Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 213

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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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213. WELCOME. YOUR FIRST FAN SIGNING, RIGHT? (1)
A fan signing event.
What exactly was that?
Having dabbled in fandom across genres back in the day, I naturally had considerable interest in fan signing events within the K-pop Idol Market.
Besides, I’d been a trainee myself—there was no way I wouldn’t be interested.
In my previous timeline, I’d actually won a video call fan signing event exactly once!
Back when I worked as a Main PD, there was a cast member who was genuinely kind and sincere, but whose career had taken a turn toward what people called “flop idol” status. When their comeback album banner appeared on an online site, I bought just one copy as a gesture of support—and wouldn’t you know it, I won.
‘I mean, seriously, who expects a single album purchase to win anything, even for a flop idol?’
So did I actually do the video call fan signing?
Even if I classified myself as a male fan, I had no desire to awkwardly video call for three whole minutes with a cast member I’d worked with before, separated only by a phone screen.
I imagined they felt the same way.
So I personally contacted the fan signing organizers to say I couldn’t attend, and passed the opportunity to someone else.
…Though I have no idea if there was even a next person in line.
‘This job really is like a candle in the wind, isn’t it.’
Anyway, back to the main point.
What exactly is a fan signing event?
Literally speaking, it means “an event where you meet fans and give them autographs,” but in the K-pop Idol Market, this event carries a different significance.
A signature on paper in permanent marker? That’s irrelevant.
What matters is that I get to meet my idol one-on-one and have N minutes of two-way interaction.
Countless K-pop fans pour hundreds of thousands—sometimes tens of millions—of won into these “N-minute conversations.” And even after spending that much, not everyone gets a chance at these “N minutes.”
‘So naturally, those who win want to get their money’s worth.’
It’s not just because they’re idol fans—any person would want to get appropriate returns on their investment, wouldn’t they?
That’s why idols are evaluated differently among their fans depending on how well they understand this desperation and what kind of “fan service” they provide.
So what was I trying to say with all this preamble?
“H-Ha-jin hyung…. You l-look…. really g-good….”
“Ugh…. That’s debatable.”
“Yoo Gun hyung! I told you to keep quiet about that…! Ha-jin hyung’s going to cry!!”
“…Everyone can hear you, you idiots.”
So the reason I’m sitting here looking like this right now is purely fan service—for the fans who spent their time, money, and heart just to see me.
I swung the pink magic wand in my hand with a flourish. The pink cape draped over my shoulders and the pink fairy wings on my back fluttered with the motion.
The silver cubic zirconia tiara on my head started to slip, so I grabbed it with my hand, and all the rings on my fingers got tangled between the tiara and my hair.
I fumbled with my other hand trying to untangle it, but the sparkly lace gloves I was wearing made my fingertips clumsy, and it wouldn’t come free.
‘My hands aren’t even that small, so where on earth did they get a size like this?’
Eventually, after struggling unsuccessfully, reality hit me, and I tapped Seo Tae-hyun, who was sitting next to me, with my hand still stuck in my hair.
“…What?”
“Get this off me. It’s caught.”
“Are you a baby, hyung…? Why can’t you just sit still?”
Seo Tae-hyun sighed in exasperation but reached up to untangle it anyway. He even carefully straightened my messy hair and tiara, so I just kept my eyes closed and waited.
“All done.”
“Thanks.”
Somewhere in the middle, something had gotten mixed up, and I picked up the microphone as I watched the next fan who was supposed to get a signature sitting in front of Lee Do-ha, who was in the second position.
“Everyone. Is this really what you all want…?”
Then, as if they were singing in unison, a chorus of “Yeah~!!” came back in response.
“I see…. I understand….”
So this was intentional.
Not a mistake—it was planned.
After being hit with that confirmation, I felt oddly deflated, so I waved the magic wand I was holding once more. With a *plink* sound, the transparent heart bead hanging from the center spun around, and that was what really got to me.
I was making eye contact with the cameras filming me in resignation when I heard labored breathing from beside me.
“Kgh…. Ugh….”
“Hngh, hah….”
“…If you’re going to do that, just laugh, you bastards.”
Dan Ha-ru, wearing an angel halo headband with angel wings, and Yoo Gun, draped in a black three-stripe Adidas jersey, collapsed onto the table and convulsed with laughter. Yoo Gun even started tapping the table with his hand.
I pushed up the heart-shaped sunglasses I was wearing and hardened my expression.
“Are you laughing at the princess fairy right now?”
“Hahaha! Ah, please stop making me laugh…!”
Was this a direct hit to his taste?
Watching Yoo Gun laugh almost to the point of tears as he pleaded with me, I clicked my tongue.
However, that laughter of Yoo Gun’s didn’t last even ten minutes.
“Yoo Gun. Can’t you just do this for me once? It’s my wish, please.”
“….”
Yoo Gun’s pupils, having received an incredibly long and ornately lace-decorated fox ear headband, wavered without focus. In truth, that was on the weaker side among fan sign items, but what really got Yoo Gun excited(?) was the large, fluffy fox fur gloves and the bell-adorned collar—or rather, ribbon—that came with it from the fan.
I waved the magic wand as annoyingly as possible while covering my mouth with my hand.
“Oh my. That might cause some controversy, wouldn’t it?”
“Kang Ha-jin, stop smirking and speak.”
“Ribbit.”
In defiance of Seo Tae-hyun’s jab, I pouted my lips, but our contrarian paid me no mind and was busy grooming himself with a hand mirror.
True to someone born to do this sort of thing, Seo Tae-hyun neatly adjusted the veil on his head, took the bouquet the fan had gifted him, and naturally struck a pose.
Meanwhile, beside him, Yoo Gun, who had briefly malfunctioned, had returned with his capitalist-filtered, ecological eyes back in place.
“Of course, noona. But isn’t that a dinosaur? Our staff hyungs always use dinosaur emojis.”
“There was a dinosaur too, but it wasn’t pretty enough…. I think the fox really suits you, Yoo Gun!”
“But my hands are busy signing right now. Noona, will you put the headband on me?”
“Me, me…!?”
Yoo Gun casually tilted his head toward the fan without hesitation. The fan holding the headband trembled as she placed it on Yoo Gun’s head. In the meantime, Yoo Gun, who had finished signing the album, lifted his head and flashed that delinquent smile that made the noona’s go crazy.
“Does it look good on me?”
“Uh…huh….”
That little capitalist who sold his soul….
Whether it was an act or instinct, it was terrifying either way.
‘Come to think of it. Before debut gave me a headache, he really did seem to have that kind of personality originally.’
I recalled how Yoo Gun had playfully teased Seo Tae-hyun at the sports day, and I nodded to myself in understanding.
In the meantime, the fan who had finished the signature session with Yoo Gun hesitantly made their way over to me.
I paused to consider my options.
Should I follow Yoo Gun’s lead and go with the exciting crush concept?
Or should I adopt the warm, familiar older brother next door persona—like we’d known each other for the past three years?
[System Alert: The System shakes its head, recommending neither option. (Reason: Your current appearance)]
Ah, right.
Yoo Gun’s flirtation had made me forget what I actually looked like right now.
‘Hmm. There’s no way I can pull off the exciting crush concept looking like this.’
I made a deliberate decision, struck a pose while sitting, and waved my magic wand at the older female fan sitting across from me.
“Hello, noona. This is your first time meeting the fairy princess, right?”
“H-hello, Ha-jin….”
“Feel free to smile—the fairy princess understands, you know.”
“Ugh….”
Wait. Did I debut as a comedian instead of an idol?
Watching everyone struggle to hold back their laughter whenever they looked at me, I felt an odd pressure to do something even funnier.
‘Since it’s come to this, should I just go all out?’
…But if I started performing tricks right now, the stubborn brat sitting next to me would definitely grab the back of my neck, so I decided to restrain myself.
I examined the album index that Yoo Gun had handed over.
“Hmm… husband, baby, older brother….”
“What do you think Ha-jin is?”
“Um, Team Leader?”
“Wow. How did you know?”
“That’s Kang Team Leader’s nickname, isn’t it? That much is easy.”
I smiled as if it were nothing and pulled the heart-shaped sunglasses up onto my head. When I opened the index, I saw a photo of myself sitting on top of a basketball hoop wearing a blue jacket. While I was signing it, the fan started the conversation.
“Ha-jin. But you know what? I’m curious about something.”
“Yes? Go ahead. What is it?”
“Is there any content about how you decided on your leader?”
…What?
“…I’m not sure. Why?”
My hand trembled slightly as I was signing. The moment I heard the question, something immediately came to mind, but I maintained a poker face to hide it as much as possible.
Then the fan giggled and spoke.
“Well, when we asked Ha-ru earlier while getting his signature, we asked who the leader was. He said you hadn’t decided yet.”
“…Yes.”
“But Ha-ru’s eyes sparkled so brightly, and he said he wouldn’t spoil anything anymore. He said the older members told him to answer that it’s a spoiler when people ask about things like this… but doesn’t that mean something’s going on?”
“….”
“….”
At that answer, Seo Tae-hyun beside me dropped the pen he was holding. Then he quietly leaned back and glared at Dan Ha-ru, who was doing fan signs far away, with blazing eyes.
“…Dan Ha-ru. One additional hour of spoiler prevention training when we get back to the Dormitory.”
“How impressive… he was just doing what he learned….”
“Really? Is there really something?”
The fan was shocked at our exchange. I took off the sunglasses I was wearing on my head with a serious expression, hung them around my neck, and brought the magic wand I was holding right in front of the fan’s eyes.
“Look here, noona.”
“Huh?”
“You won’t remember this conversation. Once you pass by, you’ll forget everything—even Ha-ru’s spoiler.”
“W-what…?”
“Poof, it all vanishes~”
I waved my magic wand with desperate eyes that pleaded, *Please keep this secret. If this spreads, we’re really in trouble.* The fan who understood my meaning giggled and nodded. Then she handed me a shopping bag she’d brought as a fan gift and spoke.
“Got it. If you wear this, I absolutely won’t say a word. I won’t post it anywhere—only I’ll know.”
“At this point, there’s nothing I can’t wear. You could give me a jeogori and I’d probably put it on.”
“Really?”
“I’m lying. A fairy princess like me is actually quite picky about what she wears.”
For a moment, I caught a glimmer of madness flash across noona’s eyes. I straightened my expression and corrected myself, peering into the shopping bag.
Given that the example was a jeogori, and considering I was already sporting cheap silver earrings dangling from my ears, I wasn’t surprised by anything anymore—
“…?”
“Isn’t it cute? You have to wear it later, okay? I’ll bring something cooler next time!”
—or so I thought, but that didn’t mean I was actually happy about a Snow White princess dress, noona.
‘Is my image really okay like this?’
The apple included as a detail looked unusually fresh today. Damn it.

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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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