Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 496

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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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496. NMA (1)
The stage we’d meticulously prepared over several months ended in the blink of an eye, as it always did.
Kairos opened with Do-ha’s solo performance, then delivered all-live renditions of “Black Paradise” and “Breath-Holding Game” from the Cheongchun Bulpae album—both arranged versions.
Every member dressed in all-black leather harnesses draped heavily across their bodies, they commanded the stage with a revolutionary fervor, singing of shattering this false paradise and seeking truth—a performance that was undeniably polished and complete in its own right.
– Wow
But there was another reason why Kairos’s stage shone so brilliantly.
– Is this what veteran experience tastes like?
└ Is that even the right word to use?
└ But I can’t think of any other way to describe it
Day one.
Excluding the veteran solo artists brought in for filler—those with thirty years of career—the most senior members had only three to four years since debut.
– Let’s just count survival show experience as actual career at this point
– It’s crazy that these guys haven’t even done a single concert yet
– With performances like this, next year the oldest will be twenty-four and the youngest nineteen… Kairos’s future is so bright it’s blinding me I’m literally becoming blind like that old man from the folk tale I need to sell three hundred sacks of rice as offerings whssk
Among the first day’s performances—where even groups making their award show debut let out chirping sounds—Kairos, with an attitude of “rookie? What’s that?” utterly dominated the stage and was undeniably today’s headliner.
-What’s up, NMA! Let me hear you screeeeem―!!!
In particular, Kang Ha-jin, commanding the center of the stage with tremendous vocal power and driving audience response, was being hailed as having truly “ridden the saw blade.”
Kang Ha-di
@kang_HD
Kang Ha-jin’s performance is the stage right now
(Ha-jin inducing audience response toward the seats before throwing his signature pose.MP4)
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Sunset University
@SS_university
#NMA
#Kairos #KangHa-jin
My sun
(High-quality direct shot of Ha-jin making a gun gesture with his hands while gazing downward.JPG)
(High-quality direct shot of Ha-jin on stage, color-corrected to black and white.JPG)
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OnSam
@onsamS2
While Ha-di was resting due to health issues
the members weren’t allowed to enter the practice room or studio
so they were confined to the dormitory
The kid was smiling like this the whole time he was on stageㅠㅠㅠ
I guess I was really excited todayㅠㅠㅠㅠㅜㅜ
(Ha-jin smiling broadly with his head bowed during the performance.JPG)
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Ha-jin had always been prone to smiling on stage, but that day in particular, captivated by something, he smiled constantly without pause.
Unaware of the cameras, Ha-jin’s smile—genuine and uncontainable, slipping out despite his best efforts—had Destiny’s members beaming with delight, charmed by what they called “a puppy thrilled to be out for a walk.”
[Ah, how do I handle this? My heart is melting…]
Rossy Day
@rossy_1017
Watching the puppy smile and get excited
All the members laughing like they can’t stop him whssk the thrill
(Video edit: Group Members beaming as they watch an excited Ha-jin.mp4)
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Kairos is so badㅠㅠㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ
– Kang Ha-jin, perform on stage forever seriously
– The eye contact Do-ha makes while smiling is insane it’s literally a youth movie
– They really care for each other so much…
– My puppy, don’t get sick anymore ㅠㅠㅜㅜ
Only the Group Members who stood together on that stage knew the true meaning hidden beneath that smile.
Ha-rang
@dohajin_luv
Ah crazy NMA comeback spoiler at the end!!!!!!!!!!!
(Screenshot of the LED screen behind the Group Members standing in a line.JPG)
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【Cheongchun Bulpae 靑春不敗 : Until then】
With the comeback teaser for 【Cheongchun Bulpae 靑春不敗】, the final installment of the Cheongchun trilogy, Kairos’s first year-end stage performance came to a successful close.
* * *
“Lee Do-ha!”
Lee Do-ha rushed backstage in such a daze that he couldn’t even remember how the performance had gone, and at the sound of his friend’s voice calling his name loudly from a distance, he reflexively lifted his head.
“…Oof!”
And they collided.
With what?
“You, you…! You remarkable bastard…!”
With Kang Ha-jin, who had sprinted down from the stage at full speed and wrapped his arms around him.
No matter that Do-ha was the tallest member of Kairos and possessed a stable, unshakeable physique—there was no way he could effortlessly absorb the impact of an adult male of nearly identical build charging at him at full speed and embracing him.
As a result, Do-ha was pushed backward by Ha-jin’s momentum, and only after stumbling back three steps did he regain his footing. Even then, Ha-jin still held him in a tight embrace, so Do-ha gently patted Ha-jin’s back.
“I wanted to pull it off, but in the end I couldn’t.”
“Couldn’t my ass! You did great, even better than great. You were so damn cool, seriously!”
Ha-jin didn’t release Do-ha until he’d expressed “you were seriously incredible” in roughly forty-five different ways. And even then, it wasn’t of his own volition—Tae-hyun had arrived late and dragged Ha-jin away by his back, demanding he return his in-ear pack.
“Hyung.”
While Ha-jin was being hauled off by Tae-hyun to return his in-ear pack, Yoo Gun, who had already finished returning his own and was drying himself with a towel, approached Do-ha with long strides. When Do-ha turned to look at him, Yoo Gun held out a refreshingly cold wet towel and a bottle of water, offering an embarrassed smile.
“Here, wipe off some of that sweat.”
“Ah, thanks.”
….
…?
However, Yoo Gun didn’t move away easily even after Do-ha accepted the towel and water bottle.
As Do-ha wiped away his sweat with the towel Yoo Gun had handed him, he glanced at Yoo Gun, wondering if there was something he wanted to say, but Yoo Gun merely lingered around Do-ha, reading the mood, showing no sign of opening his mouth.
Do-ha thought for a moment.
He wasn’t entirely sure what Yoo Gun wanted to tell him, but at least what he wanted to say to Yoo Gun was crystal clear.
“Yoo Gun.”
“…Ah, huh? What?”
“Thank you for creating such great choreography.”
“….”
“I wanted to pull off a perfect execution, but I couldn’t. I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll increase my practice volume and make it work.”
A promise—the kind of words anyone could hear anywhere.
Yet Yoo Gun knew that Do-ha’s words carried 100% sincerity.
That Do-ha was the kind of person who would run forward without stopping for that ‘perfect next time’.
“…Next time.”
And the fact that his hyung was promising him a ‘next time’ so naturally—it felt more overwhelming and wonderful than anything else in this moment.
Yoo Gun opened his mouth with a somewhat impulsive feeling.
“Next time, I’ll create choreography that you can express better.”
He didn’t yet know if such an opportunity would come again.
But Yoo Gun made the promise anyway. Even if it was just words.
Because it was the easiest way for him to express his sincerity right now.
“Yeah.”
Do-ha nodded.
That alone was enough.
“Let’s go now too. We need to head to the Waiting Room, tidy up, and then go straight to the Seating Area.”
“Okay. …Ah, you go first. I’ll stay for a moment.”
“Why?”
“I need to talk to someone for a bit.”
“Well… then I’ll go ahead.”
Yoo Gun nodded without much question.
Do-ha watched as Yoo Gun quickly squeezed in between Tae-hyun and Ha-jin who were ahead, then stood in place waiting for someone.
Soon, the remaining members who had come down from the stage a bit later finished organizing the microphones and emerged toward the Hallway.
“Do-ha, good work.”
“Thank you, hyung.”
“Hyung, hyung. Really… you were really amazing. Please teach me later too.”
“Yeah, I’ll teach you.”
Si-woo and Eun-chan each said a word as they passed Do-ha. While Do-ha gave a short bow in response to both of them, he didn’t lose sight of his target(?).
It was Dan Ha-ru, staggering out as if nearly collapsing from exhaustion.
“Ha-ru.”
“…?”
Dan Ha-ru, who had emerged in such a daze that he couldn’t even distinguish whether the person in front of him was Kang Ha-jin or a puppy, jolted awake at the sound of Do-ha calling him, opening his eyes.
The moment he confirmed it was Do-ha who had called him, he put on a subtly cautious expression, displaying a hint of wariness.
‘He’s flustered.’
Do-ha had learned to read the emotions hidden beneath Ha-ru’s composed exterior.
No matter how different the years they’d lived were, Ha-ru was still Ha-ru. Whether Ha-ru himself realized it or not, Do-ha felt that the Ha-ru before him now and the Ha-ru from before were fundamentally the same person.
A preference for egg mayo sandwiches, or the desire for his older brothers not to suffer—these things couldn’t be hidden just because one tried.
“Should we walk for a bit?”
“Huh?”
“Let’s go in together, to the Waiting Room.”
“…Sure, I guess.”
Ha-ru nodded awkwardly at Do-ha’s suggestion.
* * *
“….”
“….”
During that short walk to the Waiting Room, despite the invitation to walk together, neither of them spoke a word.
Do-ha was naturally taciturn, but Ha-ru’s discomfort was palpable enough to be obvious.
What mattered was what that discomfort stemmed from.
It wasn’t that he was uncomfortable with Do-ha himself, or that he disapproved of this situation—it was more like….
“…Did you have something you wanted to say?”
Like someone who’d thrown away a moldy donut from the refrigerator, only to later realize it was actually the donut Do-ha had carefully saved and rationed as a cheat meal after finishing his grueling diet, now feeling awkward about it.
He hadn’t done anything wrong, yet somehow he felt guilty and was making things awkward on his own.
‘Yeah, I think….’
He probably knew. That I’d overheard the conversation between Ha-jin and Ha-ru yesterday.
Ever since yesterday evening, Ha-ru had been subtly avoiding my gaze like this. When you think about it, what Ha-ru said to Ha-jin back then wasn’t wrong, and ultimately, thanks to those words, both Ha-jin and I were able to sort out our thoughts.
Ha-ru hadn’t expected me to overhear that conversation, so he was being awkward and watching my reaction.
‘There’s really no need for this.’
How could I tell Ha-ru that he could set down this burden from his heart?
While Do-ha was pondering this, it was Ha-ru who broke the silence first, unable to bear it any longer.
“You heard it yesterday, right? What I said to Ha-jin hyung.”
At the direct question, Do-ha hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“Yeah.”
“Don’t take it to heart. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust you, it was just a check to see if you might be doing something foolish. But looking at you today, it doesn’t seem like that was the case. Or maybe even if it was, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“….”
“I mean, honestly, whether you do a solo or not doesn’t matter to me, right? But I know how dangerous it is to try to make up for my own failures through someone else—to avoid that. So I wanted to say something, but it’s absolutely not like I have any other grievance with you or anything like that….”
“Ha-ru.”
“…?”
“This is the first time I’ve heard you talk this much.”
“….”
“It sounds good. Your tone stays consistent when you speak, so your diction comes across really well.”
At Do-ha’s casual remark, Dan Ha-ru fell completely silent.
He realized that he’d just been rambling through excuses in a way that wasn’t cool at all.
Dan Ha-ru found this version of himself unfamiliar, yet couldn’t quite tell whether it was due to synchronization with ‘Ha-ru’ or if this was his original self.
‘No, there’s no point in making that distinction in the first place.’
They’re the same person anyway.
Dan Ha-ru stopped himself from habitually drawing that line and exhaled softly. This time, Lee Do-ha conveyed what he’d been meaning to say in his usual composed voice.
“It wasn’t a shootout. It was a penalty kick.”
“…What?”
“Back when I played soccer. Before the semifinals, the Director chose me as the kicker for a really crucial moment.”
“….”
“Since it was a childhood memory, I remembered it as a shootout. But I couldn’t quite recall whether I scored or not. We won the match, but for some reason, I felt like I’d missed that kick.”
Why the sudden soccer story?
It was an odd topic shift that didn’t quite make sense, but Dan Ha-ru listened quietly anyway. Lee Do-ha scratched briefly beneath his eye and continued.
“But standing on that stage just now, it suddenly came back to me. It was a penalty kick, not a shootout.”
“….”
“And I realized—I definitely missed that shot.”
In that critical moment.
My ball had struck the post and bounced away.
The ball’s trajectory, the angle of its curve—it had seemed so certain to go in.
As the ball narrowly struck the post and bounced back, I vividly remembered how panicked my teammates had been.
“…So?”
Ha-ru finally showed interest in Do-ha’s story. Transparent curiosity gleamed in those large eyes—how could they have won if he hadn’t scored?
Seeing that expression, he was still the Dan Ha-ru I knew.
Do-ha smiled gently at Ha-ru and told him the ending of that long-ago memory.
“It was a second ball that I scored with.”
“….”
“Since I was the one who kicked it, I knew—this ball might just bounce off the post.”
There, on that field.
I was the only one who didn’t lose sight of that bouncing ball and rushed after it.
And that single moment of focus created the winning goal.
“So, what I’m trying to say is….”
“….”
“Thank you. For worrying about me.”
Ha-ru’s expression shifted subtly at the word “worry.”
Of course. He didn’t seem to realize at all that he was the one worrying about his hyungs right now.
“Just like before, your words have always been a huge help to me, Ha-ru.”
“What did I even say….”
“That it’s less lonely when two people do it together than alone.”
“….”
“That there’s no need to be so grim about something that isn’t a matter of life and death.”
“That’s….”
“It all helped me so much. Thank you.”
Faced with Do-ha’s blunt sincerity, Ha-ru didn’t know how to respond, so he averted his gaze while his lips trembled slightly.
Do-ha, who by now understood well that his unfamiliarity with all these things was precisely the reason for his discomfort, offered Ha-ru his thick, calloused hand with a gentle smile.
“So next year too, I’m counting on you.”
“….”
Next year.
By next year.
Do-ha knew that this Dan Ha-ru wouldn’t exist by then.
But at the same time, he also knew that Dan Ha-ru would still be Dan Ha-ru.
“…Yes.”
To this person, I would forever be nothing but Dan Ha-ru.
That thought seemed to offer a strange kind of comfort.
“I’m counting on you too. …Do-ha.”
Ha-ru grasped the hand Do-ha extended.
The warmth of their joined hands felt like it would linger in memory for a very long time.
A very long time indeed.

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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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