Chapter 76

Reckless Genius Composer Returns - Chapter 76 (76/482)

"Well, now that I've come this far, I can't just turn back, can I?"

Yun Jai tapped her foot, which wouldn't budge, and muttered to herself.

"Huh…"

Seeing the bustling crowd in the distance and the large buses parked side by side, a wave of unease washed over her.

"Still, I have to go."

In an audition program, it's standard practice for the participants to live together in a dormitory.

Yes, the remaining 100 participants must survive a grueling survival competition to determine the top 10 who will advance to the final round.

Immediately, the person sharing a room with you could become your rival the next day, and if you can't beat that person, you'll have to pack your bags and leave.

She hadn't even imagined making it into the top 100, but now that she was here, there was no way she could back out. Yun Jai moved forward, muttering 'HS' like a talisman.

"Hello."

Yun Jai boldly pushed through the crowd and greeted a staff member.

"Oh? Ms. Yun Jai, you're here?"

Recognizing her as a hot topic, the staff member immediately guided her.

"I'd like to explain in detail, but the moving time is a bit tight, so let's get on the bus first."

Yun Jai was swept along by the current, pushed by the staff's hand, and boarded the large bus marked <5>.

Sitting in the farthest corner, she took out her phone and saw a message from her friend Su Bin.

Yun Jai smiled quietly and replied, "Thank you." As her friend had said, the recent news was all about her.

The public focused on her just because HS had given her a Super Pass. Of course, the dominant opinion was that a Super Pass for someone of her caliber was absurd.

But it didn't matter.

She had practiced tirelessly to prove that HS's judgment was correct, and hadn't she given a performance in the main round that even she was satisfied with? Once the main round was broadcast, the wave would soon calm down.

"Can I sit here?"

At that moment, a male voice came from above her head.

"Ah, yes…"

Yun Jai, who couldn't outright refuse, nodded reluctantly. Well, there were still many empty seats, so she could move to another one.

"Sit inside."

Just as she thought that, she was about to stand up to move her bag.

"Is your name… Yun Jai?"

"Y-Your name… how…"

"You're famous these days."

"Ah, ah…"

"You know you're famous, don't you?"

Kang Hahoon, speaking playfully, sat down and patted the seat next to him.

"I'm bored, so let's sit together."

"Excuse me?"

"It's going to be a long time, so it's better to get along, right?"

Kang Hahoon, with a friendly smile, grabbed Yun Jai's wrist and led her.

"My name is Kang Hahoon. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too."

Yun Jai, who had ended up sitting down again, blushed and bowed her head.

"Do you get shy easily?"

"Ah, yes…"

"How did someone like you decide to challenge this audition?"

"Excuse me? Well…"

Yun Jai felt the burden of having to continue the conversation with a stranger.

"Is it hard to talk about?"

Just as she was about to move to another seat, the bus driver's announcement came.

"Please don't move your seat and fasten your seatbelt as the bus is about to depart."

"We'll be sitting next to each other for the next two hours, right?"

"Ah, yes…"

Turning her head, she saw the man next to her smiling. He was clearly a different person from her.

With his handsome appearance and outgoing personality, he was the type who could easily attract a crowd.

None of these traits were hers.

Yun Jai, who was always cautious, was on high alert and suspicious. Why would someone like this want to get close to her? Even if she thought he was paranoid, she couldn't stop her suspicions.

In such a situation, there was only one way.

"Good night."

"Excuse me? Suddenly?"

"Please wake me up when we arrive."

Yun Jai put on her earphones and closed her eyes, ignoring Kang Hahoon's bewildered expression.

* * *

Large buses began to line up in front of the training center on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.

"Ah-."

Participants rushed out of the buses to stretch their stiff bodies from the long ride.

Among them were Kang Hahoon and Yun Jai, the most talked-about participants of K-SingerStar.

"Your bag looks heavy. Let me carry it for you."

"No, I can carry it."

Kang Hahoon, whose offer was rejected, watched as Yun Jai quickly moved away, sighing deeply.

"Hmm…"

He tilted his head, genuinely curious, and watched her disappear into the crowd.

"What's with her…?"

Kang Hahoon, recalling Yun Jai's behavior on the bus, was lost in thought.

Yes.

He had always loved singing since he was young. He wanted to be an entertainer and enjoy the attention.

However.

He had to live up to the expectations of his father, who ran a successful mid-sized company in South Korea.

Then.

He came across an article about his favorite artist, Jayble, releasing a solo album and participating in a music chart bet.

The opponent in the bet was… HS.

Curious about who HS was, he started to investigate. He found no information about his personal life, only the songs he had created.

Driven by curiosity, he started listening to all the released songs.

Play, play, play.

What started as curiosity turned into a passion. Yes, he had become captivated by an unknown composer and started his day by listening to his songs.

One day, he wondered.

Why didn't he get tired of them? Usually, songs get old after repeated listening. As he pondered this, he realized something.

HS's songs contained narratives, and each time he listened, different emotions emerged, preventing him from getting tired.

With this realization, his determination grew.

"Father, I want to become a singer."

It was a difficult statement to make. He had always done what his parents told him, never expressing a desire to do anything.

He was grateful for everything he had and always delivered the best results in studies, sports, and art, never complaining.

Yes.

Having lived as a well-behaved and capable son, he thought it was time to try his hardest at something he wanted to do.

Could he dream of making a grand debut with HS's songs?

"Thank you for sharing your dream with us, son."

To his surprise, his father's response was simple. In fact, his parents immediately took action to support him.

He joined LS Entertainment, and they quickly signed a contract, allowing him to skip the uncertain trainee period.

However.

Once inside, he found that 'HS' was part of Team 2, not his Team 1, and he maintained a mysterious presence, making it impossible to meet him.

Of course, he could have used his parents' influence to strongly appeal to the company to get HS's songs, but he didn't want to. It wouldn't be his own achievement.

Then.

He received a proposal to participate in the K-SingerStar audition and learned that HS would be a judge.

'I have to do well.'

He practiced tirelessly to prove his potential to HS and to be recognized by him. He vowed to debut with an album containing at least one of HS's songs.

He endured continuous training from morning till night to keep his promise. Finally, he met the long-awaited HS, but…

'He said I don't have the talent as an instrument.'

From HS's interview, where he explained that he chose singers who could be good instruments, it was clear that he didn't see Yun Jai as a good instrument.

'Then, that woman…'

He stared at the back of Yun Jai, who was standing on the outskirts of the crowd.

"Hmm."

She didn't have a striking appearance or overflowing charm, so it wasn't for her star potential that she received the Super Pass.

'She must have been given the Super Pass because she is a good instrument.'

He was very curious.

To be honest, it might be jealousy.

Because she was recognized by HS as an instrument. Yes, he felt a childish jealousy towards someone who received recognition he didn't.

'I shouldn't show it.'

He usually didn't show his emotions, and most importantly, cameras were watching him.

At that moment.

A staff member's announcement over a megaphone broke his thoughts.

"Please move slowly!"

Kang Hahoon turned his gaze from Yun Jai and followed the staff to the training center.

The first place they went was the auditorium.

The 100 participants, known as 'survivors,' and numerous staff members filled the auditorium, creating a bustling scene.

Among them.

There was a particularly crowded spot.

"Is that Kang Hahoon? We shared the waiting room during the final preliminaries, don't you remember?"

"I watched your performance in the main round. You sang really well…"

"I saw it too. HS gave you a pass before your song even ended, right?"

The spot where Kang Hahoon was standing.

"Of course, I remember. Really?"

Kang Hahoon was used to being surrounded by people. Having always lived in the spotlight, this was nothing new to him.

"I'm still lacking, but thank you for your kind words."

He shook hands with everyone, like a presidential candidate.

'But where is she?'

Even in this chaotic situation, he kept looking for Yun Jai.

Then.

"Thank you all for your hard journey."

The curtain on the auditorium stage rose, and a familiar man appeared with a microphone.

"I'm Kim Sung-jun, the MC of K-SingerStar. Welcome."

The crowd, which had been chatting in groups, turned their attention to him.

"Wow-!"

"Are you happy to see me?"

"Yes-!"

"You might not be happy soon."

Kim Sung-jun's meaningful words made the participants murmur.

Soon.

The staff brought large monitors on mobile stands to the front of the stage.

"Even though you're tired from the long journey, can you rest during a war?"

"Ah…"

"Even if you boo, I can't help it. We're starting a surprise mission right away."

The five monitors turned on, each displaying the names of the main judges.

"Please line up in front of the monitor with the name of the judge you want. Each judge will take up to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis."

Without a clear explanation, the participants began to hesitate.

"I'll explain the mission after everyone has chosen. Please move now-!"

Kang Hahoon started to think calmly. The judges were all famous singers or composers.

So, there were two possibilities.

Either a one-on-one evaluation by the chosen singer or composer, or a mission to sing their songs.

He wasn't the only one thinking this way.

Therefore, the 'HS' monitor, which should have been the most popular, had few people lining up.

Participants had realized that HS was strict and sparing with praise and passes during the main round.

Moreover.

His songs, while enjoyable to listen to, were difficult to sing with mediocre skills. He knew this well, having practiced with HS's songs.

"If it's a one-on-one evaluation with HS, it's hopeless, right? You didn't get a pass, and neither did I. Not many people got a pass from him in the main round."

"That's true. But if it's a mission to sing the judge's song, HS's 'Dear my Beethoven' would be good to showcase singing ability…"

The women near him were speculating and hesitating.

"I don't know. It's all or nothing. I'm going to line up in front of HS!"

"I'll just line up in front of Jayble."

Kang Hahoon started looking for Yun Jai again before making his choice.

Who did she choose?

She would probably choose HS, who had a good impression of her, or a less strict judge. Or maybe Jayble, who had a wider selection of songs?

"There she is."

Sure enough.

Yun Jai was standing alone at the front of the monitor marked 'HS'.

"Participants, time is running out."

MC Kim Sung-jun urged them with an exciting tone.

"Choose carefully."

Kang Hahoon was in a dilemma. This choice could determine whether he advanced to the next round or was eliminated.

Even if he failed here, he was still set to debut, but it would be better to get a good result.

Most importantly.

This was his chance to be recognized by HS for his voice.

"The countdown starts now!"

He seemed to have made his decision and started walking confidently.

10-!

9-!

8-!

...

3-!

2-!

1-!

"Now, the time to choose is over! Please stop moving!"

At the MC's call, Kang Hahoon's steps came to an abrupt halt.