Chapter 112: A Miracle for Everyone (1)

The broadcast of Special Task Force 808 continued.

Kim Yuhan had stolen a car and left, declaring he would catch the culprit his own way.

Lee Kang-cheol was chasing after him, veins popping on his forehead.

The confrontation between the two was breathtaking and sharp.

Will he be caught, or won’t he?

Will Kim Yuhan gain the upper hand, or will Lee Kang-cheol prevail?

The editing didn’t let the viewers go for even a moment.

It was intentionally designed so people watching couldn’t predict what would happen.

Therefore.

“…Kim Yuhan, Lee Kang-cheol, Kim Yuhan, Lee Kang-cheol.”

Saseum’s reaction, like chanting a prayer, was understandable.

She couldn’t decide whether to root for Lee Kang-cheol or Kim Yuhan.

Both had their own circumstances, and their charms were completely different.

It was enough to cause decision paralysis.

“Is that really Sua’s acquaintance?”

“I guess I like guys with white hair…”

“You’ll find plenty in nursing homes.”

“Shut up. Wow, that acting is something else.”

Soon after, their chatter ceased simultaneously.

『Haha, this is fun.』

They had made eye contact with Kim Yuhan on the screen.

Thump thump, their hearts pounded.

“What’s the standard for rookies these days…”

“Isn’t he interested in being an idol? He’s perfect.”

“…Even VTuber avatars aren’t that handsome.”

Watching parts of the teaser video versus seeing the acting in the drama offered vastly different impressions.

At first, their eyes were stolen by his face, but later, they were captivated by his skill.

This rookie was definitely talented.

‘Even I, who knows nothing about dramas, can tell he’s good?’

‘StarCatch didn’t know about a rookie of this caliber until now?’

Moreover, Kim Yuhan’s screen time wasn’t short either.

“…”

Soon, the three became quietly absorbed in just watching the drama, gradually focusing on the plot.

The content was also quite interesting.

Kim Yuhan climbed onto the rooftop of a tall building.

It was to survey the surroundings before executing his own plan.

『Well, shall we take a look.』

His eyes moved with abnormally fast movements.

A zigzag trajectory, impossible to tell what he was trying to see.

However, the three soon understood.

Kim Yuhan had literally seen everything.

Sk, sk, sk—

After just one look down, he meticulously drew the cityscape onto his sketchbook.

His hand didn’t rest for a moment, yet he himself seemed unaware he was doing anything particularly remarkable.

The mouths of the Sua Task Force fell open blankly.

“What the, did he memorize everything after seeing it once?”

“Is that really acting? Isn’t he just naturally a genius?”

“…Sua probably couldn’t act like that, right?”

The three nodded simultaneously.

This wasn’t out of dislike or dismissal of Sua.

But, how should one put it, they truly couldn’t imagine it.

Kim Yuhan and Sua felt like human archetypes standing at completely opposite ends of a spectrum.

Meanwhile, Wonsunging quietly scratched her cheek.

‘This level of acting is proof enough. The community reaction seems like it will completely flip. So far, there’s nothing to criticize.’

The worst genius in history who dares to mock even God?

Wonsunging thought that with this level of quality, such playful hyperbole was warranted.

That’s how immense the shock was currently.

Kwaak—!

Around this time, having finished grasping the entire city structure, Kim Yuhan kidnapped Officer Lee Ga-ram (Park Do-hee) in his own way.

Solely for private retribution.

『You’re awake?』

And the torture room.

『Welcome.』

The three felt as if they themselves had been kidnapped.

The camera angles and Kim Yuhan’s expression controlled their emotions.

“…Ugh, his whispering voice gives me chills.”

“Is it because he’s handsome? It feels somewhat romantic?”

“I really can’t tell if he’s a good guy or a villain.”

Just then.

Dung— Dung— Dung—

Background music started playing like a heartbeat.

『Why did you do it? In the end, all the bad guys get caught by my hand.』

『What, what are you trying to do? Un, untie this. No. You’re a detective. All you can do is arrest me. Why, why are you doing this….』

『Wrong.』

『What…?』

『I am Kim Yuhan. The guy who finds scum like you and kills them.』

—♩♪♬

The background music that suddenly played was unexpected.

It wasn’t the typical thriller sound designed to make people anxious.

A sweet classical melody.

That was all.

It was also a device Sua had arranged.

The result of visiting the sound team and advising on the background music.

Thanks to this, the three were mesmerized.

In an utterly cruel situation, Kim Yuhan wore an incredibly sweet expression.

Like the conductor of an orchestra.

『So, from now on….』

Gulp, the three swallowed dryly.

『…You experience it too. Slowly.』

“Ah, the music actually makes it even creepier.”

“Exactly, it feels incredibly scary.”

“Ugh! Cruel!”

Afterward, Park Do-hee bit Kim Yuhan’s arm.

And when Kim Yuhan kissed Park Do-hee’s forehead.

Jjok.

“Kyaaak!”

“Euggak!”

“Heok!”

The three collapsed backward simultaneously.

Each clutched tightly at the area around their heart.

---

[ Saengji : Sua, what’s with your friend? ]

[ Saengji : Sua-ssi, he was amazing? ]

[ Saseum : Please introduce me ]

[ Saseum : No, really, please introduce me. Unnie. ]

[ Wonsunging : Make sure you keep the video call promise. ]

[ Sua : What, looks like everyone watched it unexpectedly? ]

[ Sua : What about Heukgom? ]

[ Saseum : Went to the military…. ]

[ Sua : Ah. ]

---

Special Task Force 808 was a nationwide simultaneous broadcast Wednesday-Thursday drama.

Meaning, anyone who tuned into the tvS channel at this time could watch it.

Its accessibility was fundamentally different from a short film.

Even those who don’t watch short films can easily encounter dramas.

The kitchen of a certain restaurant was no exception right now.

Cleanup was underway after closing time.

“Hey, hey, why are you handling that knife so dangerously? How can you carry it like that? Is this your first time working in a kitchen?”

When the clumsy part-timer nodded.

“Aigoo, another Sua-like guy came in.”

The head chef grabbed the back of his neck.

The part-timer just tilted his head.

“Who’s Sua?”

Then, the employees washing dishes or mopping the floor burst out laughing simultaneously.

“There was one. An employee who kept you on edge every single moment.”

Those who finished cleaning first were watching the TV placed in a corner, where Special Task Force 808 happened to be airing.

“Kim Yuhan, he’s that hot rookie from the online communities, right?”

“Yeah. He’s incredibly handsome.”

“Seems smart too. His role is a genius from the start.”

“Ah, I wish someone like that would come work part-time here.”

---

Gangnam, Pilates studio.

After the last class finished, the members gathered together.

They were chatting while eating the packed lunches they brought according to their individual diets.

Looking at each other, their bodies showed no deficiencies.

Only those who staked their lives on their figures gathered here in the first place.

Suddenly, one member sighed while looking in the mirror.

“This is driving me crazy, even after doing all this, I’m still not like Sua.”

She uttered words close to deception despite having a sculpted body, yet no one actually felt deceived.

At least everyone here could empathize with the murmuring member’s concerns.

“That’s because Sua was an outlier. We’re plenty big and pretty too. Didn’t our group photo get insane likes?”

“That’s right. It even made it to the real-time popular feed.”

“No, well, even so.”

A new member, listening quietly, blinked her eyes like a chick.

“Sua? She must have been huge? And good at Pilates too.”

Everyone shook their heads.

“The former is true, but the latter isn’t. While being huge, she was also incredibly stiff. Like a wooden plank doing Pilates.”

“…Pardon?”

“Size must ultimately be something you’re born with.”

“Enough talk about a member who left. Let’s all eat.”

Afterward, the meal began in earnest.

Normally, the topics of conversation were predictable.

Hating the sponsorship DMs.

Bought a luxury bag.

That person’s body is amazing, I’m jealous.

This boyfriend runs some business somewhere.

Going abroad somewhere next month….

Today was different.

Because everyone’s attention was stolen by the TV.

Special Task Force 808.

Especially Kim Yuhan.

“…He’s too handsome?”

“If I got a boyfriend like that, I’d gladly support him for life.”

“I need to go home, but I can’t bring myself to leave. Should I watch before going?”

A moment later, the members murmured as if taking a vote.

“I pick Lee Kang-cheol.”

“I pick Kim Yuhan.”

“Me too, Kim Yuhan.”

“I want to strip them both and compare.”

Black and white.
The rule-follower and the mad dog.

Which one to choose?

Viewers were already deep in contemplation.

---

Gangnam Sports Center.

After the swimming lesson ended, the members moved to a nearby restaurant and were eating.

Gukbap (rice soup) to replenish their bodies heartily.

One of the instructors tilted his head.

“No, but who is Sua-ssi?”

“There was someone. Someone whose butt floated like a buoy when she fell in the water.”

“What the…”

“Anyway, as long as it’s not that bad, you’re fine. The member who gave you a hard time today was nothing compared to that. Got it?”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Soon, they too were captivated by the restaurant TV.

“Wow, his face is really something.”

“They said he’s a rookie? Isn’t that a lie?”

“His name is, Lee Soo-an? I need to search him up after the drama ends.”

---

The faces of the profile photography team weren’t much different.

A mixture of pleased satisfaction and admiration crossed their faces.

“Huh, she pulls off acting as a man like this?”

“Honestly, did we even need to do her makeup? With this level of skill, I’d believe it if she brainwashed me into thinking she was a man.”

“Nah, that would still be hard. Her body is too curvy.”

“Ah, that’s true. Come to think of it, the CG team is amazing. We only did the face makeup, right? Leaving the body as is.”

The photography team leader burst into laughter.

“The drama CG team must have gone through hell.”

---

And in some workshop.

The space where the Special Task Force 808 CG team stayed.

“…”

Silence.

“…”

Only silence filled the air.

A space where the concept of sound had been annihilated.

Just quiet.

Perhaps they had nosebleeds, as everyone had tissues stuffed up their noses, yet not a single person among them looked okay.

There were many chairs, but not a single person was actually sitting.

All were sprawled on the floor.

Like corpses.

Or like burnt-out white ash.

“Can’t do it, this kind of work. I can never do it again…”

One person muttered like it was their last words.

---

Broadcasting stations other than tvS were in an uproar.

It didn’t matter if they belonged to MBQ, KBM, or SBT.

Their expressions hardened the moment they started monitoring Special Task Force 808.

Special Task Force 808.

Because they immediately realized their competitor was too strong.

“They said he was a rookie, what is this.”

“He’s so different from our rookies? Didn’t they hide something and do media play? Didn’t they bring him from overseas somewhere?”

“He’s really good. Ah, my head is starting to hurt…”

Everyone, without exception, began to feel dizzy.

The reason was simple.

“Kim Yuhan seems to have proven himself somewhat? What do we do? We added every possible spice to our articles…”

“…”

They had no way to handle the aftermath of the aggro they had spread.

Somehow, it turned into a situation where only Kim Yuhan slipped away clean.

If things continued like this, wouldn’t they be the only ones getting stoned in the end?

Eventually, one person shouted irritably.

“Turn off that monitor right now! Let’s focus on our drama!”

At this time, StarCatch’s smoking room was extremely crowded.

Because the current situation diverged from the reporters’ expectations.

No, it wasn’t just a divergence.

It far exceeded their predictions.

A reporter put a cigarette to his lips and spoke.

“Kim Yuhan, this guy can actually act?”

Sighs erupted from all around.

“What should we do. Should we delete all the articles we wrote beforehand?”

“We have to delete them. How can we publish them when he’s that good.”

The articles they had prepared in advance were predictable.

[ Kim Yuhan, Just as Expected? As Expected, All Bluster. ]

[ The Harm of Noise Marketing? What is Going On? ]

[ Kim Yuhan, ‘An Empty Cart Makes Much Noise.’ ]

Their plan was to immediately release scathing articles if Kim Yuhan fell short of expectations, but it had gone awry.

Instead, the article that felt like bluster now didn’t seem like bluster anymore.

The situation had completely reversed.

One person spoke as if feeling wronged.

He was once Saengji—Kim Sun-ah’s senior, and also the instigator who proposed preparing these kinds of articles in advance.

“No, how could we predict that article wasn’t bluster? Anyone could see it was nonsense! Logically, who would think a rookie would be that good?!”

A person nearby shook his head and stubbed out his cigarette.

“Anyway, one thing has become clear.”

“…What is?”

“This is the second time Kim Sun-ah hit the mark. At least she doesn’t write nonsense as articles. It’s hard to see it as a coincidence anymore. From now on, we just have to trust Sun-ah.”

The senior realized at this point.

While Kim Sun-ah’s approval rating was skyrocketing, his own standing had hit rock bottom.

“No, but still…”

The senior tried to argue something, but.

Pat, pat.

Other reporters patted his shoulder.

“Forget it. It’s our fault for listening to you. Honestly, you didn’t even work that hard, did you? Always just bossing around the new employees.”

“…!”

“Alright, let’s head up immediately and write new articles! It’s not too late! Focus properly on Kim Yuhan and fire away!”

The implication was clear.

“Let’s line up behind Team Leader Kim Sun-ah, and Kim Yuhan!”

Soon after, articles flew across the internet like cannonballs.

[ Can’t Help But Write Praises for Special Task Force 808 Episode 1… New Possibilities for Rookie Actor Opened by ‘Kim Yuhan—Lee Soo-an’ ]

StarCatch had boarded the Special Task Force 808 ship.

◈◈◈◈◈

Finally, the broadcast of the first episode concluded.

High-end Hanwoo restaurant.

The Special Task Force 808 production team was already in a festive mood.

“Cheers, cheers!”

“Another bottle of beer here, please!”

This was the atmosphere even before checking the public’s reaction at all.

Because everyone was already satisfied.

The result they had witnessed with their own eyes was something that left not a single regret.

“As expected, PD Choi’s directing is no joke!”

“The actors’ performances were no joke either!”

“The sound team, CG team, everyone seems to have worked hard.”

“…Hmm? Come to think of it, why isn’t anyone from the CG team here?”

Ghost stories about the missing CG team seemed to circulate, but not for long.

Celebration came first.

Empty bottles multiplied like crazy.

Like the Great Wall of China.

And meanwhile, Kim Yuhan, who played Sua’s role.

‘I watched it intently without even realizing. Awesome.’

She was feeling an immense sense of pride inwardly.

At first, seeing herself appear as a man felt awkward, but later, she grew to really like it.

‘It felt like watching someone else, not me. Maybe that’s why I watched it straight through without much awkwardness. The drama is fun too.’

The question came later.

At least she and the people here seemed to have watched it with great satisfaction, but how about others?

Would they give positive reviews?

How many people even watched it in the first place?

Woowoong—

It was then that Sua’s phone vibrated.

‘It’s going crazy. Absolutely crazy.’

It was blowing up.

Because her friends in the group chat were frantically writing down their impressions.

Like beasts.

Living up to their nicknames.

Afterward.

Woowoong—!

Another loud vibration from a phone, but this time it wasn’t Sua’s.

As PD Choi Heewon shot up from his seat, everyone clamped their mouths shut.

PD Choi Heewon placed an index finger over his lips and answered the call.

The surroundings were already completely silent.

“Yes. This is PD Choi Heewon.”

His voice was tinged with tension.

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Of course. Just telling me the figures tallied so far is sufficient. Yes, yes. I’m listening. Hmm…”

Soon, his call ended.

“PD-nim, what happened? What’s the percentage?”

“Ah please! I’m too nervous to hear!”

“It’s better to get the beating over with quickly! Tell us!”

Sua finally understood.

They were discussing the viewership ratings.

Thump thump thump—!

Though she tried hard to feign composure outwardly, Sua’s heart pounded like crazy.

The surroundings were already in chaos.

Filled with people who couldn’t stay still for even a moment, twitching uncontrollably.

Thump thump thump—!

She trembled uncontrollably.

At the same time, she hoped for good results.

Please.

Amidst the chaos.

PD Choi Heewon carefully opened his mouth.

“First, I’ll tell you based on the figures tallied so far. KBM, which bet on action, got 8%.”

Everyone instantly froze all movement.

The announcement continued in the silence.

“SBT with romance got 7.8%, MBQ with the historical drama got 6%.”

Time seemed to stop.

The moment felt caught in eternity.

A second was no longer the same as the previous second.

Everyone was completely focused, tense like tightly pulled strings.

It was then.

That PD Choi Heewon suddenly called out to Sua.

“Sua-ssi, what’s the total of all these?”

Sua, for some reason, remained silent.

However, Seo Yeon-ju, who was beside her, quickly blurted out the answer.

“…21.8%? Huh, no way?”

Seo Yeon-ju’s eyes widened.

“Whoa? Really?”

Then, PD Choi Heewon grinned widely.

“It’s higher than that. 23%.”