Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 14



Only Krnovel

Episode 14. Wolf Boy (3)

There were more than a few things that shocked me after time-slipping to the 21st century.

I wondered if 30 years could be such a scary time.

After spending less than a year in the future and feeling comfortable, I was surprised and thought, wow… … how on earth did I live in the past?

I think that if I went back in time, I would feel a tremendous sense of discomfort and reversal.

of course.

The most surprising and frightening of these was the development of communication media.

-Sancho: Hey… …Homeless trainee. Did you pack your bags well? I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you there.

Aren’t you working at the hospital? … … .

Beomseok sent a text message.

This itself is ridiculous compared to before.

It was a time when people had only just begun to use pagers, but now we can easily make and receive calls without having to look for a public phone.

– Me: It’s okay. I don’t have much luggage. And don’t be like that to me. People staring at me on the street is killing me.

-Sancho: Then just cut off my hair. Then no one will recognize me, right?

– Me: The broadcasting station guys told me not to cut it.

-Sancho: Oh… …, I’m on a leash. If you want to kill two birds with one stone, you have to do as you’re told. Okay. Hehe.

I looked up from my phone.

That’s what I mean.

Originally, I wouldn’t have even considered that, but it turns out that the broadcasting station that was broadcasting the show, which was either my pick or something, is affiliated with Jaemin Group.

The Republic of Korea in the 21st century is a very shitty country.

What, the conglomerate is also running a broadcasting station?

Phew… … Anyway, thanks to that, I’ve made a deal to have a meal with Taejoo hyung, the chairman of Jaemin Group, once I finally debut.

It will take some time, but once this program ends and I debut, I will be able to see not only Youngpil hyung but also Taeju hyung.

“Huh… …? Aren’t you a homeless boy?”

A passerby noticed my behavior and said that as he passed by.

I passed by quickly without looking back.

Communication is so advanced that it is evolving to near real-time. What is this?

When I woke up, I was a star. Even if I wasn’t a star, I would often get caught after walking a few steps.

So I’ve been at home again for the past few days, but I had to come out for the second shoot and this is what happened.

“Excuse me. Are you the trainee who just left home?”

“no!”

“It seems right, but is it really not?”

“No!”

I shook off the hand that tried to grab me and ran.

The guitar case on my back is banging and hitting my body, making it hard.

What, I heard that you’re going on a training camp, so the carrier you brought with the amp and clothes is heavy.

“It’s a beggar stone!”

“no!”

I’m drenched in sweat, but I have to run.

First, I need to buy a hat, roll up my hair like poop, and hide it inside the hat.

“Wow! Is that a house cat?!”

“No!”

Shit.

The nicknames are also very diverse.

* * *

At the same time, TVK broadcasting station.

“Oh! As expected, An Chi-seop. He did a good job!”

“Oh, no. It’s just shiny.”

An Chi-seop bowed slightly as he heard his senior compliment him as he passed by.

The more the rice ripens, the more it bows its head.

It is an eternal truth.

“Oh, you’re here!”

“Director?”

“Very good. The president doesn’t say anything out loud, but when he talks about the secretary’s office, he’s like… … and he even hums.”

The face of Na Hoon-ha, the director of the entertainment department, is filled with a smile.

Wouldn’t that be so?

I started a fight where I was sure I would die, and what is this?

If you just look at the beginning, it’s a real hit.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s the end, it’s just a small struggle, but it’s definitely created some buzz.

That’s the most important thing.

“Aren’t you curious about what the boss was humming?”

“I don’t know.”

“You suddenly started singing Guns N’ Roses. Hehe. You saw it.”

“Is that so?”

“Is that so? What is it? Emma. Anyway, please continue like this. Please take care of me.”

“I will work hard.”

“Okay. Fighting! Remember. If you do this well, you and I will both go up one level.”

“yes.”

An Chi-seop bowed his head while taking note of Byeo’s advice.

“Ah! Hey, but I heard a rumor that if Bokdeungi debuts, he’ll arrange a meal with the chairman. Is that right?”

“Those cheap-mouthed broadcasting station guys,” An Chi-seop thought to himself and answered calmly.

“I promised that because he said he would hit me right away.”

To be exact, I was trying to catch her by saying all sorts of things, but I did make a promise.

“Do you know the chairman?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then what about the promise?”

“I don’t know either. I don’t know if he’ll debut or not, but he makes that promise a hundred times.”

After hearing the answer, Director Na Hoon-ha smiled and lightly tapped Ahn Chi-seop on the chest.

“Oh, no. This guy is totally a fox, a fox. Those guys at the broadcasting station are scary, really. Anyway, let’s go. Don’t throw him away too early. He’s a thing, a thing.”

And then, looking at Director Na Hoon-ha, who was turning around, Ahn Chi-seop snorted.

‘Aren’t those broadcasting station guys scary?’

It is certain that Ahn Chi-seop will be put on the board.

It means that I didn’t ask you to sit down and win.

When the clam board was formed and the culpability was being determined, they put Ahn Chi-seop, who had no line in the company, in the board to use him as a bullet shield.

What the heck, it’s going well for us, Ahn Chi-seop.

If things continue like this and you fall down, then again. Mr. An Chi-seop, you’ve worked hard so far, so let’s rest for a while.”

Huroop-

I took a sip of my moderately hot latte.

“weigh.”

The steps toward the filming location are light.

* * *

An abandoned school in Gyeonggi Province.

“hello.”

“Oh, yes. Hello.”

“Speak comfortably, hyung! I’m Junho! I’m seventeen this year! Hehe.”

“Uh… … Okay.”

“Ugh! You’re killing the vocals? But, hyung. You really don’t have any affiliations? Not even once?”

The way he laughs so heartily is just like a dog.

This is not a spoof at all, it looks like a real puppy.

Droopy eyes and white… … Of course, it’s because of the heavy makeup, but her skin was originally white.

Anyway, I blankly stared ahead with Junho, who resembled a dog, next to me.

Second shot.

Of course, a second meeting.

But the reactions of the 98 people are definitely different.

From the waiting room behind the stage where there are no cameras, we greet each other and pretend to be friendly whenever we meet.

Now, we’re all sitting together on the bare floor in a place like an auditorium.

When I first started, there were kids who wouldn’t say a word or come near me, but now there are kids all around me.

I didn’t particularly find this appearance awkward.

It’s just… … a little burdensome?

Just a little bit… … uncomfortable?

That much?

Rather, I was impressed by the fact that everyone was more enthusiastic than I thought.

At first glance, there are many cameras catching me. How can I belittle the effort I put into trying to get even a little bit of my picture on those cameras?

Even in the original 90s, rockers used to look down on singers who sang ballads, trot, or dance music. That was wrong.

“Wow… … But you really prepared well.”

Junho responded by lightly nodding his head as he whispered next to him.

“By the way, what shampoo do you use? It smells good.”

“… … .”

How should I answer this?

I just used what Beomseok gave me.

Besides Junho, many other kids talked to me and acted friendly with me… … .

Surely… … it was like that.

“The signal song is revealed!”

The host comes out.

A man is seen dancing and singing on a large theater-like screen set up in an auditorium.

Kim Nam-ki is one of the judges.

“Nine people form a group, and a total of eleven groups stand on the stage. They prepare fiercely to take the center spot in the middle… … .”

“Joe nominated nine boys who each received a Level A… … .”

“Level A trainees have the authority to select everyone except themselves.”

“Don’t think of it as simply preparing a signal song. It’s the first team unit benefit… … .”

“From now on, we only have three hours to evaluate each other!”

“After three hours, the group selection will begin immediately. Naturally, for the Level A trainees, it’s all about finding a good group. And for the trainees at lower levels, it’s all about getting into a team that they like even a little bit… … .”

The host’s comments poured out.

“Level A nine, please stand up.”

A sticker attached to the chest.

People are rising one by one here and there.

I also got up from my seat.

“Let’s move to the center of the auditorium. We’ll start from level A!”

huh?

What are you starting with?

I guess that explanation is fine.

Except for me, who was just standing there blankly, the other eight people moved to the center and started shaking their bodies and swinging their arms following the dance on the screen.

Wow… … You guys are amazing, right?

How many times do you have to watch that and follow it?

I hastily joined them and started shaking my body.

Glancing sideways.

at that time.

“No. Wait. Wait, turn off the music.”

This is Master Kim Nam-gi.

I clearly said I was in charge of dancing.

At this point, the music turned off and the children who came out to the center looked obviously nervous.

“Trainee Lee Dong Ha.”

Master Kim Nam-gi called me.

With a cold expression and a low voice.

“yes.”

“Is it funny that idols sing a little bit?”

huh?

“no.”

“Then is dancing funny? Are you going to become an idol and just sit on a chair on stage and sing?”

“no.”

“Are you upset? Do you think you’re already a star just because you’ve been on camera a few times?! Don’t you control your facial expressions? Huh!”

Kim Nam-ki’s death spread throughout the auditorium.

The atmosphere became tense in an instant.

… … No. But I really feel a bit wronged.

I didn’t respond in a bad way or ignore you.

‘Fuck. And you can’t see my expression?’

When I got here, the first thing the broadcasting station guys did to me was to let down my hair that was hidden under my hat.

So that you can’t even see well.

Then what about facial expression management?

“It wasn’t something I did roughly. I just couldn’t do it. It was the first time in my life that I danced.”

However, Kim Nam-gi does not let up his coldness, perhaps because he thinks my words are an excuse.

“Okay. Go to A and move on to Level B.”

Sitting there, panting like a soaked mop… … um… … .

I should have kept my mouth shut until the time to choose was over.

The kids who used to act so friendly are now avoiding my gaze as if they’re looking at a plague.

Except for one person.

“Brother! Pick me, I’ll teach you.”

It’s a Shiba Inu.

* * *

Lee Beom-seok turned on the TV.

“ah…….”

Then I sat on the sofa and watched the commercial blankly for a while, surprised at myself.

I looked down at the hand holding the remote control for a moment, lost in thought.

‘When was the last time I… … watched TV… … ?’

It’s definitely been a long time, but not so long that I don’t remember it.

I was always obsessed with going to the emergency room or the professor’s lab at the hospital, and naturally, I didn’t even look at TV or OTT.

There was one time when a top star actor was brought in, and I was the only one who didn’t recognize him.

But there was definitely a large TV in Lee Beom-seok’s house, and a paid cable TV service was also connected.

‘Our Dong-ha… … I miss you.’

Once or twice a year, from a fortnight to a month in date.

Whenever his now divorced ex-wife and son came to Korea, the TV was always on in his house. His son really liked watching TV.

The days when my wife and children stayed in Korea were so enjoyable to come home to.

Because there is a sound.

―Season 2 of the idol I choose!… … .

My eyes quickly turned from looking at the remote control to the TV.

“Let’s not get stuck in the past… … , Beomseok.”

Pledge to yourself.

I focused on the broadcast of my friend who became my son.

however.

About 30 minutes passed?

Dong-ha, who had not been seen for a long time, appeared.

-Master Kim Nam-gi explodes! Trainee Lee Dong-ha is in a standoff.

The content is not trivial.

“……huh?”

―Trainee Lee Dong-ha, who is always moving around dryly.

The screen and the subtitles are so intentional.

And the man with the small caption “Master Kim Nam-gi” sighs deeply.

-No, that’s too much. Being arrogant and ignoring others are different things.

Lee Dong-wook, a friend of Lee Beom-seok’s, may not be a good guy, but he doesn’t look down on others. At least he doesn’t look down on people who try.

The broadcast, which lasted a full two hours, focused a significant portion of the remaining time on Dong-ha. Of course, because the broadcast time was so long, Dong-ha was not the only one who was caught.

So it’s more contrasty.

Other contestants who dance hard and are not good at it but try hard.

On the other hand, Dong-ha just flounders.

The so-called devil’s editing is certain.

Because the Dong-ha I know is never the type of person to do something half-heartedly.

Finally, after the broadcast ended and Lee Beom-seok checked the time, he sent a message to Dong-ha.

Time when you can be contacted.

-Beomseok: Hey. You’re in big trouble.

There is no answer.

-Beomseok: Hey, you’re in big trouble. Come out right now. I’ll complain to the broadcasting station.

-Beomseok: I have a lot of connections. I won’t leave the broadcasting station guys alone. They just turned a guy who was a bit of a brat into a total piece of shit.

-Beomseok: Answer me quickly! I’m leaving?

How many dozens of minutes did I spend spewing out messages out of excitement?

Wheeee …

The cell phone that was left on the table trembles because there was no answer.

– Ssagaji: Okay. Don’t come.

“Ah… … What is this kid thinking? He’s grown tall, but he’s still young inside… … .”

He was so shocked when he heard the news of his father’s death that he stayed locked in his room for several months.

Lee Beom-seok, who had been scratching his chin in worry, was surprised at himself again and froze.

“Did I… … act a little like my parents just now… … ?”

… … This is clear.

I happened to watch the broadcast while thinking about my dead son Dong-ha.

That must be why it was like that.