Lee Ye-eun
The day after his meeting with Kang Yu-na, Kim Se-jun went to see Lee Hae-jin and told him that he had changed his mind.
"You want to do the duet with Yu-na after all?"
"Yes. I'm sorry for going back on my word. Would that be all right?"
At Kim Se-jun's cautious expression, Lee Hae-jin burst into a hearty laugh.
"Of course it's all right. We haven't signed any contracts. People are allowed to change their minds. But why the sudden change of heart?"
"Yu-na told me not to rush."
Oho.
It was only a handful of words, but Lee Hae-jin understood their meaning perfectly. It was the same advice he himself had wanted to give Kim Se-jun.
I got greedy too.
Knowing Kim Se-jun's talent, he had let his own ambition run ahead of him. Maybe, he had thought, Kim Se-jun could afford to hurry a little.
Yu-na's no ordinary girl either.
His adorable junior. But thinking of Kang Yu-na, who was anything but ordinary, Lee Hae-jin smiled brightly.
"All right. If that's what you want, we're on board. I've said it before, but I think this opportunity will be a huge help to you."
"Then..."
Kim Se-jun's eyes sparkled, and Lee Hae-jin nodded.
"Well, we'll have to talk it over with Kean Entertainment, but consider it moving forward."
"Thank you!"
"Don't mention it. I didn't do anything. And... it's about time we wind down the promotions for Lotus."
"Ah..."
Kim Se-jun let out a sigh of genuine regret. Lotus currently sat at number nine — his debut song, which had climbed all the way into the top ten. As a first release, he had grown quite attached to it, but he nodded all the same.
It had been four months since Lotus came out. The song was already stamped deep into the public's memory. Even without further promotions, it wouldn't drop off the charts anytime soon. Still, a lingering ache remained that he had never quite reached number one.
"Feeling disappointed?"
As if he had read Kim Se-jun's mind, Lee Hae-jin smiled faintly. Caught with his feelings laid bare, Kim Se-jun gave an embarrassed laugh and nodded.
"Yes. A little. I thought I could make it to number one."
"It was a run that would make anyone greedy. But what's more important for you right now is that the public has come to recognize you as a singer. That's what matters."
Lee Hae-jin patted his shoulder in consolation.
"Kids with as much personality as you — once the public notices them, they don't forget easily. So don't get too impatient, like Yu-na said. Honestly, your performance has been outstanding for a rookie. It's still early, but if the duet with Yu-na goes well... Rookie of the Year isn't just a dream."
"...!"
There were any number of year-end music festivals, but there was only one ceremony that actually handed out awards to singers. It had been created to commemorate cultural exchange among Asian nations as Korean music expanded beyond the continent and out into the world.
The Asian K-POP Awards.
True to its scale, it put on massive performances every year, and the venue was never limited to Korea. Seoul, Macau, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai — a sprawling awards show that traveled across major cities abroad. The thought of standing on that stage made Kim Se-jun's hair stand on end.
"Gives you chills just imagining it, doesn't it?"
"Yes. It would be incredible."
He had thought performing at college festivals was enough to make his adrenaline explode. What would it feel like to perform there? He could barely picture it.
"So set the disappointment aside and focus on what's ahead. To win Rookie of the Year, the duet with Yu-na has to succeed at least as well as Lotus."
"Yes. I understand!"
The disappointment lasted only a moment. Vitality seemed to surge through Kim Se-jun's entire body.
"Good. We'll need to coordinate schedules with Kean first. Take a break for now. Even if I tell you to rest, it'll only be about two weeks."
"Two weeks?"
At Kim Se-jun's deflated voice, Lee Hae-jin answered firmly.
"Rest well while you can. Once the duet with Yu-na starts, you won't be able to rest even if you want to. Get everything you want to do out of your system now. You won't be able to later."
"Hmm... Yes. I understand."
Kim Se-jun nodded at Lee Hae-jin's advice, and once the conversation was over, he stepped outside.
Rest while you can...
But what was he supposed to do with the rest?
"Ah... I'm so bored."
Sprawled across his bed at home, Kim Se-jun muttered to the ceiling. A long-awaited rest. He had been running nonstop since the regression — joining Ares Music, writing songs, debuting, appearing on broadcasts, going out on performances.
"Haa. Still a week left."
For a week he had rested quite leisurely, working off the fatigue that had piled up. But the thought of having to loaf around for another whole week made him groan. Even in his previous life, Kim Se-jun had been the type to keep running without rest. Not because anyone pushed him — because he loved the path he was on. Playing the gayageum had been both his livelihood and his hobby.
"Ah, maybe I should go watch some busking."
After mulling it over for a while, he sprang up from the bed. Coincidentally, today was Friday. A Friday night — there would be plenty of street performances going on.
"And I might get to see Lee Ye-eun again."
The girl who had led him into the world of being a fan. The thought of seeing her after so long made his heart flutter for no particular reason. Having made up his mind, Kim Se-jun hurried to get ready to go out.
May evenings brought a pleasant cool breeze. Crowds poured out onto the streets because of it, and Kim Se-jun headed out with a bucket hat pulled low over his face. His recent activities hadn't been for nothing — plenty of people recognized him now, so a disguise was essential.
It's a hassle, but moments like this, when I actually feel like a celebrity, are still pretty rare.
He chuckled and walked on at a leisurely pace.
"This feels a lot like when I first regressed."
Back then, too, it had been October, with a pleasant breeze just like this. The fact that seven months had already passed since his regression made Kim Se-jun realize just how hard he had been running.
"It was around here, wasn't it?"
The place where he had discovered Lee Ye-eun's stage. The song that had instantly captured his ears and become the catalyst for him joining Ares Music — this was where he had heard it. But unlike then, there was no sign of Lee Ye-eun, and Kim Se-jun tilted his head.
"The audition program hasn't even started airing yet... Did she change locations?"
When the girl he had been hoping to see was nowhere in sight, he couldn't hide his disappointment. As he wandered the area, watching other buskers out of lingering regret, he spotted a young woman struggling to carry a keyboard.
Lee Ye-eun!
She arrived at her spot, barely managing to haul a keyboard half her size, then let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from her forehead. It was the Lee Ye-eun he had been looking for. Color returned to Kim Se-jun's face as she set up, and he quickly found a spot in front of her.
Long black hair. Elongated eyes without double eyelids. Some had praised those eyes as the very picture of Eastern beauty — they were that captivating.
I fell for those eyes too...
The charming eye-smile she made when she performed on stage had made Kim Se-jun her fan in an instant. And he wasn't the only one who had fallen for her — a fair number of people had already gathered around, waiting for her set, watching her with expectant eyes.
Has she gotten pretty popular in the meantime?
The crowd already waiting before she had even started performing made Kim Se-jun smile with satisfaction. It was proof that her worth was beginning to shine in the world.
"Hello... I'm Lee Ye-eun..."
Having finished setting up, Lee Ye-eun spoke into the microphone. Applause rose from the crowd, and she smiled faintly.
"The song I'll be singing is..."
The rest was cut off as the microphone glitched. With a brief greeting, she placed her hands on the keyboard, and the busking began. Kim Se-jun slowly closed his eyes and savored her singing.
On the day the lotus bloomed, I saw you for the first time.
Huh?
Her voice and the keyboard, coming through a cheap amp. Kim Se-jun broke into a bright smile, finding it delightful.
It's Lotus.
Not the version Lee Jin-ah had sung — his own version of Lotus. Hearing Lee Ye-eun sing that song, Kim Se-jun felt an indescribable thrill.
So this is what it feels like.
The feeling of someone else singing his song. Before the regression, Kim Se-jun had always been the one singing other people's songs. This was the first time he had felt this. It was strange — a feeling of pride mixed with a chest full of excitement. And the one singing it was Lee Ye-eun, of all people.
This is nice. Really nice.
The corners of Kim Se-jun's mouth stretched to his ears. What more did you need from a rest?
This is what rest is.
Pleasant weather, and his favorite singer covering his own song. It was the perfect vacation.
"Haa... Thank you."
After singing quite a few songs following Lotus, Lee Ye-eun finished her last number, catching her breath as she bowed, and Kim Se-jun beamed. It had been worth staying until the end.
Her skills have improved so much.
She had made remarkable progress since he had first heard her sing. Not just her breathing and vocal technique — compared to how tense she had been back then, she now had a newfound ease about her.
The audition isn't far off. Is that old potential starting to show?
The potential that had captivated Lee Hae-jin. It felt like that potential was just about to bloom.
We'll be labelmates soo— wait.
The thought of becoming colleagues at the same agency made Kim Se-jun pause as he was about to turn and leave.
Do I really have to wait for the broadcast?
Kim Se-jun ran a hand over his lips, lost in thought. The audition program wouldn't air for about another year. Did he really need to just watch her for that entire year? Wouldn't it be better for her to join Ares Music and build her skills further?
She might become an even better singer than she was before the regression.
He didn't hold a casting position, but he could at least recommend her to Lee Hae-jin.
The boss would sign her on the spot if he saw her.
Lee Hae-jin had been desperate to recruit her even on the audition program. Would his reaction be any different just because this was a simple street performance? Besides, whether it was an audition show or a direct tryout, the process was similar.
All right. Let's give it a shot.
Having made up his mind, Kim Se-jun smiled with satisfaction and slowly approached Lee Ye-eun.
"Excuse me."
"...Yes?"
Lee Ye-eun turned at Kim Se-jun's call, her expression uneasy.
Oops.
A well-built man with his face hidden by a bucket hat, suddenly speaking to her. Even he had to admit it was a situation that would scare anyone. Noticing the anxiety toward him filling her trembling eyes, Kim Se-jun quickly took off his hat.
"Ah, I'm not a suspicious person. I'm..."
It was a shame he didn't have a business card at times like this — and yet remarkable that his face itself served as one.
"Kim Se-jun. You... you know me, right?"
She had covered his song, so she must know his face.
"...! K-Kim Se-jun!"
His guess wasn't wrong — Lee Ye-eun cried out his name in a voice mixed with a scream. Startled, she clapped both hands over her mouth and stamped her feet in place.
"H-how?!"
She ducked her head and covered her face with her hands, the skin visible through her fingers flushed bright red.
"Um... Ye-eun?"
"Y-yes..."
She answered in a dying whisper, apparently both shocked and mortified, and Kim Se-jun scratched one cheek with a finger.
Was she always this shy?
She had always been known for being painfully timid, but she was even more embarrassed than he had imagined.
"I really enjoyed your singing."
"Th-thank you..."
At his words, Lee Ye-eun's face turned even redder, and Kim Se-jun smiled faintly.
"I mean it. I never expected you'd cover my song so well. Thank you for covering it."
Not a shred of falsehood. At his words, Lee Ye-eun's ears turned even more scarlet.
"The song is just so good... my skills aren't enough..."
A voice that seemed to crawl along the ground. But at Kim Se-jun's next words, her voice rang out crystal-clear.
"...Whaaat!???"