DLMS 42

chapter 42

“Ha… I’m so sleepy…”

[Shouldn’t you just call it a day and go home to sleep?]

“Just a moment… just this one thing…”

The time was already approaching 2 a.m.

I had been glued to my work for seven hours straight without moving.

I had finished four songs.

Working with better equipment than at home made ideas flow more freely than expected, which was why it was taking longer.

It was good that the delay in work wasn’t because I was stuck on anything.

But still, it was getting way too late.

[If you’re this sleepy, why not continue tomorrow?]

“Ah, please, just be quiet for a bit.”

I felt like I could collapse and fall asleep any second.

But there was a certain happiness in producing good songs one after another.

The devil would probably worry and suggest I go home.

But to me, that was just unnecessary noise interfering with my work, so I yelled at the devil.

[Oh? Getting angry again?]

Having good audio equipment meant I could create better sound.

It allowed me to revive the parts I missed when working at home.

Also, like the devil said, I could continue tomorrow, but I didn’t want to stop while the momentum was flowing.

[Seriously, how many songs are you planning to make in one sitting…]

“I don’t know either.”

Even when I worked at JH Entertainment, this sometimes happened.

The company would usually provide several concepts for a new song.

Then, I’d typically make two or three songs in a day, but occasionally, it felt like I was possessed and churned out more than ten songs in an instant.

I seemed to be easily swayed by emotions, just like the devil said.

The strongest emotion controlling me right now was simple: curiosity.

“Wow… it’s been a while using good equipment. Feels like I could go crazy.”

[Yeah, I know. You really do seem crazy right now. Kind of… scary.]

So I spent the night fully immersed in creating music.

One song, then another, and soon the completed songs began stacking up after just a few hours.

I had finished songs that I could actually show to the public.

The only problem was that in a few hours, I had a lecture to attend.

“Th-this can’t be…”
“There’s no way the Jaehui I know would do this…”
“What happened last night…?”

I fought a fierce battle with sleep throughout the lecture, but ultimately, I lost.

Seolhee and Taehun, seeing me like that, seemed as if they were witnessing a rare sight.

“Hyung, what’s going on? It’s so unusual to see you sleeping in class…”
“Yeah… your clothes are the same as yesterday. Didn’t you go home?”

During breaks, Seolhee and Taehun approached, clearly worried about me.

“Did you even shower?”
“Ughhh… ughhh…”
“Ah, don’t talk to me, okay?”
“Ughhh…”
“Ah, got it. You want to sleep?”
“Ughh…”

Seolhee and Taehun went back to their seats, leaving me sprawled over the desk.

“Since the semester started, he looks the filthiest now.”
“Was he out drinking all night or something?”
“Him?”
“……Nope, doesn’t seem like it.”
“Oh, I wanted to tell you about the performance schedule. Guess I’ll tell you later.”

Seolhee had to wait until my lectures ended and it was time to go home.

The last lecture ended at 2 p.m., which was fortunate.

[Hey, you’re not going home? I’ve known since last night. Ugh, and you’re studying? What’s up with that?]

“Hyung, wake up.”
“Ugh… ughhh…”

By the last lecture, I couldn’t open my eyes.

I wasn’t completely collapsed on the desk, but I was basically asleep.

“Ha… so tired…”
“What did you do yesterday?”
“Worked on some songs… took longer than I thought.”

[…More than just a little, I think.]

“Hyung, the Curious performance date is out… but now isn’t the time. Just go in first…”
“No, there’s something I want to ask.”
“Really? What is it?”
“It’s really important.”

Despite dark circles nearly reaching my knees, I had to ask Seolhee and Taehun something.

“Important? You look so tired, though.”
“Yes, really important. I don’t know how to do this.”

I pulled out my smartphone and asked them.

“How do I post an Instagram story?”
“Ah….”
“Whoa….”

Since I never used social media, I had no idea.

“Hahaha! Hyung, seriously, why? Hahaha!”
“Are you… a prince or something?”
“Why… it’s okay not to know!”
“Ah, okay. I’ll show you.”

I could upload photos and videos to the feed, but never a story.

My favorite singers and composers usually used stories for singles, mini-albums, or tapes.

I wanted to do the same, but couldn’t figure it out.

I thought about searching online, but exhaustion wouldn’t allow it.

“I’m just not used to this…”
“Oh, hyung, that’s kind of cute.”
“Ew, Taehun, that’s gross…”
“Here, give me your phone. I’ll show you… ah, first, what do you want to post?”

Taehun took my phone with a smile.

[The devil giggled in my head at that smile.]

“I uploaded a song to my Cloud Sound account yesterday, and I want to share it.”
“Oh! Hyung, you made a new song?”

Seolhee reacted more excitedly than usual.

“Yes, so people who follow my Instagram can hear it quickly.”
“Wow, your execution is really impressive.”

While Seolhee and I talked, Taehun asked:

“So, hyung, where’s the link for that Cloud thing?”
“I’ll handle that.”

I copied the link from the uploaded song.

“Here it is.”
“Now, watch. I’ll show you. You go to… never mind.”

Taehun glanced at me as if to say it wasn’t the time yet.

He seemed to want to teach an easier method.

“Hey! I’m not stupid!”
“Whoa, you read my expression?”
“Hey!”
“Whoa! You’re quick-witted!”
“Heyyy!”

Talking with Taehun woke me right up.

“See, just paste the link here.”
“Ah! Yes! That’s it!”

Taehun adjusted it a few times, and it looked like the stories I often saw from the singers I followed.

“Now, post it. Shall I?”
“Yes! Post it!”
“Done. And hyung, after it’s posted, you can see who viewed it… wait, already this many views?”
“Whoa, it shows who viewed it?”
“Of course.”
“Whoa…”

[Interesting.]

‘You think it’s interesting too?’
[If you haven’t done it, I haven’t either.]
‘Ah, right.’

Soon, many people had viewed it.

Even though I had several completed songs, I posted just one today.

Rather than releasing many at once, it seemed better to maintain continuous attention by sharing one at a time.

“Hyung, this is amazing.”
“What is?”

Unlike Taehun teasing me, Seolhee was serious.

“After the Hongcha incident, winning and then making songs immediately… that’s impressive.”
“Hmm, really?”

I found her comment odd—it was a natural step for me.

“The power of an issue is short but strong. You have to act fast to maintain it.”
“Exactly! You have to deal heavy damage and finish before they recover!”
“Taehun, don’t you play too many games?”
“Wasn’t that what I said?”

Taehun, distracted with his phone, said nonsense, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“You’re just amazing with execution and everything.”
“But…”

I paused, staring into space.

“To succeed in music, I think this is what you have to do.”
“Right.”

Seolhee and I shared the same feeling.

Though Taehun, leaning on the desk with his phone, probably felt differently.

“Wow, hyung. Amazing!”
“What?”
“Your music has so many comments, and the plays… already over 200?”
“Already?”

Taehun showed me the play count on my Cloud Sound account.

[The power of SNS is definitely huge.]

The response was quicker than expected.

I had hoped for this, but seeing the results still thrilled me.

I remembered the first song I participated in that was released digitally.

It was when I first joined JH Entertainment.

My name wasn’t in the credits, and I didn’t get royalties, but it felt good.

Now, the attention was much less, but there was one difference:

‘Yoo Jaehee.’

My name was directly on it.

My first work released fully under my name, not hidden behind Behind Studio.

I felt like I could touch the sky.

And the play count kept increasing steadily.

• Jongin, when’s our regular performance date?

Despite my sleepiness, I went to Groovy Nation’s live practice room after classes, not home.

I texted Lee Jongin on the way and got an almost immediate reply:

• Not decided yet. Why?

• I have an external performance on Aug 24. Just checking if it overlaps.

• Ah, no, it won’t. Usually in early August. 24th is almost the end of vacation, so won’t do it then.

• Oh, okay, thanks.

Qrious’s performance was on August 24.

Seolhee informed me of the performance date after I posted the story.

Groovy Nation’s date wasn’t set, but it would be before that.

Even with less than two months left, I had to start preparing earlier than others.

I might be better than others at making music, but I was still a rookie at performing.

Going home and sleeping until daylight would mess up my pattern.

“Better practice.”

[But you don’t even know the song fully. How will you practice?]

“Well, maybe if I keep playing it and moving around, it’ll work.”

The lyrics weren’t fully memorized yet, but like Seolhee had taught me before, I could still practice stage manners and showmanship.

“Oh, here it is.”

Groovy Nation had three rooms: club room, rehearsal room, and performance practice room.

I’d been to the first two but never used the performance room, and using it alone felt a bit awkward.

“So… this is where I check in.”

[Someone comes in two hours?]
“Yeah, in two hours… enough time to practice and eat before going home.”

The rehearsal and performance rooms could be reserved the same way, hour by hour, and users had to mark it on the schedule by the entrance.

The schedule indicated someone I hadn’t seen before would come in two hours.

• Thunk

“Wow, this is huge!”

[Oh… quite spacious. Amp on the left.]
“Wow! Awesome!”

Excited, I ran to the speakers.

[Everyone, you’re seeing a rare excited Yoo Jaehee.]

“Wow, insane. Look at this output!”

[Yeah, yeah, calm down. I’m watching too.]

“Alright, let’s start practice!”

Feeling excited to prepare for the performance, I began practicing, forgetting all sleepiness.