Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 181

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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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181. The Earth Is Round (5)
My mother fell silent for a long time.
I wondered if perhaps she was crying.
-My son.
Her voice trembled ever so slightly as she spoke to me.
-Thank you for telling me.
“….”
-And thank you for enduring it all.
“….”
-I’m sorry I didn’t know, my son.
“…Mom, there’s nothing for you to apologize for. You don’t need to say sorry.”
The moment I heard my mother apologizing, my mind snapped into clarity.
The ones who actually ostracized me weren’t apologizing at all—they lived comfortably without a shred of guilt, blaming me instead. So why was it that only I and the people around me had to apologize to each other, comfort each other, and suffer?
‘What am I doing right now?’
What else? Digging myself deeper into a hole.
The fact that even after going to the military twice, I still had the mental capacity to dig myself deeper was shocking.
Yes, the reason for a trauma that had tormented me for over a decade turned out to be nothing more than ‘just because’—it was certainly deflating, hollow, and shocking.
Until just moments ago, I’d been so desperately lonely and suffering that I’d almost tried to escape into sleep out of sheer resentment.
‘But so what? What does that change?’
I reflected on what remained for me.
A warm and harmonious family,
Members who believed in me until the very end,
Friends and people around me who reached out with concern the moment the article broke.
Even the fans who were waiting for my statement at this very moment.
I knew better than anyone how foolish and wasteful it was to dwell on what I’d already lost and let slip away what I held in my hands right now.
‘What was I hesitating about?’
Sunlight gradually broke through the dark, rain-laden clouds that had filled my mind. Once my purpose became clear, my actions followed swiftly.
I spoke to my mother through the phone.
“Mom. I’m okay.”
Though her voice came through the mobile phone, I hoped my current emotions would come through clearly.
“I’m really okay now. …Truly.”
-…Yes. You’ve grown into a fine man, my eldest son.
“Right? Whose son am I anyway—I’ve turned out pretty well.”
I had grown well.
Having overcome the world’s baseless criticism and the trauma of a confused adolescence, I believed I’d grown quite decently at this point.
And from now on, I intended to let the world know this fact. Very widely, very widely indeed.
“Mom. I need to head to the company urgently. I’ll call you again later.”
-Okay, I understand. Work hard. Make sure you eat well.
“Don’t worry—I’ll finish off all the braised short ribs at the dormitory.
After barely ending the call with my mother, who worried about me until the very end, I immediately called Lee Do-ha. I thought he might not answer since he was probably practicing, but fortunately he picked up right away.
-Hello?
“Hey, Lee Do-ha. Can I borrow your laptop for a bit?”
-…Deonbyeol6173.
“What?”
-The laptop password. It’s Deonbyeol6173.
“Oh. Okay, thanks.”
I’d launched straight into the main point without any preamble, but Lee Do-ha didn’t question or hesitate—he simply gave me his laptop password without reservation. All his work files were probably stored in that machine, so I wondered what he’d do if I harbored any ill intentions.
But since what mattered now wasn’t Lee Do-ha’s security awareness, I hung up and immediately headed to my room to find his laptop. I opened the notepad application and began typing at the keyboard with reverent focus.
“….”
Putting thoughts into words wasn’t particularly difficult.
Not when my intentions and purpose were crystal clear. At least not for me. After all, I’d made my living through eloquence, writing skill, and editorial finesse.
“…Is this enough?”
After revision upon revision, I finally read through the completed lengthy statement again and again.
Once I’d read it five times straight without a single sentence jarring my eye, I picked up my phone again and called Ji Su-ho.
I’d expected him to answer quickly like my mom or Lee Do-ha, but the dial tone just kept ringing without his voice appearing. It seemed the Executive Director title really had made him busy.
‘But there’s always a way.’
Without hesitation, I entered the system window. I found Ji Su-ho in the colleagues tab and invested a mere 10 cache from the modest amount I’d accumulated to summon him.
Shortly after, Ji Su-ho—who hadn’t answered despite several calls—called me first. Since there was no reason to wait long, I pressed the answer button the moment his name appeared on my phone screen.
-Hello? Is this Ha-jin?
“Yes, it’s me. And that feeling you just had about needing to contact me? That was me too.”
The moment Ji Su-ho heard my voice, he seemed to vaguely sense that my condition had returned to normal. Accompanied by soft laughter through the phone, I sent the notepad file I’d written to Ji Su-ho’s email.
“I just sent you my statement via email.”
-Got it. I’ll look at it right now.
“After the company reviews it, if there are no issues, I’d like to rewrite it by hand and upload it to the fan cafe. And….”
-Yeah. Go ahead.
“I’ve also figured out who posted the exposé, and I’m thinking of mounting a proper response now. It just feels like a simple statement won’t be enough.”
As long as there are actual things I said and did among the allegations Park Shin-wook posted, issuing a lengthy statement here will only invite comments like “What? So you’re admitting it’s true? So disappointed.” The Earth is round, but all people see is hard, flat ground.
Yet that doesn’t change the fact that the Earth is round.
The Earth is round, but all people see is hard, flat ground.
“Could we run just one article?”
In the old days, people who shouted “The Earth is round” were beaten for it, but I’m living in the cutting-edge era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Preferably somewhere that writes provocative pieces well.”
Can’t see that the Earth is round?
Then I’ll show you.
* * *
At noon on a day when the sun hung high in the sky.
Professor Task, Kang Ha-jin’s named home main, was still sprawled out on her bed.
‘Wow. Killer hangover.’
Last night, she’d had an offline meetup with several Kang-preu members. Among them were Kang Dae-jang, whom she’d first met at the Finals, Kang Ha-di, and Jerry, the older sister of her friend Soda.
They’d gathered to soothe their troubled hearts over Ha-jin’s recent exposé, but seeing each other’s faces only made them more anxious, so they’d ended up going to a third venue and returned at dawn.
-But what if Ha-jin’s story is actually true? What would we all do?
Someone posed the question, but no one answered. Instead, they quietly refilled their glasses. Even Professor Task himself hadn’t yet decided on a clear course of action, so he busied himself sipping his beer and soju mix. The Kang-preu members gradually loosened up as the alcohol took effect, and only after moving to a quieter, emptier establishment did they begin to cautiously reveal their true feelings.
-Honestly, if Miro just ignores this? That would be even more disappointing. There’s so much evidence and the situation’s blown up—they absolutely have to release a statement, right?
-I just wish they’d say something, whether it’s true or not. It’s so frustrating. If there’s an official statement, at least the communities wouldn’t bash him as much… Whenever I check the key alerts these days, it’s all Ha-jin mockery and hate posts.
-My worst-case scenario is waking up one day to a notification from the official account, clicking in, and seeing Ha-jin say, “I apologize. I take responsibility for everything and will withdraw.” I’m already getting PTSD just thinking about it.
It was ironic—they’d gathered to vent and ease their worries, yet they left with heavier hearts. Professor Task’s last memory was of parting ways with a vague promise that they’d see each other again with joyful faces next time.
Professor Task recalled yesterday’s intense gathering and, clutching his aching chest, barely managed to get out of bed.
“Where did I put my phone…?”
Professor Task picked up his phone, which lay abandoned in the corner of the bed. It was completely dead—he’d forgotten to charge it last night.
“Ugh, what should I eat to recover? I’m seriously dying… Wait, what? What is this?”
After plugging in the charger and waiting for the phone to power on, Professor Task washed up lightly in the restroom. When he checked his phone to decide on a recovery meal, he was startled.
The moment the phone turned on, a flood of messages and notifications poured in in real time!
“Captain, ugh, damn it, I seriously can’t stop cursing right now.”
【Dae-jang Unnin ∥ What the hell is this?】
【Dae-jang Unnin ∥ (crying puppy emoji)】
【Ha-di Unnin ∥ Honestly I can’t even function right now】
What? Did something about Ha-jin come out?
For a moment, Professor Task felt as though his heart had stopped. He wanted to check the details immediately, yet he also didn’t want to see them. He felt the blood drain from his hand holding the phone, leaving it cold.
‘Please. Anything but him admitting it and withdrawing. Please, anything but that.’
Honestly, the exposé had been so detailed and backed by evidence, and the fact that Miro hadn’t immediately dismissed it as baseless meant it couldn’t be entirely fabricated. That much Professor Task had already guessed. If he could hear Ha-jin’s side of the story and there was room for some mitigating circumstances, he was prepared to turn a blind eye and continue supporting him as a fan.
Hoping desperately that his worst-case scenario wouldn’t come true, Professor Task quickly scrolled up through the messages to find where the conversation began.
After scrolling back quite a bit, a news article link caught his eye—one sent around 10 AM this morning by Jerry, Soda’s older sister.
[E-Spatch Exclusive] “The Switched Victim”… The Truth Behind the Character Scandal of ‘Kang Ha-jin from Kairos’
E-Spatch picked this up?
Drawn like a moth to flame by the article from the media outlet famous for relentlessly pursuing celebrity gossip, Professor Task clicked on the article thumbnail. The first screen displayed the messenger screenshots of Ha-jin and the accuser that Professor Task had seen in the exposé, along with Ha-jin’s photo split across the screen.
In July of 20XX, Miro Entertainment gave birth to a new star to follow in the footsteps of Yupia and Endway. That star was Kairos, who debuted through Ntv’s ‘Miro Maze’.
Seven boys held their dreams in their hands and smiled with joy. And among them, there was one boy who smiled the brightest and expressed his gratitude to his fans. Just one day after the final broadcast, he dominated every online community as ‘that red-haired guy’ and debuted at 2nd place in the final rankings—’Kang Ha-jin’ was that boy.
A screenshot of Ha-jin crying during the final broadcast was introduced, along with a brief excerpt of Ha-jin’s touching debut remarks that had moved everyone to tears. Then came the predictable reversal phrase, “But that joy did not last long,” followed by a summary of the exposé.
Professor Task skimmed through the facts he already knew and continued reading.
…Kang Ha-jin gained popularity among many fans during the broadcast of Miro Maze thanks to his outstanding leadership and social skills. This controversy dealt him a massive blow.
Was he truly a ‘tyrant’ at KD Entertainment?
E-Spatch launched an investigation to uncover Kang Ha-jin’s ‘true face’.
In the process, they discovered an unexpected fact.
The article included messenger conversations with ‘former KD Entertainment trainee S’.
-Ha-jin?
-From what I know, actually
-He was the one being ostracized, as I remember it
This ‘exposé’ contained a ‘hidden side’ we hadn’t been told about.
You’re not the only one exposing?
I’m exposing too.
It was what you might call a “counter-exposure operation.”

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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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