For the past few days Kang Hajun had been plagued by gloom.
“Sigh…”
To shake off the idle thoughts, he had shut himself in the practice room and drilled until he was drenched in sweat, and before he knew it morning had come.
Yet the exhaustion made heavier by depression weighed on his whole body so that he could not lift a finger.
“I still have to practice…”
In the end, he lay flat on the practice room floor, stared blankly at the ceiling, then closed his eyes.
Ah, I have to snap out of it.
But his eyelids would not open. Maybe he should just rest a moment with his eyes shut.
No, no, there are only a few days left until the round.
In a few days, the TOP 5 semifinal would be held, a round prepared together with a judge as partner.
Since a contestant could receive coaching from a musician with plenty of stage experience, it was a great opportunity.
Still, he could not shake the regret that the judge he wanted was not the one he got.
“I wanted to work with the composer too…”
Yes, the root of Kang Hajun’s gloom was HS. The fact that he had missed the chance to be coached by him, that Yoon Jaeyi had taken it instead, left him powerless.
“Wait!”
Like a spring he jerked upright. He had not yet sent today’s recording file.
This is no time to mope.
After all, he had already secured the chance to record HS’s song. It was a far more valuable opportunity than simple coaching, since he would receive close directing from HS.
“I’d better hurry.”
Thinking he must send HS a message right away, he jumped to his feet.
He convinced himself, HS is surely waiting eagerly for my file.
The deep gloom was solved, but he had fallen into a deep misunderstanding.
Two whirlwind live rounds had gone by, yet there was not a moment to breathe.
Because the show was live, the contestants had only six days to rehearse for the next round. There was no time to wallow in relief at advancing.
Already three of those six days had passed.
“Hoo…”
With her guitar case on her back, Yoon Jaeyi boarded the subway as usual. Remembering what had happened downtown before, today she pulled her mask low and jammed her cap down.
Am I overdoing it?
But if the same thing happened again, she might be late for her appointment with HS, and that had to be avoided.
Soon she reached her stop, walked quickly out of the exit, and right across the street stood a building of overwhelming scale.
Thump, thump—her heart pounded violently when she saw it.
That must be the LS Entertainment head office…
It was her agency now, but she had never actually come, so it still did not feel real.
“Wow…”
True to the name LS Entertainment, the grand headquarters was large enough to be seen from across the river. She tilted her head back and clicked her tongue.
After a while she came to herself.
Bzzz—
A text arrived from HS.
[ Lifesaver: Tell them your name at the gate ]
[ Lifesaver: Ride the sector elevator to 2F ]
[ Lifesaver: Come to the innermost studio ]
Through recent exchanges she had learned one thing: he usually answered with single words or left her on read—no, he was even more brusque than the rumors.
Of course, she also knew he could be warm, speaking comfort in a flat tone.
And she was glad the person who had written the song she loved so much was HS.
Treading quickly between busy people she entered the lobby, where gates stood at the back.
“I’m Yoon Jaeyi.”
As he said, when she gave her name the guard checked a clipboard and soon opened the gate.
Just passing one gate, she began to feel that she really belonged to LS. She had thought she was someone whom luck never favored, but perhaps it had saved up enormous happiness to shower on her now.
“Is it here…?”
Lost in thought while walking, she found herself in front of a studio marked “HS.”
Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she raised a trembling hand and knocked.
Knock, knock, knock.
“It’s open,” a voice called from inside. She entered and saw HS’s back, helmet on, seated at the console tapping a keyboard.
Does he wear that helmet all the time, like an accessory?
Even in his private studio he had it on, and she felt a wall of sorts. He did not so much as turn his head.
“Um…”
After standing awkwardly she asked quietly,
“If you’re busy, should I step out and come back?”
“No, sit there for a bit.”
“Over there” must mean the sofa. Apart from the long couch big enough for two to lie on, there was nowhere to sit.
How long had it been?
At last HS stopped moving his hands and turned his chair toward her.
“Ready?”
“Pardon? Ready for what…”
“Ready to film.”
Without warning, he asked if she was ready to film, pulled out a self-cam and set it on the table.
Looking at the camera, Yoon Jaeyi sighed softly.
Ah…
Ordinarily an audition show would film the rehearsal process. Cameras had watched them in the dorm too. But today there was no crew, only the two of them, which explained why the room felt so spacious.
“So we record the coaching on this self-cam?”
She asked; HS nodded once and muttered in an off-hand tone, “Cameras are a burden.”
Sudden warmth filled her chest. He must have skipped the crew, thinking she shrank before cameras.
Really, it was a relief that the HS she admired was this kind of person.
Unaware that he had done it simply because cameras annoyed him.
Whatever—
The cozy shoot began. She sang the song they had chosen; he listened and gave short feedback.
“Done.”
But after less than twenty minutes HS declared it finished.
“Finished?”
She blinked. Had coaching ended already? She felt it had not even started.
“Yes, finished.”
Regretful, she stared at his helmet-clad face.
“Then… should I be going?”
“Going where?”
“Since you said the filming was done…”
With impatience he scratched the back of the helmet so hard it grated.
“I meant the show footage is done.”
“Excuse me?”
“Now we start the real work.”
He pulled off the helmet and shook out his messy hair.
“So hot I was about to die.”
Yoon Jaeyi involuntarily clapped a hand over her mouth.
“Why are you like that?”
“I, it’s just…”
She was startled by his face—much better-looking than the composite she had seen online.
But surprise did not last long.
After about an hour of coaching, his handsome face began to look like a fearsome demon.
“I said this line is the key point.”
“Are you not focusing? Want to do it alone?”
“Don’t relax just because it’s low. Drop the unnecessary breath.”
“The ending note goes up exactly half-step.”
For six full hours, razor-sharp criticisms poured on her like a cloudburst.
When the unavoidable shower had soaked all her resolve, he finally stopped.
“Memorize every point I made today and sing it one hundred, no, three hundred times before the round.”
His phone buzzed incessantly; he took it out.
[ 13th_practice_recording.MP4 ]
[ Wednesday cheer-up! ^^ ]
[ I didn’t see you at lunch in the cafeteria… ]
[ Shall I bring snacks to your studio? ]
[ Just say anything, anytime. ]
[ I’ll fetch it all. ]
[ Refusal is refused! haha ]
Another barrage from Kang Hajun: a recording file plus a pledge to fetch anything he wanted.
Sighing, Hyunseung shook his head, then suddenly spoke.
“I’ll send the rearranged MR we worked on today. Record every day and send it by KakTalk.”
Hajun’s other messages were useless, but checking practice by file was practical. This way he could monitor progress without meeting.
“Send it every day?”
“Didn’t you hear?”
“Sorry, really sorry.”
“Send the practice file only.” He rubbed his forehead at the thought of another pest.
“Only the file, got it.”
Though she did not understand, Yoon Jaeyi nodded vigorously.
“You can go now.”
“Ah, yes!”
She wanted to stay but could not disturb him further.
“I’ll see you at the semifinal.”
As she rose, he added in a dry but strangely encouraging voice,
“Do well. The song for the final is almost done.”
Joy almost suffocated her. She might not even reach the final, yet he was writing for her.
To sing HS’s song she would have to place first in the semifinal, where pre-votes and live votes counted heavily. Kang Hajun, with overwhelming popularity, stood in her way.
Still, she must win to repay the faith HS had shown.
“I’ll do my very best,” she said firmly, bowing.
She was about to open the door when—
Crash!
Something leaning against the door toppled with a racket.
“Uh, uh?!”
She calmed down and looked more closely at the figure sprawled on the floor. It was someone she had seen often lately, the very first-place rival she had just thought of.
“Kang Hajun?”
“Are you all right? Can you stand up?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Embarrassed, Kang brushed off his backside. From inside, Hyunseung asked sternly,
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh, um…”
“I came to deliver snacks…”
“I didn’t order any.”
He shut the door mercilessly.
Thud.
Outside the closed door, Yoon Jaeyi and Kang Hajun stood side by side.
“Uh…”
An awkward silence hung between them.
“Then, I’ll be going…”
“Yes…”
“I’ll see you at the shoot.”
“Right…”
Unable to bear the discomfort, Yoon Jaeyi left first, and Kang was left alone in the corridor, holding a bag full of boxed lunch and sandwiches.
Plop.
He set the bag at the studio door and sent a KakTalk.
[ Dear customer, your delivery has been left outside the door~ ]
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