Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: A Stage Full of Cheers
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While Seol-ah and Ro-si were looking over the menu, the Sudo University 50th Anniversary Festival began.
According to their contract, Answer was scheduled to perform two songs with no encore, sometime between 2:00 and 3:30 PM, whenever they were on standby.
But since their only other schedule for the day was a phone interview for a radio show, they gladly decided to headline the final stage. After all, a day like today, mingling with people, was a rare treat for Answer.
“I'll have the tofu pancakes.”
“I'll have the stir-fried blood sausage.”
Seol-ah and Ro-si each ordered what they wanted with happy expressions.
“One tofu pancake and one stir-fried blood sausage, please. I know it's not on the menu, but would a salad be possible? Even just some of the cabbage and paprika you use in your dishes would be fine.”
“Aha! Watching your weight, I see! I'll whip something up for you!”
Is it just me, or does this philosophy major not really seem like a... philosophy major?
A male and female MC, who seemed to be part of the student council, hosted the event with youthful voices.
-Yes. Now, we'll introduce our university's finest talents. First up, the Department of Sports Industry!
They called it a festival, but it was clearly just a talent show. The stage opened with a feat-of-strength act that no one laughed at.
The familiar sight of someone hitting their body with a wooden plank.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
“Ah! Ouch! Ack! Oh no, the plank won't break!”
It seemed like they were going for slapstick comedy, but there's a limit. Rather than being funny, it just looked painful for everyone watching.
Seol-ah covered her eyes completely, while Ro-si, despite screaming, was fixated on the wooden plank turning the performer's thigh red.
Meanwhile, the students inside the pop-up tavern were beaming with joy just to be near our table.
“Here's your Oriental salad. Please, eat up.”
The philosophy students cheerfully bustled about the crowded tavern.
Seol-ah and Ro-si were enjoying it all with giddy expressions, as if they were real university students themselves.
They'd probably faint if they saw a campus ten times larger than this one.
The tofu pancakes and stir-fried blood sausage arrived.
-Next, our school's historic band, Sudonmul, will begin their special performance.
It was amusing to see Seol-ah trying to maintain a neutral expression, but failing to hide her joy as a smile kept breaking through.
It's okay to be a little more honest now, isn't it?
“If you want a glass or two of makgeolli, go ahead.”
“Thank you. I was actually hoping to try some.”
Ro-si said with a bright smile.
After pouring themselves a glass of makgeolli, Seol-ah and Ro-si happily enjoyed the songs and dances from each department's representatives. The amateur performances had their own unique charm.
The scent of sizzling jeon growing stronger inside the tavern highlighted the special atmosphere of the place.
A short while later, Seul-bi and Yi-na, having finished their full makeup, joined us along with the stylists and Choi Yoo-jun.
With Seul-bi and Yi-na's upgraded looks, the atmosphere in the tavern grew even brighter.
“Just a moment, please. We'll put some tables and chairs together for you!”
Our table was expanded with tables and chairs brought over from another tavern.
Whenever students danced on stage, the members of Answer would bob along, mimicking the moves with small gestures.
“Woohoo!”
Even Answer's small movements drew joyous cheers from the students nearby.
The fun time flew by.
-Alright! All the participants have finished their performances. While we tally the scores, it's time for the highlight of today's festival! Let's watch the congratulatory performance. Please welcome the band, Earl Grey!
Clap, clap, clap.
There were no cheers, only the sparse sound of light applause.
I remembered this band. Earl Grey. After a long period of obscurity, they made a comeback when another artist's cover of their song became a hit.
But due to their vocalist's long-damaged vocal cords, they were a tragic band that disappeared again without ever getting to perform on a proper stage.
Could it be that the 'good thing' destined to happen here is because of them?
Unlike idol groups who only needed to bring themselves, bands had to haul their own equipment, which meant much higher incidental costs. Guitars and keyboards were one thing, but sometimes they had to lug around drums and amps too.
‘If I lent them a hand, how much could we both benefit?’
After Answer's success, completing the quest objective, and getting my revenge on Gyeon Sang-jin, I planned to build a new company.
However, building a new agency from scratch required a lot of connections and manpower. I might have to continue using JD Enter, and I would constantly need new sources of revenue.
Soon, Earl Grey's performance began.
Their musical skills weren't exceptional, but the vocalist and drummer were quite handsome. If I could just get them on the right track, they could become a good source of income.
Of course, it would be a much better option for them too. My actions had already created a butterfly effect, so there was no guarantee they would succeed on their own in this timeline.
I could feel students from all over campus and nearby residents gathering, drawn by the loud music from the stage.
“Answer, please get on standby.”
“Can we go up straight from here?”
“Ah? That would be great.”
As the young-looking male staff member turned to leave, someone from a tavern called out to him.
“Jin-woong, have a bite of this before you go!”
A female student stuffed a ssam wrap, packed with pork belly, into his mouth.
“Huh? Is the staff member a student here?”
Seul-bi asked with a curious look.
“That's right. He's a fellow student from the executive committee.”
“Ah... I see.”
The philosopher appeared again. It seemed he could hear everything we were saying, even from a distance. The surrounding tables were probably the same.
“Our student council isn't very well-funded, so they said they handled everything from the stage setup to the hosting themselves.”
“Ahh.”
The members of Answer looked sympathetic.
They were so excited about receiving 20 million won, but it seems to be weighing on their minds now.
-Yes. We've just enjoyed the song from the band Earl Grey. It was a fantastic performance that reminded us, 'pros are pros.' The response from our fellow students was also fiery hot.
It wasn't hot at all...
-But the main event of Sudo University's 50th anniversary is still to come. You all know who it is, right?
“Yeees!”
While we were focused on the stage and the tavern, a large crowd had gathered, creating a real festival atmosphere. It felt as if they had all been waiting just for Answer's performance.
The people in our tavern, in particular, were screaming their lungs out, causing those in other tents who didn't know we were here to stare in confusion.
-So hot, so hot! So hip, so hip! The trending group that burst right out of the luxury brand Elegang's lookbook, please welcome Answer!
“Waaaaah!”
The roar was much louder than I had expected. I'd guessed at their popularity from their rapidly rising performance fees, but this reaction was beyond my expectations.
The members of Answer also looked stunned, as if struck by a thrill.
“Let's go!”
“!”
Seol-ah snapped out of it and took the lead, and all the members of Answer held hands in a line as they walked toward the stage.
“Why are they coming from over there!”
“No way!”
“See, I told you something was up over there.”
The students in the tents who had arrived late and didn't know Answer's location expressed their regret.
“Ooooh.”
As they watched Answer's sleek, well-proportioned figures from behind, the cheers turned into deep sounds of admiration.
When the members of Answer began to climb the high steps to the stage, that admiration fell into a dead silence.
This atmosphere... why do I feel embarrassed?
The members of Answer were handed four dynamic microphones.
- Ask us question!!!
- Answer's main vocal, Seol-ah.
- Main dancer, Seul-bi!
- Main rapper, Ro-si!
- And the visual, Yi-na!
“Waaaaah!”
The roar of the crowd made my heart pound.
Choi Yoo-jun and the stylists looked just as pleased as I did.
“To think our artists have come this far... I'm so...”
“You were about to say 'deeply moved,' weren't you?”
“Ah! Yes, deeply moved!”
“I'm going to go help with backup.”
“I'll go! I forgot.”
“No, it's fine. I've been here for a while.”
“Are you coming back after?”
“We'll see. I'll call you.”
I took a few 50,000 won bills from my wallet and placed them on the table.
“Order anything else you want to eat.”
“Huh? I have money too! Thanks to you, my stocks are doing well... Oof! My hair!”
I ruffled the kid's hair.
“Don't be a wise guy.”
“Heh.”
Choi Yoo-jun was the one person who could most accurately guess the scale of my wealth.
Because his own money was growing at a rate proportional to mine.
“Wow, Timjang-nim. He's got style.”
“He's so cool to be around. So charismatic. And he's only one year older than me.”
“Huh? There's only a one-year difference?”
“Right? He has such an amazing presence, doesn't he?”
The conversation between the stylists and Choi Yoo-jun made my ears burn.
♪♬
Boom boom boom boom
The beat and synth of Answer's song began to blend together.
“Woooah!”
My chest swelled with emotion at the roar for Answer's first event since gaining real popularity.
I took a wide path around the stage and went backstage. The members of the band Earl Grey were still there, watching Answer's performance.
“I'm jealous.”
“They started from the bottom and made it this far. It's really not over 'til it's over.”
“I've been thinking.”
“What?”
“That maybe we've already failed, and we're just the only ones who don't know it.”
“Aish, don't say such unlucky things. Our spirit is still alive and well.”
“Haa... that spirit. What era is that spirit from? The one from when we dropped out of high school?”
The conversation between the members of Earl Grey was incredibly bitter.
I scanned their abilities.
The result was just as I expected. These were people who could succeed with just a little help from me.
Their vocals and instrumental skills had hit a wall, but if I could help them break through and match them with the right songs, they could even do well overseas.
They started with nothing but passion and no proper musical training, which is why they couldn't move past their current level. There are more people than you'd think who have the skill and potential but give up because luck isn't on their side.
‘They're still in their early twenties, so they'll be able to perform for a long time.’
For now, I'll add them to the list of candidates for my post-Answer company.
♪♬
My life is beating for you!
♪♬
“Waaaaah!”
As Answer executed a cool turning choreography, Seol-ah's live high note burst forth, and the crowd's cheers grew even louder.
“Whoa. Her vocals are insane.”
“Girl groups these days are great singers.”
“Boy groups are crazy good too.”
“I'm tired of all the repetitive rhythms without a real hook lately. It's nice that this one has a solid hook.”
“Right, right. A song definitely needs a killing point.”
Watching them heap praise on Answer made me genuinely want to help them. Though for now, achieving Answer's quest objective was the priority.
-Thank you, everyone. Does anyone here remember us coming here last year?
“Yeees...”
A few people started to answer before trailing off sheepishly.
-Yes. That's why today's stage is even more meaningful for us. Back then, not a single person knew who we were, but today, you've given us more of a welcome than we deserve.
At Seol-ah's words, the members of Earl Grey sighed deeply and nodded.
-We sincerely congratulate Sudo University on its 50th anniversary, and we're so grateful you invited us to such a meaningful event. We'll now perform the song we sang the last time we were here.
“Waaaaah!”
Answer's debut song began.
-Let's go down.
Seol-ah's words to the other members rang out through the speakers, and thousands of audience members roared.
“Waaaaah!”
Seol-ah with Yi-na, and Seul-bi with Ro-si, paired up and started the choreography close to the audience, spreading out as they moved.
♪♬
Today is the third day I'm meeting you
“Day!”
♪♬
Will we meet again tomorrow, this 'some' of ours
“Some!”
♪♬
Please understand my impatient heart, silly you
“You!”
The audience shouted in unison, just like a fan club.
This song got this famous?
Since I took over, Answer had gotten much better at performing this once-awkward song, but I never imagined people would know it this well.
Daepyo-nim Park Jae-yong would have loved to see this.
‘See, see! I told you the girls just hadn't grown into it! Look at them now, it's a perfect fit! To make this song, I did this and that...’
I shook my head, automatically imagining his rambling.
The members of Answer, excited by the positive reaction, moved deeper into the crowd.
The sound from the wireless mics started to cut out intermittently as they moved farther away, creating the amusing sight of the event staff carrying the receivers to the very edge of the stage to shorten the distance.
“Encore! Encore! Encore!”
The audience's response was fiery, and Seol-ah, catching her breath, took the mic again.
-We actually only prepared two songs, so we don't have anything else ready...
“Booooooo!”
The audience let out a playful boo, full of anticipation.
-What should we do? Timjang-nim.
Hearing Seol-ah mention me with a faint smile, I let out a small laugh and nodded.
It felt like a stronger light was radiating from Seol-ah, who now knew how to work a crowd. She had become a true professional.
I went over to a staff member and handed him a new USB drive.
-Our Timjang-nim gave us permission. We're going to give you a sneak peek of the song we'll be promoting this summer. We'll continue to be the Answer that works tirelessly to earn your love. Please give us lots of your attention!
“Waaaaah! Answer! Answer! Answer!”
At Seol-ah's words, the entire campus erupted in joy. The expressions on the faces of the Answer members, still panting for breath, couldn't have looked happier.