"Wow, today''s championship round is really tough."

    MC Song Byeong-soo, the host of Masked Singer, joked as he spoke, and the panelists immediately responded. After years of hosting the show, they had become experts at reacting to moments like this.

    "I’m rooting for Gray Crow. It’s been almost half a year since a Hall of Fame-worthy champion emerged. We’re due for one now."

    "Ah, but Manlap Rabbit''s skill isn’t something to ignore either, so it’s hard to say for sure."

    Though the show was being set up to appear as if it could go either way, most people were already betting on Gray Crow to win. Manlap Rabbit’s performances, while solid, had followed a consistent emotional tone, mostly avoiding songs that required intricate vocal techniques.

    While that was enough to bring her this far, many thought it was starting to wear thin. Unless Manlap Rabbit introduced some kind of change in the finals, Gray Crow would likely take the victory.

    ''If this were a live broadcast, I’d be really curious about the real-time reactions,'' thought Song Byeong-soo as he watched the two contestants on stage. Online communities also favored Gray Crow, but there were still some who backed Manlap Rabbit.

    "Now, let’s welcome our challenger for the throne, Manlap Rabbit! Her singing skills are maxed out! Let’s see what song she’s prepared for us today!"

    With those words, Song Byeong-soo handed the microphone to Manlap Rabbit, also known as Seoyeon.

    ‘Please don’t hype me up too much,’ Seoyeon thought sincerely. Honestly, she hadn’t expected to make it all the way to the finals.

    While she had put effort into rearranging the song...

    ‘No, I can’t let those thoughts get to me.’

    After all, she had made it to the finals. As she looked into the audience, she saw her mom and Soo-yeon clapping enthusiastically. Her dad, sitting beside them, was yawning, but she knew he was rooting for her as well. Despite his own struggles, he was hiding his worries just like she was.

    But as the intro of her song began to play, the audience’s reactions shifted. It was a song unfamiliar to most of them.

    Or maybe it wasn’t the song itself—just the arrangement was hard to recognize at first.

    Their surprise came from something else entirely.

    ''A cartoon song?'' ''Whoa, really, in the finals?''

    Seoyeon had chosen a nostalgic song—a theme from a Korean animated series, back when it was common to insert original soundtracks into imported anime. This particular song had been famous in its time, and while the audience would have recognized it, they probably didn’t expect to hear it in the finals of a singing competition.

    Song Byeong-soo himself was taken aback. Sure, there had been rearranged anime themes before, but to bring one to the final round was unexpected—especially since Manlap Rabbit had stuck mostly to emotional ballads up until now.

    The song Seoyeon had chosen, arranged by Yeoreum So-nyeo (Summer Girl), was titled Silence. Originally, it was a song by a famous Korean rocker, used in an anime about guns.

    ‘It was definitely something with guns,’ Song Byeong-soo thought.

    However, it wasn’t a rock song in its core. It had a rare, emotional depth that belied its original context. If you just listened to the melody, you wouldn’t guess it was an anime theme. Of course, Seoyeon hadn’t seen the anime, and her only connection to the song was through Soo-ah.

    As Seoyeon raised the microphone to her lips, she glanced at Soo-ah in the audience. Soo-ah and Yeon-bin’s eyes were wide with surprise. They hadn’t expected Seoyeon to choose this song.

    How could she not? Sitting in the audience, Yeon-hee’s manager, Ah-ram, gave her a sympathetic look—the kind of look you give to someone who’s holding onto an old regret.

    Yeon-hee could feel it. Ah-ram knew a bit about her past, and that gaze spoke volumes.

    ''This song is a memory for her parents.'' ''Yeah.'' ''Doesn’t that mean you’re part of that memory too, unnie?'' ''...I guess.''

    Ah-ram’s eyes seemed to say, You’ve become a part of history. Yeon-hee didn’t say anything, but she could sense it.

    ''Does she know who I am?''

    Yeon-hee watched as Seoyeon, her voice modulated, briefly spoke to the audience. Yet even from a distance, Yeon-hee could sense that Seoyeon was carrying her own burdens.

    ‘What’s she struggling with so much?’ Yeon-hee wondered. Then again, she remembered what it was like to be young and full of doubt.

    ‘But we all have our worries,’ Yeon-hee thought, turning her gaze toward the audience. She could hear Yeon-bin shouting something, probably cheering Seoyeon on with his usual enthusiasm.

    For some, it was a joyful scene, but Yeon-hee knew better. She had overheard enough of their earlier conversations to know that behind the smiles, there were deeper concerns.

    ‘How amusing.’

    In truth, Yeon-hee had never seen this side of Yeon-bin before. He had always been the type to charge headfirst into things, no matter how difficult. When had he started hesitating like this?

    ‘Time changes everything,’ she mused. Yeon-bin and Soo-ah were no longer the same as they had been, even if Yeon-hee still felt like the same person she had always been.

    Did that make her sad? Hardly.

    "Wow, that was a beautiful story. A song filled with your parents’ memories. I don’t think even Gray Crow will find it easy to beat that!" Song Byeong-soo said, turning toward Yeon-hee.

    His expression seemed to say that no matter how good she was, this time the challenge would be tough.

    Of course, Song Byeong-soo was too experienced a host to show outright favoritism, but the sentiment was there.

    "And now, it’s time for the final showdown! Do you think you can take on the strong challenger, Manlap Rabbit, and win the crown?"

    Handing her the microphone, he waited for her response. Yeon-hee smirked under her mask. Seoyeon had indeed performed well, perfectly showcasing her strengths. Even Yeon-hee couldn’t help but applaud her.

    But still... she had no intention of losing.

    "My memories will win."

    At least, not today.

    As she spoke, Yeon-hee signaled to the band, and the sound of an electric guitar filled the room. The band began to play.

    ‘...!!’

    Descending the stage, Seoyeon turned around, immediately recognizing the song. It was one she had heard recently.