When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar

Chapter 11: KKs Beginning (2)

It was almost 3 am, and Do Wook’s eyes opened wide when he spotted Yong Soo Chul. He had been waiting for him for three hours.

A tall man was coming out of Emperor Nightclub. He was over 190cm tall; tall enough to believe that he’s a basketball player. Even though it was the middle of winter, he only had on a black rider jacket embedded with spikes.

‘I guess I didn’t have to worry about not being able to recognize him.’

DJ Yong Soo Chul. He was the composer of the song ‘Sorry but I love you’ that made KK a popular group. He was also the album producer.

He didn’t like revealing his real name so he went by the stage name ‘Brave Only Child’ for each song. Because of that, the public all knew him as ‘Brave Only Child’. His real name and past resume naturally became known as he made hit song after hit song like a machine and rose to popularity.

Yong Soo Chul didn’t receive formal composition training like other composers. He had an unique enough resume to say he came from the streets.

Yong Soo Chul was originally a nightclub waiter. He learned how to DJ after becoming fascinated with music while working as a waiter. He even wrote songs in his spare time as he worked as a nightclub DJ.

His educational background or past occupations wasn’t a problem because of his outstanding talent. The public would rave about his songs for many years. One such song was ‘Sorry, but I love you’.

It was said that he wrote the song before KK even debuted, so Yong Soo Chul would definitely have the song.

Do Wook planned on getting the song from Yong Soo Chul and have KK debut with “Sorry, but I love you’ instead of the original debut song ‘You’.

‘If it’s that song, we could definitely debut with as much buzz as M2M! No, possibly even more than that.’

Do Wook was finally able to let go of the can he was holding. After putting the can in the trash can, Do Wook smiled and left the convenience store.

The female part timer, who was looking at Do Wook suspiciously until now for having his hat on and loitering at the convenience store, blushed.

“Wow, he looks like a celebrity…”

The part-timer muttered to herself without even realizing it.

Do Wook had no idea of what was going on at the convenience store and focused solely on following Yong Soo Chul.

Yong Soo Chul was getting off work after DJing the evening stage during the weekend prime time. To someone who didn’t know him, he might look like he was on his way to scold someone, but in reality Yong Soo Chul was so happy that he was humming.

“Today’s response was good too, huu huu…”

He said as he admired himself for his DJ skills, which were getting better day by day.

There were lots of invitations to go drinking since it was the weekend, but Yong Soo Chul declined all of them. Yong Soo Chul thought of melodies easily these days so he was putting all his attention into song writing. After putting together a good song, he was going to refine it and enter a composer competition next year.

Yong Soo Chul was preoccupied thinking about the song he was working on that he didn’t realize there was a boy following him a few steps behind.

***

Yong Soo Chul’s living quarters/workshop was 20 minutes away by foot from Emperor Night Club. The place where he ate, slept, and lived as he endlessly worked on songs.

After making sure Yong Soo-cheol entered the door of the residential area, Do Wook turned around and left the alley.

If Yong Soo-cheol were an ordinary composer, it would have been easy to find out his contact information or email and get the song. However, there was no one in the world who knew Yong Soo Chul was composing yet. Even his acquaintances only knew that he started DJing. They didn’t know that he had ambitions for composing and producing.

‘It would be suspicious if I recklessly approached him and asked for the song. It’s too weird to know a song that’s only stored on his home computer.’

Because of that, Do Wook had to think of another way to get the song from Yong Soo Chul.

“Welcome~!”

Do Wook left the alley and headed towards the PC room he saw at the crossroad on the way. The stench of cigarettes stung his nostrils as soon as he stepped inside. He could hear the sound effects from popular games all around him. Do Wook asked the guy in shabby clothes, who was playing games while watching over the counter.

“Can I use the printer here?”

“…printer? Yes, you can. Black and white copies are 100won* per page, and color is 500won* per page. Please use the Computer 10 over there~!”

(TL note: 100 won is ~$0.08, 500 won is ~$0.36)

The part-timer was engrossed in his game and replied to Do Wook without even looking at him.

Do Wook took a seat at Computer 10 which was not far from the counter.

“Hmmm…”

After booting up the computer, Do Wook casually opened up Word. He put an image he had downloaded and emailed earlier as the background and started typing.

Come to think of it, it's been a long time since he’s sat in front of a computer and worked on a document. Since he changed bodies, he hasn't used the computer for anything besides surfing the internet.

Clack, clack clack, clack.

However, once he started tapping on the keyboard, his fingers moved without a problem. He had worked as a PR employee for many years. Plus, he wasn’t writing a new proposal, he just had to fill in the content in the right style so it was easy for Do Wook.

…Title song announcement for agency singer…

Clack clack, clack! The last thing he included was an email address he had written down.

As soon as he clicked the “print” button, the printer by the counter made noise and started working.

***

Do Wook printed about 30 pages of the notice in color and headed towards Yong Soo Chul’s place that he had just found out earlier.

Do Wook took out from his pocket the blue tape he bought at the convenience store and, focusing on Yong Soo Chul’s complex, posted the notice on every wall.

The sun was rising by the time he was almost done posting notices in the dark under the streetlight. It happened as he was posting the last notice right next to the door.

Screech― The sound of the metal door opening was boisterous in the quiet dawn alley. Coming out the door was a large man, none other than Yong Soo Chul.

Do Wook and Yong Soo Chul’s eyes met as he was posting the notice.

“······?”

Even though they only made eye contact, for a moment Do Wook felt an unexplainable sense of danger. Yong Soo Chul’s impression was that threatening. On top of that, his face looked worse because he was tired from working on songs all night.

Yong Soo Chul was leaving his house to clear his head in the morning air. He stared at Do Wook as he rubbed his bloodshot eyes. Looking around, he saw flyers all around that weren’t there when he got home.

“What are you putting up in front of someone else’s house? It looks messy.”

“Ah…the thing is.”

Do Wook hesitated because he had not counted on meeting Yong Soo Chul. As Yong Soo Chul approached Do Wook little by little, a shadow was cast over Do Wook.

“What is this?”

Yong Soo Chul was actually just asking normally, but to anyone else it would sound like he was mad. Yong Soo Chul took the paper Do Wook was holding, practically snatching it.

-Title song announcement for HIT Entertainment affiliated singer-

No restriction on educational background, age, or experience

Looking for a new composer talented in Hip Hop, Electronic, Dance Pop

Immediate release of agency singer’s album title song upon selection

.

.

He could see Yong Soo Chul holding onto the paper tightly. Do Wook was screaming with joy inside. He made the flyers and posted them around his house so only Yong Soo Chul would see it.

He was going to post it over the weekend only when Yong Soo Chul was active, and was going to take them down afterward. He had planned on camping in front of there every day, but Yong Soo Chul came out and happened to see it immediately.

HIT Entertainment also posted an announcement online for KK’s debut. However, it was just a pop up on the official homepage so it was hard to know unless you were actively engaged in the composing community. The announcement was only a formality; internally, they were putting their efforts into getting a song through famous composer contacts.

Because of that, the content of the formal announcement by HIT Entertainment and the content of the announcement Do Wook made were a little different. The part about no education or experience needed and that it happened to say electronic/dance pop genres were all targeted at Yong Soo Chul.

It was said that Yong Soo Chul had entered several contests before he became a popular composer. Therefore, Do Wook believed that Yong Soo Chul would enter if he saw an announcement that was perfect for him.

“Why are you posting these here? And so early in the morning at that.”

Even after he was done reading the contents of the notice, Yong Soo Chul looked Do Wook up and down suspiciously like he was doubtful. It was too quiet of a residential area to put up a notice for publicity.

“I wanted as many people as possible to see it…”

“Then wouldn’t it be faster if you post it on that side of the street or post it on the internet? Is this really legit?”

“It’s already posted on the internet. If you look on the homepage you should see it. And…”

Do Wook took off the hat he was wearing. As soon as he took the hat off, his bright features were immediately visible.

Yong Soo Chul, who thought he was pretty handsome just by looking at his eyes under the hat, was a little surprised. He thought he had seen pretty much all the good looking faces while working at the nightclub, but it was more than that. Even his hair that was slightly flattened from the hat was natural, and it looked even more stylish for no reason.

“Actually, I’m posting these all over on my own will…I don’t know where to post these, and during the day or evening I have work so I only have time in the early morning. I know that you might be upset about putting these in front of your house, but please find it in your heart to understand.”

“Well, you don’t have to go that far…”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll take it all down right now!”

Yong Soo Chul fiercely scratched his thick eyebrows that were ascending towards his forehead.

He was sure that he was at least 10 years younger than him but he explained the situation in a very polite tone and apologized, so he was dumbfounded. He wasn’t that mad anyways.

Assuming that the announcement was true, it was an opportunity that literally came ‘knocking on the door’ for Yong Soo Chul.

“No! Leave it. You’re making me feel bad… But why are you posting these when you weren’t even told to? Are you an employee there?”

Do Wook looked at Yong Soo Chul with sincere and eager eyes.

“I’m not an employee. I’m actually a singer preparing to debut at HIT Entertainment.”

“What?! I knew it, the way you look…! Wait but, it’s even weirder if that’s the case. Why is the singer doing stuff like this?”

“I really need a song in order to debut but…. A song….There is no song for me to debut with… I thought it might help even a little if I did this.”

A little bit of lies were mixed in there, but it was sincere.

If you debut without a good song, become a so-so singer and get forgotten, that can’t even be considered debuting.

Looking at Do Wook dripping with sincerity, Yong Soo Chul subconsciously made a pitiful expression. Do Wook’s hands that he briefly saw were red and frozen.

“You’re naive. Do you think you’ll get a song if you post in a place like this? If you’re going to post them, place them where a lot of composers live, maybe around Shin Sa? Post them there. No, if your company is HIT, that’s not even a small company. Tell them to spend more money ….”

“Do you know much about this kind of stuff by any chance?”

Yong Soo Chul was subconsciously muttering as if he were giving advice, perhaps because of the sincerity he felt from Do Wook. Yong Soo Chul cleared his throat a couple times at Do Wook’s question.

Yong Soo Chul thought that he wasn’t prepared enough yet. That was also the reason he aimed for the contest next year. However, the powerful pull of the handsome young man in front of him was amazing. To be honest, thinking about how this young man, who might be tone deaf for all he knows, might sing his songs was vaguely raising his expectations.

Suddenly, Do Wook grabbed the edge of Yong Soo Chul’s sleeves. It was more of a desperate gesture than a rude one.

“If you know anyone, could you please pass the word along? That we’re waiting for a song.”

Yong Soo Chul nodded his head before he knew it. It felt almost as if he were waiting for him even though he probably knew nothing about him.

—