Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Still, a Reason to Live
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Yeonwoo had thought his connection with Lee Si-eun was over.
People around him said actors could also work as singers and singers could act, but Yeonwoo couldn't understand that at all.
By his standards, most so-called singers couldn't even hold a tune, let alone sing well, and he couldn't fathom how people who couldn't even do their own jobs properly could be singers.
That mindset never changed, even after he started working as a music director on dramas.
The only reason he never voiced it was because when he mentioned it to his aunt, she warned him it could spark controversy and fights, and even he thought it sounded too dismissive of others.
In any case, because of that, he couldn't suggest to someone walking the actor's path that they should become a singer.
Surely there were actors who thought like him.
But...
"Yeonwoo, a few days ago, Lee Si-eun's company asked to attach your performance to her."
"Really?"
He had no intention of turning down an offer that came first.
"Sounds good to me."
Yeonwoo excitedly recreated the piece he had played before.
But he couldn't hand it over to Lee Si-eun right away.
He needed to write lyrics.
Yeonwoo had been diligently reading books and studying lyrics on his own, but putting the emotions in the melody into words was still difficult.
That meant hiring a lyricist, which took time.
Jiyeong sometimes did it, but she couldn't do it every time.
"Aunt, can't we bring in a lyricist to our company?"
"Well, it's not impossible, but that lyricist won't always write lyrics that satisfy you, right?"
"Oh, yeah."
Yeonwoo immediately agreed.
Oh, then he'd have to hire one again.
He wanted to give this song to Si-eun noona quickly.
As Yeonwoo's impatience grew, Chae Hayeon, who was visiting the company after a long time, stepped up after hearing the track.
"This song... I want to try writing the lyrics for it. Is that okay?"
Seeing her speak earnestly, as if struck by inspiration, Yeonwoo gladly accepted.
* * *
-Hello? Hayeon?
"......"
-Why aren't you saying anything? Answer if you picked up!! You're Chae Hayeon, right?
Chae Hayeon, whose mind had frozen at the venomous voice from the smartphone, hurriedly hung up.
"Ah......"
This was exactly why she never answered unknown calls, but since she hadn't changed her number long after her singer debut, she'd let her guard down.
"What's wrong, sis? Who was it?"
"Huh? Oh, no, nothing."
Chae Hayeon forced a smile and shook her head at her younger sister's question, peeking out from the room.
"Sis, wait a sec, I'm going to the convenience store!"
She quickly made an excuse and slipped out of the house.
"Haa......"
She sighed the moment she closed the front door.
The place she lived was an officetel with her younger sister.
It was a typical 20-year-old 1.5-room officetel you could find anywhere in Bucheon.
Compared to her face now being known from two album promotions and recent TV appearances, it was an embarrassingly shabby home.
And she'd received quite a substantial settlement from her activities.
Enough to buy several of these rundown officetels.
The surprising fact was that even this place was something they could move into on a jeonse deposit thanks to the settlement.
Where had all the money she'd earned so far gone?
Among those around her, only her closest friend Jo Soyeon knew: her father was in the hospital.
In a vegetative state, sustained by life support.
Just four years ago, to pay off family debts and raise his children, he was doing manual labor when he fell from the fourth floor, suffering severe injuries. Though all the broken and damaged parts had healed, he couldn't wake up for some unknown reason.
Already burdened with debt, the medical bills for her father had piled on more, so the sisters had to work hard to earn money.
And where had the debt that put her father in that state come from?
From the person who had just called—her mother.
She was a vicious woman.
Believing in a cult and addicted to gambling, practically living at Kangwon Land, doing both things that could destroy a family.
Because of her, Chae Hayeon had barely managed to move into this 1.5-room unit.
At least they'd paid off all the debts—could that be called fortunate?
No, it was happiness.
Thinking back to her past, where she'd gritted her teeth through studies to get full scholarships every semester, pushed herself into practical music, and ultimately given up on her dreams, being a successful singer earning money now felt like pure bliss.
If only her mother weren't around.
"Ugh, bad thoughts."
Chae Hayeon shook her head, startled at herself, then headed to the convenience store, bought two cans of beer, and sat down.
"Hey, isn't that Chae Hayeon?"
But she had to stand up right away.
In the past, when something upset her, she'd buy beer at the convenience store and have a drink on the street out front to unwind, but she couldn't anymore.
Her face was too well-known now.
She pulled her hat low over her eyes, grabbed the beer, and was heading home when she paused.
"What time is it?"
8 p.m.
Chae Hayeon changed direction.
Since she was out, she figured she'd go for some healing.
She hailed a taxi right there and headed to SSHIN Studio.
"I'm here!"
Plastering on a bright smile, she called out, and Yeonwoo peeked out from the studio.
"Huh? Teacher? What's up?"
"Just bored, so I came by. What are you doing?"
"Working on a track commissioned for Si-eun noona."
Seeing Yeonwoo smile brightly as he said that, her gloomy mood vanished like a lie.
Yeah, this is healing.
Thinking that, Chae Hayeon followed Yeonwoo into the studio.
"Can I listen?"
"Sure, it's almost done—just needs finishing touches. One sec."
Yeonwoo played the track.
The gentle accompaniment flowed solely from piano.
Was that why?
The sad melody soaked into her heart plainly, without being mawkish or pathetic.
Chae Hayeon listened quietly, then a single tear dropped.
That was the start.
The sadness built up over time, on the verge of crumbling from that call from her mother she'd so wanted to avoid, now came pouring out in this moment.
"Teacher......?"
Yeonwoo looked at Chae Hayeon in surprise, then closed his mouth.
When you're sad, you shouldn't hide it—you need to cry to let it go.
How long did she cry?
Finally coming to her senses, Chae Hayeon wiped her tears and said,
"Sorry, Yeonwoo. I must've been so pathetic."
"No, it's fine."
Yeonwoo spoke as if he knew nothing and changed the subject.
"I need to finish this quick to hire a lyricist, but when I suggested recruiting one to my aunt, she said they might not always meet my needs. She was right, so I decided not to."
Listening to Yeonwoo's rambling, Chae Hayeon carefully asked,
"Yeonwoo, this song... could I write the lyrics?"
"You, teacher?"
"Yeah."
Yeonwoo nodded without hesitation.
"Sure, please do it."
"Really? It's okay?"
"What's not okay about it?"
His childlike yet mature words made Chae Hayeon burst out laughing.
And so, having received the track from Yeonwoo, Chae Hayeon spent the whole day listening only to that music, writing lyrics.
She tried to let the sadness seep in as plainly as the melody, without overdoing it.
But inevitably, her own story crept in, even if metaphorically.
Well, thanks to that, the lyrics came together in a flash.
Two days later, Chae Hayeon returned to the studio looking a bit worn out.
"Yeonwoo, I got them."
"Hi! But teacher, are you sick?"
"Huh? Oh, no. I just didn't sleep much writing the lyrics."
"Lyrics are hard to write?"
"Nope, I finished them."
"Already?!"
Yeonwoo looked at Chae Hayeon in surprise. She nodded with a smile and handed him her phone.
Yeonwoo quietly read the lyrics on the phone.
After staring at them for a long time, he said to Chae Hayeon,
"Teacher, want to sing this?"
"Huh? Me? This was for Lee Si-eun, right?"
"Just do a guide vocal!"
Yeonwoo led her into the recording booth.
Standing in the booth, Chae Hayeon looked at him with a dazed expression.
Yeonwoo sat down, ignoring it, and watched her through the glass.
He emerged.
Not Yeonwoo, but Yuin.
The genius producer staring at her with sharp eyes.
Chae Hayeon straightened up.
In this moment, Yeonwoo was Yuin, the producer, and she was the agency singer and student.
-MR starting.
Yeonwoo played the track.
She closed her eyes as the melody filled her headphones.
Just the melody made her chest ache. With her own lyrics now in mind, the sadness swelled overwhelmingly.
But she absolutely couldn't let her emotions explode.
That's not how this song was meant to be sung.
Just like the days when, despite hardship and sadness, she had to suppress it and smile in front of her sister and dad.
Soon, the song flowed from her lips.
Yeonwoo watched her from outside the booth.
This song had been made solely for Lee Si-eun.
For the Lee Si-eun with her cheat-like voice that turned mere recitation into song.
That's why Yeonwoo had thought no one but her could capture its essence.
'It’s like the song grew a soul and chose its owner.'
Like the song choosing its true master on its own, Chae Hayeon matched this song perfectly right now.
As she sang with her sadness firmly suppressed, blue fairies were born in droves.
The yellow fairies too.
Watching the yellow ones, Yeonwoo felt the irony.
A sad song, yet it made money.
But he could understand it somewhat.
Some people pour out their sadness in song, others share it to lighten their load.
"Teacher."
Yeonwoo stopped the MR and pressed the talkback to call her.
-Yeah? What?
Looking at Chae Hayeon, whose voice was still thick with lingering sadness, Yeonwoo asked,
"What's the title of this song?"
-...‘There Must Still Be a Reason to Live.’
"There must still be a reason to live......"
Yeah, everyone has some reason to keep living despite sadness and pain.
Like how Dad lived to find Mom and me, like how Mom desperately tried to live for me no matter what.
Teacher Chae Hayeon must have a reason to live too, despite her sadness.
After a moment's thought, Yeonwoo said,
"This song has to be sung by you, teacher."
-...Really? You sure?
Yeonwoo just nodded.