It started quietly.

Like a raindrop falling into a calm lake.

A melancholy melody led him to a desolate street.

A man with a guitar was wandering around the empty street.

The man lingered in front of a restaurant, his stomach growling with hunger, but was chased away by the owner. Some people avoided him as they passed by.

The man checked his pockets. All he found was some loose change and a napkin, useless to him.

Realizing he could do nothing with what little he had, the man stopped in his tracks.

His reflection in the store window looked pitiful - dirty clothes hanging off a bony frame. Discovering his wretched appearance, worn out by fatigue, the man began to doubt himself.

Why was he living like this?

Plop.

Someone tossed a coin.

It was from a drunk, and the penny bounced off the man's calf and rolled away, finally stopping by a trash can, as wretched as the man himself.

Raindrops began to fall on the man, drip drip.

He took the guitar off his back.

He wasn't going to play it.

The man grabbed the neck of the guitar, about to smash it on the ground.

Right before the guitar hit the pavement and shattered,

The man suddenly looked up.

He wasn’t sure what to call this.

His eyes burned with intensity, staring up at the sky.

As if refusing to surrender to hunger, pity, or hardship,

The man gripped his guitar again.

In that instant, his heart pounded.

Boom! Boom!

The drums roared.

The melancholy piano melody was drowned out by the synthesizer, almost disconnected, yet still linked together.

Sparks seemed to fly up along with it.

The man began to play his torment. The destructive melody soon turned into an electric guitar.

"No way, could this be...!"

Bae Gonghak blurted out unthinkingly, breaking into a sweat.

Something stirred in his stomach. An unbearable thrill ran through him.

"Rock?"

He wasn't really asking for an answer, just blurting it out like a confirmation.

And there was no one to answer him anyway. Han Jinyeong kept his eyes on the monitor as if he hadn't heard Bae Gonghak's voice at all. Or rather, he was enthralled by the melody. In an instant, Bae Gonghak was also swept away by the wave of the melody.

"Ha. Haha."

He could only laugh.

From the moment the electric guitar started plucking his heartstrings and messing with him, Bae Gonghak had lost his mind. By the time he came to his senses, the music was already over.

"Struggle."

Nothing more needed to be said.

Without any vocals layered in, anyone listening to this song would naturally come up with that title,

As the adrenaline poured out.

Bae Gonghak wanted to start playing something, anything, right away.

His fingers moved on their own, and his throat felt parched.

Like the protagonist of this song,

He wanted to run headlong toward any crisis without giving up.

"S-So, Haeil made this?"

His words didn't come out properly.

Bae Gonghak opened and closed his mouth, trying to calm himself down. How long had it been since he felt this passionate? He couldn't regain his composure so easily after experiencing this enthusiasm again after so long.

"That's right."

"This is..."

This was made by a sixteen-year-old?

Does this make any sense?

Now Bae Gonghak could understand Han Jinyeong's reaction.

Why he kept saying nonsense, that it didn't make sense.

He must not have believed it either after listening to a song made by a sixteen-year-old.

Han Jinyeong smiled, seeming to understand Bae Gonghak's reaction. Then he added,

"Want to know what's even more surprising?"

"There's more?"

It didn't seem like anything could be more surprising than this.

My neurons are already firing on all cylinders.

The fire was already burning strong.

Han Jinyeong slowly added,

"This isn't the only one."

"?!"

There was more.

Bae Gonghak's eyes went wide.

His fingers twitched involuntarily.

Han Jinyeong pointed at the MIDI file with the mouse cursor.

Struggle(4)

It wasn't just one song in the folder.

"I heard he’s releasing an album."

No Haeil expressed his desire to release his album.

He wanted to create an album with only his efforts, without joining an entertainment or management agency.

Although it seemed challenging, Bae Gonghak was encouraging him.

It would be a good experience, and it would be effective in learning MIDI.

However, Bae Gonghak naturally thought the album would be a single. Well, who would think of a full-length album? Even creating one proper song would be remarkable.

But No Haeil had a bigger picture in mind than Bae Gonghak or Han Jinyeong expected.

"Do you know what's even more surprising?"

"What is it?"

Now, it went beyond anticipation to the point of being intimidating.

As if reading Bae Gonghak's emotions, a dry chuckle was heard.

"He filled the other three songs with this kind of quality."

"Huh?"

This kind of quality?

So, the quality of 'Struggle'?

"What?"

This didn't make sense in another sense.

No Haeil had only been learning MIDI for a few days.

"What, you're saying he made songs with this kind of quality?" How does that make any sense?"

Well, he could probably make four songs.

Anyone could make something and call it a song if they wanted to. Even a passing kindergartner could do that much.

But completed, high-quality songs?

Let alone an entire album with a quality like "Struggle"?

That seemed physically impossible to believe, beyond just talent or genius.

"Want to listen?"

Anticipation seeped into his voice.

Seeing Bae Gonghak react so strongly when he was usually emotionally flat seemed to amuse him.

"Yeah."

Bae Gonghak replied.

The quality of "Struggle"? Hard to believe, and even a bit scary, but Bae Gonghak, who once had big musical dreams, always had an appetite for good music. That greedy desire to listen to and learn about even better music.

Finding songs he liked was difficult when hundreds and thousands were churned out every day, so he had been taking a break lately.

But his mouth was already watering even though he hadn't heard it yet.

How great would this be?

Seeing Bae Gonghak's lively expression, no longer impassive, Han Jinyeong giggled.

"But I'm a little worried."

Han Jinyeong hesitated, his finger over the space bar.

"About what?"

"The song is good."

"Right?"

"But composing and vocals are different. Will Haeil be able to pull it off well?"

Not only composing and writing lyrics, but he said he did the electric guitar and vocals too. Bae Gonghak had seen No Haeil play guitar a few times, but never heard him sing.

He couldn't help but worry.

"You worry about everything."

At Han Jinyeong's words, Bae Gonghak tilted his head.

"Have you heard Haeil sing? I don't think he's done it here."

"It wasn’t here."

"So has he sung somewhere else?"

Nothing came to mind no matter how much he thought about it.

Instead of kindly answering, Han Jinyeong decisively pressed the space bar.

"He's recording today. We'll hear it later."

#

No Haeil was leaning against his desk, exhausted.

All he did was rehash old music, yet people had been fooled into thinking he made it in just a few days.

'Ah, I'm tired.'

He felt extra tired because of exams.

He didn't study hard, but the tense atmosphere made him feel drained.

'It'd be nice if it was over after lunch.'

Unfortunately, there was still one exam left after lunch.

A, B, and C were seated beside Halo, chattering away. Discussing the exam again, which questions this and that.

At first, their conversation was noisy, but now it just sounded like pleasant background music. He could fall asleep just listening.

"Hey, No Haeil."

It was Jang Jinsoo's voice.

As Jang Jinsoo approached, ABC all shut their mouths and pretended to study. Their shoulders and backs were rigid.

'Weirdos.'

Halo got up from his seat.

Because Jang Jinsoo motioned with his head to go out.

He could have just talked here.

Jang Jinsoo was a tiresome person too.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

Surprised by the sudden expression of gratitude, Halo asked back, and Jang Jinsoo held out a plastic bag. Inside were various snacks.

What was this about? As Halo blinked blankly, Jang Jinsoo spoke again.

"Uh, thanks for making the song. I don't think I thanked you properly last time."

"Ah."

"Thanks for the feedback too. Honestly, it was hard to take at first. But now I'm just grateful. I needed that kind of objective feedback. After auditioning for Soyou, and listening to my own song again after a while... it was really bad."

"Hm."

So in the end, everything was meant as an expression of gratitude.

Aside from money, he had received all sorts of gifts and loving letters as expressions of gratitude, but this was the first gift of snacks.

"I'll be honest with you today too."

As Halo looked at the black plastic bag, Jang Jinsoo suddenly said something irrelevant.

"About what?"

"Feedback. You're recording today."

"...So you're saying you'll give me feedback on my song?"

Not understanding what he was talking about, Halo asked back, and Jang Jinsoo nodded seriously.

When Halo finally understood, the corners of his lips quirked up at some point.

'He's going to give me feedback?'

This was amusing.

It wasn't so much funny as just amusing. The serious expression, speaking like a soldier going to war, offering objective and honest evaluations – it just made him laugh.

"It’s okay, pfft."

Laughter burst out like a PC crash.

He had only recently applied for the audition, yet he acted as if he had already won first place, which was amusing. And saying he would give feedback to Halo, who could be considered a senior, was also amusing.

"Sure, give it your best shot."

Halo spoke, suppressing his laughter. Laughter sporadically leaked out, making Jang Jinsoo puzzled, but soon he nodded determinedly.

"I'll be brutally honest for your sake, so don't be shocked."

Halo vaguely nodded.

With nothing left to say, Jang Jinsoo hesitated awkwardly.

Halo turned to go back into the classroom. The hallway was chilly without any heaters on, and his skinny body shrunk in on itself.

As he was about to open the classroom door, Jang Jinsoo suddenly said,

"Oh, just thought of this, but..."

"?"

"Did you get your parents' permission to do music?"

Halo stopped and turned around.

"Why would I need permission?"

"Huh?"

"It's just something I want to do."

"But, your mother didn't seem to approve..."

"What's that got to do with me?"

"That-."

Jang Jinsoo was at a loss for words.

He asked so matter-of-factly, with no anger or irritation, just calm curiosity.

Too nonchalant, just like usual, so Jang Jinsoo wondered if he had asked something obvious.

"But you should still have a conversation with your parents, right?"

"..."

No response came.

Thinking he had overstepped, Jang Jinsoo scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Nevermind. You'll handle it your way. You can go."

#

Today was packed with schedules.

Before starting the vocal recording, they had decided to record the electric guitar accompaniment separately. There were parts that sounded unsatisfying with just the MIDI.

He had practiced extensively so his fingers should be able to hold up, he figured.

"Hoo..."

Halo took a deep breath.

"Haeil looks nervous."

"Him?"

Voices from outside couldn't reach the recording studio. Halo held the electric guitar and recalled his life at that time. Reminiscing about his life once more.

Not very fun memories, but what made Halo who he was today.

The MR started playing through the headphones.

Brave courage rose blaring from the streets.

Determined to succeed no matter what.

Closing his eyes for a moment and then opening them, Halo found himself in the bleak streets of a black-and-white film.