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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Missing Kwon Hee-yul (1)
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A dark room.
I lay in bed, blinking my eyes. A system window floated in my vision.
[Music Show Stage Safely!]
'This is driving me crazy.'
With all three major broadcast networks' music shows lined up, getting this quest threw my mind into turmoil.
Something was bound to happen on the music show stage. What kind of world was this, where no day passed quietly?
I pressed the quest accept button.
[Sub Quest]
- Prevent member ○○○ from going AWOL at this week's SCS 'Music Bus' music show.
- Reward: ???
This week? That wasn't far off.
Music Bus was pre-recorded, so at least no live broadcast screw-ups. The problem was the AWOL part—who among us would pull something that insane...
From the upper bunk, Eun Hae-sol rustled under his blankets.
'No way it's Eun Hae-sol?'
I shook my head right away.
Just like how I thought Cha Jae-hyun would be the one to go AWOL last time, but it turned out to be Song Yu-bin, I couldn't overlook the chance my guess might be wrong.
'Right. Don't trust myself too much. I learned that lesson. Consider every possibility.'
Music show AWOL.
I had no idea who might do it or why, but I had to stop it no matter what.
'I'll succeed on this quest no matter what.'
With that thought, I closed my eyes.
As soon as I did, memories flashed by like a montage. Trainee days, MV shoot, debut showcase stage.
The music show was just around the corner now. Seeing those trainee dreams come true one by one filled me with excitement, but also an inexplicable sense of debt.
It felt good, for sure. Yet something nagged at a corner of my heart.
What was it? Then it hit me.
'Kwon Hee-yul.'
The debt I felt was toward Kwon Hee-yul.
How was Kwon Hee-yul doing? He must have heard we debuted. Did he watch our debut stage?
We still hadn't been in touch. I desperately wanted to call and ask if he was okay, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Because Kwon Hee-yul had been let go. We debuted, but he didn't.
'Can we still be like before, now that we're in different places?'
My head spun.
Before the emotions could overwhelm me, all I could think was that I needed to sleep fast.
The moment I shut my eyes, black darkness pulled me into deep sleep.
That night, Kwon Hee-yul appeared in my dream.
It was around when we were fourteen, the first time we met.
* * *
March 5, 2013.
DIEN audition waiting room.
The room buzzed with people. Looking around, I saw others prepping for their auditions.
Some belted out songs to show off their vocals, others did their makeup.
In the midst of it, I focused on memorizing lyrics.
'My turn's coming up soon.'
I swallowed dryly. As I reached for water to ease my nerves—
Thud—
Someone plopped down next to me. Turning my head, I saw a boy.
'Kwon Hee-yul?'
Over his black T-shirt, a name tag read 'Kwon Hee-yul.' Shockingly, he was right before me in line.
"Hi."
"Oh, hi."
"Shall we shake hands?"
His youthful face, same age as me, beamed with what seemed like 100% positive energy. He looked like he'd lived a life free of hardship, but the calluses on his outstretched hand told another story.
I gave a half-hearted shake and tried to pull away, but he wiggled my hand side to side with a grin.
"Nice to meet you!"
No shyness at all. Was he always this friendly with strangers?
Kwon Hee-yul asked cautiously.
"If it's not too rude, how old are you...?"
"Fourteen. You?"
At my answer, Kwon Hee-yul lit up.
"Same age as me? Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, sure, nice."
"Let's do our best at the audition!"
"Yeah. Fighting."
I turned away, thinking that was it, but Kwon Hee-yul spoke up.
"I'm Kwon Hee-yul! You?"
What was with this guy?
'Do we really need to introduce ourselves here?' I wanted to say, but held back and unzipped my jacket. My name tag emerged.
"I'm Jeong Eun-ho."
Kwon Hee-yul's eyes sparkled.
"Jeong Eun-ho, huh? Sounds familiar."
Did we know each other? I eyed him suspiciously.
"From where?"
He tapped his chin, thinking, then suddenly snapped his head up.
"Ah!"
Figured it out? What came out of Kwon Hee-yul's mouth next was...
"Gukbap place!"
"What?"
"The gukbap shop owner's son in my neighborhood has the same name. Are you by any chance..."
"Nope."
For real? And how did he know the gukbap shop owner's son's name?
Then Kwon Hee-yul leaned in with an innocent grin.
"What song are you singing?"
Such a nuisance. Well, no harm in telling.
I answered flatly.
"Before This Winter Ends. You?"
Kwon Hee-yul's eyes widened.
"Oh, me too."
"No way. Don't lie."
"For real. Look, I even wrote the lyrics."
He had. His notebook had the lyrics for [Before This Winter Ends].
It was a ballad from the 2000s, a hit back then but now a forgotten classic.
"Not a common choice..."
"Wow. We're fated, right?"
"Fate over something like this?"
"Why not? Same day, same song. What else is fate?"
Kwon Hee-yul chuckled and nudged my arm. I stared at him blankly.
He brimmed with ease. Didn't feel like someone about to audition.
"Not nervous?"
Kwon Hee-yul grinned widely. No tension in sight.
Then a staff member called out.
"Participant 45, please enter."
45 was Kwon Hee-yul.
He stood with a cheerful voice.
"Be right back."
"Fighting."
As I resumed memorizing lyrics, his trembling hand brushed past.
Kwon Hee-yul walked into the audition room.
Bang—
The door shut.
Time passed, and Kwon Hee-yul's singing voice leaked from inside.
Faint, but clear. His voice was shaking.
I pictured his face from moments ago, smiling brightly like he wasn't nervous at all.
'All an act?'
Hiding emotions that well meant he'd done it plenty.
A fourteen-year-old so skilled at masking feelings? That was odd in its own way.
Then whispers from nearby.
"Kinda bland singing."
"Yeah. No proper training?"
"Pitch is spot-on despite the weak projection. Must've practiced."
"Will he pass? Nah?"
"No chance, I say."
Their snickers irritated me.
I pulled earphones from my pocket, plugged them in, crossed my arms, closed my eyes.
"…think so?"
"…probably flop?"
His singing mixed with their chatter.
"Phew..."
Ignore it. Don't let it get to me. Just brush it off like always...
'Why am I getting pissed?'
I yanked out the earphones and turned.
"Excuse me."
Their chatter stopped.
"You here for the audition, right?"
The guy looking at me lost his smirk. He tilted his chin up, glaring down.
"Yeah. So what?"
I clicked my tongue, then muttered just loud enough for them.
"I vote you won't make it as an idol."
His face crumpled like a crushed can.
"What? What'd you say?"
"Hey, drop it."
"Let go, fuck. How old are you?"
He looked ready to swing—total thug vibe.
"Who are you to predict my future? Cocky little shit."
Forgot how he'd been judging someone else's?
"You won't be an idol? Watch me. Don't cry for an autograph later."
Crazy bastard. That confidence from where?
I stared, then couldn't help snickering.
"Even if you debut, personality scandal will tank you."
"What?"
"Mocking a stranger in an audition room? Obvious."
"Hey!!"
Voices rose, drawing glances.
The desk staff eyed us curiously.
Embarrassed by the attention, the guy grabbed his friend and bolted.
"Let's go!"
"What a psycho."
'Yeah. Get lost.'
As I lowered my head to memorize again—
Click—
The audition room door opened.
Kwon Hee-yul emerged, expression neutral—neither happy nor sad, something in between.
He approached me.
"How'd it go?"
"Dunno. Didn't get good feedback."
"Oh?"
"Did my best, that's what counts."
Then the staff called my number.
"Participant 46!"
"Yes!"
I stood and answered.
Heading in, I glanced back—Kwon Hee-yul waved, yelling 'Fighting!'
Why so chummy with a stranger?
'Weird guy.'
I entered the room. That was our first meeting.
* * *
Next day, 9 a.m.
I sat up in bed. Rubbing sleep from my eyes, my first thought was...
'What kind of dreams are these?'
Seeing Kwon Hee-yul in my dream after so long left me unsettled.
Then my eyes met Eun Hae-sol peering down from the top bunk.
"What. Staring?"
He looked impressed.
"Hyung, what dream makes you sing?"
"Huh?"
Did I sleep-talk?
Eun Hae-sol opened his phone's recorder and hit play.
What played was...
[Before this winter ends, I'll come see you. Even if my wandering self looks pitiful, ahhh—]
"..."
The song from the audition, [Before This Winter Ends]. Nailed every lyric even asleep.
Scary how I remembered a song from seven years ago perfectly.
[Thank you. That was Jeong Eun-ho!]
Eun Hae-sol hit stop.
Damn it. You recorded that?
"Great performance."
"Shut up. Delete it."
"Nope."
"Hey!"
Eun Hae-sol dashed out.
"Damn."
He actually recorded it.
I sat on the bed, weary. Turned my head—my phone charging on the drawer.
Picked it up, hesitated, opened contacts. Scrolled to one name.
'Kwon Hee-yul.'
I had to call today. Couldn't let the connection die. After all those years together...
I held the call button.
Bit my nails anxiously, waiting. Then the automated message.
"The number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check and try again."
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