Debut or Die - Chapter 315

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 315
When I opened my eyes, several months had passed again, and out of nowhere, I found myself planning to watch one of my old performances.
And the cause of this situation was… surprisingly simple.
I pressed the bridge of my nose and summarized it.
“So basically… while studying, whenever I had free time, I got curious and started looking up my own activities, and at some point, I got hooked on them.”
[Yes!]
He answered with remarkable cheerfulness.
[The magical boy performance and, ah, that stage where you wore the baseball uniform was really cool too! And that solo variety show you did was so fun… though I couldn’t watch it live because I was studying…]
It seems he’s caught up on all the major news about my activities, and somehow managed to avoid failing and dodging sudden death.
…No, wait. There’s also a possibility that this was his only source of joy in life.
‘Did he relieve stress by watching idols?’
Well, I can’t really say anything about that.
[And, after doing a rough calculation of my score, it looks like I definitely passed the cutoff, so… I was wondering if I could take just one day to go see it in person, so I got tickets…]
“…”
Gong-myeong’s words trailed off faintly.
‘Good grief.’
I sighed and spoke.
“…Where is it being held?”
[…!]
Right. I understood.
If a person stays cooped up studying all day, they’ll go crazy. From a long-term perspective, he really did need to rest for at least a day.
Gong-myeong’s excitement rang out like he’d lost his mind.
[It’s not far from here! It was a Gyeonggi Province festival…]
“Wait a moment.”
I changed my clothes.
There would be thousands of people there—surely nothing unusual would happen. I just had to endure this solemn monitoring session where I’d be watching my own stage and cheering for myself.
[Hyung, thank you so much!]
I heard his gratitude about three times while squeezing toothpaste onto my toothbrush.
“It’s not that difficult. You need some fun like this.”
[Huh?]
I laughed softly.
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be entering the dormitory academy.”
[…ugh!]
I had no intention of interfering with a test-taker’s last leisure time of the year.

* * *
An hour later.
I’d purchased wireless earbuds from a Convenience Store to avoid suspicion of being a madman talking to myself. This should at least make appearances respectable.
Of course, I was simultaneously handling what I needed to accomplish while moving.
“So, tell me what happened first.”
[Yes!]
I checked the newly emerged status abnormality on him first.
[!Status Abnormality: Pass or Die! (2)]
If I fail the written portion of the first round of the ‘Grade 7 Public Recruitment Examination’, I die.
Yeah. I figured as much.
The deadline is the same—one year. Hmm.
‘I should tell him to check clearance later next time.’
If things slip even slightly, there’s a crazy scenario where the deadline expires before the second or third round of exams.
Since the exam operates on a yearly cycle, there wouldn’t be much difference, but there’s a chance to gain an advantage through timing.
But the moment I thought that far, I also recalled how my status abnormality clearance was confirmed.
‘Truth verification.’
I need to check whether garbage like ‘Truth Verification ☜ Click!’ appeared for him too.
“Looking at the dates, it doesn’t seem like the status abnormality changed immediately after checking the results.”
[Uh… yes! Actually, something weird did pop up….]
Gong-myeong’s voice trembled somewhat. And the moment he explained, I understood why.
The option that appeared at the very bottom of the success popup that showed up right after checking the first-round results.
[Accept Synchronization ☜ Click!]
He’d hesitated for weeks because clicking this felt ominous, finally receiving it in September.
[I was thinking of waiting and asking you if you came by….]
But I’d been completely out of touch, so he eventually clicked that button yesterday.
And the result was….
[Accumulation Complete.]
That’s what appeared, he said.
‘…That must’ve felt damn unsettling.’
[Um, hyung. Could it be that I did something wrong and penalties are accumulating…?]
“No, that shouldn’t be it.”
Judging by the feel of it… it seems like Park Moon-dae’s existence is being established in the process of my rewards materializing, but I can’t be certain.
‘What kind of mechanism is this even operating on.’
I had more things to analyze. For now, I shelved that thought.
Because I’d already arrived at my destination.
I got off the bus and confirmed the Sports Stadium visible before my eyes.
“Here it is.”
[Wow!]
I remember this place.
‘I think it was some company’s festival.’
Rarely for something like that, they’d actually sold tickets instead of renting the venue. This bastard had managed to snag them somehow.
‘The lineup was… we had the best level.’
I recollected the details and stepped inside.
The air inside the Concert Hall felt stale. True to modern society where abnormal temperatures occurred as casually as eating, it was hot despite being late September—a predictable result.
‘No wonder I slept in a sleeveless shirt.’
I sat down in an aisle seat on the outer edge and felt a strange sense of déjà vu. What, was I remembering my data-selling days?
[Hey, hyung. Do you happen to remember this concert too?]
“Yeah.”
[Then…! When do you come out, hyung?]
I deliberately pressed my Bluetooth earphone and answered.
“Second to last.”
[Wow….]
I wondered what there was to admire in that conversation. The practicality of securing an early exit in the midst of a power struggle over who’d do the ending?
‘Maybe I should share some anecdotes from my active days when I have time.’
I felt like a curator. I closed my mouth. And on the Stage, the performance was just beginning.
“….”
The subsequent stages didn’t move me much. I’d seen them so often since our activities overlapped.
But watching from down here again, I did feel that strange sense of déjà vu, like I’d returned to my data-selling days.
[Hyung, are you perhaps not enjoying it…?]
“No, it’s fine. It just looks that way because I’m used to it.”
With all this noise, muttering wouldn’t reach anyone around me anyway—something I could manage. And Gong-myeong understood well, probably because this was his body too.
[Of course, since you were active as an idol!]
“That too, and I went around filming stuff like this during university.”
[…!]
I shouldn’t have said that.
But instead of saying something like ‘You did an internship as a journalist?’, Gong-myeong enthusiastically agreed.
[Right! And you even filmed Young-rin’s fancam back then…!]
“…??”
How does he know all this?
“Did I tell you something like that?”
[Well… yes. I somehow ended up finding out!]
Right. It wasn’t really a secret anyway, so I probably let it slip while drinking.
I nodded.
Since the guy sharing my vision was excited, I watched the remaining stages without turning my head.
And after a long time, finally, the ones I’d been waiting for took the Stage.
Waaaaaahhhhh!!!
Screams erupted—roughly three times louder than before.
And In-young taking the Stage, forming a formation.
Testa.
-The you I met tomorrow
I’ve been thinking about it all day.
Me, standing on the Stage in a navy costume, microphone in hand.
-Dreaming blue dreams as bright as day
“….”
[Wow…!]
It was a strange feeling.
I’d monitored the Stage countless times before. I had to check what I was actually doing to refine my performance.
But watching a live performance from the audience’s perspective was… almost shocking.
Even though the performers were only lighter-sized on the screen.
‘Was I making that kind of expression?’
The face on the massive display and the matchstick-sized figures of In-young darting around crisscrossed my vision.
-Cast a spell
Only then did I truly understand that I was included in those scenes I’d once recorded as data.
Park Moon-dae on the Stage—I looked like a pretty decent idol.
“….”
I sat quietly among the cheering crowd until Testa’s performance ended.
And only when the rapper who claimed to have no interest in “Park Moon-dae” came on stage did I quietly slip away.
[Hyung?]
“Just need to use the Bathroom.”
I wanted to splash some cold water on my face. I couldn’t believe I was finding this situation so impressive.
…I missed it.
‘Good grief.’
I moved naturally toward the end of the Corridor and headed to the Bathroom. The moment I stepped inside, I realized something.
I’d just walked into a restricted area completely naturally.
“….”
Probably looked like staff to them since I didn’t look like a fan of any of the performers. The event security was pathetic.
‘Well, I don’t have a camera anyway.’
I shrugged and turned on the water at the sink.
And at that same moment, I heard it.
Bang!
Someone violently burst out of a stall door and emerged from the Bathroom cubicle.
“…?”
What the hell.
The mirror directly ahead showed me the person’s face.
And… I recognized him.
“…!”
[Whoa whoa whoa! This person!]
It was Bae Sae-jin.
In that moment, I understood the situation.
‘He was locked in a stall crying.’
Since I’m still early in my debut, it’s all pretty standard. Come to think of it, didn’t I experience something similar during my daydream?
“….”
This was Bae Sae-jin speaking—from the days when he was trying to be less abrasive but still had a rotten personality due to family issues.
I watched Bae Sae-jin stop before reaching the sink. His eyes were tense with wariness.
‘Hmm.’
A strange feeling washed over me. It was… pleasant, I suppose.
Of course, I might come across as an odd person, so I should smooth things over first.
I spoke briefly while washing my hands.
“You’re Lee Sae-jin, aren’t you? I’m sorry. I was just startled because I’m a fan.”
“…!”
“I watched your performance earlier. Your expressions are always so wonderful.”
Bae Sae-jin—or rather, Lee Sae-jin, who hadn’t yet changed her surname—went blank.
‘Ah, was this around the time she was getting torn apart online too?’
Since she was an additional passer who lacked stage ability and was being battered by internet opinion, she might be even more guarded. But that wasn’t the case with Bae Sae-jin.
Instead, she wasn’t defensive at all.
“…Thank you.”
Rather, she seemed a bit embarrassed, and a look of awkwardness flickered across her face.
“I should be thanking you. I’ll cheer you on.”
“…Yes.”
Only then did Bae Sae-jin come over to the sink and begin washing her hands.
‘Got through that.’
I shook off the water and tried to walk toward the door, but I heard a voice from behind.
“Um…! I could give you an autograph, ahem, if you’d like.”
“Oh.”
I’d thought it before, but this guy really does have good fan service instincts. I made a show of patting my pockets a few times, then nodded.
“I don’t have a pen. I’ll definitely ask next time.”
“…Okay.”
And so I ended that brief conversation with Bae Sae-jin from the past and carefully slipped out of the staff area without drawing anyone’s attention.
I couldn’t deny it was a fresh experience.
[Wow… could he have recognized you, hyung?]
“That’s not it.”
Back then, we barely even made small talk with each other.
‘If this is September of the debut year….’
Now that I think about it, it would be soon when that guy reported his father’s fraud gambling to the police and changed his name. Early October, wasn’t it?
‘Hmm.’
Back then… I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just gambling that got pinned on him, but drugs too, which made his sentence way longer.
‘I ended up learning about the drug dealer identity almost by accident.’
I stopped in my tracks.
…Could it be?
“Should I swing by somewhere real quick?”
[Yes? Yes!]
I found the nearest public phone.
[…?]
Then I called the civil complaints division of the Gyeonggi Northern Police Station.
[Brother??]
Ah, they picked up.
“There’s drug trafficking happening in an illegal gambling den in the basement of XX Building in XX City.”
And I hung up.
[Uh… uh-uh….]
They’d think it was a prank call for now, but once Bae Sae-jin filed an anonymous report, they’d remember this one.
The dates were barely different, and two tips with completely different feels had come in for the exact same location.
‘At least it’ll have the effect of making them search for drugs once.’
I shrugged and stepped out of the phone booth.
“It’s not a prank call, so don’t worry. The police won’t come looking for you.”
[O… okay…?]
I told him a few anecdotes from my early debut days and slowly made my way back to the Officetel.
After dinner and a shower, the day was already coming to an end.
‘Going out really does eat up time.’
I first gave some reminders about the abnormal condition, then quickly administered next year’s first practice exam. A few months of studying and they’re already eager to take it.
After that, I had exactly thirty minutes left today.
So I was chatting with Gong-myeong, who seemed a bit down, about trivial things.
[Brother, could it be… that you come back every time I clear this abnormal condition?]
“That’s possible.”
There was only one precedent, but it was a plausible theory. At that, Gong-myeong let out a gloomy hum.
[Then… I might not see you again for another year.]
I chuckled.
“Look at it the other way—if you just pass the first round, it means you’ll see my face again.”
[Oh… you’re right??]
“Yeah. Work hard.”
[…Yes!!]
It’s a bit odd to say that now when he’d face sudden death if he didn’t work hard, but still, wouldn’t it be better if a guide showed up like an annual membership?
As a final precaution in case I ever needed money urgently, I taught him how to sell stocks before falling asleep.
It was midnight.

* * *
And then morning came again.
I opened my eyes to the sound of an alarm.
Sunlight was streaming through the window.
So, was Park Moon-dae’s hypothesis correct after all….
[Hyung! It’s really you, right?]
From the sound of his voice, it seemed to be him.
“Yeah.”
I let out a quiet laugh at what seemed to be Gong-myeong’s excited tone.
“How’d the test go?”
[Yes! Yes!! I passed…! The first round!]
Good, that’s excellent.
Even though he registered for the dormitory academy… wait, but this is still that officetel.
I got up from the bed and looked around. Something was sitting on the table.
“Didn’t you register for the dormitory academy?”
[I did! Ah, it’s the weekend right now, and I had something to do yesterday so I stopped by the officetel for a bit… and I thought you’d feel more comfortable here when you came, hyung.]
“I see.”
It was a rather thoughtful idea.
I nodded and walked toward the table. What was on it was some kind of promotional bromide….
Wait.
[Be happy^^ VTIC Chung-ryeo]
“…”
This bastard… why is his autograph here.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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