Genius Composer Who’s a Dedicated Fan - Chapter 1

Music can change people.

For example, you might have been feeling depressed all day, but on your way home from work, you suddenly feel better after hearing a song playing by chance.

Or you might have lived a life completely unrelated to music, but then make music your profession.

Oh, by the way, the examples above are my story.

And.

“We’ll now take questions! Due to the large number of reporters, we’ll take only one question from each person.”

Click- Click-

Numerous shutter sounds began to echo throughout the press conference hall.

“This is Yonhap Issue. I have a question for singer Seo Yuhwa. You’re famous as a singer-songwriter who has consistently sung only your own compositions, right? But it seems this time you’ve sung a song composed by someone else for the first time.”

“Yes, that’s correct. I used to believe that songs I made myself could best express my color… but thanks to an amazing person sitting next to me, I realized that was my misconception.”

Seo Yuhwa is a singer-songwriter who is currently rising in popularity after achieving outstanding results in a music survival program.

And there was a composer who noticed her talent and skills and proposed to work with her first.

Of course, that composer doesn’t think he’s all that great.

“Haha. To be honest, I was planning to take it easy this year. But when I heard composer Ryu Won’s song ‘Rewind’, it felt like I was hit hard on the head. I had a strong feeling that this would definitely be a huge hit!”

Along with Seo Yuhwa’s cheerful laughter, the attention in the room began to focus on me.

“I have a question for composer Ryu Won.”

This might sound a bit obvious, but in music, factors related to talent play a very important role.

Simply put, it means there’s a wall that can’t be overcome no matter how hard you try.

“It’s a bit surprising to hear such high praise from Seo Yuhwa, who has outstanding lyric-writing and composing abilities. Honestly, I was also a bit shocked when I heard Composer Ryu’s new song.”

Among these, being a composer requires even more special talent.

Excellent pitch and the sense to write good songs.

Lastly, a thirst for creation.

In that sense, I was second-rate.

I started music late, and I didn’t have such overwhelming talent that would surprise the world.

But.

“This song entered the TOP 10 of the music charts in just one day, and achieved the record of reaching No. 1 in just two days. Moreover, it’s even on the Billboard chart, getting hot responses from overseas, and your previous songs are starting to gain attention again. Do you feel this reality yourself?”

A bitter smile formed at a reporter’s question.

Well… yeah.

“I have ears to hear too. I’m just grateful that everyone is evaluating composer Ryu Won so positively.”

I’m 27 years old.

Through the song “Rewind”, I luckily became a fairly well-known composer.

Honestly, I still can’t quite grasp that fact.

Well… of course, when I look at the money coming into my bank account, I grasp it very well.

“I have a question. Do you know about the new nickname that people are calling composer Ryu Won?”

“Nickname?”

“Although you started late, composer Ryu Won, you blossomed your talent in a short period of time. That’s why people are calling you a genius composer.”

“……”

“So I’m curious when you realized you had a talent for composing.”

“Hmm… let’s say it’s thanks to a certain special person.”

“A special person?”

“Ah, I’ll have no comment on that part.”

A certain special person.

I think everyone would be surprised if they heard that person’s name.

Originally, everyone could have smiled warmly and softened the atmosphere in the conference hall, but it was different at this point in time.

By the way, it was also thanks to that special person I just mentioned that I started walking the path of music.

A certain female artist who debuted as a singer at the young age of 16 with her brilliant talent and beautiful face,

And who had continued to reign at the top of the entertainment industry with overwhelming performances and actions ever since.

……Baek Yerin.

When I first encountered Baek Yerin’s songs in high school, who was the same age as me, I instantly became her fan and before I knew it, I had stepped into the world of music.

And from then on, I had one dream.

The day when Baek Yerin would sing a song I made.

But how could a top star like her willingly take on a song from some unknown composer?

That’s why I set becoming a well-known composer as my top priority goal, and I’ve just achieved that now.

But.

─Shocking news. Artist Baek Yerin was found dead at her home. The cause of death was identified as acute drug intoxication, and it was confirmed that she had been suffering from depression…

Just 6 months ago.

She suddenly passed away.

I was too late.

I could no longer see her smile that I could find comfort in during difficult times, and now my one and only dream could never be fulfilled in my lifetime.

Ironically, at the moment I realized this fact, what was left in me was not emptiness or sadness, but just regret.

“I’m curious about the background of how the song ‘Rewind’ was born.”

And it was through that regret that the song ‘Rewind’ was born.

“First of all, Rewind means ‘to wind back’, right? Everyone has moments when they want to rewind time and go back to the past, don’t they? ‘Rewind’ is a song that was born while imagining what it would be like if such a dream-like moment came to me.”

If I could go back to the past and if I had tried just a little harder…

What if I had somehow made my name known as a composer earlier?

Of course, I know well that such a dream-like thing can’t happen in reality.

At the same time, I think such sad facts are enough in reality alone.

At least within music, can’t we put in a bright star of hope instead of regret?

Just like how ‘Rewind’, which starts with a sad melody, ends with a bright melody.

Click-

“Then, if such a dream-like opportunity comes to composer Ryu Won, which moment would you most like to go back to?”

I smiled bitterly at another reporter’s question that followed.

It was a question I could somewhat anticipate from the moment I started explaining about the song.

In fact, I had vaguely realized the answer to this question while composing ‘Rewind’.

An age of innocence when I still didn’t know the world.

Therefore, an age when I could take on any challenge without fear and could do anything…

“I’d like to go back to my school days if possible.”

Maybe then I could undo this regret I’m feeling.

Click-

I closed my eyes for a moment with such bitter thoughts.

But you know what?

Thinking about it again, it seems like I absolutely must go back.

Because.

“Hey! Ryu Won! Wake up, you punk!”

Such a dream-like opportunity had come to me.

* * *

Ryu Won sensed something strange when he closed his eyes for a moment after answering a question from a reporter, and the sound of camera shutters that had been continuously heard suddenly stopped.

Feeling strange about this, he immediately opened his eyes, and for some reason, a completely different scene was unfolding before Ryu Won’s eyes instead of the press conference hall.

The common scene of students returning home along the street.

And on Ryu Won’s left, he could see his alma mater where he attended middle school, and right next to him, an old friend was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“……Kim Taehwan?”

“Ah, you suddenly stopped and didn’t say anything for a while, so I was surprised. Hey, but you’re sweating cold sweat right now? Are you really okay?”

Ryu Won couldn’t answer, seeing Kim Taehwan’s appearance as if he had returned to his school days.

He just hurriedly took out the phone in his pocket and checked the calendar.

“Hey, Kim Taehwan. How old are you now?”

After confirming today’s date, he asked Kim Taehwan next to him for confirmation.

“Huh? Of course, I’m 15 like you?”

“Haha… Is this for real?”

Hearing Kim Taehwan’s answer, Ryu Won let out a laugh as if he couldn’t believe it.

And realizing that a miracle had happened to him, he knelt on the street as if his legs had given out and muttered softly.

Thank you…… he said.

There was no trace of lie in that word of gratitude.

Of course, he had no idea who that gratitude should be directed to.

But whether a miracle happened or whatever, that was just the story of the person involved.

“Hmm~ It seems our Ryu Won is very sick. Where was your mother’s number again.”

In the eyes of Ryu Won’s longtime friend, he just looked like a crazy person.

* * *

“According to the reporter, genius composer Ryu Won went back to his middle school days? This can’t be stopped.”

Along with my self-talk that sounded a bit excited, a deep sigh was heard from beside me.

“Suddenly asking how old I am. Kneeling down and thanking the heavens with clasped hands. And then keep muttering strange things after that… Have you finally gone crazy?”

Rewinding time and going back to the past.

If anyone experienced the miracle commonly called regression, it would be hard for anyone to maintain their sanity.

The piercing gaze of my friend Kim Taehwan, who was looking at me with a slightly embarrassed face next to me, was understandable in a way.

After all, I was acting like a crazy monkey until just a moment ago…

However, I didn’t deny his words.

“You know what? Living in this world, I found that it’s a world where you can’t survive without going crazy.”

“Huh. So? What do you want to say as a self-proclaimed crazy person?”

I grinned at Kim Taehwan’s question.

If I could go back to the past, there was something I wanted to fix somehow.

And for some reason I don’t know, that opportunity suddenly came to me.

But right now, there was no time to worry about reasons.

There were so many things to do from now on, even if it was to fulfill some unfulfilled dream from my previous life.