DLMS 18

Chapter 18

While Yoo Jae-hee and his friends were heading to Sinchon…

The members of Groovy Nation had gathered in their clubroom because of new application forms and attached files.

“It’s been a while. Recently, we’ve hardly had any applicants.”

“Seriously. Back in the day, we had so many applications that we’d hold auditions for two hours every day.”

Eight members sat around the clubroom table as judges.

Naturally, Lee Jong-in was among them.

“So, which department is the applicant from this time?”

The club president, sitting in front of the computer, began briefing on the application.

“Class of ‘13… Korean Literature… Oh! Korean Lit, no way—”

“Wait, is it that person from the College of Humanities inauguration ceremony?”

“Looks like it.”

“The name’s Yoo Jae-hee… Yep. That’s them.”

The moment they heard the personal details, everyone instantly knew who the applicant was.

And the person who welcomed this news most was none other than Lee Jong-in.

Of course, he didn’t bother pretending to know, so he kept quiet.

“That person wasn’t bad.”

“Yeah, their music was good.”

Yoo Jae-hee had definitely shown a solid performance at the inauguration ceremony.

But compared to that quality, the reaction here was rather lukewarm.

Whether that was because of the club’s fading popularity, or simply because their standards were that high, no one— not even the demon—could say for sure.

“Anyway, shall we listen to the music?”

“Yeah, let’s.”

The personal info only listed department, student number, name, age, phone number, and enrollment status.

Naturally, those weren’t part of the judging criteria.

The first round was based on the submitted track, and the second round would be a live performance.

While the president prepared the music, the members chatted as they waited.

“Hope this doesn’t turn out like last time. Wasn’t that guy also from Korean Lit?”

“Oh yeah, last year… what was his name… Han something?”

“Dunno. Anyway, he killed it at the festival, but totally bombed the club audition.”

“Right? He could sing and dance really well too.”

“Yeah, especially the dancing.”

Because Jae-hee was from the same department, two of the members veered off-topic.

That student last year, also from Korean Literature, had talent but inexplicably failed the audition.

Everyone had high expectations, but evaluations are always merciless.

“That guy had star quality, he was cool too…”

“Hey! How can you be talking about someone else when we’ve got an applicant here?”

“Ah—oops.”

Unable to bear it, Lee Jong-in finally cut in.

Jae-hee wasn’t around to hear it, but still, speaking like that about a current applicant was definitely bad form.

To think they’d seen that performance and were still talking about someone else…

Jong-in found it odd that some members seemed so uninterested in Jae-hee.

After all, his skill was memorable even to those who knew music well.

Still, he decided to chalk it up to personal taste.

“Okay, let’s play the song.”

After the little fuss, the attached file was finally played.

An intro opened with an 8-bit hi-hat.

Soon, Yoo Jae-hee’s voice filled the room.

“Aaah… this is way too hard… I’m doomed…”

At a karaoke in Sinchon.

Kim Tae-hoon and Han Seol-hee looked at me with pity.

I lay sprawled on the floor, drowning in despair.

[Keh-heh-heh… How unfortunate. That’s something even I can’t help you with.]

“Hyung, you really need to practice. The way you move is way too awkward.”

“Yeah, and your song has a rap-like section, right? You’re just gonna stand still during that part?”

“Haaah… I’m screwed. I didn’t even think about that…”

On the car ride here, Seol-hee had hit me with a harsh truth.

Something I hadn’t even considered…

Gestures.

The song I’d prepared, Imagine, wasn’t about melody so much as rhythm.

It was the kind of track that made your body move just by listening. Singing it while standing stiff like a ballad was just wrong.

The moment I heard that, it felt like a slap to the back of my head.

Not a single word was wrong.

So after arriving at the karaoke, we sang and fooled around until we were tired, then started a crash course on stage gestures with Imagine playing.

The result was disastrous.

“Hyung, have you ever moved your body much before…?”

“Not at all…”

“Oh dear god…”

“Wait, you mean you’ve never even been to a club once?”

“Uh… well…”

[Exactly.]

“…Yeah.”

“Wow… unbelievable, this hyung.”

“No, I’m sure I’m not the only one.”

“C’mon, most people at least tag along with friends once.”

I had no comeback.

I didn’t want to admit the truth— that I simply had no friends.

Thankfully, Seol-hee shot Tae-hoon a look, and he got the hint to stop pushing.

“Hyung, instead of this, why don’t we go to our practice studio and work on it there?”

“Oh, that’s okay?”

“Yeah. No one’s scheduled today anyway.”

“Hmm… I don’t want to waste your time…”

“It’s fine. Right, Tae-hoon?”

Of course, easygoing Tae-hoon agreed right away.

“Then let’s go!”

“Uh, y-yeah… let’s… go…”

And just like that, I ended up going to Seol-hee’s practice studio.

A basement studio in Hongdae.

The stairwell was pitch dark, probably because the bulbs had burned out.

The smell of mold stung my nose.

The whole place reeked of that stereotypical “poor musician” atmosphere.

I wasn’t used to this kind of setting since I’d always worked alone at home.

But it was exactly like the basement studios I’d always imagined.

[Mmm… it’s been a while since I’ve been in a place like this. Dark and damp, just the way I like it.]

Unlike me, the demon seemed right at home.

Clunk, clunk…

“Damn it, why won’t this door—whoa!”

The door barely opened.

Inside, though, it was surprisingly clean.

The musty smell lingered, but that was almost a historical hallmark of every aspiring artist’s space.

“Pretty nice in here.”

“Okay hyung, this is where you’ll practice.”

“But can I really improve just by practicing like this?”

“Trust me, I used to train to be an idol. I’ll help you.”

“Uh… okay.”

I wasn’t too confident, but I decided to trust her.

After all, the song wasn’t one you could sing stiffly, and her offer was kind.

“Give me your phone, I’ll hook it up and play the track.”

“Sure. By the way, I hope I get enough time to practice before the audition.”

“For the second round, they usually schedule it. Mine was about a week later.”

“Oh, you auditioned too?”

“Yeah, last year. I bombed it because I got way too nervous…”

“Wow… really?”

“Performances are fine, but once it’s an evaluation, I freeze up. That’s why I failed monthly tests even as a trainee.”

“I see…”

Hearing that made me thoughtful.

She was helping me so much… it’d feel wrong if I failed the club audition.

And if she’d been rejected before but I passed, I’d feel almost guilty.

[Why worry about that? If she failed, she failed. It’s not your fault.]

‘Yeah, but… it just feels bad.’

[Did you make her fail?]

‘Well… no.’

[She’s sincerely helping you. Just give it your all. That idol trainee will be the happiest if you pass.]

‘…You’re right.’

“Hyung, I’ll play the song now! Watch closely, I’ll show you.”

“Uh, okay.”

As Imagine started, Seol-hee grabbed a mic from the floor and sang along.

She’d heard it enough times in the car and karaoke to roughly follow.

“Wow…”

She sang surprisingly well.

Even the demon had said earlier that her singing wasn’t bad.

I knew what that meant.

“Okay hyung, pay attention.”

“Uh, yeah…”

While singing my song, Seol-hee added various gestures.

With me and Tae-hoon as her audience, she moved around as if this really were a stage.

Her steps, her hand movements, even her restrained motions—
and her expressions, all looked amazing.

“Whoa…”

“Hyung, she’s insane, right?”

“Yeah… she’s so cool. Makes me want to give her this song instead.”

“No way, hyung sings it better.”

“Still… how can she move like that?”

She was doing effortlessly what I couldn’t even imagine.

She even looked into empty corners of the room to draw out the crowd’s response like a pro.

It made me realize— her unfinished idol career was not to be underestimated.

‘Dude, isn’t she amazing?’

[Eh, I don’t see it.]

‘Tsk…’

After showing just the first chorus, she turned off the music.

“Hey, Seol-hee.”

“Yes?”

“You’re incredible! Seriously, you’re the best!”

I’d seen plenty of idol stages on TV because of my job, but back then I never paid attention to the dancing.

Maybe it was because I saw it right in front of me this time. Sure, she wasn’t on par with pro idols, but she was still amazing.

“No, no… I’m not that good.”

Of course, my admiration quickly gave way to another thought.

“But… you mean I have to do that?”

“Oh, no no. Not right away. I just gave you a sketch to keep in mind.”

“Ohh…”

Her little performance helped me visualize what I should aim for.

[This girl’s a good teacher. Must’ve learned it back in her trainee days.]

“For now, it might be too awkward to perform alone in front of us. Let’s just all move around together with the music. Hey, you get up too.”

“Me? Why me?”

“Just get up!”

Seol-hee was unusually assertive this time.

Usually Tae-hoon was the loud one while the two of us were quiet, but right now she was in command.

She played the music again and started moving first.

“Hyung! Jump! Just jump around for now!”

“Uh, like… like this?”

I started hopping in place.

The BPM was a bit slow, not ideal for jumping, but…

My moves looked more like morning calisthenics than a festival.

“Hyung, bend your knees more and land slower.”

“Like… this?”

“Yes, that’s better!”

“Better? He still looks awkward as hell.”

“Shut up, Tae-hoon.”

By then, Tae-hoon was already dancing some weird nonsense of his own, laughing at my stiff jumps.

My face burned, but Seol-hee’s passion kept me going.

Just when I thought this was pointless, she moved on to the next step.

“Okay, now stop jumping. Use that same knee motion while walking. Like this.”

“Um… I… don’t think this is right…”

“No, that’s it! That’s exactly it!”

“Uh… o-okay…”

Honestly, her own demo looked a little clumsy too.

“Now swing your upper body like this while you walk.”

She added a big shoulder movement, and suddenly her walk looked cool.

“Whoa! Yeah, that! That’s what you did earlier!”

“See, you can do it, hyung.”

“Kind of like this?”

Ding!

“Huh?”

We turned toward the sound.

“Pffft—BWAHAHAHA! What are you two doing, waddling like ducks?!”

Tae-hoon had filmed us staggering around on his phone.

“Ah, damn, this is hilarious!”

“Why’d you film that?!”

“Hyung, come see! It’s priceless! Hahaha!”

More embarrassing than angry, I still wanted to check the footage.

“Fine, let me see.”

—Hyung! Just like that! You can do it!
—Uh… l-like this?
—Yes! Exactly like that!

“Bwahahahaha!”

“Pfft—hahaha!”

“Oh god, that’s hilarious!”

The funniest part was when Seol-hee earnestly said “Exactly!” while I was still bumbling through a half-finished move.

“It’s not exactly anything! Damn, that’s too funny!”

Even I couldn’t deny how ridiculous it looked.

We ended up rolling on the floor laughing, our awkwardness completely gone.

For a while, practice was forgotten as we laughed, shoved each other, and just enjoyed ourselves.

Imagine played through the speakers, filling the room.

And over it, our laughter joined in like a new instrument.

Practice could wait.

This noisy chaos wasn’t unpleasant at all.

To someone with perfect pitch like me, it should’ve been nothing but dissonance…

But it was the most beautiful harmony I’d ever heard.