Chapter 401: Red Rouge (20)

"Sentiments" was a well-known song often chosen by South Korean office workers for their commute home. It began with a reflective melody accompanied by a gentle guitar, expressing the weariness of daily life. As the song progressed, it built up with richer instrumental arrangements and offered a comforting message to its listeners.

It was a song that consoled the melancholic youth during late-night hours.

This song perfectly encapsulated the feelings of exhaustion and hardship while also conveying the determination to face the next day. It was an easy song to sing but challenging to perform well as it required a deep understanding of the emotions it conveyed.

In the past, I would have struggled to express such feelings of comfort through singing and I would have spent hours contemplating how to express the sentiment of reassurance. But now, I understood what it meant to offer solace through a song.

♪ My weary steps have lost their curiosity

Once again heading straight home today

I can't see anything around me

Only the cool and bittersweet night sky

As I started singing, the once lively audience and the panelists fell silent. Their eyes were fixed on me with deep, focused expressions. It was a little intimidating, but also oddly reassuring to know they were listening intently. When I reached the chorus, I poured more emotion into my voice and felt the weight of the lyrics.

♪ In the distant night sky, the stars become faint

My weary heart deepens

I am sure I am not the only one struggling

Even if I try

The anxiety remains, tears flow

The melody of the first chorus began with a falsetto and quickly descended, creating a serene atmosphere as I sang. Although I started calmly, I added more technical skill and gestures to make the chorus more engaging for the listeners.

In the second verse, I sang with more strength compared to the first verse, determined to convey the song's deeper emotions.

As the audience's response to Eden had significantly increased compared to the beginning of Introduce My Singer, they reacted positively just as I had hoped. I showcased the techniques I had calmly practiced, and the song reached its highlight.

Since the song was originally created to provide quiet comfort, it didn't have any dramatic high notes or standout moments for showcasing vocal prowess. However, since this was a competition, Reina had created a suitable highlight in the appropriate part of the song.

♪ Taking a deep breath, I look up at the sky

Turning my dizzy gaze away

Telling myself that everyone else is struggling too

It's an irresponsible self-encouragement

I filled the remaining lyrics with ad-libs. The song had started so quietly, but it quickly became rich with numerous instruments. The stage lighting, which had been calm, deepened in color.

Then, the music stopped. The lighting shifted to a simpler tone, and a murmur of curiosity occasionally rose from the panelists and the audience. I briefly lowered the microphone and then brought it back to my lips. Reina had taught me that this simple action could focus the audience’s attention and calm the heightened atmosphere. Then, I delivered the final part of the song.

♪ The cool air calms me a bit

Maybe today will also become a bittersweet memory

Hoping that someday

I can talk about it with a smile

The song heavily relied on falsetto, so I sang the last part with great delicacy and effort. Thus, Eden’s final stage on Introduce My Singer came to an end. Silence lingered for a moment after the song finished, soon replaced by cheers.

“Waaaah!!!!”

Was the applause celebrating Eden's final performance, or was it because I had successfully finished the stage?

“Thank you.” I bowed repeatedly to the audience as I moved toward the host, Seo Han.

“Yes! Well done, Eden!”

“Thank you very much.”

“Now, let’s have a brief interview with Eden, who delivered such an amazing performance.”

Everyone had regained their smiles as they looked at me with playful expressions and spoke to me. Although I had been fine during the performance, I started to feel nervous again. It always felt strange that this show made me more anxious during the talk segments or while sitting on the panel than when I was actually performing on stage.

'I might be more nervous since I have something important to say today.'

It felt similar to the nervousness I had during a pre-comeback live session, when I worried about spoilers the entire time.

Seo Han said, “Eden sang a classic song today, ‘Sentiments.’”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“It’s a song that has provided much comfort and empathy to many office workers in their twenties and thirties. Why did you choose this song among many requests, Eden?”

“Well, first of all, it’s a song I really love. When I was struggling, this song comforted me a lot and made me realize that I wasn't the only one feeling left behind and exhausted.”

“It seems like this song holds significant meaning for you. Are you over eighteen years old, Eden?”

Seo Han asked, pretending to have no idea. Honestly, most of the show’s participants had probably guessed my identity by now, yet they kept up the pretense until the end. Even though my face was completely hidden behind a mask, I couldn't help but smile and nod.

“Yes, I am eighteen."

“Ah-ha! Eden is eighteen, everyone. Another big hint for those curious about Eden's identity!”

“Haha... Well, it’s a song I leaned on a lot. I went through a particularly tough time for quite a while, but I recently overcame it.”

Seo Han widened his eyes in an exaggerated gesture of surprise. “Oh, really? You went through some tough times?”

“Yes. This is a bit personal and not that big of a deal, so it’s embarrassing to talk about. But I did overcome it. So, I chose this song, hoping it could provide comfort to many others.”

With a look of admiration and a thumbs-up, Seo Han empathized with my explanation. “Actually, I almost teared up while listening to your song backstage. I believe your sincerity was conveyed to both me and the viewers. Shall we hear from the panelists?”

He passed the talk to the panelists and made eye contact with Tae-Un, a singer on the panel. He picked up the microphone.

“Ah, yes. I felt a bit emotional listening to Eden’s song, like Seo Han claimed,” Tae-Un said, pressing a hand to his chest with a smile. “I am in my forties, but our younger generations work so hard and face many struggles. Genuine comfort and encouragement are needed. Hearing another young person saying ‘it’s okay, let’s keep going,’ felt very heartfelt to me.”

I bowed my head to Tae-Un. “Thank you.”

“It was truly a touching performance. Well done.”

After Tae-Un’s comment, Seo Han pointed to Reina. “Now, Reina. Your pick has received tremendous praise as always. How do you feel?”

Reina smiled at me and took the microphone. “Although this song is in Eden's usual genre, I think he rehearsed a lot and did a lot of research.”

“Oh, really? What kind of research?”

“When we first chose this song, we thought that he would do well without much guidance since this was Eden’s specialty. And he did well on his own.” Reina praised me with grand gestures as if reading a fairy tale.

“But I’m not saying that he just sang well. ‘Sentiments’ is a masterpiece of a song, but it’s a bit risky for a competition.”

Seo Han subtly agreed. “Hmm, that might be true.”

It was indeed a delicate song for a competition. While it had a beautiful melody created by layers of instruments, it was so calm that it was hard to find a single standout point.

However, its lyrics perfectly matched the serene melody and that was what had made it popular. I pondered a lot on how I could bring this song to life in a competition, a song that was challenging to do justice to without an exceptional vocal tone. I had spent a lot of time pondering on this after deciding on the song.

Reina continued, speaking as if she was conversing with Seo Han. “Due to our busy schedules, Eden mostly practiced alone. But during rehearsals, I saw how much he had improved his gestures, vocal techniques, and other skills.”

“Oh, really?” Seo Han asked Reina before looking at me.

I nodded. “Yes, I thought a lot about how to make the song engaging while staying true to the original. I realized the best way was to keep the audience entertained through various methods within the song.”

I focused on avoiding monotony by varying the intensity of my voice by using falsetto and incorporating gestures.

“And above all, Senior Reina’s excellent arrangement played a big role.”

“Oh, absolutely. While listening, I kept thinking, ‘Wow, this arrangement is amazing.’”

“Exactly.”

The song had gained a new highlight and a high-pitched part that I could nail perfectly. I heard Reina had rearranged it herself, probably honing it to fit the competition. I couldn't have done it without her guidance and the fantastic arrangement she had provided.

After a few more exchanges, Seo Han asked the final question. “Eden, you are often mentioned as a strong rival to Oh Yoo-Wol, a strong candidate for the win. How do you feel about that?”

“I’m grateful for the positive reception despite my shortcomings. It’s a bit worrisome if I can’t meet everyone’s expectations. I did my best, but we will see what happens.”

“Eden has expressed both gratitude and a bit of worry. If you win today, it will be your first victory, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Do you have any pledges? Like, ‘If I win today, I will do this!’”

It was finally time to say the most important thing in Eden’s career. I had built up to this moment by creating a stir along the way.

I trembled slightly, so I gripped the microphone tightly. I said, “If I win today, I will reveal my identity.”