Baek Ye-rin debuted as a solo singer at the young age of sixteen.
Then, one might wonder, how exactly was she cast?
There’s actually a fairly well-known anecdote about this.
In fact, until a year before her debut, she had no intention of stepping into the entertainment industry.
However, a decisive incident occurred that caught the attention of several talent agencies all at once…
“It was her performance on a festival stage.”
It was November.
In most middle schools, festivals are held around this time. This was also the case for Haeneul Middle School, where Baek Ye-rin was currently enrolled.
The festival lasts just one day, with classrooms running booths in the morning and a stage event being held in the large auditorium in the afternoon.
Here’s the interesting part: the afternoon stage event determines rankings based on votes from the audience once the festival concludes.
Of course, there are prizes according to the rankings, with the first-place reward being a 500,000 won gift card—a prize valuable enough to make any middle schooler’s eyes bulge. The prizes for second and third place were also highly coveted by middle school standards.
Naturally, this led to a highly competitive atmosphere, with everyone wanting their chance to perform on the festival stage, including Baek Ye-rin.
“I never thought I’d come to watch a middle school festival performance. And dressed up, no less.”
“I never thought I’d be watching a middle school festival performance alongside a disguised celebrity.”
At my cheerful response, Kang Beom-jun, who walked beside me, sighed.
It had already been two days since he extended an invitation for me to join his agency.
At first, I pretended to contemplate it before ultimately accepting, on the condition that one of my requests would be met.
That condition was simple: I wanted to personally select the singer who would perform my songs.
Kang Beom-jun readily agreed to this condition, no doubt due to the vast network he’d built through his years of dedication in the entertainment industry.
But when he heard the name of the person I suggested, his expression turned bewildered.
From his perspective, he probably expected someone famous—an established singer.
After all, aspiring composers often fantasize about having their music performed by renowned artists.
And in the past, I was no different.
But this time, I nominated someone completely opposite—a student from Haeneul Middle School, someone as yet unknown to the public, just like Baek Ye-rin herself.
Currently, Kang Beom-jun and I had visited Haeneul Middle School to personally witness her performance on stage.
“Anyway, are you sure about this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you are a middle school student. You should technically be in school, not visiting another school’s festival.”
“I feigned illness and left early, so don’t worry about it. Since I’m known for being a model student, such things aren’t too difficult.”
“Hmph… Looks like you’re serious about this.”
Kang Beom-jun’s words brought a wry smile to my face.
In a way, he’s right.
But how could I possibly miss it?
This performance is, after all, her unofficial first ever stage—a legendary one that will be remembered for years to come.
As a genuine fan of hers, there’s no way I can let it pass.
And…
“Honestly, you came along because you’re excited too, right?”
“Well… I’m just curious. Your insistence made me wonder how talented this girl really is… I only hope your judgment doesn’t let me down.”
“…”
I deliberately stayed quiet.
Because I knew she wouldn’t disappoint.
After all, her talent is the real deal—the true real deal.
Actually, there’s another reason I came to see her perform today.
I wanted to see if I could truly handle her talent with the resources I currently possess.
So here I am, ready to confirm that today.
—Next up, we have a brave young woman who will be gracing us with her solo performance!
Thud… Thud…
With those words, a girl slowly stepped onto the center stage.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she walked.
For some reason, despite the distance, my heart began to race the moment I saw her, and without realizing it, I had clenched my fists tightly.
It was as if my entire body was trying to tell me something—about the girl standing on stage.
“Baek Ye-rin.”
Finally, she lifted her head as she stood in the center of the stage, gazing out at the audience.
Thanks to the spotlight that solely illuminated her within the vast auditorium, I was finally able to clearly see her face.
She looked younger than in my memories, a fact that reassured me that this timeline indeed belonged to the past.
Moreover, her charming cuteness complemented her already beautiful face.
However, her expression seemed slightly tense.
No doubt, she feels the pressure of performing on such a public stage for the first time.
Ah… Baek Ye-rin looking nervous?
‘This is new.’
Who is Baek Ye-rin?
The girl who could never be seen nervous on stage—the girl with unshakable nerves, who purely embraced the joy of performing, mesmerizing anyone who watched. She’s a fox spirit, for crying out loud.
So seeing her display nervousness on her first stage was surprisingly stimulating in many ways.
—Hello, I’m Baek Ye-rin. I’ve prepared a short song for you…
She began her introduction before the performance.
Incidentally, her plan was to only perform one song, significantly shorter than the minimum ten-minute performances by other teams.
This was quite remarkable considering the competition to secure a spot on Haeneul Middle School’s festival stage, given the high value of the prizes at stake.
Candidates had undergone interviews conducted by teachers and the student council, and Baek Ye-rin had been unanimously selected despite having just a five-minute performance.
In truth, the most surprised by this turn of events was Baek Ye-rin herself.
Her reason for participating in the festival stage included both the lure of the prizes and encouragement from her friends, who had often praised her singing during music class, believing she could very likely secure a high ranking on the stage.
It was due to this encouragement that Baek Ye-rin had taken the leap to perform.
However, there was one detail overlooked by her friends…
‘The singing they heard during music class was completely raw.’
Put simply, she hadn’t practiced at all—it wasn’t thought out or carefully performed.
And yet, even improvising during music class earned her the highest marks.
This time, however, things were different.
She had to engage a larger audience and perform a song that would satisfy them.
This meant she practiced rigorously for the first time in her life and even analyzed her performance in detail.
Now…
—Uh… Uh…
It was time to see what would happen if Baek Ye-rin applied herself seriously.
She glanced at the crew managing the stage’s acoustics as a microphone test was conducted.
And then, slowly…
A gentle melody began to resonate throughout the auditorium.
Among many genres, Baek Ye-rin had deliberately chosen ballad, which, in my opinion, was an excellent choice given she had to prepare all aspects of her performance alone.
Bright and lively songs are nice.
They could indeed liven up the festival’s atmosphere.
But ballads?
Ballads require nothing more than the singing itself.
No dazzling stage design or flashy performances needed.
She simply needed to stand at the center of the stage and sing.
And that was enough for the current Baek Ye-rin.
—What had supported me…
Is now all gone.
Baek Ye-rin’s voice is uniquely different from other singers.
In a word, clear and pure, so much so that it avoids any polarizing opinions among listeners.
—I can’t imagine how I’ll keep going…
Without you.
But that voice was just one of her many strengths.
In my opinion, her most remarkable trait as a singer is her immersion.
Simply listening to her performance can stir deep emotions—her music possesses a powerful pull.
Just as I had been drawn to her songs in my previous life.
—Why didn’t I realize…
How much pain you were in.
And the same would hold true for everyone in the auditorium today.
Turning my head, I saw Kang Beom-jun with his mouth agape.
Typically, the first time one hears Baek Ye-rin’s voice, they either gasp in awe or are struck with disbelief.
Since Kang Beom-jun had once worked as a singer, the latter reaction was unavoidable.
The same went for everyone else.
The audience was completely captivated by Baek Ye-rin’s voice, drowned in her performance.
The auditorium became still.
This silence continued until her song ended and remained even when she left the stage.
Among this strange tranquility, I couldn’t help but offer a bitter smile.
‘Ha, handling her talent… Yeah, right.’
For a moment, I believed I could handle her talent with my current abilities, but the moment I revisited her live performance after so long, I was reminded how misplaced that belief was.
‘Guess I’ll have to step it up.’
Even with all the experience I’ve gained, I still feel inadequate to walk alongside Baek Ye-rin.
Still, there was no thought of giving up.
If it was that easy, I wouldn’t have even started.
But…
“Looks like we’ll need to wait near the entrance.”
“Why?”
“Heh. Since you’ve figured it all out, why bother asking for the reason? I have duties to fulfill as an agency president.”
“Looks like I’ve hooked him well too.”
