Chapter 14

Reincarnation of a Reckless Genius Composer - Chapter 14 (14/482)

A SUV sped down the road.

Screech.

However, it wasn't long before the car stopped at a red light.

"Hello."

He dialed a number on the display.

- Oh, big brother.

"Are you home?"

- Yeah, why?

"Is Dad there too?"

- Yes, he's here.

"Come out with Dad."

- Suddenly?

"Yeah, come out in 5 minutes."

As the light turned green, Hyunsung stepped on the gas.

As he drove up the steep alley, he saw Hyeona and her father standing in front of the house.

Bang!

He honked lightly, but they didn't even look.

"What are you doing? Get in quickly."

Hyunsung finally got out of the car and said.

"Big brother, what's this?"

"A car."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what?"

"Where did you get it?"

"From work."

Hyeona thought she could vaguely understand the feeling of talking to a wall.

"Fine, let's just stop talking."

Hyunsung added in sign language to his father, who was still inspecting the car with wide eyes.

- This car was provided by the company, get in quickly.

- Just provided? Did you check it out well?

- Yes, I received it after the project I handled was successfully completed.

Hyunsung opened the back door, helped his father into the car, and then returned to the driver's seat.

"Big brother, did you get this car because the new Seojin album did well?"

Hyeona's face was filled with curiosity and excitement.

"You just said you wanted to stop talking."

"Ah!"

"Let's move soon."

Hyeona, who had been fuming, was suddenly startled.

"Soon? When? Move? What sudden move?"

"To a place close to school with good security."

A gentle smile spread across Hyeona's face.

"Really? Then I don't have to climb the alley anymore?"

Hyunsung nodded, and Hyeona, finally breaking into a wide smile, exclaimed, "Yay!"

"But does a composer make that much money?"

"If it were that easy, everyone would be a composer."

Hyunsung chuckled and added smugly.

"Because it's me, I can make this much."

"Wow, even though we're family, you're really impressive."

Despite her sarcastic tone, Hyeona's expression showed she was very happy.

She couldn't hide her excitement, as if she were about to go on a trip for the first time.

"Big brother, what's this button?"

She pointed to the slope prevention button on the control panel.

"Amphibious function, it can float the car like a duck."

"Really? On water? It does look a bit like a duck…."

Hyunsung suppressed a laugh and nodded slightly.

"Then what's this?"

Hyeona pointed to another button.

"Car explosion button."

"What? Oh! Damn!"

Hyeona's mood changed instantly.

"Was everything you just said a lie?"

"Did you believe it?"

"I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Hyeona's lips pouted like a duck's.

"Fasten your seatbelt."

With that, the car smoothly pulled out of the alley.

After driving for a while, to liven up the silent car, he played a song.

"It's a Seojin song you like."

"Fine."

He tried to make amends, but Hyeona, who was still sulking, leaned against the window and looked outside.

Suddenly,

Another sound mixed with the song and engine noise.

What is that?

"Um."

Hyunsung turned his head slightly and saw Hyeona humming.

Before long, the humming turned into a lively tune.

"Is the song good?"

He asked with a sidelong glance, and she quickly sat up straight and replied curtly.

"Well, it's good."

"Which song did you like the most from the new album?"

The car fell silent for a moment.

"Let's walk together."

Hyeona added in a soft voice.

"It's really good."

Her face, which he had glimpsed, looked very unfamiliar.

'I didn't know she loved music this much…'

Could she really look so happy over just a song?

A face he had never seen in his previous life.

It was a different kind of reward, not like wealth or fame.

Hyunsung felt a deep sense of pride.

"Did you make all the songs for Seojin's album?"

"Did I just make them?"

"Then what? You didn't just compose them?"

Hyunsung shrugged and puffed up.

"As a producer, I did everything."

"Really? Can I tell my friends?"

"No, I'm sorry, but that might be a bit difficult."

Hyeona, sensing the seriousness in his tone, asked cautiously.

"Why? I want to brag about you too…"

"I don't want to be famous."

"But don't most people want to be famous?"

After a moment's thought, Hyunsung shook his head.

"No, I just want to live like this."

"Like this?"

"Ordinary, free, and simple."

Hyeona, who couldn't easily understand, tilted her head and pondered, then changed the topic.

"Fine, I want to hear 'Let's Walk Together' one more time."

"Really? You like it that much?"

"Yeah! I like all three, but that one is the best."

The family's evaluation, different from the public's, felt like another reward.

"Which one did Dad like the most…"

Oops.

Hyunsung, checking his father in the rearview mirror, spoke without thinking.

He had been too excited and made a mistake.

Hyeona also noticed, and the car fell silent again.

'Even though I've come back, Dad can't hear my songs…'

His father's profile, looking out the window, was reflected in the rearview mirror.

Hyunsung reminded himself again that his father would never hear his songs.

Click.

After parking in front of a restaurant, Hyunsung turned off the car and said.

"Hyeona, we're here. Get out."

Thus, the quietest and most awkward family meal passed.

As Hyunsung got up to pay and leave…

Tap tap.

His father, who followed, tapped his shoulder to stop him.

And.

His unexpected request.

- Is there any way to see the sheet music of the songs our son made?

Hyunsung recalled the box of his father's belongings from before his reincarnation.

The hundreds of old, worn-out pieces of paper inside…

The sheet music he never let go of, even while sick.

- Sure. I'll bring it to you.

His father had always been consistent.

Because of that consistency…

His heart ached as if he had swallowed gravel.

Father.

When did the three-syllable word become the saddest and most poignant in the world?

It was truly a perplexing matter.

* * *

After spending time with his family, Hyunsung returned to the LS Entertainment building late.

"It's so heavy."

He moved his belongings to his personal studio in the building and was preparing to make the sheet music for his father.

Where was it again…?

After wandering for a while, he saw a faint light at the end of the dark corridor.

'I should ask which floor the composers' studios are on.'

Hyunsung walked straight to the light and, as he got closer, heard a young woman's voice.

"If you come to me, I'll fly to the sky…"

The song, sung with unstable breathing, made him frown.

'Hmm, her voice is like a good instrument, but her breathing is a mess…'

Looking through the door, he saw a young, pale woman awkwardly moving her limbs.

"If you extend your arms here and turn immediately…"

Her stiff movements reminded him of a tin robot.

'Entry log?'

The entry log in front of the door caught his eye.

'Why do they have an entry log here?'

A name was written on the paper with today's date.

Jeong Arin.

A familiar name, Hyunsung repeated it.

"Arin, Arin, Jeong Arin…"

At that moment, she heard his voice and stopped, looking at the door.

"Who, who's there?"

"Oh, just a passing employee."

He added nonchalantly.

"Please continue what you were doing."

It was a little past midnight, and he was in the basement 1 practice room, rarely used by trainees.

Standing silently by the slightly open door, a strange man was repeating her name.

For Jeong Arin, it was a terrifying situation.

"But, how did you know my name…?"

"It's written in the entry log."

Jeong Arin nodded.

"I'm Jeong Arin, a trainee! Nice to meet you!"

She bowed deeply, grabbing the front of her loose T-shirt.

"There's no need to be nice to me. Are you an idol trainee?"

"Me? Oh, yes! That's right."

"Just asking, do you really want to be an idol?"

Jeong Arin nodded vigorously.

Ding.

Her phone rang at that moment.

"Do you have anything else to say? I have a call…"

Hyunsung shook his head and continued walking.

After a while, he felt he had forgotten something important.

"Oh, right."

He remembered he wanted to ask Jeong Arin for directions.

Thud, thud.

As he approached the lit practice room again,

"Can't you just trust me and wait for me, Dad?"

This time, her voice was tinged with tears.

"If I do well in this month's evaluation, I might get a chance."

Her voice, echoing in the empty practice room, was resolute.

"If I fail again, I'll leave then."

She ended the call and slumped to the floor.

"Hmm."

Hyunsung, watching her, sighed.

It didn't seem like a good time to ask for directions.

But he couldn't just ignore her and walk away.

"Hey, over there."

Jeong Arin turned her head at the sound of Hyunsung's voice.

"You're still here?"

Hyunsung, who had answered "Yeah," immediately criticized her.

"I saw you for a moment, and you don't seem to have any talent for dancing."

"Huh?"

"Your dancing is making everything else look bad."

Just as she was about to respond to the sudden harsh words,

"Your stiff body and poor dancing make your singing look bad too."

"What…"

"I mean, you should focus on your decent singing and give up on the dancing."

Jeong Arin was angry at the criticism but couldn't refute it.

The evaluation she had received from trainers was not much different.

"Arin, your voice is good, but your dancing…"

"You've been training for years, but your dancing hasn't improved."

"Your body is so stiff, and you're trying to be an idol…"

Her delicate shoulders began to tremble.

"I have a monthly evaluation tomorrow."

Her eyes turned red.

"I'll probably be eliminated if I fail again."

She tried to stop the tears by fanning her eyes.

"If you keep performing like you did just now, you'll probably fail."

Hyunsung continued firmly.

"You know, in this industry, crying won't solve anything."

Hyunsung quickly approached her.

Thump, thump.

She wiped her eyes roughly and looked at him directly.

"Who said I was crying?"

At that moment, Hyunsung casually handed her a business card.

"Take it."

Jeong Arin, confused, turned the card over and asked.

"What is this?"

After a moment of silence,

"Contact me if you fail as expected."

Hyunsung shrugged and added.

"I might help if I feel like it."

Jeong Arin stared at Hyunsung, who was saying incomprehensible things.

After a long tirade of insults,

Why did he suddenly offer to help?

"Who are you, and what department are you in?"

"It's written on the card."

Jeong Arin looked at the card she had received.

"You're a composer?"

"Yeah, somehow."

Hyunsung, who had given a vague answer, recalled Jeong Arin's voice he had heard earlier.

'Might be a good instrument.'

Jeong Arin's voice was good enough to make him stop.

Hyunsung decided it was worth extending his help, even if it was unnecessary.

"Oh, right."

Hyunsung, as if remembering something, spoke.

"What?"

He asked in a serious tone.

"By the way, can you tell me how to get to the composers' studios?"

"Sure, no problem."

"I came here to ask for directions."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Where are the composers' studios?"

Jeong Arin looked back and forth between the 'in-house composer' title on the card and Hyunsung's face.

"You're a composer…?"

He definitely seemed strange.