GSGW c256

Previous chapter

Next chapter 

 

Chapter 256

note: updated, ty for noticing the missing end to the chapter

 

Eun Haje almost spat out the ice cream she was eating.

From the TV, a formal yet cheerful voice hosted a matchmaking program.

[Viewers, tonight, the most intense fruit of sweetness will come to you.]

[Let us meet these splendid groom candidates, just on the verge of their wedding!]

On the screen, accompanied by a low-quality orchestral band sound as if processed in lo-fi, young men dressed in white suits passed by within heart-shaped effects.

[Which one of them will capture the bride’s heart?]

Their tall and neat appearances certainly looked suitable for a dating TV program.

If only her workplace superior hadn’t been among them….

He was even smiling stylishly at the camera.

"Holy shit."

The curse slipped out reflexively, but it wasn’t so much disgust as it was sheer, insane bewilderment.

‘That guy…’

Was he… contaminated?

A chilling sensation began to rise where that overwhelming absurdity had just passed.

Suppressing a stream of curses, Eun Haje tossed aside the ice cream and began gathering her equipment.

All the while, her eyes remained fixed on the screen.

[The wedding is tomorrow! However, among the seven candidates, only one can become the groom of the White Bride.]

[Among those willing to lay down their lives for love, who will bear the fruit of that devotion?]

The more she focused on the screen, the more strange details stood out.

Like the contestant profiles introduced in quick succession with a lively tempo.

Name: ■■■■ ■■■

Height: 37 cm

Weight: 4 kg

Hobby: Cello, recitation, suffocation

One-line resolution: I’m sorry please stop the groom who will kiss the bride is me!

The bizarre numbers in the height and weight, the countless apologies and desperate pleas in the remarks, the unfocused face in the profile photo.

Yes.

Easy to overlook at a glance, but once you paid attention, you could tell. It was like they had dressed up a corpse and taken the photo….

[We can’t forget the support from those eliminated in the preliminaries!]

Even those who appeared briefly—like acquaintances cheering on participants or audience members—were far from normal.

They looked as though their missing parts, torture, and modifications had been concealed with makeup, smiling as they cheered.

But all of this flowed past in a bright, cheerful atmosphere, and the program introduction was reaching its finale.

The standard of entertainment shows.

Introducing the professional host.

[And now, we proudly present! The host of our program!]

In a shot of the groom candidates entering the venue, a stylish man walking behind them turned around, winked at the camera.

It was Lee Jaheon.

“Ghk—!”

[He infiltrated as a groom candidate and experienced all the training firsthand. That’s right. It’s me!]

[With insight gained from experience, I’ve prepared a thrilling, dangerous, and heart-pounding love survival course for today!]

As Eun Haje frantically tried to clear her choking throat—

[Then let us begin!]

On the screen, the grooms struck stylish poses to conclude the opening…

And at the center, Lee Jaheon in a white suit raised both arms and greeted with flair.

“This is insane.”

Contamination.

Eun Haje immediately grabbed her smartphone.

Her fingers quickly and precisely dialed the direct number given to her by the Disaster Management Bureau agents.

Kim Soleum had explained to the Bureau that he would be in a defenseless, unconscious state while making contact with Space Shopping Mall, and had asked two agents to monitor him just in case.

The call connected after two rings, and Eun Haje asked immediately,

“Is Soleum okay?”

—Pardon?

“You need to check. Right now.”

From the other side, there was a brief pause, as if they were checking the protected space where Kim Soleum was staying.

And then.

—No abnormalities in heart rate, breathing, or body temperature. Why do you ask?

"...…."

No, well….

As Eun Haje tried to explain, her eyes met those of a groom candidate on the TV screen.

Candidate number three—whose name she didn’t know—was playing the violin while holding a flower in his mouth, putting on a pitiful act……

"......"

—Ma’am?

“For now, if he’s fine, that’s enough.”

Eun Haje ended the call by telling them to contact her if anything happened.

…It was definitely a ghost story.

But somehow, it didn’t feel as extreme or dire as expected… maybe.

‘Is this… Soleum pulling off something ridiculous again to escape?’

She couldn’t tell whether the situation was truly dangerous, or if Soleum had just twisted it into something bizarre.

Assistant Manager Eun Haje picked up her ice cream again and stared at the TV with a troubled expression.

At the very least, Section Chief Lee Jaheon himself… seemed completely fine.

[The first round is poetry recitation.]

[The candidate who most elegantly combines the poems written on bookmarks hidden throughout the venue and delivers a refined recitation wins!]

The program was provocative.

It highlighted each candidate, making viewers either mock or cheer for them.

Two candidates who created absurdly ridiculous poems were met with cute, comical background music and warm reactions.

On the other hand, someone who failed to find many bookmarks but completed an impressively brilliant poem through creative thinking received loud applause.

And finally… for the two candidates who failed to properly compose a poem at all—

They were hung side by side from the top tower window of the boarding school.

[We will now take the viewers’ votes.]

[Who should be eliminated? And who should remain to continue this competition?]

They were eliminated by the decision of the ‘viewers.’

[Please press the number on your remote to decide! For just 60 seconds, the fate of these groom candidates will change.]

"......"

Eun Haje picked up the remote and stared at the screen.

[ Eliminate: No. 1 ]

[ Eliminate: No. 5 ]

Each time her finger hovered over the numbered buttons on the remote, the profile image of the corresponding person enlarged on the TV screen.

‘Ha….’

A physically impossible situation.

And the real-time viewer voting percentages were being reflected on the screen ….

[ Eliminate: No. 1 ] 37%

[ Eliminate: No. 5 ] 63%

In the final 10 seconds of voting, they disappeared.

Then the countdown.

10, 9, 8, 7…….

[Ah, the results are in!]

With applause and disappointed sound effects layered together, the eliminated candidate’s profile zoomed in.

Then, the eliminated candidate was struck on the head with a book at the top of the boarding school and shoved off in a ridiculous pose.

[Eliminated!]

With a crashing cymbal sound, exaggerated effects, and bursts of laughter were added.

And some of the ‘trial trainees’ seated among the guests were suddenly flung out of their seats, the lights at their spots going dark.

The sound of bodies being thrown out the window echoed loudly.

[It seems the trial trainees who chose incorrectly share the same fate. What a pity!]

And then, as the camera turned to the remaining groom candidates, an atmosphere filled with encouragement and relief was carefully built.

[Six groom candidates remain.]

[Congratulations. You are one step closer to the bride!]

The most chilling part was—

That all of it was entertaining.

[As they say, the one who captures the stomach captures the heart! A perfect phrase for the second round.]

[Food! You will compete to prepare a warm and nutritious lunch table for the bride. And the eliminated… oh my, this time two will be chosen!]

It was fascinating.

Even cruel punishment, when paired with cheerful sound effects and playful visuals, no longer registered as tragedy.

The elimination scenes on the TV—distanced from the viewer—became nothing more than gripping immersion or hollow laughter.

And layered on top like seasoning were emotions.

The quiet disappointment when a somewhat likable contestant was eliminated, the satisfying relief when an unimpressive yet lucky contestant was finally knocked out.

The pleasure of judging.

The absurdity of the elimination methods creating hollow laughter and amusement.

The sensation of dopamine numbing the ethical and moral sensors in one’s mind, preventing them from functioning naturally.

"......"

Eun Haje glanced at the empty ice cream container in her hand and felt a brief chill.

At some point, she had unconsciously picked it back up again. As if she were simply watching an actually entertaining TV show.

A sharp sense of danger crawled up the back of her neck.

‘This feels high-grade.’

And yet, nothing went wrong. The program flowed smoothly, never suddenly breaking into reality, nor did Section Chief Lee Jaheon get brutally killed.

Eventually, five groom candidates were eliminated in various ways, and the trial trainees who had been cheering for them gradually disappeared from the guest seats….

And so it reached its finale.

[Only two candidates remain!]

[Number 2 and Number 6.]

The final round.

As if fully immersed in the program, the two remaining groom candidates waved energetically toward the camera.

[This is the final round.]

[The winner will walk the wedding road and earn the honor of meeting the bride!]

The venue was now fully prepared for the wedding, with soft lighting and the gentle sound of piano music flowing through the hall….

And then, the final showdown-worthy round.

[The bride’s choice.]

Without realizing it, Eun Haje leaned forward toward the TV.

The camera moved.

From the end of the white velvet wedding road, where the groom candidates stood, toward the officiant’s platform ahead.

There was no one there yet.

[Now, when the bride appears and receives the groom, the wedding will begin.]

[Who will the bride choose?]

The camera once again captured the groom candidates—bodies filled with excitement, anticipation, tension, and anxiety—before shifting angles.

A side view of the long wedding road.

A wide shot of the entire venue, with the profiles of the two candidates lined up at the far right edge of the screen.

A composition that made everyone feel certain the bride would soon appear along the wedding road.

And then.

[Begin.]

With a lively sound, a drumroll started.

Viewers imagined the bride, watching with anticipation.

But….

"......"

Nothing happened.

‘What is this?’

Eun Haje leaned slightly closer to the TV. Still, nothing appeared on the screen—but there was a sound. And from beyond the wedding road, something began to emerge.

White Hand

A white mass of flesh—five branching joints fused together, bent and warped—peeled skin fluttering like a veil. At the tips, a glistening protein structure like quartz. Something massive. Something moving. …? It crawled along the wedding road with its index and middle fingers, the ring finger striking the guest seats—candles trembling, flowers crushed, flesh forced between the joints, between the fingers—offerings pushed inside.

Alien. Vivid. Enormous. 

Like the real hand of a person in a puppet show—it grabbed the groom—snatched—

and 

took 

him

.

.

.

Static—the screen tearing, a shrill buzz, screams, black and white—magenta noise bursting upward, strange sounds, howling, chewing, blood—a massive hand—cut—white fingers—a flickering black screen—scene after scene—between the fingers—the groom— pressed, ground into the floor—a dragging sound—movement—freeze frame—connection—an arm slipping out from the far left— 

Gone

End

…….

…….

Eun Haje pushed herself up.

Red droplets fell one by one onto the floor.

A nosebleed.

"......."

She lifted her head.

[Congratulations!] 

An empty screen. 

A frozen camera showing only the vacant wedding road. 

Strange marks left on the velvet. 

[The White Bride seems satisfied. It appears she shared a happy moment with the groom.] 

A bright band sound burst out. 

Applause and cheers were inserted. 

[But many of you must be curious about what comes after.] 

[Especially, wouldn’t it be fun to hear from our final candidate who was eliminated at the very last moment?] 

The ending credits rolled. 

Your Perfect Groom:

Be Chosen by the Bride

Sponsored by / Braun’s Late Night Talk Show

[We’ll see you next week, in a special segment of the Late Night Talk Show.] 

…….

……!

Like lightning, memories flashed through Eun Haje’s mind. A ghost story connected to Kim Soleum, the black-and-white broadcast, and—

The host’s tone.

“…Tuesday Quiz Show.”

She sprang up.

Rushing back to the phone, Eun Haje called the agents again—

this time with a clearer purpose.

—Citizen? There’s still no unusual acti—

“By any chance,”

She wet her dry lips.

“Do you know of a talk show?”

—Pardon?

“No—a quiz show. An old-style program that airs on Black-and-White TV. Did Soleum ever hint at anything like that? Something about Braun….”

—Braun?

The agent reacted. 

‘Do they know about Braun’s Late Night Talk Show?’

But—

—Do you mean the doll Agent Grapes carries around?

“…What?” 

—The rabbit doll.

Eun Haje recalled it instantly.

…At some point, Kim Soleum had started carrying a pink rabbit doll in his front pocket. She had assumed it was an item—or something for mental stability.

And even now, she had seen him carrying something similar.

—Isn’t that doll named Braun?

…….

“...!!"

***

[Hmm. Not bad for a hastily arranged live broadcast. The ratings aren’t bad at all!] 

—.......

[Mr. Roe Deer, what do you think?] 

I looked around the wedding hall. 

The few surviving trainee participants, the blood staining the floor, broken joints, the marks left by those who had struggled not to be dragged away. 

Braun really had… 

‘Made a complete mess of things….’

Ha……. 

 

Previous chapter

Next chapter