Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 261. It’s a Daily Life Part. Probably. (4)

“Whaaat↗?”

As soon as I opened my eyes in the morning, I habitually checked the music charts, and my jaw dropped in shock.

82nd place (▲) Over the Night
K:RUS

91st place (▲) Kick Off
K:RUS

“Why is this here…?”

Not only was on the charts, but even the debut album songs had landed at the tail end of the TOP100.

Of course, from the trends, it looked like they might get pushed out again soon, but just making it into the charts was important in itself.

Even climbed up to 58th place.

Considering that the TOP100 chart was almost completely dominated by the public’s favorite hits and three major trot songs, this was truly an incredible achievement.

“Did we do too well in *Touch High*…?”

I ran my hand through my messy hair, still groggy from sleep.

I hadn’t had the chance to properly check the first week’s broadcast of *Touch High!* because I was at a regional event yesterday, but it seemed like something big had happened.

We had planned to monitor it together as it was our first time on a major network. Originally, the segment was supposed to air once next week, but it was extended to two episodes and brought forward to this week, messing up our schedule.

“Well, how well did it go…?”

The bed next to mine was empty, so it seemed like Lee Doha had gone out for his morning jog. I put on my glasses to clear my blurry vision and activated the system. As if it had learned by now, reactions to *Touch High!* automatically arranged themselves in a transparent window.

“Ha… If this ever goes away, how will I survive?”

At this point, the only solution was for Korean science to advance a bit more.

Hang in there, science students.

With those silly thoughts, I checked the system window.

The first thing I saw was this:

[Kairos/Kang Hajin] Our Strong Handed Hajin Compilation.zip #Shorts

“Oh, come on.”

When I moved to the next one, it was this:

Rookie Idol on a Variety Show: Told Him to Be Funny, He Brought Out His Best Stunts #Shorts #Kairos #KangHajin

“Good grief…”

Video after video, featuring everything from the unlucky kicking show, to the struck-out Mister Thunder, to the clumsy soccer in the maze challenge, were all lined up endlessly.

I couldn’t ignore it, so I checked the comment section, and it was even more chaotic.

– Thumbs up if you came to see the guy with the innocent yet unlucky expression on *Touch High*.

Likes 2,190 Replies 309

└ Thumbs up 22

└ Thumbs up 3333333

“An unlucky guy with a good heart…?”

After some searching, I found out it meant “kind but unlucky hands.” What the heck.

– There were so many times when *Touch High* guests held back and it got so boring, but I laughed every time they appeared yesterday, LOL.

– Look at Sanchez digging out a variety show gem, his eyes were practically sparkling.

– He looks like he could kick a person instead of a shuttlecock…

– The moment when the shuttlecock fell on the director’s head during practice was a true legend, LOL. I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe while eating, LOL.

– But he looked so aggrieved, it didn’t seem like he was really the Destroyer.

– Honestly, I thought he was just showing off in the opening, but as I kept watching, he turned out to be just hilariously talented for variety shows.

“Yeah, well… I guess I did do pretty well.”

This wasn’t unexpected.

Still, it felt surreal that things went so well. Scratching my chin, I moved to the next window, and another post appeared.

@ENFP_KHJ: This crazy guy Kang Hajin

In his self-produced content: Nerdy guy
In the music video: Band’s lead vocalist oppa
In the variety show: Totally charming younger man
Tlqkf…

(Captures of Hajin being considerate to the female fixed panelist on his team)
(Capture of Hajin and the female fixed panelist standing side by side, showing a height difference)
(Capture of Hajin catching the female fixed panelist with one hand when she almost fell during a relay mission)

Retweets 3,938 Quotes 910 Likes 5,331

@rossy_1017: OMG guys,

Look at the physicality of our group’s door men…

Right behind them,
Hㅖjuwunni and Mㅣyoungunni are standing there…

(Capture of female panelists hidden behind Hajin and Doha)

@kang_HD: How Kang Hajin boosts Destiny’s energy
: Go on a major network variety show and look incredibly handsome.

(GIF of Hajin smiling with natural light hitting him as he swishes his dark coat)
(GIF of Hajin winking at the fixed panelists in the opening)
(GIF of Hajin standing with his arms crossed in a team uniform, listening to the rules with a tilted head)
(GIF of Hajin lying on the ground, looking dumbfounded after failing at the shuttlecock challenge)

Retweets 7,730 Quotes 1,203 Likes 10K

“…Did I just do really well with my face?”

Fearing competition from other groups, I had worked out intensely the day before, even using skills to shed some swelling. Turns out it was all worth it.

Not only me, but Lee Doha also seemed to have made quite an impact with his overwhelming physicality and even more overwhelming antics (his farming out moment)….

Dan Haru still seemed to be going along as the cute youngest member for now, but things would change when the second week’s broadcast aired, featuring the boy’s market and the advance of the flags.

Wintertail, who had been pushing with their moderate reactions and well-rounded concept, also seemed to have gained some benefits, but it was clear that Kairos had gained the most promotional effect from *Touch High!*.

“Stormheader seems… content just to have made it onto a major network.”

I quickly scrolled through the system window, looking for anything else worth checking out, when suddenly the door burst open.

“…? What the… Seo Taehyun?”

Standing in front of the open door was Seo Taehyun, with his hair slicked back by a headband and mask patches under his eyes, looking determined.

As soon as our eyes met, Seo Taehyun marched toward me with a stride that I couldn’t tell was excited or angry, and I instinctively raised my pillow as a shield.

“Kang Hajin!”

“W-What, what….”

“What did you do on *Touch High*!?”

“…Hey, hey, Taehyun. Listen to me. You watched *Touch High*, didn’t you? Well, I had it all planned, okay? It wasn’t that I didn’t want to promote the new song, but by breaking away from the usual opening, I aimed to spark interest and curiosity about our group…”

“We’re number one on the trending videos list!”

“…Huh↗?”

Seo Taehyun turned the phone in his hand to show me.

Indeed, the music video for was number one on the trending videos list on iTube. The self-produced video was even at number three.

“…No way, how did it have this much effect…?”

“It’s insane right now, totally crazy. Our music video and self-produced content views are skyrocketing. The official Bluebird account and iTube subscribers have increased by nearly 500,000. They’re still growing, nonstop.”

“How many? 500,000?”

“You did a great job as the older brother for once!”

“For once…?”

Seo Taehyun shook my shoulders, wildly excited.

It was good to hear that we were doing well, but it still didn’t feel real. Even as the system continued to show me the results from yesterday’s broadcast, I was dazed.

The real-time increase in views for felt ridiculously unreal.

Jung Siwoo, who had come to collect Seo Taehyun, who was losing his mind due to a sudden dopamine rush, looked at me and smiled like a picture.

“Good job. They said you did well, and you really did an amazing job.”

“…I feel like Cinderella. Everything changed overnight…”

“Even Hyung Wook called earlier, excited. Apparently, we’re getting a lot of variety show love calls. You’re going to be even busier next year, right?”

“…It’s great to be busy.”

I chuckled softly at Jung Siwoo’s joke and nodded. After telling me to get up, wash up, and eat breakfast, Jung Siwoo left the room with Seo Taehyun.

As soon as the door closed, I reopened the system window to analyze the cause of this incredible boom. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t believe the impact was this great.

“This is making me anxious… because it’s going too well….”

After scouring the internet, here was my conclusion:

up our stage performances ▶ People became interested and started surfing through all our previous teasers>

So, in the end,

“…We just did really well.”

I searched thoroughly, wondering if there was some kind of unknown luck from a quest reward, but there wasn’t.

As I scratched my chin, feeling a bit uneasy about my too-good success, my phone rang. I checked, and it was a call from Ji Suho.

Of course. I thought something might be wrong, so I answered immediately, and Ji Suho got straight to the point.

– Yeah, it’s all because of you~

“…What is?”

– The genius of messing up in the maze is already Han Sol, so if you’re thinking of digging a hole after seeing the morning’s reaction, just wash up and eat instead~ Bye.

And then, he hung up.

“What was that…?”

I blinked in confusion, and this time, a messenger alert went off.

Then, another person contacted me.

“No way, these sunbaes…”

Still overwhelmed by the flood of messages from the morning, I swallowed hard, and then the phone rang again.

“…? Why is this sunbae…?”

Startled by the sudden call, I answered, and a loud voice shot through the phone like a machine gun.

– Hajin, you crazy! Hajin, my nephew! Or was it my uncle!? Little Taeil! You’ve totally blown up!? What the heck. What the heck. I’m getting calls from everywhere asking to be introduced to you. Oh, but by the way, that introduction isn’t for a blind date, it’s for a business meeting… but that meeting isn’t that kind of meeting, you know what I mean? The kind where we meet for the first time for work and exchange contacts and business cards, you get it, right? M-E-E-T-I-N-G…

“Sunbae, I’m really sorry, but I’m in the middle of a schedule, so I’ll call you back in a bit.”

– What, Sunbae!?

“The coolest main dancer in the world, Nam Tijoo-hyungnim, I’ll call you back soon.”

– Okay~

Click.

What just happened? What did I just go through?

What kind of storm is this? No, was it a typhoon?

I really felt like Cinderella, with the world flipped upside down overnight.

I knew things were going well, but I didn’t expect them to go this well.

This bewilderment, mixed with a bit of fear, excitement, and tension from such an unexpected level of success, subtly tightened around my chest.

“It’s… It’s going… really… well?”

Ding-dong.

Just then, another message came in from someone.

Recognizing the familiar name, I checked the messenger, and a very simple, short message had arrived from my mom.

“…Wow.”

I really must have…

done something great.

Only then did I finally realize the significance of my achievement, and I covered my mouth in amazement.