Chapter 52

Reckless Genius Composer Returns - Chapter 52 (52/482)

Early in the morning, Taichi put on the suit he had entrusted to the hotel for cleaning. After attaching the tie pin he only wore on important days, he finally stood in front of the mirror to check his appearance.

Knock, knock.

After lightly adjusting his coat, he picked up the vegetable juice he drank every morning. Taking a large sip, he opened the book titled "Simple Beginner Korean Conversation" with his other hand.

"An, Annyeonghaseyo?"

He then walked around the suite, repeating "Annyeonghaseyo" until he finished the bottle of vegetable juice. To Koreans, it was a simple and natural phrase, but for Taichi, who had never studied Korean, it was a challenge to speak it fluently.

Ding-dong!

Just as he was about to leave the room after throwing the empty juice bottle into the trash, he noticed a call from the male director on his phone.

- President, are you still in Korea?

As soon as he answered, an urgent voice came through the receiver.

"Yes, but has something gone wrong?"

- Yes, there's a problem. There are piles of documents on your desk waiting for your approval.

"Oh, that is a problem. But if Mr. Kinjiro, my predecessor, could handle the approvals, there shouldn't be any issues, right?"

With a sly smile, Taichi glanced at his wristwatch and left the room.

- Don't say such scary things. Anyway, isn't the contract with HS already finalized?

"Yes, it is."

- Then, wouldn't it be better to send a representative and for you to return?

"The elevator is making the call connection poor."

- Don't lie. Korea is a strong IT country; even in the mountains, calls connect well.

Taichi muttered, "You're not fooling me," and gave a low laugh. Kinjiro, who had to take over as the acting president in his absence, was on the verge of going crazy. The pile of documents and sensitive issues were becoming overwhelming.

"I don't think I can return to Japan for a while."

- Don't joke around.

"During this time, I'll leave the management of Man Records to you."

- Are you seriously planning to participate in this project yourself?

"I may be a washed-up old man, but I can still help with the preparation. How about that?"

Silence filled the line. Kinjiro was speechless. To him, Taichi was a colleague before being the president. They had been making music together for over 30 years and had built Man Records together.

They were close enough to joke around freely and knew each other well, both professionally and personally. Moreover, Taichi trusted Kinjiro enough to take over in his absence.

But Kinjiro couldn't understand Taichi's actions. The song by 'HS'? It was a perfect piece, even to his ears. HS was a coveted talent, and if he wanted to work with Man Records, they would welcome him with open arms.

However, for Taichi, the face and representative of Man Records, to go to a foreign country to meet a new composer and even offer to work with him was an unprecedented move.

"Kinjiro, I'm asking you as a colleague. I won't return until HS's work is complete."

The fact that Taichi, who usually maintained a formal tone, was now speaking informally showed that he was firmly resolved. It seemed he had no intention of backing down.

- Sigh, how long do you think it will take?

"Until a perfect piece that satisfies me is completed? Man Records has never set deadlines for projects, right?"

Kinjiro pursed his lips again. Sakamoto Taichi was a person who never compromised or negotiated when it came to music. Everyone called him a genius, but that was a term used when they didn't understand him. His innate talent was just the base.

What made him a "genius" was his obsession, persistence, and almost manic compulsion to create perfect music. Yes, he was a hardworking genius that everyone wanted to be but found hard to become.

But such a person had declared that he wouldn't return until a perfect piece was completed. In other words, no matter how long it took, even decades, the project wouldn't be finished until the music was flawless.

What kind of monumental work was he trying to create?

However, Taichi was the president of a company. He couldn't just be left to play the piano keys in a musical frenzy. Man Records needed him.

- Are you really acting like a teenager? Let's reconsider other options...

"Ah, I might be late. I need to go to work, so I'll hang up."

Click.

Leaving Kinjiro's heartfelt voice behind, he ended the call. It was a very apologetic act to leave all the work to him, but he had no intention of changing his mind.

Kinjiro would understand why he wanted to watch over 'HS' once he heard the work. He might even throw a tantrum for not being invited.

Thud, thud.

As Taichi walked toward the limousine he had prepared in the lobby, something came to his mind, and he suddenly changed direction.

"Annyeonghaseyo?"

It was the first thing he said when he reached the desk. Of course, he added the rest in English...

"I'm staying in Suite 2907. I think I'll be staying for a long time. Could you not book it for the next three weeks?"

After a moment,

Taichi took out a black card, known as a symbol of wealth, from his wallet.

"I'll pay whatever the cost."

* * *

"Annyeonghaseyo?"

"Yes?"

"It's been a while?"

"Yes?"

This was the conversation between Taichi and Hyunseung when they first met. The awkward Korean pronunciation created a slightly uncomfortable atmosphere between them.

"You seem to have learned Korean."

"But I've only memorized two sentences so far."

"You can speak in Japanese if you prefer."

"I thought it would be better to communicate smoothly if I could speak Korean to some extent."

"I'm fine with Japanese, English, or Korean. Please make yourself comfortable. Let's go to my studio now."

Hyunseung led the way into the LS Entertainment building. The spacious lobby and the many employees moving quickly inside added to the building's vibrant atmosphere.

Of course, that was until the two of them appeared.

As Taichi and Hyunseung entered the lobby, it seemed as if time had stopped. Everyone stopped in their tracks, fixing their gaze on them. Somewhere, a gasp could be heard.

Hyunseung, whose popularity had risen to the point where some female employees had joined fan clubs, was already a sight to behold. But with Taichi, the president of Man Records, walking confidently into the center of the LS Entertainment building, it was a scene that could make anyone stop in their tracks.

"Let's go."

Hyunseung quickly entered the elevator to escape the uncomfortable stares.

Ding!

As soon as they stepped out, his long strides quickly brought them to his studio.

"We're here."

Taichi stood a step back and examined the studio. Next to the thick soundproof door, a small sign was attached.

「Songwriter. HS」

Taichi read the sign silently and shook his head. Hmm, Hyunseung is more profound and talented than just a songwriter. Perhaps it should be changed to 'Musician. HS' or 'Artist. HS'...

"Please come in, it's a bit messy."

Taichi followed Hyunseung into the studio, still thinking about these ideas.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, please."

"Please make yourself comfortable on the sofa."

While Hyunseung prepared the coffee, Taichi sat on the sofa and looked around the studio. Although it was much smaller and less equipped compared to Man Records' studios, he was pleased to see more real instruments than electronic devices.

There were various guitars, including acoustic, electric, and bass, as well as drums, violin, viola, contrabass, haegeum, djembe, and marimba... Wait, can he really play all of these?

"Can you play all these instruments, Mr. Hyunseung? Or do you invite session musicians for recording?"

"These are instruments I've prepared to play myself, not for session use."

"Are you a music major?"

"Most instruments have similar principles. Once you know how to hold and produce sound, you can play them. I heard that Mr. Taichi can play almost all instruments, so I can relate."

Taichi nodded in surprise. This was a statement only geniuses with exceptional musical talent could understand, not something that applied to everyone.

Playing an instrument is a challenge that even blood, sweat, and tears can't guarantee success. If instrument majors heard what Hyunseung just said, they might cry tears of frustration.

Well, given that he could tune a contrabass just for fun, it made sense that he could say such things casually.

"By the way, do you want to hear a brief intro I've thought of for the Animal Island OST?"

Taichi smiled and said, "Sure," and Hyunseung immediately moved to his work console.

"Please wait a moment. It's still in my head."

"Hmm? Sure, I can wait."

Taichi watched Hyunseung's back and smiled. The idea that a song's intro could be ready in just a moment was both bold and astonishing. And the young genius proved it was possible by stopping his hands after a short while.

"Would you like to hear it?"

Before Taichi could answer, the soft piano melody began to play through the studio speakers. The melody wrapped around his skin warmly and gently. The one-minute piece felt too short and left him wanting more.

"Can I add to it?"

"I'd be honored."

If he felt it was lacking, he could add to it himself. It had been a while since he last touched a master keyboard. He thought he hadn't been lazy with music, but lately, he had been handling more documents, making his fingers feel awkward.

Tap, tap, tap.

After a few taps, his instinct kicked in again. He carefully played the master keyboard, adding chords to the piano melody without ruining it, maintaining its warm feel.

"Shall we listen to it with the sections combined?"

This time, Hyunseung pressed the spacebar without waiting for an answer. The piano melody, now more rich and harmonious, turned into a decent intro.

"Ah!"

While Taichi, with his eyes closed, savored the warmth of the melody, Hyunseung, as if struck by inspiration, quickly moved the mouse to find virtual instrument codes.

The young genius, perhaps planning to create something proper, put on a headset and his hands moved gracefully over the master keyboard.

Click.

Without asking, he played the track.

"Hmm?"

Taichi's eyebrows raised. An unexpected sound resonated over the piano melody. It was a harpsichord, a keyboard instrument from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, used before the piano became popular. Hmm, not bad?

"Can you add the virtual instrument I request?"

"Of course."

"Please add a digital organ."

Watching the young genius continuously stimulate him, Taichi's mind was filled with musical ideas. He wanted to play himself, but since he couldn't get an organ immediately, he poured his ideas into the section.

"How does it sound?"

The young genius nodded, enjoying the music, but then scratched his chin, seemingly deep in thought.

"But the song is becoming too grand and majestic, more like a final boss theme than a game opening OST. But if we keep layering and refining, we'll find the right path."

He added with a smile, as if enjoying the process.

"Now it's my turn."

Hyunseung, with a spark in his eyes, hung the headset around his neck and hummed to keep the melody in his head while his hands moved busily. His face was full of energy, and it was clear he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Phew, this doesn't seem to fit. I'll remove it."

"It feels a bit isolated, doesn't it?"

"Hmm, I need to replace it with a lower-pitched instrument."

Muttering to himself as if working with someone, he boldly discarded entire sections, re-recorded them, and replaced them with better instruments, creating numerous sections with virtual instruments.

How many sections were discarded and created?

Watching Hyunseung, Taichi gradually felt a sense of awe. Not only because the melody was getting better as the sections were refined, but also because he thought that even the discarded sections, if collected and sampled, could become masterpieces that could change someone's life, or albums of great value.

"Wow..."

Taichi wiped his dry face and let out a sigh that was both a sigh and a hollow laugh. The expectations he had for Hyunseung felt like a small speck of dust compared to the immense talent he was witnessing. He had long reached the limit of his ability to be amazed, and now he felt a sense of fear at Hyunseung's talent.

"Does this feel right? It's not complete yet, but it needs more work."

"Is this really a piece that just came to you from the simple ensemble we did together?"

The young genius nodded indifferently, his face completely honest. He looked as if he was asking why Taichi was so surprised.

"Even if it's not complete, I don't need to check anything else."

"Are you passing me the test, then?"

"From the moment you used the harpsichord, it was already a pre-pass."

"I just did it for fun, but I'm glad you liked it."

Hyunseung bowed slightly and added,

"By the way, since there are many different instruments, it might be difficult to play and record them all myself. The harmony of the instruments is crucial, and different breaths would ruin it."

"If that's the case, you don't need to worry. I'll invite the best orchestra to record the best performance for this piece."

To this young, talented, and confident genius, the only help he could offer was money.

"I'll support you perfectly until your work is complete."

Yes, any more help would only be a hindrance to such a genius.