The Maknae Has to Be an Idol

Woo Yeon-Hoon watched as cracks opened in the universe. It was the biggest crack he had seen since Tae-Yoon faced Kang Seok-Du at Yaksan for the first time. The moment Tae-Yoon almost died under Kang Seok-Du’s hands in the parking lot, a crack bigger than the one formed by the incident at Yaksan opened. Then, the moment Tae-Yoon led the car to crash into the guardrails, the cracks split more widely and deeply until its inner areas were revealed.

Yet, Yeon-Hoon didn’t simply watch this entire process. The wider the crack became, he flowed out his own will.

Shaaaa—! Using the cracks in the universe, Yeon-Hoon’s worldlines dug deeper into the worldlines. The worldlines that had extended out like vines began to seep inside the inner corners of the cracks.

Grip. At this point, he could use more than half of the system’s powers as his own. It was time for him to aid Tae-Yoon who was struggling in reality. The world of reversal broke the law of causality and intervened to save its incarnation. Yet, the moment the car floated and stopped in the air, the reversal system surpassed the limits it could intervene and shut down.

Without a system backing it, Yeon-Hoon could meddle and impact the reversal system’s incarnation as much as he wished. Thus, Yeon-Hoon used the system to manipulate Kang Seok-Du’s death.

[Kill Kang Seok-Du in ten seconds.]

[Upon success, Kang Seok-Du dies.]

[Upon failure, Kang Seok-Du dies.]

This couldn’t even be called a mission. It was a mission the original system would’ve never made. Not only was it a mission that was impossible to establish, it violated the law of causality. Yet, Yeon-Hoon gave the mission on purpose because he knew that Tae-Yoon wouldn’t just let this mission slip and go to waste.

The moment Tae-Yoon gained his mission, he didn’t do anything and let Kang Seok-Du die. The risk of failure was Kang Seok-Du’s death. Yet, Tae-Yoon forcefully revived Kang Seok-Du. Though the system could lead someone to their death, it couldn’t force a definite death; thus, Tae-Yoon could overcome that death temporarily by providing proper CPR.

And when a creature that was supposed to die with the guidance of the system came to life again, that itself created more cracks to the system’s functions. The more the system encountered unexpected situations, the cracks became wider. The first time Tae-Yoon revived Kang Seok-Du again—

Craaaack—!

Yeon-Hoon could gain control of 80% of the system. Then, the second time Tae-Yoon revived Kang Seok-Du—

Craaaaack—!

Yeon-Hoon could reach the system’s core. Then, lastly, when Yeon-Hoon jumped into Hangang with Kang Seok-Du—

Bang!

Yeon-Hoon’s worldlines penetrated into the system’s core and absorbed it. There was no time to lose. Even if the time in the universe flowed dramatically slower than the time in reality, every minute and second counted in this situation. Yeon-Hoon was able to easily take control of the entire system then. In the first place, the system was something that simply operated on rules without an owner; thus, if someone broke those rules and penetrated into that gap, anyone could become its owner.

At this point of time, the system’s owner was Yeon-Hoon. What Yeon-Hoon had desperately yearned for so long for had been easily accomplished with Tae-Yoon’s help. Thousands of Yeon-Hoon’s worldlines wrapped around the system’s core and intertwined together like one vein. The system’s core mixed and pulsed with the worldlines like heart between veins. Eventually, thousands of worldlines changed into one thick line and its end connected with the system’s core.

There were only two lines remaining in this vast universe—Yeon-Hoon’s line that enveloped the system and Tae-Yoon’s line that had absorbed all the other regressor’s worlds. The two lines simply floated in this universe’s space. There was only one thing left to do now. Though he felt sorry for Tae-Yoon, Yeon-Hoon had no intention to return after becoming part of the system.

No, in the first place, it was impossible for him to depart this space after becoming the system. The system was essential to maintain this universe and since he was the system now, the universe wouldn't exist without him. Though it sounded too grand to be true, he basically became the manager of this universe. It was clear what Yeon-Hoon needed to do now.

Shaaaaa—!

It was to separate his worldlines from the long, original worldline that was still continuing and make Tae-Yoon’s worldline the sole worldline connected to the original. If he did that, the universe would extend with just one worldline, and Yeon-Hoon would exist as an independent being as the owner of the system. In other words, he would completely transform into a system. It would be a lie if Yeon-Hoon said he didn’t feel any regret and sadness about this decision.

Everything he told Tae-Yoon had been the truth. His greatest wish was to enjoy daily activities such as eating the soybean paste stew that Do-Seung cooked, performing on a concert stage, and chatting all-night. Yet, there were things he wanted to protect more than the joys of daily life. It was to protect his members so that they could do their activities safely—so that they didn’t have to watch as one of them meaninglessly died.

In the first place, there was no place for him in Tae-Yoon’s world. He trusted that the Yeon-Hoon from that world who wasn’t a regressor like him would do his part. The world that Yeon-Hoon created began to slowly drift away from the original line. Since he was pulling away a thick line made up of thousands of worldlines, it didn’t break off immediately. Yet, it would eventually happen and once the line was fully separated, there would be no going back.

With feelings of regret, Yeon-Hoon thought over all the countless other choices he could’ve made. He would have to pay farewell to all these possibilities after this.

“Where do you think you are going?” The separation of the worldlines suddenly stopped. He heard Tae-Yoon’s voice from behind. While Yeon-Hoon was caught off guard, his world became connected to the original worldline again, and then, Tae-Yoon’s world split into dozens of strands.

“Tae-Yoon…? How did you come here…? Moreover, what are you doing…?” Yeon-Hoon couldn’t understand, yet unconcerned with his feelings, Tae-Yoon’s split world strands came to cling onto Yeon-Hoon’s world. Like how Yeon-Hoon’s numerous worldlines had wrapped around the system like ivy, Tae-Yoon’s world strands that were filled with the other members’ worldlines began to stick onto Yeon-Hoon’s worldline.

“I told you that I hope for all our worlds to become one,” Tae-Yoon said. If Yeon-Hoon’s world couldn’t be connected with his, Tae-Yoon decided to connect his world to Yeon-Hoon’s. Tae-Yoon’s world's strands extended out like ivy and strong pulled onto Yeon-Hoon’s world. Yeon-Hoon’s and Tae-Yoon’s worlds intertwined into one and became one line.

“Whatever the means, it doesn’t matter as long as there’s one world line remaining.”

“If you do this, it won’t become clear how this world will progress.”

“No, it becomes clear.” Tae-Yoon’s worldline extended out but clumped together at the edge. Then, it even swallowed up the system’s core.

“The world that I was living in is the current world. That won’t change.” Yeon-Hoon looked at Tae-Yoon and was baffled. It seemed Tae-Yoon had surprisingly thought this far and predicted what would happen.

“You…knew from the beginning that I wouldn’t be able to come back.”

“Yes.”

“So, you predicted that I would separate my world line and only leave you guys' worldlines.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“All right…but besides the fact you predicted this to happen…how did you trespass into this space again? I didn’t permit you to enter.”

“What is there to permit you to do? The moment you took control of the system, my Insight got stronger. That’s what you made possible so that my Insight could also reach the system’s core.”

“…” Because he had been too focused on swallowing up the system, he had forgotten that Tea-Yoon’s Insight would also get stronger by his actions. In other words, the moment he thought he became the system, Tae-Yoon also became the system too.

“…I didn’t think of this.”

“I’m sure you didn’t have the chance when your priority was to take over the system. No matter how good a plan is, you can’t beat a battle of speed.”

It was as Tae-Yoon said. Given enough time, Yeon-Hoon would’ve realized that Tae-Yoon’s Insight was becoming stronger and limited it. Yet, he didn’t have the chance when all the cracks were widening at once. This was another reason why Tae-Yoon had proposed to Yeon-Hoon to finish everything at once. And now, there were a total of two owners of the system.

“No, I think I’m the owner of the system, right?” Tae-Yoon said.

Tae-Yoon was the owner of the system. Though it was Yeon-Hoon’s world that had enveloped the system, it was Tae-Yoon’s world that had dominated Yeon-Hono’s world. Ultimately, the system had fallen into Tae-Yoon’s hands. Tae-Yoon then looked at the worldline that encompassed all their worldlines. Since it was intertwined with several worlds, it was noticeably bigger and thicker than other parts. And unlike the other areas, the area was especially colorful and in a mess; and at the end of it, there was the system’s core that shone in an orb.

With just one gesture of his hands, Tae-Yoon brought forth the system’s core to his place. This movement clearly showed that he was the owner of this space.

“The system can’t leave this place, right?”

Yeon-Hoon quietly nodded.

And since you can’t leave this space if you become the system, you planned to sacrifice yourself right?”

“…Yes.”

“I will do it for you, so you return. You have been here by yourself for too long.”

“What?”

“I won’t hear your reply.”

“Tae-Yoon, the world that’s progressing right now is yours. What’s going to happen if you aren’t there? If your mind is here, your body won’t be able to do anything…are you going to let it be in that state?”

“For the time being.”

“What?”

“I said for the time being. Endure it for a bit.”

“what are you saying?”

Yeon-Hoon was about to say something more but closed his mouth. It was because Tae-Yoon spoke first.

“Please take care of my body when you go and take care of our other members. There’s probably going to be some commotion for the time being so don’t get hurt.”

“Tae-Yoon, could you explain a bit more…?”

“See you later.”

Tae-Yoon smiled softly while looking at Yeon-Hoon. With that signal, Tae-Yoon’s body began to fall limitlessly. Yeon-Hoon didn’t even remember how long he had lived in this universe. He thought a moment like this would never come to him again. He was already used to existing in only his mind, apart from a physical body by now. Of course, he sometimes borrowed this world’s Yeon-Hoon’s body from time to time, but he had simply been ‘borrowing’ the body then.

“Ah…” Yeon-Hoon opened his eyes with his own body. This world’s Yeon-Hoon’s memories and identity are quickly combined with his. Perhaps, it was because he had already intertwined all the worldlines or because this body already was his, he was able to immerse into this world’s Yeon-Hoon’s body without any confusion or mix-up. This was the result of a higher power that far superseded things like logic and causality. Yeon-Hoon raised his head and looked forward.

Tae-Yoon and Seok-Du were falling into the Hangang river together.

“Bong Tae-Yoon!”

“Tae-Yoon!”

“Ahhhh!”

All the Siren members screamed. Perhaps, it was because he had been the system’s owner for a short moment or the system’s current owner, Tae-Yoon helped him, but…

Ziiiing—!

Yeon-Hoon could use Insight. He felt the world’s time slow drastically and ran towards where Tae-Yoon was falling. All sorts of scenarios on how he could save Tae-Yoon popped into his mind.