Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 268. The Snowball of Luck (1)

I wasn’t nervous at all.

‘Me? Nervous? Just because of some news about being a contender for first place? No way, that can’t be.’

“Hajin, are you really nervous?”

“Ye-es… … Huh? No? What? Me? … What did you say?”

“You’re acting strange today….”

Once again, I wasn’t nervous at all.

Even though I nearly stuttered about five times,

Almost got the name of a senior group, who are like gods, wrong about twice,

And almost mixed up the song introduction, I still managed to stay sharp and avoided any mistakes. There’s no way I got this worked up just because we were nominated for first place, not even winning it…

‘Wow. I really X want to be number one.’

In a moment of carelessness, my deeply suppressed desire slipped out.

To be honest, ever since we found out we were nominated for first place, I hadn’t been in the right state of mind.

‘No, didn’t you expect this? You were somewhat mentally prepared for this, so why are you freaking out? At this rate, you’ll cause a broadcasting accident.’

But seriously, I really want to be number one. Please, I’m begging you.

If we get our first win today, it’ll feel amazing.

And I dressed up so nicely today.

If I can give a killer acceptance speech in this outfit, it’ll make the shorts too, and that would be awesome.

Once I started wanting it, I couldn’t stop the growing anticipation.

Because, to be honest, I felt like we were really going to win.

“Okay, let’s move on to the next interview segment. MCs, focus!”

But the problem was that this wasn’t the time to be daydreaming and losing my focus.

I snapped out of it when the cue sign hit like a bolt of lightning and pinched my thigh. Any more mistakes would be unacceptable as a professional.

“Hello! Nice to meet you. We’re Lanion.”

“Yes, hello~ Just like we rehearsed, take it easy!”

Moreover, the interview was with Lanion, who was about to make their debut stage.

I had already decided on the concept to counter them with #SeniorityVibes #BigBrotherVibes #TheTasteOfLegalAdults, so if I acted clumsy during the interview, that would be a disaster in itself.

“Yes, Lanion, quickly get into position. The song’s about to end. 5, 4, 3….”

Lanion filed into the MC spot and took their positions. As I’d seen and heard many times before, they were surrounded by handsome faces. I briefly made eye contact with Cha Minseok, who was confidently taking the center spot, but we both quickly averted our gazes naturally.

Soon, the red light on the camera, indicating it was broadcasting, flickered on.

I spoke my lines smoothly as if I had never been nervous.

“A love story that makes fans’ hearts flutter! We’re here with Lanion, who will be performing their debut stage with ‘Let you know.’ Welcome!”

“Yes, we’ll greet you! Hello! We’re Lanion!”

First things first, this was the priority.

* * *

The interview went by without any major mistakes or accidents.

Lanion read the song introductions and group names on the prompter clearly and precisely.

The only hiccup came when I asked the group’s main vocalist to sing a short line from the chorus.

“Ah….”

His name was either Junghyuk or Junghyun, I think he was around my age. His eyes wavered anxiously. Gripping and releasing the mic repeatedly, he seemed to have gone blank with nerves. In moments like these, the other members should have whispered some support, but they all seemed too tense and stiff to notice their surroundings.

‘If he freezes here, this could turn into a broadcasting accident.’

While fans might find such a mistake cute, for the MC in charge, it’s an endless source of stress, something you hope never happens.

I quickly brought the mic to my mouth and spoke.

“Or perhaps you could show us your point choreography along with the song? I heard the Ribbon Dance is really easy to follow and that the moves are pretty. Is that right, Minseok?”

“…Ah, yes. I’ll show you the point choreography.”

I figured Cha Minseok was the most level-headed of the group, so I gave him a little nudge with a glance and deliberately called on him. He nodded at my words and stepped forward.

In the meantime, the main vocalist of Lanion seemed to have regained his composure and began singing his part with a trembling voice.

‘……These guys are gods and can even sing well, how annoying.’

It seemed he put too much force into his voice due to nerves, but his tone was fundamentally unique and sweet. Cha Minseok’s dance skills were also quite impressive as he showcased the point choreography. And that made it all the more annoying.

“Alright. We’ll be seeing Lanion’s debut stage shortly, but first, let’s enjoy a new song from the singer-songwriter with a deeply resonant voice, Jinsara. Let’s listen to ‘Love… Still.'”

After finishing the closing line that led to the stage, I handed over the cue cards and mic to the FD waiting nearby as soon as the red light on the camera turned off, and I headed back to the waiting room.

The Lanion members also finished their greetings to the MCs and camera directors before coming down to prepare for their stage, so our paths overlapped.

I didn’t pay much attention and was about to return to the waiting room with our manager when I had to stop at the door due to the crowd. That’s when I noticed Cha Minseok sneaking up behind me again.

“…….”

“……?”

He didn’t say anything, just glanced at me with an expression like he had a lot on his mind, so I shot him a look asking if he had something to say. Cha Minseok just mumbled to himself a few times, like in the salon earlier, before quickly darting back to where his members were.

‘What’s up with that guy?’

I couldn’t understand his behavior, but I didn’t particularly want to.

I hurriedly turned back and almost ran to our waiting room.

Since it was almost our turn to take the stage, I needed to quickly change clothes and touch up my makeup. At least I had fewer things to change into compared to when I had to wear the red cape, so that was a relief.

“Oh, hyung. You’re back? Hurry up and change.”

“Hyung! We’re here too! We almost cried on the way!”

As soon as I entered the waiting room, loosening the tie that I had deliberately tightened to the point of discomfort, I saw the members lounging around in today’s outfits. Joo Eunchan and Dan Haru, who hadn’t arrived by the time the show started earlier, also waved their hands to greet me.

Although I was happy to see them, I didn’t have time to exchange pleasantries as I had to change clothes first.

“……? What are you all so focused on?”

A little later, after finishing my styling in a corner of the waiting room, I noticed that all the members, along with the staff, were glued to the monitor showing the live broadcast. I wondered who they were watching so intently, but the melody I heard was annoyingly familiar.

I just wanna let you know

I’ll give you—,

My heart

On the screen, the members of Lanion, who had been awkwardly fumbling earlier, were now sparkling and full of life, showcasing their charms with the help of the glossy music show filter.

The choreography was more about soft, flowing movements that matched the rhythm of the song than intense group dances or performances, which was quite impressive. Since the song was obviously aimed at the public, it had a distinctly different feel from our group’s songs, which were filled with high notes, ad-libs, and pounding beats.

An easy-listening pop song that’s comfortable to sing and listen to.

The lyrics had more English than Korean, to the point where you’d need subtitles to understand it.

I wondered what was going through everyone’s minds as they watched that group’s stage.

With those thoughts, I subtly approached Seo Taehyun, who seemed the most unsettled at the moment. As I quietly moved closer, Seo Taehyun, who had been staring at the monitor in silence, spoke up softly.

“…Just so you know, I’m not thinking about anything.”

“……Can you read minds or something?”

“I’m just curious about how they’re doing. The song is good, too.”

Was I the only one feeling more uneasy with Seo Taehyun’s calm attitude?

As I sat there hugging a cushion and nervously swinging my legs, Lee Yugeon, who was standing next to me, nudged my leg.

“Hyung. You’re losing your luck.”

“You sound like an old man every time you say that.”

“You’re the one who’s old, aren’t you?”

“Exactly. I’m the old man here, so why do you keep saying that? It’s threatening my character.”

Just as I was trying to lighten the mood with some meaningless banter, Seo Taehyun, having seen enough, tore his eyes away from the monitor and stood up.

It seemed like everyone, except a few, had been subtly watching Seo Taehyun the whole time, as most of the gazes in the room followed his every move, even from a distance.

The reason I say ‘most’ instead of ‘everyone’ is because Joo Eunchan wasn’t interested in other groups’ stages from the start, choosing to practice our song instead,

And Lee Doha was clearly focused on monitoring the other groups, paying no mind to Seo Taehyun’s movements as he continued watching the monitor.

Anyway, with most eyes on him, Seo Taehyun shrugged his shoulders and

spoke nonchalantly.

“I was just thinking about what it would’ve been like if I had debuted with him.”

“…….”

“But I guess we weren’t meant to debut together.”

With that, Seo Taehyun switched off the monitor with the remote, and with the same refreshing smile that had once turned every noona in the country into a Cherry Boy devotee, he spoke with a sense of relief.

“Our group is way cooler. And our song is better.”

Lee Doha, who had been intently monitoring the stage, briefly looked shocked when the monitor turned off, but his expression softened at Seo Taehyun’s comment that our song was better.

Maybe Cha Minseok was still hanging onto some lingering regrets, but it seemed clear that our group’s Cherry Boy had moved on from three years ago, and I felt proud of him for that.

‘We have to win first place now, more than ever.’

Unlike the time with “Shout Out to You,” where we were obsessed with revenge and burying the controversy, this time, I wanted to win for ourselves.

Thinking about how we were finally able to present our song, our stage, and our group name as a first-place contender, just like we did with “Shout Out to You”….

Even my heart was starting to beat a little faster.

At that moment, Ji Suho came in after finishing a phone call outside and spoke to us.

“Guys, let’s get ready for the stage now. Oh, and… you’re in the running for first place today. Do your best.”

“…First place?”

At Ji Suho’s words, who had beaten me to the punch, the members’ faces lit up with excitement.

“Yeah. I checked the other contenders, and you guys seem to have the highest chances. I was going to surprise you, but I thought I’d tell you in advance to lift your spirits since you’ve worked hard today. Let’s do well, okay?”

“Yes!”

“Alright, let’s go quickly. We don’t have much time.”

With a nod to move fast, we left the waiting room with big smiles on our faces.

Although we were still relatively new, our stage order was quite late due to MC privileges and schedule adjustments, so after finishing our stage, we’d probably wait in the nearby hallway and watch the ending before heading back.

‘Please, when we return to the waiting room, let us come back with the trophy, please….’

I poured all my faith into this desperate prayer as I moved to the studio with my arm firmly wrapped around Seo Taehyun’s shoulder.

* * *

After Hajin left the waiting room to prepare for the stage, Yoon Jaehee, who had been idly waiting for Kairos’s turn, excitedly fanned herself upon hearing that their stage was next.

Destie, the fan sitting next to her, who had become friendly while chatting during the wait, leaned in and whispered.

“What do you think they’ll be wearing today? They didn’t give us any spoilers….”

“I hope it’s suits. I loved what Hajin wore for the MC look earlier. If he wears those glasses and sings I.C.A. (It’s not Carol), today’s the day I die.”

“Oh, seriously. They all need to wear glasses on stage someday.”

Their short fangirling session was cut off by the growing cheers from the audience.

As Yoon Jaehee quickly turned her gaze, she saw the members of Kairos in the waiting area beside the stage! Normally, they would set up partitions to keep them hidden, but the members, all over 180cm tall, were just barely visible, their eyes and eyebrows peeking over the top.

‘What will it be? Please, let Hajin’s hair stay straight….’

Was Yoon Jaehee’s wish as desperate as Hajin’s for a first-place win?

Soon, the members of Kairos stepped onto the stage.

When Yoon Jaehee saw Hajin, who was the first to come up and greet the fans, she let out an involuntary scream.

‘Ah, what the hell!’

The same black hair, black glasses, and white suit as earlier, but now with a purple tie, a navy jacket, gray pants, and black canvas shoes. To top it off, Kang Hajin was loosely carrying a black messenger bag as he smiled at them!

‘Where did that Kang-op (Kang Hajin oppa) I saw earlier go!?’

They were serving both suit Hajin and high schooler Hajin on the same day?

These crazy people….

It was clear that Yoon Jaehee’s final K-pop experience would end here.