Devil’s Music

The next day, Geon began visiting the studio every morning. Since it was a task requiring focus, Geon had to leave Red Castle before Kiska woke up, departing at the crack of dawn with only three members of his team. While driving towards Lincoln Center in the early morning, Geon spotted that Logan's store was open and, excited, he parked the car. Since it was early and the streets were nearly empty, Geon got out without covering his face and pushed the store door open, ringing the bell attached to it.

Ding.

Busy moving around and placing freshly baked bread on the shelves, Logan bent over and shouted.

"Welcome! I'm still setting up, but there are plenty of freshly baked breads."

After Logan placed the remaining breads from his tray onto the shelf, he looked up, surprised to see Geon.

"Kay, Kay!!"

Geon spread his arms out, laughing.

"Haha, Logan! You start selling early, don’t you?"

Logan threw down his tray and tongs and ran around the counter. Wiping his hands on his apron, he gave Geon a hug and said with a smile all over his face.

"Wow, what brings you here so early? Bakeries naturally open at dawn. We bake bread on the same day to make it tasty. We start baking around 4:30 AM, and open the shop around 6 AM, though customers usually come around 7 AM. But right now it’s..."

Logan turned to look at the wall clock, his eyes widening.

"6:10 AM? Really, what's going on?"

Geon shook his head, smiling.

"It's nothing serious, I just have some music to work on, so I was heading to the studio early and thought I’d pick up a sandwich since I saw the door was open."

Logan grinned, rubbing his hands together.

"Really? Since Kay is here, of course, I have to make one! I need to keep my promise from last time! Logan's special avocado sandwich, and it’s on the house! Just give me a minute!"

"Haha, thank you, Logan."

Logan quickly went to the kitchen and returned with two sandwiches packed in a paper bag. As he came out alone, he saw Geon sitting by the window, staring out. It seemed like Geon was pondering something, so Logan quietly approached and placed the bag on the table.

"Hmm.. Are you worried about something?"

Startled out of his thoughts, Geon looked up at Logan and laughed as he grabbed the paper bag.

"Ah? Haha, no, not really. Thanks, I’ll enjoy the meal."

Logan sat opposite him, his face serious.

"Come on, tell me. Sometimes the answers to our problems come from unexpected places."

Geon stared at Logan for a moment before speaking.

"Um.. Can I ask you a question then?"

"Of course! You can ask as many as you want!"

"Haha, then... Logan. Do you know the band Montana?"

"Huh? Of course, who doesn't know such a famous band?"

"Ah, I see. Then, do you know the last album or song they released?"

Logan thought for a moment before responding.

"A bit... It's been a while.. My last memory of an album was 'Supernatural.'"

Geon chuckled.

"Ah, that was an album from 1999, Logan."

Logan scratched his head.

"That, that's right. Anyway, every album from that band is the best."

Geon narrowed his eyes and asked.

"If it’s the best band music, why haven’t you listened to it since that album?"

Logan paused, his pose of scratching his head freezing as he fell deep in thought. After waiting for a while, Geon spoke again.

"Following that album, there were 'Just Feel Better' in 2005, 'Into the Light' in 2007, and 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' in 2011. Why didn’t you listen to them afterward? Were the songs not good?"

"Ah.. No, it’s a great band with a unique Mexican rock feel but..."

"That's right. But why then?"

As Logan struggled to find the words, Geon asked again.

"Let’s ask the opposite then. Why did you like Montana?"

Logan brightened up as if confident about this question.

"It's because of the unique feel of Latin rock. They made albums that perfectly blended energetic and sad songs."

Geon nodded.

"Right? Were the later albums different? Surely, the feel of Latin rock must have been alive in all their albums."

Logan made a troubled face again and muttered softly.

"Well... um... honestly, every album sounds the same... That band is..."

Geon's eyes widened, and seeing this, Logan, remembering that Geon was close to Carlos, started sweating and quickly corrected himself.

"Ah, no. That's not

what I meant..."

Geon raised one hand, palm showing.

"Wait, what did you just say?"

"Ah, no, sorry. I think I misspoke."

"No, Logan. Say it again. It’s okay."

Considering Geon's expression, Logan spoke softly.

"Um... what I meant was... although it’s a band that keeps the Latin rock feel alive, each album feels like the last... each song feels like the other. Maybe cliché? You know it’s a Montana song as soon as you hear it, but perhaps because they’ve been active for so long, it doesn’t feel new anymore. Well... something like that. Keep this a secret from Mr. Carlos, please."

Geon's expression turned grave. Watching for Geon's reaction, Logan fidgeted and then Geon's face brightened a bit.

"Thank you, Logan. Haha, you've been a great help."

"Uh? What, what help did I..."

Geon stood up, picking up the paper bag as Logan looked up.

"Huh? Leaving already?"

"Haha, yes. Thank you for today. And thanks for the sandwich."

"Uh.. Come by more often. It’s always free for Kay."

"Haha, if you keep saying that, I won’t be able to come as often."

"Don't be like that, come by more often. Better than coming at dawn like this, come when there are more customers, I’d appreciate it haha."

"You're showing your hand, haha. Well, I'm off. Might come again tomorrow, Logan."

"That would be great! Drop by anytime!"

Leaving Logan’s store, Geon got into his car, his gaze deepening.

'Cliché... Montana’s cliché...'

It took less than a minute for Geon's car to stop in front of Lincoln Center. As he got out, Geon showed the paper bag to the team member driving.

"It’s going to take a while today. I packed lunch, so I won’t be coming out until dinner."

The team member, wearing sunglasses since dawn, nodded and smiled back at Geon, who then went down to the Lincoln Center basement, passing a sleeping security guard and opening the door to the deserted and chilly studio. He turned on the light and pressed the heater button, rubbing his hands together and sitting in the chair until the studio warmed up a bit. Then he opened the door to the recording room and picked up the guitar.

‘Montana’s songs are of course rock. But maybe trying something other than Latin rock would be good. It shouldn’t be thought of just as Kevin’s song. This is Montana’s song, and it should be a song that shines because of Kevin.’

Geon took out the lyrics Kiska had written from his bag and smiled. After reading the lyrics from beginning to end, Geon slightly nodded, plucked the unplugged electric guitar quietly, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and quickly started writing the music.

**

Nine in the morning.

Kiska woke up in her studio apartment and stretched out of bed in her pajamas, glancing at the clock.

‘Geon said he’d be working from today, right?’

Quickly getting up, Kiska rummaged through the refrigerator.

“Where did mom put the Sisamo?”

After searching for a while, Kiska pulled out a jar full of Sisamo eggs, smiling.

“Great! Here it is!”

She cooked the Sisamo in a frying pan and packed freshly cooked rice into a lunchbox, quickly preparing side dishes as well. Checking the time nearing ten, she hastened her actions. After a brief glance at the schedule posted on the fridge door by Byungjoon the previous night, Kiska packed the lunchbox, thinking.

‘My schedule starts at three today, so if I go now, I can spend some time with Kay. Lulu’

Dressed in a black coat and fur hat, Kiska covered her face with sunglasses, grabbed the shopping bag with the lunchbox, and left the apartment to catch a taxi. She got off in front of Lincoln Town during the busy morning rush and quickly ran down to the subway.

‘Huh? Is another band working now?’

As Kiska approached Studio C where Geon was working, the sound of loud metal music grew louder, making her eyes widen.

‘Wasn’t this song supposed to be Montana’s?’

Kiska peeked through the small window in the studio door, and as she opened it, a powerful sound burst forth, making her feel as though her head was being blown away. Surprised, she looked around the studio and soon spotted Geon in the recording room, while Kiska, sitting on a sofa with a view of the recording room window, looked triumphant as she noticed Kiska.

‘Kiska?’

Kiska raised one hand with an awkward smile.

“Ki, Kiska. Ah, hello? You came together today?”

“No

, we came together.”

Startled by a deep voice from behind, Kiska jumped and turned to see Byungjoon’s broad, dark face.

“Ah! Manager!”

Byungjoon pushed her inside as if indicating they weren’t together by choice but because Kiska had insisted on going since morning, stepping over his sleeping belly.

“It’s not that we came together; I came reluctantly because she kept nagging me from morning. Anyway, it’s good timing. There’s a schedule today, and we can leave together from here. What's that? Lunchbox?”

Kiska showed the shopping bag she was holding with reluctance.

“Yes... Do you want to eat?”

“Oh, great. I was hungry since I skipped breakfast.”

As Byungjoon greedily took the shopping bag and started eating the lunchbox, Kiska playfully clapped her hands. Byungjoon, who had been focused on the food, looked up in surprise at Kiska’s laughter. Watching the lunchbox disappear as quickly as a crab's eye, Kiska looked into the recording room where Geon was intently wearing headphones and focusing on his work, then asked.

“Wasn’t this supposed to be a session for Montana’s album?”

Byungjoon, with a grain of rice stuck on his cheek, looked up at Geon and replied.

“That’s what I thought. But what the heck is this song? It sounds like something from Megadeth or Metallica.”

All three turned their attention to Geon, who was passionately recording the guitar part, surrounded by dozens of scattered sheets of music.

>

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