The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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It was only a fleeting moment, but I saw it clearly.

 

Mun Ah-rin’s face contorting. That good-natured mask she always wore crumbling down completely.

 

Of course, she quickly composed her expression as if nothing had happened, wearing that innocent smile she always had.

 

“Oh come on. What did I even do? It’s all because Seol did so well!”

 

Mun Ah-rin stepped closer and linked arms with me as she spoke.

 

“I was so surprised. My friend is this amazing~ I thought.”

 

Anyone who didn’t know better would have been completely fooled.

 

Mun Ah-rin acted as if she was proud of me. Even though she had been glaring at me fiercely just moments ago.

 

“While listening, I almost teared up without realizing it, you know? I could picture someone calmly accepting their approaching death. …Amazing. I wouldn’t have been able to do that.”

 

Mun Ah-rin’s smile was dry and withered. A hint of bitterness seeped through as well.

 

Beyond her gentle smile, I could see a familiar collapse.

 

“Oh right! We should at least take a photo. We went through the trouble of doing makeup and wearing dresses! How can we not leave a single picture? Se-a unnie, you should join us too!”

 

Mun Ah-rin seemed to snap back to her senses and moved busily. She lifted her phone high with a bright laughing face.

 

“One, two, three. Cheese!”

 

Click!

 

The moment the camera sound echoed,

 

We heard arguing voices coming from the corridor into the waiting room.

 

-…I’m telling you, …! You can’t just do whatever you want like this…

 

-… …right? …let’s do it. That’s all I need…

 

The voices were faint, but I immediately recognized who they were.

 

“That sounds like Professor Jeong Tae-seong.”

 

Cho Yun-je quietly murmured the name. To my ears, one of them was definitely Jeong Tae-seong.

 

And the other one also sounded like a voice I’d heard somewhere before…

 

‘Where did I hear it?’

 

I searched through my hazy memories but couldn’t quite remember.

 

“What could be going on for the professor to raise his voice like this? I’ve never heard him sound like this before.”

 

“Right. He’s not the type to do this.”

 

“If he came all the way backstage, it must be someone from the staff, right? Did something go wrong?”

 

Everyone was cautiously expressing their confusion when it happened.

 

Slam.

 

Kang Se-a threw the door open.

 

“…?!”

 

“Oh, unnie!”

 

Everyone looked bewildered, but Kang Se-a herself was completely calm.

 

“What? I’m thirsty. I’m going to drink some water.”

 

As if the fight outside had nothing to do with her, Kang Se-a spoke confidently.

 

“Do you guys want some too? Follow me if you do.”

 

And then she actually started walking out with heavy steps.

 

“Hey, you should read the room a little…!”

 

Cho Yun-je called out quietly, but the door was already open.

 

Thanks to that, the man standing face-to-face with Jeong Tae-seong was clearly visible.

 

Even though he was standing behind Jeong Tae-seong, his height advantage of at least a head taller immediately drew everyone’s attention.

 

His deep black hair gleamed as if absorbing light, and his nose bridge fell smoothly. His lips were firmly closed, and above all, his eyes.

 

Those eyes I met in the air were exactly like those of a predator facing its prey. I couldn’t help but shudder involuntarily.

 

He was clearly no ordinary person at first glance.

 

And I knew him. Though he looked a bit younger than the man in my memories.

 

Jeong Do-hyun.

 

It was him.

 

“Seol.”

 

He called my name.

 

I could see Jeong Tae-seong pressing his forehead as if troubled. But ignoring that completely, Jeong Do-hyun stepped toward me.

 

When he stood in front of me, I had to crane my neck up considerably.

 

Jeong Do-hyun took out a business card from his jacket and handed it to me.

 

“I’m Jeong Do-hyun.”

 

The title “CEO of NXT Holdings” was prominently written on it. As I awkwardly accepted the business card, Jeong Do-hyun continued.

 

“Today’s performance was truly excellent.”

 

His voice flowed smoothly.

 

It sounded like a calm assessment, but I could tell. That he was unusually excited, unlike himself.

 

“Thank you.”

 

I also tried to act nonchalant and smiled lightly.

 

“If you haven’t had dinner yet, I’d like to treat you. How about it?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I’d like to discuss today’s performance.”

 

“Well…”

 

Didn’t Jeong Tae-seong say he’d treat us to dinner today? When I glanced toward Jeong Tae-seong, he let out a deep sigh and intervened.

 

“Really now. The performance isn’t even over yet, and you want to take my student somewhere?”

 

“As a sponsor, I believe treating someone to a meal is something I can do.”

 

“This isn’t how things should proceed. After going through official procedures…”

 

“I don’t have time.”

 

Jeong Do-hyun glanced at his wristwatch as he spoke.

 

“I have a flight in 5 hours.”

 

“…”

 

Jeong Tae-seong silently threw curses with his eyes. Yeah, aren’t you great. That’s clearly what he wanted to say.

 

“Hah. Just wait a moment, would you?”

 

Jeong Tae-seong gritted his teeth and forced the words out.

 

Then he approached me and whispered quietly so Jeong Do-hyun couldn’t hear.

 

“Seol, your opinion is most important. That guy is a bit rude, but his influence in this industry is tremendous. It wouldn’t hurt to make a good impression.”

 

I know, I know.

 

Once Jeong Do-hyun starts properly supporting someone, success is practically guaranteed.

 

“I guarantee he’s not approaching you with impure motives. He’s doing this purely because he likes your music. What do you want to do?”

 

“I…”

 

I paused for a moment.

 

It’s not that I dislike Jeong Do-hyun as a person. But I can’t shake the perception that he was one of Mun Ah-rin’s closest associates.

 

‘I guess it feels strange to be following in Mun Ah-rin’s footsteps.’

 

Besides, wasn’t Jeong Do-hyun pursuing YULE? Of course, there’s no way he’d figure out it was me, but there was nothing good about getting close to him.

 

As I was scratching my cheek,

 

My eyes met with Mun Ah-rin, who was standing at the threshold of the waiting room.

 

Under the bright fluorescent lights, I could clearly see her pale, ashen face. The corners of her mouth, which had been wearing a pleasant smile, hung down weakly.

 

Mun Ah-rin’s gaze was fixed on my fingertips.

 

Jeong Do-hyun’s business card.

 

She was glaring at that thin piece of paper as if she wanted to kill it. Jealousy and envy, longing and inferiority, and inexplicable hatred all mixed together.

 

All those emotions swirled within Mun Ah-rin’s eyes.

 

The knuckles of her hand gripping her dress hem turned white. Mun Ah-rin finally looked directly at me.

 

The moment our eyes met, time seemed to stop.

 

Why you. Not me.

 

Mun Ah-rin looked like she wanted to say that. What was in her eyes wasn’t simple jealousy, but something much deeper.

 

It was greed wanting to take everything from me, and despair bordering on distrust.

 

Maybe because she’s still young. She’s quite poor at managing her expressions.

 

Now I felt like I’d caught a glimpse of Mun Ah-rin’s ‘real’ self, even if just a fragment.

 

I glanced at the business card and chuckled. Mun Ah-rin’s eyes wavered slightly.

 

There was no more reason to hesitate.

 

“Yes. I’ll do it.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“The meal, I said I’ll do it.”

 

I looked straight at Jeong Do-hyun and smiled brightly.

 

“I was curious too.”

 

Mun Ah-rin, what kind of feelings you must have had.

 

“Really? If that’s how you feel, then I have no more reason to stop you.”

 

Jeong Tae-seong immediately turned around and approached Jeong Do-hyun. He seemed to be giving him words of caution while making some unnecessary threats.

 

Jeong Do-hyun answered halfheartedly as if annoyed, but kept staring in this direction.

 

[ SYSTEM – V1.0 ]

 

> Congratulations !

 

> Normal trajectory recovery rate : 21%

 

The system window that suddenly popped up wasn’t surprising anymore.

 

‘21%, huh.’

 

The moment I accepted the dinner invitation with Jeong Do-hyun, the numbers shot up like this.

 

‘As if this was originally my place.’

 

A lightning-like realization flashed through my mind.

 

The system was kindly telling me. That this was the path I was originally supposed to take.

 

‘Before the regression, Mun Ah-rin had stolen my place.’

 

How was that possible? There were so many parts I could guess. Mun Ah-rin had made me create all sorts of assignment pieces under the pretense of helping me.

 

That must have stimulated Jeong Do-hyun’s interest, and as a result, she gained his favor.

 

Thinking about it that way, a hollow laugh escaped me without realizing it.

 

‘From one to ten. Everything was just stolen from me.’

 

Everything became clear.

 

Mun Ah-rin. You didn’t just steal my ears and songs, but my entire life.

 

While I was feeling dejected, I sensed someone’s presence beside me. When I looked up, Jeong Do-hyun was standing there.

 

“Are there any foods you can’t eat?”

 

At Jeong Do-hyun’s question, I immediately shook my head.

 

“No. Nothing like that.”

 

“I understand.”

 

At that moment, Mun Ah-rin’s gaze felt piercing, as if it would bore right through me.

 

So I deliberately smiled brightly.

 

‘Mun Ah-rin, that position suits you best.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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