Chapter 63: Chronos History (7)

In the distance, the Tintacoaster moved along its track, a stark contrast to the Hurricane's wild gyrations on the opposite side. Today, Tinta Land belonged exclusively to us, Chronos, with no other guests in sight. This exclusive access meant all our members were already scattered, enjoying the rides in various pairings, except for me.

- Hyun-Woo, are you searching for someone?

I stopped scanning the park and resumed walking forward after hearing the cameraman’s words.

“Anyone, just anyone," I responded, a hint of distress in my voice. I was like a hyena on the prowl, desperately needing a partner for the rides. It was then I noticed Park Yoon-Chan, who seemed to have sensed my predicament, sprinting toward me from across the park.

“Hyung, where are you off to? Heading to the carousel?" he asked in a light tone.

“Uh... yeah, at least for now. What about you?"

“I don’t have any plans yet.” Park Yoon-Chan's gaze swept over the park, absorbing the scene, before he decisively grabbed my arm. Then, he steered me in the opposite direction.

“If you're planning on the carousel, save that for later with Jin-Sung. Let's try something more thrilling."

“Uh... huh?” I hesitated, teetering on the verge of declining his offer. However, the realization that this was more than just fun but a part of our work made me relent. Avoiding the rides today was impossible.

Hence, I followed Yoon-Chan reluctantly. Partnering with a member adept at rides for the more challenging attractions seemed like a wiser choice. Besides, it would be a waste to partner with Park Yoon-Chan and still stick to the simple carousel.

“Let’s try that one," Yoon-Chan said as he pointed excitedly toward the Tintacoaster. I raised my eyes to the ride, only to see a ghastly pale Jin-Sung and Joo-Han ascending its intimidating, ninety-degree slope.

Just looking at it sent a wave of nausea over me, but I found myself being led forcibly toward the Tintacoaster entrance by Park Yoon-Chan—well, more like his unwavering determination. The staff greeted us with cheerful smiles, oblivious to my growing apprehension.

- Here's your mission!

The staff spoke with a bright tone.

- You know the spot where the rollercoaster snaps a photo at its highest point, right? If you manage to have your eyes open and make a 'V' sign in that picture, you succeed!

“That's it?" Yoon-Chan asked, excitement lacing his voice.

“We need to keep our eyes open?" I jumped. We had the very opposite reactions.

‘

I have to open my eyes at the ride's peak and even pose, all while releasing my death grip on the safety bar? That’s impossible!’

I exclaimed internally, but the staff merely smiled in response, unaware of my inner turmoil.

- That’s right!

Park Yoon-Chan offered a comforting pat on my back. “Don't worry, hyung. The drop is over in a flash."

“What about the climb?"

“That's a bit longer... but it’s only for a few seconds. Around twenty to thirty seconds, perhaps?"

“Oh...” A heavy sigh escaped me. In my mind, those thirty seconds would stretch into an eternity. Before I could protest further, Park Yoon-Chan already guided me onto the Tintacoaster's seat.

As I settled into the seat, my body immediately tensed, every hair on my body standing on end. “Yoon-Chan... what should I do now?" I asked.

It was definitely challenging to debut in an idol group. Park Yoon-Chan seemed to contemplate for a moment before offering his hand. “Do you want to hold my hand?"

“No... no, it's fine. I'll ask for help if it gets too scary," I replied, trying to muster some semblance of bravery.

“Twinkle, twinkle! Welcome, everyone! This is the mascot of Tin-ta-land! Tintacoaster~! Your seatbelt will come down in the count of three... One, two, three! Please check if the belt is loose or not secured~ Okay, perfect. Everything looks great~ We are done checking the safety, so Tintacoaster will depart to the wonderland soon~ Let’s go~!”

“Oh my gosh!”

‘

The chair... no, the seatbelt seems a bit loose. What if I slip out of this?’

In a wave of anxiety, I glanced back, shaking the safety bar to test its security. It was not time for me to be conscious about the camera. The coaster started its slow, ominous ascent toward the sky.

“Yoon-Chan, this is really..."

“Yes?"

‘How can you stay so calm?’

“I need... your hand."

“Ah, okay."

With a slight hesitation, Park Yoon-Chan gently took my hand. I clung to it as though it were my only anchor in the storm, and I tried desperately to steady my breathing. However, despite my best efforts to calm down, my heart continued its frenzied pounding. I muttered, “Why in the world did I agree to this?"

“Because it's part of the game," Park Yoon-Chan said, trying to reassure me. “Don't worry, hyung. You won’t fall off. It's completely safe."

“But... how... how can you guarantee that?" I countered, my voice tinged with anxiety. Rides did malfunction, and accidents, though rare, did occur. People even died during rides sometimes. What if I became part of those unlucky few? I thought I could be one of them because I was someone who had traveled back in time in the most unexpected way—a plane crash that somehow catapulted me back into the past. It was proof that strange, unlikely things happened.

As we ascended, the air seemed to grow thinner, and my head felt light with terror. It was then that Park Yoon-Chan forcefully straightened my clenched hand into a V sign.

“You didn’t faint, right? We are almost at the photo spot. Stay awake, and open your eyes. Make the pose!”

“Uh...!”

I could only gasp in response as fear had robbed me of my voice. When the coaster started its plummet, I felt weightless and instinctively released Park Yoon-Chan's hand, gripping the safety bar with all my might. It wasn't until we were halfway down that I shut my eyes.

Following that, the ride came to a stop, and the safety bar rose. I tried to stand, only to have my legs buckle beneath me, and I collapsed back to my seat.

Park Yoon-Chan quickly lent a hand, helping me up while announcing to the camera, “Hyun-Woo's legs just gave out!"

Goh Yoo-Joon and Joo-Han, who were next in line, approached us. They giggled as they gently patted my back. “You okay there? You and Jin-Sung are really having a tough time today."

“I thought I would die..."

“You used to be up for any ride. I guess times change, huh? Need some water?"

Goh Yoo-Joon offered me a bottle, and I gratefully sipped it while the other members looked after me. Meanwhile, the staff were checking our photo to see if we'd completed the mission. I had completely forgotten about the mission amidst my terror, fully expecting a failure. However, the staff's reactions were unexpectedly positive.

- Hyun-Woo and Yoon-Chan, you did it!

‘What? When did that happen?’

I looked up, bewildered, as the staff handed me the photo. In the picture, my eyes were wide open, and I did form a V sign, all thanks to Park Yoon-Chan's quick thinking.

“When was this taken?"

“I formed the pose for you, and your eyes were open too. We got lucky."

- One hundred points to both of you!

Park Yoon-Chan patted my shoulder when he heard the result, smiling before heading off to find another member. “Stay strong, hyung. I'll go pair up with someone else now!"

I slumped back onto the bench, staring at the photo. “Ugh...All I want is to go home..."

However, I knew no amount of complaining would change my situation. I steadied my shaky legs with effort and stood up. “Where's Jin-Sung? Is the carousel this way?"

- Going for the carousel already? It's over there.

The cameraman pointed toward the left with a broad smile.

I wandered through the amusement park in search of Jin-Sung. Fortunately, the members approached me to pair up due to the game rule, and I was content with sticking to the easier rides although they only gave me low scores. I had resigned myself to the low score and the likelihood of missing out on the tempting MC position. This wasn't a challenge that could be overcome by mere determination.

As I sat there, feeling defeated, Director Lee Won-Jae's voice came over the loudspeakers, calling for a mid-game check at the entrance.

- Ah, ah. Mic test. One, two. Do you hear me, Chronos? We are going to have a mid-game check. Please gather at the site where we filmed our opening scene.

‘A mid-game check... I'm probably last, but what else can I do?’

It was obvious that I would be last and teased. With a heavy heart, I made my way to the designated spot.

- You really are scared of rides, aren't you, Hyun-Woo?

The cameraman observed with a hint of surprise.

“Yes, I used to enjoy them, but I had a bad fall once. The members don’t know about it."

The cameraman looked shocked, but I just shrugged it off with a laugh. “I wasn’t injured seriously, though."

If it had been a major accident, the other members would have definitely known. I hoped my reveal would prompt the production team to consider my fear of heights in the future.

As I arrived at the meeting point, I saw Goh Yoo-Joon, now putting a rabbit headband on and chatting with Director Lee, signaling me to hurry over. “Where were you? I've been looking for you."

“I was just over there on the bench. You seem to enjoy yourself."

“Yeah, it was fun. Hey, want to join me on the water coaster later? It's about time for your respawn, isn't it?"

“Oh, no.” I shook my head ferociously, the terror in my eyes making it clear that I couldn't muster the courage for another ride.

The director's call for action “Let's slate!" signaled the start of the mid-game check.

- Is everyone having a good time?

“Yes! Director, can we go on more rides after we finish filming?”

- We’ll see how much time we have left after filming. I am glad to see everyone enjoying themselves.

“But," Joo-Han chimed in, glancing at me and Jin-Sung with a hint of mischief, “I've heard rumors that some people have completely given up on scoring any points."

The other members, except Jin-Sung and me, erupted into laughter at his remark. Jin-Sung was visibly annoyed. As he was standing close to Park Yoon-Chan, he just pushed him away lightly and protested, “Honestly, this game is unfair for those with a fear of heights!"

“His stuttering is just too funny!"

“That's right! This game is really unfair to both Jin-Sung and me," I supported him, placing a comforting arm around Jin-Sung's shoulder.

“Please, give us a chance as well.”

Director Lee Won-Jae, however, just laughed maliciously and proceeded with his announcement without responding to our plea.

- Now, let's not forget—amusement parks aren't only about scary rides. Let's take a look at the current rankings!

First place. Goh Yoo-Joon.

Second place. Park Yoon-Chan.

Third place. Kang Joo-Han.

Fourth place. Lee Jin-Sung.

Fifth place. Suh Hyun-Woo.

As I had anticipated, I was at the very bottom of the list.

“It's surprising to see Hyun-Woo in fifth place.”

“Yeah. How did you end up doing worse than Jin-Sung, who's always been afraid of rides?"

“I just couldn't handle the really high ones," I admitted with a resigned sigh.

Despite trying my best, the rides that garnered the most points were too daunting for me, making it impossible for me to surpass the members who thrived on them.

- As expected, Jin-Sung and Hyun-Woo's scores are significantly lower than those of the other members.

“Director, is there any place where we can earn a lot of points at once?" Jin-Sung asked, hoping for a turnaround. Director Lee responded with a cryptic smile.

- Remember, not all attractions in an amusement park are frightening. That's all I'll say for now.

“But the less scary rides have lower points. That's not fair," Jin-Sung lamented, visibly upset.

I wondered why the director made such a straightforward statement sound so intriguing. While Jin-Sung complained, I pondered our situation. Having managed to scrape by on low scores, Jin-Sung and I were aware that points could be earned on less intimidating rides. But unlike the high-scored thrill rides, simpler ones like the carousel offered only a mere twenty points.

The odds of catching up seemed bleak. But then, why did the producer hint as if he was offering a hidden clue?

- Fear isn't confined to just the rides.

He added in a casual tone.

‘Fear isn’t confined to just the rides...’

Suddenly, everything clicked in my mind.

- Let's get the game going again, shall we? Off you go!

As the game restarted, I quickly grabbed Jin-Sung, who was about to join another member.

“Hey, stick with me."

“Where to? If it's something easy like the carousel, count me out," Jin-Sung retorted, seeking a challenge.

“What ride do you have in mind?" I asked.

“If it's with you, hyung, let's just ride the bumper cars," Jin-Sung suggested. He readily agreed and followed me without hesitation.

"Hyun-Woo, how about joining me on the waterboats?" Goh Yoo-Joon asked, planning to team up with me for his next ride, so he ended up following us.

“Do that with Jin-Sung, then we can pair up later," I suggested.

“Alright, sounds good. Or you know what? Why don't the three of us go together?"

Utilizing a strategy to try as many rides as possible and respawn quickly, we realized that teaming up could prove to be an even more efficient tactic.

“Where are we going?" Goh Yoo-Joon asked with curiosity.

I avoided giving a direct answer, cautious that either Goh Yoo-Joon or Jin-Sung might veer off toward a different attraction. Scanning the park, I located our next stop. Fortunately, it was nearer than I had anticipated.

“We're going to a place where we might just earn more points than expected," I hinted mysteriously. I then led them to an unexpected destination. It was the haunted house.