Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Episode 8. A Night with the Indie Band Girl (3)
The moving date was set for next week.
After taxes, loans, and property division, about 100 million won remained in his hands.
‘I need to find a place somehow.’
Park Siwoo took a drag from his cigarette.
Deep lines formed on his forehead from the stress.
Just then—
[A workspace, like I promised. Go check it out.]
A message from Cha Yeseung arrived.
Come to think of it—
‘Right, the studio. Let’s go take a look first.’
Since he had already scheduled a real estate consultation for tomorrow, he decided to set aside his worries about housing for now.
“Where to?”
Inside the taxi, Park Siwoo showed the driver the address on his phone.
“Please go here.”
The place Cha Yeseung gave him was a commercial building in Seoul.
Of course, the entire building wasn’t his studio—his was on the fourth floor.
—Ding!
After getting off the elevator, Park Siwoo headed to Room 405.
Unlike the other units, a heavy door resembling a bank vault stood in front of it.
After entering the password from the message, he pushed the door open.
“…Whoa.”
The moment he saw inside, he was stunned.
‘This is basically an apartment.’
There was a spacious living room.
A TV, a sofa, even a kitchen where he could cook.
Above all, everything was not only brand new but made of premium materials.
‘Could I just live here?’
On a whim, he sent a message to Cha Yeseung.
The reply came immediately.
[If you want to live there, go ahead. It’s yours for the next two years anyway.]
Park Siwoo’s eyes lit up.
‘Then…’
I can save money for two years.
He could invest the 100 million won into stocks or anything else.
He clenched his fist.
‘Five months.’
He would produce results within that time, no matter what.
He entered the room next to the living room.
It was the studio.
Strangely larger than the living room, it was filled with various instruments, and thick soundproof walls surrounded the space.
It was the perfect place to make music.
‘Nice.’
Park Siwoo sat down.
The chair was incomparably more comfortable than the cheap one he had bought before.
‘Let’s get started.’
Turning on the computer, he launched the music software.
Since the shortcuts and options were almost identical to what he used before, he adapted quickly.
‘No need to completely remove Neon Heart’s color.’
Their depth was the issue, but the guitar riffs and bass lines themselves weren’t bad.
He would likely emphasize guitar heavily in his compositions as well.
‘Let’s start with the title.’
An album usually had around eight tracks.
You set a concept first, then build the songs around it.
‘Since it’s the first project…’
Maybe something related to space.
It was familiar to him and suited Neon Heart as well.
With the album concept set as “space,” Park Siwoo began composing.
[Ayeon, are you with your members right now?]
After finishing the first track, Park Siwoo immediately contacted Seol Ayeon.
She must have been on her phone—the reply came instantly.
[Yes, we’re practicing right now.]
[Perfect timing. I just finished the first track. Want to hear it?]
[OMG already?? Yes!! (duck nodding emoji)]
He attached the file and sent it.
Perhaps she was listening, because no reply came for a while.
He leaned back, sipping coffee he had bought from a café downstairs, waiting leisurely.
About five minutes passed.
A reply came.
[It’s ssooo gooodd.]
Her message was full of typos, clearly from excitement.
Smiling, Park Siwoo replied.
[I’ll send the sheet music. Practice it by next week. I’ll send the lyrics tomorrow.]
[Yes!!]
With that energetic response, the conversation ended.
“Phew.”
He leaned back in his chair.
After focusing for nearly six hours, his body felt stiff.
‘Maybe because it’s the first track.’
Usually, he could produce one song in two hours.
Today, it took three times as long.
Of course, the song wasn’t fully complete yet.
He planned to refine it over the next week.
What he sent was just the core structure.
He still needed to write lyrics.
‘Let’s take a break first.’
Leaning back, he casually operated the computer.
‘Lee Yena said she wanted to cover it.’
Recently, she had asked if she could use one of his experimental tracks.
There was no downside, so he had agreed.
He searched her name.
Normally, <Following the Milky Way> would appear at the top.
But this time, it was different.
A short-form video sat at the very top.
Views: 6 million.
‘Six million in just one day?’
Startled, he clicked the video.
The track she used was the instrumental he had uploaded for practice.
‘She said cover…’
But Lee Yena was dancing to it.
Her flowing skirt and swaying hair drew the eye in.
The video ended with her forming a finger heart.
For some reason, Park Siwoo felt like that gesture was directed at him.
When he checked the comments, that suspicion almost became certainty.
[I danced to a song made by Guitar Hero ♥]
Did she really need to add a heart next to his name?
It might seem like overthinking, but—
They had shared a relationship.
‘Why…’
Why would a 25-year-old woman be this attached to someone like him?
“Ha…”
He exhaled and picked up his phone.
To send her a thank-you message.
[Lee Yena, thank you for the video.]
Since she should be performing in Japan, he didn’t expect a reply.
But—
[Not at all! The song was so good, the choreography came to me instantly!]
The reply came immediately.
[Aren’t you performing right now?]
[Yes, I’m on break. Can we talk on the phone?]
[We can, but…]
[Then let’s. I want to hear your voice.]
“…What?”
Before he could respond, the call came through.
He answered.
—Hello?
“Lee Yena?”
—Yes. I really loved your new track.
“It was just experimental.”
—Seriously? It’s better than most songs out there. And it feels like your music improved a lot.
“You could tell?”
—Of course. I’ve listened to your songs so many times.
“I’ve been studying harmony.”
—Ah… that explains it.
[Yena, you need to get ready.]
A staff member’s voice interrupted her.
She spoke with clear reluctance.
—I’ll hang up now.
“Take care.”
—Thank you. Hearing your voice gives me energy! Bye!
The call ended.
‘Hearing my voice gives her energy…’
His ex-wife used to hang up on him, saying it was annoying.
With a bitter smile, Park Siwoo set his phone down.
‘Time to work.’
He began writing lyrics.
Two days later.
Early in the morning, as Park Siwoo arrived at work, the department head stood in front of him.
Holding the report Siwoo had submitted, he shouted.
“Hey! What is this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Neon Heart! Who gave you permission to sign them? Some nobody band like this?!”
“Discovering promising rookies is part of our department’s role—”
“Then why did you decide on your own without my approval?!”
His voice was so loud that everyone turned to look.
“Did you just sign anyone because you had no results?”
“No.”
“Then why?!”
“Is this your money or the company’s?! Huh?!”
In truth, signing contracts was within a team leader’s authority.
Especially for rookies.
And Park Siwoo had already received the CEO’s approval.
‘He must not know.’
Siwoo gave a bitter smile.
Just then—
“What’s all this noise?”
A familiar voice.
Turning his head, he saw Cha Yeseung walking down the hallway.
Behind her stood several foreigners—likely visiting for a meeting.
The department head stiffened and bowed.
“C-CEO!”
“Director Kim, what’s going on this early in the morning?”
His eyes gleamed.
As if he had found the perfect chance to bring Siwoo down.
“CEO, Team Leader Park signed a contract without my approval. With an indie band, no less. Using company resources—”
“I approved it.”
His eyes widened.
“…What?”
“I said I approved it.”
“Y-you did…?”
“And speaking of company resources, your performance has been rather questionable, hasn’t it?”
“Th-that…”
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
“Team Leader Park just secured a contract with Guitar Hero. What exactly have you been doing?”
“G-Guitar Hero?”
The office buzzed.
“Team Leader signed Guitar Hero?”
“I thought he didn’t accept contracts?”
“As expected of him…”
Everyone looked at Park Siwoo with admiration.
In contrast, cold disdain fell upon the department head.
“Do at least half as well as him. If your performance doesn’t improve this quarter, you’re the one getting fired.”
“W-wait, CEO!”
“I have a meeting.”
As she turned, Cha Yeseung glanced at Park Siwoo.
Then she winked and mouthed silently—
‘You’ll renew the contract, right?’
“Haha…”
Let me make Neon Heart succeed first.
With an awkward smile, Park Siwoo avoided her gaze.