good.'

If that's the case, no problem. His ambition to thoroughly use even the smallest gaps in time to create emotional moments was evident.

The members, unaware of this, happily chatted.

"Time capsule? What is it again?"

"It's a letter to your future self. I used to do it a lot when I was young..."

"Oh, that."

Lee Ji-hyun smiled.

"For the time capsule, just write a simple description of yourself in 5 years and what you hope for the group."

"5 years? Not 10 years?"

"Yes, 5 years."

In 10 years, the members would be in their 30s, and it was uncertain whether the group would still be together. The idea was to create a talking point by revisiting it during their peak.

'Wow, he's smart.'

I nodded and slowly took the paper. Some members thought deeply while writing, others wrote excitedly, but looking at the blank page, I couldn't think of anything. I scribbled a few pointless words about the members and paused.

'Will I still be here in 5 years?'

No, that's unlikely. According to the system, when the main scenario ends, I have a high probability of leaving this world and returning to my original one.

So far, it took me only half a year to resolve the scenarios of Kim Sung-hyun and Jeong Daejun. With two more members, even with some leeway, it shouldn't take more than a year.

Well, it might take a bit longer for the group to become a top act...

But I don't plan to stay for 5 years.

...I stared at the sentences I had written, sighed, and crossed them out. Then I added:

[Everything back to normal.]

I didn't want to live like this.

I must have been too immersed in this short half-year.

Even if the camera takes another shot of the paper later, they'll probably think, 'Our Ho Yun wants to find his初心 (original heart) hahaha,' so it doesn't matter.

I folded the paper twice and looked around the other members.

"Hey, what are you writing?"

"Whoa!"

Jeong Daejun quickly covered the paper with his arms and glared at me as if I were a pervert.

"Bro! Don't look."

"Is it a diary or something?"

I didn't really care, but his secrecy made me a bit curious. When I went to Gang Ichae, he also folded the paper and waved it around.

"Want to see?"

"Yeah."

"Then you show me yours too."

"..."

"Don't want to?"

Gang Ichae, who has become more talkative recently, is a failure.

When I went to Kim Sung-hyun, as expected, he was very vulnerable. I quietly approached and snatched the paper.

"Hey!"

I left the flustered Kim Sung-hyun and slowly read the content.

"Still hoping for growth and happiness for the fans~."

"Ah, don't read it out loud!"

"Ahaha."

"You troublemaker... that T-shirt really suits you..."

"You shine, Kim Sung-hyun."

He was doing something fitting for the T-shirt. There was more content below, but I couldn't read it all. I chuckled and returned it. Seo Jiwon was already folding his paper.

"Ho Yun, what did you write?"

"Just a story."

"Okay, if you're done, please put the papers in this box~."

Seeing that all the members had finished, a staff member approached with a box. The members placed their papers in the box and looked around the yard.

"Shall we bury it here?"

"How deep do we need to dig?"

"Just dig roughly, roughly."

While answering, I gently dug with a shovel and buried the box.

"Okay, let's do a quick personal interview~."

"Sure~."

The staff member, determined not to miss any emotional moments, requested individual interviews.

Starting with me first.

"I'll be back."

"Who wants to watch a horror movie with me here~?"

"Is there a horror movie?"

'Wow.'

Of course, it's Gang Ichae. He noticed and set the mood.

'Well...'

Even so.

I smiled.

"Sure, I'll be back."

"Bro, bring a Melona when you come back."

I lightly dismissed Jeong Daejun's habitual ice cream request and went outside.

It was drizzling again. Turning my head, I saw Lee Ji-hyun from the opposite room put his finger to his lips and gesture for me to come over quietly.

"We need a cut of the time capsule, but Seo Ho Yun, you need a more special interview."

"Sure."

Lee Ji-hyun and I exchanged glances and chuckled sinisterly. Then, as soon as we sat in front of the camera, we changed our expressions to look serious.

The interview began.

Q. Seo Ho Yun, how do you feel right now?

"Great, I'm really excited."

Q. What do you think you'll be doing in 5 years?

"...Hmm. Probably teasing my juniors."

Q. Lastly, a message for the members who will see this video.

"Guys."

I smiled warmly at the camera.

"Surprises aren't just your thing."

Lee Ji-hyun gave a thumbs up.

Ding!

[Wow... holding a grudge...]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it.

After finishing the cut and returning, I opened the door, and the kids jumped.

"Whoa! Make some noise when you come in!"

"I really got scared."

"Why are you so scared?"

"We're at the climax of the horror movie."

Kim Sung-hyun grumbled. I sat down next to the guys, who were already munching on snacks.

"Kim Sung-hyun, go do your cut."

"Why do I have to go alone...?"

Seeing his unusual anxiety, I felt a bit warm. The horror movie had already moved past the beginning and was getting more eerie. Jeong Daejun, trembling with fear, squeezed between me and Seo Jiwon.

"Move over."

"No!! I don't want to be at the end. I feel like something will grab me."

"Even in the middle, you can be grabbed..."

"Whoa!"

I deliberately grabbed the back of Jeong Daejun's T-shirt, and he screamed in terror.

'Really, don't live like that. My bro is too mean!' I enjoyed listening to Jeong Daejun's endless complaints. Seo Jiwon was surprisingly calm, and Gang Ichae's screams were half-joyful...

'You guys will change in the future.'

"Go do your cut~."

It was Jeong Daejun's turn last.

"Ah, I'll go... I'll be back..."

"There are staff members outside too."

"Ah, right... okay."

Still, Jeong Daejun is probably the embodiment of fear.

I waited like I was waiting for a cup noodle to cook, for about 3 minutes. Exactly 2 minutes and 41 seconds later, I heard Jeong Daejun's scream from outside.

"Aaaaaah!!"

Wow, Jeong Daejun is faster than a cup noodle.