If I Don’t Earn 1 Trillion Won, My Regression Ends - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 48

 

Indeed, this is the image-making skill worthy of the prestigious idol company WV.

 

‘Not just anyone becomes one of the top 5 entertainment companies.’

 

Future Bae Tae-ak’s group 【NVA】, or Nova, was a 2.5 generation male idol group that belonged to the latecomers of their generation.

 

However, they eventually claimed the global lead with their strategy of quickly entering the YouTube content market, so they could be called the ultimate winners.

 

Among them, Bae Tae-ak maintained a thick fanbase for over 10 years with his cool and elegant eldest brother image and capable leader persona.

 

He probably would have been even more successful if his group members hadn’t disappeared one after another due to drug or school violence issues.

 

I remember his hiatus period being quite long.

 

‘I still don’t know why he quit acting and switched to being an idol though.’

 

I had never even heard of Teaki doing acting.

 

There were so many differences from the future that if he wasn’t Bae Seo-nyeok’s nephew, I would have wondered if someone had stolen his identity.

 

When we went down to the cafeteria, I immediately spotted Namihee waiting in the corner.

 

“Mihee unnie~.”

 

“Sing-a. You’re late? Hello, Tae-ak sunbae.”

 

“Hmph.”

 

Bae Tae-ak snorted again.

 

I ignored him and opened my lunch box lid.

 

Namihee glanced at Bae Tae-ak and whispered to start a conversation.

 

As usual, it was about what I learned today and such.

 

“I see. That’s nice, Sing-a~. Teacher Kim Yeo-yeong is famous for vocal training. Learn well from her.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah. They say just one lesson from her unblocks all the stuck sounds, even people learning singing desperately cling to her. She only occasionally teaches adult classes so it’s hard to see her, but you have someone like that as your dedicated teacher. I’m envious.”

 

“Aren’t you almost getting dedicated lessons too?”

 

“What?”

 

At Namihee’s puzzled response, Bae Tae-ak twisted up the corner of his mouth.

 

“Am I wrong? Every day you get everything we learn from A to Z without missing a single detail from the kid. You’re practically half our class too. Right? Why~ don’t you just get books from Seosing-a while you’re at it?”

 

“….”

 

Namihee pressed her lips shut, looking embarrassed.

 

I didn’t know what to say either.

 

My loser instincts kicked in, telling me that if I said even one word here, I’d look like a real hypocrite….

 

So I just kicked Bae Tae-ak’s leg under the table, but this immature middle schooler with delusions of grandeur got angry and stood up!

 

“Ah damn, this is so annoying I can’t stand it! Hey. Hurry up and eat, then come up. I’m going first!”

 

“….”

 

…I should call Seo Neok Samchon after a long time~.

 

“Phew, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Taeag Oppa is going through puberty. Middle schoolers are originally like that.”

 

“Mm-hmm…. But Sing-a.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Namihee looked up.

 

“Did you get a book? When? Today? What kind of book? Can you show me for a moment?”

 

“….”

 

My hand holding the chopsticks hesitated.

 

Those eyes examining me in detail.

 

Those young eyes staring intently without looking away for even a moment showed no sign of being hurt or concerned.

 

I felt a chill in my chest for a moment and… for the first time, I wondered if I had been thinking about something wrong.

 

After all, this place I was in was an acting academy.

 

It was a place where actors were born and raised.

 

♧

 

As various thoughts and schemes deepened at the end of the century.

 

It was a day in December, at the very end as the 20th century was waning.

 

After finishing academy as usual and returning home, I heard Mother’s urgent voice.

 

“Come quickly, Sing-a! Hyeon-gyo ran away from home!”

 

Ran away?

 

Surprised, I saw the house was in chaos as if thieves had broken in.

 

Madam Bang was throwing clothes into a suitcase while rapidly exchanging words with Father.

 

“The day before yesterday, Hyeon-gyo’s father got angry and hit the child. Really~ Where can you find a child as good and exemplary as Hyeon-gyo, yet he hits him? Anyway, I thought it passed, but yesterday and today the child hasn’t come home.”

 

“They just found out now? The child has been outside this whole time?”

 

“The child’s mother is at a seminar right now, and his father is on a business trip too. How would they know? Hyeon-gyo told the school he was going on a trip, so even his homeroom teacher didn’t think it was strange. They found out when Hyeon-hye called her mother saying her brother wasn’t coming home.”

 

“Oh my….”

 

“The adults got into bad habits because the child usually doesn’t need much attention. That’s not how you raise a child.”

 

“So where is the child now?”

 

“Samcheok!”

 

“What? Samcheok in Gangwon Province? That far? Alone?”

 

“That’s what I’m saying~ He went to find his grandmother. By express bus. I don’t know how he thought to go that far alone.”

 

Mother sighed as if dumbfounded, but Father still looked very worried.

 

“So you’re going all the way there to bring him back?”

 

“What else can I do? Yeon-ju is crying and making a fuss. She says her husband won’t let her be, begging me to please bring him back~ Oh my. Helping at times like this is what neighbors are for. How well has Hyeon-gyo’s family treated us all this time?”

 

“That’s true….”

 

Seo Shin-hyeon was convinced but made a very sad face.

 

“You have to come back quickly. I can’t live even one day without you!”

 

“Yes~ sure sure~ You managed just fine stuck in the military. Seosing-a, what are you doing standing there! Hurry up and pack!”

 

“…Am I going too?”

 

I was just bewildered.

 

A sudden trip to Gangwon Province like this?

 

But Madam Bang Suk-yeong had an expression that said talking would only hurt her mouth.

 

“Of course~ One day might be okay, but what if we end up staying there for several days. How can your father take care of both Cheong-song and you when he can barely handle Cheong-song alone? You have to come with Mother! Hyeon-hye is going too.”

 

“What about my school…?”

 

“Winter break starts the day after tomorrow. It doesn’t matter if you don’t go a few days early. Since when have you attended school regularly?”

 

“….”

 

Since I’d been skipping classes like eating meals since daycare, somehow in our house perfect attendance became strange and absences became natural….

 

It was when I had no choice but to pack my things.

 

With a thud sound, familiar warmth plopped down next to me.

 

“I want to go too. To find Kyo.”

 

Nonsense. I glared at Rampa Lim.

 

“What about oppa’s rehabilitation? Don’t you know what’s important?”

 

“It doesn’t matter. Just for a day.”

 

“Didn’t you hear Mother? She said it might be several days. How much are you planning to skip?”

 

I tapped Rampa Lim’s ankle brace with my index finger.

 

It had been 3 months since the September injury.

 

Rampa Lim was currently going through the most painful period of rehabilitation – forcibly regaining flexibility in his stiffened ankle.

 

Since I accompanied him every time he went to the hospital, I knew well. Even though it was painful, this was the most important time for Rampa Lim.

 

“Baby… you’re being heartless.”

 

Rampa Lim rubbed his nose bridge against my shoulder as if feeling hurt.

 

“Like Shin-hyeon samchon, I also can’t live even one day without my Sing-a-”

 

“What are you saying~ when you’re going back to Australia next month anyway.”

 

“….”

 

As if speechless, Rampa Lim rested his chin on my shoulder. I screamed and twisted my body.

 

“Ah! Ow! It hurts… it hurts!”

 

“Are you going to say such mean things again? Who wants to hurt oppa’s feelings, huh? You’ll only realize how much you’ve hurt me now when you see me dying of longing for you from across the Pacific Ocean.”

 

“I was wrong~.”

 

Honestly, after learning he was Park Min-su’s nephew, I felt incredibly uncomfortable, but Rampa Lim kept joking around like this so there wasn’t even time to feel awkward.

 

He was a cunning guy who slipped through situations like a snake over a wall.

 

He definitely noticed that I was feeling awkward around him and did it even more on purpose!

 

“Give me a kiss and I’ll forgive you.”

 

“You’re not even angry!”

 

As soon as I finished speaking, Rampa Lim hardened his expression and raised one eyebrow. I found his pathetic act both amusing and annoying, so I hit him repeatedly.

 

Then Rampa Lim burst into laughter and kissed my cheek and forehead briefly first. It felt like infinite tenderness, more like what he’d give to a young daughter than a younger sister.

 

I helplessly received that gentle shower of affection and said.

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back before Christmas.”

 

“….”

 

Rampa Lim’s playfulness stops.

 

He looks at me with quietly peaceful eyes.

 

As if looking at something incomprehensible, or something very foolish, he examined me attentively and affectionately before letting out what sounded like a sigh.

 

“Sing-a is really sensitive.”

 

“Look who’s talking.”

 

“That makes you even better though.”

 

“Hmph.”

 

“Still, it’s embarrassing, so next time pretend you don’t notice when oppa gets anxious.”

 

“I didn’t know? Were you anxious?”

 

Ignoring my feigned ignorance, Rampa Lim pulled me into his arms. With his chin buried in my shoulder, the boy’s voice became muffled and indistinct.

 

“But I hate lies more than embarrassment… There are already many people who deceive me. Don’t become one of them. Sing-a is good enough as you are now.”

 

Sometimes Rampa Lim looks lonely to an unbelievable degree for his age.

 

I silently patted Rampa Lim’s head.

 

Winter was coming to an end. The boy’s hair covering his neck had grown considerably longer again.

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