Chapter 145 : Expectation Turns Into Certainty
Chapter 145: Expectation Turns Into Certainty
When I arrived at the Lumière practice room, I flinched in surprise and instinctively stepped back.
"Uh-oh?"
Was it because they recognized me as Stay? No.
Everyone inside KIM Entertainment already knew that the "pale-faced young guy always wearing a hoodie" personally greeted by Kim Minsoo was Stay.
They were simply respecting the composer’s wish to keep his identity hidden from the public.
Pretending not to know something you actually know—this was one of the essential virtues in this field.
Then, was it because of the overly enthusiastic welcome?
"Whoaaa!"
"Stay, Godstay!"
"As expected of our CEO! I knew it!"
"I'm enjoying <Crossing Tomorrow> so much!"
That too had been expected.
Wherever I went, whomever I met.
The moment I revealed I was Stay, fervent hospitality always followed. I should have been used to it by now.
But something else had caught me off guard.
It was—
“Huh...? Team Leader and the composer... they kinda look really alike...?”
“Right? I thought it was just me!”
“They’re... really similar?”
It seemed the Lumière members had noticed that Dongyoon and I were brothers.
What had started as a hunch was gradually turning into certainty.
“Stay and the new Team Leader... you two look so much alike.”
“Totally.”
“Wow—! That’s so cool!”
The practice room only calmed down once the manager signaled them with a glance.
Kim Minsoo looked back and forth between Dongyoon and me.
‘…They don’t look that much alike, do they?’
Truthfully, Kim Minsoo had already realized we were brothers earlier, when he confirmed the interview result and saw the name.
Seo Dongyoon. Seo Taeyoon.
It only clicked when he saw the names side by side.
And then, all the puzzle pieces fell into place.
That strange sense of déjà vu he’d felt when he saw Dongyoon.
He remembered having seen him in a video.
<Traveling without Moving>, the performance with Cheongseong. The guitarist from that clip.
The footage had been blurry, so it was understandable he hadn’t recognized him at a glance—or so he thought at the time.
But the Lumière members were different.
How did they immediately realize we were brothers just by looking?
Was this the visual instinct of girl groups?
“Go ahead and get to know each other for a bit.”
While Dongyoon and I exchanged greetings with the Lumière members,
Kim Minsoo pulled their manager into a corner of the practice room and asked bluntly.
“Manager Kim, did you notice right away too?”
“That they’re brothers, Stay and the new Team Leader?”
“Gasp!”
“Why so shocked? I figured it out instantly too.”
“But still...”
Kim Minsoo couldn’t finish his sentence.
Instead, he turned his head and watched from a distance as the Seo brothers chatted warmly with the Lumière members.
Dongyoon was smoothly leading the conversation.
Taeyoon and the girls were chatting non-stop—somewhat awkward yet already familiar.
Kim Minsoo’s gaze shifted to Taeyoon’s face.
Even standing among a girl group, his appearance didn’t feel out of place at all.
One might expect him to look awkward standing with unfamiliar idols, but he blended in naturally.
That was Seo Taeyoon—Stay.
Shaking off his thoughts, Kim Minsoo continued.
“They’re really different, aren’t they?”
He then shifted his gaze to Dongyoon.
If Taeyoon gave off the vibe of a senior from your major, then this one felt like an assistant professor. He looked more seasoned in the ways of society.
It was clear which one the Lumière members felt more comfortable around.
Even after a few words, Dongyoon came off as a long-time colleague.
It was fascinating.
Not just the faces, but even their personalities were completely different.
So how on earth had they figured it out?
As Kim Minsoo struggled to make sense of it, the Lumière manager offered a sly smile and answered.
“Their styles are really different, so I can see why you’d think that.”
Taeyoon wore jeans and a hoodie.
Dongyoon had on slacks and a shirt.
Anyone could tell which one was the composer and which one the office worker.
Which only made Kim Minsoo feel even more bewildered.
He had a good eye for detail—or so he thought. But now, he was completely at a loss.
After closely observing both of us, Kim Minsoo asked,
“They look really different though, don’t they?”
“True. If Composer Stay has a youthful and sharp look, then Team Leader Seo is the gentle and dependable type.”
“Exactly.”
“But look closely.”
“At what?”
“The eyes.”
That’s when it finally hit Kim Minsoo.
“The eyes? Oh...?”
Eyes that curved like crescents when smiling.
The way their gaze returned after a brief blink when looking at someone.
The timing of a silent nod.
Manager Kim wasn’t talking about just appearance.
“Haha. You’re right. I was looking in all the wrong places for clues.”
Kim Minsoo chuckled to himself.
Their looks were polar opposites, yet oddly enough, the warmth with which they treated others was strikingly similar.
They didn’t try to dominate the conversation, but always steered it gently.
They didn’t crack loud jokes, yet always warmed the atmosphere.
It wasn’t a skill—it was an attitude.
The kind of presence only someone more accustomed to listening than speaking could exude.
Kim Minsoo murmured as if to himself,
“Right. You don’t have to look alike in the face to be alike. Wow... the Seo brothers really are something.”
Seeing the two in one frame made it crystal clear.
They treated people as if they weren’t the center of attention.
But wherever they were became the center.
That was the true strength Taeyoon and Dongyoon possessed.
‘Do I look like that with hyung too?’
Suddenly, my brother came to mind.
But Kim Minsoo quickly shook his head.
‘…Come on, what am I thinking.’
Kim Minsoo clapped his hands once to get everyone’s attention.
“All right, if everyone’s done saying hello, let’s focus!”
There had been a lot of surprises today.
Who would’ve thought my brother joined KIM Entertainment?
I knew he’d been fiddling with something in his room, and figured he was preparing for a new job, but I never imagined it’d be here.
I was so surprised—and happy.
“Hyung…!”
“You punk.”
Without any explanation or formal greeting, he just gave me that signature eye smile of his.
CEO Kim Minsoo looked at us fondly.
Then he kept saying things like, “I seriously didn’t know! I’m telling the truth! I didn’t hire him because he’s your brother, okay?!”—making excuses to me.
But honestly, it didn’t matter either way.
What mattered was that now, I’d be seeing hyung more often at work.
Also, I found myself unbearably curious about KIM Entertainment’s sub-label, “Track Race.”
What kind of irresistible charm did this place have to draw in even my brother—and Gibong-hyung?
Do they pay that well? Should I just sign the contract too while I’m at it?
Thinking such thoughts, I headed upstairs to meet Lumière.
“You two, don’t tell me?”
“Brothers?”
What is up with these people’s intuition...
Where exactly do I look like my hyung?
No matter how I look at him, he’s got total mountain bandit vibes.
Look at that—his smile even looks kinda goofy.
“Team Leader, Composer, we’ll be in your care!”
“Sure. Hahaha. Likewise. The atmosphere here is great.”
It’s not the atmosphere—it’s hyung who’s in a good mood.
Anyone would think it’s his first time seeing a celebrity.
Just because we’re brothers didn’t mean I could go around grinning like an idiot too.
After all, I was here as a composer and producer.
I was just casually gauging the mood when—
“All right, if everyone’s done saying hello, let’s focus!”
Right on cue, CEO Kim Minsoo addressed us.
In that case…
Strict. Stern. Serious.
Scan mode ON.
Today, I had to hear Lee Jeongin’s voice in person and get a sense of it.
I straightened my shoulders and waited for Kim Minsoo’s next words.
“Today is a slightly special occasion.”
As Kim Minsoo began to speak, the expressions on the Lumière members’ faces changed.
“The composer wanted to hear your voices in person today. That’s why we asked you to come to the vocal practice room.”
Was this finally my turn to step in?
I had been fully prepared to show off the composer's aura.
“For real?”
“Are we really going to work with Stay?”
“I’m so nervous.”
“I’ll do my best!”
The over-the-top welcome from the Lumière members left me chuckling awkwardly.
The atmosphere made it impossible to maintain any composure.
They kind of reminded me of the Signum kids.
But there was a slight difference.
If those kids were like chirping chicks, these ones were like wild country puppies tearing up the yard.
Still, I had to say what I came to say.
I took a step forward and slowly opened my mouth.
“Yes. As the CEO mentioned, I came up today because I wanted to hear your voices in person.”
Heh. That sounded pretty convincing, right?
Now maybe I could finally bring a bit of seriousness to the tone.
Or so I thought.
“Applause!”
“Huh?”
The moment leader Lee Jeongin gave the signal, cheers erupted.
“Wooooow!”
“It’s an honor!”
Clap clap clap clap clap—
“…?”
All I did was say I wanted to hear them sing.
Was that really such a big deal?
As question marks popped in my head without a clue why—
Hyung came up and whispered quietly.
“Oho, so this is the level of Stay?”
I glared sideways at him and clapped along.
Hey. Quit giggling.
I couldn’t just stay flustered forever.
As soon as the applause died down, I lowered my hands and made eye contact with each of them as I spoke.
“Let’s keep it casual—just relax, sing, and enjoy yourselves. If possible, sing a song you like. That way, we can all have fun together.”
I’d meant it to be friendly. But somehow, the rowdy atmosphere quieted down.
Even the expressions on the Lumière members’ faces turned a little more serious.
Lee Jeongin raised her hand toward me.
As if she had something to say.
“Yes?”
“Is this a test today?”
Her voice trembled, so different from earlier.
Nervous tension was evident.
Thinking about it, I could see how they might take it that way.
Once someone perceives a situation as a test, nerves are bound to follow.
“No. It’s not that.”
I had come because I wanted to hear their real voices, not to conduct a test.
Who was I to judge anyone through a test?
I had already heard and seen enough.
I continued, slowly.
“Just sing like you usually would, no pressure. I’ll listen comfortably too.”
Lee Jeongin nodded and quietly took a breath.
Then she gave a glance toward the other members.
They seemed to exchange brief opinions with their eyes.
Like they were deciding on an order, in their own way?
“I’ll go first.”
Oh, as expected of the leader.
The confident way she moved made me feel a sense of anticipation.
Getting to hear a voice I’d only heard on the radio, live from the front row.
We moved to the equipment set up on the side.
“Hoo…”
Standing before the mic, Lee Jeongin let out a nervous sigh.
The composers she’d met before were usually older, with something strange about them.
But Stay wasn’t like that.
Maybe it was because we were about the same age. There wasn’t that sense of distance.
‘So, being a top composer doesn’t necessarily mean being scary and sensitive.’
That thought lasted only for a moment.
“The vibe is good. Shall we begin?”
Only when those words fell did she realize it.
Ah, she’d misunderstood.
His tone hadn’t changed.
His gaze was still soft, and his posture relaxed.
But oddly enough, she couldn’t breathe.
What was that? What was that?
After much deliberation, she understood.
That attitude of listening.
That gaze was by no means a gentle observation.
He’d said it wasn’t a test, but any singer knows.
To listen is to judge.
Because a singer has to express everything through their voice.
Even so, she was confident.
She knew how her voice resonated in a space, which tone moved people’s hearts.
She’d practiced hundreds, thousands of times.
‘Once he hears it, he won’t be able to resist giving me a song.’
She adjusted the distance from the mic and took a deep breath.
“I’ll sing without accompaniment.”
“Ooh.”
A small murmur of admiration followed.
Choosing to sing without an MR was a clear sign of confidence.
The song Lee Jeongin chose was <Crossing Tomorrow> by Doubline.
She hadn’t picked it just because it was a Stay song.
She simply wanted to show.
That like Stay’s cover videos,
she too could merge two emotional tones into one.
The first verse began very softly, like a whisper.
A voice speaking quietly yet clearly to someone.
A precisely controlled vocal, down to every breath.
She built up the emotion gently.
Everything was just as she intended.
‘Feels good.’
The emotion, the voice, the mood, the delivery of the lyrics—
Perfect. She believed it had reached Stay for sure.
“That’s it.”
She slowly opened her eyes after finishing a performance she was proud of for the first time in a while.
The first thing she saw were the members.
They subtly gave a thumbs-up, winked, nodded quickly.
Exactly as expected.
Now it was time to check Stay’s reaction.
What kind of expression would he return?
He must’ve liked it.
Thinking that, she turned her gaze to Taeyoon.
‘…What is this?’
That wasn’t the reaction she expected?
Taeyoon was staring at her silently.
With a neutral expression, offering no feedback.
Instead, he very slowly met her gaze.
Only then did Lee Jeongin realize.
Ah, something had gone wrong.