Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 488

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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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488. And Yet We Still (2)
“…I apologize.”
“S-Senior…!”
In the modest living room of a two-room villa.
Seo Tae-hyun bowed deeply to Yoon Ga-ram and his grandfather, offering his apologies.
Yoon Ga-ram, who knew better than anyone that Seo Tae-hyun wasn’t the one who should be apologizing for all of this, fidgeted restlessly, but Seo Tae-hyun remained resolute.
Yoon Ga-ram’s grandfather simply gazed at Seo Tae-hyun in silence, his eyes clouded with sorrow.
‘…Their taste in selecting victims never changes, you bastards.’
That was my first thought when Ji Su-ho told me about Yoon Ga-ram’s family situation—how he’d been living with his mother and grandparents since his parents’ divorce.
I’d also heard the backstory of how he’d quit his previous entertainment company after refusing the bribes—not quite bribes, but demands from company executives. When I learned that his participation in Boy’s Supremacy 2 was meant to be his final attempt, my teeth clenched with rage.
How could this industry remain so unchanged across every timeline? The reality was so despicably cruel that nausea rose in my throat.
“…What about Tae-hyun?”
“He’s talking with them inside. He’ll handle it well. My presence might actually make things more awkward.”
I turned away only after witnessing Yoon Ga-ram’s grandfather—who had been hanging his head in silence—finally grasp both of Seo Tae-hyun’s hands firmly. It was to honor Seo Tae-hyun’s wish to speak with them alone.
Ji Su-ho, who was already waiting outside, nodded at my words and tucked the cigarette he’d been holding back into its pack.
“You don’t have to stop. I don’t mind at all.”
“It’s fine. I was already having second thoughts anyway. Smoking in front of someone else’s home isn’t good manners.”
I didn’t stop Ji Su-ho as he shoved the entire pack into his suit jacket pocket.
I didn’t have the composure to insist twice on someone who’d already decided not to smoke.
“…What are you going to do?”
As if announcing the arrival of cold winter, a biting wind swept past us, sharp enough to freeze the tip of one’s nose. Only a few days had passed, yet the seasons shifted in an instant.
To Ji Su-ho’s cautious question, I answered while leaning against the building entrance.
“Not yet. The time hasn’t come.”
Not yet.
That was the conclusion I’d reached.
“You know this as well as I do, Executive Director. Right now, there’s nothing we can do.”
“…That’s the most frustrating answer you’ve ever given me.”
“Dirty and cowardly as it may be, we have no choice. This is a time for waiting.”
And for me, that waiting meant something else entirely—another opportunity.
“Kim Hak-seung won’t stop. No matter how many times I rewind, people don’t change that easily, and he was still doing the same things even when I was twenty-nine.”
“So you’re saying we need to wait another decade for revenge?”
“It means we have plenty of time to prepare to bring those bastards down.”
Ji Su-ho’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he tried to grasp the meaning behind my words.
I rolled a fragment of concrete beneath my sole while burying my cold hands in my pockets. The biting wind continued to make my body shudder, but I didn’t care.
“You know Yoon CP, right? That guy who did the whole ‘rock-paper-scissors’ thing with Han Sung-woo. The one who was supposedly Kim Hak-seung’s direct junior.”
“…Yeah, right.”
“Originally, a few years down the line, he gets caught red-handed rigging a major national audition show and ends up in prison. Because of that, all the audition formats that were booming at the time collapse one after another.”
“This feels like I’m hearing classified information.”
“But he’s not here now, right? Because I eliminated him. Which means Kim Hak-seung himself must have stepped in directly for Boy’s Supremacy 2.”
“….”
It was certain that I had influenced Kim Hak-seung’s decision to create Boy’s Supremacy 2 in some way.
After all, the very catalyst for Season 2’s existence was Ntv, riding the momentum from Miro Maze, attempting to capitalize on the “boy group craze.”
But since they’d made a tidy profit from that Season 2, there was no way Kim Hak-seung would be satisfied and step back now that he’d tasted success.
“Besides, seeing how he’s on good terms with Choi Yun-hyung in this timeline too, the two of them will probably team up and scheme together. They might even abandon the broadcasting station entirely and take on a director position at Choi CEO’s company to really start causing trouble.”
There had been talk of that back then too.
I wished I could remember the stories I’d heard and witnessed from that era in greater detail. Unfortunately, only the misfortunes that had befallen me remained vivid, while I had no clear recollection of what Choi CEO or the Main PD had actually done.
I’d been too young and naive to understand all of that, and besides, I’d been too busy to pay attention to such things.
‘If only I could bring back useful materials from the previous timeline like before….’
The method I’d used to send Yoon CP away flashed through my mind for a moment, but I quickly shook my head and cleared my thoughts. Considering that bringing just one USB drive had resulted in a penalty involving character assassination rumors about me, I had no way of knowing what kind of incident might occur this time.
Besides, Thirteen had said that the Returner’s situation still wasn’t completely resolved, so I should avoid taking risky actions related to the system if possible.
“…So, I just have to wait. Until the time comes.”
Above all, even if this matter took a bit longer, I wanted to overcome it without such fantastical assistance.
Now that Dan Ha-ru’s infinite regression had been resolved, if I used the system’s power to settle even this personal revenge, what would be the difference between me and that bastard the Returner?
In any case, this is a world where people live, so sometimes, even if it’s difficult, there are things I want to resolve through human effort.
“What’s this? I thought you’d be in the car. It’s cold out here—aren’t you freezing?”
Just as Ji Su-ho and I had been exhaling bitter sighs for quite some time, I heard Seo Tae-hyun’s surprised voice from behind.
When I turned around, I could see that the conversation had apparently gone well. Yoon Ga-ram, whose eyes were reddened, gave me a small bow of greeting with a much better expression than when I’d first seen him.
It was natural that Seo Tae-hyun’s face, coming down the stairs, was streaked with tears. He’d cried properly—his nose was even sniffling—and he looked every bit the twenty-year-old kid, which made me smile.
“Did the conversation end well?”
“…Well, I said everything I needed to say. Let’s go. Let’s head out, Executive Director. Come on, Ga-ram, we’re leaving.”
“Yes, please be careful going in. …Thank you, really.”
“That’s enough. Don’t come out in this cold—hurry inside. Oh, and eat that galbi soon while it’s still hot.”
“…Yes. I’m planning to eat it with my mother when she arrives today. Goodbye, Senior. Thank you for today.”
“Yeah. We’re heading out. …Let’s stay in touch, okay?”
“Yes.”
At Seo Tae-hyun’s words to stay in touch, Yoon Ga-ram nodded quietly, his face full of thought.
Seo Tae-hyun, clearly pleased by those words, drew a faint smile at the corners of his mouth and waved to Yoon Ga-ram repeatedly. Yoon Ga-ram, in turn, watched us from that spot until we were out of sight.
On the way back to the car, Ji Su-ho cautiously glanced at Seo Tae-hyun and asked.
“So? Did you bring up our offer?”
What Ji Su-ho meant by “our offer” was literally the scouting proposal to join Miro as a trainee.
It wasn’t solely because Yoon Ga-ram was a victim of Boy’s Supremacy 2’s manipulation.
From the moment I first saw him as a special teacher, before knowing any of this, I’d already thought he was a talented prospect. If he were to be eliminated from the survival program, I’d even quietly mentioned to the company’s New Artist Development Team that it would be good to bring him over to our side.
‘He was similar in age to Park Jae-young and Yun Tae-hee, and visually they seemed like a good match.’
The next group currently preparing for debut after our current group still hadn’t confirmed members besides those two, so acquiring talent like Yoon Ga-ram would be worthwhile.
It seemed that Ji Su-ho, who had also been looking into matters related to Seo Tae-hyun, had come to a similar conclusion upon seeing Yoon Ga-ram.
‘Whether everyone thinks alike or if Ji Su-ho just has an uncanny talent for spotting people….’
He’d complained about losing the ability to see people’s auras, saying he felt helpless and incompetent. But no matter how I thought about it, his sense for reading people was clearly something he was born with.
“Yes, I brought it up, but…he said he needs time to sort out his thoughts for now. He wants to reconsider whether he wants to continue in this field first, so I told him to let me know anytime if he changes his mind later. I gave him the Executive Director’s business card too.”
“Is that so? …Well, he probably does need some time. Unlike you, he was eliminated knowing he was a victim of manipulation. His heart must be in turmoil.”
At the news that Yoon Ga-ram had declined, Ji Su-ho let out a regretful groan but quickly accepted it, saying he understood Ga-ram. Seo Tae-hyun seemed to share the sentiment, offering no particular response as he simply gazed out the window with a bitter smile.
Ji Su-ho, who had been casually setting the navigation destination, checked the time and turned to look back at us.
“Ah, if we leave now, we should arrive around 4 PM. You two have practice at 8, right? What do you want to do? Should I just drop you off at the dormitory?”
“Hmm… Then I’d appreciate it if you could take me to the dormitory. I’ve been tense since yesterday, and my body’s been aching all over. I think I need to get some rest before practice.”
“Alright, what about you, Ha-jin?”
“I…”
Under normal circumstances, I would have been the type to think, “Four hours of free time before practice? Hell yeah, that’s amazing,” and couldn’t wait to arrive at the dormitory. But today was different.
While Seo Tae-hyun was growing and developing in his own way, I had mountains of work waiting for me on my end.
Instead of telling Ji Su-ho the destination, I turned on my phone and sent a message to someone.
I
It meant “hey.”
Soon after, a reply came back.
【Maze_Kairos_Lee Yu-geon ‖ ㅇ】
It meant “what.”
I quickly typed to continue the conversation.
【What’s up?】
【Maze_Kairos_Lee Yu-geon ‖ ㅈㅇㅅ】
OK
【Maze_Kairos_Lee Yu-geon ‖ ㅇ】
Having gotten the answer I wanted, I coolly turned off the phone screen and replied to Ji Su-ho.
“I’ll go to the studio.”
“The studio? Do you have more work to do?”
“No, it’s not that…”
“…? Then why?”
At my request to be dropped off at the studio despite having nothing to do, both Seo Tae-hyun and Ji Su-ho looked up at me with bewildered eyes.
I shrugged at their gazes and explained my purpose very briefly and simply.
“I’m going bear hunting.”
“…Bear?”
Wait for me, Lee Do-ha. I’m coming.
It was time to make peace with this stubborn friend of mine who had been avoiding me for nearly a month.
* * *
The studio, with its refined interior where black and deep blue harmonized perfectly, was a space of quiet elegance.
Lee Do-ha sat on a plush sofa that stretched along one wall, his back and posture perfectly straight, lost in thought.
“…”
People often mistook him for being blunt and quiet, but the truth was that Lee Do-ha was someone whose words threatened to overflow from within him.
He simply digested all those words internally and never let them spill out.
“…”
He liked this silence. Or rather, he was accustomed to it.
When he was an athlete, he was criticized for being too quiet for someone in sports, and after he started music, people expressed surprise at how completely different his music was from his appearance.
Regardless, Lee Do-ha was the type of person who enjoyed being immersed in this ocean of thought.
The soundless air of the studio embraced Lee Do-ha’s overflowing unspoken words.
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Beeeep—.
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Beeeep—.
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Beeeep—.
“…?”
That peaceful silence shattered in an instant.
Someone had entered the wrong password repeatedly at the studio entrance, triggering an obnoxiously loud alarm. Since there had been previous incidents of information leaking and obsessive fans attempting to break in like this, Lee Do-ha reacted with heightened alertness and shot up from his seat.
“….”
In preparation for such situations, a constant CCTV camera was installed in front of the studio to monitor visitors.
Lee Do-ha grabbed his phone, ready to call building security if it was a genuine fan, and checked the CCTV screen. When it came to security matters, no amount of caution was excessive.
“…?”
However, upon confirming the visitor through the CCTV screen, Lee Do-ha’s expression went completely blank in an instant.
Even after rubbing his eyes and checking the screen again, the familiar figure remained. Lee Do-ha expressed a different kind of bewilderment than before and rushed toward the entrance, yanking the door open.
With a creak, the door swung open, and the person standing outside immediately let out an exasperated shout.
“Hey! You’re seriously crossing the line, aren’t you!?”
“…Uh, um…?”
“Even if we fought, how could you change the studio password!? The password!? You changed the password…!?!!?”
“No, it’s just… You use your card to get in anyway….”
“And you didn’t even tell me!? Hey!! I have a legitimate stake in this studio! Huh!?”
“…Uh, sorry.”
Striding into the studio with a gust of cold air and pressing Lee Do-ha, the person was none other than Kang Ha-jin—the very friend who currently occupied the largest share of Do-ha’s thoughts.
Whether Ha-jin had picked up takeout from Do-ha’s favorite cafe brand, he carried in a coffee carrier with a familiar logo, set it down inside, and hung his coat on the rack with practiced ease. Lee Do-ha, belatedly closing the studio door, shuffled in with an uncharacteristic awkwardness.
I couldn’t even properly remember how long it had been since I’d had a real conversation like this with Ha-jin.
“What are you doing? Sit down.”
“Yeah.”
Ha-jin plopped down on the sofa where I had been sitting just moments before, settling into a posture so comfortable and natural that you’d believe it was custom-made for him. The way he tucked the cushion against his side and rested his head on the armrest was so familiar it seemed tailor-fit.
As Ha-jin claimed the sofa, I naturally settled into the studio chair across from him. It was the same scene we always created whenever we were in the studio together.
Sitting at an angle with my arm propped on the sofa armrest, my head resting on that hand, and my legs crossed in a deliberately careless manner.
Kang Ha-jin raised one eyebrow and opened his mouth.
“Hey, Bear.”
“Yeah.”
Am I trembling?
I swallowed for no particular reason.
No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed like I’d experienced this situation several times before.
And with the same face, the same momentum, the same demeanor as back then, Kang Ha-jin grinned and spoke.
“We still have some things to talk about, don’t we?”
“…We do?”
Did we…?
Faced with Ha-jin, who was more terrifying than any coach calling me out after a botched match, I broke into a cold sweat and quietly buried my gaze downward.

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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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