Still unable to meet my eyes, Kim Dobin mumbled as he stared down at the blanket.
“Hyung… you remind me of Lee Jaeyoon.”
Lee Jaeyoon? Wait, Lee Jaeyoon as in…
“Are you seriously saying I remind you of a school bully?”
This was a genuinely shocking confession.
Wondering if it was because of physical resemblance, I quickly searched for a picture of the school bully.
The fact that we looked nothing alike only made me angrier. If it wasn’t my face, then it must’ve been my personality he was referring to.
Having lived my life as someone completely unrelated to school violence, the idea that I resembled a bully in any way hit me hard—especially after reading the exposé detailing the bully’s cruel actions.
As I stared at Dobin, speechless, he frantically waved his hands.
“No, I didn’t mean you’re exactly like him! It’s just that some parts of you are…”
“What parts? Tell me now so I can fix them!”
Grabbing his shoulders in urgency, I demanded answers. Dobin nervously rolled his eyes before hesitantly opening his mouth.
“Your overbearing attitude, like you’re always right…”
“Hey, it’s because I am right most of the time—”
“This attitude, right now…”
His words trailed off, but he still managed to stick to his point. Rubbing my temples at the growing headache, I gestured for him to continue.
“You keep calling me a weeb and giving me looks…”
“When have I ever given you looks?”
“Asking if I watch anime or read manga is already giving me looks. Most anime comes from manga anyway. And One Piece isn’t weeb trash, hyung. You know about Marineford and Ace too, don’t you?”
“…Alright, fine.”
In truth, I didn’t. My memory of One Piece stopped at Alabasta. Was Ace the protagonist’s older brother or younger brother?
But I didn’t have the energy to nitpick at that detail.
“You say insensitive things without realizing it…”
“Do I?”
“Put your hand on your heart and think back to all the things you’ve said until now. The answer will come to you.”
I felt my eye twitch. Was it just me, or was this guy growing more confident by the second?
The timid, mumbling Dobin had vanished, replaced by someone steadily gaining boldness. I could only let out a deflated laugh.
Well, I suppose it’s better than him looking defeated.
“And calling me ‘Dobby’…”
“Ugh… I feel ashamed to share a single thought with that jerk.”
“Don’t feel too bad. My nickname was Dobby even back in middle school.”
“Then can we please stop with it?”
“You’re the only one who kept calling me that after I asked you not to. Well, you and Lee Jaeyoon.”
“Alright, I’m sorry for that.”
So this was why Dobin clammed up whenever I called him “Dobby.”
“And when you’re in a bad mood, you go dead serious and bring down the atmosphere.”
“Do I really do that?”
“It used to be worse, but you’ve gotten better lately.”
It felt like a truth serum was working overtime.
Dobin was practically confessing the entire reason why our rapport was stuck in the 40% range.
Before the time rewind, Dobin was the second member to cut ties with me after Seo Yehyun.
At the time, I had no idea why and was left feeling miserable about it.
But now that I knew the truth, I understood.
How could anyone like someone who constantly reminded them of someone they hated?
Especially when that person was not only two years older but also their group leader.
At that time, considering I was sharp and irritable due to the overlap of reasons like being part of a failing idol group and the company’s incompetence, Dobin must have thought it was better to quietly cut ties with me than try to change me.
I ruffled my bangs, which fell into my vision, casting a pinkish hue, and let out a deep sigh.
“Got it. I’ll try to fix it.”
Kim Dobin blinked a few times in surprise before cautiously asking,
“You’re still Eden hyung… right? You’re not someone else who possessed his body, are you?”
It must be a talent—breaking my resolve within a minute of making up my mind.
I almost snapped back with a comment about how he was talking like an otaku, but I clenched my teeth and barely held back.
Who would’ve guessed? Even Seo Yehyun, his so-called mentor, had said something similar.
When my brow twitched, Dobin shut his mouth tightly before giving me an awkward smile.
“I’ll contact the victim right away and see if they’d be willing to clarify things.”
“Alright, reach out first, and if they refuse, let me know immediately. We’ll figure out another way.”
At my words, Dobin shook his head confidently.
“I’ve already thought of Plan B. I can ask my friends for help. It won’t be perfect or entirely convincing, but they know enough about what happened in my first year to vouch for me.”
“That should suffice for clarification.”
“I also have the messages I exchanged with my friends when we saw the article about Lee Jaeyoon’s debut. I can capture those and include them.”
Only then did I feel a bit relieved.
The system’s “quest penalty” of forcing a time loop had always seemed laughable to me, but for the first time, it hit uncomfortably close.
I patted Dobin’s back lightly, telling him to rest since he must’ve been shaken too, and stood up from the bed. But before I could even move, Dobin grabbed the hem of my shirt.
When I turned around, Dobin gave me an embarrassed smile and sincerely said,
“Thank you, hyung, for trusting me and listening.”
“It’s nothing. It’s what a leader and fellow member should do.”
Honestly, I’m the one who’s deeply grateful that you’re neither a school bully nor a bystander.
Thanks to you, I’ve safely escaped this time-loop crisis, and as a reward, I’ll let go of the bitter misunderstanding about your alleged sponsorship scandal.
Hopefully, this effort should’ve improved our relationship. If it hasn’t, I might need to use the suspension bridge effect or something. Luckily, Dobin’s fearfulness works in my favor.
***
[Relationship Improvement Scores with Members]
Seo Yehyun: 69%
Gyeon Hajun: 95%
Kim Dobin: 68%
Ryu Jaehee: 80%
Finally, my relationship with Kim Dobin improved by 20%.
But I couldn’t help worrying about what kind of trouble I’d need to endure to push it into the 80% range. The suspension bridge effect might really be the answer.
***
A day after my serious conversation with Kim Dobin, a post appeared in the community.
—
Title: I am the victim of Zenix’s Lee Jaeyoon’s school violence.
Date: 20XX.04.06 21:30
Views: 181,872
I’ve received reports that the accusations are targeting innocent individuals, so I’m here to clarify the situation. REVE’s Kim Dobin, who is currently being accused of being a bystander or a perpetrator, is neither.
On the contrary, Dobin was the only one in Lee Jaeyoon’s group who would try to stop him or apologize on his behalf during the early days when the bullying was just petty arguments…
—
The victim detailed how Dobin seemed out of place in the group, was treated poorly even within it, and left before the situation escalated to the level described in the exposé.
They closed the post by wishing Dobin well, saying he had shown courage during what was not the worst time of their life but still a difficult period.
***
Thanks to the victim’s post, the sharp criticism aimed at Dobin vanished, refocusing on Zenix’s Jaeyoon.
The agency’s announcement of a lawsuit against rumor spreaders also helped shift the narrative.
In the end, Jaeyoon left Zenix as his bullying history came to light, and Dobin’s involvement as a supposed bystander concluded on a positive note.
***
“I was really worried REVE might turn into a four-member group. Look how much weight I’ve lost from the stress.”
Ryu Jaehee sighed dramatically, resting his hand on his now-sharper jawline.
There was no way we’d miss the subtle exchange of glances between the two youngest members.
“So, to bring some happiness into our daily lives after all this stress, shouldn’t tonight’s dinner be chi—”
Before he could finish, I nudged Jaehee, signaling toward Seo Yehyun, who stood with his arms crossed and a smirk.
“Go on, finish your sentence,” his look said. Jaehee wisely closed his mouth.
I supported Yehyun’s stance with a bored tone.
“Come on, maknae. Why would we eat chicken during our promotion period? Do you want Yehyun hyung to blow a gasket?”
“Okay, I admit my mistake. Please return to your old bickering selves, you two.”
At the maknae’s plea, Yehyun and I exchanged glances and shrugged. Things were plenty comfortable now—no need to revert to old habits.
Breaking the momentary silence, Gyeon Hajun spoke in a serious tone.
“None of us have any school violence issues apart from Dobin, right? As you know, we’ve barely talked about our pasts with each other.”
We had all been trainees for different durations: Hajun for 8 months, me for 7, Yehyun and Jaehee for 6, and Dobin for 5.
The company hastily formed a team of three experienced trainees and two newcomers, debuting us within five months. It was a chaotic approach from a poorly managed agency.
So, we’d been too focused on preparing for debut to really dig into each other’s pasts.
“I obviously don’t.”
I answered immediately. As far as I knew, none of us had any school violence issues even before the rewind.
Seo Yehyun was known as a quiet and well-behaved student back in school, though why he constantly bickered with me was beyond comprehension.
Ryu Jaehee’s problem wasn’t bullying but an incident with his previous agency.
“Me neither. I kept a low profile to avoid standing out too much.”
Given Yehyun’s looks, I could see how he’d blend in. If Jaehee had his face, though, he’d have maximized its potential.
“…Not at school.”
Normally, Jaehee would have enthusiastically shared stories about his school days, but now he hesitated, his expression dark.
I was the only one who knew the reason behind his reaction, and I clicked my tongue internally.
“It was a hassle, sure, but nothing I can’t handle.”
Having resolved it once before in the previous timeline, I was confident this time would be easier.
In fact, I was even looking forward to it.
***
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