The Offer
"It's okay if you lose your way~"
A rental recording studio on the outskirts of Seoul.
Inside the booth, Seorin was finishing the final outro of the track.
Her singing came to an end, and she lifted her head to look at Ju-hyeok.
He flashed her an okay sign with his fingers and spoke into the mic.
"Okay. That should be enough."
"Yes, senior. Shall we wrap it up, then?"
"Yeah. You can come out."
Seorin took off her headset and stepped out of the booth.
Outside, Ju-hyeok—who had been adjusting the mastering and mixing—smiled with clear satisfaction as he turned to her.
"I knew I was right to leave this to you. You're the only one I know who can really bring out this kind of feel."
"…"
"Especially the verse and the chorus—whew. It's like floating lightly on a cloud. And your tone is just perfect."
The guide recording had gone far more smoothly than she had worried it would.
Whether that was because her senior's standards were generous or because she had actually done well, she couldn't say. She hadn't even practiced all that much, yet he had waved her through most of the parts after just a few takes.
Eager to finish quickly, she asked Ju-hyeok, who was still lost in appreciation.
"Nothing else that needs directing, right?"
"Nope. Nothing. It's perfect. It's just a guide anyway, and you've captured everything I wanted to get across."
"Is that so? That's a relief."
Seorin smiled at his words and nodded.
The recording that had started that morning was done well before lunch.
Feeling lighter, she gathered her coat to leave, and Ju-hyeok asked,
"Want to grab a bite before you go? You worked hard."
"No. I already have someone I'm having lunch with. And I need to study, so I should get going soon."
Having lunch with Ijun had become such a natural part of her days that missing even one meal together left her feeling oddly empty. Catching up over a meal with Ju-hyeok after so long wouldn't have been bad either. But if she had to choose, the scale tipped firmly toward Ijun.
"Yeah? All right. Text me your account number. I'll transfer the money by the end of the day."
"Yes. Thank you. You worked hard too."
"You're the one who worked hard. The result is so good I almost want to do something more for you. Hey."
Ju-hyeok played back the guide he had just finished a few times, smiling all the while.
Was it really that good?
She had always known her senior poured his heart into music. Still, having him enjoy her singing this much left Seorin feeling pretty good herself.
As she packed up and stepped out of the studio, Ju-hyeok followed, tidying his own things, and asked,
"You said you were heading toward the station, right?"
"Yes. There's a café I always go to near there."
"I've got some business that way too. Someone I need to meet for practice today. If you're okay with it, want a ride?"
"Uh…"
"I was the one who called you out here, and the transportation's not exactly convenient. That's why the studio rates are cheap, though."
Getting here had been a hassle. Even after getting off the bus at a nearby stop, she had still had to walk a long way in, and she had been thinking how inconvenient it was. Once she arrived, though, the facilities were good and the price was low, so she could see why her senior put up with it.
"Think of it as thanks for a great recording, plus covering your transportation. You don't have to if you don't want to."
From Ju-hyeok's perspective, he must have felt a little bad. No matter how well-paid the gig was, he had made her come all the way out to a place like this. Seorin didn't really want to brush off pure goodwill. Ju-hyeok wasn't the type to pull something shady or harbor ulterior motives either. Might as well save on transportation and take the ride.
"I'd be grateful for a ride. Really."
"Okay. Wait by the entrance. I'll go get the car."
"Yes."
As she waited in front of the building, Ju-hyeok's car soon emerged from the underground parking garage. Seorin climbed in, and they headed toward the nearby station that was her destination.
A brief silence settled in. Finding it awkward to stay quiet, Ju-hyeok struck up a conversation while driving.
"Seorin."
"Yes?"
"How long did you say it's been since you last sang?"
"I'm not sure exactly, but around a year, I guess. Why?"
When had her last recording been? Seorin couldn't quite remember either.
"No reason. For someone who hasn't done it in so long, your instincts haven't dulled at all. Plus, you looked like you were having fun while you sang."
Had she?
No. She had.
Honestly, she had enjoyed it too. Who would have thought singing again after so long would feel this good. It was enough to remind her why she had gone into practical music and tried to make singing her career.
"Being here in the studio with you like this just brought back the band days in college. Got me excited for no reason."
"It was fun back then."
"Yeah. It was."
They had even gone to the university song festival together. They had taken first place at a school event with an original song and basked in the cheers. No matter how their relationship had changed, those days remained pretty good memories for Seorin as well.
"Honestly, when you said you hadn't sung in a long time, I wasn't expecting much."
"That's fair."
"You know how it is in this industry. Take a little break and your feel is gone just like that. It's a physical thing, after all."
Especially with singing. In the end it was about muscle movements, so once the sense faded, that was it. Even pro singers had to go through a rehab period after a hiatus.
"But after today, I think you could jump right back into the scene. Better than most of the indie band vocalists I know."
"Come on, senior. That's over the top. Aren't you laying it on a little thick?"
"No, I'm serious. I've always thought you had talent, but seeing you again after so long… it's like your skills have matured even more."
She had kept up some musical activity in the time he hadn't seen her. As a VTuber she had recorded tracks and done plenty of lives. So if her skills had improved since the band days, that would make sense.
"So here's the thing, Seorin."
"Yes."
"I've got a song I'm working on right now. It needs a feature, and I thought you might want to try it. Your tone would fit this one really well too."
Seorin turned her head slightly to glance at Ju-hyeok's eyes. His gaze as he drove was quite serious. She could tell instinctively. He was making this offer after seriously considering her singing. When it came to music, Ju-hyeok was sincere; he wasn't the type to joke around or make offers like this out of pity or connections.
But the words that left her mouth were a refusal.
"Mmm. No. I'm fine, senior."
"Why? Is something off? Is working with me a burden?"
"No, it's not that. I just don't think I'll have time to practice. I'm studying, you know. And for this one I barely practiced before singing it."
This time it had been a guide track, so it was one thing. A proper feature that went into full production wasn't something you could half-ass. It was the product of countless people's effort and dedication, so you couldn't cut corners. She knew that from her practical music major and band life. If she took it seriously, she would have to invest the time. And for that, she lacked the stamina, the setup, and the hours.
"That's fine. Don't stress about it too much. It's not a track with a tight release schedule, so we've got plenty of time. Even just an hour or two a day after studying would work. You can use my studio if you need to. I don't go there much at night anyway."
Honestly, part of her was tempted by his words. Recording the guide today had been so much fun, and if she stayed near him he would probably take good care of her compensation too. Even while studying, keeping up this level of musical activity didn't seem like such a bad idea.
That was exactly why. That was why it felt so dangerous to her.
How hard had it been to let go of her feelings for music? Because she loved music that much, she was afraid even her resolve to prepare for the civil service exam might waver. Afraid that if she lingered nearby like this, she would want to go back to that world again. That scared her.
"I'm fine, senior."
"Yeah? That's a shame. If you don't want to, there's nothing I can do. If you change your mind later, just hit me up. I'll wait until I find a vocalist I like."
"Yes. Understood."
At his words, Seorin felt a strange vibration in her heart as she looked out the window. She shouldn't talk about music any more. If she kept talking with him, the passion from her university days might come back to life.
She answered vaguely and turned her head, only to realize the car had already reached the area near the café she frequented.
"So where should I drop you off?"
"Ah, right in front of that café."
"Next to the convenience store? The two-story one?"
"Yes. There."
"Okay."
Following her directions, Ju-hyeok pulled up in front of the café. Seorin opened the door, stepped out of his car, and offered her thanks.
"Thank you for today, senior. And for the ride, too."
"Nah, it was nothing. Get inside quick. It was good seeing you again after so long, Seorin."
She bowed her head politely to her senior, then turned to the side—and that was when it happened.
"Oh? Seorin?"
There on the street was Ijun, who had spotted her and was walking over. It looked like he was just heading in for his shift.
"Ah, Ijun~ Are you just getting here too?"
"Yeah. But you said you had something today. You're already done?"
"Just finished. What about you?"
"I saw my parents and rested a bit before coming out. Maybe the hangover hasn't worn off—my head's still fuzzy."
He smiled brightly at her, then casually glanced at the car she had gotten out of. As if it were a car he was seeing for the first time. She had never arrived at the café by car before, so of course his gaze would go there.
Then his eyes met Ju-hyeok's through the windshield, and his expression froze. In a slightly subdued voice, he asked her,
"…So who's that guy? A friend?"
At those words, Ju-hyeok's awkward gaze turned toward Seorin.