Chapter 3: Retired Idol's love life

I stared at my system in disbelief.

'What in the world is this thing saying? Me teaching a trainee to become an idol? That's like putting me in between two moving walls coming to crush me and say, 'Please stop both of the walls from crushing you using your bare hands'-which is basically impossible! I'm a nobody currently!'

I continued to glare at it while cursing that thing in my head before noticing something 

'Wait a minute… It doesn't have any time limit..' 

I looked at the details again and confirmed it.

"…I see technically you're saying 'go at your own pace' right?" I sighed before continuing to glare at it even more

"Then why did you have to put 'Failure: Death'!? Aren't you just telling me I'll die if I lose any interest in completing this mission?!"

The system didn't respond. At least respond you bastard.

I sighed in complete defeat as I looked at my nearly broken phone in my hand. 

It looks like my parents didn't respond but at least they've seen my message.

'…They've probably seen it on their flight.' I looked at it before smiling slightly with a hint of sadness on my face.

"It wasn't a proper goodbye but….at least it was better than in the past." 

The goodbye I gave to my parents…wasn't even a proper goodbye. 

Before the due flight of my parents, I told them not to come over. Saying it was too embarrassing and would be awkward because of our lack of closeness together.

My parents weren't really the rich tycoons that you could see in the movies. They worked as a real estate seller in a famous company in America, so they were able to give me just enough supply of money every day.

Although that was the case, I didn't really like it. My relatives, friends, and even acquaintances viewed me as someone rich just because my parents worked overseas, and this caused my relationship to worsen.

That was one of the reasons also why I was flat-broke at this time. I refused to receive the money my parents gave to me every month and only handed it out to my relatives.

I wanted to be independent and with no money, I took on part-time jobs outside of school to provide for myself.

'It became one of my greatest regrets though… If I'd just happily accepted the money my parents provided for me then I wouldn't have been so miserable' 

I sighed helplessly before closing my phone and heading onto the bed.

'I should clean these up before going'

I quickly grabbed a cloth and tried my best to clean up the pills that were scattered on the bed and flush them on the toilet. 

"That should do it" 

I sighed out of relief and went out of the hotel room while holding my bag.

I went to the receptionist and checked out of the hotel room. I needed to clear my mind and obviously spending my time in that isolated room won't help.

'Should I go to a nearby coffee shop?' 

I looked to my far right and saw a sign of a cup of coffee which picked my interest.

I entered the shop of many people drinking their coffees and chatting or just minding their own business while chatting.

I sat down far from the window and everybody and ordered my favorite. A large iced americano that deducted half of my current money.

'Okay so let's begin. First things first. I need to check my status window. Last time, I didn't even know there was a mission regarding letting my parents board the plane that would take their lives. Who knows if it weren't for my decision skills at that time, maybe something bad and major would happen. So, from now on, I should be fully aware of my ongoing missions.'

'Status window'

Ding!

[Name: Hoon Youngjae

Title: Regressor | Nurturer

Lvl: 0

Dance: C- 

Vocal: C+ 

Rap: D+ 

Visual: A+

Charm (Facial expression and Aegyo): D-

Stamina: D- 

Talents: 

Great Concentration (A) 

Endless Possibilities (S) 

Caregiver (C) 

Guide (A) 

Truth (D)]

'Looks like the maximum rank of my stats are gone….Probably because of [Endless Possibilities]'

I thought to myself while sipping the iced americano the waiter brought to me.

'It was probably since I got to say my last and final words to my mom and dad. Although we didn't exactly reconcile, at least I got to say what I wanted to say before they died.' 

It's a selfish thing I know. But what could've been done?

My decision was the best outcome out of all the outcomes I've played in my head.

[Great Concentration (A)

Skill details: 'If you give your best to it, you can do it!' this skill allows you to have great concentration while practicing and may boost one of the following rank's:

>Dance

>Vocal

>Stamina

>Rap

Let's get going and practice! (/>w0)/]

'No wonder I was nicknamed 'monster rookie' in my pre-debut days…it was because of this skill I was able to make it on the debut group of VS entertainment…'

[Guide (A)

Skill details: Allows you to see the key components of your dance and singing and others' dance and singing.]

[Truth (D)

Skill details: allows you to see the past of a trainee]

'Oh? This is good. If I had this skill back in my day then I wouldn't have to work my fullest trying to get a piece of information to blackmail my members'

Ding!

[※Tip: please don't use this skill in blackmailing or any evil deeds]

'… I'm convinced this system could read my mind'

I pressed on the skill details of [Caregiver] when an unknown notification popped up

[Please select your keyword]

Keyword..?

This was the same message as in one of the novels I read in the past. The main character got the exact message.

'Wait hold on I better not make any mistakes.'

I thought about it carefully until I finished my iced americano before saying in a low and quiet voice

"I'm proud of you."

Ding!

[Keyword has been set to: "I'm proud of you"]

I sighed of relief and clenched my hands into a fist.

The fact that I don't need to embarrass myself like that one main character who needs to take care of S-ranked creatures and needs to say 'I love you' to each one of them was a miracle for me. 

It meant that I could avoid dating scandals in the near future.

Plus since I'm eighteen right now, I'm technically legal so if I say 'I love you' to a seventeen-year-old trainee, the media will bash me and call me a #####.

'Thank you whoever God who gave me this opportunity. I'm an atheist but still thank you to whoever divine being you are.'

I continued to celebrate in my head while keeping a perfect poker face on my face when another system window showed up.

[Caregiver (C)

Skill details: This is a growth skill. You are able to nurture and help trainees with this skill using the keyword [I'm proud of you]. At the use of this keyword, the trainee will recognize you as one of their closest people and will trust you for the rest of their lives]

'…Isn't this brainwashing?'

The system didn't respond confirming my worries.

'Well…At least now I know it won't be that impossible to do the mission'

I shrugged it off. I'm probably the only one who could see my status window so there's no way I'll be sent to the police for brainwashing trainees who aspire to become an idol.

Right?

I coughed slightly. Erasing my previous thoughts and moving on.

'Anyways enough of that. I need to take a look at my titles' I shook my head and looked at the two titles in front of me'

[Title: Regressor

Title details: You who have gone back in time have a chance to do your life again! This title is a present as the universe acknowledges your existence.

Title mission: Cleared!

Reward: Growth skill [Endless Possibilities]

[Title: Nurturer

Title details: You who have been the leader of the famous K-pop group 'Forever' have gained your teachings over the past five years of being together! To share this blessing that your groupmates have received, we have assigned you a mission to clear your thoughts after completing the mission to get the skill [Endless Possibilities]

Mission details: Sensei Please go easy on us!! ( 人ゝд∩ )

Task: Please help a student wanting to become an Idol to become an Idol. 

Progress: 0/1

Failure: Death

Reward: New activity on the status window will be opened!]

'New activity…I wonder what that is.' I got up from my chair when suddenly, a girl came up to me shyly. She had a pretty face and a beautiful body I couldn't help but be swooned by her when she got close to me.

"U-um...excuse me.."

"Yes?" 

My idol instincts made me look at the girl hesitantly as if I was caught. After all, whenever I go out, fans would usually flock to me like this.

"Can I get your number?" She looked at me with such pretty eyes that my heart couldn't help but skip a beat

'.. Wait a minute…I can date now rig-?!'

Just when I was to say yes and get my phone number, a system notification rang

[Warning! Violation of rules! Dating is not allowed!]

'What do you mean dating is not allowed?! I'm eighteen! The time of youth!! I can be whoever I want to be and-'

[Last warning. No dating allowed]

"…"

Son of a ####.

I forced a smile out of me and said hesitantly. "I'm sorry miss but I'm not interested in dating"

What a lie. 

She was totally my type and I was interested in dating her but this system… How dare you try and block a retired idol's love life?!

[※Tip: please don't refer to love at first sight. Her personality may be the complete opposite of what you expect]

'I can just break up with her if that happens!'

[※Tip: She may be a minor]

'Thank you for telling me that system' I told my system sincerely and looked at the girl with a cold face. 

It was supposed to be a fortitude face, like how monks would look but as expected of a D- grade of charm~ 

My facial expressions are absolute dog shit.

"Thank you but I'm not interested in dating right now"

The girl nodded her head in shame and I was forced to leave the store after rejecting someone.

'Visual A+, Charm D-….Might as well become a cold loner prince in this life.'

I sighed dejectedly before glaring at the system

'What do you mean dating isn't allowed?!'

[※Tip: Dating is not allowed]

'Stop repeating that!' 

I continued to curse at it before sitting down dejectedly on a nearby bench.

'Goodbye, my dreams of having a family and a relationship..'

A small drop of tear rolled down my cheek

'Ahh..seriously I was blessed with such good genes but it looks like I won't be able to use it…'

[※Tip: ….]

'Mom…Dad…I'm sorry I won't be able to continue our bloodline anymore'

[Tip: …You may marry once you retire]

'When will it happen?! The last time I tried retiring, I died because of alcohol!!' 

[※Tip: …Your future fans will hate you if you have a girlfriend while performing as an Idol]

'I don't want to be an idol system!!'