A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 51

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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 51

This week’s final schedule, Inkigayo.

Here, we inevitably had to share the same waiting room with KICKS. Perhaps because of yesterday’s confrontation, only a cold atmosphere lingered between the two groups.

“Hyung-hyung, don’t you think they fought with each other over there?”

Ryu Jaehee whispered quietly in my ear.

Their previously tight bond was nowhere to be seen, and watching them keep each other in check among themselves was quite satisfying.

“That’s the end for guys who bonded over talking behind people’s backs.”

I replied indifferently and got up.

“Where are you going?”

“Bathroom.”

I put my hands in my pockets and walked away leisurely.

While washing my hands at the washbasin, a familiar face appeared in the bathroom mirror.

It was a face that had been in the same space just 5 minutes ago.

KICKS’ Parachute speaking to me was one step faster than my intention to just pass by.

“It’s been a while, Yoon Eden.”

“Saying ‘it’s been a while’ to someone who was in the same space 5 minutes ago doesn’t seem quite right, does it?”

“But it’s been a while since we talked one-on-one like this, hasn’t it?”

“Even when I called you a parachute, we weren’t alone, were we?”

Before the regression, this was exactly why I was surprised when Parachute acted as a whistleblower and revealed the truth to me.

Before leaving New Born, I had a history of calling Parachute a parachute to his face because I was pissed that Gyeon Hajun got kicked out of the debut group.

Of course, objectively speaking, he really was a parachute, so it wasn’t exactly wrong.

“Let’s bury the past. And after experiencing it myself, I realized that people like Eden who curse openly to your face are actually better than those who sneakily badmouth you behind your back.”

Since I’d heard this before the regression, it wasn’t surprising.

Those backstabbing dolls who badmouth everyone except themselves wouldn’t have spared Parachute either.

It must have been bad enough for him to side with me, who cursed at him to his face.

“So, what’s your business?”

As I shook the water off my hands and asked, Parachute stated his business directly.

“The whistleblower who told you about the backstabbing – who is it?”

It’s you, from the past and future.

But even if I told him, he wouldn’t believe it, and I’d risk being treated like someone mentally unstable – so why should I bother telling him?

“Why are you asking that? Didn’t I tell you before? Don’t you know about whistleblower protection laws?”

When I asked with a crooked smile, Parachute grinned back.

“Because I want to be friends with them. Anyone with the sense to blow the whistle would be one of the few sane, normal people in our group, including me.”

Yeah, congratulations on becoming the only sane, normal person in KICKS, Parachute.

“Nothing would change even if you knew.”

Since it’s yourself.

Well, to avoid going crazy among abnormal people, living with the hope that there’s at least one other normal person besides yourself isn’t so bad.

“Oh, do you know that Choi Hyeonmin is anonymously spreading rumors about your character?”

“That bastard used to pick fights with me as his opening move whenever he saw my face, and now does he think I’m easy?”

I muttered without bothering to hide my displeasure, and Parachute shook his head briefly.

“Not so much easy as… he was forced to change positions because you left. To rap. If anything, it’s resentment. You should have heard how much he cursed and swore after you kicked out of the debut group and left New Born.”

I used to mock him before the regression for being a rapper with rap skills similar to Seo Yehyeon’s, but I never knew there was such a backstory.

Even during the debut group days, he was annoying with his vocal superiority complex while subtly looking down on rap, so I thought it served him right.

I let out a snicker and spoke sarcastically.

“Tell him to keep spreading it diligently. If he wants to see his underage smoking photos spread all over the internet.”

It was a photo I accidentally discovered while browsing through my phone gallery out of boredom.

I didn’t know photos from our trainee days would still be there, but I thought it was perfect for blackmail.

He’s still a minor, so if it spreads at this point, it’ll definitely become a controversy.

[This bastard openly smokes as a minor when even I, coming from the underground scene, was too scared of my past being exposed to do it. What guts.]

[That’s because hyung is a coward.]

[Hyeonmin, if you keep acting up, I’ll spread this on the internet so you can’t debut.]

[But now if you and I debut together, hyung will be ruined too. Good luck.]

The conversation we had while leaning against the wall behind the New Born agency building, giggling together, hazily came back to my memory.

Back then, we thought we’d debut in the same group, so what started as a playful threat after taking the photo turned into a genuine blackmail opportunity – who could have known?

And besides the underage smoking photo, in just one year I could get club photos of male idol gatherings through DJ hyungs I know who work at a certain Gangnam club.

I still remember that guy who became a club addict as soon as he turned twenty.

Just as I was about to pass by and return to the waiting room, Parachute suddenly held out his cell phone.

“Could I get your number?”

When I raised an eyebrow, Parachute grinned.

“Judging by how you seemed unaware of the rumor spreading, you’re not getting updates, so how about I become whistleblower number 2? I want to be friends with you, Yoon Eden.”

“What is this, a backstabbing victims’ alliance…”

Though I grumbled, I obediently entered my number.

60% was ‘let me find out what KICKS bastards are saying behind our backs and what schemes they’re plotting.’

40% was ‘curious if this parachute will make the same request he made before the regression using this as leverage.’

I paused while trying to save the missed call number.

“What’s your name?”

While I remembered the names of other KICKS members since I’d spent time with them, I had no loyalty or obligation to memorize Parachute’s name, so I didn’t know his real name.

Parachute looked at me with a displeased expression, as if he couldn’t believe I didn’t even know his name, then took my phone and entered his name himself.

[Jung Iseo]

I had many numbers saved in my phone, and by my standards, it wasn’t a particularly unusual surname or name, so there was a high chance I’d forget who it was, so I added an explanation in parentheses after the name.

[Jung Iseo (KICKS Parachute)]

If we went in together, the other KICKS bastards would definitely give us suspicious looks, so I entered the waiting room first.

As soon as I sat on the waiting room sofa, Ryu Jaehee grabbed my sleeve and whispered in my ear again.

“Did those guys collectively borrow money from Hajun hyung and not pay it back? Why do they all go quiet whenever Hajun hyung opens his mouth?”

“They have something they’re all guilty about. By the way, what happened?”

“They were mocking that we can’t bark without you, then Yehyeon hyung got pissed and said something, they had a bit of an argument, then Hajun hyung said one word and they all shut up – that’s what happened.”

“Why do those guys have no learning ability?”

I shook my head and leaned back comfortably on the sofa as Parachute entered the waiting room.

Glancing over, none of them approached Parachute warmly. I could see why he cut ties and came over to our side.

After waiting in that uncomfortable atmosphere, we were called simultaneously for the first place candidate interview.

“Yes, hello! The fifth week of November, live Inkigayo!”

“Today’s three first place candidates. KICKS ‘It’s Time’, Rev ‘All Right or Night’, Jinse ‘Another You’.”

Since the last ballad singer didn’t appear on music shows, we were the only ones called as first place candidates.

“Then shall we meet today’s first place candidates? Please greet the viewers one by one.”

“Two, three! KICKS the world! Hello, we’re KICKS!”

“One, two, Dream of me! Hello, we’re Rev!”

The interview ended briefly with exchanging scripted lines and singing one chorus each while doing point choreography.

Since Inkigayo evaluates based on the most objective indicators of fandom + public appeal + buzz, and Inkigayo’s first place is considered the most prestigious among the three major terrestrial music shows, I was more nervous than the previous two music shows.

If KICKS took first place from us here, people would definitely say that KICKS was the real winner.

Just looking at our stage costumes with a strong school uniform vibe and hair styling that was more intense than usual, you could tell how much the stylist had prepared.

“Let’s cleanly take first place today too.”

Hearing my words, the KICKS leader nearby encouraged his team members loud enough for us to hear.

“Guys, you know that Inkigayo’s 1st place is the real 1st place, right? Let’s do well today.”

And in the fifth week of November, the second week of our comeback.

Securing even the real 1st place acknowledged by the KICKS leader, Reve succeeded in never giving up a single 1st place on the three major terrestrial broadcasts to KICKS.

* * *

The third week, our final activity period, the first week of December.

We had to concede 1st place to KICKS on M Countdown and Music Camp, but by taking 1st place on the other two terrestrial music shows, our activities came to an end.

Total album sales: 180,000 copies.

Having lived through an era of album inflation where even rookies had a baseline of 100,000 first-week sales, it wasn’t a number that particularly impressed me, but for this time period, it was quite a decent performance.

“But hyung, were first-week sales really that important? Isn’t total sales more important? I heard people even split their purchases by week because of music shows.”

At the company dinner celebrating both the successful completion of our activities and Reve’s belated first 1st place victory.

While the CEO was passionately rambling with a soju bottle with a spoon stuck in it, Ryu Jaehee whispered to me.

“It’s not important. You’re right that total sales matter more.”

For now. Swallowing those last words, I picked up some well-cooked beef from the grill plate.

Right. It was around Reve’s 4th or 5th year when first-week sales suddenly started becoming important.

We never particularly cared about first-week sales before, but suddenly they said we needed to increase them and scheduled tons of fan signings during the first-week period.

Thanks to that, there were cases where we had 300,000 first-week sales but only 350,000 total sales.

So with those memories ingrained in me, I was probably unconsciously placing more meaning on first-week sales too.

“Our LnL family, thank you all for trusting this incompetent CEO and following me this far, and let’s all work together so LnL can continue to develop…”

Wow, this seems longer than our 1st place acceptance speech.

But I never really trusted and followed the CEO. If I had trusted and followed him, I would have taken the failed idol route like before my regression and been having dinner with ten people at a pork belly restaurant.

Tilting my soju glass during the CEO’s still-ongoing acceptance speech, I looked around the restaurant where the dinner was in full swing.

The number of agency staff had increased considerably compared to before when we had the same number of members and employees. We even finished moving offices recently.

Though I don’t know why our dorm move keeps getting delayed.

I could only hope that the reality show would air soon and expose our poor semi-basement dorm conditions to the world.

“Come on, our Reve leader who’s the hero of our 1st place! Give us a toast to liven up the mood!”

At the CEO’s urging, I picked up my drink glass and clumsily got to my feet.

In my 8th year at LnL Entertainment, I knew the CEO’s favorite toast by heart.

“We’re grateful to everyone who worked hard during our activity period this year, and we ask for your continued support in the remaining days. When I say ‘We are!’ you shout ‘Someone else!’ We are!”

A resounding response echoed through the restaurant following my lead.

“Someone else!”

I clinked glasses with the Reve members and downed it in one shot.

I always feel this way whenever we do this toast, but yeah, it’s someone else alright.

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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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