Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Translator: Penny
Chapter 69
As soon as Ryu Jaehee returned to the Artist Seats and sat down, he peppered me with questions.
"Hyung, aren't you crying? Really? Not just holding it back, but genuinely not crying? Why?"
"I don't know. Maybe the relief of getting even outweighs the emotion?"
I flashed a dazzling smile at the KICKS members, who were forcing strained smiles in our direction from a short distance away.
"Your smile is even brighter than usual."
"I think so too. You can't seem to wipe the grin off your face."
Ryu Jaehee nodded, rubbing his own reddened eyes like the other members.
Is this how those guys felt during WAMA?
The thought that they might have experienced this same refreshing, exhilarating feeling suddenly soured my mood.
Kim Dobin sniffled, and I handed him a tissue before his runny nose could drip. I forced myself to smooth out my crumpling expression.
Where did things go wrong again? Seo Yehyeon shook his head briefly.
Since there was no display case in our dorm, the Rookie Award trophy had been carefully placed on my desk after the 41st Reve meeting. I had no idea how the meetings had reached their 41st iteration.
Meanwhile, the agency brought up the topics of light sticks and a full album.
Thankfully, my design was chosen for the light stick instead of the crowbar and hammer.
It was surprising to learn that the crowbar wasn't the CEO's idea.
"Right now, we have about four songs ready for the album. To reach ten tracks, even if we gather songs from various sources, we'll need at least four months."
"So, should we aim for a full album release around July?"
"Instead of that, how about releasing a repackage album with two additional tracks around March and then making a full comeback in September? I think that would be better."
"I'm with Eden Hyung on this. Rushing things and releasing something half-baked would be a waste. We should focus on quality and take our time."
Was there anything significant happening in March and September this year?
Using the Item Selection Ticket to check the charts would be the best way to avoid competition, but we couldn't rely on it entirely, as the chart-viewing item might not appear.
Besides, it was time to move beyond "Empty House Raids" and start clashing with the big players to climb higher.
We couldn't reach our goal of becoming an A-list group—the ultimate objective of this regression—by sticking to Empty House Raids alone.
The remaining members gradually voiced their support for my opinion.
In the early days of our regression, they had stubbornly kept their mouths shut, refusing to offer any opinions or even agree with me, which had left me seething with frustration. Seeing how much they had grown now filled me with overwhelming emotion.
"Um, could you perhaps... ask your grandmother about the Monthly Fortune for September?" the CEO began hesitantly, his voice trailing off. I sighed deeply. I knew this was coming.
A wave of panic washed over me. What if the CEO became obsessed with shamanism? He was already hopeless; if he became even more hopeless...
"Turns out he was a fraud," I said.
I'm so sorry, Grandmother. Please forgive this unfilial grandson for arbitrarily making you a victim of fraud. I'll bow my head as soon as I get back.
"Oh, really? He was quite bold for a fraud..."
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day, they say."
I finally breathed a sigh of relief after successfully blocking the CEO's potential investment in shamanism.
We decided to set a rough schedule for now and discuss the specifics after finishing our remaining commitments.
The Naon Chart Music Awards were held approximately two weeks after the Silver Disc Awards.
"This year's Rookie Award goes to... Congratulations, Reve!"
Amidst thunderous applause, I walked onto the stage.
I was perfectly fine until I received the bouquet and trophy. In fact, I had even vowed to deliver a flawless tearful performance today to complete the quest.
Contrary to the superstitious belief that those with tear moles are destined to cry often, I wasn't particularly prone to tears.
In my memory, there were only three times I had ever cried uncontrollably.
When I was in elementary school, I fell out of a tree while trying to knock down a hornet's nest and split the back of my head open.
When my appendix burst in middle school.
When I dropped out of high school and declared to my parents that I was going to pursue hip-hop, only to be beaten to a pulp by my father as if he were dusting on a rainy day.
The last one hurt less physically than emotionally. The resentment and bitterness toward my parents for beating me instead of supporting my dreams were overwhelming. But looking back now, I realize that if I were in their shoes, I probably would have beaten myself just as badly.
Anyway, that's how I lived my life. But now...
I wiped the tears welling in my eyes with my fingers and gripped the trophy I had just received tightly.
Winning Rookie Awards in two separate ceremonies finally made it sink in.
That Reve, who hadn't even been nominated, hadn't even been invited to award shows, had actually won a Rookie Award.
Unlike me, who was now belatedly overwhelmed with emotion and felt my eyes stinging, the members who had already shed their tears at the Silver Disc Awards were surprisingly composed.
Seo Yehyeon, noticing my wide-eyed stare, burst into laughter and handed me the microphone.
Ryu Jaehee and Kim Dobin looked as if they had seen a ghost, while Gyeon Hajun suppressed a smile and patted me on the back.
Damn it, how embarrassing...
My resolve to even fake tears for the sake of completing the quest crumbled in the face of genuine emotion.
Grasping the microphone, I slowly began to speak.
"First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude. There were times when I never even dreamed we could receive an award like this..."
My voice caught in my throat, and I paused briefly, lifting my head. Encouraging shouts of "Don't cry!" rang out from the audience.
Hearing those resounding voices, I forced a smile.
"I'm so grateful to our members, the LnL family, and my family for helping us reach this seemingly impossible day."
I gazed out at the audience, where countless colorful light sticks swayed like waves. Somewhere in that sea of lights were our fans, and I continued my acceptance speech, addressing them directly.
"To our Daydream, who always shower us with such overwhelming love..."
The moment I mentioned their name, a roar erupted from the crowd. I thought to myself:
I still don't fully understand why you were disappointed in me before the regression.
But now I think I'm starting to understand. Reve's success isn't solely due to my music or my talent.
It's because of your attention, your support, your love that Reve has come this far.
"I'll work hard to repay the love you've shown us. Thank you always, and I love you all."
For the first time, the gratitude I usually uttered so casually in acceptance speeches carried real weight.
Back in the Artist Seats, I had to endure endless teasing for the single tear I'd shed.
"Wow, I never knew our leader was such an emotional guy."
"So Eden Hyung is human after all! I thought he was some kind of producer-type android with a cold, metallic heart."
"What nonsense are you spouting now? I told you to cut back on the anime."
"You were holding back tears at the Silver Disc Awards, weren't you? Weren't you?"
"Ugh, no!"
"Come on, Hyung, since you already cried, you might as well be honest."
"I said no! And I didn't cry."
The leader's authority crumbling over a single tear.
I barely restrained myself from giving the smirking, wisecracking maknae line a refreshing scalp massage, remembering the cameras were still rolling.
Having failed to win the Rookie Award, KICKS were relegated to the role of applause fodder, just like we had been at WAMA.
Altair received the Main Prize in the Album category at this year's Artist Awards.
As the first boy group launched by a major agency in five years, Altair had garnered significant attention. Their debut single topped music charts, and they simultaneously won Rookie Awards and Digital Song Awards, earning them the title of "monster rookies." By their third year, they had already claimed the Grand Prize, solidifying their status as A-list artists and enjoying continued success.
Even so, as long as I know about it, they won't even be able to become obstacles to Reve's A-list trajectory, I thought indifferently, clapping along.
As Altair returned to their seats in the Artist Seats, receiving congratulations, my gaze met Cha Yeonho's again.
Before my regression, I had heard from the KICKS guys that Altair had tried to keep them in check when they were Rising.
I also knew that Altair had grown more conciliatory once it became clear that KICKS couldn't surpass their records or threaten their position.
When I heard about it secondhand, I thought it was just a bunch of bullshit. But experiencing it firsthand was fucking infuriating.
Come to think of it, Choi Hyeonmin had described Cha Yeonho this way:
"That fucking bastard who smiles while completely disregarding people."
Well, in front of me, he'd only ever shown me a forced smile or a face twisted with barely contained rage. Before that, he hadn't even bothered to look at me.
Of course, after enduring the hysterics of two prison inmates, this kind of disregard meant nothing to me.
What a tiresome way to live.
I clicked my tongue and looked away first.
On the way back to the dorm, I checked my messages in the van. Most of them were mocking me with screenshots of my teary-eyed face.
Congratulations made up less than a third of the messages. Fucking bastards.
- The emotion in Eden's acceptance speech was so tightly suppressed, it made me tear up just listening ㅠ
- I've never seen Eden cry before ㅠㅠ My baby really is tough on the outside, soft on the inside ㅠㅠㅠ
- Where are all those bastards who called him a psychopath for not crying at the music show win or the Silver Disc Awards? ㅋㅋㅋ
- It seems Eden didn't even dream of winning the Rookie Award during the "My Universe" era...
- Now that he's secured both the Silver Disc Awards and the Naon Chart, no one can deny Reve deserves the Rookie Award.
[Quest Complete: Re-establish Your Concept! ✓
▶ Your concept has been successfully re-established as "Tough on the Outside, Soft on the Inside," based on fans' perceptions.
▶ Reward: Original Intent Score +10 and a Random Ticket.
The quest completion window popped up as the "Tough on the Outside, Soft on the Inside" concept was re-established.
[Additional Reward: Your Original Intent Score has exceeded 100.]
The item 'Show Me Your Stats! (2 uses)' has been obtained.
My Original Intent Score had reset to 100, and as a reward for exceeding 100 points, I received this item.
The System had been consistently frustrating, but at least its rewards were reliable.
'Show Me Your Stats!' allowed me to designate one person and view their stats.
The target was already decided.
I desperately needed to know just how messed up their stats were, and exactly how much their abilities could and needed to be improved. There was only one person I needed to see.
Seo Yehyeon
Appearance: S+
Singing/Rapping: D+/D (Growth Potential: C/C-)
Dancing: D- (Growth Potential: B)
Variety: C (Growth Potential: C+)
Stamina: A (Growth Potential: A+)
Trait: Model
"A natural model, huh?"
I remembered that after this guy rose to fame in my previous life, he dominated the commercial scene.
I'd already heard that a cosmetics brand had offered him an exclusive modeling contract.
But this guy wasn't meant to be a model; he was an idol who should be on stage.
Even if we overlook variety shows, his singing and dancing were both D-tier? Even if I maxed out his singing potential, it would only reach C. C!
As I scanned his stats—hopeless except for his looks and stamina—I finally found a glimmer of hope: his dance potential was a B.
With his A-tier stamina, I could push him relentlessly and somehow get his choreography up to par!
📝 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