Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 530

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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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530. Entering the Eye of the Typhoon (2)
“…Sigh.”
Kwon Myung-eun exhaled a breath that was almost like an exclamation.
Everything that had happened so far felt like a dream, but the most unbelievable part was that all of this had been designed by Kang Ha-jin in just a few days.
‘What on earth is that guy doing…?’
It seemed the Ha-jin she had known until now had truly been someone who confined himself, locked away within his own walls. As she moistened her parched lips with that thought, Joo Eun-seok continued quietly.
-In any case, their conditions are just two things. Obviously, Kang Ha-jin must appear on the program. And….
“….”
-You can do whatever it takes to create a sensational, entertaining program overflowing with buzz. There’s no need to specifically push or promote Kang Ha-jin. There’s no condition that he must win at all costs either.
“I’m sorry, but we can’t accept conditions like that.”
-Yes, Kang Ha-jin said he figured you’d answer that way.
At Joo Eun-seok’s response, as if he already knew everything, Kwon Myung-eun felt as though she’d been bewitched by a nine-tailed fox. She had no idea how many moves ahead that damned junior was thinking.
For the first time in her career as a PD, Kwon Myung-eun’s hands began to tremble.
In truth, she’d done OTT collaborative productions more than once or twice, but for some reason, she had an intuition that this program would become an enormous turning point in her life.
“Why….”
-…?
“Why are you doing this much for us? Honestly, the conditions are so favorable that I’m a bit anxious. I mean, he’s not even your executive’s sibling—just a member who worked briefly with your brother ten years ago.”
Even in a situation 99% favorable to herself, it was a PD’s habit to meticulously search out that remaining 1% of risk.
But a truly kindhearted investor was essentially the same as a variety show PD with no overtime—something everyone desired but didn’t exist in the world.
So right now, Joo Eun-seok had to be one of two things.
‘Either a con artist or a ghost.’
The probability of a ghost committing phone scams with a cell phone in modern 21st-century society was low, so that meant this was likely a con artist with high probability?
True to form for someone connected to Kang Ha-jin, Kwon Myung-eun ran through her logic in an extremely Ha-jin-like manner as she waited for Joo Eun-seok’s response. He maintained his silence longer than expected.
-My younger sibling….
When the response came back, his voice was distinctly different from before—less businesslike and commanding.
-My younger sibling eats meals.
“…I’m sorry?”
-For ten years, he was shut away in his room, wouldn’t come out even when called, wouldn’t show his face once. But these days, he comes out every morning and eats. Three meals a day, without fail.
“….”
-When I asked what had changed, he said he watched a video of Kang Ha-jin performing a busking concert in Busan. After seeing him say he wanted to return to Kairos, suddenly everything felt okay. He said he wanted to go back too.
Though wealthy sons typically recognized each other as competitors and growled at one another, there was no hint of wariness in Joo Eun-seok’s voice when he spoke of Ju Eun-chan.
-I decided to grant Kang Ha-jin’s request as repayment for what my younger sibling has gained. Does that answer your question?
In that moment, Kwon Myung-eun found herself having an extremely PD-like thought—that she’d like to film an observation variety show with these brothers. Wasn’t now the perfect opportunity to scout them?
But thoughts were merely thoughts. Kwon Myung-eun, who knew how to distinguish between public and private, time and place, nodded her head and gave her response instead of making a recruitment proposal.
“Yes. At least it feels more trustworthy than an answer about having faith in our program’s potential. I’m grateful for the offer.”
-For someone so suspicious, you’re believing rather easily.
“After living a short life, I’ve found that a swallow repaying kindness is far more realistic than an investment with no strings attached. And….”
Kwon Myung-eun thought of Kang Ha-jin.
Always, in every moment, giving her absolute best to the point of breaking herself, making those who watched feel apologetic for not being able to give something back.
“…That Ha-jin has a way of making even debts that didn’t exist feel like they need to be repaid.”
I’m in a similar position myself.
For the first time today, a subtle smile graced Myung-eun’s lips. Once she ended this call, she would rush straight to the CP and the Studio A Representative.
The wind was blowing in.
She had the strange feeling that perhaps she was already standing within the eye of the typhoon.
* * *
A few days later.
Articles seeding the groundwork for 【In the Chaos】, prepared by Studio A and KTBC, flooded the media.
The main story was undoubtedly coverage of the top actor Ha Tae-jin, who was currently riding the wave of trending topics, but there was another hot-button issue that had set a corner of the internet ablaze….
【Kang Ha-jin, ‘Seo Tae-il’s Man’, Will KTBC Choose Him? …’In the Chaos’ Casting Rumors】
…Not content with gaining tens of thousands of followers overnight on OneStarr, Kang Ha-jin was now the protagonist of the story—having received casting inquiries for KTBC’s most anticipated project of the first half of next year.
– Why is Kang Ha-jin suddenly here????
– Talk about a life reversal lolololol
– But seriously who even is this guy, why does everyone keep calling him ‘Seo Tae-il’s Man’? Did Seo Tae-il come out?
└ Are you insane
└ I got a little scared wondering if South Korea had opened up something bigger without me knowing
– Huh but this is so random, isn’t his portfolio just busking in Busan? Suddenly a cable variety show lol?
– Isn’t this just casting for short-term buzz… by the time the broadcast starts, everyone’s gonna be like ‘so who is Kang Ha-jin anyway’ mode;;;;
Naturally, most reactions were negative.
Entertainment fans anticipating the broadcast of the new survival show 【In the Chaos】, and fans of the other celebrities whose casting articles had been released alongside his.
And on top of that, fans of other idol groups who were simply annoyed by Kang Ha-jin’s sudden appearance like an invasive species in their ecosystem were all chiming in with their two cents.
[Is KHJ really gonna be IN THE CHAOS????]
(Screenshot of Nam Sa-ra following Kang Ha-jin’s OneStarr account.JPG)
Nam Sa-ra and KHJ mutually followed each other on OneStarr
They had no prior connection and Nam Sa-ra is confirmed to be appearing in ITC with Ha Tae-jin right now, which is crazy
– Wow this is seriously insane
– Does this guy have some backing? Even if his fan account got boosted, how does he get cast in KTBC’s anticipated project overnight??
– Are you sure? NSR has always had wide connections and does mutual follows all the time
└ They had zero connection before, and they started mutually following right around when the pre-meeting shooting date rumors came up, so it’s basically confirmed right?
– No seriously I don’t even know who this guy is, is he really that big? Every article about him is full of hate comments
└ It’s not that we hate him, it’s just annoying that some nobody suddenly shows up
└ He’s not even a million-subscriber YouTuber, just some failed idol busking video one-trick pony who suddenly got cast in A-tier variety, who’s gonna look at that favorably
– Honestly I don’t care lol he’s good-looking and has decent physique, so they probably just threw in some visual-focused flower field member lololololol just watch
Bean Lover
@bean_iiluv
That schedule Bin said he couldn’t talk about before
Looks like it’s the ITC filming!
He recently did some really thrilling filming
And he’s been bragging about how close he got with this hyung he met there for the first time lololol
Who is this person that Bin is praising so much lololol
(Screenshot of ‘Bin’, cast member of 【In the Chaos】, from a paid messenger service.JPG)
Shared 1,039 Quoted 105 Liked 1,842
║
Bean Lover
@bean_iiluv
Bin said he’d be pretty surprised if he found out who that hyung really is
He said it was the first time he met that person that day too
So he’s not a celebrity, more like someone from an ordinary background lolol
But he must have really liked him, he seemed to love him so much lololol
(Screenshot of paid messenger service from ‘Bin’, cast member of 【In the Chaos】.JPG)
Shared 1,984 Quoted 422 Liked 2,331
Crispy🔒
@pakssae
Wow like this wtf
Kang Ha-jin, is that really you?
Bean Lover
@bean_iiluv
Bin said he’d be pretty surprised if he found out who that hyung really is
He said it was the first time he met that person that day too
….
Shared / Liked 5
After the official article broke, cast members began leaking information bit by bit from here and there—whether it counted as spoilers or genuine leaks remained ambiguous. The production team turned a blind eye to minor spoilers from confirmed cast members, provided they didn’t compromise the program’s security.
“Ha-jin hyung!”
Meanwhile, on the internet, whether people’s gossip about his participation in 【In the Chaos】 swirled like a hurricane or not.
The man himself at the center of all this attention, Kang Ha-jin, sat in a private room of a famous Seoul restaurant, sipping green tea while waiting for someone.
“You’re late.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was trying to convince hyung to let the security personnel wait outside the restaurant….”
The one who burst through the door searching for Ha-jin was none other than Ju Eun-chan.
He was the one who had arranged today’s meeting, and his freshly trimmed bangs—cut not long ago—now revealed Eun-chan’s deep, obsidian-like eyes beautifully.
“You didn’t cut much hair?”
“No, you told me not to cut the back much, remember? But why can’t I cut it? Since my hair is long, I have to tie it up every time I eat, which is inconvenient.”
“Well… for now, it’s better that people see you as a decadent, sexy long-haired hyung rather than an innocent fool?”
“I really don’t understand what you’re saying sometimes, hyung.”
“Right, it’s better that people don’t know that side of you yet.”
….
“…Are you wondering right now whether I’m teasing you or not?”
As Ha-jin set down the steaming green tea cup and asked playfully, Eun-chan’s face crumpled as if struck by the truth, and he gulped down cold water without answering.
At that consistent reaction, Kang Ha-jin sighed with relief, thinking that even after returning to the real timeline, he could tease Eun-chan for at least another ten years.
“So, why did you call me today? If you had something to say, you could’ve just called.”
“Ah.”
Anyway, today’s meeting was an arrangement initiated by Ju Eun-chan.
It wasn’t simply an invitation to come home and hang out—when someone called you to a fine dining establishment that was obviously outrageously expensive (the word choice was modest, but there truly was no expression more apt than this one), and moreover to a private room so exclusive that not even an ant could squeeze through, there had to be a reason behind it.
At Ha-jin’s gaze, which seemed to urge him to get to the point before the food arrived, Ju Eun-chan, gripping his cup tightly with both hands, met Ha-jin’s eyes and answered.
“I found them.”
“Huh?”
“The group members.”
Ju Eun-chan exhaled a short breath, his cheeks flushed a vivid red.
With a smile far too fresh for someone so decadent, Ju Eun-chan conveyed this joyful news to Ha-jin once more.
“I found out where the members are right now and what they’re doing.”

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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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