CH72

In Hollywood, sometimes you come across tasks that make you wonder if they are really necessary.

Such was the case with the creation of a nine-tailed fox costume that arrived in a box.

The Netplus employee who came to explain enlarged the screen.

On the screen, there were repeated scenes featuring Rue from "Moonlight."

"How can we maximize the tail in a drama made with CG? We collaborated with a famous special makeup team."

The video changed to show familiar people.

"The makeup team from 'Invisible Children.' Despite their busy schedules, they were willing to participate."

-Haha! If it's Ian's work, we can't miss out.

-Just trust us!

'…These guys?'

Recently they asked when they would rejoin, and now they were planning this behind the scenes?

Their laughing and thumbs-up looked like uncles teasing their nephews.

"With their help, we created a tail that is full and soft to the touch, rivaling CG. Could this be called Hollywood's technological prowess?"

He decided to call it a waste of technology.

Why use award-winning special makeup skills here, worthy of an Emmy?

The employee held up a belt with nine beautiful tails attached.

"We also asked the original creator's opinion."

"To this extent?"

"They were very happy and even recommended the costume."

The employee took out a garment from the box.

It was unfamiliar but not new.

"It's a hanbok, directly sourced from Korea. It's from the upcoming spin-off, and they wanted to see how well it matches."

The writer had put a lot of personal touch into it, and Netplus seemed to be drooling over the spin-off, hoping to acquire it if it does well.

Ian saw the nine-tailed fox costume.

It seemed too much effort for something like this.

The employee spoke with a slightly tense face.

"Of course, we've also reviewed some of the footage and have no intention of making any special claims based on it. But couldn't it create good memories for the students?"

"Good memories, indeed."

It seems like it will be more memorable.

"And after discussing it with Director Isaac, he said it would be better to end on a pleasant note."

"Ah, that's right."

Thinking of Cooper, Ian agreed.

'The situation is too provocative and serious. It's hard to know what to think of Cooper.'

He could be seen as a victim of school bullying or a potential criminal.

Reducing the seriousness with a cheerful atmosphere seemed like a wise choice.

"Alright, I'll do it."

Despite knowing he might be criticized, Ian bravely volunteered to wear it just once.

As Ian confirmed his decision, the employee expressed gratitude with a bright smile.

While fiddling with the tail, someone suddenly spoke up.

"Oh! So you're really going to wear this?!"

"What, when did you get here?"

Ian hadn't noticed when Ben and Damian entered the room.

Ben alternated his gaze between Ian and the costume, wearing a deep smile.

"You said three outfits would be enough, but is this really your taste? We must have bought the wrong clothes for you, right?"

"Tsk tsk, that's why I searched for similar outfits in advance."

Damian confidently pulled out his phone.

It was an outfit with colorful feathers fluttering like the tails of a nine-tailed fox. Surprisingly, it was a familiar costume.

"Samba?"

"Yeah, it's a Samba festival costume. How about we go together next year?"

No way.

"I'm definitely not going."

Damian looked dejected at the firm response.

***

The students at Caleb High were suddenly told to gather in the gym, and they moved accordingly.

Among the students, Nathan tapped Cooper lightly.

"Is today the day?"

"Yeah, he said he's going back soon."

It was time for Ian to leave.

It was sad that they hadn't met many times, but he felt more gratitude than sadness.

'I thought he was just a timid guy.'

He was shocked to hear about Cooper's difficult circumstances.

Considering that his life had been in danger, he felt a chilling emotion and regretted not knowing sooner.

"We just have to do well now."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Let's hurry. We can't miss the front seats for a good show!"

Nathan walked arm in arm with Cooper, smiling brightly.

He was not foolish enough to miss an opportunity to correct a mistake.

As all the students gathered, the gym was noisy with chatter.

As people speculated why they were called, the quick-witted students noticed something unusual.

"Isn't that a camera?"

If there were one or two, it might be for filming a school event, but there were more than that.

Curiosity spread quickly, and the principal stepped forward.

"Let's quiet down. You're all wondering why I called you here. You must have seen this flyer."

It was a flyer with a lonely John and apparently his siblings' numbers.

"Many students must have called this number. How was it?"

-It was fun.

-But who is it?

-Is it someone strange?

As a buzz of various conversations erupted, the lights in the gym suddenly went out.

"Is it a blackout?" As the students looked around, the screen in front turned on.

"Hello, friends. I'm Lonely John."

A familiar voice came through, and a white fox peeked out on the screen.

"You all seemed really curious about my identity. Were you that curious?"

There wasn't much to say.

If you hadn't tried calling the number on the flyer, you'd be out of the loop.

"Looks like they're finally revealing who it is."

"Who could it be? A teacher, maybe?"

"That would be a letdown."

While everyone was guessing, a bunch of white fur suddenly popped out beside the screen.

As the tails fluttered in the wind, the quick-witted students widened their eyes.

Ian, who stepped back to reveal himself, smiled warmly at the surprised students who recognized him.

"Ta-da, Lonely John was actually Ian Price!"

The gym erupted into noise upon the revelation.

"Is it really Ian?!"

"No, what about that outfit that popped out like Rue's?"

The commotion spread so uncontrollably fast that Ian tapped the microphone.

"Shush!"

At his single word, the real noise quickly subsided, and the teachers watched in amazement.

It felt like witnessing a kind of miracle.

"Well done."

The teachers, praising the students, had one thought in mind.

'…Is this like taming?'

That was the only thought they had.

"I know you all have a lot to say. I do too. After all, I've been on the phone with you guys a lot."

"Ah!"

"Oh no!"

Short screams came from various places.

Students who realized they had shared embarrassing stories with Ian without knowing his identity burst into laughter.

"Don't worry. I won't broadcast anything without permission."

Ian reassured them and slowly explained the purpose of this filming and what kind of help he wanted to provide.

His clear voice and pleasant jokes made the explanation engaging, but the children had difficulty focusing.

"I just want to touch the tail once."

"Should I ask later if I can touch it?"

Each time he moved across the stage, the tail swayed this way and that.

Like cats spotting prey, the children's eyes followed the tail.

"So, since I was in New York for filming, I decided to shoot at my friend Nathan's school. Nathan, come up here."

At Ian's call, Nathan joined him on stage.

They were both just kids when they met on 'Sucker Punch', but now they had grown quite a bit.

Feeling nostalgic, Ian put his arm around Nathan.

"Obviously, you knew about this all along?"

"Hey, why do you have to call me out like this?"

"It's not like I'm wrong."

Ian playfully tapped Nathan's head with his tail.

Their banter on stage was enough to reduce the distance that fame might create.

"Whatever the reason I started this, I hope it's been a good memory for you all. Did Lonely John bring you joy?"

"Of course!"

"Yeah!"

"I had fun too. It'd be a shame to end it here."

Ian sincerely responded and glanced at his watch.

"So, how about we hang out a bit more?"

Ian clapped his hands, and the gym doors opened, letting in piles of snacks like pizza and chicken.

It was a parting gift for the students, and a light cheer arose.

As Ian moved to join the kids who began to gather and eat snacks.

"Ah!"

"Stop hitting with the tail!"

"Ouch, the fur is falling out!"

Chastised, Ian had to carefully hug his tail as he moved around.

The TellMe project had finally wrapped up.

***

The last filming schedule in New York took place at Caleb School. Returning to LA after a long time, Ian was reminded of just how fast rumors could travel.

-Moonlight's missing Rue has emerged in reality.

└What? Is this for real or just edited?!

└He showed up like that at Caleb School.

└Unbelievable. I live in New York and didn't know about this?!

-Violent nine-tailed fox. (A photo of Ian hitting a student with the tail)

└This is serious. Deserves a hundred years in jail, or just lock him up at my place.

└That's not violence, it's a reward!

└Is it paid? How much to get hit?

-But what's the situation? Why is Ian doing this?

└Check out this link for the full story. It was for a documentary, I heard.

└They were doing such a fun hidden camera!

└Why doesn't our school do something cool like that with Ian?

└At least you got to see it. Be generous.

└…And you know nothing about the struggle of studying quantum mechanics.

Although the photos and videos taken by the students weren't of the best quality, they were enough to draw attention.

This attention flowed directly into the documentary soon to be released on Netplus.

'I never thought just wearing a nine-tailed fox costume would create such buzz.'

It was an unexpected benefit. Since they had worked hard on the filming, garnering a lot of attention wasn't a bad thing.

"Hmm."

Ian looked at the nine-tailed fox costume contained in a box.

He had intended to return it to Netplus, but they insisted he keep it as a souvenir.

'Not sure what they want me to commemorate with this.'

He had originally planned to seal it away in a deep corner of his house, but there was a reason he took it out again.

-Ian, are you done?

"No, wait a second."

Ian replied to Rachel as he fumbled into the costume.

Unlike last time, there was no one to help him, but having worn it once made it easier to put on again.

'Can't believe I'm wearing this thing again.'

It was unexpected, but unavoidable.

Ian opened the door and met eyes wide with excitement.

"Ian! Ian! Tails!"

"Yes, the tails are here."

Evan ran over and clung to Ian's legs, pulling at the tails.

Sitting down on the floor, the child grabbed the tails and rolled around.

"Do you really like it that much?"

"It seems like it would be fun."

"Are you going to join in too?"

Ian playfully asked Rachel, who gently shook her head.

"I'm not a kid anymore."

"Really?"

It was true that Rachel had grown quite a bit. She had matured from a girl to a young woman.

Realizing just how quickly children grow, Ian was momentarily startled.

Several days after the nine-tailed fox costume was "sealed" for multiple reasons, Ian received a call from Austin.

"What's going on?"

-Good news, I wanted to reach out to you. The nine-tailed fox costume was quite a hit, you know. Because of that, you've been invited to San Diego Comic-Con.

San Diego Comic-Con was a massive event, attracting around 130,000 attendees last year. It's not just about comics or games; it's a significant event for American dramas and Hollywood movies as well. The impact is so huge that renowned production teams attend, and exclusive trailers and posters are produced just for the event.

He couldn't believe they invited him to a place like that.

"I'm not going."

Just thinking about the endless flashing cameras made him dizzy.

-No way, since you're refusing, there's nothing I can do. But this next offer will really surprise you. You've also been invited to the Met Gala.

The Met Gala was exceptional among fashion shows. Known for its unique and extravagant costumes, it's a charity event attended by celebrities dressed in theme-specific outfits, garnering immense attention every year.

-Ian, you could be one of the best dressed there.

"I don't need that."

-Turning down the Met Gala too, that's really disappointing.

Despite Austin's words expressing regret, his voice was filled with laughter.

-If you change your mind, let me know anytime.

"That won't happen."

Ian was certain Austin was teasing him.

Firmly responding, Ian quickly changed the subject before Austin could continue.

"Let's talk about the Grand Line filming instead."

-The preparations are going smoothly. Also, there's been a positive response from Korea about your casting.

"Is that so?"

Ian was slightly excited about the prospect of promoting Grand Line in Korea, a country he hadn't visited since he was a baby.

He looked down at the script spread out on his desk. Unlike Alien Hunter, this movie had started off strong. It was a masterpiece that was the first to receive foreign investment.

'It's like launching a new venture.'

He was already looking forward to the filming days.