Chapter 69: Hwang Sun-young's Laughter Echoes
Huang Sun-young's laughter rang out.
[Ah~. This is bad. That song from earlier keeps echoing in my ears. What's the title? I wanna set it as my all-time favorite after the show ends.]
Impossible.
G&X Entertainment's rookie development Team 2 Leader, Park Hee-rak, who oversaw Black Label, shook his head.
"It hasn't been released yet."
The exact same response flowed out, just like his mutter from moments ago.
[Uh, this track is still unreleased... We haven't even settled on a proper title yet...]
[No way! The song's amazing—hand it over right now! Daaaang~ Jang.]
This was genuine fandom for sure.
Huang Sun-young kept prying into recording behind-the-scenes stories mid-broadcast and pushing for release plans, but Won Ji-min's answers stayed the same.
And above all, Won Ji-min's opinion didn't matter. What counted was the will of the song's creator, Seo Hyun-woo.
"Haa~."
On the rooftop of the G&X Entertainment headquarters, Park Hee-rak pulled out his e-cigarette.
His smartphone rested in his palm. He could glimpse Falcon watching the broadcast from afar, but reading his expression was tough.
The camera angle was distant, and with the hood pulled up tight, Seo Hyun-woo's face was barely visible.
No clue what Seo Hyun-woo was thinking.
Shouldn't he at least crack a smile with his senior showering that much praise?
"What now?"
He inhaled the vapor deeply, then exhaled it slowly through his nose.
People like Park Hee-rak, tuned into the radio, were all posting online. Just varying levels of hype.
Everyone saying the same thing.
The fact that Won Ji-min had become the song's undisputed owner in the public's mind.
Even if they couldn't convince Seo Hyun-woo right away, public opinion was already doing it for them.
Or rather...
"There's no reason for Seo Hyun-woo to ditch Ji-min, right?"
Good is good. The song was already hyped enough—just polish the prep and it'd climb the charts no problem.
"The issue is..."
"Teaaam Leeeader!"
The rusty door creaked open as Son Jong-su came sprinting up.
Spotting him, Park Hee-rak shook his head.
His long hair, hanging down to his jaw, swayed wildly.
He quickly exhaled his e-cig vapor and clicked his tongue.
No more alone time for brooding.
The eager newbie had spotted him and bowed deeply, like it was mission accomplished.
Hands on his knees, he caught his ragged breath.
"Wahaaa... Haa, there you are."
That much rush up here meant something had blown up.
The question was how big.
True to his rookie fire, he turned thumb-sized issues into palm-sized crises.
"Haa, where were you? No phone either. I thought I was gonna die searching the whole building."
"Do I gotta report my every move to you?"
Time was short.
Park Hee-rak didn't drop his e-cig.
He inhaled deep and blew out a cloud.
"If it's that urgent, go bug Manager Lee instead of me. It's about Ji-min anyway."
"Uh... how'd you know? Did Manager Lee already call you?"
"Nah."
Park Hee-rak exhaled deeply.
The smoke scattered skyward on the wind.
He angled his quietly held phone.
Won Ji-min and Seo Hyun-woo beamed back.
"Been watching the broadcast."
"Yeah. The rep's calling for you now."
"Huh?"
Wha... hold up.
Park Hee-rak's e-cig slipped from his mouth.
Fuck.
Like Park Hee-rak toppling in shock, the e-cig plummeted—not to the rooftop floor, but over the railing toward the distant first-floor ground.
His dazed mind rebooting.
The crack! of it shattering below snapped him back.
"Wh-who's looking for me?"
"The division head just said. The rep wants the team leader—bring him quick."
"Ah, shit... seriously."
Park Hee-rak bolted faster than anyone.
He flung open the rooftop door.
Hit the elevator button, but it lingered on the second floor, ignoring him.
Rep's office wasn't far from the roof anyway.
His brain spun as fast as his feet.
Son Jong-su's breaths grew ragged again.
His heaving almost sounded suspicious.
Park Hee-rak glanced up.
"Hey. Hit the gym. Young guy like you huffing already? With stamina like that, you'll be the first cut when the kids start overseas tours."
"N-noted, sir."
"Straight to the rep's office, right?"
"Y-yes!"
He shoved open the emergency stairs door.
One more door to the rep's office.
"Gonna hit the bathroom first..."
Check his outfit, gargle the smoke smell...
"Where you headed?"
Turning the corner into the hallway, words failed Park Hee-rak.
This wasn't just the rep casually checking in.
Everyone with pull in G&X was crammed in.
Hell, was the whole staff here?
Division head and all, filling the corridor.
Jung Pil-woon, the rep, greeted Park Hee-rak with a beaming smile.
"Where've you been, Team 2 Leader? We've been waiting."
"Uh, just... stepping out for air..."
His hands had nowhere to go.
Park Hee-rak scratched his nape.
"Feeling refreshed? We've got a lot to discuss."
Jung Pil-woon turned and opened the rep's office door.
As he entered, the section chiefs rushed in after.
Not to snag front seats and impress—not quite.
The opposite, really.
Pushed to the back, Park Hee-rak dawdled in last.
Figures my luck sucked today.
Inevitably, the division head next to Jung Pil-woon dragged over a chair beside him.
"Our star sits here."
Say it right. The stars were Won Ji-min and Seo Hyun-woo.
Park Hee-rak wasn't one.
"M-me?"
The division head smacked the chair—no pointless power plays.
Sit your ass down, no chit-chat.
Park Hee-rak glanced back.
Son Jong-su waved silent cheers from afar, not entering.
Wimp.
"Where's Manager Lee?"
The division head asked on Jung Pil-woon's behalf.
Park Hee-rak answered casually.
"Oh! Uh... probably with Ji-min right now."
Jung Pil-woon nodded, and the division head kicked off the real meeting.
"Hee-rak. Er, Team 2 Leader."
He eyed the others, straightening his tone.
"You know why we're all here, right?"
"Yes."
How could he not? Hunting for Manager Lee the second he sat screamed their intent.
Seo Hyun-woo's track blowing up online.
"You knew Ji-min's radio schedule... so you saw the reactions too?"
"Yes. I monitored comments and community buzz."
The division head rubbed his palms.
"No need to explain then. The contract?"
Here came the problem.
Nothing to say.
Last-minute schedule, trusted Seo Hyun-woo and sent her—didn't expect this.
Heard vaguely about song work, but not this level of explosion.
Jung Pil-woon locked eyes with Park Hee-rak.
His gaze unreadable—what schemes?
Couldn't dodge or lie his way out.
Just the straight truth.
"No contract."
"...Huh? Why?"
"Honestly, I didn't even know Ji-min was working with Composer Seo Hyun-woo."
"Why not? You track the kids' every move daily, right?"
He did track.
"She said she was just helping out. We'd gotten tons of help from him too, so I figured whatever."
"Thought it was a favor swap?"
Spot-on phrasing.
Park Hee-rak nodded without resistance, and the division head laid out the plan.
"Contract's whatever... old collab partner. Easy. We'll pay fat royalties and comp fees. Got it?"
Park Hee-rak had no plans to let it fizzle after one hype cycle anyway.
"Yes. I'll set a meeting with Seo Hyun-woo."
"Ji-min got the best reactions, so lock her in if possible. But guide the other Black Label girls too. Might get something better... Or how about a rap in the middle?"
Not sure where he got it, but he suggested not full vocals—add rap midway.
"Ray can rap. This structure would kill at festivals and events."
"We'll try that too."
No cost per take in recording.
The division head fired A&R prep questions and orders, but Jung Pil-woon stayed silent.
Silent, just waiting.
Until the orders wrapped.
The second the division head glanced at Jung Pil-woon, signaling done—everything so far was wasted time.
"I'd rather this track go elsewhere."
"Pardon?"
"Our new group launch, Red Dice. What about them?"