Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Ah, that’s right. Hello. I’m Kang Min who plays drums.”

What on earth is this situation.

“Hey, you saying you’ll do a band and you don’t know Kang Min?”

What would a guy who only did sports know.

But listening to the story it was a story I also knew.

To be precise I didn’t know in the past life, but should I say I know in this life?

Drum Masters Championship.

Abbreviated DMC.

A nationwide drummer competition held in Seoul.

Kang Min won this competition as the youngest at 16, two years ago from now.

Among bandmen it meant he was already no different from a celebrity.

I naturally knew this fact too.

Because it was a story I heard until my ears were calloused while doing the band together in the past life.

But I didn’t know it was to the degree of recognizing the winner’s face at a glance.

“You don’t know that Kang Min?”

So even if Heo Junseong recited Kang Min’s history and pressed me I had no choice but to consistently play dumb.

Ah, I should have just pretended to know.

“Well, yeah, anyway sit here. What brings you?”

“Crazy, does it make sense to ask what brings you right now?”

“Seoha that guy really doesn’t grasp the situation.”

“Let’s just change the leader...”

I know, I know you guys.

“I heard from the owner of Hyun’s Resonance that you’d be here and came.”

“Ah, from the owner?”

“Yes, I was going to go home after watching the whole performance but if I didn’t at least talk it seemed like I’d regret it.”

Kang Min was as unrestrained as that time he grabbed my collar at Lee Doyoung’s funeral.

“If it’s okay shall we try ensemble together right now?”

At Kang Min’s aggressive proposal the friends’ expressions brightened.

Everyone seems to be expecting inside.

“Good.”

* * *

The ensemble place was decided to use Kang Min’s personal practice room.

Following behind Kang Min we conversed.

“Hey, what on earth is this.”

“Right, I can’t feel it either.”

“Cha Seoha did the performance well.”

“Yeah, did I.”

We were dazed at the suddenly arrived fortune.

Of course only me in a slightly different direction...

‘If this happens it doesn’t matter even if the video doesn’t go up, right?’

The reason I performed that song was the thought that if someone films a video and uploads it Kang Min might see it.

This guy is a true otaku.

How much of an otaku, to the degree of even looking up high school festivals if there’s a video of a performance of a song he likes.

This means that the video we played at Banwol Park would reach Kang Min someday.

When that is depends on luck, or fate.

But I didn’t know everything would be resolved with one word from owner Jang Deokcheol, not fate.

No, is that fate?

Becoming close with owner Jang Deokcheol?

“Well, it is amazing.”

“Amazing my ass, you didn’t even know who Kang Min was.”

Heo Junseong sarcastically says.

Then Lee Doyoung opened his mouth with a serious face.

“Strange. It became as Seoha said.”

“What? What did?”

“A skilled drummer saw our performance and came looking.”

“Huh? Right? He said that!”

After a short silence Kim Jihu supported Lee Doyoung’s words.

“Did you receive divine possession or something?”

It was so absurd a laugh came out.

I’m a regressor but not a shaman.

“What divine possession. Say something that makes sense.”

“Then what about the drummer?”

“It was just a wish, a wish. They say if you say it it comes true.”

Heo Junseong interjects.

“No. Cha Seoha’s body was a bit hot. Isn’t this that, the divine illness that comes when possessed or something?”

“Your body is cold, are you an idiot?”

“...?!”

Lee Doyoung and Kim Jihu blocked Heo Junseong who was rushing at me with their whole bodies.

Kang Min was looking at us like rare animals.

Like that we arrived at Kang Min’s workroom.

I had come a few times in the past life too.

Seeing it after a long time a glad feeling comes for no reason.

“Shall we try just one song?”

As soon as he arrived at the workroom Kang Min proposed ensemble.

We haven’t even fully introduced ourselves yet.

As expected for these guys music is the top priority.

What was more important than conversation with words was the communion shared with music.

There was no need for a separate time to show skill.

Because Kang Min’s skill was beyond doubt.

“What song shall we do?”

At my question Kang Min hesitated a moment then answered.

“Earlier... How about the song we did at busking?”

“We’re good.”

Kang Min hesitated more then continued.

“Then...?”

“That one?”

“Not that one?”

“That one is fine too.”

The other guys asked back with unexpected expressions.

“Ah, because I only saw you performing that and the encore earlier.”

“Ah, you came late.”

“Yes, and I’ve already done the other songs a lot too.”

Right now is before Kang Min’s otaku coming out.

Gritting his teeth and pretending to be an ordinary person?

“Alright, without further ado let’s just do it!”

* * *

‘Wow! Crazy damping!’

‘As expected drums are needed.’

‘The sound is very good.’

As soon as the ensemble started everyone had no choice but to admire.

He wasn’t the DMC winner for nothing.

The feeling itself was different from when laying down drums recorded as backing track.

Heo Junseong, Lee Doyoung, and Kim Jihu admired in their own ways, and this was the same for Cha Seoha.

‘Kang Min has no big difference.’

It’s almost similar to the last appearance he remembered.

There would be a difference in skillfulness according to time, but technically it meant it was completed from this time.

‘What’s Kang Min’s heart state right now?’

Is he interested in us who played the song of the animation he likes?

Or is he interested in the band itself.

Whatever it is I have to firmly seduce Kang Min in this ensemble...

Meanwhile, admiring was the same for Kang Min.

‘Everyone has potential.’

If thinking only technically the prickly model student-like keyboard (Kim Jihu) is superior, but in the innate feel of a musician there is no superiority.

Rather if only looking at the feel Kang Min liked Lee Doyoung.

A bit clumsy but he doesn’t turn away from that clumsiness.

He liked that he plays each note each note doing his best.

His slowness was definitely coming from caution.

Moreover...

‘Cha Seoha.’

The capability of that monster-like vocal who doesn’t know where he dropped from far transcended a high school band.

Honestly speaking it seems like I’ve never seen a vocal of that degree even in the Hongdae scene.

‘No way...! Did I fall for him!’

So he was expecting.

The busking at Banwol Park had a lot of noise too, and the speakers weren’t enough to cover the wide open space.

He wanted to properly hear Cha Seoha’s song in the narrow practice room.

Moreover because that song was his taste.

Then, as the song’s intro passed Cha Seoha started singing.

Cha Seoha had no particular interest in Japanese subculture.

He only practiced because it was obvious Kang Min would like it.

But the Japanese pronunciation trained by idol life was like a large angel’s bell to Kang Min.

‘Comrade...!’

Not only that.

The singing skill far superior to when heard with just any speakers made Kang Min’s heart pound.

‘How can someone sing a song that scarily?’

Literally emotion delivery power excellent to a scary degree.

Like that the ensemble ran faithfully without going astray.

Finally the chorus arrived.

Riding Kang Min’s rhythmic fill Cha Seoha loaded emotion as if roaring and sang.

That was when.

The drums cut off abruptly.

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

The moment those fully immersed in the ensemble looked at Kang Min.

“Hic... Hic hic...”

Kang Min suddenly shedding tears.

“Is that guy... crying?”

“He’s crying?”

“Um, Kang Min why are you crying?”

“The lyrics are too moving... The singing skill too, you guys’ playing...”

Isn’t it not that the lyrics are moving but just because it’s a song he usually liked...

No matter how much he thought Kim Jihu was convinced this band had no right mind.

Anyway, it was the moment the last puzzle drummer joined the band.

Just as the appearance Cha Seoha had longed for even in dreams.

* * *

With Kang Min joining we could finally equip the complete form of a band.

Heo Junseong, Lee Doyoung, Kim Jihu, Kang Min.

And me.

Just the appearance of those members who gathered in the past life.

“Please take care Kang Min. It’ll be lacking compared to where you originally were but let’s do well from now on.”

“Huh? No? It’s similar?”

“Similar?”

“Yeah. In some aspects you guys might do much better?”

Even if I don’t know the band scene well that much shouldn’t be.

Before Kang Min entered our band he was in a famous Hongdae band called ‘Skydiver’.

Naturally I knew that place was a band with quite outstanding skill.

Because it disbanded along with Kang Min’s withdrawal I had never directly seen that band.

It wouldn’t have been a level to compare with us who just formed.

What did Kang Min see to say this?

“Well, anyway let’s do well.”

The members are all gathered but it’s not over yet.

Just because we gathered doesn’t mean we can be together for life.

I’ll protect this band until I die.

“For that we have to decide a name first.”

As we promised the audience at the previous busking we decided to perform next week too.

Showing who we are with music is important but we have to stamp a clear impression by announcing the name.

“Right, I thought I’d die from frustration with no name either!”

“Does anyone have an idea thought of in advance?”

At my question everyone hesitated and the first to give an opinion was Lee Doyoung.

“Um, if Jihu’s academy time is adjusted we’ll meet and ensemble all week so how about the name Day Seven?”

“Hey, isn’t it better to rest a bit on weekends though?”

“...Then Day Five?”

“No there will be a better name.”

“I watched a movie a while ago. It was a movie related to human brain science and philosophy...”

Kim Jihu started elaborating the story lengthily.

“...The movie title was Lucy.”

“So?”

“Let’s do RUCY. With the meaning of making precise music like maximizing brain use.”

“It feels too much like just bringing it as is. No.”

“Hey! Hey! Then how about just ASDF? Simple and good?”

“Heo Junseong 3 minute exit.”

“Ah, why!”

There were many other opinions too.

TF Island, CN Red, Biz etc...

Only names that seemed like they would exist somewhere continued to be mentioned so a good name wouldn’t come to mind at all.

“Hey, what do we do if everything is no? The two who didn’t give opinions talk, Kang Min and Cha Seoha.”

Kang Min’s eyes shone.

“I, I do have one name I thought of.”

“What?”

“How about Ketsuketsu Band?”

Kang Min said the band’s name while shining his eyes.

“Ketsuketsu Band? What does it mean?”

“Just, because it seems like it would solidify cohesion well so it’s good.”

“Euk, what’s that? Not even a cable tie, weird.”

“Hul, even if the name is bad Junseong. Saying it’s weird outright is rude.”

“Is that guy doing that for a day or two?”

“Too much...”

Kang Min just wilted.

“Cha Seoha. How about you try putting one out this time?”

At Heo Junseong’s question I rolled my head this way and that but a new one wouldn’t come to mind anyway.

Because my head was full of only that name.

That name we made when we first started.

That name we who knew nothing just started believing only in youth.

“...How about Oktap?”