Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut! Chapter 69

Chapter 69. System Update (4)

Meanwhile, as the first episode crept closer, a certain outsourced production company was getting busier by the second.

“Jinhee, did you send the first teaser to the network edit team?”

“Yes! They said they’ll deliver it by dawn!”

“Anyone free to cut me a highlight clip—right now? It’s urgent!”

“I’ll do it, sunbaenim!”

For the contestants, the break from filming was a blessing.
For the production company, it was only the beginning.

PDs who hadn’t properly washed or slept in days were scattered everywhere. Like zombies—or predators—they hammered away at their keyboards, pushing the final preparations for Miro Maze’s premiere.

“PD Chaehyun, do you know where Team Leader Myeongeun went?”

“Ah, writer-nim. Senior Myeongeun stepped out earlier with the CEO. What did you need?”

“I wanted to ask something about the next mission’s structure…. Guess she’ll be late. Okay, thanks.”

Writer Go, who had come down from the writers’ room to find PD Kwon, surveyed the chaotic office without much reaction.

She’d been seeing scenes like this for nearly twenty years.

Then something on a staff member’s monitor caught her eye—a video playing.

“What’s that?”

“That’s the first teaser for next week’s upload.”

The rookie PD, stiff with nerves, tilted the screen toward her as if asking, Would you like to watch?

“It’s not fully finished yet—no CG, captions, or proper mixing.”

“That’s fine. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He hit the space bar.

Grand, swelling music filled the room.

A short highlight reel of Miro’s artist Upia and Enderway’s history flashed by.

—“I’m curious.”
—“Just how much more can these kids grow?”
—“How much more can they show us?”
—I think they have plenty of potential.”
—“I’m confident. I’d put my name on it—you need that kind of certainty.”

The voice of Seo Tae-il, flagship host of Miro Maze and leader of Upia, layered over slow-motion black-and-white shots of trainees practicing.

—“You can look forward to it.”

With his final line, footage from Episodes 1 and 2 flickered rapidly:

The massive maze set.
Gasps at the blurred first mission title.
Two figures facing off—faces cleverly obscured.

Then the pounding beat cut out.

—“We have to climb.”
—“It says to reach the sun.”

A voice that wasn’t Seo Tae-il’s.

At the same time, the screen showed someone leaping cleanly over a towering wall in slow motion—only their back visible.

Backlit.

Like Icarus daring the sun.

—MIRO MAZE: In Search of Icarus’s Wings

“Ah, the final title graphic isn’t back yet, so….”

Even with a temporary card, the shot carried it.

Writer Go folded her arms and smiled.

“Nice. Post it in the group chat once it’s finished.”

“Yes.”

“Still, is PD Kwon taking long? We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

She sighed.

…We also need to talk about CP Yoon.

The one variable that refused to behave.

“If I ever do another survival show with Ntv again, I’m not human.”

With that muttered vow, she headed back upstairs.

The work never ended.

“Ha… sir.”

Back in Kang Hajin’s room—

Kang Hajin, completely unaware that he had just become the ending shot of Miro Maze’s first teaser…

was currently doing something far more important.

“Are we new to this business or what?”

[System Notice: ……;;;]

“If you keep doing this, it puts me in a tough spot. Seriously.”

[System Notice: ;;;;;;;;;; ( ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )]

Sitting with his legs crossed, one hand pressed to his temple, Hajin calmly threatened a time administrator.

[System Notice: Th-the current incident occurred because it is an extremely rare case for a human to be granted Time Administrator authority… and there are very few reference cases to learn from….]

“Between the cat-gratitude quest and that sofa earlier… Thirteen, do you maybe hate me?”

[System Notice: …A little?]

“And if you answer ‘a little’ like that, what happens to my wounded heart? Who’s compensating my completely wrecked inner ear? I’m a trainee, you know? I roll, I run, I jump, I flip—my cartilage life expectancy is dropping by the minute because I’m a poor, pitiful idol hopeful!”

The barrage fired off like machine-gun rounds.

Administrator No. 13 immediately switched tactics.

[System Notice: ☆★Ta-da!☆★ We will grant anything you want!]
[System Notice: ♥♡Special Compensation TIME for our fixed regressor who needs comfort!♥♡]

Hajin crossed his arms and sighed.

“You’re really trying.”

[System Notice: WHO DO YOU THINK CAUSED THIS!!? (ʘ言ʘ╬) (Your joy is my joy♥)]

“This place is an amazing ‘inner thoughts’ restaurant.”

He smiled brightly.

“There’s something I need.”

[System Notice: ……?]

“You remember when we pulled an item out of Seo Taehyun’s past timeline?”

[System Notice: You mean memory access?]

“Yeah. Let me use it again.”

[System Notice: Calculating…]
[System Notice: Calculating…]
[System Notice: Calculation complete.]
[System Notice: As special compensation, a Memory Access Ticket can be granted.]
[System Notice: Whose memories would you like to access?]

Hajin’s eyes sharpened.

“Ntv Variety Department PD Yoon Giseok. I need his memories. And if I can pull an item too—even better.”

[System Notice: Ah—b-but… if your relationship with the memory owner is not amicable, memory access is restricted…]

“If it was someone I got along with, would I be extorting you right now?”

[System Notice: …It’s possible! It’s possible! I will do it!]

“Good job, Thirteen.”

Foundation secured.

Hajin immediately texted Ji Suho, Team Leader at Miro.

Hello, Team Leader. This is Hajin.
I know you’re busy, but there’s something I’d like to consult you about.
If you have time, I’d appreciate it if you could contact me. Thank you.

“…Too formal?”

Better that than careless.

He glanced at the time.

05:58 PM

“Oh—right. The performance video.”

He’d almost forgotten.

“Ever since I regressed, I’ve been living way too diligently.”

Just then—

“Hajin, the porridge is done. Want to eat?”

“Ah—yeah. One sec.”

The rich smell of sesame oil hit him as soon as he stepped out.

“Huh? Didn’t you say vegetable porridge?”

“If I made plain vegetable porridge, you’d sulk. I added tuna. Eat slowly. We’ll see how you feel tomorrow, then maybe you and Kang Hawon can have chicken.”

“Oh? Vegetable-tuna porridge changes everything. I’ll eat in my room.”

Still worried, Youngin fussed over him.

“Wow, you doubting your eldest son’s stamina? Doubting my housekeeping skills?”

“Yeah, yeah—your mouth is the only thing that’s strong. Eat. And don’t get sick again.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thanks for the meal!”

He carried the pot to his room, set it on his desk, and opened iTube.

“They said it’d go up on Miro’s official account….”

Refresh.

5:59.

Refresh.

6:00.

“It’s up. It’s up—oh my god, it’s up.”

Two new videos appeared at the top of the feed.

“Damn… I’m nervous.”

For some reason, Hajin squeezed his eyes shut before looking.

He accidentally caught a glimpse of Seo Tae-il in a vampire concept thumbnail—wiping fake blood from his mouth with his thumb.

“….”

That didn’t help his mood.

He scrolled back up.

Team A’s thumbnail.

And froze.

“Are they insane?”

In survival shows, thumbnails matter.

Not random dance shots.

Faces.

Faces that make scrolling idol fans stop mid-scroll and click.

“Still… Jung Siwoo, Seo Taehyun, Joo Eunchan? Wow. They really went all-in.”

Joo Eunchan: fitted black denim jacket buttoned to the throat, one hand brushing back his hair, smoky eye makeup, cold gaze lowered.

Jung Siwoo: pale, flawless skin; neat black hair; eyes closed; hands clasped like prayer; chin slightly lifted, profile sculpted.

Seo Taehyun: pink hair under a tilted white beret, cropped white denim jacket, arm stretched forward, wistful expression.

Three completely different archetypes of beauty crammed into one frame.

Even among thumbnails of famous seniors, they didn’t lose.

Hajin pressed a hand to his forehead.

“How are we supposed to beat that?”

Stop farming civilians, you heavenly-tier bastards.