Special Mission! Shine Bright (2)

Deciding he'd take all the effort it would take to rehab those hopeless teammates and cash it in on himself instead, the very first thing Hajin set his mind on was 'Project: Fix Kang Hajin's Face.'

Reason?

'Because {Voluntary-Resignation}(#636xvftmepl1) eats it up!'

The way things were going, decent edit time for our team was off the table anyway, and one look told me the first episode was obviously going to be structured around Team A, packed to the gills with buzz-worthy characters. Wasn't there a ton of juicy stuff over there right now?

'Cherry Boy Seo Taehyun, the Lee Yugeon vs. Kim Wonho rivalry, Han Seongwoo tagged as a challenger…'

For me to survive in that field and scrape out any edit time at all, catching the Voluntary-Resignation Combo's eye was the only play. The wall-running earlier had clearly locked in the first impression — two or three more fun bits and I'd be set.

To pull that off, a looks upgrade was non-negotiable. Back when I was getting ground into pulp under PD Kwon, there'd been one thing she used to hammer on till her vocal cords bled.

—The truthfulness of the program? The clever construction? Fresh editing? All bullshit, Hajin-ah. Whatever it is, Hajin-ah, people have to actually watch the show first before any of that gets its moment.

—Episode 1, you rake in every last thing that could be talked about. The hot one, the crying one, the pissed one, the meltdown one, the crushing-it one.

—What do you think matters most in an idol program? Our kid's kind, hardworking heart? Nope, the GIF that makes viewers save it the second they see it, that's what.

By that point it started sounding like actual madness, but the results were airtight.

"So — hand it over. The item."

Hajin spoke firmly to the System, which was thoroughly worn out and melting into a puddle. To survive in Miro — where sharp guys were packed shoulder to shoulder, even if it wasn't Rene-tier — and to survive specifically on 'good-looking,' he needed a bigger booster than what he had now.

The System is not a plastic surgery clinic-y-y…. (please, stop!)

But it seemed this one was really beyond the System's reach — no matter what Hajin tried, coaxing or threatening, it wouldn't cave. Really no way? (It had already said 'no' at least thirty-six times.) At that, Hajin seemed to finally give in a little; he eased back and pulled a hard face.

"Haaa…. Fine. My bad."

As Hajin's edge softened and he apologized, the System flinched and trembled, as if to ask what he meant by that. Hajin let out a short sigh and dry-scrubbed his face with a bitter expression. Written all over his face was a fatigue and worry rarely seen since the regression.

"Forget it, then. Sitting here doing this — better to run through practice one more time."

…? What's this all about?

"…Honestly, right now, my head's a little pressed. Didn't make Wings class, my own teammates are ignoring me, the good ones are just too many. Guess I got a little lost. Took it out on you."

At the honest, earnest apology, the System window flickered. Hajin raked a rough hand through his hair, eyes brimming with a melancholy that looked ready to spill over, and bit his lip.

"Guess I wanted to grab at any straw, even that one. Even though you said no, I pushed…. Sorry."

The faint smile could easily pass for the final smile of a sickly male lead in a coming-of-age comic. His shoulders, unusually bowed today, looked like the shoulders of our parents bearing the weight of a lifetime — and as Hajin moved to get up, the System, watching him, sputtered a few times and hurriedly called him back.

…W-wait!

The window rapidly ran some kind of calculation, then popped up in a black window at about 70% opacity, letters appearing (as if whispering).

Calculating… Calculating… Calculating… The System, wrestling with itself, responds. It's not that there's no way at all! Calculating… Calculating… The Regressor's existing looks cannot be changed, but existing stats can be excavated and upgraded! In addition, within the limits of what the Fixed Regressor can remember, stats from previous lives can be brought over! However, since this is not an authority currently granted to the Fixed Regressor, it must be built and used through the Fixed Regressor's own skill system. (Cannot be substituted with a penalty cash payment.)

Hajin, on the verge of standing, read carefully through the System's proposal, and the wistful look on his face came back to life.

Hajin, face brimming with emotion, clapped a hand over his mouth and spoke to the window.

Whoa, this is insane.

Which meant, in short—.

"You could do it, huh?"

…Come again?

Snapping right back to his usual posture and expression, as if he'd never once been down, Hajin swept a hand through his hair and crossed his legs again.

"So there was a way, and you kept going oh~ no, no can do? On top of a jackpot method like this?"

…! (The System, betrayed, cannot go on!)

"No, hang on — who's the one who should be feeling betrayed here? Me. I'm about to walk into a group project on life's merry-go-round, with garbage teammates and a demon boss riding shotgun. My only helper being this uncooperative — how do you think I feel? Heart breaking, probably?"

Y-y-y…! You con artist…! (Whoever gave this bastard an F in acting class, come forward, the System demands to know!)

"So — what should you do? To answer this deep, gnawing feeling of mine, you should probably make it up to me, right?"

Kang Hajin Negotiation Principle No. 16. Make it pity me. Success.

"So, let's start with the skill creation cost and the penalty terms, shall we?"

Hajin's smile shone as bright as sunlight.

---

Skill 〈What's So Me About Me?〉 has been successfully generated. Not a system pre-patched to the user! (Error) A penalty has occurred due to generating skill 〈What's So Me About Me?〉. As penalty, the Mental Care effect is temporarily reduced. Additional conditions — Do not activate anywhere Seo Taeil is present. Where possible, activate where there are as few people as possible.

'Satisfying deal.'

Hajin looked over the newly popped-up windows with a contented expression, humming and tapping his toes. Yeah, 2,500 cash he'd painstakingly saved up got stripped away in the skill generation, but at this level, whatever.

And even that was slashed in half….(╥_╥)

The sniffling System's grievance came bundled along with it, but Hajin brushed it off easily.

"Still, my favorite part is this one right here."

Hajin re-read the added conditions under the penalty alert once more and grinned.

"Time to knock off the misunderstanding-comedy routine, isn't it."

For various reasons of timing, he kept turning into a crybaby specifically in front of Seo Taeil, and that had been more of a headache than he could put into words. If a penalty had to be taken anyway, the main sticking point of this negotiation was keeping that specific damage to a minimum.

Reading the System window with satisfaction, Hajin pulled out his phone and opened the camera app. He examined his face carefully.

"Doesn't seem like there's much difference, though…."

The moment the skill was made, Hajin had drained all the puffiness off his face, leaving behind only the bare minimum of baby fat. (This kind of thing works? Jackpot!) Draining the baby fat clean off wouldn't have been a problem either, but at this age of his, better to leave a little to come off naturally over time.

'Once I debut, there's that whole thing where the baby fat comes off and the look shifts. Got to save some of that.'

Next, dredging up memories from his third life, he absorbed about 40% of the physique and stamina he'd had right after finishing his mandatory military service.

'That was when I was living on a regular schedule and really taking care of my body.'

Muscle didn't pack on in a single instant (this stuff applied gradually, apparently), but his body definitely felt lighter. Baseline muscles across his back and lower back had filled in, and his shoulders seemed to sit a little more open.

"For now, this much should do."

Filming had already started — putting too many changes onto his face would stand out on-screen. This level of change could pass for a Hermès-style upgrade or the re-discovery-through-losing-puffiness thing, so Hajin cut off the skill use around here and stood up to head back to the practice room.

…The System, in the spirit of throwing an extra rice cake to the one it doesn't like, offers advice. Stats from previous lives are, literally, only 'borrowed.' Maintaining and developing them from here on is solely up to your own will and effort — don't forget it!

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks."

Hajin gave a light reply and turned to go. Now it really was time to get to practice. But — why were there this many messages? Only then did Hajin check his phone, packed with red notifications, and scrolled through the stack fast, page-scrolling.

〈Miro_hyung_Gong Seok ‖ Hajin-ah, where are you right now? I heard the kids were rude to you. Let's talk.〉

Gong Seok's anxious message got pushed down to the very bottom, buried under other chat windows. But after quickly checking his notifications, Hajin just locked the phone again and slid it into his pocket.

---

The trainee dorm was set up on the third floor of the same building. Originally it seemed to have been built as a lounge and rest area, but living arrangements had temporarily been moved in for this survival.

'Nicely done for something temporary, though.'

Before diving into practice for real, Hajin had come down to the dorm to drop his bags and change, and he took in the room he'd been assigned. All the furniture being one brand — could be a {PPL deal}(#jmvc5t3x8gn3).

"Where'd they land a PPL like this? What is this bed even doing with side rails?"

Deciding he'd meet up with Ji Suho on a day with no filming or practice to hear the full story, Hajin was looking around to pick a bed when—

"…Huh?"

"What?"

"Hyung, what are you doing here?"

"What d'you think — it's my room, so I'm here."

"Hyung, this is your room?"

"Yeah. You too?"

"Yes."

Ju Eunchan, wheeling his own suitcase in, walked in wearing a slightly surprised look. Realizing he'd be sharing a room with Hajin, his face brightened a little.

"Practice done already?"

"No, we're meeting up again after dinner."

"Ah, got it."

Eunchan looked around the room and headed to the innermost bed to unpack. He deftly folded the bed's side rail down and out of the way and pulled out comfortable clothes to lay on top — and Hajin watched him quietly for a moment.

"Hey, Eunchan-ah."

"Yes?"

"Is there something between you and Han Seongwoo-hyung?"

"…Yes?"

Eunchan turned around with a startled face. He hadn't thought Hajin wouldn't catch on — not after what he'd said earlier — but he hadn't expected it to come straight at him like this either.

So, without thinking, he ended up blurting out:

"No, nothing's up."

"Hmm~ okay~."

But Hajin already had the whole picture, and wearing an expression that said just come clean, he folded his arms, tipped his head, and lobbed another straight shot.

"So — what's your deal with this insanely expensive furniture company?"

"…H-huh?"

"Don't tell me you're actually a chaebol kid?"

"…I have no idea what hyung's talking about."

"Right. Our Eunchan wouldn't know."

"……"

"Anyone can see you know exactly how to operate the side rails on the brand-new bed model this furniture company just ambitiously launched, and every single piece of furniture in your studio apartment is packed with this brand — but sure, you don't know a thing."

Hajin nodded as he spoke.

"But hyung can't stand not knowing something, can he."

"……"

"You gonna come quietly clean about the secret of your birth, or trade it for some dirt on that uncomfortable, obnoxious trainee-hyung?"

Hajin's smile looked as devilish as could be. Ju Eunchan gulped hard. He wanted his mom.