The Concert (6)
A genius.
Someone who produces results that transcend their competitors by a vast margin.
Even to an ordinary person, a genius stands out in stark contrast to others.
Their brilliantly shining talent is more than enough to dazzle even the most insensitive observer.
Indeed.
If even an ordinary person can perceive such greatness...
How much more vividly would another genius experience it when facing that talent head-on?
Declan held his breath as he stared at Jeong Jisul.
He already knew the boy was skilled. After all, he had witnessed that twenty-second performance earlier to test his abilities.
However...
"..."
He had never imagined that the boy would make the song entirely his own.
If one had to define Orchid's third album in a single word, it would be 'success.'
It was an album created during the era when they expanded their reach in the UK and began sweeping up money while touring the world.
For that reason, it was also an album where the bass was heavily emphasized.
Since Declan was the composer and the leader, the third album was infused with his desire to make himself stand out just a little more.
But now, as Jeong Jisul played the title track of the third album, Declan could not find the arrogance characteristic of that record in his bassline.
Instead, Jisul humbly minimized the sound, seeking the essence of the bass to support the foundation of the music.
Because Jisul's bass did not run wild and instead held the center, the other sounds that had been sacrificed for the sake of the bass now bounced vibrantly into Declan's ears.
Was this what the song was supposed to sound like?
It was a song he had composed himself, a song he had performed over ten thousand times. Yet, Declan had never known that it could be transformed to this extent.
To be precise, he had never even thought of changing it.
...Why?
Why hadn't he?
The truth was laid bare: the flashy, intricate techniques he had crammed in to satisfy his own ego had actually been suffocating the sense of space the song was meant to have.
This is so much better...
Declan closed his eyes. He shut out his ears and conjured his own workspace in his imagination.
He played all the tracks from the third album in his head, stripping away all the bass flourishes.
The conclusion he reached was...
...How funny.
Only the title track contained excessive embellishments. In the other songs of the third album, toning down the bass only made the tracks feel bland.
Because that kid knew this.
That was why he played it that way.
Declan let out a dry chuckle.
"Hey, you bastard, is your mental illness acting up again? Get up and sign this. We still have an hour left of the show."
Declan opened his eyes at Moore's harsh swearing.
The performance was already over.
Right now, it was time to sign the album for Jeong Jisul, who had come up on stage.
"Ha."
Declan chuckled again as he looked at Jeong Jisul, who was approaching to return the bass.
This was the first time someone had pointed out a flaw that even he hadn't noticed.
Far from feeling hurt in his pride, he was simply thrilled.
"..."
Would they meet again? He wanted to have a deep, serious conversation about music with this boy.
And so, Declan...
"...Declan?"
"Hey, hey! Stop this bastard! He's signing the bass!"
"We have to use that today, you crazy bastard! You smashed all the spare basses because you didn't like them, fuck!"
Declan decided to use his own bass as collateral to convey his feelings.
"My friend, you keep that. In exchange..."
Anytime is fine, so let's set a day to meet up.
As soon as Declan finished speaking along with his signature...
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
A grim-faced Moore grabbed him by the collar.
"We need that bass. Are you not going to do the show?"
"This is more important than the show."
They say all genius artists are crazy. In Orchid, the craziest of them all was Declan.
"..."
My head was spinning.
The band members were screaming curses and fighting each other, while Declan just kept looking at me and smiling.
...Anyway, it was an experience I never wanted to repeat.
"Still, I suppose..."
The situation wrapped up well enough.
I handed the bass back to Declan, and in return, I received the signatures of all the members on their iconic fifth album.
At first, I wondered where they were going to sign since I didn't have an album with me, but the concert organizers had prepared one in advance.
"Whew..."
I let out a sigh, my mind still cluttered.
When I returned to my seat, the beige hoodie was indeed gone.
"...Hey."
Before I could even think about Kwon Dain, Choi Saeron spoke up.
"Noona really has to hand it to you."
"...?"
"No, seriously... wow..."
It seemed Choi Saeron still hadn't shaken off the lingering excitement of the stage.
Just then, a fierce sound erupted from the stage.
It was only natural, as there was still about an hour left of the concert.
Since Choi Saeron's gaze was fixed on the stage, I quietly pulled out my phone.
I tried to contact Kwon Dain, but...
She's not looking.
Kwon Dain didn't read the message.
...Was I mistaken?
In truth, the person in the beige hoodie might not have been Kwon Dain.
Above all, the fashion was the deciding factor. Kwon Dain wearing clothes that exposed her midriff? At least in my mind, that was impossible.
She wouldn't even buy clothes like that in the first place...
What was that really about?
And yet, that face was definitely Kwon Dain's.
The short black hair, the large eyes, the calm corners of her eyes and lips.
As far as I knew, Kwon Dain was the only person in the world who looked like that.
Looking at it objectively...
There was no reason for me to care this much.
Whether Kwon Dain was here or not, whether she wore midriff-baring clothes or not, or whether she acted on her own without telling us—none of it had anything to do with me.
However...
Lately... it feels like she's deliberately avoiding me.
Given the circumstances, doubts and worries naturally crept in.
"Woooah!"
But I soon shook off those thoughts.
I hadn't come here to hang out with Kwon Dain. The fun of these events was amplified when you enjoyed them together.
Of course, Choi Saeron...
"Declan! Declan!"
...seemed to be having plenty of fun on her own.
Still, there was such a thing as basic courtesy.
"Whew..."
During a brief break after a few songs, Choi Saeron groaned as she chugged bottled water, having screamed her lungs out.
"Hey."
I tapped Choi Saeron on the shoulder.
"Huh?"
Choi Saeron turned her head slightly.
I pulled the signed album out of my bag and thrust it toward her.
"..."
Her eyes changed instantly.
She looked back and forth between the album and me with an incredibly sharp gaze, and then...
"I'll pass on the bragging."
She spat those words at me.
...What is she even talking about?
"What do you mean, bragging?"
I tossed the album onto Choi Saeron's lap.
"It's yours."
It was something I didn't need anyway.
And... it was also a gift out of apology.
We had clearly come to the concert together, but I felt a bit bad because she might have felt like she was here alone.
"...Huh?"
"I said, the album is yours."
"Uh..."
Choi Saeron froze.
Literally, everything about her ground to a halt.
And then...
"...Huh?! N-No way...!"
She slowly began to react.
"Don't make too much noise."
"Ah, right..."
"Put it safely in your bag. The case might crack."
Choi Saeron moved with her mouth tightly shut. She quickly opened her bag and carefully tucked the album inside.
"...You know," Choi Saeron mumbled.
"I never used to understand it."
"...Understand what?"
"When people look at something and say, 'I'm going to make this a family heirloom!'"
"...Right."
"But I think I completely understand that feeling now."
A bright, lovely smile spread across Choi Saeron's face.
"Seriously, Jeong Jisul, you're so adorable, what should I do? Should noona give you a kiss? For real?"
Why is she so obsessed with this 'noona' and 'kissing' thing? She did the same thing when I brought the tickets...
"I told you before."
"..."
"Why are you the noona? I got the tickets, and I got the album. Strictly speaking, shouldn't you be calling me oppa?"
"...Then, should I call you oppa...?"
Choi Saeron asked, looking completely deflated.
Seeing her like that was honestly hilarious.
Meanwhile, seeing how tightly she was hugging her bag to her chest...
She's definitely not letting anyone take that album.
Choi Saeron's reactions were certainly rewarding. She reacted so dramatically.
This was why giving her gifts always felt so satisfying.
"...Hmm?"
"Let's drop it."
Oppa, my foot.
It wasn't that I disliked being called oppa.
I just didn't want to hear it from Choi Saeron. Especially considering how she treated her actual older sister, Choi Mina...
...Yeah, definitely not.
"Heh, hehehe!"
Standing in front of the front door, Choi Saeron couldn't stop the strange giggles escaping her lips.
"A-An autographed album...!"
It was all because of the signed album resting in her bag.
Her giggling continued even after she stepped inside the house.
"Is Saeron back?"
"Hehe!" she responded to her mother's question.
"Did you have a good time, Saeron?"
"Hehehe!" she answered her father.
And to her sister's...
"Stop laughing like a fucking creep."
"...What?"
"You've been grinning like a total idiot since you walked in. It's annoying."
"...I'm in a good mood, so I'll let that slide."
She couldn't bring herself to smile at her sister's words.
Although they were sisters with an eleven-year age gap, there was no deep affection between them.
Come to think of it, it didn't seem like they were always like this when they were younger...
Well, who knows.
Anyway, just because they lacked affection didn't mean they weren't close. Their relationship wasn't entirely defined by hatred, either.
"So, why were you laughing?"
"Because something good happened."
"...I get that, but what good thing?"
They often had casual conversations like this.
"I got... an autographed album!"
Choi Saeron pulled the album out of her bag with both hands.
"Oh."
Choi Mina reacted dryly.
"So that's why you were grinning like a fool. How did you get it? Did they sign it there?"
"It's a long story."
"Just tell me. I'm bored anyway."
"Well, during the concert, they pick someone from the audience to go up on stage..."
Choi Saeron finished her explanation shortly after.
She completely revealed that the source of the album was Jeong Jisul.
Choi Mina pondered the story for a moment, and then...
"...Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Does Jisul... like you or something?"
She blurted out the question.