Debut or Die-Chapter 371
Cha Yujin.
Center with “Trait: Black Hole (S).”
Optimized for idols in every way—from skill to mentality—he carries triple-A stats despite his youth. And since he never has to do military service, there’ll be no gap in his career.
It made perfect sense that the system had given him five stars.
But... the other conditions.
[Cha Cha Yujin doesn’t know anything, right?]
“Uh, I don’t.”
He—he doesn’t know anything about bodies switching, going back in time, status windows popping up, none of it.
And explaining that is the hardest kind of person to deal with.
—OK. So you knew me before, went back in time, and became someone else?
—Should I call 911?
Damn.
I grumbled and rubbed my face.
But the status window gleamed with excitement.
[Accept as is?]
“...Uh.”
Fuck it. I can’t refuse.
[First Teammate Recruitment]
: “Awaken Teammate” unlocked!
–> Go
Another tab opened.
I clicked that popup immediately. This time, instead of a banner, a list of teammates appeared...
[Teammates Available for Awakening]
Shin Jaehyun: Exercising today (^^)
Cha Yujin: Sound asleep (―p―)zZ
“......”
I saw their pixel portraits looking like emoji. This, too, seemed like a degraded implementation of “127 Section.”
It was ridiculous, but maybe not the worst for gathering info—if shabby.
...Seeing Cha Yujin’s name again after so long felt oddly comforting. Clearly, the others were all here too.
“Huh.”
I sighed and checked my remaining Exp: 2000.
Surely there’s no chance of failure in level-up.
That line wasn’t crossed in the real “127 Section” game. Though it was already ruined by introducing star tiers.
If you think of it as enhancement, there’s failure probability.
And if you fail, the Exp just vanishes.
“Is there a probability chart or something?”
Like, failure rate percent, five-star percent.
At least I need expected value to calculate.
[One moment!]
Kundal’s popup reappeared sheepishly after vanishing.
[There isn’t... anything like that.]
“......”
Minimal expectations... obliterated.
Right, even the recruitment banner had nothing.
I wasn’t even angry anymore. Expecting fairness from this insane system was on me. I stared at the ceiling, exhaling.
Then I noticed an envelope icon at the top corner of the status window.
Wait.
Maybe it’s a notification?
I clicked.
[Consolation for failure arrived....]
+10G
+10G
“......”
By the way, there’s no Gold tab in this status window.
So it’s a false listing. Probably appeared when they overlaid the “127 Section” skin.
They’re patching text fragments with gold, damn bastards....
I felt my blood pressure spike, so I looked away and returned to business.
Teammate Awakening!
[Awaken teammate: Cha Yujin?]
–Use Exp 1000
Alright.
I hit confirm.
Cha Yujin’s pixel portrait glowed strangely.
[Taking flight toward awakening....]
A few seconds later,
A fanfare erupted from Cha Yujin’s name.
[First Awakening Success!]
Done.
I clenched my fist. Not from thrill of success—
So what happens now?
I needed to check how valid my pasted description was. They summoned a teammate but gave no real info beyond these emoji.
What am I supposed to do with a teammate?
Then another popup slid in.
[“Communication” unlocked!]
“...!”
Please don’t make me chat with a teammate via status window like Kundal did...
[Contact acquired....]
Cha Yujin: 858-XXX-XXXX
“......”
They just slapped a real phone number on me.
Wait, looking closer... it’s even a U.S. area code.
San Diego, California. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Damn.
I punched the mattress.
Cha Yujin is in America?
So that’s why he was asleep in the window!
Cha Yujin dreamed.
In his dream, he had left his hometown and worked abroad where his bloodline originated.
—Take your STAR. Hello, this is TeSTAR!
He was a K-POP idol!
A job he never imagined in his life.
Everything had been decided in an instant from the moment he impulsively accepted a scouting offer after the semester ended.
For one reason.
It was fun!
And he finally debuted in a great group....
—Yujin, you’re best at this.
They were good members.
Not every moment was pleasant, but each challenge ended in triumph.
Exhilarating... vibrantly alive, his life!
In that moment, he realized.
This isn’t a dream.
Cha Yujin opened his eyes.
And at once, he remembered: it wasn’t a dream but the past he recalled.
“Phew.”
It was 6 AM.
He reached out and turned off the alarm before it rang.
Then walked to the kitchen, drank water, and replayed what had happened.
Ah.
His hair felt odd, not dyed. That meant...
Who was he?
Cha Yujin, age 23, member of K-POP group TeSTAR.
But his current body lived a completely different life: attending a local high school and on the football team....
He barely knew K-POP—until yesterday.
Wait, was that really yesterday?
He had no idea what was going on. Surely he’d taken a rare vacation and gone to a friend’s house....
Was he still dreaming?
He didn’t hesitate and slapped his own face.
Whack.
“Ouch.”
He berated himself for the pain—and realized why.
He was going on stage; he couldn’t have a blemish on his face.
“Hmm.”
He set down the glass and shrugged.
I really am an idol.
That’s where it began.
All the knowledge, information, and know-how he remembered were not fake. No madman could fabricate such refined, practical experience.
It’s stranger if it’s fake.
He rubbed his chin. High school life here was too mundane—no different from middle school.
Well, whatever.
First, he would text the other TeSTAR members....
...I don’t know their numbers.
Who memorizes phone numbers these days?
He shrugged and considered his next move. But first, his phone alarm chimed.
Ding-dong.
A message on FaceLook.
In Korean, of all things.
—Apple: Hello.
—Apple: I’m Park Mundae; reply if you remember me.
Familiar phrasing in text.
“My goodness.”
Cha Yujin chuckled.
How did they always show up at perfect timing?
He tapped the screen with one hand.
—I’m in America lol
—I’m flying back to Korea tomorrow!
Seems he blew his savings on airfare, too. Cha Yujin giggled.
“So you’re waiting here for the other member arriving from abroad?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded.
“Calling him ‘other member’ isn’t ideal, but I won’t be rude to the guy trailing me to the airport.”
“A random memory could return at any time... unique variable. Not sure we have to use it.”
Cheongryeo scrolled on his phone with an expressionless face.
He treats this as fully real, I guess.
...I understand, though.
It must’ve happened more than once.
I nearly mentioned the dog story to him, but stopped.
Only bring it up when I have a solution.
Otherwise I’d just drive him crazier. I sighed and held up a banner.
[Welcome TeSTAR Cha Yujin]
...Embarrassing, but my face is different, so there was no choice.
At least I could find his FaceLook via phone number.
Luckily, not long after, someone burst through the gate.
Wearing a ski-jacket–style jumper, dragging a suitcase like a madman.
“Hyung!”
The civilian Cha Yujin.
I froze, overcome by odd emotion... wait, how old is this kid?
Young Cha Yujin stopped mid-stride, frowning.
“Mundae hyung?”
“Uh. It’s me.”
Get it together.
No matter his age, I had to explain why bodies swapped.
But before I could speak, he did.
“You look like Mundae hyung but a different person. Did you get plastic surgery?”
“...We resemble.”
“Oh...”
“Mhm.”
I heard Cheongryeo chuckle. I pressed my brow and muttered,
“Anyway... I can give you our dorm code—test it out.”
“That’s unnecessary. You’re my hyung!”
“......Really?”
“Yes. [Only Mundae hyung says things like that.]”
Cha Yujin smiled brightly.
“I know you. So please explain!”
“......Alright.”
With the younger one still mixing formal speech from the AJUSA days, I left the airport.
And headed to an internet café in Seoul.
“...That’s how it is.”
After an hour, I somehow finished this absurd situation summary.
I was sweating coldly.
Summarizing it felt shameful beyond belief....
I covered my trembling lips with coffee. I had no idea how Cha Yujin would respond.
But he nodded willingly.
[This is like a parallel dimension, a multiverse. Right?]
“......??”
Cha Yujin... understood this?
Using that terminology?
He shrugged.
[Also, alien mind parasites... Limestone movies love that stuff, right? I at least know that much.]
He apparently thought I was lame for liking that, but at least he accepted it. Who knew Limestone’s influence could help.
Of course, he could feel the proof in his bones.
His life had changed.
[Anyway, I somehow never felt this was my reality.]
Cha Yujin downed his hot cocoa in one shot and shook his head.
[It’s too boring. Like a tape looping on repeat?]
I see.
[And there’s no way I’d be a QB prospect so easily. That world’s full of 6′3″ guys.]
At six feet tall, he’d need tougher challenges to succeed, he grumbled.
I agreed.
“It feels like they set just-right conditions. Age’s off, too.”
“Exactly. Senior? You’re not my senior anymore—my actual senior was older.”
Cha Yujin politely indicated Cheongryeo.
“.......”
He’s... lived way longer than you think.
In any case, Cheongryeo, unfazed, continued tapping his phone.
“Busy?”
“A bit. We need to adjust debut schedules soon.”
You’re the one adjusting schedules...?
Then Cha Yujin suddenly interjected.
“Debut?”
“Our fame must rise to restore everyone’s memories. Think of it as game XP.”
“Hmm....”
A flicker of hesitation crossed Cha Yujin’s face, then acceptance.
“OK, got it.”
Got what?
“I want to debut too!”
Cha Yujin grinned.
“My presence will make the group famous sooner.”
“...!”
Arrogant confidence, but undeniable.
“And we’ll get TeSTAR back faster! Let’s contact everyone and try something!”
“...Try what?”
Cha Yujin smiled broadly.
[Anything! We have to find a way back. To TeSTAR!]
That guy...
A seventeen-year-old suddenly felt remarkably dependable.
But Cheongryeo apparently did not.
“Hmm.”
He appraised Cha Yujin like livestock, paused, then concluded curtly.
“That won’t work.”
“...!”
Cha Yujin felt no blow.
“Everyone deserves a chance. You haven’t debuted with this group yet. So you’re not hyung’s asset.”
He tried to win with fact.
But Cheongryeo remained unshaken.
“Seems there’s a misunderstanding.”
He smiled.
“It’s not me—it’s the company that won’t accept you.”
“...!?”
His tone was like a death sentence.
“You’re not the appearance LeTi prefers.”
“.......”
“.......”
I recalled the debut lineup plus Shin-o, Joodan, and Cheongryeo. Then glanced at my own current appearance.
...All gave off a gloomy, chilly vibe.
Finally, I looked at the seventeen-year-old Cha Yujin before me.
His eyes shone wildly.
Indeed... having him onboard would feel discordant.
“I’m really good. Still no?”
“Hmm. Asking me doesn’t help... I’m not the company owner.”
Cheongryeo smiled.
“Just as you said.”
Ah, he’s pissed.
Frankly, with Cha Yujin’s stats, even if they didn’t debut him immediately, a clear-sighted company would keep him.
LeTi would too.
But seeing someone they all know treat him that way meant they’ll cut him at the source.
Cha Yujin stared at Cheongryeo for a moment, then nodded without regret.
“OK. Then hyung, come with me. Let’s find a new agency!”
“Wait.”
They don’t crank out rookies every quarter—if we go that way, who knows when we’ll debut again?
This is maddening.
I pressed my brow. Cheongryeo kept smiling.
“That’s what I said.”
Cha Yujin said nothing for a moment, then spoke with surprising earnestness.
[I’m not sure why you’re so hostile, but don’t you want to go back? Your group already exists. Don’t you miss them?]
“.......”
Should I shut one of them up?
[We could search for a way back together. Why not?]
Cheongryeo stared at Cha Yujin expressionlessly. I prepared to intervene.
Right now... it feels like poking a dud shell with an iron rod.
But moments later, Cha Yujin spoke brightly.
“Really?”
“...!”
“It is. Now that I think about it... maybe we’ve been too complacent.”
Cheongryeo’s lips twitched.
“There’s no mission, haha!”
Ah, fuck...
Just as I was about to stand, Cheongryeo’s smile vanished.
“So let’s go by survival of the fittest principle.”
What?
Cheongryeo laughed.
“This is the first time saying it, but... do you know how many originally were in my group?”
Five.
But that wasn’t what he meant.
The original VTIC before he touched it.
“Nine.”
“...!”
“That’s quite a few, right? Now there are seven debut spots with two extras... any idea where those two came from?”
“.......”
Why was there a last-minute change in lineup?
Judging by # Nоvеlight # timing...
I blurted reflexively.
“A survival-show program.”
“Exactly.”
Cheongryeo picked up his phone again.
“LeTi partnered with Tnet to run an in-house survival program.”
Early on, it helped form fandom, but as more sensational idol survival shows emerged, it lost steam during TeSTAR’s era.
Yet at this point, it’s still popular.
“But hearts of the masses are hard to control. Right? The more random the crowd, the more variables appear.”
His eyes narrowed.
“So at some point, they just scrapped it....”
He put down his phone lightly.
“But this time, we’ll leave it be.”
“......!”
“Whoever survives there debuts.”
“That’s...”
“Rational, right? Efficient, too.”
I swallowed. I was screwed.
—The winner of the in-house survival program debuts.
At first glance, Cheongryeo’s words seemed like giving up control of the group—anyone who survives will debut.
But that wasn’t it.
His influence over the company is absurd level.
Whether he’d seized leverage or remembered every butterfly effect, I’m not sure. But it was certain.
Yet would he really leave the survival to run its course?
That’s insane from the start.
He must already know what happens if that survival runs unrigged.
He’ll designate the chosen one.
And this time, he’d assemble that chosen one—someone to replace even the main vocal, level of me.
In short... it was a declaration: “I’ll let you die before you debut.”
Fuck.
I hastily opened my mouth.
