A Fan's Plea and the Single's Shadow
It hadn't been long since he'd felt that rush of freedom escaping the album production, but he had no choice but to return. He'd left his phone and wallet behind. He could ask for the phone back, sure, but without the cards attached to it, he couldn't even take the bus. So he trudged back on foot and stepped into the company. The moment he did, Iseo and Seoha pounced, forcing a contract on him.
"No, I said I'd try it on, didn't I?"
"Then why'd you run off like that? It's obvious you weren't gonna wear it."
Iseo and Seoha shoved pen and paper at him, demanding a signature as he desperately tried to slip away without leaving any evidence. With a deep sigh, he scribbled his name on the paper. Did it really have to come to this? Sure, he'd bolted, but if the kids begged him to try it on, wouldn't he have done it eventually? He was starting to feel just how much trust had vanished from the world. Of course, he conveniently ignored that his own actions were to blame.
"Anyway..."
The rest of the girls perked up, ears attuned. Myeongjeon hesitated for a split second—should I even say this?—but decided to go for it. What was the point of dodging now, after he'd already committed?
"Let's widen the options. Pick everything, like we're considering every possibility."
"What're you talking about?"
"No more 'I won't wear this' or whatever. Just throw every outfit into the mix. You won't reject 'em."
No verbal reply came, but their faces said it all: utter disbelief. He felt wronged, but with his own guilt hanging over him, he kept quiet.
"I'm serious, I'll try them on, so don't worry. Let's look at other stuff too. We don't have to limit it to menhera or whatever."
"Yeah, fair enough."
Iseo nodded. She'd suggested the menhera concept just to tease Suyeon, who shrieked like an anime girl spotting a cockroach whenever frills came up. But Iseo herself wore landmine-girl, Toyoko-kids stuff offstage—didn't mean she wanted to drag it onto the stage.
The negotiations reached a dramatic close thanks to 'Ha Suyeon's' broad concession. The costume design search made serious progress, flooded more with positive feedback than negatives.
"Looks like we've got it narrowed down to this."
Iseo finished typing on her phone and spoke up. Her KakaoTalk notes-to-self were loaded with the concepts they'd scouted: landmine fashion, magical girl, school uniforms, suits, gothic dresses, techwear, and more.
"This one's my favorite."
She pointed to the techwear outfits—big in 2017-18, faded away, now surging back. Functional-looking clothes that screamed "[prioritizing utility]."
"Kinda unique, right? Cool vibe."
"Hm..."
Myeongjeon twirled a lock of hair. To him, they just looked like workwear with black coloring and pockets and straps everywhere... No, stop thinking negative. Positive. Embrace change. Stay positive about everything.
"Not bad, actually."
"Fits our concept too. Some idols rock that style, don't they? I think I've seen it."
Seoha muttered as Myeongjeon straightened the memo sheets.
"We've got a rough concept now, so let's take it to the next meeting. No matter what we think, they could flip it there."
"They can do that?"
"Of course. It's just a concept—the final outfits could go anywhere. Anyway, seems like our job on album design and concepts wraps here..."
He paused, eyeing the girls. This was their domain now. Well, technically his stake was bigger.
"Next up for us is making songs. Most important, most urgent, most time-consuming. Let's pour everything into crafting the best tracks we can."
Winter vacation ceremony. His sigh puffed out white and shattered in the air. Bundled tight in his long padding coat, he shivered down the street. Time for a Nakwon Arcade run after ages.
Jazzmaster, huh? Been a while.
Back in his Seo Myeongjeon days, his main axe was the Stratocaster. Sure, sessions had him wielding Suhr, PRS, Michael Tuttle, Anderson, even Les Pauls personally. But offset guitars like the Jazzmaster? Not his thing. Nothing about high skill demands—it just didn't click with his asymmetric body vibe.
Still, he was buying one for the title track's sound. Dreamy, noisy, shoegaze vibes... Strat couldn't nail that Jazzmaster twang without hassle.
But did I have to drag myself out in this freeze? Coulda just ordered delivery...
Grumbling, he quickened his pace against the cold. A sharp cry from someone brushing past halted him.
"Hey! Wait a sec!"
He turned, wondering what the issue was. A woman in her early twenties, college-age vibe. Total stranger.
"Um..."
"Yeah?"
"That... Ha Suyeon, right? The guitarist?"
"Uh... yeah."
Her eyes lit up. "No way, holy crap. Wow, this is seriously my first time ever."
Turns out she was wondering if... "I'm a huge fan!!"
"Whoa, thanks so much..."
"No, it's fine."
He sipped the coffee she'd placed in front of him. Her mug trembled between her gripped hands, steam rising—nerves clear as day.
"It's my first time meeting a celeb like this. Famous person... yeah."
"First fan meet for me too."
Seo Myeongjeon had fans in his youth, but as Ha Suyeon? Novelty called for buying her coffee. She seemed burdened by the younger-gen treat, though.
"I got into you after that recent live... watched all your YouTube and shows. Invasion from Seoul 2024, Busking Busking, that self-con you made—hilarious!"
"Thanks. I haven't seen the final cut, so not sure about funny..."
"It was!! Real!! Fun!!"
Her shout made him flinch; cafe-goers glanced over. Calming, she sat back.
"Super fun. All your content is. Guitar slays, and your face... slays."
"Face... slays?"
"N-no! I mean no!"
She mumbled something about "for real..." He caught the praise vibe, at least. She kept gushing: her entry point, love for Ha Suyeon and Group Sound, how fun the new stuff was, Plastic Nostalgia's brilliance, when's that radio new track dropping?
"But... um, might be rude, but... can I ask?"
"No idea what, but go ahead."
She'd paused around unreleased track talk, hesitant. Buoyed by his go-ahead:
"Are you... not doing activities lately?"
"Huh?"
She waved frantically. "No no! I know the full album's in works. Just... no promos? Like a single or something..."
"Nothing planned right now."
"Oh... okay. After the album, then! Shows, right?"
"Probably. But why..."
Perplexed, he probed. "No no! Just curious!" Then: "My friends... I try hyping you guys, but after self-cons and survival shows, they say no activities, few songs, listen once and drop."
Her fan lament hit home. He pondered silently. Group Sound offstage for months—more to come. Painful for fans; could lead to "no acts, quitting fandom."
But popularity's key to that...
He twirled hair. Seo Myeongjeon's peak was brief, side-character at best; fans were session clients, students. No one awaited his music/stages. Even as Suyeon, old habits died hard.
"Uh..."
"N-not pressure! Great album, please!"
Misreading his silence, she bowed apologies. "Gotta go! Sorry for the time!" She left her now-drinkable coffee. He stared into it, lost in thought till it chilled.
"...So, my take is."
Album production meeting. After pitching band ideas on overall concept and costumes, the tracklist talk turned to him. He raised a hand, explaining slowly: the incident, the thoughts it sparked.
"Our hiatus feels too long. Not just that case—fan reactions show it. Too quiet, can't promo/evangelize. Tons of that feedback. Not all fans, sure."
Go Kyung-min nodded. Myeongjeon paused, gathered words:
"So, pre-release single before the full album. Like the EP."
"Hm... We've considered it."
Kyung-min followed up. "Reasons against: killer promo tool, but budget killer. Effective single needs its own art, MV, promo."
Full album? Just title track gets that. Single? Double the cost. His point.
"Output justifies spend, no? Not a huge issue."
Lee Hyein, CEO mode: Kyung-min shook head slowly.
"Bigger issue too."
"What?"
"Schedule slips. Album's six months now. Add single work, album delays naturally. Can't split bodies. No all-nighters? Guaranteed pushback—costs more."
Kyung-min against; Hyein pondered, cheek-stroking. Silence fell. Myeongjeon glanced at the band girls, deep in thought, faces twisting on eye contact. He turned away, spoke:
"If we hit the timeline, no downside to a single, right?"
"Exactly! Idol singles differ, but proven promo across labels! Different flavor from title, fans love it!"
Jeong Yu-young cheered support. Myeongjeon eyed girls again. No words needed—they knew. Iseo mouthing 'save us,' others with puppy eyes.
"Let's do it. What's impossible?"
"Pardon?"
Kyung-min's double-take. Myeongjeon casual:
"Max speed... say week or two. Compose, arrange, rehearse, record. Doable?"
"Uh... possible? Would be great if..."
"Sleep when dead, right? Youth's for bought suffering..."
"Hey!! We didn't agree!!"
Iseo's screech from behind. He ignored. Band follows leader. Members' opinions secondary. His word law. Give and take—reap what you sow. Just take the sweet with the bitter...