Talent (5)

"Why are you so startled?"

"Ah, no, it's just that you... No, never mind... But aren't you afraid, sir?"

The staff member who had been standing in costume among the mannequins asked with a startled expression.

Even the person who was supposed to scare others hadn't realized how frightening it was to stand among the mannequins himself.

So when I discovered him and walked over without the slightest surprise, he couldn't help being even more startled.

"I'm not really afraid of ghosts or anything."

"Wow... You're really something."

What was so impressive about that?

Once you know that people are more frightening than ghosts, there's nothing particularly special about it.

"Would you like to turn this one over first?"

"Huh? Oh... yes."

The staff member in the mannequin costume gently turned over the card.

It was the King of Spades.

When he looked at me expectantly, I pointed at one of the mannequins.

"Be careful around that mannequin when you leave."

"....W-why? Don't tell me that mannequin is going to come to life..."

"Oh, no. It's just that you'll trip over its leg and fall when you leave."

"....."

When he left after everything was over, he would trip over it.

Then he would tumble across the floor and injure his arm a little.

It wouldn't be a serious injury, but if I'd seen a future in which he got hurt, why let him get hurt when we could avoid it?

"And there's a staff member named Ha Yun-sik, right?"

"Yes."

"Please tell him to be careful when he's clearing up the second floor, too."

"Is there some serious danger...?!"

At the staff member's serious question, I nodded.

"He'll injure his leg while moving a desk. Tell him to be careful—his leg will crack."

...I see. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

The future in which this staff member fell had changed.

But the future in which the staff member named Ha Yun-sik got hurt had not.

He must have just listened absentmindedly and brushed it off.

It was unfortunate, but there was nothing I could do.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

"Then take care."

"Yes..."

Since I'd secured the key here, there was no reason to come back in.

So that man would probably start getting ready to leave soon, too.

I left the study and headed straight for the kitchen.

I could see the actors coming out of the kitchen.

"Did you find the key?"

"Yes."

The blue key was in his hand.

Now that we had the two keys—the blue one and the red one I'd brought—we could go up to the second floor.

"I can't help wondering what we're going through just to eat some meat..."

Kang So-ra muttered weakly.

I smiled and said to her,

"If you're scared, you can wait here."

I could handle the rest on my own, too.

And Kang So-ra felt a surge of emotion.

"....I'm going! Let's go!"

.

.

.

There wasn't much to see on the second floor.

When we unlocked the door and entered, something resembling a laboratory awaited us.

And at the far end sat a large, burly man.

"...We were told to place the offering in front of that man, right?"

"Yes."

According to the explanation we'd heard before entering, that man was the mansion owner's son, who had stayed behind alone and kept the ghosts bound to the mansion.

If he were to fall, the ghosts trapped in the mansion would be released, causing a major disaster not only on this island but throughout South Korea.

So we had to help ensure that he did not fall by giving him an offering... That was the explanation.

Of course, it was all complete bullshit.

There was no such legend.

The ghosts wouldn't be released even if we didn't leave an offering.

And the man sitting over there was just a staff member.

But the three actors besides me seemed fairly tense.

Of course, they knew that what Ppeuhong had said wasn't true.

But there was such a thing as atmosphere.

"I'll go place the offering."

"Ah, no. I'll do it."

Kim Hyun-woo wasn't stepping forward because he was desperate for screen time.

It was simply because he hadn't done much of anything after coming into the mansion.

Lee Bin and Kang So-ra had each done their part in the kitchen and helped us obtain the keys, but he hadn't done much, so he wanted to do something here at least.

"Then, Hyun-woo."

"Yes??"

"Once you put the offering down over there, that man will get up and try to catch you..."

"...I-I knew it."

With all his years in broadcasting, he must have figured out roughly how things would unfold.

As he gave a slight nod, I told him what to watch out for.

"The first attack comes with his left arm, and the next with his right leg. Also, after you place the offering and back away about three steps, you see that wall over there?"

"Yes."

"Staff members dressed as zombies will come out from that wall."

"...Wow."

"So come straight back as soon as you dodge that man's attack."

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

What were they supposed to do after they went down from the second floor?

The first-floor door was blocked by boxes and assorted junk.

The windows had iron bars.

Wouldn't that mean we couldn't get out?

I smiled at the question and said,

"There's a back door on the first floor."

"...Wow. How did you know that, too?"

"There's a way to do everything."

I only knew because I'd seen it through Ppeuhong's past.

But there was no need to mention that much.

"Then let's get started. I want to have beef bulgogi for breakfast tomorrow. That should be possible, right?"

Pork bulgogi was good, but beef bulgogi was delicious, too.

Kim Hyun-woo smiled confidently.

"I'll make it really delicious for you."

***

Jang Woo-gyeong and Ppeuhong were amazed.

They had expected something like this with Kang Noah in the mix.

But who would have thought it would go this smoothly?

"We can never do a horror variety show with you as our guest, sir."

"Exactly. Ha... Everything we prepared is just getting blown right through."

Ppeuhong shook his head.

But that didn't mean they wouldn't get good footage.

If anything, wasn't this a chance to show how incredible Kang Noah was?

"You prepared the meat, right?"

"Yes."

They'd sent him in there with meat as bait, but if they didn't give it to him, who knew what might happen?

When Ppeuhong nodded, Jang Woo-gyeong folded his arms and watched the monitor.

Watching Kang Noah stride nonchalantly through the abandoned mansion, all he could feel was genuine admiration.

'Is this man really completely fearless?'

There was a kind of fear created by the atmosphere.

And yet Kang Noah looked like someone utterly unconcerned by such things.

His mental fortitude really was on another level, Jang Woo-gyeong thought.

'Then again, someone like him must be able to stand proudly against the world.'

The power Kang Noah possessed was something countless people coveted.

The power to read people's pasts and futures.

It was the kind of power any person in a position of authority would want.

Even though countless people would covet such power, Kang Noah had revealed it to the world without a care.

As if to say, What are you going to do if you find out I have this power?

Jang Woo-gyeong smiled at his unprecedentedly fearless way of going about things.

'He really is an incredible man...'

"PD!! All the cast members have come out of the mansion!"

"Haha. Really?"

The ambitious abandoned-mansion exploration event had come to an end.

Seeing the cast walking toward them, Jang Woo-gyeong rose from his seat.

Now it was time to welcome them back.

"Good work!'

"Whew. That was seriously terrifying! PD Jang!! Ppeuhong!!"

Kang So-ra charged over as if wronged and began lightly pounding the two men, who laughed and started running away.

Just as Lee Bin and Kim Hyun-woo grinned at them,

Kang Noah approached them.

"Huh? Teacher?"

"What is it?"

"It's nothing. Would you like to turn this over?"

"Uh....?"

The two puzzled men turned over their cards.

Kang Noah calmly told them,

"If anyone needs to go to the mainland this week, send them out as soon as possible."

"Yes? What do you mean?"

"The boats won't be running."

"N-no way. The weather forecast said there wouldn't be any problems. It might be a little windy, but..."

Kang Noah did not answer.

He merely gazed at them in silence.

Jang Woo-gyeong kept his mouth shut, thought it over, and nodded.

"I understand. But what will you and the other cast members do, sir?"

There was still more filming to do.

But what would they do if strong winds made it impossible for the boats to run?

"It won't be a major problem for me. And the other actors will be fine, too."

They didn't have any particular schedules, either.

Jang Woo-gyeong nodded.

"Understood. We'll send out anyone who needs to leave first."

***

They say that once you put down roots in a place, it becomes home; by the time we returned to our lodgings, I felt at ease.

Seeing the A++ Korean beef made me feel even more at ease.

"Everyone. I have something to tell you."

"Yes?"

"What are you trying to make us do now...!!"

"We've already got the meat, so we're not going back to a place like that again!"

"Hahaha..."

Kang So-ra, clutching the beer the staff had given us for enduring the exploration, shouted, and PD Jang Woo-gyeong laughed.

Then he told them what I had said earlier.

"Teacher Kang said that?"

"Then it must be true..."

"We don't have any important schedules."

"But, sir. How strong will the wind be if the boats can't run?"

"Almost typhoon strength. We probably won't be able to get off the island for about three days."

Everyone gave a small nod at my words.

"Then we'll assume you'll all be staying until filming is finished."

"But what will we do about food after filming ends? Do we have to keep cooking our own meals while we work?"

"No, you won't need to do that. We'll prepare your meals. You can just rest here. There won't be any filming, either..."

"Great. Then I'll teach Ari a little more acting."

"I'll join you."

"Then I will, too..."

The three actors volunteered.

"What are you going to do, Teacher?"

"Me? I have something important to take care of..."

"...What on earth is it?"

When Jang Woo-gyeong and the actors asked seriously, I lifted my laptop and answered just as seriously.

"I have to go on a raid."

Reducing fatigue is important, too.