Chapter 56: No Allies

It was about time.

For someone to get in our way.

I’d been lucky until now.

Everyone had been friendly toward me, and they liked my music.

I thought all I had to do was make music.

That’s how it had always been.

But I never imagined a brake would be slammed on me like this.

While I was sitting in front of the computer, deep in thought, CEO Kim Minsoo was staring straight at me.

Unable to hold back, I looked up at him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m wondering if I should go and beg.”

“If you were the type to do that, would I even be worried?”

“Sharp as always.”

I turned my eyes back to the computer.

Excluded just because I wore a mask, and now they say DJs are outdated?

That’s all prejudice.

Anyway—

“CEO?”

It was hard to concentrate with him standing behind me like some stone guardian.

I can’t focus when someone is watching me.

Even when I asked, the CEO said nothing.

He just rested his chin on his hand and stared at the monitor.

After a while, CEO Kim Minsoo muttered, almost to himself.

“This is a political fight, for sure.”

I tried my best to ignore the comment and just kept clicking the mouse.

The CEO muttered again.

“Whatever the reason, there’s no way innocent people like us should be sacrificed in those filthy broadcasting station politics. Right? Don’t you think so?”

There it was. That “Right? Don’t you think so?”

Sigh… If I didn’t answer that, he wouldn’t let me go until I did.

So I answered.

“Then we just don’t get involved in politics.”

“Easy to say.”

“But what kind of politics are we talking about? The broadcasting station isn’t the National Assembly.”

“Oh, it exists. The whole ‘If you don’t listen to me, it won’t be fun’ kind of thing. Hmph, what should I do? Should I just cut off their ads altogether? …What’s with that face? You don’t believe I could?”

If he really had the ability to do that, would we be sitting here having this conversation right now?

Still, I figured I might as well hear him out, so I asked.

“How?”

“I was going to go tell my brother.”

If it’s his brother… I vaguely remember something about a big-name conglomerate or something.

Sounds like he’s an impressive enough person to actually cut off their ads.

“You don’t know who my brother is, do you? You have no idea how amazing he is, huh?”

How would I know?

“Oh? You don’t believe me. Wait, I’ll call him right now.”

“Oh, really?”

There’s one thing I learned in the army.

When someone goes overboard like this, you go even more overboard to make a show of stopping them.

“Aw, that’d look bad. The great CEO should hold back. Broadcasting stations have to make a living too.”

“You’re right about that, huh?”

…Thank goodness.

I took the chance to share my own opinion.

“This is all because we don’t have any solid allies.”

I’d said it hoping to get the CEO to leave.

“Allies?”

Clatter, whoosh—

CEO Kim Minsoo rolled his chair right up next to me.

Guess chasing him off wasn’t going to happen.

“Tell me more.”

“Exactly what it sounds like. CEO Kim Minsoo, you don’t have any allies at KBC. As for me, well, obviously not.”

“Hm?”

The way broadcasting works? I have no clue.

I don’t care how that world operates, but one thing’s certain—

We don’t have any allies.

When The Kids Who Escaped Us got cut, not one person stepped up to take our side.

I’m not talking about some grand idea like networking or connections.

The simple truth is, there was no reason for anyone to defend us.

We hadn’t let them hear our music, nor had we stepped forward to really make an appeal.

That bothered me.

If my song had been terrible and our band had been a mess, I would’ve accepted it without complaint.

But according to Kim Minsoo’s Gungye-style deduction, KBC—or more precisely, that PD Cheon-something—had sacrificed us in some pathetic political game, right?

I shared my opinion without holding anything back.

After listening quietly, CEO Kim Minsoo nodded and replied.

“So, Taeyoon, what you mean is…”

He paused to gather his thoughts.

Then the CEO reached his own conclusion.

“You’re saying we should make PD Cheon our ally, right?”

“Oh, something like that.”

I raised my right hand high.

CEO Kim Minsoo, caught off guard, smacked his palm against mine.

Nice sound.

“If someone else had said that, I would’ve scoffed…”

“But it sounds a little different coming from me, right?”

“Yeah.”

…Huh. That was an unusually serious answer for him.

“Since it’s you saying it, Taeyoon… it feels like it’s worth trying.”

“I never say anything I can’t take responsibility for.”

“Wow, damn. Our Seo Taeyoon is seriously cool.”

It’s not that cool.

Doesn’t everyone think like this?

“Let’s wait and see first.”

“Oh, you already have a plan?”

Ugh, the pressure.

The CEO leaned in close, eyes sparkling.

But the truth was—

“I’ll think about it step by step from now on.”

“…?”

“I couldn’t think because you kept hovering around me, trying to peek at what I’m doing.”

Only then did CEO Kim Minsoo stand up.

He lightly patted my back and said,

“If it gets tough, tell me anytime. Sometimes the best way is to break through head-on.”

“Head-on? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“There’s such a thing. Not sure if it’d work on that guy, though.”

I had a rough guess, but kept my mouth shut.

Adults have their own business.

And I have mine.

I answered with confidence.

“Then I’ll try it my way. I’ll really make an ally for us at KBC.”

…That’s what I said, but I was still a bit worried.

‘Well, no need to backtrack now.’

PD Chun Hanyeong.

It wasn’t hard to find information on him.

It’s the modern day—

If you dig, everything comes out.

[Music variety show that never cools down—at the center is PD Chun Hanyeong?]

[‘I’ll create a fair and honest program.’ Interview with PD Chun Hanyeong.]

[‘A band? That’s the foundation of popular music.’ Meeting Chun Hanyeong of Music Stage.]

One column in particular left an impression on me.

[Behind the scenes of broadcasting—Is PD Chun Hanyeong eliminating ‘bad habits’ in music shows?]

Music shows.

I’d always thought they were just flashy debut stages for singers.

But reality was a little sadder than I expected.

After recording, you had to wait until the PD came out to greet them and leave an impression.

Worse, unpopular singers had to stand pressed against the hallway wall, while successful ones could greet them leisurely after the broadcast.

At least, there was no such culture at KBC—

Thanks to PD Chun Hanyeong.

‘Well, that makes it even more interesting.’

He was quite an intriguing figure.

A true band enthusiast who had even been active in the Hongdae indie scene! A music expert who treated his bass like a sacred relic!

Definitely someone I wanted on my side.

After digging through his articles, interviews, and YouTube videos—

‘Maybe this is more doable than I thought?’

I wanted to appear on Music Stage more than ever.

Direction that understands music, editing that gives each member their spotlight, balanced audio post-production—

Now I finally understood why they insisted it had to be Music Stage.

I couldn’t let them be disappointed.

I called the members together immediately.

It was the privilege of being the youngest.

“Do you even know what time it is?”

“Pfft, if our youngest calls, we have to come no matter if it’s night or dawn.”

Once the members had gathered, I played them the music I’d stayed up all night making.

The so-called Cheongseong Medley.

Cheongseong’s signature songs, rearranged and mixed to fit current trends.

This was my specialty.

“Hearing it like this, it almost feels like one song.”

“The consistent vibe is great. Pure romance!”

“Wow, I actually get to praise our youngest for once.”

“So, what do you need us to do?”

The request was simple.

Listen to my mix and play the instruments exactly the same!

But they only had one day to do it!

“…?”

“One day?”

Even for these pros, was a single day too much?

“Ah, sorry. I know it’s too rushed. But the meeting with the broadcasting station is coming up.”

If it wasn’t physically possible, there was nothing I could do.

The video was good, and the audio was fine too.

That’s what I thought.

But then—

“Hahaha. Our youngest still doesn’t know us.”

“Huh?”

“Play it again.”

Five minutes passed.

“Again.”

Another five minutes passed.

Cheongseong’s leader and vocalist.

The dark horse of the alternate persona world, Moon Jungbae, scratched his head with his index finger and spoke.

“Hey, hey, you guys can do it right away, right?”

“Huh?”

I thought he was bluffing.

“Uh… wait a sec. The rearrangement isn’t that heavy.”

“Wow, this brings back memories.”

“Our youngest mixed this up perfectly. Hold on, let’s just check the order once…”

The members soon put on The Kids Who Escaped Us’ trademark animal masks.

Drums, keyboard, bass, guitar—

And the vocalist, gripping the stand mic with style.

Click, click.

They took their positions in an instant.

“Fluttering crooked mustache, leaping up to the rooftop ledge. Standing still on the clouds…”

The dark music studio turned into a romantic rooftop room.

‘Wow…’

This time, I was the one who got lost in the moment.

I’d never lived through that era.

I’d never experienced Cheongseong’s fiery performances.

But this was the moment I could clearly feel why Cheongseong was still remembered as the best band.

Starting with my favorite song, Rooftop Diva—

“On the street corner that became a habit, and the payphone I waited for every night…”

—flowing seamlessly into The Story That Has Now Faded.

It all felt like a single song.

‘This is enough.’

The rookie band The Kids Who Escaped Us.

With just a drop of Cheongseong added in.

There was no more perfect strategy than this.

KBC Variety Division conference room.

When the door opened, PD Chun Hanyeong rose from his seat.

He quickly scanned the scene.

‘Not alone… huh?’

Of course, he already knew Kim Minsoo.

The important part was the person who came with him.

A tall guy followed in with uneven steps.

‘…So it really was a band idol. Was it really about to get screwed over?’

Chun Hanyeong let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Just as he thought.

All that talk about being “authentic,” and in the end, it was just the typical band idol.

That aura coming off his looks—if that’s not an idol, then what is?

Kim Minsoo was first to reach out for a handshake.

“PD Chun, it’s been a while.”

Not to be outdone—

Taeyoon greeted him energetically.

“Nice to meet you for the first time. I’m Seo Rabbit from The Kids Who Escaped Us.”

“Ah, nice to meet you. Please, have a seat.”

A few pleasantries were exchanged.

Taeyoon sat with his back straight.

I took in every single gesture and word from the two of them.

My first impression was this—

‘Chilling.’

Both of them smiled with their mouths, but their eyes were sharp.

Ah, so this was the cold, ruthless world of broadcasting? That’s what I thought as I sat calmly.

Chun Hanyeong’s gaze lingered briefly on Taeyoon.

‘Good visuals. Worth bringing along.’

Still, some things were just impossible.

He shifted his gaze to Kim Minsoo and asked,

“Anyway, an idol band… it can’t be easy. What made you plan something like that? A band that performs live—it’s rare.”

In other words, enough with the small talk, let’s get to the point.

Kim Minsoo replied,

“Ah, you didn’t hear? They’re not idols. They’re a genuine band.”

“Hm, is that so?”

This time, he turned to Taeyoon.

“What’s your position? Vocalist?”

With that pretty face, surely he couldn’t play an instrument—so he thought.

“I’m a DJ.”

“Ah…”

Oh, that made sense.

With that face, he could probably charm plenty of women in a club…

“I also play a bit of bass.”

“Bass?”

At the mention of bass, a brief light flickered across PD Chun Hanyeong’s face.

But he quickly masked his expression and spoke in a soothing tone.

“How about delaying your debut a little?”

“May I ask the reason?”

“You know, right? Manny Entertainment is debuting a band idol this time. It’s a rare concept, but clashing directly with a big company—nothing good will come from it.”

It was both a gesture of consideration and a hint.

Of course, Kim Minsoo understood.

But he confidently corrected him.

“As I’ve said before, we’re not a band idol. We’re a genuine band with a DJ.”

“It’s a shame to hide that face. Well, I can’t interfere with your concept, but…”

The debate dragged on.

Taeyoon quietly tapped his feet under the table.

This wasn’t the time to waste energy on useless arguments. There wasn’t even enough time to show the video they’d prepared.

There was no opening to step in.

Finally, PD Chun Hanyeong drove the nail in.

“CEO, I’m sorry. A band with a DJ… it’s unfamiliar.”

He paused for a moment.

Then, glancing over at Taeyoon, he continued.

“A good face alone doesn’t make a band. And on top of that, you’re covering it?”

Chun Hanyeong lifted his chin—

As if to say, your turn now.

Just as Kim Minsoo parted his lips to speak—

Taeyoon stepped forward, polite yet precise.

“May I say something?”

“Well, we don’t have much time… but fine. Go ahead.”

We don’t have much time either.

Still, you’re curious—otherwise, you’d have cut us off already instead of letting it drag out, right?

…Of course, he couldn’t actually say that.

Taeyoon stood, bowed firmly, and spoke with conviction.

“I’ll keep it short. If you’ll watch the video we prepared just once, then no matter what you say afterward, I’ll turn and leave without regret. I figured it’s better for you to spend five minutes watching a video than to listen to us linger on. It’ll take exactly five minutes.”

He swallowed hard.

Even though he acted calm—

‘…What if he refuses?’

A strong wave of tension washed over him.

Meanwhile, Chun Hanyeong—

“Is that so?”

—found Taeyoon’s attitude intriguing.

This was the guy who had been sitting there with such an innocent expression until now.

He’d assumed the kid was just a decorative flower vase, but the boldness was appealing.

A rookie who could speak so frankly in front of him? None.

And if it could be wrapped up cleanly, all the better.

Chun Hanyeong leaned back in his chair and said,

“Then play it. Exactly five minutes. We don’t have time.”

Unaware of what kind of expression he would be wearing five minutes later.

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