Idol Revive: If I Don't Debut, I'll Disappear
Chapter 196: Smells Fishy...

Chapter 196: Smells Fishy...

"Welcome to Healing Island!" Plotter greeted.

Since Rayen didn’t react, Plotter could only hand the flower petal to him instead of hanging it on his neck before stepping back with a smile.

"I know that your journey here isn’t that long, but I can already see a few of you who are not used to the sea."

Finally, Rayen came to his senses. He glanced back at the other participants and saw Yeo Haru already slumping down the sandy ground, about to vomit himself. Some cameras lingered around him, capturing every bit of his expression.

"S-Stop..." Yeo Haru begged, trying to hide his face away from the camera.

The camera man seemed to have taken Yeo Haru a bit too pitiful, and deemed that he had enough footage of him, deciding to step away much to Yeo Haru’s relief. After that, Yeo Haru served his rainbow drink to the ground.

With a wince, Rayen looked away from him.

"Shall we head to your accommodations, then?" Plotter said, already walking ahead of them.

’Already?’

Rayen thought there might be some other schemes lurking behind this seemingly casual facade, but until they arrived at the middle of the forest where five mountain cabins were waiting for them, nothing happened.

Is this trip truly gonna be healing?

The staff members led by Plotter and the bunch of participants entered the fence that encircled the whole camp. A large bonfire sat at the center, waiting for it to be lit.

Plotter faced the participants.

’Okay, here we are...’

Rayen readied himself for Plotter’s announcement.

Of course, even if an episode is called a healing trip, it was still an episode. Surely, the show’s writer would have to include some elements to make the episode entertaining for the viewers.

And Rayen really didn’t have to wait long.

"Each cabin can accommodate four people, but we’ve grouped all of you into three except for one team" Plotter began, wearing a wide grin as he addressed them, "Now, who will be your roommates?"

Suddenly, Rayen seemed to have a bad feeling.

’Don’t tell me...’

"When you boarded the cruise, each of you were given straw hats with a ribbon tied on it. Those who have the same color will be roommates."

Rayen stiffened.

’Does that mean...’

His head turned to that hateful person. That hateful person was also looking at him.

"Damn Plotter," Rayen whispered.

Plotter seemed to have heard it and tilted his head in response.

"....."

’Damn Plotter.’

Plotter smiled and shifted his gaze away from Rayen.

"However, since you might not like your current teammates. We’ll be giving you chances to swap with the others. Ah! Girls and boys shouldn’t be in the same cabin with each other~ Please have a sense of propriety."

That might be a problem for those fake men, but since those three — Iris, Xu Jiji, and Xi Huan — were put in the same cabin, there didn’t seem to be an issue with it.

Rayen sighed.

Plotter wasn’t that heartless afterall. Now, Rayen just had to find someone to exchange cabins with.

"You have until the end of the day to exchange the rooms. Until then, you can spend the rest of your day as you would like," Plotter continued.

"....."

’Really, that’s it?’

Rayen wasn’t fully convinced though.

"Smells fishy..." Rayen whispered.

"But of course, we need to have some sort of content to show the viewers," Plotter said.

’I knew it. It wouldn’t be that simple!’

"Since you are free to do everything on your own, we will give each of you cameras. You have to film what you will do, but it depends on you how much you will film."

As Plotter said that, the staff members handed each of them a portable camera of their own.

Although the rule must have seemed lax, Rayen knew it also meant something else. The participants could choose if they will focus on enjoying the "healing", or work on their content.

Less content, less screen time.

Rayen chuckled in his mind. After all of that, all that mattered was screen time.

Once everyone got their cameras, Plotter resumed giving out instructions.

"Lastly, for your dinner, you have to gather your own ingredients. Each of you will be given gears. They’re placed in one of the cabins," Plotter said. "Everyone will gather at sunset in this camp where everyone will have to cook their own dinner in this large bonfire!"

All eyes turned to the bonfire. Truly, it was so large that it even towered everyone in this place.

"Isn’t it exciting?!" Plotter grabbed everyone’s attention once again. "A bonfire gathering will make the viewers’ hearts fuzzy and warm!"

Plotter’s eyes which usually emitted a mischievous gleam seemed to be glowing in genuine excitement for once. The staff members shook their heads and sighed.

’Well, for once, I can agree with him.’

Right now, Rayen could see that Plotter genuinely wanted everyone to have fun. Even if there was some scheming here and there, the participants could still choose whether to follow it or not and to what extent.

The explanation seemed to be over as Plotter waved toward the staff members.

"Let’s go," Plotter said.

With that, Plotter walked off, whistling in the air and ready to have fun on his own. In actuality, he really wanted to play with Rayen, but if he did that, then Rayen wouldn’t be able to make any content. Director was also eyeing his every movement, so he couldn’t just waltz everywhere.

The participants were finally left alone. Even the staff members holding the cameras turned it off and placed it on one of the cabins.

"Have fun, guys," the staff members said before following the other staff members that went with Plotter.

One by one, the participants also went on their own. While some others formed a group or went with their cabin mates.

As for Rayen, the first one he looked for was Ren. He wasn’t essentially looking for him — just determining where this guy was off to. Rayen would then choose the opposite path to not encounter this guy again.

Ren seemed to have sensed his gaze, and glanced at him for a moment. But then, he suddenly walked off toward the seaside.

Just then, Rayen felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, want to fish by the seaside?" Adrian said, pointing to where Ren headed off to.

"No." Rayen shrugged his hand away and walked deeper in the forest after getting his gear.

"Hm?" Adrian watched him dumbfounded until his back disappeared in the bushes.