The Ares Music Concert
"Next month's concert... Ah!"
Kim Se-jun, who had been frowning in confusion at Lee Hae-jin's words, suddenly gasped.
How could he have been so thickheaded? How had he forgotten about that?
It was the event every Ares Music fan waited for with bated breath.
"You mean the Ares Concert, right?"
Lee Hae-jin nodded, a pleased smile warming his face.
The Ares Concert. Every other year, Ares Music put on a show of its own. It was hardly a stadium-scale production, but it was popular enough — a concert that drew at least a few thousand people.
I'd completely forgotten.
It was a performance he had attended more times than he could count, back before the regression. Nearly every singer under Ares Music took the stage and performed their own songs. It was the reason the agency's fans counted down the days until year's end. The concert ran once every two years, and this happened to be a performance year.
"We're looking forward to this one ourselves. Jin-ah's come a long way, of course — but so have you. You've grown in a way that's hard to ignore."
Ha Dong-jun grinned from ear to ear as he said it, and Lee Hae-jin silently agreed.
Kim Se-jun's growth had been steep enough that no one could dismiss it. Most people spent a lifetime hoping for a single hit. Kim Se-jun had already released two this year alone.
Hard to believe he's only been debuted a year.
Even idols riding the full-throttle push of a major agency rarely pulled off numbers like these. Those companies popped champagne when a first-year idol posted results this strong. In Ares Music's position, they could have set off fireworks and still felt it wasn't enough. Thanks to Se-jun's run, the company itself had grown considerably. The scale of this year's concert, compared with the one two years ago, said it all.
"Where's the show being held?"
"We've already booked Olympic Hall at Olympic Park. Tickets go on sale the day after tomorrow."
That's bigger than I expected.
Kim Se-jun was more than a little startled. Every Ares Music Concert he remembered had been held at Children's Grand Park Wapop Hall. Olympic Hall was a considerably larger venue.
"How many people are you expecting?"
Ha Dong-jun held up three fingers.
"At least three thousand, I'd say. If things go well, we could even hit four thousand."
Wow...
Kim Se-jun's eyes went wide; he made no effort to hide his surprise. Four thousand people. The Ares Music Concerts he had attended before the regression had topped out at around two thousand. The scale had doubled.
Is that because of me?
The concert had more than doubled in size compared with his memories. The only thing that had changed was his own existence.
"You've seen what people are saying online, right? That Kim Se-jun's stage is something you have to see live. Thanks to that, expectations for this concert have blown past anything we planned for. That's why we moved it from Wapop Hall to Olympic Hall. Even so, I wouldn't be surprised if every ticket sells out the day after tomorrow."
Just as I thought...
Kim Se-jun nodded at the pride in Ha Dong-jun's voice. His guess had been right. Lotus had slipped in the rankings, but it was still hanging on on the music charts. And Simcheongga was still planted firmly at number one. Two hit songs. Add to that the word of mouth that had spread from events like the Room Concert and from the playing and singing he had shown on broadcast stages, and Kim Se-jun had become, almost before he realized it, one of Ares Music's most prominent artists.
"It is a concert, but don't overthink it. Just be the way you always are onstage. That's more than enough."
Lee Hae-jin offered the words generously, in case Se-jun might be getting nervous.
"Yes, sir. I understand."
Kim Se-jun answered with a small smile.
The way I always am, huh...
He had said he understood. But this was still his first official concert. Doing it the usual way felt like too much of a waste.
Just as Ha Dong-jun had predicted, the concert sold out in a heartbeat. Every ticket was gone in less than a day, and the internet filled with the groaning of people who had come up empty.
Demand was overflowing. And yet not a single person was selling. Everyone's hopes for this concert were simply too high.
Time slipped forward into November, and Kim Se-jun left the studio apartment he had grown so attached to and moved into a new place — a detached house in Seongnam. It suited him well. What pleased him most of all was that it came with a studio of his own. The room, every wall lined with soundproofing, was certain to be a tremendous help in the work ahead.
"It'll be a good place to practice for the concert, too."
Smiling to himself, Kim Se-jun glanced around the space — then something occurred to him, and he pulled out his phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Se-jun."
"Hi, Dad. I finished moving."
Kim Chang-yong — his father, and by now his biggest fan as well. They traded a few ordinary updates before Se-jun got around to the reason he had called.
"Oh, and Dad — keep the twenty-ninth of November free. Come up to Seoul that day."
"Seoul? What for?"
"I've got a concert then. It's a company concert, and I'm performing. I want you and Mom to come up and watch."
"Oh! Of course I'll be there!"
Kim Chang-yong's voice lit up without reservation. His proud son. These days he could barely walk down the street without hearing the boy's songs pouring out of every speaker. They were popular songs, yes — but they carried the sound of the gayageum he himself had taught. Every time he heard them, his chest swelled. His son on a stage. A crowd roaring for him. How fiercely would his heart burn, seeing that with his own eyes?
"Wouldn't miss it for the world. November twenty-ninth, you said? I'll tell your mother."
"Got it, Dad."
He hung up, rolled his neck, and headed for his studio.
"No time to sit around."
His parents were coming. He could not put on a sorry show.
November twenty-ninth. The day of the Ares Music Concert.
From early morning, Olympic Hall seethed with people.
"Sound check on number three, please!"
"Number three's already been checked!"
"What about the lights? Did anyone look at the lights? I thought someone said they weren't coming on properly earlier!"
"Checking them now!"
"We've got to get this right."
Staff hurried in every direction, pouring everything they had into the final checks before the show. And off in a corner, Kim Se-jun stood looking out over the seats, letting out a long breath.
"Hoo..."
Four thousand seats. They stretched away from him like an open ocean. His first concert. Not a solo show — but a performance in front of four thousand people all the same. Sweat beaded on his palms.
I'm more nervous than I thought...
Tension and excitement tangled together. He drew another breath to settle them — and someone clapped him on the back.
"What are you doing over here?"
"Ah — boss."
Lee Hae-jin looked nothing like his usual self. Makeup, hair done — he had been put together for the stage.
"Oh, I was just looking around."
He tried to sound casual, but Lee Hae-jin only smiled, as if he understood perfectly.
"First concert. Bound to be a little shaky."
Caught so cleanly, Kim Se-jun gave an awkward laugh and admitted it.
"Yes. It's my first time, so I'm a bit nervous."
Lee Hae-jin turned toward the seats. He looked out over the empty hall and spoke.
"I envy you, Se-jun."
"Sir?"
The remark made no sense. Kim Se-jun asked again, and Lee Hae-jin slipped into memory.
"I did my first concert fifteen years ago. I still remember it like it was yesterday."
"..."
"I've done a lot of shows since then, but the one that thrilled me the most — the one that sent a real shiver through me — was that first concert. It was the first time I ever felt my emotions lock into place with thousands of people in the room. It drives you a little insane, you know. Thousands of faces looking up at you, listening to your song, feeling exactly what you feel."
"Ah..."
Even hearing it described was enough to pull a sound of wonder from him.
"I've done plenty of performances since, but nothing has ever been quite as electric as that first one. So just enjoy it. Don't worry so much. It'll be more fun than you think."
His gaze, which had been turned toward the seats, found Kim Se-jun again. Se-jun bowed deeply at the waist.
"Thank you, sir."
"Don't mention it. And I hear you prepared something extra for this concert?"
Lee Hae-jin asked it with a small smile.
"Yes. It's my first show. I figured there ought to be at least one little surprise."
"See, that's what I mean — you really are built for the stage. You impressive bastard. Yeah. I like that. I'm looking forward to it myself."
With that, Lee Hae-jin turned and walked away. Kim Se-jun looked out over the empty seats once more. The scene Lee Hae-jin had just described — even imagining it sent a shiver racing through him.
Once the preparations were finished, rehearsals began.
The first rehearsal belonged to Lee Hae-jin, CEO of Ares Music. Watching him from the floor, Kim Se-jun put up a thumb.
Wow...
Had he forgotten the man was a singer, just because he usually only saw the executive? Standing on that stage and singing, Lee Hae-jin was a spectacle. The seats were empty — and yet his rehearsal was so complete it created the illusion that Olympic Hall was packed to the walls, every bit the equal of a real performance.
Of course...
One of the handful of singers in Korea ever to be called a genius. He proved the title as he played with the song, riding high notes and low ones as freely as he pleased. Even in rehearsal he refused to phone it in, delivering a stage that came close to perfect. When he came down, Kim Se-jun met him with applause.
"That was incredible, sir."
"Oof. I'm out of practice. That took it out of me."
He made a show of complaining, but his face was full of a satisfied smile. CEO or not, he was a singer first — a man happiest when he was on a stage, singing.
"What are you talking about? My ears just had a feast."
Lee Hae-jin snorted at the flattery.
"Enough. Anyway — are you ready?"
"Yes. Ellic, Jang Jun, and Jin-ah will rehearse, and then I go on."
"Good. And that surprise you mentioned — you're showing it in rehearsal too?"
"Of course."
"All right. I'll have to watch, then. See just how impressive this surprise of yours is."
Kim Se-jun waved both hands at that.
"It's not anything that dramatic. Just something a little fun to look at."
"Oho... noted. Noted. I'm going to go watch the others rehearse."
"Yes, sir."
Lee Hae-jin headed for the seats, and the other singers' rehearsals rolled on. Ellic's set overflowed with energy; Jang Jun's was smooth and soft. Lee Hae-jin offered notes as they went. Before long Lee Jin-ah, who was on just ahead of Se-jun, had finished as well, and it was Kim Se-jun's turn.
He climbed onto the stage. From the seats, Lee Hae-jin watched with open curiosity. That little surprise Se-jun had mentioned.
"...!"
The instant Kim Se-jun's rehearsal began, Lee Hae-jin's eyes went wide.
"Oho..."
The sound of wonder left his mouth on its own. A stage like that would certainly give the audience something to enjoy with their eyes. It wouldn't get in the way of the song, and it would still offer the crowd a real pleasure.
"Not bad at all."
Watching Kim Se-jun's set, Lee Hae-jin murmured it with a thoroughly pleased smile.
And then every rehearsal was done.
Six in the evening.
The Ares Music Concert began.