Chapter 24

Chapter 24

So grew the board.

Stuck our name into people’s heads.

Probably for about 1 year they’ll continue suspecting us.

While also searching and listening to our music in order to criticize.

In such a flow if we continue releasing good music what about?

Moreover if we continue becoming famous what about?

The weight class changes.

Because music and time don’t lie.

I have no thought of ending with Oktap as a simple neighborhood band.

We will advance to the mainstream, and stand at the forefront of the band’s revival that will come a few years later.

For that the current situation was necessarily needed.

“But if a celebrity has controversy isn’t it bad? Not that we are celebrities.”

“That differs according to the nature of the controversy.”

If there’s a star who made the whole country noisy with drunk driving or drugs etc, naturally that’s bad controversy.

But we are a bit different.

The crime name put on us is the crime of daring no matter how looking this way or that way.

The crime of daring to do genius marketing.

The crime of daring to do selling-in.

The crime of daring to pollute the band scene’s roots.

Such controversies can all be covered with skill.

If we look like real genius, if we gradually become famous, if we show the color of the music we have.

Like that if time flows the crime of daring disappears, and only recognition remains.

Someone while confessing their own crime of feeling daring will turn to fandom.

“Think well. Originally what were we going to do?”

“Originally?”

“That is what we would have done if we didn’t go on Star Cam.”

“What... Doing busking, making album, performing and such?”

“Then from now what is the thing we’ll do?”

“...Same?”

“Nothing has changed. Even if there’s nonsense controversy.”

Just eyes watching us arose.

Watching defensively with arms crossed.

We will unlock those arms with music.

That first start is exactly...

* * *

Oktap – Before the OKTOP

01. Rendez-vous

02. Your Time

03. Cruise!!

Type: Single

Genre: Rock

Release date: 2017. 11. 08

Distributor: LazyB

Planner: ST Studio

A single composed of three tracks.

The single title was ‘Before the OKTOP’.

All were songs Cha Seoha directly made and the entire members participated as actual performers.

Track 2 <​Your Time> all members participated in lyrics.

In fact this song was a song everyone made together.

However, in Cha Seoha’s previous life.

Cha Seoha wanted to necessarily make the memories from the past life into music and release and that dream was realized.

The first single the members united and carefully made.

That commemorative result was receiving quite big interest for an amateur’s first official track.

-Wow this came out I came after watching Star Cam!

-Crazy is this the first release quality? Grandiose

-Wow as expected these days rookies come out giving strength hard

-Seems the best among band idol debut songs

-Lyrics Cha Seoha composition Cha Seoha arrangement Cha Seoha isn’t he crazy?

└Seems self-produced idol

└Yeah selling-in viral

└On Star Cam outright selling-in Moon Gayoung?

└But if gathered kids with this degree skill even if me would have wanted to spin viral fucking lol

└Acknowledged

-Wow the song is freaking good? Last track Cruise is freaking exciting

└Real Cruise seems better than title

└Just right for listening while driving

-Wow are people praising these guys really stupid how do they live in the world?

Criticism and praise collide.

What’s important is that for an amateur’s first work the number of reactions is many.

As Cha Seoha intended.

Usually if an amateur band like us made a few months ago releases a song the reality is only acquaintances or family listen and end.

But on the other hand Cha Seoha was also worrying about the members’ mental.

Unlike comments attached on YouTube or broadcast sites the comments attached on streaming sites have different meaning.

There was also the thought of modifying the degree of the plan according to the guys’ mental.

“Heo Junseong, did you see our reaction?”

“Yeah...”

“How is it?”

“What how...”

Heo Junseong suddenly started trembling his body.

Is this guy’s mental unable to endure.

“The birth of a hero is this taste after all! I’ll become the world’s strongest guitarist who stands up overcoming adversity hahaha!”

“Yeah, you do a lot.”

As expected Heo Junseong.

Lee Doyoung who was practicing bass sitting in the corner turned his gaze at Heo Junseong’s loud voice.

Cha Seoha also approached Lee Doyoung and threw the same question.

“A bit okay?”

“Yeah, still because being cursed together with you guys it wasn’t too upsetting.”

“Yeah, as long as you endure well.”

“Yeah, don’t worry. There wasn’t particularly my curse and only Min’s curse was full. Quite endurable.”

“...!?”

Suddenly coolness flowed together with sweat down the spine.

Is this guy Lee Doyoung as long as not himself it’s fine?

There was such a corner somehow chilling.

But Kang Min from earlier is wearing the headset and not taking his gaze off the monitor.

What is he watching.

“Min.”

“Yeah?”

“Busy?”

“Yeah, busy.”

What is it concentrating like that? Surely not watching our reaction?

“What are you watching?”

Confirming the screen Kang Min is watching felt a sudden realization.

“Right now it’s an anime called ‘Because the warrior standing under the blade doesn’t fall as easily as thought in the end the demon king joined the warrior party’ and it’s a tremendously important scene? If business let’s talk later.”

“...Yeah. As expected you’re not worried.”

Why is there no normal in this team.

* * *

Oktap announced existence here and there and also confirmed the members’ mental.

Since the first single was released can’t just stay still.

When ordinary singers release a song doing promotion is the basic of the entertainment industry.

The form is each different but idols go on music broadcasts and other singers hold release commemorative performances.

We also have to do something.

Doing performance among ourselves right away has no meaning.

Because only people who already know us well will come see.

Have to jump into the scene holding this music.

I would know several times better about the entertainment industry than these guys.

But regarding the band scene it’s different.

I at best was active for about 1 year in the previous life.

Even that was all ensembleing and making songs as if playing among ourselves.

In fact almost no experience is not an exaggeration.

For us to jump into real battle there had to be a person with excellent practical experience.

To us that person is exactly Kang Min.

“Min, we’re thinking of doing performance at a performance hall soon how about?”

“Good. What kind of performance?”

“If possible many lineup would be good. Scale also big would be good. Is there an appropriate stage?”

“Ah, that kind?”

Confidence is buried in the guy’s voice.

That tone as if only trust me.

Very reliable.

“What comes to mind right now is about Band Slam?”

“Hul, Band Slam? Really?”

Band Slam.

A performance like the festival of the band scene held every year-end at the small theater Main Hall located in Hongdae.

In the past life we were audience.

Then our short-term goal was standing on that stage.

Of course because some idiot betrayed the band and left that goal wasn’t achieved.

In this life a premonition that it will be arises.

“But for our degree isn’t it still early to stand there?”

“No, there’s a time where about two newborn bands stand in the front order there this year there’s no particular band.”

As expected the guy who well grasps the physiology of this board is different no matter what.

“Moreover who am I?”

“Kang Min...!”

“...Sama!”

“Kang Min sama!”

“I’ll pick it right away. Wait a few days.”

Kang Min sama. I believe!

* * *

In fact while only doing busking it was a stiff period.

The band I was in before as soon as joining stands at some big performance or runs events.

Or collaborates with people whose name value goes out a bit.

Such centered moves were full.

Busking form doesn’t come out or if dislike mixing with sudden dropping kids there was an avoiding atmosphere.

Of course I was also like that at first but the first time seeing Cha Seoha and friends was high level busking.

If together with Oktap no need to care about level or grade such things.

Anyway, small theater performance together with these romantic overflowing guys already anticipation arises.

The next day after receiving Cha Seoha’s request.

Contacted in advance and visited a workroom in Hongdae to meet Nam Dohun hyung.

“Oh, Min came?”

“Hisashiburi!”

Nam Dohun hyung 10 years ago was the guitarist cum vocal of the most popular band in this scene.

And now the person who holds Band Slam every year-end in Hongdae.

Quit band activities but active as producer.

Heard collaborated a few times with famous singers but they were singers I don’t know well.

“Wow, your face is good? Does the agency manage too?”

“Eh? What’s that sound?”

“Didn’t you become a trainee?”

“What sound is that? Would an idol trainee come here trying to pick a Band Slam spot?”

“What, no?”

“Bullshit.”

Nam Dohun hyung of a personality that won’t be swept somewhere.

Such a hyung believing such groundless rumors a bit surprised.

No, is it something that can’t be helped given the situation?

Anyway that it’s flowing well as Cha Seoha’s plan could be confirmed just looking at this hyung’s reaction.

“Ah, what I thought our band scene’s talent was being stolen to the stone board again.”

“Ah, not at all, not at all. No such thing.”

“Yeah, good. Anyway want to stand Band Slam?”

“Yeah, is there a spot?”

“Many spots. These days no decent rookies so was worrying well done. I’ll put Oktap, your music was also good.”

With one word of no without asking or questioning decided to stand us in the lineup.

As expected colleagues known for a long time had warmth.

A feeling like sticky party members who did the demon king subjugation journey together.

Believing with only intimacy and skill regardless of rumors only thankful.

“By the way how did you end up entering that band? Too different from where you were until now?”

Definitely different from where I was before.

Music is much more major and fame inside the scene also dropped.

Still a band whose skill never falls behind.

And, there was a different point from previous band members in Oktap.

“Right, a bit different.”

“But why did you enter?”

“Because seemed like could become real friends.”