Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 469

—————

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

—————

469. Self-Reliance Under Heaven
So, from Jeong Si-u’s perspective as a third party observing all the circumstances that had led to this situation, his take was this:
‘They’re really going at it.’
It was a humanly relatable sentiment—the kind of person who would have once dismissed even the petty squabbles between same-aged members of the same group as mere “couple’s quarrels.”
The cold war between the two younger members, who had seemed like they would never fight among all of Kairos’s members, was turning out to be somewhat more subdued than he’d anticipated.
‘At this rate… isn’t it just an extension of that whole “Lee Do-ha strike” from before?’
And whether then or now, regardless of what the dispute was about, it was somewhat amusing to see Kang Ha-jin taking the weaker position and squirming uncomfortably.
So even Kang Ha-jin, who carried himself as though he’d done everything under the sun, had his weak points.
“There are more people here than I expected.”
Jeong Si-u, dressed not in a tailored suit but in a plain burgundy knit and black slacks with an oatmeal-colored coat draped over his shoulders, surveyed the guests and floral arrangements filling the wedding venue as he spoke. At that, Ha-jin, who had been writing his name on a congratulatory envelope, answered without lifting his gaze from it.
“Ah, I heard the bride works in broadcasting. Something like… she worked at a production company? You’ll probably recognize quite a few faces here.”
“Right. There seem to be a lot of athletes here too. Look, there’s Yoon Tae-hyung over there—that Olympic gold medalist swimmer.”
“Well, since the groom is an athlete anyway… Wait, really? Where?”
Ha-jin, who had been writing each character of the envelope with such meticulous care as though his life depended on completing it, suddenly snapped his head up at the mention of the Olympic swimming champion’s name.
Then, spotting the person in question walking in the distance, his mouth fell open in astonishment.
“Wow, those shoulders are insane. If someone got body-checked by those walking down the street, that’s at least four weeks of medical leave…”
“How is your brain wired that such commentary flows out of you as naturally as breathing?”
Unable to comprehend Ha-jin’s peculiar algorithm of admiration even if he spent a lifetime trying, Jeong Si-u let out an exasperated laugh, crossed his arms, and leaned against the table beside him.
Ha-jin, who had written “Kang Ha-jin to Kang Ha-jin. Congratulations on your marriage.” on the white envelope with meticulous care, kept his gaze fixed inside the venue, seemingly too busy observing various people.
Do-ha had gone down to the parking lot with Kwon Wook for a moment and would need a few more minutes to return, and Ha-jin, who had been unusually sharp and on edge lately, seemed somewhat more relaxed in the warm atmosphere of the wedding venue.
And Jeong Si-u was not the type to let such an opening slip away.
Resting his chin on his arm as he leaned against the desk where the congratulatory envelopes were placed, he opened his mouth with an utterly composed and serene tone.
“So, in the end, you’re not planning to apologize to Do-ha?”
“Apologize for what? I haven’t done anything wrong. And didn’t you see how he won’t even look at me? That petty bastard—it’s not like I don’t trust him, so why is he being like this? It’s really too much, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. I’ve never seen Do-ha act like that before either.”
“…Do you think he’s really angry? It’s not like this decision was easy for me either. Ugh, even when I ask Yoo Gun about it, he just says it’s not like that… Wait, what are we even talking about right now?”
Ha-jin, who had been pouring out his words freely, suddenly realized mid-sentence that the topic of conversation had shifted, and turned to Si-u with a bewildered expression.
Based on Ha-jin’s argument that “since this is Kairos’s first wedding song performance, we need to dress appropriately, but it wouldn’t be polite to dress too formally for my hyung’s sake,” Jeong Si-u, who hadn’t even styled his hair today unlike usual and looked particularly fresh because of it, smiled with a hint of regret.
“Oh, you’ve come back to your senses?”
“Hyung, why are you interrogating me like you’re asking how many meal vouchers I got in exchange for singing at a wedding?”
Ha-jin’s dark eyes widened as though they might pop right out of his head, his entire face screaming “absurdity.”
Si-u, amused by Ha-jin’s delighted expression as always, let out a small laugh and pressed the congratulatory envelope into Ha-jin’s hand with a shrug.
“You sometimes poke the kids when they’re not paying attention and ask them something sincere—it looks fun, so I thought I’d try it once.”
“Just ask me directly. It’s not like I won’t answer, so why…?”
“Even so?”
“…No.”
“See?”
Jeong Si-u nodded as though he’d known it all along and leisurely scanned his surroundings.
The elevator that had been lingering on Basement Level 4, where the car was parked, began ascending floor by floor. Do-ha and Kwon Wook would be returning soon, and timing-wise, this would be the last chance for him and Ha-jin to have a proper conversation alone today.
Sensing this fact instinctively, Si-u wasted no time in speaking.
“Are you scared?”
“Huh?”
“I was wondering if you’re afraid to ask Do-ha if he’s angry with you. Your stance seems different from when we fought.”
“…Well, the situation is a bit different from back then, hyung.”
Ha-jin, catching the intent behind the question, scratched the back of his neck with an awkward expression.
Si-woo, signaling that he wouldn’t ask further, crossed his arms and gestured with his chin toward the gift table. At that, Ha-jin, who had been watching Si-woo’s reaction, quietly retreated backward and quickly made his way to where the congratulatory gifts were being received.
Si-woo silently observed Ha-jin presenting his gift, signing the guest book, and occasionally greeting those who recognized him with courtesy while firmly declining any unreasonable requests.
“….”
He had insisted on etiquette so strictly with Si-woo that not a single drop of hair mousse could touch his hair, yet Ha-jin himself, with his half-tousled hair and casual suit, carried a remarkably mature air.
Given his profession, he often wore uniforms or suits, but it was something more than that….
‘…It’s like he looks accustomed to all this.’
The way he habitually checked the watch on his wrist, or how he adjusted his jacket each time he moved to keep the drape from falling out of place.
In many ways, Ha-jin seemed accustomed to ‘these things.’
It was similar to how Si-woo, who had played piano since childhood and frequently worn suits and tuxedos, would check his arm movements first whenever he put on a jacket.
Si-woo knew better than anyone that such habits became ingrained through very long periods of time, almost without one’s awareness.
‘Usually at that age… wouldn’t they ask how much to give as a gift?’
Since idols made their living from being seen, trivial matters like checking the time or adjusting clothes, and even something as minor as attending a wedding and presenting congratulations, could feel quite unfamiliar.
Living in such a frenzy that one didn’t even know how the 24 hours of a day passed meant that what month, what day, what hour, and what minute it was didn’t matter,
and even going to an airport required researching the angle at which one’s face would be visible, the position where a bag’s logo would show, and how to wear clothes to best promote their details—so it was better to leave styling entirely to professionals.
Due to the nature of the profession, one began social life from a very young age, but at the same time, for various reasons, it became increasingly difficult to even show one’s face at occasions like this.
Even now, this was a private, closed wedding with only those designated by the groom and bride invited, which was why he could be this comfortable.
“….”
Yet Ha-jin seemed truly accustomed to all of it.
It had been barely two years since he became an adult, and those two years had been spent entirely with Si-woo, so there shouldn’t be any experiences of Ha-jin’s that he didn’t know about.
“Hyung, can I borrow your phone for a moment? Since the ceremony’s about to start, go in first when Do-ha and Kwon-uk arrive.”
“Sure.”
Ha-jin was occasionally this unfamiliar.
And yet it was remarkable how clumsy he remained at reconciling with his only same-aged friend.
“The ceremony will begin shortly. Guests in the lobby are requested to proceed to the wedding hall to celebrate the new beginning of the bride and groom….”
Just as Ha-jin had said, an announcement came through the speakers that the ceremony would soon begin.
Si-woo stood in place, feeling the wave of people moving about like the tide and the glances they cast his way.
Ha-jin had told him to go into the wedding hall and sit, but truthfully, Si-woo had no intention of watching the ceremony from beginning to end.
‘There’s no need to willingly become a zoo monkey at someone else’s celebration.’
Just as Ha-jin had said, Si-woo was well aware that his mere presence was enough to divert the congratulations and cheers meant for someone’s wedding down a side path.
It was a sense one naturally developed after living for years as someone who commanded attention wherever they went.
“…Tsk.”
What bothered Si-woo, however, was that Ha-jin, who was so skilled, sensitive, and meticulous about everything else, seemed remarkably insensitive about this particular aspect.
It was as if he sometimes didn’t realize at all just how much presence he possessed as a person.
‘That’s why he can’t say a word to Do-ha and just worries alone.’
What exactly had made him always the weaker party in every relationship?
-Your mother gets lonely when she’s with you, Si-woo.
-So your mother doesn’t know what to do either.
I had lived my entire life in the position of strength in every relationship, but there was one exception.
Jeong Si-u understood well when that was—the one relationship where he had chosen to become the weaker party.
-…Yes. I’ll do as you wish, Mother.
-I’ll follow your will.
When fear of abandonment consumed him.
Having fled from loneliness and lived entirely alone, Jeong Si-u suddenly wondered what Kang Ha-jin was running from.
“Ah, thank goodness. We still have time. Do-ha, over here!”
Lee Do-ha and Kwon Wook returned to the wedding venue faster than Ha-jin could finish his call.
Si-woo clicked his tongue softly watching Kwon Wook rush over frantically after finishing his work. When he first arrived, the man had been large and solidly built, but lately it was visibly apparent that he’d lost considerable weight, as if the work had taken its toll.
Along with the thought that he should request a formal management team under Kwon Wook—not just temporary staff during busy periods—Si-woo steadied his breathing and handed the water bottle he’d been holding to the approaching Kwon Wook.
“You’ve worked hard, hyung. …But I’m sorry to ask right away, but it seems like it might be difficult for us to watch the ceremony inside the venue. Would you happen to know if there’s a place where we could wait?”
Though he said “I’m sorry,” Si-woo’s tone carried little actual apology.
It was only natural for a manager to care for idols attending an event with such attention.
Kwon Wook, who had downed half the water bottle in one gulp, responded immediately to Si-woo’s words.
“Ah, I already finished talking with the staff through the groom earlier. If you want to watch the ceremony inside, you can sit in the designated seats for the performance, and if it feels burdensome, you can use the Bride’s Waiting Room after the bride enters.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But there seem to be so many celebrities among the guests today that you being separate might actually draw more attention. It might be less conspicuous to just go inside and sit.”
Quick preparation skills combined with the sense to read situations and respond accordingly.
Si-woo offered a genuinely satisfied smile, seeing exactly why he had come to recognize Jung Kwon-uk as a capable manager.
“Thank you, hyung. Now that you mention it, that does seem right. Should we wait for Ha-jin and go in together then? He stepped away to make a call for a moment.”
“Ah, okay. Then I’ll go tell the staff we won’t be using the Bride’s Waiting Room. Just a moment.”
Unlike his earlier apology that carried no actual remorse, the gratitude in Si-woo’s words now was tinged with genuine sincerity.
Kwon Wook, either not noticing or not dwelling on this difference in Si-woo’s demeanor, told Do-ha and Si-woo to wait a moment before quickly disappearing toward the Bride’s Waiting Room.
Now alone with Do-ha, the other party in the “Kairos Same-Age Battle,” Si-woo spun around sharply to face him standing blankly beside him.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just… it’s been a while since I’ve seen hyung take a liking to someone.”
“Ha, since when did you become so perceptive?”
“It’s not really perceptiveness… I just know.”
Perhaps because he had observed Si-woo the longest and most closely among the Kairos members, Do-ha—usually oblivious—was particularly attuned to Si-woo’s subtle shifts in attitude.
Do-ha, who had softened his naturally intimidating appearance as much as possible and dressed in soft pastel tones far gentler than his usual style to suit a performance, seemed particularly composed today.
The increasingly cold weather seemed to emphasize his cool impression even further.
“Do-ha.”
“Yes, hyung.”
Jeong Si-u, who perpetually chased dopamine and entertainment, let his eyes sparkle with interest.
After all, watching a conflict unfold from various angles was where the real fun lay.
“When are you going to make up with Ha-jin? He seems to have a lot on his mind too, so handle it carefully.”
Jeong Si-u suspected that everything Lee Do-ha was currently doing to Kang Ha-jin might be a form of shock therapy or protest.
No matter how he thought about it, it seemed unlikely that Lee Do-ha was actually upset with Kang Ha-jin, which meant he must have some reason or desire driving him to maintain this confrontation with Ha-jin.
‘What on earth does Lee Do-ha want?’
Si-woo, curious about that very ‘reason’, looked up at Do-ha with eyes brimming with intrigue.
Since Do-ha was the type of person who had found Si-woo just as fascinating as Ha-jin from their first meeting, it seemed like an interesting answer would come this time.
“….”
“…?”
Lee Do-ha’s composed gaze turned toward Jeong Si-u.
Si-woo, lifting his head to meet Do-ha’s eyes, sensed the emotion radiating from his expression and found himself unexpectedly flustered.
Lee Do-ha slowly opened his mouth.
“Ha-jin and I….”
“….”
“What exactly do we need to resolve?”
Above his bear-like face hung a massive question mark filled with bewilderment.
At that innocent expression, Jeong Si-u found himself at a loss for words.
“You guys, let’s go! When the bride enters, you need to come through this side entrance quickly. I’ll wait for Ha-jin and bring him in.”
“Ah, yes. …Hyung, let’s go for now.”
“…Yeah, okay.”
Do-ha, with ‘must do this’ firmly lodged in his mind regardless of anything else, moved without hesitation at Kwon Wook’s call.
As a result, Si-woo, left alone in that spot, gazed at Do-ha’s receding figure with a deflated expression.
“…What?”
What kind of reaction is that?
Faced with Do-ha’s completely unexpected attitude, Jeong Si-u’s face filled not with mere interest, but with utter bewilderment.

—————

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

—————