Chapter 161

“Senpai, which scene do you like more?”

Na-eul’s voice was full of anticipation.

That gaze was also sparkling.

To be precise, I was sitting next to Na-eul not as an actor, but as a senior from the fantasy world. Just being an actor who played Kim Jeong-hyun from <The Sunshine> was enough to make Na-eul’s heart race.

Her expression was filled only with fandom for Ha Eun.

Of course, it was better than the time she couldn’t even make eye contact with Ha Eun out of nervousness.

“Uh… I think the right side looks better.”

“Ah, the left side definitely looks pitiful, right? From head to toe, it’s a mess, and there’s blood running down the shoulder. Every time I see it, it makes me feel uneasy. The right side, wearing a hanbok instead of a suit, looks prettier, and since she’s with a friend like Hwang Tae-sung, the mood seems more relaxed. Also, unlike the left, she’s even smiling…”

That was excessive.

Ha Eun herself was baffled, replaying the memory and wondering if it really was like that.

To put it nicely, it was eloquent.

To put it badly, it was too much talking.

It was nice that she liked <The Sunshine> and Kim Jeong-hyun more than Ha Eun expected, but the reaction to the iconic scenes was a bit overwhelming.

‘Is it because I’m right in front of her…?’

It seemed that the fact that the person who played Kim Jeong-hyun was sitting right next to Na-eul temporarily incapacitated her rationality.

Come to think of it, in the past, Ha Eun had also felt slightly excited when she first met her favorite, Cream.

“Then, I’ll go with the right side.”

“Ah, okay.”

So, the first matchup just barely ended.

Soon, other iconic scenes appeared on Na-eul’s broadcast screen.

However.

‘Are these two really matching up already?’

Because the last scene from episode 6, which had become Kim Jeong-hyun’s life shot, and <The Sunshine>‘s sad ending scene appeared simultaneously, Ha Eun couldn’t easily decide which of the two she thought was an iconic scene.

Just like Na-eul, who was flustered by the two equally great scenes.

“Th-these two shouldn’t be coming up right now.”

A beautiful figure smiling slightly among the swirling snowflakes.

And, the sad sight of Park Ju-ho quietly sleeping in his arms.

“I… I can’t choose, senpai. Both of these are really my favorite scenes!”

Na-eul, who kept alternating between the two scenes that left a deep impression in the past, passed the choice back to Ha Eun.

In the end, the mouse Na-eul had reluctantly grabbed was captured.

“Umm. Still, the right side is the ending, so… I’ll choose the right side?”

“Honestly, the ending is important, but the left is also a really iconic scene. Right after this, it zooms out to capture Park Ju-ho and Kim Jeong-hyun in one frame, and the mood is really insane…”

– Kuahhh

– Stop it

– If you want to run away, shake a carrot

– Who said we should do an ideal type World Cup?

– We all know what scene it is, Na-eul

“Th-then, to the left…?”

“Ah, but it feels a bit wrong to give up the ending. I cried every time I saw Park Ju-ho holding onto his hand until he died. It was so sad, and the background music was so calm, it left such a memory…”

– Dude

– So what are you going to do?

– Left or right?

– Just a thought) The left side’s beauty is insane, so I think you should definitely go with the left

– Because of you, Na-eul, we’re all getting decision paralysis!!!!

Continuing Na-eul’s decision-making flip-flops.

Sure enough, the chatroom exploded in turmoil, filled with discussions about the two iconic scenes.

However, having to conclude somehow.

“Okay, Na-eul? Let’s think that one of these two scenes must be erased from memory.”

“Ah, no!!!”

“If you don’t choose, you’ll have to erase both scenes from memory. Which scene will you keep?”

“Just kill me instead!”

“Alright, 10, 9, 8, 7….”

I was pressing Na-eul to decide using a countdown.

We were only in the second matchup out of 64, and it seemed like it shouldn’t take this long.

And finally.

“L-left…!”

With her eyes tightly shut, Na-eul made her decision, and Ha Eun’s mouse moved.

With a click, the last sad ending scene vanished.

“Senpai, my heart hurts so much…”

“Hmm, the chat says their ears hurt?”

“Ehh.”

– It’s definitely a Coca-Cola

– Even speaks back to the master

– Thank you, little one..! Thank you, little one..! Thank you, little one..! Thank you, little one..! Thank you, little one..! Thank you, little one..! Thank you, little one..!

– Should we escape from the World Cup now?

– Honestly, <The Sunshine> is that level (user has been temporarily banned)

– Ahhh, someone died

In this way, a few viewers who couldn’t sympathize with Na-eul were brutally cut off.

The <The Sunshine Iconic Scene World Cup> began again after that.

However, if we continued at this pace, it seemed like we wouldn’t finish the first round even if we stayed up all night.

“Ah, I see. What you and I are doing is Love.”

“…Love means love.”

“Okay, 20 seconds! You have exactly 20 seconds to appeal the charm of each scene! Anything beyond that will be cut!”

“?!”

The speed of the Ideal Type World Cup increased sharply.

The chatroom was suddenly filled with praises for Diah.

“Um, okay. First, the left scene—”

From then on, there were no more interruptions.

As soon as the 20 seconds passed, Na-eul’s self-serving comments were abruptly cut off.

To be honest, it was somewhat tiring to keep listening to Na-eul’s heartfelt reviews.

After all, what filled Na-eul’s monitor were Ha Eun’s appearances.

“Then, I’ll go with the left?”

“Wait a second. Thinking about it, the right side too—”

“No changes allowed! Flips are not in my vocabulary!”

– Wow

– What kind of words are in your vocabulary? Hahaha

– The progress is smooth, which is nice

– This is what senpai looks like

– The master (20 years old) interrupts the slave (1 year old)

Thus, the chosen scene and the unchosen scene were promptly divided by Ha Eun’s merciless intervention.

After that, the Ideal Type World Cup progressed smoothly up to the quarterfinals and semifinals.

However, when the beautiful ending of episode 6, which had become a hot topic, was displayed back on the broadcast screen.

More accurately, when Na-eul’s admiring voice began to be picked up by the broadcast mic.

“Ah, it really looks beautiful every time I see it. How can a person be so beautiful…”

– Ding ding.

[ User ㅇㅇ has donated 10,000 won! ]

: Is Kim Jeong-hyun beautiful? Is Diah beautiful?

Messages of support for the two that Na-eul had rated as stunning arrived.

The chatroom became naturally noisy.

– Na-eul is stunned

– Speak nicely, Na-eul. Hahaha

– Diah has muscle destruction technique equipped

– Senpai or favorite?

– Just a thought) No matter how beautiful it is, can it compare to an actor?

– Come on, let’s go to the arena

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t an incomprehensible donation message.

Requests asking to compare the appearances of a celebrity and someone right next to them were not that rare.

From the viewers’ perspective, appearance comparisons were bound to be fun.

Thus, most viewers were fervently curious whether Na-eul’s belief would be broken or if she would make Diah feel bad.

The issue was that both individuals were the same person.

“Uh, um, um… Who’s prettier, me… Uh… um…”

Na-eul, facing a truth unknown to the viewers, was very troubled.

Naturally, she noticed Ha Eun’s gaze.

However, she couldn’t let on that the two were the same person.

“…I guess the young lady is more…”

With great difficulty, she forced her mouth open to answer somehow.

Almost simultaneously, the chatroom was flooded with ‘hahaha.’

– How can a civilian compete against an actor? Hahaha

– Diah, you did a good job!

– But you thought for a long time, have a drink.

– Is Diah sulking? Hahaha

“I-I’m not sulking~?”

With a slightly trembling voice.

The viewers continued to tease Diah about her appearance pride, pushing her even more.

The truth that Na-eul was not disappointed, but rather flustered, went undisclosed.

The strange misunderstanding, “Diah thinks of herself as being on par with Kim Jeong-hyun,” also remained unresolved.

It was around ten minutes after the Ideal Type World Cup had finished.

Finally, as Na-eul and Diah’s collaboration impressions were captured by the broadcast mic, the show came to an end.

“Phew, good job…”

“Ah, yes. Ji-hye, you too worked hard.”

“…You’ve changed so much.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

What followed was the farewell that Ha Eun wanted to give.

Ha Eun, after saying thank you, called Ju Jung-yun, who had promised to come pick her up when Na-eul’s collaboration ended.

[ S-sorry, Ha Eun. I have something come up. I think I’ll be about an hour late. ]

“Ah… Okay.”

As a result, she couldn’t leave Na-eul right away.

Somehow, Na-eul overheard the phone call between Ha Eun and Ju Jung-yun right after.

“Um, Ha Eun.”

“?”

“Uh, would you like to go to karaoke? Just to kill time until the manager arrives.”

As a fan of Ha Eun, Na-eul asked to hear Ha Eun’s singing, particularly wanting to hear “One Day in Spring” live.

“Of course, if it’s too much, you can just rest at home. I really won’t feel bad about that.”

“Hmm…”

After a brief moment of contemplation.

However, recalling that Ha Eun would have to sing something at her first fan meeting in the future.

“I’ll go. Karaoke. I wanted to sing too.”

“Yes, yes!”

As a result, they headed to a certain coin karaoke place near Na-eul’s house.

After all, this kind of fan service was not too hard.

Finally arriving at the karaoke place.

Ha Eun picked up the mic after selecting “One Day in Spring,” which Na-eul had asked for.

It hadn’t been long before the clear, ethereal voice unique to Pinocchio was heard.

With an unwavering breath and proficient vocal skills, the difference between live singing and recorded sound became indistinguishable.

Thanks to that, Na-eul found herself slightly agape, simply enjoying Ha Eun’s singing.

However, unexpectedly.

After singing new songs other than “One Day in Spring” and even “Illusion,”

“…I could die now…”

“Th-that’s a bit much.”

Na-eul, an enormous fan of Ha Eun and Diah, found herself in a state where she would have no regrets, even if the world ended.

As time went on, that lingering feeling remained until the moment she finally parted with Ha Eun.

Days later, after Na-eul had what she often called ‘soul liberation,’

Just as Hida had directly hinted during Na-eul’s broadcast, the freedom pass that Diah had possessed came into effect.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a collaboration in reality like Na-eul’s cooking show.

“Ah, hello…! You must be Hida?”

“Hm, you shouldn’t talk informally to your elders, should you?”

“Uh… uh? Informal? To an elder?”

“It may not seem like it, but this witch is 600 years old this year. I’d appreciate a bit of courtesy.”

For some reason, the atmosphere at the start of this collaboration felt unsettling.

It was different in various ways from the generally cheerful mood of Na-eul’s cooking show.

“Now, introduce yourself again. Politely.”

“Ah, um… Hello, Lady Witch…”

“Good.”

– Wowwwww

– Great Hida

– She’s really wielding a majorette, hahaha

– As expected, Lady Witch ㄷㄷㄷㄷ

– Ah, if you don’t listen, I’ll eat you, hahaha

“If you’re 600 years old, that’s just a bad word for being a grandmother, no no no no no.”

“…I wonder if Ha Eun will be okay.”

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