A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 205

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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 205

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh, right. Jun, happy birthday.”

 

As I placed the cake I had bought from a bakery on our way to the dormitory onto the dining table with a thud, the door burst open and Seo Yehyeon stumbled out.

 

“What, it’s Hajun’s birthday today…?”

 

Seo Yehyeon’s face looked particularly haggard as he asked while rubbing his eyes. Not that he looked ugly or anything. How could that face ever look ugly?

 

Just Seo Yehyeon looking a bit tired?

 

Meanwhile, Ryu Jaehee, who had all the members’ birthdays entered in his calendar app, must have already given his birthday wishes. He was nodding beside Gyeon Hajun with an expression that seemed to say ‘didn’t you know that?’

 

“Happy birthday… Did you eat? Then should I make seaweed soup for dinner? Dinner, dinner…”

 

Seo Yehyeon, who had been muttering congratulations along with unclear mumblings while dry-washing his face, began repeating the word ‘dinner.’

 

Suddenly, a gleam appeared in his eyes that had looked particularly haggard.

 

“Wait, then we have a live broadcast tonight!”

 

Seo Yehyeon ran to the entrance mirror and screamed.

 

“I’m crazy! How can I stand in front of a camera looking like this!”

 

Watching Seo Yehyeon’s back as he rushed into his room with a clatter, we fell silent for a moment before each saying something.

 

“Is there some curse on that mirror that makes only Yehyeon Hyung see his face distorted?”

 

“Except for looking a little tired, there’s nothing different from usual. Well, the person himself seems to see it differently.”

 

“Why is he acting like that? Even if he just washed his face and stood in front of the camera, no one would say anything.”

 

I quickly glanced at the clock and checked today’s schedule along with the schedule text Manager Hyung had sent.

 

“Recording is completely impossible from what I can see, and might the time be a bit tight for concert practice and Jun’s birthday live broadcast today?”

 

“I think it’ll be okay? Still, now that the agency is actually working, we’re not being crushed to death by overwork.”

 

After the internal restructuring of the agency was finished, we finally escaped from being self-directed cottage industry idols.

 

Well, if the agency didn’t work even while we were preparing for a concert and new songs, I would have risen up with pitchforks demanding contract termination and transfer of the Rev name.

 

“Wow, so other agency celebrities have been living while enjoying this comfort all along.”

 

Having been overworked the most because of that damn agency, I was so happy with the present. It was the first sense of belonging and comfort I’d felt throughout both before and after regression.

 

Begging for songs from Jiwon Hyung, Sangyeol Hyung, and other hyungs who were transitioning to composers felt like a previous life.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

An award ceremony where last year’s music activities are evaluated.

 

Altair, sitting not far from us, bowed to us as they went to their seats.

 

Unlike before, there was a slight sense of distance mixed in. That made sense. The public opinion about our year-end stage was leaning toward us, making us become ‘on the same level’ as them.

 

TK’s rookie boy group and Navy, to whom I gave a song, were both nominated for the Rookie Award.

 

“Please Navy… Please let Navy win the Rookie Award…”

 

Ryu Jaehee muttered desperately like a prayer in a voice only I could hear from the seat next to me.

 

Of course, his expression management and posture were perfect, so from the outside, he didn’t look at all like he was hoping for TK’s rookie idol to slip up in the Rookie Award.

 

I also hoped the guys who debuted with my song would do better, so I secretly joined Ryu Jaehee’s prayer.

 

Why would I need to take care of a major idol group whose future path would obviously be smooth?

 

Then, suddenly curious, I leaned toward Ryu Jaehee and asked.

 

“But when we saw them at the year-end music festival last time, they greeted you warmly. Why, are there more perpetrators besides those two bastards?”

 

The relationship between TK’s rookie boy group who debuted through and Ryu Jaehee didn’t seem that bad when we briefly encountered them.

 

I also remembered that some of them had sent Ryu Jaehee debut congratulations via Facebook when Rev debuted.

 

Ryu Jaehee shook his head at my question.

 

“No? I just find TK despicable for trying to protect those two humans until the end.”

 

I can understand wanting to screw over the agency.

 

“There wasn’t anyone who actively took my side either. Of course, I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t have done the same if I were in those friends’ positions, so I understand but…”

 

I advised Ryu Jaehee, who was trying to find reasons somehow.

 

“Don’t understand. What reason do you have to understand?”

 

This type always tries to find reasons to understand somehow and then gets heartbroken. Whatever the reason, your fault is your fault. How comfortable would life be with this mindset, tsk tsk.

 

“This year’s Rookie Award goes to… Congratulations! Navy!”

 

Navy won the Rookie Award that TK’s rookie group had always received.

 

While clapping vigorously in congratulation, curious about the expression of Cha Yeonho, who like me is a regressor, I glanced toward Altair.

 

My eyes met with Cha Yeonho, who was similarly looking toward our Rev.

 

When I smiled warmly and waved, Cha Yeonho’s expression became strange. It was a face with various emotions complexly mixed – annoyance, confusion, and ‘why is that bastard acting like that.’

 

“Sometimes I do envy Hajun Hyung.”

 

Ryu Jaehee brought up something out of the blue. Why is Gyeon Hajun suddenly mentioned here?

 

“For having a friend who would quit without hesitation and come out together like Hyung.”

 

Understanding why he specifically mentioned Gyeon Hajun, my lips that had been curved up straightened into a line.

 

The Gyeon Hajun that Ryu Jaehee mentioned was almost the only person for whom I couldn’t adopt the mindset of ‘whatever the reason, your fault is your fault.’

 

Looking at the stage where the award ceremony was in full swing, I muttered like a lament.

 

“I don’t know. That might feel like a burden to the other person.”

 

Until we returned to when our relationship wasn’t completely broken and had a sincere conversation alone, I didn’t even know that Gyeon Hajun felt guilty toward me.

 

From my perspective before regression, not knowing Gyeon Hajun’s inner thoughts, it was as if I had been cut off alone at some point.

 

Now that I knew he had been shouldering the conflict between Seo Yehyeon and me all by himself, I couldn’t carelessly resent him. It’s not like I didn’t know Gyeon Hajun’s tendency to not verbally express his feelings.

 

The inexplicable sense of distance I sometimes felt toward Gyeon Hajun stemmed entirely from before regression, so it was a story I could never tell while holding onto the current Gyeon Hajun.

 

“It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel burdened.”

 

Gyeon Hajun, who had been looking ahead, opened his mouth while keeping his gaze fixed forward. He must have heard our conversation.

 

Since I had just been doing self-reflection, a bitter taste spread in my mouth. As soon as I let out a short hollow laugh, Gyeon Hajun added something.

 

“Still, gratitude was much greater than the burden. You should know that.”

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

I replied with a chuckle.

 

“Please don’t have such serious conversations with me in between. Aside from my fingertips cringing, I feel like I’m sitting on a bed of thorns.”

 

Ryu Jaehee grumbled quietly with a slightly fed-up face.

 

“Hey, you brought up Jun’s story first.”

 

“I didn’t know the hyungs had such deep and dark stories and emotions.”

 

I withdrew my hand that was habitually heading toward Ryu Jaehee’s head and lightly patted his back.

 

Aside from not being able to clean up the mess if I disheveled his hair here, Ryu Jaehee’s sitting height had gotten taller unlike before, so it took more energy to ruffle his hair now.

 

“Even if I can’t be that kind of friend to you, I can be that kind of hyung.”

 

What’s our age difference that you and I would be friends? I haven’t even become friends with the crew hyungs yet.

 

At those words, Ryu Jaehee burst into laughter.

 

“Hyung is really good because you’re so consistent.”

 

“I am somewhat like that.”

 

“Yes, I like that you’re like a true stubborn old-timer with principles.”

 

“You brat, are you going to keep calling your hyung stubborn?”

 

I clicked my tongue while scanning the main award nominees for digital music.

 

“Aw, there’s no villain. I had hope since we even hit number 1 on the charts.”

 

“You flashed once and came down. Still, that’s an amazing performance with no promotion at all.”

 

Well, aside from my solo song, DTB’s music wasn’t nominated either. I thought at least , which was Yongcheol Hyung’s semi-final stage song, would be there.

 

Maybe because it was conducted by Wnet, WAMA even had DTB 3 contestants do a special stage.

 

Rev won the main award in the album category with mini album 3 [Hidden Side]. Thanks to that, we were able to safely give an acceptance speech this year too.

 

The question is whether my acceptance speech can meet the standards set by the system.

 

Last time it was too long, so I only got the nickname ‘sermon guy’ and it ended in failure. Who knew Seo Yehyeon saying just ‘I love Ilmong-ies’ would get more attention.

 

But thanks to this trial and error and Seo Yehyeon’s case, I got the hang of it.

 

To make an impact, just keep it short and strong. This must be right, right?

 

As I smiled confidently and tried to go to the microphone, Ryu Jaehee naturally blocked me with his body.

 

If it had been a year ago, I would have easily pushed him aside and gone to the microphone, but pushing aside Ryu Jaehee, who had grown tall and even bulked up, wasn’t easy.

 

I tried to somehow break through and grab the microphone, but even Kim Dobin joined in to block me.

 

Damn, Jaehee! We were harmonious until the rookie award announcement! Why are you trying to push this hyung, who even gave you mixed advice, into penalty hell!

 

Rather than like last time when endings were ‘nya,’ I could somehow utilize that and get through safely, but if my personality reversed again this time, I felt like I’d really be dragged to a shaman house by the members’ hands.

Meanwhile, Gyeon Hajun, who had taken the microphone, calmly continued with his acceptance speech.

 

“We thank everyone who helped bring [Other Side] into the world….”

 

I need to say at least one short but impactful line…! After waiting anxiously, the microphone finally came to me.

 

“Thank you.”

 

As soon as I uttered those words, our allotted time ended and we came down from the stage. I instinctively knew we had messed up.

 

“The Grand Prize for Album goes to… Altair’s [Talk]!”

 

Altair solidified their position as the first team with their second consecutive Grand Prize win. Seeing KJ and Cha Yeonho’s brightly smiling faces made my blood boil again.

 

Those bastards, if they’re going to steal someone else’s hit song, they might as well win awards with it.

 

“Another war’s about to break out.”

 

Ryu Jaehee clicked his tongue and muttered quietly. I became curious about what kind of battles he was fighting alone online.

 

After finishing the award ceremony and returning to the dormitory, I humbly accepted the fate that awaited me.

 

 

 

[QUEST FAILED due to insufficient conditions!]

 

[A random penalty will be imposed.]

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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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