Chapter 1204: Soaring (4)

For most Koreans, the Grammy Awards did not have much of a presence.

But things had been different these past few days.

"Did you hear? The Grammys are next week."

"Oh, really? What time?"

"Was it Monday? I heard they’re broadcasting it live in the morning."

"Aw, then I won’t be able to watch. I’ll have to check the results afterward."

The keyword "Grammy" had naturally worked its way into everyday conversation.

"I heard Wooju’s father is getting an award this time… Something about being inducted into a hall of fame?"

"Oh, wow."

People widened their eyes as the ice rattled in their drinks at cafés.

"They changed the model in that ad. It used to be NewBlack. Did they get too expensive?"

"Come to think of it, isn’t Wooju going to the Grammys this time?"

"Yeah, I heard he might win something. Man, what a life. I’m jealous~"

A married couple chatted as they pushed a stroller through a department store.

"Everyone, may I have your attention? My husband Sun Wooju is going to the Grammys…!"

"Yeah, yeah. Welcome, Wife Number 1,001,397."

"Hey!"

"Ow! You lunatic, stop hitting me!"

Even male and female students bickering in a snack bar were talking about the Grammys.

The entire nation was talking about the Grammy Awards.

NewBlack had drawn plenty of attention when they were nominated the previous year, but the level of interest this year was incomparable.

-NewBlack’s Wooju Nominated for Both Grammy and Academy Awards… "Double Celebration"

The first reason was that many Koreans were watching closely to see whether Wooju would win a Grammy and an Oscar.

Winning either one alone would be a historic career achievement. Winning both would be an accomplishment so extraordinary that it was difficult even to imagine.

Then there was the second reason for the intense interest.

-Which Major Grammy Categories Was Wooju Nominated For…? "Equivalent to the Grand Prize at a Korean Awards Show"

Wooju had been nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, two of the categories commonly counted among the Big Four.

Of course, there were people who did not know much about that.

-So Record of the Year and Song of the Year are basically like the grand prize???

-How prestigious are they?

-I’m trying to compare them to something, but all I can think of is the Mango Chart Awards lololololol. They do sound like the grand prizes at some insanely prestigious ceremony though

As if to prove that seeing was believing, some people answered the question.

[Why the Grammy Categories Wooju Was Nominated For Are Insane]

Even that Hayley Blue won three awards and burst into tears

A fairy-like beauty with blue hair was clutching a trophy in her gown and sobbing.

For anyone thinking, Isn’t it natural to cry with joy after winning a major award? there were clips underneath showing Hayley Blue’s acceptance speeches after winning the top prizes at the Billboard Music Awards and the AMAs.

She stood with one leg crooked, wearing something like a rocker jacket and sporting a delinquent attitude.

When the video began playing, her gravelly Billboard acceptance speech rang out.

[Thanks, Billboard! You guys are fucking awesome!]

Next came her AMA speech.

[AMA, thank you so much for giving me this incredible award. Honestly, I thought you wouldn’t give it to me because I’m Canadian. You Americans are actually cooler than I expected.]

The American audience laughed cheerfully and applauded.

"……."

"……."

After staring at speeches that would have detonated every online community in Korea, they turned their attention back to Hayley’s Grammy acceptance speech.

[Sob… sniff…. Sob, sob… fuck… sob.]

The Koreans nodded.

So it was that kind of awards show.

Those categories were even more prestigious than we thought.

Then there was the final reason this year’s Grammys had drawn particularly intense attention.

-Sun Myeongju Invited Back to Grammys After Twenty Years… "A Father’s Award, Accepted by His Son"

People wanted to see Sun Myeongju, the central figure in the box-office sensation that had swept theaters around the world, receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

-The ceremony hasn’t even started yet, so why am I already crying??

-They sure gave it to him quickly, those bastards

-An award is an award, yeah?? but I’m still pissed about watching None in the theater. How could they not give him a single award?

-It does feel a little like they’re trying to cover their asses, but I’ll let it slide

-Congratulations, Sun Myeongju????

Every Korean understood the significance of the award.

They’re watching their backs because the movie became a hit.

A musician whom mainstream media had pretended not to see and deliberately ignored had been thrust into the spotlight by the film, forcing them to take public criticism into account.

Even Americans were shocked to discover that Sun Myeongju had never won a single award.

-He doesn’t have any? There’s no way he literally has none… Wait, he really doesn’t?

After the film’s release, criticism had poured down on the established music industry and the media, prompting them to hurriedly prepare an award.

Still, an award was an award.

It had come far too late, but people were simply glad he was finally receiving one. More than anything, they wanted to see his son accept his father’s award.

And so, as everyone went about their daily lives, they set aside one small wish for NewBlack.

I hope it goes well.

God, please let me win the lottery, and if You have any strength left over, please help Wooju win too. He’s my favorite.

Small, adorable wishes.

If heaven had a department responsible for processing them, there would surely have been no room left to set foot inside.

Staples Center, Los Angeles.

The venue hosting the 61st Grammy Awards was packed so tightly there was hardly room to move.

"Waaaaaaaaah-!"

We smiled warmly and waved at the distant screams drifting toward us.

The windows were tinted, so they probably could not see us from outside, but for some reason, we still wanted to greet the Souffles cheering beyond the barricades.

"Ah, this is nice."

"Souffles are always so cute."

At a sound resembling the roar of a Tyrannosaurus somewhere outside, my younger members and I smiled fondly.

The atmosphere was filled more with ease than tension.

As we adjusted our tuxedos and checked our clothes inside the limousine—

Gulp-

The sound of someone swallowing echoed through the vehicle.

A skeletal frame that looked as though a single breath could blow it away.

His makeup concealed his dark circles and made his complexion brighter than usual, but he still looked exhausted.

Tremble, tremble, tremble-

Jiho slid over to Na Sangyoon, who looked uncomfortable seeing himself in a tuxedo.

"Producer Na~"

"Y-Yeah?"

"Why are you all shriveled up with nerves today?"

"B-Because I’m nervous……."

He seemed several times more nervous than when he had appeared on Mr. Producer.

We kept telling him to relax, but it was not exactly the kind of problem that could be solved just by saying so.

Na Sangyoon loosened his bow tie and said, "I know perfectly well that no one is going to pay any attention to me. I know that, but my body won’t stop……."

I nodded and turned my gaze.

"Junghyun."

"Yes."

"Press his calming pressure point."

Junghyun pressed the producer’s pressure point while chanting rhythmically.

"Rumble-rumble~ Peekaboo~"

"You don’t need to do it the way you do it for me, Junghyun."

"Oh, right."

It did seem to be working. Some color returned to Na Sangyoon’s pale face.

"It works, doesn’t it?"

"Junghyun really is strong. I feel like the blood is circulating through my whole body."

I laughed at our team leader, who seemed slightly calmer than before, and looked around at the members.

"Shall we go, then?"

"Go, go!"

The moment we stepped out of the car, camera flashes poured down on us.

As we stood in front of the photo wall, noisy voices came from every direction.

"How do you feel, Sunny?"

"I’m truly happy. I’m so glad I could be here with my members on such an honorable day."

Although I was the only nominee, I thanked the Grammy organizers for generously providing enough tickets for all of us.

"What would you call today’s fashion style?"

"Jazz, obviously."

We showed off the outfits provided by the brands we each represented and entered the venue.

Elegant tableware rested atop luxurious tables.

As we made our way toward the table marked [The New Black], people who spotted us waved.

"Congratulations on the Grammy nominations!! It feels a little strange to say this now, but the moment I heard Answer, I knew it was Grammy material."

"Well, look who it is! My beloved NewBlack~! Sweethearts, come over here! There’s someone I want to introduce you to."

"The artists of the year have arrived!"

Greeting after greeting after greeting.

It took us thirty minutes to cross a distance of only a few dozen meters.

After taking hundreds of selfies for social media, we finally reached our seats, where two people I knew well were chatting.

A blue-haired singer was hovering around a rapper in sunglasses.

They looked like a pair of squabbling cartoon children.

"What do you think?? Do you think I’ll win a Grammy this time, Coldy?"

"Shh."

"Why?"

"I feel like you’ll jinx it if you say anything."

"Huh? What was that?? I can’t hear the voice of someone who’s never won a Grammy."

Hayley Blue stuck out her tongue and taunted him while Cold Brown smiled through gritted teeth.

Cold, who had been sitting down, spotted me and sprang to his feet.

"HEY!!!"

His brilliant white teeth flashed in a broad grin.

"Sunny, Sunny, my Grammy vending mach—no, my Grammy mate."

"Have you been well, Cold?"

"Of course I have."

His eyes dripped with affection as he looked at me.

Was it because I was considered the strongest contender?

I recalled how photographs of his tearful eyes at every year’s Grammy Awards circulated as memes.

A singer who had achieved every possible milestone in his career except winning a Grammy.

"I’ve been praying every single day. Lord, watch over me."

Cold Brown began reciting prayers.

"Great Buddha, aid me. Almighty Ahura Mazda, look down upon me with mercy. If You let me win a Grammy, I’ll live as a good man from now on. If I don’t win, I’m going to go bad and fall into delinquency."

…Was he reciting one for every religion?

I burst out laughing at the professional rapper filling even that short prayer with rhymes and sat down.

Just then, Hayley showed an interest in the person who had accompanied us.

"Huh? Who’s this? He looks familiar."

"I’m Na Sangyoon. We met during the production of Blue Moon."

"Ah!"

Hayley nodded as if she remembered, then blinked.

She strode directly toward Na Sangyoon.

Overwhelmed by her forceful presence, he stepped backward.

"Why… Why are you……?"

"You look different from back then. Your face is even more gaunt."

Cold agreed with her.

"Sangyoon, what happened to your face? Are you sick?"

Na Sangyoon scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward laugh.

"There’s nothing wrong with me, haha…. I had a checkup not long ago, and the doctor said I was extremely healthy."

"Then the cause must be……."

Hayley and Cold both turned their gazes toward me.

I had been quietly sipping water when I met their eyes.

"…What?"

"We think we know exactly who’s responsible."

The two senior singers nodded with knowing expressions.

I felt terribly wronged.

The Grammy Awards.

The curtain rose on the ceremony where the greatest stars in the global music industry had gathered.

The opening performance was a collaboration between Regina, a superstar and pop diva with fervent support from Hispanic fans, and an up-and-coming Latin pop singer.

Surrounded by dancers in revealing outfits, the man and woman sang a sultry duet.

You said you would

pluck the stars from the sky for me

but it was all a lie

you bastard

Regina had written the song after breaking up with her ex-boyfriend, and the single had become a massive Billboard hit the previous year.

The lyrics were a diss aimed at her cheating ex.

In the original, the line "you bastard" was written as "you fucking ***," but it had been toned down for the Grammys.

To be eligible for a Grammy, a song containing profanity had to be submitted in a "Clean Version."

In any case, it was a good thing.

"Ohohoho~ Ohohoho~"

Had it been the original version, I might have had to worry about Jiho’s emotional development as he casually sang along.

After Regina finished her song and left the stage, several awards were presented.

Next, British singer-songwriter Kelly Nelson came out.

Accompanied by a pianist, the black-haired beauty stood before a standing microphone in a gown.

If you allow me

I’ll carve my name

into your heart

The song’s lyrics declared that she would make the other person love her so deeply that they would never forget her, even after they broke up.

Apparently, the Moonlight fandom and Kelly had gotten into an enormous fight on social media because of the song.

-I understand that you’re dating Colin. But do you really need to flaunt it with a song about being in love?? You bat-looking ***.

-Hey, Sunshines. Unfortunately, this song isn’t about Colin, and I’m not a woman who sells her body. Please go outside and live your lives. (prayer emoji) Oh, right! I’m planning to show him the messages you sent me.

-Kelly, don’t misunderstand. The person who just sent that message is actually a Souffle. Not a real Sunshine.

In any case, although there had been all sorts of noisy stories surrounding the song, I had heard its performance was considered underwhelming compared to her previous album.

Beginning with Regina and Kelly Nelson, one performance after another showcased the artists who had stood at the center of attention in the North American music industry that year.

Chocolate cake

Oh, chocolate cake-

Take my chocolate cake

baby

Surrounded by male dancers, a female rapper began performing an indecent dance.

As the famous rap queen performed a song that used chocolate cake as a metaphor for something else, Ri Hyuk and I covered our mouths and whispered to Jiho.

"Jiho. Forget every lyric you hear from this point onward."

"Close your ears."

"Huh? I’m fine. I don’t understand what they mean anyway. Hehe."

What a relief.

We continued watching the performances symbolizing 2018, a year in which female singers had been particularly prominent.

[And the winner of Best Pop Vocal Album is….]

[Hayley Blue!]

Hayley Blue won Best Pop Vocal Album, marking the beginning of the latter half of the ceremony.

Aside from a few remaining categories, all that was left was the General Field.

And….

"Hyung, I think it’s about to happen."

I nodded at Biju’s whisper.

I knew who had come out to introduce the presenter.

A broad-built Black actor introduced himself in a majestic voice like a lion’s roar.

"Good evening. I’m Willie Jones."

He was the actor who had played saxophonist Winston Ross in Sound of the Sun.

Our eyes briefly met, and he smiled at me before making a few comments and introducing the presenter.

"Please welcome the person presenting today’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The greatest classical pianist of this century, the incomparable genius Paul Laurent."

A man in a suit walked onto the stage amid the audience’s applause.

A handsome blond Frenchman.

As heavily French-accented English flowed from his mouth, I heard people nearby murmuring that it sounded sexy.

Paul Laurent gestured with practiced ease.

"First, I would like to thank the Recording Academy for inviting me. As a classical musician, it feels unusual to attend a place often described as popular culture’s grandest party. It is fascinating as well. Wow. Leah Sloan, Kiss & Kill, Hayley Blue…."

Hayley shouted, "Sorry, I’m married!" and laughter briefly swept through the venue.

Paul smiled.

"Seeing all of you who work in popular music reminds me of my younger self. Back then, my heroes were not the hottest Britpop bands of the era. Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Brahms… They were the heroes of my childhood."

"To me, the popular music all of you made was music of a slightly lower caliber than classical music."

As the pop stars furrowed their brows, Paul added,

"And I was five years old."

Laughter erupted throughout the ceremony hall.

The response was essentially, Well, that’s understandable for a five-year-old.

Paul waited for the audience to settle and looked into the camera.

"In my world, classical music was immortal, while every other kind of music was light and insignificant."

He nodded.

"Until one man appeared."

The people around me began looking at me or glancing at me from the corners of their eyes.

"He and his wife were a married couple who played jazz. They traveled around the world supporting children who possessed great talent but lacked financial means."

"Looking back, it was an incredibly childish thing to say, but as a boy, I told him that jazz was inferior to classical music."

"Even after hearing such an absurd remark, he merely smiled and replied, ‘Maybe, Paul.’"

Paul Laurent paused and gestured.

"The man crouched down for a child who did not even reach his waist and told me, ‘Would you like to know a secret, Paul? Music is not wonderful because the music itself is wonderful. It is wonderful because the person making it is wonderful.’"

"‘And from what I can see, your music will be more wonderful than anything else in the world.’"

Silence fell.

"Beginning with one small child living in a French orphanage, Sun Myeongju and Lee Myeongeun saved many children."

"And with your permission, I would like to introduce some special guests here today."

Who was coming out?

As murmurs spread through the audience, Paul Laurent gestured toward the seats.

"One person who lived under the threat of civil war grew into a magnificent musician."

Faces I recognized began rising from their seats one after another.

"Another escaped the slums and became a respected professor."

One person winked at me. Another stood shyly, while someone else rose with confidence.

The Americans in the venue began applauding more loudly.

By the time more than a hundred people had risen from the audience, I tore my blank gaze away from them and looked back toward the stage.

There, I met a pair of blue eyes that had been watching me.

"Twenty years later, his children have gathered here once again. And if you do not mind……."

English still used only the word "you," but everyone knew exactly whom he meant.

Paul Laurent asked me politely,

"May we call the name of another father?"

The applauding audience looked at me, and every staff member in the venue turned toward me.

Of course.

I smiled and nodded, and applause and cheers erupted from every direction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Sun Myeongju!"

At Paul Laurent’s words, a photograph of the great musician appeared on the screen.

[Meet our Sun!]

It was the moment I had waited for all my life.