A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 69

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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 69

As soon as Ryu Jaehee returned to the artist seating area and sat down in his chair, he bombarded me with questions.

“Hyung, don’t you cry? Really? It’s not that you’re forcing yourself to hold back, but tears really don’t come out? Why?”

“I don’t know, maybe because the relief of getting them back feels bigger than the emotion?”

I flashed a bright smile toward those KICKS bastards not far away who were trying to put on cheerful faces while looking at us.

“My smile comes out much better than usual.”

“I can see that too. Your face just won’t stop smiling.”

Ryu Jaehee nodded while rubbing his reddened eyes like the other members.

I wonder if those bastards felt like this during WAMA.

To think that those bastards also felt this refreshing and exhilarating feeling suddenly made me feel disgusted.

I handed tissues to Kim Dobin who was sniffling before he could drip snot, forcing my expression to straighten out.

Seo Yehyeon briefly shook his head, wondering where my focus had gone off track again.

Since there was no display case in the dormitory, the Rookie Award trophy was properly displayed on my desk after Rev’s 41st meeting. I don’t even know how we got to the 41st meeting.

And at the agency, talk of light sticks and a full album came up.

Fortunately, my design was adopted for the light stick instead of the crowbar and hammer.

I was a bit surprised that the crowbar wasn’t the CEO’s idea.

“For now, we have about four songs that can be included in the album right away, and to fill ten songs, even if we get songs from here and there, we’d need to allow about four months.”

“Then should we schedule the full album activities for around July?”

“Instead of that, wouldn’t it be better to release a repackage album with about two additional songs around March and comeback with a full album in September?”

“I vote for Eden hyung’s opinion too. I think it’d be better to focus on quality rather than rushing against time.”

Were there any issues in March and September this year?

Using an item selection ticket to check the charts would be the best way to avoid competition, but since there’s a possibility that chart viewing items might not appear, I couldn’t rely on it completely.

And gradually, I needed to move away from easy pickings and clash with opponents of proper caliber to climb up.

Easy pickings alone wouldn’t be enough to reach the first tier, which was my goal for ending this regression.

The remaining members also supported my opinion one by one.

In the early days of regression, everyone would just keep their mouths shut instead of giving opinions or agreeing with me, making me frustrated, but seeing them grow like this made me feel deeply moved.

“By any chance, could you ask grandmother about September’s fortune…”

I let out a deep sigh watching the CEO cautiously bring it up. I knew this would happen.

A sense of crisis washed over me, wondering if the CEO might fall into shamanism at this rate.

It’s already hopeless, but if it gets even more hopeless from here…

“She was a scammer.”

I’m really sorry, grandmother. Please forgive this unfilial grandson who arbitrarily made you a fraud victim. I’ll bow my head as soon as I get there.

“R-really? For a scammer, she was quite accurate…”

“Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

Only after successfully blocking the possibility of the CEO pouring money into shamanism could I breathe a sigh of relief.

We decided to set a rough schedule for now and discuss the specifics after finishing the remaining schedules.

The Naon Chart Music Awards held approximately two weeks after the Silver Disc Awards.

“This year’s Rookie Award goes to… Congratulations! Rev!”

We went up on stage amid applause and cheers.

I was fine until I received the bouquet and trophy. I had even resolved to definitely put on a great crying performance today to complete the Quest.

As if mocking the superstition that having tear moles means you’re destined to cry often, I wasn’t particularly prone to tears.

I only remembered three times when I cried buckets.

When I was in elementary school and fell while climbing a tree to knock down a wasp nest, splitting the back of my head.

When my appendix burst in middle school.

When I declared in front of my parents in high school that I was dropping out to do hip hop, and got beaten to a pulp by my father on a rainy day.

The last time was more about resentment and sorrow toward parents who beat me up instead of supporting their child’s dreams rather than physical pain, but thinking about it now, if I were in my parents’ position, I probably would have beaten myself to death too.

Anyway, I had lived like that, but now…

I wiped my heated eyes with my fingers and gripped the trophy I had received tightly.

Receiving rookie awards from two places instead of just one finally made it feel real.

The fact that Rev, who couldn’t even be nominated for a rookie award, no, who wasn’t even invited to award ceremonies, had received a rookie award.

Unlike me, whose eyes had become stiff from the belated surge of emotion, the members who had already shed tears at Silver Disc were rather calm.

Seo Yehyeon burst into laughter upon discovering me wide-eyed and passed the microphone to me.

Ryu Jaehee and Kim Dobin looked like they had seen a ghost, and Gyeon Hajun patted my back while holding back laughter.

‘Damn, how embarrassing…’

My resolve to even do crying acting for the Quest completion crumbled before real tears.

I took the microphone and slowly opened my mouth.

“First, I want to say that we’re truly grateful. There was a time when we couldn’t even imagine receiving this award…”

My voice choked up and I paused briefly, raising my head to hear encouraging shouts from various parts of the audience telling me not to cry.

Listening to those resounding voices, I forced a smile.

“I’m so grateful to our members and LnL family who helped us reach this seemingly impossible day, and to all the family members who supported us.”

I looked at the audience seats where light sticks of all colors were swaying.

I continued my acceptance speech toward our fans who would be somewhere among them.

“Our Daydream, who always sends us excessive love.”

Hearing the cheers as soon as I mentioned them, I thought.

I still don’t really understand why you were disappointed in me before the regression.

But I think I’m starting to understand this much now. That my music alone, my skills alone weren’t the complete reason for Rev’s success.

That Rev could reach this position because of the interest, support, and love you sent us.

“We will work hard to repay the love you’ve given us. We’re always grateful and we love you.”

It was the moment when gratitude, which I used to casually mention in typical acceptance speeches, gained weight for the first time.

* * *

After returning to the artist seating area, I had to endure endless teasing as the price for my slight tears.

“Wow, I never knew our leader was such an emotional person.”

“So Eden hyung is human after all. I thought hyung was a cold metal-hearted producer-type android.”

“What kind of nonsense is that? I told you to stop watching so much anime.”

“You were holding back tears at Silver Disc, right? Right?”

“Ugh, no.”

“Come on, since you already cried, you can be honest, hyung.”

“I said no. And I didn’t cry.”

To think the leader’s authority would crumble over just one drop of tears.

I barely held back the urge to give those grinning youngest line bastards a refreshing scalp massage, remembering there were cameras around.

KICKS, who didn’t receive a rookie award, were on applause duty just like we were at WAMA.

And Altair received the first quarter main prize in the Album category for Artist of the Year.

Altair, who gained attention as a large agency’s first boy group launch in 5 years, achieved first place on music shows from their debut song, was called a monster rookie for simultaneously winning rookie and digital awards, and became definitively first-tier by winning a grand prize in their third year, continuing their success.

‘Even so, as long as I know that, they won’t even be able to interfere with Rev’s first-tier route.’

I thought indifferently while clapping.

While watching Altair return to their seats in the artist area after receiving congratulations, I made eye contact with Cha Yeonho again.

Before the regression, I had heard from those KICKS bastards that Altair had been wary of them when they were rising.

And that they became friendly again when they couldn’t surpass their records or threaten their position.

When I heard it through the grapevine, I just thought it was showing off, but experiencing it directly was quite fucking annoying.

Come to think of it, Choi Hyeonmin did describe Cha Yeonho like this.

‘A fucking bastard who completely disrespects people with a smiling face.’

Well, in front of me he only showed either a forced smile or a face distorted by his own inadequacy. Before that, he didn’t even look at people.

Of course, for me who had experienced the hysteria of those two prison bastards, that kind of disrespect was nothing.

‘What a tiresome way to live.’

I clicked my tongue and looked away first.

The messages I checked in the van on the way back to the dormitory were mostly screenshots of my teary-eyed face being used to tease me.

Congratulatory messages didn’t even make up a third of them. Damn bastards.

-The emotions were so suppressed in the acceptance speech that even I got choked up listening to itㅠ

-This is the first time I’ve seen Eden cry ㅠㅠ My baby really is tough on the outside but soft on the inside ㅠㅠㅠ

-Where are all those assholes hiding who called me a heartless bastard for not crying when I won #1 on music shows and at award ceremonies? lol

-It seems like Eden never even thought about the rookie award during My Universe days…

-After dominating both Sildi and Naon, I can’t deny that the rookie award belongs to Reve now

[▷Let’s reestablish your concept! ✓

▶You have completed reestablishing your concept as ‘the image fans think of you (tough exterior, soft interior)’.

▶As a reward, you receive 10 Initial Intention points and a Random Ticket.]

As my character interpretation flow was reestablished as tough exterior, soft interior, the Quest completion window appeared.

[Since Initial Intention exceeded 100, additional rewards will be given.]

[Item ‘Show Me Your Stats! (2-use ticket)’ has been obtained.]

My Initial Intention returned to 100, and I was able to receive an item as a reward for exceeding 100 Initial Intention points.

The system’s moves were annoyingly unpleasant, but at least the rewards were reliable.

‘Show Me Your Stats!’ was an item that allowed me to designate one person and view their ability stats.

I already had one person in mind whose stats I wanted to check.

There was exactly one person whose stats I desperately wanted to know – just how messed up they were, and to what extent I could and needed to raise their abilities.

[Seo Yehyeon]

Appearance: S+

Singing/Rap: D+/D (Growth potential: C/C-)

Dance: D- (Growth potential: B)

Variety: C (Growth potential: C+)

Stamina: A (Growth potential: A+)

Trait: Model

‘His trait is Model.’

I remembered that after this guy became famous before my regression, he swept through CF deals.

Even now, I’d already heard that a cosmetics roadshop company had requested him as an exclusive model for advertisements.

But this guy isn’t supposed to be a model – he’s an idol who needs to perform on stage.

Variety aside, his most important singing and dancing are at D? And even if he grows to his maximum potential, singing only reaches C. C.

As I looked over his hopeless ability stats except for appearance and stamina, I felt a bit of relief when I discovered that his dance growth potential was actually B.

Since his stamina is A, if I work him to death, I can somehow make him able to follow the choreography!

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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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