Devil’s Music

Chapter 414: Son Rin's Art of War

Cha Eun, with a shy smile on her face, pulled out a pink cellphone and waved it to the audience.

“I actually have Kay's phone number in this phone.”

At her mention of having Geon's number, the audience erupted in ecstatic cheers.

"Kyaaaa!!! I'll buy that phone!"

"Please, just make one call! A video call!"

"Cha Eun unni! Just once, please! Yes!!?"

Cha Eun laughed as she clutched her phone to her chest and said,

"But I’ve never contacted him. I don’t even know if this number is still in use. If I call and he doesn’t answer, I’d feel hurt, so I won’t call, haha."

Her teasing made the audience react with a mix of cheers and sighs of disappointment. Cha Eun flipped to the next question.

"Since I’m connected to Kay, most of the questions this week are about him. Here’s the next one. Mr. Kwangjin Kim from Namyangju-si sent this. I heard that if you don't buy Kay’s latest album, you can't watch the music video, and it won't be played on the radio either."

"My wife is pregnant, and his songs would be a great gift. I've searched every record store, but they always tell me it's sold out."

Cha Eun, can you get me a CD since you're close to Kay? Haha. Mr. Kwangjin Kim? I couldn’t buy it either."

The audience burst into laughter at Cha Eun’s joke. After reading three more messages, Cha Eun listened intently to Seokjin's voice through her earphone.

"Now, Cha Eun, introduce the guest. AD Jihyun. Is the musician ready?"

"Yes, PD-nim, all set."

"Good, introduce them now."

As Cha Eun naturally laughed at the sound from her earphone, she stood up.

"Everyone, it's time to introduce today's guest. I'm very curious myself. Shall we meet them? Please, come on out!"

Two staff members quickly moved a sofa to the center of the stage, and as Cha Eun walked towards it, the camera followed her with a tracking shot that also illuminated the backstage stairs, where the guest was supposed to appear. However, as Cha Eun was walking, there was no entry music for the guest, which made her think there was a broadcast accident. She quickly picked up the pace and grabbed a microphone.

"Ah, it seems our blind guest wants to keep us guessing a bit longer, haha. Guest? Our viewers and audience are waiting, please come out now?"

As Cha Eun quickly glanced at Jihyun next to the main camera director, Jihyun signaled her to sit down and relax.

Finally at ease, Cha Eun sat down in the center of the stage on the sofa as explosive music filled the studio.

Suddenly, the loud music startled Cha Eun, who looked around wide-eyed at the backstage. As the music played, the audience murmured.

“Is this… Fury?”

"Wow... it's Second Fury."

"Is it okay to use someone else’s music for an entry? Even if it's a popular song, that’s a bit much."

"Exactly, Fantagio might sue them for this, can they really do that?"

As the audience continued murmuring, a tall man with a good build walked out from behind the backstage curtain, prompting the audience to jump up and scream.

"Kyaaaa!!! It's Kay! It’s Kay!"

"Ah! Really? Is it really Kay? Unbelievable!"

"There was no news of him being in Korea, oh dear, we must have won the lottery today!"

Cha Eun seemed more surprised than the audience. Normally, she would stand and applaud when a guest appeared, but seeing Geon, she couldn’t seem to get up, her smile frozen in place.

Unable to say a word, her eyes trembling, Cha Eun watched as Geon walked down from the stage and grabbed a microphone to speak to her.

"Hi, noona? Have you been well?"

The fact that Cha Eun and Geon had spent a considerable amount of time together in Nepal was well known not only in South Korea but also worldwide. However, when Geon spoke informally and showed a friendly demeanor, the audience erupted once again.

Seeing that Cha Eun didn't know Geon would be the guest, the audience clapped and cheered even louder.

Seokjin, sitting at the main PD's control box, high-fived Yeongseok, who was standing next to him with his arms crossed.

"That's right! It’s a hit! The audience is loving it, right?"

Yeongseok grinned and tapped Seokjin on the back.

"Should I buy you a drink later?"

"Okay! I’d buy you a hundred! H

ahaha! But Yeongseok, was this your plan?"

"No way, Geon is a global star; he doesn’t move according to my plans. This was all orchestrated by Director Sonlin of Fantagio. This event was her idea, and I just submitted it to the upper management. I didn’t touch it."

"Wow, they say she’s a marketing genius, but she’s really something else."

"Heh, this isn’t the end, so look forward to more."

"Huh? Do you know something else?"

"Giggle, I don’t know. But the woman I know wouldn’t stop at something like this. There must be more. It’s not just this broadcast; let’s watch his next activities too."

As Yeongseok and Seokjin turned their eyes back to the monitor displaying Geon and Cha Eun together, Geon, dressed in a black leather rider jacket, skinny black jeans, a white round T-shirt with military accents, and sand boots, was smiling and holding a microphone.

“Aren’t you going to proceed, noona?”

Startled back to reality, Cha Eun stuttered as she looked at the audience.

“Ah... ah, please sit down…”

“Won’t you introduce me to the viewers? Should I just sit?”

"Ah! Ah, well, everyone! This is Mr. Geon Kim!”

Typically, musician introductions were followed by applause, but the audience burst out laughing at Cha Eun’s flustered demeanor.

As Cha Eun blushed, Geon waved to the audience and the cameras.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Geon Kim, also known as Kay."

After Geon’s introduction, the audience finally erupted into a thunderous applause, and Geon, standing awkwardly, pulled Cha Eun to sit down beside him.

With no cue sheet and the sudden appearance of Geon, Cha Eun was flustered and just stared at Geon's face, prompting Jihyun to swirl her hand near the camera, signaling her to proceed quickly.

However, Cha Eun didn’t notice Jihyun and continued to stare at Geon. Losing patience, Geon chuckled and said,

"Everyone, it seems our MC is a bit flustered. How about a round of applause to encourage her?"

The audience once again burst into laughter and applause, snapping Cha Eun back to reality as she picked up the microphone.

“Er… sorry, everyone. I was caught off guard… I had no idea Mr. Geon Kim, ah, I mean Kay, would be here. Since Kay is here, foreign broadcasters will probably pick up our show too.”

“Haha, call me whatever you’re comfortable with. Both are my names.”

As Cha Eun spoke formally, Geon quickly responded in kind. Cha Eun fumbled with an empty cue sheet, looking for something to ask.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Er… so, how have you been?”

“Preparing an album, shooting a music video, busy with school. How about you, Cha Eun?”

"Me? Ah… yes, I’ve been well.”

“Still eating well? You used to eat so well in Nepal that they called you piggy, still the same?”

The audience laughed again, and Cha Eun glared.

“I do not! I don’t eat that much!”

“Eh? You don’t eat much? Was someone else wandering around like a zombie looking for food every day in Nepal?”

“Eek! No, it wasn’t!”

Trying to silence Geon with her cue sheet, the audience enjoyed their interaction. Cha Eun’s genuine demeanor, different from her usual scripted persona, felt more authentic to the audience. Relaxed by Geon’s teasing, Cha Eun spoke again.

“When did you arrive in Korea?”

“I came at dawn today. I chose your show as the first activity because it’s my sister’s show.”

The audience oohed in admiration, and a proud Cha Eun smiled.

“You said it’s your first activity. You mean your music activities, right?”

“Of course, I’m a musician after all.”

“So… can we hear Kay’s new song today?”

As Cha Eun's words fell, the audience stirred with excitement and a loud cheer spread throughout the studio. Geon smiled and nodded affirmatively.

"Of course, I'll be performing 'Song of the Wind' and 'Song of Fire' today."

"Really? 'Song of the Wind' should be performed with Yunjeong and Jinyeon, the Korean dance group, and 'Song of Fire' with Shizuka Miyawaki, Kevin Winston, and Arthur Hodgson. They couldn't possibly be in Korea, so are you planning to play it with an MR?"

While the audience was disappointed that it might only be an MR, they were still eager to hear Geon sing. Geon playfully smiled and responded.

"Well, what should I do?"

Cha Eun frowned and made a cutting gesture with her fingers as if to ask for an edit, despite it being a live broadcast.

With 10 months of experience as an MC, Cha Eun knew well that editing was not possible, but she made the gesture jokingly.

"Hey, Geon, that's too much! How could you not contact me after the shooting ended and only show up now saying 'what should I do'? Aren’t you going to answer properly!?"

"Ouch! Meeting after so long and you want to hit me?"

"Come here! You, sir!!"

Geon stood up from the sofa and started running around, with Cha Eun chasing him, making the audience laugh once again.

Eventually, when Cha Eun caught him, Geon held his head where she had playfully hit him and made a sad face.

"I shouldn't be treated this way!"

"That's fine! You deserve it! Sit down now."

As they sat back on the sofa, Cha Eun regained her composed demeanor, and the audience laughed even harder.

Geon shrugged his shoulders and pointed at Cha Eun, eliciting another burst of laughter from the audience. Cha Eun then glanced at Geon and spoke in a calm voice.

"So, Kay. Which song will you perform first for us?"

Geon rubbed the spot on his head where he had been hit and looked puzzled.

"Ah… I got a shock to the head, and now I can’t remember…"

Seeing Cha Eun glaring at him, Geon quickly straightened up as the audience laughed again.

"Yes! It’s 'Song of the Wind'!"

"Alright. Please, we’ll leave the stage to you for the first performance. I'll see you after the first act."

After her final comment, the lights on the stage went out, and the staff quickly moved the sofa away. As Cha Eun walked off the dimmed stage, she pinched Geon's arm and whispered.

"You really! I’ll see you later!"

The applause and cheers of the audience filled the studio, and lights turned on behind the curtain covering the two doors at the back.

The audience, momentarily quiet, shouted in surprise when they saw silhouettes behind the curtain.

"What, what?! Are Yunjeong and Jinyeon really here?"

Pointing at the curtain, the audience saw the silhouettes of two girls striking a pose.

>

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