– Me: Mr. Joo Woosung
I sent a text after a long time without any context, and it didn’t take long for Joo Woosung’s reply to come.
– Joo Woosung: ㅎㅎ;
– Joo Woosung: What
– Me: Are you messing with me?
“This punk….”
I stared at my phone, baffled, when quickly a message popped up with Joo Woosung’s excuse.
– Joo Woosung: Ah~ You thought I’d remember?
– Joo Woosung: I can barely remember my own schedule, let alone The Dawn’s
I had no choice but to know.
Even someone as clueless as Daepaseong would gather all sorts of information before making a comeback.
But of course, since I was clueless, I had no idea about Black Call’s comeback.
Surely, they knew and proceeded as scheduled since postponing the already confirmed comeback was difficult, and there seemed to be no disadvantage for them at the time.
Making a fuss about it seemed too petty.
Furthermore, we couldn’t postpone our schedule due to the schedules lined up behind us.
Simply put?
It means we were screwed.
I was so annoyed to reply that I ended up staring at my phone without answering.
Suddenly, Joo Woosung went off on a big rant.
– Joo Woosung: No… now that I think about it, Seo Hoyun, it’s absurd
– Joo Woosung: You also did wrong last time
– Joo Woosung: You only contact your senior when this happens
– Joo Woosung: Is your friendship with Woosung a joke???
– Me: ㅇ
I thoughtfully responded and pushed my phone aside.
“What are you doing?”
“Just… chatting with an ungrateful jerk…”
“Hmm?”
Two songs that we arranged after receiving them from overseas, and four songs that Kang Ichae worked on.
The first mini-album, consisting of six songs, was extremely tough, even though we had several months of work.
Even more so, Daepaseong seemed to purposefully run us ragged after renewing the contract ratio.
They crammed even minor events into our spare time, from college festivals to small events.
For the past few months, I’ve only been sleeping for about 3-4 hours a day.
Everyone in the recording studio was like a zombie, and then the manager rushed over with a drink.
“But the title this time is so good!”
“Manager…”
“Drink this and go!”
…At least my anger subsided a bit.
I was eating a frappuccino topped with lots of whipped cream and getting a sugar rush when Seong Jiwon spoke to Kang Ichae.
“Can you play it again?”
“Sure. Of course.”
As Kang Ichae tapped the keyboard, the music flowed out.
The piercing beat poured out throughout the dark atmosphere, and Kang Ichae’s voice from the guide recording was heard.
“You’re really amazing.”
Kang Ichae put on his hood and tightened the drawstring as Kim Seonghyeon offered his admiration.
“Ichae is shy~.”
“… Seriously, I don’t want compliments.”
“But why did you change the track?”
Jeong Dajun, who put several candies in his mouth and was mumbling, asked as Seong Jiwon picked up those candy wrappers and threw them in the trash.
“That’s it. We’ve already finished recording the track and completely overhauled it.”
“Ah, that…”
Kang Ichae scratched his head after thinking a bit.
“Even if we can’t change the title because it has been decided… we can still change the track, right? I felt like we needed something more intense. We’re aligning our comeback with our senior, Black Call.”
That’s right. I had forgotten about that.
The memory of ignoring the texts that Joo Woosung sent in a fit of betrayal and irritation slowly faded away.
“They would pick a beat that’s absolutely killer… so it would be a bit dull if we just went with the original.”
“Hmm?”
I had been lying back on the sofa with my head tilted back, but at that, I lifted my head.
Does Kang Ichae think about things like that?
“It seemed better to switch to a completely different genre. It’s not that I’m saying we’re going to win, but I thought trying something new would make us stand out more.”
“…So, the track is going to be rock?”
“That’s right. Didn’t you and Dajun try it? The views were relatively low… but the response was the best. There were also lots of comments.”
Kang Ichae, who surprisingly spoke seriously, spun his chair around.
“Even if I went on about trying something new, we did test it to some extent to see if it would hit and produce some results.”
“Oh~.”
“But you never know~. You can only know after seeing the results.”
Kang Ichae yawned as if he was tired. I looked at Kang Ichae with slightly touched eyes.
That kid, who looked like he didn’t care about success at all…
You’ve finally realized that ratings are everything!
Ding!
[I can see you’re having weird thoughts…]
“Do you know how absurd it was when you suddenly said you were doing rock?”
“Our youngest, since when do you use the word ‘absurd’?”
“I just learned it at school yesterday~.”
Jeong Dajun argued with Kang Ichae as usual.
Seong Jiwon, as if familiar, left the two alone and watched the rock video they had covered at the introductory meeting.
Even though it looked like a completely different song since it was arranged to suit the Hybrid Rock sensibility.
… And then, he played the title song we had been practicing relentlessly.
It sounds good even to the tone-deaf.
But I wasn’t sure.
This song… whether it’s a good enough song that we could try it in any way or not.
Even if we didn’t come in first, a song that could comfort us, saying, “Ah, but this was really a masterpiece.”
And I knew only one person could discern that in my surroundings.
Suddenly, I searched her up on my phone, looking at the splendid track record that popped up… and then I got up from the sofa.
“I have something to do for a bit.”
“Bring back Melona ice cream when you come.”
“Stop eating, you rotten kid.”
“…Am I at that rotten age now?”
“You should start preparing slowly.”
Leaving behind those kids chatting away, I went outside.
Sitting in the still ratty company lobby, I pondered momentarily before picking up the phone.
– “Yes?”
A short ringtone played, and then a familiar voice greeted me.
– “What’s up, lunatic. Long time no talk.”
“Hello, Ms. Composer.”
– “What made you call?”
“Since when did we have such formalities between us?”
– “You little shit. You never keep in touch, and now you’re doing it out of the blue. How freaking annoying…”
I could hear Lim Hyeonsu flicking her lighter on the other end of the line, probably lighting a cigarette. Her voice carried a hint of exhaustion.
“Have you been busy lately?”
– “I’m always busy.”
“Well, our Ms. Composer’s work is quite popular after all. A lot of people are looking for you. You’re so busy that I feel like I can’t even ask favors anymore…”
– “…”
“…Ahaha, did I make it too obvious?”
Under normal circumstances, Lim Hyeonsu would have been spewing out a mouthful of profanities, but she was quiet this time for some reason. And after a short while, she spoke in an annoyed voice, seemingly on edge.
– “Seo Hoyun. So, what is it?”
“…”
– “Stop beating around the bush and get to the point.”
…She’s in a bad mood today.
No, come to think of it, she was pretty irritable the last time I saw her.
Lim Hyeonsu was sensitive, delicate, and… surprisingly easy-going. That’s why I liked her quite a bit.
“…Ms. Composer.”
So, it was worth giving it a shot.
“We’re in the middle of composing a song for Black Call. What do you think?”
– “About what?”
“When compared to Kang Ichae’s song.”
– “….You’re trying to compete with Black Call?”
Well, that’s not it…
“…Let’s put that aside, what about the song?”
After a little pause and then asking her, Lim Hyeonsu took quite a long time to answer.
Well, it seemed like she was muttering some kind of curse on the other end.
But for now, I just waited silently.
And then her answer came back.
– “You… are really indifferent.”
“…”
– “You called to confirm that? That’s strange, Seo Hoyun. You’re usually careful about stepping on toes, not likely to get on my nerves.”
Lim Hyeonsu was surprisingly jealous and had a strong desire for success and honor.
Yet, she was incredible in that she was fully aware of her ugly side.
As I recalled Lim Hyeonsu, who had been greatly damaged by her pride to the point of losing her mind when she heard Kang Ichae’s song while making the fan song, and who eventually gave Kang Ichae meaningful feedback. I waited.
– “Did you…”
“…”
– “Fuck, you already know.”
“Yes.”
I diverted my eyes and recalled the name of the composer of the song we were talking about earlier.
“I saw it.”
– “Crust composer names: Kim Youngseok, Blue Tiger”
Originally, it was Lim Hyeonsu’s composition, but one more person was added. The guitarist of the band from which Lim Hyeonsu had taken the song.
The name of the plagiarized composer.
“You must have had a hard time. You couldn’t have anticipated the aftermath.”
– “I’m getting crazy amounts of calls as it is. Can I hide it…?”
“…”
– “Ha…”
Lim Hyeonsu gave out a sigh.
– “I knew it, but it was really fucked up to acknowledge it as a reality. That I’m a despicable person… that I lack talent. I realized that again seeing your member.”
It’s started.
This is what geniuses often say.
No composer without talent could become as successful as Lim Hyeonsu.
Regardless of how much they chart, regardless of how much they plagiarize.
Lim Hyeonsu was a genius, and even if there was any controversy, they couldn’t cover up all the songs she had made with filth.
At least in terms of musicality.
– “You… don’t come to me anymore.”
“…”
– “Kang Ichae, he’s a genius.”
Words of acknowledgment from a genius composer about his fellow member…
I might have felt ecstasy if I was mean-spirited, but this was just…
– “You know that?”
I kept my mouth shut, stroking the back of my neck, and listened to her words coming through the phone.
– “Kang Ichae can play almost any instrument. That helped a lot. But being able to play an instrument and having a sense of composition are completely different.”
Kang Ichae…
It was slightly surprising.
I knew he could play some instruments while making the fan song, but to hear that he was so good that even the picky Lim Hyeonsu would acknowledge it…
For now, without me saying anything and just listening, Lim Hyeonsu continued to talk.
– “Of course, right now, his senses are not as good as mine. But while I’ve been rolling in this field, even going to music school in America, and pouring in money, he’s different.”
“Yes.”
– “He… makes me feel a sense of awe.”
As I listened to her confession of letting down her ego, I compared the songs of Kang Ichae and Lim Hyeonsu’s Black Call and calculated in my head.
And as expected, Lim Hyeonsu, who had predicted that I would do so, laughed.
– “I can hear your head spinning from here, Seo Hoyun. Let me just tell you.”
And then…Lim Hyeonsu finally admitted.
– “Okay, Hoyun.”
“…”
– “Kang Ichae’s song… Just based on the song alone, it might even be better than mine.”
The fact that the extremely proud Lim Hyeonsu said this meant that we might win just based on musicality.
After roughly finishing the calculation, I spoke in a calm voice.
“Thank you for your answer.”
– “…Haha, you’re such a pain. I really don’t like you.”
“Is that so? That’s a shame.”
I quite liked her.
“Shall we have a meal together next time? I’ll bring the alcohol that Ms. Composer likes.”
– “Bring Glenfiddich 30[1].”
“Do you have a conscience? That’s over a million won.”
– “Then, no. I’ll drink alone.”
Lim Hyeonsu replied curtly, but in the end, she laughed at the last minute.
However, her self-deprecating tone still remained.
By acknowledging her own filth and turning it over, Lim Hyeonsu had paradoxically broken a new wall and taken a step further.
– “…Hoyun.”
“Why?”
– “Why the fuck does talent come from heaven. It’s so fucking unfair.”
“…”
In the lobby, I tapped the floor with the heel of my shoe and spoke.
Our last song poster was hanging there.
What could I say?
That your talent surpasses that of a criminal? That you are a more successful composer than Kang Ichae?
Lim Hyeonsu, who had already enjoyed all the glory, was worthy of respect for now knowing how to let herself go…
Various things came to mind, but…
“I love it.”
What I wanted to say now was just one thing.
“Ms. Composer’s song….”
– “…”
“A lot.”
Lim Hyeonsu didn’t say anything for a long time.
And then I heard the sound of a lighter igniting; maybe she was trying to light a cigarette again.
– “The bastard who used to threaten me is now comforting me.”
Lim Hyeonsu laughed weakly.
– “I guess… I really am pathetic right now….”
“…”
– “I appreciate the gesture, Seo Hoyun.”
With that, Lim Hyeonsu promptly ended the call.
I stared at the reflection of my bewildered face on the dark screen.
“She’s changed….”
Lim Hyeonsu had changed.
I wasn’t sure whether that audacious Lim Hyeonsu had changed because of Kang Ichae or because she felt threatened by my coercion.
While touching the corner of my lips, I absently gazed outside.
“Even Lim Hyeonsu has changed….”
***
After a while, the teaser for The Dawn was released.
[The Dawn – “Kill The Lights” MV Teaser]
The video uploaded on YouTube was 29 seconds long.
As soon as I clicked, I heard an eerie humming sound and a sharp scratching sound against the wall.
It drew closer and closer through a dark corridor to a stuffy room filled with stacks of documents.
In the middle of the room, tied to a chair positioned at the center, was Seo Hoyun.
His face was full of bruises, and his uniform, decorated with numerous medals, was dirty with blood and dust.
Blink…
As his face slowly moved into a close-up, the old fluorescent lamp flickered, and the screen dramatically darkened each time.
Engulfed completely in darkness, when the screen lit up again, dressed neatly in a uniform, Kang Ichae was seen inside a glamorous train compartment, indifferently gazing outside.
Blink…
This time, it was snowing.
Seong Jiwon walked in the white snow piled up softly, slowly pulled out the gun attached to his thigh, and aimed it forward.
Blink…
Jeong Dajun, standing in an empty white space, took steps, causing the walls to shake and crack each time.
Finally, Kim Seonghyeon appeared, standing on the rooftop of a high, abandoned building.
With a resolute expression, he picked up a flag that was lying on the ground.
The moment he waved the flag high.
The screen flickered once, and Seo Hoyun, who had been in the cramped room, opened his eyes and—
Boom!!
An explosion occurred, instantly enveloping the room in smoke and fiery red flames.
The documents that were piled up flew in all directions, covering the camera, and the text “The Dawn” appeared on the black screen.
[KILL THE LIGHTS THE DAWN]
That teaser was the signal of the return of the post-apocalypse.
[1] Glenfiddich is an excellent Scottish single-malt whiskey. The “30” denotes its age, indicating that it has been aged in casks for 30 years before bottling. Glenfiddich 30 is a highly sought-after whiskey, costing over USD 1100 per bottle.