Debut or Die-Chapter 299
It’s usually not surprising to hear your roommate’s voice at dawn, but this situation was exceptional.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
Ryu Cheongwoo was supposed to be a guest on a two-day camping variety show.
So I’d been in a single room and doing the call in peace.
[Oh...]
“Wait.”
clack.
I closed the laptop, stood up, and headed to the door.
“Hyung, hang on.”
I opened the door.
Ryu Cheongwoo stood there in light clothes, looking puzzled. I was puzzled too—why was he here?
“I thought you left for filming.”
“Oh, due to a cast issue, I’m rejoining tomorrow evening.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and said sheepishly,
“But the door was locked... I was about to crash in the living room if you were asleep, but I heard noise.”
“......”
He wouldn’t be so nonchalant if he’d really heard something.
‘Besides, this place is well soundproofed.’
I forced a sigh and stepped aside.
“Lots of noisy people in here, I must have locked it and forgotten. Sorry.”
“No need to apologize.”
He sounded sincere—and the idea that he believed this flimsy excuse was almost funny. I thanked Cha Yoojin briefly in my mind and sat on my bed.
After a moment, once Cheongwoo went to shower, I’d grab my laptop and...
“Cheongwoo, I see your laptop’s light on.”
“I was gaming until just now.”
He looked a bit shocked.
“This late?”
“Yeah. I figured one night wouldn’t hurt.”
Because I’d been thinking about Cha Yoojin until just before, that lame excuse sprang to mind. My dignity was in shambles.
His reply was reluctant.
“Hm... That can’t be healthy. Try to cut back.”
“Yes.”
I answered with effort.
“I’ll wrap up now.”
“Yeah. Even if you start afternoon tomorrow, it’s already 3 AM.”
He smiled faintly and began fetching pajamas.
I stifled the urge to punch the bed and thought rationally,
‘He’ll be in the shower in thirty seconds.’
So I pretended to pack up the laptop...
“Um, Cheongwoo. Since you’re here... mind if I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
Holding his clothes, Cheongwoo spoke cautiously.
I should’ve guessed then.
“It’s about that TeSTAR senior.”
Oh, damn.
I swallowed, thinking of the guy in my laptop.
‘It’s closed, so he can’t hear anything.’
“Sejin says there was an incident. Did that senior do something?”
“Hm...”
I did a quick mental calculation—how much truth to reveal, how specific.
I chose my dosage.
First, hint it was long ago so he wouldn’t overreact.
“There was some trouble before.”
Then shift focus to explain it wasn’t my fault.
“He started it, so we fought. I didn’t throw the first punch—I retaliated.”
“He started it?”
“Yeah. We got into it... threw hands at each other.” 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
“......”
He sounded taken aback.
Good. Looks like this will parallel the last two namesakes.
“That sounds like he tried to hit you, and you defended yourself.”
Exactly.
“Right. He’s senior, so there’s a hierarchy issue—it was his fault. I just defended myself well.”
“I see.”
Is that it?
Time for some consolation or advice...
“But did you get close enough to play games with him?”
“...!”
Damn.
I lost count how many times I’ve surprised him.
But Cheongwoo wasn’t interrogating—just curious.
“I heard noise in your earphones when I came in. Didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
The laptop must’ve stayed awake for a bit after closing. He really does have excellent ears.
“Do you have any worries or discomfort about him?”
...He seemed a bit concerned.
Based on my slip-ups and other clues, he probably suspects I’m being constantly disciplined or bullied.
Maybe he thinks I’m being used as some overnight production bot in the game to harass juniors.
‘Guess he’s seen cases of athletes like that.’
I shrugged.
“Not really. We got comfortable after the fight, so we keep in touch. He’s apologized enough.”
“Hm.”
“I’m benefiting from it, so don’t worry.”
“‘Benefiting’...?”
“Yeah. Once you sum it up, it’s easy pickings. We call on each other sometimes—no worries.”
“Easy pickings...”
Cheongwoo seemed to accept that, then a flash of concern crossed his face.
He asked urgently,
“Cheongwoo, you’re not bullying him back, right?”
I’m the one who gets upset every time, damn it.
“Of course not.”
I took a moment to reassure him, since he was the one worrying now.
“Hyung, do I look like someone who’d do that?”
“No. Of course not. But—well, you’re so smart... if you ever wanted revenge, you don’t have to become the same kind of person...”
“Enough with the clichés. Go shower.”
He gave an awkward smile and headed into the bathroom. I grabbed my laptop and went out to the living room, promising I’d explain I’d “finished gaming.”
I sat with my back to the balcony and opened my laptop. I planned to quit the app and shut it down, but to my surprise Cheongryeo’s face popped up.
[Oh.]
He must’ve been taking notes.
But why hadn’t he ended the call?
[Did you finish talking?]
“I didn’t think you’d still be connected.”
[Wanted to hear your answers.]
So of course that’s what he came back for.
‘Why are so many people demanding explanations?’
I pressed my forehead and replied quietly,
“It’s hard to talk out loud, so let’s use chat.”
[Alright.]
—CHR: Like this?
—Apple: Right
—CHR: ^^
—CHR: So why do analysis you can’t use?
Did he take over?
I felt a moment of dismay, but then, considering his contribution, typed quickly.
—Apple: I want to try deducing the pattern for something
—CHR: What for?
—Apple: I don’t know why I’m here
—Apple: My memory from then is vague
A low murmur came from the earphones.
I thought he was pondering, but then some ridiculous lines appeared.
—CHR: Wasn’t your wish to be an idol with a new identity?
—Apple: I was a civil exam student
—Apple: My relevance is just that I gambled on data
—CHR: Maybe you secretly longed to be an idol?
This guy, seriously.
I kept emotion off my face and typed calmly.
—Apple: From your and Heeseung’s cases, you had very specific wishes
—Apple: Do you think I did?
Laughter filled the earphones. I was about to mute them but stopped at the last second.
—CHR: Got it
Right.
—CHR: But I don’t think that’s the only reason
What?
—CHR: You’re not the kind of person to show all your cards just to feel relieved
—CHR: What’s the other reason?
Right. I have the status screen and missions—exceptional tools—so more was possible.
But even without explaining that, there was a viable answer. I paused, then typed slowly.
—Apple: I don’t want this crazy business to happen to anyone else
In the end, it all came back here.
A wish is just a wish—but surviving status ailments without the screen is insanity.
Even I nearly died several times.
...Who knows how many times he’s died.
‘It’s already insane to have no choice or knowledge.’
That’s why, instead of waiting around for “talking with Park Mundae,” I acted the moment I got a clue.
But Cheongryeo’s not exactly agreeing. He glanced at his monitor.
—CHR: So you mean it would’ve been better to die?
—Apple: No way
Still extreme.
—Apple: If you don’t want people to die, use another method
—Apple: Like start a charity campaign
—Apple: Randomly sending them to the past and killing them if they fail doesn’t look good
A brief reply:
—CHR: Are you unhappy now?
Funny coming from someone who benefited.
I typed again:
—Apple: We’re successful cases
—Apple: We don’t know what happens to failures
Heeseung’s status ailment.
It simply said “Failure,” with no effect described.
‘Cheongryeo’s even had “Restart” specified.’
So ordinarily on failure, they probably die like my ailment did.
What happens next... doesn’t seem positive.
—Apple: It’ll be hard to find the next target
—Apple: But if we analyze the pattern, maybe we can stop it
—Apple: Worth trying, no?
Time and space are controllable factors.
[...]
Cheongryeo was silent for a few seconds, his hand hovering over the mouse, stroking it like a pet. Then he replied,
—CHR: Maybe.
I nodded slowly.
Suddenly he chuckled.
‘What now?’
—CHR: And
—CHR: to prevent variables from people with future knowledge?
“......”
—Apple: If you knew, why check?
[Ha ha ha!!]
He must be loud enough I’d hear beyond the earphones. I glared and finally muted him.
—CHR: Kicking down the ladder feels good
—CHR: Alright. I’ll cooperate well, junior
“This bastard...”
“Still gaming?”
At that moment, I realized I was sitting in my dorm’s living room again.
“No, wait.”
Good thing I muted.
—Apple: Ending.
I closed the app and shut down the laptop.
Cheongwoo peeked in the doorway, a peculiar smile on his face.
“Had fun with your game?”
“I’ll delete it.”
“No need....”
“No. I’ll do it for myself.”
I endured his next words of encouragement in silence and lay down # Nоvеlight # on the bed.
“I’ll close the door.”
“Okay.”
‘Let’s at least get proper sleep.’
I told him good night and set my alarm for ten, then put down my phone.
My mind and fingers had done more talking than usual, and I felt more tired than expected.
‘...I’ve covered every clue that could appear now.’
A system that hops to the closest candidate in time and space.
Figuring out that pattern was an achievement. Yet the more I understood, the more chilling it became.
‘How does the system know who’s going to die and take their place?’
No, granting returns at death itself is a transcendental power.
I summoned my status screen reflexively.
[Name: Park Mundae (Ryu Geonwoo)]
A list of continuous lines.
Why does this remain for me, even after the system left?
The more I analyzed, the more my own exceptionality showed.
And I realized my choice hadn’t been wrong.
‘I need to talk with Park Mundae.’
I couldn’t deny it. I was likely to find the missing piece there.
‘And if this continues, at least one target...’
Thinking that far, I fell asleep.
A deep, dreamless sleep.
The next morning—
zzzzt!
“......”
I’d slept soundly.
I turned off my 10 AM alarm and cleared notifications and pop-ups.
I hardly paid attention, but one was a new celebrity newsletter app I’d subscribed to.
[“We don’t feel the mandatory break” TiHolics 6-Member Comeback]
Later I learned it was nothing short of a disaster alert.
