Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Perfect Stage
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As the instrumental progressed, I pictured where every line of the lyrics should fall.
“Done.”
“Jeez. What do you mean, ‘done’?”
I pressed the record button on my phone and played the arranged MR on Kim Sung-hoon’s phone again.
I'm a top-tier maker, for crying out loud. You think I can't sing an arranged song just because there's no guide melody? If anything, this will turn out even better than the original.
“…What are you doing…”
“Shh!”
I hushed him to keep his voice from being picked up, and then I started to ride the melody.
♪♬
You are leaving
Leaving me behind
Your smile was my happiness-
That’s me, the one who only needed your smile
♪♬
I began to sing, my vocals perfectly optimized for the instrumental I was hearing for the first time.
When the pre-recorded harmony chorus matched my singing perfectly, the eyes of Kim Sung-hoon and the staff filled with shock.
“…You said you were a manager?”
A small thrill went through me at Kim Sung-hoon's mutter.
As I sang with a perfect interpretation of the song, Kim Sung-hoon and the staff fell silent, not even daring to breathe.
♪♬
But it's so hard- I can't breathe
Where are you now- my only love
♪♬
The clean high notes in the chorus, and the final line delivered with an emotion pinned down by sorrow.
Outro.
A long silence followed even after the song ended, as if they were immensely surprised.
“…Who are you?”
I let out a small laugh at the sincere joke from Kim Sung-hoon, who was eight years my senior.
“I’m in charge of Answer.”
I said bluntly while checking the recording.
“Damn… But why are you so good at singing? That chorus was insane.”
“…Please be quiet for a moment. I need to hear the result.”
“……”
The sound quality was poor and mixed with static, but it was good enough to practice with as a guide. I transferred the guide track to his phone and handed it back.
“Let’s get going. Practice quickly.”
“…Are you a manager because you’re trying to debut?”
It’s a question many people have about me, and it’s almost always the same.
“I’m on the producing side. Practice, quickly.”
“Yeah… Thanks.”
His unexpectedly meek acceptance made me think he wasn’t as bad as my first impression of him suggested. Kim Sung-hoon put in his earphones and began humming along, starting his practice.
Kim Sung-hoon, with a vocal stat of 88, wasn’t as good as me at 91, but his skills were befitting of a top-tier idol.
However, for some reason, the vision of a stage accident in my third eye didn't disappear, instead swirling with a reddish light.
Something feels off. Do I need to do more?
I got a call from the Isa-nim.
-What’s going on? Why do I have so many missed calls from you and Sung-hoon?
I explained the situation, and the Isa-nim called back after talking with the broadcast station.
-I spoke with the CP, and he told me to contact this number. I don’t fully understand, so could you call them, Min-jun?
I called the PD.
-This is ridiculous. Do I look like a pushover? We have a live show today, there’s a ton to prepare, and you want me to find an old video, extract the audio, huh? Do you have any common sense! If you can’t do it, I’ll just pull you from the lineup, so be it. I swear, this is unbelievable.
I only got an earful for my troubles.
“…What’d he say?”
Kim Sung-hoon asked.
“He said if you can’t perform, he’ll pull you from the lineup.”
“That’s crazy. Even after you told him I needed it?”
“Yes.”
“Wow… Back in the day, he used to beg me to appear on his variety show just once, and now he’s acting all high and mighty as a director?”
Kim Sung-hoon fumed, breathing heavily through his nose.
“Just practice with the guide I gave you. When you get down to it, this is our fault, after all.”
“…Actually… No, never mind.”
For some reason, Kim Sung-hoon looked anxious.
* * *
The car stopped in the broadcast station's parking lot. Fans of Kim Sung-hoon and the other performers scheduled for today were gathered, welcoming their idols as they arrived for the show.
The makeup artist and stylist did a final check before getting out of the car.
“The sponsor insisted that you undo two buttons. The necklace has to be clearly visible.”
The stylist undid another button on the gray and black mixed silk shirt.
“Hold on.”
Kim Sung-hoon clasped his hands together and his body started trembling. It looked like he was flexing to pump up his chest muscles.
“Can you see it?”
“…See what?”
The stylist asked back, bewildered.
“My pecs. Can you see them?”
“Ah… yes.”
The stylist glanced at the sliver of chest visible between his shirt and reluctantly answered. It was hard to tell if Kim Sung-hoon was shameless or just cool.
He headed toward the photo line for his arrival.
“Our Sung-hoon is so handsome!”
“Kim Sung-hoon, handsome as hell again today!”
“I love you, Kim Sung-hoon!”
“Noona’s here, Sung-hoon!”
It was a completely different reaction from what I'd imagined, which was fans screaming 'Oppa' amidst their cheers.
An idol who had been in the industry for over 10 years. A fandom that had aged alongside their idol was a world away from a newer one, overflowing with a relaxed confidence. It was a novel feeling.
“Oh! You came? You too, Noona? Been well?”
Kim Sung-hoon muttered, making eye contact with a few familiar fans. After a short photo time, he headed to the main hall where the live broadcast would take place.
* * *
Every time the thick, soundproof doors of the main hall opened, the clamor of the audience, who had yet to be seated, seeped in. The rehearsal began with three large main cameras and several mobile ones.
It was Kim Sung-hoon’s turn.
With a tense expression, Kim Sung-hoon began to sing along with the instrumental. Then, his face grew paler and paler, and drenched in a cold sweat, he collapsed in the middle of the song.
A small commotion broke out, but the rehearsal for the next artist began shortly after.
“You still haven’t memorized it?”
Kim Sung-hoon, who had been cursing under his breath, looked at me and spoke.
“What I’m about to tell you is a complete secret. Only the Siljang-nim and the Daepyo-nim know.”
“Go on.”
He took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
“…I’ve had an anxiety disorder for a few years now.”
An occupational hazard for celebrities who endure a lot of mental stress. Panic and anxiety disorders.
“It’s not severe enough to need medication… but anyway, when I get anxious, my mind just goes blank.”
He spoke of his condition lightly, but it didn't seem like a light matter.
It was a well-known fact that many celebrities were at a level where they needed medication but were reluctant to seek treatment for fear of it becoming public.
Even if they received a prescription for a legitimate condition, they could be labeled as drug addicts without any consideration for the type or use of the medication.
“Wouldn’t it work if you just follow the guide I gave you?”
“…I just tried, but it gets mixed with the original MR, and I can’t hear it well. If I turn up the volume, the noise is so bad it feels like my ears are going to split.”
I could finally understand why Kim Sung-hoon was in a situation where he had to pretend to faint on stage.
“…I don’t think I can ask to be pulled from the lineup this suddenly.”
It seemed Kim Sung-hoon had planned to collapse on stage from the beginning. In a way, collapsing due to a "hectic schedule" might be a better call than suddenly dropping out of the lineup and sparking rumors.
But I couldn't allow such a thing to happen on a schedule I was managing.
“Will you be okay if you have a clean guide track?”
“Well, yeah, but… didn’t the PD say we’re on our own?”
“I’m going to go meet the sound director.”
Whether it was because of my trait or my ability to create a guide track in an instant, Kim Sung-hoon seemed to have placed his trust in me within just a few hours of meeting me.
I went to find the sound director, who was in charge of the stage's audio. I explained the situation to him and began to adjust the audio settings for Kim Sung-hoon's in-ear monitor.
Once the settings were configured just as I had envisioned, the warning vision of Kim Sung-hoon’s broadcast accident disappeared.
-Our next performer is an idol who proudly won first place on the 35th episode of our 'Reinterpretation of Masterpieces' special. When you see this man, you're reminded that the world isn't fair. Acting, singing, dancing, he does it all. Do you know who I'm talking about?
“Yes!”
The MC’s skillful hosting hyped up the audience's mood.
“Is the guide really going to come through the in-ear?”
“Yes. When I sing into the headset, it will come out directly in your in-ear.”
“What about the delay? There’s usually a 0.3-second lag.”
“I’ve accounted for everything and adjusted the settings. Don’t worry.”
“Really? For real? Because if not, I’m fainting.”
I let out a laugh at Kim Sung-hoon’s attempt to play it cool. He seemed like a difficult person to completely dislike.
-Let’s give a warm welcome to Kim Sung-hoon of Dope Scale! Please give him a round of applause!
“Woooah!”
Countless cameras and staff members began to move busily, and powerful lights illuminated the stage.
Amid the cheers of the audience, Kim Sung-hoon's performance began.
[Trait 'Star Maker' activated]
[Kim Sung-hoon relies on you, temporarily increasing the synchronization rate]
I adjusted the headset microphone toward my chin to prevent my powerful vocals from distorting it. It would have been better if I could have gotten a dynamic microphone, but I couldn't ask for too much from the broadcast staff. We were in a subordinate position right now.
The live session being played on stage also flowed into the headset I was wearing.
The beginning was similar to the original song from the 2000s. I started to get into character as if I were on stage myself, and I felt Kim Sung-hoon on stage achieve perfect synchronization with me.
[Due to synchronization with you, the target's vocal stat temporarily increases by 1.5]
[Kim Sung-hoon showcases a vocal level of 89.5]
♪♬
You are leaving
Leaving me behind
♪♬
Stabilized by my guide, Kim Sung-hoon’s anxiety vanished, replaced by a sense of desolation. It felt as if the voice I was singing was coming directly from Kim Sung-hoon’s mouth.
After the verse, a synth from an EDM dance track kicked in, starting the variation.
♪♬
Your smile was my happiness-
That’s me, the one who only needed your smile
♪♬
The dance beat, matching the seemingly bright lyrics, was expressed like a desperate struggle for happiness atop a foundation of despair.
Through my third eye, I could feel the auras of the audience, who must have been wearing bittersweet smiles at the heartbreaking narrative. Everyone was sucked into the music’s atmosphere.
The harmony of the broadcast station's choir, which had been on standby, blended with my and Kim Sung-hoon's vocals, releasing suppressed emotions and deepening the audience's感動.
♪♬
Don’t go, please-
Don’t leave, ah! Ahh!
♪♬
The song’s killing point, a shout hitting E-sharp in the third octave, was unleashed.
It wasn't the mindless shouting of the original song, but a deeply refined, desperate scream that shook the hearts of everyone in the hall.
♪♬
But it's so hard, I can't breathe
Where are you now- my only love
♪♬
The stage ended with a poignant but gentle conclusion. I could feel tears streaming from my eyes and Kim Sung-hoon's at the same time.
“Woooooow!!”
Nearly two thousand people gave a standing ovation, and among them were even broadcast station staff. The hall seemed to shake from the applause for what was truly a perfect performance.
Faced with the audience's unceasing reaction, the MC could only repeat, “Ah… yes. Ah… yes.”
-…Ah… I knew Kim Sung-hoon was a talented artist, but was he always this good?
The host said, his eyes glistening with tears, clearly moved.
-That was a truly… a truuuly moving performance. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a stage that gets such a response even from the broadcast staff. Everyone! Please give another huge round of applause for the artist, Kim Sung-hoon, who poured his soul into that song!
“Waaaah!”
Kim Sung-hoon wiped his tears and bowed in various directions. A satisfied smile spread across my lips as well.
*Ting.*
[JD Enter's Cash Cow Objective Complete]
JD Enter's sole cash cow has overcome a crisis.
[Reward]
Random Draw, 3 Distributable Points
A roulette wheel started spinning, feeling incongruous with my current state of quiet emotion. And yet, there I was, a hypocrite hoping for a good reward.
‘Limit Break (A)’
‘Get Up (C)’
‘Hey, Listen (C)’
⁝
The furiously spinning roulette wheel came to a stop.
[You have won a one-time use ticket for the trait 'Hey, Listen (C)'.]
Allows you to persuade the target with a high probability. (Success rate increases based on plausibility.)
I don’t know what it is, but I was hoping for ‘Limit Break’, which was two grades higher and whose effect I could roughly guess…
Well, there’ll be other chances.
* * *
“……”
Kim Sung-hoon came down from the stage and strode toward me. His face was full of emotion.
“Hey… damn…”
Kim Sung-hoon suddenly rolled up his shirt sleeve and showed me his forearm.
“Goosebumps… Does the Daepyo-nim know? That you can sing this well?”
“Yes.”
“Then why aren’t they debuting you! You’ve got the looks for it, too.”
“There are circumstances. I can’t debut for a while.”
“…You ran away from another agency, didn’t you?”
“……”
I searched for something to say for a long moment, but anything would sound like an excuse.
“…Hey, hey, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Don’t get all red. Why don’t you and I…”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
I answered a call from the Isa-nim.
-Put Sung-hoon on.
I handed the phone to Kim Sung-hoon.
“Yes, Noona… You saw it? Hey, I’ve always been a pretty good singer…”
Kim Sung-hoon said, boasting. It seemed the Isa-nim had praised his live performance.
“It’s fine, I’m telling you it’s fine. Huh? I think he can just do it. It’s really fine…”
Kim Sung-hoon said, glancing at me, then handed the phone back.
“Yes, Isa-nim.”
-Team Leader Lee will be there soon. Hand Sung-hoon over to him and bring the Answer members.
“To the company?”
-No. She said there's a company dinner tonight.
“On a day like this? Aren't you busy?”
-Everything's been resolved. We're having beef, so come. Let the members know, too.
A hint of dissatisfaction lingered in the Isa-nim's voice.
“But the members, too? Are they allowed to eat meat?”
-…Yes. I’ll send you the location, so please just do me this one more favor. You guys have a few days off anyway, right?
“Yes. That’s no trouble at all.”
The call ended.
With impossibly perfect timing, Team Leader Lee arrived.
“Good work today.”
“Yes. You too, Artist Kim Sung-hoon.”
“What’s with the ‘artist’? Just call me Hyung.”
At Kim Sung-hoon's reaction, Team Leader Lee looked at me with curiosity. Kim Sung-hoon added with a look of disappointment.
“I’ll buy you a drink sometime, okay? See you later.”
It had been a hectic day.
And on a hectic day like this, why were we having a company dinner?