Chapter 39: My Singer (4)
Inside Chan-hyeok’s Van, Racing Down the Highway
A heavy silence filled the vehicle.
Every Monday and Tuesday were filming days for Travel Log.
Normally, Chan-hyeok would be brimming with excitement.
But today, his expression was far from cheerful.
For most of the ride, he sat there, sulking as he stared out the window.
Then, at last, he spoke.
“Hyung.”
“What?”
His manager’s reply was flat, uninterested.
After a brief hesitation, Chan-hyeok muttered,
“…Do I really have to go to Japan?”
The manager glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
“Why are you bringing this up again?”
“I told you before. I don’t want to quit Travel Log.”
“Haah.”
That sigh from his manager irritated Chan-hyeok even more.
“Why does the company get to decide everything however they want?”
“So, what? You’re gonna throw away your overseas debut just to hold onto some dying variety show?”
“No, I just… Ugh, forget it. What does nobody like me know?”
His sarcastic remark made his manager furrow his brows.
But instead of arguing, he simply clicked his tongue.
There was no point in provoking him.
It would only make the ride more exhausting for himself.
“……”
Chan-hyeok pulled out his phone.
Still no reply from Yoo Ah-ra.
And today was the final day of filming.
But Chan-hyeok wasn’t worried.
He was confident.
If he just tried a little harder—just a little more effort—he was sure he could turn things around and build a real connection with her.
But this time, his Japan promotions would last for a while.
What if, during that time… Yoo Ah-ra ended up with another guy?
“…Damn it.”
The very thought made his blood boil.
He bit down hard on his lip, seething.
‘…Who is it this time?’
Watching from the driver’s seat, his manager let out a silent sigh.
Chan-hyeok’s reputation when it came to women was well-known within the agency.
It didn’t matter if they were trainees or full-fledged celebrities—once he set his sights on someone, he wouldn’t stop until he had them.
But the moment he actually got into a relationship, it never lasted more than three months.
No one knew why.
One day, he’d be obsessing over them like they were his entire world.
The next, they were gone, and he was chasing after someone else.
Even in an industry full of eccentric personalities, Chan-hyeok was especially bizarre.
“Ah, f***ing hell!”
His sudden outburst from the backseat made his manager shake his head in exasperation.
Monday, 10:00 AM – A Meeting with Kim Yoo-jung
With Yoo Ah-ra away for Travel Log filming, the remaining members of Lilac had been given a short break.
Before accepting the company’s proposal, I wanted to hear Kim Yoo-jung’s opinion first.
So, I called her in for a one-on-one meeting.
“Is there any particular genre you’d like to try?”
I half-expected her to shrug, having no strong preferences.
But to my surprise, she eagerly pulled out her phone and earphones, handing them to me without hesitation.
I took them, put them in my ears, and pressed play.
A song began.
The first thing I heard was the delicate melody of strings, followed by the sorrowful voice of a female vocalist.
“……”
I knew this song well.
It was impossible to forget.
Back in high school, during what could barely be called a band—more like a glorified talent show—I had played guitar for this song.
“You have good taste in music.”
Kim Yoo-jung nodded silently.
The song was On a Day I Miss You, a track from Ha-yoon’s second album.
While it wasn’t widely known, those who did know it considered it a hidden gem.
“I get the general idea. You like ballads, huh?”
“Yes. I like folk ballads and indie-style songs.”
Her answer was quick and decisive.
“Really? Then, do you have any specific artists you admire?”
“For international artists, Scala. Domestically, Oh Yoon-hye sunbaenim.”
The names flowed effortlessly from her lips.
I was slightly surprised.
Not only did she have extensive knowledge, but more importantly, she seemed eager.
“…Wow. You must’ve been dying to do this.”
I hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
It was just fascinating to see such a stark contrast from her usual indifferent and detached demeanor.
“No one ever asked me.”
She responded without hesitation, her face completely unassuming.
“…Huh?”
“No one has ever asked me what I wanted to do.”
She wasn’t complaining. She wasn’t making a plea.
She was simply stating a fact.
And yet, for some reason, those words stuck to me.
I looked at Kim Yoo-jung.
And suddenly, I remembered something.
As a producer at Letter, there were certain things you couldn’t help but overhear.
And when it came to Kim Yoo-jung, the word that popped up most often was ‘mediocre’.
She was pretty enough to be a center, but her acting skills were terrible.
That much, I knew firsthand.
Two years ago, her performance was so notoriously bad that it trended on portal site searches.
It was just a minor role in the first episode of an anthology drama, but it had been painful to watch.
She wasn’t great at variety shows, either.
As I said before, she wasn’t particularly witty or articulate.
Sure, she could sing.
She had placed seventh in an audition program that had started with hundreds of thousands of contestants.
But that was by idol standards.
She wasn’t at the level where she could command an audience as a solo artist.
Even during the audition program, there had been plenty of hate comments claiming she only ranked that high because of her looks.
Because of this so-called lack of individuality, Kim Yoo-jung had the weakest fanbase in Lilac.
And according to the staff, if she went solo, her chances of success were significantly lower than Lee Yeon-ji or Yoo Ara’s.
…Suddenly, I started recalling all the little things about her behavior.
She never complained.
Never expressed a strong desire for anything.
She simply did what was asked of her and worked hard to avoid being a burden to her team.
Almost as if she knew what people said about her.
At times, it made her seem like she had no ambition at all.
But no one is truly without ambition.
Kim Yoo-jung had just been acting like she didn’t have any.
She had never demanded anything from the company, but when given the opportunity, she had taken it without hesitation.
Even if it was a half-hearted offer they had extended out of mere politeness.
“Um… Producer-nim.”
As I was lost in thought, her expression suddenly turned a little strange.
“Huh? Yeah? What is it?”
“…Your eyes are kind of…”
“Huh? Oh.”
Had I been staring too intensely?
“……”
I quickly withdrew my gaze, but Kim Yoo-jung already had a thin layer of sweat on her face.
Her eyes darted around, as if she were scanning for an escape route.
“No, no, seriously. I was just thinking. Only thinking.”
She responded warily.
“…Thinking about what?”
“Nothing much. Just about what kind of person you are, how I should refine—”
“Refine?”
“No, no. Refine, not… uh… explore.”
“LIAR.”
“I swear! Why the hell would I—”
After Kim Yoo-jung left, I made my decision.
I was going to sign with Letter Entertainment.
The contract terms were reasonable, but more than that—I wanted to shape my singers without restrictions.
There were too many artists in this company that I wanted to work with.
Holding the freshly signed contract, I left the studio.
I took the elevator in the hallway and pressed the button for the fourth floor, where the team leader’s office was.
Ding—
The doors slid open.
And in that instant, my entire body tensed up in shock.
Standing outside the elevator was a celebrity.
She was dressed casually in a white blouse and jeans, wearing light makeup.
Her delicate eyes and sharp jawline formed a beauty reminiscent of a cat.
I knew exactly who she was.
Her voice still echoed in my head.
Among the countless rejections I had faced, hers was the one I remembered most vividly.
[“This song is so trash I can’t even deal with it. Seriously, why’d you bring a song that’s already failed like this to me? It’s just bad luck.”]
And now, Ha Ye-ri was standing right in front of me again.
Looking at me, more refined than before, but unmistakably her.
Our eyes met.
Her brows furrowed for a moment—then suddenly, as if something clicked, her eyes widened.
“Hm? Oh, you’re that guy, right? Heli.”
She pointed at me with a laugh.
‘That guy?’
What the hell kind of way is that to refer to a person?
Her personality hadn’t changed one bit.
“…Or maybe not? I swear I saw you on TV or something.”
When I didn’t respond, she tilted her head, studying my face with curiosity.
Just then, someone appeared beside her.
“Ye-ri, about the contract—”
“Oh, Director-nim! This guy is Heli, right? The one who made Lilac’s song.”
“……Hm?”
At Ha Ye-ri’s words, the man—whom she had called Director—turned his gaze to me.
He had the appearance of an average middle-aged man.
This was my first time meeting him.
But he looked at me with a smile.
“I believe you’re right. Nice to meet you. This is our first time speaking, isn’t it?”
He extended his hand.
Still caught off guard, I shook it absentmindedly.
Watching us both, Ha Ye-ri suddenly spoke.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you mute?”
Her attitude was… strange.
She wasn’t acting like the arrogant, condescending person who had dismissed me back then.
If anything, she seemed intrigued by me.
…Ah.
She doesn’t remember me.
“I’m not mute.”
I swallowed and answered.
There was no point in dredging up old, ugly memories.
“I was just surprised.”
“Ohhh, so you’re my fan, hmm?”
“…Something like that.”
“Haha. Ha Ye-ri has fans everywhere. Go ahead and say hello. She’s transferring agencies and has decided to sign with us.”
“Oh…”
So, she really had forgotten about that incident five years ago.
But her career had only soared since then.
Once an idol, she was now a multi-entertainer, thriving in music, acting, and variety shows alike.
There had been some news about her contract situation lately, and now I knew—she had signed with Letter Entertainment.
“What’s that?”
The director gestured toward the papers in my hand.
“Oh, this? It’s a contract.”
“A contract for what?”
Before I could answer, he seemed to realize it on his own, letting out an approving hum.
“Ah~ That’s great. Really great. Welcome aboard. We’ve got a talented one joining us.”
He let out a hearty laugh and patted my shoulder.
With his deep voice and warm demeanor, he didn’t leave a bad first impression.
“But.”
In an instant, the friendly atmosphere shifted.
“Don’t get too close with Team Leader Lee. She’s not someone you should trust completely.”
“Yaaawn.”
Ha Ye-ri’s exaggerated yawn cut through the tension like a knife.
She had already lost interest.
“Let’s go, Director-nim. I’m sleepy.”
“Ah, sure. I’ll be off, then.”
Ha Ye-ri smirked and turned to me.
“Well, maybe we’ll see each other around. Who knows? If you keep working hard and producing good results, you might even get the chance to collaborate with me someday.”
“Oh, that’s right. She signed with us to focus on her music career this time.”
The director chimed in with an extra comment.
Ha Ye-ri, acting as if he was making a big deal out of nothing, chuckled before stepping into the elevator with him.
And just like that, they were gone.
I stood there alone, replaying the bizarre interaction in my head.
Suddenly coming face-to-face with an old enemy…
There was only one reaction I could muster.
“…Like hell I’d ever work with you.”
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