Chapter 42: Touch Me (2)

I entered Practice Room C as the staff had instructed.

The moment I opened the door, familiar faces were clustered together, seated.

I, Do Seohan, froze with a startled expression as I stepped in awkwardly.

Cha Seongbin’s sly voice greeted me.

“Seohan‑ssi, welcome to Betters!”

“Yes…?”

I blinked and slowly glanced around.

Cha Seongbin, Jin Sehyun, and Kang Siwoo were all staring up at me.

Even from afar that lineup looked like Betters.

With my eyes wide, I asked, “Is it really… Betters?”

“Yep, this is Betters. Kevin‑ssi should be the last to arrive, I guess?”

“…No way.”

“It’s real.”

I had wanted to be assigned to Betters, and I had filmed the concept video with a sexy concept… yet something about it felt suspicious.

I couldn’t hide my doubtful gaze as I looked at Kang Siwoo.

I felt I could trust him even if I didn’t trust the others.

“You’re in Betters too, hyung?”

“Right, come on in and sit down already.”

This was real.

I was completely convinced by the effortless way Siwoo kept a straight face while lying.

I hurried over and sat down.

Then I raised both hands and gasped.

“Wow…! Me in Betters.”

My gestures looked like I was about to jump around with joy.

I liked it more than I thought I would.

“Ahem.”

Cha Seongbin cleared his mind, refolding any loose thoughts and suppressing a laugh.

Since we’d decided to fool him, it had to be done right.

Aware of the camera, he handed me a fake microphone and asked,

“So, since we’re on the same team, how do you feel about being assigned to Betters?”

“It was a song I really wanted, so I’ll work hard at it.”

With a textbook answer, I met the camera’s gaze, my mouth already curved up to my ears.

“Do you like it that much?”

“Yes, I do. Wow!”

“I’m really loving it…?”

But as always, the world doesn’t let the maknae be happily naïve.

Jin Sehyun, who had been quietly seated, was just waiting for an opportunity to make a remark.

Timing his move, he patted my shoulder and sat close by.

With the intention of slipping in as naturally as possible, he threw out bait.

“But what I’ve always felt seeing Seohan‑ssi up close….”

“Yes?”

“Our Do Seohan‑ssi works hard no matter what song you’re assigned.”

“Yes, of course… um?”

Unluckily, that line felt anything but natural.

‘What is this unsettling buildup?’

“Right? Even if it was ‘Touch Me’, you’d work hard, right?”

“……”

“Does your passion vary depending on the song?”

“No way. Seohan wouldn’t ever do that!”

“That’s also what I saw from you, Seohan‑ssi.”

Other trainees nearby were enthusiastically filling the audio.

Everyone was serious about leading the scene.

My pupils shook.

“Wait a minute.”

Could it be.

I had a bad feeling.

“Could it be that I’m being pranked….”

Yep, I was being pranked.

Just as I realized I’d been toyed with and turned sharply, Seohan and Seoh‑haim jumped out from behind the door.

Bang!

“Seohan, let’s do something cute together!”

“Let’s go for Touch Me!”

With a flop, I collapsed like a paper doll.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Then.

“…Everyone, please leave. I want to be alone.”

Later, my scream was recorded in fandom lore as the cry of a hamster who “wanted to be sexy.”

Q. You upset?

A. It’s not upset, but I was trembling with rage at the betrayal by the hyungs.

After episode 8 aired, social media exploded over my close‑up interview.

My expression looked too sincere to be production direction.

The photo of me dramatically collapsing in disbelief spread widely on SNS for a long time.

– Byo‑Seohan’s expression is so hilarious ㅠㅠ it really looks betrayed

└ Betrayal makes you shiver lol so cute

└ Fresh‑faced eighteen, tasting the bitterness of the world

└ So we all chanted Betters but got assigned “Touch Me”? lol sorry fans voted as one

└ Sorry, I voted for Touch Me too

– When he realized it was “Touch Me,” Seohan’s despairing look lol and he just flopped forward lol looked like someone bowing on Lunar New Year

└ Someone bowing on Seollal lololol

└ Such polite hamster^^

└ Sorry for making you bow, but you… you’re cute

– All united to tease the maknae was so cute

└ That’s team‑work

└ Seoh‑haim’s face when he felt the thrill was priceless jpg.

└ This soft chick is so adorable lol seems like the show’s approval rating is at max right now

└ Why does he look happier than when he made it into debut range lol Seoh‑haim did you enjoy that that much?

└ Choco‑haim is at 100% sweetness right now

└ Full Sweetness lololol

– I didn’t know Seoh‑Ian had that personality, first one to hide behind the door—action‑oriented, that’s insane lol

└ I didn’t think quiet soft tofu like that would be so serious about teasing her younger sibling

└ What a twist ㅠㅠ our shy One‑tofu does her mischief quietly

└ How did the survival‑of‑the‑fittest dynamic become tofu >>> hamster?

└ Aiyo, Seohan, stay strong

– Kang Siwoo could act even if you made him, lol he teased me with expression unchanged

└ Even perceptive Mam‑Seohan fell for it lol honestly if Kang Siwoo talks that seriously I’d believe it too lol

└ Honestly, such a trustworthy face

└ Like a startled hamster in front of a husky gif?

– Jin Sehyun interview: I couldn’t skip out on something that looked that fun

└ Look at how he talks, ah this is so my style

└ His gaze is almost mania lol real mania

└ As I always say, the biggest maniac in Stardust Project is Jin Sehyun. After photo‑maniac, now acting‑maniac.

└ There’s a post‑show comment that Ha Junseo said he was sad he couldn’t watch this fun thing himself lol downward love is really moving

└ I think Mam‑Seohan would be the one wanting to cry lol

└ Downward love, right?

Amid the flood of bait, office worker Shin Jueun couldn’t leave her computer.

From the preview I’d expected a fun episode already, but a hidden‑camera prank on Do Seohan? The team pranking the maknae turned out to be so much fun.

My image collapsing like a deflated gas‑station balloon already proudly occupied a scene in the countless new‑fan YouTube “gotcha” videos.

“This is the maknae.”

There was joy in teasing him.

Plus he was so young and innocent.

Shin Jueun forcibly lowered the corners of her mouth despite the upward pull, then clicked the next video.

The flood of plot bait was far from over….

It had only been yesterday that she binge‑watched episode 8, and today was the broadcast of episode 9.

This episode included the “Last Supper” content as previewed.

It was set up as a party prepared by the staff for the trainees who had worked hard so far.

MC Han Dawon grabbed the microphone today as well, with a bright face, staring into the camera.

[For the boys who worked hard up to the second evaluation, Stardust World has prepared the Final Supper.]

Shin Jueun pulled out a chair and murmured quietly.

“Final Supper?”

-The name “Final Supper” already sounds like a huge rejection trigger;;;

-Ah the content name is so infuriating

-It’s nice to watch without stress after a long time, why are y’all upset

Although the wording was a bit off, as befits the concept of a Final Supper, a lavish buffet that would make your eyes spin was spread out before them.

Without realizing it, Shin Jueun stood up and brought a can of beer.

Gulp, even just looking at the screen, the visuals made my salivary glands explode.

“Ah, this is dangerous at night.”

Even on the screen it looked that good, so there was no way the trainees in front of the buffet wouldn’t get excited.

The guys whose faces had been gaunt from preparing for the second round lurched around the buffet while swallowing.

[Wow… there’s this much delicious food?]

[Can we really eat all this?]

[Oh wow, all of this?]

But of course the broadcasting station wouldn’t just present the buffet easily.

At Han Dawon’s firm words, the bright eyes around her died.

[…Only one team can enjoy the Final Supper.]

Dun-dun.

-Don’t make the kids suffer, Doubles you jerks

-Feed the kids who worked their asses off ㅠㅠ

-No seriously lol playing with food in front of kids starving themselves for a diet—is that even human?

“You guys just need to get paid for one person, broadcasting station jerks.”

Shin Jueun muttered to herself and opened the shrimp crackers beside her.

Even from afar you could hear the kids swallowing, but the damn Doubles staff didn’t seem inclined to hand over the food.

I felt sorry for Seo Haim, who was off in space at the chocolate fountain in the center of the buffet.

-Seo Haim is licking his lips lololol

-Look at Choco‑Haim living up to his nicknameㅠㅠ too cute

At this rate, our kids need to be fed fully.

Star fan Shin Jueun mentally cheered for Team Touch Me and only half-listened to Han Dawon as she explained the rules.

[There are 40 candles here—blow them all out at once using the baseball bat in front of you! You get one chance.]

[If the bat touches a candle it’s minus one point, so swing carefully.]

It was that game often seen on variety shows.

Named the “Candle‑blow Swing” game.

The key was how many candles you could extinguish without the bat touching them.

[Each team selects three players, and the total determines the final score.]

While Team Betters quickly picked three players, Team Touch Me was panicking behind them.

Little wonder, since they didn’t have many members who looked athletic.

“Brother, you go.”

[…Me?]

“No, I think you’d be better.”

Murmurs all around.

-Why are there no apparently athletic people here lol

-Kang Siwoo? Cha Seongbin?

-The third person is too problematic lol

-Seo Ian looks like he’d roll around if you put him in that

-Ian is tofu so can’t hold the bat ㅠㅠㅠ

└ What does that even have to do with it lol

└ Excuse me, you swing the bat to hit candles, not people

-Haim’s eyes are shining harmlessly lol

└ If you give Haim a bat he’d smash the candles cheerfully immediately

└ lol yes yes

Then, unable to bear it, Cha Seongbin pushed Do Seohan’s back and spoke—after looking at the other three, Siung decided Seohan was the best choice.

“He was in a youth baseball team, Seohan.”

“He was on a youth soccer team.”

“Anyway it’s a ball sport.”

-lol what is Cha Seongbin even saying

-Is that logic lol

-So ball sports count as athletic? lolol

In the end, dragged out forcibly, Do Seohan shrugged his shoulders with a confident expression as if nothing had happened.

[Hmph. Doesn’t look that hard.]

[As expected of the youth soccer team! Seohan, trust only you!]

-What does youth soccer team have to do with any of this

-And the expression he gives himself is hilarious lol

-Don’t pose holding the bat like that you baby hamster lol

-Touch Me was intentional but baby Hamjji is just ‘ambling along’

-Hey~ in the back alley, is there any sunflower seeds I can eat~

-Ah lol lots of attitude huh lol

Watching the live comments scroll in, Shin Jueun suppressed a laugh as the real Candle‑Swing game kicked off.

I didn’t know what kind of lineup this was, but behind the scenes Cha Seongbin’s commentary began.

With a tense BGM, Team Betters was the first to step up.

[Kevin player, will he…will he…?]

Whoosh—

Gasps erupted as the wind swept around. With a single swing he extinguished more than half of the candles in one precise arc.

A caption popped up: Betters team doesn’t just dance well—they swing the bat well too.

[Wow, why are they so good?]

[They must’ve just eaten well and played baseball!]

Despite other teams’ grumbling, the Betters team’s three selected players returned to their spots with ease.

Then it was Team Touch Me’s turn, which Shin Jueun had been waiting for.

“Our kids are in a growth phase, they need to eat a lot.”

As if sensing tension, Shin Jueun froze, shrimp cracker in hand, eyes locked on the screen.

Baby‑Hamjji evaluated the bat angle with a serious face.

[27 degrees… (murmur murmur)]

[Jin Sehyun‑ssi, what do you make of Seohan’s STEM‑mode moment?]

[Looks like he’s calculating angle of incidence and reflection.]

[Is he accurate?]

[Seems like quasi‑STEM proficiency.]

-lolololol

-Do Seohan proven to be imaginary

-“Quasi‑STEM,” lol truth bomb, Sehyun ah

Do Seohan, who in a past life must’ve studied chemistry, protruded his lower lip in indignation, but now was the time to focus on the swing.

His sharpening gaze met the candles.

The calculations were complete.

[Player Do Seohan… player Do Seohan.]

[True to youth soccer club training, the gaze he holds the bat with is fierce.]

Cha Seongbin’s narration grew more intense.

Just watching the screen gave the same immersive feel as a sports broadcast.

[Now, I’m curious how many of the 40 candles Do Seohan will extinguish to win the Final Supper.]

“But originally by appearance, he does look athletic.”

Girls who dance well often are good at sports too.

Seohan had long limbs—surely he tried baseball when he was younger.

Shin Jueun’s eyes filled with anticipation as they focused on the monitor.

[The moment we say this, Seohan’s swing…]

At that exact moment.

A cheerful bat‑smack echoed from the speakers.

Whack!

At the same time, debris shattered into pieces scattering.

The beautiful white powder rained over the studio like snow.

Drip drip drop.

“Home run! It’s a home run!”

It wasn’t a home run in the usual good sense….

[All 40 candles! In the end… in the end…]

[He destroyed them all!!!]

-lololololol “damn, that’s a home run”

-insane how well he smashed it lol

-total obliteration lololol

“Well then.”

Shin Jueun sipped her beer and shook her head.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep