A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 47

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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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초심 잃은 아이돌을 위한 회귀 백서 47화

결국 라면은 한 젓가락밖에 먹지 못하고, 속이 안 좋아졌다는 핑계로 라면을 싹 버린 후 숙소로 돌아왔다.

And in the midst of all this, they docked points again just because he swallowed the noodles in his mouth instead of spitting them out.

When I returned to the lodging, Ryu Jaehee flung open my door and shouted loudly from inside the room.

“Hyung, the manager asked me to tell you there’s a fan signing event the day after tomorrow!”

“I’m not deaf yet, youngest.”

I don’t understand why that guy wastes his great voice on pointless things.

Speaking of which, a fan signing event… I’m already sighing just thinking about it.

I would always rediscover my original intentions whenever I held fan signing events.

What the hell does that mean? It’s like I’ve gone back to my rookie days when I didn’t know what to say.

The phrase “Ah, really?” that I habitually blurted out had become a forbidden word, and because of this ruthlessly evil system that would swiftly inflict pain and chip away at my beginner’s mind points whenever I gave even slightly insincere answers or zoned out a bit, it was impossible to approach things half-heartedly like I did before my regression.

But now I have “Oh, really?” as an alternative to “Oh, for real?” so I’m invincible at this fan signing!

As I was grinning to myself, Seo Ye-hyeon glanced back at me, let out a sigh, and shook her head disapprovingly.

But since that person was the very one who helped me abandon my unconvincing international student act by revealing the existence of “Oh, really?”, I decided to let it slide generously.

“You and that habit of saying ‘ah jinjjayo.’ Do something about it. Every time you said ‘ah jinjjayo’ at the last fan signing, my heart next to you kept dropping. It felt like my lifespan was shortening in real time, you know?”

“Don’t worry, that absolutely won’t happen this time. Oh, and I’ll ask them to put your fan signing seat as far away from me as possible. Don’t let your lifespan get shorter—live long and well.”

As we were having a fairly friendly conversation, Ryu Jaehee, who had been leaning against the doorframe—when had she arrived?—let out deep sighs as if she wanted us to hear.

“Do you guys break out in thorns in your mouth if you don’t fight for even a single day?”

“When did we ever fight?”

“Right, we’ve never fought before, have we?”

Ryu Jaehee sighed while looking at Seo Yehyeon, who was nodding and agreeing with my words, with quite a pitying gaze.

“So Yehyeon hyung ended up adapting to Iden hyung’s way of speaking… Iden hyung, I told you, didn’t I? If you don’t want rumors of discord, you need to show yourself giving in sometimes.”

“Is the camera on right now? That’s just a concept for broadcasting, so why should I have to lose even when the camera’s off?”

“Hyung, do you know the saying that a bowl that leaks inside will also leak outside? Habits are really scary things.”

At Ryu Jaehee’s words, who never backed down from an argument, he let out a groan and rubbed his forehead.

Well, it had become a habit to respond with “Oh, really?” at fan signing events.

When did I start approaching things so half-heartedly.

During the few fan signing events in their struggling days when even 30 people showing up was considered a good turnout, they gave fairly lengthy responses and had quite warm, friendly conversations with their fans.

Instead of sympathizing with the youngest member who would glare and declare that saying “Is it really true?” at idol fan signings was sinful, shouting about the hell of disbelief like a religious fanatic, I found myself scoffing when we held our first fan signing with a full 100 attendees after going viral with Seo Ye-hyun’s fancam.

When I had grown increasingly weary of their half-hearted questions from people who were obviously just there to see Seo Ye-hyeon, and my own perfunctory responses had become a habit.

I rationalized it at the time, but I only now realize that my few fans must have also heard the half-hearted “ah, really?” I blurted out.

Now that I’ve been forcibly brought back to my debut days, I kept habitually adding “ah, really?” when responding to fans’ various questions, which cost me 20 points in sincerity—recalling this made me realize that Ryu Jaehee was right about habits being truly frightening.

“Actually, last time Eden hyung kept saying ‘ah jinjjayo’ which is like an unwritten rule at fan signings, so this time I wanted to give him some practice.”

And before I could even agree, Ryu Jaehee suddenly cupped my cheeks with her hands and went full fan mode.

“I even skipped school today and came here secretly to see you, Eden hyung!”

“Oh, really?”

As expected, just as I had confirmed several times, the initial sharpness remained intact.

With eyes that seemed to ask if that was really all he had to say, he laughed “ahaha” and added more words.

“I also missed school a few times during my student days and didn’t get the perfect attendance award, so it looks like we’re kindred spirits.”

Ryu Jaehee, whose expression had become quite subtle, moved on to the next comment.

“I’m really enjoying this song too. The song is so good.”

“Oh, really? I’m glad it was to your taste. Thank you for loving our Rev’s music.”

I thought I had given a safe answer this time, but Ryu Jaehee still made a subtle expression and demanded more.

“Please show me some aegyo just once!”

“Ah, really…”

Habits are truly frightening things.

As I trailed off, becoming aware of my habitual “Oh, really?” that I automatically added even to statements that didn’t require a response, Ryu Jaehee narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

“No, hyung. Is there a specific reason you have to add ‘Oh, really?’ at the beginning?”

“I guess I’d feel kind of bored if I didn’t do it.”

“But why are you going ‘Oh, really?’ even when asked to show some aegyo? This isn’t just about being bored anymore.”

“Habits are scary things. But Jaehee, are you mad at me right now?”

This young punk, barely out of diapers, glaring at his older brother who’s been around for twenty-seven years, interrogating him point-blank like that, huh?

As he clicked his tongue at the insubordination unfolding before his eyes, a ding- sound that now made him anxious whenever he heard it rang out.

I had never seen anything good come from hearing that sound at a time like this.

[“Oh, really” has been added to the list of prohibited words.]

Fucking hell.

I shot up from my seat at the shocking content that came like a bolt from the blue.

“Hey, you bastard! Because of you…! If only you hadn’t suggested we practice for the fan meeting…!”

Even the substitute words have become forbidden! Then what am I supposed to use for mindless retorts now!

Unable to grab him by the collar for fear of corrupting even his pure intentions, he could only grasp Ryu Jaehee’s shoulders and shake him, causing Ryu Jaehee to wobble helplessly while grumbling.

“No, I helped you and now you’re suddenly acting all weird out of nowhere… Hyung, are you crying?”

“I want to cry, you bastard!”

There are only two days left until the fan meeting, so how are we supposed to find a replacement again? At this rate, won’t my beginner’s mind lose another 20 points and I’ll have to regress again?

* * *

Ms. Kim sat in the audience section of the venue where the fan signing event was being held, anxiously setting up her camera and double-checking to make sure the writing on her Post-it note hadn’t smudged.

Since she became a fan right after the fan signing event during the “Come to My Universe” promotions, this was Miss Kim’s first time attending a Red Velvet fan signing.

‘They say it was a one-shot back then.’

Ms. Kim, who spent 300,000 won on albums for this fan signing event, clicked her tongue in disappointment.

But the fan meeting photos that came out served as proof of just how much our kids had grown, so she soon pushed aside her wistful feelings and smiled with pride.

They said the last fan signing event barely exceeded 50 people, but this fan signing event was packed with a full 100 attendees.

There were also quite a few fan photographers who came with their large telephoto cameras.

Finally, when the long-awaited fan signing event began, Rev appeared on stage.

“Dream of me! Hello, this is Rev!”

The Rev members, wearing the most well-received outfits from last week’s stage costumes, stood in front of a table placed on stage and greeted the audience loudly.

In response, thunderous cheers filled the venue.

‘Silver-haired Eden! Baseball jacket Eden!’

Perhaps it was because of the baseball jacket that reminded her of a school uniform, but as Kim watched Yoon Eden, who looked more like a fresh-faced college student than a typical high schooler, she pressed the shutter button non-stop.

As soon as the greetings were finished and the members had barely taken their seats, Ms. Kim scanned the order in which the members were sitting.

The order was Yoon Iden – Ryu Jaehee – Gyeon Hajun – Kim Dobin – Seo Yehyeon. Yehyeon was first, and Iden was last.

After a long, patient wait, her turn had finally come.

“Hello.”

Seo Yehyeon, the member who first made her fall for Rev, greeted her with a slight smile.

“Yes, hello.”

Enchanted by his smile that seemed almost enlightening, she nodded as if spellbound and returned his greeting.

‘…As expected, the visual and gateway fairy of Rev.’

Her delicate features looked even more distinct up close.

Who would have thought I’d confirm that photos can’t capture all of his looks like this.

I wanted to show those jerks who kept putting me down saying I was only photogenic what I looked like in person.

After getting the album signed and handing over a post-it note with questions written on it, a light conversation followed based on what was written on the post-it.

While Seo Ye-hyeon couldn’t exactly be called a great conversationalist, just looking at her face was enough to bring laughter and joy, so after finishing her first autograph, she moved on to the next person in good spirits.

“Oh, hello.”

Miss Kim suppressed her laughter as she looked at Kim Dobin’s face, still stiff with nervousness even after ten people had passed before him.

It was a role reversal of sorts, but Ms. Kim skillfully led the conversation, drawing on her 10 years of experience as a K-pop fan.

“My closest friend is probably Jaehee, right? The coolest member is… Eden hyung!”

“Not Yehyeon?”

“Just looking at appearance, it’s Yehyeon hyung, but if we consider overall ability stats, Eden hyung has the advantage. It’s the difference between dumping all your stats into one thing versus spreading them out evenly, and balancing things out is definitely more advantageous for overall ability-“

His tension seemingly relieved to some extent, Kim Dobin cheerfully drew checks on the Post-it she handed him while chattering away with his answer, like a retriever that had finished being shy and was now clinging to people.

“Next time I’ll definitely show you a professional side!”

“Really? Then I’ll have to come see Dobin next time too.”

“Really? Promise!”

After hooking pinkies with Dobin, she moved on to the next in line. Gyeon Hajun greeted her with an eye smile.

‘He really has an actor’s face.’

She could bet Reve’s debut album that in about 3-4 years, she’d see articles about him being cast in dramas and trying his hand at acting.

True to his reputation as a member known for being a man of few words, Gyeon Hajun was calm and his tone was gentle.

However, the way he kept making eye contact and smiling, and how you could see he was doing his best to answer questions.

The fact that he wrote twice as much in the P.S. under the Post-it and album signature compared to the other members was more than enough for a passing grade.

Next was Yuje.

The fact that Eden was right after him was important to Miss Kim, but when Yuje opened his mouth, that point was swept away like a storm.

“Hello!”

Yuje greeted her brightly and while signing the album, naturally extracted her name, age, who her bias was in Reve, and which song she liked from this album, all in the blink of an eye.

All sorts of cute aegyo were a bonus.

He was truly no different from a 10-year veteran professional idol. Even her former idols who had been in their 8th year weren’t this skilled, yet this freshly debuted baby…

“See you again, noona!”

“Yeah, see you again.”

After finishing with Yuje, who seemed to have been born under the star of idols, Miss Kim finally arrived in front of her long-awaited bias.

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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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