Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 23

―This week’s guest is Hong Young-pil, who is building up good deeds alone among the demons of .

―Today’s two o’clock date is specially for … … .

―Please tell us some behind-the-scenes stories about that weren’t revealed on TV. You’re a storyteller, right? Oh, is that so? Are you trying to shed that poor image now that you’ve become famous?

They say that even locusts have their season in May and June.

For Hong Young-pil, who is nothing more than a grasshopper, this is exactly the time.

It was a short heyday, but the heyday has come… … .

‘Why… why are you hesitating?’

If you stamp the contract.

The deposit will be deposited immediately.

Then, with that money plus the deposit, you might be able to buy a small but decent house.

Instead of having to drive yourself and sweat over taking calls, the company provides a manager and a car, so you can focus more comfortably on your broadcast.

Even the settlement ratio with the company is not bad, so if you devote yourself to the work that the company asks you to do, your profits will surely increase noticeably.

As I was staring at the documents, the cell phone that was on the table started shaking.

[Trainee number 99]

The person on the phone is saved as trainee number 99.

I can’t receive it.

After I voluntarily stepped down from my position, he started calling me about fifteen times a day and sending me bombarding messages… … .

I can’t reply.

I tapped my phone and looked back at the messages he had sent me.

-Hyung! It’s me, Dong-ha!

―Vocalist and guitarist of Blue Porcelain!

-The man who will take you to Woodstock!

―Rock will never die!

-Oh my, do you know how frustrating it was that I wanted to say this but couldn’t because of those damn broadcast rules?

-Are you living well?

-Why is there no answer?

―It’s now 2AM. I’m composing a song for Piri hyung. You can look forward to it. The title is Piri Piri Piri Pong.

―The title is a joke, but it’s true that I’m writing a song while thinking of you. I’ll let you hear it when it’s finished.

-Hyung. What’s changed? How does friendship change? The friendship of a rock band isn’t just friendship! It’s a special friendship!

-Are you curious about how I don’t age and how I look like back then? If you’re curious, 500 won.

―Isn’t this… … a trend these days?

– Hey. Just tell me. It’s the power of anti-aging. Actually, I’m 50 this year. 50.

―Haha. How can you treat me like this when we’re both growing old together, Mr. Hong? Please reply!

-You! Be my colleague!

―Rock band Blue Porcelain! Urgently looking for a sub vocalist and keyboardist! Required: Name must be Hong Young-pil.

The more I check the message that borders on madness, the more convinced I become.

This is not trainee number 99, but the same Lee Dong-ha who was preparing to form a rock band with me.

It would be difficult to have two people like this.

“Dong-ha… … I wonder what happened. Ugh… … , I just can’t contact you.”

Especially.

As Lee Dong-ha quit, rumors began to spread among the judges and key staff about the real reason for his quitting.

He said he would let me meet Chairman Yoon Tae-joo, but he broke his promise and quit.

When PD Ahn Chi-seop asked what he would do after quitting the idol debut group with money and fame right in front of him, he gave the absurd answer that he would form a rock band.

So people even showed pity for him, saying, “He must be mentally weak….”

The entertainment industry is so tough that even talented people with weak spirits often suffer from mental problems.

‘No. It’s not that he’s mentally weak. Dong-ha’s mentality is like a million dollar mentality. It’s a problem because his mentality is too good.’

Anyone who knows the real Lee Dong Ha, not trainee number 99 Lee Dong Ha, will know.

And Hong Young-pil is the person who really knows Lee Dong-ha.

Originally, he didn’t listen to what others said and just dreamed with his eyes sparkling.

But he’s also very capable and smart, so it doesn’t seem like he’s talking nonsense.

Anyway, I checked the rumors I heard and became convinced.

‘Dong-ha sincerely wants to revive Blue Porcelain.’

The fact that he wants to meet Taeju hyung is proof, and the fact that he’s quitting the idol debut group and forming a rock band is also proof.

Only Hong Young-pil confirmed Lee Dong-ha’s sincerity.

So I can’t get in touch with you.

Is this a miraculous anti-aging effect, as Dong-ha left in his message?

Or maybe I went through something incomprehensible and ended up going from 1994 to now.

I don’t know.

I’m curious too.

But the reason is that the members who move have a mentality that goes beyond steel and has a diamond mentality is because they are the kind of people who would say let’s form a rock band regardless of age or situation.

So, I’m not answering your calls.

Hong Young-pil touched the photo album on his cell phone.

It’s full of pictures of my smiling wife and son.

‘This is my dream now.’

Things are finally starting to get better, so what kind of rock is this?

Honestly… … The biggest reason I don’t contact you is because I’m shaken up.

Look at that guy’s face.

So when I meet his sparkling eyes, I feel like I’m possessed and want to believe what he says again.

So I feel like I’m going to give up on my current dream and go back to those cold and hungry times.

“uh?”

Hong Young-pil’s vision is far away.

A group of children come in.

A bright smile appeared on Hong Young-pil’s face.

“Hey. Your dad is a beggar?”

A child swinging a bag in his hand and hitting Hong Yeong-pil’s son.

“don’t do it.”

“Their dad appears on TV as a really pitiful person. Daeyoon’s dad is a pitiful person.”

“No. My dad is a cool guy.”

“No, you’re an idiot. You get teased on TV all the time.”

“Dae-yoon’s father is a comedian.”

The children surround Hong Yeong-pil’s son and push him with their shoulders, but the son staggers and barely manages to keep his balance.

What is this?

Hong Young-pil stood up in the absurd situation.

But I don’t know what to do.

Should I get angry at a kid who is only ten years old?

Should I go with Tyler?

Or maybe I should make a big deal out of it and bring my parents.

Let’s go out first.

I think I should go out and take care of my son first… … at that moment.

A tall, lanky man wearing a black hood stood in front of the children.

And he says this without hesitation to children as young as ten:

“You shameless little bastards. You wanna give in?”

* * *

Age is just a number.

I don’t know who said it first, because so many people are saying it.

“who are you……?”

One of the children opened his mouth with a slightly frightened look on his face.

Five children.

One of them is Yeongpil’s older brother’s son.

In a world where personal SNS is so developed, I already knew what my nephew’s face looked like a long time ago.

Anyway, I was lying in wait in front of Youngpil’s house, trying to meet him, when I saw him.

But this isn’t something that Youngpil did simply because he’s his older brother’s son.

no.

Those little kids are talking.

There are things that can be taken as a joke and things that can’t.

This is clear violence.

Both physically and mentally.

I took to heart once again the saying that age is just a number and pledged to treat them as equal human beings.

“You don’t know who I am. You can just bully your friends with your Shaekui hats, right?”

The children who were briefly frightened quickly regained their composure and started talking back again and again.

“I was just joking.”

“We play together. He doesn’t have any friends without us.”

“What are you meddling in, hyung? But I’ve seen you around a lot… … .”

haha.

The 21st century has become quite soft.

When I was younger, whenever my older brothers spoke to me, I would start rummaging through my pockets.

Of course, I’m not saying I’m going to steal money like my older brothers did when I was young.

“Then I’m joking too.”

They were pushing each other by bumping into each other like they did to Youngpil’s son earlier, but because of the height difference, they ended up kicking each other with their thighs.

The four of you collapse and roll around on the floor, looking at me with incomprehensible eyes and starting to sob.

“I was just joking, so why are you crying? Does it hurt and make you sad?”

… I made eye contact with Piri Hyung’s son, who was looking at me with surprised eyes from the side.

They look quite similar.

You could say that the little guy is my older brother.

He smiled kindly, thinking that he could use this person as a hostage to prepare for negotiations to recruit Youngpil.

We need to make a good impression on the hostage.

“Is our Daeyoon okay?”

“… … Do you know me?”

“Our Daeyoon knows his father. Piri piri piri hyung.”

“……yes?”

While I was talking to the child, a police car came rushing by with its siren on.

“There it is! A bad student is beating up younger students!”

Someone is waving and shouting this way… …right?

Age is irrelevant to bad guys.

It may not be a severe punishment, but at least they should know that if they do bad things, they will be in trouble.

But the comment is a bit strange.

Bad students, or rather ‘bad students’.

There are four of them.

And even though their sizes are slightly different, the ones who hit them and the son of Youngpil who got hit are also similar in age, so why do you insist on calling them ‘young’ students?

anyway.

I quickly waved to the police car to let them know that it was their side.

Here, here are some bad guys who are bullying their friends.

I got it!

“This is the police. We received a report of children being assaulted.”

“Oh, you’ve worked hard. These guys here… … ?”

“You seem to be a student. Are you sure? Let’s go to the police station first.”

“Why… … are you holding me?”

The police officers hold my arms with a stern look on their faces and won’t let go.