Chapter 133
Chapter 133
Translator: Penny
Chapter 133
I knew there were no right answers in life.
Having experienced so much change since the regression, I was well aware that the outcomes might differ from before.
I had unwavering confidence in my music, so I wasn't afraid of my songs failing. It was simply that I couldn't easily let go of that damn track.
"One Chance" held deep meaning for all the members of Reve.
It was the song that had saved us from the brink of disaster and transformed our lives.
For instance, Seo Yehyeon's phone ringtone remained "One Chance" ever since.
And for me, it was a song I could neither completely ignore nor fully embrace—a song of love and hate.
If we had been able to continue Reve's activities with my own compositions afterward, I might have grown to love "One Chance." After all, it was the song that had given us our chance.
But the agency's subsequent actions only fueled my hatred for the song, eclipsing any affection I might have once held for it.
A song released two months prior had climbed back up the charts to claim the top spot, earning praise from even the most discerning critics. The composer had also earned a substantial amount in royalties from the track. Objectively speaking, the song was undeniably good.
I'd bet Seo Yehyeon's protein shake that if her fancam video had featured "Come to My Universe," the song would never have achieved such a resurgence.
Unable to sleep due to my worries, I cautiously opened my door and slipped out of my room. A single light was on in the kitchen.
In the dim light, I saw Ryu Jaehee opening a bottle of water. His face was pale, his complexion dark, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Ryu Jaehee popped a white pill into his mouth and swallowed it with water.
As if sensing my presence, Ryu Jaehee turned toward me and called out in a tearful voice, "Eden Hyung..."
"What's wrong? Are you sick? You should have told us before we went to bed, you jerk. You're already in a single room. Should we go to the emergency room now?" I asked frantically.
Ryu Jaehee shook his head, bent over, and rubbed his knee, muttering, "My knee hurts so much... Ah, so this is what it means when people say their joints ache."
I helped Ryu Jaehee, who was limping, reach the sofa. He collapsed onto it and tapped his knee with his fist as he explained,
"I've been in so much pain every night that I went to the hospital with Manager Hyung. Thankfully, it's not an infection or anything like that—just growing pains."
"Then what was that you just took?"
"Painkillers."
I felt guilty for not paying enough attention to our youngest member lately, with all the songwriting and schedules keeping us busy. Even though I knew he'd suffered from growing pains around this time before the regression.
Back then, of course, I had plenty of time to dote on him. That was when One Chance was just a digital single. Later, after its viral success, we included it on a repackage album.
"Hey, hey, stand in front of Hyung for a second."
Curious about how much he'd grown, I insisted on getting Ryu Jaehee to stand up and face me.
He used to be noticeably shorter, but now our eye levels were almost the same. I let out a hollow laugh. No wonder I'd been having to reach higher to ruffle his hair lately.
Ryu Jaehee's growth spurt was already upon him.
I cupped his cheeks in one hand, turning his face this way and that, and chuckled.
The baby fat that had rounded his features was starting to melt away, gradually revealing the face I was more familiar with.
"I can't use the hamster emoji on you anymore."
"No way! I'm still gonna use it," Ryu Jaehee retorted stubbornly.
Fine, I thought. You never listened before the regression, why would you start now? Go ahead and live your life pushing that giant hamster ball or whatever it is. Just like last time.
"Hyung, did you ever have growing pains like this when you were growing taller?"
"Nah, I grew steadily."
I couldn't recall ever suffering from growing pains to the point of needing to go to the hospital, unlike Ryu Jaehee.
"What if I end up taller than you?"
Ryu Jaehee chuckled, teasing me, but I couldn't bring myself to laugh along.
My final height: 181.5 cm. Ryu Jaehee's final height: 185.7 cm.
He was right—he really was catching up to me.
Fortunately, he wouldn't surpass me until next year.
That meant I could maintain second place in Reve's height rankings until the end of this year. By the way, I had finally caught up to Seo Yehyeon's height.
"Alright, catch up to my height, and while you're at it, catch up to Jun's too."
I ruffled his hair, and he grinned smugly, tilting his head as if to say, Ruffle it more. Dumbfounded, I chuckled and messed up his hair even more.
As I pulled my hand away, Ryu Jaehee smoothed his hair back into place and sat back on the sofa, asking,
"Hyung, what's bothering you?"
When I just stared back at him without answering, Ryu Jaehee scratched his cheek and blurted out, "Whenever you're worried, you can't sleep at night and come out to the living room for some air."
Caught red-handed, I could only nod in agreement.
"You did the same during your slump, and when you were giving Hajun Hyung the cold shoulder."
"Wow, you know my habits better than my own roommate," I muttered, surprised.
Seo Yehyeon, who had been my roommate for two consecutive terms, was so sound asleep that he wouldn't even notice if I went out at night, let alone realize I was troubled.
"Yehyeon Hyung sleeps like a log once he's out," Jaehee explained, even defending Seo Yehyeon without me saying a word. He chuckled awkwardly and continued, "I just thought... if it's something I can help with, I'd like to."
"If it's a personal matter, Hyung, and you don't want me meddling, I won't pry. There's nothing I can do to help anyway, so I won't say anything."
Ryu Jaehee paused, his gaze fixed on me. He had been repeatedly pounding his knee with his fist and rubbing it, as if the pain persisted despite the pain medication.
"But if your worries are related to Reve, our team's music, or our direction, you can confide in me—or any of the members, or even all of us together."
My current dilemma was related to Reve, but it was also intertwined with my personal life—something I could never reveal to Ryu Jaehee, the other members, or even Gyeon Hajun.
I let out a short sigh, and Ryu Jaehee carefully added, "Hyung, you always try to handle everything alone. At least share your worries with us."
It was a touching sentiment, but it didn't resonate with my current situation.
After all, what would I become if I confessed, "I fucking ran away without renewing my contract, then regressed because I lost my original intent, and now I'm torn between our massive hit from before the regression and my own song"?
I'd probably just become the soulmate of Kim Dobin, the otaku.
And that was a title I definitely didn't want.
"Enough, you brat."
Now that I was the only one who held memories and meaning for the song "Now," the decision was mine alone to make.
"And even if I had worries, I wouldn't confide in you."
"Why? Do you not trust me?"
"This jerk knows I don't mean it, but he still says such harsh things on purpose."
I gently grabbed Ryu Jaehee's pouting lips and shook them lightly.
"It's not right for an older person to burden a kid with their problems. So hurry inside and get some sleep. If you don't sleep at night, you won't grow as tall."
As I nudged him forward, Ryu Jaehee reluctantly let himself be pushed.
"Haaah... Good night, Hyung."
I watched him yawn and shuffle into his room before closing my eyes and leaning back against the sofa.
Still... I still don't know. Which choice will I regret the least?
No matter what I choose, regret will remain.
In February, Kim Dobin's graduation ceremony took place.
Since we all had to attend, we were busy choosing our outfits from morning till noon. The only one who wasn't stressed was Kim Dobin, who just had to wear his school uniform.
"Wow, I can't believe it. I'm the only minor in the group now..." Ryu Jaehee muttered dejectedly as he watched Kim Dobin, his face beaming, put on his uniform for the last time.
"Yeah, hurry up and grow up, Kid. You're the reason I can't drink!" Kim Dobin retorted, grabbing Ryu Jaehee's shoulders and shaking him playfully. We had banned Dobin from drinking once he turned of age, claiming Ryu Jaehee would feel left out if he was the only one who couldn't drink.
Of course, even though we were all adults, the "Hyung Line"—Gyeon Hajun, Seo Yehyeon, and I—were allowed to drink. Only the "Maknae Line" was prohibited.
Drinking was strictly forbidden until we knew their alcohol tolerance and drinking habits.
My warning to Kim Dobin—that if he was caught secretly drinking or going out for drinks, he'd find life very boring from that day forward—seemed to have worked. For two months after turning twenty, he didn't touch a drop of alcohol.
Of course, his packed schedule also played a part, making it difficult for him to easily join his newly adult friends for drinks.
And for good reason. Kim Dobin's alcohol tolerance was barely half a bottle of soju, and his drinking habit was to vomit and pass out on the spot.
It wasn't for nothing that I desperately tried to prevent him from drinking anywhere.
We were lucky he showcased his low tolerance and embarrassing drinking habit at a bar while still a flop idol group before rising to the Second Tier. If Reve had become popular just a year earlier before the regression, the story would have made headlines.
Even thinking about that chaotic time now made my head spin. Gyeon Hajun and I had to drag the passed-out Kim Dobin to the car, cursing him the entire way. And to top it off, we had to clean up his mess too.
Kim Dobin, seemingly aware of his misdeeds, immediately bowed his head in apology as soon as he woke up.
"I can drink ten bottles of soju, right?" he asked, his voice brimming with hopeful anticipation.
I pressed down firmly on his head and retorted, "Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and get ready, Dobin. If you ask me, your limit is half a bottle of soju."
"Come on, is that even human?" he protested.
I gave the guy, who was denying his own humanity, a pitying look before handing my coat to Ryu Jaehee.
"Here, youngest member. Don't wear that shrunken puffer jacket when the reporters arrive."
Ryu Jaehee accepted the coat with wide, sparkling eyes. It used to be laughably oversized, but now it fit him roughly. Seeing my clothes fit him even somewhat made me feel uneasy again.
Is this what it feels like for parents to watch their child grow up?
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny