Chapter 936: I’m going to buy New Black at the supermarket (7)

If you had the ability to perfectly imitate anything the moment you saw it?

If you could copy a basketball player’s dribble the instant you watched it, or replicate a professional baseball player’s form?

Wouldn’t letting a talent like that go to waste be a complete shame?

That was why, whenever I had time, I kept picking up all kinds of skills.

Ventriloquism was one of them.

[Uncle Bunny is so happy to meet all of you!]

“Uncle Bunny!”

“Hellooo!”

The kids’ reactions were explosive.

I shot a glance at my lackeys.

See that, you guys? My incredible, beautiful ventriloquism...!

“Hehe... our big bro. Hehe....”

Encouraged by their praise, I launched into a routine with the rabbit puppet.

“Uncle Bunny, why did you come here?”

[I came to have fun with the children.]

“Oh my, really?”

[I heard there are some very fun and wonderful children here, so I came to visit.]

“I see!”

I lifted Uncle Bunny toward the kids.

[I heard you’re all good children. Is that true?]

“Yes!”

[If you answer so bravely, then you must truly be good children!]

Then he started asking their names.

Even Yeoul, who was usually quiet, got so excited she jumped to her feet. The kids’ enthusiasm was off the charts.

“I’m Yeoul! Yeoul likes rabbits! I really, really like them!”

[Uncle Bunny likes Yeoul too!]

No one told them to, but the kids sprang up from their seats, eagerly introducing themselves—“I’m this many years old, my name is~!”

The parents watching from the kitchen burst into laughter.

Jiho raised his hand.

“Uncle Bunny. What about Jiho?”

[How old is Jiho?]

“Twenty-one!”

[...That’s a tough one.]

At the unexpectedly blunt tone from Uncle Bunny, the children burst into giggles.

Every time I moved the rabbit puppet in my hand, the kids’ eyes sparkled.

“They’re completely immersed.”

“They really are.”

I could hear my younger brothers whispering.

Just as they said, Uncle Bunny’s debut was a huge success.

Which meant—it was time to move on to the main act.

[Children!]

“Yes!”

[Shall we learn a fun song together with Uncle?]

“Yes!”

I asked the puppet,

“Uncle Bunny, a fun song?”

[I prepared a very special song today to enjoy together with you. It’s a song every child in the Rabbit Kingdom learns at least once.]

“Really?”

The kids leaned forward, eyes wide with curiosity.

I animated the puppet toward them.

[The song I’ll introduce to you today is called Uncle Bunny!]

Ri Hyuk, wearing a cat headband, flipped the sketchbook.

『Uncle Bunny』

Composed by: Uncle Bunny

Lyrics by: Uncle Bunny, Singing Cat, Cookie-Baking Deer, Dancing Bear, Baby (21)

It was a song we had prepared for the children.

“Wow. He’s really good.”

Sumin’s mom, comedian Ji Hyunyoung, said in admiration.

“I actually took lessons to learn ventriloquism once. Back when I was doing skits with Kyujin on Comedy Kingdom.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but it was too hard, so I gave up. It’s not just about talking without moving your mouth.”

She pointed at Wooju, who was conversing with the rabbit puppet.

“If you listen closely, even the pronunciation changes slightly. For example, when you say ‘meeting the children,’ the ‘m’ sound normally makes your lips move, right? Like this.”

Everyone tried it.

Their lips naturally parted to form the “m” sound.

“But if you look at Wooju, instead of saying ‘meet,’ he shifts it slightly so he doesn’t have to move his lips. That way, he can keep them closed.”

“Oh, you’re right.”

“If you listen carefully, the pronunciation is different. Try listening.”

Wooju was exaggerating the voice so no one noticed, but once you paid attention, the subtle differences were there.

“And the most important thing is acting.”

“Acting....”

Ji Hyunyoung explained like a commentator.

“Every time he moves the puppet, Wooju reacts perfectly. But that’s the really hard part. The puppet talks while his hands move, and at the same time, he delivers the puppet’s lines while making completely different facial expressions.”

While speaking as Uncle Bunny, Wooju was simultaneously reacting as if surprised by the puppet.

Everyone was impressed.

Come to think of it, hadn’t he even won an award for acting?

As expected of someone who had taken the Rookie Award at the Korean Arts Awards for a sitcom role.

Of course—

“But that feels like something you can’t cover with just acting.”

“Exactly.”

The celebrities murmured in admiration.

“His reflexes are amazing too. And he’s great at communicating with kids.”

“You need overall broadcast sense to pull that off. You have to keep the momentum going so the kids don’t have time to lose focus.”

“And the voice imitation is insane. I don’t even know if you can call it that, but the tone is completely different. It really feels like Uncle Bunny.”

Even the voice sounded like a rabbit hopping around.

It was like watching a children’s TV program unfold right there in Yeoul’s living room.

Everyone was munching on japchae like popcorn, amazed—

“By the way....”

Someone pointed out the most important question.

“Why does Wooju even know how to do that?”

“...Good question.”

No one could answer it.

While the adults whispered among themselves,

The children felt like they were in heaven.

Uncle Bunny!

He’s so cute!

Market uncles and Uncle Bunny...!

The uncles who sold delicious food at the market were now dancing in animal headgear.

And a pink rabbit uncle was talking to them!

Of course, unlike the excited children, there was one child watching calmly.

This is for little kids.

Yubin, now seven, crossed her arms with a mature expression.

That’s just Wooju moving it!

Since she knew NewBlack through MyTube, it all felt a bit childish to her.

I wanted to see Baekya instead...!

“Shall we try the choreography one more time?”

Before singing, it was time to learn the moves.

Junghyun, wearing a bear headband, demonstrated simple choreography.

While the other kids flailed around, Yubin followed the moves perfectly.

“How is it, Uncle Bunny? The kids are really good, right?”

[Hmm.]

Uncle Bunny stroked his chin.

[These children are excellent at picking up choreography. They’re flexible too! Their isolation is—]

“Uncle?”

[Lalalala! Very impressive!]

He almost slipped into his professional persona but barely caught himself.

Then he pointed at Yubin.

[Yubin is doing very well!]

“Me?”

[Would you come up and show the others a demonstration?]

Yubin stepped forward and danced.

Like a modern child learning K-pop at kindergarten, she executed the simple choreography flawlessly.

“Wooooow!”

“You’re so good!”

The NewBlack members cheered.

Yubin, who had initially dismissed it as baby stuff, couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips.

As the others clapped, Wooju’s voice whispered softly in her ear.

“Thanks for playing nicely with the younger kids.”

“!”

“I’ll sing something just for you later.”

There was a warmth in his gentle voice.

Yubin returned to her seat stiffly—and then started cheering enthusiastically.

I’m just playing with the little kids, that’s all!

It definitely wasn’t because she’d been praised by her favorite.

And just like that, another child was quietly falling into a lifelong Souffle.

“Alright, kids! Now that you’ve learned the moves, it’s time to learn the song!”

“The song!”

Ri Hyuk flipped the sketchbook again, revealing the lyrics.

Wearing a cat headband, he said with a flushed face,

“I’m the singing uncle... nya....”

“Meow uncle!”

“Now we’ll learn the song together... nya....”

Jiho, in a fox headband, turned away, shaking as he tried to suppress his laughter.

Biju bowed his head, and even Wooju, holding Uncle Bunny, pressed his lips together, looking at the floor.

But Ri Hyuk stood firm, holding up the sketchbook.

“Now, if you look here... nya.”

“Meow uncle!”

“Hmm?”

The twins Yuna and Minwoo raised their hands.

“Yuna can’t read well yet.”

“Minwoo can’t either!”

To some of the kids, the neat handwriting just looked like squiggly worms.

Ri Hyuk gasped.

“I should’ve remembered the research that says literacy education after age five is better for brain development....”

The adults burst into laughter.

“Uncle?”

“That was just... talking to myself... nya.”

In the end, he decided to teach them line by line.

Each time he sang a line, the kids listened with their mouths wide open in awe.

Even children had good ears.

Meow uncle sings well.

He really sounds like a cat! So cute!

After singing one line, he asked,

“Did you remember it... nya?”

“No!”

“I just sang it five seconds ago, why can’t you remember—”

[Song uncle!]

“Yes?”

[If you get mad, I’ll take you to the Rabbit Kingdom~ lalalala~]

“I wasn’t mad....”

[Lalalala?]

“...Okay.”

[Lalalala~ how fun~]

Ri Hyuk, briefly returning to his professional self, continued teaching.

After finishing both the song and choreography—

[Alright, children! Shall we do it all together one last time?]

“Yes!”

The music started.

Ting. Ting. Tiring ting ting!

“Whoa!”

“Woooow!”

It felt like a rabbit might start hopping at any moment.

The kids and animal uncles sang together.

With their index fingers on their heads like rabbit ears, the children danced.

[Left~]

Step to the left.

[Right~]

Step to the right.

And then—

Hop hop bunny dance!

Where are you going?

The uncles looked around dramatically.

Sparkling sunlight

It’s so bright!

They mimicked shielding their eyes.

The clover has bloomed

Here and there

Let’s all go together

On a journey

They held hands and marched.

Parents laughed at the sight.

With the bunny

Children can do it too

Brushing teeth, flushing water

Doing things all by themselves!

The laughter kept growing.

“Wow....”

“Wow.”

Parents filmed with happy smiles.

“This is something I have to keep.”

Someone murmured,

“But this song is really good.”

“Was there a children’s song like this?”

“I’ve never heard it before.”

Curious, someone searched for it on MyTube.

Nothing came up.

“Wait...?”

They tried in English.

Still nothing.

“...There’s no such song?”

“No?”

Then—

“Oh, that?”

A staff member whispered,

“Wooju made it on the spot, 30 minutes before the kids arrived.”

“...Oh.”

They nodded—

Then froze.

“Thirty minutes?”

“...Thirty?”

Shock spread across their faces.

Today was full of strange things.

The reaction to Uncle Bunny was explosive.

“Encore!”

“One more!”

“One more!”

We were trapped in an endless loop.

“.......”

It felt like a repeat sign prison.

If the parents hadn’t intervened, we might’ve sung it a hundred times.

Eventually—

“Uncles, where are you going?”

“Back to the market.”

“Don’t goooo!”

The kids rushed the managers.

“Don’t take them away!”

They formed a barricade around us.

“Uncle! I’ll protect you!”

“Don’t go back to the market!”

And in the middle of it all—

We burst out laughing.