Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Five: Rebirth from the Ashes

Entertainment Around You - No Pop-ups
Story Timeline: January 2007
Recommended Song: Big Bang - Lies (Heaven)
Disclaimer: This story is purely fictional. Please do not project it onto reality. Any resemblance is purely coincidental.

Producing an album for Big Bang? Recommending newcomers?
Good heavens, Jiang Yihan suddenly realized he had become an important figure.

However, these were not the pressing issues. The current focus should be the live broadcast of *Inkigayo* at 3:00 PM today. The treatment *Inkigayo* provided for Jiang Yihan was unexpectedly generous: four live segments, 350 seats for fans, and a specially constructed, magnificent stage. Thus, Jiang Yihan had to arrive by 2:00 PM to pre-record three songs, with one to be performed during the live broadcast.

Today’s performance setlist included "Rainbow," "Fool’s Tears," "Kind Man," and the highly popular "Inter-sleep" among the fans.

It was already 1:00 PM when they reached the SBS waiting room. Jiang Yihan quickly got busy; makeup and costume changes proceeded under tension. Jiang Ziyi and Xu Xian were already quite experienced, handling their tasks in an orderly fashion, while Li Ran went to find the director to verify the day's schedule and arrangements.

"Yiyi, why are there so many flowers in the room?" Jiang Yihan asked, noticing the room filled with bouquets and flower baskets in the mirror while getting his makeup done. This was his private waiting room, so no one else should have been allowed inside.

"Oh, those? They’re all from your colleagues and the 'Castle' (fan club). This is only a portion; there are many more in the hallway outside," Jiang Ziyi said, barely glancing at the flowers as she continued organizing the clothes.

"Ah? They sent this many?" Jiang Yihan clearly had underestimated the situation.

"Yes. Everyone is paying attention to you now, and out of courtesy, they’ve all done this. Besides, the gifts sent by the 'Castle' this time are truly too many; the house can no longer hold them. The company cleared out a room for you to store them. You should go take a look when you have time," Jiang Ziyi said. Lately, she had been handling more and more, from assisting Jiang Yihan to managing relations with the company and the fan club. Aside from her personal connection to him, it was her formidable capability that kept everything running smoothly. "However, I’ve taken all the letters they wrote back home. They’re on the bookshelf in the gift room; go get them when you want to read them."

Jiang Yihan didn't respond, as his mind was occupied with too many thoughts: joy at receiving such support; helplessness at the contrast between a few months ago and now; the burden of whether he could truly live up to everyone’s expectations; and the nervousness of needing to perform perfectly on stage later.

If the celebration between an artist and fans was standard, the figures who appeared next made the atmosphere quite grand: the SBS station manager and the executive director of *Inkigayo*.

There was no need for formalities. These two bigwigs were clearly thrilled that Jiang Yihan had chosen *Inkigayo* for his comeback. The station manager, in particular, was delighted with his own wise decision, given the massive turnout at the rally a few days ago and today’s broadcast. "Jiang Yihan, I’ve listened to your album. It is truly our honor that you chose to make your comeback on our show. Thank you so much."

"Manager, please don't say that. We will have many opportunities to collaborate in the future. This is a matter of mutual support; you provide me with a platform, and I will naturally do my best to showcase myself," Jiang Yihan said, his professional tact flawless. "Besides, SBS is an excellent network and has given me such great support. I hope our future cooperation will always be pleasant."

The fact that the SBS manager came out in person showed just how intense the competition between the major networks was, and how difficult it had been for SBS to secure Jiang Yihan’s comeback. Naturally, they were extra pleased. Of course, a high price tag comes with corresponding returns; they believed Jiang Yihan would not disappoint SBS.

"Yihan, perform well today," Kim Heechul said with a smile to Jiang Yihan and Han Geng. As the host of *Inkigayo*, he naturally bumped into them backstage. Jiang Yihan was talking to Han Geng when he noticed Heechul and greeted him as well.

"Geng, good luck today. It’s your special stage, so don't be too nervous; just perform well," Heechul said to his roommate and teammate. Han Geng responded with a smile, and Heechul left after greeting both of them.

However, the recording still hit a few snags. When recording the first song, "Kind Man," due to time constraints, they hadn't been able to rehearse many times with Han Geng beyond the few hours of yesterday’s rehearsal, leading to constant mistakes. It took three takes to complete. Han Geng had other engagements afterward and had to leave in a hurry once the recording was done.

After a long wait, the moment finally arrived. As the live broadcast began, Jiang Yihan’s stage approached.

Standing at the edge of the stage once more, looking at the platform built for him, and glancing at the cheering crowd below and the bustling staff around him, Jiang Yihan had a strange sensation. It felt like his debut, the first time he had stood on a Korean music program stage. His heart was pounding, and his palms were sweaty. Li Ran was still by his side, watching the stage. His feet felt a bit unsteady, but closing his eyes, he could feel the fervent atmosphere. The difference was that back then, everyone was watching to see who this green youth standing at the edge of the stage was; now, when the audience saw Jiang Yihan, they would scream and cheer with excitement.

His heart raced with the screams of the crowd. Li Ran patted his shoulder. Jiang Yihan opened his eyes, took a long breath, and stepped onto the stage.

"Let us welcome back the prince in everyone's hearts, Jiang Yihan!" Amidst Kim Heechul’s passionate introduction, Jiang Yihan’s performance began.

The first three songs were pre-recorded. Jiang Yihan stood in the center of the stage, not holding a mic, singing softly to the beat.

The first was "Kind Man." As the music started, Han Geng began to dance in the center of the stage, every movement full of power, standard and precise. Suddenly, the spotlight dimmed and illuminated the side. Jiang Yihan appeared in everyone’s line of sight, performing the same choreography but with a different style. If Han Geng’s performance was powerful and vigorous, Jiang Yihan’s was filled with sexy allure. Each movement, combined with his slight smirk, looked incredibly charismatic.

After a short dance during the intro, the two picked up their microphones. Despite having just finished dancing, their breathing remained steady, and they delivered a complete performance. "Kind Man" was indeed a song written for Han Geng; it suited his vocal range, blending comfort with a touch of sexiness. The tempo was medium-fast, so it wasn't overly exhausting to dance to. With their stage chemistry, the performance felt complete despite the lack of extensive practice. As the song ended, the audience’s cheers hadn't even begun to die down before the second song started.

It had to be said that "Kind Man" made many Koreans re-evaluate Han Geng, gaining a new perspective on his talent, character, and hard work. This collaboration elevated Han Geng’s popularity in both Korea and China by more than one level.

"Fool’s Tears"—a song that sounded tragic—was actually a fast-paced hip-hop track. This song, which described a man’s feelings after a breakup, left the audience at the scene feeling like there was something unexpectedly poignant about it.

"A fool who only knows how to cry, from now on, I will live on tears."

This simple lyric made people’s hearts ache. What kind of mood was Jiang Yihan in when he wrote this, and what was he expressing? Perhaps everyone had their own answer.

After two fast songs, the audience waited for the moving "Inter-sleep." Jiang Yihan appeared wearing a thin, white shirt with no decorations. It was the most simple attire, yet it stunned everyone. Sitting at the piano and playing the eternal black and white keys, his voice sounded profound and distant.

*I hope you can hold me now, hold my frozen heart. I watch from afar, feeling that everything cannot remain in my heart. I cannot live alone. I hope you can hold me now, hold my frozen heart. I am lost in a deep winter slumber. I cannot find a way out alone. Can you wake me up?*

With such desperate lyrics, Jiang Yihan’s voice pierced through the fog, clearing the heavy clouds in everyone’s hearts to find the long-lost sunlight. The effortless transition between high and low notes, the intense emotion, and the forceful piano playing—this song, which was even more difficult than "Castle," captured everyone’s hearts.

While singing this, Jiang Yihan felt his throat hurting; the song was too demanding. After the final series of high-difficulty acapella notes at the end, the entire venue was conquered by his vocal ability, and the thunderous applause clearly reflected this.

Jiang Yihan jumped a few times to loosen up, as the live performance of the title track, "Rainbow," was about to begin.

Only Jiang Yihan stood in the center of the stage. Accompanied by the gentle intro, he walked forward a few steps, whispering along to the music with a few simple, powerful dance moves, and then the music suddenly picked up the pace. With fluid dance steps, a stable live performance, and moving lyrics, all the fans in the "Castle" stood up and sang along, creating a massive wave of sound. When the chorus hit, the backup dancers walked out, filling the entire stage behind him. Even though the stage was crowded, Jiang Yihan’s radiance was impossible to block. Even without a spotlight, and even if his clothes were similar in color to the others, everyone could identify him at a glance. There seemed to be an aura around him that made it impossible to look away.

"Rainbow" was Jiang Yihan’s first formal attempt at a hip-hop style song. The perfect execution, high-quality live vocals, and sexy, powerful dance made everyone go crazy for him once more. The screams were so loud that they almost drowned out Kim Heechul’s voice over the microphone.

Coming off the stage, everyone was still unable to calm down, their eyes involuntarily following Jiang Yihan.

Once he exited the stage, Li Ran immediately gave him a hug. Jiang Ziyi also came up, handing her brother a towel and a bottle of water with a beaming smile.

Although the performance was over, Jiang Yihan couldn't leave yet because "Rainbow" had been nominated for the "Take 7." To be nominated for the "Take 7" immediately upon his return was a rare opportunity.

During the wait, people kept coming over to congratulate him, making Jiang Yihan feel somewhat flattered. After two more songs, it was time to announce the "Mutizen Song" of the week.

The large screen scrolled through the list of the week’s "Take 7," including intense competition from groups like Epik High, TVXQ, and Fly to the Sky. Finally, when the screen froze, Kim Heechul announced loudly, "The final Mutizen Song of this week is the newly returned Jiang Yihan, 'Rainbow'."

It was never easy to win first place on *Inkigayo*, let alone on the day of one's comeback. Currently, the fastest record was winning a week after the comeback. Yet, due to various reasons, Jiang Yihan won on the very day of his return. Such a record would likely make people remember the name Jiang Yihan forever.

"Jiang Yihan, you won first place on the day of your comeback. How do you feel?" Kim Heechul roared into the microphone at the top of his lungs. There was no other way; the cheering from the "Castle" below was so powerful that all one could hear was "Ah" from the entire venue; nothing else could be heard.

Jiang Yihan felt a ringing in his ears, and the information processing in his brain seemed to slow down by a beat. These past few days had held too many surprises: first the spectacular scene of the rally, then winning first place on his comeback stage. Jiang Yihan accepted the trophy, and his ears seemed to only hear a "beep" sound, followed by nothing else. He looked at the transparent glass trophy in his hand, then raised his head to look at Kim Heechul, who was also very happy beside him. Behind him were his seniors and juniors, all rushing up to offer their congratulations. Looking down, everyone was jumping and shouting, as if only this could vent the excitement in their hearts.

Hesitating, Jiang Yihan picked up the microphone, only to find he didn't know what to say. His throat felt blocked, and in the end, he only managed to utter two words: "Thank you."

Thank you—that was the summary of Jiang Yihan’s feelings. Whether it was the depression or the worries, those were things of the past. Now, Jiang Yihan truly only wanted to say thank you.

When the encore began at the end of the show, the entire audience chanted in unison to the rhythm of "Rainbow": "Jiang Yihan! Jiang Yihan! Jiang Yihan! Jiang Yihan! Jiang Yihan!"

Can you imagine that scene? When everyone is shouting your name in unison, those words contain so many things, so much emotion. You could even see some people crying while shouting, yet they let the tears fall and continued to call out. Those who hadn't experienced the events of the previous year would only find this absurd and ridiculous, but those who had experienced it only wanted to do this together. Because only by shouting like this, by venting like this, could they offer Jiang Yihan the warmest support.

Jiang Yihan turned around silently, his shoulders trembling slightly. The music was still playing. Although there were no vocals, just the accompaniment, Jiang Yihan’s slightly trembling shoulders, the trophy in his hand shining under the refraction of the lights, and his hand occasionally wiping sweat or tears from his face, combined with the rhythmic chanting of the crowd, made everyone feel that this was the greatest encore, irreplaceable.

Reborn from the ashes, at this moment, Jiang Yihan stood once again at the highest peak.