WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

[ Translation - Aren ]

I'm a Reporter, Please let me get off the Stage

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Chapter 16

“……But isn’t this a little……”

“Why? Do you think this community event is a joke?”

“That’s not it, it’s just…… it’s not the event that’s a joke, it’s me.”

<Preliminary Round of the 35th Jeju Bright Light Singing Contest>

There was a banner with this text hung up above the spacious stage inside the auditorium of some elementary school.

“This is supposed to be the most prestigious singing contest in Seogwipo.”

“Did you…… actually research this event?”

“I’m serious about this after all. My life depends on this.”

“Come on, your life……?”

Gong Haram chuckled softly before sighing.

I really meant what I said though. My life was on the line…… but I couldn’t explain this to him.

The peculiar flyer I found on the street turned out to be a promotional leaflet for a community singing contest.

Though it sounded like a small event, it was actually pretty large, co-hosted by several major villages around Seogwipo.

Anyone residing close to Seogwipo could participate, a significant city-wide event.

The flashy flyer seemed to be the product of the community’s efforts to promote it more effectively.

The elders sure had a flair for the extravagant……

As it turned out, this year marked the 35th time this contest was held.

It had its own traditions as well.

If one passed the preliminaries and made it to the finals, it would be broadcast on Jeju Island’s local cable channel.

It was the Jeju Island version of the <National Singing Contest>.

And when it came to singing?

“It’s gotta be you, Haram, when it comes to singing.”

“This is driving me crazy, seriously.”

“We’re on the 128th stage for the preliminaries. There are 150 participants in them, and only half make it through. You can do it, right?”

“This is an event for the elders. There’s no place for kids like us.”

“Haram.”

“What?”

Gong Haram looked at me.

His left eye seemed to say “Why are you doing this?” and his right “Please stop.”

Sure, go ahead and complain. It wouldn't affect me.

“Elders are a goldmine.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Once they open their wallets, it’s endless.”

“That’s so mean, Hyung.”

“Mean? No, I was just joking. Anyway, what I want to say is, don’t limit yourself. What’s wrong with the only audience being elders? Singing well, regardless of age, can move people……”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it already…… Seeing you nag this much, you really are Ahn Yuyoung Hyung.”

Gong Haram shook his head and waved his hand dismissively.

Hmm, did Ahn Yuyoung used to nag a lot?

Well, that wasn’t a bad thing, seeing that it helped me out in this situation.

There was a reason why I talked so much more than usual.

Gong Haram had a remarkably low self-esteem compared to his actual abilities.

He seemed to long for the stage, but for some reasons, he was very reluctant to step back onto it.

He often said that it was because of his “Father’s opposition”...... but I felt like his own low self-esteem played a significant role as well.

Of course, no matter how well he sang, he was still part of a failed idol group.

No.

The better he sang, the more his self-esteem might take a hit.

The world of idols was just that unfair.

No matter how much effort you put in or how much talent one had, it didn’t always translate to popularity and success.

This was a dirty, capitalist world after all.

While I was lost in thought, the stage slowly filled with various strange contestants showcasing their skills.

Right now, there was a middle-aged man in a rainbow clown costume singing in front of me.

……Was this thing even possible to win?

I could understand now why Gong Haram was worried.

Maybe I slightly misunderstood the intention of the event organizers……

“Number 128, Gong Haram and Ahn Yuyoung, please come to the stage.”

“Yes!”

Despite having been an idol and practicing with me the night before, Gong Haram looked quite nervous.

Goddamnit, stop shaking. This is my debut stage, you hear?!

“Please introduce yourself.”

“Yes, hello. I’m Gong Haram from Gijeong Village. I’m 24 years old. My occupation is……”

“?”

Gong Haram suddenly hesitated. What was wrong with this guy? Just say it with confidence!

“……Just a student.”

He didn’t seem to realize how big of a crime it was to falsify one’s personal information.

“I see. And the person next to you? Are you going to participate together?”

“Ah, yes. I’m Ahn Yuyoung, Haram’s friend. Haha. I heard that even non-Seogwipo residents can join if they’re accompanied by a local.”

“Yes, yes, please play the prepared MR.”

The middle-aged male host, wearing glasses, interrupted me, seeming kind of annoyed.

Since I found myself in this body, no one had been even a bit kind to me. How sad.

“The song we’ve prepared is…… <The Woman from Rabbit Island>.”

“Wait, what did you say?”

“<The Woman from Rabbit Island>.”

“Isn’t that a ballad from Jeju Island?”

The host, who had seemed rather uninterested, suddenly showed some slight interest..

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“No it’s just…… unusual for young people to choose it, haha.”

“We don't need the MR. We’ll sing the first verse a cappella.”

I spoke confidently, then smoothly stepped back, naturally placing Gong Haram before me.

He sighed, which was only visible to me, then brought the microphone to his lips.

―Across the blue sea, the crashing waves~

 Oh my love, leaving all alone

Gong Haram’s voice echoed through the quiet auditorium, filling the space with the sound of his unaccompanied singing.

His voice had a smooth and comforting tone, like a warm cappuccino.

―Your departing figure, I’ll never forget.

 Though I follow, legs sinking deep into the blue,

 My body could never keep up with you~

Wow, the lyrics were so poignant.

Because the singer was singing them so effortlessly, it might seem easy to some people.

However, Gong Haram’s strength lay in his ‘appeal’ and ‘delivery’.

He didn’t mispronounce even a single word.

When singing idol songs, this might seem a bit over the top, but for a solo song like this, it was a total advantage.

―My love, oh my love~ My love, oh my love~

Loving some other woman now, hastily you go~

There were two repeated lines with a gradual increase in pitch in the chorus.

This was a piece of cake for Haram, however, I added in some harmony in a lower pitch for this part.

By the way, that was my role…… nothing more.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t do more, Gong Haram was just that good. Really.

―Loving you until it leaves scars~

Loving you until it leaves scars~……

At the final verse, he added a subtle tremble that sounded like a slight vibrato.

Was this guy a genius or what?

He did so well that I started wondering what kind love he would receive after we were done.

A pro was indeed a pro.

“……Thank you.”

Gong Haram gave a sheepish bow.

And then.

Exactly three seconds later, the auditorium erupted with thunderous applause.

“……It’s been so long since I’ve heard applause like this.”

On our way back, Gong Haram mumbled as if he was in a dream.

I silently patted his back.

To be honest, I had somewhat expected this outcome.

We had meticulously strategized starting from the song selection.

A song from a failed idol that had been active for five years?

Even if the best singer in the world sang it, they would have gotten eliminated in the preliminary stage.

Frankly, in these kinds of singing contests, it wasn’t about ‘how well’ one sang.

Moreover, since Gong Haram already possessed outstanding vocal skills, there was no need to worry about his ability.

So, that was the reason why I had stubbornly pushed my opinion since we started talking about this.

‘That’s why we should go for a Jeju Island folk song.’

‘Hyung, this is going to displease everyone.’

‘If you sing it well, it won’t.’

The key was the character and how novel or how familiar it felt.

We somehow needed to find the balance between those two points.

Gong Haram had the skills, and he was relatively young compared to the other participants.

There were also some elementary and middle school students participating, but while they might draw some attention, they surely wouldn’t be able to win the grand prize.

‘You know <The Woman from Rabbit Island>, right?’

‘Seriously, let’s just go with a trot, okay?”

‘You know it, right?’

‘Haah……’

‘You know it.’

‘Yeah, I know it!’

‘It would have been weirder if you didn’t. You have to sing this one, no matter what.’

<The Woman from Rabbit Island> was a Jeju Island folk song.

The lyrics were derived from a poem written by a poet native to Jeju Island, and the original song was quite slow.

However.

We couldn’t overlook the fact that the main judges were all from the Jeju Traditional Music Association. 

What did that have anything to do with this, you ask?

No matter how well one were to sing a typical trot or pop song, one would never be able to get anything better than the excellence award.

If they asked something like ‘Wow, they actually chose to sing that?’ then making it to the finals was almost guaranteed.

‘And you like folk songs and sijo, don’t you? Didn’t you sing the anchovy processing song for the 16th competition? Am I wrong?’

‘How did you even know that, hyung?!’

‘There are ways to find out everything.’

The finals were four days away.

This was in no way a small investment in both time or effort.

However, I couldn’t afford to give up on this singing contest.

With a resolute heart, I decided to call someone.

―Hello? Hyung?

‘Baek Gyeom, it’s me.’

―Yeah, I know. Did you decide to live on Jeju island for the whole month?

‘There’s something I need you to do. It’s super important.’

―What is it?

‘Haram has to win first place in something. I need your arranging skills.’

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