Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 66



Only Krnovel

Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter Episode 66

66. Index and middle fingers

The last Saturday evening in December.

A large number of people gathered in front of the TV.

Even though it’s the end of the year, I haven’t made any plans, and all the ones I had planned have been postponed or cancelled.

Everyone is here to watch episode 6 of ‘Who’s the King’.

Numbers 15 and 49 are predicted to be strong candidates for victory, having placed 1st and 2nd respectively in the last mission.

Because one of the two was destined to suffer the bitter cup of elimination.

For that reason, fans couldn’t help but be very nervous before the broadcast started.

Among them, there were some who were related by blood to number 49.

“Sungjun’s broadcast is starting! Come out quickly!”

Cha Seong-eun, who had been tuning in for an hour, called her mom and dad into the living room.

After dinner on Saturday night, I watched ‘Hood the King’ live.

It was the Cha family’s routine.

As the whole family sat down on the sofa, the broadcast started right on time.

In the beginning, there was a match between contestants other than number 15 vs. number 49.

Then, in the middle of the broadcast, the two people’s stage was captured on screen again.

[star]

Among the 15 keywords, the topics they will cover are introduced.

Next, number 15 was the first to present his self-composed song, ‘Ride through the Star’.

“Baby we go ride through the star light~”

City pop that brings to mind starry nights and night drives.

The LED background featured a dazzling night view of the city, and the gentle melody and tune brought comfort to the hearts of fans who were filled with tension.

“Wow, that western guy is good.”

“That’s right.”

While the parents were conveying their leisurely impressions,

Cha Seong-eun checked the community’s real-time comment responses on his laptop.

– F**k this is crazy······. The song is really good. Is this the dignity of first place?

– I didn’t know about city pop, but it’s this genre? It’s totally my style?!

– This is the class of the West!!!!

N Oh, this cultural chauvinist bastard… I admit, I hate to call him that. He was really awesome.

– After the broadcast, I call the girl I really like and unconditionally go for a night drive. The background music is ‘RTTS (Ride through the Star).’

N Driving is possible. But I don’t have a girlfriend…

N haha ​​how did you know? (sob)

While the praise for number 15 is prevalent.

There were also comments expressing concern about the successor number 49.

– But if number 15 rips it like this in front, what will number 49 do if he gets scared? If it were me, I would have immediately said GG.

– That’s why in real competitions, it seems like the second attacker is at a disadvantage when competing against someone who is good at it.

– But I don’t think number 49 will care much. He’s the guy who was complaining about the lunch box in episode 1. He seems to have a very strong mentality.

– Do well, do it well no matter what.

Cha Seong-eun added a comment saying, ‘Anyway, the win is number 49!’

Amidst these coexisting expectations and concerns,

Finally, Cha Sung-jun’s stage began.

Pot-

The lights go dark and the stage is plunged into darkness.

Then, the sound of a guitar echoed through the pitch-black darkness, and the spotlight illuminated Cha Sung-jun standing in front of the microphone.

“The dark night is a time of endless waiting.

We wander in search of stars.”

Cha Seong-jun sang the introduction calmly with his eyes closed.

The guitar strokes, gently scratched once in a while, are also dull.

It’s like a monologue to some people,

To some, it sounded like a prayer.

And to Cha Seong-eun, it was a sincere ‘appeal’ from his younger brother.

– I put everything I wanted to say into this song.

That’s what was written in the message Cha Sung-jun sent this morning.

So she listened intently, concentrating on the lyrics her brother was trying to convey.

“I will shine on you brighter than the sun.

I will share my light with you.

From today onwards, I am your star.”

Cha Seong-jun continued to tell his story calmly,

That’s how verse 1 ended.

There was a response in the real-time comments.

– What, is verse 1 just going to end like this? Well, it was pretty good, but… isn’t it a little weak for a competition?

– I feel sorry for number 49, but if you do this in verse 2, you’ll definitely be eliminated?

With the introduction being different from what was expected, fans were left with questions.

That was understandable.

Cha Sung was worried that the song’s message was secondary, and that the song’s overall impact was lacking.

But as soon as verse 2 began, the question mark became an exclamation point.

Tick-tick-tick-tick-

Boom- Boom- Boom- Boom-

Jiing- jiing- jiing-

The sound of drum hi-hats was added to the accompaniment that had been lonely with only an acoustic guitar.

Then the bass and electric guitar appear, and the mood of the song changes 180 degrees.

At the same time, Cha Seong-jun opened his eyes wide and quickly took off the glasses he was wearing.

Along with the visuals that had been hidden for so long, a powerful voice that contrasted with the first verse exploded at the same time.

– What the visuals?!!!!! They’re so handsome!!!!!!!

– What the heck!!!!! Weren’t you the glasses nerd?!!

Leaving behind the comment section that was in an uproar over the surprise reveal of my younger brother’s bare face,

Cha Seong-eun’s gaze was fixed solely on the stage.

“That star was comfort. That star was hope.

“I hated it when I couldn’t reach you even when I stretched out my hand.”

In line with the lyrics that Cha Sung-jun spits out,

Stars began to twinkle one by one against the dark LED background.

And soon the stars filled the night sky.

– The directing is melting… so damn holy…

– Whose idea was this, number 49??

The audience was left speechless by the overwhelming production that created ecstasy.

“Wow, it’s pretty.”

Cha Seong-jun’s parents also let out exclamations.

Meanwhile,

“······.”

Cha Seong-eun silently placed her hand on her left chest.

Knock knock knock knock knock

My heart was beating fast.

It was because of the excitement of my younger brother’s performance on stage.

“I am your star. You are my star.

We shine brightly.”

In the meantime, the song had already passed the bridge and was running into the third verse.

The stars that were scattered across the night sky began to gather one by one in the center.

Another star approaches and attaches itself next to the small star.

Another star approaches and sticks next to it, repeating the process.

In the center was Cha Seong-jun.

The small star floating above Cha Seong-jun’s head gradually grew in size.

The light emitted by the cluster of stars also grew brighter.

– Halo… halo…

Someone who was watching the sight described the growing starlight like this:

On the other hand, Cha Seong-eun’s eyes were red and puffy.

Are you so focused on the stage that you forget to even blink?

Or are you tired of all the flashes on the screen?

Or maybe you’re proud of your little brother who’s grown up so much?

Only Cha Seong-min would know the answer.

And the song finally came to an end.

“From today onwards, I am your star.”

Cha Seong-jun, who had transformed into a giant star, was shining dazzlingly on stage.

Looking at that sight,

“···You are truly amazing, my little brother.”

Cha Seong-eun muttered softly, a faint smile on his lips.

*

Immediately after the 49th stage,

– This is crazy!!!

The comment section exploded as if everyone was letting out all the breath they had been holding for three minutes.

– Wow, the build-up was awesome!! The first verse was laid out and the second verse was amazing and the climax was awesome!!!!ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– The vocals, lyrics, appeal, production, and visuals were all the best. By my standards, it was the unrivaled top spot among all survival program stages. This song is the very essence of number 49’s identity.

– Did you see the expression on Mr. Choi Kang-san’s face when he looked so happy? That’s where the game ended. Number 49 won unconditionally.

– But how is it that even just saying the title is so cool? The title of this song is… ‘Star’. Hehe, I’m drunk!

Such emotions filled with excitement poured down like a downpour.

There was also a significant stake in the visual of number 49.

– No, why were you wearing glasses until now? The visuals are freaking amazing!!!!!! I screamed while watching!!!!!

– I admit it. A lot of idiots, including me, are expected to come in.

– Am I the only one who felt like Piccolo was saying ‘I’ll show you my true strength!’ when he took off his cloak and put it on?

– Crazyㅋㅋㅋ The piccolo drip is so funnyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

On the other hand, there were mixed opinions that stage 15 was better.

– But I still give it 15. City pop was so trendy.

– Yeah, I admit it. Honestly, the directing isn’t bad compared to number 49. Rather, clean is my style!

– I think the judges’ comments were somewhat more generous to number 15…

The comment section that had been so noisy soon became quiet.

Number 15 vs. number 49, the match of the century.

Because the moment of announcement has arrived.

“I will announce the winner of the 1:1 battle mission.”

The viewers swallowed their saliva and held their breath at MC Park Hye-shin’s words.

And finally the winner’s number was called.

“The winner is… Candidate number 15! Congratulations!”

Half of the people who were cheering for number 49 were shocked and shouted.

– What the f*ck. Number 49 lost?!!!!!!! Is this real?!!!!!!

Conversely, the other half of the crowd, who were cheering for number 15, enjoyed a festive atmosphere.

– I knew number 15 would win!!!!! The judges really know their stuff!!

Thanks to this, the community turned into a battlefield in an instant.

There was a feast of shock, outrage, agreement and rebuttal as the judges explained the 49 losers.

After such a bloody argument, in the end,

– But honestly, no matter who won, it wouldn’t have been a loss. Do you admit it?

– Phew, today should have been the finals instead.

The soldiers declared the end of the war by accepting victory or defeat and expressing their regret.

And then, in an attempt to bring about peace, a new topic was brought up.

– So what is the identity of number 49?

Since it was a topic of interest that had been mentioned consistently since the beginning of the broadcast, many fans came up with their own guesses.

Soon, Park Hye-shin started to cry.

“Now that I’ve stepped down from the candidacy, I’m given a chance to show who I am.”

Then, number 49, who had taken off his number tag, slowly opened his mouth and introduced himself.

“I’m Cha Sung-jun, who started out as an ordinary office worker and now dreams of becoming the best singer-songwriter. I’m active on YouTube and Sound Sky under the name ‘D.Voice.’”

?!!!!!!!!!!

When number 49 revealed his identity,

The fans watching on TV all froze in their seats as if they had been caught off guard by a counter punch.

“······.”

It was a moment of silence that seemed like eternity.

After that, the media made a big deal about it,

In this scene, the ‘Who’s the King’ moment viewership ratings reached their highest,

At the same time, there is an epilogue that the show broke the highest viewership ratings of any survival program in history.

Anyway, while everyone was in shock and reeling,

– Waaa …

A frenzy of enthusiasm began with someone’s screaming and exclamations as the starting point.

– Crazy!!!!! It was really D.Voice????????? Isn’t today April Fool’s Day?!!!!!

– I matched the device!!!! Return all of you damn bastards who said no to the hearing society!!!!!!

– That handsome guy is a devise…!!!!! That’s ridiculous!!!!!!

Every time I press refresh, the number of posts increases by dozens and the number of comments increases by hundreds.

In the midst of the chaos, someone quick on their feet (MXM Entertainment’s secretly active PR team) brought us another big piece of news.

– Hey, there’s an article on MXM Entertainment just now!

– Why are you suddenly introducing an MXM Entertainment article while we’re talking about DeVoice? Can’t you read the mood?

– I’m sharing this by understanding the atmosphere really well. Don’t be surprised and get tired of seeing it.

The article included the news that Sungjun (D.Voice) had signed an exclusive contract with MXM Entertainment and that he would be releasing an EP at noon this coming Monday.

– Next Monday?! In two days?!

– And all four songs on the EP are titles?! Quadruple titles!!!

– Wow~ D.Voice class who is a rookie but has titles for all the songs on their first album!!!!!

– If it were another rookie, it would be over the top, but if it’s Devoice, it’s completely possible.

– The official MV teaser is now up on MXM Enter YouTube! Here’s the link!

– ‘DMLC’ is the song that was sung in episode 1 of ‘Who’s the King’, right?! Awesome!!! Is this finally going to be released as an official song!!!!

– Guys, the pre-order link is out now~ Alright, let’s go!!!!!!!!!!!!

When the anticipation and interest were focused on the identity reveal, the strategy of Cha Sung-jun and MXM Entertainment to go all-out with promotion/marketing was a great success.

the other side,

Because of this, the clickbait trailer for episode 7 informing the eliminated number 49 about the losers’ bracket was buried.

*

At the same time, Noryangjin.

Two young men are watching ‘Who’s the King’ on a TV in a pub.

One is Cha Seong-jun’s friend Kang Seung-wook.

Another one was a younger sibling of Kang Seung-wook, who was preparing for the civil service exam in Noryangjin.

At the end of the year, just one day, no more, no less!

Kang Seung-wook steps forward to help his younger brother, who wants to escape the shackles of tiresome exam studying and enjoy a glass of beer.

But those two people couldn’t take their eyes off the TV, leaving their original purpose of drinking beer on the back burner.

“Can you believe that damn guy is both my bandmate and your military matchmaker?”

“No, not at all···”

The man who answered while still looking at the TV was Cha Seong-jun’s successor during his military days.

At the same time, he told Kang Seung-wook, who is a friend and acquaintance of Cha Sung-jun, about Cha Sung-jun’s ‘year-end music festival tear incident’.

The events of that day were still vivid in the successor’s mind.

The look in Cha Seong-jun’s eyes as he sat on the bed in the dormitory and stared at the TV.

And the tone of voice that was chewing on angrily, saying, ‘I should have been there…’

At that time, I just thought of him as a strange senior who would cause trouble if I messed with him…

“···You finally achieved your dream, Sergeant Cha.”

“That’s right. He’s my friend and he’s really cool.”

Kang Seung-wook smiled faintly and agreed with his successor’s words.

“When I see Sergeant Cha, I feel like I need to live harder too.”

“I’m working hard enough now, Inma. I have to work really hard. If I don’t want to be embarrassing in front of Seongjun.”

Two people with smiles on their faces clinked their beer glasses.

And then, as if he had made a promise, he got up from his seat one by one.

“I guess I should go now. I was planning to take a break today, but I guess I should turn on the broadcast.”

“Yes, bro. I’m going to go back in and study again. If you see Sergeant Cha later, tell him I said hello. I’ll be rooting for you.”

After seeing off the successor like that first.

“Phew.”

Kang Seung-wook looked up at the sky, exhaling white breath.

Dark night.

If you look closely, you can see the stars twinkling shyly.

At the same time, the song ‘Star’ that Cha Sung-jun had sung passionately on a broadcast a while ago naturally flows into my ears.

“···Does that guy Seongjun know?”

How many people, not just himself and his successors, will find resonance in his songs today?

And the next time we meet, he will be crazy about something better than he is now, working hard and achieving even a small accomplishment.

It was Kang Seung-wook who thought he wanted to become that kind of person.

*

And a week later,

The initial sales of Sungjun’s EP ‘LOVE CYCLE’ have been tallied.

“So how much did it sell for?”

“That’s it······.”

In response to Cha Sung-jun’s question, the A&R team leader spread his fingers with a meaningful expression.

Two fingers, index and middle.

“200,000 copies.”