Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 217

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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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217. King Maker (1)
【The Catalyst】
Boom!
With the sound effect, white text flew across the black background and struck home.
And with a rewind symbol (◀◀), time reversed to show footage from that day when we were recruiting Dan Ha-ru as a spy for Kairos’s experimental camera.
A brief break given for setup.
Main PD Kwon Myung-eun asked Dan Ha-ru, who was skillfully peeling and munching on the rice cakes the production team had prepared.
-Oh, right. But who’s the leader of Kairos? Hasn’t that been decided yet?
-Usually, isn’t that kind of thing decided by the company before debut?
Kwon PD and Go Writer’s gazes turned toward Ha-ru simultaneously.
Dan Ha-ru, who had just finished one rice cake and was reaching for the Choco Pie wrapper beside it, froze at those words. Then, after pondering something for a moment, his eyes widened in surprise.
-Huh? Now that you mention it… who’s our leader…?
Then, with a click, the screen transitioned.
This time, it was a scene from the day the production team was calling Ji Su-ho to confirm the experimental camera date.
【Production Team: Ah, Executive Director. We had something we were curious about.】
【Kairos Executive Director: Yes, yes. Go ahead.】
【Production Team: Does Kairos not have a separate leader? When we asked Ha-ru, he said he didn’t know….】
【Kairos Executive Director: Ah, yes. We don’t have one yet.】
And immediately after, Ji Su-ho’s explanation followed.
【Kairos Executive Director: We typically have a tendency to decide on a leader after doing some activities first. Because the image that appears on the surface can be different from the person’s actual nature.】
【Production Team: I see.】
【Kairos Executive Director: In the case of Endway, there’s still no official leader. Everyone thinks it’s Yeon-u, but it’s not official.】
【Production Team: Ah, so Kairos could end up like that too…?】
【Kairos Executive Director: Well, it would be the kids’ choice, wouldn’t it? We’re thinking of having a talk about it soon, but….】
Then Go Writer, who was on the call, sparkled with interest and dangled the bait.
【Production Team: Executive Director. What if we decided on that leader selection together with us?】
【Kairos Executive Director: Pardon?】
【Production Team: How about deciding it on Today’s Kairos? The Kairos leader.】
【Kairos Executive Director: Ah…. Yes, well. Let’s do that.】
Thus, the theme of Today’s Kairos was decided!
【The Grand Operation to Select the Kairos Leader!】
And below it, a small note was added.
【…But since this alone wouldn’t fill the runtime, we added various other things ^♡^】
The screen transitioned once more.
A cozily decorated classroom set came into view, and standing in front of the teacher’s desk was Seo Tae-hyun, wearing a yellow training suit that looked oddly familiar.
-Hmm…. The kids should be arriving soon.
Then, cartoon graphics were overlaid on Tae-hyun’s shot, and a caption appeared like a character introduction.
【Seo Tae-hyun, Saegim High School PE Teacher】
【Special Feature: 100m Sprint Record of 18 Seconds】
【Dislikes: Physical Education】
Oh my god, Tae-hyun lolololololololololol
– What if the physical education teacher hates physical education? ㅠㅠ!! Hahahahahahaha
– Idol Athletic Games competitor ranked #1 with zero injury concerns
Tae-hyun, playing the teacher role, tapped his shoulder with an imaginary cane and opened the attendance book.
Just then, the back door of the classroom burst open and someone appeared.
– Me. Making an entrance.
【Jeong Si-u, Saekkim High School Returning Student (3 years behind)】
【Special Talent: Being Handsome】
【Hobby: Being Handsome】
Tousled hair and a bandage stuck on his nose.
It was Jeong Si-u, wearing only a white short-sleeved shirt with a shirt draped over it, a beer-shaped lollipop in his mouth.
– Damn, the first student already looks intense;
– Our Si-woo’s been having fun again
– High school is 3 years, so if he’s 3 years behind, doesn’t that mean he just didn’t go to school…?
– Kairos’s oldest member openly listing his hobby as being handsome, his visuals are insane
└ Because that’s ‘Jeong Si-u’…
Jeong Si-u, who usually had all sorts of charming handsome attributes—the student council president, the first love senior, the kind club president—layered onto his character.
With this delinquent concept he was showing for the first time, real-time comments flooded in at rapid speed.
Jeong Si-u, who kicked through the back door, greeted Seo Tae-hyun with the lollipop still in his mouth.
– Hey, teacher.
– Oh. H-hello. Si-woo… You’re early? Sit wherever you’re comfortable.
Then Jeong Si-u, who had been thinking for a moment, trudged forward and sat down right in front of the teacher’s desk. Seo Tae-hyun whispered in a flustered voice.
– …Hyung. If you’re doing a delinquent concept, shouldn’t you be sitting in the back row?
– Really? I’ve never done delinquent before, so I wouldn’t know.
– No, I haven’t done it either, but usually that’s how it goes…? But why did you say you’d do it if you didn’t know?
– Just seemed fun. You just cause a ruckus, right?
– …That’s not a delinquent, that’s a gangster.
– Is it?
Jeong Si-u answered innocently, shrugged his shoulders, pushed his chair back, and crossed his legs. Seeing that Si-woo showed no intention of moving seats, Tae-hyun asked in a puzzled voice.
– You’re not going to the back?
– Nope. I like sitting here.
– Why…?
– I just like this spot?
– I see…
Tae-hyun nodded as if he understood.
Then, through the classroom door that Jeong Si-u had opened, the next student entered.
– What’s that now…?
– Sorry, but please don’t talk to me as it interferes with my reading.
Kang Ha-jin, with bright red hair straightened sleekly with a curling iron and round glasses on, pushed his glasses up and answered curtly. Ha-jin, holding a book in one hand, had buttoned his shirt all the way to the collar, and wore a necktie, knit vest, and school uniform jacket—the very picture of a model student.
Naturally, Ha-jin sat in the window seat at the very back row, and a subtitle appeared next to him.
Kang Ha-jin, Top Student of Sae-kim High School
According to him, this is the first time he’s ever buttoned up his school uniform shirt completely.
He insisted on doing this concept himself.
Seo Tae-hyun asked with a bewildered expression.
-What concept are you going for this time…?
At that question, Ha-jin set down his book on the desk and pushed his glasses up with his hand once more. It felt like a clicking sound effect came from somewhere. Ha-jin answered matter-of-factly.
-Nerd concept.
-What?
-Nerd. Nerd.
-….
-But I’m good at studying. There’s the cliché where my personality changes when I take off my glasses.
-No, Ha-jin, just insisting you’re a nerd doesn’t make you one
-No matter how you look at it, you’re an otaku
The most infuriating part is that he insisted on doing it himself lol
– Kang Ha-jin, you don’t know how to be a model student.
After that, the remaining members appeared in turn.
-Is that you? The nerd from Sae-kim High?
-What, this crazy guy?
Lee Yu-gun appeared with a rose between his teeth, leaning against the classroom’s back door with his arm, brushing back his hair as he played the role of a slick heartthrob. His expression was quite embarrassed, but later he seemed to be enjoying himself so much that he was plucking the petals off the rose and scattering them on himself. (Wait, is this enlightenment…?)
-Why is Eun-chan doing that again.
-His concept is a Band Club boy whose theme is “Music is my life.”
-Who started all these weird concepts anyway? Was it you, Kang Ha-jin?
Ju Eun-chan appeared as a Band Club boy with a headset around his neck and a mint-colored electric guitar strapped to his back. However, since he didn’t know how to play guitar, he struggled with it, and as soon as he brought it out, Jeong Si-u snatched it from him.
Besides that, Lee Do-ha was introduced as a Dance Club member wearing a hoodie, and Dan Ha-ru as a bundle boy with endless snacks coming out of his bag, and they each took their seats.
After all the twists and turns, once everyone was seated, it seemed like it was time to move on to the next segment, so Seo Tae-hyun tapped the teacher’s desk with a back scratcher, tap tap.
-Alright, alright. We’ve been in the same class for 7 years, so let’s start with introductions. Class president, stand up.
-Oh! Teacher! We haven’t elected a class president yet!
Dan Ha-ru raised his hand holding a cream bun, reminding everyone of today’s theme. Seo Tae-hyun nodded and read his next line.
-Is that so? Then we should hold a class president election first. So, who would like to nominate someone to lead this class for the next 7 years?
-7 years as class president? Just kill me instead
-Now that I think about it, I really appreciate how amazing idol leaders are. Seo Tae-il, how did you manage 13 years?
While Destiny was stirring, Kang Ha-jin, who had been stealing snacks from Dan Ha-ru in the back seat, raised his hand.
-Ah, yes. Ha-jin.
-I recommend Jeong Si-u.
-Si-u?
-Since Si-u repeated a grade three times and has been attending for a total of 6 years, he must know this school very well. I believe he will lead us excellently with that proficiency and experience.
The members reacted with an “ooh~” at the clear-cut development. Lee Yu-gun, who had been elected secretary for having pretty handwriting, wrote Jeong Si-u’s name on the blackboard with white chalk.
As if refusing to lose, this time Jeong Si-u raised his hand.
-Teacher. Our class president must absolutely be Ha-jin.
-Ah, what’s the reason?
Jeong Si-u rolled up his sleeves and gazed at Seo Tae-hyun with a wistfully handsome expression, placing one hand over his chest.
-I want to play.
-Huh…?
-The reason I’ve been attending this school for six years without graduating? Because I want to play. How could someone like me, a slacker who irresponsibly enjoys being a student without any sense of responsibility, ever become class president?
-Wait, what?
-On the other hand, our Ha-jin has only been at this school for a short time, and yet! He’s already achieved the remarkable feat of being ranked first in the entire school. That’s why I believe Ha-jin should be class president.
-Ohhh….
This time, scattered applause and exclamations burst out among the members.
Only Seo Tae-hyun, who understood Si-u’s true meaning of “I want to play, so make him do it,” stood there dumbly biting his lips, at a loss for words.
In any case, two names were now written on the blackboard: 【Jeong Si-u】 and 【Kang Ha-jin】.
-Alright. So, does anyone else want to nominate someone or run themselves? If not, should we make these two our candidates?
So it’s Si-woo VS Ha-jin after all, huh? lol
– Am I the only one who thinks Tae-hyun should be the leader? Both of them are kind of out there
– Si-u, don’t say you want to play with such a wistful tone
– Wouldn’t Hajin be better? Normally, when the eldest brother is the leader, it is very difficult for himㅠㅠㅠ
The comments were divided with varying opinions.
Just as the flow was about to continue into a leader-dodging battle between Si-u and Ha-jin.
-Me!
Dan Ha-ru, who had just finished a cream bun and was sharing chocolate snacks, suddenly raised his hand.
-Yeah. Ha-ru.
-I want to run!
-…You, Ha-ru?
At this unexpected candidacy announcement, all the members’ eyes turned toward Ha-ru.
Did our youngest member have a desire for power?
Amid the confused gazes, Dan Ha-ru declared confidently.
-It looks fun watching you guys do it! I want to try too!
-Ah, okay.
Lee Yu-gun wrote down Dan Ha-ru’s name with a bewildered expression.
But the candidate registrations didn’t end there.
-Me, me too!
-Eun-chan…?
-It feels like I’d lose if I didn’t. I want to run too…!
Ju Eun-chan, suddenly seized by competitive spirit, also declared his candidacy.
Already four candidates. Now the number of voters was fewer than the number of candidates.
Lee Yu-gun, who had been playing with chalk, tapped Seo Tae-hyun’s back.
-You do it too.
-What?
-I don’t trust those two older guys.
Then Seo Tae-hyun’s name was written down.
A flustered Seo Tae-hyun playfully smacked Lee Yu-gun’s shoulder in protest.
-What?! Then you do it!
-Why should I? Are you insane?
-Then I’m out!
-I don’t want to.
-Then you get out too!
And so, on Seo Tae-hyun’s recommendation, Lee Yu-gun’s name was written on the blackboard.
Now there were six candidates.
-….
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the one person whose name hadn’t been written on the blackboard.
-What. So if Do-ha hyung chooses, it’s over?
Lee Do-ha, who had been sitting quietly alone observing the situation the whole time, leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.
-Well then. Shall we hear their pledges?
-…!?
And so… the era of the kingmaker, Lee Do-ha, had begun.

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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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