Debut or Die - Chapter 396

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

A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 396
It took quite a while to subdue the VTIC member who insisted on dropping out.
Unable to withstand the pressure, I almost misunderstood his intention as wanting to withdraw, and the Production Team nearly grabbed their cameras and rushed in—but fortunately I calmed him down before that happened.
‘That was close. I almost ruined everything.’
And the ones brought in to help subdue this guy were Cha Yu-jin, Ryu Chung-woo, and… Chung-ryeo.
Right. Awkwardness and all that aside—when an emergency like this erupts, you call whoever has a head on their shoulders.
“….”
“….”
And now the cramped Vocal Practice Room held five adults packed so tightly that the silence felt suffocating.
‘Damn it….’
Even Ryu Chung-woo, who should be devising a strategy to secure votes right now, was standing there with a half-hearted smile—it was absurd.
‘From now on, if the mid-stage reward is a random box, I’m ignoring it.’
This damn mass-produced mobile game system.
I pressed my brow and opened my mouth.
“So… Senior, we’re all in pretty much the same situation right now.”
I looked calmly at Ju Dan, whose face had shifted to pure bewilderment as he stared into empty space.
Cutting through the noise, I stated the essentials.
-We’ve been dragged into a strange parallel world and are trying to escape.
I doubted anyone would believe such a statement without context, but there was no helping it.
Think about it—starting with someone who knows nothing by saying “I’m actually not Park Moon-dae…” That would sound completely insane.
‘For now, I’ll explain things step by step as objections come up.’
There was no other way.
While Chung-ryeo deliberately didn’t interject and just smiled, leaving me to perform this one-man show—
“Wait a moment.”
Finally, Ju Dan raised his hand.
“I have a question.”
“Yes.”
“What is 32 times 6?”
“…192.”
“Yes.”
And he went around asking each person a math problem. Since they were just multiplication, nothing difficult—everyone thought for a moment and gave their answers.
‘What the hell is he doing?’
And after going around the circle until Chung-ryeo answered as well, he nodded.
“It’s not a dream then. Hmm.”
“….”
“I roughly understand the situation.”
“…??”
“It’s grammar familiar to those versed in subculture. I never expected to experience it firsthand though.”
He muttered that expressionlessly, then touched his chin.
“No, there’s still a possibility this is a dream… Anyway, I’ll go wash my face for a moment. I should verify whether cold water feels like cold water.”
The one who said that sprang to his feet and headed toward the bathroom.
Click—snap.
The door opens and closes.
It happened just ten seconds after Ju Dan started talking to himself.
“….”
[What… what did he figure out?]
I answered with difficulty. Now I was beginning to understand.
‘…Through numbers.’
[???]
‘In dreams, logic deteriorates, so it’s usually hard to calculate quickly and accurately.’
[Ah….]
But normally, someone would pinch themselves to test it—they wouldn’t resort to such a method without reason.
Was this bastard always like this?
“He’s always been the type to take interest in unique concepts, and it seems that hasn’t changed. He’s trying to adapt to this situation.”
Chung-ryeo, conscious of the camera being set up beyond the corner outside the door, lowered his voice to a whisper.
“Why are you talking about your own member like he’s from some other group?”
“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve used this approach.”
He chuckles softly. Then he lowers his voice even further, so only his counterpart can hear.
“He seems obedient, but he’s occasionally quietly uncooperative. That type requires extra calculation when handling, which is tedious.”
Fantastic word choice.
“In any case, he’s not impossible to manage, so it won’t develop into a major variable.”
“….”
He reached his conclusion nonchalantly, but that’s precisely what made it unsettling.
‘Is this guy truly unbothered?’
I thought if he recovered his memory of his own group member, he’d either be delighted or try to kill me—some kind of reaction. But he’s remarkably strategic.
The one tapping his chin with his finger promptly raises his voice and moves to the next phase.
“I’ll need to do more detailed coordination work with Ju Dan. But before that, I should send those two back.”
“…!”
Chung-ryeo turned his head with a smile.
He was implicitly referring to Cha Yu-jin and Ryu Chung-woo, and they must have understood.
However, Cha Yu-jin didn’t blink an eye.
“I’m where I want to be.”
“Then we’ll just step out. Let’s go to the adjacent practice room.”
“Wait.”
These guys do this every time they talk.
But before I could mediate, Ryu Chung-woo interjected with an awkward smile.
“Eugene, let’s step out for now. You’re from the same group, so you probably want to talk privately.”
Cha Yu-jin offered no resistance to that explanation and shrugged.
“OK. You two talk.”
But there was a follow-up remark.
“Come with me, Park Moon-dae!”
That’s a bit much.
“…It’s better to have someone who was explaining it do the explaining.”
“Are you a VTIC fan, Park Moon-dae?”
Is that why you’re doing this?
“I’m going to charge an explanation fee.”
“Oh!”
Now get going.
I allowed Ryu Chung-woo to drag Cha Yu-jin out. But as Ryu Chung-woo was leaving, he turned back.
“Ah. Moon-dae.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry too much about my score. If I were to be eliminated here, it would mean I’m not helping the team.”
“…!”
“And I have no intention of receiving such an evaluation.”
He finished with a gentle but firm tone.
“I’ll earn my score myself.”
“….”
The fact that he called me by my full name, Park Moon-dae, meant this was something he was saying as the group leader.
In that case.
“Yes.”
I nodded obediently.
Ryu Chung-woo smiled once, then dragged the reluctant Cha Yu-jin out of the Vocal Practice Room.
Click— tap.
“….”
“You’re really going to charge an explanation fee?”
“Would he actually do that?”
“Haha.”
I resisted the urge to slap my own face.
Fortunately, before I could storm out of the room, Ju Dan returned.
Water dripping steadily from his hair.
“It feels real.”
“….”
He muttered to himself.
“I thought I was either insane, dreaming, or at worst caught up in some urban legend phenomenon, but it turns out the last one was closest to the truth.”
Wait.
“Don’t tell me that’s why you were trying to quit?”
“Yes. People should always prepare for the worst-case scenario and act accordingly.”
“…Ah, yes.”
This… wasn’t right. Still, since he’d accepted it as reality, the next part would be easier to explain.
I moved on to the main point.
“We’re doing our best to return to reality, and we’d appreciate your cooperation, senior.”
This is where things get tricky.
If this bastard thinks this situation is another opportunity, that’s going to be a real headache….
“Of course.”
“…?”
The answer came immediately.
“I dreamed about experiencing such a fantastical development when I was young, but I’ve grown into a jaded adult with no dreams or hopes now, so I want to get back quickly.”
He continued speaking with an expressionless face.
“I can’t give up the life of a tenth-year idol with a building, a bank account, and a reputation.”
“….”
I barely managed to open my mouth.
“You’ll have to go to the military anyway, senior.”
“I can do that here too.”
That’s… true.
“But having to start from scratch without money or status and endure all that hardship again from debut—it’s almost embarrassing to compare.”
He nodded.
“Adults who say they want to go back to the past are all lying. Once you have a foundation, there’s no way you’d want to endure that suffering again. It’s all just convenient justification.”
I almost turned to look at Chung-ryeo.
“Anyway, this is a kind of game format, and Park Moon-dae is the key player here, isn’t he?”
“It seems that way for now.”
“Yes. Good luck with that.”
He nodded expressionlessly.
“Then I guess I’d be a supporting character who appears in the second half with limited screen time but provides fairly useful assistance.”
What the hell is this crazy bastard saying.
“I should be grateful it’s not an antagonist role… ah, my apologies. I’ve been watching a lot of novels and videos lately since I have nothing else to do.”
That sounds like an excuse.
But given the circumstances, I played along for his peace of mind.
“It’s a hobby idols can enjoy without pressure, after all.”
“Yes.”
He nodded with some satisfaction, then seemed to want to say something more as his mouth moved uncertainly, but soon returned to a businesslike tone.
“So now, Junior Member Ryu Chung-woo—or rather, I should call him Ryu Chung-woo now. Anyway, if I just give him my vote, there shouldn’t be anything else I need to do, right?”
Just as I was about to answer, a different voice cut in with a declaration instead.
Soft and cold.
“That’s not quite right.”
“…!”
Ju Dan’s voice carried a slight formality as he flinched.
“Senior.”
“Your skills won’t be the same as before. Right?”
The VTIC guy seemed to be gauging Chung-ryeo’s reaction, then nodded quietly.
“…Yes.”
“Then first, we need to restore your skills. No matter how solid our plan is, if the stage quality falls short, it won’t work.”
The man wearing a faint smile continued speaking while gazing at Ju Dan.
“Even if your memories and sense of self as a tenth-year idol have returned like you say, if your actual performance doesn’t match, you can’t claim it as yours, can you?”
“…!”
“I hope you’ll show those who willingly gave you wealth and fame something they won’t regret. Understood?”
“…Yes.”
The man who had been spouting such brazenly absurd things suddenly tightened his discipline. He didn’t even seem to consider resisting or talking back.
‘He’s been worn down so much that his shape has been set.’
He manipulates perfectly. Gripping tight, then loosening just slightly.
“Good. Still, I feel reassured having you around. You know that, right?”
“…Yes, thank you.”
Only after receiving a training schedule disguised as advice on practice routines from Chung-ryeo could Ju Dan finally leave the Vocal Practice Room.
“….”
‘That guy is something else.’
He’s clearly experienced at handling people.
I watched Chung-ryeo with his arms crossed, smiling.
“You prioritized efficiency, and it seems to be working well.”
“I thought a gentler approach might have been better for his mental state.”
“It’s fine. He’s the type who only moves when pressured. If I ease up, he’ll start cutting corners.”
He answered casually.
“If you press the right buttons, he sometimes brings good ideas about the album. He’ll make a decent team member.”
“…I see.”
He’s known him longer, so he’d understand better. I didn’t bother arguing.
He rested his chin on his hand.
“I’ll need to revise the post-debut plans a bit more. Well, there’s no time to get bored.”
Wait.
“What about the vote to send someone home?”
He wouldn’t have forgotten that was the priority.
Yet he tilted his head to the side.
“Hmm? That’s already done. He’ll be eliminated in the finals.”
What?
“Oh, you haven’t even started yet, Junior Member? Or are you trusting yourself and moving forward like you said earlier?”
“I’ll handle it myself.”
“Haha.”
He didn’t press further. I uncrossed my arms and opened my mouth.
There was something I’d originally meant to say.
About the situation with Ju Dan recovering his memories.
“…This time was an unexpected situation.”
“Yes.”
“But if we keep searching for fellow members as the idol becomes more famous, we might be able to return memories to other VTIC members too.”
“Mm.”
Chung-ryeo narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Let’s observe that for now. It seems like the hand has grown stronger, but I can’t say for certain that it’s necessarily a good hand.”
“Right.”
Fair enough.
I decided not to press further.
That’s when it happened.
“Still, this is a first for me.”
“…!”
He lowered his gaze and murmured. His voice was flat.
“So this is what it’s like.”
“….”
I asked him.
“Does it feel bad?”
“Not particularly… but it’s been quite a while since I’ve thought about a situation like this. It feels unfamiliar.”
He blurred his focus expressionlessly, as if vaguely recalling a time when he’d anticipated or imagined ‘a situation like this’.
‘…I see.’
So it wasn’t without impact after all.
I didn’t press him further about his state and simply sat on the floor for a while.
After hearing a staff member’s voice announcing the start of filming, I slowly got up and left the practice room.
Though he never brought up that topic again, I suspended my earlier conclusion to never click on game packages if they arrived next time.
And time continued to pass.
As if Ju Dan’s sudden crisis had been a lie, the filming studio maintained that peculiar tension. The cameras were already rolling.
‘I wait.’
I waited until that day’s filming ended and past midnight when the battery died again, creating a gap.
And just before the finals, among those who were absorbed in practice until dawn, I found him conflicted about whether to enter the bedroom.
“Senior.”
Ju Dan pushed himself up from the practice room floor and murmured quietly.
“Let’s avoid actions that might raise suspicion. Let’s keep things comfortable like before.”
Well, if that’s what he wanted.
I leaned forward and asked.
“Ju Dan. Who are you close with among the participants?”
“…Well, I’m not particularly close with anyone. The trainees I used to spend time with couldn’t participate.”
I see.
Then let me rephrase the question.
“You roughly know who likes or dislikes whom, right?”
“I know as much as others do.”
That’s enough.
I needed the information that existing trainees possessed.
And a way to naturally open up the conversation
“Could you help me out?”
He fell silent for a moment, as if considering something, before answering abruptly.
“I’m not very good at persuading other people.”
He seemed to think I was asking him to campaign alongside Ryu Chung-woo.
I let out a soft laugh and settled back comfortably.
“That’s not what I’m asking for.”
“Then what?”
“Just talk to me in front of others. That’s all.”
Ryu Chung-woo’s votes were limited.
In a survival show, when choosing anonymously between a trainee you already know and a strong newcomer, most would naturally pick the former.
Without some compelling incentive, people wouldn’t bother voting for Ryu Chung-woo.
So what was the solution?
‘Scatter the votes.’
I needed to influence who they’d vote for among the other participants, excluding Ryu Chung-woo.
“I’m not going to insult anyone—I’ll just offer some praise.”
As Ryu Chung-woo said, I’d respect that he’d secure his own votes.
I wasn’t trying to make people vote for Ryu Chung-woo; I was simply trying to prevent them from voting for someone else.

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