★ The Second Life Idols Lucky Plan – Chapter 70
RPR!

Kang Hyunjin didn't say anything until the shoot ended.

He is the first person to leave the film set.

He walked with a solemn expression as if he was about to collapse and never wake up. Even when people called for him, he never looked up.

'...Wow.'

I pressed my throbbing head as I watched Hyunjin's back. Kang Hyunjin has been cooperative lately. I'm scared my actions will have an effect on the future progress of the contest. But I'm also afraid my actions had a major effect on Kang Hyunjin...

'... I'm a bit worried about his mental health.'

Kang Hyunjin, who fell behind in the short-form shooting video, matched the beat. However, his poor expressions made him appear stiff.

If he falls behind and his condition continues to deteriorate, the center of the stage might have to be changed. He won't accept that.

As my mind became endlessly complicated, the hardships of midterm evaluation did not end.

It was because a mini activity was prepared to 'help' the miserable atmosphere of the broadcast.

"Hello, <Design Your Idol> trainees!"

"Hello!"

All the trainees greeted the MC's lively greetings and were gathered in the auditorium, changing into their practice clothes after finishing their short-form shoots.

In the auditorium, decorated like a school, there were thirty desks and chairs, and on top of each desk were pieces of paper titled "My Life Graph."

The MC glanced at the trainees holding pens and continued.

"This mini corner is My Life Graph. As many idol makers are curious about the boys in <Design Your Idol>, this activity helps get closer to the idol makers by drawing a graph of each person's life history."

The MC looked around once more at the trainees.

"... No matter what happens, please draw a perfect graph. There are penalties for trainees who fail to draw at the end, so be careful! You may die."

...After he said that, I went backstage by myself.

'... A penalty for not being able to draw a single life graph?'

I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when I heard it. It was too boring to compose a peaceful corner. What type of fun can I achieve by writing a graph about my crappy past?

Besides, is it really necessary to bring 30 trainees to this vast auditorium? If you want to direct a warm and cute scene, can't we just have a picnic?

'There's only one option left.'

I looked down at the white paper and then picked up the pen.

It was only a few minutes after the other trainees started drawing life graphs, conscious of the camera standing before them, when—

Pshh-

"Uh?"

"What?! Um, Hello?"

"Holy fudge cakes... what's the matter? I can't see!"

All the lights in the auditorium were turned off instantly, leaving the trainees in a panic.

Riding the chaotic atmosphere as everyone was in a hurry, I suddenly felt a few people hurriedly running between the desks one by one, and I let out a small sigh.

The lights flashed on again.

"Oh, it's on... omg."

"What?"

Half of the thirty desks were empty, and the other half was filled with people wearing bizarre masks and goggles.

The rest of the trainees sitting at their desks were confused.

Crackle-

[Let's start tagging...]

The situation descended into chaos immediately as announcements with eerie noises began to play from the speakers.

[The time limit is 5 minutes. Survive from the ghosts until the end.]

A warning was delivered with a very concise explanation,

"Aaaaaagh!"

Fifteen people who had been standing there, exuding a gloomy aura like Mangbuseok, started running toward the remaining trainees sitting at their desks.

///PRD: Mangbuseok: "The Legend Of Mangbuseok" is a Korean tale about a woman waiting on a mountainside for her husband to return, but he died, and she turned to stone. ////

"What!!"

"Ahh! Oh, don't come here!!"

The trainees threw their pens and papers in a panic and ran away, leaving the auditorium completely cluttered.

Strange colors flashed, and the fluorescent lights quickly flickered on and off to the point of dizziness.

And in that situation I...

"..."

I was frozen in place.

'...Being chased by a ghost.'

What a childish thing.

Even though it was a situation full of gag elements, even with crappy masks and low-pitched sound effects, the trainees who ran away and chased after them seemed to be having fun in their own way....

I didn't have the energy to match the heated atmosphere, so I grabbed a pen and checked the paper under the light whenever the flickering lights turned on, I continued drawing the graph of my life.

'Now I just need to write and mark the final endpoint...'

"Yoo-ha!"

"What..!"

Due to the force that grabbed my arm and pulled me up, I had no choice but to crumple the paper and stand up from my seat.

"What are you doing? Let's run!!"

"No..!"

It was Aiden Lee who caught me. He was uncharacteristically flustered, in a running stance, when something suddenly appeared next to us.

"Aww!"

Aiden waved his arms in fright at the lace mask that momentarily blocked his eyes. Giggles erupted from the speakers.

"BACK! BACK OFF!!"

When the mask stopped for a moment at Aiden's loud shout, a rare sound, Aiden seized the opportunity and ran faster.

"I KNEW IT!!! AHHH!"

"Only once! I live only once... so evil!!!"

"Oh, really, please have mercy!!"

As we watched the trainees running around on either side in the flickering light, we finally got to the front of the auditorium.

Since the trainees did not approach the side where the camera wasn't located, it did not feel like the ghosts were also watching that spot. I think we can just avoid the ghosts coming this way like this.

Rattle!

"Yoo-ha, come in here!"

"What?"

Right below the podium, Aiden opened the door to a small supply room.

I shook my head after confirming that the inside of the furnishings room was so small that only one or two people could fit.

I hate those places so much, but I couldn't admit it.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine here..."

"Hurry!"

Aiden didn't listen to me and pulled me hastily. He lowered me over and then hid himself in the storage room..

Aiden closed the door with a creak sound and I realized I was completely confined to this space, I couldn't help but let out a suppressed gasp.

It's too narrow.

... I can't breathe.

"Whew, now we're safe. We just need to camp out here until the end!~"

I flinched at Aiden's words in the dark. The supply room was so cramped that I was leg to leg with Aiden and couldn't straighten my body easily.

I closed my eyes as hard as possible and tried to force myself to adjust my vision.

However, seeing the surroundings in the narrow room completely blocked on all sides was impossible. You couldn't even see properly outside the storage chamber.

My body naturally stiffened.

'Calm down, calm down, calm down.'

I tried to move my completely frozen body. My mind was racing. After being lost in my thoughts, I came to a conclusion that was very simple.

'Get rid of Aiden Lee and get the hell out.'

Why is there a need to be confined to a place like this? There is no need to use masked dragons. This isn't a mini-corner event, it's a punishment.

But.

"Yoo-ha?"

"..."

I tried to calm my rapid breathing. But I couldn't stop my body from trembling.

"Yoo-ha... huh? What's the matter?"

My thoughts slowed down as my head started to stiffen. The noise from outside the room faded away, and the sound of something buzzing and vibrating filled my ears before I knew it.

-Stay here. Don't make any noise. Don't tell anyone.'

A voice in my head from childhood pierced my ears—a voice I never wanted to hear again.

Jump!

"...!"

I took a deep breath at the air pouring into the secluded area as the dim light flooded my eyes. In front of us was a ghost wearing a clown mask who stood bending over and watched us hidden inside the supply room.

The moment my eyes met that clown mask.

"..."

I bolted.

"Yoo-ha!"

I heard Aiden Lee scream my name in horror from behind, but I didn't stop. I left the storage room and gasped in front of the clown mask.

It must have been only thirty seconds to a minute being in that prison. Even in that short time, my back was already wet with sweat. My heart beat so fast that it was difficult to calm down.

And while I was trying to find my composure, Pierrot Mask waited for me.

PRD: Pierrot: A French male character popular in the 1600s in Italy. The Pierrot wore a face painted in white, a loose white costume, and a pointy hat. Side note: It is also a symbol of putting on a 'mask' to hide one's true feelings or emotions...

"...Ahha"

I finally calmed down and looked up at the Pierrot mask. He stood in front of me and just watched me.

"...Take me already."

I quietly held out my arm.

Clown mask murdered the distracted Aiden Lee, and since I got out of the supply room first, I just stared at the masked man.

"...?"

But even when the ghost saw my outstretched arm, it didn't feel like he was trying to grab it.

Beep!

[The game of tag is over.]

The dreary sound effects were cut off, and a light whistle sounded, and the chase was completely over, Pierrot Mask could not catch me and was defeated.

* * *

"Did everyone have fun?"

"No!!!"

"It's too much!!"

The MC, who reappeared in the auditorium, which was completely chaotic, unlike before, smiled cheerfully at the resentful shouts of the trainees.

The MC looked alternately at the surviving trainees who were in a mess while running away and the trainees who were caught by the ghosts and were on the podium.

"Well, first of all, thank you all for your hard work. A total of 6 trainees on the human team lost to tag, but in terms of overall numbers, the human team wins."

However, this is an individual exhibition. After adding that, the MC started belatedly explaining the rules of the day.

Each of the 15 trainees who acted as ghosts had to catch one trainee, and the trainees had to run away from those ghosts.

If the ghost catches the trainee, the caught trainee gets a penalty, and if the ghost doesn't catch the trainee, the ghost gets the penalty. That is, it was a game where one lives and the other dies.

And one more thing.

"Did everyone draw up a life graph?"

"..!"

Only then did the nine surviving trainees hurriedly look at the desks they were sitting on. Papers and pens fluttered everywhere when the tag game began, with the trainees scrambling to escape.

"I said, 'No matter what,' you must draw the graph perfectly. Accordingly, all trainees who failed to draw a life graph are considered dead."

"Ahhh...!"

"Such a severe punishment... I didn't even know that was a hint..."

"No, did anyone even write it?"

...Yes, three did.

"With this, the survivors are Won Yoo-ha, Do Ji-hyeok, and Cheon Se-rim. Only three trainees live."

I looked at Do Ji-hyeok and Cheon Serim, who stood proudly on the podium with bright eyes. They were smiling refreshingly, each holding a neatly filled life graph.

'...Well, either way, I would have won.'

Even if it were on the ghost side, I would have caught at least one person. It was not such an unexpected result.

The MC, who applauded the survivor team, looked at the trainees who played ghosts wearing masks.

"And, except for the six ghosts who caught people, the remaining nine ghosts will also be punished. Now, everyone, please take off your masks."

As a result, the trainees who played ghosts began to take off their masks with regretful voices slowly.

The first thing I looked for was the laced mask that blocked Aiden and me earlier. I couldn't help but shed a brief sigh when I saw the identity of the scrim-laced mask revealed.

'It was you...'

None other than Ju Danwoo took off the mask with a flustered expression's.

He said that he was acting a bit slow, and it seemed that he lost track of time while he hesitated to catch us or not.

After that, the ghosts took off their masks one by one. After confirming that our team members Gyeong Jiwon and Park Wonhyo were also included in the ghost role, I couldn't help but be taken aback when the Pierrot mask, who refused to catch me, was revealed.

"Now, a total of 9 ghosts, including the one who failed to catch anyone, trainee Kang Hyunjin, are all punished!"

The ghost's identity was Kang Hyunjin.