Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 31



Only Krnovel

Episode 31. Take me home (4)

Wheein―

The phone briefly shakes.

I checked it quickly.

-Brother. We’re close, right?

This is Park Min-jae.

It’s been two weeks since I started moving around with Park Min-jae.

“Here he goes again.”

I thought about it for a moment and then tapped my fingers.

-Okay, well. Let’s just be friends.

Can’t you give me your side now?

Since you’ve been my confidant and moved with me all this time, I’ll let you cover up the sin of releasing my unreleased new song on YouTube.

– Then, brother. Can I post a picture of you and me being affectionate on my Instagram?

“That won’t work.”

I flicked my finger again to indicate my refusal and closed the chat window.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t show off your closeness, just don’t.

When someone says they want to upload something, there are things I want to prevent them from uploading.

That’s just how people are.

When I get closer, I want to get away, and when I get away, I want to get closer.

When I see that, I can see that Deokbae hyung was really quick.

This song is called “If You Come Into My Heart.” It’s not my style, but the lyrics are a work of art.

The phone started shaking again.

[Strange Auntie]

I checked the name on the screen.

At first I didn’t save it, but I kept getting so many calls that I saved it so I wouldn’t get any calls.

How on earth did you get my number, someone called me once and then… …and then I got another call or two telling me not to call them anymore?

-Let’s sign a contract. I’ll do a good job. If there are any conditions you want, just tell me.

-no, I do not want.

– Let’s meet up! Then let’s meet up and talk…

-I’m hanging up.

Even though the call content was like that, I keep getting calls.

This time, I lightly moved my finger again and pressed the red reject button.

I looked out the window of the moving car for a moment, then glanced at the yellow dog driving.

Then the yellow one shows his teeth.

“Why? What are you looking at?”

“It smells a bit human now.”

“… … Did I smell a lot like a widower?”

“Can you feel it even if you just brush past it?”

“……now?”

“Wow, that’s wonderful. I thought you had a new wife.”

We were friends 30 years ago.

Now, the relationship is like that of a crocodile and a crocodile bird.

We are working hard to fill in each other’s shortcomings.

I can’t fill your head, but I have to work hard to fill other things…

“What about the new bride… … She’s all old… … . I mean, at our hospital, still… … .”

I took my eyes off Beomseok, who was grumbling like a rain-drenched fool, and picked up my phone again.

A lot has happened in the past two weeks.

-You stink.

-What does that mean?

―There is something like that. From now on, when you do laundry, always use fabric softener. And if you have a dryer, what do you do with it? After you finish washing in the washing machine, you should put it in the dryer right away and turn it on. If you leave it in the washing machine for too long, it will smell musty. When you go to work, spray this on your body.

Beomseok awkwardly scratched his head while holding the perfume.

So I wanted to break the awkwardness.

-I have a question.

-No. The mood is just right right now.

-Why are you scratching your head? Does it tickle even without hair? Is it similar to the tickling sensation on your cheek?

―… … .

This time, he really got mad and went into his room and just looked at his phone.

-When I earn money, I’ll buy you a wig. A good one.

-Get out. You devilish little bastard.

So, over the past two weeks, Beomseok’s widower smell removal project has been completed without a hitch.

―Ugh… … ! Ugh… … ! I will work hard!

Junho burst into tears during the live broadcast that decided the debut group.

I’m rewatching yesterday’s live broadcast on my phone… … .

[Sexy Shit! Don’t cry! Sexy Shit! Don’t cry! Sexy Shit! Sexy! Don’t cry!]

Am I the only one who feels like the fans’ cheering is a bit strange?

Junho’s fans are quite solid and united. He is very attached to his fans, so he is good to them. He often shows his droopy eyes and smiles, but that is intentional. Junho is not a Shiba Inu, he is a fox. Well, whether he is a fox, a dog, or a raccoon, he is definitely sincere to his fans.

So it must have been because the fans cried and chanted together.

-I will work hard… Thank you, everyone.

[We’re underground! Now on the surface! Let’s go to heaven together!]

The underground fans want the burial, and their slogans are very active.

If I continue like this and die underground, I think I’ll need a big tomb like Qin Shi Huang.

But one thing that’s fortunate is that he didn’t shout, “Let’s go to hell together,” just to try to get my luck?

-Uh… …, Mom… … I got selected for the debut group.

Wooyeol hyung shed tears while making such outdated jokes that even I couldn’t understand.

But can we simply say that this is outdated?

It was in 1974 that Hong Soo-hwan ate the champion and said that… … before I was even born.

“Did this guy time slip too?”

For a moment, I imagined that there might be other people like me in the world.

The video on the phone continues to play and the fans’ cheers are heard.

[Kim! Kim Woo-yeol is! Woo! The strongest in the universe! Yeol! Passionate man!]

“… … It’s not easy.”

Although he voluntarily stepped down, things ended well with PD Ahn Chi-seop.

I was present at the live broadcast as a producer who wrote and composed the debut song.

and.

It’s still shocking to hear it again.

It is true that fans follow singers…

The slogan is a three-line poem.

It’s a three-line poem that doesn’t even deserve to be picked up by a dog.

I opened my eyes half-heartedly and searched the video footage showing the audience for people who looked like Woo-yeol hyung’s fans.

“They’re not mothers. How can students chant such slogans… … .”

As I click my tongue, Beomseok opens his mouth.

“Arrived.”

Those words brought my mind back to where I was escaping from reality.

Phew… … Just a little bit.

I’m nervous.

“Are you going together?”

At my words, Beomseok’s lips formed a soft semicircle.

“Not today.”

I know how you feel.

I guess he’s trying to give me and the band members some time to spend together.

It’s not that Beomseok didn’t come to our practice room… …but that was 30 years ago.

And I’m not a band member either.

A little over 30 years and a little over a year.

For me, it’s a place I return to after a little over a year, but for my brothers, it’s been 30 and a year.

It can’t help but be a new experience.

We didn’t ask twice, responding to Beomseok’s willingness to give us his time.

“Okay. Ha… … . I’ll go and see.”

“Do your best.”

“Um… …I have something to say.”

“Don’t do that. The atmosphere is nice, but you’re going to say something weird again.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey Mr. Lee, I shouldn’t have… … what?”

Beomseok turns his head crookedly and looks at me.

young.

A bald eagle that smells like a dog.

A guy who’s over 50 years old and an anarchist who talks about this guy and that guy.

But at the hospital, he seems like the embodiment of authoritarianism, always listening to the center director.

There will never be a hybrid as horrible as this one.

I avoided Beomseok’s wavering eyes.

It’s going to be awkward again.

If things get awkward, you’ll just want to tease them again.

I have to go quickly.

“Thank you. For everything.”

“… … … … … .”

I pulled hard on the passenger door handle and opened the door.

* * *

“… … .”

I slowly moved my gaze away from the back of Beomseok’s car as it left the narrow alley.

Jongro.

Among them, Jongno 3-ga.

Behind the Piccadilly Theatre, now a multiplex cinema complex.

of course.

Our band’s practice room was in the basement of a three-story building on the street, not right behind Piccadilly, but less than three minutes away from exit 5 of Jongno 3-ga Station.

I didn’t know it then, but now that I think about it, it was only a basement, and it was a wide space near the exit of a busy area, but I think it was thanks to Tae-joo hyung’s wealth that we were able to use it as a practice room.

I took a good look at the exterior of the building.

There’s a karaoke sign right above the entrance.

There are signs for grilled meats and raw fish restaurants on both sides.

30 years ago it was a snack shop and a noodle shop, but it seems time has passed.

But aren’t you doing business?

Even though it’s daytime, there should be people coming and going at the restaurant, but it’s quiet.

He quickly lost interest and looked up.

On both sides of the second floor are billiard halls and the karaoke room that is the main character of the entrance sign.

On the third floor is the origin.

I remember vowing to myself that once I debuted and made money, I would move my practice room to the third floor.

It’s funny when I think about it now.

After debuting and making money, you should go somewhere else and become more awesome. Why did you set your goal as the 3rd floor?

Could it be because it was within arm’s reach?

I didn’t intentionally look for this side when I went to Paradise Shopping Mall.

Even though it was nearby, I could have looked around as much as I wanted.

I guess I was a little… … scared.

It’s about going alone to a place where everyone talks about their dreams together.

The good news is that while so many things have changed in Seoul, this place hasn’t changed much… … But is that really a good thing?

It’s old.

Like Beomseok, this building has also stood the test of time.

I took a quick cough to shake off the tension and headed toward the entrance of the building.

“Are you here?”

“Sir… … why?”

That’s the expressionless old man.

The man in a suit who follows Tae-joo around like a shadow.

Of course, whenever I met Taejoo hyung, we were always together, but still, it was the moment when I entered the practice room.

“I came down first to guide you.”

But what the old man said was a little strange.

“You came down? From underground? A Möbius strip… something like that?”

“… … .”

“no way.”

I took a step back again and looked up.

A window on the third floor of an old building opens slightly, and Youngpil waves his hand slightly.

“ah…….”

Something… … is a little off.

I wanted the basement where we practiced.

I felt the corners of the expressionless man in the suit’s mouth slightly go up as if he had read my expression.

“You can go up. You can go down.”

“ah?”

“Of course, you can go sideways.”

At those words, the door to the first floor store with a sign for a raw fish restaurant opened.

“ah……!”

What unfolds before your eyes is a neat interior that has nothing to do with a raw fish restaurant.

A dark brown sofa in a tone-on-tone match that harmonizes with the slightly lighter brown wall color.

Orange lights are embedded in the wall, giving off a soft glow.

The fact that this kind of light is shining even though it is still daytime means that the light has been thoroughly blocked.

Of course… … The letters “Saengsaeng Hoejip” are engraved on the outer sheet that blocks out the light… … It’s confusing.

A soft, calm voice was heard from behind.

“We have acquired the entire building. The exterior walls have been moved as much as possible, reflecting the tastes of the military, and the chairman instructed us to keep the existing store signs as they are, but the interior has been completely remodeled. It has perfect soundproofing, ventilation systems, and air conditioning. We have all the equipment. As the chairman said, we have even set up recording facilities. If there is anything you need, please let me know.”

My pupils are unfocused.

Where did it go wrong?

I guess this is why it took two weeks.

Ha… … , this seems good… … but it also seems bad.

I didn’t choose this place simply for emotional reasons, you know…

But something… … gives off a thrilling feeling, like it’s a disguised office used as a hideout by spies.

Why do I feel a little bit regretful, but also secretly excited?

Is this love?

“We also have a space on the third floor where you can take a quick nap when you’re tired. Today, the first-floor store door is open, but you can usually lock it and enter and exit through the back door connected to the inside of the store. Since it’s an old building and there’s no elevator, it took the longest to install. Except for the outer wall, we’ve also done reinforcement work on the inside, so you can think of it as a new building.”

“ah………….”

at that time.

As the expressionless man in the suit said, the door inside the store opened and Tae-ju walked in.

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it. I ordered it because I wanted to eat Jjajangmyeon, but it tasted like they put shark fin on top of the truffle royal Jjajangmyeon sprinkled with gold leaf?”

“Have you tried our Dongha Sharksfin?”

“I ate with my eyes. It’s a feeling.”

“Let’s try it next time. There’s nothing special about shark fin. I just eat it for the texture.”

“Oh, chaebol. Chaebol is 3 cents, not three, but fifty-four.”

I feel a warm gaze from behind me.

I know now without even looking.

The man in the suit must be flinching.

But unlike Beomseok, Taeju hyung is Taeju hyung.

He changed the subject in a calm voice.

“I needed a recording studio anyway, and I was worried about you sleeping in the corner of the practice room, so I did both and ended up like this.”

So it turned out like this?

I burst out laughing at my brother’s words that it was nothing.

Yeah, whatever.

I may have been too greedy when I suggested to the conglomerate chairman that we start from the basement like that.

And if he says he’ll take care of me, why should I refuse?

Even the appearance remains the same as before, so it gives me a sense of emotion.

Taeju continued speaking.

“Still, we made the basement as close to its original state as possible. We only reinforced the soundproofing as much as possible.”

No matter how shameless I am, it’s right to say thank you in times like this.

I gave my sincere greetings to Tae-ju hyung who took care of me.

“Good. Thank you, bro. It’s actually good. I appreciate your concern.”

Behind Tae-joo hyung, Young-pil hyung also appears.

“Let’s go practice. Let’s try matching hands.”

Hands… …yeah.

I have to try to match it.

Before we get started, a word from you as a leader.

“Brothers.”

“huh?”

“Speak.”

“Let’s never break up again. Find Dong-sik hyung quickly and keep working hard without resting.”

Stars twinkled in the brothers’ eyes.

I came back with great difficulty.

Me and my brothers too.