Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 115

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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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115. Reasons for Action (2)
I paused for a moment, trying to make sense of what he’d just said. Then Eun-chan hurriedly added more, stumbling over his words.
“Oh no, it’s nothing special really…. Just, well, what if we don’t debut together, you know? Then it’d be hard to spend time together like this. Um, but we’d still keep in touch, visit each other’s places and all…. I mean, we’d at least be like close older and younger brothers, right…?”
Only after reading the somewhat tense expression on Eun-chan’s face did I understand the true intention behind his question.
Like Tae-hyun, I had a clear boundary between those within my circle and those outside it. It just didn’t show on the surface because I had such good social skills.
But since Eun-chan was close with Tae-hyun, it seemed he’d picked up on this trait of mine through spending time with me.
‘Since when did Ju Eun-chan develop such perception….’
The slight melancholy I’d been feeling about missing the relationship with Ha-won, who was twenty-eight, suddenly lifted. While there were many relationships I’d lost and missed, I was reminded that these newly formed connections were now sufficiently precious and welcome.
I smiled and lightly tapped Eun-chan.
“So if I don’t debut, you were planning to change your studio apartment password and not invite me over?”
“…Why wouldn’t you debut? The response to your ‘Shout at You’ stage performance was incredible.”
“Then what about you.”
“I… have less impact compared to the other members.”
“What are you even talking about, Chan? Your visuals are the impact.”
Why would I have hidden you away so carefully during the third audition? Your face alone has as much influence as my back or Lee Do-ha’s abs.
At my serious words, Eun-chan laughed as if he found it absurd. I too chuckled and sighed as I spoke.
“Let’s just debut together. Even imagining it is fun.”
“Okay. Then when we debut together, please introduce me to your younger sibling too.”
“Our Ha-won? Why?”
“You met our older brother. I want to talk to your younger sibling about you too.”
“Hey, I only have wholesome conversations with Eun-seok. I don’t gossip about you or anything.”
“I didn’t say you were gossiping? Then I can just have wholesome conversations with Ha-won too.”
‘When did he ever see Ha-won to be calling him “older brother” already….’
I blinked at Eun-chan with a somewhat bewildered expression, but thinking about it again, there was no real reason not to introduce them, so I nodded.
“Sure, then. Let’s grab a meal sometime later.”
“Really? You mean it? Can I tell Ha-ru about this?”
“Why are you making such a big deal… Fine. Do whatever you want, Chan.”
…His eyes held too much anticipation for me to say otherwise.
‘I shouldn’t mention that Ha-won might not like it.’
Ha-won, being introverted, already found the mere act of leaving home bothersome,
and meeting strangers outside was even more uncomfortable for him.
It showed just how miraculous it was that he’d agreed to the broadcast filming last time.
‘Come to think of it, hasn’t that footage aired yet?’
I thought it would air early on, but when would it actually come out?
As I was thinking this and roughly calculating the remaining broadcast schedule, Eun-chan, who’d been fidgeting beside me, suddenly bounced off the bed.
“Hyung, the kids are going to play games in the Lounge. Want to join?”
“Which kids.”
“Ha-ru, Jae-young, Yuki, and Pa-rang.”
I perked up at the mention of games, but hearing the names of my teammates, I shook my head and lay back down on the bed.
“Let the chicks play among themselves. I’m going to rest.”
“I’m not a chick!”
“Level up and come at me. You guys lose to me every single time anyway.”
“…That’s true, but.”
High schoolers who’d entered the Entertainment Agency since childhood and done nothing but dance and vocal practice day and night stood no chance of beating me at games. Usually, I found their desperate attempts to win endearing and let them have their fun, but today I was exhausted, and….
‘Ju Eun-chan and Dan Ha-ru need to get closer to the other trainees too.’
The sports day from last time seemed to have helped—lately, Eun-chan and Ha-ru were getting along well with their peers. But if I joined in when they were finally bonding with kids their own age, the conversation would inevitably revolve around me again.
When it came to relationships, I’d been through every conceivable situation—I was a walking encyclopedia of human experience. And from that experience, I instinctively knew that stepping back now was better for everyone involved.
“Hyung, you’re really not coming? What if I call Tae-hyun hyung?”
“Seo Tae-hyun’s busy right now—he finished stretching and is in his room using a foam roller while monitoring the stage footage.”
“Why are you wearing Do-ha hyung’s hoodie?”
“I don’t know. It was in my room. I must’ve grabbed it by mistake when I did laundry last time.”
Since our sizes were similar, things like this got mixed up sometimes. I explained while gesturing with my chin toward the oversized hoodie hanging on my chair.
“Anyway, got it. But next time, let’s definitely play together. I’ll level up and come back.”
“Sure. Let’s see the day when our Eun-chan doesn’t have a complete meltdown even when he gets the Mafia role.”
“Ugh, seriously.”
Eun-chan left the room in embarrassed indignation. Chuckling at his satisfying reaction, I got up from my seat, thinking I’d do some more monitoring of episode 4 on my bed.
As I stepped down from Eun-chan’s bed and hadn’t quite placed my full weight on the floor—
“…?”
A crackling sound of electricity, and something blocked my vision. I quickly shifted into a defensive stance, confirmed what it was, and smirked while crossing my arms.
[LOADING…]
[LOADING…]
[System Recovery Complete.]
[System Alert: The timeline of the ‘Fixed Regressor’ is operating normally.]
[System Alert: The system error of the ‘Fixed Regressor’ has been processed normally.]
[System Alert: Would you like to view the system history of the ‘Fixed Regressor’? (Viewing Condition: Entry into Unconscious Space)]
Thirteen’s appearance was a sight for sore eyes.
“Took you long enough, you bastard.”
Fortunately, there were no schedules lined up after this.
To make sure Eun-chan wouldn’t notice anything odd if he came back to the room, I finished all my sleep preparations and lay down on the bed with a reverent heart. Even so, I sent Eun-chan a text just in case—telling him I was tired and would sleep first, so not to wake me.
‘…The side effects when I wake up are still pretty scary though.’
I had no idea how I’d managed to endure a fractured leg last time without complaint. The fact that I was already dreading a pain I hadn’t even experienced yet said something.
With a reluctant expression, I quietly spoke the entry keyword I’d decided on last time.
“I hate mint chocolate.”
Even though I’d devoured mint chocolate ice cream just yesterday.
Though Seo Tae-hyun had thrown a fit, swearing he could never share mint chocolate with Pa-rang, and we’d gotten into a huge fight over it.
So Eun-chan, sighing about why we had to fight over something so stupid, just ordered two pints of ice cream and called it solved.
‘Right. If money can’t solve it, maybe the problem is that you don’t have enough money.’
I never thought I’d say a line like that even once in my lifetime, yet here I was saying it for the second time.
With those thoughts, I drifted gently into sleep.
* * *
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a space that was still unfamiliar yet gradually becoming recognizable.
The moment I stepped into the space I had so carefully constructed, a small firecracker exploded with a pop!
“Oh, you startled me!”
Before I could even react to the sudden welcome, something unfurled from above in the empty space where the screen had descended last time. A massive banner was covered in tiny, densely packed text.
【System Error Recovery Notice】
Hello,
Time Manager 13
here.
Regarding the recent
‘Chosen Regressor’ system error
that has
caused significant disruption to your system usage and daily life,
I sincerely apologize.
This error was discovered during the last sports festival when
Manager 13, captivated by the Chosen Regressor’s outstanding athletic prowess,
took a brief moment to
conduct system maintenance and review information about those who have returned
and found it…
It was an apology written with meticulous detail.
In summary, it said: ‘I’m incredibly sorry, and I’ve already prepared proper compensation, so please listen to what I have to say before you complain.’
‘I wasn’t actually planning to say anything this time.’
But since they were offering compensation, there was no real reason to refuse. If they were giving something, I might as well try to get more.
‘Maybe I should mess with them a little.’
As I sank deep into the sofa, I wiped my face with my large hand, my expression full of disappointment and bitterness.
“Sigh… Thirteen.”
[System Alert: …?]
“You.”
With melodrama loaded into my eyes and vocal cords, I asked in a trembling voice like a regretful male lead in a tragic story.
“Are you okay?”
[System Alert: (…observing the Chosen Regressor’s unexpected reaction)]
[System Alert: ( ⚆ _ ⚆ )]
“I thought something happened to you when you said it was a system problem. I was so worried that our last moment together would be something as pathetic as a footvolley match, that I…!”
My emotional performance was genuinely impressive.
I even thought to myself that at this level, maybe I should be an actor instead of an idol.
“But the moment you arrive, you’re already talking about apologies and compensation. Seriously, was our relationship really just that? You’d immediately strip away the Chosen Regressor’s authority and we’d never see or hear from each other again? Whether you had a problem or something went wrong with me, it was all just settled as errors and compensation?”
‘No, wait. The more I talk about this, the more genuinely annoyed I’m getting.’
I’d only started this to tease them a bit after seeing them for the first time in a while, but the more I spoke, the more I found myself genuinely invested.
Weren’t we supposed to be some kind of tight-knit community of fate? Was I really just a contractor managing an outsourced Chosen Regressor hunter?
Ha-jin, who had suddenly accelerated from an odd place, now fully committed and began pouring out all the grievances.
“I was really planning to arrive and greet you warmly, say you’ve worked hard, and have an honest conversation about the difficult things we’ve both been through. Fine, okay. I’ll play it cold too, then. Go ahead, tell me about this compensation. If I don’t like it, I’ll lodge a proper complaint too.”
For some reason, Kang Ha-jin’s genuine frustration finally boiled over into complaints. He even crossed his arms and set his expression firmly.
“…?”
At this point, Thirteen, who should have said something to deflect the situation, remained silent.
What was this? Had the joke gone too far?
“…Hey, Thirteen. Say something. Why are you being so scary and not answering?”
But no response came back.
Slightly flustered, Kang Ha-jin scratched his chin and called out to Thirteen once more.
“Hey. I’m telling you it’s scary when you don’t answer me. Just say something, anything.”
Memories of Dol’s nightmare surfaced, and instinctively, tension and wariness crept up my spine. In a space so quiet I could hear the sound of swallowing, finally, a welcome blue window appeared.
[System Alert: Typing…]
[System Alert: Typing…]
The typing indicator—like the one that appears when sending a text message—appeared and disappeared repeatedly several times.
Then a brick appeared before Kang Ha-jin’s eyes.
“What, what is this?”
No, that wasn’t a brick….
[System Alert: Well if you’re going to be like that I have plenty to say too Kang Ha-jin are you really okay physically why are humans so stubborn you rolled down the stairs and cracked your leg but instead of going to the hospital you just decided it was fine since you’d regress anyway and laid in the emergency stairwell for three hours like a madman where does someone like that exist if something goes wrong with Kang Ha-jin because of this Chosen Regressor situation what do you think the Time Managers feel like did you ever think about how the Time Managers feel you didn’t right you’re really selfish anyway I was barely able to find traces of Dol that day at the sports festival and I was so shocked I still break out in cold sweat thinking about it but if Kang Ha-jin also loses focus like that how am I supposed to concentrate on my work still we managed to find clues about Dol and resolve things well enough but Kang Ha-jin if you try to pull a knife on someone and threaten them even once I’m telling you don’t even try I brought all these compensations without any real compensation because I was genuinely sorry so why are you upset if I hadn’t brought anything would you have left me alone huh you bastard…]
…It was Thirteen’s anguished cry, laden with accumulated resentment.
“….”
I’m, I’m sorry, aaaah.
Kang Ha-jin bit his lip hard. He uncrossed his legs and arms.
For some reason, it felt like I needed to assume a more respectful posture.

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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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