Chapter 122.1
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 clearlyâ
The whispers of the faceless staff.
– Additional lighting for spot #5.
– Mr. Hostâs 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 nowâI think Iâve completely adjusted!
âHumans really are creatures of their environment, huh?â
I could never get used to entering ghost stories no matter how many times I did it, so⊠maybe, just maybe, Braun was rightâit might really have been a matter of matching aptitude.
âItâs fine.â
I habitually checked the silver ring on my finger before finally stepping onto the stage.
ââŠHuu.â
Today was the day.
The day I would appear in a segment of âBraunâs Late-Night Talk Showâ 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, letâs 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 seatâjust 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 youâso just focus on entertaining them. Now then, weâre startingâŠ]
The countdown appeared on the retro prompter in front of me.
2. 1. 0.
[Good evening! The joy of the night, the fresh new face you meet every day, and⊠your friendly host!]
Â
Braunâs Late-Night Talk Show
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As the studio lights flashed and the band playedâ
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 chairsâeach 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 outfitsâas expected for our special âCorporate Workersâ episode.
[Welcome, hardworking professionals! Tonight, we have an exhilarating, eye-catching, spine-chillingly entertaining talk show just for youâguaranteed to wash away the fatigue of your day!]
Clap, clap, clapâŠ
Braun clapped alone, then flashed a sheepish and sad emoticon on his TV screen.
[âŠNo applause? Not even one?]
Clap! Clapclapclapclapclap!!
The bewildered audience hurriedly clapped along.
“What the hell is thisâŠ?”
“Eh, well⊠heâs good-looking, so letâs just go with it.”
Beside me, two office workersâwho seemed to know each otherâmurmured 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 magicianâs act or an elaborate sci-fi film, their familiarity with fictional content blurred the boundaries between reality and the show.
And thenâit happened.
[Tonightâs 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 chosenâŠ
âŠToddled in.
A ragged teddy bear.
Its button eyes were mismatched, its stitching unevenâbut it was rather cute.
[Isnât it just adorable? Allow me to introduce tonightâs guest⊠âHappy Ending Teddyâ!]
As the small bear settled onto the sofa, murmurs rippled through the audience.
“What the hell is that?”
“Wait, itâs actually cute.”
“Itâs 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 reactionâ
Fascination and immersion in this surreal talk show.
[This segment is sponsored by Delusion Home Shopping! Ah, yes, this is an industry-defining collectorâs itemâthis is a limited edition item from 1999 that is no longer available for sale.]
[For those who treasure it until death, it grants the âEnding of Lifeââa 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? âŠâŠOh, I see. Youâre so overwhelmed that you want to visit your first ownerâs grave and weep your heart out.]
“Hahahaha!”
The response was great.
I felt relieved.
Cute and friendly, yet undeniably eerieâthe 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.
âAnyway, if the audience reaction is good, the viewers will likely enjoy it too.â
That was reassuring.
Since not all viewers were human, the structure of the talk show was designed to let them enjoy the audienceâs reactionsâas if they were watching a reaction video.
Fascinating.
A story is always best enjoyed from a safe distance.
[Now then, letâs hear our guestâs story and recent updates!]
The show progressed smoothly.
The âHappy Ending Teddyâ shared, through the host, a bittersweet farewell with its kind ownerâfollowed 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 finallyâthe 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! Letâs welcome our second guest with a round of applause.]
It was the previous ownerâthe one who had discarded the teddy bear.
They had been planted among the audience.
Now, they were brought onto the stageâŠ
âŠwhere the âHappy Ending Teddyâ would personally transform them into a new teddy bear.
Screams and blood splattered across the stage, but the audienceâdeeply immersedâfelt 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.
Lackthose
Soleum, you haven’t really lost yourself, have you? I’ve been defending you, you know?
CHELY_
This is getting worse and worse. I miss team leader Lee Jaheon.