Chapter 132 : With a Different Face
Chapter 132: With a Different Face
3 a.m.
A back alley in Hongdae, quieted from the noise.
In the basement studio of Backstage, unfamiliar music was playing.
Through the half-open door, a heavy beat seeped out.
Baek Junhyun stood still in front of the door, as if hypnotized.
And there inside, he saw Taeyoon, wearing his headphones deep and working the mixer.
‘……What the hell is that.’
It had been shocking enough to find out that a seemingly ordinary college friend was actually a star composer shaking up the industry.
But right now, he wasn’t a composer.
He had a completely different face—that of a DJ.
Taeyoon, who was usually expressionless, was slowly nodding his head to the rhythm.
The beat was precise, and the way he connected the tracks was neat and delicate.
Baek Junhyun quietly watched Taeyoon’s DJing from the doorway.
Junhyun knew nothing about DJing, but……
‘……Why is he so good?’
He could tell from Taeyoon’s confident appearance.
There was definitely something there!
Beat by beat.
He was walking carefully along the rhythm.
Soon, Jamie xx’s <Gosh> began.
With the first beat, Baek Junhyun gasped sharply.
The bass struck heavily at the floor.
The sharply cut kick dropped abruptly.
‘Whoa……’
Taeyoon filled the gaps in the track solidly and controlled the flow.
The subtlety in tweaking the EQ.
The tension when he moved the hi-hat timing a half-beat forward in the mix.
Then another track played.
Disclosure’s <When a Fire Starts to Burn>.
Even with the sudden tempo change, Taeyoon continued DJing without a hitch.
As the volume naturally dropped and then surged right before the drop, Baek Junhyun’s heart rate rose along with it.
‘This guy Taeyoon… what the hell is he?’
He felt like he was about to break into applause.
Like he’d just become the only audience member to witness an incredible performance.
How is this a studio?
I’d believe it if you told me it was a club.
So Taeyoon had this kind of talent.
How long had he been secretly watching with those thoughts?
‘Gasp!’
Taeyoon turned his head and smiled faintly at him.
As if he had known all along.
Flinch.
Baek Junhyun instinctively took a step back.
Like a thief caught spying on something in secret.
“Baek Junhyun?”
Taeyoon took off his headphones and quietly called his name.
“No, I wasn’t trying to peek. I came to see if you were here, and I heard music. You were so focused……”
He started offering excuses without even realizing it.
He suddenly felt embarrassed, like he’d peeked at his friend’s true face.
But thankfully, Taeyoon came over cheerfully and said,
“Why were you just standing there? Doesn’t your leg hurt?”
“……Sorry. I should’ve called first. But you… you’re so damn cool? When did you start doing that?”
“DJing? It’s been a while.”
“Teach me someday.”
“Sure. It’s not that hard anyway.”
The two sat facing each other at the table.
Taeyoon handed him a vitamin drink and asked,
“Your part-time job over?”
“Yeah. Today was the last shift.”
“But why are you still working part-time?”
“Huh?”
Junhyun tilted his head at Taeyoon’s words.
With a slight frown, Taeyoon asked,
“Didn’t CEO Kim give you a signing bonus?”
Of course, Taeyoon didn’t know the exact amount of the signing bonus.
No matter how close they were, or how much they worked together, that kind of detail wasn’t shared.
Still, it had to be a lot more than part-time wages, right?
At Taeyoon’s words, Junhyun answered sheepishly,
“Yeah, he did. He even pays me a salary.”
“What?”
Taeyoon nearly spat out the vitamin drink he was sipping.
As expected of CEO Kim Minsoo, he thought.
Junhyun continued quietly,
“……He says it’s an artist salary. Hah hah.”
“Wow, so your income’s gone up. Then quit that barbecue restaurant gig. Isn’t it hard on your body?”
“Eh, I’m used to it by now. And just lounging around isn’t my thing. I’m not the type to slack off.”
He said that as he glanced around Backstage.
“So…… I also came by to clean while it’s quiet.”
“There’s the ajumma here, why?”
“We’re the only ones allowed in the studio, remember? So I figured, while I’m at it.”
He couldn’t stand not giving back what he received.
“You’re debuting soon. You should be focusing on that. What’s with cleaning?”
“Ah, right. But it still doesn’t feel real. That I’m actually going to be someone who appears on TV.”
“Did you tell your parents? Bet they’re thrilled.”
“Yeah, well……”
Baek Junhyun scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
A few days ago, he’d shared the news over dinner with his family.
That a close friend of his was a successful composer.
That thanks to that friend, he’d started preparing an album himself.
He kept it simple, just stating the facts.
He hadn’t expected much.
Still, it was the first time their son declared he was going to try something.
He figured they’d at least say something like, “Do your best, we’ll be rooting for you.”
But what he got was a dry response.
A singer? YouTube? Anyone can get on those things nowadays.
Junhyun, be careful. I heard there are lots of scammers luring people in with that kind of stuff. If they ask for money or anything, quit right away.
His older brother and younger sister weren’t any different.
You? Pfft. Hey, if you’re a singer, then I’m a movie star. Just study, alright? If you keep messing around, you’ll lose your scholarship.
Oppa? These days, even singers need to look good. Hmm……
When I said, ‘I even got a big signing bonus. And the producer I’m working with is none other than Stay,’ they gasped and said, ‘Wh-What? Stay? A signing bonus? That’s the pride of the family. Our son did great!’ and flipped their attitudes……
That kind of satisfying twist only exists in fiction.
So I didn’t feel like explaining everything in detail.
No matter what I said, I was just the overlooked second child.
I’ll show them.
I’ll show how the work I’m throwing myself into with everything I’ve got can make real money.
So that when the time comes, they won’t have any regrets.
With that thought, I just gave it my all.
Still, I didn’t want to burden Taeyoon with that kind of backstory.
So I simply said,
“I’m just doing my best because I trust you. Thanks.”
“For free?”
“Knew you’d say that……!”
Baek Junhyun placed the shopping bag he’d brought on the table.
Taeyoon’s eyes lit up.
“Ooh? Galbi?”
“Yup, galbi. You’ll get hungry working until dawn.”
“Wow, thanks. I actually was pretty hungry.”
“Hehe, brought it at just the right time, huh?”
“Absolutely perfect, absolutely!”
Taeyoon stared at the meat with shining eyes.
Truthfully, he’d caught whiffs of something delicious earlier but had pretended not to notice.
He figured Junhyun smelled like that because he’d come from working at a BBQ place, so he just guessed and didn’t say anything.
How embarrassed would his friend be otherwise?
But… it was really meat?
And properly grilled galbi at that.
Taeyoon sniffed, visibly pleased.
Growl—
His stomach made a sound too.
Well, now that it had come to this—
He grabbed his chopsticks.
He was ready to demolish all that meat.
“Hey, wait a sec.”
Baek Junhyun stopped him.
Taeyoon licked his lips and asked,
“Huh? Why?”
“Before that…… Take this. It’s nothing big.”
“Hm?”
A small item wrapped in bubble wrap.
It was a frame.
“Remember the photo Director Yoon took for us?”
“Oh?”
Taeyoon peered closely at the picture.
It was him and Baek Junhyun making peace signs while holding chicken drumsticks.
Around them, the Cheongseong members were sitting in chaos.
That photo from that day.
It was a mess, but somehow had a warm feel to it.
Taeyoon tilted his head, wondering if it was really worth framing.
Then Baek Junhyun asked him,
“Don’t you remember that day?”
“When the nine of us ate nine chickens?”
“Agh. Not that.”
But no matter how hard he thought, Taeyoon couldn’t recall anything else.
“When we all got greasy and boiled ramyeon afterward?”
God, this blockhead.
Do I really have to spell it out?
Thinking that, Baek Junhyun said,
“That was the day we sealed the deal and I got the signing bonus.”
“Was it……?”
“Yup. Thanks to you, I hit my goal amount.”
“What goal?”
“It’s just… something I had.”
Fifty million won.
Thanks to Taeyoon, he’d reached it far too easily.
And now, he had a new goal.
To the one who gave him a new dream—Taeyoon.
To CEO Kim Minsoo and the Cheongseong members who gave him confidence.
He had a simple goal: to repay them with something even greater than the faith they showed in him.
“I see. Congrats……. Now let’s eat.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not eating?”
“I brought it for you. I already ate.”
“Really? I’m eating it all, then.”
“Go ahead.”
“Ooh, jackpot. Hey, how’s this still warm? That’s wild.”
“Maybe because it’s not cold out?”
Baek Junhyun brushed his nose with his index finger.
In truth, he’d popped four hot packs and wrapped them around it so it wouldn’t get cold.
Nice to have that effort noticed.
“Hey, I take back what I said earlier. Can’t you keep working that part-time job?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Bring this every day. This place is amazing!”
“The owner’s nice, the place is clean, and it’s cheap too. If you wanna know where—it's near our school……”
“I’m busy right now. Just text me.”
Taeyoon waved his hand dismissively.
In the blink of an eye, three servings of galbi vanished into Taeyoon’s mouth.
“Phew……. That hit the spot. It was seriously delicious. Thanks.”
Best meal he’d had in a while.
He got meat, he got a framed photo.
And Baek Junhyun was working hard, too. That was a relief.
Taeyoon wanted to express his gratitude to Junhyun.
Rather than overbearing advice or cliché words, something sincere from experience?
“Hey, Baek Junhyun.”
“Huh? Oh, do you need to get back to practicing? Then I’ll just wait outs—”
“No, that’s not it.”
Taeyoon looked Baek Junhyun straight in the eye.
There was something he’d consistently felt while going through college life with Junhyun.
To describe Baek Junhyun briefly……
He was kind.
Too kind.
Someone who was always top of the class, working two or even three jobs all around the neighborhood—it would be understandable if he were edgy.
But even when someone asked to borrow his class notes, or needed help with assignments or the exam syllabus, he never said anything unpleasant or made them feel burdened.
Even now, look at him.
He brought galbi with his own money, and he’s acting like he should leave so he doesn’t disturb me.
But then—
That same Junhyun once asked,
Can you make a lot of money doing that?
He had asked Taeyoon honestly for the first time.
That same Baek Junhyun, who had always kept anything money-related to himself.
Which is why—
Did you tell your parents? I bet they’re really proud.
Yeah, well……
Taeyoon couldn’t forget the way he trailed off at the question about his family’s reaction.
For some reason, it reminded him of his past self.
So he quietly continued.
“I really like money too. I wanted to make a lot.”
There was a brief pause.
“But… that’s not everything, is it? What you’re thinking—if you don’t say it out loud, it never gets across.”
Baek Junhyun looked up.
“……What are you suddenly talking about.”
“Feelings don’t walk out on their own. No matter how much you feel, if the other person doesn’t know, it’s like those feelings don’t exist.”
Taeyoon suddenly thought about the relationship between words and music.
If you don’t input it into MIDI, no sound comes out.
If you don’t touch the turntable, the intention doesn’t get conveyed.
Likewise, he believed that words needed action for emotions to be understood.
“Speaking your mind is really hard. But……”
Taeyoon added with a quiet smile,
“If you don’t say it, they won’t know.”
Baek Junhyun kept his gaze on the edge of the table and said nothing.
He stared for a long while, then quietly stood up.
“I’m heading out first.”
“Alright.”
Even up to the moment he opened the door and left, Baek Junhyun didn’t look back once.
The studio door closed.
And between the quiet dawn air, Taeyoon’s DJing began to play again.
This time it was a slightly calmer track.
But inside Baek Junhyun’s head, it was louder than ever.
The next morning.
Baek Junhyun’s family sat around the dining table.
Leftover soybean paste stew from last night, a few side dishes, a fried egg.
A familiar breakfast spread.
“What are you doing. Eat up and get to school.”
“Yes.”
As he quietly spooned up some rice, his older brother asked offhandedly,
“That singer thing you mentioned before—that was a joke, right? Don’t make Mom worry.”
“…….”
“You’re at the age where you want to do that kind of stuff. Hard to say no when a friend pushes you into it. But being a singer isn’t something just anyone can do.”
Baek Junhyun didn’t respond.
Instead, he took out his phone.
His fingers quickly scrolled across the screen.
The banking app launched instantly.
Junhyun confidently held up the smartphone with the app open.
[Deposit: KIM Entertainment]
[₩19,340,000]
[Balance: ₩51,348,270]
His brother narrowed his eyes.
“……What’s this?”
“Signing bonus.”
“Signing? Signing what?”
Junhyun casually took a spoonful of rice and quietly answered,
“I told you. I’m becoming a singer.”
His younger sister leaned in, freaking out.
“Whoa. No way. It’s real? KIM Enter? Isn’t that the one with UTAR? Crazy. Oppa signed with KIM Enter? That’s insane.”
His brother and parents, stunned, just kept staring at the banking app.
A moment of silence passed.
Only the steam from the stew on the table slowly rose up.
Baek Junhyun replayed Taeyoon’s words over and over in his mind.
If you don’t say it, they won’t know.
No matter what you feel,
If the other person doesn’t know, it’s like those feelings don’t exist.
That gave him the courage.
So this time, he spoke up and showed it.
One number. One name.
That was enough.
“You’re really debuting? At KIM Enter? With what song?”
“Hyung, Baek Jihyun. Do you know someone named Stay?”
“Stay?”
His younger sister responded with an excited shout.
“Whoa. Stay? Who doesn’t know Stay? The one who made Signum Avalanche? The one who wrote Taesihyun’s songs?”
His brother added a word too.
“……My little brother’s about to cause a scene.”
“Mom, Dad. Little oppa’s really something. We’ve got a major singer in the family!”
Stay.
With that one heavy name, the entire situation flipped.