Debut or Die

[Succesfully won the award!]

You have successfully won the Rookie of the Year Award in the recognition of the public, the ‘most prestigious domestic award ceremony’!

!Time limit: Fulfilled (great success)

!Status abnormality: ‘Win an award or die’ removed!

: Check the truth ☜ Click!

First of all, I had to remove this status abnormality by pressing ‘Check the truth’ before I could move on to the next status abnormality.

The problem was, every time I pressed it, unpleasant stories about other people came out.

‘For now, I don’t want to see Cheongryeo anymore.’

It was helpful at the time, but now I didn’t even want to dig anything out.

‘I’d rather look into the circumstances of the original ‘Park Moondae’.’

…Come to think of it, I had lost contact with Cheongryeo altogether recently.

This time, the response to our appearance on the <Nerdy Andy Show> was so good that I even received congratulatory texts from people I wasn’t close with.

Even Choi Wongil sent me an apology and a congratulatory message.

– Sunbae-nim, congratulations on entering the US. I’m sorry to bother you all this time.

When I saw the text message that only had business written on it, I was automatically reminded of the apology text from Cheongryeo with only ‘I’m sorry’ written on it that I had received before.

.

But there was no other contact with him. I just received bomb emoticons from two other Vtic members that I had met on the variety show.

‘Emotionally, it’s a good thing.’

I hoped this atmosphere where we cut each other off could continue in the future.

I shook my head and looked into the pop-up again.

‘Let’s go.’

Whatever would come out, there was no need to overreact.

I touched the pop-up.

And like last time, my vision went black.

* * *

What came into view was the inside of a running bus.

Whoo-

People were sitting in each seat, talking or laughing.

I could roughly guess by looking at the uniquely harmonious atmosphere and the wall that had no route map attached.

‘It’s a rented bus.’

It was not public transportation, but it seemed they even picked up a group of tourists. Their dresses seemed a bit old-fashioned, but maybe a long time ago, they would have looked fashionable.

And then I noticed.

Unlike the previous experiences, my ego was clear, not in someone else’s position.

‘What the hell is this?’

In the moment of confusion, I saw a familiar face sitting in the window seat to my left.

It was young Ryu Chungwoo.

“…!”

Ryu Chungwoo was asleep with his arms folded, leaning against the window. Even though he was young, he already had a sturdy body.

This was very… out of the blue.

‘Ryu Chungwoo is sleeping, what am I supposed to do?’

As I looked at him bitterly, there was a story that suddenly passed by like a flash.

It was what Ryu Chungwoo once said at a drinking party.

– I had a serious car accident when I was young… It wasn’t until I grew up that I had the side effects, my hands tremble when I put in strength.

‘…No way.’

This couldn’t be that sh*t, this was impossible.

But the impossible happened.

The bus, which was running coolly down the highway, suddenly turned.

In an instant, the bus stumbled.

“Argh!”

The moment the screams and bus driver’s shouts crossed paths, the left window pane was shattered and something bounced.

It was a torn-out side-view mirror.

And like that, the piece of iron stabbed Ryu Chungwoo’s shoulder.

“…!!”

“Chungwoo!”

The shouts and screams turned the bus into a mess.

‘What kind of psychopath is trying to show something like this live?!’

I reflexively tried to reach out to pull Ryu Chungwoo, but I realized I didn’t have a body.

I watched the ambulance carry Ryu Chungwoo, who had collapsed looking very gruesome.

…I had a mixed feeling about this.

I could hear the paramedics and the passengers talking.

“The report came in as ‘one injured child’, so the size of the transport vehicle is only that big.”

“Oh, we’re fine! If we’re sick, we can go to the hospital.”

Certainly, it was Ryu Chungwoo who was seriously injured.

The paramedics, who immediately agreed, only took the collapsed Ryu Chungwoo and his crying parents to the ambulance and headed to the hospital.

The remaining passengers seemed to have agreed to drive off the road by taxi, with only one or two remaining as representatives to handle insurance.

And I continued staying in this field of vision.

‘What’s this.’

It would be better to follow Ryu Chungwoo, but for some reason, I kept staying here.

And the moment my field of view was directed back to the passengers.

“Then we proceed like this?”

“Yes.”

I… I stopped thinking.

The people I thought I would never see again were standing there, looking fine.

…Mom and Dad.

“Get in first. We’ll take the next one.”

“Aigoo thank you~”

Yeah. It was that kind of voice.

Unlike with the pictures, not a single voice line remained.

The videos I took when I was younger were also lost when I moved out, so the voice that only remained in my memory quickly became dull.

Sometimes I remembered it in my sleep. But I couldn’t record it, so it soon crumbled.

I felt like my heart would jump out of my mouth.

But now only my consciousness was here, I was able to complete my speculation instead.

‘…This must be a relatives’ gathering.’

This bus was probably for the meeting of the Pungsan Ryu clan. Before I came into Park Moondae’s body, it was my–Ryu Gunwoo’s–and… Ryu Chungwoo’s family name.

It seemed Ryu Chungwoo had the accident while he was on his way to the family trip.

I felt sorry Ryu Chungwoo, but… I couldn’t see it as something unfortunate, and I was very, very glad that I stayed here.

…I was really glad.

My parents took a taxi with some relatives. I also saw a familiar face that I was indebted to for a year or two in middle and high school.

‘It’s a relative gathering.’

I nodded inwardly, then suddenly… I had a strange thought.

‘This… When is this?’

I remembered… When the figures of my parents looked the most similar to this time.

‘You can’t.’

Like a conditioned reflex, an eerie feeling hit my head.

The taxi left at once.

I heard my mother’s voice.

“I wonder if he will be okay. I’m worried.”

“I know. Everyone must have been startled, but when we arrive at the pension, let’s take a break and go back. It’s the long-awaited family event, my God.”

“We came all the way to Gangwon-do and now we’re like this, I wonder how Mom and Dad would feel… Sigh.”

Family event. Gangwon-do.

Keywords that shouldn’t come out continued…

“Still, I’m glad Gunwoo didn’t come. He says he is preparing for the English language, he’s working hard~ Who does he take after?”

“He takes after Mom. The two of them are very smart.”

“Sigh, I like our harmonious relationship.”

“Haha!”

The sound of laughter messed with my head. Something was strange.

Something…

“We’re here.”

“Let’s lie down, catch a bus or train, and go back to Seoul.”

Outside the window, I could see the pension.

It was a wooden building with a nice atmosphere that matched well with the mountain.

I thought I could only saw pictures of it burnt out…

‘Stop.’

However, the people in the taxi got off side by side and went into the pension with their luggage.

I was left here.

‘Stop it.’

But my field of vision returned in an instant.

The time was running out.

And soon, smoke began to rise from the pension.

Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack…

A small spark flew inside. From outside, it was midday, so that brightness didn’t seem weird.

But people die from things like that.

Especially in buildings built with unauthorized combustible building materials…

In the presence of poisonous smoke.

They fell asleep and couldn’t come out.

Beep, beep, beep-

The belated sound of sirens shook my brain.

* * *

It was over.

“Urgh.”

I brought my hand to my mouth. Still, the sound leaked.

I threw the blanket over my face. Finally, I could shut my mouth.

‘What’s this.’

I didn’t know. What kind of situation is this? Why do I have to watch that sh*t?

My brain was weird. I couldn’t think straight.

I had to calm down. The reason I had to calm down was because…

‘There’s a W live tomorrow.’

Right. I had a schedule tomorrow. We were going to broadcast following the Korean evening time zone about how we were hanging out at the hotel, so…

Can I stand in front of the camera?

Can I really work in this state… Why do I have to worry about this?

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Camera, I don’t give a sh*t, why did I have to watch that? Why do I have to f*cking live like this?

“Park Moondae, are you okay? What is it?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“What?”

“Don’t f*cking talk to me…!”

I couldn’t tell what I was saying because of the blanket. But the person talking to me seemed to understand. He didn’t talk to me anymore.

Alright, let’s think… Think…

[Outbreak!]

Status abnormality: ‘Get the audiences or die’ has occurred!

“F*ck, really.”

I crashed my head to the bedside table.

“Hyung!”

“Park Moondae!”

The noises increased. It seemed the number of people had increased.

The bed shrank, and a few hands grabbed my shoulder.

“…Do you want to go to the hospital now? Where does it hurt?”

“I am not sick.”

“Then why? …What’s wrong? Just say it first. I won’t tell the company.”

“…”

I was tired.

This… I couldn’t explain it, so I’d like you to shut up and get out. It was the best I could do. Even if I explained it, the situation sounded irrational.

“M-Moondae. This.”

Someone put something in my hand. It was a cup of water. And… a medicine.

I put it in my mouth and swallowed the water.

I felt like it would flow back, but it went through.

“…”

The surroundings became quiet.

And me too, somehow… My head was cold.

“…Is it a sedative?”

“…! P-Painkillers, sleeping pills…”

Ah, yeah. You couldn’t buy sedatives without a prescription.

Still, whatever it was that I put in my mouth, my sense of reality returned. And having a conversation with a familiar person, I felt like I had escaped my messed up mind.

‘Let’s calm down.’

After coughing a few times, I looked up.

“…I had a bad dream. I’m sorry. For making a fuss.”

“I-It’s all right!”

“…Have you calmed down?”

However, the moment I saw Ryu Chungwoo among the faces of some nervous members, I felt a strong urge to slam that bastard’s face to the table.

‘I can’t do this.’

It was clear that my head was still off.

I lay back on the bed.

“Once again, I’m sorry… Now that I’ve taken some medicine, I’ll go back to sleep.”

However, it was immediately refuted.

“…No, go to the hospital.”

“What?”

It was Bae Sejin’s voice. I could feel a sign of tension.

“I’ll call the manager, so go get the diagnosis and get a sedative. You don’t have to, but you should.”

“…”

I couldn’t deny it.

In the end, I got out of bad.

Accompanied by the manager who came running in bewilderment, I went through the emergency room in the middle of America and bought sedatives.

The sedatives I received under the excuse of insomnia were quite effective. From that day on, I went to bed without any major problems.

And right after that, I was able to handle the schedule without any problems, except for one W live that I missed due to health reasons. I could do all that without thinking much about anything else.

With that sorted out, two problems remained.

One of them was… that I got so reluctant to call the status window.

There was enough delay period, so it was okay for now. The other problem was much more troublesome.

I couldn’t interact with Ryu Chungwoo.

I managed to say hello, but if I had to go further, I would go crazy thinking of that sh*tty ‘Check the truth’.

…But all of a sudden, my roommate for the next shoot was Ryu Chungwoo.

‘I am going crazy’.

I had to pick between rumors of discord and my mental health.