Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Episode 1. Meeting a Top Star
“The director is really determined this time. These are the trainees he’s pushing hard.”
“Hmm……”
The reaction wasn’t good.
He had to secure the contract somehow, but it already felt like the outcome was decided.
As if to prove that thought, the man set down his coffee cup.
It meant he didn’t want to continue the conversation.
“It’s too risky to invest in your entertainment company. You know that, right? The string of failures lately.”
It was the truth, so he couldn’t say anything.
The company Park Siwoo worked for, Starlight Entertainment, had once been successful.
They had produced several idol groups and managed famous actors.
Now, it was all just past glory.
The current Starlight Entertainment barely managed to debut C-tier idols. It had completely fallen behind.
“I’m sorry, Team Leader Park. But business isn’t something you do based on personal feelings.”
“I understand. Thank you for at least hearing me out.”
“Oh, come on.”
“I’ll take my leave now.”
“Alright. It’s lunchtime, right? Grab some meat on your way.”
The man pulled out a ten-thousand-won bill and handed it to him.
‘These days, a single meal costs twenty thousand.’
Still, he wasn’t in a position to refuse. Park Siwoo accepted the money, bowed, and left the company.
“What is this performance? And what happened with Bingle?”
What greeted Park Siwoo upon returning to the company was criticism.
“Bingle said it would be difficult this time as well.”
“They said it was difficult last time too. It’s your job to overcome those difficulties!”
How am I supposed to overcome something like that when it’s because of the idol lobbying scandal?
He barely held back those words.
“Only two contracts? Back in my day, I could land ten easily. Easily!”
Even in the middle of the lobbying controversy, he had secured two contracts.
“Get out of my sight right now!”
Park Siwoo bowed his head and turned away.
As he stepped out of the director’s office, his team members asked with worried expressions,
“Team leader, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“You know this isn’t the first or second time he’s acted like that. He’s just jealous of you.”
It was already an open secret within the company that the director was jealous of Park Siwoo.
They said it was because he became a team leader at such a young age.
“If it were me, I’d quit the company. Why don’t you just move to another one?”
“Thanks for saying that.”
In the entertainment industry, switching to another company meant starting your own.
It was an unspoken rule.
He didn’t know if it applied to someone at his level, but he couldn’t take that gamble.
He had a family.
A precious wife he had married right after finishing military service.
“I’ll leave early today. Make sure everything is sorted with the contracts.”
“Yes, sir.”
With that, Park Siwoo stepped outside.
His home was in Sillim.
A small apartment he had barely managed to buy by stretching himself thin.
“Please come again.”
After buying a small bottle of wine, he headed straight home.
—Beep beep beep beep.
He entered the familiar password and stepped inside.
But something felt off.
‘Did I ever wear shoes like these?’
Among the cluttered entrance filled with various shoes, there was a pair he had never seen before.
Nike Jordans.
Not his style, and not even his size.
‘No way.’
Park Siwoo hurried inside.
Then he opened the bedroom door.
—Click!
As the door opened, his wife, Kim Soyeon, widened her eyes and looked up at him.
“Honey, you’re home already?”
As if she had just finished showering, she was naked with only a towel wrapped around her.
But……
‘Something’s strange.’
The atmosphere in the house felt oddly heavy.
Everything looked normal, yet there was a subtle sense of dissonance.
Park Siwoo walked toward the bed.
Then he yanked the blanket off.
“H-honey!”
Kim Soyeon rushed over and grabbed his arm.
“What are you doing? Come eat first. I’ll get dressed and prepare the meal.”
“Meal?”
He felt it.
The lingering warmth filling the inside of the blanket.
—Thump, thump.
His heart pounded violently.
His mind went blank, and his vision narrowed to a pinpoint.
He searched the room in a trance, checking under the bed and the desk.
Finally, as he stood in front of the wardrobe—
“What are you doing!”
Kim Soyeon grabbed his shoulder.
But there was no way she could stop him.
He opened the wardrobe.
And found—
“……”
A naked man hiding inside.
The divorce process was finalized quickly.
There was undeniable evidence, but the ridiculous law still required him to hand over half the apartment’s value as division of property.
He didn’t want a messy legal battle, so Park Siwoo agreed.
“Business trips every single day! Did you ever think about me being alone at home?”
That’s what Kim Soyeon said as they stamped the divorce papers.
All those days he worked without sleep—were they really for himself?
If he had lived alone, he wouldn’t have worked himself to the bone like that.
“Just strum your guitar and live like that forever.”
Those were her final words.
“Ha.”
Park Siwoo clicked his tongue.
The wind from the Han River cooled the heat, but the effects of alcohol lingered.
“Why did I even bring this?”
In his hand was a guitar.
He had once dreamed of becoming a singer-songwriter.
Blocked by reality, the most he did was upload songs he occasionally composed to NewTube.
Even that, he had stopped years ago due to work.
‘Should I try playing again?’
Normally, he never would have.
But alcohol sometimes makes you forget what “never” means.
—Strum.
He awkwardly plucked the strings, like reuniting with an old friend.
Soon, as if nothing had changed, his hands moved naturally again.
—♩ ♪ ♫ ♬
A sweet melody melted into the night air.
People walking along the Han River found themselves drawn to the tune.
“……”
With his eyes closed, immersed in the performance, a smile formed on Park Siwoo’s face.
As expected, he was happiest when he was making music.
As if proving that, his playing became lighter and freer.
—♪ ♫ ♬
And then, the music ended.
Before he knew it, around ten people had gathered.
They all applauded, praising the performance.
Park Siwoo, who thought no one was around, was slightly surprised.
‘They like my song?’
His ex-wife, Kim Soyeon, had always said it was just noise.
It felt strangely moving.
With an awkward smile, Park Siwoo bowed to the audience.
Just then—
“Um……”
A woman wearing a deeply pulled-down hat approached him.
“Are you, by any chance, Guitar Hero?”
“Guitar… Hero?”
What was that?
For a moment, he thought, then suddenly remembered the NewTube channel he used to run.
The channel where he uploaded his compositions was called Guitar Hero.
He had even uploaded the song he just played.
But—
‘Someone actually recognizes me?’
About two years ago, the last time he checked, it had only 560 views.
With an uncertain expression, Park Siwoo replied,
“I used to use that name on NewTube.”
“Ah…!”
Even though she was shorter than him and her wide-brimmed hat covered her face, he could somehow see her smile.
“I’ve been watching since you had 10 subscribers. I’m a huge fan!”
“10 subscribers?”
That would be about five years ago.
“Yes! Look, I even left comments.”
She took out her phone and showed him.
Sure enough, there was a comment from five years ago saying she enjoyed the video.
“It gave me a lot of comfort during hard times. Especially this song.”
She pointed to the first song he had ever composed.
The title was—
“Whispers in the Moonlight.”
Right, that was it.
Memories he had forgotten in his busy life came rushing back.
“I really loved it, but then you suddenly disappeared… You’re not sick or anything, right?”
“No, as you can see……”
Park Siwoo shrugged.
The mysterious woman giggled.
“That’s a relief. I was really worried something had happened to you.”
“I’m sorry for making you worry. I had circumstances that kept me from continuing NewTube.”
“Oh, you don’t have to apologize. The songs you left behind were more than enough. But……”
Just as she was about to say something, a strong gust of wind blew from somewhere.
—Whoooosh!!
It was so strong it felt like the air itself was tearing.
Fortunately, it stopped quickly.
“What was that wind……”
Muttering, Park Siwoo turned his gaze back to the woman.
He was worried she might have fallen.
But—
“Huh?”
“That woman, no way…”
The surroundings began to stir.
Her hat, which had been covering her face, had been blown far away.
The face revealed beneath it was shocking.
Messy black hair tousled by the wind.
Pale skin that seemed to absorb the moonlight.
A sharply defined nose like a mountain ridge.
Black eyes sparkling like they had swallowed stars.
A beauty that felt almost unreal.
Above all, Park Siwoo knew this woman very well.
The woman standing before him was—
“Isn’t that singer Lee Yena?”
“I-is that really Lee Yena?”
The people who had gathered began widening their eyes one by one.
After all, she was Korea’s top singer, Lee Yena.
“Ah, I finally came out after so long!”
Lee Yena said, almost on the verge of tears, as she quickly picked up her hat and put it back on.
Then she suddenly grabbed Park Siwoo’s hand.
“Come with me for a moment!”
Shouting that, Lee Yena began running.