Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 663 Part 1

November 30th.

The long-awaited OTT platform [Universe] by Marinsa was finally launched.

It featured various programs from different studios and channels, such as superhero movies from Marin Studio, animations from Season Studio, slice-of-life and music movies from Whale Studio, and dramas and documentaries that aired on ABS network.

-Sign up! Sign up! Sign up!!!

-Take my money!!

-Looking for someone to watch with (1/4)

=Me!!

As the platform gathered the works that had created countless fans over the years, the site was briefly overwhelmed by the influx of subscribers.

-Is it crashing? Crashing?!?!?

-If it crashes, I’ll hunt them down all the way to America (in archaic font)

Fortunately, Universe did not crash and stabilized soon.

Universe promoted its original works as its main attraction.

Among them, the most anticipated one was [Over the Rainbow 2], as Marinsa had predicted. It had the highest playback rate compared to other works.

It was probably because the core users of the OTT platform were the generation who had watched [Over the Rainbow 1] with deep impression 10 years ago.

But even among those people, there were some who did not watch [Over the Rainbow 2]. Not only did they not watch it, but they also avoided spoilers, and even refrained from accessing the internet, which was like their lifeline.

-I have to watch it in the theater!!!

=222 As someone who watched Rainbow 1, you’ll regret it if you don’t watch it in the theater.

=333 Go to a place with good sound quality.

-Why are they releasing it on OTT

=Release it (clap!) Release it (clap!) Release it (clap!)

They were the sprouts who had won the screening event ([From Sprouts] & Cocoa Entertainment) for [Over the Rainbow 2].

-Rainbow 2 soundtrack is also released Top 100 autoplay alert!

-It’s already in the top 100??

-It’s Seo-jun’s song

– I can’t even go to a cafe.

=22 Just assume that you can’t go to any place that plays music.

=33 You’ll probably hear it even if you just walk on the street (wear earphones & headphones)

-When will the moviegoer-nim do the review? I want to watch it live, but if it’s OTT, you must have watched it as soon as it was released

=Moviegoer-nim won the [From Sprouts] event!! He’ll watch it and do the review!

=Wow? What’s up with the poop-hand-nim? Which time is it?

=The last one

=AhYou have to avoid spoilers until then I’m lucky that I’m in the middle time

=Me too(Not funny)

=Ouch……!

The board of [From Sprouts] that was strictly blocking spoilers, [Only for Sprouts who haven’t watched Over the Rainbow 2 yet (No Spoilers)], was the only place for the sprouts who had won the screening event to chat.

-I really want to go to the [Over the Rainbow 2 review (Spoilers)] board.

=222 It’s like Pandora’s box…… I can’t take my eyes off it……

=333 Is my mouse cursor moving by itself!?!

=No! Hang in there, everyone!!

-Can I just go and see the titles??

=If you see the titles, you’ll want to see the contents too

-Sigh……I want to watch it and leave a review soon. I want to talk with the sprouts……

-Let’s talk about something else……

=What should we talk about?

=Hmm. How about the pop-up store?

=Oh! Did anyone buy the commemorative ticket?

=I did!! I also sold the one from part 1! The message was still touching

=22 I liked that I could choose the country and the city this time.

=Moviegoer-nim must be sad that he can’t go on a world tour

=I bought it too! And the one from part 2!

***

“They’re selling the commemorative ticket from part 1! I’m really grateful to Marinsa! Which one should I get, this one or that one?”

“It must be for the 10th anniversary.”

It was a limited edition good that was only sold during the screening period, the commemorative ticket of [Over the Rainbow].

To celebrate the 10th anniversary, they decided to sell it again with the same design and message.

Lim Ye Na, who had been a fan since middle school and had the commemorative ticket from part 1, and Song Yu Jung, who was a late fan, both waited eagerly for their own commemorative tickets to come out.

“Here’s your ticket.”

“Thank you!”

Song Yu Jung and Lim Ye Na, who were so happy that they unknowingly tapped their feet, carefully took out the ticket from the envelope. It looked like a real concert ticket.

[Song Yu Jung-nim. Thank you for your long support.]

[Venue: Korea, Seoul, Whale Classic Hall]

[Date: 20XX, April 17th, 8 p.m.]

[Seat: MA 31]

[Violinist: Gray Vainy]

“Wow. I finally have this…!”

Song Yu Jung, who had engraved her birthday on the concert date, looked at the commemorative ticket with a moved expression, when she heard Lim Ye Na’s voice.

“I’ll put it together with the old ticket I got.”

At that, Song Yu Jung looked at Lim Ye Na with sincere envy. The commemorative tickets had the same design, but the first edition and the reissue had a different feel.

“…It’s a sin to be a late fan.”

“Think positively. Unless part 3 comes out, this will be the last time they sell commemorative tickets.”

“That’s true. I should buy more! One for collection, one for storage, one for display, and one for backup in case I lose it!”

Saying that, Song Yu Jung, who was a working adult, clenched her fist.

“I earn money to spend it on fandom!”

At that voice, Imi Yeon and Park Sung Ah, who were writing their names to make the commemorative tickets, smiled softly.

“How cute.”

“Right. We were like that too.”

It felt like it was just yesterday that they were moved by the commemorative ticket, but it had already been 10 years. They couldn’t believe it.

“I never expected Over the Rainbow to become a series.”

“Me neither.”

Everyone who was buying the commemorative ticket here thought the same.

“Which country do you want?”

The employee of the [Universe] pop-up store asked Imi Yeon and Park Sung Ah, who answered without a second of hesitation.

“New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Kansas City, please.”

“Same for me.”

“Okay. Got it.”

The employee who was making the commemorative tickets smiled, as the screen looked very familiar.

That was because, for the week since the pop-up store opened and the commemorative tickets went on sale, those three cities were the most popular ones among the people.

“I’m glad they promoted it in the article. We can put it like this.”

“Right. It’s the ticket from the city where Gray’s concert was held.”

When they filmed [Over the Rainbow 1], they didn’t have a designated concert hall except for the Brad Hall of LA Music Academy, but when they filmed [Over the Rainbow 2], the article said they had concerts in three places.

“I wanted to go to the concert too… Is Seo-jun not having a fan meeting?”

“I think he will once.”

While Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah were talking, the commemorative ticket production was finished.

“Here are the tickets.”

“Thank you.”

Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah, who bought both [Over the Rainbow 1] and [Over the Rainbow 2] commemorative tickets, took out the second part commemorative tickets.

“The second part commemorative ticket has a different phrase?”

“Yeah. What does it mean?”

Knowing that Whale Studio was not the kind to let any phrase go easily, as they experienced in [Over the Rainbow 1], Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah tried to deduce it like detectives and soon shrugged their shoulders.

“We’ll find out soon. It’s time. Let’s go, Mi Yeon.”

“Okay.”

Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah carefully put the first and second part commemorative tickets in their bags without any wrinkles and moved their steps with excitement. Some people followed them.

It was time for [Over the Rainbow 2: For My Friend] to be screened at the movie theater rented by [From the Sprout].

***

“Hello. I’m the manager in charge of this time.”

In the spacious movie theater.

Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah, who sat in seats where the screen was well visible, listened to the manager with a microphone with a full of expectation. He must have been from [From the Sprout] or Cocoa Entertainment.

“From now on, there will be a viewing event of Over the Rainbow For My Friend hosted by From the Sprout and Cocoa Entertainment. Since music is the main theme of the movie, please turn off or mute your phones…”

As they were fans of Lee Seo-jun, who was famous for his solidarity, they all followed the instructions diligently.

“There won’t be any spoilers this time.”

“Right. Seriously.”

Somehow.

They all felt a bond with each other, thinking that they were fans who liked and loved Seo-jun.

“Then we will start the screening of Over the Rainbow 2: For My Friend.”

The theater slowly darkened and the screen lit up. The logo of Whale Studio, which shaped a whale, appeared. The audience held their breath.

****

The camera showed the door of the waiting room, and a knocking sound was heard from the other side.

“It’s time to go up!”

“Yes.”

The camera turned around and showed a man in a black suit. 

The man who got up from his seat straightened his suit and picked up the violin case on the table. Then he went outside.

The man, who only showed his back, headed for the stage.

The staff who were working said, “I enjoyed your last concert!”, “Please give us a wonderful performance this time!” and cheered him on. The man, who bowed his head, seemed to smile, though only his back was visible.

They never saw his face, but Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah seemed to know who the ‘man’ was. Somehow their hearts thumped. 

They remembered [Over the Rainbow 1] that they had seen before coming to the pop-up store today.

Even if not, the narration that reminded them of [Over the Rainbow 1] came. It was Rebecca’s voice.

[What do you need to make music?]

Thump thump.

The man, who walked neatly through the hallway to the back of the stage, grabbed the violin with his left hand and lifted it up, and also held the long bow. And then he walked again.

[Talent?]

He saw the light.

It was the stage.

[Effort?]

He stopped for a moment right in front of the way to the light.

He seemed to calm his mind.

[Money?]

A silent silence flowed.

And he moved his steps again.

[No,]

He didn’t stop now.

He kept walking, and stood alone in the center of the shining stage.

[It’s love.]

Along with the loud applause of the audience,

The camera, which had been following the man’s back, turned around and slowly moved up from below to above.

 The man, who held the violin in front of his body, bowed and brought the violin to his neck. His face was shown.

Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah, Song Yu Jung and Lim Ye Na, and the audience swallowed the scream that seemed to come out. 

Their hearts were beating so fast that they seemed to burst.

The violinist who grew up splendidly, Gray Vainy, stood under the sparkling spotlight.

***

He bowed.

Gray Vainy, who greeted the audience, rested his chin on the violin and started playing.

A sweet melody was heard.

Along with the piano accompaniment, the sound of the violin filled the concert hall. 

It was such a rich sound that it was hard to believe that it came from a single violin.

The audience, who listened to his splendid performance, recalled Gray’s appearance of traveling around the world and playing the violin for people. 

They also briefly remembered Jason Moore’s concert, which he participated in as G.B.

In the eyes of Im Mi Yeon and Park Sung Ah, who were enjoying the performance, Rebecca and George, who were smiling happily, came in. Ugh. 

The three musketeers are back together! They all grew up well. Well done.

Their eyes turned red involuntarily.

***

The concert in New York was over.

The camera, which showed Gray on the stage from Rebecca and George’s point of view, moved along with the two people who had bouquets.

Behind the stage.

Rebecca and George smiled and handed the bouquets to Gray, who finished the performance.

“Gray! Your performance was amazing!”

“Really, your performance is always brilliant.”

Gray, who had a surprised expression at the appearance of his friends, soon smiled with a relaxed face. 

The audience also relaxed their expressions with his still innocent face. 

He had a charisma that overwhelmed the audience when he played, but he looked like a puppy at this time. He was so cute.

“Thank you… I’m glad…”

The camera turned around, showing the face of Gray, who buried his face in the bouquet as if smelling the scent of the flowers. Rebecca and George’s faces were shown.

‘No, why!’

The audience shouted in unison. In their minds.

Show us more of Gray buried in the bouquet! Don’t you know the effect of the bouquet?!

In the frustrated eyes of the audience, the expressions of Rebecca and George, who looked at Gray with wide eyes, were seen.

‘How handsome can he be…!’

‘Show me too. The Gray buried in a bouquet of flowers!’

They didn’t know that they would soon cry out in agony. It was a mistake.

***

The bedroom of a hotel suite.

As the alarm went off at the set time, bright light streamed through the open curtains and reached the man lying on the bed.

The man looked neat even in his sleep, as if he had no bad habits.

His eyelids twitched at the light and the alarm sound, and then slowly opened, revealing his clear black eyes. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the brightness.

The man got up from the bed and sat for a moment, then headed to the bathroom to wash up. His every movement was calm and serene.

Soon, the sound of water stopped.

And the man came out, wiping his wet hair with a white towel. His figure was captured by the camera. He was wearing pants, but nothing on top.

…!!!

Muffled exclamations and gasps of breath were heard from everywhere. They couldn’t help it, it was a reflexive reaction.

He was turned around, so most of what they saw was his back, but his muscles were not too much, just pleasing to the eye. They moved along with his movements, making the breaths even quieter. They looked like they were drawn by an artist.

The man picked up the white shirt that was lying around. He put one arm in, then the other. 

His shoulders, which were slightly tilted back, and the muscles on his back became more defined, then soon hidden by the white shirt. But it seemed like the afterimage was still there.

The suppressed admiration lasted until the man buttoned up the shirt near his collarbone.

He lifted his head, without saying a word. He still had a composed and neat expression. He looked somewhat cold at a glance.

That’s when the breaths burst out from the audience seats. There were some loud ones, but the sprouts understood. It was Gray’s (original: Lee Seo-jun) upper body reveal, after all. Even though it was only his back!

‘…This is a must-have.’

‘What is this, is it my birthday today?’

‘I’m booking a big room at Whale Studio.’

It was a hard movie viewing for the sprouts, going back and forth between immersion and non-immersion.

But they were able to focus on the movie soon enough. Because the actor was Lee Seo-jun.

Gray was preparing breakfast when Rebecca and George came to see him. A smile bloomed on his cold face.

The sprouts, who were office workers, shed tears of sympathy in their hearts at the sight of George asking for a documentary under the pressure of his bosses and Rebecca venting her anger at the errands of her boss. 

The trio, who were full of dreams and hopes, had become adults facing reality.

And so, after the concert in New York, the shooting of ‘The Genius Violinist Gray Vainy’s Documentary’ began.

[Cleveland/Iris Hall]

The caption showed the information of the place where the concert would be held today.

“Good luck today.”

“Thank you.”

The staff, who knew that Gray would have some time alone before the concert, left the waiting room. Then Gray closed his eyes, as if meditating.

The remaining documentary crew, George and the staff, quietly filmed Gray’s appearance, as if they were not there.

Gray, who had been paying attention to the camera until a while ago, seemed to forget it all, and slowly recalled the songs for the upcoming concert in his head. 

He thought about the parts he was not satisfied with in the previous concert and how to make a more splendid performance.

Since he first held the violin, Gray Vainy had always played with sincerity.

‘But…’

But lately…

Gray opened his eyes. His forehead, which had a slight crease, and his black eyes, which had sunk low, were vividly captured by the camera.

Gray Vainy, who was quietly looking down, seemed to lose his brilliant color slowly. George’s serious expression, watching Gray’s appearance, was reflected on the screen.

The audience sensed something strange in that small but definite change. Before they could think deeply about what it was, Gray returned to his normal state.

Gray’s eyes widened as he tuned his violin.

“Ah.”

He had spotted the cameras and George, who was waving his hand with a bright smile. They were all so good at reducing their presence, as if they had done documentary filming more than once or twice.

Gray Vainy, who finally remembered that the camera was filming, smiled awkwardly at the large camera lens.

Unlike ordinary movies, the protagonist recognized the camera. 

The documentary feel was strong, as intended by the producer. 

The audience quickly immersed themselves in the video, which seemed to capture the daily life of ‘Gray Vainy’, a performer who existed somewhere.

As he got closer to the stage, the staffs became fewer and quieter.

Along with the silence, something that he had buried came up. Gray’s smile slowly faded.

All of Gray’s expressions were captured by the camera and conveyed to the audience. 

Imiyeon and Park Seong-ah thought that the things they had felt a little strange were gradually becoming more certain.

The violin in his hand was heavy. 

The violin that always supported him by his side, became harder than ever. His arm felt like it would fall off. He wanted to let it go.

‘But…’

Gray Vainy lifted his violin and bow with his left hand as always. His movements were gentle.

Gray, holding the violin in his hand, moved his steps slowly.

He saw the light.

It was the stage.

He stopped for a moment at the edge of the light, the boundary between light and darkness.

He was scared.

He was afraid that his condition would get worse and worse, and he would never be able to stand on the stage again.

He was afraid that his fear would grow and grow, and he would never be able to play the violin again.

He wanted to run away right now, but he couldn’t.

He felt like he would never be able to hold the violin again if he let go of it now.

A quiet silence flowed.

Gray moved his steps again.

He didn’t stop now.

He kept walking and stood alone in the center of the shining stage.

He heard the applause of the audience.

Gray Vainy, who bowed as always, rested his chin on the violin and moved his long bow.

The violin played a beautiful melody as Gray thought and moved.

Ah.

He was relieved.

He was able to play.

The genius violinist Gray Vainy, who was swallowing the tears that were about to come out, was now,

going through a slump.

Clap clap clap clap!

Imiyeon thought that the cheers and applause from the audience on the screen were out of place. But if she hadn’t seen Gray’s dark expression behind the stage, she would have been admiring his brilliant performance too.

‘Just like the New York concert.’

She saw Gray bowing on the stage after finishing the performance.

Imiyeon was sad. The sprouts in the theater felt the same way.

The fact that no one noticed Gray’s darkness, because his genius was too overwhelming and his appearance on the stage was too dazzling.

The screen went dark for a moment and then brightened.