After the broadcast of the K-Singer Star “TOP 11 Death-match Round” stage was released to the public:
[ Yoon Jaeyi, once again the miracle, becomes the heroine of the “TOP 11”… ]
[ K-Singer Star finally sends the “TOP 11” to the final round! ]
[ Comeback kid Kang Hajun’s stage marks peak real-time ratings… ]
The entertainment columns of the portal sites were dominated for a while by articles about K-Singer Star.
[ K-Singer Star is rigged after all; said only ten would advance; slipped in eleven; ]
Ssssh, ssssh—
↳ Honestly, from reviving the overwhelmingly handsome Kang Hajun, you can tell they just wanted drama; ratings shot up right away lol; no need to watch, the champion is obviously Hajun;
↳ But if you actually watched yesterday, there was no one among the eleven who deserved to be cut. Including Hajun lol. Even among the drop-outs, there were really good ones. Maybe you didn’t watch?
The keyboard battles of netizens went on without end, yet…
↳ Hey couch-judges are all gathered here, right? lolol. Rigged or not, as long as it is fun who cares? Skill or whatever, it is spicy and crazy fun, really.
What does it matter, anyway?
↳ How does Yoon Jaeyi keep singing better and sounding better each time? Let our Jaeyi do everything she wants ㅠ. She will win anyway ㅠㅠ
↳ Kang Hajun’s looks hide how insane he is; cheat code: that face, that body, that voice, that skill; he has everything… now he just needs me…
All of it was criticism and support born of interest.
The fire around K-Singer Star grew day by day, and the ratings kept rewriting records.
These days, HS could say he gained two benefits by appearing as a judge on K-Singer Star.
First: an instrument he wanted to play increased from one to two.
Yoon Jaeyi and Kang Hajun.
As expected, he had a fine-sounding instrument and a splendid-looking instrument, and after tuning he now had one that gained a fine sound as well.
Like killing two birds with one stone, the program he had decided to join handed him two intriguing instruments, one in each hand.
“How shall I play them?”
That, for him, was the biggest question.
“Hmm.”
Yoon Jaeyi’s first performance would be the song for the final; Hajun would appear in his seasonal annuity-project, the summer track.
“Not good enough.”
Waiting for those performances, HS spent his days repeatedly scrapping and rebuilding the pieces he had already composed.
Creak—
Manager Kim, worried, visited the studio every morning as if clocking in.
“Hyunseung, Dad’s here. Pulled another all-nighter?”
“I didn’t like it again.”
“What didn’t you like this time?”
“Feels like blue paint with a little water mixed in.”
At the abstract reply, Manager Kim simply nodded; it was impossible to understand everything a genius said.
Still, he was concerned. Aside from breathing, the kid scarcely noticed sunset or sunrise, spending every hour on the work.
“Hyunseung, work is fine, but you need food and sleep too.”
“You handle the food part, don’t you?”
There is an English saying, “Whom the gods love die young,” which paraphrased means “geniuses die early.”
“Even if I do, nobody can sleep for you.”
“If you could, please do.”
“Want me to knock you out right now, so you’ll get some sleep?”
“Indeed, once pursued the dark path…”
“You brat?” Manager Kim pretended to flick his forehead, then set the bags he carried on the table.
“These are all yours.”
“My daily bread?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“What are all these bags then?”
“I walked to work today.”
“You went shopping on the way?”
“No. Your fans camped in front of the building and told me to give these to you.”
He drummed his shoulder as if to show it had been heavy.
“I’ve been at LS for over ten years, never saw gifts offered to a composer.”
HS, unsurprised, sighed “Ah,” and began digging through the bags.
“Any food…”
“Not surprised?”
“What is there to be surprised about?”
“It’s the first time though…”
Actually, it was not the first. In his former life, it was routine. Clothes, shoes, headsets, snacks, letters… he had even kept an entire room as a gift storage.
“Lucky devil…”
Manager Kim narrowed his eyes at HS’s calmness.
Back in school days gifts had been piled on his desk daily; maybe this was normal for someone absurdly handsome.
“Hmm?”
HS tilted his head at one bag.
“What is it?”
“This…”
“What is it?”
He pulled the contents out: a box neatly filled with homemade cookies and macarons.
“What the…”
He frowned; the box surface was printed with Kang Hajun’s photo. He did not want a man’s face in his eyes first thing in the morning.
“There’s a note too.”
Manager Kim found a memo stuck to the box and handed it to him.
“To the great HS-nim.
I listen to your heavenly music until my ears bleed. Could you, for that reason, please make a good song for Hajun oppa as you always do?ㅠㅠ
I’d give you all my part-time wages, but that might cause trouble later for you or oppa, so I prepared homemade snacks instead.
Composer-nim, please take care of our Hajun oppa ㅠㅠ”
Obviously a young fan’s offering to ask for a song.
“Hajun’s popular already.”
“So it seems.”
After sorting the bags, they found three more gifts from Hajun’s fans.
“If you don’t give him a song they may have me assassinated.”
“Oh come on…”
“I was going to give one anyway. Why are they so over the top?”
“Hmm? You were?”
“Yes, the summer seasonal song I’m working on is for him. Didn’t I say?”
“I figured you’d tell me when it was done.”
“Sorry, it turned out that way. Though we’re different teams, he fits the summer piece best.”
Manager Kim waved his hands.
“No need to be sorry. It’s your song; you choose the singer.”
“Still, LS divides profits by team.”
“Yet thanks to you, Team Two doubled last year’s target.”
Not an empty compliment. Owing to HS, Team Two had hit record results.
“Really, don’t worry. Team One or Two, we’re the same company.”
“With your blessing I can freely craft a worldwide hit.”
“If it’s that big, I take back what I said.”
Even if someone in Team Two complained, Manager Kim would block it.
Lost in thought, he heard HS call softly.
“Manager?”
“Yeah?”
“Then let’s triple the target this year.”
“Triple? I’ll carry you around the cafeteria!”
“If that happens, will you get promoted?”
“If so, next year I’ll bow three times to you!”
HS vowed silently to keep the promise he had made.
A few days before the first Top 11 round.
On his way to the practice room, Kang Hajun stopped at his usual café terrace.
Ping.
A text arrived from Executive Director Park.
[ Director Park: Hajun, the moment you reappeared ratings hit a new high! ]
[ Director Park: PR team says netizen response is explosive. Here’s the link. ]
Hajun opened the linked article.
[ Comeback kid Kang Hajun’s stage marks peak real-time ratings… ]
Scroll, scroll—
↳ I’m ready to be a simp even if it’s rigged.
↳ Noona waited faithfully only for you…
↳ When viewer voting starts, we’ll give all our votes to Hajun…
↳ Perfect Hajun lacks only one thing: me.
Some comments accused him of lobbying, but reactions were overall positive.
Back. Another headline about Yoon Jaeyi on top.
[ Yoon Jaeyi, once again the miracle, becomes the heroine of the “TOP 11”… ]
Scroll, scroll—
↳ Register her voice as cultural heritage; never heard such a sound;
↳ The way her eyes light when she sings is the killing point, this is what a singer should be;
↳ I bawled again; her voice punches not tap;
Reading all the comments, Hajun’s face stiffened for a moment.
Unlike his own articles focused on looks, hers spoke of voice and skill. He felt envy.
“I can’t dwell on this…”
He had no time for stray thoughts.
Ping. Another text from Executive Director Park.
[ Park: And filter out the bad words. ]
He smiled briefly.
Ping.
A new sender: HS.
[ HS: Sending the song before your fans scold me. ]
His heart thudded. Fans? He didn’t understand, but it didn’t matter.
Ping. An audio file.
[ HS: YUNSEUL_MP3 ]
[ HS: Recording will happen without notice within a month ]
[ HS: Competition prep is important, but ]
[ HS: Prepare thoroughly for debut too ]
[ HS: Or your fans will scold me ]
He replied quickly,
[ Yes. I’ll prepare hard! 🙂 ]
“Let’s listen right away.”
He put in his AirPods and played the file.
♪♪♪
“Ah…”
At once he knew.
“Hah…”
If he were at home, he would have screamed.
“Crazy…” he muttered, biting his lip.
His mouth went dry with excitement and tension; coffee emptied fast.
He left the café without refilling or returning the cup.
“I need a room with proper monitors… I want to hear it again.”
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