Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 536

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

536. Entering the Eye of the Typhoon (3)
I know.
Know what?
“Hey, pack your things.”
“What?”
“You’re coming to eat with me starting now.”
It was a fundamental truth that situations like this required a sharp, preemptive strike to catch someone off guard.
“Why are you suddenly showing up here? Did Ju Eun-chan tell you?”
“Oh, formal speech?”
It had been a while since I’d heard Lee Yu-gun speak so formally, and it felt oddly refreshing. As if he’d finally come to his senses, he pushed my hand away—the one holding the name tag—and instinctively stumbled backward.
Of course, it was futile.
“Ugh, everything’s about to spill out back there.”
“…!”
I’d already confirmed there was nowhere for Lee Yu-gun to escape, and I’d blocked his only exit route.
Behind him was a shelf, to his sides were the counter and storage boxes, and in front of him was me—probably someone he’d rather face than death itself. Lee Yu-gun’s expression darkened with displeasure.
Of course, that didn’t concern me in the slightest.
“Yeah, Ju Eun-chan told me. He said you told him you absolutely didn’t want to get involved, so never to come looking for you again? And that he should stop the background investigation immediately.”
“…If you didn’t know for ten years, then we’re strangers. Now you suddenly show up trying to peddle fake nostalgia and have someone tailed—what am I supposed to do, just let it happen?”
“Yeah, well. I think you did the right thing. It’s only natural from your perspective.”
According to what Ju Eun-chan had said, Lee Yu-gun still seemed to be in an unawakened state.
As I nodded in agreement with Lee Yu-gun, who was wary of my sudden appearance at his workplace, his expression became even stranger. Still, the fact that he wasn’t shutting the door in my face right away made me wonder if the kid’s temperament had mellowed somewhat.
‘Or is it? Come to think of it, he seemed to have the best personality before his idol debut?’
In any case, my sudden appearance here and the likelihood of getting a punch from Lee Yu-gun all had their justifications.
I recalled a conversation I’d had with Thirteen not long ago.
-So basically, there’s currently no way to force an awakening in this situation….
[System Alert: We’ve explored various methods, but since this isn’t a stable timeline, there seem to be quite a few limitations…. ꜀(　꜆´⌓`)꜆]
-Ugh, that’s pretty hopeless.
It was the moment my plan to forcibly awaken Lee Yu-gun, if only I could, crumbled to dust.
I wasn’t acting to catch Thirteen off guard—I was genuinely despairing. For everything that lay ahead, I needed Lee Yu-gun’s cooperation above all else, regardless of anyone else.
[System Alert: …Well! It’s not like there’s absolutely no possibility of Lee Yu-gun awakening!]
-You always bring stuff like that up later. Why do you keep getting my hopes up?
[System Alert: It’s not a certain method, but! After all, this timeline is essentially like a palm line—a trace that remains within that person!]
-…Keep going.
[System Alert: If you, the fixed returner with the most clearly anchored timeline, continuously stimulate Lee Yu-gun, he might awaken under the influence of the timeline!]
[System Alert: Just like how Ji Su-ho was influenced by Dan Ha-ru’s contact in the previous timeline, or how Seo Tae-il and Ju Eun-chan were influenced by seeing you in this timeline!]
In the original timeline, Ji Su-ho had been partially influenced by the previous timeline through contact with Dan Ha-ru.
In this timeline, Seo Tae-il unconsciously recalled memories of me from the original timeline, and Ju Eun-chan succeeded in awakening when a video of my Busan busking that he happened to see became the trigger.
-Oh, so what you’re saying is….
So to summarize this,
-Use some melodramatic amnesia shock therapy?
[System Notification: Ha-jin. (I’d already anticipated this anyway, and at this point I can’t deny it—so I’m irritated.)]
Whether it was melodramatic shock therapy or weekend drama sentimentality, I wasn’t in a position to be picky about my methods right now.
‘I’ll awaken Yu Gun today, no matter what, and then I’m leaving.’
Of course, I’d already devised a backup strategy for when that didn’t work.
I maintained my guard and watched Yu Gun, who was venting his frustration with every ounce of strength he had, with patient eyes.
“What’s wrong with you anyway? Did you get struck by lightning? If you got struck by lightning, go buy a lottery ticket—stop wasting your time on someone who’s working hard and living right.”
“Yeah, and the lottery you’re about to win is getting struck by lightning.”
“What…?”
Yu Gun furrowed his brows deeply and stared at me as if asking what nonsense I was spouting. Without even glancing at his gaze, I pulled out a remarkably thick white envelope from the bag I’d been carrying heavily on my shoulder since arriving.
I recalled the conversation I’d had with Eun-chan when we were planning this operation before coming here.
-But… do you think Yu Gun will willingly spend time with you? If he’d already awakened, maybe, but in this timeline, the two of you are practically enemies….
-If he won’t go willingly, then I’ll force him to go.
-But how exactly?
Toward Eun-chan, who was staring at me with wide eyes, genuinely curious about this method, I spoke with complete sincerity.
-Eun-chan.
-Yes?
-Listen to what I’m about to say without misunderstanding. And make sure your brother doesn’t misunderstand either.
-…Yes?
-Do you have some money?
Thud.
I dropped that white envelope—heavy beyond belief for mere paper—onto the counter.
Unable to grasp what this was, Yu Gun’s eyes remained confused as I kindly extracted the contents and held them up.
“Damn… this is insane….”
It was money.
A lot of money.
Probably more than what Yu Gun earned in a month from all his side jobs combined—the convenience store, the factory next door, the night pojangmacha, and his home work—or rather, far more than that.
An incarnation of capitalism, a slave to wages, a young breadwinner of this era—the kind of person who could never easily turn away from such a sum. Clean money, with no debt attached, a miracle rarer than winning the lottery.
-Over the past ten years, Yu Gun’s financial mindset must have changed quite a bit. At least, this is the amount of money I can withdraw without him knowing…. I’ll give you all of it. Take it all.
Eun-chan, who immediately grasped my strategy, handed me this stack of bills shortly after and made this request.
-Yu Gun, please bring him back no matter what.
Of course. After all, what an investor says is law and rule.
I tapped the bills in the envelope with my finger toward Yu Gun, whose eyes couldn’t seem to leave the stack of money.
“Five hundred thousand.”
“…!”
“This envelope contains exactly five hundred thousand. All you have to do is hand over your entire day to me quietly, and this five hundred thousand is all yours. By the way, there’s no tax to worry about, and there’s nothing shady about it. If you want, I can even attach a receipt with a plausible reason and deposit it for you.”
This was the same guy who used to volunteer as a babysitter for young idols visiting the broadcasting station for just a hundred thousand won a day.
Yu Gun, who’d quit being an idol and was now living a respectable life, knew painfully well how hard it was to earn even a thousand won a day. There was no way he’d reject this rare opportunity just for the sake of pride.
“…You’re buying my day, but what are you going to do with it?”
See, he’s already taken the bait.
Toward Yu Gun, who was showing interest, I shrugged my shoulders as arrogantly and presumptuously as possible, crossing my arms. It was important to appear as though I had no interest whatsoever in reconciling with someone like him.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m making my comeback into the entertainment industry soon. I ended up getting cast in a Survival Program through a senior I happen to know.”
“And?”
“In my flawless—no, rather, my brief idol career where I barely left any blemishes—you’re the one relationship I openly failed at. If those rumors about conflict between us resurface now, it’ll be a headache for me too, you know?”
Lee Yu-gun had always been quick to read the room, then and now. It was the only way he’d managed to survive.
“…So, you’re asking me to pretend to be close with you now?”
“Either way, we both hurt each other’s feelings and got annoyed with one another, right? But you’re not the type who’d spend ten years sharpening a blade for revenge against me.”
“What if I were?”
“You? The guy who tries to keep his thoughts light because once you start thinking seriously, life becomes unbearably difficult?”
“…!”
Lee Yu-gun’s pupils trembled.
Of course. This was something Lee Yu-gun had told me directly in the original timeline, but it was his personal philosophy that he would never have shared in this current timeline.
I held the white envelope filled with neatly organized cash in one hand, standing at an angle as I looked down at Lee Yu-gun.
“Think it over. I’m not clinging to your pant leg begging for reconciliation right now. A relationship that fell apart ten years ago—wouldn’t it be more profitable to just grab a meal, take a photo, pocket five hundred, and call it done?”
“….”
“You don’t realize it, but I’m doing better than you’d think. Nothing like those failed idol days we had. So unless the rumors about our conflict get resolved, stories about you will follow me everywhere I go from now on.”
“….”
“And eventually, those stories will spread until they reach the ears of the Tigers.”
“…!”
The moment I mentioned the Tigers, Lee Yu-gun’s gaze sharpened once more. So he cherished his younger siblings just as much then as he does now?
‘Then this should be easier to negotiate.’
It was time to drive the final wedge.
I mimicked an arrogant expression and jabbed the envelope of cash directly at Lee Yu-gun’s chest, right where his staff badge hung.
“Think it over. Five hundred is one semester of university tuition for the Tigers. Even if Yoo-rang is going into beauty training, Yoo-ho is sharp enough that you’d want to keep him in school longer, right?”
As I spoke, Lee Yu-gun’s pupils shook relentlessly and his poker face crumbled.
His expression shifted moment by moment as if asking how I could possibly know all this, but he quickly deduced it must be from Ju Eun-chan’s background investigation. He quietly ground his teeth and muttered Ju Eun-chan’s name.
‘Sorry, but all of this is what you told me directly in the original timeline.’
Regardless, none of that mattered to me right now.
What mattered was making this guy—who had no particular competitive spirit, wasn’t particularly stubborn, and despite his strong sense of responsibility, wasn’t particularly greedy—accept my proposal solely out of irritation with me.
Maintaining this disrespectful attitude from the start was also a strategy to make him feel no qualms about taking my money.
The more I stripped emotion from this relationship, the faster and easier Lee Yu-gun’s decision would become, since he was both a realist and a pragmatist.
“So what do you say? It’s five hundred a day for part-time work.”
“…What are the conditions?”
“Simple. From now on, eat with me, grab dessert at the Convenience Store, and let me take a few photos and videos. That’s it. After that, I won’t bother you no matter what happens.”
“….”
“You in?”
Friendship?
Don’t make me laugh. I’ll buy that with money.
It was what I called the money-throwing strategy.

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