Chapter 45
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Keyword Music Stage Planning (3)
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It was late at night, when everyone was asleep.
I carefully opened the door and stepped out.
The dark living room, shrouded in silence, welcomed me.
I sat down at the desk, opened my notebook, and fell deep into thought for a moment.
I needed to finalize the detailed planning for the upcoming Keyword Music performance.
I tapped the paper a few times with my ballpoint pen, then began jotting down the plans.
‘Let’s start with the overall stage flow.’
Of course, I’d need experts for the arrangement and choreography, but the big-picture concept had to come from me.
I pressed my temple with one hand and muttered to myself.
“There’s so much to do.”
I must have written and erased lines a dozen times.
“Haah…”
As I irritably rubbed the eraser over the paper, my eyes met Cha Jae-hyun’s—he’d just come out of his room.
“You’re not sleeping?”
“Uh, well…”
“Working on the stage plan?”
I nodded, and Cha Jae-hyun sat down next to me.
“How’s it going?”
“No idea. I want to do well, though.”
“You will. You always do.”
“Come on, don’t put that pressure on me.”
I laughed it off casually, but my shoulders felt heavy. For our group and our fans, I had to make this stage a good one.
‘I can’t slack off.’
Just then, Cha Jae-hyun slapped my back hard. I whipped my head around in surprise, and there he was, smiling.
“Don’t worry. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
It was a short bit of encouragement, but it comforted me.
“Yeah. Thanks.”
Watching Cha Jae-hyun head back to his room, I steeled my resolve once more.
When I first heard we’d be on Keyword Music with Black Dice, my stomach had twisted in knots…
But that didn’t change the fact that this was a great opportunity for us.
‘So let’s give it everything we’ve got.’
As I finished that thought and reached for my pen, it suddenly floated up into the air.
I couldn’t believe the scene unfolding before my eyes. I rubbed them in disbelief.
“What the…?”
That’s when it happened.
[Hi, Eun-ho~?]
I barely swallowed a curse rising in my throat and stared at the system window floating in front of me.
“You again?”
The system administrator’s sudden appearance made me start to say something, but I glanced around first.
If the members caught me talking to thin air, they’d think I was crazy.
Fortunately, no one else had come out to the living room.
I whispered softly.
“Why are you here again?”
[It’s my call. I show up whenever I feel like it~]
“Was that you with the pen earlier?”
[Yup! Thought I’d give you a little scare.]
Yeah, right. I nearly keeled over, so mission accomplished, you bastard.
I gripped the pen tightly and thought.
I had no idea what this system administrator was, but if it could levitate objects, it wasn’t anything ordinary.
Its true identity remained a mystery, but one thing was clear: it existed in some unknown realm.
A sudden thought crossed my mind.
“Then that book falling during the card game at Guigok Lodge… that was you too?”
[Ooh, how’d you guess? Impressive!]
“And the singing on the way to the cabin?”
[That was me too!★]
So I’d been toyed with by this jerk the entire Guigok Lodge special.
A wave of deep irritation washed over me.
“Cut it out.”
[Why? Thanks to me playing ghost, the content got way more fun, right?]
“Enough chit-chat. If you’ve got nothing to say, leave. I’ve got work to do.”
As I said that and readjusted my grip on the pen, the system administrator spoke up again.
[Looking forward to this Keyword Music stage★]
The system window blinked out.
Why couldn’t this thing just leave me alone?
“Let’s get back to work.”
I rubbed my eyes and returned to scribbling plans in my notebook.
* * *
The next day.
We headed to the company to meet composer Kim Seok-hyun about the Keyword Music arrangement, all of us together.
Kim Seok-hyun. A composer who’d worked at DIEN for three years, famous for churning out hit after hit.
‘I’ve only ever seen him on TV. First time meeting him in person.’
We arrived at the studio and knocked.
Knock knock—
The door opened, and out came composer Kim Seok-hyun.
“Hello. We’re Manwol’s Boys.”
“You guys are Manwol’s Boys, huh? Hey.”
As we stepped inside, the Keyword Music camera team followed right behind.
“Come on in. Have a seat.”
We sat across from Kim Seok-hyun and looked around the studio.
It was packed with mysterious instruments and equipment.
Kim Seok-hyun, who’d been eyeing us over, spoke up.
“I heard. You’re doing Keyword Music, right? What song did you pick?”
Straight to business the moment we sat.
I pulled out the notebook I’d organized yesterday and laid it on the desk.
“We’re going with senior Uriel’s Rose-Tinted Circus for the song.”
“Ooh, Rose-Tinted Circus.”
“And for the stage, we’re planning…”
I explained the stage concept and direction to Kim Seok-hyun.
He nodded along to my explanation, his face lost in thought.
“So that’s my take. The original has that soft jazz vibe, but since this stage is about calling out the haters, I’d love to amp it up with something more intense.”
The original already had some weight to it, but layering on even more intensity would really hit the audience hard.
“Hmm. I get what you mean.”
Kim Seok-hyun scooted his chair over to the computer, searched something on YouTube, and played a song.
As we all listened intently, he looked at us and said.
“Rose-Tinted Circus is swing jazz, right? Swing jazz goes something like this.”
Another song started playing.
“And this is acid jazz.”
It had a jazz feel, but with way more electronic instrument work than the previous one.
“Pretty different, huh?”
“Yeah. Totally.”
“If you want that intense feel, we could add strong drum beats and electronic elements to the arrangement.”
Kim Seok-hyun, who’d been listening closely to Rose-Tinted Circus, opened his music editing software and started tweaking things.
A few minutes later.
“Here, just a taste of the vibe.”
No sooner had he said it than he hit play.
“Whoa.”
“What do you think? Good?”
“Yeah. Really good.”
Was this guy a genius?
He’d just fiddled around a bit, added some instrument tracks, and whipped up a natural arrangement.
And this wasn’t even the final product—already hooked.
I was staring blankly at the screen as the song played when Kim Seok-hyun asked.
“You into composing too, Eun-ho?”
“Yeah. I’d love to learn.”
“Come by the studio whenever you’ve got time. I’ll teach you.”
Before I could even respond, the members burst into applause and cheers.
“Awesome.”
“Whoa, Eun-ho, you hit the jackpot.”
“He’s your composing teacher now.”
The warm vibe continued until a knock came from outside.
Everyone’s eyes turned to the door.
The person who opened it and stepped in was none other than…
“Hey.”
Hwang Tae-seok.
‘What the fuck? Why are you here?’
Kim Seok-hyun seemed just as thrown, standing up awkwardly to greet him.
“Oh, Tae-seok. What’s up?”
“Just came to check on the shoot here today. How’re my juniors doing?”
After throwing that tantrum in the music show waiting room, now he was playing nice on camera.
I was so pissed I couldn’t speak, but Cha Jae-hyun put a hand on our shoulders, gesturing to just greet him casually.
“Hello.”
It sucked, but we couldn’t skip greetings on camera.
I forced one out and looked up.
“Juniors. How’s the Keyword Music prep going?”
Watching Hwang Tae-seok strut around, pleased with our greetings, was pathetic.
“Cool. What stage are you doing? Let me hear.”
The members’ eyes darkened.
Like they were thinking, ‘Why the hell should you hear it?’
“What, it’s a secret?”
Cha Jae-hyun flashed a polite smile.
“Hard to explain right now, but we’ll show you on Keyword Music. Looking forward to it.”
“Fine, whatever.”
Hwang Tae-seok’s lip curled down as he nodded.
‘Why won’t this asshole leave?’
His business was done, but he just stood there.
Finally, Kim Seok-hyun spoke up.
“Tae-seok. Something else?”
“Nah, hyung.”
What a waste of time.
Couldn’t scowl on camera.
My cheeks hurt from the forced smile.
Then, out of nowhere, Hwang Tae-seok said something unbelievable.
“As your senior, I want to help. Anything you need?”
Like hell.
Irritation boiled over.
The other members looked the same—dead eyes, gritted-teeth grins.
This guy who acted like a prick off-camera to staff and juniors alike was now playing the helpful advisor to baby hoobaes on TV?
‘Trying to snag a “kind senior helping juniors” title? Makes me wanna puke.’
‘Just get lost.’
Just then, his eyes locked on my notebook. I reached to close it, but he snatched it first.
I swallowed a sigh and plastered on a serene smile.
“Who wrote this?”
“I did.”
“You?”
Hwang Tae-seok glanced at me, flipped another page.
Then he grabbed a pen and started adding something.
‘What the fuck? This crazy bastard. Touching my stuff without permission?’
Scribble scribble—
He finished drawing, smiled smugly, and handed it back.
‘What the hell.’
He’d added some weird wormy thing to my stage sketch… What was this?
I barely kept my fake smile from cracking.
“Hyung, what’s this?”
“You can tell at a glance. Circus concept, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right, but…”
“But the stage looks too empty. Circus needs that exciting vibe. I added some decorations.”
What the hell was he on about?
The other members couldn’t hide their expressions anymore—their smiles were fading.
He seemed to think he’d nailed it, totally absorbed in his own feedback. Absurd.
‘Stay calm. It’s being filmed.’
I took a deep breath.
“Hyung, it’s fine.”
“……”
“Thanks for the advice, but our concept isn’t that bright and upbeat.”
I faked an awkward smile and glanced at the camera behind me.
They’d edit this out, right, with the vibe like this?
Hwang Tae-seok’s eyebrow twitched, but that was it.
“Alright. Sorry I couldn’t help.”
“No, hyung. Just the thought means a lot.”
We traded insincere words, forcing a friendly atmosphere.
Then Hwang Tae-seok clapped a hand on my shoulder, kneading the end hard.
“See you juniors at Keyword Music!”
He grinned and left.
My shoulder throbbed where he’d gripped it.
‘Fucking creepy bastard.’
Only after wrapping up the arrangement talk with Kim Seok-hyun could we finally leave.
“Good work.”
Mics off, camera team gone.
Just heading back to the dorm left.
“Let’s go.”
“Man, that arrangement by Kim Seok-hyun? So cool.”
“Right?”
Chatting with the members as we walked, I spotted Hwang Tae-seok coming from the opposite direction.
‘No camera, no need to greet.’
I tried to ignore him, but he leaned in and whispered as he passed.
“I’ll show you what a total flop looks like.”
What?
I whipped my head around instinctively.
There went Hwang Tae-seok, striding away briskly.
The other members had heard too, frozen in stunned expressions.
Baek Si-woo, mouth agape, let out a disbelieving laugh.
“This guy’s actually insane, right? ‘Total flop’? What is he, in middle school?”
“……”
“Spouting lines like some third-rate villain. Gives me chills!”
Hoo…
I inhaled deeply and spoke slowly.
“Hey.”
Up until yesterday, I’d thought losing would make for a better story.
“We’re definitely winning this.”