The Reincarnated Idol Hard Carries an Indie Band - Chapter 109

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A Former Idol Does Hard-carry for an Indie Band
Episode 109
I listened quietly as Heo Jun Sung told his story without inflection.
“There was a time I couldn’t even afford to buy a single piece of candy, and now I’m performing on stage in the United States, eating burgers with four patties stacked on top of each other.”
……
“If I hadn’t done music, I probably would’ve lived my whole life never knowing things like this existed.”
“Well, I suppose that’s possible.”
Heo Jun Sung had nothing.
That’s why there wasn’t a single moment of hesitation when he chose music.
Because he had nothing to lose.
He came this far with just one thing—because he loved it.
But me.
I had far too much.
A predetermined path, a guaranteed future, a wealthy household.
Not blood family, but a perfect family nonetheless.
Out of fear of losing all that, I couldn’t even speak the truth about what I loved.
Afraid I’d be cast aside if I didn’t become like my siblings.
Heo Jun Sung, with nothing, was free.
And I, with everything, was trapped inside a cage of my own making.
“Hey, why do you think I like hamburgers……. so…….”
Are you sleeping?”
……
Heo Jun Sung had fallen asleep mid-sentence.
I watched him for a long while, draped the blanket over him, and quietly left the room.
* * *
At the end of the hotel corridor, by the window.
I stood hesitating for a long time, staring at the acceptance message from Korea University Medical School.
It should be daytime in Korea right now.
After a moment, I brought the phone to my ear.
The dial tone rang a few times, and then came a familiar voice.
-Ji Hu? What’s wrong? Isn’t it nighttime where you are?
“……Dad.”
My heart raced.
Words I’d never spoken aloud in my entire life.
I was trying to say them now.
“I just… wanted to hear your voice.”
Of course it didn’t come easily.
-Goodness, that’s sudden. Nothing’s wrong, is it? Did you have a fight with your friends?
“No, it’s not that.”
-Well, I’m glad nothing’s the matter. You’re not short on money, are you?
The concern flowed without pause.
It kept pulling me back, but I gathered my courage once more.
“Dad. I… can I skip medical school and do music instead?”
There was a brief silence on the other end.
I was prepared.
Prepared for disappointment. Prepared for him to say how much he’d already invested.
But then.
-If that’s what you want to do, then you should do it.
The answer came so calmly.
-We’ve all seen how happy it makes you. Honestly, your mother and I figured this conversation would come up someday.
“Are you really sure?”
-Of course. If you don’t want to go to medical school, then don’t. It’s your life.
My throat tightened.
If someone asked whether it was overwhelming emotion, it wasn’t only that.
This permission of his.
I was afraid it might be abandonment.
That fear still lingered.
Once I pursued music, wouldn’t all that worry and tenderness I’d just received disappear?
I needed to know.
“Dad.”
-Hmm?
“Even if I’m not a doctor… I’m still your son, right?”
And the answer that came back.
-Of course. Is that even something you need to ask?
Bemused, yet infinitely warm.
-You’re just our youngest. What does it matter if you’re a doctor or a singer?
In that moment, my eyes burned.
Tears threatened to spill, but I held them back.
-What have you been thinking all this time?
Now his tone turned questioning, almost reproachful.
“……Because I’m different from everyone else.”
-Different?
“Different from my brothers and sister……”
The phone line went quiet again.
-Ah, that’s what this is about. Right, of course. I’d almost forgotten about that. But what does any of that matter? You’re still my son.
I’d walked into this call ready for a fight.
But there was no one to fight.
My father had been so completely on my side that he’d forgotten I wasn’t his biological son.
“Hic……”
-Don’t cry, you fool. Stop worrying about pointless things.
All this time.
What had I been so afraid of?
Afraid of being abandoned, afraid of losing my place, I’d walked on tiptoes every day of my life.
But these people had never once demanded that I earn my place.
I didn’t have to live so desperately.
Whether they picked me up from an orphanage or found me on the street—it had never mattered.
“……Yes, thank you, Dad.”
-Don’t thank me. Just eat well and be careful on the flight back.
After I hung up, I stared out the window for a long time.
The tears didn’t stop, but I wasn’t sad.
Under the unfamiliar night sky of America.
Something that had weighed on my chest my whole life had finally grown light.
…I should tell them tomorrow.
That we should keep going with Oktatop.
* * *
The day after filming ended.
We gathered in front of the hotel after each of us had breakfast or slept a bit more.
We’d wanted to call the manager too, but apparently he was tired and still sleeping.
“Hey, Kim Ji Hu, why are your eyes so puffy?”
“Oh, I ate something salty yesterday.”
Heo Jun Sung and Kim Ji Hu started bickering from the morning.
“Huh? Your eyes puffed up that much just from eating something salty?”
“If you hadn’t suggested we grab hamburgers, they wouldn’t be like this.”
“Hmm… it looks like you’ve been crying, though I really can’t tell.”
“Hey.”
“What?”
“You’re really losing it.”
I felt genuine menace radiating from Kim Ji Hu.
“Wow, so scary……”
Heo Jun Sung rushed behind me and hid.
We left our accommodations early to explore the area around the hotel.
With only one day of free time given to us, we had to make the most of it.
In the end, all we could really do was visit nearby restaurants or take in the scenery.
But I wanted to gather as many memories as possible to take back to Korea.
So we walked wherever our feet took us, without any particular destination.
People hurrying somewhere.
Some jogging, others walking their dogs.
When we turned into a nearby park, there were many people enjoying the leisure time.
“Oh! OKTATOP!”
“Huh!”
Then someone recognized us.
“Wow, crazy……”
“They know who we are?”
My friends stood behind me looking dumbfounded.
I smoothly had a conversation with them, took a photo, and sent them off.
“Hey, are we really stars or what?”
“Wow, we got recognized in the United States? Am I dreaming?”
“Wow, we’ve made it! We’ve really made it!”
Being recognized on the street in the United States was honestly more than I’d expected.
As we continued walking, we heard music.
Someone was busking at the corner of the park.
On an early morning like this, no less.
Their passion was impressive.
A small, shabby stage that no passersby stopped to watch.
Suddenly I thought of Banwol Park.
Those days when no one was watching us.
I tucked a bill into their case as encouragement.
And the singer smiled brightly at me.
“Hey, that’s pretty good!”
“Yeah, they’ve got talent.”
“But the guitar playing falls short compared to this body of mine.”
“Kang Min genes are shining through!”
“Kang Min genes don’t understand Japanese, apparently?”
“…!?”
After enjoying the performance, we moved on again.
We each bit into an ice cream from a nearby vendor and walked, talking about music—a subject that never got old.
As we left the park, buildings became more frequent.
We stopped at the nearest souvenir shop and began browsing.
“I love LA!”
“Jun Sung, your voice is too loud.”
Heo Jun Sung picked up a magnetic souvenir and checked the price.
“How much is five dollars?”
“Probably about six thousand won, give or take.”
At Kim Ji Hu’s answer, Heo Jun Sung quietly put the souvenir down.
Then Kim Ji Hu picked it back up.
“Is this for your mother? Or for you?”
“O-of course it’s for my mom! What would I do with it?”
“I’ll buy it.”
“Oh yeah!”
No matter how I looked at it, he seemed to want it for himself, but Kim Ji Hu played along without complaint.
That’s how we went from shop to shop, wandering the neighborhood.
All of them standing with their mouths wide open, gazing at the sights.
It was definitely a relaxed and happy stroll, but a subtle tension that had been following us since morning wouldn’t dissipate.
Because there was still one thing unresolved.
But from Kim Ji Hu’s demeanor, it seemed like his own decision had been made.
While my friends rushed into the next shop.
Kim Ji Hu, who’d been following behind, grabbed the hem of my sleeve.
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“I……”
Kim Ji Hu hesitated for a moment.
Usually this guy had no trouble speaking his mind.
“I’m going to keep doing Oktatop.”
After barely getting those words out, Kim Ji Hu looked away awkwardly.
“Good.”
I didn’t shower him with fanfare or lecture him.
“You made the right choice.”
That was all, and Kim Ji Hu laughed sheepishly.
I didn’t know what had happened to him last night.
Since he hadn’t told me.
But his puffy eyes, the lightness in his step—
Something significant had happened to bring him back to Oktatop.
From where I stood, I could only feel grateful.
“Wait, I can’t be the only one who knows about this.”
“Huh? What?”
I raised my voice as loud as I could.
“Hey everyone!! Kim Ji Hu’s continuing with Oktatop!!”
“What did you say?”
The three guys in front turned and came running back when they heard me.
“Hey, I told you that in confidence, why would you—!”
Kim Ji Hu’s face turned crimson as he raised his voice in a rare display of emotion.
And his rushing friends pounced on him.
“You bastard! If you’re going to do it, just do it! Why all this wishy-washy back and forth? Ugh! What’s wrong with you anyway? Huh? What?”
“Ji Hu, do you know how much we’ve stressed over you?”
“Ji Hu, you naughty boy should be punished. Hehe, hehe.”
“You crazy bastards, get away! I said get away!”
Under the sunlight of a foreign city.
Kim Ji Hu finally found the place where he belonged.

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