The Maknae Has to Be an Idol

“What?” I didn’t expect opposition from the older members. What I meant by overlaying their worlds over this world was to reawaken all the discarded memories of the worlds to this world right now, so that they could live in this world with dozens of regression experiences without having to perform missions as a regressor. This would help me, and I thought there was nothing to lose from my member’s view as well.

“Would the system let that happen?” However, Woon wondered if the system would just let this be.

“Well...Seeing that he called us here, I think Tae-Yoon knows more about the system than at least I do. Honestly, I was so desperate to clear the missions, I haven’t thought about finding out the system’s identity or anything like that.” Even while having repeatedly regressed several times, Woon hadn’t been curious about the system’s identity.

“But what I realized after regressing many times was that...the system somehow drags you in the direction you want in any way possible. If you try to push back, they push you back with an even greater force.” The system must have damaged Woon a lot as his expression looked deeply concerned. He must have thought I was doing something very dangerous.

“I also think similarly to Woon. If you forcefully try to leave our memories here, we don’t know what mission the system will throw at you.”

“Hmm...” I stared at Woon and Do-Seung. I could understand their worries as I also clearly felt the system’s viciousness first-hand.

“Guys.”

“Yeah?”

“Why?”

“Have you ever fought with the system?”

“...What?”

“...Is that even possible in the first place...?”

Although Woon and Do-Seung regressed many times more than me, I think I had greater experience dealing with the system. I didn’t know why I had approached the system at a deeper level than Woon and Do-Seung. It might have been thanks to Yeon-Hoon who randomly came out from time to time to help me. Or it may also be because I fundamentally hated the feeling of being controlled by someone else.

Anyways, although I regressed less than Woon and Do-Seung, I knew more information about the system than them. I said, “If you risk your life and make a bet with the system, you can get a win at least once.”

“Risk your life?”

“Are you saying you’re doing the missions with everything on the line?”

“No, I’m talking about my real life. When I’m on the verge of dying, the system becomes my subordinate, not my superior. Of course, there is a condition that I need to die from a specific person, but... anyway, my point still stands.”

“...”

“...Are you crazy?” Do-Seung and Woon looked at me with sincere concern.

“I’m not crazy.” I was completely sane as I continued, “If I don’t die, the members will die. It’s a game where people’s lives are on the line, so there’s nothing strange about it.”

Do-Seung and Woon became speechless; they looked at me as if they were a bit terrified of me.

“Anyway, I think it’s possible to overlay memories on top of this world if you guys want that.”

“What kind of life have you been living as a regressor...”

“You’re a bit scary, Tae-Yoon.”

“So shall we do it? Or not?”

“Hmm...”

“Well...”

Do-Seung and Woon fell into thought. Frankly, I expected them to tell me to overlay their memories without hesitation as it was beneficial to us all either way. For me, I would be getting a fountain of information that would not dry out and a strong helper who could give advice in difficult situations. As for them, rather than feeling sad that their world ended like this, they could overlay their memories with this world and deal with the system with me here.

However, every person had their own opinions and different ways they thought. Do-Seung and Woon seemed to ponder for a long time and then—finally made a decision.

“No.”

“Don’t overlay it.”

They came to this conclusion.

“No...why?” I couldn’t understand their decision.

However, from their point of view, their reasoning was clear.

“If we overlay our memories on top of this world...I think the Kang Do-Seung and Lee Woon of this world would feel like their bodies have been robbed out of the blue.”

“I also think the same as Do-Seung.”

The feeling of robbing their body—I could understand what they meant, but I said, “But they’re still you guys anyways. It’s your body and face...”

“Just because the face and body are the same doesn’t mean we’re the same people.”

“If we have different memories and experiences, you can’t consider us the same person.”

“But the essence is the same. The body that you guys are in are Kang Do-Seung and Lee Woon and not anyone else.”

“We’re essentially the same, but...”

“I don’t know. It just feels a bit iffy.”

As the conversation became more philosophical, Woon and Do-Seung both stopped talking. However, overall, they seemed reluctant to overlay their memories on the body they were in. I couldn’t insist on my opinion on decisions like this. If I tried to persuade once and failed, I would be forcing my opinion on them if I tried anymore.

Thus, I said, “...All right.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t give you the answer you wanted.”

“If we get the chance someday, we’ll see each other again.”

Woon and Do-Seung said this and were slowly getting ready to say their goodbyes.

“It was nice to meet you, Tae-Yoon. It’s even more nice to see you alive and well like this.”

“It’s really fortunate that you’re the regressor in this world. If you knew how much trouble you caused in my world...ha....”

However, it felt like a shame to send them away like this. The opportunity to talk openly with the members about regressing like this was an extremely precious and valuable opportunity. I hadn’t been able to tell my most difficult troubles to the people I wanted to rely on the most.

Thus, for the last time, I asked, “Guys, you said you don’t want to overlay your memories on these bodies, right?”

“Yep.”

“Why?”

I couldn’t persuade them again with the same words as before as then, I wouldn’t be respecting their opinions and decisions. However, what if it was a different proposal?

I asked, “Then how about connecting the memories a bit rather than overlapping them?”

“What?”

“Connecting?”

“Yes.”

When I was meeting the second regressor before, Do-Seung had some memories of the second regressor after. While maintaining his ego in this world, he retained the memories of that time as his own. Later, when I looked at Do-Seung through Insight, I saw that the shape of the second regressor was closely attached to Do-Seung’s body. At that time, I thought this happened because of some error. Or, it happened because of the fistfight between the second regressor and me.

In any case, it seemed possible to connect some of the memories of the former regressors to the present body. I didn’t know how that connection would work, but I thought it was worth trying. “Do you want to try?’

“How do you do it?”

“...Are you sure you can do it?”

The fact that I was connecting their memories and not overlapping them seemed to have piqued their curiosity as they must have obviously not wanted their memories and world to disappear. I explained some of my abilities to them.

“In the past, I risked my life against the system and got full control of Insight.” I summarized only the most important information.

“...Wow...”

“...You’re not normal here either, Tae-Yoon. How did you think of to get full control over Insight?”

The members looked a bit shocked but didn’t ask further questions.

I continued, “With full control over Insight, it’s possible for me to provoke the system to some extent, and I can do some supernatural shenanigans.”

“Supernatural shenanigans?”

“For example this?” I used Insight to give an order to Woon. “Step back.”

Then Woon took three steps back. He looked at me, baffled, and Do-Seung looked almost shell-shocked.

“...I regressed in vain. I didn’t even know how to do something like this.”

“...Tae-Yoon always read web novels, and now he can do superpowers like this.”

“...I read web novels in your worlds too?”

“Everyday.”

“You said you’ll be a novelist when you retire like a mantra.”

“...Even if the worlds are different, I guess some things are always the same.”

The members seemed to have now clearly recognized that my ability was quite different from theirs.

“So you’re saying you’re going to connect our memories to this world through Insight, right”

“Yes.”

“Can you do it?”

“I’ll try.”

“Hmm.”

“Well...”

Woon and Do-Seung pondered once again.

“Okay.”

“If that’s the case...let’s do it.”

However, this time, they accepted my proposal.

“But you have to make sure to retain Kang Do-Seung and Woon’s egos from this world.”

“Just connect a very small part of our memories.”

“I got it.”

I made Woon and Do-Seung sit side by side in the front and activated Insight with the two of them in my field of vision.

Ziiing—!

I felt like the world stood at a standstill, and my mind sped up tremendously. I still couldn’t get used to this feeling no matter how many times I went through it. I stared at Woon and Do-Seung. I saw many opaque and hazy shapes attached behind the two.

There were 15 blurry shapes behind Do-Seung, which meant that he regressed 17 times. There were 17 shapes behind 17, indicating he regressed 17 times. Then Woon must have been the regressor until the 32nd one, and he must have regressed five more times after his current 27th form. Well, that was not the important part now. I approached the opaque shapes attached behind my brothers.

I didn’t actually touch it but used Insight to more deeply reach the figures. A total of 32 opaque shapes began to vibrate at once, and as expected, I heard system notifications go off.

[Unauthorized access.]

[Unauthorized access.]

I ignored these alarms and continued my work. The vibrations of the shapes got worse and worse, and soon, some of the shapes began to blur more and more. I gradually connected the shapes with blurred outlines to my members’ bodies.

A bright white thread flew to the members and stuck to them. After the first connection, my work speed accelerated. For the 2nd, 3rd, 20th, 30th, and even lastly, the 32nd one, the system rang out a warning notification every time.

[Unauthorized access.]

[Unauthorized access.]

[Unauthorized access.]

[Unauthorized access.]

...

I knew it was unauthorized access as there was no way the system would allow this. However, I tried it because it seemed like I could do it. And with this, I was done with connecting all the shapes. It remained to be seen what the results would be.

“...Are you done?”

“...Nothing seemed to have changed?”

When I deactivated my insight, Woon and Do-Seung seemed to have not felt any difference.

“The collapsed world line hasn’t returned yet.” However, I thought that these people wouldn’t be able to feel the real difference, and only the original Do-Seung and Woon of this world would feel it after the world line returned and they woke up.

“Ah, yeah. That’s right.”

“Yeah, we won’t be able to feel it.”

[The worldline will be recovered.]

[Prepare for incoming shock.]

Just in time, I heard a notification that the world line was now restored. The members must have also heard this voice as they began to say their goodbyes.

“I guess it’s time to say goodbye.”

“It was nice to meet you, Tae-Yoon.”

I said, “It’s not going to be a final goodbye, since I connected you guys.” I believed that we would be able to meet again in a different way.

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“Then...I’ll say goodbye by saying see you gain.”

“See you next time, Tae-Yoon.”

“Take good care of yourself.”

While saying my last goodbye to the members, Woon and Do-Seung gave me a last warning.

“Ah, regardless of everything, you’ve challenged the system’s authority so...Tae-Yoon, I don’t know what kind of trials you might have to face. Prepare your heart and mind well.”

“Even if the system hasn’t imposed significant sanctions so far, it won’t let you continue to challenge its authority for long.”

I replied, “I got it. I’ll prepare myself.” I prepared myself for another all-out war with the system.

“Then take care.”

“See you again.”

With these last words—

Ziiing-!

The world line was restored.

Thud.

“Geez.”

Woon and Do-Seung instantly fell to the ground. I already knew from several past experiences that my members fell asleep after being possessed. Now I need to carry them back to their rooms as if I didn’t move them, I wouldn’t know what kind of lies I would have to tell them. I tried to move them carefully to their rooms so that they wouldn’t wake up but—

“Hmm...”

“Ugh...”

“What the.”

They woke up much faster than I expected.

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