Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work-Chapter 122

Backstage was buzzing with activity just moments before the live talk show began.

Faceless staff members moved with precision, coordinating and adjusting in real time.

“Hah...”

I exhaled deeply.

By now, I’d learned to understand their subtle cues and whispers. The murmurings of the faceless.

"Add light to position 5."

"Host needs a shoe change."

"Check cushion placement for the guest."

Each worked diligently at their station, brainstorming ways to create a better show.

The host was generous with praise, which only elevated the team’s energy and morale.

It was a truly remarkable workplace. The faceless staff had initially been unsettling, but I had fully adapted.

"Humans are creatures of habit, after all."

Unlike diving into ghost stories—something I could never truly get used to—working here felt like a natural fit. Maybe Brown was right about me having the wrong aptitude for exploration.

"It’s fine."

I habitually checked that I was still wearing my silver ring, then finally stepped onto the stage.

“...Alright.”

This was the day.

The day I’d appear in my first segment of Brown’s Late Night Talk Show.

"Soleum!"

The host approached, already prepped and ready.

"You look fantastic in that outfit. Ah... wait! Let’s touch up that tattoo cover a bit more."

The host meticulously inspected the area near my wrist, where a faint tattoo peeked out from under my suit sleeve. With a wave, the tattoo disappeared as if it had never been there.

Soon, I was seated in my designated spot, ready for the live broadcast to begin.

"Excellent, Soleum. Now, the cameras will light up shortly," the host said.

"Yes."

"And soon, the audience will fill the seats. Just focus on entertaining them. Here we go..."

The countdown began on the classic prompter in front of me.

3.

2.

1.

0.

"Good evening! Bringing you joy in the night, introducing new faces every day, and... your friendly host!"

Brown’s Late Night Talk Show.

As the band struck up a lively tune and the studio lit up in dazzling brilliance, the live broadcast began.

“Huh?”

“What the...?”

“What’s going on?”

The audience seats filled in an instant.

The people, who had been preparing for bed, were suddenly transported to the radiant set. They looked around in shock, confusion plain on their faces.

"Why am I wearing this?"

The audience members, all dressed in various work outfits, looked like they were perfectly suited for the "working professionals" special.

"Welcome, hardworking office workers! Tonight, we’re bringing you a show to wipe away your fatigue, filled with fascinating, thrilling, and delightfully chilling entertainment!"

Clap, clap...

The host clapped alone, then displayed a sheepish and slightly sad emoticon on the TV screen.

"No applause? Not even a little?"

Clap, clap, clap, clap!!

The audience, caught off guard, joined in with scattered applause.

"What even is this...?"

"Who cares, they look amazing. Just go along with it."

Two office workers sitting near me whispered and exchanged glances before joining the applause more earnestly.

The host walked among the audience, greeting them warmly and guiding the atmosphere.

There was an underlying eeriness to the show, but the jokes were genuinely funny, and the strange, unheard-of tales were captivating.

Before long, the initial tension dissipated, and the audience began to accept the surreal setting naturally—like watching a magician or an elaborate sci-fi film. The line between reality and fiction blurred.

And then, the moment arrived.

"And now, today’s guest is... oh, here they come!"

A door glittering with star-shaped lights opened dramatically, and the guest emerged.

The guest I had chosen.

A small, waddling teddy bear made of patched-up fabric.

It had mismatched button eyes and a scrappy appearance but was undeniably cute.

"Isn’t it adorable? Let me introduce today’s guest... ‘Happy Ending Teddy Bear’!"

As the tiny bear climbed onto the sofa, gasps of surprise and delight rippled through the audience.

"What is that?"

"It’s so cute!"

"Wait, is it moving? Where am I? Is this a dream? What kind of talk show... oh, right, I signed up to be here!"

The murmurs gradually faded, giving way to focused attention.

The audience’s interest was hooked.

"The Happy Ending Teddy Bear is brought to you in collaboration with Delusion Home Shopping. Once a limited-edition collectible from 1999, this iconic companion doll is no longer available for sale."

"It’s said to grant peaceful ‘endings’ to owners who treasure it until death. But beware—those who discard it will be visited in the dead of night and turned into a doll themselves!"

The host leaned forward, holding the microphone near the bear.

"How are you feeling? ...Oh, it seems our guest is so nervous, they feel like wailing at the grave of their first owner."

Laughter erupted from the audience.

Good. The reaction was promising.

The mix of cuteness, anthropomorphism, and eerie retribution was a timeless formula that always worked.

That’s why I’d liked Kind Friend so much... no, stop. Don’t think about that now.

If the audience likes it, the viewers probably will too.

The talk show’s format was designed to allow non-human viewers to enjoy the audience’s reactions, as if watching a live reaction video. The setup worked perfectly.

The show proceeded smoothly.

The Happy Ending Teddy Bear shared bittersweet tales of kind owners who cherished it, contrasted with chilling accounts of cruel owners who suffered its vengeance. The host narrated these stories, accompanied by photos, props, and illustrations that deepened the atmosphere.

The climax arrived.

"And so, the father who stubbed out cigarettes on you and beat the child who played with you... is sitting right there in the audience!"

"It’s you!"

Bam!

Follow current novℯls on ƒгeewёbnovel.com.

A spotlight illuminated one of the audience members.

"Come on up... haha! Let’s welcome our second guest with applause."

The spotlighted person was the bear’s previous owner, planted in the audience.

They were brought onto the stage, where the Happy Ending Teddy Bear demonstrated how it transformed its former owner into another teddy bear.

Amidst screams and blood, the captivated audience reacted with a mix of horror and satisfaction. Those in the front row, who had been handed ponchos beforehand, even cheered and clapped enthusiastically.

It was like watching a thrilling ghost story come to life.

"And now we have another adorable teddy bear!" the host declared.

"Isn’t that wonderful? A truly productive addition. Let’s give a big round of applause to our guest, Happy Ending Teddy Bear!"

Cheers erupted.

The bear trembled with excitement as it bowed to the audience.

At this point...

"And now, onto our next segment: Q&A!"

The host raised a hand to its speaker, mimicking someone cupping their ear.

"Are you there, my friend?"

This was my cue.

"Right here, friend!"

I raised my hand and stood up from the middle of the audience.

Gasps of surprise echoed around me.

Above my head, a glowing sign appeared:

Ask Brown’s Friend!

"For the next 100 seconds, my friend will ask the audience about their impressions of the talk show or pose fun questions! Those who give great answers will win amazing prizes. Let’s begin!"

The TV screen displayed a countdown timer.

"Starting now!"

A sea of hands shot up.

I looked around, slightly taken aback, and gestured to myself.

"Wait, you’re raising your hands without hearing my introduction or the question?"

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

"Ah, running out of time? Al...right... then..."

I exaggeratedly slowed my speech, drawing even louder laughter.

"First question: ‘What was the most boring moment of this show?’"

"Friend!"

"When did you feel like yawning so hard you thought, ‘I could do a better job than this!’?"

The comedic timing between me and the host drew scattered chuckles.

In the front row, a few poncho-clad audience members waved their ponchos with enthusiasm, still smeared with blood from the earlier segment.

I quickly approached them and held out the microphone.

"Right now."

"Ooooh!"

Laughter exploded again. I feigned betrayal, pretending to be hurt, then seamlessly moved on to the next question.

Thanks to the earlier segment’s success, the audience’s responses exceeded my expectations. They were captivated.

Is this... fun?

Somehow, I felt giddy.

The 100 seconds flew by. As the segment drew to its final moments, I handed the mic to one last audience member.

"If you could ask for just one thing from this talk show, what would it be?" I asked enthusiastically.

The audience member shouted back just as energetically.

"I want to take that teddy bear home!"

Ah.

"That’s not allowed."

...

The room fell silent.

Both the audience and the stage.

"......."

Why did I say that? No, focus on damage control.

I raised an eyebrow, pretending it was intentional.

Then, nodding knowingly, I said, "Our dear guest teddy bear has expressed a preference against serious relationships with busy professionals."

"What?!"

The Happy Ending Teddy Bear frantically waved its arms from the sofa, as if denying my words. Watching it, I nodded solemnly and relayed the message to the audience.

"It still says no."

"...?!"

The teddy bear toppled over, eliciting laughter from the audience.

"Just kidding! It says it’s happy to go with you."

"Wow! That’s amazing! Natural death has always been my dream!"

"Really? Same here."

I laughed along and high-fived the audience member.

Phew. Crisis averted.

Next!

I quickly turned to look for the next question. The person who raised their hand the fastest was...

Someone familiar.

“...!!”

For a moment, I stared, frozen.

A figure in a mask and a neatly tailored suit.

‘...It’s the Dreamscape Corporation Field Exploration Team.’

My old workplace.

More specifically...

‘...It’s the D-Team.’

Three people I once worked with were sitting side by side.

How? Those three—no, the D-Team only has the Lizard Captain now. How could they...?

[Ding! Time’s up.]

Oh.

[Now, friend, tell us. Who is today’s MVP?]

"Today’s MVP is..."

I pointed to the audience member who wanted to adopt the guest.

"The guest adopter."

"Oooooh!"

[Haha! Wishing you a happy natural death!]

The selected audience member received their beautifully wrapped gift and returned to their seat, beaming.

Meanwhile, the Happy Ending Teddy Bear stared intently at them.

"......."

With that, my segment concluded, and I exited the stage to applause.

My heart was pounding.

I did it.

And just as I caught my breath...

[And now, let’s introduce our next guest. Oh, but before that...]

[We’ll be right back after these commercials!]

The audience alternated between boos and cheers as Brown waved, signaling the commercial break.

Phew!

[Soleum!]

Brown appeared backstage, his TV face alight with a massive smiling emoticon. He approached me, switched to an emoticon of pride, and raised his hand for a high five.

Then, patting my shoulder as if brimming with pride, he said:

[Friend, you did wonderfully! It’s hard to believe that was your first time hosting. An incredibly impressive 100 seconds, truly.]

"I don’t think it was that great..."

[No, no! This is neither flattery nor exaggeration. It’s genuine admiration. You’re starting to put real passion into this show, and it shows.]

It was a gratifying moment.

"Um, by the way," I began, smiling, "I saw some familiar faces in the audience. Could I go chat with them during the break? Just for a bit... not long."

[Ah.]

The host paused.

And then...

[Of course. It’s the break, after all. Go ahead and talk to them.]

Phew. Permission granted! Thank goodness.

"Then, I’ll just—"

[Wait.]

A hand gripped my shoulder.

[Just be careful not to say anything that might unsettle the other audience members. Remember, even off-camera, they still see you as part of the show’s cast.]

"...Got it."

The TV face leaned in closer.

[You won’t forget, will you?]

"...I won’t forget."

[Good! Have fun, then.]

I backed away cautiously, giving Brown a brief wave before heading offstage. As I moved through the audience, I maintained a professional demeanor, thanking people and ensuring everything was running smoothly, as if it were all part of my job.

Finally, I reached the familiar masked figures.

Those masks I knew so well.

"Soleum...?"

"...Deputy Manager."

It was Deputy Manager Eun Haje, Manager Lee Jaheon, and even Junior Manager Park Minseong, all seated together.

Wow.

Seeing them like this brought back memories. It was as if I’d gone back to the time before we entered the Hungry Hangman darkness.

"Fancy meeting you here! It’s great to see you all. How have you been?"

The Lizard Captain and Eun Haje both nodded.

Junior Manager Park Minseong, meeting my eyes, gave me a small wave and a smile. His complexion seemed a bit pale, but he looked healthy enough.

Maybe he’d improved to the point of being able to enjoy activities like this at night. That was a relief.

"We’re doing fine, but... Soleum, are you okay? How have you been?" Eun Haje asked.

"Oh, I’ve been doing well," I said with confidence.

That much, at least, I could say for sure.

But I couldn’t resist asking, "This was my first time appearing on the show today. What did you think? I was a bit nervous."

Silence.

"It was excellent," Eun Haje finally said.

"...Thank you."

Phew.

The silence had been unnerving, but I trusted Eun Haje’s sincerity. He wasn’t one for empty praise, so his words reassured me.

"By the way, did you have anything to eat today?" Lee Jaheon asked suddenly.

"Food? Oh..."

Ah.

Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since I last ate. The last time might have been before preparing for the broadcast—back when I was still on the train? Something like that.

Still, I felt perfectly fine. My body was in peak condition.

Laughing, I waved it off.

"It’s fine. I’m not hungry."

"......."

Junior Manager Park Minseong quickly rummaged through his pocket and pulled something out.

"Soleum, even so. It’s your break, right? You should at least have a snack. Here..."

"Oh, I’m sorry. The show has a policy against accepting gifts from the audience. It’s to ensure clean operations."

I politely declined the nostalgic-looking candy he offered.

Park Minseong’s expression faltered.

"Ah...."

...Did I say something wrong?

I wracked my brain for a solution and came up with an idea.

"Don’t worry. I happen to have the exact same candy. I’ll just eat that instead."

"...!"

"Good."

Eun Haje extended a hand for a handshake.

His grip was warm.

"Make sure you eat it."

"......."

"Soleum."

Ah.

The Lizard Captain was looking at me.

"Press the button."

"......?"

I didn’t quite understand what he meant.

But showing confusion wasn’t very professional.

"Yes. I’ll give it my best effort. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the show. Sleep well tonight and good luck tomorrow."

I hoped their visit to the show brought them a bit of joy amidst their challenging work lives.

Is this what Brown meant by the heart of a show creator?

I observed their reactions.

‘It’s hard to read expressions with those masks...’

Wait.

If they’re wearing masks, could it be they’re on a mission?

If so, I should reassure them.

"Oh, if you’re here for work, there’s nothing to worry about. Just enjoy the show and head back afterward."

"...Really?"

"Yes! It’s completely safe here."

Clearings as easy as this were rare. In fact, it felt even easier than the Tuesday Talk Show. No one from the general audience had died, after all!

Of course, if we wanted more drama, we could’ve added harsher punishments, like in Tuesday Talk Show. But the current setup—where consequences were just enough to entertain without overwhelming—worked well.

I briefly felt gratitude toward Brown.

But Park Minseong shook his head slightly.

"We’re not here for work."

Huh?

"...We came to see you, Soleum."

...Me?

"Soleum, how did you end up in a situation like this—"

[Ah, friend!]

"...!"

The host called from the stage, gesturing energetically.

Right. The commercial break was over. The show was about to resume!

"I’ll head back up now. See you later. Oh! The next segment should be really fun—please enjoy it."

"Wait—"

I didn’t catch the rest of their response as I bowed and quickly made my way back to the stage.

The lights were dazzling.

***

The talk show ended with roaring applause and cheers as always.

"Thank you, everyone! We'll see you again tomorrow at 11:33 PM!"

Brown skillfully wrapped up the broadcast and, as usual, took care of the staff and crew once the lights went out on the stage.

I did the same.

Staring at the now-empty audience seats, I snapped out of my thoughts as I was approached and complimented.

"How was it? Quite fun, wasn’t it, Soleum?"

"Yeah... it was better than I expected."

"Wonderful! I’m delighted to hear that. Great. I’ve already spoken with the writers to have you appear once or twice a week as ‘Brown’s Friend’!"

"Ah... okay."

Acknowledgment came with a strange sensation in my chest, but I decided to take it positively.

Then, the host asked casually as he passed by.

"Oh, by the way, did you enjoy chatting with your former colleagues? I noticed you were speaking with someone in the audience."

"...! Yeah. It was nice seeing them after so long."

"I see. I’m curious—what delightful conversation did you share?"

"Oh, they were just checking if I’d eaten."

"Aha! Our show does provide exclusive catering services for the staff’s dietary needs...."

The TV screen blurred for a moment.

"...but it seems you haven’t touched any meals at all, Mr. Soleum. Nor have you applied for the personal catering service. This is unbelievable! We informed you on your first day!"

Honestly, it just felt like a hassle. I awkwardly scratched the back of my neck.

"I’m fine without it."

"My goodness! You’re making me look like a neglectful partner who doesn’t care about their colleagues’ meals. No, no, this is my oversight. I should have paid more attention as your friend, knowing new crew members are often too busy adjusting...."

Brown extended a hand dramatically.

"They say inspiration and ideas come from having a well-rested and nourished body. Let’s promise this won’t happen again, shall we?"

Well, it didn’t make much of a difference to me; if anything, I was in better shape than usual....

"Alright, I’ll try."

"Oh dear, my friend has even picked up the jaded industry lingo!"

Though Brown joked lightly, he didn’t press me further.

It was break time, after all.

"Just in case you forget, Mr. Soleum, I must remind you that proper rest is essential for producing the best show!"

"Got it. I’ll see you later, then."

I parted ways with Brown for a while.

Passing through the staff and backstage areas, I made my way to my dressing room.

Click.

As I stepped in and closed the door, I rolled up my sleeve to look at my arm.

The tattoos that were usually covered by makeup remained hidden.

"...Hmm."

Interesting. It seemed that tattoos rendered invisible by makeup couldn’t function.

"Now that the live broadcast is over, I can remove this makeup."

I rubbed my arm to wipe it off.

: Socius :

: 恩主 :

I reached into the tattoos, which acted as my inventory, and pulled out an item.

"It’s been a while, hasn’t it?"

What I held in my hand was a piece of Nostalgia Candy.

"I did say I’d eat it, didn’t I?"

Well... I wasn’t particularly hungry or tired, but still.

After a brief moment of hesitation, I unwrapped one piece of candy and popped it into my mouth.

Chomp.