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

In a quieter voice than before, I handed over a bottle of water and felt Gyeon Hajun’s forehead with the palm of my hand.

 

He had a slight fever in the morning, and his forehead was still warm.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

I asked as I handed him a thick outer coat, and Gyeon Hajun nodded, placing it over the blanket.

 

“Yeah, I think I’ll be fine if I rest for a day after taking some medicine. Anyway, we don’t have any schedules until tomorrow after today’s live broadcast.”

 

“Taking care of you… ha, there’s no one reliable. I have to be in the studio all day tomorrow.”

 

I sighed as I scanned the faces that didn’t inspire much confidence.

 

Thinking back to before the regression, when Seo Ye-hyun worsened Kim Do-bin’s condition by putting a wet towel on his forehead without wringing it out while he was suffering from a cold, I definitely didn’t want to leave Gyeon Hajun’s care to Seo Ye-hyun.

 

Especially since there were only two days left until the first music show after our comeback.

 

The other two guys also didn’t seem reliable enough to take care of someone.

 

As I was debating whether to stay by Gyeon Hajun’s side, postponing some work because the music show was more important than song production, Gyeon Hajun shook his head.

 

“Don’t worry. It’s not serious enough to need care.”

 

“I’m just saying, in case it gets worse by tomorrow. At least take some medicine and my vitamins. As for the tonic… Hmm. My mother had it made to suit my constitution, so I’m not sure if it’s okay for you to take it. I’ll call her after the live broadcast and ask.”

 

“…No, you should take the tonic. I’m really fine.”

 

Though there had been no incident before the regression where Gyeon Hajun’s illness caused us to perform as four members on the first music show, the date had been pushed forward by a month and a half now, and both the music and choreography had changed.

 

So, I couldn’t let my guard down just because it hadn’t happened before.

 

“Don’t worry too much. You don’t look that sick up close. And most of the live will be handled by Ryu Jae-hee and Kim Do-bin anyway, so don’t overdo it.”

 

Fortunately, the concept for him was to be relatively quiet.

 

But why do I keep feeling like I’m missing something…?

 

Is it sleep deprivation? I can’t quite grasp why the word “concept” keeps bothering me.

 

As Gyeon Hajun received makeup as the last in line, I opened the Weekly Quest window and checked the completed quest list.

 

Seeing me nearly dying from preparing for the comeback and writing a Christmas commemorative song, this damned system had kindly reduced the mandatory quest completion count from four to three.

 

I even protested to bring it down to two before dying from overwork, but it didn’t work.

 

“Guys, five minutes until the live broadcast! Let’s get ready!”

 

The manager handed over our album and placed it at my feet. Then, I checked the script we were given.

 

It wasn’t really a script but rather a list of things to do on today’s live broadcast, including the comeback celebration and album unboxing.

 

Brief song introductions, album unboxing, music video reactions, behind-the-scenes of recording and shooting, and fan interactions (Q&A).

 

To ensure genuine reactions, we hadn’t watched the music video yet.

 

[On Air] Comeback Celebration and Album Unboxing!

 

I watched as the manager typed in the title and gave some suggestions.

 

“Hey, isn’t that title too generic?”

 

“Then you come up with something. This stiff brain of mine has reached its limit.”

 

“Add ‘With Daydream’ before ‘Reve’s’.”

 

[On Air] With Daydream: Reve’s Comeback Celebration and Album Unboxing!

 

Hmm, much better. Before sitting down, I surveyed the seated members and reminded them.

 

“You all know live broadcasts can’t be edited, right? Be careful what you say. If you’re unsure whether you should say something, just don’t say it.”

 

Seo Ye-hyun gave me a peculiar look.

 

“What? What now?”

 

“No, I was just wondering if that’s something you should say.”

 

If I could display CG effects in reality, there would definitely be skull marks x100 floating around me.

 

To avoid fueling rumors of discord right before the live broadcast, I held back and turned my attention to Ryu Jae-hee.

 

“It might be tough, but Jae-hee, you’ll have to cover for Jun’s part as well. Got it?”

 

“Roger. Leave it to me.”

 

The youngest member gave a salute with a grin, which eased my mind, and I sat down.

 

The seating order was Kim Do-bin, Seo Ye-hyun, me, Gyeon Hajun, and Ryu Jae-hee.

 

“We’re starting the live broadcast!”

 

The manager pressed the start button.

 

Our image appeared on the laptop next to the camera.

 

Watching the chat window fill up, I opened my mouth.

 

“One, two, Dream of me! Hello, we are REVE!”

 

Following my cue, we all shouted our greeting and bowed our heads.

 

“It’s been a while, our Daydreams! We’ve missed you!”

 

Ryu Jae-hee waved both hands cheerfully. Kim Do-bin interrupted the greeting.

 

“I missed our Daydreams more than Jae-hee did!”

 

“No, I missed them more!”

 

“I missed them thiiiiiis much!”

 

“I missed them thiiiiiiiiiiiiis much!”

 

I told them to fill the audio, not to have a childish fight on camera.

 

While it’s understandable for Ryu Jae-hee to act that way, as it’s in his nature, Kim Do-bin turns into a different person in front of the camera despite being shy in front of me. He’s a born entertainer.

 

Unfortunately, with them seated at the ends, I couldn’t stop them immediately from the center.

 

Grinding my teeth subtly towards the loud duo, I signaled with my eyes to those beside me.

 

“Yes, it seems our youngest members really missed our fans. Of course, I missed you all too.”

 

Satisfied with the now quieted members, I greeted the fans.

 

Next to me, Gyeon Hajun and Seo Ye-hyun also waved their hands.

 

I lifted the album at my feet and started the actual opening remarks.

 

“So, we’ve come back with our mini 2nd album, following our debut mini 1st album, after three and a half months.”

 

“Was it pronounced ‘High Teen’? I kept reading it as ‘High Tien.'”

 

Seo Ye-hyun asked, blinking in surprise, momentarily leaving me speechless. Kim Do-bin, sitting beside him, answered.

 

“We kept calling it ‘High Teen’ during the meetings, though, hyung…”

 

“Oh, I thought we were talking about the concept, not the album name.”

 

Seo Ye-hyun scratched his head sheepishly.

 

How can he be so indifferent yet so sensitive to every word I say? Is it selective indifference?

 

Swallowing the sigh that was about to escape, I pointed to the ‘HI-TN’ letters on the album cover.

 

“Yes, ‘High Teen’ is correct, but you can read it as ‘High Tien’ like Ye-hyun hyung if you’d like. We chose this name to convey a dual meaning: ‘High Teen,’ and a short form for ‘Hi Tonight.'”

 

“Why ‘Hi Tonight’?”

 

“Because the title track is ‘All Right or Night’…? To match the song’s content? Ah, don’t ask me these things.”

 

“I’m not asking; the fans are curious. Right, Daydreams?”

 

“Actually, we just picked it to match the ‘High Teen’ pronunciation, without much meaning…”

 

Eventually, I confessed honestly.

 

Unlike previous live broadcasts, we couldn’t see the chat window in real time, so I was a bit worried.

 

But seeing no drop in fan engagement reassured me that my answer was fine.

 

With a sense of relief, I began the song introduction.

 

“Our title track can be categorized as a dance genre electro synth-pop song that showcases both Reve’s powerful image and a refreshing image suitable for ‘High Teen.’ In other words, it’s a song that embodies Reve’s unique color. We added a lively touch with fast drum beats to the melody, which might otherwise feel monotonous. The title, ‘All Right or Night,’ means ‘Either okay or party all night,’ implying only acceptance and no rejection…”

 

A tap on my thigh signaled me to wrap up the song introduction.

 

“…and that’s it.”

 

“Wow, as expected from our main rapper. How do you speak so smoothly without a break?”

 

Ryu Jae-hee clapped, making a fuss.

 

“And the track 2, ‘Side Story,’ is a slow ballad with an emotional melody, contrasting with the title track. It features a pure guitar sound without electronic elements…”

 

After briefly touching on the additional tracks, we moved on to the album unboxing.

 

The album cover featured yellow lettering on a sky-blue background.

 

To add a kitschy feel, there were small hearts and stars printed, with lines like camera markings at each corner.

 

“One thing they do well is designing album covers.”

 

The album design was quite appealing, with a mysterious night sky and scattered stars.

 

The problem was that the only standout song was “One Chance.”

 

“Now, let’s reveal the inside of the album!”

 

Matching Kim Do-bin’s excitement, we opened the album.

 

In contrast to the yellow lettering on a sky-blue background on the cover, the CD had sky-blue lettering on a yellow background.

 

Opening the photo book revealed previously released concept photos, unpublished cuts, and some behind-the-scenes photos from the music video shoot.

 

A photo card fell out from the middle.

 

“Oh, it’s me.”

 

I held the photo card close to my face and made a V-sign with one hand.

 

“By the way, the photo cards come in individual and group photos, randomly included.”

 

The next part was the music video reaction.

 

We all sat close together on the floor, watching the music video on a tablet in the center.

 

“Wow, we had so many outtakes during that scene.”

 

“Yeah, I remember. The basketball team ace couldn’t even make a single basket. Total casting mistake.”

 

“Eden, did you really sing live during that stage performance scene?”

 

“Yeah. I couldn’t rap, right?”

 

“What did you sing?”

 

“The national anthem, rock version.”

 

“Yehyun, were you really that much of a social butterfly in school?”

 

“No, I was a very quiet and well-behaved student. Didn’t have many friends either.”

 

“With that face…? Wow, if I had your looks, I could be a power socialite across the district.”

 

“Oh, that cheese ball incident. Dobin picked it up from the floor because he didn’t want to waste it, and then Eden scolded him, saying, ‘Are you some stray dog that eats anything you find on the ground?'”

 

“Watching the full version like this, it seems like Hajun is the main character in the MV.”

 

“Really? I’m the main character?”

 

“If you end up with the female lead, you’re the male lead!”

 

Since we were huddled close around the tablet, Hajun’s hand brushed against mine. His hand was quite hot to the touch. I started to worry whether the OA live would end before Hajun collapsed.

 

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