Chapter 54

Volume 1 / Chapter 54

"You? I don't know."

"....."

He clenched his fists at Jun Hyuk who had thrown the words as if annoyed before turning his back on him. It made him mad enough that a kid a year younger was being so rude, but he could not take the insult that Jun Hyuk was acting as though he was not worth thinking of.

Lee Hae Jun was better at enduring than he was at singing. He had endured five years of the strident trainee life. He relaxed his fists and spoke in a low voice,

"Are you saying my singing is so bad it's not worth talking about?"

Jun Hyuk turned his chair around again,

"That's not it. I mean I haven't heard you sing before."

Lee Hae Jun's heart melted. Of course Jun Hyuk had never heard him sing.

"I'm actually preparing to debut in an idol group. I'm the main vocal there."

"Really? Well what does it matter if you can't sing when you're going to be an idol? Isn't stuff like dancing more important?"

He was experiencing this prejudice again. He was sick and tired of this prejudice. People did not realize that this trend was changing.

"It's not. The main vocal of an idol group, especially for a boy group, is really important. That way we can be included in things like OSTs, musicals, and solo albums."

"I'm sure it is. You've been a trainee for a long time, right?"

Kwak Hye Sung understood why the vocal trainer's criticism of Lee Hae Jun had been rare.

"Yes. Five years."

"And you received all your vocal training?"

"Yes."

"No wonder. That's why teacher Ryu Sun Hee doesn't criticize you."

"Sing for us."

Jun Hyuk nodded to the guitar leaning on the wall.

"Right now?"

"Yeah."

Lee Hae Jun hesitated before taking the guitar and started to sing,

"... You'll meet again when you miss her....."

As Lee Hae Jun sang Buhwal's Neverending Story, a few people from downstairs gathered at the door.

"Ooh~ Ooh~"

"Good night."

When his song finished, the people at the door clapped and cheered for him. He hit the high notes well and he had expressed the emotions of the song almost perfectly.

"What do you think?"

Lee Hae Jun felt a little lifted by the applause and put the guitar down to look at Jun Hyuk.

"It won't do. Just beat everyone with exact dancing. Make singing a backup."

No one could breathe at Jun Hyuk's harsh criticism. How could he insult someone to their face without hesitation?

"What's the reason? Am I that bad at singing?"

Lee Hae Jun was barely able to speak.

"Why do you sing?"

"What? What kind of question is that? Obviously it's because I like to sing."

"Hah. Really?"

Lee Hae Jun could not speak because Jun Hyuk laughed lightly.

He liked to sing. That was in the past. It was not like that anymore. Now, singing was tiresome, painful, and boring.

Singing?

It had been long since he had taken the road to money and fame by becoming a star. At this state, he could even become an actor if he was told that it was a faster way to become a star. Singing was not his goal but a road.

"What object do you think your singing is? It's an object made by a technician. It's not even an object made because they liked it but because it sells well. Tell me honestly, you're sick of singing, right?"

"....."

Lee Hae Jun could not respond to Jun Hyuk's fastball and stayed silent.

"If the person singing is thinking that, how do you think the people listening feel? Music is honest. It can't lie."

Lee Hae Jun could not listen to Jun Hyuk anymore and left his seat. He needed to get some fresh air, or he would throw the punch.

He went outside the entrance and stood on the small grassy lawn, thinking about what Jun Hyuk said. The judges had complimented him saying that he had a well-made vocal. He found it weird that he was so affected by Jun Hyuk's words. He was a teenager just like him even if he was called a genius. His words would not leave his head though.

Singing was not fun.

He could not get over the radical question Jun Hyuk had asked. He was still young, but it was the first time he had been asked that.

"Hey there. Is this the dormitory for Tomorrow's Star?"

Lee Hae Jun jumped in surprise at the voice he heard out of nowhere. He forgot about Jun Hyuk.

"Yes, but who are you? Reporters can't come in here."

"Ah, I'm a lawyer, not a reporter. Is Jang Jun Hyuk inside?"

Lee Hae Jun took the man's business card. Lawyer Baek Seung Ho. Lawyer? Why would a lawyer be looking for Jun Hyuk?

"Ha ha. Don't misunderstand. I have to speak with Jun Hyuk regarding a sponsorship contract. I can meet him, right?"

"You can't come into the house."

"Hey, you're being difficult. It's not a prison or anything. Alright. I'll stay outside, please call him out for me. It'll be quick."

"Okay."

Baek Seung Ho took out a cigarette when Lee Hae Jun disappeared into the house. How great of a broadcast did they think they were making that they locked the kids up in a place like this? He was looking at the blurry shadows of people in the windows when the front door opened and a tall, young boy came out.

"You look better in person."

"Sir, who are you?"

"Me? I'm someone really close to Yoon Kwang Hun. First, take the phone."

Baek Seung Ho took out his phone,

"Hey, it's me... Okay. I just met him... You talk to him first. I'll put him on the line."

A confused Jun Hyuk took the phone from Baek Seung Ho.

"Hello?"

- Is this Jun Hyuk? It's me. How are you? It's not hard? And fun?

"Oh, boss. Yes. I'm doing well. How are you?"

- I'm good too.

"But why does your voice sound like that? Are you sick?"

- No kid. I'm just happy to hear your voice. Jun Hyuk.

"Yes."

- You know that man you're with right now? He's a lawyer at a really big and famous firm.

"Lawyer?"

Jun Hyuk eyed the man smoking a cigarette next to him and kept talking on the phone.

- Yeah, so you can do whatever that man tells you to do. I trust him and he's like a little brother, so listen to him well. You understand?

"Yes. But why? Is something wrong?"

- I said everything is fine. Anyway, have fun. And show everyone how good you are, okay?

"Yes."

- Okay, put that lawyer back on the phone.

Jun Hyuk passed the phone back.

"Hello."

- Tell him well. He has a temper but he's a fast thinker. He's not reckless like the rumors. He's smarter than you think, so he'll understand.

"Alright. Just leave it to me. I'm a lawyer who lives off of words. I'm hanging up."

Baek Seung Ho hung up the phone and smiled at Jun Hyuk,

"Jun Hyuk, you're curious as to why I'm here, right?"

"Yes."

Baek Seung Ho searched for the articles on Jun Hyuk and Yoon Kwang Hun's relationship on his smartphone and showed them to Jun Hyuk,

"Read them slowly. This is what's happening outside."

Jun Hyuk's hand shook as he held the phone. He kept trying to touch the article, but random ads popped up as he kept missing it with his shaking fingers,

"Oh shit."

His hand shook and the swearing was uncontrollable. After the first article, there was another.

[Jang Jun Hyuk's Guardian Villain Boss, Closed Cafe and Ran Away? Location Unknown.]

After reading the articles for a while, Jun Hyuk's face turned red,

"These... these assholes....."

Baek Seung Ho took the phone out of Jun Hyuk's hand and spoke,

"You're angry, right?"

"... Yes."

"What would you like for me to do?"

"Excuse me?"

He felt like he was burning up, but this lawyer was laughing with a cigarette in his hand.