Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 465

—————

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

—————

465. A Certain Resolution (1)
When I opened my eyes the next morning, Seo Tae-hyun had already left for filming.
After finishing my preparations and stepping outside, I heard a commotion coming from the large indoor gymnasium in front of the Training Center. Since I had some time before Kwon Wook arrived, I headed toward the gymnasium to greet everyone. The first Assistant Director to recognize me appeared to be urgently searching for my senior.
“Ah, Ha-jin! You really worked hard yesterday. I heard you counseled the kids about their worries until dawn!”
The Main Writer, upon hearing the news, rushed out from the monitoring station and greeted me in bare feet.
I wasn’t Seo Tae-il or Nam Da-down, and honestly, I didn’t think I had enough experience yet to receive this kind of superstar treatment. Apparently, they’d had some difficulty securing guest appearances, so the fact that I’d rolled in on my own and voluntarily worked overtime made me seem incredibly valuable to them.
“No, I enjoyed it too. How is Tae-hyun?”
“He’s filming inside right now. Seriously, we couldn’t have run this program without Tae-hyun. He’s a blessing, a real blessing.”
Even though I recognized the praise flowing naturally about Seo Tae-hyun in front of me as lip service, I felt good about it. Peeking through the gap in the door, I could see Seo Tae-hyun in a pink athletic uniform, a whistle in his mouth, officiating the match with a serious expression.
Finding his earnest demeanor amusing, I took a photo with my phone. The Main Writer in front of me licked his lips nervously. I could clearly sense his worry that I might thoughtlessly post the photo on SNS and spoil the show.
“I’ll upload it after the finals are done. You don’t need to worry.”
“Ah… I was too obvious with my eyes, wasn’t I? Survival programs require strict security, so it’s become a habit.”
“I’m a Survival Program alumnus too, so I understand. Ah, you can go inside if you’d like. I really just came to see Tae-hyun’s face before my manager arrives.”
“Still, you’re our special teacher… Ah, PD!”
“…?”
The Main Writer greeted someone behind me, and when I turned around, two men holding paper cups were ambling toward us from a distance.
One was a familiar face, and the other was a stranger. I first extended my hand for a handshake to the one I knew, maintaining proper etiquette.
“Hello, PD. I didn’t get to greet you properly yesterday.”
“Ah, what’s with the formalities between us? I was grateful yesterday. The staff were full of praise for you.”
Choi Producer, who was working with Seo Tae-hyun for the third time—first with Boy’s World Season 1, then A-Countdown, and now Boy’s World 2—grasped my hand with his characteristic warm smile.
The last time we’d spoken was right after the “Seo Tae-hyun Boy’s World Manipulation Beneficiary Theory” scandal had erupted. Back then, I’d made it implicitly clear that he should keep quiet about it, so it would have been understandable if he felt uncomfortable. But Choi Producer showed no such hesitation and treated me warmly.
After exchanging brief pleasantries, Choi Producer introduced me to the stranger beside him.
“CP, this is Kang Ha-jin from Kairos. Ha-jin, this is our program’s CP.”
“Ah, hello. I’m Kang Ha-jin from Kairos. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”
“Of course I know. You’re Tae-hyun’s leader, right? That second-place guy.”
The man, who looked unmistakably like a curmudgeon, put on airs and acted as if he already knew me. Given that he held the position of CP for Boy’s World, he was likely a high-ranking executive with considerable seniority at Ntv, so I nodded steadily without any unnecessary confrontation.
“That’s right. Tae-hyun was first, and I was second.”
“That Tae-hyun kid is really something, I tell you. He’s useful no matter where you put him. The kid knows how to create drama. Honestly, just looking at your face, I thought you’d come in first. Tsk, that Tae-hyun benefited quite a bit from the character I created for him during Boy’s World.”
See? Total curmudgeon.
Every time he spoke, rudeness poured out as naturally as breathing. Even the Main Writer and Choi Producer beside him were taken aback.
The only one unfazed by that torrent of rudeness was me.
“Ah, were you the PD during Boy’s World? I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware.”
“That’s my work, didn’t you know? I was the one who picked Tae-hyun too. Didn’t he tell you?”
“Ah, why bring up a survival program that’s already over? Ah, PD. Didn’t we say we wanted to ask the CP’s opinion about that finals scheduling matter when he was here? We need to wrap it all up today before you head to Seoul.”
“Ah, that’s right. Let’s have a quick meeting before you leave, hyung. We have quite a bit to show you today.”
The Main Writer and Choi Producer smoothly changed the subject with perfect timing. The Main Writer, displaying discomfort across his entire body, glanced back at me with a meaningful look.
“You need to head out soon too, right? Where did your manager say he was?”
“…Ah, he should be arriving any moment now. He said he’s at the entrance.”
“Go on, go. I’ll see you out. PD, CP, let’s head to the conference room.”
“No, I can go alone. CP, thank you for meeting today. If we get another chance to meet, I’ll come by with Tae-hyun.”
Kwon Wook hadn’t reached out yet, but I played along well enough, appreciating the Main Writer’s earnest efforts to extract me from this situation.
The old-fashioned CP, who’d initially shown his displeasure, seemed to have softened a bit at my respectful bow, and he pulled out a business card from his pocket to hand to me, maintaining his pompous demeanor to the very end.
“Well, sure. It’s good to keep in touch. Let’s meet again next time.”
“Yes, please be careful going in. PD, Writer, I’ll head in first. Please take good care of Tae-hyun until the very end.”
“Yes, yes, go on in, Ha-jin.”
I accepted the old-fashioned CP’s business card in one hand and left without hesitation.
As I walked slowly toward the entrance where the parking lot was located, the thoughtful Kwon Wook sent me a message at just the right moment, telling me to come out since he’d arrived. I hurried to the parking lot and spotted the company van, which had somehow become even more welcome in just a day.
“Hello there―.”
“Oh my, our special teacher. You must be exhausted, absolutely exhausted.”
“Well, well, who do we have here? Isn’t this Jung Kwon-uk, the manager who abandoned the artist and came to Seoul alone? How was your journey leaving me behind? Did you sleep well?”
“Of course. I slept from 7 PM last night just to pick you up early today, little brother.”
“….”
“…No, how can I compete with Tae-hyun? He said he wouldn’t film unless I took the car out right now and didn’t go to Seoul. Right? But we have to film, don’t we, since he’s the main MC! We even had a special mentor contract at the beginning of our program….”
The moment I got into the van, I stared at Kwon Wook, who’d abandoned me, and he began rambling excuses, his own feet having betrayed him.
As I watched with my arms crossed to see how far he’d go, Kwon Wook caught my eye in the rearview mirror and pulled something out from the passenger seat with a determined expression.
“…?”
“I’m sorry. Tae-hyun promised so confidently that he’d cheer you up. But after hearing from the writer, it sounds like you worked really hard out there, right? Good is good, isn’t it~”
What Kwon Wook handed me was a chocolate frappuccino and homemade cookie set from my favorite cafe brand. He’d even attached ice packs around the tumbler to make sure the drink wouldn’t melt.
Accepting this thoughtful gesture, I found myself momentarily at a loss for words.
Thinking my heart still hadn’t softened, Kwon Wook added a few more words in an awkward tone, as if making excuses.
“And, you know. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately, right? Yesterday I went to the company and told everyone that you were on strike too, so they should handle their own work. People, they’re all salary workers themselves, but they have this habit of subtly dumping things on you that they could handle themselves.”
“….”
“No, but, I really didn’t know I was coming. You prepared the snacks anyway. When I got there, Tae-hyun just handed me the car keys and told me to take it out. I’m sorry, you must have been really confused, right? Next time I’ll definitely tell you first before taking the car….”
“…Ha, unbelievable.”
“…?”
Only now did I realize that the calls that had been pouring in until I was in Seoul had been quiet since yesterday.
The work messenger that would pile up dozens of messages with just a blink, and even the Kairos group chat that should have been plastered with trivial gossip—all of it had been silent.
I found it ridiculous that I was only now realizing all that silence had been consideration for me.
“…You’re really touching me, seriously.”
I thought I hadn’t shown it, but the fact that everyone had known about my condition all along was slightly embarrassing, and yet deeply grateful.
And I felt foolish for still hesitating and wavering even with such people by my side.
Taking a bite of the whipped cream packed tightly in the tumbler, I handed the business card that the old-fashioned CP had given me earlier to Kwon Wook.
“…? What’s this? A business card?”
“He said he was the CP of Boy’s World, and he was really bragging about how he picked and raised Seo Tae-hyun. Just in case, you keep it.”
“Ah, so this is Kim Hak-seung, the former main PD of Boy’s World? But his reputation is terrible. Try not to get involved with him if you can.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Tae-hyun doesn’t seem to have good memories with him either.”
Just moments ago he’d been busy making excuses and explanations to me, but the moment work came up, his attitude shifted instantly.
Nodding at this unexpected information, I dipped the homemade cookie he’d given me deep into the whipped cream and took another bite. As the sweetness spread across my mouth, my sleepy brain jolted awake as if startled, and my eyes flew wide open.
“…Hyung.”
“Yeah. Shall we head out?”
“Next time, you have to tell me before you take off, okay? I need time to grab my toothbrush and toothpaste—have some humanity about it.”
I answered in my usual playful tone while chewing through a cookie, and noticing my mood had lifted, Kwon Wook finally relaxed and laughed before pressing down on the accelerator.
“Alright, alright. From now on, I’ll definitely tell you before I take off. …I can’t promise I won’t take off without telling you, so I’m sorry about that.”
“Come on, who can beat Seo Tae-hyun? Even the CEO couldn’t.”
I waved my hand dismissively and gazed out at the scenery shifting in real time beyond the window. The car wound through the short downtown streets before merging onto the familiar highway. The Training Center fell behind us.
Kwon Wook glanced at me sideways as he was about to set the navigation to the Company.
“Oh, Ha-jin. Where do you want to go? Since there’s no special schedule today, if you don’t want to go to the Company, we could head to the Dormitory and you could rest a bit. Want me to take you there?”
At Kwon Wook’s question about our destination, I paused to think for a moment.
Then I checked my messenger list one more time—still no notifications—before opening my mouth.
“Where is Lee Do-ha right now?”
“Ah… he’s probably at the Practice Room with Yoo Gun. Lately, I don’t know what he’s up to, but it seems like he’s been practicing dance there every day.”
Kwon Wook clicked his tongue, remarking that he was truly impressive too.
I swallowed another cookie whole and announced my destination.
“Hyung, take me to the Studio. And tell Lee Do-ha I have something to say to him—have him come to the Studio when we arrive.”
“The Studio? Are you starting on the song right away?”
“…I saw what Lee Do-ha is doing.”
Now that I had my answer, it was time to act.
Watching the navigation display the Studio’s location, I sucked down the overly sweet Frappuccino in long pulls.

—————

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

—————