It was already afternoon by the time Ji Hyo finished the song. He stretched his arms, feeling the strain from hours of composing and engineering, but there was a deep sense of satisfaction lingering in his chest.
He had done it.
The song was complete.
Now came the real challenge—getting people to hear it.
The system prompt appeared in front of him, reminding him of his side task deadline.
[Task: Create a song and gain positive comments.]
[Time remaining: 6 hours 42 minutes.]
Ji Hyo exhaled, running a hand through his damp hair. He still had time, but not much. He needed real feedback, real emotions. Just uploading the track online wouldn't guarantee immediate results.
Then, an idea hit him.
He quickly reached for his phone and dialed a number.
The call rang for only a few seconds before Xin's cheerful voice answered.
"Ji Hyo? What's up?"
"Where are you guys?"
"We're at the park near the grocery market. Doing a set right now."
Ji Hyo smiled. Perfect.
"Can I come?" he asked, already grabbing his things.
Xin didn't even hesitate. "Of course! Get over here. Ling's being annoying today, so come save me."
A loud voice in the background shouted, "Hurry up, Ji Hyo! We're waiting for you!"
Ji Hyo laughed, feeling an unexpected warmth spread in his chest.
He hurried to freshen up, washing his face to shake off the fatigue. Then, he grabbed the acoustic guitar resting in the corner of his room.
It wasn't something he bought himself. The guitar had already been in the apartment when he arrived. The old Ji Hyo must have owned it. A forgotten part of his past life.
Yesterday, while figuring out his music composition, he had taken time to learn how to use it. Though he wasn't a master, he could play well enough to support his song.
This would be his first live performance as Ji Hyo Hyun.
He slung the guitar strap over his shoulder, took one last deep breath, and headed out.
As Ji Hyo approached the grocery market, he could already hear the faint sound of Xin and Ling's performance. The rhythmic strum of the guitar, the smooth harmony of their voices—it blended seamlessly with the natural buzz of the park.
A small crowd had gathered around them, a mixture of locals and passersby pausing to listen.
The moment Ji Hyo stepped closer, he noticed something.
People were staring.
At first, he thought it was because of Xin and Ling's music. But as his gaze swept across the crowd, he quickly realized—
They were looking at him.
A woman whispered to her friend, her eyes widening in disbelief. A few younger girls gasped softly, nudging each other. Even some of the older bystanders glanced at him twice, their expressions flickering between confusion and awe.
It was then that Ji Hyo remembered something important.
He had unlocked Presence A+.
His existence was louder now. Undeniable.
Even if he did nothing, people noticed him.
Before he could fully process it, Xin caught sight of him and grinned.
"Yo, Ji Hyo's here!"
Ling turned mid-song, flashing a cheeky smile before dramatically flipping his microphone.
"Everyone, please welcome our very special guest!" he announced, hyping Ji Hyo up like he was a celebrity.
The small crowd turned their attention toward him, expectant, curious.
Ji Hyo could feel their stares digging into him, waiting to see what he would do.
The pressure was there—but instead of making him nervous, it excited him.
This was it.
His first step.
He tightened his grip on the guitar strap, took a steady breath, and stepped forward.
The three of them exchanged a few words before Xin and Ling stepped aside, giving Ji Hyo the space to perform.
"All yours, man," Ling said, patting his shoulder.
Xin shot him an encouraging smile. "Knock 'em dead."
Ji Hyo took a deep breath and stepped forward.
A single wooden stool had been placed at the center of their performance space, and Ji Hyo sat down, adjusting his guitar strap.
As he settled in, his eyes flickered toward the crowd.
It was… much larger than before.
Earlier, there had only been a handful of people, maybe ten or twelve. But now—
It had multiplied.
At least fifty people stood around them now, their faces filled with curiosity and expectation. Some held up their phones, already recording. Others whispered to each other, pointing at him.
He exhaled. Presence A+.
Of course this would happen.
He adjusted the microphone in front of him, bringing it closer to his lips.
For a moment, he hesitated.
How should he introduce the song?
Then, deciding to keep it simple, he spoke.
"This song… was inspired by stories that start beautifully but don't always get the ending they deserve."
His voice was steady—calm, almost intimate. The murmur of the crowd quieted.
"It's about letting go, even when it hurts. About walking away… when love isn't enough."
The atmosphere shifted.
The audience's expressions changed—softer, more attentive.
Ji Hyo let the words settle for a moment, then glanced up with a small smile.
"This song is called… 'Love in the Dark.'"
Silence.
Then—
The first strum of the guitar.
A gentle yet haunting chord rippled through the quiet night air, sending a hush over the crowd. Ji Hyo's fingers moved instinctively, his touch light but deliberate.
Then—
His voice followed.
"Take your eyes off of me so I can leave..."
A soft, almost fragile beginning. His tone was hushed, like a confession barely spoken aloud.
Somewhere in the front row, a young woman clutched her chest.
"I'm far too ashamed to do it with you watching me."
His voice wavered slightly—not from nervousness, but from emotion. Ji Hyo wasn't just singing; he was feeling every word, as if he was baring his soul to the night.
Xin and Ling stood frozen, captivated.
"This is never-ending, we have been here before..."
Ling's eyes widened. His breath hitched.
The weight in Ji Hyo's voice was palpable. He wasn't just singing lyrics—he was telling a story, and everyone felt it.
A few steps away, an older man who had been passing by stopped in his tracks, turning toward the performance. His expression softened, as if he had just been hit with a wave of nostalgia.
"But I can't stay this time, 'cause I don't love you anymore..."
A quiet gasp came from somewhere in the crowd.
Tears welled up in the eyes of a middle-aged woman, gripping her husband's sleeve.
"Please, stay where you are..."
Ji Hyo's voice took on a delicate tremble, as though he was struggling with the very words.
Ling, who had been blinking rapidly, sniffled.
"Don't come any closer..."
His fingers glided across the guitar strings with expert precision, despite never having played professionally before.
He didn't even notice.
He didn't notice the way the crowd had swelled—now at least a hundred people gathered around him, drawn by his voice.
"Don't try to change my mind..."
Some of them held up their phones, recording.
But most?
Most just stood still. Listening.
"I'm being cruel to be kind..."
Ji Hyo exhaled, eyes glossy but distant, as if he was seeing something—someone—that wasn't really there.
His voice deepened.
"I can't love you in the dark..."
A slow build. A crescendo of raw, unfiltered emotion.
A teenage boy in the crowd clenched his jaw, turning away slightly as tears pricked his eyes.
"It feels like we're oceans apart..."
A sharp inhale from Ling. His shoulders trembled.
He couldn't stop his tears anymore. They fell freely.
"There is so much space between us..."
A girl wiped her eyes discreetly, sniffling into her sleeve.
"Baby, we're already defeated..."
Ji Hyo's voice cracked just slightly on the last note—not from weakness, but because he was too lost in it.
Xin looked at Ling and let out a small, shaky laugh.
"You're crying so much," he whispered, wiping his own eyes.
Ling sniffed. "Shut up."
Ji Hyo's eyes fluttered closed, completely immersed.
"Everything changed me..."
For a moment, it wasn't the audience, the park, or the city surrounding him.
It was just him.
Him and his past self.
The old Ji Hyo Ha. The one who had no dreams, no future. The one who lost everything before he even had a chance.
He wasn't singing about someone else.
He was singing about himself.
A wave of emotions surged through him. It tightened in his chest, making every word feel like a release.
A few feet away, a woman in her late twenties covered her mouth. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Ji Hyo continued.
"You have given me something that I can't live without..."
A quiet sob came from somewhere in the back.
"You mustn't underestimate that when you are in doubt..."
The crowd had tripled in size. People who had been passing by stopped mid-step, drawn in like moths to a flame.
Even those who hadn't meant to stay couldn't walk away.
"But I don't want to carry on like everything is fine..."
The lyrics hit deep.
Somewhere in the crowd, someone was remembering a breakup.
Some were remembering regrets.
Some were remembering the moment they had to walk away from something they loved.
A young woman who had been holding in her emotions finally let out a small, choked sob.
Ji Hyo heard it.
He felt it.
But he didn't stop.
"The longer we ignore it, all the more that we will fight..."
His voice, already beautiful, soared.
Even those who weren't crying felt something stir inside them.
"Please, don't fall apart..."
Ji Hyo's brows furrowed as he pressed forward, voice trembling yet resolute.
"I can't face your breaking heart..."
Xin clenched his fists, suddenly realizing his own chest felt tight.
Ji Hyo's voice was different now. Thicker. Stronger.
"I'm trying to be brave..."
The instrumental swelled as he reached the climax.
"Stop asking me to stay!"
The moment his voice broke into the peak of the song—
The entire crowd shuddered.
Even Felix, who had just arrived in the back of the crowd, stood frozen.
For the first time, Felix saw something in Ji Hyo's performance that felt different.
It wasn't just talent.
It was depth.
It was soul.
Ji Hyo wasn't just performing.
He was living the song.
The moment stretched on, thick with emotion, as he carried through to the final verse.
"And I—I—I—I don't think you can save me..."
His last note faded into silence.
For a moment, the only sound was the wind rustling through the trees.
Then—
A single clap.
Then another.
Then another.
Until suddenly—
Thunderous applause.
The whole park erupted.
Some cheered. Some sniffled. Some just stood there, eyes red, too overwhelmed to even clap.
Xin grabbed Ling by the shoulders and shook him. "You're so ugly when you cry, bro."
Ling wiped his face aggressively. "Shut UP."
Felix exhaled and ran a hand through his hair.
"That was… something else."
Ji Hyo, still catching his breath, slowly looked up at the audience.
And at that moment—
For the first time since arriving in this new life—
He truly felt like an artist.