The Double Life of a Genius Musician

Chapter 68: Seductive Yet Indifferent

I had always been a hardcore music maniac, holed up in my room with giant speakers.

I liked the night more than the day, and dawn more than the night.

It’s the same now.

Stay, Blackhole, Seo Rabbit……

Even though I had become a public figure sought out in many places, with videos popping up in droves if you just searched my name online.

I still liked sitting alone in my room, as always.

“What should I listen to today…….”

In the quiet dawn.

When I had my big headphones on, it felt as if someone beyond them was speaking to me.

Why did the guitar riff sound so mournful? Because I’d broken up yesterday.

And why did the synth sound so mischievous? Well, if the synth got gloomy too, the track would be way too depressing.

Still, the drums had to keep running properly.

Did the brass sound too sharp?

‘No! It’s all great! But… the kick feels a bit muffled…….’

I gave feedback that would never reach anyone, indulging in my own daydreams.

This was my play, my hobby.

Maybe that’s why.

I sometimes thought it would have been nice if someone had asked me things this way.

Because I could talk about music for three nights straight and still not be done.

‘Alright……!’

I stretched once and sat back down.

I shook off the tangled thoughts swirling in my head.

For a creator, dawn sentiment was a double-edged sword.

When emotions grew intense, thoughts I’d never normally have would crowd my mind.

What should I do from here, is this the right path, I’ve been doing well so far, let’s just keep going like this……

After UTAR’s activities ended—

I fully devoted myself to composing.

The beat and melody I’d thought of after watching .

I hadn’t played them for anyone yet.

Getting an idea and finishing a song were two different things.

It was hard to turn a flash of inspiration into a complete form.

Even though I had met countless idols while doing music shows.

Even though I was invited into Signum’s group chat and hung out with them like a member.

I still couldn’t quite pin down that keyword, “idol.”

‘What… is an idol?’

Concept, story, music……

Even within a thoroughly staged performance, perhaps they were the ones who showed the most honest emotions.

How was I supposed to express that contradiction in sound?

Even with all the tracks layered and only the guide recording left—

There was still something, just slightly, 2% missing.

The coffee had already cooled to lukewarm.

I quickly recorded the lingering melody at my fingertips into the track.

I stared at the tracks scattered across the DAW.

Slowly, I pressed the spacebar.

Tak.

A heavy drum kick shook the room.

A beat that was rhythmic yet simple.

It repeated comfortably, familiarly.

But.

‘This isn’t enough.’

Idol.

I had to draw out the story hidden within that word through music.

I placed my hands on the keyboard.

As I added synth sounds for spatial depth, I could feel the song coming to life.

Even though the sounds I’d crafted were finding their places one by one, like puzzle pieces—

‘……Is it too obvious?’

I didn’t know.

Even seeing the Signum members, even seeing countless idols at music shows—

It wasn’t easy to capture that subtle point in a song.

The song’s keyword was Avalanche.

Literally, a snow slide.

In an instant, I wanted to give such intense immersion it could bury everything.

‘Then it can’t be something ordinary.’

The goal this time was to create a track that would be fun for listeners, and one that every creator would want to make at least once.

The pluck sound at the heart of the track was harmonious.

Even though it was a future bass genre track, I’d crafted the melody in a slightly unusual way.

Not a predictable pop flow, but something witty and fun.

The Signum kids were surprisingly playful, after all.

I mixed in rap-style melodies with clever twists.

Good. The song was good—everything was good.

‘So why does it sound so awkward?’

If you listen to one track for too long, you fall into a trance.

And in times like this?

You change the atmosphere.

I unplugged my headphones and connected the speakers.

I needed to hear it from a little farther away.

And when you listen to it a bit indifferently like that—

“Oh?”

You start hearing the problem.

The problem with this track was none other than—

The whistling in the intro.

When I’d first imagined the song—

The unique whistling, where intensity and wistfulness coexisted, had come to me first.

Seductive yet indifferent.

Easier said than done.

No matter how many effects I layered, how many samples I tried—

I couldn’t get a whistle that satisfied me.

Too strong, and it sounded like a thug jeering; too weak, and it couldn’t be heard at all.

It needed a delicate balance, and I just couldn’t nail it.

If I recorded it? It sounded even clumsier.

It would be great if someone good at whistling could record it for me instead……

“Huh?”

Why hadn’t I thought of this before?

I quickly captured the synth-expressed riff on my phone.

I looked at the clock.

It had just passed six o’clock.

By now, he must have slept enough, right?

I sprang up from my seat, zipped across the living room, and shouted.

“Hyuuuung! Wake up! Hurry!”

Was this a dream?

Why did it sound like my little brother’s voice?

Just as Dongyun confirmed his younger brother’s voice drifting past his ear and tried to go back to sleep—

“Hyung!”

The door flew open and Taeyoon appeared.

I squinted open my eyes, intending to answer my brother’s call.

“Uh… uh…”

Only a strange groan came out instead of a reply.

I couldn’t make a proper sound at all.

It’s the weekend—just let me sleep, please!

Of course, I only said it in my head.

My mouth wouldn’t open.

Please go away, please.

But Taeyoon was persistent.

“Hyung, get up. You’re not going to work today, right? Isn’t it about time you got up if it’s six?”

What on earth made my little brother so energetic?

He shook me, patted me, and even pulled off my blanket in a whole performance.

“You…”

“Yup, it’s me.”

“I’ll… kill you…”

“Nope. Even if you die, you have to do this first. Get up! Come on.”

He shook me so hard my hair swayed like waves.

Even so, I showed no sign of getting up.

Wasn’t there some strange magic on a weekend morning bed?

Your body stuck fast and wouldn’t come off.

“Hmmm…”

Taeyoon fell deep into thought.

How could he drag his brother out from under the covers?

First strategy—

Tempt him with the bass.

“Hyung, you know that bass you brought before? I’ll show it to you.”

“……”

Seo Dongyun secretly smiled.

He’d already sneaked a look at it.

Of course, out of conscience, he hadn’t played it.

“Huh?”

Taeyoon sounded flustered!

Then—second strategy.

Tempt him with meat.

“Hyung, remember that BBQ place we went to before? Want to go there again later? If we go right after break time ends, there’s no crowd. So come on, get up.”

“……”

This time, Seo Dongyun let out a faint sigh.

Trade sleep for some meat? Would you make that trade?

Of course, he only shouted it in his head.

If he made a sound, this guy would pry his eyelids open.

“Whew… you must be really tired, hyung.”

Finally, it seemed Taeyoon might wave the white flag and back off—

“I was going to make a really fun offer. Too bad. Don’t regret it later, okay?”

Regret, my ass.

The only regret was not getting up right now to smack your back.

Thinking this, Dongyun kept his eyes tightly shut.

But Taeyoon looked down at his brother with a face certain of victory.

Once Taeyoon set his mind to something, his persistence was beyond words. When it came to clinging on, he was a pro.

If bass didn’t work, and meat didn’t work, there was the last resort!

And that was…!

“I’ll give you one last chance. Here, listen to this.”

Playing him music!

“You know what this song is…”

At the word “music,” Dongyun’s back twitched slightly.

Music?

Taeyoon brought music? Could it be a new track? How could he resist that…

Trying to act as nonchalant as possible, like he was already planning to get up anyway—

Dongyun slowly turned his curled-up body.

“Oh? Hyung’s up. I’ll buy you meat later.”

“Forget the meat. What’s this about so early in the morning? Hurry and say it, then get lost.”

At that moment—

Tadadada tadadadada.

“……!”

As soon as the music started, Dongyun bolted upright.

He simply couldn’t hold back.

“What is this?”

“How is it?”

“A synth riff? New track? Who’s it for? It’s simple, but it hits right in the ear. Did you make this? Can I listen to it?”

Taeyoon tilted his chin up and answered.

“I’ll tell you everything if you do me a favor.”

“…A favor?”

“Yup. Hyung, you whistle well, right?”

“Whistling in the middle of the night? You’ll bring out snakes.”

“It’s dawn right now, actually.”

“Whatever. Why whistling?”

This time, Dongyun’s lips curled slightly as he gave a confident look.

When it came to whistling, he was confident.

He’d done it often since he was young.

He also had the habit of whistling along to music he listened to.

“Can you whistle the tune you just heard?”

“That’s not hard.”

“Memorized it? Should I play it again?”

“Are you kidding me?”

Maybe it was thanks to Taeyoon’s subtle provocation.

At the sudden whistle request, Dongyun’s fighting spirit flared up.

Fine, I’ll just give it a try.

“Listen well, just once. Ahem. Whiiiee– Whii–”

“……”

“Wait. Let’s raise the key a bit.”

“Wow, damn……”

Taeyoon widened his eyes and looked up at his brother.

With just one listen, it left a lingering echo that wouldn’t disappear.

As if someone far away were calling out to him.

A light yet clear whistle filled the room.

“Whiii–”

A precise rhythm and a pure tone.

Fresh, yet faintly wistful.

A seductive sound that seemed to draw someone in made Taeyoon simply blink.

“That’s amazing.”

“What’s the big deal? You try it.”

“It sounds weird when I do it. Wanna hear? Fiii–”

“What’s that, the sound of air leaking from a balloon?”

“……Exactly. Anyway, thanks.”

Having achieved his goal, Taeyoon stood up.

Dongyun grabbed his arm.

“What the— You have to explain before you go.”

Taeyoon ended up perching again on the edge of the bed.

“What was that just now? Why the whistling?”

“That? I’m going to use it in the intro.”

“……Huh?”

“I just recorded it, you know.”

“You…”

“You think I’d use your whistle for free? I’ll pay you the session fee.”

“As if I’d take money from you. Hey, hey.”

Dongyun swallowed hard.

He had always watched Taeyoon’s music from afar.

But today was different.

He felt, even in a small way, like he’d become part of this track.

Whether the song became a hit or not—

No, whether it was even released or not—

It didn’t matter.

Even if it was just four short bars, the thought that he could participate in his younger brother’s work like this made his chest swell.

“If not money, then… should I buy you something? Just name it.”

“……Hmm.”

At Taeyoon’s question, Dongyun chose his words for a moment.

He thought that maybe it would be meaningful to work together with his brother this time.

If they were going to do it, wouldn’t it be better to do it properly?

“When are you going to record it?”

As he said this, he immediately ran through a few recording studios he knew in his head.

It would be better for Taeyoon too if he did the demo recording in a studio.

But—

Taeyoon had something else in mind.

“I just did.”

“No, you have to do it properly.”

Squeeze—

A grip tightening on his wrist.

Eyes gazing steadily at him.

Taeyoon read his brother’s sincerity there.

And yet… somehow, it made him feel a little awkward.

“It’s fine as it is. Your skill hasn’t died yet, huh? Back in middle school, you used to act cool in front of the girls and whistle songs for them. That was kinda funny, you know. Heh heh.”

“…You remember that?”

“If this song gets fixed and released, I’ll make sure to put in ‘Whistle by Dongyun.’ An honor, right?”

Rambling nonsense.

Taeyoon muttered such random things by himself, then abruptly zipped out of the room.