Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: The Immortal Stage
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Meanwhile, in Korea, the rock festival in Incheon was just around the corner.
Really just around the corner.
Only four hours remained.
Amid all that, Yoo Jaehyuk and the Invincible members headed to the coastal pier.
No sooner had they parked in the pier's lot and stepped out than Kim Taehyun spoke up.
“You guys taking the ferry?”
As they exchanged glances at the question about the ferry, Yoo Jaehyuk replied.
“Have we ever?”
“Well, true.”
“We’ve never even ridden once ’cause we were broke.”
“They’d probably chew us out if we met up by ferry.”
The four nodded in unison and walked toward the pier square.
Spotting a convenience store, Park Suhyuk spoke up this time.
“Hey, anyone smoke Marlboros?”
“Who smokes slims these days? Everyone’s on sticks.”
“I carry a pack sometimes? But not Marlboros.”
“Then I’ll grab a pack of smokes. Oh, and soju too, right?”
“No Halla, then get the red stuff.”
“Got it.”
Park Suhyuk headed to the store, bought some soju and a pack of cigarettes, and returned.
They lined up near the seaside in the square and gazed at the murky ocean water.
Park Suhyuk spoke bitterly.
“Thinking back, we should’ve scattered it in the East Sea.”
“That jerk Park Kangjun would bitch later that it’s too far if we did it in the East Sea.”
“Yeah, true.”
This coastal pier off Yeonan was where Park Kangjun lay at rest.
These four had handled the funeral for Park Kangjun, who’d sent his parents off early, and sunk his ashes into the sea right offshore.
With the Incheon rock festival ahead, they’d stopped by to see him while they were nearby.
“Hey, pull out the bracelet.”
At those words, Yoo Jaehyuk took a bracelet from his pocket. It was the paper wristband required instead of a ticket to enter the rock festival.
Yes, they hadn’t come just to visit Park Kangjun—they’d come to pick him up.
For the festival site.
“Hey, you’ve got zero shares in Invincible, so watch from below the stage.”
With Park Suhyuk’s words, Yoo Jaehyuk carefully placed the bracelet on the ground.
Not a breath of wind, but the moment it touched down, a gust carried the bracelet out over the sea.
“Ha, that punk. Takes it like he was waiting.”
Ahn Sanggil joked, and Yoo Jaehyuk uncapped the soju, poured it into the sea, lit a cigarette, tied it neatly to the cap, and stood it on the ground.
“Your favorite smokes. No health worries now, so smoke ’em all you want.”
Back then, he’d pinch pennies on a few hundred won and bum the cheapest Sol cigs, occasionally puffing a Marlboro.
Yoo Jaehyuk chuckled softly at the burning cigarette.
He’d quit now, but back then, who knew why he and Park Kangjun hoarded those smokes like treasure.
“Hey, if you get bored watching, come on up. We’ll look the other way once.”
Yoo Jaehyuk said that, dusted himself off, and stood.
“Let’s go have a blast, for Kangjun’s share too.”
A stage they were climbing for the first time in decades, after a long winding road.
Remembering one absent soul, they returned to the site.
They hurriedly checked their setup, did a rehearsal, then waited in the tent serving as their green room as the outside grew noisy with entry starting.
“Hey, these kids these days have some real skills.”
Recalling the rehearsal stage, Park Suhyuk said, and Ahn Sanggil chimed in.
“Yeah. They were damn good. If they’d seen our playing, they probably wouldn’t have clapped for stuff we composed—would’ve called it outdated.”
“Better to leave it all to Yeonwoo than us old fogeys stinking of mothballs.”
“Right? Man, too bad. Wish Yeonwoo could’ve seen it.”
“That kid’s flying around Japan right now. They’re calling him the Music Prince. Bet he’s swamped making a single with the talents he scouted there.”
“Old-timers like us bossing him around is just a nuisance anyway.”
As they traded idle chatter, the tent flap opened.
The manager was here—who was coming in? A staffer?
The members’ eyes turned to the entrance, then widened in shock.
“No way, Yeonwoo?!”
Who’d come to see Invincible was none other than Yeonwoo.
“Hello.”
Seeing Yeonwoo give his usual deep bow, all the members jumped up and approached him.
“Yeonwoo, you’re busy—how’d you make it?”
“You’re in Japan.”
“Not jet-lagged? Time difference and all.”
“You idiot, what time difference with Japan!”
In the lively commotion, Yeonwoo spoke.
“I really wanted to see my uncles perform. It’s a big show, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. Now that you’re here, enjoy it proper. Your first rock fest?”
“Yes!”
Thinking about it, this was Yeonwoo’s first time watching a stage like this.
He was young, and had to hide his identity.
But not anymore.
He’d gone public, JOP provided security, and the site could accommodate him on request.
So for Invincible’s show this time, Yeonwoo had rushed back to Korea with Jaehoon.
“I want to watch from start to finish. That okay?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Go on and watch.”
Yeonwoo nodded and headed to the stage.
[Um, a quick announcement before the festival kicks off. Invincible’s producer, Mr. Yuin, is here today. It’s not special treatment, but we’ve placed a separate chair in the corner of the frontmost seats since Mr. Yuin is a bit short. Thank you for your understanding.]
Not calling him a kid, but short—Yeonwoo puffed his cheeks, but the organizers were treating him as a full producer, not a child.
As Yeonwoo settled in the front corner seat, some people shrieked cheers and shoved cameras at him.
Yeonwoo stood from his seat and gave them his usual deep bow.
His sudden appearance caused a minor stir, but as the show truly began, the commotion turned to cheers and screams.
Rock festivals—people who don’t know rock think everyone screams high notes and headbangs, but no.
From modern rock onward, bands of various rock genres performed, each with its own vibe.
Yeonwoo, entranced, alternated his gaze between the stage and the audience enjoying it standing still.
In Yeonwoo’s eyes, which saw what others couldn’t, this place was a fantastical realm glowing with blue fairies, yellow fairies, and even red ones, emitting three colors of light.
The moment the vocalist sang, blue fairies appeared, shining bright; when the crowd sang along, blue and red fairies were born, their lights blending.
Amid it, yellow fairies joined in, spotting commercial potential.
‘Beautiful.’
That’s how Yeonwoo felt.
This was a stage, a performance.
Lost in the show, it was now Invincible’s turn—the main event of the day.
Yoo Jaehyuk faced the crowd not with his usual heavy expression, but a somewhat brighter one.
-Rock festival after so long. Ah, some of you might think I’ve never done one, but actually, back in my no-name days, I stood on this stage with a band called Invincible. Biggest stage of my life.
The audience listened breathlessly to Yoo Jaehyuk.
-Those members from back then are the ones on stage with me now. Over 30 years—almost 40—later, we’re reuniting as Invincible.
Yoo Jaehyuk glanced at Yeonwoo as he said that.
-The one who made it possible is that kid up front, our CEO Yuin. Yeah, 7 years old and my boss. Living under his watchful eye.
On stage, Yoo Jaehyuk was different from usual. Warmer, more humorous.
Not just Yoo Jaehyuk, but ‘singer Yoo Jaehyuk.’
Couldn’t scowl and act all serious for the fans.
Sure, he’d done that back in the day, but returning after so long, he didn’t bother with the old charismatic pose for fans still cheering him.
Honestly, it’d been youthful bravado anyway.
-I’d love to start with a song Yuin made, but we’re old hands, so we can do three tracks. On that note, kicking off with my debut song ‘Sky.’
Yoo Jaehyuk closed his eyes after saying that. As if on cue, the members began playing their instruments, and his beastly voice flowed out.
In this moment, the fiercest red light yet exploded—unlike anything else that day.
The red light devoured the stage and reached the crowd.
Yes, Yoo Jaehyuk didn’t need bravado or gravitas now.
The instant his voice emerged, charisma overflowed without effort.
Enthralled by that beastly roar, the audience fell under his spell.
Tearing the stage apart with his raw voice, driving the crowd wild, Yoo Jaehyuk and Invincible seamlessly launched into Yeonwoo’s ‘Roar.’
His howl pierced the heavens.
After ‘Roar,’ he gazed skyward briefly and spoke.
-Yes, next up is a new song Yuin made just for today. Truth is, back on this stage, there was a friend named Park Kangjun with us. He passed in a tragic accident after... but I believe he’s here, watching this show. This song’s for him too. It’s called ‘Immortal.’
Yoo Jaehyuk looked at his members. They all nodded, so he faced forward again, eyes closed.
The members’ playing began.
‘You listening?’
Silently asking the unresponsive Park Kangjun, Yoo Jaehyuk started singing.
Gone from this world now, but to Invincible’s members, Park Kangjun would be remembered forever.
His name would live on as ‘Immortal’ for Invincible.
Bell tolls and gongs from the MR blended with heavy violin and the members’ playing, creating a majestic mood as Yoo Jaehyuk’s reciting voice stirred hearts.
Amid it, Yeonwoo’s eyes widened.
Blue light poured from the members’ bodies, birthing a single fairy.
A doppelganger of sorts, but a new face.
Yeonwoo realized it was Park Kangjun’s fairy, absent from this place.
Their wish to commemorate their departed friend had manifested his spirit.
Park Kangjun’s spirit flitted past each member.
Then, approaching Yoo Jaehyuk.
Mid-song, Yoo Jaehyuk sensed something.
Invisible, but present beside him.
‘...Kangjun?’
Did it hear Yoo Jaehyuk’s question?
In Yeonwoo’s eyes, Park Kangjun’s fairy smiled.
Beaming brightly, it merged into Yoo Jaehyuk’s body, just as his own fairy once had.
That instant—the climax hit.
Originally a low piece around three octaves, but Yoo Jaehyuk unwittingly raised the key.
Past three octaves to four-octave Re (D6).
A range impossible for his voice now—it burst forth, blue light surging from him to touch the sky.
And that day’s stage...
...became legend at the rock festival.
* * *
[Invincible Conquers Rock Festival with ‘Immortal,’ Tribute to Fallen Comrade.]
[Yoo Jaehyuk Belts Out Funeral March for Departed Bandmate (Photo).]
[Invincible’s New Song Performance at Rock Festival Tops Real-Time Video Charts.]
[‘Immortal’ Rockets Up Mango Chart Right After Release.]
[Invincible’s ‘Rock’ Captures Hearts.]