Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Chairman's Treat
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“Alright, stop crying and let's go to the planning office. The producers are waiting.”
Once Answer filed in, the already cramped planning office became packed.
“Aww, were you that happy?”
CEO Park Jae-yong said playfully, looking at the members' still bloodshot eyes.
“Thank you for the wonderful song, Executive Producer.”
“…It’s not like I did anything.”
A bitter look crossed CEO Park Jae-yong’s face.
“Anyway, more importantly, have you contacted that Beat Room fellow? And ask who did the guide vocal, too.”
Lee Yoo-ah and Seol-ah stared intently at me, and the director opened her mouth with a barely perceptible smile.
“Seol-ah did the guide vocal.”
“What?!”
“No way!”
“Seriously?!”
“You did, Unni?”
A variety of reactions erupted.
It was partly because she used a wistful sensibility instead of the sultry tone from their debut song, and also thanks to my trait allowing her to surpass her limits during the recording.
“Wow, our Seol-ah! Nice, nice!”
The embarrassed CEO forced a smile and gave a thumbs-up.
“…Wait a minute. Then does Seol-ah also know who Beat Room is?”
“…Yes.”
Seol-ah shot me a troubled look, asking for help. I gave her a slight nod to show it was okay, and she spoke as if she'd made up her mind.
“Manager Min-jun is Beat Room.”
“……?”
At Seol-ah’s words, the CEO looked at her as if to ask what she was talking about.
“I made it.”
“What?”
The expressions of Manager Ji and CEO Park filled with astonishment.
“Jeez. Why make a joke with such a straight face?”
“…My thoughts exactly, Daepyo-nim.”
The two of them were forcing a laugh, but they already knew the truth.
“…Is it true?”
“Yes.”
“…You know how to compose?”
“I mentioned it during the audition.”
“R-right, you did.”
CEO Park Jae-yong wiped away a cold sweat.
“Sorry, but could everyone leave except Min-jun… no. Manager Ji, you stay and give a briefing. We'll leave.”
The director and I followed the CEO to his studio.
“Hoo.”
*Creak.*
CEO Park sank deep into the sofa and gestured for me to sit.
“How embarrassing. Shouldn't I have been the one to know?”
The CEO said with a feigned angry expression.
“As I mentioned earlier, you didn't believe me, so I wanted to show you definitive proof before being acknowledged.”
I spoke in a way that would avoid upsetting CEO Park Jae-yong as much as possible.
“…Sun. You're worse. How could you do this to me?”
“He said he wanted to be acknowledged by our great CEO without any prejudice. How could I ruin that?”
The director said without a change in her expression. She was right, but I didn't know why I felt like laughing.
“…Ah, fine. I admit it. Happy now?”
He said it lightly, but the CEO seemed to have completely conceded to me.
“It's not like we're shooting a movie. Why is everything so dramatic?”
The CEO grumbled in disbelief.
“Let me ask you one thing. Min-jun, why did you pick my song earlier?”
“I liked the tight brass and the idea of using something like pizzicato in the middle of the intense distortion sound, but most of all, I liked the clear build-up and satisfying release. It seemed cliché, but it wasn't. And it was a song that clearly had a lot of thought put into it.”
Perhaps because I'd scratched an itch for him, his expression brightened considerably. The CEO took a deep breath and began to speak calmly.
“Letting go and emptying oneself is not a passive way of life. For without letting go, you cannot welcome in the new. I, who am already full, will make room for the new.”
“Quoting the monk Beopjeong all of a sudden?”
“……”
The CEO looked surprised at the director's comment, then spoke again.
“Do not judge others carelessly. Before you offer to take the speck out of another's eye, do not judge others carelessly.”
“That's from the Bible… Matthew, was it?”
“Sheesh… how does she know everything?”
The CEO's attempt at a grand declaration of defeat was foiled in vain by the director's seemingly more erudite replies.
Still, the fact that the CEO, who I thought would be stubbornly pig-headed, had this change of heart suggested that JD's future wasn't so bleak.
Of course, I'd have to handle him carefully.
We returned to the planning office.
“For personal reasons, and because it's also beneficial to us, please remember that the fact Min-jun is Beat Room is confidential. Got it? You all want a hefty performance bonus, which means this has to be a hit, right?”
“Yessir!”
“Now, let's officially start the project. What were the results of our last meeting?”
Once the song was decided, things proceeded at a breakneck pace.
Amidst the Answer members' joy, the work of distributing parts began. The only thing that bothered me, however, was the unspoken wall between Seul-bi and Ro-si.
Ro-si's aura wanted to mingle with Seul-bi's, but Seul-bi's aura was pushing Ro-si's away like an iron wall.
From the perspective of Seul-bi, who was in charge of rap, the fact that Ro-si was added through a rap audition was something an original member could never welcome.
Even I would have been upset.
We would never be able to achieve our goal until that wall was torn down.
“When we start direction, all members will try singing every part, so practice them all.”
“…We're all singing every part? Each of us?”
Seol-ah asked as if to say, 'Is that really necessary?' This was because many producers, conscious of time and efficiency, distribute the parts beforehand.
“Regardless of skill, I believe there are parts that can suit different people. For some, their voice will sound full in the second octave, while for others, it'll be closer to the third.”
“Ah…”
[The trait ‘Star Maker’ (A) exerts its influence on the members.]
[The vocal level experience of the enlightened Answer members increases.]
[Seul-bi and Ro-si's fighting spirit ignites.]
“Um, Producer-nim… I have a question.”
Ro-si cautiously raised her hand.
“First off. Until you all succeed, my main job will be as your manager, so just call me comfortably.”
“Okay.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are there no rap parts in this song?”
“Of course there are. I intentionally didn't create the rap sections.”
“Huh? It exists, but it doesn't exist?”
Seul-bi asked as if I'd said something absurd, and I played the part where the rap would go. A beat without a guide vocal flowed out.
“The theme is Hustle, and someone you miss.”
This was the theme for the calm rap that would go into Lee Yoo-ah's song. Since it's a mash-up project, having a point of connection between the different songs would make it much more complete.
“Seul-bi and Ro-si, you two should each try writing one.”
“What?”
[Seul-bi's affinity for you fluctuates.]
Seul-bi's expression, which had been favorable toward me, hardened. It couldn't be helped. I had to use this opportunity to break down the wall and solidify their positions.
Besides, I had the persuasion item, a 'Hey Listen (C)' ticket, that I got from the last gacha, so it wouldn't be that difficult.
* * *
-Min-jun. Bring the kids—no, the artists—over to the company.
“What's our destination?”
-We're going to a nice place to rally the troops. Boost the members' morale a bit. Tell them to just dress comfortably. Anything but sweatsuits is fine.
“Understood.”
Did something good happen to the moody CEO Park Jae-yong? I immediately took the artists to the company.
“Future superstars, welcome.”
The director and the CEO came down to the parking garage to greet the members of Answer.
“We're taking this today.”
The CEO slapped a black Mercedes Sprinter. It was the best kind of van, the kind only top stars ride in.
“Ooh!”
A small gasp escaped the Answer members' lips. The members got in first, followed by the director and the CEO.
I took the wheel. It was still a driver's seat, but the feel was different. It felt like my body was becoming one with the seat, a perfect fit.
“This is awesome!”
“Right? It just sucks you right in, doesn't it?”
“Yeah!”
“If this album is a success, I'll stretch the budget and switch your car to this one. Let's give it our all, shall we?”
On the way to our destination, the CEO's TMT (Too Much Talking) inevitably began.
“You guys misunderstood. I didn't pick new trainees because I was trying to abandon Answer…”
“When I picked you all at the public audition, it was because I recognized your immense hidden talent…”
“And speaking of which, it might have been awkward at first, but look at you now. Doesn't that first single suit you perfectly? From now on…”
“Anyway, the reason I called you all out of the blue today is because I've been so, so busy that we haven't even had a single meal together…”
“For that reason, I'm taking you to a special place that only industry insiders go to, so you can feel a sense of weight and belonging in this business…”
The Answer members, who had responded energetically at first, began to look more and more exhausted.
‘My ears are going to bleed. For real.’
The CEO's TMT continued for the entire 30-minute drive to our destination. I wondered if the CEO secretly possessed Seol-ah's 'Iron Lungs (B)' trait.
“Alright, we're here.”
Contrary to the CEO's words about going somewhere fancy, our destination wasn't a bustling downtown area. The entry barrier of a luxury residential complex scanned our license plate, and the gate arm lifted. I instinctively felt this was a place ordinary people couldn't enter.
So there was a place like this in Seoul.
“Behave yourselves. If you see someone you don't know, at least give a little nod. Got it?”
“Yes!”
“Hey, hey. But don't be too stiff. We came here to rally in a good atmosphere.”
The CEO's words only made the Answer members more nervous.
I parked in a spacious lot lined with luxury cars, and we descended into the basement of a signless first-floor cafe.
It was an LP bar with a capacity of 50, about half full. Bright lime-colored lights refreshingly illuminated one wall filled with LPs. High-quality sound flowed at a consistent volume no matter where you sat.
♪♬
After sending you away… now
Like bidding farewell to a winter bird
♪♬
A sound that was strangely rough yet had a dynamic punch.
Unlike the open tables near the grand piano in the center, the tables along the wall were designed for privacy, and a music booth with a 70s-80s vibe hinted at the tastes of the main clientele.
In particular, next to the piano, there was a high-end condenser microphone and even a guitar—equipment that couldn't be used without a separate power source—suggesting how much care went into creating and maintaining this space.
“Ooh.”
Yi-na let out a small gasp.
“Welcome, Chairman.”
A handsome waiter in his twenties greeted the CEO.
“Ah, yes. It's been a while, hasn't it?”
“Ah! Yes. It has been a while. Will there be more people joining you?”
“No, this is everyone.”
“Understood. Please set a table for seven.”
As the waiter whispered, two new waiters quickly appeared and began setting a table on one side.
“I will show you to your table.”
We followed the waiter to the table that was being set.
‘Unni. Did you just see that? The actor Lee Chan-sung.’
‘Yeah.’
‘I think there's a congressman here too?’
Among the patrons, you could occasionally spot celebrities enjoying drinks and food. By the time we reached our table, the setting was already complete.
“Do you remember my usual?”
“Of course, sir. Shall I bring the same?”
“Yes. And bring a separate drink and food for our youngest here.”
“Right away, Chairman.”
Yi-na's lips pouted at the CEO's order for a soft drink.
The director waited for the employee to leave before she spoke.
“Daepyo-nim. You seem to come here often these days?”
“…What are you talking about! I've… I haven't been here in a long time. The waiter just said it's been a while.”
The director's words seemed to make the CEO squirm.
“It didn't seem like it's been a while.”
“I said no. I brought the kids here to boost their morale, why are you being like this again?”
“…You're right. I'm sorry.”
The director nodded with a light sigh.
“But… isn't this a bar? Yi-na is a minor…”
“Don't say that. It just has this atmosphere; it's a regular restaurant.”
As he said, the atmosphere was unmistakably that of a high-end LP bar, but if so, that was a relief.
The food began to arrive.
There was tuna sashimi and wine, along with enough side dishes to make you think you were in a high-end sashimi restaurant.
It was an unbalanced combination, but for those who wanted to enjoy both atmosphere and gastronomy, it might be the perfect place.
“Alright, everyone get a glass.”
“Thank you!”
The Answer members cheerfully accepted the wine that CEO Park Jae-yong poured for them.
“Haa… If Yi-na were my daughter, I'd just give her a glass of wine. Here, Yi-na, you'll have to make do with grape juice.”
‘You could just give it to me…’
“Still, this isn't some cheap grape juice. As you can see, it's pure extract squeezed from high-quality grapes without any artificial coloring…”
Amidst Yi-na's quiet muttering, the CEO's TMI made us chuckle.
*Crunch.*
“Wow. This is delicious.”
The tempura was crispy and savory, not the least bit greasy, as if they'd somehow removed all the oil.
The tender bluefin tuna belly, also known as 'otoro,' melted in your mouth, its savory flavor leaving a powerful, lingering aftertaste.
The bluefin tuna cheek meat, chewy but not tough.
It was the first time in my life I realized tuna sashimi could be this delicious.
On top of that, there was a full-bodied wine that you could instantly tell was high-quality.
The good food and what I presumed were good drinks visibly boosted the Answer members' morale, and even the director's expression, unlike at the last butcher's restaurant dinner, looked pleased.
However, my attention was not on the meal itself, but elsewhere.
The celebrities.
The grand piano and high-end condenser mic.
The music booth and top-of-the-line sound system.
I had a feeling I could create something significant here.