Debut or Die - Chapter 443

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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 443
Idols’ daily lives on W App and radio—those light, casual tidbits—shared a common trait.
Casual fans rarely caught them if they missed the live broadcast. Unless it became legendary enough to spread by word of mouth.
At best, they’d only see cleverly edited highlights.
In that sense, what Testa was doing right now was….
-What are you all watching?
-Oh no, Testa
-Quick, SBC Radio
An exception.
A sudden surprise appearance and a comeback announcement on top of that.
From the ghost story skit that was already impressive just to listen to, I felt like we’d already pulled off something big, but at this point, fans’ SNS was buzzing with excitement in the best way.
And right in the middle of it all.
Park Moon-dae suddenly started insisting passionately that he was a hardcore Testa fan.
[I’m telling you… I’m such a fan that I even know Testa’s B-side tracks.]
-???
-Park Moon-dae’s sudden declaration as a high school boy reviewer
-What’s the concept of this skit even supposed to be
While everyone was confused about where this incomprehensible skit concept and the lost comeback teaser were heading, clear laughter flowed from the radio.
Good-hearted members.
[Right, Testa’s good. Moon-dae.]
[I’m K-pop No.1 Fan!]
[Oh, I listen to Testa’s songs too! Their stages are definitely respectable!]
-Is that last one Bae?
-Bae Sae-jin’s cafeteria character, still can’t get used to it. What year of trendy slang is this even from
With one more person of fantastic acting ability added, the skit seemed to get back on track smoothly, but.
[No, hyung. I mean I watch every single one of those stages.]
[…??]
[And I’ve watched all of Testa’s variety show videos too. I’m a total fan. They’re my source of vitality in life.]
Park Moon-dae was pulling things in a crazy direction again. The flow was derailing.
‘Hey!’
Then Big Sae-jin grabbed the steering wheel again.
He set aside his countless speculations and curses about Park Moon-dae’s grand scheme and the current situation for now.
And in an instant, he came up with the most fitting improvisation.
Which was,
[Ah! I saw Testa’s awards ceremony stage too! That sword dance~ You saw that too, right?]
[Uh… yeah, I did.]
[Oh, and that Tibet member? The one who sang on a variety show… ‘Flower’s Waning’? That’s a B-side too, right?]
[W-well, yeah.]
[Oh, I know that! Song DJ, do you happen to know~?]
[Oh my, of course~ Everyone knows, don’t they?]
It’s muddying the waters.
Testa had an unusually high number of hits with the general public.
At every turn, I racked my brain and made sure to throw out at least one hot topic of conversation—that’s what it meant.
[And variety shows… honestly, everything we did with that PD seemed funny~ Do you guys know about that carrot coin thing?]
[Of course~!]
[Oh! I remember!]
[Haha. Right, selling hotteok was fun too.]
Roughly speaking, if you mixed famous songs and variety shows, you couldn’t prove you were a fan just by talking.
Everyone already knows!
-A strange situation where an otaku tries to create sudden awkwardness but it doesn’t work
What is this lolololololol
Lol, it’s like taking a trip down memory lane.
Responses came from all over.
The Radio Host played along, making sure not to bring up other broadcasting stations too much, and guided the conversation warmly toward a natural conclusion.
Still, I made sure to acknowledge the listeners’ reactions.
[Ah, ‘5226’ sent this in. ‘I remember too~ I watched Testa’s stranded episode with the whole family and we all laughed.’]
[Um….]
I had inadvertently secured a productive promotional segment reviewing Testa’s past activities.
‘According to plan.’
Park Moon-dae inside Ryu Gun-woo’s body had scored one point.
Big Dal, who hadn’t grasped the situation, was left dumbfounded before finally opening his mouth again.
[No, I’m really a fan,]
[Testa won the Daesang this time too. This year’s goal is to make the entire nation fans!]
[With the album coming out this year? That’s huge!]
[Ahahaha!]
[….]
I was sunk.
Big Dal, who had been trembling at first and responding to Park Moon-dae’s encouragement, was now getting competitive.
‘…That’s right!’
So I suddenly thought of the most foolproof way to prove it.
He even forgot that he’d forgotten to speak casually and shouted boldly.
[I went to the concert too!]
The calculation: no matter how popular a male idol is, unless you’re a fan, going to a concert is impossible!
But the opponent was Testa.
[Really? We went too~]
[….]
Right.
They were the ones involved… so they went.
And now I was even one of the performers myself.
Big Dal, completely defeated by facts rather than the bit, swayed and tilted his head with a vacant expression.
He had no choice but to accept the reality of failing the fan authentication test.
It was somehow lonely, yet oddly hilarious.
-Why is he like this lol
-Park Moon-dae self-destructing on the radio lol he must be crazy I’m dying lol
-Big Sae-jin’s batting average lol
There was something nostalgic about it, reminiscent of Park Moon-dae’s Ajusa days when he thrived as an eccentric civilian character.
But this was something else—it was the same vein, yet… it felt different.
Somewhat… more comfortable, you could say.
More natural and genuinely human. It was everyday comedy that hadn’t existed even during his Ajusa days.
The Radio Host suppressed his laughter and professionally allocated the time.
[So, I heard you’ve been hearing rumors that Testa’s new album is coming out soon?]
[Ah, yes. But it seems Moon-dae is the most interested, so I thought he might have something he wants to say first.]
And Ryu Chung-woo, with the kind thought that ‘Moon-dae must have prepared a lot for this radio appearance,’ willingly yielded the first turn to speak.
[…Me?]
[Yeah.]
Big Dal was flustered, but soon came to his senses after seeing Park Moon-dae’s ‘it’s okay’ popup.
Only halfway, though.
[I’m really looking forward to the next album… Ah, I’m not trying to put pressure on you or anything, I just really support Testa’s intricate time-SF worldview and your unique large-scale performance connections, and I wanted to….]
[Wanted to?]
[…tell all the Testa fans about it through this radio show!]
It sounded genuinely earnest and sincere.
In fact, it was sincere—because it was Big Dal inside.
-What’s with him…?
-First time I’ve seen a male idol show this much group obsession
-Fans Big Dal is saying he’ll definitely ensure a full group renewal contract no matter what
-Park Big Dal your group identity is so inflated are you being serious for real? Where did your business sense go?
By this point, even the undercurrents were producing these kinds of reactions.
[…Uh, yes, thank you.]
[Wait, why is Ah-hyun thanking us…?]
[…! We… told you about the Testa comeback rumors…?]
[Right~ we were talking about that!]
And so the conversation about the comeback was able to proceed in a much more humorous atmosphere, ‘less promotional’ in nature.
[Um, by any chance…. Is Testa coming back as a phantom thief who uses magic, connected to the Magical Boy Trilogy?]
[…! I’ve never thought about it before, but I think it’s actually a great idea. After returning to the dormitory, or rather, going back to the dorm, for the next album… no, um, for the next club activity meeting…?]
[Kim Rae-bin’s broken!]
With the atmosphere like this, the members could freely discuss the comeback while mixing truth and fiction, donning the guise of high school students and chatting away without burden.
And so Testa’s comeback concept teasers… ended in uproarious laughter, leaving behind numerous possibilities and plausible fantasies.
-Honestly, the cyborg concept wasn’t that unconvincing
-Okay so it’s definitely not a phantom thief who uses magic
-lololololol
And at that same moment.
“Excellent.”
From Ryu Gun-woo’s body, I monitored every reaction and nodded with satisfaction.
I’d been thinking it was time for a refresh anyway, and this worked out even better.
‘My image has gotten a bit… heavy lately.’
There was the recent stage accident issue, and the accumulated image of being ‘a professional idol who reads public opinion too well and handles situations too skillfully’ was also a minus.
Everything required balance.
‘This should have lightened things up.’
Thinking of this not as a psychological victory but as genuine profit, I tilted my head.
‘Now I just need to find the right way back.’
Of course, I hadn’t forgotten what needed to be taken care of before that.
“You okay?”
[Yes!]
“Good work.”
Certainly, Big Dal’s response was spirited, probably because he’d enjoyed the situation quite a bit in the latter half. Plus, the atmosphere of my vision that he was sharing felt good.
Testa finished greeting the radio host with a smile. Then, lightly scolding Big Dal for his slight ad-lib while passing by, it seemed they were slipping out of the booth without much fuss.
‘I need to explain this to those guys in a way that minimizes the shock.’
Compared to a live radio broadcast, at least the next stage had time to plan.
I nodded.
“I’ll set the timing to explain this to the members, so don’t worry…”
[Um… about that.]
What.
[It seems like Ah-hyun already… knows?]
“…??”
What… did you say?
Then. Through Big Dal’s shared vision, I met the gaze of Sun Ah-hyun staring blankly at me.
His expression was blank.
“…”
[…]
“Going right now.”
[Yes.]
Ryu Gun-woo immediately called a cab.
And thirty minutes later. Testa’s dormitory was filled with screams and soliloquies.

* * *
“Again??”
“OK, [Seriously, we need to find some kind of secret organization or something? This is like a Netplus Season 4 drama.]”
-Oh my, a member’s body switched!
The moment they grasped the situation, they cycled through shock—anger—confusion—compromise—resignation in a heartbeat and began shouting.
I nodded expressionlessly.
“There’s some good news too.”
“What is it.”
“At least no one’s going to die. Even in the worst case, it’s just a body swap.”
“Hey! That’s retirement!”
“That’s why it’s only in the absolute worst case.”
Last time it was dying from a building collapse, so this counts as good news, doesn’t it.
I raised both hands to show Bae Sae-jin, whose neck looked like it might burst with tension.
“And we’ve already passed the most critical situation.”
“What!”
“The live radio broadcast.”
“….”
I’m serious.
‘I thought we were done for.’
And everyone fell silent for a moment, seemingly recalling what had happened during the radio broadcast just before.
“So you’re saying you and Sae-jin…?”
“Yes.”
Naturally, all eyes turned to Big Sae-jin.
I confessed voluntarily.
“I’m sorry.”
“Well~ That’s how it should be.”
Big Sae-jin seemed quite displeased. But true to his knack for reading the room, he didn’t seem to be planning to grab my collar and demand compensation for emotional damage right now.
‘Of course.’
I immediately gave a thumbs up.
“You were brilliant.”
“….”
“We only attempted it because we trusted your quick thinking.”
“You sure know how to talk, you really do….”
But he wasn’t about to deny that he’d been today’s MVP either. I know everything.
‘Honestly, he benefited from the results too.’
And… I turned my head to the second super save.
“….”
“…Did you hear back then?”
“Yeah.”
Fortunately, Sun Ah-hyun’s face was just filled with concern.
“Hey, it’s fine. You didn’t have to say anything. I’m not exactly a member who excels at variety shows anyway….”
“No, thanks to your help, we got through it.”
“Thank you….”
Big Dal also shuffled forward awkwardly and bowed deeply.
However, Sun Ah-hyun looked pleased but bewildered, glancing back and forth between me and Big Dal.
And he offered an awkward greeting.
“Ah, no….”
Now that I think about it, all the members were looking at Big Dal with peculiar expressions from the start.
So, Park Moon-dae with Big Dal in the mix. The atmosphere seemed a bit different from usual.
Cha Yu-jin whispered.
‘Something looks weird on your face, hyung.’
‘Be quiet.’
That’s just how he normally is.
Bae Sae-jin also muttered with an odd expression. But it was a different topic.
“…You could have told me about the radio. Not that I’m saying I would’ve done better, though.”
“That would’ve been the case. You’re good at acting, hyung.”
In fact, Bae Sae-jin wasn’t the only decent candidate. Ryu Chung-woo was too—good situational awareness, composed, and he’s the leader.
“But if we shared more about the radio now and Kim Rae-bin happened to overhear it….”
“Hmm….”
“Yeah, right.”
-1. Can’t lie well.
-2. In incomprehensible situations, can’t control overflowing curiosity and questions.
When the name of the member who embodied that character came up, all the members nodded.
And Kim Rae-bin was deeply shocked.
“Am I… really the type of person who doesn’t earn that kind of trust?”
“Well~ No. Only when you lie on live talk shows.”
“It’s okay, Rae-bin. It means your character is good.”
“…??”
Anyway, after the shock wore off a bit, brainstorming began.
“Well, shouldn’t the two of them try something first?”
“What did Eugene say earlier? Ah! Netplus. In places like those dramas, what do they usually do when a body comes back?”
“…A kiss? Murder?”
“Both options are way too horrible, hyung.”
“No! I’m not saying to do that, I’m just saying what comes to mind….”
I learned what genre of dramas Bae Sae-jin watches. TMI.
‘Anyway, the initial suggestion is workable.’
I grabbed Park Moon-dae’s—Big Dal’s—arm first.
“Then let’s both organize the situation and talk it through quickly.”
“Got it. Share immediately if any problems come up.”
With Ryu Chung-woo’s confirmation, I immediately moved to my room.
The door swung open.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“No, not at all….”
The moment I sat down, I immediately began examining my status window.
[Emergency!]
Abnormal Status
Mission Failed: Restoration to Original State
-Everything returns as if it never happened
: 21:26:43 until termination
“Hmm….”
My thoughts were growing complicated.
‘Everything returns as if it never happened….’
I stared at Park Moon-dae.
Right. I’d thought about it before too, but the truth is, that body originally belonged to Big Dal.
“You understand, but this whole situation—me being an idol and you being a civil servant—only happened because I switched places with you.”
“Y-yes, that’s true, isn’t it?”
He had no desire to become an idol, and I had failed the civil service exam. In short, we were both living out the lives we’d each built for ourselves.
But ‘restoration to original state?’
I muttered expressionlessly.
“What’s the probability that in 24 hours, we both get ‘restored’ to our previous lives where we were both dead?”
“T-that extreme?!”
He was panicking.
Big Dal pointed accusingly at the hologram.
“L-look! The mission failed! It’s not an abnormal status! I don’t think the penalty would be that severe?!”
“Hmm.”
Watching him fret and worry, muttering ‘let’s not make such extreme assumptions,’ I rubbed my chin.
“A-and… I’ve been thinking about this since earlier, but the wording seems a bit different from what appeared to you before.”
Hm?
‘Now that I think about it….’
I recalled the message that had appeared to me during the building collapse last time.
: 00:29:59 until the final disaster
“Back then, it was called ‘disaster.’ Now it says ‘termination.'”
“Yes. And the situation was quite special back then. We were constantly evading the failure penalty by the skin of our teeth….”
That’s right.
Back then, I was desperately avoiding the sudden death that came with the abnormal status failure penalty, narrowly escaping it each time.
Then it changed to mission failed… hmm.
“So the mission failure effect is already in effect right now?”
The fact that his body and mine switched places—that itself is the ‘mission failure effect.’
“Yes. I think that’s it. So the failure effect will continue until… well, we have about 21 hours left now.”
Indeed.
So I just need to hold out for one day—that’s a convincing and advantageous interpretation.
But the question still remains.
“Then what mission did you fail?”
“That’s….”
Big Dal’s expression clouded over.
“I’m not sure either. I didn’t have a status window, after all….”
“….”
I considered several hypotheses but decided against spouting them off haphazardly.
Confusing priorities was the fastest way to botch things. Handle the urgent matters first.
“Fine. Either way, this hypothesis is the most convincing, so let’s act on it for the next twenty-four hours.”
I pulled up the popup.
[After 24 hours pass, your body will return to normal completely.]
“Yes!”
Thinking back to my experience with the building, of course that would only apply if I made it through today successfully.
I pondered for a moment, then nodded.
“First.”
“…?”
“Is the atmosphere okay for you to take a day off?”
“That… well.”
Doesn’t look like it.
“What about sick leave?”
“That might work, but I’d need to submit documentation.”
I laughed.
“Doesn’t matter. If using one day off is fine.”
“…?? That’s fine, but….”
Then that settles it.
“Is this person your direct team leader?”
I confirmed a contact from his smartphone.
And the next morning.
“Um, Team Leader. I’d prefer not to use sick leave if possible. There are performance review concerns and… well, I realized it’s better to manage my attendance properly by using a day off instead, like you suggested.”
Big Dal’s mouth hung open. Since Park Moon-dae has a sturdy jaw, there shouldn’t be any issues.
“I’m really sorry. I hope I’m not causing any trouble…. No, it’s the cafeteria’s fault, but food poisoning this morning of all times.”
“….”
“Yes! Then I’ll see you when I come in! Thank you so much. Yes, I’ll greet you separately.”
Click.
I hung up the phone.
And I turned my head.
“How was that?”
“…Yes.”
“I’m going to send this person a drink this afternoon, so don’t be surprised.”
“Well, it’s… fine. Thank you.”
“Got it.”
Even for a civil servant, using sick leave frequently when you’re unwell naturally results in disadvantages during performance evaluations.
So if I reverse that logic and make him think he’s using vacation days instead of sick leave out of concern for his evaluation, wouldn’t that solve it?
‘Well, since he said he works at the District Office, he probably isn’t being ground down like the other grade-7 officials.’
Anyway, I’ve handled this matter.
“Now that you know, Testa’s comeback is coming up soon, so we have a lot to do.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So… can Park Moon-dae accompany Testa’s schedule today without anything looking unusual?”
“…??”
“Don’t worry. There’s no filming schedule.”
Nothing like the radio where I’d be anxiously holding my breath.
“And I’ll be going along too.”
“Really?! You’re… serious?”
“Yeah.”
“How?”
Ryu Gun-woo didn’t take a vacation day for nothing.
“As a one-day road manager.”
“Whoa.”
I stood up from my seat. I needed to handle things right away to keep up with the schedule.

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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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