Chapter 120: Ch 120: you Will be happy :)
Click.
The vintage television turns on.
The black screen dominates my entire field of vision and mind.
I can’t look away.
I have to watch.
Channel locked!
A special message
just for you
is now
playing
Cheerful, classical orchestral music plays in the background.
Then, a black-and-white video begins.
Starring : Kim Soleum
A weary young office worker in their mid-to-late twenties, wearing a black
suit.
Sometimes, they sit at a desk, writing documents with a bare face. Other
times, they wear a strange horned mask, narrowly escaping death while
running through the dangers of ghost stories.
It’s me.
Are you feeling down?
Exhausted?
Suffering from endless tasks, verbal abuse, and office politics?
Are you anxious, unable to trust anyone, living in fear of when you might
die next?
When that happens, you should sit in front of a TV and watch something
fun and new!
I see myself, sitting blankly in front of a TV after returning to my company-
provided housing.
I’m watching a children’s cartoon, trying to calm my fear.
But the cartoon ends quickly, as children’s shows do.
I sit in a daze for a while, staring at the blank screen, before heading to my
room and attempting to sleep.
Have you ever been afraid that the show would end?
Of tomorrow coming?
Did you dread returning to a job that suffocates you, day by day, with stress,
anxiety, and suffering?
Is it that, the deeper you think, the more trapped and scared you feel, as
though there’s no other path to take?
Are you enduring the unbearable, simply because you think this must be the
right way?
...
I... I...
For people like you!
Just a moment now. Don’t panic. Take a deep breath.
A perfect alternative,
A new path has found you!
Ba-bam!
On the screen, a spotlight shines on my bedroom door.
The door swings open dramatically, revealing a silhouette in a sleek brown
suit, head replaced by a vintage TV.
It’s the host.
The answer you’ve been waiting for!
I jump out of bed, shake hands with the host, and smile in relief. I throw the
mask and briefcase out the window without a second thought.
With a snap of the host’s fingers, the company housing turns to ashes,
revealing a dazzling, brightly lit studio.
Standing on stage, the host and I beam with joy.
Scenes I’ve never lived are mixing seamlessly with my memories, piercing
my mind with their uncanny, dizzying realism.
It’s just like the real thing.
The new talk show host is witty, charismatic, full of humor, and always
listens to and understands your worries!
Accept this perfect offer from the one you personally invited, and everything
will get better.
It’s the kind of job no one would want to turn down.
Prepare for your new life!
No.
No, I.
I need to go home...
Oh dear!
Struggling with homesickness?
The scene shifts.
It’s me again, but not my past self.
It’s me, now.
Staring into the TV.
We lock eyes.
Face-to-face.
Starring : You
I see myself reflected on the screen like a mirror.
But the me on the screen looks distressed, his face twisted into a grimace,
on the verge of tears.
No, that’s not me. I’m not making that face right now... right? Am I? Am I
frowning right now? Stop! I’m getting dizzy. I press both hands against my
face, trying to calm down.
My vision goes dark.
But the TV remains clear.
Below my face, a caption appears:
Why are you always longing for home?
Do you crave the happiness of escaping an uncomfortable, burdensome
environment?
Do you cry at night, yearning for peaceful sleep without fear or
nightmares?
Fear not.
The greatest talk show awaits you!
No.
This is a special message for you—yes, you!—who is currently watching:
The crew members of the greatest talk show have no faces.
No discomfort from unfamiliar faces. No awkward interactions. Just the
ideal workplace.
Join us now!
This is madness.
Faceless coworkers? Who would want that? I certainly don’t—
In this workplace, no one struggles with hiding who they really are.
And neither should you, dear viewer.
Feel free to reveal yourself!
Your talents and ideas will flourish in this one-of-a-kind job.
The legendary host has personally turned down countless applications to
reserve this spot just for you!
...
It’s a job so appealing, no one would want to say no.
Welcome to your new home!
No, NO!
On purpose, he keeps using the word home. He knows I want to go home.
That’s what he’s doing.
But what I want isn’t a new home. I’ve never wanted that.
What I want...
What I wish for... is to return to the world I originally lived in, the familiar
world. That place.
A place where I don’t have to worry about being eaten by monsters on the
street. A place where ghost stories are just entertainment. My friends and
family are all there.
And I shouldn’t forget!
I have the silver ring in my hand right now.
I can resist this. I can resist this.
The image on the TV is not me.
I am not smiling.
You will be happy.
In your new home.
I won’t be confused.
I’m going back to my original home.
That’s not home.
I am working to return home, and that purpose will never be reversed.
In your new home.
This insane talk show is not my home.
This insane talk show is not my home.
THIS INSANE TALK SHOW IS NOT MY HOME!!
[Hmm.]
Brief
technical adjustments
ongoing...
The TV screen shattered.
"Hah..."
I exhaled, collapsing onto the floor.
The cold tiles of the cramped train bathroom grounded me back in reality.
Or at least, I thought they did.
[Understood, Mr. Soleum.]
In the next moment, I was standing in a cozy studio.
No, this place had always been a studio.
But this small, cozy space had no audience yet. Only two comfortable
armchairs faced each other.
And standing before me, extending a hand with a solemn air, was the TV-
headed host.
[Oh dear, you seem quite tense... Why don’t we sit down first? Fix your
clothes, wipe away the blood, and let’s have a calmer conversation.]
[It seems the advertisement message was a bit too physically and
mentally stimulating for my friend.]
Soft piano music drifted through the room.
[I overdid it, didn’t I? After all, you don’t have media experience. Let’s
take a moment to breathe.]
With a wave of the host’s hand, a steaming cup appeared on the table
between the two chairs.
...Hot chocolate.
[Ah, do you remember? It’s the drink I always recommended to you
whenever you felt worn out, Mr. Roe Deer. Chocolate! Nothing beats
something warm and comforting for a tired body...]
A smiling emoticon filled the TV screen, and its antenna perked up slightly,
as if excited.
It busily stirred in some marshmallows.
[This is the first time I’m serving it directly, though. When I was just a
stuffed body, I always had to rely on others for things like this.]
"..."
[There were so many things I couldn’t do in that form. Now, come on.
Let’s take a break.]
Following the gentle guidance, I found myself naturally sinking into the
chair.
...Because there was no other choice.
But surprisingly, the host didn’t push me further. It didn’t force the hot
chocolate on me or make any sudden moves.
While I bandaged my arm and stopped the bleeding on my own, the host
simply waited—silent, patient.
It waited like a thoughtful interviewer, saying nothing, letting me regain my
composure.
Gradually, my scattered thoughts began to clear.
[Feeling a bit calmer, Mr. Roe Deer? Take a deep breath, yes... Let’s
have a proper talk.]
The host clasped its hands together and leaned forward politely from the
opposite chair.
[You’ve made it clear—you absolutely do not want to quit your current
job. Am I right?]
"..."
I nodded slowly, cold sweat trickling down my back.
The antenna on the TV head tilted slightly, as if curious.
[That’s strange, so strange... You loathe this job, Mr. Roe Deer!]
"...!"
[We’ve had so many conversations about it. I’ve listened to the
countless complaints of how much you despise this job and how you
never want to do it again once your goal is achieved.]
But that was only because I had to keep going until my goal was reached.
To use the wish ticket and go home, I had no other choice but to stick with
it.
[Just a moment.]
[Yes, Mr. Roe Deer, this is exactly what I wanted to focus on!]
[My friend—you’re saying you desperately want to go home. And, in
fact...]
The host leaned in and whispered.
[I know why you’re saying you want to go home, Mr. Roe Deer.]
Why would there need to be a reason for someone to want to go home?
I tensed, preparing for whatever nonsensical argument it was about to make.
I had to let it talk and let it pass.
[Oh, this may be shocking, but please keep calm.]
But the host’s voice lowered further, turning into a soft whisper, compelling
me to listen.
[It’s because...]
I couldn’t help but lean in, ears straining to hear.
[You actually don’t want to go home.]
...
What?
[Deep down, you already know this, don’t you?]
[You’re confusing yourself, misunderstanding things, and building
biases because of two intense emotions.]
[Fear and desire.]
What are you saying right now...?
[Oh, Mr. Roe Deer... You don’t miss home, and you don’t think that
being home is good. You’re just scared and miserable with what you’re
doing right now.]
"...!"
[Now, Mr. Roe Deer, do you truly hate the fact that the stories you
enjoyed have become reality?]
[Didn’t you feel even a little thrill or excitement seeing how the things
you imagined were brought to life? Are you really telling the truth
when you say you only hate it?]
I don’t...
I don’t hate it as much as I fear it because it’s too dangerous.
[Danger! Ah, yes, a classic and respectable excuse. But let’s think about
this, Mr. Roe Deer.]
The old TV set, replacing the host’s head, crackled faintly.
[Is the ’home’ you wish to return to truly safe?]
T/N:
Sorry about this, but I need to adjust the release schedule 🥲 The Chapters
have been getting long in this arc and it’s a bit difficult to do full daily
updates now 🥲 🥲
New release schedule until further notice:
– 8AM & 6PM (EST), even if the Chapter has three parts
I’ll try to return to the old daily sched in the future if I can! Thank you
everyone, as always, for your understanding
Images flickered across the TV screen—grisly black-and-white news clips.
[War, poverty, climate crisis, terrorism, plagues... and all the other
small, horrific tragedies. Hell can visit anyone, and you are no
exception.]
[In any reality, we cannot choose which tragedy will strike. Unless it’s
on a show, of course!]
But that’s...
[Oh, you already know, deep down. The place you call ’home’ and this
place aren’t really all that different.]
[Does it matter whether the monsters from stories come to life or
whether real monsters roam the streets? What matters is your
suffering.]
Braun spread his fingers, folding them one by one as he listed various disasters.
[Death that strikes without warning? Tell me, is there such a place
where death announces its arrival beforehand? It’s equally terrifying
everywhere.]
[Your peace in that world is just as fragile and meaningless. It can be
shattered by the push of a button by some maniacal dictator...]
[In the end, isn’t this just about your subjective experience, Mr. Roe
Deer?]
I stared blankly at the TV.
[And subjective experiences are not truth. They’re distorted
perceptions unique to you.]
[Set aside your biases, Friend.]
That... that can’t be true...
...
...
Right?
It felt like something didn’t quite fit, but I couldn’t find the words to argue
back.
It sounded convincing.
But surely, this isn’t just about my perception.
[That’s okay. Acceptance always takes time. This Braun is always here
to talk things through with you... Just like always!]
[For now, let’s develop this conversation further, shall we? Let’s dig a
little deeper.]
Braun’s voice softened as he asked,
[What is it that you truly want, Mr. Soleum?]
[Let’s think beyond ’going home’ for a moment.]
...
What do I truly...No, wait.
How does he know so much about my situation?
He’s reading my thoughts completely.
How much does he know? How deeply has he understood me?
And if he already knows what I’m thinking, does arguing have any
meaning? Is there even a way to escape?
Wait. Can he hear this thought too? How much of my mind is the host able
to read? Does he know about the things I’ve learned from the Dark
Exploration Records...
[Mr. Soleum.]
I felt like I was going insane.
The fear was suffocating me. I just wanted to escape this situation...
[Exactly! That’s it!]
Huh?
[You’ve finally realized it, Mr. Soleum. What your heart truly desires!]
The host snapped its fingers with a loud SNAP—
[To escape fear.]
"...!!"
The TV screen moved closer.
[And look here, we have a quick and guaranteed method...]
How to
Escape Fear :
Join Braun
and Create a Talk Show
Together
[You will be comfortable and enjoy yourself in my studio.]
[With the passionate spirit of a show creator, your creativity and
brilliance will shine even more brightly when fear is absent. This Braun
fully guarantees it.]
[A workplace where you don’t need to overthink—just focus on making
great shows. Free from any other dangers, welcome to the studio of this
legendary host.]
The words sound the same, but they feel different.
I don’t find them absurd anymore.
That’s terrifying.
[Hush now, shh. No need to be afraid. Let’s listen to this Braun’s
words...]
[Now, Friend, can you take a moment to look at your hand? Yes, just
like that... What do you see?]
...The silver ring on my index finger.
[Correct! And what does wearing that signify?]
...
’That I—haven’t been corrupted.’
It means my judgment hasn’t been consumed by the anomaly, and I’m in a
state where I can think clearly, resist mentally, and make rational decisions
like any human being.
[That’s right! If this were a quiz show, you’d have won a prize—how
unfortunate.]
[In any case, this means your current decision isn’t wrong. Take a deep
breath and relax.]
[How do you feel right now?]
I—
[Let me guess... ’Braun’s words make sense, and maybe it wouldn’t
hurt to give it a try, just this once?’ Right?]
...
...
But...!
[Exactly!]
[Now, let’s seize this opportunity together, Friend.]
Braun stands up, adjusting his suit with the poise of a business partner
ready to close a deal.
[All it takes is a handshake.]
[No complicated contracts are needed between us. Just a handshake
and we’ll start working together.]
...
[Don’t you want to spend peaceful days free from fear and pain? All
you need is a stronger friend by your side and a more enjoyable job
ahead.]
[And if, by chance, you don’t find it enjoyable at all... you can return
to your original workplace.]
...
"Really?"
[Really.]
...
[Seize this chance, Friend.]
[This is your moment.]
I raised my trembling hand.
And extended it.
Toward him.
[That’s it.]
Firmly.
The host’s large hand completely engulfed mine in a handshake.
[You won’t regret this, Friend.]
The surroundings brightened.
Lights poured from every direction, and the cramped studio expanded,
revealing itself as it emerged from the shadows...
[Now, introducing your new workplace, Mr. Soleum! Your new
colleagues! Your new life!]
A pristine set, a stage adorned with sparkling bulbs, and above it, a classic
golden sign glowing with elegance...
[The thrill of witnessing, the joy of connection, the excitement of
unpredictable developments, anticipation—all of it in this humble
space that desires nothing but the audience’s applause.]
Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show
I...
[Congratulations on becoming a part of it, Mr. Soleum.]
...had successfully shifted careers.
T/N: my fave kkp comment here:
Excuse me but I kinda need to use the restroom.. Please come out now, you two.