Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Farewell to the Kindergarten
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“Thank you for everything all this time, Director.”
Chae Hayeon bowed deeply to the director sitting in front of her.
“Director?!”
“…Yes?”
“Now that you’ve left the kindergarten, call me Soyeon’s mom or Auntie.”
“Hehe, yes, Auntie.”
The director gazed at Chae Hayeon with a proud expression.
To think that the little girl who’d never even dared to chase her dream of becoming a singer due to her tough circumstances had now become a full-fledged singer like this.
The world was full of surprises.
“Keep giving us great music from now on. I’ll be listening every day.”
“Yes, Auntie.”
“Alright, off you go. You must be busy.”
“Hehe, yes.”
Chae Hayeon bowed once more and left the kindergarten.
Boosted by the success of “Cheer Up, Today Too,” Chae Hayeon’s debut mini-album had also been a hit.
Though genre limitations meant her only taste of number one was that brief moment with “Cheer Up, Today Too” (which, considering modern genre music, was an incredible feat in itself), this was enough to call her a successful singer.
Unable to quit her kindergarten job carelessly due to her family situation, Chae Hayeon had boldly decided to go full-time as a singer after seeing her streaming results—and today, she’d left the kindergarten she’d grown so attached to.
Remembering the director who’d reached out to her back when she’d given up on her dreams and had nothing left, the kindergarten itself, and all those unbearably cute kids, Chae Hayeon felt a lump in her throat for a moment.
But it wasn’t a forever goodbye.
She turned and walked away.
How many steps had she taken?
SSHIN.
Her agency was waiting. Chae Hayeon took a deep breath to calm her excited heart and entered the building.
“I’m back!”
Maybe because she’d just quit the kindergarten, everything felt fresh and new, so she greeted everyone energetically—and as if they’d been waiting, the door to one of the studios swung open.
“Teacher!!”
It was none other than Yeonwoo.
Yeonwoo ran to Chae Hayeon and threw himself into her arms.
Now in elementary school, Yeonwoo had grown a bit more and felt even bigger than the Yeonwoo in Chae Hayeon’s memories.
“What were you up to?”
“I was making songs to give to Hadas!”
“Huh? Didn’t you already finish those?”
“It’s their full debut album, so I’m making a few more.”
There were rumors going around that Yeonwoo was already throwing his weight around and being stingy with songs, but that wasn’t the Yeonwoo she knew.
Once he liked something, he gave away songs like candy.
Chae Hayeon was no exception.
“Teacher, out of the songs I gave you, is there one you like? Auntie said you need to get back out there.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, now you’ll be on TV and super busy.”
“TV…”
It might not have the reach it once did, but appearing on a nationally broadcast show still held special meaning for singers.
Like finally feeling like a real singer, a real celebrity.
Her heart was racing.
But first…
Chae Hayeon made a pouty face.
“Yeonwoo—no, Yuin. You’ve given me too many songs…”
“Too many is a good thing, right?”
“They’re all so good, I can’t pick easily. Could you choose one for me?”
At those words, Yeonwoo’s delicate eyebrows furrowed. He seemed to be struggling to choose himself.
“Hmm… That’s tough.”
“See?”
As the two of them pondered without settling on a song, Lee Sieun walked into the studio.
“Oh, Chae Hayeon…! Ah, sorry. I was just so surprised. You’re Chae Hayeon the singer, right?”
“Yes, hello. I heard about you—the actress Lee Sieun who’s starring in that drama this time?”
“Yes! I became a fan after hearing your song, so I’m thrilled to meet you like this.”
Yeonwoo watched them, realizing, ah, they hadn’t met before?
He remembered a bit late.
Yeah, Teacher had been too busy with the kindergarten handover to come to the studio for a while.
While the two exchanged greetings, someone else opened the door and came in.
At that moment, Lee Sieun and Chae Hayeon froze like statues.
“Uncle!!”
It was Yoo Jaehyuk.
Yeonwoo treated him casually, but Yoo Jaehyuk’s charisma was inevitably intimidating to much more junior figures like Lee Sieun and Chae Hayeon.
“Looks like I have guests.”
“Hello, sunbae.”
“H-Hello, sunbae-nim!!”
“Yeah.”
Yoo Jaehyuk returned their greetings and approached Yeonwoo, lowering himself to meet his eye level.
“What brings you here? Aren’t the other drama members training?”
“They’re handling it themselves. I came for something else.”
“What’s up?”
“…I want to hold a concert. Nationwide tour, big stage or small.”
Yeah, rock bands meant concerts.
“Shouldn’t you talk to Auntie about that?”
Yoo Jaehyuk nodded at his words.
“I already did—your auntie’s on board, and JOP’s preparing the tour. The problem’s the old songs.”
“The old songs?”
Yoo Jaehyuk stroked his throat out of habit as he spoke.
“No matter how I sing them with this voice now, they fall flat.”
Yeonwoo understood. Unlike his past falsetto and shouting style, he now had a husky voice that people called beastly growls—a completely different voice and technique.
They just didn’t match.
“You want me to rearrange the old songs.”
“Exactly.”
“That’s not hard. I’ll do it quick.”
Another thing to handle before heading to Japan.
But arrangements were a breeze.
With that, Yeonwoo looked at the three of them quietly.
Chae Hayeon with her thick mid-low tones.
Yoo Jaehyuk, like a beast roaring.
Lee Sieun, owner of a natural honey voice.
Looking at them like this, they all had such rare voices.
He wondered if he could find anyone rarer.
The only downside…
Yeonwoo turned to look at Lee Sieun.
She came to their company every day, but Lee Sieun wasn’t with SSHIN. And she wasn’t a singer.
He wanted to sign her to their label and make songs for her every day, but he couldn’t.
“Huh? What? I just got chills down my spine all of a sudden. Is a window open?”
Had she sensed the intent in Yeonwoo’s glare?
Lee Sieun flinched and looked around.
Yeonwoo avoided her gaze, pretended not to know, and got up to head to the studio.
* * *
“Hee-yeon, you got a song?!”
Ellis turned at the sound of her real name, which she hadn’t heard in a while.
There stood the company president, Kim Beomsin, eyes blazing as he barged into the studio.
“No, what’s with you coming in without warning?”
“You got a song from Yuin!!”
“Oh, that. Yeah, I asked for it and got one.”
Kim Beomsin huffed as he said,
“Play it. Let’s hear it.”
“Sure.”
At Kim Beomsin’s words, Ellis played the song Yeonwoo had given her.
With the addictive beat of the tech house backing track, a voice soon followed, perking up Kim Beomsin’s ears.
“Great voice. Who’s this?”
“You still can’t tell? It’s AI vocals.”
“Man, it’s just like a real person. What are our singers supposed to do?”
“…Focus on the song.”
Before Ellis could finish, Kim Beomsin was already immersed in the track, ignoring the AI part.
Repetitive yet complex, fast yet clear bass and beats, and melodies emphasized in a way that diverged from current trends.
Pure Yuin—and that gave him chills.
“This kid… is really making the same genre?”
After the song ended, Kim Beomsin rubbed his goosebumped arms and said,
“Right? It’s amazing.”
“Yeah, that’s what real genius means. But, Hee-yeon.”
“Yes?”
“This… our kids can actually sing it?”
Ellis paused at that.
“Uh, well…”
She thought for a moment.
Hadas were the powerhouse idols that Ellis—no, ballad emperor Kim Beomsin—had poured his heart into crafting.
From the start, they’d been modeled after the four-member vocal group Bigmamy: naturally talented, well-trained, and skilled.
“Sigh… They might manage with practice?”
But this song was tough.
It wasn’t about vocal power. The beat would shift to off-beat mid-phrase, then back, demanding high-level circus acts.
“Seriously, that complete challenge before, and now this—Yuin’s concept seems to be tormenting singers.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely hard. You can’t sing it without practice, but…”
“Can’t give up. It’s that good.”
Kim Beomsin replayed the song as he spoke.
Ears were pleased, as expected.
“By the way, does Yuin have no plans to give me a song…? I keep asking, no answer.”
…Musing about the silent Yuin.
* * *
While Yuin was this busy inside, publicly, after work with VIX, Invincible, and Chae Hayeon, there’d been no new updates, so talk about him had quieted down a bit.
Sure, YouTube was still full of covers of Yuin’s songs, and his tracks always charted on Mango and other streaming platforms, but that stuff felt too familiar to spark buzz.
Time flew by like that—April passed, and May arrived.
“It’s already feeling hot this year?”
Jihoon said as he got in the car with Jiyeong. She nodded.
“Yeah. Might need to crank the AC soon.”
“Feels hotter every year. Or is it?”
“It’s not actually hotter every year, but you and I perceive it that way because we compare to the weather from 10 or 20 years ago.”
Jihoon pondered as he started the engine.
“Now that you mention it, yeah. It feels like Mays have been hot for years, but my head’s stuck on childhood Mays.”
He vividly remembered Mays not being this hot as a kid.
Even July and August were bearable with just fans, no AC, and around November college entrance exams, subzero cold required thick puffer jackets—but these days, a light coat in November didn’t even feel chilly.
Not anymore, though.
“Wonder if the world’s gonna end like this.”
“No way.”
“Why not, sis?”
“As long as Yeonwoo lives happily and goes to heaven after, I don’t care—but not now.”
“Ugh, you son-con.”
Jiyeong shook her head, then said,
“Anyway, can we even buy it this time? Might sell out even with open run, no stock.”
“What? Don’t these hero toys change every year? Last was Saurers or whatever, this time what?”
Jihoon and Jiyeong were on their way to buy Yeonwoo’s Children’s Day gift.
Something impossible to get online, requiring an open run at a big mart:
“Police Squadron Polisfos.”
“You know it well?”
“But, oppa.”
“Yeah?”
“We could buy it right away in Japan, so why open run?”
“…Oh, right?”
Jiyeong sighed at her brother’s reaction.
“Plus, we’re leaving for Children’s Day anyway? Just grab it when we get there.”
“…Yeah.”
In this family, Children’s Day was solely for Yeonwoo.
The family was headed to Japan.
To scout and produce for JOP’s rookie singer selection.
“Probably planned the Children’s Day trip for Polisfos.”
“Wow… my kid’s meticulous.”
Jihoon stuck out his tongue.
But inside, he was smiling. Children’s Day, Buddha’s Birthday, and the weekend overlapping meant he could spend even a little time in Japan with Yeonwoo.