Chapter 39: The Idol's Technique That Never Fails

On the way back after the filming, we took separate cars, but we called each other on speakerphone, making it as noisy as if all the members were in one car.

"Wow, Han Hyosik, I didn't think you'd do that. I don't believe you anymore."

-It's a broadcast, you know.

"But Minjo, when did you find out?"

"It's a secret. Watch the broadcast!"

"Why do you keep it a secret from us?"

-But isn't this round going to be fun?

"Hey! I'm looking forward to it!"

While I was chatting noisily with the members, I had felt chilly all day, and my throat started to tingle.

I thought I could just wash up and go to bed, but the problem was that it could spread to others. Just in case, I thought it would be better to stay out of the dormitory.

The members went back to the dormitory, and I put on a mask and entered Yang Yi's studio.

Yang Yi, who was leaning back in his chair listening to the fan song, turned to look at me.

"You're here?"

"I might have a cold, so I'll wear a mask."

"Even dogs don't catch summer colds."

"I'm not a dog, so I caught it."

The managers and members asked why I was going to the studio when I wasn't feeling well, but Yang Yi didn't care at all.

He believed that if you make music for a living, you should work in the studio even when you're sick. Yang Yi, who was playing the fan song, said,

"It's killer when you listen to it in the rain."

"Really? I'm feeling a bit tired because I have to work hard from now on."

"Ten thousand won."

"Ah, I'll show you. I'll be more careful."

I tried to speak in a cute way, but my voice was hoarse, so it didn't sound that way.

Before I tried singing the fan song, I played the correct notes on the keyboard over the track that was playing.

"Ah, I hear the right notes in my ears, but why can't I produce them with my voice? It's frustrating."

"You must be tone-deaf."

"Ah, I'm not that bad."

"Compared to your sense of pitch, you are."

That's true...

The First Light members are also secretly very good at singing, which makes me feel even more inadequate. Even Shin Jiun, the rapper, is quite good at singing.

Anyway, since there's a high possibility of a pre-release, we needed to finish this song before the others and record it, and then do the filming. While I was working to send it to the A&R team, I thought it was a nosebleed, but it turned out to be blood.

"What's this?"

"Hey, the machine, the machine."

Yang Yi, worried about the colorful drum machine in front of him, pushed the chair back and tilted his head.

"Ah, I've never seen you use that thing before, but you care about it more than me."

"Well, I bought it with my own money."

"No, why do you use it as a light?"

I said, taking the tissue Yang Yi handed me again.

"I've never had a nosebleed before. Maybe I've been working hard. I'm proud of it, right?"

"That's not from working hard; it's from being weak."

"I need to exercise more."

"I've never seen you exercise. You're twenty, so you can endure it for a while."

"Is that so?"

After the blood stopped, I changed my mask and pulled the chair back to sit down. Yang Yi said,

"The instruments you wrote have a 2000s early anime feel."

"Ah, I wanted to give it that kind of feel."

"Should we just go with 'Clear Day' for the title?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"Are you going to do the piano and guitar parts?"

"Yeah. I'll do it first, and if the A&R team doesn't like it, they'll pay for the session fee."

"You're a rare idol who saves on session fees."

"When I was young, my father kept calling me to teach me guitar, which was a bit annoying, but I learned it anyway."

And it's hard to explain what I want in words, so it's easier for me to do it myself. Besides, it's awkward to ask someone to play it again until I get what I want.

Even if we have to re-record the session later, it's easier to communicate if I set the guide.

Yang Yi handed me the finished score.

I picked up my father's electric guitar, which I had brought to the studio.

"Bro, can you give me some space?"

"Hey, I already did. Go to the second one."

"Okay."

The intro started, and I began recording the guitar part, listening to the metronome and Yang Yi's count.

I thought 'Clear Day' should be a song that fans can listen to and feel the gratitude we feel, and that can give them strength when they're having a hard time.

I focused on my performance to convey the overwhelming feeling in my head, recording the guitar part. As soon as the recording was over, Yang Yi said,

"Isn't the bridge a bit weak?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Let's do it again."

"Okay."

I was planning to do it again anyway. At first, I thought it was convenient to work with Yang Yi because he was my closest composer, but as we worked, I realized there's no one who fits so well.

I was so focused on the recording that I was sweating even though the air conditioning was on full blast.

"Ah, bro. It's hot."

"Me too."

Yang Yi lowered the air conditioning temperature, and when we finished recording, it was morning. Around that time, A&R team member Park Geunhoon entered the studio and said,

"Isn't it too cold in here to work...? Hae Won, your face is pale. Are you okay?"

"Is it? Maybe it's because I had a nosebleed earlier."

Yang Yi scolded me.

"Hey, what do you mean earlier? It was yesterday afternoon. It must have been almost 24 hours."

"Ah, is that so? I lose track of time here."

Indeed, there are no windows or clocks. It feels a bit like a casino.

Park Geunhoon said, not understanding,

"Call the manager and go to the hospital. Your face is really pale."

"Ah, I was going to talk with the deputy and sketch out some ideas, and I asked the kids to come."

"You have Yang Yi here. Hey, you should be a good older brother and take him to the hospital."

Maybe because they are seniors and juniors in the same department, Park Geunhoon immediately started nagging Yang Yi. It's the first time I've seen this guy being nagged, so it's interesting. Yang Yi, embarrassed, said to me,

"You should go quickly."

"I'll go when Park Joonwoon comes."

After I replied, I listened to 'Clear Day' with Park Geunhoon. Park Geunhoon, while listening to the music, said,

"The members strongly suggested this as the pre-release song."

"Is it good? For a pre-release."

"Yes, the album production team also agreed."

Thankfully, it seems the song isn't bad from their reaction.

Since I make songs based on my taste, whether a song is good or bad is more accurately judged by others than by me. And whether the song will be successful or not is up to the sky.

A little later, Park Sunjae and Hwang Saebi arrived, and Park Joonwoon, the manager, also entered the studio.

"Hae Won, the hospital... No, you look worse than I thought."

Seeing my face, Hwang Saebi hit my back and went to the microphone. Park Sunjae, with a face that almost looked like he was about to cry, said to me,

"Bro, you're really going to die..."

I've never heard such harsh words from Maknong before.

"I'm not that unhealthy."

Saying that, I got up and looked in the mirror, and there was a guy who looked like a grim reaper.

"Whoa, who is that? Why does he look like that?"

Surprised by my own face, Park Joonwoon, the manager, pushed me.

"Let's go to the hospital first."

"Yeah, I really need to go."

Saying that, I followed Park Joonwoon out of the studio.

* * *

Thanks to the hospital, I got a good rest.

After resting for half a day at the hospital, I couldn't wait and called Hwang Saebi. Then, after being ignored, I called Park Sunjae.

- Ah, bro. Don't worry and rest.

"Did Hwang Saebi ignore my call?"

- Yeah.

"You bastard... Anyway, how's it going?"

- How is it? It's going well. The song is really good. It's a bit sad but overwhelming.

"Then it's a success."

- Bro, your body... Anyway, you should rest more. Hang up!

"Okay, okay."

I hung up and called Hwang Saebi again, but was ignored. Being ignored repeatedly made me feel like a persistent person, which was a bit strange. No, maybe I am a persistent person?

Finally, I gave up and threw my phone. After taking another nap and waking up, Park Joonwoon, the manager, came into the room and said,

"Hae Won. We have a variety show offer."

"Group?"

Most of the variety show offers that come to me individually are to draw attention to my image. Especially, casting offers from YouTube channels often come, but the company has been rejecting them all. So, most of the offers I get are for group variety shows.

Since First Light's recognition has been so low, there haven't been many opportunities to appear on variety shows except for promotional purposes. So, I was surprised. Park Joonwoon continued,

"Ah, group... But it's a bit..."

"What?"

"It might be a bit intense. Anyway, it's a casting offer, so we'll decide after a meeting, so don't worry."

"Why, what kind of variety show?"

"Ah, what..."

It seemed the content of the variety show hadn't been revealed yet, so Park Joonwoon came close and said,

"It seems to be a variety show where a few male idol groups that debuted around the same time as First Light perform on stage."

"Ah, that makes sense."

"But the scores are determined by YouTube views."

"Wow, are they crazy?"

"Exactly. Is this going to work?"

"Can it work? Isn't it impossible?"

"I don't know. It could fail. Anyway, we'll discuss it at the meeting, but you need to take care of your body because you have to record."

"My throat is fine now."

"What's fine about a cold, man."

Even though I'm not in severe pain, I can't go to the studio.

At the same time, Yang Yi was also getting a lot of criticism. They were scolding him for taking on the work and going to the hospital, and for letting me continue working even though I was feeling unwell, which was making him get scolded by the company.

"It's already sad to be sick, but they're saying a lot of things..."

"You made them say those things. If you do this again, I'll call your parents?"

"Ah? What kind of