Chapter 44…
Variety Show, The Beginning of the Legend
“I did a bit of fishing, had some sashimi… cooked for the old man, stuff like that.”
Since there were people who didn’t know I could see ghosts, I glossed over it like that.
It’s not like I kept it some ironclad secret, but shouting around the neighborhood that I see ghosts wasn’t exactly ideal either.
“Huh? Isn’t that even more impressive?”
CEO Lee Ji-yong shook his head in disbelief while picking up a piece of meat.
“Well, I’m sitting here grilling meat with you too, aren’t I?”
“Heh, not really the same comparison, though…”
Oh Joo-hwan, who had been mouthing off, immediately shut up when met with a sharp glare.
“Ahem. Anyway, it’s still amazing that you spent your vacation hanging out privately with a conglomerate chairman. Do you even know how much advertising has already come in?”
“A lot?”
“A ton.”
Lee Ji-yong grinned widely.
Truthfully, the reason he had come here was simple: he wanted to figure out whether it was safe to accept all those commercials.
Sometimes, goodwill could turn poisonous.
“Wow! I thought the old man was just saying you were his benefactor, but he’s really paying you back properly!”
“Benefactor?”
“Ah, I helped him out a little.”
“Then no strings attached, right?”
The CEO asked directly, as if to confirm.
“None. Come on, do you think that old man would sponsor me or something?”
“Ha, haha. Of course not.”
“What old man sponsors a guy? It’s not like I’m a woman.”
“Ha, haha…”
That lukewarm laugh gave me chills, so I asked cautiously:
“…That kind of thing actually happens?”
“The world’s big, and tastes are… diverse.”
“Oh, lord…”
Thankfully, I didn’t seem to be in that category. The only physical contact I’d had was patting him on the back.
Hmm… maybe I ruffled his hair too? But really, that wasn’t me—more like his mother through me.
“Don’t worry. Just pick the ones that make sense.”
“You’re not going to do them all?”
“Nah. If you take everything, it looks like a transaction, not gratitude. Better to pick just enough.”
Technically, it had started as a transaction, but after spending a few days together, I had grown fond of the old man.
Of course, the car gift helped a lot too.
Turns out that rearing horse emblem really was expensive.
If I’d had a license, I’d have driven it already, smiling as the gull-wing doors shot into the sky.
Guess I’ll need to get that license first.
“But what are you doing here?”
That’s when I spotted someone—no, two people: Joo-hwan and his manager.
“Well, I got a lot of help from you, so when I heard you’d be here, I came. Especially since you skipped the wrap-up party after filming.”
“What! You already had it?”
“Yeah. While you were resting these past few days…”
“Why didn’t you tell me?!”
A wrap-up party meant free food!
Sure, I’d eaten my fill at the old man’s villa, but this was different.
That felt like charity, but this would’ve felt like payment for all my hard work.
As I grumbled, Manager Park cautiously explained:
“Well…”
“What?”
“When we couldn’t reach you, we contacted Mansoo.”
“Huh? But I didn’t get any message.”
“He said you were too busy and couldn’t come.”
The culprit was revealed.
That bastard Mansoo.
If you don’t smack him around every so often, he forgets his place.
I’ll make him kneel one day and tell him, ‘This is the height difference between you and me.’
I should’ve known when he ditched me with the old man to go do that “heavenly rite” or whatever.
Should I just send him straight to heaven myself?
“Well, what’s done is done.”
“Right. But we can all go on the reward trip together.”
“Reward trip?”
“Yeah. Ratings were high, so the production company’s sending us overseas.”
Ohhh! A reward vacation?!
The only kind I’d ever gotten was in the army.
My heart started pounding.
“Where to? I’ve never even flown before. I’d be happy with Jeju Island.”
“Bali.”
“…Huh?”
“Bali.”
“Isn’t that abroad?”
“Yeah. Indonesia.”
……My brain short-circuited.
I’d never even been to Jeju, never left the mainland.
And now—abroad?
Assistant Director Cho woke late for once, stretching happily—then froze.
“What are you doing?”
“Pre-research.”
Su-han, red-eyed from an all-nighter, was glued to his laptop screen.
“No way. You’ll get caught at security.”
“…”
“These days airport checks catch everything. If you’re with me and they find out you’re possessed by a ghost—what then? ‘No boarding! Ghost boy!’ You gonna take responsibility?”
Hearing him mutter on and on, it was clear who was beside him.
“Am I going crazy…?”
Gam-dong shook his head.
He was now so used to seeing the guy chat with ghosts that even that felt normal.
“If I get a flower garland, I’ll bring it back as a souvenir! What? That’s Hawaii? Hey, Gam-dong, don’t they give those out in Bali too?”
“Even if they did, you think you can bring plants on a plane?”
“Why? Plants are alive, aren’t they?”
“Necks chopped off and strung into necklaces—does that sound alive to you? That’s just corpses!”
“Geez, if ghosts can’t fly, you think flower corpses can?”
“…I really must be losing it.”
Gam-dong sighed, heading to the bathroom.
Trying to explain things on Su-han’s level was dragging even his metaphors into the gutter.
Ah, that pest Yeon-ju.
[You’re so mean!!]
“Didn’t I treat you to premium beef yesterday?”
[Hmph! I only asked for a bite of your spicy noodles and you refused!]
Unbelievable.
Human or ghost, they’re all the same.
You give them an inch, they want a mile.
“And because you squealed ‘So tasty~!’ everyone looked at me like I was insane. They already thought I was some sponsored toy, and then you clap your hands after noodles going ‘Sweet but spicy~!’—how do you think that looked?!”
She pouted.
[Hmph. And you stole my first kiss.]
“Mine too. Even. Besides, that was just a peck. No tongue.”
[Ugh! Gross!!]
“Eww~ Grossss~!”
Bleh.
Anyway, there’s no way I’m dragging her along on a trip abroad.
Tempting, maybe, but this was my first time overseas too—I wanted to enjoy it properly.
Sensing my firm resolve, Yeon-ju huffed and disappeared.
The phone rang.
“Hello?”
Hyung.
“Oh, Joo-hwan?”
Did you get the notice? About me and you appearing on the variety show?
“Oh yeah, what was it called again?”
Running Friends!
Right, that was one of the reasons he’d come the other day.
After the drama ended, we got a lot of offers—and surprisingly, most of them paired me with him.
Apparently, our banter was popular.
Honestly, smacking him around was satisfying, and he’d grown more obedient lately.
Funny thing was, if I refused, he couldn’t appear either.
Guess everyone knew I was a big part of his rise.
“Ah… running too much will ruin my digestion.”
There’ll be eating missions too, since it’s at a market.
“Oh, nice! Right!”
Come to think of it, I’d barely been to traditional markets.
As a beggar, it wasn’t easy to go there.
Not that I went to department stores either.
When I did go, I’d clean up first just so I wouldn’t be chased out.
But this time, it was at Gwangjang Market—a place I’d never visited.
Really, being a beggar had been a tough job.
No travel, barely scraping by day-to-day.
Quitting was the best decision I ever made.
I’ll count on you that day.
“You mean don’t bully you, right?”
…Yes.
“Relax. I’ll be nice. Besides, aren’t you my student?”
Uh… yes.
Wow, he actually answered clearly.
“Anyway, I’m busy. Gotta study Indonesian.”
…What?
“Bye.”
Heh, of course you need to know the local language when you travel.
That’s how a pro rolls.
Whoa… it’s Yoo Woo-seok!
The nation’s squid, the nation’s MC!
Even beggars know Yoo Woo-seok!
And next to him, that buff guy—Kim Jong-uk. Dude looks like a walking muscle, just as the rumors said.
Then villainess Noh Ji-oh—wow, she’s pretty.
And rapper Dio, idol Mayu—also pretty.
And that other one… Park Chan? Some entertainer.
But the point was—
“At this rate, we’ll spend all day just doing introductions.”
“Nah, it won’t be that long.”
Next to me, Joo-hwan tried to laugh off his nerves.
But his whole body shook like a leaf.
“Hey, you’re making me nervous too. Stop shaking. Didn’t you do stuff like this as an idol?”
“No.”
“…Oh.”
His eyes shone even as he answered. I almost felt sorry for asking.
“You can go in now.”
The writer motioned us forward.
We ran in.
“Hello! I’m Woo Su-han!”
“Ah, hello, I’m Woo Su-han too!”
“…Cut. Let’s go again.”
The staff’s face soured.
What am I, a clone? Why’re you introducing yourself as me?
Maybe this is why he never did variety before.
At least the second time he got his own name right.
And thankfully, the veterans were pros.
They reacted with surprise like they’d never seen us before, even though they obviously had.
That’s how you make a living in this business.
We chatted about the drama, then teams were split for the race.
And man, was I hungry.
“Wow, Su-han! Your eyes are sparkling—you look ready to devour everything!”
“I’m starving, that’s why.”
Answering energetically, we tore through the market, hunting items, solving ridiculous food quizzes.
At least we didn’t starve in the end.
Then halfway through, the writer quietly pulled me aside.
“From here, it’s your part. Use any disguise you want—we’ll match the makeup accordingly.”
“Yes.”
Here came the twist.
I’d disappear.
The rest would have to find me.
Since my drama role was a master of disguise, they built the show around that.
“Hmmm.”
Looking at the costumes, I could tell they’d put a lot into it.
But something about them being so new felt off.
“Need anything else?”
“Well, first of all…”
I glanced around, then stopped.
Yeah… this was more my style.
