Chapter 71

# Chapter 071

If Seong Pil had been like a trickle of rainwater until now, he was now like a river that had burst its banks. Large droplets formed in his eyes.

"President..."

Hong Gyu-hun spread his arms as if he understood everything, just as he was about to embrace him to encourage him.

"Thank you!"

Seong Pil bowed deeply.

"I won't let the opportunity you gave me go to waste!"

Seong Pil left the meeting room with a determined salute.

Hong Gyu-hun stood there awkwardly with his arms still outstretched.

"Hmm."

Hong Gyu-hun sat alone and continued to smoke.

A moment later, Han Goo-in entered the meeting room.

"Has the president returned?!"

He was scolded.

* * *

Even after Rika's lesson ended, Jung Ji-eum sat motionless in the room, touching the composition program.

Although she hadn't heard anything from Seong Pil yet, she couldn't easily get up, thinking she had been abandoned by him.

'Erick's song is good. It will be good. But maybe my song is better? ...No, don't have false hopes. Yes, I should think about what to say when Manager Park comes to apologize for the song not being selected. I shouldn't look too upset, so I should practice smiling...'

"Ji-eum!"

Seong Pil burst into the room, opening the door wide.

His energy was so intense that Jung Ji-eum apologized before even knowing why he had come.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I stayed too long. From now on, I'll leave right after the lesson ends..."

"Listen to that song one more time."

"Huh?"

Playing the song wasn't difficult.

Jung Ji-eum kept glancing at Seong Pil while the song played.

'Suddenly? Ah, he must have heard Erick's song and wants to compare them.'

He's considerate...

'He must think I'll be hurt if he rejects it outright. He doesn't have to go to such lengths. Yes, I'll act cool and pretend it doesn't bother me. I can do it, right, Jung Ji-eum? Of course!'

"Ji-eum."

Jung Ji-eum's expression twisted as soon as Seong Pil spoke.

"I'm fine... There's nothing I can do..."

"What kind of feeling did you have when you wrote this song?"

"Feeling?"

"What kind of concept or feeling do you want from the artist who will sing this song?"

'The song knows the answer.'

This is what choreographers and lyricists say.

Composers already put all their emotions and flow into the song, so the job of choreographers and lyricists is just to read the song.

Sometimes the agency has specific requirements, but these usually don't deviate much from the composer's intentions.

After all, the agency chose the song because they liked its feeling.

"Nothing specific... Just whatever..."

But Jung Ji-eum was different from typical composers.

Every time she composed, it felt like she was receiving the song from the sky.

She just followed her head and hands, and before she knew it, the song was complete, separate from her thoughts and ideas.

"Hmm."

Seong Pil's expression changed to 'as expected' when he heard Jung Ji-eum's answer.

This song is a blank slate.

"Actually, that's good."

"Is it good..."

Just as she thought it was a hollow compliment...

"Ji-eum, the president told me to bring this song to completion. Then we'll compare it with the other candidates."

"..."

Did she hear that right?

"I'll finish it, including the guide vocals."

"Me?"

'He wants me to do it with my own money?'

"No. I will. Then I can make the song however I want, right?"

"Y-Yes, yes. I didn't really have a specific style in mind for the song."

"Understood. I'll proceed that way."

Seong Pil got up as if he was in a hurry. Jung Ji-eum, confused, asked:

"By 'proceed,' you mean...?"

"I'll add lyrics and record the guide vocals."

"Wait. Didn't Erick come today?"

"Yes."

"Was the song not good?"

"It was good."

"Then why..."

"I'm betting on your song, Ji-eum. We're in this together. We're going to compete with Erick's song."

"..."

Jung Ji-eum decided to accept that this wasn't a dream.

Seong Pil was really hooked on her song and was determined to make it the debut song for the members.

If so, she needed to show her sincerity.

"Actually, I have a version with the vocal line attached. I don't insist on using it as is, but it might be useful as a reference."

Seong Pil listened to the revised version.

"It's more concrete now. I like this too. To be honest, I was a bit at a loss myself. If I sent it to the lyricists, they would call me in five minutes asking, 'Where do I put the lyrics?' You did a lot of work."

"Also, sir."

"Yes?"

"You can use informal language. You're older than me..."

"Should I?"

Thus, the number of people at Garo Entertainment who used formal language with Seong Pil was back to three: Hong Gyu-hun, Han Goo-in, and Baek Seol-ha.

* * *

Seong Pil gathered the members in the practice room and played Jung Ji-eum's song for them.

"Okay, what do you feel from this song?"

No one answered.

What do you feel from this song?

What kind of narrative or emotion do you sense?

"I don't know."

Rika, after a long deliberation, finally gave a difficult answer.

It must have been hard to say this, seeing Seong Pil's expectant eyes, but she had mustered her courage.

"You don't know?!"

"Sorry!"

"Uncle, don't pick on Rika."

"You don't know either?"

"Yes. I don't know. It's a bit exciting? A little subtly exciting?"

"Hmm..."

Jung Ji-eum's revised version made the song's structure clearer.

It was now possible to distinguish verses, choruses, and bridges.

These changes came from adding the vocal line.

"What do you think, Seol-ha?"

"Um... I think adding rap would be good..."

"Where?"

"Um, everywhere? Would the feeling come alive with vocals?"

"This was the vocal line."

"Oh, it was the vocal line."

The situation was serious.

None of the members could grasp the essence of the song.

Perhaps it was natural, given that even the composer hadn't put any specific thoughts into it.

"Is this our debut song?"

"No. We'll compete with Erick's song. Hyang, what do you feel?"

"It should have a confident lyric."

"Confidence!"

"Ah, you scared me! Why are you shouting, Uncle..."

"Already, you've shown one emotion. You're the best, Hyang. Any more?"

Jang Hyang, trying to meet Seong Pil's expectations, racked her brain.

"Powerful... confident choreography?"

"Power! Confidence!"

That was the end of her ideas.

Seong Pil looked dejected.

"My dream was too big."

"If you're disappointed, why don't you give your opinion? What emotion do you sense here?"

"Power and confidence?"

Jang Hyang held out her palm to Seong Pil.

They did a high-five.

"I have another idea."

"Hyang is doing all the work today."

"This song would be good for a fashion show."

If Jung Ji-eum heard this, would she think it was a compliment or an insult?

Seong Pil wrote down all the ideas that had come up so far.

[Power. Confidence. Fashion show.]

"Any other opinions?"

"..."

"None?"

"..."

"Is that it? After listening to music history classes for months..."

"Sorry."

"Sorry..."

"Why should we be sorry? The problem is with you, Uncle, for asking us to give our impressions of such a song."

"Oh, Ara, you're already thinking about the concept? It's powerful and confident. You're right. It is a hard song to get impressions from."

Seong Pil closed his notebook.

He didn't expect a flood of ideas in one day.

But he had hoped for a bit more.

Han Goo-in's music history class involved listening to music and submitting critiques.

He thought they would have many opinions on this song, but it turned out they were all at a loss.

"I'll give you the audio file. Listen to it often, even when you're showering or sleeping, and think of ideas."

"Sir, I have a question!"

"Go ahead."

"Are our impressions important?"

"Yes. They'll be reflected in the lyrics."

"Wait, are we writing the lyrics?! I don't speak Korean well!"

"The lyrics will be written by a lyricist."

"Phew, thank goodness."

"Let's change the question. Instead of what you feel from the song, think about what you want to put into the song. It would be better if it reflects the concerns of people your age."

"Concerns?"

"Or just thoughts."

"Yes!"

Thus, the first song idea meeting ended pitifully. But Seong Pil didn't view it pessimistically.

'Power. Confidence. Fashion show.'

Even these few words would help shape the song.

Jang Hyang's ideas would help the members think more concretely.

"Dismissed!"

"This is our practice room."

"Then I'll dismiss you."

Seong Pil left the practice room. Baek Seol-ha quickly followed him out.

"Why, Seol-ha?"

"Um, well..."

Baek Seol-ha, looking at Seong Pil's expression, spoke softly.

"Just now, the reason we couldn't come up with ideas with the kids and me wasn't because we were lazy. We were all trying our best..."

"I know. Good ideas don't just pop up quickly."

"Yes, yes, that's true. I'm sorry I couldn't help."

"No, it's fine. Take your time. Was that what you wanted to say?"

She's so considerate.

Seong Pil smiled kindly to ease her worry.

"Right. Seol-ha, your dancing is getting better. You've reduced the bad habits I pointed out. If you keep this up, you'll be much better by the time of your debut."

"Thank you."

"Is that all you wanted to say?"

"No. When Mr. Erick came, when I showed him 'Oh my own,' I went off-key... I'm sorry. It should have been perfect. If I had thought it was a real stage..."

"No, it's fine. Mr. Erick liked it. It's been months since the audition, and it was sudden. It would be strange if it was perfect."

After that, Baek Seol-ha kept apologizing, looking anxious. Seong Pil kept reassuring her.

After the conversation, Baek Seol-ha bowed deeply and disappeared into the practice room.

'Is it because the debut is getting closer? She's becoming stricter with herself.'

Being strict with oneself is praiseworthy, but today's Baek Seol-ha seemed a bit excessive.

'Can I use this positively?'

Anxiety can be a good motivator for achievement, but it can be a problem if it gets too intense.

It's something to watch in the future.

* * *

"Eh, why are there so few channels?"

"Is the set-top box broken?"

"Is it faulty?"

Rika tapped the TV.

It wouldn't make the missing channels appear.

No matter how many times she changed the channels, only a few public channels were available. None of the channels Rika usually watched were there.

"It seems the company deliberately cut them off."

"Why?!"

"I don't know. Anyway, we don't have much time to watch TV, so it doesn't really matter."

"True... Ah, Ara, is there any way to fix it?"

Jang Hyang, drying her hair with a towel, quietly listened to their conversation.

Actually, it was her who had told Seong Pil to cut off the cable TV.

Rika, who had been staying in the dorm due to appendicitis, often watched adult programs in the early morning. She still does it sometimes.

"Just find the essence of variety shows or dramas on YouTube. Who watches TV these days?"

"Ugh..."

Jang Hyang felt a small pang of guilt seeing Rika's disappointed face.

But it was just a small pang.

'Rika, I'm sorry.'

Jang Hyang left the living room with the firm resolve of a business leader who has made a heavy decision.

In the room, Baek Seol-ha was sitting on the bed, looking at a notebook.

She was listening to Jung Ji-eum's song, groaning, and writing down everything that came to mind.

"Ah, Hyang, are you done showering? Should I turn off the light?"

"No. Please continue what you were doing."

"Um, okay, sorry."

Jang Hyang lay down on the bed.

Baek Seol-ha continued to groan and strain her brain.

"Unni."

"Yes?"

"If you have any troubles, please tell me. I can't solve them, but I can listen."

Baek Seol-ha, looking surprised, soon smiled softly.

"I don't have any troubles."

Jang Hyang went to Baek Seol-ha's bed and wrapped her arm around her waist.

"We're a team. When you're struggling, I struggle too. Suffering is halved when shared. Please tell me."

"Mm, no, there's nothing. Maybe I just look tired lately."

Even if there were, she couldn't say them.

Baek Seol-ha was the leader.

She needed to be as firm as a tree with deep roots.

If she showed any wavering or dissatisfaction, it would affect the other members.

The fact that Jang Hyang asked such a question in the first place showed she was quite anxious.

"Unni."

A chill ran through Jang Hyang's hand. Her hands were cold due to her constitution, but the chill felt more comforting than unpleasant.

Still, Baek Seol-ha's mind didn't change.

She wasn't weak enough to share her worries just because of a few words from her junior.

She had been a trainee for a long time and had already experienced idol life, so she knew how important a leader's role was.

She couldn't easily show weakness...

"I'm scared..."

Baek Seol-ha opened up about everything.

* * *

"Do you have a preferred lyricist?"

"No. I've never worked with one."

Jung Ji-eum had no specific requirements for the song.

Seong Pil had worked with him in his previous life and was familiar with his style, so he wasn't particularly troubled.

'I can't just wait for the members' ideas.'

He decided to borrow someone else's thoughts.

First, he went to Han