Chapter 53 |
After all the concept songs were presented, the trainees were sent back to their rooms.
As I walked down the bustling hallway, filled with anticipation for the third competition and the excitement of meeting new roommate, I recalled the memory of when the last song was revealed.
“Wow, it’s Prism!”
“Whoa, are we really going to perform with a song by Cha Woon-sunbaenim?”
“I want to be assigned to that song…….”
The trainees seemed to feel nothing but positive emotions at the fact that they could perform on stage with Cha Woon’s song. It was only natural. After all, Cha Woon was the one who had gathered the scattered members and revived the group after my departure.
But the moment I saw Cha Woon appear on the screen, I couldn’t help but lose my mind.
[“I’m truly happy to be able to greet you like this. It’s really a fresh experience to entrust my song to the rising stars.”]
It was just a recorded video, not words spoken to me.
I pondered what this emotion could possibly be, what could make my heart feel so heavy.
‘… Ah.’
This was longing.
Longing and regret for something that could never be undone.
It was fine with Jay.
Because that kid was the one who clung to me, the one who cried and begged me until the very end.
It was truly a cowardly thought, but his actions gave me comfort, relief, and the illusion that my existence hadn’t yet been erased from the heart of someone with whom I had shared the joy of success for such a long time.
However, the other members were different from Jay.
The last expressions on their faces that I remember were of disappointment, anger, and regret towards me.
“….Huuu.”
Thinking back to that scene, my head throbbed. I really felt like asking God why did it keep appearing in front of my eyeseven though I tried my best not to think about it.
[“How is it? I worked really hard on it. Do you like it? I hope this song left a good impression on you.”]
Cha Woon’s voice kept replaying in my head.
As one scene would pass, another would appear, and after all the scenes were shown, it would go back to the beginning and repeat.
That kid’s greeting and the melody of the released song intertwined, making a chaos in my mind.
‘Why on earth did you write a song that way? If you keep going this way, the public will eventually notice.’
After listening to Cha Woon’s song, I couldn’t calm my complicated feelings. There were two big problems. The first problem was that his composing style was too similar to mine.
Since he didn’t outright copy the melody line of my already released songs, it wouldn’t be considered plagiarism. However, sensitive people might get suspicious.
‘Cha Woon copied the style of a former member, Seo Yutae.’
It didn’t really bother me. From the beginning, I had started teaching him fully aware that he might end up imitating me.
But the problem wasn’t my feelings, it was the public’s reaction.
Even if it wasn’t exactly plagiarism, there were people who were sensitive about creators copying other people’s styles. He might get criticized.
Since I was the one who taught him composition, it could be considered natural, but he had been composing for about 7-8 years by now. The period for learning through imitation had long passed, and the public knew this as well.
‘Damn it, could it be that this situation happened because I didn’t refuse properly at that time?’
PRISM was a group that gained fame as a self-producing group, so it was somewhat difficult for them to continue their activities with another composer’s songs just because I left.
The composition, even if forced, had to be done by the hands of the PRISM’s members.
Therefore, the responsibility for composing fell on Cha Woon, who had been practicing composing songs using the knowledge he learned from me. In that situation, the method he chose was to create a song in a style similar to the one he had been working with until now.
It was likely that he started copying my style from then on.
But despite his efforts, the reality was by no means easy.
Within the agency, there were constant comments that Cha Woon’s song was far too lacking to be used as PRISM’s title track. Of course, it likely started with Kang Hyukwoo.
“The public still sees us as a legendary group and expects us to come out with another hit song, but I can’t compose a song of that caliber.”
“It’s all because of you, hyung. You left us irresponsibly, and this is what happened, so you need to take responsibility.”
Cha Woon quietly came to me through Kang Hyukwoo and made a request.
“It will be okay if I just say I made the song that you composed, hyung. If you truly care about us, I believe you can do that.”
At the time, overwhelmed by guilt, I couldn’t refuse. So, even after I left the group, I continued to create songs for PRISM. And since then, Cha Woon stopped studying music composition.
‘I should have just told Cha Woon that his songs could be loved by the public too. I should have voiced my support. I should have told him he was good enough.’
Pressing my hand firmly over my eyes, I walked into my room and went straight to bed.
“Is there something wrong with Seungbeom-hyung? He doesn’t look well since we finished filming earlier.”
“Yeah. I’m worried, but his expression is so dark that it’s hard to ask him what’s wrong.”
I could hear Woo Kangwon and Do Yuda talking discreetly, but I didn’t have time to pay attention to them now.
‘Kang Hyukwoo.’
I had to find out if he was involved in this. If he’s going to say something important, now would be the time. He must be anxious to know how the trainees reacted.
As soon as I called Kang Hyukwoo’s name in my head, I heard his voice.
“Yes, yes, PD-nim. I’m glad to hear the response was good. Now, it’s about time for our Woon to start making songs for other artists, not just for Prism. We need at least one more hit song so the public will think that Cha Woon was a great composer. Oh, by the way, did you receive the gift I sent you last time?”
He seemed to be on the phone with the main PD. As expected, the main PD was secretly communicating with the agency officials, and one of them was Kang Hyukwoo.
‘Well, there’s no way that despicable bastard is doing nothing.’
It was impossible for Kang Hyukwoo to not be interested in a program that shook up the entertainment industry. I guessed that he would quickly join to secure his own share, and that guess turned out to be correct.
‘Kang Hyukwoo.’
When I couldn’t hear his voice anymore, I used the ability once more, perhaps reaching the usage time limit.
“Oh, we’re the ones who should be thanking you for entrusting us with this project. It’s a win-win situation, isn’t it? Our group’s image took quite a hit after Seo Yutae left, so I hope this will be a great chance for us to recover. Yes, if you produce another program next time, I’ll send our kids over.”
‘Kang Hyukwoo.’
I used the ability once again.
If it had been the time when actual training had started, I might have just stayed still. But since there was nothing else to do today, I used the ability to the fullest.
“Park Sangjoong, you can just forget about him now. We’ll be expelling him from our side as well. Yes. Oh, don’t worry.”
Seeing that the topic shifted to something else, it seemed that the conversation about Cha Woon had come to an end.
‘This douchebag is no help to my life.’
The information I wanted to get right now was whether Cha Woon took on this job willingly and how he’s doing now. But instead, I found out that there was some dirty backroom dealing going on between the main PD and Kang Hyukwoo.
If it were any other time, I would have gladly accepted the information, but now I just felt more and more anxious.
‘Cha Woon.’
I used my ability on Cha Woon next. Thank goodness I was able to use this ability all the way to Seoul.
Beep. Beep.
Apart from the faint ringtone of a phone, no other sound could be heard.
‘It’s not even bedtime yet. Why isn’t he answering his phone?’
I looked at my watch and noticed it was just after 9 PM.
He’s most likely not asleep yet, so I didn’t understand why he’s not answering the phone when he clearly heard the ringtone.
Beep. Beep.
The long beeping sound paused for a moment, then started again. And once more, my hearing focused on Do Yuda and Woo Kangwon’s conversation, as if the ability had reached its limit.
‘Cha Woon.’
…….
Once again, I used my power, but I couldn’t hear anything.
This time, I didn’t even hear the beeping sound.
Perhaps I had reached my limit with what just happened, as my vision blurred and my skin went numb.
‘Ha, I won’t be able to do anything at all if I use it this much. All I have left is my hearing.’
Given the situation, it seemed that this side effect was caused by using the ability beyond the maximum number of uses I had initially practiced.
Did physical exhaustion normally cause the loss of sight and sense of touch?
‘This is all I have, and even this is not working properly.’
Feeling helpless from achieving nothing, I continued to spiral into pointless thoughts when I heard the sound of the door opening. Someone had come in.
‘Woo Kangwon, Do Yuda, and Lee Hwayoung are already in the room, so who’s coming in now?’
I prayed it wasn’t the camera. I couldn’t move an inch.
Just as I was having that wish, I heard Do Yuda’s voice.
“Oh, Trainer Jay! Hello! What’s going on?”
“I have something to discuss with Trainee Han Seungbeom for a moment.”
As it turned out, the person who entered the room was Jay. When I listened to his footsteps coming straight toward me, I realized his purpose was me.
‘I’m dying of exhaustion, so what is this timing … the filming is over, so why the hell are you still here?’
I scrambled out of bed and stood up, staring roughly where I assumed Jay would be, and bowed my head to greet him.
“Hello.”
“Trainee Han Seungbeom, can you talk to me outside for a moment? You’re not busy right now, are you?”
“….Yes.”
Honestly, my body was at its limit, but I couldn’t refuse in front of others.
He was a ‘senior‘ and I, who had just been lying on the bed, was clearly just a ‘trainee‘ who wasn’t busy at all.
I followed Jay, who was leading the way, with heavy steps.
***
Jay didn’t make any comments about me walking slower than usual.
It wasn’t because he was oblivious to my condition, but because he was too busy thinking about something else to notice my steps.
‘I feel deja vu.’
“…….”
“…….”
I had a strange feeling that something like this had happened before.
His back, leading the way without a word, and the tense atmosphere. I felt a deep unease, as if something was about to happen.
The guy, who had been walking quietly, stopped in a deserted place. Then he turned to me and asked,
“The song that Cha Woon-hyung wrote. It’s the exact chorus of the song you made before you died, the song you never revealed to anyone, hyung. The one you left in the cloud.”
A cold chill ran through me as the night air wrapped around my body.
My unhealed body felt like it was screaming in pain.
“…..It isn’t.”
“Don’t lie to me. I already know everything.”
The second problem with Cha Woon’s song.
For some reason, he knew that.
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Translator’s Corner:
I’M STILL SAD OVER THE LOST OF MY SNACK AND NOW I’M SADDER BECAUSE OF THIS SJKHKDHDHJDKDSJSD The main reason I like this story is because I sympathize with the MC too much LIKE LET ME HUGE YOU T_T (He is my fav, I will not tolerate his slander even if it’s from fictional character!!!!)