Chapter 62: To You (4)
62. To You (4)
"Trainee Kang Hajin. You prepared this song for the first time and got scolded a lot by me, didn't you?"
Before the performance even began, Taeil was already digging up past mistakes. Hajin quietly pursed his lips.
Tch, I knew he'd ask, but right off the bat like this?
Hajin nodded inwardly while maintaining a composed expression. "Yes. Thanks to that, I gained great enlightenment and was able to prepare for a new leap forward."
"I was supposed to give you special coaching yesterday, but couldn't due to fairness concerns. So I'm really looking forward to this now."
"Mentor, we're always overwhelmed by your generous expectations and attention toward us."
"Oh really? Then can I expect even more?"
"But haven't you heard that sometimes people feel more in unexpected moments than in anticipated ones?"
"Who said that?"
"My mother."
"Ah, your mother..."
The unexpected answer made Taeil make an awkward face, triggering another round of laughter in the studio. It was rare to see a trainee hold their ground against Seo Taeil like this.
Taeil shook his head with a "this won't be easy" expression.
"I have a question too."
As the laughter subsided, Choi Yeonwoo from Endway filled the studio's audio. Holding the mic, he looked directly at Taehyun's team as he asked:
"Honestly, I thought Trainee Seo Taehyun would choose our song. You had the option, right? Why didn't you pick ours?"
"......"
"It would have suited you really well."
His voice carried curiosity, expectation, and a subtle competitive edge.
Hajin carefully scanned Choi Yeonwoo's expression from across the room. Seeing Endway's Yeonwoo and Cherry Boy's Taehyun together naturally reminded him of someone.
'That bastard Cha Minseok was in Endway's debut team, wasn't he?'
In his previous life too, Cha Minseok and Endway had been quite chummy. The significant age gap between the two groups that were often mentioned together was partly due to that friendship.
Hajin studied Yeonwoo's expression again. What was the real intention behind that question?
Meanwhile, Taehyun calmly collected himself and picked up the mic.
"I probably would have too."
"......"
"But you've already seen me do well at what I'm good at many times."
The confident yet humble response electrified the studio atmosphere. Whistles and laughter came from the mentor seats.
"Alright then, please briefly introduce your stage concept."
Taeil's lead-in continued through the charged atmosphere. Hajin took the mic again.
"We've prepared senior Saryn's 'To You.'"
"The original is such a famous song, it must have been intimidating?"
"Yes, extremely intimidating."
Hajin nodded lightly.
"At first, we put too much pressure on ourselves to do justice to a masterpiece. But after getting mid-term feedback from Mentor Seo Taeil, we changed our approach."
"How so?"
"What Taehyun just said became our new motto."
"......?"
"'You've already seen me do well at what I'm good at many times.' We decided to sing about our own version of goodbye."
"...I see. I'll look forward to it. Please prepare your stage."
Taeil nodded at Hajin's confident words. Soon the trainees were seen preparing to take the stage.
While props and sets were being arranged, one of the mentors reviewing the scorecards murmured:
"This is really... it'll be hard to surpass the feeling of the original."
Everyone nodded subtly while glancing at Saryn.
What kind of stage would they show?
Would these poor trainees become sacrificial lambs to Saryn again?
Under these familiar gazes, Saryn simply watched the stage quietly.
'What are they planning?'
The song's original artist, Saryn, scanned the familiar lyrics on the sheet while thinking.
'You've already seen me do well at what I'm good at many times?'
The words were puzzling.
Did they mean they'd try to excel at what they're bad at? What kind of paradox was that?
Just as her curiosity peaked, the lights dimmed and spotlights illuminated the stage.
Hmm― hmmm―
'...Humming?'
In the silence, a clear falsetto hum resonated.
The spotlight revealed a corner of the stage.
A light brown-haired boy sat at a desk, writing something while humming.
The pleasant sound of pencil scratching filled the gaps like background music.
'His name is... Dan Haru. The youngest one.'
The round-faced, kind-looking trainee with clear eyes named Haru carefully put down his pencil, apparently finished writing.
Simultaneously, another spotlight turned on elsewhere on stage.
A solitary red mailbox. But the boy hesitated.
♪♬♬♪♪―♪♪♩―
The top line of "To You" played in a bell arrangement.
The familiar instrumental sound distinctly evoked school bell chimes.
Against the gentle pad sounds, the boy carefully folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and placed it in the desk drawer.
Blackout again.
Then purple lighting burst forth with an unexpected genre's intro.
'City pop?'
Saryn's eyes widened at the flashy synth sounds and rhythmic electric bass.
The LED screen showed cherry blossom petals scattering across a sunset sky.
Five boys in different school uniforms moved in unison with the music.
This is the Letter I'm sending to you whom I loved
With falsetto chorus, the boys moved lightly.
Taeil, carefully observing each movement, noticed they'd borrowed from the jazz performance they'd prepared earlier.
'They wouldn't have had time for major choreography changes.'
One difference was the subtle acting woven between the light, cheerful moves.
While dancing, the boys smiled at each other or high-fived when changing positions—showing free-spirited energy.
Like real high school students laughing and chatting.
This is the Letter,
I'm sending to you
Are you listening?
Haru, who'd written the first letter, sang with calm clarity. Impressive lead-in for the youngest.
Soon, someone lightly swept back their hair and walked center stage.
With his cool demeanor, slightly loose school shirt and tie, Hajin picked up the mic with that same composed expression.
Maybe I seem to be doing fine
Even when memories of our beginning surface
It doesn't hurt anymore
Hajin effortlessly handled the challenging rhythm while instantly elevating the song's emotion.
[System Alert: Skill <What's Like Me?> boosts user's 'Vocal' ability by 24%.]
[System Alert: Skill <As You Say> (LV.6) ▶▶▶ (LV.10) Level Up!]
[System Alert: Skill <As You Say> (LV.10) passive effect deepens user's 'Emotional Appeal'.]
The power of skills boosted by 9,000 cash.
The extremely slow verse perfectly matched the city pop's upbeat tempo. Saryn found it strange—her song, sung thousands of times, felt unfamiliar.
Most would maximize the ballad's characteristics to showcase vocals, but they chose to hold back instead.
Maybe this is how (this is how)
Goodbyes are supposed to be (supposed to be)
Even our abrupt ending
Has grown familiar now (grown familiar)
Jae-young and Jayden's call-and-response continued. Even non-singing members joined harmonies and choruses.
Only possible because the genre didn't require difficult choreography.
'...When will Taehyun appear?'
Taeil, happily watching, noticed Taehyun at formation's edge.
Taehyun, with strong public appeal and stage presence, usually got parts before the first chorus.
Always since Boyhood.
But today, nearing the first chorus, Taehyun showed no sign of taking center.
"Why give B part to Jae-young? Taehyun could've done this."
"More importantly, the arrangement... The first half is fine but the chorus needs to explode. Current arrangement makes that hard."
"Still, it's fresh so far? Never imagined they'd bring city pop."
While mentors exchanged comments, the song continued.
Woo― woo― woah―
Five-part harmony brought rhythmic variation.
Dung, dung, dung― With drum beats building atmosphere, lights focused on one spot.
Just getting through ordinary days sometimes,
Trying to hold onto time that only flows slowly sometimes,
Hajin, with <As You Say> Lv.10's expressiveness and appeal, controlled vocal dynamics while cleanly hitting high notes.
That's how I'll,
Just that much I'll miss you
The end of our brilliant days
Complex, rapid position changes followed.
Movements elegantly crossed and connected, embodying passing time and scattering cherry blossoms.
And emerging from between them to grab the mic was...
"That's Taehyun?"
Taeil chuckled seeing Taehyun, his bright dyed hair now covered in dark brown.
However good Taehyun was at immersion, handling this difficult chorus...
Suddenly, all instruments muted except synth pad and bass rhythm.
Bye, Oh Bye!
Bye, Oh Good Bye!
And again, the end we imagined
Instead of the expected high note, Taehyun's clear voice effortlessly handled an octave higher.
Just turning his head and diagonally extending an arm drew all eyes.
Holding his tie end with his other hand, Taehyun carefully brought it to his lips. The kiss to the tie signaled instruments' return.
Bye, Oh Bye!
Bye, Oh Good Bye!
And again, the end we imagined
Taehyun repeated, this time with everyone kissing their ties in unison.
The original "To You" top line played again.
Then a short interlude followed.
"Wow, what are they doing?"
At the dance trainer's words, all eyes focused on stage. The boys moved freely without disrupting each other's paths.
Watching this, Saryn suddenly realized something and went "Ah."
"...Time."
"Huh?"
At Saryn's exclamation, Cheong Hansol from Uphia next to her asked. Saryn pointed at the stage, laughing in surprise.
"Time's passing, look. That one becomes an office worker, that one a college student..."
"Ah... right."
Hansol also sounded surprised upon realizing.
The boys moving around stage gradually removed uniform jackets, put on glasses, or changed hairstyles. Not dramatic but clearly noticeable changes.
Ddoong, dung― With rhythmic drum beats, Hajin pushed forward center stage.
Instantly, brass band joined as the song naturally modulated up a key.
This is the Letter,
I sent to you whom I loved
Buttoning his partially unbuttoned shirt neatly to the top and rolling up sleeves while tightening his tie, Hajin effortlessly handled the higher key.
'This is my song?'
Saryn set down her pen with a hollow laugh.
Then she watched 20-year-old trainee Hajin—whose suit fit suspiciously well thanks to absorbing 70% of his military-honed physique.
Are you listening?
With Hajin's smooth low tone, "To You" second verse began.