Debut or Die-Chapter 317

Four days after the accident, the media would have been loudly proclaiming that there was no sign of me waking up.

I immediately opened my mouth.

“I'm fine. I'll recover fully.”

[The news said you were going to die...]

“I’m not dead.”

I don’t know which madman used that word for a coma, but I’d love to sue them.

“Hyung, you’re really not dead...? You didn’t die and come back to help me, right?”

“I told you, I’m not.”

I said I was going up to claim the target; what are you talking about?

‘It was you who disappeared, not me.’

Hearing that from someone who might vanish the moment this “compensation collection” ends makes me uneasy.

I stifled a sigh and spoke calmly.

“You tried to get the new status ailment to check if I’d come, right?”

It was still June. I’d planned to wait longer before triggering the next status, but he must have handled it now to confirm I actually appear.

‘Honestly, it’s impressive he held out for four days.’

Seeing headlines that I was dead must have made him too anxious not to check.

Geonwoo seemed to calm down, then trembled again.

“I’m—I’m sorry. We agreed on September, but I—”

“No, you did well.”

Even from an efficiency standpoint, it was worth checking. The guide almost disappeared all of a sudden.

‘Better than having him bomb the exam in this state.’

I let out a sigh of relief and stood up.

“You handled it well, so don’t worry. It’s a month before the exam; I can quiz you on past questions again. It’s actually to your advantage.”

[...Yes...]

Geonwoo’s voice sank as if greatly relieved. He truly was in panic.

“You’ve worked hard for four days.”

Geonwoo trembled, as if sniffling.

I checked my own body just in case and realized my stomach was churning.

“You haven’t eaten, have you?”

[...People kept talking about your accident when I ate... so only sometimes.]

He said they don’t talk about idols, but idol accidents are conversation fodder. Other people’s misfortune is always entertaining, I guess.

In any case, hearing about someone dying while eating must be torture. I clicked my tongue.

“Still, from now on, always eat your meals.”

[...Yes...]

Geonwoo slumped. He looked too tense to speak properly, so I decided to assess the situation myself.

‘Anyway... today is Monday.’

With the exam approaching, I assumed he’d be back at the cram school from the weekend, but we were in an officetel.

‘They must have deliberately removed the schedule to match my return.’

Looking at his phone, he’d been faithfully attending the dorm cram school.

Next, I went online.

[Testar Park Mundae unconscious for four days... What does the agency’s statement “recovering” really mean?]

It was on the social news section, drawing ire over its sensational headline. I scrolled through the comments.

Because it had been four days and people thought it was getting critical, most of the trolls were gone—only fans remained.

Worry, panic, despair, anxiety...

“...”

Actually, since I saw it all after it was over, this was my first time facing such raw reactions, and it felt bittersweet. I was scheduled to remain unconscious for another eighteen days.

Still... on one side, I felt oddly happy. What nonsense.

‘Stop these useless thoughts.’

I sighed and closed the news tab. Everyone else must be conscious and hospitalized by now.

‘I heard most only had minor injuries, so no big deal...’

When I woke up, Cha Yoo-jin was the only one with major injuries to recover from. The rest only needed light protection.

‘Hmm, in that case the company might have cut ties and drawn up a new plan.’

Now that I think about it, it was odd. After two weeks without me waking up, surely the company would have made some gesture.

Even if the subsidiary held back because of the manager issue, T1 at headquarters would have acted.

‘...Come to think of it.’

I suddenly recalled what Seon Ah-hyun said.

“When you had the car accident, Sejin worked really hard—went to the company, visited the hospital, talked about surgery... he really pushed himself, barely eating...”

“......”

I thought for a moment, then created a new anonymous email. I input the agency format address, but not the main one.

I addressed it directly to the “Head of Management Office.”

Then the subject line:

“Fourth-quarter TeSTAR activity continuation plan reportedly to be announced.”

I outlined the potential backlash if they pushed on with six members as if it were an insider tip-off.

‘This will get the department head to push back against headquarters.’

Knowing this weakness, the management head would oppose it, causing a fight that would stall the plan...

‘That should reduce the considerations for the members.’

Big Sejin was the only one who could negotiate with the company at this point; imagine them pushing a terrible proposal now.

Extreme stress could break him.

‘I’m glad they held firm until I woke up.’

I hit send. A weight lifted slightly.

At that moment, Geonwoo let out a faint hum again.

“Hyung, may I ask who you’re sending that to...?”

“To the company...”

Wait.

Talking with him reminded me of one more thing.

“Actually, last year an article almost went out but the company blocked it.”

His parents’ plane crash.

He’d said the agency stopped the article just as I was getting discharged. In this chaotic time, I doubted they’d managed that.

“Park Mundae.”

“Yes!”

“There’s one thing... I need your permission for.”

I explained the situation: if the press got wind of his family tragedy, it’d be a feeding frenzy.

It was already irritating that his accident was public; I couldn’t let them exploit this too. I planned ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) to send an email like a reporter seeking an exclusive to raise caution.

...Not my preferred method, but time and space constraints made it the most effective.

“So, I’m drafting the email; sorry if it’s awkward to read.”

“It’s fine... I honestly don’t mind...”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Geonwoo hummed dumbly.

“Actually, it doesn’t even feel like you... you look different... but, well, it feels like watching you on TV.”

“...I see.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Geonwoo hummed as if unconsciously smiling.

“I wake up on July 6th, so don’t watch the news until then.”

“Yes!”

“And watch the charity concert only after the second exam.”

“Okay...”

I emphasized one more thing.

After passing stage two, there’s the stage three interview, and that will surely be the next status ailment.

“So you do the interview first, and only trigger the next status when you’re sure you’ve passed.”

You only get one chance to clear each status ailment.

He’d never done anything like an interview in his life, so there was a chance he’d fail.

“I’ll definitely do that!”

But secretly, I thought he might pass on the first try.

And when he opened his eyes again that morning:

“Hyung.”

“Yeah.”

I realized I’d woken up in the spring of the following year.

He’d failed the interview.

“Park Mundae” failed stage three.

Not because he bombed the interview particularly.

“I’m sorry, my score wasn’t in the top pool, and I completely flopped the interview...”

He was borderline in the 1.5× selection round to begin with.

“You did well. Passing stage two is already halfway there. Just one more year of effort.”

If he passed this year, that’d be it. But Geonwoo trembled anxiously.

“What if I don’t pass this year?”

He seemed scared after missing his goal once.

But there was no need to worry.

“You can pass. I’m not just encouraging you—I mean it.”

I messed up the interview by trying to outsmart the examiners. He only needs to raise his score a bit.

And he can.

“You pulled your score up to passing level in two years—it’s ridiculous.”

[Ugh.]

“And in this grade, as long as you work hard for the first three years, your score must rise.”

I said without hesitation.

“So you’re already at passing level. A few more months of hard work, and you’ll make it.”

“Yes!”

His response carried strength.

‘Good.’

His motivation returned. I nodded and finally started the day.

To prepare for the final exam opportunity, I spent time cooperating with his rest—letting him do what he wanted to rest, answering his curiosities.

For example: 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

“Hyung, what about the next comeback...?”

“July 12th. Don’t look it up—just listen on the day.”

“Yes!”

As I answered, I realized the song on July 12th was the latest track, “Promise.”

So it was already the year I returned.

‘He’s caught up a lot.’

I hadn’t learned anything specific about the system, and he showed no clue about it.

I folded my arms.

Still, talking with “Park Mundae” had been valuable. I felt I’d grown closer to him than I expected.

And I sensed he’d successfully clear the status ails.

‘It’s a strange sense of accomplishment.’

I was benefiting a bit too.

“Hyung, what’s that?”

“I had something to handle.”

I recalled the perfectly timed exposé that sent the most annoying guy packing: Cha Seodam’s secret dating account.

Of course, I hadn’t done anything legally questionable—couldn’t risk a lawsuit as a public officer candidate.

I just posted this on an anonymous site:

――――――――――――

[Seems like Cha Seodam’s haters made a fake dating account]

That account ID creation is way too similar to her old one, and it was created recently.

It’s amazing they hate her that much.

――――――――――――

I framed it as an anti fan account that the haters purposely made. It would draw in those who believe it’s real... and maybe someone would even try hacking it.

Just a possibility. I did check the outcome.

‘If it hadn’t been her, it could have shut the haters up by using that angle.’

Sadly, Seodam herself had been careless.

After watching the comments grow, I deleted the post five minutes later.

‘Clean and neat.’

“Hyung... were you helping her clear her name?”

“No, opposite.”

[...??]

I didn’t bother explaining further to Geonwoo’s dumb hum. He should just focus on his studies.

I spent the rest of the time relaxing as planned, and the day flew by.

“It’s already eleven...”

“Yeah.”

In other words, it was almost time for the final showdown.

If my hypothesis and calculations were correct, this was the phase to clear the fifth status ailment.

I hadn’t explained in detail, but he believed me when I said this exam’s passing would end the status ails.

He was curious about what would happen after.

Right before the day ended, he asked:

“Hyung, when this is all over... what happens then?”

I’d been wondering that too, but I answered casually to avoid unsettling him.

“For me, all that happened was the status ailments disappeared.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Even if that’s not the case, you won’t suddenly drop dead afterwards.”

Geonwoo hummed like a laugh.

“I guess so!”

“Do well, and this time I’ll see you in six months.”

“Yes!!”

“If I don’t come back, contact me in December at the number I gave.”

Geonwoo trembled with tension and excitement—seemed like agreement.

‘Either way, I can control it.’

As long as he passes.

With that, I drifted to sleep, considering all possible outcomes.

When I opened my eyes again, I realized I was lying in the same officetel bed.

“......”

It was Ryu Geonwoo’s body again. Nothing had changed.

Looking out the window, it was late autumn.

Exactly the season when Grade-7 results are announced. I knew immediately.

‘He passed.’

The fact that I’d returned at this timing meant that.

I let out a snort and sat up. Then I called out:

“Park Mundae.”

Well done.

But there was no answer.

“...Ryu Geonwoo?”

No resonance from him.

The strange hum that used to echo somewhere inside was gone.

“......”

What the hell was happening.

I waited a moment, thinking maybe he was planning some celebratory trick.

But after five minutes the place was silent.

I was alone in the officetel.

I swallowed.

“...Status window.”

[Compensation collection in progress.]

It meant it hadn’t ended yet. I was still collecting the “conversation with Park Mundae” reward.

So... it wasn’t the worst-case scenario I’d feared.

‘But why did my dialogue partner disappear?’

What on earth was going on.

I cursed under my breath and immediately sat up. I planned to search for clues around me and deduce something.

Then I heard it.

Bzzzz.

A call came in on the smartphone by the bedside.

‘Unstored number.’

I answered it, ready to glean any hint I could.

Then a voice came through the phone.

But it was a familiar voice.

“I found you.”

...Cheongryeo.