Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut! Chapter 88
Chapter 88 – Soccer Is Played with Your Feet, and Basketball with Your Hands (2)
Kang Hajin asked the Yellow Team writer with complete seriousness,
“Writer-nim, I have a question.”
“Yes, Hajin?”
“Is this really the picture you were hoping for?”
The writer followed his polite gesture—like a server presenting a table at a fine-dining restaurant.
There was Lee Doha, unable to zip his jacket because it didn’t fit his shoulders.
Kim Wonho, with one pant leg rolled up and his jacket hanging diagonally.
Lee Yugeon, whose pants were too short, ankles exposed, half his face buried in the collar.
And then—
Kang Hajin himself, standing there with his jersey half-off his arms.
“…Ah.”
The writer blinked.
Honestly—
It was hilarious.
A group of intimidatingly handsome guys in bright yellow tracksuits, sprawled across the gym floor?
“They kind of look like… chicks?”
“Not chicks. Baby dinosaurs.”
“…Ahh.”
“Writer-nim, that reaction looked like you just realized something.”
At least the material was windbreaker fabric—yellow and white—so it wasn’t too tragic.
Still… the visual balance was questionable.
“There’s a reason for that,” the writer said weakly.
“I would switch your outfits, but… the only ones left are black. And PD Kwon said this team absolutely cannot wear black….”
Hajin almost said it.
What’s wrong with black? That’s basically the national uniform.
But he held back.
Because he understood.
“If they wore black… they’d look like children of darkness.”
Translation:
Better cute gangsters than actual gangsters.
“…Fair enough.”
Hajin changed tactics.
“But don’t you think the team balance needs work? We’re a bit too… physically intense.”
Meaning:
Swap in someone softer. Cuter. Balance the vibe.
Seo Taehyun was somehow carrying it already, so if they just added someone like Dan Haru or Yuki—
“Oh no, it’s fine. Taehyun is on your team.”
Thumbs up.
Bright smile.
Confidence.
Hajin, who had watched Boy’s World, knew the truth immediately.
“Taehyun is terrible at sports, so it’s fine!”
Seo Taehyun:
→ legendary 100m record: 18 seconds.
“…Great.”
With nothing gained, Hajin quietly put his yellow jersey back on.
Fine. Then I’ll turn this into an opportunity.
If he couldn’t avoid it, he’d use it.
Build trust with Lee Doha
Test recruitment potential with Kim Wonho
Start real conversation with Lee Yugeon
Break even.
That was enough.
Smiling slightly, Hajin turned toward Seo Taehyun.
“……?”
Taehyun froze mid-cheering stick wave.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Hajin gently patted his hair.
“Tae-hyun-ah. Grandpa is putting all his faith in his precious grandson.”
“…What kind of faith is that?! Don’t look at me like that!”
“I trust our genius of broadcast, Seo Taehyun, to handle everything.”
Translation:
You handle variety. I relax.
Perfect plan.
…Except—
“Alright! Captains get special privileges today!”
…Ah.
“Assign players for each event! Win more, get benefits!”
Seo Taehyun’s eyes sharpened.
“And with the power of the special MC—one more rule!”
“…No.”
“For each game, the winning captain can pick ONE opponent to force into the next round!”
“…No.”
Bright wink.
Nam Da-woon.
Fantasy destroyed.
“Kang-hyung… do you play jokgu with your feet?
Ah wait—jokgu is supposed to be played with your feet.”
“……”
Kang Hajin
(20 years old, regressor)
Had been forcibly deployed
in every single event.
“HEY!!!! Kang Hajin!!! Didn’t you say you did track and field?! TRY A LITTLE!!!”
“Ah~! Captain Seo Taehyun has dropped honorifics!”
“He really has great projection.”
“Excellent venue choice—no sound restrictions!”
Even the MCs were worse than Taehyun.
A ball flew at Hajin.
He kicked—
Wrong angle.
Ball gone.
Point gone.
Seo Taehyun collapsed.
[System Notification: The system expresses condolences for the regressor’s tragic jokgu skills.]
You reduced my stats.
[System: That was just a prank :)]
You little—
System vanished.
Satisfied.
“Captain Seo Taehyun requests substitution!”
“Should’ve done that earlier?”
“He was forced to stay due to opponent selection rules—but the damage is severe!”
They were enjoying this too much.
Hajin returned to the team.
Taehyun handed him water and a towel.
“This is an insult to ‘Wall-Climbing General.’”
“Life is hard, Tae-hyun-ah.”
“Our score is harder.”
“…I tried my best.”
To be fair—
Kang Hajin was athletic.
Actually above average.
Just—
Not ball sports.
Especially not with feet.
Military trauma intensifies.
If your senior loved soccer
and you sucked at soccer—
That was a crime.
Therefore:
Kang Hajin = criminal.
“I don’t even get to practice!”
Others → field
Hajin → practice room
No one invited him anyway.
And today?
Every event = foot-based.
Why is warm-up futsal?!
Even worse—
Soap-water futsal.
Slipping chaos.
Because of that?
Hajin got labeled:
Yellow Team X-Man
“You hit soccer balls like baseballs.”
“You kick jegi like shot put.”
“…I said sorry.”
“…Fine. It was funny.”
“Really?”
Seo Taehyun calmed down instantly.
Of course.
Variety value > everything.
“Scores aren’t that far apart.”
Scoreboard:
1st – Phoenix Team
2nd – Yellow Team
3rd – Lilac Team
4th – Azure Dragon Team
Somehow—
Second place.
Despite Hajin.
Reason:
“Lee Doha receives it!! Incredible!!”
Perfect header.
Clean trajectory.
Kim Wonho finishes.
“Yellow Team wins!!”
Lee Doha.
Monster.
“Wearing acupressure slippers and still dominating?!”
Normally:
One step = pain scream.
Doha:......
High-fives calmly.
“Who knew Doha-hyung had athletic training?”
“…Yeah.”
Gym owner’s son.
Tried every sport.
Result:
Dominance.
And the reason Hajin kept getting dragged into games?
To counter him.
“If he’s this good at sports, why is he bad at dancing?”
Seo Taehyun tilted his head.
Hajin laughed awkwardly.
…Don’t say the same thing my military senior did.
He drank his water.
Long day ahead.
Very long.