Surviving in the Idol Game - Chapter 73

“I’ll try my best without being scared in advance, just like you said, hyung.”

 

As the time of the live broadcast approached, Woo Cheonghee, who had been clenching his trembling hands tightly, spoke solemnly as if making a promise to himself. Each time he slapped his cheeks with his hands, I could hear a snapping sound.

 

Out of habit, I raised my hand to his hair but realized that his hair was already set, so I patted his back instead. Then, I heard a staff’s voice.

 

“Let’s move to the booth!”

 

Following the instructions of the production team, we walked to the booth prepared for the live broadcast. Woo Cheonghee stuck close to me, and on the way, he looked around quickly, keeping a close eye on the surroundings. He was no different from a hunting dog.

 

And then, we arrived in front of the booth. The prepared booth had an atmosphere that made me involuntarily tilt my head.

 

‘Something’s a little creepy.’

 

On one side, there were over 20 booths packed tightly together, resembling a beehive, and on the other side, there were booths of the same shape. There were two beehives on each side.

 

We were told that thanks to the soundproofing installed on the inside walls, there would be no sound leaks or interference. Looking inside the open door, it resembled a private PC room.

 

There were only 10 minutes left until the live broadcast started. According to the production crew’s instructions, each person was assigned to a room where the equipment was set up.

 

“Fighting, hyung!”

 

Woo Cheonghee, who had removed the hairpin he had in, clenched his fist and cheered me on after checking his appearance one last time. I waved back and entered the booth.

 

Inside the compact black booth, the first thing that caught my eye was an expensive-looking camera and a dual screen, presumably for broadcasting. The equipment all seemed top-notch, from the sleek computer to the fancy chair and microphone. Were all these items sponsored?

 

Impressed by the more professional atmosphere than I expected, I sat down, feeling like I had become a streamer.

 

“Five minutes until the live stream. Please check if you’re visible on the screen.”

 

When I looked at myself on the monitor screen, the colors seemed more vivid than usual, perhaps because the background was black. Maybe it was because of the lighting? The colors were captured well. The image quality was also very clear.

 

Even my simple light-blue t-shirt popped out on the screen, showing that the camera was working hard.

 

As I stared at my face filling the screen, I made a smiling expression. A natural smile with my eyes crinkling. After gaining the trait that boosted my acting skills, it had become easier to create any expression I wanted.

 

“One minute until the start. Countdown begins.”

 

The countdown started on the broadcast screen, and the voice from the speaker in the booth confirmed it. 60, 59, 58….

 

I glanced at the nearly empty cue sheet again while watching the numbers decrease one by one. 3 pm, the live broadcast started.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

Since there were no instructions on what to do when the broadcast started, there were limits to how much I could simulate in my head. Maybe I should start with an introduction, and if it got boring, I could sing a song or something.

 

The booth was empty except for the broadcasting equipment. Since I wasn’t given any special material, my imagination was also lacking. I was worried about what to do if I had to dance, but it seemed a little cramped for that. I should just sing hard.

 

As I continued my thoughts, the live broadcast finally began. And my greeting was drowned out by the sudden flood of alarms.

 

“Hello,”

 

[”MoveAsideI’mFirst’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

[‘Iworkedhardtogivethistoyou’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

[‘LeeHanheeFanCafe’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

[‘Aishiteru’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

[‘I’llbethefirst’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

[‘AntithesisIsInsane’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

[‘MAHALKITA’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

[‘LoveYouHanheeToDeath’ 1,000,000 won donation!]

 

Lost for words as the endless rush of donations continued, I stared at the broadcast screen, when suddenly the chat started to explode at a crazy speed. It was moving so fast that the messages were swept away in an instant, making it almost impossible to catch even a single letter, no matter how sharp my eyesight was.

 

“Uh…”

 

And while I was looking at the chat window, donations continued to come in. All of them were exactly 1,000,000 won.

 

“No, wait a minute, guys. I really appreciate it, but I am not sure about this. Is this really okay? How is this possible? And why are you sending so much?”

 

1,000,000 won was no small amount, and seeing it pour in one after another was terrifying. In less than a minute, there were already tens of donations, which meant millions had already come in.

 

Even as I tried to stop them, the chat continued to surge with wild energy, making it impossible to read anything. Then, I noticed the pace slowing down slightly—someone from the staff must have intervened.

 

dlgksgmlsoskawk: I love you, oppaㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ

 

LoveHanhee: Wow, is the halo behind you real?

 

Ibelieveinhauimen: Please get your face closer to the camera. Please get your face closer to the camera. Please get your face closer to the camera. Please get your face closer to the camera.

 

bonnie J: He is literally the best. Everything he does is capturing. (TL note: <-It’s in English.)

 

Korean Fifth-Year semester student: You know what? People lose their memories when they see something that makes no sense… You know what? People lose their memories when they see something that makes no sense… You know what? People lose their memories when they see something that makes no sense…

 

As I squinted at the slowed-down chat, I saw a mix of Korean, English, Japanese, Cyrillic, and Latin letters. The viewership, which had started at 12,000, had already surged fivefold in an instant.

 

“Uh, thank you all so much for your interest. But please, stop donating.”

 

I felt guilty that I could receive support like this when I hadn’t done anything yet.

 

“Shall I introduce myself first? Hello, everyone, I’m Lee Hanhee.”

 

It was almost five minutes into the broadcast before I managed to give my introduction. Immediately, the chat erupted with complaints about why the donation limit was set so low—they wanted to give more.

 

“Ah, is there a limit? Is it set at 1,000,000 won?”

 

So that was why there was a flood of 1 million won right at the start. I hadn’t even realized the donation system was enabled. I thought it would be off by default.

 

“Thank you so much, but please, take care of your wallets. I think you’d enjoy the broadcast more if you used that money to buy yourself something delicious.”

 

I didn’t even know how much of the donations would come to me, but collecting so much money felt strange.

 

‘The computer and the filming equipment must have been worth a lot of money, but there must have been a reason they prepared 42 of them.’

 

But wasn’t this equipment all sponsored? The large M-logo on the camera body was a bit annoying. Well, with this many people watching, the sponsorship must have paid off.

 

Seeing that I was overwhelmed by the donations, some viewers in the chat kindly explained the situation. They must have realized I didn’t know what was going on.

 

“Oh, the donations are being donated to charity? In that case….”

 

Isn’t that okay? That was my immediate thought, but even for charity, millions of won in a minute seemed excessive.

 

“Then, could you please slow down a bit… It’s happening so fast that I can’t even read your usernames.”

 

From a minimum of 1,000 won to a maximum of 1,000,000 won. The donations kept pouring in continuously even now. The staff adjusting the system turned off the donation sound due to the constant alerts, but the flashing on the side of the chat window was still hard to miss.

 

No matter how much I asked them to slow down, the chat was filled with people insisting they had to be the top donor. There seemed to be a competitive spirit driving them.

 

“Uh, hold on. It looks like a mission just arrived.”

 

And finally, here came the first mission. The username that had caught my eye from the beginning was displayed on the screen.

 

[‘MoveAsideI’mFirst’ has sent a mission! Hanhee, show us your best K-heart!]

 

K-heart?

 

“Are you talking about this?”

 

As I pretended to rummage through my pocket and make a small heart shape with my fingers, the chat exploded with emotional reactions. People were praising how cute and adorable it was, and I could tell they were trying to ease my embarrassment.

 

I awkwardly scratched the back of my head, and then the next mission appeared—submitted by a familiar username.

 

[‘Iworkedhardtogivethistoyou’ has sent a mission! Song request: Flower Blooming on the Cliff’s Edge]

 

“Do the people who donate get to send the missions directly?”

 

If so, did that mean the previous person spent 1 million won just for a K-heart? Their sense of money was shocking. Feeling a bit pressured, I quickly made various heart shapes. I even followed the chat’s instructions and made a half-heart on my cheek.

 

“Please wait for a moment, they’re looking for the song’s backing track.”

 

Luckily, the requested song was one I knew well. I had sung it a few times while busking. Was that why they requested it? When the chat confirmed that everything was ready, I nodded, and the music started playing. I had warmed up my voice earlier, just in case.

 

‘Since this is a 1 million won mission, I have to make sure it’s worth the money.’

 

There was a set limit, a first-come, first-served competition, and the atmosphere was quite intense. Plus, it seemed like people were being extra generous because the donations were for charity.

 

Even though I was getting swept up in the rush, I needed to stay focused. Determined to make it worth the money, I carefully began singing the first note over the backing track.

 

―When only cold darkness embraces me

 

I’ve been longing for you till my heart bursts

 

Are you there? Can you come to me?

 

A bit of slow tempo. The song had a historical drama-style vibe. It started off with a sad atmosphere, and the song’s strength was the high notes that extended all the way to the highlight. In some ways, it was similar to Drizzle, but this song had more intensity.

 

―Standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for you

 

Even in the heavy wind and rain, and in the freezing cold

 

I know you’re coming to me

 

It was a song that showcased both vocal tone and technique. However, since I’d sung it many times before, I was familiar with capturing its emotional depth.

 

―The moment I see you running from afar

 

I was so happy I stopped breathing

 

Ah, now I can see the world

 

What a beautiful scene it is

 

As I got more immersed, my high notes became stronger than usual. I hoped it wasn’t too loud. Sneaking a glance at the chat, I checked the reactions.

 

Tiiiilt: Extreme

 

OurChildHasWings: Rock

 

Antithesis: Extreme

 

Wuna: Rock

 

VaronaSunshine: Extreme

 

SmallButPreciousHoney: Extreme

 

Yourina: Goosebump…

 

ProtectHanheeForever: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ This is it. This is true luxury. I am proud to be from the country that has Hanhee.

 

MINHO: (light stick) (light stick) (light stick)

 

Judging by the responses, it seemed like it went well.

 

“This is one of my favorite songs, so thank you for requesting it.”

 

I felt a little embarrassed. It felt strange because the response came in real-time.

 

Bibibip: EWWWW plastic surgery

 

There were some negative comments here and there, but they were quickly drowned out by the overwhelming support in the chat.

 

While doing my best to complete various missions worth 1 million won, such as ASMR, acting cute, making fatal expressions, showing off my arms, and taking a break for 5 minutes, a slightly difficult mission arrived.

 

[‘Dora’ has sent a mission! I want to see your abs.]

 

The mission requested to see my abs, but there was a problem. If I lifted my shirt to show them, my wound would immediately be visible.

 

“Um, what should I do about this?”

 

As I filled the empty audio by myself to fill the silence, my mind was racing. How should I get through this situation?

 

“Will you be able to see them like this?”

 

After a brief moment of hesitation, I stood up from the chair and positioned myself so I could be clearly seen by the camera. I pulled my loose t-shirt tightly towards the back. On the broadcast screen, I could faintly see the outline of my muscles through the stretched fabric.

 

“I’ve lost some weight recently, and my muscles have also slimmed down. They were more defined before….”

 

I mumbled as if feeling regretful and smiled. Even if it didn’t fully meet the 1 million won expectation, I hoped it would be enough. Especially since the mission had included a suggestion to take a break, there was no need to show my scars and make anyone worry unnecessarily.

 

After smoothly handling the awkward mission, I started to get more comfortable with the live broadcast, and in the end, I was able to finish the stream without any major issues.

 

FallingInLove: Ah, I’m sadㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ

 

BroadcastGeniusHanhee: Please don’t go! Do the live forever!

 

Hanheeminhee: Don’t goㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

 

As the end approached, the chat once again became a flood of tearful messages, but I had no other choice. I’d already gone well past the scheduled time.

 

“Your reactions were so great that I missed a lot of chats. I’ll try to catch them more next time. Eat something delicious tonight and have a good day.”

 

After finishing the broadcast, promising to continue it someday, it was 6 o’clock. The live broadcast lasted 3 hours.

 

Originally, it was supposed to be a first-come-first-served chances for 10 people, so there were about 10 missions, but the missions filled up so quickly, and there were so many simple ones that I kept adding more to satisfy everyone, making the broadcast feel never-ending.

 

‘I wonder if the others finished well too.’

 

Exhausted from the unexpected energy drain, I dragged my worn-out body out of the booth.

 

“Now I have to eat dinner and wash up….”

 

I headed to the cafeteria at a somewhat leisurely pace, taking account of the evening schedule. I was able to do that because I had no idea what stories would be circulating on the Internet after all the live performances were over, and what kind of bombs would explode because of them.