Episode 41: Welcome to Hell
I recall my pre-regression memories.
‘Did I get Suhyuk’s age wrong?’
No.
I’m born in ’02, Suhyuk in ’05—three years apart, no doubt.
“You look pretty young. How old are you?”
“Twenty this year.”
My memory’s spot-on, as expected.
There’s no way I’d misremember that name, face, or voice.
This kid before me is definitely Chae Suhyuk, the SSS-grade manager once called Polaris’s seventh member.
“I know I’m young, but don’t worry about my driving. I’ve been behind the wheel since I was a kid. I got into MyWay for my driving skills!”
Misreading my frozen expression, Suhyuk adds more.
“Since you were a kid?”
Baek Kyungmin’s question omits the obvious follow-up: You’re still a kid.
Suhyuk scratches the back of his head.
“Yeah. My family runs a big farm down south. You don’t need a license on private land, so I was picking up my foreign uncles and aunts. I’m especially good with vans!”
I never knew why his driving was so exceptional back then.
Now it clicks—why his skills were so elite that Polaris members bet on who’d ride with him when schedules split.
‘So that’s why he was so good.’
It took him rising to team leader to finally escape the driver’s seat.
“What about… military service?”
Baek Kyungmin’s slightly sensitive question interrupts my nostalgia.
I know Suhyuk’s situation and start to stop him, but—
“I’m exempt. Had ACL reconstruction surgery.”
Suhyuk opens up casually before I can say anything.
That’s why this SSS-grade manager drifted like a tumbleweed before landing at Starlight.
‘Exemption’s nothing to be ashamed of.’
But in this country, exemptions carry a stigma, especially among managers, many of whom are ex-military.
“Oh, sorry about that.”
“No worries! It was so long ago, I barely remember. I’m a bit embarrassed I couldn’t go like everyone else—country wouldn’t take me. But rehab’s long done, and it doesn’t affect work or daily life, so no need to worry!”
And that’s not all.
He even lightens Baek Kyungmin’s apology by poking fun at himself.
‘Still the same.’
A bit rough around the edges, but I see glimpses of that SSS-grade manager.
His unblemished personality is his greatest strength.
Baek Kyungmin and I both know this country doesn’t hand out exemptions lightly.
Unless you’re a real jerk, you can’t dislike someone who speaks like that.
“Han Yujin.”
Brushing off my surprise at him starting this work so early, I extend my hand.
Suhyuk bows deeply, grasping my hand with both of his, reverent.
“It’s an honor to meet you!”
“Let’s work well together, Suhyuk-ssi.”
“Oh, please, speak casually!”
“Alright, then you call me hyung too.”
If this were a short-term thing, I’d keep it formal, but with Suhyuk, I’d rather drop the honorifics.
This SSS-grade manager who rolled into my orbit? I’m not letting anyone else have him.
“I’m so lucky. Getting into MyWay was lucky enough, but my first job being with you, hyung…”
Well—
‘Who’s the really lucky one?’
He’s still a rookie, but I’ve seen his growth firsthand.
This meeting is as big as—or bigger than—those with Bang Hokyung, Seo Yoonje, or Taeoh.
In this cutthroat world, having someone truly trustworthy by your side is a monumental event, beyond just “luck.”
‘Not just me—Seo Yoonje too.’
Pre-regression, Suhyuk took root at Starlight.
Sure, a CEO and head producer like Seo Yoonje wouldn’t notice a low-level manager, but still.
MyWay missed out on him before, but now I’ll secure this talent, making Seo Yoonje lucky too.
“By the way, are you joining MyWay, hyung?”
“Yeah, contract’s not signed yet, but I’ll do it after Blind Singer wraps.”
“I see…”
“Hope we can work together then too. I feel like we’ll get along.”
“Thanks for the kind words. I’d love that too.”
Suhyuk grins shyly.
If he knew the grind awaiting him with me, he might not smile so easily.
‘Come to think of it, I never heard about him being at MyWay.’
If MyWay was his start, that’d be his biggest career milestone, but I don’t recall him mentioning it.
I never imagined he’d show up here.
Just then, a call comes in to clear my doubts.
“Yujin.”
Baek Kyungmin hands me his phone, showing Seo Yoonje’s name.
It feels unnecessary, but I always contact Seo Yoonje through him, just in case.
“Yujin-ssi, have you met him?”
Seo Yoonje’s voice comes through immediately.
No subject, but I know who he means.
“Yeah, we’re together now.”
Suhyuk probably didn’t hear, but his face stiffens, sensing it’s about him.
‘Why’s he nervous?’
I gesture lightly to reassure him as a slightly tense voice continues over the phone.
“What do you think? Like him?”
Like him? Absolutely.
“I’d want him around even outside Blind Singer shoots. After today, I’m starting to feel coming to the studio might get tough.”
Maybe it’s because I went all out on stage yesterday, but more people recognized me today.
If Suhyuk’s sticking around, building our bond now wouldn’t hurt.
As Suhyuk’s eyes widen in surprise, Seo Yoonje’s voice over the phone lets out a relieved sigh.
“Actually, I picked that kid myself. Thought he’d vibe well with you.”
Of course, it was Seo Yoonje’s doing.
Suhyuk showing up here must be another snowball from my regression.
A snowball I’d welcome any day.
“He’s young and has no experience, so I was going to see how it went… but if you’re that impressed, should I just hire him now?”
So, the plan was to keep Suhyuk as a short-term gig to test the waters.
With only Lee Ahjeong and Hylliy needing road managers at MyWay, hiring him full-time and then me rejecting him would waste resources.
But now, there’s no need to hesitate.
“Could you do that?”
“No problem at all. I’ll talk to him.”
“Got it.”
“Prep well for your stage. Let me know if you need anything else.”
Hanging up, I face a dazed Suhyuk.
“Oh, did I push things too fast?”
“No! No way! I was just shocked… Thank you!”
“Thank you. I’m the grateful one. I’ll be counting on you for a while.”
As someone who knows how brutal being a road manager—the lowest rung—can be, I feel a twinge of guilt accepting his thanks.
I basically dragged him to the bottom of hell.
Though, to be fair, Suhyuk’s the type who’d thrive even there.
‘It’s not as hellish as other places, anyway.’
Compared to Polaris, which needed three road managers, my solo schedule won’t be that grueling.
And there’ll be no habitual power-tripping, a top reason managers quit.
‘Not that Polaris had that either.’
But the biggest reason I’m thrilled about Suhyuk?
‘This time, I can genuinely sing his praises.’
Pre-regression, I couldn’t sing his wedding song.
Now, I can do it with all my heart.
That thought brings a natural smile.
“Hyung, something on my face?”
“Nah.”
“Oh, the company’s calling me in.”
“Go on, hurry.”
He looks at me oddly, but a timely text from the company buries the moment.
Seo Yoonje must’ve decided to strike while the iron’s hot.
I wave as Suhyuk scrambles up.
“See you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be back!”
His response doesn’t quite match mine.
“Huh?”
“What?”
A brief, confused exchange passes.
“I’m driving you home today, right?”
Already embodying his work ethic, this SSS-grade manager makes me burst into laughter.
***
A Few Days Later
“Hey, hyung, I owe you an apology.”
Suhyuk, now officially with MyWay and part of my team, speaks up as we walk down a wide hallway, matching my stride.
I rack my brain for anything he might’ve done wrong, but nothing comes up.
His driving, which sparked wars within Polaris, is as stellar as ever.
Though not quite at his pre-regression peak, his efforts to anticipate my needs are always appreciated.
His personality? Beyond reproach.
But his expression is so serious that, as we enter the waiting room, I ask,
“What’s up?”
Suhyuk stops in the hallway, lowering his voice.
“I left a comment on a forum the other day.”
“What’d it say?”
“That Zia-noona should pay triple taxes.”
That was you?
Recalling the comment Zia showed me on Song Jaeryung’s post, I stifle a laugh.
Suhyuk, still serious, continues.
“But now that I think about it… I think you should pay triple taxes, hyung.”
“What?”
“I figured it out. Why you look so cool.”
“And that is?”
Holding back laughter, I prod, and Suhyuk glances around before whispering.
“When you perform, your eyes are different when Zia-noona’s there versus when she’s not. I noticed it prepping this stage. That emotion—it’s different, for real. How do you sing like that? How does your voice hit those notes?”
He called himself my fan from the start, and he saw that?
At this point, it’s almost believable that pre-regression Suhyuk endured Starlight’s hellish schedules out of sheer fandom for me.
“Suhyuk, you’ve figured out too much.”
“Then I’ll go pick up Zia-noona. Good luck with rehearsal!”
Matching my playful tone, he uses fetching Zia as an excuse to bolt.
Watching him flee, I can’t help but laugh.
Blind Singer Season 3’s semi-final is just around the corner.
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