The Reincarnated Idol Hard Carries an Indie Band - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Reincarnated Idol Hard-Carries the Indie Band

Reincarnated Idol Hard-Carries the Indie Band – Episode 1

“Cha Seoha! How dare you show your face here?!”

Kang Min, unable to contain his anger, grabbed my collar. Heo Junseong and Kim Jihu intervened.

“Stop it. Doyoung’s right here. There are too many people watching…”

“I understand why you came, but just leave.”

As I watched the three of them stay until the end of the funeral, I felt a mix of relief at their friendship and deep sadness.

I don’t belong here.

My place isn’t here.

Because I’m a traitor.

“I’ll just pay my respects and leave.”

“……”

“Please.”

Leaving them behind, who looked uncomfortable, I walked toward the urn with heavy steps.

A familiar face stared out from the photograph.

Lee Doyoung.

His bright smile brought back fragments of youth.

Youth chose the success at the end of the orange-colored tunnel, and you stayed here.

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

I offered a belated apology.

By the time I left the funeral home and arrived home, the sun had already set.

As soon as I entered, I headed straight for the bar cabinet and pulled out all the alcohol I had.

Wine, whiskey, rum, vodka…

Without pause, I downed them one after another and carefully took out a framed photograph I had kept tucked away.

A picture of the five of us from our band days:

Lee Doyoung, Heo Junseong, Kim Jihu, Kang Min…

And me.

We were in a dilapidated practice room in Hongdae, wearing worn-out clothes, grinning so brightly as if we had everything in the world.

We had nothing, but we were happier than I could ever describe.

But I was the one who shattered that happiness.

There was a reason.

My grandmother was sick.

To cover her immediate surgery costs, I signed an unfair contract, but I never told my friends.

It was pride, the desire not to be pitied.
It was the desire not to burden them.
And it was the belief that only by leaving coldly could the band find a new vocalist and succeed.

But reality proved otherwise.
Someone waited for me, someone resented me, and the band fell apart.

Our music was left somewhere between memory and recollection, and the reason I left the band became irrelevant.
Because it was all over.

I had hoped we would all succeed in our own ways and one day reconcile with smiles, but that never happened.

Only Lee Doyoung foolishly remained in that place, waiting for us…

Going to see him was an unfortunate accident.

Drip… drip…

“Damn it…”

I wiped the tears falling onto the picture frame with my sleeve.

And then, in that moment…

“Huh?”

There was nothing inside the frame.

I rubbed my eyes several times, but it was the same.

Am I just too drunk?

Or maybe I’m just tired.

The success I chose over friendship wasn’t all sweet.

Just thinking about the schedules I’d cancelled today coming at me like a tidal wave made my chest tighten.

Then, fueled by my drunken state, a question surfaced.

If I had achieved this success with my friends back then…

Would my chest still feel so tight?

I think that was the last thought I had before passing out drunk.

Thwack!

“Cha Seoha. Is this your family’s master bedroom?”

Someone had hit my head, and when I looked up, a middle-aged man was glaring at me.

Did I fall asleep on set?

Even so, he had to hit me?

No, that doesn’t make sense.

Is this a hidden camera prank?

Just then, another heavy palm strike sent the sleep vanishing instantly.

“Hey, you! Even if you’re an athlete, you can’t just sleep in class, can you?”

“…Class? Me?”

It’s been ages since I graduated. What class are they even talking about?

“Ugh. Snap out of it.”

The man, who had been acting like a teacher, sighed deeply and returned to the teacher’s desk.

Is this some kind of concept variety show? I looked around, but there were no cameras or staff in sight.

Moreover, I felt an eerie sense of déjà vu inside the classroom.
Even though high schools are all pretty much the same, this place was too similar to my old school!
I blinked, bewildered by the inexplicable situation, when someone nudged my shoulder and whispered in my ear,
“Hey. Still half asleep?”
“Heo Junseong?”
“What?”
“Why… did you get younger?”
“You’re still half asleep. Definitely still half asleep.”
Is this a dream?
At that moment, a familiar back caught my eye, and I shot up from my seat.
Lee Doyoung.
The guy who was supposed to be dead was sitting right there in the classroom.
Absurd thoughts swirled in my mind, but the teacher suddenly roared,
“Cha Seoha! Get out in the hallway! Go wake yourself up, you little brat!”

The quiet hallway was actually a good place to collect my thoughts.
Listening to the faint voice of the teacher continuing the lesson, I pulled out my smartphone.
2017.
I stared blankly at the year displayed on the phone, then slapped my cheek hard.
Ouch.
“It’s not a dream.”
I had to accept it.
For some reason, I was back in 2017, not 2028.
I had traveled back a full 11 years into the past.
Amidst the chaotic thoughts swirling in my head, one clear idea emerged:
I had to live a different life.
I had to do something I hadn’t dared to even think about freely without the help of alcohol.
So…
I had to start a band.
With my friends, once again.
***

While I enjoyed my idol career, I could never forget the raw intensity of a band that I’d first experienced all those years ago. The experience of countless people being moved by a single piece of music, woven from the interplay of multiple real instruments, was what made me feel truly alive for the first time.

This life, I must start a band.

Of course, before that precious thought, something else had come to mind…

As soon as class ended, I rushed outside, trying to retrace my steps. My old house had to be somewhere in this alley.

The more familiar the streets became, the faster I walked.

If I had truly come to the past, there was only one person I wanted to see more than anyone else.

Thump-thump.

The thought of seeing that person again made my heart race.

As I entered the familiar gate, I noticed the old, half-open door, a common sight in summer.
Through the gap, I saw a familiar figure enjoying the fan’s breeze.
“Grandma!”
I threw off my sneakers, which seemed stubbornly stuck to my feet, and rushed to embrace her.
“Oh, my little puppy’s here?”
The person I cherished more than anyone in the world.
A parent figure more loving than the parents who abandoned me.
Grandma froze for a moment, as if taken aback by this uncharacteristic display, before gently stroking my back.
Three years ago, her illness had returned, and she’d been hospitalized. Last year, she had passed away.
But not now.
As I buried my face in her shoulder, the familiar, comforting scent filled my nostrils.
“What’s wrong, my little puppy? What happened?”
“…Nothing.”

Despite the warmth in my heart, my voice trembled slightly at the end.

“Who bullied you? Should this old woman teach them a lesson?”

It was a ridiculous situation.

At this point in my life, I was a Taekwondo athlete on the verge of joining the national team.

Who would dare bully someone like me?

In the past, I would have chuckled and dismissed it, but now I understood.

This was the heart of a parent.

And I knew the heart of a child who had lost their parents.

“Grandma, let’s go for a health check-up.”

If it were still 2017, it wouldn’t be too late.

No, it would be early.

By getting annual check-ups from now on, we could detect and remove any cancerous cells early.

“Why waste money? Don’t you know I’m healthy?”

“Then I’ll earn a lot of money and pay you back.”

“That’s… tempting.”

Grandma probably thought of after I graduated high school, but she was wrong.

I need to make money as quickly as possible with the band.

If my only goal was money, becoming an idol like I did in my past life would have been the best choice. I left the band I was in with my friends and achieved great success as an idol. The group activities were successful, but my solo career was the real thing.

Yet I regretted that decision for a very long time.

The popularity, high music chart rankings, and soaring album sales meant nothing. The fans’ affection was more than I deserved and I was grateful for it, but that only made me feel more guilty toward them. The me they loved was just an empty shell.

I have no intention of making the same mistake again.

As I was lost in thought, the phone rang loudly.

“Cha Seoha, you little bastard! Where the hell are you?!”

The caller was my Taekwondo Coach.

The coach was furious, clearly upset that I had skipped training without notice.
I spoke politely to the coach, who showed no signs of calming down.
“I’m sorry, but I’m quitting.”
“You, you, you! Are you crazy? The competition is just around the corner!”
Years ago, I had suffered a severe injury in this very competition—a ruptured ACL that required surgery.
My career ended, and I quit Taekwondo.
Of course, having returned to the past, I might not get injured this time. But it had already been eleven years since I quit Taekwondo.
I had no confidence in my ability to perform, nor any lingering attachment to the sport.
The coach, who had reflexively launched into a tirade, noticed my lack of reaction. He calmed down, his voice dropping to a low, measured tone.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Let’s just talk tomorrow. Come straight to the gym the moment you get to school. Got it?”

After his stern warning, I finally agreed and hung up the phone.

Right, it’s not proper to just tell her over the phone. I should speak to her in person.

“You want to quit Taekwondo, our puppy?” Grandma asked, her face full of surprise.

“You trust me, right, Grandma?”

“Of course I do.”

Even though I told her I was quitting Taekwondo, the one thing I’d done my whole life, she still looked at me with unwavering faith.

There was a slight hint of suspicion in her eyes, but that was natural, given she was worried about my future.

“I’m going to become truly amazing. With my friends.”

“…Is this some kind of pyramid scheme?”

“What are you talking about?”

A hollow laugh escaped me, but on second thought, it wasn’t really something to laugh about.

What if I invested Grandma’s savings in coins or real estate? We could become rich!

I have future knowledge, after all!

“Um, Grandma?”

“Yes?”

“You said you trust me, so… would you be willing to invest some money?”

But seeing the look in Grandma’s eyes, I had to change the subject.

“Ah, just kidding!”

Come to think of it, there’s no guarantee that stocks that soared in the past will do so again. What if I drain all of Grandma’s money and we end up bankrupt? The future can change in countless ways.

It would be better to invest my own earnings.

It had absolutely nothing to do with Grandma’s intimidating gaze.

“Yesterday’s incident was an impulsive act born of extreme stress. From today, rejoin the training. You know better than anyone that missing even a single day puts you two days behind your rivals.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve made up my mind.”

The coach looked exasperated, unable to understand, but I couldn’t explain everything to him.

After a dozen similar exchanges, the coach asked, “Are you serious?”

“I am. More serious than when I first started Taekwondo.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“That… you’ll find out later.”

After a long silence, the coach blurted out, “…If you ever want to come back, the gym is always open.”

“Thank you for everything.”

I was certain we would succeed as a band.

I had foresight into the future, memories of past successes, and experience in the entertainment industry.

Not to mention my own talent, my friends’ abilities were more than sufficient.

If I, the vocalist, hadn’t left, we would have definitely made our mark.

While bands are still niche in Korea, the market doesn’t completely reject good music.

Moreover, bands are bound to become popular within the next decade.

But one problem arose.

A truly massive problem, a colossal obstacle.

How on earth…

How did these guys even end up forming a band together?

I just don’t get it.