Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 413

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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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413. In Praise of Youth (5)
The concept for “In Praise of Youth,” the sequel to “The End of Youth”—which had been a self-made apocalypse production—was none other than “school ghost stories.”
The music video’s backdrop was roughly set in that world from “The End of Youth” where everything had truly perished, now transformed into an abandoned high school with its doors permanently sealed. The members awoke in different locations throughout the desolate building, searching for one another as they attempted to escape this mysterious abandoned school.
Hide, hide away
Don’t let your hair show
True to its late-blooming horror concept, the members in the music video were relentlessly pursued by something of unknown origin, exploring every corner of the school. While the video refrained from depicting explicit ghosts or creatures, the strange phenomena unfolding throughout classrooms and hallways emerged with high-caliber cinematography and direction.
The skilled director who had worked alongside the group since “Spring Never Comes” composed the music video frames in an American cartoon style, playfully dampening the eerie atmosphere without losing its edge.
Hide, hide away, oh
I can see your hesitation
And matching the music video’s atmosphere and narrative, the members’ performances heavily utilized optical illusions.
They cleverly manipulated their movement patterns to make it appear as though the vocalist had switched mid-song, or used dancers to create the illusion of bodies suspended in air. While certainly more restrained compared to Kairos’s previous performances, these choreography choices were remarkably effective at heightening the song’s immersion.
Match it—truth or lies
If their debut track “Over the Night” had centered on Ju Eun-chan, their subsequent special single “This Isn’t a Carol” on Kang Ha-jin, and their previous title track “Spring Never Comes” on Dan Ha-ru—
Then the center for “A Very Bad Story” belonged to Seo Tae-hyun and Lee Yu-gun.
The two’s soft, languid vocal tones struck a perfect balance, preventing the song from feeling overly deep and heavy, and they executed the tutting movements that appeared frequently as point choreography with the greatest finesse.
The story I’m telling you now
Truth? No, it’s a lie
Seo Tae-hyun’s refreshing smile—the kind that seemed to scatter flower petals just by looking at it—created an extraordinary synergy when meeting the horror concept. The acting ability and expressiveness he’d built through years of practice shone brilliantly in this dramatic context, leaving nothing unsaid.
A night where nothing remains
Your feet wandering to find the door
Lee Yu-gun and Seo Tae-hyun faced each other while performing identical pair choreography. Though commonly called mirror choreography, the moments where the two performed different movements elevated the immersion even further.
During rehearsals, Yu-gun had struggled with eye contact, seeming uncomfortable dancing face-to-face with Seo Tae-hyun. But now, he paid no mind to such concerns, executing his facial expressions naturally in sync with the choreography.
The moon that silently swallowed the light
In a world without a single sound, I
The music video’s narrative, which had appeared to be the members’ escape from the abandoned school, took a sharp turn from the song’s midpoint onward.
The director deliberately assigned each member an ominous scene.
Si-woo’s shadow didn’t appear beneath the moonlight, or Ha-jin’s reflection didn’t show in the mirror as he passed by it—scenes like these. And after depicting these moments that cast suspicion on all seven members, the director conveyed the implication that one of them was responsible for luring the others into this abandoned school.
Amid blooming suspicion
Can we trust each other
Ju Eun-chan’s plaintive vocal tone briefly eased the brutal atmosphere. His pitch-black eyes created an intense contrast against his darkened hair, captivating the audience. His noticeably increased height and frame during the break made one acutely aware of his transition into adulthood.
Emptied, vanished, forgotten, erased, coveted,
Like this—
Dan Ha-ru’s youthful voice burst forth in rapid succession, as if chanting an incantation, before abruptly cutting off.
Then all the members simultaneously lowered their bodies in a crouching stance. With eyes and expressions resembling those of a predator, Lee Yu-gun’s voice cut in sharply, as if interrupting Ha-ru’s song, delivering the next line with fierce intensity.
Hide it, hide it away
Don’t let my shadow show
Remarkably, despite the song having been released only about an hour prior, a massive chorus erupted from the Desty fans in the venue. It was an inevitably catchy melody, and one deliberately crafted to be so.
Feeling the thrill of receiving the anticipated response at the anticipated moment, Ha-jin pushed off the stage and rose to his feet.
The fabricated breakup rumors from earlier had already vanished from his mind. The fans present here too acted as though such trivial matters no longer mattered.
Ha-jin maintained unusually energetic expressions, executing his movements with exaggerated amplitude as he stepped lightly across the stage.
The music accumulated gradually, advancing steadily toward a singular climax.
Bad, Bad Ending Story
In the music video, the Group Members ultimately grew suspicious of one another, interrogated each other, and met an ending where they vanished one by one.
The ending has already been written
Trapped within a whirlwind of events
Suffocating, Oh
From the second half onward, the direction subtly suggested that the true protagonist was Yoo Gun himself, yet even he simply disappeared like an act in the final scene of the music video.
The vanishing truth
Trapped above it all
Lyrics hinting at that ending resonated cleanly and rhythmically through Si-woo’s voice, accompanied by a melodic flow. Like touching a baton, Ha-jin surged forward once more.
Looking back at that place―
Kang Ha-jin had been observing the reactions of Destiny members watching this song live throughout. And the moment he confirmed they were swaying their light sticks with utterly satisfied expressions, he thought to himself.
‘This works.’
At least for today, for everyone who came to this venue, he was satisfied with a song that wouldn’t disappoint them.
Soon, the members’ movements stilled into silence as Ha-jin brought his index finger to his lips and whispered the final words.
And, no one…. (Shhhh)
Really, that would have been enough.
* * *
【Kairos subsequently performed the B-side tracks “Black Paradise” and “The End of the World,” along with approximately 40 minutes of talk segments and mini-games. With comedian Nam Sa-ra’s skilled hosting and the Group Members displaying noticeably improved proficiency compared to their debut showcase and previous comebacks, it was an impressive…】
‘Ji Su-ho must have really tightened things up.’
The morning after the successful comeback showcase.
I scratched my cheek while reading article headlines that didn’t show even a hint of the breakup rumors, with bodies of text that conveyed accurate information and nothing but praise. I’d expected them to crack down on journalists over yesterday’s incident, but seeing it locked down this thoroughly suggested they’d really picked the right moment.
‘We’re going to need to cultivate some journalists who are favorable to us.’
Yesterday’s situation could be seen as the result of multiple unfortunate circumstances piling up. It was like an unexpected incident occurring right when relations with certain media outlets were still rough following the previous hack job scandal.
Even if I died, I had no intention of being the first to signal reconciliation, but still, failing to build favorable relations with the press while working in entertainment was a loss for us in the long run.
“If I had to bring one person to my side, this person appeals to me the most….”
As I scrolled slightly on the laptop trackpad, the title of the article with our name attached that had the highest view count came into sight.
【[Ha Young-seo’s Media View] Kairos’ “In Praise of Youth,” This Time It’s School Legends】
‘Go ahead and perish, all of you.’
There exists an idol group that speaks of love as beautiful, yet sings of world’s end so audaciously that this world without that love deserves complete destruction. Today (the 15th), it’s the story of Miro’s new era, Kairos, who made their comeback.
Though it’s a song sung at Christmas, they insist it’s not a carol, and Kairos, who sang that terrifying song claiming spring doesn’t exist in the age of global warming, has now returned with a mystery horror song to fill the gap between the sweltering summer and cool autumn…
Smooth intro, witty word choice, followed by clear and precise information delivery.
The worldview Kairos creates is actually the anxious adolescent period of youth, the questions and worries they hold about the world they see, and a sharp interpretation of growth itself.
And concluding with an excellent critique that makes one anticipate what kind of world expansion will occur when all of them safely reach adulthood.
If I had to choose someone on my side, one person like this would be worth a hundred of those pathetic hacks from yesterday.
“The problem is how to bring them to my side….”
At least judging by the articles they’ve written about us so far, they seemed to be viewing us from quite a favorable perspective.
Since they were known for being so neutral and sharp, it would be difficult to make them turn their head toward us completely. But if they’d just spare us a glance before writing their next article, that would be a profitable deal.
“…?”
As I scrolled down further, thinking I should ask Ji Su-ho next time if we could establish some kind of connection, one article among the others that followed caught my eye distinctly.
An article titled “Complete Overview of Idol Generations! Let’s Learn the History of Fandom” was a K-POP special feature that neatly organized idol genealogy typically divided into generations like 1st and 2nd, the new N-generation idols currently active, and the characteristics and traits of fans.
‘Not bad.’
The writing quality was solid, and I appreciated the insight in weaving together how fandom culture had evolved across eras alongside societal changes. The research was clearly thorough, and above all, I liked how Kairos was described as “a new universe created by the blending of seven diverse spectrums.”
Curious about who wrote it, I quickly scrolled down to check the journalist’s name, and saw a name and profile photo that felt familiar yet not entirely unfamiliar.
【A Media Han Ji-woo】
“Ah, this person….”
Where had I seen them before?
As I racked my brain over the familiar face, a memory flickered past my mind’s eye.
-I’d appreciate it if you’d go to church for confession.
“Ah.”
That’s the one. The witness to the Ju Eun-chan incident. Fan cosplay.
The moment I remembered who they were, my appetite vanished. The budding interest evaporated just like that. No matter how talented someone might be, there were people worth working with and people worth cutting loose.
I’d heard bits and pieces about this person through Ji Su-ho afterward. Whether they’d actually reflected on things after getting an earful from me in that parking lot, I wasn’t sure. But apparently they’d cooperated fully with the police investigation and been helpful in securing testimony and evidence, which had helped ensure the perpetrator—that garbage journalist—received proper punishment.
I’d also heard they’d delivered a handwritten letter of reflection and apology to Ju Eun-chan. They’d apparently wanted to apologize in person, but the company had blocked any direct meeting out of concern it might affect Ju Eun-chan’s trauma.
“…Anyway, I’ll put this on hold for now.”
It wasn’t like I’d die just because I didn’t have a friendly journalist right now.
I coolly shut my laptop and dove onto the sofa. Kwon Wook would be picking me up in about ten minutes, so I needed to do my best to rest both body and mind until then.
“System. Pull up Bluebird for me. And find a few reactions from our comeback community.”
[The System recognizes the voice of the fixed regressor.]
[Would you like to open the monitoring-only tab?]
“Yeah.”
The voice recognition feature I’d created while Thirteen was away performed as well as any decent AI. Once Kim Thirteen came back, I’d probably brag about it and mess with him over it.
Since I’d never experienced such a long absence before, I was starting to show signs of Thirteen deficiency in my bloodstream. At this rate, the #current-status tag plastered on my life would disappear before long.
It was absurd when they’d slapped it on at their whim, but now that they were trying to take it back just as arbitrarily, I felt a pang of loss. Was this what Stockholm syndrome felt like?
“Ah, forget it. Let’s just monitor.”
I brushed aside the pointless thoughts and refocused on the system window.
Damn, only 9 minutes and 47 seconds left?
An idol’s time was precious—literally worth its weight in gold. I hurriedly scanned the monitoring tab like I was making a deposit.
Mingju
@mingmingzoo
The hometown moving story Yu-gun spilled
Ju Eun-chan and Dan Ha-ru apparently broke one leg of the twin siblings’ desk
It was the twins’ desk
Eun-chan said he’d get them the JDZ premium line
So it’s true that troublemakers who can afford it cause the best kinds of trouble
(Yu-gun spilling the moving story with a complicated expression.mp4)
Retweets 3,299 Quotes 1,245 Likes 4,199
Yoon Chorok
@greenday
Director’s statement about the music video ending dropped
Apparently, the official story is that the director shot it thinking the culprit was the camera—meaning us watching the music video.
But that’s only when it’s in their hands.
What really matters is how the viewers feel about it.
They said they’d be happy if everyone interpreted it however they felt!
(Screenshot from the music video director’s interview.jpg)
Shares: 2,391 | Quotes: 844 | Likes: 1,347
Since I’d already read all this yesterday, I ruthlessly swiped through the tabs. After flipping through a few pages and getting frustrated, I switched the filter to “Latest (Priority) – Popular (Detailed)” and finally, fresh reactions began updating.
“Huh…?”
And what crowned the very top was this.
Kang Dae-jang
@strongJin
Isn’t Destiny’s firepower insane?
This is our first successful defense against freezing
No, seriously, these numbers are a first for us
Guys, are we dreaming right now?????
(Kairos songs listed on real-time charts.jpg)
(Kairos songs listed on top 100 charts.jpg)
(Real-time streaming user count.jpg)
(Music site celebration image.jpg)
Shares: 10K | Quotes: 1,394 | Likes: 13K
In that massively captured screenshot, our songs lined up in perfect rows, dominating both the real-time and top 100 charts of the nation’s largest music platform.
“What is this…?”
1st (
▲
) A Very Bad Story
K:RUS
2nd (-) This Isn’t a Carol
K:RUS
3rd (
▲
) Black Paradise
K:RUS
….
“Is this real…?”
Results I couldn’t believe even seeing them unfold right before my eyes.

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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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