Ji Hyo stood frozen, his fingers still resting on the strings of his guitar.
The moment his voice faded into silence, the entire park erupted.
Loud cheers, claps, and even whistles filled the air, but what shocked him most was the sheer number of people gathered. What started as a handful of listeners had multiplied into a dense crowd, stretching far beyond what he could see. Some had their phones raised, recording his performance, while others simply stood there, stunned.
Before he could react, Xin and Ling rushed toward him.
"You—!" Xin's voice cracked with excitement as he grabbed Ji Hyo's shoulders. "You—do you even know what you just did?!"
Ling, on the other hand, was already in full-blown tears. His face was red, his nose sniffling, and he threw himself onto Ji Hyo, wrapping his arms around him. "You jerk! How dare you sing like that and make me cry?!"
Ji Hyo blinked, still overwhelmed. "Huh? Cry? Why would you cry?"
"Why? WHY?!" Ling pulled back and wiped his nose aggressively. "Are you even human?! How could you sing something so heartbreaking and NOT feel anything?! That wasn't just a song—that was like... like... I don't even have words for it!"
Xin nodded fiercely. "Seriously, that was insane. I felt like I was watching a once-in-a-lifetime performance."
The cheers in the background hadn't died down. If anything, they had only grown louder. Ji Hyo turned his head, seeing the way the crowd reacted—some wiping away tears, others still standing frozen, as if they were struggling to return to reality after being lost in the song.
That was when the system chimed in.
[System Notice: Special Ability Unlocked]
[Soul Resonance – Grade S+]
[Host has awakened the ability to touch one's soul through song. Your music is now capable of deeply resonating with people's emotions, making them feel and experience the story behind your voice. This ability heightens your expressiveness, allowing you to connect with audiences on a profound level.]
Ji Hyo's breath hitched. Soul Resonance?
He barely had time to process it before another round of cheers roared through the air. People were still reacting—some were approaching the performance area, asking who he was, where they could hear more of his songs.
Ji Hyo let out a soft chuckle, his fingers still resting on the strings of his guitar as the cheers washed over him like a tide. The way people reacted—it was unreal. He had only ever performed in front of trainees and coaches during evaluations, and back then, it had always been nerve-wracking, filled with criticism and pressure.
But this? This was different. The applause wasn't just polite or obligatory. It was genuine, charged with emotion.
"Wow… thank you," he said, his voice slightly breathless. He hadn't even realized how much the performance had affected him until now. He looked at the crowd—some faces were glowing with admiration, while others seemed lost in thought, as if they were still lingering in the song's emotions. A few had even wiped away tears.
Ling, who had just barely stopped crying, let out a choked sob. "Ji Hyo, you're actually dangerous. I wasn't even sad, but now I feel like I just got dumped!"
Xin laughed, clapping Ji Hyo on the shoulder. "Dude, you're incredible. I knew you had talent, but I didn't know you could make people feel things like this. It's insane."
Ji Hyo smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, I just make a songs that mean a lot to me. I think when a song is personal, it's easier to make people feel it too."
He glanced at the crowd, still buzzing with excitement. Some people were already talking among themselves, asking his name, wondering if he had more music somewhere. The realization hit him—this was the perfect opportunity. He still had his side task. He needed people to talk about him, to react to his music.
He took a deep breath and adjusted the mic. "Since you're all still here… I'd love to sing another song." The cheers that followed made him chuckle softly. "This one…is one of my favorite songs I always listen to. This song is Falling by Harley Styless and it's a song that's always given me comfort when I needed it most. "
He let his fingers glide over the strings, preparing the next song. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden hue over the park. It was the perfect backdrop for the moment.
As he began to play, Ji Hyo could feel it again—that connection, that invisible thread between him and the people listening. He wasn't just singing. He was sharing a piece of himself.
Ji Hyo's fingers moved fluidly across the strings, the opening chords of Falling settling over the crowd like a quiet sigh. A hush spread through the park, the usual murmurs and distant traffic fading into the background. The weight of the song's emotions settled over everyone, thick and heavy.
His voice came soft at first, a delicate tremor laced within, as if he was carefully unraveling something fragile.
"What am I now? What am I now?"
A few members of the crowd whispered the words along with him, hesitant but drawn in, their voices barely above a murmur.
"What if I'm someone I don't want around?"
The moment the words left his lips, Ji Hyo felt an unfamiliar sting in his chest. He hadn't picked this song randomly. It hit close to home—the feeling of uncertainty, of looking in the mirror and not recognizing the person staring back. His sudden withdrawal from Glint Entertainment, his unknown future, the weight of expectations… He had been running toward his dream for so long, but for the first time, he wondered—What am I now?
He let himself sink into the melody, his voice gaining strength.
"I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling..."
Now, more people in the audience had joined in, their voices blending with his. The moment was surreal—complete strangers, yet somehow, they all shared the same pain wrapped in this song.
As he reached the chorus, some closed their eyes, letting the melody take them away, while others clutched at their chests like they were reliving old wounds.
"What if I'm down? What if I'm out?
What if I'm someone you won't talk about?"
Ji Hyo's breath hitched slightly, but he didn't falter. He let his emotions pour into every note, every line. His voice carried the ache of regret, the longing of someone trying to understand himself, trying to find his place.
In the crowd, a girl wiped her tears hastily, her friend rubbing her back in comfort. A couple standing near the back clung to each other, one of them singing softly along. Ling, who had already been crying from his previous performance, had fully given up—tears streamed down his face as he covered his mouth, afraid that if he made a sound, he'd completely break down.
Ji Hyo's voice softened again as he reached the bridge, as if whispering a secret to the wind.
"I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling..."
He let the last note linger, stretching into the golden hues of the setting sun. For a second, everything felt still. Then—applause, louder than before. Cheers, whistles, voices calling out his name.
Ji Hyo blinked, momentarily dazed. He had been lost in the song, caught in the emotions it unearthed within him. Seeing the audience's reaction, the way his voice had stirred something deep in their hearts, made him feel… something indescribable.
Xin was grinning like a proud older brother, clapping enthusiastically. Ling, still sniffling, grabbed his arm and shook him. "You're actually a menace. How can you just casually break people like that?"
Ji Hyo let out a breathless chuckle, adjusting the mic. "I… I really wasn't expecting that." His voice was still slightly unsteady. "Thank you. Really. I think I needed that as much as you did."
The audience clapped again, and a few people shouted requests. Ji Hyo took a deep breath and smiled. "Alright… since you all seem to be enjoying this, how about one more?"
The crowd cheered in agreement, and Ji Hyo's heart raced. This moment—this connection—it was real.
Ji Hyo exhaled softly, letting his fingers glide over the strings as he played the opening chords of Photograph by Edi Sheeren. The melody was gentle, familiar, and almost instantly, small murmurs rippled through the crowd—some recognizing the song right away, others swaying instinctively to the comforting tune.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, letting himself sink into the meaning of the song before his voice poured into the microphone, soft yet full of emotion.
"Loving can hurt… loving can hurt sometimes…"
His voice carried a tenderness that wrapped around the listeners like a warm embrace. The lyrics spoke of the kind of love that lingers—etched into moments, into keepsakes, into things as simple as a photograph. As he sang, Ji Hyo couldn't help but reflect on himself.
"But it's the only thing that I know…"
Did he have a love like this? The old Ji Hyo… did he ever experience something like this? He didn't have memories of deep love or treasured moments, but the song made him long for something—something beyond just achieving his dreams. He wanted to build something meaningful, something worth remembering.
His voice grew steadier, pouring more into the chorus as some in the crowd started to sing along, their voices blending softly with his.
"So you can keep me inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
Wait for me to come home…"
The emotion in the air was thick—bittersweet and nostalgic. Couples in the crowd instinctively held hands, some people had their eyes closed, mouthing the words like they were reliving a distant memory. Others simply swayed, soaking in the warmth of Ji Hyo's voice.
From the corner of his eye, Ji Hyo caught Xin watching him with an unreadable expression, as if seeing something in him for the first time. Ling, on the other hand, was completely ruined—his eyes glistening with fresh tears, hugging himself as he swayed slightly, like he was trying not to break down again.
Ji Hyo felt his chest tighten. He never expected his music to touch people like this.
As the song reached its final lines, he let his voice soften, barely above a whisper.
"Wait for me to come home…"
The last note lingered in the air, dissolving into the hushed silence of the crowd. And then—applause, a wave of claps and cheers that filled the entire space. Some people wiped at their eyes, others beamed at him as if he had just given them something precious.
Ji Hyo blinked, overwhelmed again. He had sung countless times before—during practice, in front of trainers—but this was different. This was real.
Xin finally stepped forward and clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning. "You're insane, Ji Hyo. You know that, right?"
Ji Hyo let out a small, breathless laugh. "I didn't expect this…"
Ling sniffled dramatically. "You're not allowed to sing anymore! My heart can't take it!"
The crowd laughed, and Ji Hyo chuckled, shaking his head.
He adjusted the mic, taking in the faces looking up at him, and for the first time since leaving Glint Entertainment, something settled inside him.
Maybe he didn't need a company to define his path. Maybe this was the kind of artist he wanted to be—someone who could make people feel, who could create memories worth keeping.