Ch.61I just need to bring back Kim Donghu.

# Challenge! Golden Bell

After the announcement about Challenge! Golden Bell participant applications spread throughout the school, I immediately thought it had nothing to do with me.

‘Why suddenly Golden Bell?’

The plan to film a special Golden Bell episode with gifted middle school students seemed good, but actually applying to participate was a completely different story.

But if you ask why I ended up participating…

“Do-Donghu, do you kn-know about the Red Mask?”

“What?”

“When the R-Red Mask appears, everyone dies… They say your mouth gets ripped open!”

“…”

I could say it started with something as trivial as Kangsik’s fear.

“That Red Mask trend ended ages ago…”

“I-it’s been revived, I heard! From what I know, there’s a prison under the Great Wall of China, and it escaped from there!”

Despite Minhyeok’s correction, Kangsik stubbornly continued.

“They say someone got their arm cut off trying to reach into that prison, and anyway, it’s su-super scary.”

Just as Minhyeok said, it was strange that the long-dead Red Mask urban legend was circulating again.

While I was thinking how bizarre this was, Kangsik looked straight at me.

“But! They say the Red Mask is terrified of Golden Bell… because it’s gold, you know? Holding a gold bell… That’s its weakness.”

What kind of school ghost story sealing ritual nonsense is this?

No one could say that out loud.

Even Yerim, who looked like she couldn’t bear to listen anymore, stayed quiet.

Because…

“I-it’s true…!”

Kangsik’s expression was too serious.

“So you’re saying the Red Mask escaped from a prison under the Great Wall, is coming to kill people, and the only way to seal it is with Golden Bell?”

“Y-yes! That’s right! Exactly, Minhyeok!”

“…”

Minhyeok silently looked at me.

His eyes seemed to be asking for help, silently signaling me to calm Kangsik down quickly, but I shook my head.

‘They say smart kids always have a screw loose somewhere.’

Was Kangsik one of those?

As I was thinking this and glancing around…

‘Ah.’

I realized that not just Minhyeok and Yerim, but everyone in the class was looking at me strangely.

‘So they’re setting this all up just to get me to participate in Golden Bell?’

Of course, that might not be the case, but the emotion in their eyes was clearly expectation.

‘How cute, really.’

In fact, both Minhyeok and Yerim were just quietly watching Kangsik go on about the Red Mask.

In a way, this whole situation might have been a well-orchestrated play.

“So, you absolutely have to go! Because of the Red Mask!”

“Is that so?”

Anyway.

I chose the quickest path rather than bothering to explain that the Red Mask doesn’t exist.

“Alright, I’ll apply, but this might not work out. You know that, right?”

From the beginning, this wasn’t just a regular Challenge! Golden Bell, but a special for gifted middle schoolers, so the chances of getting in were low.

Usually, Challenge! Golden Bell has about 100 participants, so I thought my chances of being selected among gifted students from various middle schools were slim.

But then.

“Donghu, you applied for Golden Bell? They contacted me saying you got in. They even gave me a practice question booklet for you to memorize.”

The next morning after applying, I received news that I was among the 100 selected.

When I wondered why, I suddenly realized how obsessed the broadcasting station people were with creating buzz.

‘I see.’

During a time when Challenge! Golden Bell’s popularity was waning, they must have thought my presence could help boost ratings again.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Challenge! Golden Bell didn’t overlap with any of my schedules.

Of course, that was partly why I applied.

‘Honestly, I was curious too.’

To be honest, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t interested at all.

Being the top student in school, I was qualified, and with some luck, I might even ring the golden bell and make my parents proud.

‘I’ll be even busier in high school, so it’s good to participate in things like this while I can.’

Although Kangsik was the catalyst, I concluded that it was good to take opportunities when they came.

And so, due to various circumstances, my appearance on Challenge! Golden Bell was confirmed.

-Donghu, are you sure this is okay? Don’t you need to rest?

As soon as I shared the news, Seokho hyung immediately worried.

There was only one thing I could say.

“They say this is the only way to seal the Red Mask.”

-Huh?

Since escaped prisoners need to be put back in prison,

this was the right thing to do from a greater perspective.

++++++

Tap, tap, tap.

In the quiet meeting room where even the sound of tapping on the table was clearly audible.

The silence was broken by a single long finger.

“Don’t, don’t stop thinking.”

As <Swordsman Baek Dong-soo> was approaching its finale,

the highest viewership rating was still only 28%.

It seemed like just one powerful move could do it, but awkwardly, no one could think of one.

SKS Drama Director Choi Doseon, who had neatly swept his hair back, shifted his gaze.

‘Is the writer also unable to come up with a good idea?’

Writer Kwon Jaeho was frowning silently, apparently without any brilliant solutions.

Looking at him, Jeong Doseon’s thoughts deepened.

‘There must be a way…’

Having already confirmed the actors’ schedules,

and knowing that additional filming through script revisions wouldn’t be a problem,

the most important script wasn’t coming together.

What was the way to boost ratings in one go?

In fact, the answer was already set.

They just needed to use the card that would definitely increase ratings.

‘Kim Donghu.’

They needed to bring back Kim Donghu.

The question was ‘how.’

They knew the answer but needed to work out the perfect solution.

As everyone was lost in thought…

BANG!

Suddenly, Writer Kwon Jaeho hit the table and stood up.

“Overlap! The duel scene between Baek Dongsu and Jaun, transitioning with their childhood fight scene! Naturally bringing in Kim Donghu!!!”

Though his sentences were disorganized and incoherent,

strangely, everyone in the meeting room understood.

As if connected by some alien species’ long antennae,

they looked at Writer Kwon Jaeho with trusting eyes.

“That’s it! Yes! As we approach the final episode, that kind of direction works!”

“And when Jaun dies, he meets his pure younger self again and acts it out!”

“Yes, that’s it! That’ll work! Le-let’s do it right away, Director!”

The meeting was quickly wrapping up.

Director Jeong Doseon nodded with a satisfied expression.

“Yes, that will work.”

Simply using Kim Donghu to overwhelm the viewers.

Why had they spent so long thinking about it?

“Contact the actors right away and check their schedules again. If it works, proceed with the additional filming.”

As for the script…

As he said this, Director Jeong Doseon looked at Writer Kwon Jaeho.

His eyes asked when the script would be completed.

Writer Kwon Jaeho answered with a voice full of firm resolve.

“I’ll complete the script by the day after tomorrow.”

+++++

The week after my Challenge! Golden Bell participation was confirmed,

I put aside the practice question booklet and opened the <Eclipse> script.

‘I couldn’t properly read it before because of all that romance mode stuff.’

Since I’d already opened it, I decided to read it through to the end.

I immediately immersed myself in the script.

The world appeared through the Crown Prince’s eyes,

and the first thing visible was a man bowing to him.

A talent recruited to teach scholarship,

showing respect as a teacher but standing lower than himself,

and committing an impertinent act in the Crown Prince’s room.

“Love is truly cruel, they say it blinds people.”

The teacher’s firm tone makes me furrow my brow.

“I said I wanted to learn scholarship, not discuss life.”

“I’ve heard that courtesans have been entering and tickling Your Highness’s heart lately.”

“…”

The teacher’s successive irritating remarks were displeasing.

If he achieved top marks in the state examination and rose in status, he should be satisfied with that.

‘He acts as if he’s above me just because he’s teaching the Crown Prince.’

Though I wanted to dismiss him immediately, I couldn’t anymore.

Because the arrogant teacher’s younger sister was the woman I loved.

“Your so-called loyal advice sounds more like lecturing, which is quite pathetic.”

At times like this, I think about how ridiculous the path of a virtuous king is.

Does being a good ruler mean keeping people like him alive to speak their minds?

Does he not know he’s failing his duty just to protect his sister?

I wanted to say this but didn’t want to engage in lengthy conversation.

After all, dawn comes whether the rooster crows or not.

Besides.

‘This isn’t just my love alone.’

As autumn ends and the cold winter approaches,

I can see leaves losing strength and slowly falling outside the window.

The bitter cold of winter.

What’s wrong with finding a partner to endure this cold season?

“Soon the marriage ban will be implemented, and the selection will begin…”

I stopped speaking mid-sentence.

What’s the point of saying more?

How could a mere subject stop my love?

I stopped talking and left the room first.

When told not to do something, people want to do it more,

when told something is impossible, people want to achieve it more,

It’s forbidden.

I remember my father’s stern gaze when I mentioned having a woman I liked, firmly telling me to erase her from my memory.

Whatever the reason, it’s useless talk.

And as if to prove it.

“…So it ended up being you.”

When I learned that the woman I loved had been selected as the Crown Princess,

I wanted to go to her immediately.

I wanted to pour out all this overflowing love.

Into those eyes that seemed to have stars embedded in them,

to pour all my love, desire, and emotions so that no one else could look at her.

‘No, not yet.’

But the reason I could hold back was because I thought we had plenty of time.

However, mocking my patience…

The last thing I saw was:

“…How did this happen?”

The cold bride slowly dying.

WHOOSH!

With that moment, the script ended, and I was instantly brought back to reality.

‘This was a heavier story than I expected.’

In my previous life, I didn’t watch dramas much, so I didn’t know.

It was a much sadder story than I had thought.

As I was admiring the solidity of the script…

>Donghu, if your schedule is okay next year, would you consider entering a boxing competition?

>I think your form has been really good lately, and they say amateur matches are safe because you wear headgear

>Let me know if you’re interested.

A typical KakaoTalk message from Director Paek Sangha arrived.

But next year?

‘That’s my break period.’

Should I really make proper use of the Thousand Martial Arts Body?

It was a message that suddenly made me consider it.