episode_0026

“Are you really an idol… and not a voice actor or a YouTuber?”

Yoon Jichang, who seemed to have popped out of nowhere, chuckled and reached out his hand.

I stepped back hesitantly, getting up unsteadily.

My knees were throbbing with pain.

“You don’t have to force yourself to get up. It’s kind of cute in its own way.”

I collapsed to the ground while heaving.

“Ugh….”

“Oh, what’s wrong? Did you eat something bad?”

Yoon Jichang said, finding me adorable.

I almost choked even though I hadn’t eaten anything.

“Oh, no. Um….”

First things first, how should I handle this honorific speech?

I feel so awkward that I could die.

“I’m older than you… I’m your younger brother…. So, please speak comfortably.”

But Yoon Jichang was unnecessarily polite in front of a woman.

“How can you use informal speech when we’re not even close?”

You usually use informal speech with characters you’re fixated on as soon as you meet them.

He just sang like it was nothing.

“Could you not use informal speech?”

“Oh, you have that look I saw yesterday.”

“Just do it!”

It was only when I used informal speech first that Yoon Jichang reacted.

“Oh. You used informal speech first. Well, I guess I can’t help it then.”

“Sigh….”

Thankfully, my knees were feeling well enough to walk.

I slowly got up, preparing to run away.

Perhaps because I hadn’t eaten breakfast, I was starting to feel hungry.

I needed to go somewhere to fill my stomach and then come back.

“Where did you pop out from, anyway?”

“Me? I’ve been lying under the stage the whole time.”

“….”

Baekjung-eon Hall is small, with a grand piano on the stage and a tiered seating area that can accommodate about 40 people.

A blind spot not visible from the stage.

Yoon Jichang had popped out from there.

‘Ugh, the smell of alcohol.’

This guy drank and slept here.

‘He was supposed to accompany….’

There was a reason Yoon Jiyu was lingering near the piano.

Since the person he promised to accompany drank until late and didn’t wake up, he decided to pick me.

I slowly got up and headed towards the main entrance of Baekjung-eon Hall.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I’m leaving. I’m hungry.”

“Just play one more song before you go. I have a request.”

“I didn’t come here for a free performance. I just came to hang out for a bit.”

“Stubborn. You played well.”

As I struggled to open the large door, Yoon Jichang asked again.

“By the way, do you know Aklerct?”

“The door, the door….”

“Oh. Sorry.”

Luckily, the door creaked open heavily, which was fortunate.

If not, I would have been caught immediately.

Indeed, even a lazy rascal likes to listen.

As soon as he heard the performance was by Aklerct, he realized.

“Akler… what?”

“Aklerct.”

I frowned and shook my head.

“Hmm. Seems like you don’t know. I thought your arranging style was quite similar to Aklerct’s.”

Here comes the problem.

If I claim to not know Aklerct at all, how will Yoon Jichang react?

1. Brush it off and move on.

2. Persistently dig deeper and pursue me.

The answer, of course, is 2.

Even though this guy may seem thoughtless like a fool, my sister is Yoon Jiyu.

Where do you think her blood went?

The Yoon siblings always have to get what they want.

At this point, it’s better to tell a convincing lie.

“Do you like Aklerct?”

“Huh? I love it. Really love it. Do you know what song you covered?”

“Vaguely.”

“You can’t vaguely know! It’s a god-tier song with over 200 million views. It gave birth to a favorite, so—.”

Yoon Jichang rapidly delved into describing the work.

Knowing what it was, I left while he was enthusiastically talking.

Sometimes when you talk, you get absorbed, and that’s when you get a chance to escape.

Of course, having a chance to escape doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get away.

Sister, just like Yoon Jichang, was quick in her actions.

“Whoa! Where are you going? The conversation isn’t over.”

“You didn’t answer my question… and I’m hungry.”

“How about we talk while eating?”

“I dislike that even more.”

“Oh, don’t be so uptight. Look at how kind I appear. Where else can you find such a good person like me?”

Wow. This guy has no shame.

If it were me, I’d have turned into a Swiss roll from fingertip to shoulder by now.

“Anyway, do you know Aclert?”

“I do.”

“Hmm. Are you a fan?”

“Yes. Can I go?”

Yoon Jichang flashed a smile of realization.

It seemed like he was saying, “Gotcha!”

“It’s strange. If you’re just a fan, how did you play that song so perfectly like Aclert?”

But it was Yoon Jichang who got caught.

What an idiot.

“If you’ve been a fan for three years, you should play like Acher. Don’t you think?”

“….”

The guy who had been smiling all along suddenly looked puzzled for the first time.

Not only did he mention the nickname “A,” which authenticates one’s status as a true fan of Aclert, but he also recited comments left on videos of fans playing along with Aclert, verbatim.

“But still, your arrangement just doesn’t make sense. It was too identical to A’s.”

“How would you know when you’re not A himself?”

“I know. Because I’m a genius.”

Should I punch this guy?

“Just tell me. I’ll keep it a secret. Are you that?”

“….”

“Are you A’s sister? Or maybe a cousin? A family member?”

I must admit, his sharp insight is impressive.

But he’s not the only special one here.

I could easily identify famous musicians just by listening to their recital recordings and asking, “Guess who played this?”

“Do whatever you want.”

“Well….”

Yoon Jichang suddenly put on a stern expression.

“I’m warning you.”

“….”

I thought he was going to ask for a personal fan meeting.

It was unexpected.

“Do you know how dangerous the world is these days? You can get doxxed with just one post online—your contact information, home address, everything. Imagine if someone else heard the performance you just gave. Not all fans are like that—”

To summarize his lengthy explanation:

There are definitely obsessive fans out there, and if caught by such a malicious individual, they might uncover A’s identity through stalking, privacy invasion, or worse, leading to even greater dangers… or so it seemed.

I didn’t know how Yoon Jichang dealt with A’s fanship.

Surprisingly, he was very courteous and sensible.

Perhaps he treats people with respect once he recognizes them as individuals, not just characters.

It seems like he writes shocking posts that are hard to swallow in the community.

“So, from now on, don’t perform like A in open places. Play classical music instead.”

“…I won’t have a place to practice until the week after next.”

“In that case, use this for today.”

Yoon Jichang handed over a card.

It was my student ID.

Doesn’t this guy understand that handing over a student ID is a big deal?

“If you have this, you can access any empty practice room for soundproofing. Play there. Sound good?”

“Oh, yes…”

“Practice to your heart’s content. By the way, there’s a vacant room in the Baekjoongun Hall, right? Leave it under the front left seat. I’ll pick it up later.”

But I had no intention of refusing his offer.

Even if I get caught, only you will be screwed since you borrowed it.

“I sort of figured it out vaguely. Was that what it was about earlier?”

“That thing?”

“The sheet music for the video that A arranged and will upload next week, right? Ah, finally, A is covering an idol.”

With a delighted expression, Yoon Jichang closed his eyes, clasped his hands like in prayer, and murmured.

“Ani is hitting it big, so there’s a flood of covers coming out, but there’s no one like A who faithfully reproduces the original song. But luckily, there’s you. Since you’re playing it in A’s style, I woke up completely.”

Wow.

He exclaimed in admiration, clenching his fists this time.

“By the way. What’s your real relationship with A?”

“Family, perhaps?”

“Why the question? I asked the question.”

As if fed up with my shameless attitude, Yoon Ji-chang sighed and said, “Even if the video goes up on NewTube, everyone will find out anyway. Why not just say it now?”

“It won’t be…,” I paused.

Can I add my touch to Chaewon’s performance?

“No, I can’t.”

Then, the performance Yoon Ji-chang just heard and the video that will be uploaded.

Will they be the same?

“There’s a significant difference between listening to music in a video on NewTube and hearing it live, you know?”

“I know. I took that into account when I spoke. Still, it was the same.”

Yoon Ji-chang’s ability to discern music was exceptional.

Even the professor mentioned that this guy was better at listening and analyzing than playing.

Having watched Acleret longer than me, Yoon Ji-chang could easily distinguish between a live performance and a recorded video, even if there was a difference.

Oh well.

I’ve been caught already?

Thought I could bury my head in the sand and hide.

“What’s with that expression? It’s like ‘I’ve been caught!’”

“Ahaha.”

“Even that laugh. Why such a resigned smile?”

Yoon Ji-chang’s smiling lips,

Gradually,

Drooped down.

We stood silently looking at each other for a while.

“Isn’t it?”

Yoon Ji-chang asked first.

I replied listlessly, “It must be.”

Nodding repeatedly,

Yoon Ji-chang tilted his head and asked again.

“No, really?”

Nodding repeatedly,

I confirmed with a nod.

“Yes.”

Hmm.

Yoon Ji-chang frowned seriously.

Then he let out a long sigh, and another, and another.

“Uhhhh……”

After a while, he began to slowly step back.

“I’ll go wash up.”

“What?”

Suddenly, Yoon Ji-chang recited an apology, bowing his head repeatedly, “I’m going to a fan meeting without even washing up. I have been rude. I apologize, Master. I’m sorry. Sorry for being dirty. Sorry for smelling. Sorry for smelling like alcohol.”

Like a soldier, he turned 180 degrees and started running towards the campus gate.

“Wait, wait just a moment!”