The Musician's Resolve (1)

As soon as I stepped out of the Luminus Entertainment Building, a cool breeze hit my back.

"Phew..."

I let out a long breath I'd been holding. It felt like the heavy weight deep in my chest had finally lifted clean away.

Am I crazy? Why the hell would I ever go back in there?

With lighter steps, I sat down on a bench in the nearby park and pulled out my smartphone from my pocket. My heart started pounding faster bit by bit. I'd played it all cool in the CEO's office, but hey, I'm human too. With trembling fingers, I opened the Mellon app.

The bold number 1 at the top of the screen stared back at me, crystal clear. It wasn't photoshopped. It wasn't a dream.

"It's real... actually number one."

A hollow laugh escaped my lips. I cautiously opened the comments section.

Those sincere words from real people pierced straight through my eyes and lodged deep in my heart.

"...You idiots."

A grin spread across my face before I knew it. I bit my lip to hold back the smile, but it was no use. I was happy. But on the flip side of that happiness came a wave of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠intense shame.

The truth was, I wanted success through music more than anyone. To wash away the regrets of my past life, to stand at the peak using this life's privileged footing as a launchpad—just to prove them wrong.

But.

What if I try and fail again?

What if no one listens this time either?

That fear had swallowed me whole, made me run away. Ignoring this miraculous opportunity now would be disrespectful to the people who believed in me. And above all, I could no longer lie to myself—the me who loved music.

But the emotion was short-lived.

Ring-a-ding-! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ring-a-ding-!

I jumped in surprise and picked up the phone.

"Hey, Mom!"

[Jiyeong-ah! Where are you right now? Have you seen the news? Well, not the news exactly, but the online articles!]

Mom's voice was a jumble of shock and excitement.

"What articles?"

[Photos of you as the part-timer at our hospital cafe are all over the place! Reporters and crowds are swarming outside the hospital—it's chaos! Don't come anywhere near the hospital for now!]

"...What?"

I hurriedly typed my name into the portal site's search bar.

"Ah..."

The articles featured high-res shots of me talking to trainees outside the Luminus Entertainment Building earlier, and me at the hospital cafe with my mask slightly off while pouring coffee.

The reactions in the comments were even more explosive than on the music site.

A chill ran down my spine. It was a trap set by Kim Taesung, but ironically, the flames were spreading outward to the world instead of burning me.

"...Got it, Mom. Don't worry too much."

Leaving Mom's worried voice behind on the line, I let out a shaky breath.

"Mom."

[Yeah, Jiyeong-ah? What is it?]

"I... think I'm gonna start making music again."

A brief silence followed. She could've been shocked or asked if it was too ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sudden, but like always, Mom trusted me.

[Okay. Do whatever your heart tells you. If my daughter wants it, Mom will cheer you on no matter what.]

"Thanks, Mom."

I hung up and shoved my smartphone back in my pocket.

Time to strum some strings again after all this time?

First thing when I get home: dust off that guitar.

Meanwhile, the variety department production office at MBS Broadcasting Station in Yeouido looked like a war zone.

The high-class talk show The Spotlight, known for inviting only Korea's hottest stars, was in chaos. PD Choi Pilseung, the man in charge, had three monitors fired up and was yelling his head off.

"Hey! Any contact yet? Still nothing?!"

The head writer and assistant directors were frantically making calls everywhere.

Choi PD's eyes were glued to the three letters topping real-time search: Han Jiyeong.

"PD-nim, the thing is... Han Jiyeong's contact info was wiped from her old agency, so it's not easy to find. The hospital's secretary office is blocking all inquiries too!"

"Find her no matter what! If we miss this timing, our show's done for! Five-year reverse trend, hospital director's daughter, and looks that rival any actress. Is this variety or a movie? Book her within the week!"

Under Choi PD's pressure, rookie assistant director Lee PD approached, sweating bullets.

"S-Sunbae-nim. But shooting's Thursday this week. Guests are already locked in, schedules out..."

"Who? Push it back."

"It's Ria from Velvet Night. We barely got her for her new song promo. Changing the schedule last-minute? Luminus won't stay quiet."

"Luminus? Oh, the company that ditched Han Jiyeong?"

A sly smile crept across Choi PD's lips.

"Perfect. Bumping Ria for Han Jiyeong would be rude. Tell Luminus we're sorry. Or grateful? They kicked away this golden fish themselves."

"But Luminus CEO Kim Taesung isn't one to mess with..."

"Get your head in the game! The department head just approved. Get Han Jiyeong at any cost! I'll apologize to Luminus myself. You—adjust Ria's schedule now, track down Han Jiyeong's house or wherever, and get that booking confirmed!"

Lee PD bowed with a dazed look at Choi PD's command.

"Y-Yes, sir! On it!"

The production office filled again with near-screams over phone calls.

"Found it! Han Jiyeong's number!"

A rookie writer in the corner shrieked and jumped up. Assistant directors flipping through files whipped their heads around. Choi PD kicked his chair back and rushed over.

"Where? How?!"

"Dug through her high school alumni list after asking around! Tip said her old number was still active—checked Kakao profile, looks like her!"

The post-it in the writer's hand had an 11-digit number—the most precious digits in Korea right now. Choi PD took it like a treasure map.

"Quiet, everyone. Not a breath."

Choi PD pulled out his personal smartphone with shaking hands. As he input the number and hit call, a miraculous silence blanketed the marketplace-like room.

Ring... ring... ring—

Each ring amplified the gulps from the assistant directors. Choi PD licked his dry lips and switched to speaker.

A voice that was nonchalant yet chilling, transparent and crystalline like jade beads on a silver tray—the voice topping the charts flowed from the speaker.

Choi PD clutched his chest and spoke.

"Ah, hello! Han Jiyeong, right? I'm Choi Pilseung, PD from MBS Variety."

Jiyeong's response was too casual. Rookies or unknowns usually trembled at calls like this, but she sounded like she'd been expecting it—utterly composed.

Choi PD wiped his sweat and launched into his pitch.

"We're reaching out from The Spotlight to have you as our special main guest. The impact your music is having on Korea right now is huge. We want to hear that raw story straight from you!"

Silence stretched over the line. Staff gripped each other's hands, eyes locked on Choi PD's lips. His face stiffened with tension.

Choi PD's eyes lit up at those words.

"So you're in?!"

"Oh, oh...! Thank you! Truly, thank you, Jiyeong! We promise the best stage, the best treatment!"

After hashing out a few more schedule details, Choi PD's face split into a manic grin. He flashed a huge OK sign to the staff without hanging up.

Click.

The call ended.

"WAAAAAAAAAH—!!!"

"We did it! For real!"

The production office erupted in cheers that shook the walls. Writers hugged and jumped; assistant directors pounded desks in joy. Choi PD finally sank deep into his chair, panting.

"Call the top makeup and styling teams right now—the best in Korea! And email Velvet Night politely but firmly. We'll handle all the rescheduling!"

His eyes already sparkled with visions of 20% ratings.