Chapter 99
Chapter 99
Translator: Penny
Chapter 99
[Hot Topic] Altair's Cha Yeonho Disrespected by Junior
https://yxxtu.be/4dKliLmCjAo
The post included a staff ID verification photo and a YouTube video link.
The YouTube video was just a black screen with audio, but since there was no voice modulation, it wasn't difficult to identify the speakers.
BEST The audio keeps cutting out and is a bit muffled, but I've transcribed what I could hear:
Eden: Ah, I really dislike people who act differently in front of others. You seem to be one of those types, Senior.
Yeonho: Standing out is good, but a stone that's too sharp gets hammered down, Eden.
Eden: Thank you for the advice.
Yeonho: I really like Reve's songs.
Eden: You've been praising my songs for a while now, but it doesn't make me feel good. How can someone who knows nothing about music be in the entertainment industry...
Yeonho: Oh, did I upset you?
What's wrong with him? Is he crazy? Why is he talking to his senior like that?
Even though Yeonho's nickname is "Mastermind Yeonho," it's not like his juniors made it up to insult him, right?
Face reading is real, lololol
I knew it. Yoon Eden's eyes always looked so cold.
Someone who knows nothing about music? I'm so pissed. He's not even in Altair's league, yet he's calling someone else a musical layman?
- So they're the reason Yeonho posted that SNS message? No wonder he's been so down. OMG, how could he not be depressed after hearing such trash talk from a junior who's nowhere near his level?
└And they haven't even debuted for a year yet! Is this kid completely insane? LOL
- Yeonho's such a sweetheart. Even after hearing that, he's worried about his junior's feelings. You're the one who should be upset, you rude little bastard!
- Here come the armchair fortune-tellers and self-proclaimed sommeliers again. I'm staying neutral for now.
- The conversation flow is weird, though. It keeps cutting off abruptly.
└Stop trying to defend the indefensible. What's weird about it?
└Oh, look who's here! A Daydream stan who worships idols who disrespect their seniors!
As I listened to the flawlessly manipulated recording, I let out a hollow laugh.
"No wonder my name always brought up a torrent of insults when searched."
So this was the reason.
The way they had crafted this conversation showed a true talent for devilish editing.
I had wondered why they had insisted on calling me out for such pointless small talk back then. Little did I know they were plotting this adorable surprise.
Staff IDs are easily forged, so spreading malicious fabrications under the guise of authenticity was child's play.
Cha Yeonho's subtle post about feeling down, which he quickly deleted before this recording surfaced, must have been the perfect setup.
"Youngest, this Hyung is innocent."
"I didn't say anything, Hyung."
"No, I'm just afraid our youngest member will get mad and call me crazy again."
"You're not scared at all."
Ryu Jaehee retorted indifferently, showing no hint of being stung by the accusation.
"To be honest, given your personality, I was a bit suspicious at first. But when I noticed Cha Yeonho Senior's voice was slightly muffled while yours was crystal clear, I immediately knew it was fake."
"If you figured it out, wouldn't everyone else realize it's fake too?"
"Well, only a few people would believe it, and proving it's fake would be even harder."
Ryu Jaehee sighed deeply. "You've really gotten caught by a nasty piece of work."
"So what do we do? Can't you start a public campaign to expose this as fake? You're good at that kind of thing."
"Do I look like a National Intelligence Service agent to you? I already got cyberbullied for hinting on social media that this might be fabricated."
Ryu Jaehee shook his head with a look of utter exasperation.
"There's no real solution. We just have to pray hard. Either it gets buried quickly, the original recording accidentally leaks, or Senior Cha Yeonho clarifies that it was a misunderstanding and explains the context of the conversation. We need a miracle from one of those three."
"Ah, okay, okay," I nodded casually. Ryu Jaehee sighed deeply and retreated to his room, muttering about trying a prayer-based strategy.
As I stared blankly into space, a quest window popped up before my eyes:
[Surprise QUEST★]
[▶Vanish the Character Controversy!
- Objective: You've been unfairly caught up in a controversy over your character. Why not put an end to it before your reputation suffers further damage?
- Reward: Original Intent Score +5
- Time Limit: 1 day
- Note: Failing to completely eliminate the character rumors will result in a Regression Penalty!
I knew it. If I couldn't resolve these rumors, I'd be permanently branded as the guy who disrespected his sunbae idols, making my path to the A-list distant and uncertain.
And if that happened, regression would be my only option.
Fuck, this is such a pain in the ass.
Sitting at my desk, I ran my hands through my hair in frustration.
I dialed Cha Yeonho's number, which I had saved. After a long wait, the ringing ended with a recorded message: "I'm currently unavailable to answer the phone."
The situation repeated itself exactly three times. Growing increasingly impatient, I tapped the call button again, only for the connection to drop after a couple of rings.
It was painfully obvious someone was deliberately hanging up.
My loud laughter startled Seo Yehyeon, who was lying on his bed. He quietly slipped out of the room and returned with Gyeon Hajun and Ryu Jaehee in tow.
"He's acting weird right now. He needs a break. I can't handle him."
"I can't either. Only Hajun Hyung can."
With Seo Yehyeon and Ryu Jaehee's hushed whispers as background noise, I stared intently at my phone screen resting on the desk. Gyeon Hajun didn't bother trying to stop me.
"So you want to try it now?"
I muttered, resting my chin on my clasped hands with a hollow laugh. Just then, Kim Dobin, a master of ruining the mood, burst in noisily.
"Seriously? You're leaving me out now? What are you even planning to do?"
Kim Dobin's over-the-top reaction completely shattered the carefully built atmosphere, causing me to exhale a deflated sigh.
After five attempts, the call finally connected. Even Zhuge Liang only required three visits to his thatched cottage, I thought. What makes this bastard think he deserves five?
-Ah, Eden. I'm sorry. I just saw the missed call notification now.
As expected, Cha Yeonho's voice carried no genuine remorse.
"That's hard to believe, considering you hung up on the fourth attempt."
-I have a habit of not answering calls from people I'm not close to. Exchanging a few words doesn't automatically make us close, does it?
Seriously? I thought. Who was the one who asked for my number first?
"Then I'll hang up now."
Seeing him try to end the call without even asking why I'd called, it seemed he already knew the reason.
I could guess what scenario he was conjuring in his mind, but unfortunately for him, I had no intention of playing along with his script.
"Contrary to appearances, I'm actually quite a worrier," Cha Yeonho said before he could hang up. As expected, the call didn't end.
Even though he knew the other person couldn't see him, he slowly curled his lips into a smile.
Tap, tap. His fingertips drummed against the table at a steady rhythm.
"I have a habit of recording conversations when I'm alone with seniors I'm not comfortable with."
How am I supposed to believe that? After all, Eden, you're quite the expert at blackmail and threats.
"I can play it for you if you'd like. And since I'm a kind, tenderhearted, and honest person, I'm incapable of blackmail or threats."
I opened my laptop and played the recording I had prepared in advance. A derisive laugh echoed from the other end.
This was a valuable lesson I had learned from the Jailbird Idols.
Before my regression, when Reve was gaining popularity through Seo Yehyeon's fancams, the Marijuana Idol and DUI Idol had posted messages implying I had made disparaging remarks about them. As a result, I had been thoroughly roasted by the Jailbird Idols' fans—or so Ryu Jaehee had told me.
That incident had eventually fizzled out when the two Jailbird Idols made their way into mainstream media—again, according to Ryu Jaehee.
Of course, it wasn't quite a habit like I had claimed to Cha Yeonho. It was more of a heightened awareness—a precaution to record conversations when alone with seniors who seemed to harbor some resentment toward me.
And Cha Yeonho happened to be a senior who fit that description perfectly.
"Wow, you're thorough. Eden, have you been burned badly before?"
"No, I haven't had any bad experiences, but just in case Senior misunderstands me and posts something on social media, it could cause trouble for both of us. So I record everything as proof, just in case I need to clarify things later."
"Living like that must be exhausting."
"I find being misunderstood right now even more exhausting."
I chuckled leisurely, hearing his forced laughter.
"What should we do? Should I release the recording online, or would you prefer to clarify things yourself? You know better than anyone that if the original file gets out, public opinion will turn against you."
Tap, tap. The sound grew louder as he pressed his fingers harder against the table.
"Well, I'll leave the choice entirely up to you, Senior."
I tossed a grace period to the other party, who was now so still they weren't even breathing.
"The deadline is 10 PM tonight. If this isn't completely resolved by then, I'll release the full recording immediately."
Hey, Yoon Eden.
The voice that came through the receiver was no longer the confident tone I'd heard before, but a raspy, strained sound.
Why did you have to act so tough, like you're above everyone else? I'd have been more inclined to show mercy if you'd just begged with a desperate look on your face.
Do you even realize that if you keep this up, I'll want to drag you down again?
"Since when have we been close enough for you to call me by my first name like that? A few conversations don't automatically make us friends, do they?"
Cha Yeonho deliberately drew out the last syllable of his words, repeating exactly what Cha Yeonho had said to him earlier. The response was a venomous curse, spat through clenched teeth.
"You fucking..."
"Yes, Senior, my phone is a Galaxy. Is yours an iPhone? Why don't you switch to a Galaxy while you're at it? Even if I manipulated recordings like you, you wouldn't be able to restore the original like I can. Wouldn't that be unfair?"
Despite his tough act, Cha Yeonho seemed terrified of having his phone recordings leaked. The call abruptly ended. Hajun stared down at the phone screen displaying the call history and burst into laughter.
Rising's power plays are ruthless, you fucking bastard.
The suffocating tension that had gripped the room snapped the moment the call ended.
"Wow, Hyung. You sounded like a real villain. You could totally play a professional villain actor or something."
"I can't act, so it won't work. This is genuine because it's from my heart."
I replied indifferently to Kim Dobin's applause as soon as the call ended.
"Is this really okay...? He's still your Sunbae, after all..." Seo Yehyeon asked with a troubled expression.
"So, should I just stand there and take the beating?"
As the saying goes, if someone throws the first punch, you repay them with two. I'd even chosen the quickest path due to the quest's time limit, meaning I couldn't even repay him with two blows. So what's with this "Is this really okay?" nonsense? It needs to be okay.
With that much fear, how are you even going to survive in this world? Tsk, tsk.
But why did you come at me so aggressively? Is your fear selective, only showing when it suits you?
📝 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