[TS] Starting the Broadcast - Chapter 121

A snow-white tuxedo with a blue shirt visible underneath.

An eye-catching red tie and a unique monocle accessory on the mask.

A snow-white magical hat was playfully perched on top of the head.

Of course, that was also an extension of the mask... Anyway, overall it was an extremely well-made creation.

Han Sung-joo and Alice step back slightly.

I monopolize the center of the stage alone.

"Is it dancing?"

"Voice imitation?"

"But what I'm curious about is, are they a man or a woman?"

With high expectations came diverse opinions.

I snap my fingers stylishly towards the staff, as per the pre-arranged signal.

Then music starts playing.

Unlike people's expectations, it was quite a cheerful and fast-paced song.

"What's this?"

"I've never heard it before."

The experts tilt their heads.

On the other hand, the younger civilian judges and the guest girl group and boy group members say they know it and dance with their shoulders.

"This is a famous anime song. Detective Conan. The outfit Magician H is wearing looks just like a character that appears there."

"Really?"

"What, are they trying to do an impersonation?"

Kang Gura's prediction was wrong.

It's not just simple impersonation, but voice mimicry itself.

And not at an amateurish level, but copied exactly like the Korean version of the original.

"When I open my eyes in the morning, I'm curious about yesterday. What kind of case will call me today? Everyone says it's difficult, everyone says it can't be done, shaking their heads... Many cases!"

"...!"

"W-What? This person!"

"This is insane!"

"Did they really sing that? Not lip-syncing?"

Those who knew the original song were shocked, and even those who didn't know were surprised by the sudden change in tone.

It felt like not just imitating, but the person singing had completely changed.

The experts start huddling together and murmuring.

"Alright, let's continue!"

Seeing the good reaction from people, the MC got excited too.

He decides to allocate plenty of time as the PD said.

New BGM flows, changing the atmosphere.

A video even appears on the screen behind, increasing immersion.

"Thief... girl, Netti? What's that?"

"Wow! That was a super popular cartoon when I was young."

Kang Gura juts out his chin and complains it doesn't match his age group, while the idol guests clap like seals.

Ignoring the commotion erupting here and there, I quietly grab the microphone.

"What shall I do tonight, who shall I give joy to? Bad hearts, endless greed. Far, far away disappear!"

"...!"

"Huh? T-The voice?"

"It's a woman! This is definitely a woman!"

"But clearly until just now..."

A nuclear bomb drops among the people.

---

"It's a woman! Definitely a woman!"

"No, if you have ears, how can you hear that voice as a woman? Didn't you hear the nagging?"

"Then what was that song just now?"

"No, it's a man. Just look, they're much taller than Han Sung-joo."

"Let's not talk about my height!"

MC Han Sung-joo jumps in, bristling.

The set was in complete chaos.

The celebrity judges were arguing back and forth, completely forgetting about the results of round 1 or Alice's existence.

And although their volume was lower due to lack of microphones, the civilian judges were no different, whispering with their acquaintances.

"Really, let me just ask one thing. Are you a man or a woman?"

When no conclusion was reached, Kang Gura asked cautiously as a representative.

"It's a secret."

"Come on, what's so great about that that you have to hide it!"

"Ahaha, then you shouldn't ask."

Han Sung-joo taunts Kang Gura, who's getting angry.

I grab the microphone again and say:

"I can't tell you that... Instead, after Alice's special talent, I'll show you one more thing."

"Wow, you still have more to show? This person is really scary."

Yoo Jang-hyuk rubs his arms as if getting goosebumps at my ability to switch between male and female tones, while Lee Young-seok and Oh Hyun-chul are still seen debating in the back.

A level of completeness that even shakes the experts.

No one was able to see through my identity.

"Um... I'll do it."

What Beautiful Assistant Alice prepared was jive, one of the sports dances.

She looked quite intimidated due to how overwhelming my previous stage was.

Sure enough, she makes a mistake while taking bouncy steps.

When the flustered Alice stops her feet, the music cuts off too.

"Um... You seem very nervous. Please give her a round of encouragement."

Wooooah-!

The MC tries to elicit a response from the civilian judges.

Still, Alice couldn't move easily.

She seemed to have lost even more confidence due to the recent mistake.

The atmosphere gradually grows heavy.

'Is it my fault?'

In a cold competition, it's really meaningless to place blame.

Strictly speaking, it would be that Alice's mental strength was lacking.

But I can't be satisfied with this.

Alice is an important element in my plan.

So I slowly head towards the center of the stage.

"Huh?"

"What's this! What's happening now!"

Ignoring the celebrity judges making a fuss, I carefully take Alice's hand and lead her.

Though I can't be sure under the mask, she probably has a slightly surprised expression.

I take the basic jive stance that Alice showed just before.

"...!"

As if understanding my intention, Alice regained courage and took her stance too.

Doing something together always gives more courage than doing it alone.

The song plays again.

Although I didn't learn it formally and perfectly, I did learn the basic steps of some sports dances in D class when attending the academy.

Moreover, since Alice's level was also hastily put together for this special talent, I could easily match her level.

'Dance ability isn't about form!'

We split the stage in half and scatter left and right with Alice, taking bouncy steps.

The gradually increasing heartbeat and the enthusiastic applause covering it.

Finally, the song ends and Alice and I meet again at the center of the stage.

A polite bow with slightly lowered heads.

The stage ended amidst praise.

"This is supposed to be time to see special talents, but are you dating now?"

The civilian judges, especially women, shower Kang Gura with boos as he juts his chin forward and complains.

Kang Gura acts flustered and whines about why they're doing this to him.

"Men who don't understand women's hearts like you, senior, need to be taught a lesson. Really, how can someone be so mannered and cool..."

"Bong-sun, you're putting too much personal feelings into it."

The judges from comedian backgrounds exchange biting comments.

Meanwhile, Alice takes the microphone and looks towards me, then bows her head once more.

Seeing that, Kang Gura asks mischievously:

"Look, look. Alice seems to like them. That means Magician H is a man, right? Surely she wouldn't like them if they were a woman?"

"No, I'm telling you it's a woman. The Lim Seulong part in 'Nagging' or that cartoon song from earlier... What was it called?"

"Detective Conan."

"Right! If you listen carefully to that song too, it's all thin and high-pitched tones. It's not easy to produce a uniquely male feeling, but it's not impossible. There have been female contestants who sang male songs before too."

Despite Yoo Jung-hyuk's strong assertion, the disagreement didn't end easily.

"By that logic, there have been more male participants who sang female songs. Anyone can see that's a man!"

"If you're so confident, let's make a bet!"

In the end, a bet was made with Yoo Jung-hyuk and Kang Gura as representatives.

If I'm a woman, Kang Gura... If I'm a man, Yoo Jung-hyuk would wear a circular balding wig with the middle part exposed throughout next week's broadcast.

Hey, I was just standing still, why are they making such a fuss over me?

Anyway, the bet was established and the arrow pointed back at me.

"Hey, you said you'd show one more thing after Alice's special talent ended, right?"

Nod-!

"Let's see it quickly. And really, it's not right to do this. This is a singing program. Is it a program to guess gender?"

"Senior, you're the one most focused on that."

"Well, that's... Ahem!"

At Shim Bong-sun's fact attack, Kang Gura laughed awkwardly and laughter erupted from the civilian judges' seats.

"I'm a magician."

"Ah, we know that, so let's hurry. So... Are you going to show some magic?"

"Yes! Magic. I'll show you now."

What I'm going to show isn't magic I can do alone.

A great magic trick always needs a beautiful assistant.

I called Alice to stand in front of me.

"From now on, Alice will turn off her voice modulation and say a few simple words she wants to say. And my voice modulation too."

"What, what? Me?"

Alice looks at Han Sung-joo with bewildered eyes.

The production team's request was to never do anything that could reveal identity.

"W-Wait a moment. It seems we'll need the PD's permission for this to be possible."

It was an unprecedented situation.

A quick and strong voice comes through the in-ear connected to the PD.

"Do it! Tell them to do it no matter what. Alice's identity doesn't matter anymore."

"But still..."

"Look at the civilian judges."

As the PD said, when I turned my gaze, I could see the judges' eyes that might not leave Magician H for even a second.

"That gaze is the viewers' interest. A character more charming than anyone."

"...!"

The PD was right.

On a fun weekend, would we abandon such an attractive character that could draw viewers to their TVs?

It's the MC's role to push hard to highlight them more.

"Okay, good! We'll turn off Alice's voice modulation for a moment."

The production team's decision came down.

Cheers rise from among the people.

And everyone's expectations grow like a snowball rolling down a slope.

It's the first time voice modulation has been turned off at a participant's initiative.

Even for Kang Gura, a veteran of King of Masked Singer, it's his first time encountering this situation.

Alice carefully brings the microphone to her lips.

People's gazes don't leave for a moment, expecting what magical thing will happen.

In the shadows behind... I was quietly smiling.