Chapter 60 : Government Support Project(7)

“We’ll take a short break and then start filming.

We’ll start at 40 minutes past the hour, so please come back then.”

At the filming director’s words, the staff members got up.

Ha Su-yeon watched the scene while sipping her coffee.

People were leaving to prepare for filming in an orderly manner.

Some were sneaking out for a cigarette.

Some were looking at their phones, thinking they could rest now because it would start in a little while.

It was just an ordinary filming scene.

“Ah, I’m so nervous.

I’m going crazy.”

But it seemed that Ha Su-yeon was the only one who thought so.

When she turned her head to the side, all three of them looked a little pale, perhaps because they were nervous.

“Why are you so nervous?”

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“It’s just an interview, and it’s not like it’s going to get many views.

Why are you so nervous?”

Ha Su-yeon presented the facts.

The interview with the TOP 6 of the 2022 Band Pioneer didn’t even get 2,000 views.

2023?

Around 1,500 views.

Then what about 2024?

It would probably be similar.

Honestly, Ha Su-yeon wondered why they were even filming this interview.

It would probably get more views if she uploaded it on her own channel.

‘No, there is a reason to film the interview.’

She thought it might be a good idea to film a review of the interview.

What it was like to film the interview, what they asked, what was cut out, what was included, what was distorted…

She could probably get some views with that.

“Okay, let’s start filming the interview~”

While she was thinking that, a staff member signaled.

The kids, who had been doing other things for a while, sat down in their chairs…

[“Hello.

I’m Ha Su-yeon, the leader and guitarist of Group Sound.”

“Hello!

I’m Choi Yi-seo, the bassist of Group Sound!”

“Hello…

I’m Jeong Hyun-ah, the keyboardist of Group Sound…”

“Hello.

I’m Yoo Seo-ha, the drummer.”

<Congratulations on making it to the TOP 6 of the 2024 Band Pioneer!

Can you give us a brief comment on how you feel?>

“Um.

This might sound a bit arrogant, but I kind of thought we would be chosen.

I had a feeling?

Something like that.”

<How did the band form?>

“I wasn’t thinking of anything.”

“I suggested it!

Actually, I hadn’t really thought about starting a band either!”

“After the accident, ah.

Ah, well, I had a pretty big accident.

After I recovered, I went to Nakwon with my guitar, and I met Yi-seo.”

“I had no idea she played the guitar!

But then she suddenly said she played the guitar.

We talked for a bit, and the next day?

I asked her to play the guitar, and she was so good that I was at a loss for words.

So I told her right away.

Hey, you!

Become my comrade!”

“I was a bit taken aback.

What did she see in me?

Looking back, there was a huge difference in our skills.

At that time, she was… well, like a general hobbyist who had been taking lessons for a year?

Just about that level.

I made her who she is today.

But the funny thing is, then these kids…”

“Kids?

We’re older than you.”

“…

Older?

Do I have to call them older?

Hyun-ah unnie?

Seo-ha unnie?”

“No, don’t do that…”

<A word of determination for the 2024 Band Pioneer!>

“It’s a bit surreal to be here after only a year of being together.

But since we’re here, we want to make some trouble.

We’ll definitely win first place.

Thank you!”]

= What is this confidence?

= ‘The King of Paradox’

= The guitarist’s looks are insane  Where can I see them perform?

ᄂ They perform every Saturday at Hongdae Paradox

= Guitarist…

She was famous in Jongno-gu  I don’t know~

ᄂWhat happened?

ᄂDon’t be a fcking pssy and just say it 

“Is this really how it happened?

Did you really ask her to start a band like that?”

“Would I lie?”

At Da-in’s question while watching the interview video ,Ha Su-yeon answered that way.

The three friends were giggling at something.

“So you went to buy a guitar right after recovering from the accident?

How much were you into the guitar?”

“Well, I guess I was.”

“You never showed any signs of learning the guitar before.”

“I don’t remember, and the faint memories I have aren’t good.

I thought I should get my act together and play the guitar, so that’s how it happened…”

Ha Su-yeon organized the timeline like that.

It wasn’t what actually happened, but there was no need to tell them everything, even if they were helping her.

Telling someone a secret and asking them to keep it is foolish.

Real secrets should never be spoken from the beginning.

Keeping things that can be said out loud and keeping things that should be kept inside to yourself was the wisdom Ha Su-yeon had learned from life.

Instead, she could tell them this.

“And a while ago, I participated in an OST.

Our name hasn’t been revealed yet, but it will be soon.”

“Really?

There’s such a thing?”

Ha Su-yeon showed them the pre-released OST.

The kids were surprised when they saw the title.

“Wow.

I’ve been listening to this a lot these days.

You made this, Su-yeon?”

“I didn’t make it, our band did.

I did the arrangement, though.”

“This is really popular on TikTok these days.

I listened to it without thinking much, but people were going crazy asking who the band was.

Ju-hyeon was also hyping it up.

And it’s you guys?”

Ha Su-yeon nodded instead of answering.

It seemed that Hwi-seok’s direction was definitely right.

To the point where even ordinary kids like these were curious about who the band was.

“Can we tell people about this?”

“It’s not long until the release, so I think it’s okay.

They’re probably already leaking it.

As long as you don’t go around saying who it is on the internet, it should be fine.”

“Wow~ Thanks to my good friend, I can now pretend to know someone famous.”

While the kids were clinging to Ha Su-yeon and saying that, Da-in suddenly raised her head as if she had thought of something.

“Ah, do you guys do any offline performances?”

“We’re planning to.”

“Then give me some tickets.

I’ll bring all the kids from school to your concert.

They’re all really curious about your band these days.”

“Is that okay?”

Why?

At Da-in’s question, Ha Su-yeon answered, “Because of what I did before.”

The kids laughed at those words.

“No one really cares about that these days.

They did before, but after you apologized, those kids are gone.

Ah, some kids do care.”

“Who?”

“Kwon Ji-hye said she misses the days when you were drinking and smoking, wondering why you changed.”

Why is she like that?

Ha Su-yeon thought so and twisted her hair.

They’re filming the online competition this week, and the offline competition is next week.

“We’ll probably perform next week, so if there are tickets, I’ll give them to you.”

“Thank you~”

“Thank you!”

Even if there were no audience members, they had to thank the people watching the online competition video.

Not only that, they had to perform as if the audience was cheering enthusiastically from the other side of the camera.

If they didn’t, the energy of the performance wouldn’t be conveyed properly.

With that thought, Ha Su-yeon came down from the stage.

The staff members who had been watching the online competition applauded.

The atmosphere was quite heated.

“You did a great job!”

“Group Sound for first place!!”

Some of the staff members shouted out of nowhere.

Everyone burst into laughter.

It seemed that some of the staff members had become fans, and Ha Su-yeon felt a little better.

It’s always a good feeling to have fans, no matter who they are.

But when she passed the staff and stood in front of the judges, Ha Su-yeon felt a completely different atmosphere.

The atmosphere was unusual.

“Group Sound, can you come in for a moment?

There’s something important we need to discuss.”

“This is a very sensitive time for these kinds of things.

So, honestly, I don’t think it’s the right time, but we’re connected to the government, so we had to call you in.”

The person who spoke was the leader of a famous rock band, with whom Ha Su-yeon had become somewhat acquainted through the memorial concert.

He was someone she could joke around with a few times, but the fact that he was being serious meant that it was a serious matter.

“What is it?”

“I can’t say where it came from, but we received a report about Ha Su-yeon.

Regarding school violence.”

It was here.

Ha Su-yeon ran her hand through her hair and looked at the kids.

Their eyes were filled with anxiety.

“They said they heard it as a rumor, but anyway…

Especially in the entertainment industry, at a time when these kinds of incidents keep happening, we have to be sensitive about school violence.”

“But it’s just a rumor, and we need to hear your side of the story, so we’re giving you a chance to explain.

Do you have anything to say about this?”

Starting with the rock band leader, they spoke one by one…

It was a reasonable story.

They couldn’t take action based on rumors alone, so they were giving her a chance to explain.

“What happens if I respond to the explanation?”

“We’ll have to investigate.

And Su-yeon, if you have any evidence related to this, you’ll have to submit it.”

Ha Su-yeon had been gathering things for this moment.

If she revealed them, she could somehow continue to participate.

It would be controversial, but it was something that couldn’t be hidden right away.

If that happened, it would be fine.

It’s not that it’s a good thing, but that’s how Korean society is.

Anyway, if there’s an opposing opinion, people treat it as a ‘controversy’ and say it’s ‘tiring’.

Of course, it would be a much worse environment than now.

But she had to endure it.

As long as she was living as ‘Ha Su-yeon’, it couldn’t be helped.

“Since the victim didn’t report it directly to us, we’re also cautious about what to say.”

While she was thinking that and was about to say that she would explain, she heard a phrase.

[The victim didn’t report it directly.]

‘Wait a minute, this…

Could it be steered towards resolving the controversy, not just ending with it?’

Something flashed in Ha Su-yeon mind.