A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 130

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A Regression Guide for Idols Who Lost Their Initial Intentions Episode 130

 

 

 

 

 

It felt like I’d been hit in the head.

 

The reason I only felt comfortable with Gyeon Hajun and Ryu Jaehee in Rev was because they were the only relationships I was familiar with.

 

Gyeon Hajun was a friend I’d known well since New Born, even before our relationship as teammates.

 

And Ryu Jaehee was the type of person who admired and followed me well—the kind of human archetype I’d grown sick of seeing.

 

Seo Yehyeon had properly called out how I habitually sought only familiar relationships while excluding unfamiliar ones.

 

Rev wasn’t made up of guys who gathered because I liked them, like the human relationships I’d experienced so far, and the members had no reason to accommodate me.

 

Come to think of it, even though we spent seven years together before regression, the pre-regression members I remembered looked quite different from how they are now.

 

Seo Yehyeon, whose emotional wounds ran so deep he wouldn’t even talk to me.

 

Kim Dobin, who avoided me just like Seo Yehyeon.

 

Gyeon Hajun and Ryu Jaehee, who occasionally wore tired expressions.

 

The difference between then and now was that I had more leeway, and because that damn system kept cutting my sincerity points for causing discord, I was being a bit more careful, thinking before I spoke about whether something might cause discord.

 

When I made a complicated expression, Seo Yehyeon let out a deep sigh.

 

“Right, you’ve lived like that for 22 years, so it won’t be easy to change.”

 

To be more precise, I’d need to add another 7 years to those 22, but I kept my mouth shut since it wasn’t something I needed to say.

 

“Still, if you make an effort, you can change little by little. Me too, and you too.”

 

It seemed like an awkward thing to say while looking at someone’s face, so Seo Yehyeon lay down looking at the ceiling.

 

“So when you’re confused, at least ask before you say something. Whether it’s okay to say or not.”

 

“Isn’t it the same thing coming out of your mouth either way?”

 

“No. There’s definitely a difference between words hitting directly and going through a filter first.”

 

Since the person who caused me the most discord-related minuses was saying this, it must be right. Well, if that’s what he thinks.

 

And just as Seo Yehyeon had changed, I needed to change too. Since I’d decided to climb to the top with these guys, I should get closer than I was before regression.

 

The fact that I was having this conversation with Seo Yehyeon, who wouldn’t even talk to me before regression, was significant progress in my opinion.

 

“And Hajun doesn’t even know why you two became friends aside from his vocal tone. He also thinks you’re closer to the KICKS leader than to him.”

 

I let out a short sigh at Seo Yehyeon’s words and muttered.

 

“…It’s complicated.”

 

“What is?”

 

“It’s true that it started because of his vocal tone, but that wasn’t everything that sustained our friendship.”

 

To be fair, it was a relationship that started because I liked Gyeon Hajun’s vocal tone and approached him first.

 

But I didn’t continue the friendship based on just that one thing.

 

Because I felt comfortable with him, because we unexpectedly got along well.

 

When I left the underground scene to choose the idol path and was feeling anxious and doubtful about whether this was really my path, he was the one who held me together with his mature demeanor despite being the same age.

 

If I had to list reasons, there were really more than enough.

 

“If you don’t say it, he won’t know, you idiot.”

 

“Are you going to keep calling me an idiot?”

 

“That’s not something you should say when you keep sneakily calling me ‘hyung, you,’ is it?”

 

I clicked my tongue at his sharp retort. Tch, did he catch that?

 

“Anyway, you guys need to talk more.”

 

“We did talk before.”

 

“More, more. The dormitory atmosphere is like this because there’s not enough communication.”

 

I thought we’d talked enough that night when Gyeon Hajun was bedridden with the flu, but what exactly was lacking?

 

I closed my eyes, resolving to have another conversation with Gyeon Hajun later, after he finished sorting out his thoughts.

 

I had no way of knowing that today was the last chance for things to be resolved easily.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Miss Kim once again pushed away the family member occupying the sofa and desperately fought to snatch the remote control from his hands.

 

Today was the broadcast day for .

 

Although it wasn’t the complete Rev, since her bias Yoon Eden was appearing, watching the live broadcast was essential.

 

Having finally seized the remote control, she changed the channel and let out a sigh of relief seeing her bias appear, then kicked the family member once more.

 

Miss Kim quickly opened the Introducing My Idol viewing chat.

 

 

 

[MC Cheong: Now, today we have a rather special group as our guests.]

 

[MC Baek: We’re introducing the project group On Top, who hit it big with !]

 

[On Top: World On Top! Hello, we’re On Top!]

 

 

 

The On Top members greeted energetically, showing off the chant and hand gestures they’d created in the making video.

 

[MC Cheong: Since you all came together from different groups to prepare this special stage, there must have been some conflicts. Do you have any episodes related to this?]

 

[Junhyeok: Since we’re all friends who serve as leaders in our teams, there really wasn’t any conflict. Whenever the atmosphere seemed to freeze up, everyone would use their leader experience from handling members to lighten the mood.]

 

[Sion: It’s embarrassing to say, but there was a time when I came without learning the choreography due to scheduling conflicts, and everyone was so understanding and actively helped me practice. I was really moved by that episode.]

 

[MC Baek: So did you meet separately after the project ended, or do you have a group chat?]

 

[Eden: We still have the group chat, and since everyone’s busy, we’ve only set dates but haven’t actually met separately yet.]

 

[Ganghan: That’s right, this is our first meeting since Introducing My Idol disbanded the project team.]

 

During the talk, the MC suddenly interrupted and started a balloon popping game.

 

Since the balloon popping game was a mandatory segment on Introducing My Idol, Miss Kim took some phone time while the first two teams played.

 

‘It’s not even a Rev member, and he’s doing it with the KICKS leader, so not really…’

 

Even when Eden’s turn came, she watched the screen with indifferent eyes. And when the Yoon Seong-Eden team’s game started…

 

 

 

[MC Cheong: This is almost a new Introducing My Idol record. Are we going to break a record today?]

 

 

 

Hearing the MC’s exclamation, Miss Kim rubbed her eyes.

 

Because of the insane speed at which they popped balloons, making her wonder if they were even human. And because of how intimate the two looked.

 

 

 

-Are they robots? Do they have magnets in their stomachs? Is this a compression press?

 

-Why is Yoon Eden so actively pulling and hugging him? Eden, did you want Korean beef that badly…?

 

-The friendship between two leaders who are publicly rivals has been exposed. You really can’t hug like that unless you’re close

 

└222 If they were awkward, they’d end up like Sion-Ganghan

 

-The story of real friends who split agencies then reunited through On Top activities is crazy

 

-What’s with Yoon Seong’s expression, why is he smiling?

 

└It looks more like she’s laughing because she’s spaced out rather than because she likes it ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

└Looks like they’re acting that way because it seems like their real friendship is about to be ridiculously exposed ㅋㅋ

 

-Yoon Eden is really a Korean beef addict

 

-This is all because O3 won’t buy Korean beef…

 

 

 

The chat comments were also exploding. That made sense since the rivalry between Rev and KICKS had quite a long history.

 

Eden and Yoon Seong popped a whopping 26 balloons, and the Korean beef was awarded to them.

 

 

 

[MC Cheong: Now, please say a word to the members waiting at the dormitory!]

 

[Eden: Guys, this leader is bringing Korean beef!]

 

[Yoon Seong: Somehow we ended up with Korean beef, um…]

 

-Yunseong still seems like he’s out of it lololol

 

-Why does Yoon look so proud like that lol

 

-That triumphant smile is so real lol

 

[MC Cheong: Now, this question goes to Junhyeok, who served as the leader of leaders! Do you know all the members’ ages? Time limit is 30 seconds!]

 

[Junhyeok: I’m twenty-six, Sion is twenty-four, Ganghan is twenty-three, Eden and Yoon Seong are twenty-two.]

 

[MC Baek: Oh, are they all correct? Junhyeok didn’t mix up the ages?]

 

[Sion: Wow, I thought we had another rapper on our team. He got all the ages right.]

 

[MC Cheong: Then between Eden and Yoon Seong, who are the same age, whose birthday comes first?]

 

[Eden: Yoon Seong’s birthday is June 12th, so he’s earlier.]

 

[MC Baek: Then Eden is the youngest here.]

 

 

 

The two MCs smiled mischievously as they introduced the trial that the youngest member had to go through, and Eden nodded with an enlightened expression.

 

When Eden appeared performing the Gwiyomi Song with forced upturned lips and trembling eyes, the reactions split into two distinct camps.

 

 

 

-Oh damn, that’s crazy talk, for real!

 

-Wow, this is probably what it would feel like if a tiger acted cute to me

 

-5 plus 5, is that perhaps a warning that he’ll split your skull in half?

 

-The ultimate cuteness song champion has arrivedㅜㅜㅜㅜ So adorable for realㅜㅜㅜㅜ

 

-So it was possible for cuteness and murderousness to coexist

 

-It’s even funnier because you can tell they’re trying so hard to act natural lololololol

 

 

 

For reference, Miss Kim was in the camp that was amazed by the baby kitten’s aegyo.

 

Naturally ignoring today’s inevitable trolling – Yoon Eden is not a baby kitten. Yoon Eden is a fierce-looking man in his 20s. Please stop the Yoon Eden baby kitten moe-fication – she enthusiastically commented on the forum.

 

 

 

[Eden: I’m a traditionally strict leader. There’s no aegyo within the team.]

 

-Acting all strict while secretly letting the younger ones win hahahaha

 

-It’s like 2% short of being called strict lol

 

-(Only looks like a) tiger leader

 

 

 

This was a perfect example showing that Yoon Eden’s tough exterior, soft interior concept was working brilliantly.

 

The long-awaited final segment, Random Play Dance!

 

Starting with , the On Top members’ performance of choreography to each of their hit songs as if they had all gathered and practiced together beforehand was admirable enough to draw gasps.

 

Thanks to Eden showing dance skills that didn’t pale even next to Junhyeok, Revolution’s main dancer famous for his dancing, a proud smile never left Miss Kim’s face.

 

When ended and came on, the atmosphere of the previously praise-filled comments changed.

 

 

 

-Ah, Sion looks nervous

 

-No way, Sion got it wrong

 

-Isn’t their biggest hit song ? And even if was a bigger hit, wouldn’t Random Play Dance obviously not include performance songs?

 

-As expected hahahaha our leader who never compromises his beliefs hahahahaha

 

-I heard Eden got criticized for being tactless on Syndrome’s forum

 

└ Fucking ridiculous;;; Wouldn’t this have been fine if their leader hadn’t screwed up?

 

└Yoon Rida said that was their slump recovery song, thinking about it makes me even more pissed

 

-Still, the two people involved ended things on a good note haha Let’s call it quits too haha

 

 

 

After the broadcast ended, Miss Kim quickly posted on SNS.

 

 

 

Dream Heart Daydream @revedream

 

Who made a GIF of 2E’s Gwiyomi Song?

 

│

 

Eden eden @edden

 

Reply to @revedream

 

I made the GIF, but I’m wondering if letting it circulate would really be good for 2E…

 

│

 

Dream Heart Daydream @revedream

 

Reply to @edden

 

Why? Isn’t it cute?

 

│

 

Eden eden @edden

 

Reply to @revedream

 

Daydream, you seem to have lost your objective perspective… Maybe you should watch my aegyo once to regain your objectivity…

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Damn it, they could have edited it out.”

 

“That was the highlight, how could they edit it? But really, hyung was way too proactive.”

 

“Do you think that Korean beef in your mouth came for free?”

 

“I didn’t know you had to be that proactive in embracing a friend you’d cut ties with to get it. Thanks to that, hyung is now being shipped hard with that ex-friend as a best friend combo.”

 

“I know, man. Sigh, can’t I report this as harmful keywords?”

 

“Even you think that sounds ridiculous, right?”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

After aired, the atmosphere in the dormitory became even heavier.

 

I had forgotten that My Idol was airing that day and was at the studio, so I couldn’t stop the members who watched the live broadcast just to see my aegyo.

 

And my struggles for Korean beef were vividly conveyed to the members, to Gyeon Hajun in 3D.

 

Gyeon Hajun wasn’t avoiding or ignoring me, but I could clearly see he was lost in thought every time he looked at me. I could only hope that the end of those thoughts would be in a positive direction.

 

“I’m going to the studio.”

 

And I had a perfectly legitimate refuge called the studio. Of course, the song was in its near-final stages, but anyway, it wasn’t just for the purpose of escaping.

 

With the mini-album originally scheduled for April pushed to May, a comeback schedule was set for early March with a digital single.

 

Thanks to that, I had homework. The homework of shoving my song forward before the CEO bought some crappy song.

 

I opened the DAW, propped my chin on my hand, and clicked the mouse.

 

 

 

‘The lyrics are very… um, how should I put it… like a friendship praise song that men in their 40s-50s would sing arm-in-arm at karaoke after a drink.’

 

 

 

That was Ryu Jaehee’s assessment after seeing the lyrics.

 

The melody seemed to fit pretty well, but if it’s old-fashioned, should I revise it or not?

 

I decided to judge after listening to the demo first and sent Jaehee a text to come to my studio for guide recording.

 

Normally I would have asked Gyeon Hajun, but since things weren’t normal between us right now, this was my choice.

 

It was only a 10-minute drive so not that far, but when 30 minutes passed without Ryu Jaehee showing up, just as I picked up my cell phone to call him, I heard the sound of someone entering the door lock password.

 

When the door opened, I spun around in my chair and asked.

 

“Why are you so late? Was there traffic on the way…”

 

My words faltered when I saw the face of the person unwrapping the muffler that was wound up to their chin.

 

“Sorry I’m late.”

 

Gyeon Hajun, standing at the door, offered an apology in an awkward voice.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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