Chapter 56: Christmas Eve

After determining the style of the mini-album, LOEN began to operate at full capacity.

Although LOEN was not as strong as other agencies in terms of artists, it had powerful backing and connections, so getting a few songs was a piece of cake.

Two days later, Bae Song-in called Lee Yunjae to his office. When Lee Yunjae entered, he saw Bae Song-in sitting in his chair with a smile, holding a stack of about ten A4 papers.

"President, did you receive the songs?" Lee Yunjae asked as he approached Bae Song-in.

"Oh, sit down! These are the songs the company bought from various composers over the past two days. Take a look and see if you like any of them!" Bae Song-in handed the sheet music to Lee Yunjae.

Lee Yunjae was slightly surprised. Receiving so many songs in just two days was truly unbelievable. It had taken him four years to select the best 30 songs, and now he was holding about 15 sheets of music. He sighed, realizing that many hands make light work.

Lee Yunjae began to carefully examine the first sheet. The song was titled "Because It's Mine." He hummed a few notes and frowned, then put the sheet aside and moved on to the second one.

The second song was titled "Can't Do Without You." Lee Yunjae hummed a few more notes but couldn't muster any interest. The title was good, but the song itself was terrible, written by someone with very low skill.

After looking at two songs, Lee Yunjae glanced at Bae Song-in, who was smiling and seemed unconcerned. Bae Song-in had anticipated that Lee Yunjae wouldn't like many of the songs, but he hoped at least one or two would catch his eye.

The third, fourth, fifth... thirteenth... fifteenth... Finally, Lee Yunjae was left with the last sheet. Bae Song-in's smile had long vanished. Lee Yunjae had placed the first 15 sheets on one side, indicating that none of them were suitable. Then, under Bae Song-in's watchful eyes, Lee Yunjae placed the last sheet on the same pile.

"Can't be... You didn't like any of these songs?" Bae Song-in was almost shouting, "How picky can you be?"

"President, now I understand why the artists you've launched have ended up as second or third-rate singers. Singing third-rate songs makes one a third-rate artist!" With that, Lee Yunjae gathered the 16 sheets and threw them into the trash bin.

"I'm not insulting the composers, but these songs are truly terrible, beyond redemption. I'm being honest, President. If you want to make money, having me sing these songs will only be a dream... From now on, I'll write my own songs, so you don't need to worry about it anymore," Lee Yunjae said firmly.

Bae Song-in stared at him, still processing his words. By the time he came to his senses, Lee Yunjae had already left the office.

Bae Song-in, no longer as confident, sat in his chair, his eyes vacant. He muttered, "What a brat... I haven't seen such arrogance in a long time... But I like his attitude!"

As he spoke, Bae Song-in chuckled.

In the following days, Lee Yunjae stayed at his place. Although he was a trainee at LOEN, he didn't need to clock in or out. He only needed a computer and a quiet room for his work, and his place was more comfortable than LOEN.

It took him a day to select two songs from the 30 he had. One was titled "Please Don't Do That," and the other was "The Promise of Dandelions." The latter was inspired by his carefree school days with Park So-yeon, with a touch of romance, making it a sweet love song. It also incorporated the subtle melancholy that Lee Yunjae excelled at, making it very moving.

"Please Don't Do That," "The Promise of Dandelions," and "Elimination," which he had already uploaded to Straw Hat, made three songs. For the fourth song, Lee Yunjae began to deliberate. He didn't want to rely too much on his existing songs, as that would hinder his future creativity. So, he decided to compose the fourth song in the last few days of 2007.

...

Two more days passed, and it was December 24, 2007, Christmas Eve.

Lee Yunjae's place was now filled with Christmas cheer. Santa Claus decorations adorned the walls, and plastic Christmas trees with colorful lights were scattered on tables, chairs, and the floor, all arranged by Park So-yeon.

"Hey... Are you serious? We're Asians, not Europeans. We don't celebrate Christmas. We can just have a simple meal. Do we really need to dress up like this?!" Lee Yunjae protested, but under Park So-yeon's "tyranny," he reluctantly complied, albeit reluctantly.

"Hmph... Put it on properly!" Park So-yeon didn't stop her actions, attaching a white beard to Lee Yunjae's face and a Santa hat on his head.

Finally, everything was set. Park So-yeon stepped back, hands on her hips, and nodded in satisfaction. Lee Yunjae, dressed in red and white, looked like a young Santa Claus.

"Hey... I can accompany you for Christmas Eve, but do we really need to dress up like this? It's so inconvenient to wear this inside the house!" Lee Yunjae strongly objected.

"Who said you have to wear this inside? We're going out to play!" Park So-yeon looked at him as if he were an idiot.

"What... You want me to go out dressed like this? Are you serious... Sister, don't play with me!" Lee Yunjae sat on the floor, refusing to budge.

"Stop complaining and get up. There's a concert at Seoul City Hall Plaza today, hosted by SBS. It's 4:30 PM now. If we go early, we might get a good spot!" Park So-yeon said excitedly.

"Why do I have to dress like this... Am I embarrassing you by going out with you?" Lee Yunjae looked at her sadly.

"Oh, stop whining. It's Christmas Eve, and you look perfect in this... Either give me a Christmas gift now or wear this and go out with me!" Park So-yeon threatened, hands on her hips.

"What kind of Christmas gift? You're asking for it out of the blue, that's not fair!" Lee Yunjae muttered, but his voice still reached Park So-yeon's ears in the quiet room.

Park So-yeon laughed mischievously and dragged Lee Yunjae out, despite his strong resistance. On the way down, they encountered several people in the elevator, who usually greeted Lee Yunjae. But today, no one recognized him in the Santa suit, though he did attract attention. Several office workers even stopped him for photos, which he reluctantly agreed to.

On the way, Lee Yunjae's unique outfit drew many gazes. Although it was Christmas, people in Santa suits were usually seen at malls and restaurants, not in residential areas.

"Park So-yeon... Aren't you embarrassed?" Lee Yunjae whispered in her ear.

Park So-yeon giggled and shook her head. "Look, my scarf is almost covering half my face. If the top half is embarrassing, I don't care!"

Lee Yunjae was speechless. When you have nothing to lose, you're not afraid of those who do. Today, Park So-yeon seemed to have nothing to lose... Lee Yunjae could only comply.

Seoul City Hall Plaza, located in Jung-gu, Seoul, is a famous place. Today, it was especially lively. The biggest difference was the large stage set up in the square, which was very eye-catching. On one side, traffic was bustling, and on the other, many fans had gathered, waiting for the concert to start.

As the crowd grew, the sky darkened by 5:30 PM, and the city's nightlife began to shine. The lights were on, and the sound of car horns filled the air.

"Wow, this couple is so fashionable!"

When Park So-yeon and Lee Yunjae appeared at Seoul City Hall Plaza, the concert hadn't started yet. Couples strolled around, and groups of friends waited for the show. Lee Yunjae's red outfit seemed to glow in the dark, making him very noticeable. By the time they reached the center of the square, many people had approached him for photos, and for a moment, Lee Yunjae became the most shining Christmas star at Seoul City Hall Plaza.