Debut or Die - Chapter 88

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 88
The extreme horror experience venue, surprisingly enough, had organized the groups with a surprisingly conventional structure based on headcount.
“We can just divide into groups of two, two, and three.”
“Phew….”
At the assurance that no one would go alone, the cowards’ complexions improved noticeably. Especially Kim Rae-bin’s.
“S-so… how should we divide up?”
“I want to go with Chung-woo hyung!”
“Me too!”
And just like that, Ryu Chung-woo’s stock began skyrocketing.
‘…It’s true, he’s especially reliable in situations like this.’
Ryu Chung-woo glanced around briefly, then opened his mouth with a wry laugh.
“Ha, so including me… hmm, how about the three of us—Rae-bin, Moon-dae, and me?”
“Thank you so much!”
“Aw, come on! That’s no fun! Chung-woo hyung has to be in a group of exactly two for it to be entertaining!”
Big Sae-jin started poking holes in what was already decided.
‘That bastard really is something.’
His fear during that horror movie must have been pure act after all.
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Absolutely!”
…And so, persuaded by Big Sae-jin, Ryu Chung-woo agreed to a new arrangement where whoever won rock-paper-scissors would get to assign all the groups.
“Wow, it came to this.”
‘Damn it.’
The most absurd thing was that Big Sae-jin was the one who survived to the end.
‘Usually the person who suggests something like this ends up screwed.’
Big Sae-jin grinned wickedly and assembled the groups in an instant.
So I ended up….
“Ahhhhh!!”
“Let’s go! Let’s go!”
Exploring the haunted house with the insane combination of Big Sae-jin and Cha Yu-jin.
It felt like my eardrums would burst before we even entered….
I barely managed to ask Cha Yu-jin.
“…You weren’t scared during that horror movie.”
I thought he wasn’t afraid of ghosts but was weak to creepy things. Yet Cha Yu-jin was jumping with every step as if he were treading on live frogs.
“Watching is fine! I hate the real thing! I’m okay with fakes!”
“….”
‘In a way, this isn’t entirely fake either, is it….’
But this wasn’t something I could reason through, so I let it go.
Instead, I asked Big Sae-jin.
“Why the hell did you pick me?”
“How should I put it… a call of conscience? I wanted to join a three-person group, but if I also brought along someone with nerves of steel, it wouldn’t be fair—that’s what my inner voice was crying out.”
“….”
“So we decided to show off the three cowards’ spectacular triumph!”
What nonsense.
…Right, don’t forget there’s a camera mounted on my forehead.
“…First, let’s move.”
“Yeah, let’s do this~”
“We need to hurry….”
…I need to think about the shortest route.
“But Moon-dae, where do you think we’ll find the ‘suspicious signs’?”
“….”
That was the problem too.
Each team had a mission to complete in this ‘Haunted House Invitation’—specifically, to find ‘suspicious signs’ and take photos of them. At least one, no matter what!
“They said they’d give us prizes if we find and photograph a lot of them! Let’s explore and give it a shot!”
“…That sounds good!”
Even Cha Yu-jin got caught up in the keywords of prizes and exploration, starting to act recklessly. There was no hope.
“…Then, let’s pass through the Corridor first and enter the smallest door.”
“Huh?”
A staff member would probably be waiting in the largest, most conspicuous room…!
“Usually these things are hidden. I think we should check the inconspicuous ones first.”
“Wow, that’s a great idea~ So the idea provider should lead the way, right?”
“….”
I really wanted to quit.
But since being at the front was better than being at the back, I stepped forward with the feeling of choosing the lesser evil.
“Fine.”
“Wow~ So cool! I’m scared, so I’ll go at the very back~”
Still, not wanting to put Cha Yu-jin at the very back, Big Sae-jin went to the back himself. His firm determination to milk the reaction shots was evident.
“Alright, let’s go!”
“Let’s go!”
“….”
I moved slowly through the Corridor. Inside the dimly lit wooden structure, the musty smell of mold pricked my nose.
“Moon-dae! Look, blood!”
“…!!”
I almost cursed. I only turned my head, gritted my teeth, and answered.
“Don’t scream like that…!”
Big Sae-jin immediately wore an apologetic expression.
“Got it, sorry—kyaaaah?!”
“Ahhhhhhh!!”
“…?!”
…I turned my head forward.
There was a woman. She was dressed in servant’s attire that looked like it belonged in a film set fifty years ago.
But it had no feet.
And it had no eyes either.
Just blood everywhere.
“…KYAAAAAAAH!!!”
“AHHHHH!! RUN!”
…As I bolted into the adjacent room alongside the screaming members, I realized this group was already finished.

* * *
“….”
Stepping outside, the sun was setting.
It meant we’d spent an entire hour escaping that insane Haunted House.
‘It was supposed to be a 25-minute course.’
I had no idea how embarrassingly this would look on broadcast….
“…My throat hurts.”
“You too? Me as well.”
The two who’d screamed their lungs out were receiving ion drinks from the Production Team and guzzling them down like madmen.
Of course, Big Sae-jin had been half-joking with his screams, so it was entirely his own doing—his own karma.
Sun Ah-hyun seemed bothered by how the disorganized group had taken twice the expected time, so he struck up a conversation.
For reference, the Sun Ah-hyun and Lee Sae-jin duo had taken three photos and found the exit in just 20 minutes.
…I felt the weight of reality crash down on me in multiple ways.
“W-was it okay?”
“…Well. Just.”
This was truly an experience I couldn’t fathom why anyone would pay to do.
‘No, even if they paid me.’
If it was just minimum wage, I’d never go back in there again.
“Moon-dae really had it rough~ Hey, thanks.”
“Thank you!”
Since the camera was rolling, no one made the absurd claim that they’d hard-carried. I nodded slowly.
Still, since we’d taken photos and made it out, it was far better than just fleeing.
“Phewwww….”
“We’re back.”
When the last team, Ryu Chung-woo and Kim Rae-bin, returned after 35 minutes, the PD started running his mouth again.
“You all worked so hard~ Now you should have dinner!”
“Don’t tell me… dinner is extreme too?”
“Of course!”
“Ugghhhhh.”
Without the camera, there would’ve been a riot, but with it rolling, only sighs of resignation filled the air.
“An extreme~ whole roasted pig!”
“AHHHHHHH!!”
“Roasted pig!”
Fortunately, the Production Team wasn’t entirely oblivious—they seemed to understand it was time to ease up on the tension.
Not long after, a whole roasted piglet began rotating over the flames in the Open Ground next to the Haunted House.
Already fully cooked, then.
Judging by the heat intensity, that modest fire seemed designed merely to keep the meat warm and tender.
In any case, most of the members were delighted by the spectacular presentation—everyone except Kim Rae-bin, who still looked like his soul had left his body.
“Thank you for this meal~”
“We appreciate it!”
The taste wasn’t quite as overwhelming as the appearance suggested, but meat was always delicious, as it always is.

* * *
The gift we received for the photos taken at the Haunted House was… animal onesies.
That’s another one added to the collection.
Between the gifts we’d received, we already had over five of them.
Seeing that they’d given us seven total, it was essentially a message that all of us should wear these to sleep throughout the reality show trip.
Not difficult at all.
So at 8 PM, every member of Testa sitting in the Pension’s Living Room was dressed in animal onesies.
“The three of us who are easily scared did well, so we’re all wearing them together now.”
“I’m pleased with this.”
“They’re c-cute and wonderful.”
Watching them speak so earnestly, probably worried it might be product placement, I realized they’d already become true broadcasters.
Anyway, from now until bedtime was completely free time.
Of course, that didn’t mean we could do whatever we actually wanted.
It meant we should autonomously create one piece of content.
Whether we played Noraebang games, board games, or wrote sincere letters to each other—whatever it was, we were supposed to do it naturally and comfortably.
“Hmm~ We’re bored, so should we play a truth game?”
Like that.
“A t-truth game?”
“Yeah. I saw there was a lie detector earlier.”
“Really? That sounds good.”
But then, Kim Rae-bin, who had been pondering something, interjected.
“Hmm, since we’ve spent the daytime playing and relaxing, what if we did something slightly more productive for the evening?”
The ominous keyword snapped the members to attention.
“Productive…?”
“Rae-bin, you’re not suggesting we make something… are you?”
“Yes!”
“….”
A brief silence fell over the room.
But unexpectedly, Lee Sae-jin spoke up.
“…What exactly are we making?”
“Ah, a new song.”
“…!? What?”
“A, a new song?”
“Yes. Actually, I worked on a track not too long ago! I even brought portable recording equipment just in case.”
Kim Rae-bin eagerly retrieved his bag.
“…!”
In that instant, everyone rushed forward to stop Kim Rae-bin.
“Whoa, Rae-bin! That could be a spoiler if we’re not careful~”
“Right. And I think it’d be better to start something like this after we wrap up this activity.”
“…? Is that so?”
Kim Rae-bin lowered his phone with a bewildered expression. He clearly hadn’t anticipated this reaction.
‘…That guy lacks social skills, but he’s not stupid.’
Let me align our positions.
“This new song isn’t aimed at being the next album’s title track, right?”
“Ah, yes!”
Kim Rae-bin’s face brightened as understanding dawned.
“The one I made is for the fans!”
“…Ah!”
A trap had appeared.
If someone responded with “Well, about that,” it could fall victim to subtle editing that made it seem like we didn’t want to create a song for the fans.
Of course, it wasn’t the Production Team’s editing anymore. It meant malicious editing.
[Scene mentioned in today’s Testa reality show]
[Testa members’ conflicting statements: “Sounds good” VS “Not really”]
…I could already picture this dominating the Online Community’s popular posts.
Fortunately, Big Sae-jin spoke up immediately.
“Fan songs are so great though? I’ve always wanted to make one!”
Provide support fire.
“That sounds fun. The timing works out perfectly too.”
“…It should be fine.”
“S, sounds good.”
At this sudden shift in atmosphere, Kim Rae-bin simply wore a satisfied expression.
“Thank you…!”
Whether intentional or not, this was the only time I’d ever seen Kim Rae-bin win through politics.

* * *
On a leisurely weekday afternoon, Testa’s fans were enjoying themselves, revisiting the content that had poured out during the group’s active period.
-The music video analysis on YouTube seems to be the best one out there (link)
-A reaction video from classical musicians watching Magical Boy just dropped!
-Is there anyone who can tell me when the high-five while wearing the red nightgown is a public broadcast? ㅠㅠ
└It was Music Bomb last week!
└Wow, thank youㅠㅠ
After Testa defeated VTIC and claimed first place on Music Gayo, provocateurs tried to stir up conflict between Testa and VTIC fans, but it never escalated into a serious issue.
Since this happened after VTIC had already concluded their domestic activities, their fanbase had enough reason to let it slide.
Thanks to this relatively peaceful period, Testa’s fans received an SNS notification.
It was from Testa’s account.
‘Who could it be?’
Since the members visited fairly often, the fans clicked on the notification with joy rather than anxiety.
[Please accept my feelings (YouTube link)]
‘Accept my feelings?’
‘…??’
‘Romance… it’s not about romance, right?’
The fans clicked the link, half worried and half confused.
And they saw a thumbnail of seven people wearing animal onesies.
‘…!!’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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