While waiting, some trainees fiddled with their phones, but I found the recording process more interesting.
I grabbed a paper cup of warm water and sipped it as I sat on one of the scattered empty sofas, watching the recording session.
“Let’s try to make this part a bit cooler, like you’re spitting it out. Like this, Heart a-ttae-ttae-tack!”
“Yes!”
It was when Jeong Haneul was instructing the 16th trainee and I felt like I grasped how to sing that part, that the system window popped up.
[Song: “Heart Attack”
Added to the song list.]
Sure enough, “Heart Attack” had been newly added to the song list.
I had already familiarized myself with the song without the system’s help.
Though I wondered about the point now, I couldn’t help feeling a bit regretful for not having succeeded earlier.
Still, it wasn’t a bad thing per se, so I decided to just be happy about it.
* * *
I ended up waiting for about 3 hours.
I even ate a sandwich handed out by Jeong Haneul.
It was delicious.
After another hour of waiting, it finally became my turn.
“Trainee On Raon, please enter.”
“Yes!”
“Make yourself comfortable.”
“Yes.”
As soon as I put on the headset, music flowed out.
Alone in the quiet space, my heart fluttered slightly, but with no high note highlights to worry about, I found nothing particularly difficult to sing and did so quite comfortably.
After I finished the song, Jeong Haneul wore a peculiar expression, neither pleased nor displeased.
“Okay. Not bad…”
Not bad…?
Please, don’t end with such an unsettling phrase; just move on to the next thing.
“Would you like to try the main part?”
“The main part?”
His unexpected suggestion had me blinking for a few seconds before responding.
Jeong Haneul nodded lightly and added,
“I thought Trainee On Raon’s vibe matched the song when I watched the evaluation video, but I was a bit concerned that your impression might be too gentle for the main part. But hearing you today, I think it really comes to life. Would you give it a try? Is that okay?”
“Yes!”
It wasn’t like I hadn’t practiced other parts.
Might as well give it a shot.
I reminded myself of the mindset that trying is essential for success in the game.
How was I to sing it?
Considering the composer had asked for this specifically, I figured I should put more effort into it than before.
I listened intently to the music that flowed out.
I recalled the lyrics anew.
Let’s sing it as the title “Heart attack” suggested—with a passionate crimson voice, desperate with intense breath.
It was me attacking your heart with all my might.
But if I didn’t do so, I would be the one forgotten and not chosen.
[Jeong Haneul becomes deeply enchanted by your voice, which precisely hits his taste.
Jeong Haneul’s Favorability +2
Current Favorability +2]
It seemed like the right choice to sing with thoughts like “Give me back my face” or “Send me home.”
“Ah, I like it. Shall we try the next part?”
“I’ll give it a try!”
[Jeong Haneul becomes more and more… deeply… enchanted by your voice.
Jeong Haneul’s Favorability +4
Current Favorability +6]
“I’ll make sure you won’t regret it in the second verse, let’s try up to the next line.”
“I’ll make sure you won’t regret it. Choose me before it’s too late, take my hand.”
[Jeong Haneul wants to take your hand.
Jeong Haneul’s Favorability +8
Current Favorability +14]
“How do you know my heart so well? Were you from True? Have you recorded before?”
“Thank you. I haven’t done it much.”
I sneakily glanced at Oh Hyeonjin from True Entertainment, who was sitting outside with his arms crossed.
I’ve held out in a major company for three years, so I might have done it once or twice. Or not.
Fortunately, Jeong Haneul, perhaps reminded of the tight schedule, refrained from asking further and concluded the situation with words of encouragement.
The recording might end up not being used in the mixing process, but nonetheless, it was a meaningful achievement, and I left the recording booth.
Nagase Ritsu, who was next in line, showed me his phone screen with a smile.
– Raon is a huge success (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
The awkward sentence that seemed to have been translated by a machine, along with the uniquely typical Japanese emoticons, made me laugh.
“Ritsu, do well too, uh… fighting.”
“Yeah. Fighting.”
And so, as the sun began to set, the recordings of all 37 trainees came to an end.
Jeong Haneul looked more tired than anyone and addressed the trainees.
“Thank you all for your hard work over the long hours today, and let’s work hard on the stage recording just like today. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Thank you!”
The studio, which had been relatively quiet, became bustling as everyone started to pack up and leave.
It would have been fine to send the trainees home as they finished their recordings.
But not doing so was typical of the Pick Your Heart’s production team.
Having come in my bare essentials, I only grabbed the padded coat I had hung on the coat rack before I left.
Then, someone grabbed my arm.
When I turned around, I saw it was Oh Hyeonjin.
Why grab me instead of just calling out?
His inconsiderate action almost made me drop my phone.
Clutching my nearly slipped phone in a nick of time, I asked with a hint of annoyance,
“Why?”
“Eungyu-hyung and Dokyung are here. Come see them, it’s been a while.”
Why was he speaking informally?
Was it because we were somewhere private? Despite the low favorability, Oh Hyeonjin’s friendly demeanor had me staring at him for a moment before I nodded.
“Sure, why not.”
Finally, Oh Hyeonjin let go of my arm with force.
Taking the elevator down with a few other trainees, I lost myself in thought.
“Eungyu-hyung” and “Dokyung” were likely trainees I knew back when I was still the previous On Raon.
If he was insisting I see them, were we close?
Or was this just what people from the same company did out of courtesy?
Having been holed up in my room, my already sparse social connections had dwindled long ago, leaving me unsure how to react in such situations.
We got off the elevator as the doors opened with a clear chime.
“Follow me.”
Oh Hyeonjin checked his message as he walked ahead.
After a short walk, I saw two boys whose names I had heard earlier floating above their heads.
They, too, noticed me.
“Leaving the company seems to have done you good, huh?”
“Long time no see.”
I silently read the names floating above their heads.
Lee Eungyu, Han Dokyung.
These two, not exceptionally handsome but far from ordinary, greeted me and Oh Hyeonjin.
Debating whether to speak formally or informally, I decided on the latter; it shouldn’t be a problem given the circumstances.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
It was a routine greeting, yet the expressions of Lee Eungyu and Han Dokyung visibly faltered.
Were they not doing well?
After a moment, Lee Eungyu smiled and replied,
“Ah, of course, I’ve been well.”
“The others miss you a lot too.”
“Really? Tell them I miss them too.”
If this were a dating sim game, such dialogue would only increase favorability, not decrease it.
[Han Dokyung suspects you might have been drinking.
Han Dokyung’s Favorability -4
Current Favorability -41]
[Lee Eungyu suspects you might have hit your head.
Lee Eungyu’s Favorability -4
Current Favorability -42]
Why did they bother coming to see me if they hated me so much?
Understanding the human heart was truly difficult.
Or did they, unlike On Raon’s usual self, got into trouble for acting like thugs and got kicked out?
So, did their favorability plummet because of it?
Did I harass you guys?
With just two sentences, Han Dokyung and Lee Eungyu seemed noticeably flustered.
Oh Hyeonjin, who stood silently by, seemed to have something to say to the two but chose not to intervene.
Then, the streetlights flickered on one by one with a sound.
Seeing our shadows stretched out like giant monsters, I suddenly thought,
I shouldn’t talk to them anymore.
There was no valid reason for it, just a gut feeling.
It was not good to judge people this way, but ever since I had a big fallout with those agency jerks, my gut feeling had become quite sharp.
As if acknowledging my decision, the system window popped up.
[You have made the correct judgment with your keen intuition.
Intuition +1]
A new Intuition stat appeared in my information window.
It seemed like it could be a cheat stat if used well, but having too many stats to increase wasn’t always welcome.
Otherwise, I’d end up as a jack-of-all-trades with higher levels but no specialization.
After a while, Han Dokyung, who had been quiet, put his arm around my shoulder with a friendly smile and said,
“We’re about to go eat dinner. Come with us.”
With a favorability of -41, how dared he act so friendly?
I naturally slipped away and shook my head.
“No, I have someone waiting for me. I’ll be going now.”
“Oh, okay. Go ahead.”
Despite calling me out, they let me go easily.
Only that my favorability dropped again with the message that they were suspicious of me.
I had no idea what kind of mess the original body’s owner got into.
I hadn’t done anything, yet I couldn’t understand why my favorability was in such a terrible state.
Let’s just leave it as a mess.
Being the early part of the game, it was time to throw in some bait to fully exploit the player’s anxiety.
The main story will unravel it all eventually.
Leaving behind a dubious meeting that only resulted in gaining an Intuition stat, I headed back the way I came.
The person I was waiting for was, of course, Grandpa Go Sujong.
“If you have nowhere to go after leaving, then come back.”
…Could I really take those words at face value?
What if he chases me away saying I took his words too seriously?
To be honest, I had left my luggage behind, thinking I would return.
Eventually, as the night deepened and I had no other options, I had to accept my situation and sneak back in.
If he asks why I came back again…
As I let three buses pass by while sitting idly on the bus stop bench…
I felt the phone in my pocket vibrate.
It was Grandpa Go Sujong.
– Bring toilet paper when you come… 3-ply…
Toilet paper!
It was essential!
As soon as I read the message, I sprang up and ran towards a bus that was about to close its doors, shouting,
“Sir! I’m getting on!”
Perhaps it was thanks to the bus’s blasting heater, a warm sensation circulated through my cold body.
* * *
“Is that guy seriously crazy?”
“I told you. He’s weird.”
In response to Han Dokyung’s words, Oh Hyeonjin spoke in a soft voice.
Lee Eungyu, who gulped down his soda, recalled On Raon’s words and said,
“His Korean has improved fucking much. Has he been attending a Korean language school or what?”
“It’s not just that he’s good at speaking, but it’s like he’s a completely different person. How can he act as if it’s nothing?”
Lee Eungyu, who had unknowingly made an accurate guess, soon turned his eyes to Oh Hyeonjin, who was quietly chewing on his hamburger.
“Anyway, Oh Hyeonjin, keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t cause any trouble.”
“Got it.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yeah.”
