The Maknae Has to Be an Idol

Yeon-Hoon was the virus that would take control of all this system’s authority and power. I looked at Yeon-Hoon and got a general sense of what he was planning to do.

“I suppose you are trying to be the system itself so that our universe wouldn’t have such a futile ending.”

“Yes.”

“And…I am helping you take control of that system, right?”

“That’s also true.”

“Especially whenever I make a decision the system can’t expect, right?”

“You are quick to catch on.”

Though Yeon-Hoon said that I was quick to catch on, I had simply stitched up the loopholes in the thought process. Whenever I had utilized a loophole that the system couldn’t expect, I was able to pierce the loophole more easily than before. The fact that Icombined the missions and modified the mission’s contents was representative of this.

In the beginning, I almost collapsed first while trying to change the missions, and it was difficult to match the balance of the rewards. Yet, things became easier after that one successful attempt. I simply brushed off the matter, thinking that I became more used to the task the more times I did it but there was still something that bugged me. It wasn’t that I became more used to changing the missions, but that Yeon-Hoon had taken greater control of the system; thereby, easing my efforts.

“So, does that mean if I make a crack to the system, you are able to penetrate deeper into the crack?”

“Yes. That’s also the reason why I told you to go to the truck driver before. To give you full authority over Insight, there needed to be a big enough crack.” It was revealed then it had been Yeon-Hoon who gave me full control over Insight rather than the damn system. My heart felt a bit more at ease now.

“I can never give up on you guys…The reason I couldn’t put an end to things no matter how many thousands of times I died was because of you, Do-Seung, Woon, and Dong-Jun.” Yeon-Hoon looked at our worldlines while talking to me.

“That sort of empty, futile ending can’t be our last. It’s only right that our universe becomes what we want it to be.” Though he had lived thousands of years, there was still a part of Yeon-Hoon’s face that looked like a hopeful boy as he said this.

Then, I asked Yeon-Hoon. “What is the ending you want us to have?” I was curious about the future Yeon-Hoon had drawn up while sitting in this infinite space for so long.

“The future I want us to have?”

“Yes.”

“I…” As if he needed some time to think, Yeon-Hoon trailed off mid-sentence. “It’s to have our own concert…and sing with you guys to our fans.”

It was a simple yet big wish. Yet, Yeon-Hoon didn’t stop there.

“I want to doze off to sleep on our way to our next schedule in the car and wake up.” Yeon-Hoon poured out like he had been waiting for someone to ask him this question. “I want to say my thoughts for winning first place again. If possible, I want to also receive the Grand Prize if possible, eat Do-Seung’s soybean paste stew, order mala hot pot in the morning with Dong-Jun, and practice dancing with Woon.”

These were all daily-life things that I was currently enjoying. Yet, all of these things were precious and far-fetched dreams for the current Yeon-Hoon.

“I also want to talk to you and chatter about all sorts of things all night.”

It was then I realized. No matter how many worldlines he experienced and even if his intention was to become the system itself by taking control of it, this Yeon-Hoon was the Yeon-Hoon I knew. No matter how much time passed, there were things that would never change.

Whoosh—!

Whoosh—!

The worldlines began to vibrate.

“…The system is going to wake up again,” Yeon-Hoon said calmly while settling his emotions.

“Go back and talk to Dong-Jun who must have gotten back his regressor memories and wait. If there’s another opportunity for you to make a crack at the system, I will tell you. Because I was able to penetrate even deeper thanks to the crack you made this time, I will be able to meddle in the missions you will get from now a bit more.”

Yeon-Hoon told me to wait and simultaneously informed me that he could meddle in the mission from now on.

“I will try to manipulate things so that you can slowly progress without having to overexert yourself for these missions. Go back for now.”

Wiiiiing—!

As Yeon-Hoon talked, the trembling in the universe got harder and more violent. I knew I would be bounced off this space soon, but I didn’t want to end our meeting like this. As the last regressor in my team, I was able to accomplish the missions with the privileges my other members gained. Authority over Insight was already an unbelievable privilege and thanks to that privilege, I was able to connect my members from other worldlines to mine.

Yeon-Hoon supported me from behind and Woon, Do-Seung, and Don-Jun assisted me from the side. If it wasn’t this time, there could never be a chance for all of us to challenge the system as one like this.

I said, “Yeon-Hoon, let’s do it in one-go.”

Thus, I didn’t want to drag things. Who knew how many years it would take to gain complete control of the system? And in the meantime, what happened if I failed a mission even one time? Somebody among us could die. Though Yeon-Hoon said that he would manipulate the difficulty level of our missions, there would always be the risk of failing.

“You want to do it in one-go?”

“Yes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will try to make a huge crack after going back.”

“How?”

“That truck driver. He’s the biggest crack that we can make.”

Yeon-Hoon silently nodded as if he had a bad foreboding feeling.

I continued, “I still don’t exactly understand the truck driver’s identity, but if I had to describe him, he is definitely an enemy…I will try to use him.”

“The truck driver? That’s too dangerous Tae-Yoon.”

“If things seem too dangerous, please intervene. Let’s try to make one big move.”

I exchanged looks with Yeon-Hoon silently.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiing—!

The worldlines began to tremble widely.

[You aren’t permitted to approach.]

[You aren’t permitted to approach.]

[You aren’t permitted to approach.]

I got multiple alarms, telling me that I wasn’t permitted to approach closer.

“Be careful Tae-Yoon and never…never die from the truck driver. The second death will be the…” I began to be expelled from the universe’s space before Yeon-Hoon could finish his words.

Shaaaaa—!

I felt my body fall to the floor and simultaneously, found myself in my form’s sofa.

Gasp! Though I had spent a long time in that universe’s space, only thirty seconds had passed in real time. I inhaled deeply and leaned my body against the sofa. Then, I calmly organized my thoughts.

Siiigh. What were the last words Yeon-Hoon tried to tell me before I went? The second death will be…

‘The end?’ Perhaps, that was what he tried to tell me. Depending on the context of the language, there was a high chance. Then, what was exactly the ‘second death’ that Yeon-Hoon talked about?

‘Was the first death caused by the truck crash?’ Though I didn’t die at that time, I had practically died then.

‘Then the second death must be getting murdered by that man instead of getting into a car crash.’ This seemed to be the most reasonable explanation. It probably wasn’t a simple death since my members had already experienced deaths multiple times whether it was in their own worldlines or another worldline. This explained how I gained full authority over Insight.

‘Was the situation so urgent that I gained full authority over Insight? That’s how bad it would be to face my second death from that man?’ I had almost died from that man’s hands at that time. I was probably close to the ‘second death’ that Yeon-Hoon talked about; and to prevent that, the system probably undertook great damage. That was probably how dangerous the system considered ‘second death’ to be.

‘It’s dangerous, but…this must be a weakness.’ This was what the system feared the most. Realizing this, I breathed in and out deeply. I couldn’t become too swept with excitement over finding out something. I needed to act more rationally than ever before. With this one chance, I could make all my members’ worldlines and mine meet.

Beep— Beep— Beep— Beep.

I suddenly heard someone press the entrance door’s password then.

“…What?” My members went out to buy drinks, and it seemed unlikely that they would’ve returned so fast; after all, only two minutes had passed in real time.

“Bong Tae-Yoon—!” The door opened and someone came inside. I knew it just by his voice.

“Bong Tae-Yoon! Ahhhh!” It was Dong-Jun. He ran to me like an excited dog meeting his owner. His face filled with happiness, joy, disbelief, and welcome. Seeing the variety of emotions bloom so visibly on his face, I realized, ‘He’s regressor Dong-Jun.’

This was the effect of connecting all of Dong Jun’s worldlines.

Boom! Because Dong-Jun rushed to my side as if he was going to jump on me, I moved, and he fell over. Since it didn’t seem like he cracked his skull or was pouring blood, I let him be. Then, after he hugged me and started to cry, I began to pat his back.

“I wanted to see you, Tae-Yoon…” I didn’t know what kind of ordeal Dong-Jun suffered in his twelve regression, but I knew no regression would’ve been easy. It was only natural that someone who had gone through hell twelve times would tear up when they saw me.

“So, you told this world’s me that you were a regressor and everything?” Dong-Jun asked after he pulled himself away from me again. I thought he was going to scold me or something but instead, he smiled brightly, “Good job. Really good job. Thanks to that, I was able to connect with this world’s Park Dong-Jun a bit deeper.”

“…Really?” I was a bit surprised to hear this since that was a consequence that I didn’t expect. Did the connection become smoother if I gave them a heads-up beforehand?

“Of course, if all my memories just pass onto this world’s Dong-Jun as they were, he would lose his mind so I stopped that from happening, but I was able to draw in this world’s Dong-Jun’s memories a bit faster.”

Hmm. I supposed it wasn’t that big of a difference since Do-Seung and Woon didn’t have such a hard time adjusting either.

“Do-Seung and Woon also seemed to have memories as regressors. If possible, could we meet tonight? How about we all talk over beer as regressors?” Dong-Jun suddenly proposed.

“I’m still underaged.”

“You must have been an adult before regressing. Don’t lie that you never had beer. It’s not even funny.”

“That’s true but I can’t do it. It’s the law.”

“…You are so boring.”

“But I like the idea of us all meeting.”

“Really? Then, let me make that happen today.”

Dong-Jun’s eyes shone in anticipation of meeting the other regressors. It was fine since even without his request, I would’ve had to meet the other regressors anyways. I had a proposal to pass onto them.