165 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

EP.165 #165. Talented Genius Mi-Mi (美味) It was, quite literally, a beautiful taste. “How is it, Taemin? Does it taste good?” “Ah, the dishes are fantastic!” “I’ve been working here for four years now, and there’s no place like it.” Watching him eat jajangmyeon while wearing slippers and with his legs crossed was somewhat... Ironic, perhaps. It was quite different from the overwhelming impression I got at YM. Seeing him like this in such a pricey neighborhood was nothing short of mesmerizing to me. “Oh, with a guest here, we get to try the Yu-Lin-Ki dishes too.” He popped a thick piece of fried food into his mouth, happily chewing away. “Um... But...” I’m all for being treated to a meal, and enjoying it thoroughly is great, too. “Yes.” “So, what exactly is it that you want to do with me?” The conversation kept veering off into VTuber discussions and reviews of Chinese restaurant menus. It wandered off on tangents so often, I needed to consciously remind myself why I came here today in the first place. “Let me be frank with you.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked me straight in the eye. “If you’ve never learned music, how about learning from me?” “Uh...” I expected something like this might come up, but I needed to hear the conditions before jumping to a yes. Having experienced the harsh consequences of hasty contracts at YM, I quietly awaited further explanation. “Well... I’m still not sure why you’re offering me this...” “Well, you said you created Summer Records just by feeling your way through on the piano, right?” “Yes, a friend helped, but...” “Anyway, you came up with the melody and basic chords yourself, didn't you?” “...That’s right.” “There are tons of people who are great at arranging music. To put it bluntly, a damn lot. But.” He deftly picked up a dumpling, dipped it in soy sauce, and savored it with satisfaction. “Original creators are rare. There aren’t as many as you’d think.” “And you, Taemin.” “If you’re telling the truth and say, ‘I just tried it, and this is the result!’ then.” “You’re a talented genius!” He was supposedly ten years older than me. Whether he led a youthful life or not, chatting with him felt like talking to a local oppa from the neighborhood. I’ve never really interacted with neighborhood oppas, but he matched the image in my head perfectly. “So, you think I’m a talented genius and want to recruit me?” “Well... calling it recruitment is a bit much. You're not exactly ready to jump into work due to a lack of expertise.” I lacked any theoretical background, so "improvised" indeed summed up my approach. “I’m suggesting you consider learning under me.” “Then what about the costs or...” “Hmm...” His words that followed left me honestly taken aback. “I hadn’t really thought about that.” “Pardon...?” Expecting a stack of documents laden with complex terms, I blinked foolishly. “Ah. So, should I pay you? I mean, I’m the one teaching you, so should I really ask for a salary?” “No, uh... Well...” Wouldn’t it be like attending a class at an academy where the teacher ends up paying the student? “Would you like to pay to learn?” “That’s a bit...” This felt like summoning someone for lessons and then commanding payment; what was that about? “Right? It sounds odd to me too. So what should we do... Hmm...” After mulling it over for a moment, he clapped his hands once he reached a conclusion. “Well. If you agree, Taemin, why don’t you learn how to compose properly from me? I won’t charge you for the lessons.” “So... you’re just going to teach me with no strings attached?” His proposal, akin to that of a philanthropist, was hard to believe. “No, no. The catch is, learn well, grow well, and don’t leave for another company. Work as a composer affiliated with Bitdam.” For someone considering a serious pursuit of music, it was an offer with no reason to refuse. Here was an accomplished composer offering free lessons. Surely, it was a better option than going to some lackluster local academy and paying monthly fees. “Oh, if you do that for me, I’d be so grateful. I was considering learning composition from somewhere anyway.” “Ah~ Then you’ve come to the right place! Friends like you, Taemin, shouldn’t be taught in a mechanical, cram-like manner but instead in a way that’s flexible.” He nodded contentedly. “So, Mr. Ash Block, then...” “Oh! Let’s drop that title already!” “Then what...” “Should we say hyungnim? No, that’s too informal. Let’s go with teacher.” “When did you start working in this industry, teacher...” We decided to start lessons the following week and ended up chatting away until dusk, spending the entire day together. * * * The day my brother returned from his meeting with Bitdam Entertainment. Though I didn’t show it upfront, I couldn’t hide my nervous anticipation. No kids yet, but I felt like a mother sending her son off to the river. Worried about him being taken advantage of again, I grabbed my phone as soon as he called. [Hello.] [Oh, hey.] [Did it go well? Where are you now?] [On the bus going home.] From a distance, I could hear something like an automated announcement. He wasn’t telling me whether things went well. What are you keeping from me, Han Taemin? Why are you skipping the crucial parts and making me anxious? [So, did it go well?] [Hmm...] His hesitant response suggested that there was indeed something going on. Ah... I should have gone with him! If I was going to worry this much, I should have at least asked if I could tag along! “The jajangmyeon was really good.” [Pardon...?] “Ah, and the Yu-Lin-Ki was really tasty too. Let’s go together next time.” His out-of-the-blue rave about a Chinese restaurant. I had never heard him sing praises for a Chinese eatery in my life, so I naturally furrowed my brows. [...So, you just had jajangmyeon?] [Yeah, Ash Block treated me.] [What about the contract?] [There's no contract yet, but I've decided to start learning composition there.] [But there were no formal agreements or anything? Just learning?] Could that really be? Even if I want to believe it could be possible, it’s hard to wrap my head around it. [That’s what he suggested.] As I clutched my phone, feeling impatient and a bit stifled, I told my brother to stop by my place before heading home. -Beep, beep, beep He was already used to entering my home by calling out the entry code, so he naturally stepped inside after taking off his shoes. “I’m back~” His expression didn’t seem bad. Just seeing his face eased my worries a bit. “Running a bit late, aren't you?” “Ah, yeah. We got caught up in various discussions.” “What did you talk about?” “...VTubers.” I expected talks about music or contracts. It was somewhat surprising. “Closer?” “Yeah. He went on about Rea for an hour.” “But you don’t even watch Rea’s streams.” “I just talked about the scenes I’ve seen during collaborative streams. Wow, that place is something else, isn’t it?” “Really?” He animatedly recounted what happened today. I might not understand fully, but seeing him so excited was delightful. It wasn’t a forced smile but a genuinely bright, pure one. “He called me a talented genius!” “Are you sure it wasn’t just flattery?” “No way. Would the Ash Block really call me all the way to his studio just to say that?” He’s getting overly excited about being called “teacher” without even having had a single lesson. “Well, you do have a knack for making music.” I pinched his cheek playfully, stretching his soft skin. “Isn't this face a number one talent?” This face of his. His features that immediately capture attention. “...Uniya. I think music is my top talent.” “That’s a tough one to beat.” Getting cast by someone from YM in South Korea without even a single audition isn’t something that happens easily. It’s a place where countless people who pray and beg still can’t get in. “Anyway, do your best. I’ll be cheering you on.” “Yeah. Thank you.” Seeing his bright smile made my heart flutter. “Oppaya.” “What?” “Where do you think we’ll be a year from now?” Not too long ago, I often wondered if he might become a popular star actor and leave my side. When another spring comes to bloom for us after this summer, Where will we find ourselves? By then, I might no longer be Closer. Closer was always meant to be a year-long project from the start. “Who knows? I honestly don’t know either.” He placed his hand on my head, lost in thought, before grinning. “But there's one thing I do know.” “What’s that?” “I think we’ll still be together.” His unexpected response brought a smile to my face. “Really?” “Hey. Why are you asking that again? It’s scary. Are you planning to ditch me, Kim Doa?” How could I ever let go of such an adorable boyfriend? “Stop saying nonsense.” I gave him a quick peck on the cheek.