Chapter 92

There's one thing I've always been curious about.

What must it feel like for variety show participants performing their missions?

When I was younger, I thought it would be nothing but fun. The sight of people engaging in chicken fights or chase scenes on TV seemed exhilarating.

But when I actually got to be on the show, it was nothing like that.

Fun? What fun?

It feels like taking an exam.

If I had to compare it to something similar, it would probably be the physical, arts, and sports performance evaluations at school or the monthly evaluations for trainees.

Taking a free throw while people watch.

Especially when you're almost at the end of the court, wearing headphones that distract your concentration, and the camera is rolling.

“Oh no, what a waste!”

“So close, but no cigar!”

Every time I failed, disappointed murmurs erupted from all around.

But the spectators' eyes were full of amusement.

Only we, the members of Jusehan, and I felt like we were about to die.

“Oh! It didn’t go in!”

Yehyeon, who had taken off her headphones, ran her hands through her hair, her face flushed with frustration.

I passed the ball to Yehyeon, who was up next.

He smiled leisurely, bounced the ball lightly, and then put on his headphones and got into position.

It was a pose that would make you think he had played basketball a lot in his youth.

His arm extended, and the ball drew a parabola.

Swish—

Unfortunately, it hit the backboard and fell.

Unlike his sister, who clenched her fists and groaned, he just shrugged and smiled, looking disappointed.

When it was our turn again and Jung-hyun was about to try.

“Hold on, let me try one more time.”

Yehyeon took the ball.

With a burning competitive spirit, she immediately started dribbling.

Seeing her, I was impressed.

She’s really good.

Thanks to her ability to mimic movements, she could read her opponents' actions clearly.

She had been an athlete, after all, and her movements were far from ordinary.

I recalled an internet article about Jusehan members.

I had searched for any peculiarities about each member to avoid any slip-ups, and there I found that Yehyeon had been an athlete who retired due to an injury.

An Achilles tendon injury from a car accident.

She had joined Jusehan with her brother, an actor, by chance after her rehabilitation.

Because of this, she was often the all-rounder in physical challenges for Jusehan.

Our team's sports enthusiast gaped.

“Wow, your form is perfect. Did you play basketball before, senior?”

“Not really. I played a different sport.”

Yehyeon started dribbling again.

With a determined look, she dribbled the ball, then stretched her long legs forcefully and quickly.

And she kicked the ball with her sneaker.

…Wait, sneaker?

Thwack!

The basketball, kicked by her, flew like a delivery package and reached its destination.

Unfortunately, it bounced off the rim and fell.

“Ah! You could have made it!”

I remembered. She had been a soccer player.

Yehyeon's brother approached her, offering a warm consolation.

“You’re really something. You couldn’t make that shot?”

“…”

“Ah! Everyone, this guy is killing us!”

While the audience laughed at the scene, we couldn’t laugh easily.

Jung-hyun’s skilled shot also failed.

And there was Biju, who accidentally danced and messed up the shot.

Ri-hyuk, well… Ri-hyuk.

Ji-ho held the ball between his legs like a tank in Fortress and threw it, only to elicit more laughter.

All the other members had failed.

“Now it’s your turn.”

Yehyeon passed me the ball.

Feeling everyone’s eyes on me, I stood in the middle of the court.

I’m nervous.

How should I do this?

All sorts of thoughts are running through my mind.

My goal for today’s recording was to secure screen time without giving off an unpleasant image.

The problem was that I had made the self-introduction segment too smooth, leaving few memorable moments for the show.

There were two ways to secure screen time here.

One was to make people laugh.

To tell a funny joke or do something physically amusing.

But neither was my forte.

I’m not confident in my jokes, and if I overdo physical comedy, it will be obvious.

The only option left was to make a good shot.

Yehyeon patted my back to ease my tension.

“Just do your best. It’s just practice.”

“Okay.”

I nodded and looked at the basketball hoop.

The backboard, outlined in white tape, looked as small as a passport photo. The hoop seemed like a straw hole.

It was much farther than I imagined.

I dribbled the ball to gauge the distance.

Yehyeon whispered something to her siblings as I dribbled.

Swallowing hard, I focused on the goal.

My heart gradually calmed down.

At first, I was just trembling, but as I dribbled, a strange confidence grew.

The feeling that my body would naturally perform the necessary movements, just like when I threw a police officer in the hospital.

I almost flinched a few times due to the music from the headphones, but I consciously ignored it.

Finally, I gently cradled the ball.

I moved my wrist a few times to gauge the force.

Like a volleyball player practicing tosses, I repeatedly lifted and dropped the ball.

After the final check, I held the ball in my right hand.

It was the moment of truth.

As I visualized the movements in my head, my body moved naturally. I extended my arm backward like someone throwing a javelin, then used the momentum to throw it forward with all my might.

The ball flew in a parabola.

But even before it went in, I had a strong feeling.

It was like after a good performance, where you know you did well even before anyone cheers.

The audience, including the siblings, the Jusehan members, the production crew, and the advertising staff, watched the ball’s trajectory in silence.

Thud!

The ball went into the net, and the sound of it bouncing echoed in the quiet gym.

A low voice broke the silence.

“…Wow, it went in.”

Then, our team members erupted in loud cheers.

* * *

It feels like I’ve risen from a commoner to a noble.

Wasn’t this how the late Joseon period looked, as depicted in the textbooks?

Just a moment ago, I was treated like a traitor for rolling a six on the dice, but now I’ve become a hero in an instant.

“Yeah! That’s it, Wooju!”

“Bro, you did great!”

“Wow, I heard a player in the NBA did something like this. The distance was much farther, but the form was really similar to yours.”

The last comment stung a bit.

That’s true.

Since November last year, I had been experimenting with my abilities and had been practicing basketball on the side, but the shot I just made was the result of a quick YouTube search.

‘Long shot NBA’ or something like that.

Of course, no one knew that.

There was no need for them to know.

Anyway, it worked out well.

But human affairs are strange.

The fact that I was the one who made the shot at this distance seemed to have been forgotten by everyone.

“Actually, if you think about it….”

“Be quiet.”

I whispered menacingly to the dissenter.

On the other hand, the atmosphere on the set had completely changed.

Everyone’s expressions were different.

From “How can you do this from this distance?” to “You might actually be able to do it.”

PD Oh Tae-joon nodded and said.

“Alright, let’s move on to the main mission.”

But the cheerful atmosphere soon faded.

We needed at least one of the seven to succeed.

But by the time it was my turn again, no one had succeeded.

Especially Yehyeon looked like the most aggrieved person in the world. She roared like a lion, and honestly, it was a bit scary.

And it was my turn again.

In the tense atmosphere, my siblings gave me warm encouragement.

“Try your best. If you succeed, we’ll forget about the six on the dice.”

“Thanks, Ri-hyuk. I feel more confident now.”

“Just be grateful.”

I said this.

“Bro, if you succeed, we’ll get meat. The meat is in your hands. The left hand has flower brisket, and the right hand has snow brisket. If you fail, it will fly away.”

“Ji-ho, do you even care about me?”

“Of course. I always care about our big brother. What was it? Ri-hyuk, what was it? Safety?”

“Safety. Idiot.”

“Yeah, Ji-ho. If you’re worried about safety, call 111.”

“…Whatever. Just do your best.”

Jung-hyun nodded and extended his fist.

Whoosh!

A gust of wind blew, and my hair fluttered.

“Do your best, bro.”

“…Ah, you scared me. I thought you were going to hit me.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just a bit enthusiastic because of the meat.”

“Yeah, I can see that.”

As I nodded and held his fist, Biju covered the microphone and raised his toes.

A soft whisper tickled my ear.

“Bro, if you succeed, I’ll forget about the 100,000 won Na-yun gave me.”

Oh, that worked.

My siblings looked curious at my sudden enthusiasm, but Biju just smiled silently.

Meanwhile, the Yeh siblings were busy trying to secure screen time.

It was like they were building up to a highlight scene.

“Wooju.”

“Yes, senior.”

“Don’t feel pressured. Just do it casually.”

The handsome man with a pleasant demeanor put his arm around my shoulder.

“Don’t worry about the golden key or anything. It’s not that important, but they make it seem so. This show is like that. If they say they’re taking you to Bali, they take you to Onyang. If they say they’re taking you to Bangkok, they lock you in a room.”

“Ah, I see….”

“Just do it casually. It’s not a big deal.”

“No, it is.”

The sincere-looking beauty stood opposite her brother.

“Don’t listen to him, Wooju.”

“Look at that guy. To his brother.”

“He’s the type who, while everyone is starving, sneaks out and eats with the other team. He’s fine with failing, but we’re different. Failing is not an option, right?”

“…Ah, it’s not an option?”

“Right. That’s the mindset! Go with all your might. Okay?”

“O, okay….”

“Phew, you make things so complicated. Just do it casually.”

That’s what it felt like.

Like an angel and a devil fighting over my head.

The audience laughed at the scene, and I called out alone.

“I’m putting on the headphones…!”

Ignoring the siblings whispering ‘Wooju…’ in my ear, I put on the headphones.

The siblings who had been whispering and making faces nearby soon moved away.

From an angle the camera couldn’t see, they winked at each other.

They were telling me to do well since they had set the stage.

So, I did.

* * *

“You made it.”

The spectators gaped at the yellow key wrapped in cooking foil and the people laughing boisterously.

“How did you do that? I can’t figure it out no matter how many times I watch.”

“Hey, my friend just texted me. He says you’re lying. How can an idol, not an athlete, do that?”

“It’s believable. I wouldn’t have believed it either.”

While everyone was laughing at the difficult mission being completed, the Jusehan production crew smiled contentedly.

Writer Yang Mi-hyun said while packing up.

“What do you think, PD?”

“Not bad.”

“Looks like we got some good scenes, right?”

“We got more than enough. There haven’t been many successful shots in the six-sided dice missions. We got some good footage, so now we have to decide what to cut. But we’ll definitely include that full-court shot.”

“It should get a good reaction when it airs.”

PD Oh Tae-joon nodded.

His gaze lingered on a member laughing from a distance.

“The reaction will be good. But until then, it’ll be noisy.”

* * *

○ YoHC_0509

♡ RealHanTH and 792 others

- Our team’s last guest, ‘NewBlack,’ and a surprising encounter! Check out the intro video if you’re curious!

#YehyeonBinggu #ButIDidWell

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-gmldus87: Change your profile picture if you don’t want to die

-YoHC_0509: ~_~ Ebebebe

-gmldus87: Hey.

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-Promis.Jang: Are you fighting again..? -_- Anyway, it’s great to see NewBlack after a long time.

* * *

The recording that day was a success.

I knew without anyone telling me that we had some good footage.

That’s why the atmosphere was warm and friendly.

“Thanks to you, it was fun.”

“Try your best in the main recording too.”

The Yeh siblings invited us to a group chat.

It was a room with the production crew and the team’s entertainers for the Chuseok special, created to help us get to know each other.

Seniors like Seo Geun-woo and others sent greetings, and I found myself bowing in respect, as they were all well-known figures.

And then.

“Great job, everyone!”

The two-day advertising shoot also came to an end.

The revised script didn’t change much.

The emotional lines between Ji-ho and me were emphasized, and a few lines and scenes were swapped.

It wasn’t as difficult as acting in a blockbuster, so we managed to go through it smoothly.

It was a good experience overall.

It was also a chance to practice acting for future story-based music videos.

Most importantly, I discovered a talent for acting through this opportunity.

It wasn’t like Ji-ho, who could act like a ghost possessed, but I seemed to have some talent.

Still.

It made me a bit conflicted.

TJ had suggested acting as one of my options.

I briefly imagined what I would be like if I had chosen that path, but soon shook my head.

It was already in the past.

While I wouldn’t say I had no regrets, I was more satisfied with my current life as an idol.

Still.

“Where are they going and not coming back?”

After the advertising staff left, I was left alone in the empty school classroom.

Hyuk-hyung said he had some good news and rushed to HBS Broadcasting, and Min-ki hyung was resting in the car.

My siblings had disappeared, saying they would give me a gift, which made me anxious.

Because the live stream with fans was starting in one minute.

I looked at the lazy sunset through the window and then picked up my phone.

It was the smartphone given to me for live streaming.

Following Min-ki hyung’s instructions, I tapped the buttons, and my face appeared on the screen.

There were about ten Suples who had joined early.

“Hello, Suples. It’s Wooju.”

I greeted them and explained where my siblings were.

“Um, my siblings are out somewhere. They said they have a gift for me and asked me to wait. They should be back soon. In the meantime, let’s have some fun. Oh, and siblings.”

I gave a wicked smile at the phone.

“If you’re watching this, hurry up and come. If you’re late, I’ll start with Ri-hyuk and reveal all your secrets.”

While chatting with the fans, I lost track of time.

The classroom door opened with a creak.

Our kids entered, hiding something behind them.

“Oh, you’re here. What’s that?”

“Um, ah. The live stream started. Hello, Suples! We’re here to give Wooju hyung a gift.”

The kids who had been whispering to each other dramatically presented something.

It was a school uniform hanging on a hanger.

Question marks appeared in the chat.

“What’s with the school uniform…?”

Ri-hyuk cleared his throat and said.

“Well, you see. When we did the live stream with the fans the first time, you really liked the school uniform, and it kind of stuck with us. So, we….”

“Yeah. We prepared this gift for our school uniform enthusiast.”

“We had a hard time finding it.”

“I’m grateful, but why suddenly…?”

While I was still confused, Biju explained.

“Hyung, you couldn’t graduate because of the debut issue, right? You often said you regretted not having a graduation album. So, we prepared this. Since we don’t have any schedules today, we thought we could all….”

Before I could respond to this unexpected answer, Biju smiled and said.

“Hyung, let’s make a graduation album.”