Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: The Irony of the Break
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This whole break thing was truly ironic.
When you first get it, it feels great, but once it drags on, your body starts to itch, right?
Especially for a workaholic like me who streams almost every day, it’s even harder to accept a rest.
I managed to waste a full day thinking of it as time thrown away, but the next day, my body started twitching with restlessness.
So, on the second day of this forced vacation,
I picked up my guitar for the first time in ages and headed to Hyun-su’s studio.
When was the last time?
Honestly, I couldn’t even remember.
Still, I occasionally exchanged messages with Ayoung or Hyun-su, so whatever.
Though we didn’t really say much.
Feeling like a band member again, I slung my guitar case over my back and walked into Hyun-su’s studio.
“Wow, long time no see!”
“Suhyun! It’s been a while!”
When I entered the studio, everyone who worked there was gathered in the lobby for some reason.
“Oh, you’re here?”
Hyun-su, at the center of the group, gave a light wave.
The kid seemed a bit taller, and he’d put on some weight? He was handsome even when he was skinny, but now with some meat on him, he looked even more refined.
Damn, enviable bastard.
If I’d had that face back when I was a guy, I’d have had three wives and four concubines, I thought as I headed inside.
“What’s everyone doing gathered here?”
As I casually asked while setting down my guitar case and hanging up my coat, Ayoung answered right away.
“We’re working on our new album!”
“Oh, about time, huh?”
Not long ago, the band from this studio officially became members of Hyun-su’s band.
Slim Gold was no longer just a solo singer—he was a full-fledged band now.
“Yeah! It’s gonna be better than the last one!”
“Well… I’ll cheer you on sincerely.”
I was one of the people who wanted Hyun-su to succeed.
We had history, and if he did well, the career of the artist who drew his album covers—me—would rise too, right?
“Sis, why are you talking like it’s someone else’s business?”
Then Hyun-su, lounging on the sofa sipping cocoa, looked at me and spoke.
What did that mean? No, more than that, the kid had gotten a bit cocky since getting his own band.
Hmm… It felt like just yesterday he’d spat his drink all over my clothes.
“Loosen up your posture?”
“Yup.”
After lightly reining him in, I headed to the sofa where everyone was sitting.
“So, what exactly were you all talking about?”
“We were picking songs.”
“Songs?”
Didn’t you just say you were working on a new album? Shouldn’t you be making songs then… Oh.
“You already made some songs?”
“A few. Just tracks I wrote when inspiration hit during breaks, but some good ones came out.”
Hyun-su’s response left me speechless.
This crazy genius…
“Then the album will come out quick.”
“Yeah, thinking around Q1 next year.”
Q1 next year? Wow, that’s pretty fast.
Don’t they usually take a year? Or at least half a year?
Well, depends on how many tracks.
“You said you’re just planning it now—does it really come out that soon?”
“Nah, I’m a bit of a wunderkind, you know?”
“...?”
Ha… Where’d that cafeteria kid go? Now he’s a full-on smug celebrity.
“Wow, don’t look at me like that—it hurts my feelings.”
“What look?”
“The one I used to give you, Suhyun sis.”
“...”
He didn’t miss a beat anymore. Sigh.
“Anyway, what brings you here today?”
“Oh, right.”
The reason I came here… I picked up the guitar case I’d set aside and said,
“Boredom.”
“Huh?”
“I’m on a short break. Staying home was too boring.”
I really came because I was bored. What can you do when there’s nothing to do?
Well, precisely, there were things to do, but I didn’t feel like it during this rare vacation.
“Um… do you not have any friends?”
Kang Hyeok’s quiet remark stabbed right into my heart.
“…It’s not like that.”
I had tons of friends.
Starting from Hyejeong, Heavenly Realm members, and even a friend living far away in Japan.
Though altogether, it didn’t even fill ten fingers.
“But it kinda sounds like it… More importantly, have you been practicing guitar?”
“Oh, the guitar?”
Guitar practice, huh… I pulled out the guitar and got into position.
“Want a demo?”
They seemed to have forgotten.
I was a Guitar Hero hopeful.
Discussing my guitar skills with me?
With everyone’s eyes on me, I strummed.
And…
“…Shockingly, you haven’t improved at all?”
“Did you see the dust on this guitar?”
“That’s an insult to the guitar!”
I got all sorts of harsh critiques.
…Is it that bad?
It’s not like I hadn’t practiced at all.
Though lately, with Tenshi-san visiting and ad prep, I hadn’t touched it.
“Why the hell did you even bring a guitar?”
Kang Hyeok, soul of a guitarist, stared at me in disbelief.
…Don’t look at me like that—it’s embarrassing.
“Truth is, I brought it for style.”
But yeah, I brought it for the look.
Ha— this is all that composer’s fault.
He gave me a hard song as guitar homework, so I ditched it.
I could reference YouTube videos for the songs I used to practice.
But just handing me sheet music? How am I supposed to do that?
“Apologize.”
“Huh?”
“Apologize to my guitar that endured your playing.”
Kang Hyeok pointed to his own guitar, neatly placed aside.
It still looked flashy, clearly well-maintained.
Unlike my dusty acoustic.
“Wow, it looks cool even on a second glance. Mind if I play it once more?”
“Aaagh!”
Whatever, beyond the flashiness, that guitar had a vibe that just hit you.
If I gave it to Roa, she’d instantly become a stylish indie guitarist.
“Alright, enough guitar talk. Suhyun, wanna look at this?”
“Huh?”
While Kang Hyeok clutched his neck, Ayoung, who’d been laughing at our exchange, handed me a sheet of paper.
“What’s this?”
“List of people who offered to do featuring. Check it out.”
“That’s all?”
Even just glancing at the names on the paper, there were so many? Does Hyun-su get this many offers?
“Hyun-su’s been on variety shows and got tons of love from seniors. He’s super popular now.”
“Totally perfect son material.”
Young, polite… well, he’s proper there, and you can tell he was raised well.
Most senior singers would like him, right?
A young, handsome, polite genius—hard to hate in the industry unless it’s jealousy or envy.
Others at least feel fondness.
So I scanned the featuring list… and it was impressive.
I might not know celebrities, but I’d checked out singers while prepping other songs for lives.
This list had national singers I knew, big names, even people I’d seen at that company dinner… Anyway, dazzling lineup.
“Wow, no joke.”
Pure admiration slipped out.
“Right? He wants to pick them all.”
“No way. One per song.”
I nodded at Ayoung’s words, but Hyun-su flatly said one per song.
That firm tone… That wasn’t his usual self; it was work-mode Hyun-su.
No one could change his mind.
“How many songs?”
How many tracks? Q1 next year, so EP Album?
“Aiming for about 8. Maybe 12 max? Pick songs first, then write a few to fit the concept.”
“Wow.”
Man, in this era of singles and EPs, dropping a full proper album? True orthodox successor material.
No wonder seniors adore him.
Even our Heavenly Realm, the ultimate unorthodox bunch, calls one track an “album.”
“But picking must be tough? If it were me, I couldn’t choose 8 from that.”
Maybe pick four easy ones, agonize over the rest.
And there’s face to consider, right?
Sure, more is better, but rejecting seniors’ offers to pick others? Awkward.
As I empathized, putting myself in Hyun-su’s shoes while eyeing the list, he blurted out from the sofa.
“I’d love it if you did one too, sis.”
“Me? Nah, this lineup is stacked.”
Reflexive denial popped out.
Surprising he’d ask me with this list, but no way I’d do it.
Busy, and no real need now.
I didn’t fit in the first place.
“If you do, I’ll give you a song.”
“What?”
He’d give me a song?
For real?
“Yeah, I’ve got one I made that doesn’t suit me but perfect for you.”
“Uh…”
“You always talk about it, right? That one.”
That one—phrasing it vaguely with people around, but definitely an original for Miro.
A happy fantasy flashed in my mind.
An original song by Hyun-su for Miro? Announce it before a live, debut it at year-end…
Or drop it that day.
No doubt it’d be good.
It’s Hyun-su. No way it sucks.
He probably knows my vocals second-best after the composer.
If he says it fits, it really does.
“…What song should I do?”
Like I’d seen a hypnosis app, I answered entranced.
An offer I couldn’t refuse.