A Blank Slate Regression For The Idol That Lost His Original Intention

Among us, the first one to land a solo schedule, both back then and now, was none other than REVE’s visual member, Seo Ye-hyun.

It was for a cosmetics lip tint commercial, no less.

In the ad, Seo Ye-hyun’s line, “If you want to add a touch of loveliness to your daily life, OO Tint,” became a meme within REVE.

“If you want to add a touch of fullness to your life, go for Neoguri ramen!”

“If you want to add a touch of quietness to your life, ask Kim Do-bin to shut up!”

“If you want to add a touch of freshness and vitamin C to your life, eat a citrus fruit, hyungs.”

“If you want to add a touch of citrus to your life, bring one yourself and peel it.”

“Hah… Should I not have done that commercial…?”

“If you want to add a touch of regret to your life, do an OO Tint ad!”

Like that.

At first, Seo Ye-hyun used to freak out when it was brought up, but now, he seemed resigned to the point of using the meme himself.

Or maybe, judging by the way he covered his mouth after using it, it had been repeated so often that it just slipped out unconsciously.

Finally, a solo offer came to me as well.

I would’ve preferred something related to music, but alas, my invitation was to a dating advice show called Love Manual, where I’d be a panelist.

The concept was simple: actors reenacted stories sent in by viewers, and the panel provided advice or solutions after watching the footage.

“Why me of all people? Do I look like someone who’s an expert in dating?”

If I did, it’s unfortunate because my teenage years were spent in all-boys middle and high schools, and in my past life, I spent three years as a struggling idol and four years juggling idol life and music production. There was neither time nor energy for dating.

And now? If I so much as thought about dating, the system overseeing me would light up and send me back to my debut day.

I’d likely lose at least 90 points on my “initial intention” score too. This system penalized even for rumors of a relationship; imagine what it would do for an actual one.

As I was mulling over the situation, Ryu Jae-hee, who was watching Love Manual clips on YouTube, chimed in.

“Dating advice shows are more fun when it’s someone clueless reacting to it.”

I rewarded his insight with a light headlock massage, which made him yelp with mock delight.

“Ow! Why, hyung? You always say you’re married to music!”

“Why? Because you’re right, that’s why.”

A deserved reaction.

***

On the filming day, I arrived at the studio, bowed in greeting, and noticed a familiar face. The other special guest was Altair’s Cha Yeon-ho.

Cha Yeon-ho walked over with a smile in his eyes and said, “The pink hair suits you, Eden. It’s such a bright color.”

“Ah, yes…”

[Detected: Insincere response.]
[Initial intention -1]

Then what should I have said?

Am I supposed to go, “Oh, great senior, I’m honored that someone as lofty as you complimented this humble junior’s hair!”?

[Please provide a response with at least five words.]

Thank you. Hmm, that’s exactly five.

“I enjoyed your new song. It’s great.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Following the system’s advice, I managed to scrape together a reply of more than five words. Cha Yeon-ho, still smiling, suddenly remarked, “That song is new to me.”

“? It’s a new release, not a remake, so of course, it’s the first time you’ve heard it.”

I tilted my head in confusion, and Cha Yeon-ho chuckled softly before asking with a hint of sarcasm, “Eden, do you always do this on purpose?”

“Excuse me?”

Was he picking a fight because I talked back?

Seriously, some things never change, Cha Yeon-ho.

This guy, in my previous life, never got his act together even after hitting rock bottom, clinging to his fragile pride. No matter how much I liked his voice, there were limits to my patience.

Now, since Altair hadn’t fallen yet and they were technically our seniors, I couldn’t respond as bluntly as before.

As expected, realizing the narrative would paint me as the sole bad guy if this escalated, Cha Yeon-ho backed off. His eyes showed a flicker of confusion as he stepped away.

Why is he nitpicking over my response to his song? Does he think I live like Altair’s temperamental composer or something?

I grumbled internally as I skimmed the script handed to me by a staff member. I had no fixed lines, just instructions to react appropriately.

***

When filming started, I managed to keep a straight face despite the absurd dramatizations of real-life stories.

One story was about a boyfriend who lied, saying his female friend was his younger sister to avoid making his girlfriend uncomfortable. Really? Does anyone believe that nonsense?

Clearly, the girlfriend was suspicious; otherwise, she wouldn’t have submitted the story here. Why add, “She’s probably just a friend, right…? T_T” and stress me out?

What am I supposed to say in response to this?

“Breaking up seems like the best option here. If trust is already broken, why try to continue?”

“Of course, they should break up. This is deceit, plain and simple. Why would he go clubbing when his girlfriend is unwell?”

“Break up. What nonsense is this about cooking being a given?”

“If they cheated once, they’ll do it again. The first time is the hardest. Just break up.”

Thus, throughout the filming, I became a “break-up advocate.” It was the only advice I could give.

How could I, in good conscience, tell someone to stay with a partner like that?

By the end, even Cha Yeon-ho, who had been suggesting ways to mend relationships, smirked and said to me, “Eden, you keep recommending break-ups.”

“Well, none of the other panelists are offering that option. Variety is key for the storyteller to make a choice, right?”

With my seven years of idol experience, I calmly parried his comment without batting an eye.

Sigh. Altair’s fans will probably accuse me of being insincere and unprofessional again.

That’s why I made sure to explain in detail why breaking up was necessary. That way, they couldn’t claim I wasn’t taking the show seriously.

As for attitude problems… well, isn’t advising a break-up better than staying silent?

Seriously, though, Cha Yeon-ho, if you don’t want to hit rock bottom faster, you should tone it down.

Why does he keep poking at me? It’s irritating.

***

HIT! [Screenshot of a male idol channeling the viewers’ energy during today’s Love Manual] [412]

Anonymous 85
Finally, Love Manual, which had been force-feeding us frustrating moments, finally delivered a dose of catharsis.

Anonymous 86
This is the first time I didn’t feel suffocated watching this show. The other panelists always try to justify even the trashiest characters, telling us to understand and compromise. Eden just poured out the soda!

Anonymous 87
His reactions were literally the same as mine while watching the show—hilarious.

Anonymous 88
Yeonho tried to avoid saying “break up” and instead gave constructive solutions, like the other panelists. Meanwhile, this guy was so adamant about breaking up. When he said, “Why should the letter-writer be the one to put in all the time and effort when the boyfriend is the one at fault?” I felt enlightened.

Anonymous 89
“Are you trying to stay in the relationship because breaking up would reset you to the start of the dating phase? Is that why you’re trying to fix him?” LOL. Please make him a permanent panelist.

Anonymous 90
That genuinely frustrated look and the “I don’t get it” expression were so real. LOL.

Anonymous 91
I looked over and saw my younger sibling making the exact same face as him on the screen. I couldn’t stop laughing.

Anonymous 92
Honestly, it was refreshing. Why did Cha Yeonho make a dig at him halfway through, though? LOL.

Anonymous 93
☞Anonymous 92
He kept harping on about breaking up. Someone had to rein him in, don’t you think?

Anonymous 94
☞Anonymous 92
Sure, it was cathartic, but he came off like he wasn’t taking the show seriously. As a viewer, it was annoying. A senior has every right to say something.

Anonymous 95
☞Anonymous 92
You think that was a jab? Maybe you’re just bitter and see the world in a twisted way.

Anonymous 96
Aquilas (Yeonho’s fans) have already swooped in. Tsk tsk. Anyone could see he was earnestly answering, and Yeonho was just being petty.

Anonymous 97
Are Aquilas already trying to undermine the rising star? LOL.

***

“Another new boy group, huh?”

I clicked my tongue while reading a dating news article about a mid-tier agency launching a rookie boy group.

The faces in the photos weren’t familiar. They weren’t even close to being rivals for the big leagues.

How did they end up debuting under a mid-tier agency and still flopping?

That’s just how this industry is. If luck is on your side, you can make it even without skill. If not, even talent won’t save you. And if you’ve got both luck and talent but start accumulating bad karma? You’ll fall eventually.

Which makes me wonder: Did I fall because of my karma too?

I let out a hollow laugh, recalling the luxurious new apartment in Cheongdam, my savings account, the Ferrari, and my personal studio—all of which had disappeared.

A few days later, while doing some random online browsing, I stumbled across a school bullying exposé featuring the rookie boy group’s name again.

“See? This is why you shouldn’t pile up bad karma,”

Turns out one of the members had been a serious troublemaker, leading a group that tormented people mercilessly.

As I scrolled through the post, I saw that the guy was just 19 but already a major menace. It was astonishing how bold and confident someone with that kind of history could be, thinking they’d get away with debuting unscathed.

Did they really think this past wouldn’t surface? What gave them such audacity?

Accusations of framing victims for plagiarism by subtly copying their choreography and intentionally injuring a rival’s ankle before a dance exam painted a damning picture. And then it clicked—the high school name looked familiar.

“Isn’t that the same school as Kim Dobin? Same age too, both in the practical dance department.”

Surely, Dobin wouldn’t be connected to this mess. His specialty was urban dance, while the bullying victim and perpetrators were in breaking.

Different specialties, and besides, Dobin’s name wasn’t mentioned as a perpetrator in the post. That alone was reassuring.

“No way. Dobin’s not the type to bully anyone.”

I had faith in our team’s Dobin.

After all, anyone could see he had “potential victim” written all over him, not “perpetrator.”

Not to mention his shy personality.

Even before the reset, there were no bullying scandals involving any REVE members. That alone had been a relief.

The next day, however, a photo surfaced alongside a post, shattering that sense of relief.

***
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