Chapter 363

Chapter 363

The production team’s plot wasn’t shown until toward the end of the second episode the following week.

Of course. The show was supposed to consist of five episodes, and it wouldn’t make sense for us to lose all our coins at the beginning of the second episode. As a result, the impact of the scene was even stronger since it came after a long stretch of peaceful and relaxing segments.

TeSTAR was grinning and smiling, blissfully unaware as they opened up the penalty note.

[Kim Raebin: There was a thief in the night… and they took all of TeSTAR’s precious carrot coins…?]

[!!!!]

The cameras zoomed in on every one of our faces as our smiles abruptly disappeared. The comments exploded online in real time.

- F*ck LOL

- Look at their faces

- Please stop inserting Munggye’s surprised face behind Moondae’s haha T_T

- The production team looks so excited…

There was a typing sound effect as time was rewound and things were shown from the production team’s perspective this time.

[Here’s what really happened]

[Forty days ago]

The production team were seated around the table, having a serious conversation.

[Director: This group has suffered too much at our hands already! I know that they are going to do everything they can so that they don’t fall for (the same tricks)]

[Writer (Lee): Yeah. True.]

[Writer (Park): I think we’re going to have to come up with an elaborate plan.]

[They sound like they’re discussing the capture of a dangerous wild animal]

The team had planned this out to the extent that they had filmed themselves in their meeting discussing it.

“Wow.”

“They went that far, huh?”

Incredulous laughter came from all around. We were watching the episode together in the van while en route to the next event on our schedule. In any case, the production team talked among themselves and continued the briefing, an exciting background track playing.

[Director: Let’s first take a look at the members who are less suspicious than the others.]

The captions behaved as though this was some kind of secret mission.

[Difficulty ★★]

[Seon Ahyeon, Bae Sejin]

[Characteristics / When it comes to deceiving them, the first time is always the hardest]

“Me…?” Bae Sejin said, taken aback.

“Hmm… Uh…” Seon Ahyeon said, embarrassed.

“Hahaha!”

Many of us laughed at this.

[Director: As for these guys, we just have to persuade them once, logically.]

[Writer (Park): Right. They’re just such nice people.]

[Writer (Lee): Very ethical, yeah.]

Then the director said something we had already heard him say.

[Director: You know what? Let’s just tell them to sue us if it turns out that we’re lying.]

[LMAO]

The writers continued to return to this joke throughout the meeting.

“…!”

[It worked, thanks :)]

“Ugh!”

The two mentioned members went red with betrayal, but on screen they moved quickly on to the next target.

[Difficulty ★★★]

[Ryu Chungwoo]

[Characteristic / Doesn’t really show anything]

“Haha,” Ryu Chungwoo laughed awkwardly as he watched a compilation of his famously mild expression play out.

[Writer (Park): For him, I think we can just… assure them that we have no need to deceive them this time.]

[Writer (Lee): So it won’t really matter since he doesn’t show it even if he has his doubts (?)]

The editing made it seem as though they were talking nonsense, but they were surprisingly accurate.

[Difficulty ★★★★?]

[Cha Eugene]

[Characteristic / Unpredictable American grandson]

[Writer (Lee): I really don’t know what to say about him. I doubt that he’ll care whether he’s being tricked, though.]

[Director: Okay!]

[And Cha Eugene really didn’t care…]

A collection of images of Cha Eugene happily eating and driving passed by. He seemed to be enjoying himself a lot.

He’s consistent. I checked the real-time comments, which consisted of “LOL” and “LMAO” and the like, before turning back to the screen. Five stars appeared next.

[Difficulty ★★★★★]

[Lee Sejin]

[Writer (Park): I’m sure all of you know about him…]

[(LOL)]

[Director: I’ll bet he’s anticipating that we’ll try to fool the group. He knows a thing or two about variety shows.]

[Writer (Lee): We should still try. If we insist that nothing fishy is going on, I know that he will play along.]

This was true. These bastards are good at analyzing people.

[Characteristics / Very serious about variety shows]

A clip of Lee Sejin enjoying himself in a relaxing scene flew past.

“Hey, good-looking!” Big Sejin said.

Hmm. I cupped my chin in my hand. As for me, I had already contributed considerably with the puppy content. Maybe they will gloss over me.

They did no such thing. Red stars appeared on the screen again.

[Difficulty ★★★★★]

[Difficulty ★★★★★ + ★!]

Another star was stamped on accompanied by a screen shake.

Don’t tell me…

[Park Moondae]

“…!”

“Ahahaha!”

I’ll just ignore them. Captions were appearing rapidly on the screen again.

[AKA Tibetan Moondae, Moon Puppy]

[Characteristics / Always suspects that the production team is up to no good]

[Director: I think it’s like an instinct with him.]

[Writer: Maybe it’s because he’s a puppy? You know dogs can sniff anything out… Oh, god that’s so funny! (LOL)]

A collection of scenes in which I was asking something suspiciously of the production team played.

[Park Moondae: The bus is headed for the countryside for sure, yes?]

[Park Moondae: You’re letting us borrow the coins, right?]

[Park Moondae: Is there going to be a bet over the production costs…]

[Suspicion]

[Doubt]

[He never lets his guard down…!]

“Hahaha!”

“Look at his face!”

The video had been touched up. I did not recall looking at them with such open suspicion.

[We will deceive him no matter what it takes!]

In any case, the grand background track came to an end as the production team renewed their resolve to deceive us. The screen faded to black for a moment. There were surprised noises from around us.

“Huh? What about Raebin?”

“You’re right. Why isn’t Raebin…”

A silly background track began to play with the next scene.

[Appendix]

[Difficulty ★]

[Kim Raebin]

“…!”

[Director: I really like Raebin.]

[Writer (Park): Me too.]

[Writer (Lee): He is the sort of person that every production team making a variety show wants to have on their show.]

Countless cuts of a confused Raebin taking a moment and justifying everything he saw in his head flashed past.

“Oh god! Hahaha!”

“My goodness…”

I glanced beside me. Kim Raebin’s gaze was uncertain again. I pretended not to notice.

[Thanks, Raebin! - From the production team]

In any case, the content of the first episode was then shown again from the perspective of the production team. What resulted was both thrilling and humorous.

[Doubtful stare]

[Writer (Lee): This won’t do! Moondae and Sejin are still… (suspicious)]

[Youngest writer: Oh no! Director! That puppy from your house…]

[We decided to send in one of Moondae’s kind]

When we finally abandoned all suspicion, the production team hugged each other and jumped in the air with a cheer as though we had just scored in the World Cup or something.

[Yeah!↗ (Cheering)]

[This is how it happened :)]

“Are you serious?”

Even though we knew what had happened, seeing it play out again was still annoying. TeSTAR was then put through all kinds of terrible ordeals by the waterside before eventually being dragged to a broad carrot field, where they ended up laid out on their backs, completely drained of all energy. It was a dark comedy.

- This is why you can’t trust people

- On a side note, don’t get into crypto, guys

- LMAO

The rapid change in the pacing and mood were obviously causing people to pity us, but the audience was also enjoying themselves. This was the point where a carefully orchestrated trailer was included. Raebin appeared at night, holding a shovel.

- Huh?

- The hell?

- This suddenly feels like a thriller

The dialogue was intentionally misleading, too.

[Kim Raebin: Here goes…]

[Thunder rumbles]

There was thunder and lightning in the background as the scene faded to black. The show then shifted to an ending with a cheerful background track. It heightened the contrast.

- Whut LOL

- Oh my god!

- What was that?

- Is he going off to battle or something?

- The production team are the ones who need to be scared

“There’s something wrong with Raebin’s face!” Eugene said.

“I-it’s probably the lights, Raebin…” Ahyeon said.

“I’m okay…” Raebin said, red in the face and burying his face in the sofa.

I shook my head.

Talk about a misdirection…

Raebin had looked so grim that he could very well have been off to kill somebody. People in the comments made a huge fuss and entertained all kinds of silly proposals. It took a few days for more reasonable guesses to appear.

- I think he must have been working. You know, digging up carrots LOL

- I think this is the right answer. Gosh, it can’t have been easy for them…

Both answers were wrong.

Here it finally comes.

[Park Moondae: (Can’t take this anymore)]

The part where Raebin and I went off in the night to copy the coins appeared in the following week’s episode. The viewers were enthralled.

- F*ck! Park Moondae! LOL

- I’m so relieved that he’s an idol

- Ensuring justice through… counterfeiting?

- Someone save Raebin T_T He’s been had!

Wait, why am I the weirdo, and Raebin an innocent bystander who was convinced to come along?

- Look at Park Moondae’s professional camera work LOL. It’s even funnier because there is practically no shaking at all. It’s like he’s a professional counterfeiter or something haha

- A revolution? Moon Puppy, since when was making fake money revolutionary?

- Stop combining his photos with Munggye LOL

This confirmed it. When it came to variety shows, people considered me to be the weirdo—the unhinged one, so to speak. I withheld a sigh.

At least I’m not a villain, I guess. I was used to the trickiness of the edit and had been since the days of Idol Inc. I decided to calmly accept this distortion of reality.

The production team also took a hit. I meant this with regard to their reputation. Because they had edited themselves to be the bad guys, they had actually suffered some criticism after the previous episode. It had thus given the viewers incredible catharsis to see TeSTAR turn the tables on them.

I guess I’m a bit grateful for that. The edit they’d given us protected our reputation and also generated buzz.

Our counterattack went down successfully, too. I nodded, thinking to myself that working with them again might not be such a bad idea.

In the meantime, funny satire videos edited like drama trailers titled “Animal Farm Minting Fake Money” became popular on social media. The fourth episode returned to the relaxing mood that had been present from the beginning, and then it was time for the final episode to air. We gathered in the living room again.

“It’s been a while since we sat together in the living room like this to watch TV,” Chungwoo commented.

“I know! It’s a bit tough because we’re so busy… but it’s fun!” Big Sejin said.

“Raise the volume, please!” Eugene said.

The production had suggested we make a reaction video to the fifth episode and upload it to WeTube. There could only be one reason for this.

There’s another twist somewhere. There was only one thing that had not been cleared up, so it was obvious what this was going to be about. They were going to reveal who had stolen the coins. I already had a good idea of who it might be.

“Hmm? What is it, Moondae?” Big Sejin said.

“It’s nothing.”

I turned my attention back to the TV again. The first two thirds of the episode showed us performing in front of the elderly residents and getting up to some cute antics—this was edited so adorably that I felt somewhat humiliated. I wasn’t sure how to stomach this, since we were all approaching our mid-twenties now. In any case, the important part came next, when we got on the bus to leave.

[Director: Guys, you didn’t actually manage to find the culprit, did you?]

[Ryu Chungwoo: Haha. You’re right. You fooled us for long enough. Are you going to tell us now?]

[Director: Sorry about that.]

The director spoke in a tone of exaggerated servility, and captions appeared.

[Who could it be…?]

The scene shifted to the meeting between the production team members again. I nodded. It’s about time. I waited for Big Sejin to appear.

[Director: First of all, we will leave out Park Moondae and Lee Sejin.]

[Writer (Park): Yeah. They are too perceptive. This sort of thing needs to be unpredictable, so the viewers don’t get suspicious.]

“…?”

[Writer (Lee): Wait a second. I doubt anyone would suspect Raebin.]

[!!!!]

There was a brief silence, and the scene shifted to a different camera. It was… Kim Raebin, who was standing with the production team.

[The day the coins were stolen]

[Director: You are the culprit, Raebin.]

[Kim Raebin: I’m sorry?]

[Director: You are the person who picked the note. Of course, you have to be the thief!]

[Kim Raebin: …!]

Kim Raebin’s eyes were bulging out of his head. Captions flew across the screen.

[Director: And think about it. What did you do last night? You gave us the pouch.]

[Director: What does that mean? It means you stole the coins!]

A flashback scene began. It was right before we went to bed, when the camera memory cards were being replaced.

[Writer (Lee): We need to inventory the props for a moment! Sorry, Raebin, would you hand me that for a second?]

[Kim Raebin: Right!]

Raebin handed the pouch with the coins in it over to the production team without hesitation.

So that’s how they did it? It’s so seamless that I don’t know what to say. He was duped, wasn’t he?

Bae Sejin said, “Y-you!”

“Sorry! I had no idea!” Raebin said.

This was obviously the truth.

Was this why he felt so guilty? Scenes in which he flinched and started to sweat every time we mentioned the missing coins played across the screen.

[Park Moondae: We should report whoever did this to the police.]

[Kim Raebin: Y-yes…]

[The person who stole them↑]

It was pitiful, but hilarious at the same time. Everyone seemed to think so.

- The rabbit turned in the carrot coins

- LOL. The production team is so evil… T_T Poor medieval rabbit

- Why did you have to loot Kim Raebin, of all people?

Kim Raebin did try to protest, to his credit.

[Kim Raebin: I’m going to turn myself in!]

[Director: Wait!]

They had predicted this as well.

[PD: If you get found out now, the coins will simply be gone forever!]

[Kim Raebin: (shocked)]

[Director: But if you keep this a secret until the very end…]

[Kim Raebin: Y-yes?]

Kim Raebin was easily taken in again, and the director adopted a cheerful tone.

[Director: I will double all the coins in the village, and they will be used to buy more massage chairs!]

[Kim Raebin: (gasps)]

[Director: See, you are like Robin Hood! The righteous thief!]

[Will it work?]

The camera slowly zoomed in on Raebin, who had stopped moving.

“No, don’t tell me…”

He fell for it.

[Kim Raebin: A-all right!]

Kim Raebin said on screen, balling his hands into fists.

“Oh god!”

“I knew it!”

“I’m sorry!”

Huge captions appeared like some kind of announcement.

[The medieval rabbit, the carrot thief, kicks into action!]

[Writer (Lee): Let’s give him a mission to steal more coins so he’ll be completely complicit.]

[LMAO]

[It was supposed to be the perfect crime…]

But that hadn’t panned out. It had been Kim Raebin who had given me the details on how to make the coins at the hardware store at night.

[???]

[Director: What is Raebin doing there?]

[The production team is confused]

In the end, the production team urgently summoned Raebin in secret.

[Director: Wait, why did you help Moondae? You are supposed to be a thief!]

Raebin spoke with a serious gleam in his eyes.

[Kim Raebin: Because I’m a thief, I can participate in the minting of fake coins!]

[Director: Wait a second…]

[Kim Raebin: More coins in circulation means more to be given to the public hall. I believe this is the right thing to do.]

[Director: (falls silent)]

The director was staring, his mouth hanging open. Captions were stamped over him.

[The conclusion]

[Kim Raebin would not have done this if they hadn’t suggested he be a thief first]

- LOL

- Dug their own grave

- Yeah, karma

- Wait, this means that he managed to control the culprit and use him for the group’s benefit! And he lucked into it completely unaware!

The production team’s despair greatly entertained the viewers. I stared down at Kim Raebin, who was seated on the floor.

“Sorry, Moondae! I wasn’t trying to deceive you. I had no choice, since they told me that the coins would be gone forever if I was caught…”

“Sure,” I said with a simple smile.

It can’t have been easy for him. I knew that with his personality, the role they’d cast him in unwillingly would have been pretty taxing. Though the result had turned out fun, of course. One thing bothered me.

It wasn’t Big Sejin? I wished I could take back the furtive comments I’d made to him.

F*ck. In any case, I patted Raebin on the shoulder.

“Well done.”

“Right…!” Raebin said, finally brightening up.

The show had reverted to a more cheerful note now.

[Good work, Raebin!]

Nobody else seemed to react to this, however.

“…?”

I looked around me and noticed that everyone except Eugene seemed uncertain—or perhaps confused.

Huh? Their reaction was hard to understand. I was about to say something when the background track suddenly faded away.

[Cha Eugene: Yes! But…]

[BUT]

[: Used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting

with what has already been mentioned]

“…?”

[Did you enjoy this, everyone?]

[It’s not over yet.]

[3]

[2]

[1]

The director’s voice played over a dark screen.

[Director: Who says it has to be one person, though?]

“…!”

Wait, what?

[Here’s the second part of the real story]

Captions appeared, and a fixed camera closed in up on five different faces.

[Bae Sejin: A-all right.]

[Seon Ahyeon: So I’m… I’m the thief?]

[Lee Sejin: Wow! That’s interesting!]

[Ryu Chungwoo: So it’s not supposed to come out who stole the coins?]

[Cha Eugene: Okay.]

Everyone received a card, like they had just been given an important mission. The cards all read the same thing.

[You are the thief and a spy!]

Hey, what the hell?