The Devil lives in the Music of Top Star

Episode 6

5 minutes ago.

“Everyone’s about the same level.”

“Yeah, they all do well, but there’s nothing special about them.”

“Hmm…”

The judges were visibly exhausted from the ongoing auditions. All the participants were talented, but the festival at Yesung University was expected to be exceptional, making it hard for them to meet the judges’ high expectations.

The music scene was particularly advanced compared to other schools.

While the judges were struggling, Lee Jong-in, who was sitting on the far right of the panel, furrowed his brows.

“Yoo Jae-hee…”

Jae-hee’s turn was approaching.

‘Let’s see how well he performs…’

He was determined to show that the world of art was not so easy. He was convinced that Jae-hee would fail miserably, and he planned to give him a brief critique followed by a humiliating comment.

He didn’t dislike Jae-hee personally, but he disapproved of his casual attitude towards the art he loved. He believed that such a person shouldn’t be involved in music.

And then, moments later.

Jae-hee took the stage.

He wore a plain black sweatshirt and ordinary denim jeans. His hair seemed to have been washed and hastily dried. His posture and expression looked particularly tense.

Everything about him seemed off.

“This participant chose an idol song.”

Jae-hee’s application was reviewed by the judges. Among all the participants, the most ordinary-looking Jae-hee had selected a song called “Word” by the boy group Premier League. Released early this year, the song had a catchy melody and a perfect blend of electronic and real instruments. Even after three months, it remained high on the charts.

The choice was acceptable. However, whether the song suited Jae-hee was uncertain.

Sitting at the piano, Jae-hee briefly checked the instrument before starting his audition.

“Um… just a moment.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I need to check the keyboard.”

“Oh, sure. Go ahead.”

Jae-hee, who seemed to be fussing over the sustain pedal, caused Lee Jong-in to stifle a laugh.

‘He’s doing everything he can…’

Soon after.

The music Jae-hee had prepared began to resonate through the auditorium. He had arranged the song himself, replacing all the instruments with live ones.

“Hmm…”

From the first few notes, it was clear.

An arrangement that couldn’t be made with mediocre knowledge.

Lee Jong-in’s mind was occupied with the thought, ‘Did he make this song, or did he just get it from somewhere else?’

Moments later.

-Heavy breathing-

Jae-hee started singing into the microphone.

“Oh.”

From the first note, it was obvious.

‘What is this…’

Compared to his drunken, terrible singing from six years ago, there was a significant improvement.

‘Oh… Could it be that it was just the alcohol back then?’

Suddenly, possibilities began to open up.

Of course, he needed to confirm how he handled the high notes in the latter part of the song, but the initial notes showed a noticeable skill.

Jae-hee was clearly hiding a strong asset.

His vocal control was remarkable, even if his vocal strength seemed a bit lacking. The trembling in his voice, whether intentional or due to nerves, was very appealing.

It was evident that he had a unique quality.

‘This is so different from what I expected…’

While Lee Jong-in was trying to comprehend the situation, he noticed Jae-hee’s smile.

It was just a fleeting moment.

Although Jae-hee seemed stiff and nervous, there was a fleeting smile.

He could feel the happiness that Jae-hee was experiencing, even if just briefly.

‘Hmm…’

He had seen many singers with more robust vocal abilities, but that wasn’t the main point.

It was the aura Jae-hee exuded.

He seemed to possess something others didn’t. The subtlety in controlling the notes and other indescribable aspects of his performance made a profound impact.

The undeniable truth was that Jae-hee’s short introduction had managed to captivate Lee Jong-in despite his initial skepticism.

* * *

[Shall we begin?]

An unusual energy began to resonate from my throat.

[The second ability is granted by the demon.]

It was the vocal power I would have in ten years.

The concentrated vocal power of ten years of effort.

Of course, it was not overall vocal ability but rather just the function of the vocal cords.

How much this power would benefit me was still unknown, but I decided to trust it.

‘Alright.’

[You did well. You held up nicely. Now let’s tackle the rest together.]

I thought I had messed up the first verse, but now it was time to show what I could do.

I closed my eyes tightly and held the microphone, preparing for the next verse.

-The silent exchanges between us

Our gazes meet-

My voice, sharp and solid, filled the auditorium.

‘This is insane.’

[It is.]

The sound that came out of my mouth, having received the ability, was entirely different from the first verse.

I could hardly believe it was my own singing.

This was a new sensation for me.

The sound created by the friction of my vocal cords flowed through the microphone directly.

I could feel it.

How to produce this kind of sound.

How to produce different sounds.

Just from a few verses, I began to understand the general mechanism of producing sound.

Even though I wasn’t naturally talented at singing, my relentless effort to understand sound was now paying off.

I saw the judges adjusting their postures, clearly intrigued.

Although I couldn’t read their thoughts precisely, their actions indicated curiosity.

[Good, good. Let’s continue with this sensation. Follow my instructions for each moment.]

‘Got it.’

The original song “Word” predominantly featured electronic instruments, with guitars and various wind instruments filling the gaps.

But my arrangement used mostly live instruments.

Guitar sounds were prominent, with brass instruments filling the sides. Strings floated above the sound, and the rhythmic feeling of the original was replaced with bass and saxophone.

And the demon’s secret weapon.

The piano was played by me, not the pre-recorded backing track.

The judges’ expressions suggested that the first verse was enough to capture their attention.

[Keep playing as you did, but follow my directions for singing. Since this is the first time, I’ll guide you every step of the way.]

‘Understood.’

Playing the piano was effortless due to the preparation I did the night before.

-Our space

No room for anyone else

Our own universe-

[Keep the feeling from earlier, but adjust your voice to flow upwards and tighten your vocal cords.]

I sang as instructed by the demon.

The sound grew more intense compared to the introduction.

The song’s rhythm, which was expected to be monotonous due to the absence of choreography, was vibrant with the intricate arrangement and performance filling the stage.

My hands felt more powerful than usual.

Although I had a habit of playing the piano lightly and delicately since childhood, today I wanted to play with more intensity.

My grand start had to be bold.

[Good, good. Play more aggressively! Excellent!]

Encouraged by the demon’s words, I became more daring.

I deviated from the pre-prepared performance, introducing ad-lib lines and additional chords to build tension.

The familiar “Word” transformed into a completely different song through my hands.

The perfect pitch of my absolute ear made spontaneous ad-libs possible.

[Now, ease the pressure on your throat! Don’t scratch, but mix in more air to switch to a falsetto.]

Ignore other people’s gazes.

Don’t worry about anything.

After the first verse.

The pre-chorus appeared, leading into the chorus. The rhythm instruments became more subdued while the melody was emphasized.

In the fleeting moment of heightened atmosphere, my voice and fingers relaxed, displaying perfect control of dynamics.

The alternating intensity and relaxation of the song provided an euphoric experience for the audience.

The judges, visibly moved, swept their arms over their goosebumps.

[Now, build up to the climax.]

-At this moment, it’s just us two!-

Following the demon’s advice, I gradually increased the proportion of sound over air in my voice.

The vocal gradation intensified, and as the pitch rose, both the backing track and piano heightened the tension, racing towards the chorus.

Just before the chorus began.

Though the demon possessed me, another indescribable force seemed to guide me.

Unknowingly, I released my hands from the piano and grasped the microphone.

[Hey! What are you doing?]

-No need for other words

Even the words ‘I love you’

I already have

Something more than words-

The demon’s shouts went unheard.

At this moment, only the sound of music dominated my ears.

I picked up the microphone with my left hand and stood up from my seat.

I made eye contact with the judges and the audience as I moved toward the piano, trying to engage them.

Some of their faces lit up with smiles.

I gained more courage from that.

[Well, well…]

I tightened my vocal cords and produced clear sounds.

In moments, I added a metallic resonance for flavor and ended the notes with a short, thick vibrato.

It felt like instinct was guiding me, but the most dominant thought in my mind was:

‘This is fun…’

I was having the time of my life.

I felt so happy I could cry.

For 26 years, I had immersed myself in composing, unable to complete a song on my own.

Finally, today.

Although it was a remake, I completed a song entirely with my own hands and voice.

After the first chorus, I couldn’t clearly recall what happened next.

When I came to my senses, I saw the judges, smiling and offering gentle applause.

And I heard the demon’s voice.

[Well done.]

* * *

I was told that the results would be communicated via individual messages the next day.

It seemed like I had given a successful performance, but predicting the results was difficult in a university full of talented individuals.

With the tension gone and exhaustion settling in, I headed straight home after the audition.

After a warm shower and changing into comfortable clothes, I felt like the day was finally over.

As I lightly shook my still-damp hair, I heard the demon’s indifferent voice.

[Hey, buddy.]

“Yeah?”

[Get some rest.]

“Haha, really?”

[When you stood up with the mic, I was genuinely surprised. Why did you do that?]

“I don’t know. I just suddenly wanted to.”

It was a strange sensation, even to me. It felt like my chest was light and oddly exhilarated.

[You’re really a stage natural.]

“It was my first time…”

[Not really. You’ve been on stage before, six years ago…]

“Shut up…”

[Hahaha… Even though you tore up the stage today, it’s still a dark chapter.]

“…….”

I fell into thought for a moment and then answered with a faint smile.

“No, it doesn’t feel like it anymore.”

[You’ll probably pass. From what I heard, no one performed better than you. Although, I don’t know about the people who went after you.]

“How can you tell?”

[I heard everything from the waiting room earlier. Didn’t you?]

“Oh, I was too nervous…”

[You might not have seen the dance teams since you couldn’t see the stage, but for sure, among those who prepared songs, no one did as well as you.]

Whether the demon was trying to instill confidence or being sincere, I couldn’t tell. But since he was a serious demon when it came to music, I decided to trust him.

“By the way, what about the compensation for my singing ability? Has it been traded yet?”

[No, not yet. Either you haven’t achieved something significant yet or what you want isn’t a single value, so the trade hasn’t happened.]

“You don’t know what I really want?”

[Hmm… It’s not clear.]

“Not knowing what I truly want, you and I both don’t understand the unconscious mind.”

[You are a bit peculiar.]

Although my curiosity wasn’t resolved, talking about the stage with the demon was enough for today.

I chatted with the demon for a while before falling asleep.

Today was one of the happiest days of my life.

* * *

The next day.

Since I didn’t have classes in the morning, I decided to enjoy a sweet, late sleep.

-Ring…

“Ugh…”

The unwelcome interruptions always come unexpectedly.

“What is it…”

[It looks like a text came. Didn’t you get the audition results?]

“Oh! Oh, right!”

I snapped awake at the demon’s reminder and checked the alarm.

-Notification of audition results for the Humanities Department launch ceremony.

[It should be a pass without a doubt.]

“…It says ‘Pending’.”

[Pending!?]