GIJS

Chapter 36

Do what you want, Gunja

As soon as the geomungo player's face was revealed from under the yangban mask, the audience who had been cheering for Gunja completely lost their composure.

"Ahhhhh—!!"

"What to do, what to do, reallyyy—!!"

"Insane—!!"

Of course, Yeonji was still in the midst of it all.

She thought this time, even if she got scolded, it was unavoidable.

It wasn't that the original song was bad, but rather, it was a case of using unfair means in the creation process.

Originally, the public tends to hate things more for being cunning and unfair rather than lacking skill.

Therefore, Yeonji couldn't have high expectations for this mission.

The voices of Joo Ha-sung's fans sitting close by pierced her ears with loud whispers.

"Isn't Gunja really going down this time?"

"He crossed the line too much."

"Seems like Ha-sung really wanted to win."

She was angry but couldn't argue.

A mistake by her favorite was essentially her own mistake. Yeonji was already completely merged with Gunja.

Now there was no choice. Even if the core elements of geomungo and gayageum were removed, she thought it was best to finish the stage fairly.

However, instead of the sound disappearing, the geomungo player appeared directly on stage.

Even Yeonji had to place her hand on her forehead at that sight.

"Oh, that's a bit..."

But the geomungo player turned out to be Gunja.

To think that the crazy performance was from her favorite.

And on top of that, he was singing such a delicious chorus!

The gloomy expectations were turned 180 degrees in an instant.

Yeonji couldn't stay seated on her chair any longer.

Though she had no interest in traditional music, she wondered if this was what adults meant by excitement and fervor.

Seeing his face made her heart race, and listening to the music made her shoulders bounce up and down.

The audience surrounding the stage seemed to feel the same way.

In unison, they danced their shoulders to the rhythm of the hwimori beat, making it look like a gathering of the new cult "geomungo School."

After Ji Hyun-soo, who had been flying and tearing up the beat from the first verse, finished.

After the second verse with Yoon Jeong-hoon and Jang Min-gi, Gunja appeared prominently once again.

Why is he so rebellious—!

Hey! You rebellious guy—!

Didn't you learn manners—!

Didn't you learn propriety—!

But this time, it felt different.

Unlike the first hook where freedom exploded with the beat, this time the members lined up in a V-shape centered around Gunja performed precise and sharp choreography.

Why is he so rebellious—!

Hey! You rebellious guy—!

Didn't you learn manners—!

Didn't you learn propriety—!

The swag-filled group dance, accompanied by the solid bass of the geomungo melody.

Wherever Gunja's gaze landed, screams of excitement erupted.

Aaaaaaaa—!!

After the second hook ended.

Swoosh—.

Suddenly, the stage went dark.

"...?"

"What, what is this?"

"Is it a blackout?"

But the next moment.

Dang—.

The clear and transparent sound of the gayageum, and once again, the spotlight fell on the center of the stage.

Dang, dang, dadadang, dang—.

A noble scholar in a yangban mask, performing the climax of the gayageum sanjo.

At first, everyone tilted their heads, but now everyone knew who he was.

Just by looking at his attire and physique, his identity was too obvious.

"Again, it's Yu Gunja—!?"

From geomungo to gayageum.

Even if the melody is the same, the change in instrument created a completely different atmosphere.

Like ink falling on rice paper, joy spread among the audience.

Waaaaaaa—.

Even the judges, who had initially been indifferent with their backs sunk into their chairs, were now sitting upright like meerkats, watching the stage. Trainer Young Eun-chae in the left corner was already on the verge of fainting.

"...Gayageum..."

"Teacher Young! The song isn't over yet—!"

"...I'm dying..."

"Sam, the Gunja verse hasn't come out yet—!"

While Trainer Jang Min-hyeok revived Trainer Young Eun-chae, Han Hyeon-jae took the center stage.

Han Hyeon-jae, with his hair dyed a high blonde, looked even more dazzling on stage today.

"Han Hyeon-jae—!!"

"So pretty—!!"

Responding to the calls, Han Hyeon-jae flashed a playful smile and spread his fan wide.

Swoosh—!

Simultaneously, the six members' fans were expertly opened all at once.

Yes, yes, that's right.

Correct, correct, just like that.

So beautiful.

Glimmering day and night.

The flower petals fallen by the river.

White hands picking them up.

That too is beautiful.

Glimmering day and night.

The soft singing rap over the gayageum melody tickled the audience's ears.

Han Hyeon-jae's verse, inserted in the middle of the song, was like a plum blossom blooming in a bamboo grove.

From geomungo to gayageum, from intense rap to singing rap.

However, the melody showed no signs of calming down and started to increase the drum sound again.

Thump, thump—.

This time, the gayageum sound diminished, replaced by the sound of percussion filling the woofers.

Hip-hop drums that shook the ribs and reverberated to the heart.

Choi In-hyeok's deep voice was added on top.

Manners Maketh Man,

Manners Maketh Man.

Seniors Maketh Manner,

Seniors Maketh Manner.

Respect over attack.

Respect over coexistence.

Seniors Maketh Manner,

Seniors Maketh Manner.

Let her take her Chair,

Let her take her Chair.

Pink chair,

Expensive to us.

The cavernous bass voice filled the base and drum.

Even though he simply squatted in place and spat out rough rap, the resonant sound reached everyone in the performance hall.

"In-hyeok oppa—!!"

"Oppa? How old is he to be called oppa!"

"I don't know, if he's good-looking, he's oppa—!!"

"Oh, I want to die being hit by those shoulders—!!"

Through Han Hyeon-jae and Cha In-hyeok's verses, the song was climbing towards its climax.

The third hook, too, was set on a beat made only of percussion, without geomungo or gayageum. Though minimal in instrument composition, the absence highlighted Gunja's voice even more.

Why is he so rebellious—!

Hey! You rebellious guy—!

Didn't you learn manners—!

Didn't you learn propriety—!

While singing on stage, Gunja was in a sort of trance.

As the chorus was repeated three times, now all the audience sang along with his tune.

From a distance that could never be reached, the audience desperately reached out their hands towards him.

He wanted to bury himself among them and share joy.

Was someone's blind love this exhilarating?

Intoxicated by happiness, he couldn't help but smile. The fans made him smile. With that smile, the fans cheered again. It was such a beautiful virtuous cycle.

But Gunja's performance wasn't over yet.

The climax of this song, made by perfectionist Ji Hyun-soo over three sleepless nights, was Gunja's solo stage.

As that segment began.

Whoosh—.

Gunja put the yangban mask back on his head and stretched his hand forward.

Why is he so rebellious,

Didn't you learn manners,

His temperament is free-flowing, so he doesn't scold

Whether right or wrong, good or bad

Striding around the yard, turning slippers

Messing up the bedroom and flipping eyes

Teasing the four gentlemen of writing, then

Rolling around with humor

Using informal language, then addressing formally

Not knowing whose descendant or elder

Hey! This rebellious head,

Didn't you learn manners,

Ancestor, great-grandfather, maternal uncle

Sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, the noble and powerful

No respect, so no front or back

With no front or back, no left or right

With no propriety, no way

With no way, no learning

With no learning, no knowledge

With no knowledge, no manners

With no manners, no etiquette

With no etiquette, no propriety

Propriety, propriety, propriety, propriety,

Hey, hey, hey, hey you—!!

...

...

"Haa, haa..."

The flood of words crashed over the audience like a tidal wave.

"Wh-what is this—."

"What kind of idol survival is this..."

"...No, wait a minute..."

After the shocking and terrifying solo segment ended.

In the dazed moment, the geomungo and gayageum melodies combined into a resounding harmony.

Simultaneously, the 'Manners Control Unit' team members dashed back onto stage.

Why is he so rebellious—!

Hey! You rebellious guy—!

Didn't you learn manners—!

Didn't you learn propriety—!

Only then did the audience snap out of their shock and start raising their voices.

Singing along loudly with the now-familiar chorus.

Calling out the names of the sweat-soaked members one by one.

"Yu Gunja—!!"

"Hyun-jae, look over here—!!"

"In-hyuk oppa—!!"

"Ji-hyunsoo is so handsome—!!"

"Min-ki, Jeong-hoon—."

After the two final refrains, which stirred the audience into a frenzy of shouting, the performance of the "Manner Control Team" and their self-composed song [Unmannered Ones] concluded.

Wow—!!

The cheers showed no sign of stopping.

Despite the relatively small audience, the roar was deafening, echoing through the ceiling.

All the other participants, trainers, and guest judges stood, shouting loudly in excitement.

"Hey, you guys are really crazy—!!"

"This is an idol survival show—!!"

"What are we going to do now—!!"

"Yo, Young Teacher!! Get a grip!! Young Teacher—!!"

After bowing deeply to the audience on all sides, the members of the "Manner Control Team" embraced each other tightly.

"Wow, we really worked so, so hard—! Right—!?"

"Wow, wow, I feel like I'm in a dream right now."

"That performance we just did, it was really ours, right?"

"Ah, damn, I made a mistake earlier..."

"Min-ki hyung, it's okay! It didn't show at all!"

"..."

"What's with Hyuk again?"

"...No, it's not that..."

"What's wrong with you— haha."

Looking at his teammates, who were intoxicated with a sense of achievement and satisfaction, Gunja also smiled brightly.

He did it.

He truly created a song and performed it.

From start to finish, it would have been an impossible challenge without the help of his teammates.

Moreover, it would have been a meaningless stage without the enthusiastic response from the fans.

Every time he stepped onto the stage, Gunja struggled to contain the overwhelming emotion.

He could hold back the tears, but he couldn't resist the urge to bow deeply.

"Thank you—!!"

"Hahaha."

In the end, Gunja, who had once again bowed deeply to his teammates and the audience on all sides, did just that.

"Go ahead, Gunja, do whatever you want!"

"Today, you can do big bows or anything!"

"Gunja oppa—!!"

Thus, after the emotional hugs and bowing show were over, Jeong Hae-jin, the national player, took the microphone.

"The 'Manner Control Team,' who combined traditional instruments with hip-hop to create such a fantastic stage! It was truly an amazing performance that gave me chills."

"Wow—."

"And now, the bidding for this song [Unmannered Ones] will begin!"

As Jeong Hae-jin's words ended, the focus of numerous cameras shifted toward the judges' seats.

The expressions of the judges, seated before them, were like a pack of hyenas eyeing fresh meat.

"So, the first bid..."

Beep, beep-beep, beep-beep-beep, beep-beep-beep—.

Even before Jeong Hae-jin could finish speaking, the buzzer indicating bids started to ring out.