Chapter 971: I Am the King of Singers, But...? (6)

While Ri Hyuk sang the chorus, the audience could only stare blankly with their mouths hanging open.

Look, here is the sea

The sea

You longed to see

The high notes rose once, then softened.

And once again, another clear blue high note spread across the stage.

It sounded like a massive choir.

A beautiful harmony like dozens of people singing together at once.

The only difference being that there was actually just one person singing this song.

‘How....’

Similar thoughts filled the audience’s minds.

‘How can someone sing like that?’

The Girl in the Forest stage from Round 1 had shown Ri Hyuk’s skill level.

But Fragments of a Dream felt different somehow.

Every line the singer sang made something deep in their chests ache and tingle.

Perhaps this was what people meant when they said a song could soothe emotions.

Ri Hyuk wasn’t merely technically gifted.

He was a singer who approached the audience through delicate emotional expression.

If the performance had a slogan, it would probably be something like this—

-For me, for you, and for all of our childhoods.

The audience quietly watched while remembering their own childhoods.

Some covered their mouths with moist eyes.

Others smiled softly.

Within the grand melody, the emotional atmosphere continued swelling.

A song sung by a child who had finally reached the light at the end of a long tunnel and become an adult.

And so I

The child I once was

Finally

Became an adult

The word “finally” seemed carved into the air itself.

As the lingering sound scattered like dust, the audience exploded into thunderous cheers.

“WAAAAAAAHHHHHH—!”

If this had been a concert, people would have unconsciously started shouting, “Encore!”

Even after King of Singers Sun Wooju quietly lowered the microphone and stood still, the atmosphere remained blazing hot.

And—

‘Ri Hyuk won.’

‘This belongs to Ri Hyuk.’

The audience judged it a complete landslide victory for Seo Ri Hyuk in every aspect.

Jo Yuri’s stage had certainly been impressive.

The raspy high-note confession toward a lover had genuinely drawn admiration.

But...

-Look. This is my skill.

...that impression lingered too strongly.

Technically, it was incredible, but it felt similar to the amazement people experienced after watching a difficult trick performance.

Ri Hyuk’s stage, on the other hand, had been different.

Special.

Where the former seemed to flaunt his abilities to win a competition, Ri Hyuk used his abilities to convey emotion.

And—

“Ri Hyuk sang better, didn’t he?”

“Definitely.”

Even from a purely technical standpoint, Seo Ri Hyuk had overwhelmingly won.

This was completely different from Round 1, where he had deliberately relaxed his voice.

He had exerted himself a bit in Round 2 against the powerful ballad singer Dokgo Young...

But in Round 3, Seo Ri Hyuk had truly shown everything he possessed.

-A vocal range as vast as the sea itself, combined with stable technique.

During this stage, Ri Hyuk demonstrated perfectly controlled high notes ranging from deep lows all the way into the third octave, showing what true extreme precision sounded like.

In other words, the range of songs he could handle was astonishingly broad.

He wasn’t simply good at clear, refreshing songs.

He was an all-purpose vocalist capable of singing anything.

And on top of that, he used tonal variation to express emotions in diverse ways.

Unlike the tone he normally used for idol activities, Ri Hyuk proved through this finals performance that he wasn’t limited to bright refreshing vocals alone.

‘This is insane.’

‘So Ri Hyuk could sing like this too.’

The afterimage of King of Singers Sun Wooju’s powerful performance lingered endlessly within the grand music.

To the point where people could barely even remember Jo Yuri’s stage anymore.

The difference between victory and defeat had become that obvious.

“Now then! It’s time to vote!”

Jo Yuri, wearing the wolf mask, walked back onto the stage.

For some reason, his steps dragged heavily.

He seemed to know it himself.

That he had lost.

“Members of the judging panel, please press your buttons!”

The audience carefully stared at the switches, making sure not to confuse numbers 1 and 2 as they pressed firmly.

Then pressed once more to make absolutely certain the vote had registered.

After voting, people looked toward “King of Singers Sun Wooju” and “Lonely Wolf” standing onstage.

‘Jo Yuri suddenly looks weak.’

‘Why does the wolf suddenly look so pathetic...?’

The wolf who had radiated final boss energy just moments ago now looked like an ordinary neighborhood mutt.

That was how clear the gap in skill felt.

Unbelievable as it was—

‘Ri Hyuk is seriously unbelievable.’

At last, the public truly realized that NewBlack’s main vocalist was good enough to rival famous veteran vocalists.

The ironclad prejudice people held toward idol vocalists—

Round 1 had cracked those preconceptions apart.

And Round 3 completely shattered them, rebuilding the audience’s perception from the ground up.

“Yes! Voting has now ended!”

Spotlights shone down on the two singers.

The flower mask stood politely with both hands clasped together while the wolf mask exhaled heavily toward the ceiling.

“Then we shall reveal the results~”

“The winner of today’s Mission Singer Round 3 King of Singers Qualification Match is......!”

The tense background music swelled.

People swallowed nervously, waiting to see by how many votes Ri Hyuk had won.

Boom!

“We will now reveal the results!”

The score difference appeared on the screen.

Fans’ hearts pounded wildly.

[Lonely Wolf : 14]

[King of Singers Sun Wooju : 86]

The lights over the wolf mask dimmed while dazzling lights poured down over the flower mask.

“!”

“!!”

Everyone’s eyes widened at the score gap.

“No way! This is...!”

Even the commentators sounded shocked.

“Has there ever been a Round 3 score difference this large before?!”

“This is absolutely overwhelming! King of Singers Sun Wooju!”

This wasn’t a gap that popularity alone could create.

The audience applauded with expressions saying, Yeah, that makes sense.

‘Jo Yuri was good too... but his opponent was just too monstrous.’

‘Poor guy.’

‘Seriously, why did he have to run into Ri Hyuk... unfortunate.’

Even though they had only discovered it today, the audience quickly shifted gears as though they had known about Ri Hyuk’s vocal talent from the very beginning.

‘NewBlack is terrifyingly strong!’

‘As expected of NewBlack.’

For some reason, everyone looked absurdly proud, like they had personally raised him themselves.

After leaving the stage, Jo Yuri roughly tore off the wolf mask.

Rustle—

If the sound of a collapsing mentality existed, he felt certain he could hear it beside his ears right now.

As he descended backstage, the monitor screen came into view.

“Thank you~ I’d like to dedicate this honor to ‘that special person’ I love!”

The audience burst into laughter.

If it had been anyone else, people might have thought he meant a girlfriend.

But everyone already knew the name Madam Kim Deoksun.

‘What’s so funny about that?’

Even the laughter sounded like mockery to Jo Yuri now.

“Ah.......”

He grabbed his throbbing head.

His mentality was shattered.

His pride was shattered.

He had the urge to throw the mask in his hand onto the floor—

but stopped himself.

“Mr. Wolf~”

“Yes?”

“Please put your mask back on. We asked contestants not to remove them outside the waiting room.”

“Ah... sorry....”

“Please be careful~”

The assistant director spoke indifferently.

“Thank you for your hard work~ Please return to the waiting room.”

In other words, stop loitering around and getting in the way while we work.

Even that stung.

‘Would they have treated Seo Ri Hyuk like this?’

Imagine if NewBlack’s Ri Hyuk had been standing here in exactly the same situation.

Would a staff member have dared tell him to hurry back to the waiting room?

They probably wouldn’t even have dared ask him to put the mask back on.

Instead, they would’ve stood there laughing and chatting warmly with him.

“Mr. Wolf?”

“Yes? Ah, yes....”

But unlike NewBlack, the broadcasting station held absolute power over him.

And he was completely expendable.

Just as he reluctantly started walking back—

“Um....”

The staff member turned toward him.

Their expression clearly said, Why are you bothering me when I’m busy to death?

“Yes?”

“Could you... tell me who arranged that song just now?”

“Why?”

“Well....”

He couldn’t exactly ask honestly.

-Did Sun Wooju arrange that song?

...there was no way he could say that aloud.

He had personally arranged Rain Shower himself for Round 3.

But there was no way Ri Hyuk could have arranged Fragments of a Dream on his own.

Then who else could it have been?

Surely it had been touched by Sun Wooju, currently considered Korea’s greatest composer.

Honestly, wasn’t that unfair?

“Hm.”

As Jo Yuri hesitated awkwardly, the assistant director looked him up and down.

As though fully aware of exactly what he was thinking, the assistant director finally answered.

“A man named Kim Hyungseop arranged it.”

“Ah... I see....”

An unfamiliar name.

Jo Yuri slowly turned away.

If there had been a rock nearby, he would have wanted to kick it.

‘They’re seriously thorough as hell.......’

Apparently they had deliberately avoided having Sun Wooju touch the arrangement himself, just in case antis started claiming, He only won because Sun Wooju arranged it.

Jo Yuri muttered to himself.

“Who the hell is Kim Hyungseop anyway...?”

There was no way for Jo Yuri to know.

That Kim Hyungseop was the arranging genius who had joined Lemon Entertainment’s producing team after creating a remix for Nine, and whom many considered even better than Sun Wooju specifically at arranging.

Or that he was also the person whose remix had played during the Pyeongchang Olympics.

And above all—

that every single part of this had been part of Sun Wooju’s plan from the start.

‘Whatever. I’ll aim for the competition two weeks from now.’

Jo Yuri waited for his next chance.

“WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”

“He did it!”

“Sun Wooju! Sun Wooju!”

“King of Singers! King of Singers!”

Our waiting room had descended into complete chaos.

People grabbed me while shouting.

“Sun Wooju! Sun Wooju!”

“Knew Wooju was strong!”

‘That’s Ri Hyuk, though....’

I couldn’t help laughing at the staff celebrating as though I had personally won.

Meanwhile, after hearing endless praise from the panelists and commentators, Ri Hyuk was finally asked the question.

“King of Singers Sun Wooju!”

“Yes.”

“Only the king of singers match remains now.”

The camera showed reigning king of singers Yoo Jaechan sitting in his luxurious throne.

For some reason, the Olive Oil mask looked like it was sweating grease.

“I! Have something to say!”

Olive Oil suddenly shot his hand into the air.

“Yes, Mr. Olive Oil.”

“Well... King of Singers Sun Wooju has already sung three songs in a row, so perhaps it would be good for him to rest once.......”

Both the audience and our team burst into laughter.

It almost looked like sorrowful eyes were visible behind the mask.

Then King of Singers Sun Wooju raised his mask slightly.

“It’s alright! I never tire!! Because my younger brothers are always beside me, I cannot grow weary!”

As he said that, Ri Hyuk touched the four dolls resting on his shoulders.

While petting them, the Ri Hyuk doll suddenly fell off.

“No...! Of all things, the doll of my beloved Ri Hyuk......!”

I shook my head while everyone burst into laughter.

Then the now-serious King of Singers Sun Wooju was asked again.

“King of Singers Sun Wooju! Will you challenge for the king of singers title?”

At that, Ri Hyuk raised the microphone with elegant movements and answered—

“Yes.”

The confident reply triggered another eruption of cheers.

After Ri Hyuk left the stage and the production team began preparing the revival round for eliminated contestants—

the staff and I waited for him.

And then—

“I’m back!”

The moment exhausted-looking Ri Hyuk entered the room, everyone rushed toward him.

“WAAAAAAAH!”

“You did amazing!”

“Great job, Ri Hyuk!”

People patted his back and shoulders.

Ri Hyuk removed the mask, revealing a sweat-soaked face, smiling as though he didn’t mind the fuss at all.

“Ah, that was seriously exhausting.”

“You worked hard.”

I walked over and lightly hugged him while patting his shoulder.

“How do you feel?”

“Honestly? Pretty refreshed.”

Perhaps because he had finally shown every ounce of his skill without holding back, his sharp features now looked relieved.

“I still can’t completely relax because the king of singers match remains, but it feels like I got past the hardest part.”

“You did amazing, Ri Hyuk. I’m seriously proud of you.”

“And, um....”

Ri Hyuk cautiously watched my reaction.

“I think I accidentally mentioned your grandmother while acting in character earlier....”

“It’s fine.”

“But you said earlier that even mentioning her name would make her charge in here.”

“Obviously I was joking.”

Strictly speaking, that warning had been more for Ri Hyuk’s protection than mine.

There would definitely be people thinking, Even if they’re close, casually tossing around another member’s grandmother’s name like that...

But joking vaguely with “that special person of mine~” like earlier was harmless enough for people to accept as comedy.

“Anyway, it feels good to win, right?”

“Yes.”

A bright smile spread across his sharp face.

For a moment, his whole expression softened.

“I really think coming on the show was the right choice. I feel relieved, and also... um.......”

“Oh?”

“Well....”

“Ohhh??”

“Stop making that expectant face! I’m trying to thank you, but now it won’t come out!”

I burst into laughter.

Ri Hyuk awkwardly muttered—

“Thank you.”

Then he slowly spread both arms open.

“No way... this is......!”

My heart started pounding at the thought that I might finally receive a hug from my prickly younger brother—

but hesitation crossed Ri Hyuk’s face.

Then—

Pop—

Ri Hyuk shyly formed a tiny finger heart with both hands.

And I burst out laughing.

After the revival round concluded—

Ri Hyuk finally entered the king of singers match and unleashed everything he had once again during Round 4.

Whether his opponent was strong or weak, he always gave his all.

That was just the kind of kid he was.

“He won.”

“He really did.”

Unlike the nerve-racking Round 3 that had left the staff drenched in sweat, the king of singers match felt almost anticlimactic.

Yoo Jaechan gave it his all singing a sweet love song, but the score gap was undeniable.

[King of Singers Sun Wooju : 92]

[Romantic Voice Olive Oil : 8]

Following Round 3, it became the largest score gap in king of singers match history as well.

Yoo Jaechan removed his mask and revealed his identity before saying farewell.

“I was truly happy during the month and a half I spent as king of singers....”

As he delivered his goodbye speech, familiar voices rang out beside me.

“Hey, Kim Junghyun. Be careful taking out the cake.”

“Careful, careful.”

“Hyung, I’m kinda hungry. Can I eat just a tiny bit of cake?”

Our underlings had finally sneaked into the waiting room after waiting in the underground parking lot.

I laughed while watching them prepare to greet Ri Hyuk with cakes.

Then—

“Oh? Ri Hyuk hyung’s becoming king of singers!”

The waiting room TV showed Ri Hyuk ascending the throne.

“The 43rd King of Singers! King of Singers Sun Wooju!”

“He’s finally been born! King King of Singers Sun Wooju!”

“A true king among kings!”

Ri Hyuk, still wearing the flower mask, sat arrogantly upon the magnificent throne.

Before him stood Jo Yuri in the wolf mask, girl group vocalist Ellie in the Alice mask, and Mr. Braised Soy Sauce, who had survived the revival round once again.

All bowed respectfully.

“We offer our congratulations!”

“Ahem~!”

With triumphant music blasting, the recording finally ended in an atmosphere as though peace had returned to the music industry.

“Alright then! Let’s get ready.”

At Biju’s words, we all picked up cakes.

“But....”

I blinked.

“Why are there ten cakes?”

“.......”

The younger members shyly answered.

“It’s one cake per two people including the staff.”

“I see....”

Wasn’t a celebration cake usually symbolic?

While Biju stared into the distance, Junghyun and Jiho answered as though this was perfectly natural.

“It felt a little insufficient last time.”

“Exactly.”

“And if we’re not careful, a cake could accidentally fall into a trash can again....”

“Hm?”

What was that last part supposed to mean?

While Junghyun spoke wistfully—

“Hm? He’s coming.”

Having Junghyun around really was convenient.

Moments later, Ri Hyuk—detected by Junghyun’s real-time radar—opened the door.

“Hyung!”

“Ri Hyukhhh! We’re here!”

“I also arrived.”

The younger members charged at Ri Hyuk, who still wore a crown over his mask.

“WAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

“WAAAAAA!”

After removing his mask, Ri Hyuk looked startled.

“W-What? What’s happening??”

“What do you mean what? We’re here to congratulate you!”

Then the younger members and I surrounded Ri Hyuk and spun around him in circles.

“King of Singers! King of Singers!”

“King!”

“King king!”

At first he grumbled that everyone was being noisy, but soon he was grinning brightly, clearly thrilled.

After cutting the cakes, Ri Hyuk sat there with a tiara crown on his head while elegantly eating cake.

“Congratulations once again~!”

Mission Singer PD Park Yeonhui entered the waiting room, congratulating both us and the staff for our hard work.

Then she quietly approached me.

“This really turned out perfectly! Ri Hyuk becoming king of singers!”

“Seriously.”

“So... about that.”

PD Park whispered subtly.

“The proposal still stands, right?”

“Of course.”

“I even brought the contract in case you forgot....”

She secretly waved the papers where Ri Hyuk couldn’t see.

I smiled and nodded.

-If Ri Hyuk becomes king of singers, I’d like to appear too.

The lead vocalist challenging NewBlack’s main vocalist!

Or perhaps the eldest brother appearing to hunt down his younger sibling!

The setup sounded fun.

And honestly, watching the show had looked fun too.

Ri Hyuk wasn’t the only one whose singing skills had improved.

Of course, my main motivation was still for my younger brother’s sake.

A warm older brother’s heart wanting to make his little brother’s skills an even bigger topic by appearing himself.

“Kyahruk...!”

“Wooju 씨?”

“Ahem. It’s nothing.”

The PD handed over the contract.

“You can sign here.”

“Okay.”

Using the pen the manager handed me, I signed the simple appearance contract.

Then—

“By the way, Wooju 씨, have you thought of a name yet? Like King of Singers {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Sun Wooju.”

“Yes.”

Looking at Ri Hyuk smiling brightly without suspecting anything, I gave a warm grin.

“I’m going with this.”

“Hm?”

Scratch scratch.

I wrote down the nickname I planned to use two weeks later.

[National Hip Hop Number One Seo Ri Hyuk]

The PD burst into utterly satisfied laughter.