Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 160

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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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160. The Finals (4)
The internet’s reaction to the new song, 【NEW YOU】, could be summed up in a single phrase.
– Oh my god;
Seo Tae-hyun didn’t just succeed at a character shift—he perfectly recreated the “small kid in the middle is the final boss” trope, just like in those athletic festivals of old.
The intense stage worthy of Miro, which hadn’t been seen in a while, struck directly at the demanding tastes of the masses. Mentions of Team A trainees exploded exponentially, and that immediately translated into votes.
– What about Team B? From the preview, it sounded like they were going for that mischievous kid concept
– Ha-ru and Jae-young are one thing, but Jeong Si-u, Lee Yu-gun, and Kang Ha-jin with the charisma concept? That’s rare; in many ways…
Ugh, but B should have gone first! No matter how much I think about it…
Destiny fans whose trainees belonged to Team B each vented their frustration by furiously typing away.
The more they did, the harder Team A trainee fans typed to keep mentions of Team A from dwindling, and then Team B trainee fans wrote four times as many posts in response—a miraculous viral flood occurred.
And even as everyone spiraled within their own interests, the finals stage kept moving forward without pause.
【On a day when the steady rain finally stopped….】
【No one in the practice room?】
While the stage set was being changed, a pre-recorded VCR prepared by Team B aired.
The content of this VCR was “the trainees’ day off.”
In the video, it appeared as though everyone had received a day off on the same day, but in reality, it would have been impossible for the filming crew to split into five teams in a single day. Due to budget constraints, all trainees had their VCR shoots on different days, and trainees whose schedules didn’t align ended up using previously filmed footage instead.
【Q. Who are you going to meet today?】
【Trainee Kang Ha-jin: Oh. Someone who looks exactly like me.】
The footage of Ha-jin and his younger sibling, Ha-won, which had been filmed before the second round recording, was a perfect example.
Fortunately, Ha-jin’s hairstyle hadn’t changed significantly from Round 1 through just before the finals, so a cool spring day was instantly transformed into a hot summer day, yet no one felt any sense of incongruity.
In the VCR, Ha-jin waited for someone while wearing an oversized black short-sleeved shirt and a bucket hat with small rings attached. The khaki training pants and white sneakers he wore together were an outfit Destiny fans were already familiar with, as Ha-jin wore them constantly in the practice room.
– Is that green-haired guy Hawkeye? Is our Ha-jin a one-outfit guy?
– No matter how I look at it, it seems like he just threw on the bucket hat because he had to film while practicing
– Wait but the pants fit is just right, does anyone know the info
└ Look
└ Look at what…
└ ? I said look, he said he bought it at an underground shopping center, no brand
└ ㅅㅂ It’s so funny, I know this memeㅠㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ I can’t believe this is happening right before my eyes
While Destiny fans delighted in every aspect of Ha-jin’s outfit, Ha-jin in the VCR smiled brightly and greeted someone who was hesitantly approaching him.
The camera work naturally tilted up from Ha-won’s feet to his face.
When Ha-won’s appearance came into view—dressed in straight-fit jeans quite different from Ha-jin’s casual style, a white short-sleeved shirt of appropriate size, and a thin knit vest layered on top—the comments exploded once again.
– My goodness, what a gentleman
– An unexpected first meeting (or not)
– What, a well-mannered Kang Ha-jin actually exists
– Hmm they don’t look alike at all
└ If he didn’t say he was his younger sibling, I wouldn’t know
└ 333
– Separately I can’t tell, but when you put them together you can see they’re brothers
And as if anticipating that viewers’ opinions would be divided, Ha-jin’s interview, set against the backdrop of a quiet cafe, was inserted.
【Q. Do people often say you look like your younger sibling?】
【Kang Ha-jin Trainee: Well… I hear that we look alike pretty often. But I’ve also heard a lot of people say they didn’t realize we were brothers.】
【Kang Ha-jin Trainee: Maybe it’s because our personalities are complete opposites, so the vibe feels different?】
Unlike Ha-jin, who inherited Mother’s refreshingly bright smile and features, Ha-won bore such a striking resemblance to Father that people sometimes mistook Father’s childhood photos for Ha-won’s.
During the explanation, past photos of the two were inserted as reference footage. In the partially revealed family photo, Mother appeared with round features and large eyes, beaming brightly, while Father was captured with even sharper eyes and a more muscular build than either Ha-jin or Ha-won.
– Wait, was this seriously a formal family meeting?
– Hello Mother, I’m your second daughter-in-law
└ Then I’ll take the eldest son of the Kang family for myself
└ ??? (Free fall?)
– No wait, Ha-jin next to his father and younger brother just looks like a Retriever lol
– Shocking revelation: Kang Ha-jin, thought to be a purebred Doberman, is actually a Retriever mix…
– But Father seemed so friendly and cute when Ha-jin told stories about him…
– How do their parents end up being like the cold male lead and the cheerful female lead
Destiny fans showed keen interest in Ha-jin’s family being revealed for the first time.
Ha-jin and Ha-won seemed to have completely opposite atmospheres and personalities, as evident even from their casual clothing.
If Ha-jin was the type of cheerful, sociable student council president, Ha-won was like the vice president who quietly fulfilled his duties without ever being late.
With a slightly colder-looking face than Ha-jin, a calm and composed tone of voice, and an expression that suggested he was already exhausted just from being outside, he was the perfect embodiment of a capital I.
【Kang Ha-jin Trainee: Hey, aren’t you being way too tired?】
【Kang Ha-won: I went out this morning too.】
【Kang Ha-jin Trainee: Went out? Where did you go?】
【Kang Ha-won: To the mart to buy kalguksu noodles and sugar.】
【Kang Ha-jin Trainee: …? The mart is right in front of the house though?】
【Kang Ha-won: It’s still outside the house. (Firmly)】
【Kang Ha-jin Trainee: Still, isn’t it nice that your older brother came out to play with you after so long?】
【Kang Ha-won: I’m happy. I just don’t have the energy. (Firmly 2)】
【Kang Ha-jin Trainee: (Deflated)】
– Now I understand why Kang Ha-jin always says he’s a capital E
– There’s an incredible capital T in that family
– You’re now witnessing the perfect examples of capital E and capital I.
– ??? How is that even going out??? Do I’s really do that?
└ It was a big decision to start wearing shoes on the weekend…ㅠ
└ If you stay outside the house for more than 5 minutes, that counts as going out
The sight of two brothers who clashed in every possible way was quite entertaining to watch.
Given how poorly they matched, one might expect them to fight often or not be close, but surprisingly they had perfect chemistry when it came to eating and having fun—that was the real highlight.
The two entered a cafe and ordered various desserts that looked unmistakably sweet at first glance, then spent a considerable amount of time chatting away nonsensically. After watching their conversation edited down to the most entertaining highlights, everyone who saw it quickly understood why two such different people could be so close.
– Their sense of humor matches so well lol
– The way the younger brother suddenly accelerates or says something nonsensical is hilarious lol
– Ah, I understand why Kang Ha-jin likes Joo Eun-chan. He seems to like the somewhat calm Dorai.
[The Kang brothers’ conversation just now lol]
Ha-jin: (Staring quietly out the window, then suddenly) Hey, what if both the PD and I fell into the water. But if you save the PD instead of me, the PD will give you 30 million won. Who would you save?
I thought my Younger Sibling was being quiet here out of exasperation, but
Ha-won: …Does that include calling 119 and having them rescue me? (seriously)
Ha-jin: No, it only counts if I rescue you myself.
Ha-won: But I can’t swim. If I go in, that’s just three drowning people instead of one.
Ha-jin: You’re dismissing 30 million won? For that kind of money, you should at least show some sincerity.
Ha-won: I get that, but I think the hospital bills would cost more than that…. (agonizing)
And just like that, the two of them launched into a lengthy debate about what it truly means to rescue someone lol
– The two of them look so fun together, they’ll never be lonely their whole lives
– So how did this end up? lol
└ The Younger Sibling thought hard and then chose the PD lol
└ Omg lol
└ Kang Ha-jin was totally shocked, but his Younger Sibling said so bitterly ‘entrance exam art costs a lot of money….’ while staring into the distance, and both of them became solemn lol
After chatting at the Cafe, Ha-jin and Ha-won spent the rest of the day enjoying themselves at the Arcade, Karaoke Room, and Snack Restaurant.
The day off ended with a heartwarming scene where Ha-jin used the money he’d saved to buy new art supplies for Ha-won. He placed expensive brushes and paints into his Younger Sibling’s arms, and the way they looked after each other’s wellbeing in front of the Subway Station before parting ways was genuinely touching.
-Ah…. Is this the right spot?
And finally, a brief interview scene with Ha-won was aired.
It seemed they’d stolen a moment during filming to shoot it, with a different angle of the Cafe from earlier serving as the backdrop. Ha-won, who had been quick to laugh and crack jokes when with Ha-jin, had now reverted to his shy, awkward self and proceeded through the interview in a composed manner.
【Q. What kind of person is your brother usually?】
【Kang Ha-won: Well, he’s bright first of all…. He talks a lot. Unlike me, he really loves meeting people…. Um, lately he seems to have a lot on his mind…. But still, because my brother is there, I’m not lonely and I feel at ease.】
When Ha-jin had filmed that VCR, he hadn’t yet broken free from all the chains that bound him.
Listening to Ha-won’s interview through his earpiece in the Backstage, Ha-jin was somewhat surprised to realize his Younger Sibling had noticed the shadow he cast.
‘…Is that why he agreed to film? Because he wanted to help me?’
He was curious about why his Younger Sibling, who didn’t even like getting attention from people around him, let alone on broadcast, had so willingly agreed to film a VCR for him….
It seemed Ha-jin himself was the reason.
‘He’s such a good kid….’
Ha-jin’s eyes, adorned with glittering makeup, softened and melted warmly.
In the audience seating today, Ha-won would be sitting with their parents. Given his personality, he’d probably run off somewhere by now, too embarrassed to watch the VCR he appeared in.
“Yes, Team B is heading up! Fighting!”
“You too, PD! Fighting~”
At the PD’s signal, Ha-jin took the Stage with his teammates and found his position.
On the large monitor behind the Stage, Ha-won’s interview was still playing its final moments.
【Q. A word for your brother as he faces the Finals?】
‘Oh, Kang Ha-won could never do something like that.’
【Kang Ha-won: Uh, ah. I really can’t do this kind of thing.】
As expected, at the sound of Ha-won’s panicked voice, Ha-jin, who had been settling into position, burst out laughing. But when he pressed his lips together again, Ha-won, who had been struggling for a moment, let out a deep sigh and spoke in an extremely embarrassed voice.
【Kang Ha-won: Um…. Brother. Well, you’re always good at everything, so I think you’ll do well this time too.】
【Kang Ha-won: Well, I don’t really have much to say….】
Ha-won paused for a moment, then spoke with sincerity, carefully and earnestly.
【Kang Ha-won: I just… I hope you’ll be happy, no matter what.】
At those words, Ha-jin truly felt like he might cry.
【Kang Ha-won: But hyung… whenever things get tough, you go sing, don’t you? Even after you quit being a trainee, you’ve always done that.】
【Kang Ha-won: So… um, what I’m trying to say is…】
【Kang Ha-won: You’ll do great. Because it’s something you love.】
With those words, the VCR ended.
Team B’s pre-performance preparation footage had already aired before Ha-won’s VCR, and since Ha-jin’s VCR was the last one among Team B’s trainees, it was finally time to take the stage.
【Team B-F: NALE】
Officially read as “Finale,” the title of Team B’s song—which composer Seo Tae-il read as “Nale (Tomorrow) Fxck”—appeared on the large display screen above.
Cheers filling the entire concert hall.
Glittering lights and illumination.
Dozens of cameras moving swiftly in perfect synchronization to match the choreographed camera movements.
Realizing that all of this was reality and not a dream, Ha-jin slowly lifted his head.

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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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