Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut! Chapter 44
Chapter 44. Special Mission! Shine Brightly (5)
The only one who never showed up was the trainee who’d been running his mouth, saying things like “stop acting up.”
His name was Shin… something.
I’m the type who loses interest once I’ve decided to lose it. I recognized his face, but I couldn’t remember what he actually did.
“Um, Hajin. The writer is asking if we’re starting practice… What should we do? Should I go find Gyeongho?”
“No, we’ll just start.”
Ah—Shin Gyeongho. That was it.
I waved Gong Seok off and walked over to the production staff who were setting up cameras.
“Writer-nim, I think Gyeongho isn’t feeling well. Can we begin with just us for now?”
“Of course, of course. Practice naturally, like there aren’t cameras.”
“Yes.”
While the writer discussed the shooting order with the PD, I turned back to the seven who were awkwardly warming up. We had mics on, but the slate hadn’t been clapped yet.
If I’m going to say something, it’s now.
“Guys.”
“…?”
“I’m ENFP, okay? And ENFPs hold grudges. Honestly, yesterday really hurt.”
A few of them glanced around cautiously. I made sure to look each of them in the eye.
“But I’ll be blunt. I want to debut. Seriously.”
More like I have to.
“Don’t you?”
The silence thickened.
From the side, the assistant director ran in and clapped the slate loudly.
Now it was all on record.
“Let’s beat Team A.”
Perfect teaser line.
I clapped once.
Practice began.
Assistant Director Park’s Perspective
Trainees weren’t as glamorous as she’d expected.
Park, an assistant director who’d joined Miro three months ago and was earning her first broadcast credit on this survival show, had imagined something different.
But the boys looked like ordinary teenagers.
Just taller. Slightly better-looking.
When she’d said that to her senior, he laughed.
“They’re just kids who’ve barely faced cameras. They look like idols after debut. And even then, it takes years.”
True. Yesterday, Seo Taeil had looked like a real celebrity.
Maybe I’m numb because I saw Seo Taeil first.
Park decided she needed a photo with him before filming ended.
Then—
“You’re wrong again! Focus!”
She jumped.
The shout cut cleanly through the music.
It was B Team’s leader.
Kang Hajin.
“Lines! Check your lines!”
“Angles! Match them!”
“Who hasn’t memorized lyrics yet?”
Park frowned.
He sounded exactly like the main PD.
Then the chorus played.
Another sun rises, shining on you and me
Hold my hand, so we won’t lose our way
I’ll walk with you, so night won’t fall
Hajin sang live over the track.
Clear.
Stable.
…He’s good?
Park found herself watching only him.
“Slow it down—one, two.”
“Softer there. Too sharp looks tacky.”
“You memorized fast. We’re halfway.”
His direction was efficient.
Sharp when needed. Calm when explaining.
Almost like—
He knows what the composer intended.
The only problem?
The others couldn’t quite keep up.
“Writer-nim,” Park whispered. “How old is he?”
“Hajin? Nineteen? Or twenty?”
Nineteen? Not twenty-nine?
That maturity felt wrong for his age.
But Park would never know the truth.
Inside that cap was a late-twenties group-project veteran.
After Practice
I chugged water.
The army stamina pull was worth it.
Retrieving physical stats from my third life—fresh out of military service—meant I could sing live without dying.
< System Notice: Ahem. (Proud.) >
“…Yeah. Thanks.”
This time I meant it.
I scanned the room.
The awkwardness from this morning was gone. Sweat erased it.
“Lunch. Rest. Run again at two.”
They groaned and cheered at the same time.
I left quietly.
Time to retrieve the missing lamb.
Shin Gyeongho
Shin Gyeongho (18)
In the basement cafeteria, Shin Kyungho felt doomed.
“Traitors… leaving me out…”
He should have answered Gong Seok’s message last night.
Instead, he’d played games with Han Seongwoo, his roommate.
Now he’d heard everyone practiced with Hajin—on camera—except him.
Panic crawled up his spine.
“I shouldn’t have listened to Seongwoo-hyung…”
That morning, when he’d called Seongwoo in panic, the response had been cold.
“Gyeongho, I meant work hard and stand out. I heard what you did yesterday. I’m disappointed. Why blame me?”
That’s when it hit him.
I’m finished.
Public hate. Malicious comments. No debut.
A drink landed on the table.
“…?”
“Hi, Gyeongho ”
“…!”
Before he could react, Hajin sat across from him with a warm smile.
“Let’s talk.”
Silence.
“I heard you’ve never made Special Class since you joined.”
“T-that…”
“You trained longer. But guys who joined later passed you. Haru. Eunchan. Even me.”
“…Yeah.”
His guard lowered.
He’s not mad?
Maybe I can smooth this over—
Thud.
Hajin grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.
“You know the difference between what you can say and what you can’t, right?”
“…?”
Hajin held up his phone.
“What… is that?”
“Real life, Gyeongho Why leave evidence?”
On screen—
Screenshots.
The private group chat.
The insults.
The plan to skip practice.
And the forwarded recipient:
Ji Suho.
“Pick one.”
Smile still gentle.
“End your trainee life here.”
“Or crawl back quietly.”
Silence.
< System Notice: 777 cash awarded. (Reason: Extremely satisfying.) >
Lost lamb?
I never said I’d bring him back gently.