The Song That Made Her Cry

◇ Five Girls ◇

Five Girls was a girl group in their seventh year since debuting in 2010.

The five girls had entered the music industry with a single, audacious ambition: to win audiences not with looks or dance, but with sheer vocal power.

A truly grand aspiration, no doubt about it.

Unfortunately, the music market cared far more about faces and choreography than it did about singing ability.

As a result, Five Girls had all but vanished from television three years ago, reduced to a thoroughly unremarkable girl group that only surfaced now and then at regional events.

Their agency was tiny to begin with, and they had nothing saved up from the years gone by, so their situation was dire. When the whole group traveled together, they at least used a secondhand van, but on their own they got around by taxi, bus, or subway like anyone else.

The saddest part, perhaps, was that hardly anyone recognized them in the first place.

Disbandment seemed less a question of if than when.

Hye-in, the leader of Five Girls, had been able to come home for the holidays in peace — Chuseok, the season when girl groups should have been at their busiest, and not a single booking to her name.

She'd rested well at her family home, and now it was time to return to their dorm in Seongnam….

To get to Seongnam, she'd have to go to the intercity bus terminal, catch a bus bound for Seoul, then transfer to the subway at Dong Seoul Terminal.

With all the food her family had stuffed into her arms, she'd hailed a taxi — which was still nowhere to be seen.

And that was the exact moment it happened.

HONK HONK!

"Hey there! Aren't you Hye-in?"

"Huh? Young-hoon oppa?"

"What brings you here? Aren't girl groups busy around Chuseok? How'd you make it home?"

"Oppa, do you have any idea how many girl groups there are in this country? We're basically a fossil at this point. No popularity, practically falling apart — who'd be looking for us?"

"Hmm. So you're heading back up to Seoul now?"

Hye-in hesitated for a moment. She was, after all, a girl group in name, and something about showing him such a shabby state of affairs made her feel ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠embarrassed.

"Yeah. Do you live in Seoul, oppa?"

Hye-in actually lived in Seongnam, but she had no desire to volunteer that particular fact.

He'd only end up looking at her with pity.

"Nope, I live in Ilsan. You know Hee-joo, right? Near her place. That way I can drop by for meals now and then, scrounge up some side dishes. Anyway, are you waiting for a bus? It's a boring drive alone — want a lift?"

"Really?! But then you'd have to go way out of your way. I'd love it, but… how much should I give you for gas?"

"Hey, look who's a comedian. You want gas money from your own neighbor? Tell you what — you're a singer, so just sing me a few songs on the way up. Deal? OK?"

"Then I'm thanking my lucky stars."

In the car heading up to Seoul, Hye-in seemed noticeably lighter of heart.

No doubt because, for once, she could ride comfortably without being squeezed and jostled by strangers.

"So, oppa, aren't you married? Got a girlfriend?"

"Nope. Who'd fall for a guy like me? Small-town boy, no money saved up, and the company I work for keeps me so busy I'm pulling overtime every single night. I'd need to actually have time to meet a woman first."

"Still, a guy like you? I'd think the girls would be all over you."

"Kind of you to say, but let's quit while we're ahead. It just makes me feel even more pathetic. Anyway — how's the celebrity life treating you?"

"Not great… I think it's about time I retire from the industry."

"Why? You sang beautifully even as a kid."

"What good is a great voice without great songs? Our agency doesn't have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the money to buy decent material."

"Can't you write your own songs?"

"Oppa, you think writing a song ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is easy? You have to study it professionally before you can make one. We try our hands at it sometimes, but maybe we just don't have the talent for it… anyway, they're not good."

"Really? Is songwriting that hard? Well, let me hear one of your songs. Got a CD?"

"Yeah, I do. How many albums do you want?"

"How many have you made?"

"Three. All spectacular flops."

"Hmm… then just play whatever. Let's have a listen."

Hye-in pulled a CD from her bag and put on their second album, the one that had come closest to decent.

"Wow, you girls can really sing. Lovely tone, the harmonies fit together nicely, and the songs aren't bad either?"

"You're a civilian, oppa — everything probably sounds good to you. But professionals say the songs are the problem."

At that moment, a song left behind by Hains surfaced in Young-hoon's mind, and before he knew it, he was humming along.

"Huh? Oppa, what's that? Whose song is that?"

"Mm, what do you think? Something I wrote a while back. It's really good, isn't it? Don't go underestimating me, kid."

"Seriously? You actually made this song, oppa?"

"Of course I did. What reason would I have to lie to you? I've got other songs, too. Want to hear another one?"

Young-hoon struck a pose again and cleared his throat.

The instant Hye-in heard Young-hoon's song, she could not contain herself.

The tender melody and the heartbreak-laced lyrics lodged themselves straight into a corner of her heart, and she felt as though tears might spill at any second.

This was not a song a human being had written.

It was as if Muse, the god of music, had reached down and gifted it to the world.

Ah, this song is beautiful. If only we could sing it, a comeback wouldn't even be a question….

Did Young-hoon oppa really write this? He's not just playing a prank on me, is he?

It's definitely a song I've never heard before, though….'

Steadying her pounding heart, Hye-in asked him.

"Are you sure you wrote it? It's not some foreign singer's song, is it? Because nobody just writes a song this good…."

"Wow. And here I thought better of you. That stings — my songwriting skills are top-notch."

"Oh, come on, oppa, you didn't even major in music. Business administration or something, right?"

A jolt went through Young-hoon's chest.

So he raised his voice and argued back even louder.

"Hey! What does your major have to do with writing songs? That famous Brave Tiger guy writes great songs too. All that matters is musical talent!"

The more vehemently Young-hoon denied it, the faster Hye-in's heart raced.

If this song wasn't plagiarism — if it was truly an original Young-hoon had created himself — she was certain it could be an explosive hit.

"Then… this song you made, oppa. Could we sing it?"

"Huh? Even you think it's good?"

"Of course! 'Good' doesn't cover it — I almost cried listening to it! It's that beautiful!"

'Archmage Hains was supposed to be a master of music, too… did the songs he wrote transfer to me through the ring?'

He had sung it casually, half in jest, but Hye-in's reaction was anything but casual.

Only then did Young-hoon speak with real seriousness.

"If you want it, I can give it to you — but not for free. You know that, right?"

"Of course. Through a proper contract."

Wary that Young-hoon might change his mind, Hye-in hurriedly pulled out her phone and dialed someone.

Kyeong-hwan, Five Girls' manager, was so startled by the trembling in Hye-in's voice that he practically shouted into the phone.

Hanging up, Hye-in turned back to Young-hoon with a sly little smile.

Her long years in the entertainment world hadn't been for nothing — this was the moment her inner fox showed its face.

Seeing a side of Hye-in he'd never witnessed before — the girl he'd practically raised since she was small — Young-hoon felt his own heart quicken despite himself.

"Sorry for setting up a meeting without asking you, oppa. You'll come with me, won't you?"

"Uh… well, sure. But you… you're secretly pretty impatient, aren't you?"

"Hehehe, I'm just that excited."

A short while later, Kyeong-hwan called back.

After the whirlwind had swept through, Young-hoon was still feeling a little dazed.

"So… where exactly is your agency's office?"

"Seongnam."

"I thought it was in Seoul?"

"No. The company's nearly dead, so they moved the office out to Seongnam. Our dorm's in Seongnam too."

"Making it to Seongnam by eight is a bit of a stretch… we might run a little late, so let's grab dinner at your office."

"Dinner is what you're worried about right now? Our livelihood is on the line, oppa!"

"You do realize that's an overstatement? Everyone's trying to survive out there… tsk."

Two hours later, after a brisk drive, Young-hoon pulled up to Five Girls' agency office in Jungwon-gu, Seongnam.

Hye-in flung open the office door and called out in a big voice.

"Boss! I'm here!"

"You're here, unnie?"

Su-min, the maknae, greeted Hye-in warmly.

"About time. Why on earth would you drag us all into the office on a holiday with nothing going on? We're seeing each other again the day after tomorrow anyway."

Lee Jae-man, the CEO, grumbled as he piled on the complaints.

He'd been enjoying a rare, leisurely holiday with his family when the sudden summons came, and his mood showed it. Still, the fact that he'd hauled himself out here anyway said that, at bottom, he wasn't a bad man.

The rest of the Five Girls members welcomed Hye-in warmly. They may have lacked popularity, but the bond between the members was plainly strong.

Then Kyeong-hwan caught sight of Young-hoon and shouted in apparent shock.

"Hye-in, you… you're getting married?"

"Excuse me? Where did that come from?"

"You didn't drag us here on a holiday just to introduce your boyfriend, did you?"

The CEO, too, fixed Young-hoon with a disgruntled glare.

"Who, him? Me? No way. This oppa is just a hometown oppa. We grew up together since I was little."

But the suspicious looks from Lee Jae-man and Kyeong-hwan didn't die down easily.

Finally, Young-hoon stepped in himself to break the awkwardness.

"Hello. My name is Kim Young-hoon. I'm a hometown oppa who grew up in the same village as Hye-in. Ah, I started elementary school the year Hye-in was born, so there's a seven-year gap — which makes 'grew up together' a bit of a stretch. In reality, I practically raised her myself. Even changed her diaper."

"Oppa! Don't you know that's rude to say to a young lady?"

"Am I wrong? It's the truth, isn't it?"

At that point, Lee Jae-man — who by now had a fair read on the two of them — tossed out a single remark.

"Save your lover's quarrel for when the rest of us aren't here. Why did you call us all in?"

Only then did Hye-in snap back to her senses and get to the point.

"Right. So… I was catching a ride up here in Young-hoon oppa's car, and I heard a song he wrote. And… the song was so beautiful I nearly cried. I asked him if we could maybe sing it, and he said that wasn't a bad idea, so… I wanted everyone else to hear it too, and that's why I called you all here!"

Lee Jae-man wrapped a hand around his head as though it ached, and grumbled.

"Ahh, Hye-in, did this really have to happen today? Why do you throw all common sense out the window the second you latch onto something?"

"Excuse me, Boss! I'm working this hard to try to save our dying company, and that's what you have to say? Are you quite finished?"

"No, no — Hye-in, that came out wrong. Ahem. Young-hoon-ssi, was it? Our Hye-in's personality is what it is, but her ears are no ordinary ears… If Hye-in says it's a good song, I imagine it's a good song, no question."

Kyeong-hwan the manager chimed in as well.

"That's right. Hye-in may have a problem or two with her personality, but her ears never lie. Although — you haven't sung some past hit that Hye-in somehow never heard, have you?"

"What's wrong with my personality! I'm plenty pretty and sweet, thank you!"

"Yes, yes."

"See? Right. So."

"Anyway, seeing is believing… no wait, is it hearing? Ah, whatever. Let's just have a listen. Oppa, you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can sing that song from before one more time, right?"

Watching eyes that blazed like fire one instant curve into soft crescents the next, Young-hoon felt a fresh wave of dread.

"Well, it's fine by me… except I'm a terrible singer…."

As Young-hoon hemmed and hawed, Lee Jae-man stepped in.

"That doesn't matter. We've been in this business for years. One listen and we'll know whether a song has what it takes to hit or not."

With words that might have been praise or might have been an insult, Young-hoon began to loosen up his voice.