Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 54



Only Krnovel

54. Busking

[A special mission has arrived.]

[Go busking.]

[Upon completion, 1 Activity Boost Ticket]

While I was trying to watch busking, a special mission arrived.

Additional missions follow.

[An additional mission has arrived.]

[Song Coins are paid out differently depending on the number of busking audience members.]

[Audience 1~10 people, Song Coin X 1

Audience 11~20 people, Song Coin X 2

Audience 21~30 people, Song Coin X 3

Audience 31~40 people, Song Coin X 4

Audience 41~50 people, Song Coin X 5

[Audience 50 people or more, Song Coin X 7]

Cha Seong-jun’s eyes widen as he checks the system message.

‘The basic reward is an activity enhancement ticket, and the conditional reward is a maximum of 7 coins?!’

Certainly, as you advance to stage 3, the mission difficulty and reward level increase significantly.

I can’t help but drool.

Going for a walk at Hangang Park was a stroke of genius.

Rather than thinking about how to busk right now, I decided that figuring out if it was possible to do it was the priority.

I called MXM Entertainment.

Yuna’s ’26’ flows through the coloring,

– Yes, Seongjun. What’s going on?

Soon Baek-seok received a call.

I asked the question right away.

“Sir, can I busk at Hangang Park?”

– Yes? Busking… right now?

Baek-seok asked back in a slightly embarrassed voice.

He immediately asks if he can busk over the phone, which would be strange if he doesn’t.

However, Baek Seok is the one who discovered and raised Yuna.

Although Yuna now has the appearance of a celebrity thanks to the thorough education of him and Choi Dae-heon, she was truly reckless when she was young.

Busking as Cha Seong-jun says?

He just did it because he wanted to.

Whether it’s a park, a street, or anywhere.

Whether there are many people or few.

On the contrary, Yuna’s performance experience was also the driving force that allowed her to quickly rise to the top as a talented musician.

Baek Seok, who supported Yuna during the process, also answered Cha Seong-jun’s questions based on his experience and knowledge related to busking.

– Since the exclusive contract has not been announced yet, Sungjun’s external activities are somewhat cautious···.

The concern that Baek Seok added was that the face of ‘Sungjun=D.Voice’ would be revealed in advance due to busking.

As you become more famous, there will probably be people who will recognize you by hearing your voice.

– If we do that, the impact of the surprise reveal will disappear.

Therefore, from MXM Entertainment’s perspective, it was reasonable to oppose this sudden busking request.

However, Baek Seok’s next words were unexpected.

– But if it’s an outdoor stage, your voice will be scattered, and in the case of cheap amps for busking, the sound will be muffled compared to your original voice… so this will cover it up to some extent.

Baek Seok came to a conclusion.

– Well, as long as your face isn’t exposed, I think it’ll be okay. Do you have a hat or sunglasses or something?

“I’ll look into it.”

Cha Seong-jun rummages through the front pocket of his guitar case.

Then, out of that black hole-like space, a crumpled hat and a pair of horn-rimmed glasses appeared.

When he wore his hat pulled down low, the upper part of his face was hidden, and when he added his glasses, his facial expression became unrecognizable.

“It looks like it’s well hidden by the hat and glasses.”

– Then that’s fine. Just choose the song with sense. If possible, choose a song that you haven’t covered before.

“Don’t worry about that. Thanks for your help, sir.”

That’s how I ended my call with Baek-seok.

Now that I have permission from MXM Entertainment, I can busk without hesitation.

That is, if you can busk.

I don’t know if it was like before, but these days, you can’t just busk anywhere.

There is a busking application process through the Internet and there is a designated location.

And of course, busking applications would have closed today.

‘But how am I supposed to busk in this mission?’

A difficult situation where permission has been granted, but busking may not actually be possible.

But then, a really ridiculous opportunity arose.

Mokdu, a two-person busker group, was setting up their instruments.

Among them, the man in charge of guitar and vocals suddenly started complaining of equipment problems.

“Hey, Whimok, you’re screwed. I think I dropped my capo somewhere.”

“Ah, you crazy bastard, Imok-gyu. You can’t go without a capo today! We’re using a capo for all the practice songs in this set!”

“That’s right. Shit, this won’t work. I’ll just borrow one from the busking place next door. In the meantime, try to kill some time.”

Then, I ended up rushing to a nearby busking venue.

“What? What’s going on? Where are you going all of a sudden?”

The onlookers are in an uproar as the busker runs away.

The only jambe player left is Hwimok, who has a look of confusion on his face.

However, it seemed like he wasn’t just a busker from one or two times, as he grabbed the mic and showed off his quick wit.

“Hahaha. Our vocalist is a bit clumsy, so he went to get something for a bit. He’ll be back soon, so please wait a moment. Until then, I’ll play a Jambe solo.”

To buy time, Whimok started to knock on the jambe alone.

Thanks to this, the spectators were able to watch the performance without leaving their seats.

It was a sensible and quick-witted response.

But such efforts were in vain.

Five minutes passed, ten minutes passed.

Vocalist Mokgyu did not return.

It was difficult to rent a capo because a performance was taking place at the busking venue next door.

And Jambe alone could no longer hold the audience.

“Let’s just go somewhere else.”

Audience members who have lost interest are starting to leave their seats little by little.

At that sight, Hwi-mok shouted urgently.

“Well, until the vocalist comes back, is there anyone in the audience who wants to sing a song?! I’ll jam it out to you on the spot!”

That was exactly the golden opportunity that was given to me out of the blue.

“yes!”

Cha Seong-jun raised his hand, and Hwi-mok, who noticed this, quickly called him.

“I see you have a guitar, so I guess you’re a musician?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’ve just started.”

It was an answer to the question of how to cosplay as an ordinary person, but it wasn’t a lie.

Actually, I started in earnest only after I got ‘Bangsingki’ two months ago.

“I see. Then, please introduce yourself briefly to the audience.”

At Hwi-mok’s words, Cha Seong-jun stood in front of the microphone.

In accordance with the precautions requested by Baek Seok, your real name or stage name must not be revealed.

At that moment, a memorable nickname flashed through my mind.

“I am ‘Passerby C’.”

“Yes, yes? Oh, you’re embarrassed to reveal your name. I completely understand.”

Fortunately, Hwimok passed without causing any trouble.

For him, Cha Sung-jun was just a stopgap to kill time until his partner vocalist arrived.

“Then what song will you sing?”

Okay, what song should I sing?

Of course, it’s easy if you sing Yuna or Ye-seon-ha’s cover song.

However, there is a risk that the device may be revealed.

For the same reason, the same goes for cherry blossoms.

As Baek Seok said, the release of Devoice should be after ‘Who’s the King’ airs.

‘Then I have to sing a song I’ve never sung before… Huh? Or-‘

While I was thinking about it, a lightbulb went on in my head.

As it so happens, there was a song that I could confidently sing as I introduced myself as ‘Ji-Haeng C’.

[Park Jung-jae – Don’t break up.]

This is a song I sang at a street karaoke in Hongdae.

‘Yeah, it’s okay to sing this song!’

However, this time, it has to be accompanied by a guitar + jambe, not MR.

Then, rather than singing in an appealing way, it would be better to process the sound more delicately to suit the acoustic sensibility.

It would be easier to listen to if the high notes you scream were processed with falsetto.

And the guitar playing is built up with arpeggios in the first verse and strokes from the second verse onwards, and the acoustic arrangement is complete.

“Park Jung-jae, let’s sing a song called Don’t Break Up.”

Cha Seong-jun, who had connected his guitar to the amplifier, began to sing.

“Let’s never break up~”

Natural guitar playing and well-captured tone flow out.

Then,

“Oh, you sing a song?”

“So I guess he went out with his hands up.”

The audience, who thought they were just ordinary people and didn’t expect much, began to listen closely and pay attention.

Hwi-mok, who was sitting in front of Jambe, was also surprised by Cha Seong-jun’s high-level performance and vocal skills.

‘What, why are you so good at this?’

Honestly, he’s much better than Mokgyu, the original vocalist of the team.

In the meantime, I added jambe after checking the timing.

Dudum- tak Dudum- tak

A song made of wood reverberated through the park through an amplifier,

The arrangement was well done and captured the hearts of the audience.

Acoustic guitar, emotional vocals, jambe, success.

People who were comfortably enjoying the music started taking out their phones one by one and starting to film the busking.

That was when.

“Huh? What are those people gathered over there taking pictures of?”

Someone who had been watching the scene from afar approached, muttering loudly to himself.

She is Cherry, a popular streamer who is currently hosting a live street broadcast.

She was walking around the park like a piper, leading fans, holding a magic wand called a selfie stick, when she discovered Cha Sung-jun’s busking scene.

“I see you guys are busking. I’ll listen for a bit and go. Wow~ Your voice is amazing~”

The crowd of onlookers quickly grew as Cherry added to the crowd.

As people swarmed around, people who had stopped by nearby convenience stores and restrooms also came to see the stage out of curiosity.

The number of spectators who swelled like that is estimated to be around 30.

‘What, there’s an audience all of a sudden?’

Whimok, who was playing the jambe, swallows his surprise.

Because it was my first time attracting an audience of this size.

Up until now, the maximum number was around twenty.

The song ended with the audience of thirty people surrounding them, and soon applause broke out.

“Phew.”

After finishing the song, Cha Sung-jun’s chest starts to pound as he catches his breath.

As I breathe right in front of the audience, I feel their heat and cheers on my skin.

This is the fun of busking.

It was a different experience from when I stood on stage with a band in college.

‘I want to sing just one more song···.’

The vocalist still hasn’t returned.

I looked back at the jambe player with a sense of elation that would not easily subside.

And then I was about to cautiously ask if I could sing one more song,

“The atmosphere is good, how about going for one more song?”

What the heck is this?

I’ve been suggesting what the other person wanted first.

“great.”

I quickly decided to choose the next song in my head, considering that the vocalist might return.

Then suddenly, a yellow glow of sunset bursting through the clouds catches my eye.

The dazzling light that reflected off the gently surging river and scattered golden light in all directions was realizing a halo before it became immersed in dusk.

Amidst that beautiful sight, a song came to mind.

It was a famous song from the beginning, but after a famous idol group remade it, it became a popular song that people of all ages and genders could enjoy and sing along to.

“I will sing ‘Burning Sunset’.”

As soon as I finish selecting a song, the chords naturally come to my mind.

But this time, let’s leave it to improvisation rather than delicate playing like before.

Cha Sung-jun plucked the guitar strings and put his lips to the microphone.

“Looking at the golden sunset~”

As the second song began to play, a familiar one, the crowd began to react.

“Oh, it’s ‘Burning Sunset’? It’s been a while.”

Parents who go for a walk with their children.

“I know this song! It’s the song Z.Tiger sang during their idol days.”

“That’s a remake. The original came out before you and I were even born.”

There are also lovers who come out to enjoy a date.

I started humming the easy lyrics and melody of ‘Burning Sunset’ naturally.

Because originally, it was human nature to want to imitate whatever I knew.

“I like you~”

Someone started singing along first,

“You are the best in this world~”

One by one, they joined in and soon spread like wildfire.

And then in verse 2 something amazing happened.

Before we knew it, Cha Sung-jun and the audience were singing as one.

“””Even though I can’t say anything~”””

It was a ‘group cheer’.

To the excited audience, Cha Sung-jun’s voice was merely a guide vocal and accompaniment.

They were already part of the show.

The lead vocalist of the group, Cha Seong-jun, raised his voice, and Hwi-mok’s hands also dynamically tapped the jambe.

When the song finally ended,

“That sunset is burning golden~”

The golden glow of the sunset was at its peak.

A system message arrived amidst the pouring golden light.

[You have achieved the special mission.]

[You have acquired the Activity Enhancement Ticket.]

[As a result of the additional mission tally, the final audience number reached 51.]

[You have obtained 7 Song Coins.]

Cha Seong-jun clenched his fist.

At this time,

“Sorry, I’m late!… Huh? What is it?”

Mokgyu, who was returning while holding the capo in one hand like a treasure, is surprised to see a crowd of over 50 people and takes a step back.

Cha Seong-jun, who saw that, quickly put away his guitar and came down from the stage.

Baton touch.

Now it’s time to return the stage to its original owner.

And then I ran straight towards the subway station.

And I achieved my goal.

It was a considerate escape because I had been stealing all the attention.

Adieu, Mokdu.

I hope we can continue the good mood now.

*

That evening,

A video was uploaded to YouTube.

It was a channel that collected videos of ordinary people who were singing masters.

There,

[Mangwon Hangang Park ‘Burning Sunset’ cheering group!!]

It featured a thumbnail of a man in a golden sunset with the provocative title, “

And that video,

“Huh? Are you a passerby?”

BJ Changhyuk, who was planning the year-end King of Kings content, saw it.

Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter Episode 55