A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 34

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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 34

Even though he was using my shoulder as an armrest for his arm, Seo Yehyeon didn’t get annoyed and tell me to move my arm, nor did he swat it away. He just stared blankly at the cell phone screen I held out.

“This isn’t some weird unknown agency vote, is it?”

“Your eyes must be pretty cloudy if you can’t see ‘WAMA’ written there. That’s impressive.”

Well, not just here, but other places show similar results.

“…Are we really losing to these bastards?”

Seo Yehyeon turned his head urgently. I shrugged my shoulders as if his shocked expression was nothing new.

“Still, the vote gap isn’t as big as expected. We really must have made it big.”

“Hey, who are you? You’re not Yoon Eden.”

“…Why did you suddenly jump to that conclusion?”

It was a logical jump that ordinary common sense couldn’t possibly understand.

“The guy who glared at me with those eyes during the festival stage because he hated losing to those KICKS bastards is suddenly accepting that we’re being pushed back? Would this really be Yoon Eden?!”

“Whoa, now that you mention it, that’s true? There’s no way Eden hyung would act like that?”

Ryu Jaehee, who had finished washing dishes and joined us in the living room, pretended to cover his mouth.

Watching the three of them hold meetings to find a way to return me to normal, talking about shamans, rituals, and now even the Rosicrucian Order, I was starting to get pissed off.

What am I, possessed by an evil spirit or Satan? Forget it. Watching this nonsense just makes me more irritated.

Leaning my back against Gyeon Hajun’s arm, the only one not participating in that stupid behavior, I stretched out my legs and looked down at my cell phone screen where I’d completed voting for Reve, asking:

“Jun, did you vote?”

“No. Registration was too much trouble…”

“Ah, why not. We need to reduce their votes by even one.”

When I grumbled, Gyeon Hajun chuckled and turned on his cell phone screen to go through the registration process.

“Come to think of it, in typical idol stories, possession usually happens to the member with the worst personality who causes internal team conflicts. When that nasty member truly becomes a new person, the team atmosphere changes and they go from success to success-“

“Ah, so interpreting that, our Doby wishes I would die and a new person would possess my body?”

With veins bulging at my temples, I smiled and grabbed Kim Dobin’s crown with my full palm, making him tremble like an aspen leaf as he said:

“I think it really is Eden hyung after all.”

I gave him what was definitely not violence but a scalp massage, pressing firmly, then patted his shoulders and warned quietly:

“Let’s keep it moderate, moderate.”

“Yes sir, I was just thinking of stopping the brain freeze here anyway!”

After hearing Kim Dobin’s disciplined response, I sat back comfortably leaning against Gyeon Hajun.

“We did get pretty popular though, didn’t we?”

To Seo Yehyeon’s deflated question, I replied indifferently:

“We did.”

“Then why…!”

“One Chance got popular. One follow-up song with no music video or anything.”

At those cynical words, Seo Yehyeon clamped his mouth shut.

The dormitory atmosphere became heavy in an instant, but I didn’t care and continued speaking.

“Debuted in August, and our only meaningful activity was one week of One Chance.”

“…”

“On the other hand, KICKS debuted early this year and has had two activities so far, with proper music videos and title tracks that cost money. Their two activities weren’t huge hits but were solid successes, and their agency is a mid-tier agency strong in media play.”

I paused mid-sentence.

Huh, I feel like I’ve experienced this similar situation before?

In my memory, I think I said something similar back then and my initial intention points got deducted and I got lectured by Gyeon Hajun.

Worried my initial intention points would get deducted again, I hastily added:

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m just objectively comparing the situation. I’m also really pissed that we’re losing to these bastards.”

I could feel Gyeon Hajun’s stifled laughter transmitted directly through my back.

Even if it looked pathetic, it was unavoidable if it meant protecting my initial intention points.

Seo Yehyeon frowned and asked with a hollow laugh:

“But why are you so uncharacteristically calm? Since when were you the type to hold back even when angry?”

“Getting angry and throwing tantrums won’t change the vote count, will it?”

There was only one reason I could remain composed about the rookie award. The current situation was much better than before my regression.

Before regression, KICKS had also won the rookie award.

And Reve didn’t even make it to the nominees, let alone second place.

“Of course it would be disappointing if we don’t get it. It’s an award you can only receive once after debuting.”

But it’s not like we’ll die if we don’t get the rookie award, and the system didn’t give me a Quest threatening to deduct 99 initial intention points if I don’t win the rookie award.

Do we really need to be obsessed with this? The rookie award isn’t a guaranteed formula for becoming top-tier either.

There are countless idols who received rookie awards but then failed to rise and were buried afterward.

“I’m not saying to give up on the rookie award. We still have one more activity left before this year ends.”

Though I don’t particularly expect those few weeks of activity to miraculously turn things around.

Life isn’t like the web novels or webtoons that Doby enjoys reading – it’s much more ruthless reality.

“Anyway, what I want to say is…”

I paused briefly and looked around at the members slowly with serious eyes.

Whether I liked it or not, these were the guys I was stuck with on the same boat, the ones I had to somehow drag along to end these damn initial intention point deductions and infinite regression.

“Even if we lose to KICKS and don’t get the rookie award, don’t think that we’re inferior to KICKS. The only reason is that our environment was a bit more disadvantaged, that’s all.”

Looking at the gazes directed at me, I scratched my head.

Why are they looking at me with such surprised expressions?

I fiddled with the hair caught on my fingers for no reason. Even after bleaching, fortunately my hair texture hadn’t reached dog fur levels yet.

“And wouldn’t it be more infuriating if they lose the grand prize to the guys who couldn’t even get the rookie award because they lost to them?”

When I smiled with a crooked grin, Seo Yehyeon let out a deflating sound.

“There we go.”

“That’s normally the Eden hyung we know.”

Ryu Jaehee expressed agreement.

Those guys seem more relieved when I show my nasty side than when I act like a leader.

“Still, I won’t give up. It’s not over until it’s over!”

Looking at Kim Dobin shouting with a determined face like a shounen manga protagonist, I gave him a look of disdain and said:

“Don’t give up, I said? Who told you to give up?”

Kim Dobin rolled his eyes and muttered timidly:

“You’re not accepting this… It’s a cliché for everyone to be quietly moved by my words showing strong will, then put our hands together and shout ‘fighting’ like a page from youth.”

“Tsk, Doby. I told you to stop reading web novels.”

“This is from anime though. It’s a sports genre cliché.”

“You’re really something else.”

I frowned and replied, then turned my attention back to my cell phone screen where the weekly Quest Search was taking place.

I really want our kids to win the Rookie Award ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Everyone don’t forget to vote every day! Make sure to do IP bypass!

-Should I laugh or cry that I didn’t even make it to the nominees for Best Music Video haha

-If those damn bastards had just made a proper debut album title track and music video for the kids… If they had just moved the debut up a few months and had two activities by November…

-Still, as a fan since My Universe, I’m so proud that our Rev made it to 2nd place ㅜㅜ Back then I never could have imagined they’d even be nominated for Rookie of the Year

-The rookie award doesn’t matter, our Reve can win the grand prize later

-I’m so sick of those KICKS crazy bastards talking about strategic voting bullshit;; How many fans from other fandoms actually voted for Reve strategically, why do they keep singing that strategic voting song

└Those bastards, a few days ago on Twitter there was some anonymous account claiming to confess they were another idol’s fan who voted for Reve strategically, obviously trolling, but they screenshot that one thing and keep chanting strategic voting while dampening our fandom mood, it’s fucking stupid and no different from thugs

└Ah seriously,,, don’t they know what strategic voting means? Have you ever seen strategic voting get 2nd place? Everyone throws those votes to groups way down in the rankings. Honestly, among the rookie award nominees, which group besides Reve can compete with KICKS? Tell me who they voted for Reve to strategically block KICKS~ At least put another idol’s face on your profile if you’re going to troll

└Rev isn’t the counter pick, they’re the ones trying to counter Rev lol Last month’s festival video, Rev’s fancam had way more views than KICKS’ fancam lol

└They wanted to write a success story about a boy group that made it without being from a big company, but that went down the drain because of Rev who debuted from a legit top-tier agency, right? Honestly, KICKS only got high vote counts because their agency’s senior group fandoms pushed for them lol

-Our kids must be feeling upset about losing to KICKS right nowㅠㅠㅠ Eden and Jaehee monitor frequently so they probably saw how they were targeted with counter picks too, I feel so sorry for the kidsㅠ

‘Strategic voting my ass.’

Strategic voting.

It refers to votes cast for other non-threatening candidates to bring down competitors who pose a threat to the rankings and make your singer first place.

A check pick refers to a candidate who receives those check votes.

Rather, if Reve is a competitor that threatens the rankings, they’d be a competitor, not a check pick.

The other three groups that made it to the nominees with us aren’t on the same level as Reve and KICKS.

After reading the last post, I scratched my head vigorously and logged into the Fan Cafe to click on writing a FROM post.

[From. Eden]

Daydream, have you been doing well? The day we can see each other again isn’t far off. As the D-day countdown decreases, I’m getting excited thinking about meeting our fans again.

Oh, and each vote that our Daydream sends us is more precious than the voting results, so please don’t feel sorry no matter how the results turn out. Rather, Reve is more sorry to Daydream.

Then I hope you have a good day today. Thank you always.

Comments 578

-Eden, I’ll create a world where Reve wins the rookie award

-Finished today’s voting like crazy using mom dad grandmother grandfather sibling’s phones

-Oppa, you should only look at good words and not take bad reactions to heart too much, promise

-Why are you guys sorry ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Wait Eden, don’t be sorry, I’m gonna go ask my ex-boyfriend to vote and come back

“Whoa, Eden hyung. What made you post something like this? What you say to the members and what you say to fans are so different. You really are Reve’s second biggest fan-lover after Yuje.”

I replied blankly to Ryu Jaehee’s fuss.

“…Right.”

“Huh?”

“Why did I write this post?”

Was I worried the fans would get tired and leave the fandom?

So I was afraid the essential condition of making 30 million fans happy would be delayed?

Or did I really not want them to feel sorry for us…?

I looked down at the post I had impulsively written with complicated eyes.

Since the topic was what it was, comments several times more than usual were being posted rapidly.

Even in this situation, seeing the sweet words that put me first made my stomach churn, and I unconsciously covered my mouth and bent forward.

My cell phone slipped from my hand and fell with a thud onto Seo Yehyeon’s thigh.

“Damn, why on someone else’s leg… Hey, what’s wrong with you?”

“Hyung, are you okay? Eden hyung!”

“Eden, where does it hurt?”

“Ah, fuck…”

[Profanity detected.]

[Initial Intentions –2]

The reason felt frustratingly elusive, as if I could grasp it but couldn’t, making my chest feel tight and stuffy.

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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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