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Debut or Die - 369

After doing something he called 'rebooting', KeunDal started actively talking again.

[Hyung, I think it's better now!]

Certainly, the pop-up window he opened no longer caused me anxiety, as it was stabilized.

But my mind is more complicated than ever. It's to the point where I wonder if it's going to explode.

'Is there a new game system?'

I was silent for a moment, then slowly opened my mouth.

-So... this game status window was created by the system itself, not by you.

[Yeah... I just modified it a bit.]

Just as KeunDal interfered with the system in the mixing process, the system seemed to be able to interfere with the status window.

'No, is that a new application?'

Either way, not a good thing... Still, there's something curious.

I touched my chin.

-Why is this similar to <127 Section>?

That's right, not only could I say that I've seen this 'colleague meeting' somewhere, but various elements match strangely from the interface.

From the game we collaborated with.

[That was me! I wanted it to be something familiar to you, even if it's in game form...That's why I chose it.]

-Really? ...Thank you.

If so, it means that this structure and content itself were originally given by the system.

'It's awkward.'

I went through each hologram to look at the contents thoroughly, frowning.

First of all, the stat classification of the status window is similar to the above.

[Player: Ryu GunWoo (Park MoonDae)]

Chant: A+

Dancing: B

Appearance: A

Talent: A-

Attribute: Infinite potential

Next chance to awaken / 1000 Exp

Although the other characteristics completely disappeared and all the stat grades have dropped. Still, considering how old this body is, it's like a scary report card.

TL/N: The last time he checked his stats as 'Park MoonDae', he raised his 'Singing' grade to 'S+'; in addition, he had 'Dance: В+', 'Appearance: A', 'Talent: S-'; and the attributes or characteristics 'Time to Enjoy (S)', 'Mission Constitution (S)' and 'Tuned Ear (A)'.

'He's an all-rounder who has nothing to eliminate.'

Perhaps this is my original skill without any system corrections I have received so far. Let's move on because the situation is crap to be proud of.

The problem comes after that.

[Fellow recruited: Shin JaeHyun]

Next recruitment opportunity / 1000 Exp.

Why is this bastard appearing here?

Before that, what does it mean to recruit buddies, what is awakening?

I asked KeunDal a few more questions, though I'm not sure if he's confused too.

'It can't be helped.'

I can't even guess what really happened to this guy. I can't count on this guy for more help.

I have to make up for what I don't have.

I lay down on a bed of embarrassingly good quality and get lost in my thoughts.

First of all, there are combined tracks.

'...I'll have to think of this as <127 Section>.'

In that game, leveling up was called 'awakening'.

Next chance to wake up / 1000 Exp.

That's listed below my status window, so it should refer to that.

Every time you wake up, you get a random skill or ability. I heard that the odds of getting each skill depend on what actions you've done so far.

If KeunDal had implemented the mechanism correctly in this case, then it would be similar.

But what is needed here to 'wake up'... are the <Fame Exp>.

'It's obvious.'

If I become famous, get good grades and win awards, it will be phenomenal. It's like reorganizing the system when I was Park MoonDae, only it's easier to understand.

In short, the goal is visible.

'It's are asking me to debut.'

No matter how much I see it, the system wants me to debut in this world.

It means debuting, building a reputation and living more comfortably compared to last time.

'As if it's telling me I'll continue to live here.'

It was an unpleasantly blatant suggestion.

'Are you out of your mind?'

What does he think I'm going to do, does he think I'm going to accept it and live like this here? Also.......

'...There are really too many things to consider.'

I couldn't throw it all away. Not ever.

I closed my eyes.

It was quite nice to have a tight plan on what to do starting tomorrow. I didn't have time to waste my energy with useless worries and thoughts.

* * *

The next morning.

I was able to have lunch with young Ryu CheongWoo.

-.......

No... it's something I usually do in TeSTAR's apartment, but since I used to eat alone like this for so many years, this really feels like home.

TL/N: He's comparing his current situation with his past considering he's in Ryu GunWoo's body, when he used to live alone and didn't have someone to accompany him on a daily basis.

Ryu CheongWoo has a comfortable and casual expression, as if he is used to silence.

'KeunDal said he's going to rest.'

It seems like he went to sleep because he exerted too much force. Thanks to that, everything is quieter.

-I'm leaving.

-Have a good trip, hyung. See you in the evening.

Instead of persistently asking this guy for information, I left the house easily, but I did it because it was more cost effective.

It's because I was thinking of going to the service center on the way to unlock my phone.

'There must be information on it.'

Data doesn't lie.

And the service center canceled the pattern lock within 15 minutes. That's pretty good.

'Doing this was the right thing to do.'

If this bastard is like me, I would have set up a security option that erases the data if I tried to unlock multiple times with an incorrect pattern, so I didn't dare do them multiple times recklessly.

I unlocked my phone with a great feeling.

-Heum.

First of all, there's not much in the history of Kakaotalk. There are only traces of group message chats, mainly to organize ourselves by group assignments.

'......CheongRyu is the last contact.'

What the heck happened to this guy's interpersonal relationships? He even temporarily withdrew from the photography club.

[Auto mode Lee YuJin: Ryu GunWoo-ssi? Why aren't you coming? You quit the photography club?]

[Because there's something I want to do.]

[Auto mode Lee YuJin: ????? Ok, cngrts]

TL/N: '연사' means 'speaker', but it is also short for '연속 사격', which is related to the topic of photography and video games as it means 'continuous shooting', i.e. 'auto mode'. 'ㅇㅋ ㅊㅋㅊㅋ' are abbreviations of '오케이 축하축하', which means 'Okey, congratulations / congratulations'.

Judging from the conversation with the guy who introduced me to the data vendor job, what I want to do here is probably to be an idol.

And maybe... the method was street casting while recording a fancam.

[LeTi 16th Shin JaeHyun: I am Shin JaeHyun who went to Dream Concert with director Lee YongJae. Do you remember? I wish you the best in the future, hyung ^^]

That's the first message CheongRyu sent me. We've probably known each other since then.

'...That was 3 months ago.'

Then, as soon as I was picked up on the street, I joined the debut group, but actually, considering my ability, it's reasonable.

'It's hard to find a useful vocalist.'

Even CheongRyu compromised with their lead vocalist so that they didn't have any accidents.

TL/N: Years before, CheongRyu was taking care of all his group members so that they wouldn't cause scandals, but when he was distracted by Park MoonDae and TeSTAR's appearance on his way, the lead vocalist had a scandal and got kicked out of his group, so CheongRyu attacked MoonDae in order to restart again and avoid that mistake in his plan. Thinking about that, maybe the CheongRyu of this 'reality' had a close relationship with GunWoo to be useful to him and keep him under control.

'I more or less understand the causal relationship. Next.'

......Ryu CheongWoo.

I checked the history of messages exchanged with him.

[Ryu CheongWoo: Soft tofu stew?]

[ㅇㅇ]

TL/N: 'ㅇ' = Yes.

He was 21, not 20.

'I guess so.'

There are traces that Ryu GunWoo has known about his college life for a year, so the same goes for him being the same age.

And... Just like in real life, Ryu CheongWoo here had also quit archery.

However, there was no aftermath of the injury, it was simply a case of choosing to go to college of his own free will.

'He won a gold medal.'

[Ryu CheongWoo: I thought it would be more fun to study academically].

Ryu CheongWoo just chose what he wanted to do among many options.

'If so.'

...Isn't this a happier world for this guy?

I held my phone and sat still for a while.

I guess I was confused.

Isn't it... a good choice for everyone?

'No.'

It is because it's just a dream.

Every time I open the status window, the English sentence at the top says it's real, but I can't believe it.

'But it's better than being in a crappy situation.'

During the previous fucked up reverie, all the bastards I knew were mentally insane.

I dismissed my thoughts and looked at Kakaotalk again.

I scrolled the message history down.

And... scrolling down.

I saw.

[My family]

-Ah.

...... It's a family chat room.

Originally, I wasn't able to delete my parents' contact information from my phone until I graduated from college.

I deleted them after confirming that those numbers had been passed on to other people.

And at this point... I think I was doing something pointless by digging up a message room like this to try to write a message.

'Crap.'

Somewhere in the back of my head, however, there was a voice speaking.

In a world where everything is going well, maybe, maybe....

-.......

I went into the chat whose last message said 'Okey'.

And I read.

[Mom: Don't skip meals and take care of yourself. Okay?]

They were messages we had exchanged last month.

-...!

I hurriedly clicked on the profile. It had an introductory note that said, 'I'm late in replying because I'm abroad.' I also saw a picture of a flower.

And on the number at the bottom....

I pressed on top of the phone screen.

Ttiririk.

Strange basic sounds are connected, and time passes but there is no logic connected in my head.

And the moment the connection sound was cut off.

-GunWoo-yah?

My throat is blocked.

I couldn't remember exactly since when I hadn't heard it, but a familiar voice flows softly through the phone.

-GunWoo-yah, is something wrong?

-I.......

I swallowed my saliva.

The phone shakes and presses against my ear.

-I just... wanted to hear your voice.

-What's wrong with my son?!

Her voice got a little louder. And at the end, as if pleased, her tone of voice rose.

And my memories came late to my mind.

She used to speak originally with that same tone.

-It's a relief that we're talking on the phone right now. I've been using a walkie-talkie since I've been in Antarctica, so this was the perfect time.

This time his voice dropped again.

-I'm sorry. Mom misses her GunWoo very much. Dad misses his GunWoo too.

Damn, damn.

-Yeah, me too.

What am I talking about?

-Aigo, what's really going on? You're not a teenager anymore! My son, mom has to go now.

My eyes are burning.

-So, I'll definitely see you at Christmas this year, okay?

-Yes.......

The call was cut off as if it was an illusion. However, the call history makes it clear.

[01:04]

As if this is real.

-.......

My hands are shaking.

My thoughts are multiplying like crazy.

Where did he say he was, Antarctica?

I went back to the message room. There are traces that my parents went to the Antarctic base for two years for research purposes, and we have kept in touch continuously for a year?

And they even said it is difficult for us to contact each other often this year because they are in the winter solstice.

-.......

Antarctica.

Ideas stab into my brain like an awl.

'Wouldn't it be nice to go there?'

Now there is no such coercion as state abnormalities. There is no need for me to debut here.

As it is, if I am absent and go to visit them making an excuse that I wanted to see them...... If I no longer want to show my face again once I am there....

TL/N: If he no longer wish to be a public figure, an idol.

-.......

I turned off my phone.

And took a deep breath.

'No.'

I feel like my head is about to explode.......

But the first thing is to discern. This is bogus.

Even if they became researchers, why would my parents suddenly go to Antarctica? That's all made up.

-It's a dream. It's a dream.......

I know. Since it's a dream, I can do whatever I want, right? So I can drop whatever I want and do whatever I want.......

-Shut up.

Shut up, mouth or brain.

'I have to go back.'

I stumbled.

This... I can't. I have to get out of here as soon as possible.

I can't take it.

I turned off my phone. Then I put it in my pocket and started walking again.

Towards LeTi. To Ryu GunWoo's agency.

-.......

My palms were soaked with sweat.

* * *

-You don't look well.

-I am fine.

I replied briefly. CheongRyu shrugged his shoulders.

LeTi practice was as intense as the name implies, but today we have no one to train us, so we are just practicing independently for extended hours.

-It's a good time to go back to our homes since everything is empty. We are not practicing as a team.

-Yes.

We need to have a productive conversation.

And I think it's true that this guy is crazy, but...even in this crazy situation, the simplicity of normal activities makes people strangely calm.

'Let's work.'

Think only about work. Nothing else works.

I raised my composure.

-There was nothing unusual about my house, but what about you, hoobae-nim?

-A new status window popped up.

-Hmmm.

I explained the current situation in as much detail as possible. There are no items here that this bastard can use to hit the back of my head.

And I was going to give him an example to help him understand.

-Have you ever tried <127 Section>?

-I'm not much interested in games.

I figured as much.

Anyway, as if he understood the context, CheongRyu nodded obediently.

-In the end, to fully recover your vocal skills, you have to gain fame. Hmm.

-.......

That's the most important thing for him. I understand.

Besides, this bastard made a sudden leap.

-Do you want to debut right now?

Is he the boss? Why would a trainee ask that question so naturally?

'Is it because of his seniority?'

There would be no greater efficiency than coinciding at the same destination.

However, I don't intend to make the oversight of going directly down the route this system wants.

-Wait a minute.

I opened the quests tab.

[Quest: Awaken Colleague 1/?]

Recruit a colleague and wake him up.

→ Awaken colleague: ?

→ Required fame: 1000 Exp.

Colleague awakening quest.

And I remembered the conversation I had yesterday with KeunDal before I went to sleep.

-What does it mean to wake up a colleague?

-I don't know either, but... just as you thought, hyung, maybe it's related to the skill level. Because it was like that in 127 Section...

-I guess so.

I thought it would mean that I would level up my colleagues as a group so that they can adapt to this world unconditionally.

Even without coercion.

'If that's the case, isn't there a bit of a gap to dig?'

You have to widen the gap as much as you can.

-So, could you add a little bit of explanation here? Just a line of text describing the correct level of context.

-......! Hey, how little?

So I added another explanatory phrase.

[Awake colleagues recall the previous timeline and develop.]

That was in <127 Section>.

Every time a colleague was woken up in the game, a scenario was displayed in which they remembered the contents of the previous episode... and they became stronger.

-.......

I clenched my fists.

'I have to try.'

I just have to build up my fame a bit to make sure it works properly.

I explained the matter to CheongRyu.

And his response was as follows.

-Really? Okay.

-.......

He accepted it so easily?

-Hmm, your answer is not so good. -Did you say that as a joke?

-No way.

Since this guy cooperates, I'll make the most of it. I crossed my arms.

-First of all... If a company plans to launch a large-scale group, some of the 1st group's trainees leak out before the debut.

-That's true. They do it on purpose.

I looked it up once before coming here. For example, Shin JaeHyun was already known among fans of all LeTi idol groups.

I must get that level of fame at once.

-It would be nice to have my information leaked in a similar way.

-Oh, you're going to post something directly on the internet?

I looked at him with bewilderment.

-Is that the only way to do it?

-Haha!

Although this bastard knows better, he said it for no reason. In other words, it's hard to control the attention of Internet postings because you have to go with controversy.

The official route was better than that.

-This company also gives work to trainees.

There is something that the big agencies often do with those who have not yet debuted.

It's to turn them into sunbae idol dancers to gain stage experience or have them appear in a music video to get recognition.

Usually, they are sunbae idols of different genres so that their fandoms don't overlap.

And as far as I know, LeTi did quite a bit of that until they debuted VTIC and mysteriously changed their patterns.

TL/N: By this time (in Park MoonDae's reality), it's going to be almost 10 years since VTIC debuted and LeTi still hasn't shown any possible group to debut.

'It's the season of award ceremonies.'

At this point, in the past, who was the most popular female idol group in LeTi?

'Soft & Sweet.'

The group of the hit song <POP☆CON>.

So, Ryu GunWoo from the debut group will be a dancer of Soft & Sweet.

-I want you to support me a little bit with that.

I looked at Shin JaeHyun again, an older man who must have mastered everything in this agency.

The guy nodded his head calmly, quite confidently.

-Hmm, the lead vocalist position doesn't need that kind of experience... but if you want to go that far....

-.......

Ah, I really don't fit in with this bastard.