Chapter 64: "An Invitation?"

Honestly, it didn't really appeal to me.

These days, it was all about self-promotion. Sure, a producer could make a living just selling songs to singers... but there was no law saying producers couldn't show their faces everywhere. Composers could release their own full albums, or even go on totally unrelated variety shows to sell laughs. Floating my name out there—right now, with the timing perfect, it was standard practice to plaster my face across every channel flip, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠etching it into people's minds.

But I was tired.

It felt like my energy had been quietly drained without me noticing. I wanted at least a week to recharge and map out my plans ahead...

"P-please don't turn it down."

Thankfully, it wasn't some variety show that dragged on for hours of filming. A radio program where my face wouldn't even show? That might be doable.

But still. "I don't have anything to talk about on there. Plus..."

I'd never even listened deeply to A Pleasant Afternoon with Hwang Sun-young.

"Why wouldn't you have stories to share? You've got tons. Like the Supreme Beat Contest this time, and... and... how you got involved in the show, how the prize money and car got split with Black Label. How you discovered Black Label in the first place..."

And besides, the stories I'd have to tell weren't even fully about me. They were all about Black Label.

I knew they'd be selective with schedules as long as G&X was holding out, but wasn't this too pushy?

The thought that trying it once might not be so bad vanished. All that was left was a polite refusal.

"No thanks."

"Ahh, Composer-nim! Please. Please..."

Did the head writer lay down the law or something? Oh Seo-young grabbed my hands tight with both of hers.

I was getting the earnest plea, but come on—writers like her pulled this all the time. One "Sure, I'll do it," and they'd flip their expression in a heartbeat. Best to soothe her nicely and send her on her way.

"If you just need Supreme Beat Contest fodder, this guy's not a bad pick either."

"Huh?"

I placed both hands on Kim Min-hyuk's shoulders. Right on cue, he whipped off his bucket hat, shoulders squaring up with a dignified expression.

"Haha, I told you not to drag me into this, Hyun-woo. You'll scare the writer again~."

Kim Min-hyuk extended a handshake toward Oh Seo-young, who was still clutching my hand.

"Hey there. Kim Min-hyuk, aka Bitboy, judge from the Supreme Beat Contest."

"Uh... uh..."

"That's right. Uh... you're finally recognizing me. Fair enough."

Kim Min-hyuk glanced at the bucket hat that had covered his whole face, but that was just an excuse. He had no choice—show the face, or no one knows he's a judge. He'd propped up other judges so much that by the end, he had fewer solo shots than PD Jo Young-soo.

"Bitboy, Kim Min-hyuk here. Our Hyun-woo's still shy and camera-shy... solo guest is tough. But using me instead? Not bad at all. What do ya say? Wathahahahaha."

Kim Min-hyuk leaned against the partition and dangled the carrot.

"Need Black Label sauce? How about this: my thoughts judging Black Label. An exclusive scoop you can only unpack on A Pleasant Afternoon with Hwang Sun-young."

"...Exclusive?"

Oh Seo-young's eyes spun. They sparkled like stars embedded in her pupils.

Hey, told you—they're all the same.

Better this way. Attention-hog Kim Min-hyuk would make for more entertaining airtime.

"Hmm, that's not bad..."

The material alone warranted an instant OK, but Oh Seo-young hesitated over Kim Min-hyuk. Then she shook her head.

"No. I need Falcon."

After shaking hands with Bitboy, she grabbed my hand again.

"I need you. Only Falcon can resolve this listener story."

"Listener story?"

***

I picked up a well-peeled squid leg. Oh Seo-young opened her mouth.

As she chewed the squid, she spilled the tale.

"There's this one kid. Seems really sick."

Vague speculation followed. Not someone she knew well.

"Stuck in the hospital every day, but after watching the Supreme Beat Contest, they got a ton of courage."

I listened silently. It hit heavy from the first line.

Gratitude took a backseat; my first thought was relief.

"We heard the story and contacted Black Label right away. And... yeah, as you're thinking, they turned us down. Couldn't push too hard because... um..."

Oh Seo-young twirled the leftover squid leg.

"The kid hasn't messaged since. No idea which hospital, boy or girl, student or adult. We know nothing. Just this one thing we got."

As if she'd almost forgotten, she rummaged in her bag. A printout of an internet board post.

Oh Seo-young handed it to me. No need for embellishment—it was exactly as she'd said.

A short post not even worth a three-line summary. Oh Seo-young let out a deep, inexplicable sigh. She glanced at Kim Min-hyuk and me.

"What do you think?"

What did I think? Oh Seo-young wiped mayo from her mouth.

"You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠see this as some random prank too, Mr. Seo Hyun-woo?"

"A prank?"

Kim Min-hyuk bristled. He'd already emotionally invested in this brief tale.

"Who'd prank with something like this?"

Even to his earnest question, Oh Seo-young was firm.

She chuckled lightly—maybe finding Kim Min-hyuk's outrage cute, the kind of thing broadcast vets breeze past.

"Tons."

"Tons?"

"Yeah. How many people submit to New Year's Literary Contests for sponsored vacuums or department store vouchers? This is cute by comparison."

She tapped the table.

"Because this one didn't spam personal info. That's common."

Like café cup neglect or tissue carnage, she quietly shredded the squid into bits.

"Someone snags a vacuum claiming their kid's deathly ill, then hotel vouchers pretending they're sick. Check addresses—they're the same. Sloppy ones, anyway. Pros have multiple shipping addresses. Real scammers suck."

She chewed a shredded squid piece.

"So many do it, even seniors fall for it at first. We figured this was just another half-assed scam kid. But..."

She shook her head.

"I don't think so. A real scammer would've at least put a phone or address in the info section."

"Nothing?"

She nodded at my question.

"Nada. And soon after, search showed the account deleted."

"Could be real?"

She nodded at Kim Min-hyuk, adding,

"Yeah. If it's real, the kid's probably still listening. That's why I wanted to book you directly, Mr. Seo..."

Hmm.

"Real or not, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wouldn't it be better to keep pitching Black Label?"

"Hey, Hyun-woo, didn't you hear? They got shot down."

"Sure, but more importantly—look here."

Oh Seo-young pointed to a line in the printout.

"'How do you make songs like this?' Black Label matters, but this kid probably wants to see you too, Composer-nim."

"If so, lucky them."

Oh Seo-young gave a wry smile.

"So you'll come on?"

***

I hailed a taxi. Kim Min-hyuk asked,

"So, you doing it?"

"The radio?"

"Yeah. Listening to her, it hit me—maybe they're working us."

"Working us?"

"Scam for prizes, right? Radio folks could be scamming us too. Same deal. Kid's there, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠'come once,' and they can't even find the sender. Account deleted."

"How can you say that about people, hyung?"

Just now he'd been raging over the sad story with me. Now doubting if Oh Seo-young was lying outright.

"Hyun-woo. Don't trust anyone in this world. You're the only one living it. Focus on you. Black-haired beasts? Don't trust 'em."

"You call me out today just to say that?"

"Nah, had something important."

"What?"

"But the mood's ruined. Thanks to that radio writer Oh-whatever."

I turned to Kim Min-hyuk.

"So, what'd you wanna say?"

He cleared his throat. "Ahem. Damn, not the place, but time's short."

He grabbed my neck, pulling me close.

"Seo Hyun-woo, from today, be my partner!"

"Huh?"

"Starting a company. Producer-focused. Want you as employee number one. We know each other well, click great. Thought G&X stole you, but nah."

He grinned.

"Can't match G&X cash, but top pay for a newbie composer..."

"Sorry."

"Huh?"

"Gonna go solo. For now, and foreseeable future. I know you're a good guy."

I knew better than anyone Kim Min-hyuk was solid.

But my path wasn't just success. It was smashing G&X.

And I didn't want to drag innocents along. I'd take the fallout alone.

"Plus, hyung."

"Yeah?"

"I'm doing the radio."

"Huh?"

"Feels real."