Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 205

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

205. Kairos (4)
【Over the Night】 contrasted sharply with its intense introduction, unfolding instead through soft rhythms and melodies. The band sound, which emphasized drums and electric guitar, left a striking impression.
At last, we face our night
In his voice, I sensed the overwhelming thrill of encountering an old friend after years apart.
Members in white shirts and black slacks trampled over cards reduced to ash, moving in synchronized formation. I found it odd—in the teaser, they’d seemed to have hair dyed in various colors, but now every member displayed the same black hair and similar styling.
Leaving eternity behind
The sun I discovered
You
An empty lot like ruins.
Nameless figures in identical clothes, identical hairstyles, and identical black masks moved busily at a steady pace.
As the camera panned slowly toward the center, Eun-chan in a black uniform came into view, his expression hollow. His cold, pitch-black eyes fixed on the camera, and after a moment’s hesitation, he lit a silver zippo lighter.
Then the scene shifted.
(Let it shine, shine)
Hello, us
It’s not unfamiliar, Bebe
The near-monochromatic saturation transformed into bright, warm tones. Unlike the dusty ruins, Eun-chan awakened in a dreamlike space where spring cherry blossoms and autumn leaves intermingled.
Behind Eun-chan as he surveyed his surroundings, Ha-ru and Tae-hyun in casual campus wear came running to greet him. When the camera panned to the opposite side, the remaining members, including Ha-jin, were captured on a rounded hillside, waving their hands as they waited for Eun-chan.
Soon, a synchronized dance sequence erupted with a rhythm that burst like fireworks.
We’re running,
Running Over the Moonlight
‘Wow, this guy can really sing.’
A pleasant high-toned voice carrying a hint of huskiness flowed through the melody with refreshing clarity. Ha-won, who had meticulously followed Miro Maze, recognized it as Si-woo’s voice.
The chorus, with its wistful and exhilarating sentiment that seemed ready to burst forth as a crowd chant at the university festival as the sun set, suited even Ha-won’s rather discerning musical taste.
In contrast to the song’s atmosphere, the choreography the members performed in the music video was an intriguing point—tightly packed and densely constructed, leaving no room for the eye to grow bored.
Holding a star, I turn toward you
(Over and Over)
It’s okay even if I wander a little
It Doesn’t Matter
With refreshing music as the backdrop, the members living joyful, happy everyday lives were portrayed with sensual, rapid transitions.
When a scene appeared of them in sporty attire, divided into two teams of three, playing basketball, Ha-won recalled the time Ha-jin had been so absorbed in basketball that he’d pestered me to join him.
Ha-jin on screen, wearing a white shirt and loose denim jacket, showed that his skill hadn’t diminished—he nimbly sidestepped Do-ha and Yoo Gun with flashy dribbling before executing a dunk.
[Whistle blares―!]
As Tae-hyun, serving as referee, blew his whistle and declared victory, Ha-ru and Eun-chan, on Ha-jin’s team, bounced excitedly and rushed toward him, clinging to him in celebration. Unable to bear the weight, Ha-jin tumbled down, and the remaining members, playfully facing each other, charged toward the fallen Ha-jin and built a human pyramid.
As Do-ha and Yoo Gun’s rhythmic rap connected beyond that, I felt as though I were watching a scene from a bright, spirited coming-of-age film.
We Running,
Running Over the Midnight
This time, Ha-jin’s voice—far more refined and smooth than what I usually heard in the karaoke room—carried the chorus melody. His soft yet powerful baritone, distinct from Si-woo’s huskiness, gave the same melody an entirely different feel.
With the somewhat biased thought that his voice was still the most comfortable to listen to, Ha-won refocused on the music video.
It was a scene where the members, who had careened through an empty mart in shopping carts, now strolled through the nighttime streets carrying food they’d gathered. Ha-jin, with red hair and silver piercings, approached Eun-chan, who stood at the back walking slowly, with a meaningful expression.
Holding a star, I turn toward you
(Over and Over)
Even if darkness falls for a moment, don’t be afraid
It Doesn’t Matter
[…?]
[….]
Ha-jin held out a single card to Eun-chan.
As Eun-chan flipped the card over, the words 【Remember Me】 were written in crimson letters across the Ace of Spades. When Eun-chan looked up at Ha-jin with a questioning gaze, Ha-jin offered a smile so bright it was almost sorrowful.
And then the scene shifted once more.
We will finally
overcome this night
From that point on, the story within the music video unfolded at a rapid pace.
Eun-chan returned to the Ruins, while the colorless members passed through him, their expressions and memories stripped away.
It seemed that Ha-ru and Si-woo, along with the other members, each had their own roles to play, but the scenes changed so quickly that Ha-won couldn’t quite grasp each one.
Ha-won let out a small gasp of admiration at the close-up of Si-woo, whose face bore the unmistakable weight of a story untold, and made a quiet mental note to ask his hyung directly what this was all about next time.
A bitterly blue
morning arrives
The red progress bar had already passed two-thirds of the video’s length.
Just as the story within the music video gradually approached its climax, the song itself seemed to be slowly reaching its highlight.
A memory like a dream,
lets me breathe
Eun-chan repeatedly lit the lighter, trying to reach beyond that hazy boundary between fantasy and reality, but the lighter soon broke, leaving him unable to see even that.
As Eun-chan, trapped alone in the Ruins, fell into despair, Ha-ru’s golden hair appeared from nowhere, guiding Eun-chan forward like the White Rabbit had guided Alice into Wonderland. That afterimage that began with Ha-ru soon transformed into Si-woo, then Do-ha, then Yoo Gun, then Tae-hyun.
Wait for me
Right now, I’m coming to you
A breathless ad-lib in a piercing high note burst forth in harmony, and the final chorus repeated alongside the Band’s sound crashing down like a meteor shower.
And after running for so long, Eun-chan had finally reached the starting point of that long, endless Hallway from the teaser.
【FIND ME】
The same words written on the card Ha-jin had given him were sprayed across the Hallway’s wall.
Upon discovering it, Eun-chan ran forward with all his might toward the end of the Hallway. As if to obstruct him, the Hallway began to crumble slowly, yet Eun-chan’s powerful sprint was intercut with the images of the other members, all except Ha-jin.
We Running,
Running Over the Lonely Night
Ad-libs and layered vocals filled the earphones, making the sound seamless and complete.
At last, as Eun-chan reached the end of the Hallway, a towering, magnificent card castle appeared before him. And there, waiting for Eun-chan in front of it, stood Ha-jin with his crimson hair, turning his body and smiling softly.
Holding stars, heading toward you
(Over and Over)
The members’ voices exchanged back and forth, line by line, as if in a vocal battle, bringing out both the song’s charm and the story’s immersion.
As Eun-chan, breathing heavily, slowly approached Ha-jin, Ha-jin vanished like a mirage in an instant, leaving only the Ace of Spades card he had given and a new Zippo lighter in his place.
No matter what obstruction comes
It Doesn’t Matter
Eun-chan picked up the card inscribed with 【Remember Me】, and as if he now understood exactly how to use it, he lit the card with the lighter and threw it toward the massive card castle wall before him.
We would eventually
overcome this night,
a towering card castle engulfed in flames.
Ruins crumbling to dust.
Eun-chan watching it all collapse within the ruins world, and six band members in full costume standing in reality.
As the camera pulled back, the text “OVER THE NIGHT” appeared in cursive script across the screen, and the video ended.
‘…It’s like a movie.’
The final scene felt exactly like a game cinematic, and that’s when Ha-won was about to close the video.
Zzzi, Ziizzz―
It wasn’t over yet?
Suddenly, white noise crackled through the earbuds, and Ha-won checked the screen again.
This time, a different space appeared—neither as cold and dreary as the ruins from before, nor as excessively dreamlike as that ambiguous realm, but rather a realistically color-graded environment.
Someone was shown in close-up reading a single red, luxurious book. The vivid sound effects seemed to whisper that ‘this place is the real reality.’
-Dan Ha-ru! What are you doing?
With the spatial audio expertly crafted, a voice calling out to Ha-ru came through the right earphone.
The camera switched, and Ha-ru—with calm black hair like the boy in the ruins—appeared in his school uniform, lifting his head toward those who had called him.
Just like Ha-ru, six other boys in school uniforms, each styled in their own way, were waiting for him from across the space.
-Come on. Let’s play a game of basketball.
-Ah, yes! I’m coming now.
Ha-ru nodded, closed his book, stood up, and walked toward them.
Yet the camera remained fixed, capturing the empty classroom and the single book on the desk. Beyond it, the audio of seven boys chattering and joking around faded softly in the background.
-…But you know what.
The camera slowly zoomed in on the desk where Ha-ru had been sitting, and Ha-jin’s narration from the teaser played once more.
-Does that even matter?
As the frame drew closer, it moved toward the cover of the book Ha-ru had been reading.
The title on the book’s cover—elegantly designed with a red background, black patterns, and gold trim—was emphasized.
-Take a guess.
【OVER THE NIGHT】
-What’s real?
Then the sound of flames burning and something crumbling mixed together, fading to black.
A “Watch Again” button appeared on the dark screen, signaling the end of the video.
“….”
Ha-won clicked the video to pause it, preventing autoplay of the next one.
His impression after watching his hyung’s first song and music video….
‘I have no idea what any of it means.’
Yeah. It was difficult. Very.
No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed wisest to contact hyung later and ask him to explain the plot.
‘…But the song was really good.’
Not just because it was hyung’s song, but the track itself was genuinely easy to listen to and entertaining.
It even gave me that nostalgic feeling of listening to anime OSTs from childhood… and since someone with zero interest in K-POP like me enjoyed it, wasn’t this a well-made song?
Our hyung: Hey
Our hyung: Hey
Our hyung: Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
While I was lost in such thoughts, my hyung’s messenger notification chimed once more—the same hyung who’d supposedly gone into his schedule.
【???】
【Said he was going into his schedule】
【Our hyung: Caught a break and came to the Waiting Room】
【…? But why】
Ha-won wondered what his hyung wanted this time, and headed into the Academy Classroom while waiting for his response. Fortunately, class hadn’t started yet.
【Our hyung: How’s my song】
【Our hyung: How is it】
【Our hyung: Did you watch the music video】
【Our hyung: It’s insane right】
【I’m starting class now】
【Our hyung: You didn’t watch it】
【Our hyung: Did you or didn’t you】
【Our hyung: You did right?? lol】
【Our hyung: It’s crazy】
【Our hyung: Tell me it’s insane already】
【Our hyung: My hands are shaking right now】
Anyway, such a fuss.
Ha-won let out an amused snort at his hyung’s trivial reason for messaging.
After a moment’s thought, he quickly typed out a response.
【It’s insane】
【The music video was cool too】
【Your part was the best】
【I’m heading to class now】
【Later】
…I’ll ask about the music video interpretation later, whatever.
Ha-won shrugged and hurriedly turned off his phone before his hyung could respond.
He could only hope that these few awkward words might serve as a small encouragement to his hyung.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————