Chapter 2: Find the Returner
02. Find the Returner
"Hajin."
"Yes."
"Are you okay?"
When my high school homeroom teacher—whom I thought I'd never see again after she retired and moved abroad—looked at me with concern and asked me to explain why my college counseling form was left blank, describe my feelings in five words.
"I'm sorry."
"No, I'm not scolding you... I'm just worried."
Yes, teacher. My fifth regression, stuck with this damn Chosen Returner, is also filled with daily anxiety and dread. I swallowed those words and awkwardly nodded instead. Smile, Kang Hajin. Smile.
"Is it... because of retaking the exams? Is it too much for you?"
"No, ma'am. It's really not that."
"Then why have you been so quiet and withdrawn lately?"
I side-eyed the culprit responsible for the throbbing headache I'd had for the past three days and answered with my best socially acceptable smile.
"It's definitely the flu."
Only after being excused early—He's not usually like this, he must really be sick—could I finally cool my head.
Right, I don't have time to be like this.
I looked up at the clear blue sky, the kind that makes you nostalgic. I could imagine my face, plastered with resignation and despair.
"...Open mission log."
With a hollow voice and a blank stare, I summoned the source of all this chaos.
[Mission List]
BQ 01. Find the Returner!
SQ 01. The Lost Dream
[Please select a mission to view.]
"Show me both."
[Basic Quest 01.]
'Find the Returner!'
Objective: You have been assigned as the mentor of a Chosen Returner. Locate the Returner and prevent the regression.
Reward: Young, Rich, Talented & Handsome
"If only it weren't 'young'..."
Well, I had to do this anyway, so fine. Might as well throw wealth and fame my way—thanks, I guess. And honestly, if I'm about to get drafted three times, I deserve at least this much compensation. Otherwise, the moment I met that Returner bastard, I might've grabbed him by the collar and screamed, What the hell are you doing to my life?!
Yeah, that aside.
The real problem is the next one.
[Single Quest 01.]
'The Lost Dream'
Objective: The fastest way to untangle a knotted thread is to find its starting point. Become an idol trainee within the given period.
Remaining Time: 57 days (Initial: 60 days)
Success Reward: Clue Ticket for Regression Tracking
Failure Penalty: +45% chance of triggering 5th Regression
This was an idol story all along?
Finally, a system window, quests—something to welcome with open arms. But my life's genre changing overnight wasn't exactly cause for celebration.
"Activate happiness circuit, Kang Hajin. At least you're not slaying monsters."
Yeah, it's not like I'm in a hunter story. But then again, becoming an idol trainee in two months when most people struggle to make it in two years? The more I thought about it, the more absurd it got, and my frustration started rising in a gradient.
And then they slap a penalty on top? 45% is practically half.
"Wait, if I fail, I regress again?"
What kind of twisted luck does this Chosen Returner have?
I needed sugar—now. Instinctively, I pulled out a chocolate bar from my bag and hummed a tune, the melody dissolving into the air.
"I'm lost..."
Yep, when in despair, this song is the national rule.
An idol? I did dream of it once.
I loved singing and dancing since I was a kid. On stage? I flew. Even I could tell I was made for it. At some point, I naturally dreamed of becoming a singer, and that dream lasted exactly ten years.
—Hajin's voice is a bit... off. Too loud, too much.
—Hmm... it's kinda iffy.
—Ever thought of changing paths? How long do you plan to keep this up before debuting?
If only I'd realized sooner that mediocrity and incompetence were separated by a hair's breadth.
I was always told I was good, but the opportunities were never mine. That's just how it was. Was I not passionate enough? Not skilled enough? Not diligent enough? The opportunities that slipped past me eventually started eating away at me.
—Hajin, let's try one more time.
—......
—They said they see potential in you.
Potential. Potential? Maybe I just didn't have the confidence to prove myself.
—No, I'm done.
So I gave up. I needed a place where I could prove myself, where I could be acknowledged.
Anyway, it's all pointless sentimentality now. If I have to do it, I'll do it—or else, it's the 5th regression. I snapped out of my brief melancholy and returned to reality. Pulling out my outdated phone (still not used to it), I went online.
<Male idol, audition, agency>
I cannot go to the military three times. Absolutely not.
The final candidates were three.
After scouring search results for every domestic agency's traits, artists, audition schedules, and deadlines, I compiled everything into an Excel sheet and narrowed it down.
Thank god my part-time job experience in data organization didn't go to waste.
There was an agency I personally liked, but they'd just debuted a new boy group, so I reluctantly crossed them off. Considering the next mission was likely debut, that damn Pre-Regressor (I didn't know what to call the Chosen Returner, so I made up a name) wouldn't wait around for them to debut another group.
Might as well put my old office skills to use—I dug through every SNS and forum and found rumors that these three agencies were either about to debut a new group or were looking for their final member.
"But does it even matter which one I pick?"
Is the Pre-Regressor a trainee? Too early to tell. The closest audition was this weekend—an open call by Rene Entertainment, one of the Big 3. Since tons of people would apply, slipping in to test the waters wouldn't be bad. I mentally ran through a list of songs, considering the agency's idol style.
By the way, how the hell do I explain this to my mom? It's only been a year since I quit singing.
"Seoul?"
"Yeah, hanging out with a friend."
"Which friend?"
"...Uh, Kyunghyun."
"Alright, have fun. Need money?"
"Nah, I've got some left."
I buffered for a second trying to remember who I hung out with back then, but Mom seemed to buy it. No point getting her hopes up for an audition I'd probably flunk—better to keep it vague.
I stealthily filled out the application while my younger brother wasn't looking and soon got a confirmation text. I struggled to suppress the instinct to list my college as my final education or write post-employment aspirations in my motivation.
Hang in there, Kang Hajin. You're a blooming nineteen-year-old. Even if you stuck a flower in your hair, they'd still call it youth.
<Rene Ent. Open Audition Notice>
I checked the address, schedule, and precautions one last time before leaving. On the subway, I put on my earphones, listening to the song I'd perform, and pulled up my agency research file to review Rene Entertainment.
<[Rene Entertainment]
Artists: Cateon, Spear, Themis, Lunaland (etc.)
Traits: One of Korea's Big 3. With Spear's military enlistment approaching, they urgently need a new boy group.
Style: Pursues complete idols. ★Visuals, talent, star power crucial★>
Spear was the top male idol group in Korea, with all members (except one) re-signed and active. But since the eldest line was enlisting next year, debuting a new group was urgent.
In my first regression (still weird to say), about ten years from now, a nine-member group debuted under a name like Rennon or something. Rumor had it they scraped together whatever trainees they had left and rushed the debut.
I tried recalling when that group debuted and who was in it before shutting my phone. Call it occupational habit—I analyzed everything, but honestly...
'If I debut here, I'm screwed.'
Spear was too successful, so Rene got greedy and delayed the next group. Despite the trend favoring large groups, Rene stubbornly stuck to small ones—until they suddenly dropped their first nine-member group. The backlash was instant... until the first teaser dropped, and everyone flipped.
[Rene Ent. Next Male Group Visuals.jpg]
[Yo, New Renez's visuals are insane]
[Rene really said "bring me male gods"]
If their nickname was Greek Statues, that said it all.
Visuals? That's Rene. A group that reminded everyone of the industry's eternal truth. I glanced at my reflection in the dark screen and shuddered before lowering my phone.
'I don't think I'm ugly... but I'm not on their level.'
I might get lucky and become a trainee, but debuting? Unlikely. Not that I planned to half-ass the audition, but...
Just then, someone approached me.
"Hey, hi."
"Yeah, I believe in the Dao."
"Huh?"
"We're fellow Daoists, so please move along."
Preemptive strike against cults is key. The person looked baffled, but I didn't care—I flashed my best social smile and stood up.
We'd arrived.
"Next."
"Kids these days... they're so young."
Manager Jang, head of Rene Entertainment's trainee development team, rubbed his tired eyes after removing his glasses.
"I don't ask for much. Just tone down the pretentiousness."
His sigh carried a hint of exhaustion. These damn survival shows ruined kids. He'd joined the team because he loved seeing passion in aspiring idols, but less than half of those who dreamed of being idols actually dreamed of being singers.
"Too busy winking and sticking their tongues out. Not a single note sung."
Even if Rene was known for visuals, they weren't looking for empty shells. Skills could be taught, but looks were non-negotiable—still, they needed something to work with. At least show potential for the stage.
"Number 53 earlier wasn't bad."
"Did you see how he overused vocal tricks? That's not something training fixes. He's already convinced he's amazing."
"Ah. Like Junghyuk?"
Junghyuk was a vocal-position trainee barely clinging to the debut lineup. Manager Jang massaged his temples.
"Junghyuk... if he'd just drop that stubbornness, we could push him as main vocal."
"Right."
"Where are all the simple kids? This audition's a slog."
Then the next contestant walked in.
"Hello, I'm number 71."
Manager Jang, who'd been half-slouching in his chair, straightened slightly. The guy had calm black hair and sharp, cool monolids—not bad. His skin was clear for a high school boy, too? Just as Jang's interest piqued and he reached for the application—
"I'll begin my song now."
No nervous hesitation typical of auditionees—just a composed voice. Even the other staff perked up. Then, without accompaniment, he started singing.
Will I ever be able to forget you?
A scar I can never erase,
A trace left behind.
Can I call those shattered moments
Happiness?
Could I ever dare to?
Number 71 had chosen an OST ballad by Ria, Themis's main vocalist, from her rookie days.
A few years old, but it had been a breakout hit—still mentioned among legendary OSTs. Many had tried covering it, but none surpassed Ria. Yet...
'Not bad.'
Manager Jang's pen twirled approvingly at the clean high notes, then yes!—he felt a thrill at the seamless transition to the lower register.
'I thought he was a high-range singer, but his low tones have groove.'
As the last note faded, Jang kept his face blank but internally cheered.
'Jackpot.'