Chapter 407
Chapter 407
Inside the dorm room where the sun had yet to rise.
Sitting on a floor cushion, I voiced my thirtieth analysis in a low tone.
The reason why reality was better.
"VTIC rarely does individual activities, so their image hasn't been overexposed yet. In the long run, that’s much more advantageous. But in this world, that’s an asset you’ve already spent."
"I don't know. Looking at it from the opposite perspective, doesn't it mean that in this world, they’ve already proven their recognition and capabilities through individual activities?"
"...The group's fandom is in shambles."
You bastard. I suppressed a sigh, while the guy just smirked.
"We can just stabilize that by focusing on group activities starting next year. We can refine the image consumption and the concept from then on, too."
"...I'm asking why you would even bother doing that when you have a well-established fandom and a group with a solid concept waiting for you if you just go back."
"That’s true."
He readily agreed. But I wasn't fooled.
"However, if we only consider the potential for growth, this side might be able to scale even larger. We already have proven members and songs, after all."
Fuck, seriously.
I pressed my fingers against the bridge of my nose. My conversation with this guy had been going like this for a while now.
This bastard wasn't acting like a fanatic who was desperately clinging to this world. He was just countering every logical point I made about why we had to go back, and I was countering him in return.
Group potential, market distribution, personal achievement, image, stats...
It was, quite literally, a marathon debate.
Damn it.
I didn't even know how many hours we’d been going in circles. My head was throbbing. The fact that I didn't feel hungry or have any physiological needs was starting to get creepy.
"Hmm, do you want some water? I'm not sure if we can actually drink it, though."
"Forget it."
I leaned my head on my hand.
Then, a fundamental question suddenly occurred to me.
...Why am I doing this?
Realistically, this wasn't a problem that could be solved through pure reason. Were we both supposed to just surrender to a single conclusion? For that to happen, there would have to be a logically flawless, absolute branch of reality, but is that even possible?
When it comes to comparing careers in the arts, everything falls into the realm of possibility. If anything, this world... had a slight edge.
...This isn't it.
I was being stupid.
I’d been swept up in his momentum and wasted time on useless arguments just so I wouldn't lose. I looked up. Cheong-ryeo was sitting in the chair in front of the desk in the same posture as before.
I shifted my stance.
"You probably know this too, but this isn't a problem that's going to reach a conclusion. I didn't ask to go back because I was weighing which side would make us more successful as idols in the first place."
"......"
From the start, this guy had actively participated in my plan for a one-time Grand Prize group with no future, knowing full well what it was. He had placed his bet on going back.
For him to act like this now... I recalled what he had said earlier.
—I was originally planning to just go along with your opinion, Junior, but since things turned out like this, I’d like to hear more of your thoughts.
After several hours, my cooled-down brain finally reached a conclusion.
"Are you... trying to say that you've been unilaterally cooperating with me until now?"
He was pissed because he’d cooperated despite having other options, only to be interrogated by me for hiding something.
So now he’s saying he has no reason to cooperate.
Even as I thought it, it was absurd. The "GM" that the System so graciously bestowed upon him wasn't exactly a minor secret. Fuck, talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
What a piece of work.
However, he didn't deny it.
"I wonder. You seemed more interested in taking care of people than your goal, Junior, so I decided to do some thinking of my own."
He tilted his head to the side.
"And then... like I said. I realized there’s no particular reason to go back."
"From that perspective, I guess there wouldn't be."
I took a deep breath. My head felt a bit clearer.
This guy was misunderstanding something. And until just a moment ago, I was about to make the same mistake.
"I said it wrong."
"Hmm?"
"Take the career out of it."
It was impossible to compare anyway, and I hadn't intended to argue that we should return to reality just because our careers as top-tier idols were perfect there.
I remembered what I’d said to this bastard while I was chewing him out back when he was trying to goad me into suicide.
—Is it so bad if VTIC hits a bit of a decline?
That was it.
I shouldn't have been talking about social success that could be expressed in simple numbers; I should have been talking about a different kind of value.
For instance.
"The albums and experiences you had after you decided to live in reality, even when things went to shit... and after one of your members left."
"......"
"Don't those mean anything to you?"
In reality, was there truly nothing that held meaning for you other than those four members?
The experiences you had after you decided to just keep living, instead of trying to scrap your life the moment you failed. The albums filled with new songs you’d never used, your first solo activities, the situations where you didn't have the answer key. A group that eventually stood back up after overcoming failure. The sense of achievement.
A new acceptance speech.
"You actually decided to return to reality because of those things, too. It wasn't just you unilaterally cooperating with me. Didn't you miss those things? Didn't you find them precious?"
For the first time, Cheong-ryeo looked shaken. I saw him clasp his hands over his knees.
But his answer was distorted.
"Now that I think about it, I could just do all of that here again."
Fuck.
I shook my head.
"It’s meaningful because you can't do it again...!"
"No, first of all... Hey, listen. This place is literally something created by the System."
I relayed the conclusion I’d deduced while Seon A-hyun was recovering his memories. The fact that this world was merely a type of status effect, a distortion. And that, as we had initially assumed, there was a high probability that reality was indeed separate.
"...So, this is a world that runs entirely on the System's whims."
I struck the bed roughly.
"Are you really planning to live here with the System? Just because you can take it easy as a GM or whatever?"
"......"
"You're the one who went through all that hell because of the System. Have you no pride, you bastard?"
"......"
Cheong-ryeo didn't answer for a long time. I took a deep breath.
When he finally spoke, his voice was...
"All that hell?"
He sounded genuinely puzzled.
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"I... find that a bit hard to agree with."
"...!"
"In the end, isn't it true that I gained the opportunity to succeed because I could restart?"
Oh, damn it.
"Getting rid of the System was to prevent this benefit from going to others I couldn't control. Because it was impossible to turn the System into a tool."
"......"
"Of course, the unpleasantness was one of the reasons... but I don't think I moved solely because of that."
I groaned inwardly. This was where the problem started with this guy.
He’s someone whose brain has been rewired to think that restarting is an inherent benefit.
How was I supposed to convince him?
"......"
Silence began to fall again. Feeling like I’d lost my will to fight, I leaned my head against the bed. Since time was infinite, as he said, I might as well just shut up and relax.
But to my surprise, a moment later...
He was the one who spoke first.
In a slightly subdued voice, he said, "But if it's just for emotional reasons, I can see why you want to go back, Junior."
"...!"
"Right. There was the issue with your parents, too."
I grit my teeth.
"And you didn't say anything back then, either."
Even though I’d specifically pointed out that I seemed to have memory errors.
"That was..."
His tone became less dry. It trembled slightly.
"...I'm sorry."
"......"
I suppressed a sigh and closed my eyes.
"You... you probably thought that if you told me you had a status window, I would've doubted you no matter what and our efficiency would’ve tanked."
What a ridiculous guy.
"I probably would’ve just believed you."
"...!"
"Of course, I would’ve monitored you more to make sure you weren't doing anything stupid. But more than that, I think I would’ve been desperate to find other ways to make use of it."
Our efficiency wouldn't have tanked, you asshole.
"...Is that so?"
"Yeah."
I shifted my position.
"I was honest with you from the start, even about getting a status window. The only things I didn't tell you were privacy issues."
"......"
You're the one who stabbed me in the back.
Soon, a quiet, compliant voice reached me.
"I understand."
Phew.
I rubbed my face. That guy had finally backed down a bit.
There’s also the issue with Gold 2, but...
I knew. Telling him things like "Don't you feel sorry for Kwon Hee-seung?" wouldn't work. He wasn't the type to move based on such considerations. He was a man who saw people as resources.
But if you were to ask if he hadn't changed at all since those crazy sledgehammer days of Reset Syndrome...
—I brought him. (Photo)
—Kong-i is sick.
That probably wasn't true either.
But we were at a dead end. If this guy didn't truly understand why he wanted to go back...
He might interfere again.
And I couldn't allow that.
I'm fixing his head before we leave.
I reached a conclusion and opened my eyes.
And then, out of nowhere, I saw it.
A pop-up.
[Error: Moon-dae...?]
"...!!"
I almost jumped out of my skin.
[Error: !]
[Error: I think Moon-dae saw it!]
The pop-up updated joyfully. For a second, I thought it was Keun-dal.
Until these started appearing.
[RAB: You have finally checked. I was extremely worried that you might be in an emergency situation.]
[Sejini: Park Moon-dae, are you okay? Do I have to call you Moon-dae Moon-dae for you to recognize me?]
[BaeSJ: Answer us.]
What the hell is this?
*
Keun-dal had put on quite a show in front of Seon A-hyun.
Meaning, he’d poured out words about how time had stopped and Moon-dae was being threatened(?), while simultaneously working hard to explain to Seon A-hyun who he was.
Of course, just because Seon A-hyun was flustered didn't mean he’d become an idiot. He calmly made a request.
"...Show me some evidence so I can believe you."
[That!]
Keun-dal racked his brain, but he knew the truth. There was no evidence...
Ughhh...
He’d never regretted not having a body more than in this moment.
As the game progress halted, Keun-dal—completely unaware that he was slowly regaining his human senses—racked his brain.
Then, he thought of one person.
[Rae-bin knows about me!]
Ryu Gun-woo, fed up with the endless cycle of questions, had authenticated Keun-dal's existence with a detailed explanation.
"But... can I meet Rae-bin right now?"
[Ah...]
The problem was that Kim Rae-bin was also frozen right now...
Is there anything?
Keun-dal thought hard. He frantically cycled through the status window, rummaging through the UI.
And then, within the mental world that looked like the detailed code of a complex algorithm...
Wait?
He discovered something he could tinker with because the system was currently in "Environment Settings" mode.
A single line at the bottom, a function that looked like it had been added in a hurry.
[Gold Shop]
Gold?
...Access!
Having already witnessed Ryu Gun-woo's deduction show, Keun-dal turned it on immediately. A simple list appeared.
[Open Chat Room - 5000G]
[Invite - 1000G]
He realized it instantly. This was it.
Hyung, I'm sorry for using this without permission, but it's to help you...!
He immediately purchased both. A new function was unlocked. He manipulated the pop-up.
[Would you like to enter the chat room?]
"...!"
[I'll bring Rae-bin!]
And the moment Seon A-hyun, after much deliberation, accepted the invitation in that pop-up, Keun-dal flew like a madman to Seoul.
He finally made contact with Kim Rae-bin, who was in the middle of getting touch-up makeup at a photoshoot.
Naturally, Kim Rae-bin wasn't in an error state but a frozen one.
But!
He already knew who was in the chat room. People who could offset the System's status effect.
[Would you like to enter the chat room?]
As a gold circle was absorbed into Kim Rae-bin's consciousness, the error spread.
It’s working!
They were connected through the chat room—the status window that was Keun-dal's consciousness—and the error was shared.
Then, a new chat appeared.
[RAB: ...??]
[RAB: Is this perhaps a dream?]
Keun-dal suppressed a cheer.
*
[Error: And that's how I was able to send messages to Moon-dae.]
...Right.
I nodded as I looked at the frantic conversation in the chat room. I more or less understood. Keun-dal had successfully pulled off a move while Kwon Hee-seung was sending out a tearful SOS.
But the thing was...
...Is this actually necessary?
Honestly, I didn't know what kind of help I could get from these guys through chat alone.
No, even if it's not chat, it's not like beating this guy up would solve anything right now.
No matter how I looked at it, it seemed Keun-dal had panicked after seeing the state Cheong-ryeo was in and acted impulsively. I scanned the chat room with a somewhat lukewarm feeling.
[Tiger: Hyung, what's the situation? Are you fighting?]
[BaeSJ: Did you happen to meet the guy who trapped us here?]
Moreover, since they hadn't heard a detailed explanation, they seemed to only know that I was in trouble. After thinking for a moment, I sent a chat.
It worked just by thinking.
[Apple: It’s not like that, I just need to convince someone.]
[BaeSJ: Who!]
At that moment, a pop-up suddenly appeared at the top.
[Participants: 8]
[※! Remaining Gold: 5000G ※]
Hmm?
[Leader: Everyone. It seems like energy is consumed every time we chat. Let's let Moon-dae do the talking and we'll just stick to giving advice.]
Everyone must have grasped the situation because no one even sent a reply in agreement.
"......"
I thought for a moment and then typed a message. I didn't know what meaning this would have, but...
[Apple: When are the moments you all feel like you want to return to reality?]
I might get a hint. It was better than doing nothing.
A moment later, the chat room was updated with text filling the screen.
[Tiger: When we want to perform!]
[RAB: There have been various instances, but the most frequent is the moment I desperately want to listen to the albums we released.]
[Error: When I went to the airport alone today, I remembered the time we spent together. I think it's times like that.]
Concerts, albums, activities, the dorm—various answers filled the screen. Ryu Cheong-woo said it was when he thought of the TeSTAR chant, and Bae Se-jin said it was when idol stages popped up in his WeTube algorithm.
And the final answer.
[Sejini: When I miss who I was back then.]
The common thread was...
Moments that evoked strong longing and nostalgia. Emotional memories.
"......"
I entered a chat.
[Apple: That was helpful. Thanks.]
The moment the notification that the gold had decreased popped up again, I heard a voice.
"What are you looking at?"
I wasn't surprised. I’d done it openly on purpose. I spoke to him.
"A chat room filled with my teammates just popped up for me."
"Hmm?"
"Just in case, don't try to check it. It feels like a cheat."
A GM shouldn't be looking at it. The System might even block it. At that, he let out a short laugh.
"You're thorough."
"Yeah."
After a brief silence, I asked him, "Can I use my status window functions here?"
"If you have administrator permission."
"I want to try something."
"......"
Cheong-ryeo didn't refuse. I pulled up the Companion List again.
[Shin Jae-hyun: Thinking about his companion's words (//~^)]
I spoke slowly.
"You were on the Companion List from the very beginning."
"That’s right. Since I'm the GM."
"And you had your memories from the start."
I looked up. Cheong-ryeo was standing there.
"You've never experienced an Awakening, have you?"
"......"
Let's think about that function.
The reason the Awakening function was designed to return memories was a workaround that Keun-dal and I had extracted from the description of . It wasn't a function the System had officially included.
If that's the case.
It made sense why it was such a violent process. It was a function that wasn't intended to exist in the first place.
Didn't they say it felt like a tidal wave of emotions and memories was crashing over them?
I opened my mouth.
"Don't you want to try it once?"
"The reason?"
"Because it might give you new information."
He seemed lost in thought for a moment. But soon, he nodded with a strange look in his eyes.
Alright.
I pressed the Awakening button for my companion, Shin Jae-hyun.