RAP STAR

Chapter 22 [verse 2, I got to move]

Sanghyun couldn't easily shake off his anger. The patience and resilience he had gained through business seemed to have vanished, replaced by memories of Hong's aggressive tone. When he returned home and confirmed Sangmi's absence, he retreated to his room to write lyrics.

"I'll prove that I can make a better song than Rundistown."

However, Sanghyun couldn't even start making rap music because he couldn't find the right beat. Moreover,

"Oh, there's no YouTube yet."

It was a fact he just learned. He had thought he could find instrumentals for rap on YouTube, but in 2005, YouTube hadn't officially launched yet.

"I don't really know much about rap. But I know I have to do something."

Hong's words came to mind. Sanghyun realized he wasn't doing anything at all. He hadn't even looked at YouTube.

Without a beat, he couldn't write lyrics. Well, he tried to force some out, but they didn't feel any better than Rundistown's.

"Why is it like this? Even without a beat, can't I write better?"

Sanghyun realized that his mind wasn't that of an 18-year-old, but a 38-year-old. He thought he could effortlessly come up with great lyrics, given that he knew the lyrics of famous rap songs that would become hits.

But that wasn't the case. It was much harder than he thought. In fact, having prejudices about what rap songs had become hits made it even more difficult.

*Beep*

A text message from Oh Yeon-joo, a manager, appeared on Sanghyun's phone.

Sanghyun checked it absentmindedly, but was shocked by its contents.

"XX Pharmaceutical Company has finally gone bankrupt. I guess I did well not to invest."

It was a short message, but it carried significant meaning.

"That company was supposed to merge with a public company, right?"

No matter how hard he thought, XX Pharmaceutical Company had indeed merged with a public company. In the past.

In the past. Not in the future?

Sanghyun felt confused. The merger between the pharmaceutical company and the public company was something he had experienced in the past. But at this moment, it was a future event.

"Is the butterfly effect already happening?"

No matter how much a butterfly flapping its wings in California could cause a typhoon in Texas, what role did his actions play in the final bankruptcy of the pharmaceutical company?

Sanghyun pondered deeply, giving up on writing lyrics.

Now that things had turned out this way, he felt he had to doubt everything he remembered. Should he also deduct the amount he invested in the fund?

Suddenly, he felt that the lyrics he had just written were worthless. They lacked style, meaning, and sincerity.

"Can I succeed in music?"

What if the future of music I know changes?

A text message from Manager Oh Yeon-joo filled Sanghyun with great anxiety.

As he struggled to overcome his anxiety by forcing himself to write lyrics, Sanghyun collapsed on his desk, falling asleep.

"Oppa! Oppa!"

"Uh, my back..."

Sanghyun woke up to Sangmi's voice waking him up.

"Are you an old man? Why are you sleeping like that?"