Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 73. Guess What? (1)

The two of them only recalled the *real reason* for today’s meeting after the lavish Korean-style meal was fully served on the table.

“Shall we start with the meal? It doesn’t seem right to talk about ‘that’ while eating.”

“I don’t mind either way. So, are you really going to keep using honorifics?”

“I’ll gradually ease into dropping them.”

“Do as you please, then. Honestly, I’m too hungry to even argue.”

“Go ahead and eat.”

At Suho’s encouragement, I quickly picked up my chopsticks.

The food looked expensive at first glance, and the taste was as refined as it was varied.

Without thinking, I began to think of my family back home.

“…What’s wrong? Is the food not to your liking?”

“Oh, no. It’s delicious.”

How much would a place like this cost? My appearance fee will be coming in soon, so maybe I should bring my parents here if it’s affordable.

With those thoughts, I shoved the food down my somewhat scratchy throat. Despite the abundance of dishes, they disappeared in no time as two grown men ate their fill.

“Alright, then let’s get to ‘that talk’ now.”

It was clear why this was a high-end restaurant; after finishing the meal, we could still freely use the reserved time to enjoy desserts and more.

Pushing aside the glossy rice cakes and sweets that had been served on the table, I brought up the main topic.

“Did you check what I asked?”

Last night, I had told Suho in advance about the conversation we would have today and had made a request.

It was to check the status of the viewers’ vote that had started at 6 PM yesterday.

Suho’s expression grew somber. He nodded slightly.

“It’s just as you said.”

“……”

“Seong-woo’s vote count is increasing at a frightening pace. Although the feedback on him on the internet doesn’t seem particularly notable, he’s consistently maintained a top ranking so far.”

“That guy… in a way, he’s really predictable. I never thought he’d stick so closely to expectations.”

I let out a small sigh and shook my head.

Suho hesitated, his lips twitching. He had no idea what kind of repercussions the upcoming conversation might bring.

“When you first found out that Seong-woo was a parachute candidate for the Director, and that his current backer was CP Yoon…”

“……”

“Did you know then that the two of them would rig the viewers’ vote?”

At Suho’s words, the mischievous glint in my expression vanished.

Suho recalled our previous conversation, when I had uncovered that Seong-woo was a parachute candidate.

-Then, let’s just leave it for now.

-Leave it?

-We don’t have any proof right now, and even if we did, there’s nothing we can do. Besides, it’s not like he’s done anything wrong.

At that time, I was surprisingly calm for someone who had just revealed that Seong-woo was a parachute candidate, intent on tarnishing the program with allegations of rigging.

Since then, there hadn’t been any other talk or gestures, but now I was suddenly catching them in their wrongdoing?

“Well, I did think that if they were going to do anything, it would be with the viewers’ vote.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s Seo Taeil in the mentors’ evaluation, and you in the agency evaluation. Comparatively, it’s easier to manipulate the viewers’ vote. If done well, it wouldn’t even be noticeable.”

I confidently said that mentions of Seong-woo would gradually increase online as well. Usually, a bit of promotional viral marketing follows such activities.

“In fact, that’s partly why I deliberately provoked Han Seong-woo, to give him something to stew over. By now, he’s probably furious.”

My tone was light, as if I had simply played a harmless prank on a friend I didn’t particularly like. Suho didn’t understand it.

Letting them commit a crime just to catch them? Isn’t that like burning down your house to catch a flea?

“What are you thinking? Up until now, it could have ended as a mere connection of a single trainee, but the viewers’ vote is different. If this gets exposed, it could severely damage our survival show!”

In his frustration, Suho’s voice grew louder.

Even at that very moment, Han Seong-woo’s fraudulent votes were likely increasing.

And, while listening to his outburst, I simply picked up another piece of rice cake and smiled.

“Who said we’re going to expose it?”

“What?”

“Why would we expose this? Where would we expose it? Are you trying to get us all into big trouble?”

I was nonchalant. So nonchalant that Suho wondered if something was wrong with me.

I leaned forward, scrunching my nose with a mischievous grin.

“There’s no way we’d let those guys stain this program. Too many people’s futures depend on it.”

“……”

“Creating a rigged program just because of one annoying Han Seong-woo? That’s nonsense.”

“So, you’re just going to let it slide? Even though Han Seong-woo will win with those fraudulent votes?”

“Ah, you’re so impatient, Team Leader.”

I gestured for him to calm down. Then, I took out a piece of memo paper I had brought with me and handed it to Suho.

****

****

****

By the time Suho finished reading the memo, I also handed him a small USB drive. Suho looked at the unknown items and then at me, asking:

“What is this…?”

“The person whose name is on that paper is someone who’s been manipulating vote counts for CP Yoon in exchange for money. The other two programs were also rigged by CP Yoon after being lobbied.”

“And this USB?”

“Mr. Shin is actually a very suspicious person. He saved all his call and text records with CP Yoon. I copied them.”

“How did you manage that?”

“…Trade secret. Knowing would be dangerous.”

I coughed, brushing it off.

Even though I had come out to Suho about being a regressor and he believed me, I still couldn’t exactly say, “I pulled this evidence out of my memories.”

“*It’s bad enough that I’m the only one whose life suddenly comes with a hashtag just because of the damn Chosen Regressor.*”

The truth was, it was sheer luck that I was able to retrieve this evidence from CP Yoon’s memories last night.

If CP Yoon hadn’t discovered the USB during his visit to Mr. Shin’s office, it would never have ended up in my hands.

In the past, CP Yoon had immediately destroyed all the files after discovering the USB, but I had the ability to bring back items from that exact moment in time.

“*Although there was a penalty involved…*”

To bring an item from a memory into reality required it to be a *“companion”* item, so I had to accept another penalty in return for bringing it.

*[System Alert: This is originally impossible, but… I’ll use my authority just this once, for the first and last time!]*

*[System Alert: However, I cannot predict what kind of penalty may be imposed.]*

*[System Alert: Still, do you wish to own the item?]*

“*Well, I can just cry in front of Seo Taeil one more time and whine a bit to the kids.*”

I had already faced the worst, so there was nothing left to fear.

I once again presented the evidence to Suho, who still looked at me with suspicion.

It was only after I assured him five more times that it wasn’t illegal that he reluctantly accepted the memo and USB.

“Even so, this won’t be enough to actually do anything. It won’t hold up as evidence.”

“True, it’s not enough to use as evidence, but it’s enough to intimidate someone into stepping down.”

Suho’s eyes changed at my words. He was starting to see the picture I was painting.

“…Are you planning to blackmail CP Yoon?”

“Yes. I plan to blackmail him into making Han Seong-woo voluntarily drop out before the first broadcast and the third mission recording.”

There was no hesitation in my eyes. My straight, firm gaze was filled with confidence and conviction.

Suho now understood my earlier nonchalant attitude toward Seong-woo’s fraudulent votes.

I was planning to erase Seong-woo completely from this program.

“*No.*”

But that was an impossible choice for Suho.

“It’s too difficult. We can’t antagonize the broadcasting station. Blackmailing someone like CP Yoon isn’t something that can be done easily.”

Even though Ntv was primarily a cable channel focused on music programs, their main channel had recently gained more credibility and influence than the terrestrial channels.

Moreover, their festivals, events, and award ceremonies, all backed by their solid parent company’s resources, were second to none.

“*Considering Utopia, which has reignited its activities after renewing its contract, and Enderway, for whom this is the most crucial period before their next contract… we can’t afford to make enemies with the broadcasting station.*”

They had already severed ties with one terrestrial channel due to an incident during Utopia’s debut. They couldn’t afford to alienate any more stations.

As these calculations clicked into place, Suho’s face turned pale. As his complexion drained, Suho tried to open his mouth to dissuade me once more, but I anticipated that as well and continued speaking without erasing the smile from my lips

.

“Don’t worry, Team Leader.”

“You show up with a bomb every time, and you expect me not to worry?”

“Even so, don’t worry.”

I placed the now-empty cup of water on the table with a *thud*.

The way I did it was reminiscent of a Go player making a decisive move on the board, and for a moment, Suho was at a loss for words.

“I’ll be handing this knife to someone else. Even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to use it. You don’t seem like the type who’d go on a rampage with a knife anyway.”

“……”

“Instead, I’m thinking of giving you another role. The role of handing this knife to someone who’s talented at blackmailing.”

“……”

“Now, would you like to calmly listen to my grand plan?”

I was still smiling.

Suho could only nod as if he were under a spell.

* * *

And still, at a certain outsourced production company that was having a hectic day with the first broadcast just three weeks away.

However, unlike usual, there was no noisy chatter between producers and writers; only a quiet silence lingered in the office.

“―I’m back.”

“Oh, you’re back?”

“Y-yes.”

Assistant Director Park, who had gone out briefly to buy some office supplies, hiccuped in surprise at the office’s subdued atmosphere.

“W-what’s going on? Why is the office so quiet?”

Quickly gauging her surroundings, she discreetly asked her senior, who was one year ahead of her, what was going on. The senior, who had been organizing the list of props needed for the next shoot, leaned over and whispered.

“The higher-ups just reviewed the rough cut of the first episode… and Yoon went ballistic again.”

The term “higher-ups” referred to the company president, the main PD, the main writer, and the second-in-command senior writers. The final person in charge of this program was CP Yoon.

So when someone referred to “Yoon,” it was clearly CP Yoon they were talking about. And “went ballistic”…

“Did he demand another revision? He’s completely lost it, hasn’t he?”

“Exactly. I’ve lost count of how many times it’s been. Anyway, now the higher-ups are having an emergency meeting without him.”

“He’s crazy… why is he doing this?”

“I don’t know, but the atmosphere was really tense. The Team Leader was yelling that he couldn’t take it anymore.”

Most survival shows have a long gap between the first recording and the first broadcast because the sense of *“live broadcast”* becomes more important as the show progresses.

This was especially true for idol survival shows. Since viewers are often fans, and fans are viewers, it was crucial to reflect their reactions and voting results in the broadcast as quickly as possible.

In simple terms, even if the first recording was done well in advance of the first broadcast, at a certain point, the show would inevitably follow a live-like schedule of recording-editing-airing—a hellish cycle.

“*That’s why survival shows usually try to wrap up the early episodes as quickly as possible!*”

Miro Maze was no exception.

It was already the second week of April, more than a month since the first mission was recorded. By now, the first two episodes should have been almost complete, and the third and fourth episodes should have started taking shape.

“*But with only three weeks left until the first broadcast, the first episode is still being revised? That’s insane!*”

Assistant Director Park’s internal scream echoed.

The first teaser, which was supposed to be released in a few days, had already been completed, along with the second and third teasers. They had even released a performance video yesterday.

Soon, they would need to start preparing for the pre-release videos of episodes one and two, but with the first episode’s editing nowhere near finished, everything else was on hold.

Of course. They needed to complete the first episode to start editing the rest!

“*It’s all Yoon’s fault.*”

Assistant Director Park cursed CP Yoon in her mind. She had long given up on counting how many revisions there had been.

If he had clear demands, that would be one thing, but Yoon’s feedback was always vague and abstract, like a “feeling of a feeling!”

Sure, broadcasting sometimes involves making revisions right up until five minutes before airing, cutting it live into ten-minute segments… but still…!

“*At this rate, the later schedules will be completely messed up. Damn it, I’m so annoyed. If only Yoon weren’t around, this show would run so much more smoothly!*”

Why doesn’t someone just get rid of that jerk?

As she clicked her mouse in frustration, Park unleashed her anger on Photoshop, not knowing that her wishful thinking was about to become a reality.