Chapter 74: I Became the Older Brother of a Top Star

"Ooh! That's right! Go for it!"

Yuna was sitting in front of the desktop with me, cheering enthusiastically.

Son Seung-woo, the player who was sprinting like a storm, dodging defenders and crossing the half-line, finally overcame the goalkeeper and scored an incredible wonder goal.

"Kyaahh-!!"

Yuna clapped her hands, jumping with joy.

"Yuna, you'll wake up Mom and Dad."

"Ah, sorry. But how can you not scream when you see this? It's insane. I can't believe I'm watching this in real-time."

If I were to list Yuna's hobbies, there are quite a few.

Gaming, exploring new restaurants, reading manga, collecting figures, and so on.

Among these, watching overseas soccer was one of her hobbies.

She mostly played soccer games, so soccer was a sport that couldn't be left out of Yuna's life.

'Did I like soccer in my previous life?'

I had never felt that way before.

"Ah~ I should have had chicken today too."

"Didn't you just have chicken for dinner?"

"Hehe. Yeah, but it's a bit disappointing."

Yuna pouted, showing her disappointment.

She's a true chicken killer.

"It's already past 2 AM."

"Right. How will I wake up later? Ugh."

"Then you could just not watch soccer."

"No way! I have to watch the games Seung-woo plays, even if it means sacrificing some sleep!"

Yuna loves sleeping, but she can't give up watching soccer.

If her favorite team or player is playing, no matter what time it is, she will watch the entire game.

'Thanks to her, I can't sleep either.'

At first, I let her watch alone, but later I noticed she felt lonely because she had no one to talk about soccer with.

I could have ignored it, but it kept bothering me, so I ended up watching with her.

It was tiring to wake up early for school, but it was worth it.

"Wow, changing the tactics really revives the attack, right, bro? That's why the coach is so important."

Watching Yuna excitedly chatter and share her thoughts made the fatigue worth it.

She must have felt so frustrated and lonely not having anyone to talk about soccer with.

"Let's go to bed now. We need to be active in the morning."

"Bro, are you going to the studio after school tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I have to. We need to prepare for our next album. If you're tired, you can come home and sleep first."

"No way. If you're going, I'm going too. But you've been more enthusiastic since meeting Jang Yeon-wook, right? Don't push yourself too hard. As you said, there's no need to rush; we can take it slow."

Meeting Jang Yeon-wook was a once-in-a-lifetime blessing.

Experiencing his incredible aura and working with him was a precious experience and a gift for me.

"Bro, I'm just doing it because it's fun."

It wasn't a lie; it was the truth.

After meeting Jang Yeon-wook, the wall that had been blocking me disappeared.

Of course, I will encounter more walls as I continue to progress.

Even Jang Yeon-wook, who seemed to have no limits, talked about the walls he faced, suggesting that overcoming these obstacles is what growth is all about.

'But... this is a bit unexpected.'

I kept thinking about the text message I received from Jang Yeon-wook today.

The song he suggested I write for myself, not for others, was .

It's a song that metaphorically sings about my new life.

Honestly, I don't think it's a well-crafted song, but while creating it, I felt something inside me break free.

However, I thought it was too raw to release, so I had forgotten about it. But Jang Yeon-wook said he wanted to sing it.

'Of all people, Jang Yeon-wook wants to sing my song?'

He left the music scene a long time ago.

Most people think he won't return.

He's such an influential figure that many people wish he would come back before they die.

And he wants to sing my song.

'I don't know why he's drawn to that song, but...'

It's both an honor and a bit worrying that a legendary singer's return will be with my song.

'Wasn't that song a rock genre?'

It was completely different from the genres Jang Yeon-wook usually sings.

* * *

"Ughh-"

Yuna looked like a zombie when she woke up in the morning.

"Yuna, did you stay up late watching soccer again last night?"

"Mmm... "

"Ha-ha! Why don't you watch the highlights in the morning like Dad? How do you plan to go to school like that?"

"Ugh. Watching highlights doesn't give you the same feeling of excitement."

During breakfast, Yuna explained why she preferred live broadcasts over highlights. Her father, who enjoyed listening to her, made her mother want to scold her but she held back.

After her father's health scare, her mother's behavior changed.

"Oh, I forgot to give you something because I came home late last night."

Her father went to his room and brought us a thick document.

"Here, take a look."

"What is this?"

"A drama script."

"Wow! Really?"

Yuna quickly grabbed the script and started reading it.

I checked the script Yuna received, half-expecting something.

The moment I saw the title, I frowned.

I realized that the framework of fate still exists.

Because this drama was Yuna's debut work in her acting career.

"It's a drama written by a new writer. They're trying to make a high school student drama like a sitcom. From what I heard, they want to make it like a musical. They want Yuna for a role."

High Teen School.

It was the first musical drama produced in Korea.

While similar shows occasionally appeared in the U.S., some became very popular, leading to this trend in Korea. However, it might be more accurate to call it a disaster.

'This was one of Yuna's black marks.'

Most entertainers have a black mark in their careers.

For Yuna, this drama was her biggest black mark.

While the story received good reviews, the songs were poor, and the directing was problematic.

Yuna, true to her future top star status, delivered a great performance, but the problem was that the other actors couldn't act.

Unfortunately, this drama included inexperienced new actors and idol members, resulting in a chaotic mix.

'The aftereffects of this drama were quite long-lasting.'

Of course, Yuna's face was popular, so she did get another role, but I heard she seriously considered quitting acting after this.

'No matter what, this project can't happen.'

That's why I was about to tell her to reject it outright.

However,

"..."

Yuna's eyes sparkled as she read the script.

* * *

"Phew-"

After finishing the song, Jang Yeon-wook came out of the recording studio.

"How was it?"

"..."

"Randy?"

Randy, who had been watching him sing passionately from the studio, was tearing up.

"What, what's wrong? Are you crying?"

"Sniff. I thought I'd never see you sing again. But here you are, singing again. And rock, of all things?! Oh God, please tell me this isn't a dream."

"Don't overreact."

"No, you have to hear this. Come in and listen. Do you know how well you just sang? Especially this part. I love this part the most."

Randy played the part he liked the most.

"Ah, this part."

This was also Jang Yeon-wook's favorite part.

The high notes were incredibly high, and he strained his voice to the limit. In this part, the accompaniment stops completely.

In other words, he had to sing this high note a cappella, with only his raw voice.

This part, which would have been awkward and strange in any other song, fit this song perfectly.

It felt like the entire song was designed for this one moment.

This bold and absurdly challenging spirit left Randy speechless.

"Damn. This is a song written by an 18-year-old, right?"

Is it because he's young that he can write such a provocative song?

Or is this true talent?

The shock I felt listening to Jang Yeon-wook's song was similar to the first time I heard Jang Yeon-wook's music.

"I'll try it one more time."

"Sure, go ahead. Sing it a hundred times, a thousand times."

So, Jang Yeon-wook went back into the recording studio and sang with all his might.

I wondered what made Jang Yun-seong create such high notes.

Randy, who felt the same way, asked Jang Yeon-wook after a few passionate performances.

"About this song, do you want to tweak it? Especially this high note is quite brutal. If it's too difficult, we can modify it."

"No, I'll keep it as is."

"Really? Jang Yun-seong said not to modify the song at all?"

"Well, he said I could decide. But you know, this song is perfect as it is. Although, it didn't seem like Jang Yun-seong thought so."

Provocative composition, brutal high notes.

This was a selfish song by the composer, one that any singer would complain about.

But after singing it, the singer would have to change their mind.

The energy and indescribable sense of achievement this song gives are truly invigorating.

"Also, Jang Yun-seong gave me one more idea."

"What? What idea?"

"If you're making a music video, just put a microphone in a wide recording studio and sing. He said it would have more impact."

"Haha. You're serious?"

"Yeah, but I think it's not a bad idea. Showing the raw performance might be better than editing it with machines."

Even though it seemed a bit extreme, Randy couldn't argue.

Because he had seen it with his own eyes.

Jang Yeon-wook's explosive high notes and the intense energy he exuded.

"Jang Yun-seong, the more I see him, the more he scares me."

Creating a song that makes the singer's energy explode and allows the audience to feel that energy is incredibly difficult.

And the fact that he already had a vision for the music video while writing the song is both astonishing and chilling.

"I told you, he has the talent to surpass me. Maybe he already has."

After taking a sip of water, Jang Yeon-wook's back as he entered the recording studio again felt like that of a king stepping down from his throne.

Would Jang Yun-seong take the empty throne?

It would be a great entertainment to watch.