Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 42



Only Krnovel

Episode 42. Speed ​​(1)

When I travel alone, I usually use public transportation like the subway or bus.

Even though my face is somewhat well-known, it’s not like everyone in the world will recognize me just because I’ve appeared on TV a few times.

And people surprisingly don’t care about others.

You wouldn’t know it if I wore a hat pulled down low, thick-rimmed glasses covering my eyes, and even a mask. I heard that the world was in chaos due to the coronavirus a few years before I came to the future.

That’s probably a big reason why we’ve become a world where it’s not strange for people to wear masks.

Wheeing―

The phone is shaking violently.

[Slave #1: When are you coming?]

[Slave #1: Are you leaving?]

[Slave #1: Tell me when you get there. I’ll be right down.]

Oh my.

There’s still a lot of time left until the appointment, but why is this guy so obsessed?

I moved my fingers lightly.

Still, I have to reply.

[Me: Come on.]

I put the guitar case strap around my shoulder again.

Seoul’s subway is… … definitely complicated.

They say the birth rate is hitting rock bottom, but the number of people has increased tremendously compared to 30 years ago.

Is the entire population of Korea moving to Seoul?

So, I’m worried about the birth rate and the future of the country that comes with it.

As I was reflecting on the phenomenon of concentration in Seoul, I arrived in front of producer Jo In-chang’s company building.

A small building that you can reach after walking for about 5 minutes after getting off at Apgujeong Station.

I checked the sign that said ‘IC Entertainment’ in front.

“You have a lot of money. I thought you were having a hard time because you were whining.”

My eyes met with Jo In-chang’s, who was loitering at the entrance of the building.

“You came!”

“Why are you here?”

“I was worried about when you would come.”

“Then next time, instead of worrying, please send me a car.”

“Should I? I’ll pick you up next time.”

What a mean creator.

I shivered slightly as I felt the desperate words of a creator who had lost his inspiration.

“Why, are you cold?”

“No, not yet.”

The end of summer.

Early autumn.

The seasons change like a gradient.

Looking at the fact that this natural flow remains the same even after time has passed, it is true that nature is greater than humans.

“Let’s go in.”

“yes.”

I followed Jo In-chang, who was walking ahead, into the building.

He asked while walking with heavy steps.

“Can I work on a song?”

“Why? You’re good at writing songs. You’re the number one composer right now. What’s the problem?”

“But you are still a producer after all.”

“Who? Me?”

“yes.”

“Oh my… … . No. If I don’t release a song right now, my future wife will try to kill me. Ah… … At that time, I wasn’t mixing drinks… … .”

“What do you mean?”

“There is something like that. Anyway, you… … be careful with alcohol. Be careful with women. Always. Yeah? Always!”

Come to think of it, people have become strangely lifeless.

I thought it was just stress from being stuck working on a song, but I guess there’s more to it than that.

Producer Jo In-chang, with a dull face, kept moving his mouth.

“I told my kids in advance. Just say hello and ask them if they have any questions. If there’s anything to confirm, confirm it. Make yourself comfortable. They might be similar in age, but I’ve taught them to be clear as a producer. You can be strict when recording, except for the song. Since they were trained under me, they have a good mentality.”

“Recording?”

“Uh. Recording. Were you just going to throw in the song and be done with it?”

“Isn’t that so?”

“Please record it for me. There’s a big difference between a composer producing it himself and someone else doing it, you know?”

I came this far, so what should I do… … I didn’t push it.

Since he is the producer, the fact that he entrusted me with that means he trusts me that much. I understand that it is the creator’s will to not do even the smallest details carelessly because he is desperate for success.

Instead, he added one condition.

“If you want to record in our studio, then call me. I’m busy too. I have to write songs, have my hyungs practice, and monitor them not to smoke. One body is not enough.”

“call!”

It would have been better if it ended there, but Producer Jo In-chang keeps adding useless words.

“Dong-ha, I like you, but our kids can’t. If you keep exchanging glances, even you won’t be able to forgive me. Do you understand?”

“… …Should I just go?”

“No, no. Let’s go. We’re all here.”

And in the empty conference room we arrived at.

“One, two, three! Hello! This is Bitna Girls!”

Meet the five self-proclaimed, sparkling girls.

“Ah… … What should I do… … .”

“… … ?”

One of them starts sobbing as soon as he sees my face with my mask down.

Is this what it felt like?

The feeling my brothers had when I did something strange that was hard to understand.

* * *

Studying was the easiest.

Those who say that are crazy.

And Kim Mi-so always thought that she didn’t know how much talent she had inherited from her parents.

Kim Mi-so, looking at herself in front of the mirror, smiled lightly like the spring sunshine and her name.

“mom.”

“Huh? Why our daughter?”

“Why am I so pretty?”

“Because I take after my mother?”

“Correct answer.”

Kim Mi-so knows how much talent she inherited from her parents, more specifically, from her mother.

If you ask the mirror who is the most beautiful person in the world, it will answer Snow White, but if you ask the mirror whether your face is pretty or not, the mirror will definitely answer, “You are pretty.”

And the person who passed on such beauty was none other than Miso’s mother.

Even now, when I walk down the street with my mom, college-age boys sometimes follow me and ask for my contact information.

There are also many people who think of her as an older sister rather than a mother.

I didn’t really understand how my father could seduce someone like my mother, but when I saw my father’s personality, which was that I had never seen him get angry, I could understand.

Kim Mi-so’s smile that hasn’t lost the freshness of a young girl.

Soy sauce factory manager… … No, it’s just the exact same thing.

Kim Mi-so’s mother asked, smiling softly along.

“You’ve been feeling down lately, but maybe something good happened, my daughter?”

“Yeah, I got it. I got cast.”

Kim Mi-so’s mother, who was preparing breakfast, stopped moving at her daughter’s words.

“Casting?”

“Yeah. Idol.”

“Um… …. My daughter isn’t like that?”

“You just need to get a camera massage and some care.”

“who?”

“The CEO who cast me.”

“Aren’t you asking me to pay for lessons or surgery?”

Despite her mother’s words, Kim Mi-so did not lose her composure.

“No. What kind of world is this these days? And don’t you know who the CEO who cast me is?”

“I don’t know. My daughter hasn’t told me yet.”

“Wow. Join. In. Chang. Story. Join. In. Chang.”

The producer’s skills are outstanding.

He has a good image because he frequently appears on domestic and international broadcasts. I heard a rumor that he is a tiger producer who acts like an arrogant person, but if you think of it as professional, that is not a problem.

At least I know he’s not a scammer.

But these days, unlike parents in the past, mothers are a generation that grew up experiencing idol culture.

It’s closer to the media than you think.

That’s why Kim Mi-so’s mother, Kang Eun-sol, asked carefully.

“Isn’t that taking a long time? I heard that these days, people spend years just living the trainee life.”

“Since the company is new, they don’t have a trainee system, but rather they only recruit members to be used as a debut group. That means I’m also a member of the debut group.”

A situation that can only be described as an incredible stroke of luck.

Of course, there will be inherent limitations because they are new. They may only debut, but like those in the documentary, they may live as an unknown idol for several years before working part-time at a coffee shop and broadcasting on YouTube.

but.

“Fighting. Give it a try. Work hard.”

Kang Eun-sol readily agreed.

My husband would probably like it too.

“They say everyone will stop you if you say you want to be an idol, but they don’t stop you, right, Mom?”

Her mother, Kang Eun-sol, laughed at Kim Mi-so’s words.

“You’re not good at studying. It’s a good thing you’re an idol.”

“Isn’t that because you take after your mother?”

“well?”

Kang Eun-sol, the mother who answered like that, suddenly asked as if a thought had occurred to her.

“What does your boyfriend say? What does he say?”

“Who’s your boyfriend? I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“There’s that guy. He’s a nice guy. He seems a little wild, but he’s cute, Mom.”

Kim Mi-so jumped at her mother’s words and said.

“Who, who’s your boyfriend? He’s just a friend!”

“That guy seems to be interested in our daughter?”

“No! I’m going to succeed as an idol and marry our Dong-ha oppa!”

They were a good daughter and mother who always talked with laughter.

Kang Eun-sol couldn’t smile this time.

A while ago, I was really surprised to see a picture of a boy hanging in my daughter’s room.

I don’t know how much I cried when the guy I had a crush on died.

Although they had never properly held hands, Kang Eun-sol was certain that they had the same feelings for each other.

That’s why it was more difficult.

Until I buried that brother in my heart.

‘Your mom and I have the same way of looking at men.’

My heart raced when I found out that the name of the boy who looked exactly like my crush was Lee Dong Ha.

They say first loves never come true, but I never thought it wouldn’t happen for this reason. And I lived with regret.

I should have at least confessed properly.

I love my husband so much now, but it’s separate from him. It’s a regret that Eunsol Kang, a girl at that time, could have.

So I hope my daughter doesn’t regret it.

Kang Eun-sol stroked her daughter’s head.

“You must become successful as an idol and confess. Then you won’t have any regrets or lingering feelings.”

* * *

What should I call this?

“Ah… … , I’m sorry. That’s… … I had a hard time at school… … and I suddenly remembered… … That’s why.”

One of the members of Shining Girls hurriedly wiped away her tears.

Although the other members and CEO Jo In-chang were surprised, they didn’t say anything right away.

Me too.

“are you okay.”

A sense of foreboding.

Or, as it is also called, deja vu.

I had such a strange feeling.

A child who strangely resembles Eunsol.

I feel it again.

When my brothers first saw me, I wondered if they had this strange feeling…

But what’s different about me is that I’m the real me, and this girl isn’t the same person as Eunsol?

I’ve come to the future and thought about it occasionally, but I’ve pushed it to the back of my mind and lived.

My deceased father.

My uncle went abroad and I lost contact with him.

Scattered members.

Until we adapt to the changing world.

Because so many things came rushing in like a tidal wave, I thought playing the game of finding my first love was a luxury.

And I didn’t even bother to look for people like friends or older brothers and women because they were different.

If you look for her, you might be disappointed by her appearance as an older first love.

If you don’t get disappointed, it’s more of a problem.

‘I hope you’re doing well… … ?’

Did you get married?

Do you have children?

If I had a husband, what kind of person would he be?

Such thoughts fill my head.

-Brother… … , that… … Go home and read it.

That’s how it was back then.

It was a time when, instead of sending messages or SNS directly from a cell phone like today, people would record their voices in mailboxes or leave voice messages. There were also a lot more instances of sending notes directly than there are now.

The female student shyly handed me a note and then turned around.

There wasn’t really much written in it.

[I’m rooting for you.]

What are you cheering for?

Yet what was clear was that my heart was pounding.

Although we didn’t go to the same school, I was able to recognize their names as we went to and from school.

He was so famous.

I also went to school as quietly as possible, but I was somewhat known by name. So they must have known me and come looking for me.

We ran into each other like that every now and then.

Every time we met, we greeted each other with our eyes.

Also, very occasionally, we would exchange greetings.

That was all, but it was probably my first love.

He said he cried a lot when he thought I was dead, so I guess they had a connection.

“What are the idol trends these days?”

We asked producer Jo In-chang about the five members of Shinagirls with nervous expressions.

“Um… … There’s no right answer. There’s no right answer, but… … These days, giving off a flex vibe is the norm… … If we’re going to look at the direction of the song, I think the first song by a girl group would be popular.”

“What does it feel like to be flexed?”

“Smells like a rich man.”

“Smells like rich people?”

When I ask again, producer Jo In-chang smiles bitterly.

“In the past, idols had a girl-next-door vibe, a mysterious fairy-like atmosphere, and even had song choices. But these days, you have to give off a rich vibe. Should I say that’s how people look up to you?”

“hmm…….”

I stood there for a moment, lost in thought.

I have no particular reason to reject idol music, and since I even participated in My Pick Idol, I listened to quite a few songs. I definitely feel that way with recent songs.

but.

“It’s going to be a close call.”

At my words, the eyes of the cat-like woman among the five shining girls narrowed.

“no, I do not want.”

“Huh? What is it?”

I asked back, wondering what he was talking about.

Then the cat-like woman continues to answer with a stern expression.

“Once you go that way, you can’t come back. No matter how much I want to be an idol, that’s not it.”

“So what is not it?”

Instead of answering, he immediately brings in the girl who had been crying a little while ago.

“Hey. You’re only eighteen now. Not only you, but three of us, excluding Min-ah and me, are still minors. Do you understand?”

Not only the members of Bitna Girls who had been waiting in the conference room, but also the woman who appeared to be an employee of IC Entertainment and producer Jo In-chang who had been waiting with me were all looking at me strangely.

What should I do with this awkward atmosphere?

Did I cut in too much?