A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 346

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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 346

While scanning the faces of the opposing team that had advanced to the soccer finals, I spotted a familiar face. The other person also noticed me and waved their hand cheerfully.

“Eden, long time no see!”

It was Sion from Syndrome, who had worked together on On Top activities.

“I watched your team’s preliminary matches, Eden, and you were absolutely flying out there?”

“That’s why I’m trying to show off in the finals too. I have someone I need to look cool for.”

“Oh, which group?”

“My own group.”

Sion’s bright, sparkling eyes immediately lost their look of interest.

Since the senior who had been captain during the preliminaries gave up his spot to me, I ended up shaking hands with Sion, who was acting as the opposing team’s captain, right in the center.

Out of the six teams from the Sports University, they were grouped into pairs for matches, so our opposing team had advanced to the finals with a bye without playing a game. So we had somewhat underestimated them.

[Ah, just as I mentioned, Sion! He immediately shakes off the defenders and heads toward the goal!]

[Shot! Goal! Sion has scored the first goal of the finals!]

[If teams A and B have Yoon Eden, then teams E and F have Sion. We’re very much looking forward to seeing these two aces perform in today’s finals.]

Sion, who had easily shaken off our team’s defense and scored a goal, made a V-sign with his fingers and winked cutely.

“I was also on the soccer team back in school.”

“Oh, so was I.”

I dribbled the ball that the opposing team’s goalkeeper had kicked with all his might, then passed it accurately to our team player with a grin.

Since it was the finals, the physical contact became even more intense. Everyone seemed to have forgotten this was an idol sports festival and acted as if they were possessed by national soccer representatives.

[Yoon Eden! Yoon Eden! He immediately gets a shooting chance! Oh, he shot! It went in! Goal!]

The mid-range shot I fired powerfully lodged into the goal.

One of our team players got tangled up with an opposing player and they both fell, resulting in both getting injured and requiring player substitutions.

It was judged as a foul by the opposing team, but since it wasn’t inside the penalty area, our team got a direct free kick opportunity.

I scanned the opposing team that had formed a defensive wall in front of the goal under Sion’s direction, took a deep breath, and kicked the ball with all my might.

And shortly after, the ball that had precisely penetrated through a gap in the defense made the goal net ripple.

The chaotic game continued until the second half ended like that.

“It’s 3 to 3! Let’s score just one more goal!”

Both sides had much more solid defense and aggressive offense, so neither easily gave up points to the other. Eventually, the game time ended in a draw and went into a penalty shootout.

The ball that Sion kicked with all his might bounced off due to our team goalkeeper’s desperate defense and didn’t go into the goal.

The penalty shootout chance was also given to me, just like the direct free kick. I lightly rolled the ball on the floor with my toes, then stepped back, ran forward, and kicked the ball with my toes.

Damn, this had a really low success rate even back in the day. If I fail, it’s embarrassingly a draw, but if I succeed, I’m a hero, fuck.

Our team let out sighs as the ball flew toward the edge of the goal. However,

“Huh, huh, huh!”

“Crazy! Goal! Goal!”

The trajectory curved and the ball hit the goalpost and bounced into the goal.

[Yes! The final penalty kick, teams A and B succeed! With a score of 4 to 3, teams A and B are the champions!]

All our team players rushed over with cheers and embraced me, almost surrounding me. The opposing team players and spectators sent applause and cheers.

I barely escaped and was wiping my sweat with a towel when Sion smoothly approached. I handed Sion a water bottle and chuckled.

“You really are an ace.”

“Let’s meet as opposing teams next time too. Sports University has been fun for the first time in a while.”

Sion, who had been giggling, patted my back and returned to where his members were.

The soccer finals left a total of four injured players. It seemed likely that next year, soccer would either disappear as an event or be replaced with just penalty kicks like before my regression.

Soccer was my only ray of light in this boring Sports University, so it’s truly regrettable.

“You’re not saying I was cool even though this was the finals?”

“I feel like I played less actively than in the preliminaries because Sion sunbae blocked me, tch.”

“Really? You were cooler than in the preliminaries though.”

“Really? Did it make you want to call me hyung-nim?”

“Not quite that much.”

Gyeon Hajun was truly cold-hearted.

In the archery finals, Rev won a silver medal. It was just a 1-point difference from the team that won gold.

The members who competed in the archery finals were very disappointed, but going from preliminary elimination to a silver medal was significant progress. To think they got a silver medal just because Kim Dobin was missing.

With Seo Yehyeon hitting three X-10s and two 10-point shots, the luck buff of the lucky totem that Kim Dobin claimed became even more mysterious.

In volleyball, Kim Dobin held back after witnessing a teammate right in front of him injure his ankle from a bad landing after jumping, so they didn’t make it to the finals.

Volleyball also produced numerous injuries, no less than soccer, so it was clear that it too would join the list of events destined to disappear into the dustbin of history.

“Hyung, save that kind of body throwing for the finals. Don’t put on such a passionate performance in the first preliminaries.”

“Seeing someone’s ankle get injured right in front of me made me unconsciously tense up and my body stiffened, you know?”

“Jaehee, don’t scold him too much. As long as he didn’t get hurt, that’s enough. You did well. Not winning a medal is better than getting injured here.”

When I lightly ruffled Kim Dobin’s hair, Kim Dobin looked at me with a touched expression.

Now only the last event, the relay race, remained.

Since it was the final event, all the idols who had been scattered around came flocking to watch. Jung Iseo, who came with KICKS members trailing behind him like a tail, also sat next to me.

Perhaps being conscious of his members, he didn’t particularly try to strike up conversation, but when Ryu Jaehee received the baton and the Rev members’ attention focused on Ryu Jaehee, Jung Iseo tapped me.

“Could you produce just one solo song for me later? Including lyric writing and composition?”

The exact same request as before my regression came from Jung Iseo’s mouth.

It seemed that just letting him stay with me at Sports University wasn’t enough to settle the debt of whistleblowing that he had unilaterally taken upon himself for me.

It felt strange to think that even with the future twisted like this, some things were reproduced exactly the same as before my regression.

When I just stared at him instead of answering, Jung Iseo forced his lips into a smile with an anxious expression.

“I need to get back up too. I didn’t debut just to end things like this.”

Jung Iseo whispered, lowering his voice so only I could hear.

Before my regression, Jung Iseo had succeeded in establishing himself as a solo singer a few years after leaving the team with the song I gave him.

Since giving him a song wouldn’t cause me any loss, I nodded after brief consideration.

“Sure, why not.”

Since I had given Jung Iseo a song before my regression not too far from the 7th anniversary that was also the starting point of my regression, it wouldn’t be difficult to reproduce.

Sharp glares pierced toward me. But that was only momentary.

“Ryu Jae!”

At Kim Dobin’s shocked cry, I turned my gaze toward the stadium. The sharp glares were also withdrawn.

Seeing Ryu Jaehee collapsed right before the finish line, we all jumped up without anyone going first and ran toward Ryu Jaehee, who had barely crossed the finish line while limping.

“Youngest Member, are you okay? Try walking. Is your ankle alright?”

“Yes, I don’t think I sprained it. Ah, I scraped my knee.”

“Hey hey hey hey, your knee is bleeding, bleeding…!”

“Doby Hyung, I’m fine so you don’t need to make such a fuss.”

Ryu Jaehee, whose knee was scraped and bleeding more than Kim Dobin’s, was calmer.

Since Ryu Jaehee had to receive emergency treatment at the medical tent, we had to leave Gyeon Hajun with Ryu Jaehee, and only three of us – me, Seo Yehyeon, and Kim Dobin – could participate in the closing ceremony.

“Tch, the only gold medal is from the soccer match I won.”

“Still, it’s fortunate that none of our members got seriously injured. This Sports University event was really unprecedented. How many people got injured?”

And so the idol sports festival came to an end.

* * *

I clicked my tongue watching Gyeon Hajun’s back as he went straight to his room as soon as we returned to the dormitory. Was he planning to sleep and then have it out, or was he going to keep his mouth shut this time too?

I entered my room and collapsed onto the bed. Fatigue was washing over me, so I absentmindedly answered a call from an unknown number.

-Hello, this is Eden Hyung, right?

Choi Hyeonmin’s voice came through the receiver.

“Yeah.”

-Thank goodness, this phone number hasn’t changed yet.

“What do you want.”

-Hing, isn’t that too cold?

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

At my irritated warning, Choi Hyeonmin immediately got to the point.

-Eden Hyung, do you happen to know? That Lee Seo Hyung was a trainee at Digreen Entertainment?

Digreen was one of the domestic big three major entertainment companies along with TK and Shinwol. The boy group that came from there was a senior group that debuted a year before Rev.

It was also the place that rejected me in auditions for having insufficient dance skills.

“Oh, that’s unexpected. But is there a reason I absolutely need to know that fact?”

-And Lee Seo Hyung was eliminated in the monthly evaluation right before the debut team selection. No improvement, they said. Major company standards are really strict. I heard all the details because my friend trained with Lee Seo Hyung at Digreen before moving to another entertainment company and debuting.

“Is that the friend you go clubbing with?”

-….

It seemed I was right, as Choi Hyeonmin fell silent for a moment.

“Go to clubs in moderation. You’re supposed to be an idol.”

-Well then, what do you think was the choice made by Lee Seo Hyung, who was eliminated right before debut team selection from the major entertainment company he was so proud of, that hyung who has the Newborn Director as his maternal uncle just when the boy group debut team was being formed?

“Stop beating around the bush. In the end, isn’t it just your speculation that Jung Iseo asked first to be put in the debut team?”

Choi Hyeonmin’s sneer came back in response to my indifferent reply.

-You know what, Hyung? Hajun Hyung and Lee Seo Hyung, did they meet at Newborn? When Hajun Hyung asked if he knew that one person had to leave, what do you think Lee Seo Hyung answered?

After a brief pause, Choi Hyeonmin mimicked Jung Iseo’s tone and voice as he spat out the answer Jung Iseo would have given that Gyeon Hajun heard.

-Yes, but I’m also desperate. I’m sorry. How do I know? Because I was listening to everything. If you really doubt it, you can ask Hajun Hyung. That hyung will tell you.

The expression slowly disappeared from my face. I felt like I was suddenly wide awake. Seo Yehyeon, who had been lying on the bed, quietly left the room.

-That means Lee Seo Hyung knew very well too. That he was coming in by taking an innocent person’s spot. Where is there anyone in this situation who isn’t desperate.

Choi Hyeonmin snorted and spoke clearly as if telling me to listen carefully.

-Lee Seo Hyung is also a perpetrator to Hajun Hyung, whom you care about so much. Don’t you still know whose side you should take?

I covered my eyes with my palm and let out a bitter laugh.

“I was wrong about the premise from the start.”

The arrogance that Seo Yehyeon had spoken of, and the prejudice from events before my regression, had properly clouded my vision.

“Don’t try to justify it by dragging Gyeon Hajun into this for no reason, and pay the price for ostracizing someone among yourselves. If anyone’s going to get revenge, it should be Gyeon Hajun, not you guys. Since when have you all been so fond of Gyeon Hajun?”

-Well, does Hajun hyung think that way too? And why would we be fond of Hajun hyung? Hajun hyung isn’t the only one who had to leave because of Iseo hyung, you know?

“Don’t drag me into this. I’m hanging up now.”

As soon as I hung up the phone, the door burst open without even a knock.

“Have you forgotten why I was kicked out of the NewBorn debut group?”

Gyeon Hajun spat out the words through gritted teeth, as if chewing on them. Abandoning his usual maturity and composure, Gyeon Hajun faced me like that.

Gyeon Hajun’s trigger wasn’t KICKS, but KICKS Parachute, Jung Iseo.

Finally, the last puzzle piece related to my falling out with Gyeon Hajun before my regression had come into my hands.

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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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