A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 309

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

A Regression Guide for Idols Who Lost Their Initial Intentions Episode 309

* * *

D-3 until the Semi-Final broadcast and the day before the music video shoot.

In the mirror before me, black hair that had become slightly unfamiliar after being away for several months was reflected. I touched my hair and smiled with satisfaction.

“Ah, I missed this. My original hair color.”

Rather than getting it back, I had covered it with black, but it still felt good to return to a familiar hair color after so long.

“But Hyung, now that you’ve completely covered it with black hair, you’ll have to perform on the final stage with this hair too. Won’t this spoil the comeback?”

“A comeback spoiler would only happen if I dyed my head rainbow colors.”

I replied in a listless voice to Kim Dobin’s unnecessary worry. Ryu Jaehee shook his head and denied my words.

“Even if Hyung dyed his hair rainbow colors and went up on the final stage, people wouldn’t really think of it as a spoiler. The only reaction would be that Yoon Eden did something very Yoon Eden-like.”

Ryu Jaehee looked at me with eyes that somehow even felt reverent. I’m glad I went on DTB.

“DTB played a big part. Now Hyung has a free pass for pretty much any crazy thing as long as he doesn’t deceive fans or commit crimes.”

I really am glad I went on DTB.

Originally, living in this world is more comfortable as someone who lives recklessly than with a proper lifestyle image. The former gets criticized if they slip up even once after doing well, but the latter gets praised if they do just one thing right after living recklessly.

“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since we shot a music video domestically.”

“Actually, that worked out well. We have to prepare two songs in 17 days, so going back and forth overseas would make the schedule too tight. It wouldn’t be fair to the team producers either. I can’t just make everything fit my schedule, after all.”

Since it was Korean-style, it was fortunate that we could sufficiently capture the atmosphere with domestic filming.

“At least we managed to finish learning all the choreography before starting preparation for the final song, so that’s a relief.”

“I was also surprised that Hyung followed along right away after just once or twice. I had gotten so used to the basic three times.”

Kim Dobin, who had been my temporary personal dance trainer for the dawn sessions, nodded and said something that sounded like targeting someone.

The person who got targeted seemed to feel guilty and started defending himself.

“Still, it’s much better compared to the seven times from before.”

“Huh? I clearly remember it being seven times. Don’t you remember our emotional hug when it first got reduced to five times, Yehyeon Hyung?”

At Kim Dobin’s rebuttal, Seo Yehyeon just quietly averted his gaze and pretended not to hear.

The music video shoot finished safely according to schedule, and we immediately began preparing for the final competition song.

I didn’t want to have featuring on the final stage if possible. I wanted to complete the final stage entirely on my own.

But Gongchul and BQ9 dissuaded me, saying that would be a path that would make things difficult for me, the producers, and everyone else. I also knew that preparing for Rev’s comeback while completely filling two songs with just my own stage would be impossible, so I decided to compromise on one song.

“Instead, I’ll handle the featuring recruitment myself. I have someone in mind.”

After Plan A from the semi-final achieved great success, Gongchul and BQ9 no longer doubted any opinions I put forward.

“Are you 100% certain you can recruit them? There’s no worry they’ll bail out?”

“Um… I think I need to ask them once. Anyway, let’s go with creating atmosphere for the first song, and do some emotional appeal for the second song. Since our time is a bit tight, let’s modify the beat for the second song rather than making it completely new, and go all-in on the beat for the first song.”

“You can get an answer by the day after tomorrow, right? If not, we need to recruit from our side quickly.”

“I can definitely get an answer by then.”

If I wanted to, I could do it right now, but since I’m asking for a favor, shouldn’t I do it face-to-face?

Gongchul clapped his hands to boost morale.

“Alright, let’s finish strong until the end! Let me be on a winner-producing team at least once!”

“I already beat D.I, so I have no regrets.”

“Gyuin, live with some ambition! At this rate, Eden’s going to steal your DTB producer position next year!”

“Eden, are you going to join this label?”

“No? I have an agency, so that would be a double contract, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s true. I don’t think we’ll lose you though.”

BQ9 shrugged his shoulders with a carefree expression.

Later on, even without being on the same label, they would gather named rappers and bundle them together as a DTB producer team, but I didn’t bother telling BQ9 about that.

* * *

KICKS Dorm.

“Anyone who wants to go watch the DTB finals live with Hyeonmin! Looking for one companion!”

At Choi Hyeonmin’s cheerful shout, the KICKS members’ gazes turned toward him.

“Oh, what? When did you apply?”

“I just applied as a joke, but I got the winning text today? Hyung, want to go?”

“I don’t really want to go…?”

“Me neither… it would be a bit awkward to go and just enjoy it…”

Amidst the consecutive rejections, Jung Iseo, whose contact name in Yoon Eden’s phone was KICKS Parachute, quietly raised his hand. Of course, even Jung Iseo himself didn’t have much expectation.

As if meeting those expectations, Choi Hyeonmin didn’t even look at Jung Iseo and immediately turned to Kwon Yunseong.

Anyway, this fucking shitty group should hurry up and fail, Jung Iseo gritted his teeth inwardly.

Unaware of Jung Iseo’s inner thoughts, Choi Hyeonmin pestered Kwon Yunseong, who was the only one who hadn’t given either a positive or negative answer.

“Yunseong hyung, let’s go.”

“Go with Jung Iseo. He wants to go.”

At Kwon Yunseong’s firm answer, Choi Hyeonmin glanced at Jung Iseo but pretended not to hear and pestered Kwon Yunseong again.

“Hyung, you really won’t go? It’s Eden hyung’s finals.”

“Hyeonmin, are we close enough with Yoon Eden to go watch live and congratulate him on making the finals?”

“Come on, hyung. The fans already found out that you’re a DTB 4 regular viewer because of our live broadcast. And it’s not like we’re going to congratulate Eden hyung? We’re going to vote for Skoen.”

“Then don’t go, fuck.”

“Ah, does hyung want Eden hyung to win? If hyung comes with me, I might vote for Eden hyung?”

“That bastard would be so thrilled about getting one vote obtained that way.”

Kwon Yunseong frowned deeply.

‘Should I give up on going with Yunseong hyung and just go alone? Ugh, everyone said they have schedules. Kim Seongjin doesn’t like hip hop.’

As Choi Hyeonmin was rolling his eyes around, perhaps because he looked quite pitiful, Kwon Yunseong let out a deep sigh and nodded his chin.

“Fine. Let’s go, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Only Jung Iseo, whose opinion had been completely ignored, was cursing inwardly.

And so, on the day of the DTB 4 FINAL live broadcast.

After a long wait, entry to the set finally began. Kwon Yunseong and Choi Hyeonmin were guided to the audience seats near the staircase stage.

They could see G-TE, who had been waiting with his seat pre-assigned, having drawn much attention in DTB for his rivalry storyline with Yoon Eden.

A past connection of Yoon Eden’s that even Kwon Yunseong, who was quite close to him, didn’t know about.

Perhaps Yoon Eden might have mentioned it in passing while talking about his underground days. Unlike with D.I, since he couldn’t even remember, it probably wasn’t a very significant connection.

But what about now? Wasn’t it the complete opposite situation?

G-TE, who was nothing special to Yoon Eden but still managed to be acknowledged as a rival.

Kwon Yunseong, who they were once close with but had now become worse than strangers.

Realizing this left a bitter taste in his mouth.

However, G-TE, who had no interest in idols except for Yoon Eden, especially male idols, didn’t know who Kwon Yunseong was or why he was looking at him with such complex and subtle eyes.

‘What’s this, are those guys idols too? They’ve gathered all these damn smooth-faced guys in one place. Hmm, could I also be?’

While G-TE, whose self-awareness had become infinitely lacking due to the absence of mirrors, was falling into a grand delusion, the gazes of the two youngest members, Ryu Jaehee and Choi Hyeonmin, met.

‘Why is that bastard here?’

The same thought flashed through both Ryu Jaehee and Choi Hyeonmin’s minds simultaneously.

Following the gazes of the youngest members who were in a staring contest, Kwon Yunseong and Seo Yehyeon also discovered each other.

‘Shit, I didn’t think that since it’s the finals, all of Yoon Eden’s members would obviously be here too.’

Kwon Yunseong, pressing his throbbing forehead and immediately scanning that group, felt both relief and curiosity at the absence of Gyeon Hajun among them.

Without Yoon Eden and Gyeon Hajun, he had no particular grudge against the rest.

However, the three Rev members weren’t the only ones who had seen Yoon Eden and Gyeon Hajun’s hostile attitude toward KICKS.

They had a very big grudge against KICKS, who had apparently talked shit about them with great enthusiasm.

Since there were eyes and cameras everywhere, they couldn’t recklessly clash, but scratching at each other’s nerves was entirely possible.

“Wow, you must be quite the fan of Eden Hyung? You even applied to be a live evaluation panel member and came to the finals viewing. Eden Hyung gave us invitation tickets though.”

“I happened to win the lottery. And I’m a Skoen fan, you know?”

“Come on, show some support for a fellow idol rapper. Eden Hyung is working so hard like this to reduce the disrespect toward idol rappers as a representative of idol rappers.”

“Don’t you know Eden Hyung too little for being the same member? There’s no way that hyung went out for such a grand reason. He just happened to gain something while doing what he wanted to do.”

“People’s values can change enough as they grow up, can’t they? And I would know Eden Hyung better than you, Senior, since I’ve shared joys and sorrows with Eden Hyung in the same dormitory for 4 years, right?”

Kim Dobin, who was watching the sarcastic speech method battle between Ryu Jaehee and Choi Hyeonmin while sticking close to Seo Yehyeon’s side, whispered in Seo Yehyeon’s ear.

“Hyung hyung, what if they start fighting? But the KICKS youngest really knows Eden Hyung well, doesn’t he?”

“I trust that Jaehee would absolutely never do that, and surely that side wouldn’t think of such a thing either…”

Seo Yehyeon, recalling Choi Hyeonmin’s numerous past records, trailed off mid-sentence. He didn’t know about that team’s leader, but that guy was definitely thoughtless.

Seo Yehyeon placed his hand on Ryu Jaehee’s shoulder and gave Kwon Yunseong a meaningful look that said ‘do something about your youngest member.’

“It’s starting. Don’t draw unnecessary attention and come here.”

As the set lights went out one by one, Kwon Yunseong grabbed Choi Hyeonmin by the scruff of his neck and pulled him away from Ryu Jaehee.

And then…

On the stage where the spotlight had turned on, an MC who had appeared at some point shouted energetically.

“DROP THE BEAT SEASON 4, its final journey finally begins!”

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