Chapter 984: I Am the King of Singers, But...? (19)

"Ah, this is hilarious~"

I took off my mask and laughed in delight.

What joy does the eldest brother live for? Tormenting his younger siblings, of course.

Bang bang bang!

The locked door rattled violently.

"Open the door! Right now!"

A sharp voice rang out from outside, making our staff burst into laughter.

I walked over to the door.

"If I open it, you're just going to charge at me, Mr. Seo Ri Hyuk."

"I won't! I seriously won't, so just open it first. I want to talk."

"Nope. Wooju scared. Wooju not opening the door."

"Kyaa-! Uuuugh...."

Ri Hyuk's attempt at a shriek abruptly died down.

The staff tilted their heads in confusion, so I explained.

"Someone just walked past him. He's suddenly pretending to be dignified and composed."

Everyone exploded into laughter.

A moment later, once whoever had passed by disappeared from sight, Ri Hyuk immediately resumed screeching at full volume.

"Alright, alright."

I opened the door.

The instant I did, Ri Hyuk — still wearing the sunflower mask — lunged at me.

"You... you...!"

After tearing off his mask, Ri Hyuk raised his hand and started smacking my back.

Smack!

Smack!

"Oww! Oww-!"

My sweat-soaked back stung painfully.

"Hey, hey! Hyung still has to sing!"

"What does singing have to do with your back?!"

"Well, true, but... ow! Ow ow!"

"Do you enjoy teasing people that much?! Seriously, you unbelievable...!"

Honestly, I'd committed so many offenses that I just accepted the beating.

Besides, I knew exactly how much stamina Ri Hyuk had.

Sure enough, after landing maybe five or six smacks on my back, Ri Hyuk started breathing heavily.

"Huff...."

"Feeling a little better now, little brother...?"

"A little. Just a little."

His sharp features twisted into a resentful expression.

"If this weren't a competition, I would've hit you a few more times."

"I think I've already been hit enough. Man, that stings."

"I know it doesn't hurt at all. Your muscles are harder than concrete, my hand hurts more. How hard have you been working out?"

"I just trained along with Junghyun."

"With your schedule, when did you even have time to work out...? Never mind. What's the point asking? It'll just give me a headache."

Shaking his head, Ri Hyuk collapsed onto the waiting room sofa.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he spoke.

"Congratulations."

"Hm?"

"Making it past Round 1. That was probably the toughest opponent out of everyone competing today."

"It wasn't easy."

I remembered the wolf mask Jo Yuri had worn.

Unlike four years ago, I was now at a level where I could beat her with pure vocal ability alone, but she still wasn't an easy opponent.

Especially because the reason I'd wanted to meet her in Round 1 was that she'd be incredibly troublesome in Round 2 or 3.

She specialized in rock music, after all.

"Rock is seriously broken in competitions."

Generally speaking, if two singers were equally skilled, rock had a natural advantage over ballads in survival shows.

The explosive choruses alone made it much easier to leave an impact.

Jo Yuri had only brought a lighter rock song in Round 1, but if we'd met in Round 2 or 3 and she'd unleashed one of her huge explosive tracks, I probably wouldn't have won by a 93-to-7 margin.

Maybe more like 70-to-30.

I was thinking that when—

Bang!

Somewhere nearby, a dressing room door slammed shut hard enough to echo down the hallway.

Ri Hyuk smirked.

"Must be over there."

"Probably."

Judging by the direction of the sound, it was likely Jo Yuri's waiting room.

I quietly smiled as I listened.

"Anyway... this worked out well."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

She might claw her way back through the revival round later, but for now, I was satisfied.

Personally, she was someone I would've preferred not to see again.

I couldn't read her expression through the mask, but there was something unsettling about her.

I'd strongly gotten the impression she held a grudge against Ri Hyuk.

Not that she could actually do anything to him, but even so, I didn't like having a potential risk factor near Ri Hyuk.

"Anyway...."

Crossing his legs, Ri Hyuk asked,

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"Hm?"

"You basically poured everything out in Round 1. You showed all your cards already, so won't Round 2 or 3 be rough...?"

"It's fine. That was part of the strategy."

"Strategy?"

"Yeah. Strategy."

I explained it to him.

"A lot of the songs I wanted to perform on Mission Singer had that kind of vibe. Upbeat songs about youth. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I might end up at a disadvantage depending on the matchup."

What if I brought a bright, energetic song, while my opponent brought a heartbreaking emotional ballad?

"So I launched a preemptive strike."

"With a song meant to make people emotional?"

"Exactly."

My Round 1 choice, Blooming Spring, had come from that exact line of thinking.

First, I hit the audience's tear ducts before anyone else could.

If someone was going to make them cry, why not make them cry first?

"Once people have a big emotional release, they usually don't cry as easily afterward. Unless it's something extraordinary."

There was a reason melodramatic scenes in movies were usually saved for the latter half.

If audiences cried their eyes out too early, they became numb afterward.

People adapted to emotional stimulation faster than you'd think.

"So you're suppressing the competition. Making emotional songs less effective in Rounds 2 and 3."

"More like removing my handicap. I didn't want to end up disadvantaged just because my opponent chose a serious emotional song. Imagine singing better but losing because of emotional impact. That'd be frustrating."

Ri Hyuk clicked his tongue.

"Seriously... you're vicious. Absolutely vicious."

"If you want to survive out there, this much preparation is basic, Ri Hyuk."

"True...."

Then his expression turned worried again.

"But are you really sure?"

"Hm?"

"I'm saying... your Round 1 performance was too strong. Starting from Round 2, people might think your songs feel underwhelming in comparison. Honestly, your strategy cuts both ways. If you leave too huge an impact in Round 1, it doesn't just hurt your opponents."

He was worried the impact of Round 1 had been so overwhelming that audiences would react less enthusiastically to my later stages.

"You don't need to worry about that."

"Why not?"

"You said it yourself earlier. That I showed everything in Round 1, so what was I going to do in Round 2 or 3?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry."

I smiled.

"I still haven't shown everything yet."

The Round 2 matches continued.

"Yes! This is the first semifinal matchup!"

"Alice in Wonderland versus Luxury Supporting Actor Braised Soy Sauce!"

Musical actor Jang Jaerim and Lucky Girl's main vocalist Allie faced off in the first semifinal match.

After a bloody battle worthy of being called a dead-even showdown, the winner was finally announced.

Luxury Supporting Actor Braised Soy Sauce 59

Alice in Wonderland 41

The moment the result was revealed, the Braised Soy Sauce mask dropped to its knees in triumph.

The audience erupted into cheers alongside him.

"It feels like we can see the tears flowing behind that mask!"

"What a long road of hardship this has been! Luxury Supporting Actor Braised Soy Sauce advances to the finals at last!!"

Granted, he was deliberately ignoring the fact that he'd have to face either ballad singer Dokgo Young or Sun Wooju in the finals....

The Braised Soy Sauce mask simply continued crying tears of happiness.

'Ughhhhh!'

As tears streamed beneath his mask, the panelists mischievously asked,

"Who do you want to face in the finals? Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk? Or Kitty at the Rice Mill?"

"......."

The way the Braised Soy Sauce mask instantly lost all excitement made everyone burst out laughing.

Picking up his soy-sauce-colored microphone, he answered,

"Honestly... I'd rather not meet either of them. I'd like to challenge the King of Singers as I am now."

From his perspective, neither matchup looked remotely winnable.

No matter who he faced, he'd lose anyway....

'In that case, maybe it'd be better to face Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk and at least gain some publicity.'

Braised Soy Sauce hesitated before speaking.

"If I absolutely had to choose... Seo Ri Hyuk...."

The panelists pounced like hyenas.

"Oh? So he's easier?"

"You think you can handle Korea's top hip-hop artist because it's hip-hop?"

"NewBlack is easy? Ten million Souffle fans don't scare you?"

Braised Soy Sauce immediately dropped to his knees in response.

The audience clapped and roared with laughter.

"That's absolutely not what I meant."

"Please stand up first, Braised Soy Sauce."

"There's a reason people survive so long in this industry. He instinctively kneels first."

"No, really. I'm comfortable like this. Yes... I've been a huge fan of Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk for a long time, so I wanted to meet him. Seo Ri Hyuk has always been my favorite...."

"Kya-ha-ha!"

The sudden sound of laughter from King of Singers Sun Wooju seated on the throne made the audience burst out laughing.

Making a heart shape with his hands, the sunflower mask said,

"Thank you. Ri Hyuk is my favorite too. He's the little brother I love most in the world~♡ Kya-ha-ha!"

The audience erupted again at Ri Hyuk fully returning to his Sun Wooju character.

'He's finally recovered!'

'Ri Hyuk got his mental back!'

Ever since Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk had appeared, the real Ri Hyuk had seemed mentally overwhelmed, but now he finally appeared to have regained his concept.

After the perfectly timed comedy skit between King of Singers Sun Wooju and Braised Soy Sauce came to an end—

"Now! The second semifinal match begins!"

"Today's strongest championship contenders! Kitty at the Rice Mill versus Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk!"

Two silhouettes appeared on the electronic display.

Ballad singer Dokgo Young, wearing a cute cat mask with a rice cake in its mouth.

And Sun Wooju, wearing a crane mask.

"Who do you think wins?"

"Wooju."

"It's Wooju."

Originally, today's strongest championship candidate had been Jo Yuri.

Honestly, if she hadn't met Wooju in Round 1, today's King of Singers match probably would've been Jo Yuri versus Seo Ri Hyuk.

"I think Wooju takes it."

"Definitely."

Blooming Spring from Round 1 still replayed automatically in people's minds.

There had barely been any stage effects at all....

Yet somehow it felt like they'd really seen Sun Wooju standing in snowy Gwanghwamun, playing an acoustic guitar beneath falling snow.

"Now! The first performer is Kitty at the Rice Mill!"

"What kind of song has he prepared...?"

Dokgo Young's performance finally began.

People watched with genuine support in their hearts.

'Fighting.'

'Honestly, Dokgo Young is so unlucky. If he'd just challenged Yoo Jaechan for the throne at the beginning....'

The snowball from that first "I won't challenge the King of Singers" decision had rolled all the way here.

First he met Seo Ri Hyuk, and now he had to face Sun Wooju.

People were smiling to themselves, thinking they'd understand if Dokgo Young became a NewBlack anti-fan after this—

You call out to me

Perhaps without me even realizing

Then Dokgo Young's soft, sweet vocals flowed over the band's performance.

'Wow....'

'My ears are melting.'

During the piano accompaniment, Because It's You — famous as a confession song — unfolded through the ballad singer's voice.

A song distinguished by its high pitch and long sustained phrases.

After finishing the song with stable technique and rich tone, the cat mask lowered his microphone, and applause burst out.

"That's strong."

"Wow, that's not easy to beat."

"I think my opinion just changed."

Round 2 was undeniably different from Round 1.

Audience members who had leaned toward Sun Wooju based on the first round now found their hearts wavering like reeds in the wind.

'Dokgo Young is insanely good too.'

'That felt like youth itself....'

While the lingering aftertaste still remained—

The crane mask bounced cheerfully onto the stage.

The visual alone was funny enough to make people smile now, but the audience no longer fell for it.

Sure enough.

The instant Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk took his place on stage, the atmosphere around him completely shifted.

'It's fascinating every time.'

'You can't even see his face, but you can feel the entire mood change.'

People swallowed nervously.

'What song is he going to sing?'

Thump thump.

Remembering the explosive impact of the Round 1 stage, audience members stared with sparkling eyes.

Then—

"Oh?"

The guitarist began playing a dazzling electric guitar melody, and the audience's eyes widened.

Bright drums kicked in.

A melody that felt like a festival beneath the night sky.

"Ah...."

"This is...."

Several audience members recognized the familiar melody.

'Isn't this I'll Sing It For You?'

'Haven't heard this in forever.'

It was a song instantly familiar to people who'd attended high school in the early-to-mid 2000s.

A staple performed by high school bands, about awkwardly preparing music to confess your feelings to someone you liked.

Its defining trait was its atmosphere, like something straight out of a youth manga.

This summer vacation

Should we take a train

And head to the ocean for a while

Amid the drums and guitar, Sun Wooju's voice rang out sweetly.

'Whoa....'

'He changed his singing style again!'

It felt completely different from when he'd sung the folk song earlier.

Against the clear, upbeat chord progression, Sun Wooju's voice carried the freshness of adolescence itself.

Anywhere is fine

As long as it's somewhere you want to go

Anywhere—

The final note of anywhere drifted softly into the air.

Combined with the fantastic rearrangement, the original song's early-2000s sensibility had been perfectly reborn as a 2018 version.

It genuinely felt like a newly debuted singer performing his own original track.

"Wow...."

But while the atmosphere felt youthful, the experience and vocal skill beneath it were anything but innocent.

No—

Before people could even properly evaluate the vocals, they'd already become immersed in Sun Wooju's version of I'll Sing It For You.

'This really feels like youth....'

It felt like fleeting glimpses of a youth they'd never personally experienced were passing before their eyes.

Sitting on the bleachers of a school field while a gentle breeze blew past, sharing drinks with someone you liked.

Splashing water at friends on a summer beach while laughing together.

Even the scent of cold drinks and ice cream pulled from a cooler beneath a parasol felt vividly real.

'This is nice.'

Even the middle-aged audience smiled warmly.

Watching it felt like looking at a scene from youth itself, and they clapped along with soft smiles.

If you have a little time

If you're okay with it

There's something

I want to let you hear—

Then came the chorus.

The crane mask tilted its head slightly.

Like a burst of pure refreshment, a powerful vocal exploded outward.

Without sounding strained in the slightest, his resonant voice poured over the audience like cool ocean waves.

I'll sing it for you

This is a song for you

As Sun Wooju sang the chorus, the audience naturally began clapping along.

Beyond judging the stage itself, they were simply having fun.

More than a survival show performance, it felt like attending a concert by Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk.

Maybe it was the melody making their hearts race.

Maybe it was the singer's overwhelming skill.

People couldn't say exactly why, but suddenly they found themselves wanting to attend a concert.

'Ah, if they ever hold a concert, I really want to go.'

From the very beginning, Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk had completely made the song his own.

It felt like watching all the different possibilities of what singer-songwriter Sun Wooju could become after debuting.

One moment he sang heart-shaking folk songs.

The next, energetic songs that naturally made audiences sing along to the chorus.

If you have a little time

If you're really okay with it—

Right then—

The band suddenly stopped playing.

In the silence, the singer's voice rang out alone.

There's something

I want to let you hear—

Only the soft sound of an acoustic guitar gently accompanied his clear, refreshing voice.

No one could see the expression behind the mask, yet somehow people felt as though Sun Wooju was smiling.

I'll sing it for you

This is a song for you

Even if it's still a little imperfect

This is how I feel about you—

The chorus soared smoothly into a high note.

Someone raising a hand to their mouth in astonishment appeared on camera as the audience watched Sun Wooju prove himself yet again through overwhelming vocals and arrangement ability.

A few audience members blinked in disbelief.

'......What exactly was TJ thinking?'

How could TJ Entertainment possibly let a genius like this go?

While other audience members — including the Souffle fans crying their eyes out — silently shared the same thought—

The voting to decide the finalist concluded.

"We will now announce the results. The winner is...!"

As expected—

Kitty at the Rice Mill 32

Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk 68

As Kitty at the Rice Mill descended the stage in disappointment after once again failing to reach the finals—

Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk sent hearts toward King of Singers Sun Wooju seated upon the throne and spoke cutely.

"The Wooju hyung I love most in the whole world...! I'm coming now!"

This time, the sunflower mask refused to lose.

"Yes. Come quickly. Ri Hyuk, my favorite in the whole world...!"

"!"

The crane mask looked proudly toward the sunflower mask for successfully playing along with his joke.

'Nice one.'

'Heh heh heh.'

After exchanging glances like that—

"Kya-ha-ha!"

"Kya-ha!"

The laughter of the nation's idol stars filled the studio, making everyone laugh along happily.

Once the comedy bit ended, Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk exited the stage as the production staff announced a short dinner break before Round 3 and the final King of Singers match.

Audience members slowly stood and stretched their stiff bodies.

At the same time, several people's gazes followed the back of Korea's number one hip-hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk as he walked offstage.

"Wow...."

"What?"

"No, it's just... the aftertaste is still lingering."

"Same."

Even after the performance ended, its lingering impression remained vivid.

'Wooju really is a genius.'

No—

It wasn't just Wooju.

'Ri Hyuk too....'

There were two unbelievably gifted singers in a single group.

The nation's beloved idols they'd once viewed familiarly now somehow felt different... more like true artists.

And suddenly—

'I'm curious.'

People found themselves wondering what the two geniuses were talking about backstage right now.

"What the hell?! Why does your lunchbox have a ketchup heart on it?!"

"If you're jealous, maybe you should try being loved by Biju too~"

"This is unacceptable. I'm calling Biju hyung to file a formal complaint. Seriously, why doesn't mine have a heart?!"

"Nyeh nyeh nyeh~ Jealous?? You're jealous, right??"

"Ah, seriously!"

Watching the two singers bicker like elementary school kids, manager Do Wonseok smiled with the serenity of Buddha himself.

'Thank god there aren't many people around today....'

Seriously, this was not a side of them he wanted the public seeing.