Hyunseung could now guess who it was just from the knock on his studio door.
For example…
Seo Jini always rapped twice, fast and crisp, while Jeong Arin hammered four frantic taps in a row.
Knock, knock, knock.
And when the caller only bothered with a perfunctory, polite rhythm like this—
“Why do you knock every time when you are just going to walk in anyway?”
“Consider it a token of manners.”
As expected, it was Manager Kim.
“What brings you here so early?”
“I came to give you a surprise present.”
“You look empty-handed to me.”
Watching Hyunseung scan him up and down with a mischievous grin, Kim put on a mock-solemn face, laid his briefcase on the table, and answered,
“Right here, see?”
“Not buying.”
“Hey, at least hear me out.”
“I said I’m not buying.”
Flustered, Kim muttered “Honestly…” then pulled something from the briefcase.
“What is that?”
“I told you, a surprise.”
He slid a neatly clipped stack of papers to Hyunseung.
“It is a bit late, but let us renew your contract.”
“Oh.” Hyunseung sighed and nodded. “I forgot all about that.”
It had been roughly one year and four months since he signed with LS Entertainment. When they first drew up the deal he had insisted on a special clause: the contract term would be set in one-year units.
But as the renewal date neared, everything became hectic. Starting with the wager on Jayble’s single, then the spring track “A Handful of Cherry Blossoms,” the K-Singer Star shoot as a judge, the summer single “Yunseul,” it had been nonstop.
“When we first signed, you were so picky.”
“Well, I trusted you would take care of everything.”
“I have been swamped myself, so you must have been worse.” Kim underlined the revised clauses for easy review. “Sorry I am late.”
“No worries. I forgot too.”
Indeed, he had completely blanked on it. He had come back from the dead, rewound time, and at first chose songwriting purely to make money for his family because it was what he did best.
Yet composing turned out to be fun, far more interesting than in his past life. He began chasing enjoyment rather than money.
Money followed on its own, so there was nothing to worry about.
Rustle.
As Hyunseung read through the contract—
“So, what do you think?”
Kim asked, clearly nervous.
“Hm…” A playful mood rose in Hyunseung. “I can feel the sincerity, but…”
He forced a sour expression just like the first time. “I guess my results still weren’t enough to satisfy upper management?”
“What are you talking about! Thanks to you, Team 2 topped the annual performance chart for the first time!”
Seeing Kim bristle in outrage, Hyunseung could not help laughing.
“Kidding, kidding.”
Wiping a tear of laughter, he said, “I like all the terms.”
“Are you trying to give me heart palpitations?”
“Maybe that is just the hangover,” he teased.
“You little—”
Mid-signature he glanced up. “By the way, shouldn’t you be putting ink on your own new contract, Manager Kim?”
“If you keep pushing, maybe I can sign a shiny new one by year-end.”
“I’ll keep delivering good songs, so if you push harder it might happen sooner.”
Kim pulled a face. “You never let me win.”
Then he added seriously, “Take a break for a while.”
“Suddenly?”
“The company will cover your vacation.”
He set another sheet on the table.
“With Hajun’s song blowing up and public opinion smiling on Jaeyi after that SNS post, you can relax. Take time off, refresh with your family.”
Hyunseung raised an eyebrow. “An SNS post?”
“It seems Jaeyi never checked the old messages before opening her official account. She had written diary-like notes longing for her parents. They struck a chord with people.”
He tapped his phone and slid it over.
“Quite touching,” Hyunseung murmured, scrolling.
“I could miss them to my heart’s content if I remembered, but I have no memories, so even longing is impossible. Do Mom and Dad remember me?”
“Why did you leave me alone in the world? Take me with you, do not let go of my hand.”
“I will succeed so spectacularly. Can you at least hug me once in my dreams and say you are proud? I miss the warmth of Mom’s arms.”
Yes, among those moved readers were surely himself and Hyuna. He recalled scribbling in a journal about his hazy memories of Mother, hiding it so Father would not be sad. Little sister, who remembered nothing, had once cried wanting to see Mom.
Kim shook his shoulder. “Hey, you listening? You okay?”
“Oh, just thinking.”
“So go rest, really rest. Spend time with your family or you’ll collapse.”
Suddenly Hyunseung shot to his feet.
Crash!
The chair tipped over.
“What on earth!”
Without a word he strode to the console and launched his software.
“Hyunseung…?”
His fingers began to fill tracks, moving faster than thought.
“If I start in the minor key here…”
The flood of inspiration was uncontrollable; he had to pour the notes into the sequencer.
Kim stared at the back of this mad scientist and sighed.
“Guess lunch together is off…”
He glanced at the contract still in his hand.
Even with unprecedentedly generous terms, the document now looked trivial. In front of a genius like this, any paper would seem small.
Yoon Jaeyi headed downtown to meet her best friend Kim Su-bin for the first time in ages.
“You’re impossible to catch these days.”
“Sorry, it’s been crazy.”
“Hey, at least I see you on TV all the time.”
Arm in arm they entered a café.
“Jae, what do you want to drink?”
“No, let me pay.”
“Ooh, buying coffee with that winner’s prize?”
Su-bin tucked her wallet away again. “I’ll take a hot milk tea!”
“Okay, grab a seat, I’ll order.”
Feeling proud to treat the friend who had always paid before, Yoon Jaeyi handed over her card.
“I’ll have one hot milk tea and one iced tea, please.”
Buzzer in hand she waited at the pickup counter.
“Huh?”
A girl her age pointed at her.
“The K-Singer Star winner?”
“Uh, yes.”
“Wow, you look amazing in real life.” The stranger whipped out her phone. “I’m a real fan, can we snap a selfie?”
“Of course.”
They posed, shutter clicked, the buzzer vibrated.
“Thank you, take care.”
Su-bin, watching from afar, poked her ribs when she returned.
“My friend’s a celebrity now.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Right, that was totally professional.”
Flushed crimson, Yoon Jaeyi gnawed her straw.
“So you signed that jeonse lease?”
“Yep! Even has a sink and a shower booth.”
“Hot water runs great?”
“Definitely. The place is spotless.”
The new apartment talk made her eyes sparkle; Su-bin beamed too.
Then a murmur drifted from a nearby table.
“That’s the girl who cheated to win K-Singer Star.”
“I read that article.”
“I knew that super-pass was fishy.”
“Bet her sob story is fake.”
“The writers probably made it up.”
Su-bin shot to her feet. “Those—”
“Wait, wait.” Yoon Jaeyi grabbed her sleeve. “Let’s ignore it.”
“How can you ignore lies like that?”
“They’re just baseless rumors.”
Su-bin pounded her chest in frustration. Yoon Jaeyi was always like this—letting things slide even if she got hurt.
“It’s okay, I have an agency now.”
She smiled; Su-bin could only nod.
Yes, with a company to protect her, she would not be dragged down by petty gossip. Better to spend that time practicing, repaying the fans who loved her.
Ding—
A message tone. Yoon Jaeyi’s eyes grew huge.
“Silly girl, you’re spilling your drink.”
She did not notice.
File attached: [ I_only_had_you_.mp4 ]
A text from HS with nothing but an audio file.
Maybe he sent it by mistake?
Ding—
Another message.
She sprayed her tea in shock.
“Jae, what is it?”
“How many days in a week…?”
“Huh?”
Because the second text read:
I’ll give you one week to prepare.
Just ten characters but enough to freeze her thoughts.
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