translation by mourningmoor
“Um. Yes.”
He was going to tell the story through music, but it was slightly different. So this time, he continued speaking a bit longer.
“I am a member of the performance group L.I.T. We bring more than just music to the stage. We communicate with our fans through that.”
“Does that mean today, beyond music, you’ll be telling your story through the stage itself?”
“Yes. Please view the entire stage as one piece of music.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
This time, Lee Nayoung took the mic.
Lee Nayoung is someone who shows special interest not just in me but in our team as a whole. Knowing that the singer I brought today is a member of our team, she showed even deeper interest.
“Today, Ichan-ssi’s song choice is by Michelson, the King of Pop who passed away two years ago.”
“Yes.”
It’s a masterpiece that could earn backlash from reactors if arranged carelessly.
Choosing this song meant he was confident enough in his arrangement to take that risk.
Knowing that, Lee Nayoung also didn’t hide her anticipation.
“Ichan-ssi arranged this song? I’m really curious about how it will feel. The original is a rock-jazz genre with that powerful brass band sound, which makes it such a charming song, right?”
From the intro to the finale, it’s a tightly structured song where you can’t let your guard down for even a moment. That’s why it’s a song you can’t mess with carelessly. One wrong move, and you could ruin everything.
But there’s no need to worry. Because we’ll surpass the original.
No, we’ll create something completely different from the original.
“I stripped a lot away.”
“……?”
“The original is flashy and grand in scale, so much so that it’s no exaggeration to say it’s Michelson himself. So I also arranged for my singer exclusively.”
Lee Nayoung’s lips trembled slightly with excitement.
“Hearing you say that makes me even more curious. So hurry up and…”
“Ms. Lee Nayoung. Let’s not ask more questions and just watch.”
In the end, Lee Nayoung couldn’t continue her sentence.
Because the other judges, unable to contain their curiosity, urged the stage to begin.
Yoon Jooeon, holding the mic, shouted.
“Shall we all watch the stage produced by Producer Kang Ichan?”
* * *
The lights on the stage went out.
The sound of soft rain could be heard, and Jaewon walked out from the right, holding an umbrella.
Dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, he carried a yellow umbrella.
Jaewon’s footsteps echoed on the stage.
The spotlight followed him.
A cheerful piano melody flowed as Jaewon began to dance.
It was as if he was playfully stepping through puddles on the street.
At that moment, lights lit up the back of the stage, casting a shadow on the background.
It seemed like Jaewon’s shadow, but it was someone else’s.
The shadow, following Jaewon’s movements a step behind, was larger and more flamboyant than Jaewon himself.
Tilting his head as he watched, Jaewon began to sing.
On rainy nights, I sometimes imagine,
What if I weren’t myself?
His clear yet deep voice filled the stage, and gasps of admiration could be heard from all around.
Lee Nayoung whispered softly to Yoon Jooeon.
“He changed the lyrics to Korean.”
Yoon Jooeon nodded briefly in response.
Imagine.
This rain is a magic potion.
Then, in the rain, I can become anything.
With light movements, Jaewon approached the left side of the stage and sat on a bench. Meanwhile, the shadow in the background danced gracefully.
It was as if it was Jaewon’s dream.
Magic rain.
Pouring down.
Finally, the dream comes true.
Then, Jaewon picked up an unfamiliar jumper lying on the bench and moved to the center of the stage.
As the music paused briefly, Jaewon smiled arrogantly, shook out the jumper, and put it on.
At that moment, the spotlight on him went out.
A brief moment of darkness, then the stage lights brightened, and the music resumed. The music, which had been just piano, now completely changed its tone.
The back of the stage opened, and Roa, who had been the shadow, jumped forward.
Singing and dancing
in the rain
At this moment,
I’m the superstar.
Roa, dressed in the same clothes as Jaewon.
The shadow, meeting its original, began to dance as one with him.
Sometimes in sync, sometimes in opposition, sometimes out of sync.
They showcased the best harmony, unfolding the stage.
Everything comes together
In this magical moment in the rain.
The rock-jazz pop music had transformed into a bouncy synth-pop genre. Instead of the grand brass sound, a strong bass synth blended with drums and percussion, perfectly capturing L.I.T’s unique vibe.
It was as if this was L.I.T’s identity—a song that blended the familiarity of popular music with their own individuality.
Moreover, the singer performing the song was flawlessly delivering it.
It seemed like he understood the meaning behind every split beat, moving his body as he sang.
The two members showcased a dazzling duet dance that matched the bouncy music, effortlessly returning to the beginning as if nothing had happened.
Roa returned to being a shadow, and Jaewon returned to being an ordinary boy.
Jaewon took off the jumper, placed it back on the bench, picked up the umbrella he had set down, and left the stage.
The piano, which had been melancholically following Jaewon’s retreating figure, shifted to a jazz style as the performance ended.
And for a moment, silence fell.
* * *
Inyoung and her mother, who had been watching the TV, jumped up from their seats and clapped. Inyoung’s brother, Inseong, watched with his lips pouted.
He seemed dissatisfied for no reason, but in truth, Inseong was also very surprised.
He hadn’t expected Michelson’s song to be reinterpreted in this way.
It was a pretty good stage. Though he didn’t want to admit it.
The judges and audience members on the screen also stood up and applauded.
Well, even I, who don’t particularly like L.I.T, had to admit it, so I expected them to receive a high score.
And as expected, Kang Ichan received the highest score ever.
“Oh my. Our Ichan is sooo amazing.”
Inseong was surprised.
Because that comment came from his mother, not Inyoung. Calling him “our Ichan” made him slightly annoyed.
Still, what’s so great about that guy? Is he really worth that kind of reaction? That’s what he thought.
But then, as the final stage of the 4th round of <Survival, Music Genius> began, he couldn’t help but admit it.
“Wooaaah. What? Seo Hanul’s hidden singer was Leader Kang?”
Covering his ears from his sister’s scream, he couldn’t help but lose himself as Kang Ichan sang ARCHE’s <Shadow> with an insane vocal tone.
* * *
After the 4th round competition.
As I was packing up, Seo Hanul approached me.
“Ichan-ssi.”
He had come to me like this after the 3rd round competition too, but his expression was quite different now.
Back then, he had a mix of challenge and slight doubt, a very complicated state of mind, but now he looked completely at ease.
“Thank you for showing us a great stage today.”
Suddenly extending his hand for a handshake, Seo Hanul smiled brightly.
“Not at all. It’s because you produced it so well that I could do a good job.”
Seo Hanul was a quite capable producer. Surprisingly, we had some common ground, so the entire process of working together was enjoyable.
“I genuinely enjoyed working on it.”
At that, Seo Hanul’s face brightened.
“Me too. I was happy working with you, Ichan-ssi. I learned a lot, realizing this is what producing is.”
Seo Hanul smiled shyly and let go of the hand he had been holding.
“And today was truly a good match.”
“I feel the same way.”
For the 4th round, I was confident of victory, but I was slightly anxious.
Because Seo Hanul’s arrangement was outstanding. It was such a good song that I also approached it sincerely and performed it well.
The stage I produced and the stage I performed on.
In the end, the two stages ended up competing.
I heard the text votes were almost evenly split.
The fans hesitated between Producer Kang Ichan and Singer Kang Ichan, ultimately voting for both.
The audience votes seemed to be the same. Both stages were overwhelming, so they gave almost equal scores.
In the end, the result was decided by the judges’ scores.
“Actually, I was a bit surprised.”
Seo Hanul shared his honest feelings.
“In many ways, I was in a position where I had the advantage, right?”
He apologized, saying it wasn’t intentional but ended up that way.
“You had to practice my song while producing your own mission song, and on top of that, you had to prepare for an album.”
While Seo Hanul could focus solely on preparing his mission song, I had to juggle multiple roles, so it wasn’t possible for us to compete on the same level.
“But you pulled it off, staying up all night. At first, I thought, what kind of crazy person does that?”
He must have been surprised. The schedule management skills I showed over the past week completely surpassed what normal humans could imagine.
“Then I realized. This guy is serious about music. No wonder he’s doing so well.”
Now, it seemed like he had let go of even the slightest competitive spirit, as Seo Hanul’s expression became relaxed.
“I can’t be his match.”
It was an obvious statement.
No matter how talented a musician is, they can’t surpass me.
If I’m determined, no one can surpass me.
That’s why Seo Hanul is even more amazing.
“What are you saying?”
This guy is a monster who moved someone like me to become his singer.
“It’s because I have a comeback in a month. And you were amazing too, senior? You didn’t sleep either, right?”
When I stayed up all night working, he stayed up all night too.
I don’t know how many versions of <Shadow> he arranged.
In the end, he chose the best one and created the greatest stage. In other words, he’s a guy with extraordinary tenacity.
This makes him even more appealing.