The Devil lives in the Music of Top Star

The Devil Lives in That Top Star’s Music

Episode 1

It may not be a company with top celebrities, but it was a production company that was great at producing.

That JH Entertainment producing team, Behind Studio, was the team I belonged to.

This was a team that created countless famous songs, and I learned a lot during the three years I worked there.

As a result, the songs I created were used by famous idols and solo singers and even featured as OSTs for dramas.

However, the name ‘Yoo Jaehee’ was nowhere to be found in any credits.

‘Behind Studio.’

In this team, I, along with other composers, was simply part of a collective name and received a fixed salary instead of royalties.

From a cold perspective, there was nothing unfair about this.

The contract terms were unique, but the pay was decent, and there were a few companies operating this way.

Yes. I accepted this system up to this point.

But the announcement I received from CEO Kim Junghyuk today crossed that line.

“No, CEO, this isn’t right. You could have at least discussed this with me beforehand.”

“A company is using a song made by its composer, what’s there to discuss? Didn’t you work on that song using the company’s computer?”

“…….”

Yes, I did use the company computer.

But that was a personal project, a song for my future.

A weapon I had honed for the day I would leave this place and spread my wings.

But that hope was unknowingly handed over to an idol group.

The song I created was released under the name Behind Studio, not under the name of composer Yoo Jaehee.

“That’s my song! Using it without any notice is unfair!”

“Unfair, huh? Check the contract. The paperwork doesn’t lie.”

While I was fuming, the CEO remained indifferent.

It was as if this wasn’t the first time such an issue had come up.

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.

“Have you considered what would happen if people found out about this unfairness?”

I spewed out a threat in anger, but I didn’t believe it would be effective.

“Tell me about your brilliant plan. How will you let people know? And if the public does find out, what’s your next move?”

CEO Kim Junghyuk responded leisurely as if he was genuinely interested in hearing my words.

“Take your time and explain.”

“…….”

My whole body trembled, but I couldn’t overcome the disparity in power.

The amateurish threat I blurted out wasn’t going to work on someone like him.

My dream was to produce leading music, and I had been wondering if I could achieve my goal while working here.

But today.

That doubt turned into certainty.

“I’m not renewing your contract.”

-Bam!

I stormed out of the CEO’s office after receiving the outrageous news, unable to say another word.

It was the worst winter of my life.

* * *

-A sweet dream! You and I, just the two of us, to a faraway place!

A few weeks later, in a one-room apartment in Sillim.

On the TV, a music show was on full swing, and a boy group that seemed to be full of refreshing energy was dancing and singing.

“You bastards!”

I hurled a curse at CEO Kim Junghyuk into the empty air, but all I heard in return was the echo of ‘bastards’ and the TV sound.

Honestly, I didn’t want to watch it.

“That’s my song……”

The idol group’s popularity was skyrocketing after releasing my song.

The more successful they became, the more bitter I felt, but I couldn’t suppress my curiosity, which led me to turn on the music show I usually didn’t watch.

“Damn it!”

I turned off the TV, but it wasn’t going to turn off the song I created or the idol group’s rising popularity.

Since my contract with JH Entertainment ended, I had been sharpening my sword, thinking of how to take revenge on those bastards, but my weapon was still dull.

I briefly thought about filing a lawsuit, but my chances of winning were nearly zero.

Exposing them on social media also seemed futile, as who would listen to an unknown composer who never even got their name on an album credit? Only my friends and acquaintances would hear my story.

‘There’s no answer.’

The goal seemed distant, but it was too unfair not to even try.

-A sweet dream! You and I, just the two of us, to a faraway place!

While someone was having sweet dreams and heading to a wonderful place, I was stuck in a cramped one-room apartment preparing to return to school.

The situation was filled with despair, but I felt something faint.

‘I need to toughen up.’

To overcome this crisis, I needed to become stronger than I was now.

-Bzzzt

What brought me to reality was the vibration sound of my smartphone.

“Hello”

“Hey! Yoo Jaehee! I heard you didn’t renew your contract, what happened?”

The voice on the other end was my old friend.

“Ah, I don’t know. That’s just how it went.”

“Hey. What happened?”

The way Im Taehyun spoke was strange.

Instead of saying something like ‘Let’s meet up and have a drink’ or ‘You’ll be back in school now,’ he asked as if he knew something had happened to me.

“Let’s talk later. I’m busy preparing to return to school.”

Though Im Taehyun’s words seemed odd, I wasn’t in the mood for a conversation.

Even after some time had passed, my upset stomach hadn’t settled.

“Okay, got it. Let’s meet up when things settle down. I’ll buy you a drink.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Okay, then, talk to you later, bro.”

After the chaotic call with Im Taehyun, I lay down on my bed.

“Sigh……”

I started to think about how I ended up like this, and it brought back a page from my past.

My father, who played the piano as a hobby when I was very young.

My interest in music grew from that, as did my dream was to becoming an artist.

My school days when I topped the class to convince my parents to support my music activities.

And the not-so-smooth relationships with my friends during those days.

I even considered applying to a practical music department when I was in high school.

Eventually, I chose Korean literature, but I wasn’t unhappy about it.

Entering the Korean literature department allowed me to receive support for my music activities from my parents.

No matter what my major, where I was, or what I was doing, music was my lifelong companion.

After my first semester, I filled my transcript with A’s and immediately enlisted in the army.

One day, when I was a corporal, I heard the news of my parents’ accident, and, being left alone, I spent every day in tears for a while.

Then, after being discharged, I went back to school, and about six months later, I signed a contract with JH Entertainment.

Where did it all go wrong?

I had no fault other than trying too hard.

I skipped meals and sold my sleep to study and make music.

But all I got in return was the loss of my parents and the harsh reality of the music industry.

Now, all I had left was the money I had saved up and this one-room apartment.

The overwhelming feeling of disillusionment made me want to give up everything, but I couldn’t.

It would be too wasteful to throw away all my efforts so far.

“Let’s just focus on going back to school.”

After the contract ended, I started making plans.

The beginning of this plan started from my earnest desire.

I really wanted to continue making music.

Spinoza said he would plant an apple tree even if the world were to end tomorrow, but I would be creating songs even if the world split in half the next day.

The first step born from this desperation was returning to school.

There was a famous music club called Groovy Nation at Yesung University, where I was enrolled.

Unlike typical college music clubs that were just at the club level, our school was different.

Every year, casting calls from entertainment agencies poured in, and many artists from our school clubs had already established themselves in the entertainment industry.

Of course, considering my experience, I could prioritize contacting other entertainment agencies, but I didn’t want to trust another agency yet.

My wounds hadn’t healed enough to get close to the fire again….

To join that club, I thought it was right to go back to school first.

Tomorrow, March 2nd, was the day I would return to school after a long time, so I decided to go to bed early.

Just before my exhausted brain was about to shut down from all the thoughts racing through it…

[Looks like it’s time….]

‘Am I so tired that I’m hearing things now….’

* * *

Since becoming unemployed, my days and nights have been reversed for weeks, making it difficult to wake up early in the morning.

“Ugh… I don’t want to go….”

Even at the age of 26, it seemed no one wanted to go to school.

[But you have to go. There’s no other choice.]

“Wha— what the hell!”

Although I was alone in the room, but I was so surprised by the clear voice. 

I got goosebumps all over my body and was frozen in an awkward position, unable to move.

I looked around, but there was no sign of life.

“Did I… did I hear wrong….”

[Are you deaf? Does this sound like a mistake to you?]

“Uwaah! Damn it!”

I was startled by the sound again, stepped on the socks I was trying to put on,

-Thud!

I hit my head on the floor and passed out.

* * *

How much time had passed?

When the rising sun was high in the sky, I finally came to my senses.

One thought was clear when I came to my senses.

‘I’m late.’

And another thing.

“Gasp!”

I got up and looked around.

The voice I had heard just before I collapsed.

Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered hearing that voice just before I fell asleep last night.

I checked under the bed, in the closet, the bathroom, and the veranda, but there was no one.

Terrified, I whispered into the air.

“Wh-who… who are you….”

A voice answered my trembling question.

[Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you faint. Why are you so scared, really….]

“It feels like it’s coming from inside my head….”

[That’s right, nice to meet you. I’m what you humans call a demon. Some call me a ghost, and in the West, they say ghost… you can call me whatever you like.]

“Wow, I must be really stressed out. Hearing hallucinations in such detail.”

[……]

No matter how I looked at it, this didn’t feel real.

[This always happens at the beginning. Humans never believe what I say.]

“W-wait, are you really a demon, or a ghost… or whatever?”

[That’s right, and you don’t have to speak out loud. I can read your thoughts.]

‘L-like this?’

[Yes.]

“Wow, amazing….”

Even before I fully grasped the situation, the demon seemed eager to make me understand its existence quickly.

[I’ve seen many people like you. You don’t believe me, right? You don’t know if this is a hallucination or reality.]

‘Y-yes….’

[Okay, then I’ll give you the perfect pitch first. This works better than anything else.]

“W-what are you giving me?”

Before I could get an answer, I felt an inexplicable sensation.

It was as if a part of my brain was cooling down and the confusion in my head was being replaced by something else.

A feeling I had never experienced before in my life….

[How does it feel?]

At the same time as the demon’s question, I heard the chirping of birds outside the window.

I slowly turned my head towards the window.

-Chirp chirp chirp….

“From F# to G… and somewhere between Bb and A….”

[How about it? Isn’t it a killer ability?]