A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 522

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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 Original Intent Episode 522

I asked him to write lyrics, but Gyeon Hajun unexpectedly came up with a stage name first. The numerous scribbles next to the stage name written in his notebook showed traces of considerable thought, but the result was…

“…Jun, are you serious?”

Are you really possessed? I could painfully understand why Kim Dobin suspected possession every time I did something particularly un-me-like.

“Oh, Eden Hyung’s reaction seems unusual? What could Hajun Hyung’s stage name be that will achieve bloody revenge?”

While I couldn’t say anything, reaction-rich Kim Dobin approached and stretched his head out to scan the stage name written in the notebook.

I used to call him the drama king, but just this once I’ll call him reaction-rich. I’m counting on you for my share of reactions too.

And Kim Dobin did… react. The problem was it wasn’t in the direction I wanted.

“Who are you? Just who are you to possess Hajun Hyung’s body and act like this?”

As expected, professional possession-suspector Kim Dobin suspected possession first. To think I was influenced by such a guy – what a truly deplorable feeling.

Gyeon Hajun glanced at Kim Dobin with a face showing no damage as if to say ‘there he goes with nonsense again,’ then quickly turned his head toward me and asked with anticipation.

“Why? Isn’t it good?”

I couldn’t bring myself to say either honest words or flattering words, so I just subtly avoided his gaze.

If other guys had brought such a stage name before me, I would have immediately scolded them asking if they were joking around when I asked for a stage name, whether this project seemed like a joke to them. But since it was Gyeon Hajun, I couldn’t bring myself to do that.

It wasn’t the so-called Gyeon Hajun favoritism that the other members kept crying about. I just knew well.

The fact that Gyeon Hajun wasn’t the type to joke around with something like this, more than anyone.

“Why? What stage name did Hajun come up with that both of you are reacting like that?”

“Right. If Hajun Hyung had done well, seeing his talent for naming, Eden Hyung would have given tremendous praise saying he’d definitely have talent for lyrics too. And possession… in what context does that even come up?”

Curious about our reactions, Seo Yehyeon and Ryu Jaehee also slowly approached.

“Hajun Hyung, seriously…?”

“Hajun, you weren’t this kind of guy! Even though you were friends with Yoon Eden, you weren’t the type to bring something like this as a stage name! Is it being near ink makes you black? Did you finally get influenced by that crazy bastard?”

Seo Yehyeon’s reaction, mentioning even me while throwing a fit, ironically made me defend that damn Gyeon Hajun’s stage name.

“It was just absurd at first glance, but it’s sensible and good. It’s not easy to contain all that anger in just two letters.”

“Hey, defend what’s worth defending! Can you really give permission to submit this as a stage name?”

“Why not? What’s wrong with it?”

Since I was making rebuttals purely for the sake of rebuttal, I felt like my intelligence was being chipped away in real time.

“Still, what is CB supposed to be, CB!”

I didn’t say anything wrong or harsh. Really, the stage name Gyeon Hajun came up with was fucking…

I mean, it was a stage name that anyone would associate with ‘fuck.’

“But Hajun, it’s Creator Best shortened to CB, right? There’s no way you’d make a stage name like Yoon Eden would, haha…”

Seo Yehyeon maintained his delusion until the end, but,

“No? It’s what everyone’s thinking.”

Gyeon Hajun smiled benevolently as usual and completely shattered Seo Yehyeon’s delusion.

“What are you going to do when someone points that out? Didn’t you see how hostile Jung Iseo’s fans were back then? Those people would have more than enough to nitpick with this! We don’t even have shields since we’re using aliases!”

“If others ask if it’s ‘fuck,’ I’ll just insist that ‘fuck’ is ‘Sibal’ so it should be SB.”

“Yoon Eden, please don’t suggest such ridiculous solutions and stop Hajun! Hajun, why are your eyes sparkling like that! Don’t tell me you think that solution makes sense?”

Seo Yehyeon, who had been jumping around, suddenly stopped.

“Wait a minute.”

Seo Yehyeon looked at me with eyes that saw an even bigger bomb than Gyeon Hajun and suddenly turned his arrows toward me.

“What about you, Yoon Eden? What stage name are you going to use in the composition and lyrics credits?”

What do you take me for? Of course I didn’t make such simple naming like CB.

While Gyeon Hajun thought about it for a day yesterday, I had already decided since I composed the tribute song for Jung Iseo.

My old rapper name ED was too well-known to use, so I had to come up with something else.

The most important thing about the new stage name was: it shouldn’t reveal me. Yet it should contain meaning that others couldn’t notice.

So the stage name that was born was-

“NMS.”

“Network Management System?”

“It’s short for Nemesis.”

Nemesis.

The goddess of revenge and justice from Greek and Roman mythology. She punishes excessive arrogance and injustice, especially handling revenge against pride.

It was the perfect name to punish Parachute, who blackmailed with others’ painful memories, was steeped in arrogance thinking I’d give him a good song that would benefit him, and had excessive confidence that he could make a comeback with just one song.

Actually, I wanted to go with something cooler like preserving the name in anagram form like Cinemes or Sismene, but thinking of cases where even the tiniest hints were revealed on the internet, I tearfully chose the abbreviation as it seemed safer even if less stylish.

“Right, no one would think it contains the meaning of revenge. They’d think a developer turned composer.”

Seo Yehyeon tried to persuade us both that NMS should be transferred to Gyeon Hajun while I come up with another name, but Gyeon Hajun was firm.

“First, no one will be able to even guess from these stage names alone that Yoon Eden and Gyeon Hajun participated in this song’s making process. And just having such names remain on Jung Iseo’s solo song is already revenge.”

Gyeon Hajun, you’re aware that CB is such a name too. But what’s wrong with my NMS that you’re lumping it together with your CB?

Eventually everyone gave up completely to Gyeon Hajun’s stubbornness.

Gyeon Hajun participated in lyrics under the name CB as he wanted, and Jung Iseo’s side gratefully received the completed song. It seemed to fit Jung Iseo’s personal taste perfectly.

The problem is that when he actually sings it, none of that demo song feeling will come alive.

Gyeon Hajun recorded the demo guide vocals. Of course, not wanting to be caught on anything, we went through post-processing with voice modulation.

He’ll probably get more upset when compared to that demo during recording.

Gyeon Hajun’s solo song, scheduled to be released a bit earlier than Jung Iseo in April, was also completed. Because it was a song I had made once before.

Back then, before regression, the song I gave to Jung Iseo.

I completely reworked that song to best fit Gyeon Hajun’s vocal range, the melody most optimal for Gyeon Hajun’s tone, the emotional line Gyeon Hajun brings out best, and to match Gyeon Hajun’s singing style perfectly.

This song played a decisive role in Gyeon Hajun and me eventually cutting ties.

That’s why I wanted Gyeon Hajun to sing it even more. I wanted to return all the positions that Jung Iseo before regression trampled on Gyeon Hajun to climb up.

It was also atonement for my past insensitivity, toward the heart of pre-regression Gyeon Hajun who must have been hurt by this song.

I know it might just be self-satisfaction from correcting the past. Since Gyeon Hajun didn’t have those pre-regression memories, I couldn’t be certain how this song would approach him, but I hoped he wouldn’t misunderstand that sincerity.

As long as Gyeon Hajun, who embraced even my memories, lives in the world of memories held by the System, the best I can do is leave some trace connecting us in those lost memories.

So that when I face that Gyeon Hajun from those memories again someday, I could speak not confidently but at least sheepishly.

“How is it, do you like it?”

When I asked Gyeon Hajun, prepared to immediately scrap it and make a new one if he said he didn’t like it, Gyeon Hajun immediately nodded.

“I actually wanted to try this style once.”

So does that mean my past self led Jung Iseo’s solo debut to success with a song that Gyeon Hajun secretly wanted to try and found appealing, and made Gyeon Hajun watch it happen?

Fuck, Yoon Eden. Bang your head.

Sheepishly my ass. I’ll have to speak while banging my head.

* * *

Early March. As Ryu Jaehee predicted, I received an offer to be a producer for DTB Season 6.

It was even an offer to team up with Yongcheol Hyung.

Looking at the list of team producers recruited so far, it seemed DTB was finally trying to dismantle the label team system. The veteran team producers I remembered were cut in half, with new names filling their places.

Jiwon Hyung and Gongchul Hyungnim remained, and is Moltic still being recruited?

What pushed my back as I was considering appearing due to scheduling was Choi Hyeongjin’s text.

[Choi Hyeongjin- I’m going this season] 3:30 PM

[ㅇㅇ ㅅㄱ] 3:35 PM

[Make it to semifinals at least] 3:36 PM

[Choi Hyungjin- Fuck, are you cursing me?] 3:36 PM

[How is this a curse, it’s encouragement] 3:38 PM

[Choi Hyung-jin- Fuck, well-wishes mean telling someone to win, what you’re saying is trash talk telling them to GG in the semifinals] 3:38 PM

[Our youngest member understood my intention very well when I showed him this – to safely make it to semifinals and then navigate as far as your abilities allow, but why are you like this Hyeongjin] 3:45 PM

[People should live positively] 3:46 PM

[Choi Hyeongjin- Ah fuck this bastard hasn’t changed from 10 years ago] 3:46 PM

I can’t help being curious about how much my rival has grown.

So DTB Season 6 team producer and my solo regular album release in May were confirmed.

As soon as I finished today’s work and returned to the dormitory, Ryu Jaehee’s singing voice rang out. Of course, it wasn’t Ryu Jaehee singing directly but the sound coming from the TV.

“Oh, looks like the youngest member is on?”

As soon as I turned my gaze to the TV screen with an exclamation, I was left speechless.

On the TV screen showing the vocal competition variety show that Ryu Jaehee had appeared on, there wasn’t Ryu Jaehee but some big door panel instead. Not a metaphorical expression, but a real actual door panel.

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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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