Chapter 5: Damn Idol

* * *

The Demon of the Crossroads.

Or the Devil of the Intersection.

At first glance, it might sound like a joke, but among musicians, it’s not.

The first time the Demon of the Crossroads was known to the world was through Robert Johnson, known as the "Father of Rock."

Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil at a crossroads, gaining guitar skills and rock music.

He even released songs about this, such as "Cross Road Blues" and "Me and the Devil Blues."

This influence was significant in why white people in the past called rock and blues the devil's music.

After Robert Johnson, rumors about the Demon of the Crossroads have always circulated in the music industry.

The most famous photo of the Beatles crossing a pedestrian crossing on one of their album covers.

People often said this hinted that they had made a pact with the Demon of the Crossroads.

I came across this content on YouTube and naturally thought it was just a far-fetched rumor.

It’s laughable to believe in the Demon of the Crossroads in the 21st century.

But...

When the devil appeared before me, it was no longer a rumor.

I lifted my head at a voice that couldn’t belong to any living creature.

Twisted car fragments were piercing my father’s chest.

My mother, bleeding from her head, was no longer breathing.

At that moment, I instinctively realized that the being before me was the devil.

The devil waved his hand.

The fragments in my father’s chest disappeared, and the wound healed.

My mother slowly began to breathe again.

In this unbelievable situation, I maintained an astonishing calm and composure.

It wasn’t by my will.

The devil had forcibly activated my rationality and intelligence.

“So, what now?”

“So, the goal is...”

Murder, terrorism, and cults came to mind, but the devil’s response was absurd.

“An album? The album I know?”

200 million album sales.

At first, I thought it was a joke.

Why would a being that’s hard to believe even exists care about album sales?

Of course, now I know why the devil set this condition.

But back then, I didn’t.

I had no idea how difficult 200 million was.

At that moment, my mouth opened.

“Wait! Let’s negotiate.”

“200 million is too much for a human. How about 100 million?”

“Or, can you count self-purchases?”

“If it’s 200 million, at least include digital singles! Why count only physical albums?”

“Bruno Mars only sold 30 million physical albums!”

After venting my complaints to the devil for a while, I realized it was just a dream.

* * *

“Haha.”

It’s ridiculous.

Right after regressing, I often have dreams related to the past.

The most frequent one is the contract with the devil, the starting point of everything.

But negotiating with the devil in a dream is a first.

Maybe that’s why...

The damp feeling I had before falling asleep last night disappeared.

Even though it was just a dream, what was said in the dream was honestly how I felt.

If digital singles or mini albums were counted, selling 200 million wouldn’t have been that hard.

Bruno Mars only sold 30 million physical albums, but if you include singles and production tracks, it easily surpasses 100 million.

But what can I do?

The devil isn’t someone you can negotiate with.

Zzzz-

My phone vibrated, showing [Big Uncle] on the screen.

The call was cut off almost immediately, indicating he was about to lose his patience.

“It’s about time.”

Big Uncle will try to break into my house this Friday, the day after tomorrow.

He won’t succeed because of the special security door lock and will return to Gwangyang on Sunday evening.

Of course, this isn’t the end.

In two weeks, he will take annual leave to guard my house for three days.

Regressing doesn’t mean everything happens exactly the same, but his schedule remains unchanged.

Perhaps his company has a fixed date for taking annual leave.

Originally, I wouldn’t need to avoid Big Uncle.

I wouldn’t be in Korea anyway.

But this time, it’s different.

I need to leave home to avoid his visit this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Not that I plan to spend time at a motel or Uncle Hyunsu’s house...

“Hello, recording studio?”

-Yes, hello. This is LB Studio.

“I’d like to make a reservation. From noon this Friday to midnight Sunday, full session. Oh, no drums needed.”

-From noon Friday to midnight Sunday? That’s 60 hours?

“Yes.”

I plan to live in the studio and create music for this life.

* * *

The music student working part-time at LB Studio looked at the reservation form and his eyes sparkled.

Someone had booked the most expensive top-tier studio for a full 60 hours.

There’s only one explanation for this.

‘It’s a celebrity!’

Of course, indie musicians often book studios for long periods to record albums.

But they meticulously calculate their sleep, meal, and rest times to fit the tight schedule.

The hourly rental fee is expensive.

In contrast, celebrities often include the recording process in music videos or making films.

Naturally, they need equipment for filming, which involves setting up and dismantling cameras, a tedious process.

So, they book the studio for several days and use the equipment continuously.

There’s also the possibility of filming for a variety show.

‘The TV guys wouldn’t have paid the full price, right?’

In short, this booking is for a celebrity.

‘Who could it be?’

It would be great if it’s an idol.

A male idol I like.

But the chances are low.

These days, idols often shoot concept music videos, so recording scenes are rare.

Moreover, if it were an idol, they wouldn’t need to rent instruments.

Still, you never know.

Maybe I’ll see my favorite idols playing guitars and laughing cheerfully.

With this expectation, the studio door opened at noon on Friday.

Punctual to the minute.

But contrary to her expectations, the visitor was a young boy.

The boy stared at the posters next to the studio entrance for a while before approaching the desk.

“Hello.”

“Are you Han Si-on, who reserved Studio A?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

He looked quite young.

Maybe 19, or 20?

But there was a strange aura about him.

He seemed depressed yet obsessive, a feeling that suited a grayish tone.

Yet, he had a pale, handsome face.

‘An aspiring singer? An idol trainee?’

After filling out the rental contract and asking if he needed any studio setup, the boy shook his head.

“I’ll do it.”

“It might be difficult to handle the equipment... We have some new ones.”

“I’ll let you know if I need help.”

Though I didn’t fully trust him, it was hard to say more.

The boy entered the studio, and the part-time worker returned to her tasks.

It was Friday, so there was more work than usual.

After some time, she thought about monitoring the sound from Studio A.

It wasn’t to eavesdrop but to check the terms of the rental contract.

The studio equipment is expensive.

Usually, this is done when the renter is acting suspiciously, but in this case, it was out of pure goodwill.

The equipment in Studio A is state-of-the-art and quite complex, so he might be struggling.

The sound she heard was...

“...?!”

Guitar playing I hadn’t even heard from professors.

Sharp and neurotic.

But it wasn’t unpleasant; it was mesmerizing.

Clearly, the technique had some flaws.

There were frequent mistakes in picking and sliding, and the pitch was unstable.

But the feel was insane.

The feel was so crazy that it felt like the early days of Keith Richards.

‘Who is this guy to play like this at his age...’

Suddenly, the music stopped, and the boy’s voice came through the monitoring headphones.

-Damn it. It’s terrible.

The part-time worker, who is also a music student, thought as she heard the genius boy grumble.

Should I drop out...?

* * *

When a new cycle begins, I need time to adjust my body.

In my past life, I was the vocalist of a band that sold 70 million physical albums.

Naturally, I sang well.

But not now.

It’s not that I can’t sing, but it’s far from satisfactory.

Contrary to popular belief, the vocal cords are muscles that require training, and the voice takes time to tune.

While voice is innate, it’s not an unchangeable domain.

In about a year, I can produce a sound I like, and in two years, I can reach my prime.

But playing instruments requires much more time and effort.

When I tried to be a producer, I was an excellent pianist and a great guitarist.

When I formed a band as an instrumentalist, I was an outstanding bassist.

Honestly, except for drums (a skinny Asian won’t be popular as a drummer), I can handle most instruments at the top level.

But not now.

I know it in my head, but my body isn’t keeping up.

I tried playing the piano, but there were too many missed touches, so I stopped.

Playing the guitar made me feel incompetent.

“Damn. This is terrible.”

I know time will solve this, but it frustrates me every time.

No matter how much I achieve, my regression feels like it’s collapsing in one go.

Of course, there are areas where practice isn’t necessary.

Composition, for example.

Composition isn’t live, so a one-take is not essential.

You only need one good take out of a hundred.

Moreover, with my experience, I can maintain the same feel, so I can record in parts and combine them.

If that’s not enough, I can use computer programs to input notes.

These days, more people compose using VSTs (virtual instruments) than actual instruments.

So, I’m a composer who can create hit songs at any time.

I’ve released countless original songs and succeeded.

I haven’t made much K-POP idol music, but I’m confident.

Music has genre differences, not level differences.

Create a good song and hire a skilled arranger for idol music, and that’s it.

With this in mind, I started setting up the equipment for composition.

The first song I’ll make is already decided.

Every time a new cycle begins, I write a song based on my reflections from the previous cycle.

It’s a kind of memorial ritual.

Since I’m the only one who remembers the previous cycle, I feel I should leave at least one song in the world.

After finishing all the settings, I looked at the blinking composition program screen and fell into thought.

How can I summarize my past life?

Perfect band?

Funky player?

All the phrases that come to mind sound childish.

While expressions of talent are often childish, "funky player" is a bit...

The GOTM members were all cheerful and well-rounded friends, yet full of passion for music.

I gathered such people, and they liked me.

At that moment, a good word came to mind.

Pro.

No, the plural form would be better.

This is my first original song in this life.

Oh.