Idol Revive: If I Don't Debut, I'll Disappear
Chapter 76: Egosurfing

Chapter 76: Egosurfing

After reading the public’s opinion about Rayen, Adrian was also curious about himself, so he lazed around the couch and surfed the Internet using the browser.

’Seriously. If I couldn’t get my hands on a sentient system of my own, I should just request they add a social media app on my phone,’ Adrian thought to himself.

His fingers deftly moved about the screen keyboard, tapping on the letters to search for himself.

"What’re you doing?" Rayen asked, noticing his amused smile on his face.

"I’m egosurfing," Adrian responded.

"Ah..."

Of course, Rayen understood the word. He had done it himself many times back in his previous life.

’Should I do it too?’

Opening the browser, Rayen searched for himself beside Adrian.

"Rayen"

Meanwhile, at the depths of Rayen’s phone, Mini Plotter sensed Rayen’s action. Since the keyword was too broad and the name was eerily similar to a certain trending band member, Mini Plotter determined that unwanted news articles would make the search line up.

Mini Plotter sighed, deciding to intercept the search to block those articles.

So, the first thing that Rayen saw on the browser were funny clips of himself. Most of the search results were similar. It was related to his newly-earned nicknames, with being Yeon Miwol’s fan at the top of the result list.

Across different social media platforms, videos with similar contents of Rayen screaming Yeon Miwol’s name and his cutesy action of touching his face while blushing lined up on his phone.

Rayen just felt his face flush in embarrassment seeing the same clip repeatedly, but decided to click on one video posted on TokTok nonetheless.

When the site loaded and he played the video, the song attached to it echoed around the room. Rayen felt his face turning even hotter. It was Chocolate Cake, the same song he had danced to during his first day in this place.

"I’m shy, looking at your face.

Blushing, blushing with your gaze.

You’re so sweet like a chocolate cake.

Choco-la-te cake, choco-la-te cake."

Adrian chuckled hearing the familiar song.

’What the hell is this!!!’

To stop the music, Rayen headed to the comment section of the post.

– he’s really too cute.

– YMW, don’t fall for this guy. He’ll poke you with his thorns.

>> I feel like I read something else. Can someone gouge out my eyeballs?

– isn’t this Crunchy Wow? Did he get a new advertisement? Where did these clips come from?

>> Yes, it’s him. He’s currently on IdolRe. It’s an idol audition show. Please support and watch him.

>> Idol show? Even though he dances like shit?

>> I think it was intentional just for the ad. Just watch him, you’ll know he can dance.

’As if...’ Rayen thought with a wry smile.

Of course, his comical dancing back then wasn’t intentional. He just improved in dancing. And that ad wasn’t intentional either. It was just because of his sponsors’ whims.

Closing it, he headed for another post from MugBook. It was of himself being compared to himself. The first image was the same cutesy blushing expression, and the other was a close-up picture of himself as a gothic doll.

– Too different, but I love both.

– I’ve been watching since the first episode and I can say he reminds me of someone I know.

>> Who?

>> Him (Photo.jpg)

"....."

Rayen was speechless. He didn’t recognize the person in the photo, but he recognized the environment around him — No, actually, he recognized the photo itself, except for the face of the person.

’Isn’t this supposed to be me at our concert before the last one? So, is this what the original Im Ra-yen looked like?’

The original Im Ra-yen had a pretty cute face. While smiling, his eyes were crescent. It was monolid, typical with Korean eyes. He also has plump red lips. All in all, he looked like a gentleman.

Rayen lowered his gaze to read the replies to the photo.

>>They have the same name, they’re also both vocalists. I love their voices.

>>Oh. I remember someone posted they looked alike before.

>>They don’t. IdolRe’s Rayen looked more handsome. But they really do exude similar auras when singing.

Rayen’s lips twitched.

’Of course, the one who’s singing was me!’

Because of the comments, Rayen realized that only their names and faces had changed, but it seemed like none of their pasts had been altered. Well, it was evident since he had met Jared.

’Speaking of Jared... What happened to him after that?’

Rayen immediately closed the post to search for his other self. But just as Rayen was about to enter the key terms, a flashy red notification appeared before him.

[Internet Curfew: 12:00:00 remaining]

"What the hell is this?" Rayen blurted out.

"What happened?" Adrian asked, glancing at him.

"I got an internet curfew notice."

"Internet curfew? What’s that?" A frown was apparent on Adrian’s face.

Seeing that, Rayen also frowned. "You don’t have it?"

’What the hell is this, Mini Plotter?’

Adrian glanced back at his phone as he replied, "I don—"

"....."

A similar notice suddenly appeared on Adrian’s phone.

"I guess it was because of yesterday’s incident," Adrian speculated. "Why don’t you ask your system?"

Just then, a text bubble appeared on Rayen’s screen.

[Idols need to take care of themselves! Eat and have a good sleep!]

Sigh. This little guy’s refusing to answer.

Giving in to the word eat, Rayen turned to Adrian. "Should we grab a bite?"

"Hmm..." Adrian thought hard.

’What’s the need of thinking about it for too long?’

"Nevermind. I’m too lazy to get up. Just get me something."

’Hell, no. I’m not your errand runner.’

...

Still, he did buy Adrian something.

After eating his fill with the remaining buffet, Rayen just bought Adrian some croissant from the counter for 10 memorial coins.

’This thing’s too pricey... Why’s a mere bread being charged for 10 MC when the buffet is free?’

Inspecting the transparent packaging of the bread, Rayen realized why. It’s because this thing wasn’t simple. The water that was used as an ingredient was a revitalizing drink, making it so that eating the bread would replenish their energy albeit slowly. The flour... Rayen didn’t know how to read it even with the translating magic on.

Then, further below the packaging, the baker was even mentioned.

Of course, it was Plotter.

’Just how many jobs does this person have? He’s already the show’s writer, then a system, an overseer, a master plagiarizer... Now, a baker?’

Sighing, Rayen made sure to let that lazy Adrian pay him this 10 MC.

Just as Rayen went up with the elevator, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Opening it, a familiar notification appeared on his screen.

[Mission accomplished!

Gain 1000 fans. (1000/1000)

>>>Claim Rewards]

Rayen’s eyes lit up in excitement.

’I gained 1000 fans?’

Recently, he hadn’t been paying attention to this mission. Well, had there really been times when he was paying attention? There were just too many ongoing things with his current life to pay it any mind.

’Besides, what’s the use of Mini Plotter if it wouldn’t remind me of something like this?’

Tapping into the claim reward button, Rayen heard coins clanging as the counter at the corner increased. He had gained a thousand coins.

After that, a colorful roulette appeared before Rayen’s face.

Familiar with the process, Rayen tapped the roulette to spin it. He didn’t even pray it would land on the multi-colored pocket anymore. Knowing Plotter, perhaps Rayen might even receive another hair dye from it.

’I’ll accept it. Just don’t give me a green-colored one.’

Just then, it finally stopped on one of the tiles.