Chapter 173: Opening (1)
Chapter 173: Opening (1)
"Is this really yours, Min-seo?"
Gil Su-jin, the matriarch of Lee Hyuk-soo’s household, widened her eyes at the report card her daughter had brought home.
Her daughter had never once broken into the top three tiers before.
However, the report card she received today showed that every single subject, except for one, was within the second tier.
This had all happened in the span of just two months.
"Ye-yes."
Her daughter sounded hesitant and looked incredibly exhausted.
But that didn't matter.
To Gil Su-jin, this report card was everything.
Until now, her second child had been nothing more than a cute girl with an opaque future.
But now, she was a lovely child who had brought exactly what Gil Su-jin had longed for.
Just look at these grades.
Lee Yu-ju was the real deal.
Su-jin was convinced that while Min-seo had worked hard, she must have been using her brother’s portfolio as a guide.
'If she keeps this up, she can get into Baek-yeon University’s medical school...'
She had practically given up on Min-seo, but at this rate, both of her children had a real chance.
"Our Min-seo really worked hard. On the other hand..."
Gil Su-jin’s eyes narrowed as they turned toward Min-hyuk, Min-seo’s quiet twin brother.
Min-hyuk’s grades were overwhelmingly superior to Min-seo’s.
Most were in the first tier, with only a few dipping into the second.
He only had one third-tier grade, and that was in a relatively unimportant subject.
"You’re exactly the same, my son."
"..."
However, the important thing was that Min-seo’s grades had skyrocketed, while Min-hyuk’s had remained stagnant.
Min-hyuk was higher this time, but there was no telling what would happen in the next mock exam.
Furthermore, it was unclear if it would stay that way for the CSAT.
In fact, there was a distinct possibility that Min-seo, who was sticking close to Lee Yu-ju, might surpass him.
Looking at how her grades had leaped in just two months, it seemed inevitable.
"Please, don't disappoint me. From now on, join Min-seo whenever she meets with Lee Yu-ju."
"Mother."
"Son. I’m saying this all for your own good."
Gil Su-jin said it like a habit.
It’s all for you.
Of course, Min-hyuk knew that. It was surely for his sake.
It was just that her own selfish desires were mixed in as well.
Min-hyuk’s dream was also to become a doctor.
But.
"I... understand."
Min-hyuk had no choice but to answer that way for now.
No matter what he said, Gil Su-jin wouldn't listen anyway.
And so, Min-hyuk was forced to tag along whenever Min-seo met with Lee Yu-ju.
"Oh, really? You want to get closer to me?"
Lee Yu-ju said with a beaming smile.
For the record, Min-hyuk had never said anything of the sort.
He had simply naturally joined them when Min-seo went to meet her.
However, Yu-ju seemed to have seen through his intentions instantly.
Well, if someone who used to badmouth you suddenly came looking for you, the reason would be obvious.
"If you don't like it..."
"I don't dislike it. I just find it funny."
After saying that, Yu-ju stared silently at Min-hyuk.
It was that characteristic gaze of hers—the one that looked down on others.
It had been a few months since they entered high school.
In that time, Yu-ju had already captured the hearts of the teachers.
She was, after all, the top student in the entire school.
She was the undisputed number one among the elite students of Baek-yeon High School.
Her recent mock exam results seemed excellent, and her midterm results went without saying.
"Huh? Yu-ju? You really don't mind being with my brother?"
"I don't really care."
Min-seo was the one who seemed flustered.
Yu-ju just continued to stare at Min-hyuk in silence.
Feeling that gaze, Min-hyuk—or rather, Kim Hyun-seok, the actor playing Min-hyuk—felt something strange.
He felt that something about her gaze had changed.
Before, it had been a purely condescending, overbearing feeling, but now, it felt somewhat fragile.
It felt like she was bristling, like the quills of a hedgehog.
She was just hiding it.
Somehow, the vibe had completely shifted.
Why?
The moment that question swirled in his head—
"Cut! Hyun-seok, the next line! You have to say your line!"
"Ah, I'm sorry."
He had made so many NGs by now that he was honestly becoming numb to it.
Inwardly, he could even empathize with Min-seo’s feelings.
When expectations vanished, one became indifferent.
Of course, it wasn't that he didn't feel sorry.
He felt bad for the other actors whose mental energy would be drained by every single NG.
But after being bashed and criticized on the internet recently, he had realized something.
Being anxious would only have a negative impact.
Instead, he needed to be able to look at himself calmly and objectively.
So.
After finishing the scene reasonably well and the filming ended, Hyun-seok approached Seo-yeon.
"...I feel like your acting has changed?"
Hyun-seok, who rarely spoke to her, asked Seo-yeon.
At his words, Seo-yeon’s eyes widened.
She looked as if she hadn't expected him to ask her anything.
Or, in this case, was she surprised that he had noticed the change in her acting?
Her reaction was a bit ambiguous.
"I changed it a little. Can you feel the difference?"
"R-really?"
Park Se-jin, the actress playing Min-seo, seemed to have had no idea.
Well, it wasn't that she hadn't noticed anything at all.
She had felt something different, but she had just assumed it was a matter of Seo-yeon's condition that day.
"Somehow, Lee Yu-ju felt... fragile."
How should he put it?
It felt like her tone had changed.
From what he had observed so far, Seo-yeon’s acting was emotional.
To put it another way, her emotional delivery was clear, and she expressed feelings in an easy-to-understand way.
That was why the change hit him so hard.
The emotion she poured into her acting had changed.
"I just thought about it a bit from Lee Yu-ju's perspective."
Seo-yeon hadn't really empathized with Lee Yu-ju before.
Therefore, deep emotional acting had been difficult for her.
While Yu-ju was a top student, it was hard to pinpoint exactly why she looked down on others so much.
But now, she understood a little.
Lee Yu-ju was, surprisingly, very much like herself.
"And I realized that Lee Yu-ju is just a child who hasn't been able to grow up."
At Seo-yeon’s murmur, Hyun-seok felt a bit puzzled.
Strangely, Seo-yeon’s aura also felt a bit subdued.
'Is it because of the ratings?'
The ratings for Sky Garden were quite high, hovering around 10 percent.
That was enough to be considered a hit among recent dramas.
However, as long as Grand Game was airing on Mondays and Tuesdays, all the focus was shifted there.
Even if they finished with decent results, all the attention would ultimately go to Grand Game.
No matter how well the runner-up did, people only remembered the winner.
Unless there was a major turning point, this ranking wouldn't change.
So, from Seo-yeon’s perspective as the protagonist, it was bound to be disappointing.
The results were good, but she wasn't getting any spotlight because of the number one show above her.
"Ah, r-right. This week is episodes 7 and 8, right?"
Sensing the strange atmosphere around Seo-yeon, Park Se-jin spoke up brightly to change the mood.
"Yes, that's right."
"I-it’s already been that long. Episode 10 is coming up soon... Episode 10 has a pretty intense scene, so I hope it gets a good reaction."
Episode 10 was the turning point of the drama.
For the show itself, and for Lee Yu-ju.
And for Min-hyuk and Min-seo as well.
However, word was that Grand Game was also planning to make its big move in episode 10.
'Honestly, it looks like it'll be tough.'
'It’s so unfair, really.'
Hyun-seok and Se-jin thought so, even if they didn't say it out loud.
But it didn't matter.
The two of them were quite satisfied with Sky Garden’s current performance.
That was why they could just brush it off even when they were compared to Seo-yeon and bashed on the internet.
Well, Park Se-jin wasn't bashed that much.
The role of Min-seo itself wasn't particularly serious, so her acting didn't stand out in a negative way.
"Oh, by the way, the semi-finals for Masked Singer are this week too, right? This weekend?"
Se-jin whispered into Seo-yeon’s ear in a small voice.
Seo-yeon was startled.
How did Se-jin know that?
"I had a meeting with Producer Lee, and she accidentally mentioned it. Don't worry. I'll keep it a secret."
Producer Lee Min-hwa was human, so she could make mistakes.
It seemed it had come up while she was talking to Park Se-jin about promoting Sky Garden.
For the record, Hyun-seok seemed to have no idea what the two were talking about.
"I'll be rooting for you!"
At her words, Seo-yeon gave an awkward smile.
Masked Singer was just as much of a headache for Seo-yeon.
*
"Hu-huh? You want to remake a cartoon song? Cartoon songs are usually a bit childish..."
Cha Na-hee looked at Seo-yeon with a flustered face.
Well, it could be done.
But why a cartoon song of all things?
"She said it’s the song that first brought her mom and dad together."
"Ah, no wonder it felt like a song full of memories."
Cha Na-hee quickly added.
Phew, I almost made a huge mistake.
Still, the thought 'But a cartoon song?' lingered.
'Wait, it’s actually not bad?'
No, putting that aside.
"This was a cartoon song?"
"Yes."
"Wow, I had no idea."
It was a song she heard quite often in karaoke rooms and various other places, so she had naturally assumed it was an old pop song.
Cha Na-hee hadn't really watched many cartoons to begin with.
That was why the stories she heard from the 'Wizard' lately felt like stories from another world, which perhaps made her even more interested.
"But something like this usually has copyright issues."
"I already got permission for that."
What initiative!
Wait, did she already decide on this before coming here?
She truly wanted to emulate that incredible drive.
'But...'
Cha Na-hee stole a glance at Seo-yeon.
She seemed more down than usual.
She wondered why, but when she spoke to her, Seo-yeon didn't seem particularly upset.
Was she just deep in thought?
"Are you going to use this for the semi-finals? But weren't you going to use one of Yeo-hee sunbaenim's songs for that?"
"No... if I make it to the finals."
In the King of Singers Tournament?
Wait, was she confident she would win the semi-finals?
"It’s not like that. I just can't prepare in a rush like I did this time."
"True."
If she were to win again, that would be an even bigger problem.
Seo-yeon didn't have any other songs prepared.
That meant she had to prepare for the King of Singers Tournament while also preparing for the semi-finals.
"...Is it possible?"
"Of course! But the timing is a bit tight. If we think about the King of Singers Tournament, we have about 12 days, right?"
"Yes."
If she won the semi-finals, she would have roughly that much time left.
If she already had copyright permission, it might just be possible, albeit barely.
'But of all times, Da-young unnie is busy too.'
Though she was often called 'Wizard,' her real name was Han Da-young.
She had also been busy lately preparing for a broadcast.
Cha Na-hee, who didn't have many filming sessions for Sky Garden yet, was the only one with some free time.
"I'll give it a try."
Still, Na-hee wanted to be of help to Seo-yeon if possible.
This was the King of Singers Tournament of Masked Singer, after all.
If she could arrange a song that could achieve good results there, she would surely learn something from it herself.
Her name would also be listed as the arranger.
It was by no means a task without merit.
"Should I mention it to Nova Enter?"
"No, I prefer working on this kind of thing alone."
Na-hee said so.
And from that day on, she began working late into the night.
The music equipment at Hoyeon was actually better than at Nova Enter.
It was because they had poured a ridiculous amount of money into it, determined to properly debut an idol group.
As a result, most of the idols had flopped, leaving behind expensive equipment like toxic inventory.
"...I am a bit tired."
Glancing at the time, it was already past midnight.
But even if she wanted to sleep, the deadline was tight.
She was essentially handling a task alone that was usually done by a team.
'A more upbeat feel would be better.'
The original song had a slightly sentimental vibe.
That was also the kind of song Seo-yeon was good at singing.
The Yeo-hee song she would sing in the semi-finals was also like that.
But having a song with the same atmosphere all the way to the finals was a bit...
This was a competition, wasn't it?
If she stuck to the same vibe she had shown so far, it would just feel familiar to the viewers and the audience.
A creator must appeal their work to the public.
And a work is usually highly evaluated when it gains 'empathy' from the public.
That was Seo-yeon’s greatest weapon.
However, sometimes a sense of novelty was needed.
She couldn't just rely on empathy alone and repeat songs with the same atmosphere.
Cha Na-hee was currently looking for a way to properly incorporate that.
Staying behind at the agency in the dark of the night.
"...Is she still not gone?"
Rabin clicked her tongue as she glanced at the lit-up studio.
"You haven't gone home either, Unnie."
And her right-hand woman, So-eun, said as if rebuking her.
"Hey, I live here. And besides..."
Rabin hadn't stayed behind to work.
It was no fun drinking alone at home, so she had just been hanging out with So-eun.
And then, on a whim!
"Let's go to karaoke!" she had said, and they had come to the studio.
It was a place where they could sing for free, after all.
Rabin had even brought in a karaoke machine, so it was a great place to play.
However, Rabin was startled enough to sober up halfway.
She hadn't expected Cha Na-hee to be working until this hour.
"What a tenacious girl..."
"That's why she's successful."
"Hey, you want to get hit?"
Rabin grumbled that they wouldn't be able to sing now and turned around.
"Hey, let's go outside."
She called out to So-eun, but So-eun didn't follow.
"Ugh, what now~."
"Unnie."
"Look, it’s not like this is the first or second time Cha Na-hee’s been like this. Just leave her—"
"I heard that’s a task Ju Seo-yeon asked her to do."
That gorilla-like girl?
Wait, what did that matter? They could just leave.
With that thought, she tried to walk away.
But her feet wouldn't move.
She really disliked that girl.
But seeing her like that, it wasn't easy to just ignore it.
Was this what they called a love-hate relationship?
"Dammit, is it because I'm drunk?"
Rabin said, scratching her head.
"Let's send her home and then play. I feel awkward for no reason."
"But is there anything we can even do to help?"
"How should I know?"
Rabin headed toward where Cha Na-hee was.
Trying hard to tell herself it was just because of the alcohol.
*
'Ugh, I shouldn't have come on Masked Singer.'
Yeo-hee, with a churning stomach, was resting her chin on her hand while sitting on the throne that only the King of Singers could occupy.
The posture was truly fit for a king!
Moreover, the mask she was wearing was the Gray Crow, which made her look even cooler.
Judging by her appearance, she looked like a villain out of a tokusatsu movie.
But her inner self was a different story.
'Please, please let her lose.'
Yeo-hee prayed fervently.
Two people were on stage.
One of them was the rabbit with red eyes.
The person who had introduced herself as 'Max Level Rabbit.'
Her voice had been distorted during the interview, but there was no way Yeo-hee wouldn't know.
She was the actress Yeo-hee had been following religiously since Taesumdal.
She had even sung an insert song for Sky Garden recently, so Yeo-hee was well-acquainted with her singing style.
The others didn't seem to know, but Yeo-hee knew the moment she heard her.
Ju Seo-yeon is singing this!!
She had often listened to her songs with the feeling of cheering her on from afar, but she never imagined they would meet like this.
'Surely, she doesn't know it's me.'
She had varied her singing style appropriately.
And the songs weren't in her usual style either.
Just as Yeo-hee was thinking that—
"Now then. It is Max Level Rabbit's turn! The song is... 'Wings of the Wind and Birds'!!"
The moment she heard the title of that song, Yeo-hee almost jumped to her feet instinctively.
That was because 'Wings of the Wind and Birds' was her very own song.
'D-does she know?'
Was this a warning?
Wait, I haven't done anything wrong yet.
To think I'd be trembling like this at my age.
Yeo-hee remained frozen like a stone until the moment Seo-yeon’s song ended.
Fervently hoping she would lose.
However, had Yeo-hee’s desperate prayers gone unanswered?
Seo-yeon overwhelmed her opponent by a large margin and claimed victory in the semi-finals.