LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 15
Chapter 15. The Trainee Who Refuses to Debut (6)
To explain why Seo Taehyun was extorted by Kang Hajin, we need to rewind a bit.
Approximately three hours ago.
Miro’s practice room for Class B.
In the middle of that practice room lay Kang Hajin, sprawled out. Three weeks into his trainee period at Miro. His current thought?
‘Should I just regress?’
[System Alarm: The system no longer reacts to the fixed regressor’s bluffing.]
It didn’t work. What a pity.
After finishing the strength training class (more accurately called the “brushing against the threshold of hell”), I barely held onto my sanity, questioning if this was any different from re-enlisting.
Hajin, get a grip. This is the military, the military. How can you compare it? Though, speaking as someone who has already experienced re-enlisting once in his life.
‘Isn’t there a skill like not feeling pain, infinite stamina boost, or tenfold lung capacity booster? Don’t Chosen Regressors get to allocate their stats and upgrade automatically with experience points or something?’
If I had such skills and was still stuck in an infinite regression bus, I’d kill myself. Eventually, I gave up fighting gravity and lay flat on the practice room floor.
‘Now, even those fluorescent lights look like the fires of hell…’
[System Alarm: Sudden Quest!]
Contents: Bonus time for the exhausted you! Explore your surroundings and offer as much help as possible!
Deadline: Within 3 hours from the first help (3:00:00)
Reward upon success: ☆★More details★☆
Penalty upon failure: 60% increase in the occurrence of sudden events
Not joking, it was like the fires of hell. Damn it.
‘They keep threatening…’
I barely restrained my twitching eyebrows. (Though, considering I’ve used regression as a threat before, I didn’t complain.)
‘What’s with this flashy “More details” section?’
[Reward upon success: ☆★More details★☆]
Seeing the reward section with the blatant sparkling effect made me reluctant to click it. Not out of contrariness, just felt that way.
But I needed motivation, so I clicked the “More details” section without much expectation.
[Reward upon success: Rewards vary based on the extent of the help provided.]
– 10%~30% help: Warm-hearted anecdotes after debut (Low)
– 31%~70% help: Warm-hearted anecdotes after debut (Medium)
– 71%~98% help: Warm-hearted anecdotes after debut (High)
– 98%~100% help: Lower rewards + cancel sudden event. Unexpected fortune(!)
Are you kidding me?
‘I thought they would give something grand.’
Upon closer inspection, the penalty wasn’t the activation of regression but the occurrence of a “sudden event.” So, it was indeed a light event. Feeling somewhat relieved, I managed to lift my heavy body.
‘Since the timer starts with the first help, I need to choose carefully.’
The start is crucial. Helping only once and then getting stuck in a lesson would be a disaster.
“Hyung, can you hold this for me?”
“Sure.”
“Thank you.”
[System Alarm: First help achieved! (Achievement rate 1.2%)]
Remaining time: 2:59:58/….
“Ah, damn it….”
“Huh?”
Just as I held Joo Eunchan’s hoodie, which had caught around his neck, the system window updated with a pop sound.
Wait, this counts too?
“Hyung, just now…?”
“Oh, no. There was a bug.”
“A bug!?”
“I got it, I got it.”
Joo Eunchan’s eyes widened in shock, but I just patted his back nonchalantly, thinking.
I have three hours. The goal is 100%. To help as many people as possible in a short time….
‘First, I need to find situations where help is needed.’
The “Parched Man Snatches the Well” operation! My eyes gleamed sharply as I searched for those in need.
To cut to the chase, Hajin’s plan was very successful.
[System Alarm: Forty-third help achieved! (Achievement rate 91.7%)]
Remaining time: 00:32:38….
“It’s doable.”
[System Alarm: (Speechless state)]
“What, why. As long as the person being helped feels grateful.”
Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes ago.
After confirming the quest, Kang Hajin left the practice room and headed to the bathroom used exclusively by trainees.
Ignoring the countless question marks popping up in the system, Hajin silently took the tissue papers from the bathroom (even the hand towels for drying hands!) and put them in the supplies closet. Then, he sat in the practice room and told anyone going to the bathroom.
“Hey, take some tissue with you. The bathroom is out.”
Those who heard Hajin’s advice and took tissue from the practice room felt relieved when they found the bathroom tissue-less.
[System Alarm: Sixth help achieved! (Achievement rate 10%)]
Remaining time: 2:28:37….
‘This is useful.’
But the efficiency wasn’t great. Moreover, at this rate, his warm-hearted anecdotes after debut would be about being the bathroom tissue fairy! Hajin, unwilling to let that happen, quickly chose his next target.
“Uh, who…?”
“Oh, I did that, nuna.”
“It’s my job, you didn’t have to.”
“Well, I thought you were busy with a phone call, so I just did it.”
“It’s my job, but thank you, Hajin.”
Taking over the newbie tasks from the new team leader preparing for the next class.
“Hyung, please… Just one sip.”
“You can have it all.”
“Really? Can I drink it?”
“Yeah.”
Giving ice water to Dan Haru, who was crawling on the floor from extreme thirst after dance practice.
“Hello, Mother. Please have this.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to.”
“It’s leftover from the kids. It’s hot, isn’t it?”
“You didn’t have to…. Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”
“Sure. Also, the trash can in the practice room is full, so I’ll take it to the first floor.”
The cleaning lady was almost moved to tears by Hajin, treating him like a dear nephew. It was easy to surpass 90% when the weather was conveniently rainy, and he took out the umbrellas stashed in the locker.
[System Alarm: Forty-fourth help achieved! (Achievement rate 93.7%)]
Remaining time: 00:28:25….
A strange situation where people didn’t ask for help but received it. Hajin felt a peculiar sense of fulfillment as the percentage steadily increased.
What, am I naturally good at this?
[System Alarm: The intent of the quest is completely… misunderstood…]
“Ah, just a bit more to fill.”
Ignoring the system’s bewilderment, Hajin looked around. Having extracted all he could, the progress was slow.
Time was running out, and he needed a big hit to finish this. He searched for someone in need with a righteous mindset.
“Hyung. Is today’s concept like… that?”
“What.”
“Superhero Kang Hajin, who rushes to help whenever needed?”
Joo Eunchan and Dan Haru, who accounted for about 27.9% of the 93.7%, rattled their empty ice cups, asking. They blinked, looking grateful but somehow uncomfortable.
What are you looking at, you punks? I didn’t do anything grand, and they’re making a fuss.
“Your kindness is scary, hyung.”
“Want me to snatch your ice water rudely?”
“Kang Hajin-sensei transcends kindness into consideration and generosity.”
“Sure, you thirsty lamb. The ice cream is in that fridge, so don’t let the manager catch you and eat it sneakily.”
“Hyung, I love you!”
After dealing with the chattering kids, it finally got quiet. Now was not the time for wordplay.
Moving quickly, I looked for the last opportunity to help. There really wasn’t much time left. After three hours of work, I couldn’t just get the warm-hearted anecdotes at 95%.
“Let’s see…. Is there anyone in need of help?”
While wandering around looking for the last target, I headed to the first floor to keep my promise to the cleaning lady by throwing away the practice room trash.
And that’s when I saw it.
“……?”
“Do you smoke?”
“…No, I came to throw away trash.”
“Che, never mind. It doesn’t matter if you smoke now, does it?”
It was the Director, speaking rudely to Taehyun.
‘Wow, I really don’t want to get involved in this cliché.’
I had a hunch. If I got involved, it would be troublesome. Even if that guy was a key figure, this was a separate matter. If I got involved now, I’d get on the Director’s bad side before finding a way to defuse the bomb. It would be problematic.
With that rational judgment, I decided to cautiously throw away the trash in the recycling bin without them noticing and return to the practice room.
“Meow—.”
If only I hadn’t found those round eyes among the trash cans.
“…A cat? Now of all times.”
The phrase “drenched cat” crossed my mind because a kitten was actually drenched in the rain. Seeing the blood on its leg, it seemed to have come in seeking shelter from the rain.
I had another hunch. Taking this cat would be a real hassle.
[System Alarm: Remaining time: 00:28:37…. (Achievement rate 93.7%)]
I only had 30 minutes left, no money, and no umbrella. Plus, I didn’t particularly like animals. I couldn’t just skip practice to find a vet, and if I ran into Seo Taehyun, it would be troublesome, so I decided to head back to the practice room quickly to find another target.
“…….”
“Hey.”
“?”
That’s what I should have done. So why am I standing in front of a drenched Seo Taehyun, holding this drenched kitten?
“Do you have any money?”
“What?”
“You could carry your wallet while taking out the trash.”
“Are you picking a fight?”
“…No, I’m begging. Do you know where a nearby vet is?”
“…….”
Holding the pitiful-looking kitten, I looked at Seo Taehyun with a deliberately sad face. Sure enough, he seemed more moved by the tiny kitten than a grown man of 182 cm, and quickly approached with a changed expression.
“Is this your cat?”
“No, it was crying alone in the trash. Its leg seems hurt.”
“Oh, no.”
Seo Taehyun urgently opened a taxi app on his phone. And I realized I had the great legacy of the 21st-century Fourth Industrial Revolution, a smartphone. Ah, why didn’t I think of that?
“Why does this ominous feeling never fail?”
“Huh?”
“Nothing. How long will the taxi take?”
To top it off, the Director, who had finished his cigarette and was heading back inside, spotted Seo Taehyun and me. He sneered at me before I could even greet him and went inside.
The Director, Seo Taehyun, and the kitten. Every element I vowed not to get involved with five minutes ago collided at once. I sighed in resignation, looking down at Taehyun’s worried face as he checked the kitten.
Yeah, clichés are clichés for a reason. They can’t be avoided, damn it….