Musician In Love-hate with Fans

"Bro, you've just done three back-to-back concerts. Why not hold off on releasing a new song for now and take a break?" Julian said, genuinely concerned for Paul. After all, performing concerts can be physically exhausting for a singer.

For two to three hours straight, he has to sing and dance, keeping the energy high and the audience pumped the entire time. Julian had seen other artists collapse from exhaustion after just one show. Because of this, many artists maintain a strict fitness regime. For instance, Germo's dance king Kevin works out at night to stay in top shape. Of course, as some artists age, they just can't keep up physically anymore.

Those artists usually bring in industry friends as surprise guest performers halfway through the concert. While the guest sings, the main performer gets a chance to rest and recharge.

However… these so-called problems weren't even issues for Paul.

He—well, he simply wasn't tired!

Not to mention, ever since crossing over or perhaps for some mysterious reason, his physical strength had massively improved. Even if he stayed awake for three days and nights straight, he wouldn't feel fatigued.

And besides, during those three concerts, he hadn't even sung. How could he be tired?

If I had remembered to bring a lounge chair, I could have napped on stage until the show ended...

Of course, that's assuming he didn't mind the thousands of fans making a ruckus. After all, the crowd was singing with such enthusiasm it was as if they were the performers, and he was just there to listen.

"Do you have paper and a pen?" Paul suddenly asked.

Julian hesitated, "Are you sure you want to start writing now? We could head back to the studio—"

"Now. It has to be now."

Seeing his expression, Julian couldn't bring himself to say no anymore. Having spent more than two years with Paul, he had developed a deep trust in his talent. When he gets that look in his eyes, I know something amazing is coming.

He handed over the notebook and pen he always carried for him to write songs.

Taking them, Paul looked out the car window, gazing at the cityscape flying by, the streets fading into the distance. An elderly couple stood by the roadside under an umbrella, the rain falling gently like snowflakes. Silently, the old man tilted the umbrella more towards his companion, shielding her from the rain.

I promised myself fewer folk songs, but my heart has other ideas.

As soon as he started writing, the words on the paper formed into yet another folk song, his favorite genre.

Damn, I Love You

Before Julian could say anything, Paul had already started writing more songs. Once the creative flow hit him, he couldn't stop.

In the Car in Front of Me

A Star

Breathless Through the Night

I Dreamed of You

You Can't Kiss Alone

You

I sing a song for you

Amoi, we'll see each other again

Hallihallo

That Was It for Me

Rainbow Colors

Shit Melody

Joana

---

Watching Paul slowly finish the lyrics, Julian felt a familiar sense of emotion well up inside him. He had seen him write many times before, but he was still moved. Even after two years as his manager, the magic of these moments never faded.

Paul's music was different from a lot of what was popular in Germo's music scene. His songs were filled with genuine emotion, without flashy vocal tricks. This created a deep, natural resonance in people's hearts.

The song in front of him was no exception. Even though Paul hadn't composed the melody yet or sung a single note, Julian's eyes were already brimming with unshed tears.

He, too, had loved someone deeply once. Back in high school, he'd fallen for the girl who had sat next to him. But she had been the class beauty, while he hadn't been exactly the class heartthrob—he hadn't even been on the radar.

Because of her beauty, she had had plenty of admirers.

He… had never confessed, not even by the time they had graduated.

He could still picture her clearly: long, dark hair that had caught the sunlight, a smile that had lit up the room. Every day, he'd stolen glances at her, his heart racing whenever she had turned his way.

She had been the sun, and I had been just a shadow, never brave enough to step into her light, Julian was lost in memories.

He remembered one particular day, when he had finally mustered up the courage to confess to her.

"Hey, I was wondering if maybe..." he had whispered.

"Sorry, what did you say? I couldn't hear you," she had replied, leaning in slightly.

"Oh, nothing. Never mind," he had mumbled, his courage deserting him in an instant.

It was moments like these that had shaped Julian's path in life. Always on the sidelines, never the star, but always drawn to the world of performance and music. He'd found his place behind the scenes, supporting those who had the courage to stand in the spotlight.

Years later, he had heard about her again.

It had turned out she had started dating a boy from the neighboring class in her third year of high school. They had even crossed certain boundaries at a young age. But because of the upcoming college entrance exams, the school and their families had kept it all under wraps.

After the exams, her grades hadn't been great. With a baby on the way, the plan had been to get married when they were of legal age. But the boy had run off and never returned.

Even his family had had no idea where he'd gone. That once-promised 'forever and always' had turned out to be nothing more than a lie to get her into bed. They had never gotten the chance to grow old together.

Eventually, she had married an honest man who had been willing to raise the child with her.

Life was hard, but it wasn't miserable.

Thinking about the hardships she had endured or the dreams she had had to give up... It was still painful for him.

He loved her, even now. But she was already married...

Would things have been different if I had been brave enough to confess? Could I have changed her story... our story?

It was this regret that had driven Julian into the music industry.

He couldn't be the star.

He couldn't be the one to bare his soul on stage.

But he could help others do it.

He could be the wind beneath their wings.

He could be the steady hand guiding them to success.

When he had first met Paul, Julian had known he'd found something special. Here was an artist who could put into words and music all the emotions he had never been able to express. Paul's raw talent and genuine approach to songwriting deeply moved him.

As his eyes fell on the new song, 'She Doesn't See Me', it was as if lightning struck him. It seemed Paul had reached into his memories and put them to music. The lyrics appeared to speak directly to his teenage self:

[Hmm, when she passes by

It's like fireworks

Against a sky, she's all I see

Her royalty deserves only a king

And I'm far from royal

She simply doesn't see me]

The raw emotion in those simple lines brought tears to his eyes all over again.

This was why Julian had fought so hard to become his manager. In Paul's music, he found a voice for all the things he'd never said.

All the feelings he'd kept bottled up.

Every song was a chance to touch people's hearts.

It was a chance to maybe help someone else find the courage he never had.

He wiped his eyes discreetly, remembering the day he'd convinced Paul to take him on as a manager.

He'd been working as a junior agent at a small talent agency, but when he had heard Paul perform at a local café, he had known he had to work with him.

"I may not have much experience," Julian had told Paul, "but I believe in your music more than anything. I'll work harder than anyone else to make sure the world hears what you have to say."

Paul had looked at him skeptically. "And why should I trust you?"

"Because your music speaks to me in a way nothing else ever has. I might not be able to write songs or perform, but I can make sure nothing stands in the way of your art reaching people's hearts."

Something in Julian's earnest declaration had won Paul over, and they'd been a team ever since.

This is why I'm here. To help bring this beauty into the world.

---

All the treasure troves of lyrics and ideas from his youth—just like the knowledge and techniques one picks up from watching animes—would always come flooding back when needed.

In the next hour or so, he wrote nearly twenty songs, leaving his assistant completely stunned.

Julian, still lost in his own memories and emotions, was snapped back to reality by the sight of Paul furiously writing as if possessed.

"Bro… are you okay?" Julian stared at the twenty pages of lyrics, and to his surprise, some of the songs, like the one that touched him, were no longer in Paul's usual folk style.

What We Can't Achieve Alone

Everything Can Get Better

She Doesn't See Me

Born to Live

This Path

7 Years

Paul kept writing and finally came to a realization—whether it was folk or pop didn't matter. What mattered now was volume. He needed to churn out as many songs as possible.

It would be best to release one song a day, then hold a concert the very next day. He wanted to see who could possibly keep up with him in a live sing-along.

The more he wrote, the more he laughed. He had been holding back for too long. Why limit himself to one song a month to give other singers a chance?

If his fans didn't want to give him a break, then to hell with it—no one was getting a break!

Seeing the increasingly maniacal smile on Paul's face, Julian couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine. In his professional opinion, any one of these songs could be a smash hit. Some of them could even sweep the music awards.

But he still didn't understand… what was going on?