Chapter 73: CUT. Rotten Tomato

CUT.

“The smell of the sea, it’s been a while~!”

Jung Joo-Yi stretched pleasantly as she looked at the horizon.

A massive monster made of meat and vegetables was sinking into the ocean.

Even though the water was quite deep, the blue surface only reached the monster’s knees.

But eventually, it would be completely submerged.

Because Joo-Yi had commanded it.

Helicopters followed the sinking monster like mosquitoes.

The narrator watched the scene in a daze.

“I can’t believe it. That a sloppy hypnotic suggestion worked on such a giant monster.”

“Amazing, right? I just put the suggestion ‘Become a slave’ into the movie, and it really became a slave!”

“Why did you put such a suggestion in the movie?”

“Because I wanted to make the audience my slaves.”

“…Why?”

“Don’t you know? To achieve a 100% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If the audience becomes slaves, it’s guaranteed.”

“…”

Joo-Yi’s plan was to hypnotize the audience through the movie, turning them into slaves.

She was insane.

The collar around the narrator’s neck hid the scar on her slender throat.

The director had decapitated her with a chainsaw, but she had managed to reattach her head.

Thanks to the witch’s miraculous regenerative powers.

“Narrator. Do you know the movie <Frankenhooker>?”

“It’s my first time hearing about it.”

“Really? It’s about a guy who attaches his fiancée’s head to a prostitute’s body.”

“Why are you bringing up that movie now?”

“Just because~ It’s hilarious that you got your head reattached. Seeing you reminded me of it.”

The two women sat side by side on the breakwater.

Waves crashed against the firmly stacked tetrapods.

The narrator spoke.

“The studio collapsed, and the director is dead… but the movie will continue.”

“What do you mean?”

“The main character and the audience haven’t left.”

The horizon flickered, and finally, the monster’s head sank completely into the sea.

The narrator looked into Joo-Yi’s eyes.

“Jung Joo-Yi. You should become the new director.”

—
Raei  Translations
—

A chubby professor stood at the lectern.

His expression was very somber as he took out a glasses cloth and wiped his lenses.

“As you all know, a terrible incident occurred at our university recently. Young people with promising futures and a professor were murdered. And it happened during a lecture.”

The chainsaw massacre…

A man wearing an owl mask had gone on a killing spree.

The fact that all the victims were mutilated beyond recognition was a huge shock.

The only solace was that a monster had appeared out of nowhere and crushed the killer, limiting the number of victims to six.

The professor and students held a moment of silence for those who had passed away.

“…But we can’t mourn forever.”

The professor put on his glasses.

His previously somber expression brightened.

“The festival is coming! There will be a campus screening!!”

The university festival screening—it was time for the Film Department to showcase its talents.

As an esteemed art university, the festival had a variety of events. It attracted not only students but also the general public.

The festival screening was a chance to present their work to real audiences, not just professors, friends, and family.

“The runtime should be within 15 minutes. Any genre is acceptable, so submit your work without holding back. If you create a good piece, you could even win an award!”

At the professor’s words, Yuna’s eyes sparkled. If she had a tail, it would have been wagging excitedly.

She whispered to Yeoreum, who was sitting in front of her.

“Yeoreum, let’s…”

“No.”

Yeoreum immediately refused.

He had a bad feeling that if he made something with Yuna, another accident would happen this time too.

It had been a while since things were normal. Peace arrived after the absurd chaos they had endured.

The root of all evil, the Director, had been turned into a piece of jerky and died, so things seemed like they would be quiet for a while.

The backlash from the videotapes had also dwindled.

Though the task of returning home remained, they decided to enjoy the peace for the time being.

Hoping it wasn’t the calm before the storm.

Yuna’s request to create a festival entry together persisted even during lunch.

“Yuna… you really have no shame. After you locked me up and tormented me, you still make such requests.”

“Oh come on, I already apologized for that. And you enjoyed it too, didn’t you?”

“I did not.”

“You say that, but… your body was honest…”

Yuna smacked her lips.

She was already planning in her head how to tie Yeoreum down and keep him from going back home.

At that moment, someone approached.

“Hey, can we join you?”

Two guys holding lunch trays.

One was a muscular man with short, sporty hair and tanned skin, and the other was a sneaky-looking guy with a piercing in his ear.

They exuded an air of popularity, smiling warmly.

Yuna’s expression instantly turned cold, signaling ‘I’m not interested, so get lost.’

But whether they were oblivious or bold, the two guys naturally sat next to Yuna and started chatting.

“We’re from the same department, right? I’ve noticed you before, but this is our first time talking.”

“…”

“Have you heard about the festival screening? If you don’t have any plans, how about making a film with us?”

The popular duo proposed.

Yeoreum felt a bit annoyed.

He wasn’t Yuna’s boyfriend or anything, but it felt like they were trying to take her right in front of him.

In fact, it wasn’t strange that guys were hitting on Yuna.

Though she was a rare gloomy tall girl, she was also an exceptionally rare beauty.

Inside him, a bit of affection mixed with more annoyance was boiling over.

Yeoreum felt like punching the popular guys.

But before he could, Yuna spoke up.

“Sorry… but I already have someone to work with.”

“Huh? We weren’t talking to you.”

The guy with the piercing said.

“We were asking you, Han Yeoreum.”

The two guys were looking at Yeoreum.

Yeoreum’s eyes widened.

“Me?”

“We need a script, and we really enjoyed your scenario.”

The muscular guy said.

Yeoreum thought about the scenario he had submitted as an assignment a few days ago.

The title was Submarine Nazis Must Die

The plot was simple.

North Korean soldiers purchase an old German submarine.

But inside, Nazi zombies are dormant.

The submarine heads to the West Sea for a test, and the North Korean crew accidentally awakens the Nazi zombies.

The submarine turns into chaos in an instant.

In the dark depths of the sea, the North Koreans struggle to survive against the zombies.

In the end, an axe-wielding serial killer invades the submarine with sharks.

He slaughters both the North Koreans and the Nazi zombies with his axe in an absurd twist—

A conclusion that sends common sense to Andromeda.

Yuna, who adored Yeoreum, showered the script with praise, and even their insane professor gave it high marks.

But he never expected anyone else to find it interesting…

“What part did you find interesting?”

“The idea of Nazi zombies sealed in a submarine is unique, and the setting of an isolated underwater room is great. Plus, the dynamic of North Koreans vs. Nazi zombies is incredibly intriguing.”

“…”

“If we tweak the ending a bit, it could be an amazing film.”

Yuna sprang to her feet in anger.

“What, what are you talking about…?! The charm of Yeoreum’s script is that explosive ending! You guys have no taste…! Right, Yeoreum?”

But Yeoreum didn’t agree.

Right now, Yeoreum wanted to hear honest opinions from ordinary people, not the constant praise from Yuna.

He started talking with the two popular guys, leaving Yuna pouting and feeling left out.

“Wa… wait… Yeoreum was supposed to make a film with me…”

“If you want, you can join our production too.”

“No, we decided to shoot it just the two of us, okay?”

“You two?”

The muscular guy shook his head, smiling.

“Movies can’t be made by just two people. They require the talents and hard work of many people.”

It was a perfectly reasonable theory.

Yeoreum suddenly realized.

What I truly need right now isn’t Yuna’s indiscriminate attention and affection. It’s definitely not Joo-Yi’s madness either.

What I need is interaction with sane, rational people…

Wasn’t this what I had been missing?

He was a bit moved by the conversation with the two popular guys.

He didn’t pay attention to Yuna, who was looking at him with anxious eyes.

“Alright. I’ll make it with you guys.”

He accepted the guys’ proposal. At that moment, a team was formed.

Yuna looked like she desperately needed CPR.

“You’re… kidding, right? You were joking?”

“I’m serious.”

“Yeoreum… abandoned me…?”

Yuna’s long hair seemed to stand on end as if hit by static electricity.

Losing her partner right in front of her eyes left her feeling dizzy.

Crack-

Yuna clenched her teeth.

Seeing Yeoreum exchanging contact information with the guys broke her heart.

“Yeoreum, you promised not to save anyone else’s contact information on your phone but mine, remember?”

“I don’t remember making such a promise.”

That was the truth. She was just upset.

I’m the one who taught him how to use a smartphone… why is he using it for something like this…?

It was something Yuna could not accept.

She instinctively clenched her hand.

The spoon in her hand slowly bent.

—