The Debut Show (Part 5)
Kim So-yeon was here?
She must have followed Kim Mir in.
Park Si-woo furrowed his brows.
There was no need to answer, and as he turned to walk away, she blocked his path.
“You dare ignore my words because you’ve become a composer? Hah, how ridiculous.”
She spoke in a low voice, always managing that disgustingly crooked smile.
“Will you truly succeed with such skills?”
That was the kind of thing she always said.
If her song wasn’t good, don’t do meaningless things and just earn money.
If it had been her usual self, her words would have left a deep wound.
But now it was different.
Her provocation only made him feel pity.
*Heh.*
Park Si-woo smiled.
Kim So-yeon’s face twisted the moment she saw that smile.
Unbothered, Park Si-woo opened his mouth to speak.
“Producer-nim!”
A bright, refreshing voice came from behind him.
He turned his head. Seol A-yeon was walking toward them from a distance.
“What are you doing here?”
After a short pause, she walked right up to him and stood close by his side.
Then, looking at Kim So-yeon with wary eyes, she asked.
“Is the person in front… someone you know?”
Park Si-woo answered with a light laugh.
“Well, more or less.”
At that, Seol A-yeon swept Kim So-yeon from head to toe with her gaze.
Then she smiled brightly and took one step away from Park Si-woo.
Because she had immediately realized that the aging, wrinkled Kim So-yeon would not be her opponent.
Just like when she was with Lee Yena, she judged that a fierce rivalry was unnecessary.
Kim So-yeon’s face turned bright red the moment she sensed Seol A-yeon’s intention.
She clicked her tongue repeatedly.
Watching her heated reaction, Park Si-woo smiled softly and spoke to Seol A-yeon.
“Let’s go, A-yeon.”
“Ah, yes.”
Seol A-yeon nodded, and Park Si-woo passed Kim So-yeon by as if nothing had happened.
They were heading toward the location of the PD when—
“Park Si-woo!”
Kim So-yeon called out.
He turned around. Kim So-yeon’s face was flushed as she glared at him.
“You will never succeed. The man who let a woman like me go will never succeed!”
Hah.
Park Si-woo gave a helpless laugh.
*Who let whom go?*
Kim So-yeon still seemed to believe she was beautiful and young.
*You’re old now too.*
*I’m old too.*
And she was no longer as beautiful as before.
Park Si-woo was also no longer as foolish as before.
Since she knew that, she had come all this way to pester Park Si-woo.
She was trying, by any means necessary, to prove that her value hadn’t dropped.
Park Si-woo didn’t deign to respond to her ridiculous attempt.
“If you think so.”
After saying that, Park Si-woo left, and Kim So-yeon shouted in frustration.
“Ugh… Do you think my husband will just let you go?”
He paused.
Park Si-woo stopped and turned around.
Then he said coldly.
“If you can, go ahead. I’ll break you.”
A sardonic smile spread across Park Si-woo’s face as he spoke.
“Insane man.”
Shivering, Kim So-yeon fled the scene.
For a moment, Park Si-woo stared at her retreating back before turning away and quickening his steps.
***
“Producer-nim.”
On the way to the PD’s location.
For a while, Seol A-yeon had been carefully observing Park Si-woo’s expression.
She asked cautiously.
“The woman from just now…”
“Wife.”
“Ah, wife? The producer getting married…”
“We’re divorced now.”
“Ah.”
Seol A-yeon let out a small sigh.
She seemed a little shocked to learn that he had once been married.
*Would Lee Yena feel the same?*
Park Si-woo smiled wryly and said softly.
“Very much so?”
Seol A-yeon shook her head vigorously.
“No way! Getting divorced once these days is nothing unusual. On the contrary, divorcing a woman like that was a good thing.”
She waved her hands around frantically as she spoke.
Seeing her adorable reaction, Park Si-woo let out a soft laugh.
“You’ve given me strength, A-yeon.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. If this debut stage goes well, I’ll treat you to something delicious.”
“R-really?!”
Seol A-yeon jumped.
Now she no longer hid her expression at all.
To others she remained the same, but in front of him she was completely herself.
“By the way, why did A-yeon come out?”
There was still a bit of time before the stage preparations.
“PD-nim told me to go prepare first. He said there were many things to adjust on the instruments…”
“Ah.”
It seemed Lim Eun-ha had been thoughtful.
*I should go and thank her.*
Thinking that, Park Si-woo asked.
“What about the other members?”
“I finished makeup last, so they’re probably already there.”
“Then let’s head there.”
PD Lim Eun-ha would probably be there too.
Park Si-woo and Seol A-yeon quickened their steps.
They arrived at the recording studio.
The place was decorated with a refreshing vibe, and Neon Heart was tuning their instruments busily.
In front of the stage, the audience was packed.
Of course, they weren’t fans coming to cheer for Neon Heart.
Most of them had come to see the group ENTRA, which Kim Mir belonged to.
Upon closer look, ENTRA had just finished its recording.
*Of all times, we’re right behind them.*
They had known their schedules overlapped, but they hadn’t expected the stages to be in the same studio.
Park Si-woo clicked his tongue.
Just then—
“Ah, you’re here?”
Lim Eun-ha approached.
“Hello, PD-nim. I’ve heard so much about you. Thank you for taking care of us.”
“Nothing of the sort. I’m not special; I’m just Guitar Hero. I gave the maximum support possible to the newcomers.”
“Thank you.”
As Park Si-woo bowed his head, she waved dismissively.
“No need. More importantly, there’s about 15 minutes until rehearsal—please tune the instruments.”
“Understood.”
Park Si-woo nodded.
Lim Eun-ha gave a bright smile and hurried off somewhere.
As a PD, she looked busy, so he didn’t stop her and turned his head.
“A-yeon, let’s go.”
“Ah, yes.”
Seol A-yeon nodded.
Park Si-woo climbed onto the stage with her.
The heat of the lights in the summer sun felt scorching against their bodies.
*It’s really hot.*
Park Si-woo thought he should get them some water and walked toward Neon Heart.
“Everyone.”
“Ah, Producer-nim.”
The Neon Heart members stood up from their seats upon noticing him.
“It’s fine. You can keep doing what you were doing.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Only then did the members turn their gazes back to their instruments.
Park Si-woo asked to check their condition.
“Are the instruments in good shape?”
“Yes, they’re fine.”
Ha Seung-jin answered.
The other members gave the same sign.
“Let’s do it without mistakes, as usual.”
“Got it!”
“A-yeon, please check the mic.”
“Ah, yes.”
“And, PD-nim.”
He spoke to the FD standing beside him.
“Please bring Bae Soo-eon over from below the stage. Engineers will know where to find him.”
“Understood.”
The FD hurried downstairs.
A short while later, Bae Soo-eon approached awkwardly.
“Soo-eon-ssi, please check A-yeon’s throat.”
“Ah, yes.”
Bae Soo-eon immediately went to Seol A-yeon.
It seemed the rest had already been handled.
Now it was entirely up to the Neon Heart members.
Park Si-woo stepped back a pace from the stage.
The audience’s voices began to filter in.
“Who is that person?”
“Who?”
“The guy standing alone. I didn’t know what he was saying before, but he’s so handsome?”
“Wow.”
It seemed he was being talked about.
Park Si-woo was used to hearing such words, though it wasn’t out of ego.
“Photos of the ENTRA oppa guys—have you all taken them? Should we go back?”
“Even if it’s just one group left, we have to take photos of the other groups too.”
“We might as well go.”
Park Si-woo’s body jolted at the words.
Who was ignoring our group?
He turned around.
The voices had come from directly behind.
They were all ENTRA fans.
*Fans of that group.*
Park Si-woo clicked his tongue.
But—
“Wow.”
The fan who had been complaining about Neon Heart and ready to leave earlier opened his eyes wide.
“What? Why is he so handsome?”
“He’s even more handsome than Mir oppa…”
The ENTRA fans, who usually exploded in rage, stayed silent this time.
Because the man in front of them radiated an aura of pure light.
“Producer-nim, rehearsal is starting!”
“Understood. Let’s go.”
Park Si-woo moved at the FD’s words.
As he disappeared from view, the audience let out a collective sigh.
Then—
“Photos?”
“Can’t take them… what now?”
“He’ll come back. Let’s wait a little.”
He stopped his steps toward home and sat down.
At the same moment—
*Boom.*
The song began.
The heavy bass that shook the chest.
The guitar that vibrated the eardrums wildly.
The drums that stimulated the heart.
A voice of divine beauty, combined with the opening that instantly captured attention, fell perfectly.
“Wow…”
The ENTRA fans were known for panning every group.
They were fanatic followers who only obsessed over the ENTRA they loved.
But—
“Impossible.”
One of the ENTRA fans muttered.
The song unfolding before their eyes was an angel’s song.
They had never heard music with such beautiful and rich tones before.
The ENTRA fans were instantly swept away by Neon Heart’s charm.
It was the same for PD Lim Eun-ha.
“Guitar Hero-nim… this is really good.”
“A-yeon sings beautifully, right?”
Park Si-woo smiled as if boasting about his own child.
Despite the obvious tension, even in front of such a large crowd for the first time—
There was not a single pitch mistake.
It was the same for the other members.
But what Lim Eun-ha pointed out was something else.
“No, how did you compose such a song?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve never heard a song this good. Of course the singer is excellent… but I’ve never seen a composer who elevates a singer’s ability to this level.”
Lim Eun-ha gazed at Park Si-woo with admiration.
He gave an awkward smile.
Even as that happened, the song continued.
As expected, the performance was flawless, and Seol A-yeon ended the song with a bright smile and arms outstretched.
At the same time—
“Waaaaaaa!!!!!”
A sharp cheer echoed.