# Chapter 67
[Seo Irun is going to cover December?]
[Oppa Irun. No. Absolutely not. Don’t do it. I told you covering December is something you shouldn’t do. Ki Hyunshin’s songs are just meant to be listened to!]
The urgency could be felt through the text.
But Seo Irun looked at Jeong Chan, and Jeong Chan brought his guitar and picked out the chords.
“What? Are you really going to do it? Seo Irun?”
At that point, hyung also showed interest, and even Ki Hyunshin became noticeably curious.
“Is it okay with you, Hyunshin hyung? For Irun to cover December? You treasure that song, don’t you?”
“If Irun wants to do it, it would be an honor for me. I want to hear it too. Not just Irun, but I’d like to hear Crop Five cover it. I’d love for other people to sing my songs too.”
Watching him speak as if pouting, wondering why people don’t sing his songs, I had a lot to say but decided to hold back.
Cha Yeonwoo kept glancing at the camera before speaking to Han Sijin.
“Sijin. Let’s end the broadcast first.”
“Hey! Yeonwoo, don’t you trust Irun hyung? I trust him.”
Sijin must have some grudge against Irun.
Then Dagyeong targeted Sijin.
“Sijin hyung. I’ll film, so you should try it too.”
“Oh! As expected of our Dagyeong.”
Yeonwoo spoke to Dagyeong as if he had set him up perfectly, but Sijin readily handed over the filming to Dagyeong.
Since the filming had started spontaneously, the equipment was crude.
“Go ahead and start.”
Finally, Irun spoke to Jeong Chan, and Jeong Chan’s gentle guitar melody flowed.
No one made a sound, and hyung came from the kitchen to join us.
Ki Hyunshin had moved closer long ago and was watching Seo Irun intently.
Seo Irun closed his eyes and began to sing.
Unlike Ki Hyunshin, who sang with an emotional, beautiful voice, Seo Irun interpreted the song in his own style.
The original song, which had a devastating and melancholic feel, was given new clothes through Seo Irun.
As if deliberately restraining his immersion, a forlorn feeling emerged, and I was terrifyingly drawn in.
I didn’t even have the capacity to wonder how others around me were listening.
The sound coming from his mouth completely controlled everything as if absorbing it all.
His breath, his exhalation, his voice.
His expression and emotion.
The only thing that existed in that moment was the greed not to miss a single thing.
When Irun exhaled without breathing, I too held my breath.
I had never felt the word “devastating” so vividly before.
I had often heard that the part people who covered Ki Hyunshin’s songs found most difficult wasn’t the explosive volume or the unnaturally wide range that’s hard for humans to imitate, but rather the unique emotional quality that only he could express.
But now Irun was expressing it in his own original way.
With my mouth hanging open, I was so immersed in his song that I couldn’t close it as the song continued.
While the emotion of the previous verse still lingered, the song kept flowing.
I couldn’t have been more moved to be there.
As several verses continued, I found myself unknowingly shedding tears.
His song.
December sung by Seo Irun.
Thinking “so this is what it feels like,” I was completely immersed, like someone who had surrendered to the wind controlled by him on rough waves.
But gradually, tiny cracks began to form in that perfect emotion.
The thought that he might soon reach his limit.
Anxiety.
It felt like if he applied just a little more force, it would break.
Just as I was feeling sorry because he had done so perfectly well until now, Irun’s gaze shifted elsewhere.
And he no longer continued to sing.
Along with the feeling of disappointment came a sense of relief.
I felt that the song had to stop here, and I was grateful.
His singing was so precious and valuable that, instead of forcing on and ruining it, it was much better to leave it incomplete like this.
I thought the regret of not hearing the whole song would remain, but even that was my misunderstanding.
“Like a crack, turmoil remains in my heart.”
Like nail marks being engraved, I break and shatter.
Your memory digs into me.
Your sharpness seeps into me.
The song continued.
In a completely different, familiar yet unfamiliar voice.
Even as I thought “no way,” the song kept going, and I turned my head as if bewitched.
It was Sijin.
With his eyes closed, he sat in a chair and sang.
No one, not a single sound, was made.
Then suddenly I looked at Ki Hyunshin and found him unable to close his open mouth, completely immersed as if trapped in Sijin’s song.
The song was racing toward its climax.
Toward high notes that someone without talent or consistent training couldn’t easily reach.
After reaching a high note and maintaining it for about 4 seconds, it goes up two more notes and is sustained for 8 seconds – just succeeding at that would merit being called legendary without hesitation.
Beyond doing it well, simply succeeding at it would earn such praise – that was the true essence of December.
But I listened to the song without even knowing when it had reached its end.
What just happened?
Did Irun lower the key when starting this song?
But no, I think he said he would keep it in the original key?
Such thoughts quickly flashed through my mind.
He sang so comfortably that there was no tension or strain in listening.
Ki Hyunshin stood up, approached the piano in the living room, and pressed the keys.
I realized he had the same question I did.
He probably wanted to confirm if the notes he heard were correct.
Thinking that he too didn’t hear it as such a high note because it was delivered so comfortably, I looked at Sijin.
Sijin still had his eyes closed and was regulating his breathing, as if not yet recovered from the emotion of the song.
I was shocked to see that he wasn’t struggling because of explosive singing, but because he couldn’t escape the lingering emotions.
Because I realized this was who Sijin truly was.
‘I guess I didn’t really know Sijin.’
The shock of having thought of him only as a child in my arms.
How desperately and fiercely he had been transforming himself, and whether I had properly appreciated that – tears flowed down my cheeks without me knowing.
He must have been like that.
For Crop Five, and for me.
He was the one who pushed himself harshly to the point where the vocal trainer told him not to practice anymore.
Even after the song ended, no one spoke.
I was grateful for that.
I wanted to continue feeling that lingering emotion for a while, so I hoped no one would speak.
I was almost certain I wasn’t the only one thinking that.
At that moment, I didn’t even want to look at the chat window to see people’s reactions.
I wanted to engrave the feelings, emotions, and lingering sensations I had felt wholly and completely.
“Ahem. I’m sorry. I think I ruined it. Irun hyung, I’m sorry. I’m also sorry to Senior Hyunshin.”
Breaking the long silence, Sijin spoke, and Ki Hyunshin seemed startled, as if coming to his senses. Then he shook his head.
“Sijin. I was really moved. I think I cried.”
As he said this, he pressed the corners of his eyes.
Starting with him, more and more people around started rubbing their eyes.
I was just regretting the dissipation of the lingering emotion, without even thinking to wipe my tears.
“Wow. Hyung, did you wash your face?”
Dagyeong said, then pulled out several tissues and wiped my cheeks.
It wasn’t something that could be fixed by dabbing a few tears at the corners of my eyes, so that’s what he was doing.
Seeing the tissue touching my cheek get wet instantly, I belatedly realized how much I had cried.
“Wow. This is really… a gift I never expected. I’m truly moved. Look at my goosebumps. To receive such emotion…”
Ki Hyunshin spoke as if he was deeply moved, and soon he seemed to want to do something, fidgeting alone, then sat at the piano and began to play.
As he looked at Sijin, Sijin tilted his head wondering if he was calling for him, then slowly approached.
Ki Hyunshin continued to play and signaled to Sijin with his eyes.
It was a song known to be as legendary as Ki Hyunshin’s December, and when Sijin began to sing, Ki Hyunshin looked at the other members of Crop Five.
He seemed to be asking them to come join in singing together.
The members moved to the piano and blended their harmonies together.
Although it was an impromptu performance, a beautiful harmony was created as if they had practiced for a long time and coordinated with each other.
Ki Hyunshin’s voice could be heard among Crop Five’s singing.
When Ki Hyunshin joined in, Crop Five lowered their voices as if giving him space.
Top stars welcoming a master.
Crop Five didn’t try to compete with Ki Hyunshin, but willingly gave up their place and diminished their presence.
Thinking that everyone who heard the song would feel the same feeling, I suddenly looked at hyung and saw that he was filming the scene.
Thinking I shouldn’t just stand there blankly but should preserve this as a record, I too hurriedly began recording from that point on.
