Chapter 45
Chapter 45
I slept like a log and woke up feeling a bit more clear-headed.
Is it really right to contact the composer and visit the studio just to record a single song?
These days, people don't debut with full-length albums containing nearly ten songs like they used to.
It feels more like debuting with a mini-album.
Still, I had to pull out at least 4 to 5 songs.
One of them could be the title track. Or there could be three.
If they're good, it doesn't matter if it's three or four.
But that means we'd have to make music videos or come up with choreography for all of them.
Everyone just had to put in a little more effort in that regard.
"By the way. This isn't plagiarism, is it?"
As soon as I woke up in the morning, this shitty... No. That expression seems too harsh.
Listening to the song recorded with the composer's incredibly lacking voice as I wake up makes me worry about all sorts of things.
For starters, in the state where it's recorded with the composer's voice, I can't even imagine it being a plagiarized song.
'Plagiarism controversies pop up so often these days.'
Of course, I understand how the composers feel.
Since we live in a world where the process of music that can be called 'original' barely exists anymore.
Even when they try their best to weave in chords that capture their own vibe, plagiarism still ends up happening.
"No. At least for composer Kim Gi-bok, maybe that won't happen."
This guy's chords were truly one-of-a-kind.
I worried for a moment if this would really catch on with the public.
But after actually listening to it, I don't think I need to worry about that either.
The lyrics are the same.
They were pure and refreshing lyrics, to the point where it was hard to believe they were written by a composer who had only been writing various lewd lyrics.
"So. What should I do? Visit him? Or not?"
[Stop trying to read my mind. I'll tell you.]
[Well, telling you this much information won't make a big difference in the results, so I'm letting you know.]
"Thank you. As expected, Novel is kind."
[Tsk. Seriously. I guess that's just how people in the management industry are. So shameless.]
[First of all. It's much better to go visit him.]
[The reason Kim Gi-bok was able to create a song like this in just two days is because he genuinely fell for the girls.]
[He's someone who doesn't really leave his house. In fact, the only singer's concert he'd ever seen in his life was watching from afar at a university festival, but he was greatly shocked after seeing the girls' performance, which was no different from a real concert.]
"Ho-oh. Is that so? That's really unexpected."
Considering his appearance, or what should I say... seeing that he had tattoos everywhere and piercings on his ears and lips, I thought he liked running around outside.
[The reason Kim Gi-bok chose the path of a composer, and specifically the 19+ side, is because he doesn't really like socializing with others.]
[Actually, he doesn't really like receiving a lot of attention.]
[Should I say he has no greed?]
"For someone like that, he did well in front of people, didn't he?"
[He's a man who gets it done when he has to. You saw that too, Master.]
"Aha."
[Anyway. It's a similar case to Eun Hee-ju. He's in a situation where he's used up almost all the spark inside his body while composing and writing lyrics for two days. So, you need to reignite that spark.]
"Should I ask the girls to wear something a bit sexy and dance in front of him?"
[That would probably have the opposite effect.]
[Just take the girls and proceed with the recording work. That alone will be enough.]
"Okay."
If it were anyone else's words, I wouldn't have agreed so readily, but since it's Novel's...
[Since I am truly a God AI, it's only natural, but... how should I put it. It feels good. Hmph.]
"Are you a tsundere?"
As I finished my thoughts and left the room, I saw the girls preparing salad for breakfast as usual.
For reference, the crab meat rice bowl I ate yesterday was the first proper food I'd eaten in almost 30 days.
Other than that, it's not like our girls had a super luxurious diet.
Because the Blessing of Sex wasn't absolutely invincible.
"Team Leader-nim. Are you up?"
"Yeah. Give me a bowl too."
"Team Leader-nim, you don't need to eat salad. And they say men need a bit of a belly to be fun to cuddle with."
"What are you talking about. We're on the same team. We should suffer together."
Still, mine had plenty of dressing on it.
The girls' was raw salad without even any dressing sprinkled on it.
Crunch. Crunch-.
Only the sound of chewing grass echoed, making it hard to tell if this was a dining table or a rabbit hutch.
"Ah. Should I drink some water."
Seeing Seong Se-ri take out plain, ordinary bottled water instead of the sparkling water she usually loved, I grabbed her wrist.
"Wait."
"What are you doing? Team Leader-nim? Can't I even drink water?"
"Do I look like a pushover to you? You've probably hidden soju inside that container. And when you open the lid, it'll smell like alcohol."
"Can you take responsibility for those words?"
"I'll bet my wrist on it."
Seong Se-ri stared at me blankly, then clicked her tongue. Tsk.
"You're so sharp. This guy. I was just going to have one drink."
"You really need to start getting over your alcohol addiction."
"I don't really have any intention of getting over it. If the debut flops, I'll just go back to drinking my life away. These days, the more weight I lose, the more I crave it, it's driving me crazy."
"That's why I'm helping you."
"I'm only holding on because Team Leader-nim is helping me. In that sense, let me have a 'shot' for dessert after the meal. With my mouth. And below."
"Here we go again."
What's even more surprising is that the girls are just eating their salad and going about their own business, not paying any attention to this conversation.
"Min-seo, what are you doing?"
"Ah. I'm sending messages to my parents asking if they had breakfast and checking in on them. I'm planning to video call them later too."
"Yeah. It's important to contact your parents. They must be worried about you a lot anyway. Da-young?"
"I'm watching a drama and studying the parts I'm lacking in. Because I have to shoot a drama as soon as I succeed. You know that's the only reason I'm trying to become an idol, right? By the way, the song seems intense, but the choreography isn't intense too, right? If it is, I'll really die."
"Hee-ju?"
"I'm waiting to do whatever Team Leader-nim tells me to."
It was truly a group with insane individuality.
Still, well.
"Today, we're going to composer Kim Gi-bok's place to proceed with the recording, so keep that in mind."
"Yes!"
"Okay."
"We will."
Even Da-young, who just nodded while focusing on her drama. Everyone was just individualistic; they didn't neglect the work they had to do.
"Ah. Right. Our group name. We really need to start deciding on it soon."
As I said this while putting my empty plate in the sink, the girls, except for Min-seo, didn't seem that interested.
"Just have Team Leader-nim decide it. That's a hassle."
"Me! Me! How about Happy Virus? Happy Virus! A team that spreads happiness!"
"Dramatic Girls?"
"I'll do whatever Team Leader-nim tells me to."
Uh. Hmm. I knew making a group name wasn't easy. But I thought it would come to mind quickly once I actually thought about it. Nothing is coming to mind.
Happy Virus? Dramatic Girls?
"Even a group that debuted in the 90s wouldn't have debuted with a name like that."
"Maybe there is one if we look?"
Seong Se-ri says this while doing the dishes today.
"It would be fine to just go with 'Team Leader-nim and the Kids'."
I wondered what kind of crazy talk that was.
"I think it's fine."
Hee-ju agrees too strongly.
Don't do that. Even a successful group would flop.
"Cookids? Teddy Bear?"
"Teddy Bear doesn't seem too bad. It comes up quite often as a song title. And saying 'Hello, we are Teddy Bear!' is a bit... You saw the Oasis girls before, right?"
"Yes."
"'We are Oasis! The meaning of Oasis is blah blah.' Like this, the group name needs to have its own meaning. White Pink is the same. They said it was a group created to give a fresh feeling by adding white to pink."
"It's difficult."
"It is."
It's not easy for me to think of one either when I actually try to decide. It needs to imply a special meaning.
"Miracle? With the feeling of wanting to deliver a miracle to everyone."
"It's a bit of a common name, and honestly, I don't think it's a name a girl group would use."
Da-young, who finished watching her drama, lifts her head and points out.
Next was Hee-ju.
"I think that name from earlier is good too."
"Which one?"
"Team Leader-nim's Kids. Meaning that we are truly kids raised by Team Leader-nim like daughters. I think it's good."
"Let's have Hee-ju stay quiet."
"Yes. I will."
I had to consider various factors.
"Well. As you all know. White Pink. Newsia. And also La Seras, etc. It needs to be a name that isn't duplicated, that's slightly unique but not burdensome for people to approach, and at the same time, sticks to the mouth and stays in the head."
"Ugh. Ugh. I. I didn't know deciding on a name was this hard. I'm once again grateful to my parents for giving me a good name like Min-seo."
"Yeah. How hard must it have been to name you guys too."
Various names came up after that, but none seemed to satisfy the conditions.
"Let's not think about it too urgently."
"No one is in a rush."
At first glance, it might look like they're just tackling me, but both Da-young and Seong Se-ri spat out the same words.
"Because we trust that Team Leader-nim will figure it out. This much is true. You're the person who brought us all here."
"All? Every?"
"Every sounds a bit lacking. Hello, we are Every, meaning 'everyone'!"
"Ahem. Just kidding. Just kidding. Yeah. Well. As I always say, you guys just need to work hard on what I tell you to do. Got it?"
"Uh. Wait a second. What did you just say?"
It wasn't just Seong Se-ri who flinched. Everyone except Hee-ju looks at me as if they've had a good idea.
"Just listen to me well. You brats."
"Not that. The word you brought up first. Always, always."
"What about 'Always'? You should always do well. Me too. You guys too."
"Isn't that good? Always? Always. The word 'Always' can hold various meanings, right? Honestly, it wouldn't be weird when introducing ourselves either."
Min-seo also nodded.
"Hello. We are Always! The meaning of our group is that we wanted to be a source of strength for you always, whether you're tired or having a good time. Furthermore, it also means we will always show you only our best side."
"Always. Always."
It certainly didn't seem like such a bad name after muttering it repeatedly.
As Min-seo said, there wasn't a word as easy to create a plausible meaning for as the word 'Always'.
Just in case, I checked if there was a group with a duplicate name, and there was a group active in Thailand from 5 years ago.
It might be bad to say this, but it was an unknown group, so I didn't think I needed to worry about it much.
It looks like they already disbanded, right?
"Okay. Let's act under the name Always for now."
"I like it."
"I like it too."
In the end, the group name just needs to have some impact, and the important thing was how well the girls could present their stage to the people.
Dazed, we had even decided on a group name, so we contacted Kim Gi-bok and started heading to the studio for recording.
The moment we arrived and faced Kim Gi-bok all together. It's no lie, everyone except Hee-ju said the exact same thing.
"Um. Are you okay?"
This guy. How is he still alive?