The Reincarnated Idol Hard Carries an Indie Band - Chapter 13

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

A Former Idol’s Indie Band Hard Carry
Chapter 13
My words drew everyone’s attention.
Was it too sudden a name to mention here?
This is a basement, after all.
But my mind was filled with nothing but that name.
We’d originally started in the rooftop practice room at OK Top in Hongdae.
A name we gave without much thought—meant to remind us never to forget where we came from.
But I couldn’t hold onto that beginning, and my friends lost their resolve because of me.
That’s why I could only dream of that rooftop on that day, always.
Even after becoming a betrayer.
Even now, flying to the past alongside this miracle.
“OK Top? Why OK Top?”
“Well, because this place is underground.”
“Ugh… what is that?”
“Well, because we’re underground here. And someday we’re going to climb to higher places. So let’s name ourselves after our goal, you know?”
“Hmm, I mean, the meaning’s not bad.”
“I like it. It feels indie band-like.”
“So ‘Bonded Band’ wasn’t that great, huh.”
“Come on, seriously!”
After Heo Junseong, Lee Doyeong gave his cautious approval, but Kang Min just kept talking nonsense.
Wait, what even is “Bonded Band”?
It was Kim Jihoo who ultimately threw his weight behind my suggestion.
“In English, it’s ‘OK TOP,’ right? If we ever expand overseas, it’d be perfect to use as a name.”
“Oh! Wow, no wonder you’re the studious one. I’m in!”
“I’d love for that day to actually come.”
“It’s not as good as ‘Bonded Band,’ but I like this well enough!”
“Hey, Kang Min, where did that even come from?”
“It’s just a thing, you know?”
“So, unless anyone has other ideas, we’re going with OK Top, yeah?”
“Sounds good! Decided! Bang bang bang!”
“Band OK Top!”
“We are OK Top!”
Why were they so excited over just deciding on a name?
These guys imagining OK Top becoming famous in their own ways, sharing those visions with each other.
Just like my life repeating once more, OK Top too announced a new beginning.
This time, I swear.
I won’t betray you guys. I won’t betray OK Top.
* * *
After naming ourselves, every weekend we busked in Banwol Park under the name OK Top.
Once the school break started, we performed on weekdays too, and a whole month had already passed.
In my past life, I learned so much while working in the entertainment industry.
One of those lessons was this: consistency never betrays you.
No matter what we do, we have to leave continuous traces.
That beginning was the busking in Banwol Park.
And that will definitely become a great asset to us down the line.
Of course, what needs consistency isn’t just the busking.
“Huff, huff……”
“Doyeong, you struggling?”
“Seoha, I feel like I’m dying……”
“Doyeong really doesn’t have the stamina for this.”
While planning the next steps, I made sure to go running at least three times a week, bringing Lee Doyeong and Kang Min along.
Since I was used to working out in my past life, if I don’t burn off energy like this, I get restless.
Kang Min used to run in Banwol Park often anyway.
As for Lee Doyeong……
“But Seoha, what does getting body fat below 15% have to do with playing Bass……”
“Doyeong.”
“Yeah……”
We sat down on a bench for a moment so Lee Doyeong could rest, and we talked.
“Do you know what your biggest problem is right now?”
“My playing?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Stamina.”
“Stamina? But performing isn’t hard for me?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Both Kang Min and Lee Doyeong looked puzzled at my words.
“You know the saying, ‘Stamina is national power,’ right?”
“Yeah, that’s true?”
“What kind of era are we in these days? It’s an era where people value leisure time.”
……
The two of them already saw where I was going and gave me looks of disbelief.
I probably would have too.
“Leisure time. In other words? It’s an era where art matters. Stamina is national power, and to build national power, you need to do art. So stamina is basically art itself. Get it?”
“No, not at all.”
“I don’t understand either.”
“Anyway, I’m right. So let’s work out hard and build our stamina!”
“Your logic makes no sense whatsoever… but since exercise is good anyway, I’ll do it.”
“There, that’s a good attitude.”
“What even is that……”
Unlike Lee Doyeong, who accepted it with a “whatever’s good is good” philosophy, Kang Min still looked at me like I was some strange person.
There’s no helping it, Lee Doyeong.
You’ll be good-looking once you lose the weight, trust me.
And so the three of us started running again through the park.
Had we run for about a minute more?
“Huh? Kyaaaah!!”
“Ugh!”
Someone screaming made the three of us stop dead in our tracks.
“Oh my gosh, you’re OK Top!”
“Ah, hello.”
“No way! I’m a fan! Can I get your autograph?”
“Of course, thank you.”
A young woman had recognized us.
So our consistency was already bearing fruit.
“I follow all of you on SNS! Please post more often!”
“We will, though honestly our photo skills are pretty bad.”
“You all look great no matter what!”
“Thank you so much.”
“Are you performing this week too?”
“Yeah, we’re adding a new song to the set this week.”
“Wow, that’s amazing! I’ll be waiting in the front row again!”
“Thank you. It’s hot out, so make sure you bring water.”
“I will! I’ll be cheering you on!”
The fan walked away, flushed with excitement.
“Cha Seoha, you’re like a real celebrity.”
“Really? How so?”
“I don’t know how to put it… you don’t seem flustered? There’s a composure about you.”
“Yeah, Seoha really does seem like a celebrity.”
“I’m not a celebrity. It’s just gratitude—I’m just treating them well because I’m thankful.”
“And come to think of it, Min’s speech has been weird since last time.”
Lee Doyeong’s jab made Kang Min flinch.
“M-me?”
“…See, he’s weird, Seoha.”
“Yeah, he seems weird. Really weird actually.”
Though he really does have a handsome face.
Kang Min’s features are all very distinct overall—especially his eyes, which are deep and intense.
He has a very masculine impression with thick eyebrows, and his face doesn’t look like a high school student’s at all.
And now with longer hair, he had an even wilder appeal about him.
Add playing Drums to all that, and what can I say?
But for someone like that to be an otaku—even thinking about it now, the picture is weird.
Of course, outside the band, he seemed desperately trying to cosplay as a normal person.
“M-me like this. Hey, knock off the nonsense.”
“Keke, kekeke!”
He was still giggling to himself.
Whenever we disliked something, he’d do it even worse and laugh all by himself.
He was trying to irritate us.
Come to think of it, that guy was the biggest weirdo on our team.
“Anyway, Seoha, what do we do now?”
Lee Doyeong asked a strange question, seeming tired of running.
“What do you mean? We run.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. Are we just going to keep busking like this forever? It feels like we’re moving without a real goal.”
It wasn’t a strange question—it was a very good one.
“You know, I was thinking of bringing it up anyway. I’m going to write a song and bring it to our next rehearsal.”
“A song? That one you said you were making before?”
“Yeah.”
“Wait, you compose too, Cha Seoha?”
“I do. Plus, I already booked a studio. I’ll explain everything once we’re all together.”
“Ohhh……”
“We don’t know the song’s quality yet, but honestly, he’s turned out to be even more amazing than expected.”
My next plan was to create our own song.
By now we had pretty good chemistry.
We rehearsed almost every day and performed once or twice a week.
We’d gathered all the members and figured out how to harmonize.
We’d even named the band.
But there was still something we didn’t have.
Our own song, written by us.
That was what we needed.
The Rendez-vous that I hadn’t finished working on last time.
I had to complete that quickly and finish it with the guys.
We have time for now, but we need to release it “then.”
You could call it our first broadcast debut song, of sorts.
Not that we’re going on a music show right away or anything.
“I’m planning to finish the song tomorrow and bring it.”
“Wow! I want to come too!”
“Kang Min, don’t you have work tomorrow?”
“No, I’m free all day tomorrow.”
Come to think of it, I thought I might need Kang Min.
“Okay, good. What about you, Doyeong?”
“I have a family gathering tomorrow. Too bad, I really wanted to see you compose.”
“I’ll finish it and bring it to our next rehearsal.”
“Yeah, it’s a shame, but there’s no helping it.”
“So Kang Min, you come with me tomorrow and let’s record some Drums.”
“Sure.”
* * *
The next day, I went to ST Studio for the first time in a while, bringing Kang Min with me.
“Man, it’s been a while since I’ve been to a studio.”
“Oh, have you been to a place like this before, Kang Min?”
“Yeah, came a few times for recording sessions.”
“No wonder you’re a champion.”
“That’s all old history now.”
He had a nostalgic look on his face.
We entered the booked room.
Even without Jang Deokcheol’s involvement this time, Jo Hyeonseop let us use the studio for free.
Everything has to go well so I can repay Jang Deokcheol and Jo Hyeonseop.
It has to work out.
For the people I’m grateful to, and for our success.
“I have a song I sketched out roughly before. Today we’ll finish it and lay down some Drums.”
“No problem there. Just leave it to me.”
“Let’s listen to the song first.”
And so I played back the Rendez-vous I’d roughly sketched out before.
Hearing it again after so long, the parts I need to fix are clearer.
The Drums should be fine since Kang Min will handle it well.
I should touch up the melody Guitar that comes in with the chorus.
Now that I hear it again, the synth texture feels lacking too.
The Bass can stay as is, just need to capture the live feel when recording……
That should be enough fixing.
After about three minutes, the song finished playing.
“…Hey, Cha Seoha.”
“Huh?”
“What is this song?”

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