Debut or Die - Chapter 445

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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 445
Celebrities’ every move followed by obsessive individuals.
What else would you call it but a storied tradition of stalking.
I’ve had my resident registration and family records torn apart since my Ajusa days in that one-room apartment, so it’s nothing new to me anymore.
The security is decent within this Apartment Complex where the Dormitory is located, but once you step outside, it still happens occasionally.
The problem is that the person inside Park Moon-dae’s body right now… isn’t me.
‘The timing is absolutely perfect….’
Damn it.
I held back a sigh.
Then I lifted my head. A group of people was getting out of a taxi and rushing into the Convenience Store.
I stood in front of them, my back to the door.
“….”
I could recognize some of the faces, making it impossible to mistake them for ordinary customers.
“Excuse me?”
“What are you doing? Move aside.”
At first, they didn’t seem to realize I was staff, but they quickly grasped the situation.
“Oh damn it.”
After that, they didn’t speak to me anymore and instead started asking questions toward the inside of the Convenience Store with their smartphone cameras raised.
So this is that type.
“What are you doing? Why did you come out? Where are you going? Moon-dae? Moon-dae?”
“Kim Rae-bin~ Rae-bin, what is it? What did you buy? Are you giving it to a member? Is it for your girlfriend?”
‘Oh.’
I never thought I’d witness this from a third-party perspective.
It hits differently now—how terrifying this must be for someone experiencing it firsthand.
Recalling the one-room apartment invasion incident during my Ajusa days, I immediately sent a popup to the guy inside the Convenience Store.
[The people outside aren’t regular fans.]
[Just nod and walk past. If you can’t, pretending you didn’t see them is fine too.]
Big Dal flinched for a moment, but soon came toward the door holding a bag with ice cream from the register. The other two naturally attached themselves and walked out together.
I positioned my arms against all three of them, creating distance by spreading them apart, then immediately guided them toward the car.
“Hey!”
“Why is Eugene being so cold? The Reviewer is calling but you won’t even answer?”
Their attitude was definitely getting more aggressive as time went on.
‘This could turn into a physical confrontation, which would be a problem.’
If Ryu Gun-woo’s body switches back, Big Dal would have to keep using it. I needed to resolve this as quickly as possible.
Let me see….
‘No one’s attached to the car.’
Since the number of people who appeared wasn’t large, they all stuck to the members. I didn’t see any premeditated types waiting by the car.
‘In that case.’
I gauged the distance to the car, then whispered to Cha Yu-jin.
‘When I give the signal, run to the car and get in.’
Stop.
‘The other direction.’
‘Got it.’
And a few seconds later.
Cha Yu-jin suddenly burst forward and began sprinting.
Turning the car around.
“Huh.”
And the moment people reflexively turned their gazes or bodies toward Cha Yu-jin.
I quickly opened the back door of the car with the other two.
Click.
And pushed them in… done.
“Ah!!”
‘Cha Yu-jin’s already in.’
Thanks to him bursting out first, the distance widened enough.
All members boarded the car.
The car had tinted windows, so they couldn’t see anything inside no matter what we did. Even if they knocked on the window and asked questions, that was the end of it.
Situation over.
“Ugh!”
For a moment, the people who’d been chasing like a dog chasing a chicken seemed frustrated, but soon they immediately shifted their focus and began concentrating on the car.
If they’d put that energy into something else, they would’ve made real money by now. I don’t know why they insist on wasting it on illegal activities that don’t pay.
“Moon-dae~ Moon-dae, what are you doing today?”
Being a manager.
I deliberately nudged someone trying to hit the car aside and headed for the driver’s seat.
In any case, the situation ended without escalating further.
“Hmm.”
If I had to explain it, it was a victory earned from years of accumulated experience as both observer and participant, from data selling to becoming an idol.
‘Though this was my first time playing manager.’
Click.
After I got into the driver’s seat, the car door closed.
The soundproofed interior was quite quiet.
“….”
“Let’s go.”
I immediately started the engine and pulled onto the road.
Big Dal finally spoke after we entered the Dormitory Apartment Complex.
“Th-that was intense….”
Kim Rae-bin immediately chimed in.
“This doesn’t happen all the time, but it occurs occasionally. I’m truly sorry for putting you in such an uncomfortable situation….”
“Huh, no! I’m the one who’s sorry for suggesting we go out for ice cream….”
“Umm? I said I’d buy the ice cream! But nobody got hurt, and there’s no problem. Mission complete!”
Cha Yu-jin cheerfully exclaimed and unwrapped an ice cream. He seemed perfectly happy with just the melon-flavored treat.
Truly, he’s got the audacity of someone from the paparazzi capital.
Big Dal accepted an ice cream from Cha Yu-jin without much thought. After swallowing, he asked quietly.
“Uh, um. You don’t dislike it?”
“Well,”
Cha Yu-jin shrugged his shoulders.
“Every job has its good sides and bad sides. As long as I do an interesting job that I can drive well, that’s enough!”
“….”
“And I’m someone who can drive this.”
There it is.
“I agree with what you said earlier as well.”
Even Kim Rae-bin, who used to butt heads constantly, was now nodding quite seriously.
“I’ve felt it even more while talking with my older sister who recently changed jobs, but every profession has its own hardships.”
Big Dal nodded slightly.
“So rather than denying the drawbacks, I want to be grateful for the advantages and aim to improve them!”
“…! Yes!”
The one wearing Park Moon-dae’s appearance nodded with sparkling eyes.
The tension had already dissipated.
‘…Not bad.’
I confirmed that both of them had finally put the ice cream in their mouths before looking away from the rearview mirror.
And shortly after, when the car arrived at the underground parking lot, Big Dal sent a popup message.
[Hyung.]
What.
Given that he didn’t say it out loud, I suspected he intended to have a somewhat serious and personal conversation.
However….
[Testa… Testa’s really insane, I think they’ll do well forever and ever, I’m so happy. Really!]
“….”
…No, I hadn’t expected such an emotional message.
‘After going through all that, this is his takeaway.’
I’ve felt it since the radio appearance, but this guy wasn’t ordinary either. But….
I ended up just chuckling.
As long as it didn’t become a bad memory for him, that was fine.
‘Yeah. I’d like that.’
[Yes!!]
Well, and those two really were the type to keep doing this for a long time, weren’t they?
“Cha Yu-jin, wait. That’s the flavor Park Moon-dae hyung prefers, so leave it!”
“Umm… OK!”
Now that I think about it, I didn’t keep an eye on STier in my previous life for nothing.
I finished parking smoothly.
“Let’s get out.”
“Yes!”
And so Ice Cream and the three of them arrived safely at the Dormitory.
Officially, all schedules had come to an end.
“You worked hard. That’s a wrap.”
“….”
“Now we just have to wait for everyone to head back.”
“…Yes.”
I stepped down from the driver’s seat and completed my final check before turning to look at Big Dal. He wore an expression as though many thoughts were crossing his mind.
I’d just remembered something myself.
“Come to think of it, there’s something I meant to tell you once the work was done.”
“…! Yes. What is it?”
I opened my mouth seriously. I could see Big Dal swallowing hard.
I wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but this was important.
It was….
“As you know, civil servants can’t hold multiple jobs under employment regulations.”
“….”
“Don’t report the Manager income.”
If a civil servant received payment for my precious side gig without authorization, it would result in disciplinary action.
‘I went through the trouble of using my vacation days, and it’d be ruined.’
Process it as unpaid volunteer work, and I’ll settle the payment separately with you later.
“….”
Why wasn’t he answering?
Just then, Cha Yu-jin raised his hand from the back seat.
[Hyung, five minutes ago you were like an action movie protagonist, but now you’ve become a supporting character in a sitcom.]
For a real office worker, a sitcom supporting character with good attendance was better than an action movie protagonist facing disciplinary action.
I patted Big Dal on the back.
“You took today off due to food poisoning. Got it?”
“Yes….”
That’s right.
And so Big Dal’s eventful 24-hour failed mission came to an end without incident.
…At least, that’s what it seemed like until it ended.

* * *
I opened my eyes.
Pairs of eyes stared down at me from all around. Familiar faces.
And a question tinged with slight tension.
“Moon-dae? Moon-dae?”
I opened my mouth.
“Yeah.”
“Phew!”
“Oh~~ Welcome home, bro~!”
Only then did the tension dissolve, and everyone around me erupted into a fuss.
I lifted my head and raised my hand. I saw the familiar white hand. Park Moon-dae’s hand.
A brief wave of relief washed over me.
‘Sigh.’
I clenched my fist.
And beside me, Big Dal, who had returned to Ryu Gun-woo’s body, seemed to be exhaling a deep sigh of relief as well.
But then again.
“….”
I kept my expression blank and stared into empty space.
“…?”
“Moon-dae?”
Those around me, noticing my demeanor, fell silent and the commotion gradually died down.
Sun Ah-hyun asked, his pupils trembling.
“Don’t tell me….”
“Yeah.”
I looked up at my status window.
[Sudden Event!]
Abnormal Status
Mission Failed: Return to Original State (2)
-Everything as if it never happened
: D-?? until next start
There it is again.
‘I knew something was too easy. Damn it….’
They must have bundled the two of us together as a set—now Big Dal’s mission failure was even being kindly displayed on my status window.
‘Did you really think I’d be grateful?’
But this time there was a hint.
There was additional information at the bottom.
[Target Subject
‘Park Moon-dae (1 / 2)’
Lost]
[Deactivation in Progress]
[Remaining Objective: Ryu Gun-woo (2 / 2)]
It was our names, plain and simple.
‘Just the two of us with swapped bodies.’
This was definitely information I could extract. I had to find a clue here. It had to be connected to Big Dal’s mission somehow.
“….”
‘First, I need to uncover the mission’s true nature to see any resolution.’
So I had to rack my brain hard and work through hypotheses and verification. But the problem was that I couldn’t dedicate my mind to just this right now.
I suppressed a sigh and pressed my temples.
‘Two weeks left.’
The comeback was right around the corner. I had to prepare intensely.
Of course, I had to prevent the catastrophe of our bodies swapping during a performance in the middle of our promotional period.
But was I really going to abandon comeback preparations and pour all my mental energy into mission failure contingencies and completion?
‘I can’t afford to ruin the promotional period.’
No way. If my brain capacity wasn’t enough, I’d have to borrow someone else’s brainpower.
The problem was that the brains I could pull in were limited.
Everyone else who knew the situation was coming back with me anyway.
Even Testa, who got briefed on the situation and went into emergency meetings just like me, had no time to think and was equally pressed for time.
“Could our bodies swap again…?”
“You’re saying it might overlap with the promotional period? Got it. Then we just need to come up with countermeasures. Or we could even consider adjusting our comeback schedule a bit….”
“Se-jin, hold on. I think we can talk about that last. Let’s check on Moon-dae’s condition first. Moon-dae, how are you?”
“I’m fine. The problem is if our bodies swap during the promotional period.”
“Still, I’m relieved you’re healthy….”
That was the situation. And Big Dal was….
[Hyung, I really can’t perform on stage, really can’t.]
Yeah, that was the state he was in.
“I know.”
I had no intention of making him. Calm down.
I soothed the panicking popup and wrapped up the conversation with the guys sitting around appropriately.
‘If worst comes to worst, we could skip a day of the promotional period with some excuse like the flu’—a vague band-aid solution, but still.
‘There’s no other way.’
This wasn’t the time to have a thorough debate and try every hypothesis we could come up with.
And I sat alone and started brooding like I was talking nonsense.
‘Is there anyone not doing a comeback right now who might have a unique perspective….’
“….”
There was, actually.
The next day.
After thinking it over, I picked an appropriate time and contacted someone.
-Oh, hello there.
Ju Dan from VTIC.
That strange guy who was already in the military.

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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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