Chapter 122: Ch 122: A single piece of Nostalgia
Just before the live talk show begins, the backstage is bustling with activity.
The silent staff move in perfect coordination, checking and handling
situations in real-time.
"Phew."
I took a deep breath.
By now, I could understand their expressions more clearly—
The whispers of the faceless staff.
– Additional lighting for spot #5.
– Mr. Host’s shoes need replacement.
– Verify cushion placement for the guest.
Each of them worked diligently in their respective roles, all striving to
create a great show.
And since the host never failed to personally acknowledge each of them for
their efforts, the atmosphere always remained lively.
It was honestly a great workplace.
At first, the fact that my colleagues had no faces had been unsettling, but
now—I think I’ve completely adjusted!
’Humans really are creatures of their environment, huh?’
I could never get used to entering ghost stories no matter how many times I
did it, so... maybe, just maybe, Braun was right—it might really have been
a matter of matching aptitude.
’It’s fine.’
I habitually checked the silver ring on my finger before finally stepping
onto the stage.
"...Huu."
Today was the day.
The day I would appear in a segment of ’Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show’ for
the first time.
[Mr. Soleum!]
The host, already prepped and ready, approached me.
[Your outfit suits you perfectly. Yes, very well... oh my! Makeup, let’s
cover this tattoo a little more thoroughly.]
The host meticulously checked even the tattoo peeking out from beneath
my suit sleeve.
In the blink of an eye, the tattoo vanished without a trace.
And before long, I safely reached my designated seat—just in time for the
live broadcast.
[Excellent. Very good... Now, Mr. Soleum, the cameras will go live any
moment now.]
"Yes."
[And soon, the audience will be seated before you—so just focus on
entertaining them. Now then, we’re starting...]
The countdown appeared on the retro prompter in front of me.
3.
2.
1.
0.
[Good evening! The joy of the night, the fresh new face you meet every
day, and... your friendly host!]
Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show
As the studio lights flashed and the band played—
The live broadcast began.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"What... what the hell?"
The audience seats filled up in an instant.
One by one, people materialized in their chairs—each with an expression of
confusion or shock as they found themselves in the dazzling studio.
"Why am I wearing this?"
All of them were dressed in various office outfits—as expected for our
special ’Corporate Workers’ episode.
[Welcome, hardworking professionals! Tonight, we have an
exhilarating, eye-catching, spine-chillingly entertaining talk show just
for you—guaranteed to wash away the fatigue of your day!]
Clap, clap, clap...
Braun clapped alone, then flashed a sheepish and sad emoticon on his TV
screen.
[...No applause? Not even one?]
Clap! Clapclapclapclapclap!!
The bewildered audience hurriedly clapped along.
"What the hell is this...?"
"Eh, well... he’s good-looking, so let’s just go with it."
Beside me, two office workers—who seemed to know each other—
murmured before clapping again.
The host engaged with the audience one by one, gradually warming up the
room.
There was something a little eerie about the atmosphere, but ultimately, the
jokes were funny, the topics were intriguing, and the news was a mix of
horrifying yet fascinating updates.
"Ah."
As the tension eased, the audience began to naturally accept the surreal
environment.
Like watching a magician’s act or an elaborate sci-fi film, their familiarity
with fictional content blurred the boundaries between reality and the show.
And then—it happened.
[Tonight’s guest is... Oh, here they come now!]
The glittering star-shaped bulbs lit up as the ornate guest entrance swung
open.
The guest I had chosen...
...Toddled in.
A ragged teddy bear.
Its button eyes were mismatched, its stitching uneven—but it was rather
cute.
[Isn’t it just adorable? Allow me to introduce tonight’s guest... ’Happy
Ending Teddy’!]
As the small bear settled onto the sofa, murmurs rippled through the
audience.
"What the hell is that?"
"Wait, it’s actually cute."
"It’s moving... where are we? Is this a dream? What kind of talk show is
this... oh, right, I signed up for an audience ticket!"
The murmur of confused whispers soon died down, all converging into a
single reaction—
Fascination and immersion in this surreal talk show.
[This segment is sponsored by Delusion Home Shopping! Ah, yes, this is
an industry-defining collector’s item—this is a limited edition item
from 1999 that is no longer available for sale.]
[For those who treasure it until death, it grants the ’Ending of Life’—a
peaceful slumber. But for those who discard it? It will visit them at
midnight and transform them into a doll just like itself!]
Braun stepped forward, holding a microphone to the teddy bear.
[How are you feeling? ...Oh, I see. You’re so overwhelmed that you
want to visit your first owner’s grave and weep your heart out.]
"Hahahaha!"
The response was great.
I felt relieved.
Cute and friendly, yet undeniably eerie—the unsettling concept of an
inanimate object gaining sentience and seeking revenge had always been a
hit.
That was also why, with the Good Friend, I was also... No. Never mind.
’Anyway, if the audience reaction is good, the viewers will likely enjoy it
too.’
That was reassuring.
Since not all viewers were human, the structure of the talk show was
designed to let them enjoy the audience’s reactions—as if they were
watching a reaction video.
Fascinating.
A story is always best enjoyed from a safe distance.
[Now then, let’s hear our guest’s story and recent updates!]
The show progressed smoothly.
The ’Happy Ending Teddy’ shared, through the host, a bittersweet farewell
with its kind owner—followed by a chilling tale of cruelty and satisfying
revenge.
The presentation was enriched with props, photographs, and illustrations to
heighten the immersion and atmosphere.
And finally—the climax.
[Ah, so the one who burned you with a cigarette and beat the child who
played with you... is actually sitting right there, in the audience!]
[That person is... YOU!]
BAM!
A spotlight illuminated a single audience member.
[Come on up... Haha! Let’s welcome our second guest with a round of
applause.]
It was the previous owner—the one who had discarded the teddy bear.
They had been planted among the audience.
Now, they were brought onto the stage...
...where the ’Happy Ending Teddy’ would personally transform them into a
new teddy bear.
Screams and blood splattered across the stage, but the audience—deeply
immersed—felt a mix of horror and catharsis.
Some at the front row, having been handed raincoats by the staff, even
applauded.
Just like reading a thrilling horror story.
[Ah, fantastic. We now have one more adorable teddy bear.]
[Isn’t this wonderful? A guest who even generates additional value!
Let’s give a big round of applause to our dear ’Happy Ending Teddy’!]
WOOOOOOO!!!
The teddy bear trembled slightly before bowing happily to the crowd.
And at this moment...
[Now, let’s move on to the next segment : Q&A!]
Braun cupped one hand over his speaker, as if listening.
[Are you there? My friend!]
This is it!
"Right here, Friend!"
I shot up from my seat in the audience, raising my hand high.
Gasps erupted from those seated around me.
And above my head—
A glowing sign lit up.
Tell Braun’s Friend
All About It!
[For the next 100 seconds, my friend here will ask the audience for
their thoughts on the show or any fun questions! Those who give great
answers will win fabulous prizes—so let’s participate! Now then...]
A digital clock appeared on Braun’s TV face.
[Starting now!]
Whoosh.
Hands shot up across the audience.
I pointed at myself, looking mildly bewildered.
"Wait, you’re all raising your hands without even hearing my introduction
or question...?"
Laughter.
"Ah, you’re rushing because there’s a time limit? I, see... al-ri-ght...
then..."
I deliberately dragged out my words agonizingly slowly.
The laughter grew louder.
Good.
"First question: What was the absolute most boring moment of this show?"
[FRIEND!!]
"A moment so dull you thought you could do a better job yourself?!"
Braun’s perfectly-timed reaction triggered more scattered bursts of laughter.
From the front row—where people were still drenched in the blood of the
transformed guest—some audience members enthusiastically took off their
raincoats and waved them.
I hurried over to them, microphone in hand.
"Now."
[Oooooh!]
Laughter erupted again. I deliberately looked at the audience member with
an expression of deep betrayal, as if asking, How could you say that?!,
before smoothly transitioning to the next question.
Perhaps because the previous segment had been so entertaining, the
audience’s reaction far exceeded my expectations.
It was almost hypnotic.
’This is kinda... fun?’
For some reason, I felt a little exhilarated.
The 100 seconds passed in an instant, and just as we were nearing the final
moments, the microphone was passed to an audience member.
"If you could make one request to this talk show, what would it be?"
I excitedly called out the question, and the audience enthusiastically
shouted back.
"I want to take that teddy bear home!"
Ah.
"You can’t."
...
Silence fell over the audience.
And the stage.
"..."
Why did I say that? No—damage control first.
I quickly raised my eyebrows, making it seem like I had deliberately given
a curt response. Then, with a knowing nod, I added,
"Our dear guest, Mr. Teddy Bear, says they don’t want a serious
relationship with a busy, overworked professional who has no time for
them."
"What?!"
The ’Happy Ending Teddy’ frantically waved its tiny arms from the sofa, as
if protesting. I solemnly nodded at the bear’s reaction and relayed the
message to the audience.
"They really don’t want to."
"...?!"
The teddy bear toppled over. The audience burst into laughter.
"Just kidding. They’d be delighted to go with you."
"Wow! That’s amazing! A natural death has always been my dream."
"For real? Me too."
Grinning, I high-fived the audience member.
Phew. Crisis averted.
’Next!’
I quickly turned to find the next person to ask a question.
And then—
I froze.
The next person to raise their hand the fastest—was wearing an all-too-
familiar outfit.
"...!!"
I stared blankly.
A faceless office worker in a suit and mask.
’...A Field Exploration Team member from Daydream Inc.’
My old workplace.
And among them...
’...The guys from D-squad.’
Three people I knew, sitting together.
How were all three of them here? No—D-squad should only have Chief
Lizard left, right? So how...?
[Ding! Time’s up!]
Ah.
[Now! Friend, let me ask you. Who is today’s MVP audience member?]
"Today’s MVP is..."
I pointed at the last audience member.
"Our guest’s new adopter!"
"Ooooooh!"
[Hahaha! Wishing you a happy natural death!]
The chosen audience member sat back down happily, receiving a
beautifully wrapped gift.
The ’Happy Ending Teddy’ was staring at them intently.
"..."
With that, my segment came to a close. As I stepped offstage, I was met
with the applause of the audience.
My heart was pounding.
’I did it.’
And just then—
[Now, let’s introduce our next guest. Ah, but before that...]
[We’ll be right back after these messages!]
Noooooo!
The audience booed and cheered as Braun laughed and waved them into the
mid-show ad break.
Phew!
[Mr. Soleum!]
Braun’s TV screen displayed a massive grinning emoticon as he approached
me backstage. He swapped to an awestruck face and held up a hand for a
high-five.
Then, as if he were truly proud, he patted my shoulder.
[Friend. You did an amazing job! I can’t believe that was your first
time hosting a segment. That was a truly impressive 100 seconds. Ah,
I’m simply in awe...]
"I don’t think it was that great..."
[No! This isn’t flattery or empty praise—it’s genuine admiration.
You’re starting to feel passion for this show, and that’s making you
even better at it.]
That was... a good thing.
"Um, by the way."
I smiled.
"...There were some familiar faces in the audience. Would it be alright if I
went to chat with them? Just for a bit during the break. It won’t take
long..."
[Ah.]
The host paused.
And then—
[Of course. It’s break time, after all. Feel free to chat.]
Whew.
I got permission! What a relief.
"Alright, then—"
[Wait.]
A hand gripped my shoulder.
[Just one thing. Do not say anything that might make the audience feel
out of place... Oh, and don’t forget. Even when the cameras are off, the
audience still sees you as part of the show.]
"...I understand."
The TV host’s face loomed over me.
[You’ll keep that in mind, won’t you?]
"I’ll keep that in mind."
[Excellent!]
I took a step back, retreating from the host.
Then, I descended from the stage, making my rounds among the audience
with the staff, checking in as if ensuring everything was running smoothly.
And finally... I arrived at a familiar spot, where recognizable masks had
gathered.
Familiar masks.
"Roe...?"
"...Assistant Manager."
There they were—Section Chief Lee Jaheon, Assistant Manager Eun
Haje... and even Supervisor Park Minseong.
’Wow.’
Seeing them like this... It felt surreal.
It was like I’d gone back in time, to just before we entered the ’Hungry
Hangman’ Darkness.
"I never thought I’d see you all here! It’s good to see you. Have you all
been well?"
Chief Lizard and Assistant Manager Eun Haje both nodded.
Supervisor Park Minseong, making eye contact with me, gave a smile and a
wave. He looked a little pale—but otherwise, healthy.
It’s such a relief to see that he had recovered enough to go out at night and
do other things like this.
"Yeah, we’re doing fine... But, Roe. Are you okay? How have you been?"
"Ah. I’ve been doing well."
That, I could confidently say.
But in the end, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity.
"Actually, today was my first appearance on the show... I was wondering
what you thought of it. I was a little nervous."
Silence.
"It was very good."
"...Thank you."
Phew.
The pause was a little unsettling, but Assistant Manager Eun Haje wasn’t
the type to give empty praise.
I decided not to overthink it.
"By the way, have you eaten today?"
"Eaten? I..."
Oh.
Come to think of it... it had been a while since I last ate.
Since before the broadcast, maybe?
Or was it back on the train, before I switched jobs?
Something like that.
But my body felt perfectly fine, so it wasn’t a problem!
Besides, this wasn’t the time or place for a personal conversation like that.
I waved a hand dismissively, smiling.
"I’m fine without it."
"..."
Supervisor Park Minseong quickly searched his pockets and pulled
something out.
"Roe, still... It’s break time, right? How about a snack? Here..."
He held out a small, old-fashioned candy.
"Ah, I’m sorry. I can only accept gifts from the audience through official
channels. It’s a policy to keep things fair and clean."
I politely declined.
The expression on Supervisor Park’s face dimmed.
"Ah..."
...Did I do something wrong?
I thought hard, then came up with a compromise.
"Don’t worry. I have the exact same candy with me—I’ll eat that instead."
"...!"
"Alright."
Assistant Manager Eun Haje reached out and shook my hand.
Her hand was warm.
"Make sure you eat it."
"..."
"Mr. Roe Deer."
Ah.
Section Chief Lizard was looking at me.
"That button. Press it."
"...?"
I had no idea what he meant.
But showing confusion wouldn’t be professional.
"Of course. I’ll do my best. In any case, enjoy the show. Rest well tonight,
and good luck tomorrow."
I hoped that tonight’s broadcast had been a brief moment of joy in their
exhausting lives.
Was this... what Braun meant?
The feeling of a show creator?
I glanced at their reactions.
’Their masks make it hard to read their expressions...’
Wait.
If they’re wearing masks...
Were they in the middle of a Darkness exploration?
If so—I should reassure them!
"Ah, if you’re here for ’work’, don’t worry. There is no danger. You can just
enjoy the show and leave."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes! This place is completely safe."
Honestly, it was one of the easiest Darknesses to clear.
Even easier than Tuesday Talk Show.
’After all, no regular audience members ever die!’
If we wanted something more intense, we could have set up brutal
punishments like in Tuesday Talk Show.
But for now, the show was lighthearted enough that even the audience could
comfortably enjoy the poetic justice being served.
For that, I felt a little grateful to Braun.
But Supervisor Park Minseong slowly shook his head.
"We didn’t come here for work."
Huh?
"...We came to see you, Roe."
...Me?
"Roe. How did you even end up in this situation—"
[Goodness, Friend!]
"...!"
The host gestured from the stage.
Right. The commercial break was almost over. That meant... the show was
about to resume!
"I’ll be heading back up now. See you next time! Ah, this next segment is
going to be really fun, so... just sit back and enjoy."
"Wait, that—"
I didn’t hear the rest.
With a quick farewell to the audience, I dashed back to the stage.
The lights were blinding.
* * *
The talk show ended with thunderous applause and cheers.
[Thank you, everyone! We’ll see you again tomorrow at 11:33 PM!]
As always, Braun wrapped up the broadcast seamlessly, and once the lights
went down, he turned his attention to the staff and crew.
And of course, I did the same.
I was staring at the now-empty audience seats when I snapped out of it—
just in time to receive Braun’s praise.
[So? It was fun, wasn’t it, Mr. Soleum? More than you expected?]
"Yeah. Um... It was better than I thought."
[That makes me very happy! Excellent. I’ve spoken to the writers, and
from now on, you’ll be appearing about once or twice a week. As
’Braun’s Friend’!]
"Ah... yeah."
The recognition made my stomach churn. But I should just accept it
happily!
Then, the host asked casually,
[Ah. Did you enjoy catching up with your old coworkers, Friend? I saw
you speaking with them in the audience.]
"...! Yeah. It was nice seeing them after so long."
[I see. I’m very curious—what delightful conversation did you have?]
"Ah, they were just checking if I’d been eating properly."
[Aha! But of course. Our show always provides a dedicated catering
service for the staff’s health and well-being—]
The TV screen flickered.
[...Wait. You haven’t eaten anything at all, have you, Mr. Roe Deer?
You never even applied for the personal catering service. Unbelievable!
And after I explained everything on your first day.]
Well... it just felt like a hassle.
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling a little sheepish.
"I’ve been fine without it."
[Good heavens! Are you trying to make me look like a terrible business
partner who neglects his friend? No, no, this was my failing. The new
crew members have been busy adjusting that they must have
overlooked this. So this Braun should have paid more attention,
especially as your friend...]
Braun held out his hand.
[There is a saying: ’Inspiration and ideas come from good health.’ Let’s
make a promise that this won’t happen again.]
Hmm.
I didn’t feel any different, honestly. I wasn’t even hungry. If anything, I felt
better than ever.
"Alright. I’ll try."
[Ah, my dear friend has already started using those dreadful industry-
standard phrases!]
Braun let out a mock-scolding sigh, but didn’t press the matter further.
It was break time, after all.
[Just in case you forget—remember, the best shows come from well-
rested minds, Mr. Soleum!]
"Yes, I understand. I’ll see you in a bit."
With that, we parted ways.
I walked past the staff, through the backstage corridors, and finally reached
my dressing room.
Click.
I stepped inside, rolled up one sleeve, and looked down at my arm.
Beneath the makeup, my tattoos were hidden from view.
"...Hmm."
Interesting. It seemed that as long as they were covered, they wouldn’t
activate.
’Now that the live broadcast is over, I should wipe this off.’
I rubbed at my skin, removing the makeup.
: Socius :
: 恩主 :
I reached into the tattoo that functioned as my inventory and pulled
something out.
’It’s been a while, huh?’
Resting in my palm was a single piece of Nostalgia Candy.
’I did say I’d eat it, after all.’
I wasn’t hungry.
I wasn’t tired.
But after a brief hesitation...
I unwrapped it.
And put it in my mouth.
Suddenly—