Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 279. The Important Thing (1)

@mingming_01

Reply to @Daily_KIRUS

Happy birthday, Kang Leader! ♥

Which member was the first to wish you a happy birthday?

∥

@Daily_KIRUS

Reply to @mingming_01

The youngest ones.

They’re still clinging to me because they’re watching the mention party, and it’s driving me nuts.

(A picture of Eunchan and Haru lying on Hajin’s back and legs)

“Ah, I said you’re heavy. Get up, you punks.”

“But, hyung. This is our room. You’re the one lying on our bed.”

“Hyung’s the most comfortable to lie on, height-wise.”

When we first met, they were so shy and guarded, but now that they’re more comfortable, their backtalk has reached a whole new level. I even deliberately fidgeted to make it clear they should get off, but Joo Eunchan and Dan Haru, who had already settled in, just giggled as if they found it amusing.

Eventually, I gave up trying to shake them off and turned my attention back to my phone. Just then, Lee Yugeon, who had apparently just come out of the shower, entered the room, drying his hair with a towel.

“What the—hyung, why are you here?”

“Our room’s Wi-Fi isn’t working.”

“You could’ve used the living room.”

“The wind from the veranda makes it cold.”

“So, you’re just sprawled out like that on someone else’s bed?”

“Birthday chan–ce.”

“Geez, when will this birthday stuff ever end….”

Even though he grumbled, Yugeon didn’t tell me to leave and instead settled into a beanbag in the corner of the room.

I’ve been thinking about it, and it seems like he’s gotten softer ever since he heard about the payment settlement.

‘Indeed, financial treatment is the universal cure-all for modern people…’

So was all that edginess and irritability before due to the stress of unstable employment, irregular income, and job preparation? It seemed to make sense, so I nodded to myself in agreement.

And if this is Yugeon at his most mentally stable, with all his irritability shaved off by that financial buff, then there was something I needed to tell him before that buff wore off.

“Hey, Geon-ichani.”

“…? What’s with that nickname now?”

“Uh, you guys… How much did you learn of the Utopia hyungs’ song? The choreography.”

I’m sorry, kids. No matter how much you learned, you’re going to have to ditch that choreography.

I hesitated, tapping on my phone screen, unable to bring myself to say it, when Yugeon looked at me curiously, tilting his head.

“We stopped halfway since we were told we wouldn’t be doing it. Are we doing it again?”

“…? How did you know? That we can’t do that song.”

“I heard it from the choreo teacher.”

So, while we were trying to prevent any leaks about the birthday café, the communication network within the company was full of holes.

The days I spent agonizing over how to break the news were now crumbling into pieces before my eyes. Only Dan Haru, who had been lying on my back and watching ITube, showed a bit of surprise.

“We’re not doing the Utopia hyungs’ song?”

“Yeah, we can’t. Apparently, they said we can’t do songs from the same agency. I don’t get it, but whatever.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. I liked that song. So, what song are we doing instead?”

“No idea. Ask that hyung. I thought you guys were deciding on it.”

Their conversation was drier than when choosing a late-night snack, and the unexpected reaction left me feeling dizzy. I hurriedly sat up, cutting off their conversation.

“Hey, hey, hey. Stop, stop. Everyone, shut your mouths.”

“…?”

“I could understand if it was just Lee Doha, but why aren’t you guys surprised? Why aren’t you angry? Why aren’t you pissed? Am I the only one in this house who feels wronged and outraged by this situation? Am I the only one? They’re telling us to be shrimp, and in a situation where we should be sweeping the seas as whales or pterosaurs, we’re supposed to be shrimp, and why—why is everyone okay with this? Why is everyone acting like it’s nothing?”

My voice rose in indignation, but the room owners, Geon and Joodan, just stared at me blankly.

Their reaction left me even more flabbergasted, and I grabbed Dan Haru’s shoulder, who was sitting next to me. Has this kid also become a new person thanks to job security and financial treatment? He drove people crazy during the Miro Maze, so why has his mental state suddenly turned into an alloy?

“No, Haru, listen to me. Lanion is doing Utopia’s song. Lanion! Instead of doing their senior’s song, they’re covering the Utopia hyungs’. All the other good songs have already been taken by other groups. We barely have any songs left to choose from.”

Haru, who seemed to understand the situation, shrugged his shoulder that I had grabbed and answered quietly.

“Then should we ask the Destis what stage they want to see?”

“What?”

“A cover stage is ultimately for the fans, so if we can’t do our top-choice song, it’s better to do something the fans want to see. Since you’re at the mention party now, you could subtly ask! Right?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…. Doesn’t it bother you that Lanion took the song?”

“Not really? Before, I did resent Minseok hyung a bit because of what he did to Taehyun hyung. But lately, Taehyun hyung doesn’t seem to care much, so….”

Dan Haru, who seemed to be organizing his thoughts while scratching his chin, smiled brightly.

“I just care more about having fun with the hyungs.”

Seo Taehyun would have bawled his eyes out, saying how proud he was if he heard this.

Of course, I felt like crying too.

‘You were this mentally tough, but why were you like that all this time…?’

If you were going to be like this, you should have done so before I went through the military twice….

My sense of injustice doubled, and I couldn’t say anything, just exhaled deeply when someone knocked on the door twice from outside and then opened it.

“…?”

“I was reading a book in the living room, and I could hear everything you were saying.”

Standing outside the door was Jung Siwoo, dressed in pajamas and holding a mug of warm ginger tea, as usual. Behind him, it looked like Seo Taehyun and Lee Doha had been dragged out of bed from their room.

Jung Siwoo lightly adjusted his silver-framed glasses and said,

“It seems like you’re discussing the year-end stage.”

“…”

“It seems like something we should all discuss together. If no one’s too sleepy, why don’t we gather in the living room for a bit?”

At Jung Siwoo’s smiling suggestion, I let out a deep sigh and nodded.

The sharp pain in my shin had disappeared, and it was time to return to the world of headaches.

* * *

I explained the situation to the members gathered in the living room, but their reactions were similar.

‘Really? That’s a shame. But it can’t be helped.’

End.

Even Seo Taehyun didn’t seem to have much thought about it, and by this point, I wondered if I was being too petty.

“I’m really losing my mind. How can none of you be angry about this? Why is everyone so calm? Is it just me?”

“What exactly are you mad about, Hajin? Just because we lost the song we were planning on? It wasn’t set in stone anyway. It was just our top choice. We haven’t even started preparing for the stage yet.”

In response to my words, Jung Siwoo asked back as if he didn’t understand me.

Since that was also true, I was at a loss for words, and Seo Taehyun, who had been patting his face with skincare products, added his two cents.

“But, hyung, you really have been acting strange lately. Even when we got caught with ‘To You’ during the Miro Maze, I don’t think you were this stressed.”

Then, placing the skincare bottle on the living room table with a loud clank, he stared at me.

“Are you seriously wary of Lanion?”

“Are you nuts?”

Me?

Wary of Lanion?

Why would I be?

Those wannabe Greek gods?

…was what I wanted to retort, but unfortunately, as soon as I heard Seo Taehyun’s words, I felt my lips stiffen involuntarily.

“…”

“…?”

“…Hyung, are you serious?”

“Judging by his reaction, it seems like he is.”

“Wary of them? Of Lanion? The My Way hyung?”

Seeing my reaction, the members were shocked, and Dan Haru, looking genuinely surprised, grabbed my arm and asked.

“Hyung. Are you seriously scared that we might lose to Lanion!?”

“Hey, who’s scared…!?”

Or am I? Oh, damn, was I scared? Was I scared?

My mouth went dry as I confronted this side of myself that I hadn’t known existed.

Denial is the affirmation. Seeing my reaction, the members around me became even more certain, and their expressions turned to shock and horror.

“No, hey. Listen to me. It’s not that I’m scared…. No, am I scared? Me

? Me, scared? Ha, really. Joo Eunchan, don’t give me that serious look. I told you it’s scary when you do that, didn’t I? Don’t cover Ideon’s mouth, you jerks! Ah, listen to me!”

As the members’ reactions grew more intense, I tried to play it cool and brush it off, but the tense atmosphere didn’t ease up.

‘No, I didn’t even do anything wrong, so why am I getting scolded!?’

Is this really the time for me to get scolded?

Feeling wronged, I tried to pry off Haru’s arm that was gripping me (and failed) and pressed myself as close as I could to the back of the sofa, blurting out whatever came to mind.

“It’s not that they’re worth being wary of! I mean, they are the group rising right after us! But that doesn’t mean I’m scared! Of course, we’re better, but! Still…!? Y’all don’t know this, but they originally, oh!?”

“What originally, what.”

“….”

I almost said, ‘Originally, they were a colossal phenomenon, sweeping all the rookie awards, constantly hitting number one, and establishing themselves as Enderway’s rival in the boy group scene….’

Realizing I almost blurted it out, I quickly shut my mouth, and the first to start grilling me was Seo Taehyun, who was holding his face massager in reverse.

“Hyung, do you seriously think Cha Minseok is better than me? Is that why you’re so conscious of him? Do you think they’re better than us!?”

When did I ever compare you with that pretty-faced guy? From a producer’s point of view, you and he aren’t even in the same category; you’re polar opposites who would create synergy if put together.

Of course, there’s probably no chance of seeing the two of you together in this lifetime.

…was what I wanted to say, but then Lee Doha leaned over the table with his large hand resting on it.

“What makes you think that? Lanion and we have completely different styles. Although neither team has a lot of results yet, I think we’re still overwhelmingly ahead. I can’t guess what you think Lanion’s strengths are, Hajin.”

…Well, it’s not that there’s something specific about them, it’s just that history(?) was like that.

In the previous timeline, Lanion was a colossal syndrome.

In this timeline, even though their members were cut in half and their debut schedule and activities were different, they had already caught up to Kairos in terms of performance and recognition with just their debut song, proving their abilities.

But I couldn’t say that, so I just waved my hand awkwardly, and amidst this chaos, Jung Siwoo, who had been quietly sipping his tea, put down his mug.

“So.”

His voice was so calm it was almost cynical, quieting the chaos in the living room.

Even Joo Eunchan, who had been giving me a look as if to say, ‘Hyung, how can you not trust us?’ flinched at the sound of Jung Siwoo’s voice and turned to look at him.

“…You mean you didn’t even bother to be wary when you and I had a blatant main vocal showdown during the Miro Maze, but you’re doing so against Lanion.”

“No, hyung-nim. How could I possibly be so presumptuous and arrogant as to be wary of you….”

“Even while keeping us as your members?”

How did I feel facing his gaze and voice head-on?

“This is a bit of a blow to my pride.”

“…”

I’d rather die….

A fear greater than the thought of going back to the military for the third time loomed before my eyes.