An Uneasy Hunch

"The song's pretty good."

The corner of Lee Hae-jin's mouth curled upward.

It was the night Kang Yu-na and Kim Se-jun had pulled an all-nighter together. The two of them had spent a full twenty-four hours side by side and finished the song.

"I'm satisfied with it too."

Kim Se-jun smiled back at Lee Hae-jin's words.

We worked so hard for this...

The memory of that day surfaced, and Kim Se-jun's face went pale. He was no slouch himself when it came to work. But Kang Yu-na was a perfectionist beyond even that.

I've never met anyone that relentless in my life...

Just thinking about her tenacity made him shake his head. Work that should have been done in half a day had taken twice as long because of her.

"It's good. And your name's going on it as a composer too, right?"

"Yes. And it looks like we'll be co-writing the lyrics as well."

"Nice. Well done, Se-jun."

Copyright. That was income you couldn't ignore. And it was a fine opportunity to raise his name another notch as a singer-songwriter. Trust in Kim Se-jun had been stacking up day after day.

"Watching you handle everything on your own like that, I feel proud. But..."

The pleased smile he had been wearing for Kim Se-jun faded, and Lee Hae-jin's expression turned deliberately grave. Seeing that suddenly rigid face, Kim Se-jun asked in a puzzled tone.

"What's wrong?"

"You haven't gotten into any trouble, have you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, not necessarily now. In the past, when you were younger — did you ever get into any kind of trouble?"

The question came out of nowhere. For a moment he wondered ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Lee Hae-jin was joking, but the man's face was far too serious for that.

How many people could really claim they had lived a spotless life? Honestly, how many men hadn't thrown a punch or two with their friends as kids? But he hadn't lived a life that would cause any major legal or moral problems, either.

"Nothing I can remember right now. Is there some kind of issue?"

When he asked carefully, Lee Hae-jin let out a long sigh and waved a hand.

"No. If there isn't, that's fine. There's a rumor going around lately. Word is someone's been digging into your past."

"What?"

A hollow laugh escaped him. Why him, all of a sudden?

"You're a proper singer now, so of course reporters are going to latch on. Don't worry too much. Paparazzi come with the territory. If it gets too bad, we'll handle it."

"Ah... yes. Understood."

Kim Se-jun nodded as if he understood.

Being a celebrity is exhausting, huh.

It wasn't as though there had been any physical contact or actual harm, but the thought of someone watching him did not sit well. Especially if they were hunting for his weak spots.

"And Se-jun."

Lee Hae-jin called his name in a grave voice, as if he wasn't finished.

"Yes, sir."

"...Yes. I'll keep that in mind."

How many fallen stars had he watched — people who had reigned in the heavens, only to plummet in a single instant? Lee Hae-jin, who had been in the music industry for a long time, would know their miserable ends better than anyone.

There were plenty of celebrities who went down in a flash...

If he included his memories from before the regression, the fallen celebrities were too many to count on his fingers. And among them, one singer was burned particularly deep into his mind. How much had his heart ached, watching that man's downfall.

Lim Tae-hyun. A man who had gone from a singer-songwriter Se-jun had admired to a heinous criminal.

Kim Se-jun left Lee Hae-jin's office unable to shake the uneasy feeling. The sense that someone was investigating him. Even now, it felt as though someone was watching him from somewhere.

"Hoo..."

With a long sigh, Kim Se-jun pulled an old business card from his wallet.

The reporter who had interviewed him when he released his first album. Kim Se-jun still kept her card carefully tucked away.

Would this be too rude?

They hadn't even exchanged a casual greeting since then. Suddenly asking a favor after all that felt awkward.

"I can just give her another interview later."

After a brief hesitation, Kim Se-jun picked up his phone and dialed the number printed on the card.

"Hello?"

"Ah. Hello? Reporter Kang Su-ji?"

"Yes, that's me. Who is this?"

"Ah, this is Kim Se-jun. We did an interview a few months ago."

The moment Kim Se-jun finished speaking, an exclamation burst through the phone.

"Ah! Se-jun. It's been a while. First of all, congratulations. Your debut was a real success."

Kang Su-ji's voice lifted, and it was obvious she was glad to hear from him.

"Thank you. I'm sorry to call out of the blue like this, but could I ask you for a favor?"

"A favor?"

Curiosity filled Kang Su-ji's voice as she prompted him.

Doesn't sound like she's against it.

"Yes. I have something to ask of you. Of course, I'll compensate you properly."

"Between us? Don't worry about compensation. Just give me another interview later. What's the favor?"

Her answer was so refreshingly straightforward that Kim Se-jun quickly stated his purpose before she could change her mind.

"Would you be able to find out if there's a reporter digging into my past?"

"Digging into your past... You mean paparazzi?"

"I'm not sure if it goes as far as paparazzi, but I heard there's a rumor going around."

At his words, Kang Su-ji's voice fell silent.

"...Honestly, since you've risen so fast, a lot of people are curious about you. But it's not at the level of digging into your past. It might not feel great to hear, but frankly, you're not at that level yet."

A remark as sharp as a blade. And it was true. He had achieved some results, but he hadn't immediately joined the ranks of top stars.

"No, that's true. That's actually why it bothers me more."

"Hmm... I'm a little intrigued myself. All right. I'll look into it. In exchange, once you start promoting, another interview, okay?"

"That's a promise."

With Kang Su-ji's satisfied laugh, he hung up, and Kim Se-jun sank into thought.

He could have dismissed it as nothing. Celebrities were public figures. To reporters, a public figure's flaws were as good as a wad of cash, and they could rummage through the past the way one ransacked a treasure vault.

"But something about this feels off..."

That was why he had even asked Kang Su-ji. In case some unforeseen disaster might happen. It might have been an overreaction.

But tap even a stone bridge before you cross it. That was one of his favorite old sayings.

"Joo-sung."

"Yes, Hyung-nim."

"Has there been anyone suspicious lately?"

"Excuse me?"

Lee Joo-sung, who was driving toward Kean Entertainment, asked with startled eyes.

"No. I just wondered if anyone's been asking about me lately."

Seeing how serious he looked, Lee Joo-sung didn't answer easily. He thought for a long while, then replied carefully.

"Not that I remember, Hyung-nim."

"Yeah? All right."

With that answer they arrived at their destination, and once Lee Joo-sung finished parking, Kim Se-jun got out and spoke again.

"If anyone suspicious shows up, or anyone asking about me, make sure you remember them."

"Yes, understood!"

Watching Lee Joo-sung speak in that firm voice, he nodded in satisfaction. Ever since Lee Ye-eun had become a trainee at Ares Music, the man followed Se-jun's every word without question. He would have believed him even if Se-jun claimed you could squeeze soybeans back out of a brick of meju.

That's a real one, right there.

Smiling at the man's reliable presence, Kim Se-jun headed inside.

He made ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his way to the recording studio, and when he went in, Kang Yu-na was already recording. She was belting it out inside the booth, and a man was producing at the desk outside. Neither of them so much as glanced at him as he entered, both completely absorbed.

Not wanting to interrupt a recording already well underway, Kim Se-jun crouched in a corner for quite a while. Then Kang Yu-na came out of the booth and approached him.

"Oppa. Why are you sitting like that?"

She looked at him with curious eyes, as if finding it strange that he was watching from the corner.

"You two were concentrating. I didn't want to break the flow."

"Ahh... Let me introduce you. This is our company's producer. Jin-woo oppa."

"I'm Oh Jin-woo."

At her words, the man bowed at the waist with a pleasant smile. A handsome man who looked to be in his late twenties at most. He had a clean-cut freshness about him that lifted your spirits just looking at him.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Se-jun."

"Ah. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠know. I'm a real fan. I heard your songs and I was genuinely blown away."

Kim Se-jun smiled faintly at the pleasant compliment.

"Thank you. I've heard a lot about you too, Jin-woo."

"Oh. I'm grateful just to hear you say that."

He seemed to take it as empty courtesy and laughed it off, but Kim Se-jun had actually heard his name countless times.

A genius producer. The other half of the equation behind countless hit songs, having produced most of Kang Yu-na's tracks. A producer whose skill, far beyond his young age, made every singer want to work with him. In the future, he would even appear on broadcasts a few times, winning over many fans with his handsome face and manners.

"I was going to take a short break from my part anyway. Want to record your part, oppa?"

"Is that all right?"

Kim Se-jun asked carefully, worried he might have broken the flow, and Oh Jin-woo shook his head.

"Not at all. I was just thinking Yu-na's concentration was slipping a bit anyway. If you're ready, Se-jun, we can go straight into recording."

Kim Se-jun nodded at Oh Jin-woo's words. He had already warmed up his voice plenty on the way over.

"Then let's start right away."

Kim Se-jun stepped into the recording booth, leaned into the microphone, and opened his mouth.

"Can you hear me?"

Seeing Kim Se-jun nod instead of answering, Oh Jin-woo spoke again.

"We'll start recording from the second verse. Just five measures."

Kim Se-jun nodded once more, and Oh Jin-woo played back the recorded track. As the gentle melody of danso, haegeum, and taepyeongso unfurled, Kim Se-jun slowly opened his mouth.

"...!"

"Wow..."

Oh Jin-woo's eyes went wide, and Kang Yu-na let out a gasp. They knew Kim Se-jun's voice well — that slightly husky, distinctive timbre of his. But what they were hearing now was far more unusual than the vocal style they knew.

No. Not unusual — it's rough.

A rough voice. Almost like a hoarse one. And yet it was not an unpleasant sound. It was a voice thick with grief, the kind that reached in and stirred something in the chest. His emotional delivery, as mournful as a father who had truly lost his child.

This is insane...

He had worked with Kang Yu-na, who was called a genius, more times than he could count. He was confident he wouldn't so much as blink at ordinary skill. But what he had just heard from Kim Se-jun was a considerable shock.

"Um... Jin-woo?"

Even after the promised five measures of recording were done, Oh Jin-woo said nothing, so Kim Se-jun called out to him — and Oh Jin-woo hurriedly shouted.

"Se-jun! Straight through! We're going all the way, straight through! This is perfect right now!"

Watching Oh Jin-woo make a fuss at the top of his voice, Kim Se-jun let out a small laugh. He didn't even need to go straight through, honestly. He was overflowing with confidence that he could sing it this well no matter how many times he tried.

He could swear it. There was no one in all of Korea who understood the heart of Sim Bongsa — the blind father of the old pansori tale — better than he did.