Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Yeonwoo's Mystery Continues
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Yeonwoo's mystery didn't end there.
Ellis hadn't been able to withstand the pressure from Taein and had rearranged the song in a very Taein-like way, but Yeonwoo had restored it almost back to its original state.
When asked how he did it, Yeonwoo simply repeated what he'd said earlier—that the original form had "appeared" to him.
"Impressive, Composer Yuin."
While Ellis spoke in admiration, Yeonwoo ignored her words entirely. Staring at the tablet as if entranced, he said,
"But if it were me, I think I'd do it like this."
Yeonwoo tinkered with the song he had restored(?). He added a few instruments, tweaked some chords, sped it up, and in one swift motion, rearranged the songs Ellis had created before playing them for Ellis and Jiyeong.
"……!!"
The rearranged track hit Ellis like a shockwave of terror.
It incorporated ideas she hadn't thought of, bold new experiments, and erased the trends she'd been unconsciously following—not from Taein, but her own—and her signature clichés.
Applying all of that made it unmistakably the same song, yet it was reborn as something entirely new, pounding at her ears relentlessly.
It was as if it were saying, *Bet you can't do this, huh? Heh heh.*
And so, watching Yeonwoo frantically work the tablet, she couldn't help but ask,
"How did you make it like this?"
"Just... I thought adding piano here would be fun, and speeding this up a bit would be fun, and, um... for this one, crank up the bass and make the instruments more punchy..."
The kid sure talked a lot.
But in the end, it all boiled down to "just" and "seemed fun."
*Is this what a genius is?*
*Then what am I?*
She, who had always been hailed as a genius producer and genius idol maker, realized in that instant, looking at Yeonwoo, that she wasn't one.
"Truly impressive, Yuin."
Yeonwoo nodded at her words as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
If he were fifteen—no, even ten years older, she'd have found him insufferable. But he was still just a little kid, so those thoughts didn't cross her mind.
Anyway, now that she knew the kid was a genius, only one thing remained.
"Now, how about we stop tweaking my songs and talk about Yuin's tracks?"
Yeonwoo's hands, which had been busy on the tablet for so long, finally stopped.
He looked up at Ellis with his big, dark eyes.
That silent gaze somehow made her shrink back.
It was as if his eyes were saying, *Do you even deserve to have my song?*
"Ellis, is there anything you'd like to ask our Yeon—no, Yuin?"
Jiyeong cut in at that moment.
Ah, right.
This deal couldn't be closed with Yeonwoo alone.
He was a child, after all. The legal decisions rested with a guardian or representative.
"Um... I don't need to ask my questions anymore."
She'd figured that if she asked about the five songs Yeonwoo made, he'd just say "just" or "seemed fun."
"In that case, maybe it's time for us to hear something? Like which team this song goes to."
The dynamic had shifted.
Up until now, they'd been on somewhat equal footing as composer and producer, vaguely gauging each other. But now, as the producer, Ellis had to court these songs outright to claim them.
She might never grasp their hidden meanings, but she *had* to have them.
It had to be these songs.
"I haven't decided on a team name or concept yet. I've selected five trainees, but the numbers could go up or down."
Ellis poured her heart and soul into explaining the idol group she was building.
"As expected of Ellis. Impressive. If they debut like this, they're bound to blow up."
"Thank you, Sunbae-nim. Ah, please speak comfortably. You're my senior."
"How could I, when we just met? We'll ease into it later... Ah, right. Yeonwoo. What do you think, Yeonwoo?"
*So Yuin's real name is Yeonwoo.*
While Ellis mulled that over, Yeonwoo answered honestly.
"Auntie, I don't get a word of that."
"Right? It's too complicated for our Yeonwoo."
"Yeah."
"Then, is there anything Yeonwoo wants from the people who'll sing your songs?"
"Um..."
Yeonwoo thought.
*Someone singing my songs?*
Honestly, he'd never considered it before. He'd only ever enjoyed the act of making music itself.
But things were different now.
Ever since he started speaking—and hearing people's voices—fairies began emerging from those voices.
Fairies from voices were unique.
Instruments that produced finished sounds might spit out red fairies if played wrong, but they basically emitted blue-glowing ones.
Human voices were different.
Just as every person's voice was unique, the fairies they produced came in a rainbow of colors.
And when a voice sang along with a melody, blending together—that's when they merged into blue or red fairies bursting forth.
Yeonwoo didn't know exactly what it meant, but he vaguely sensed it showed how well a voice matched a song.
He'd love to pick singers whose voices fit perfectly, but since this was his first time, beyond good or bad, he just wanted to see his songs meet a singer and give birth to fairies.
"Yeonwoo just wants to see them singing."
"Um... then we'd need lyrics, right? Or at least a guide vocal—something to hum along to?"
At Ellis's words, Yeonwoo looked at his aunt.
Lyrics? Guide?
"You don't know lyrics? How do you sing without them?"
"Yeah, but what's a guide?"
"It's like a demo you sing roughly before writing lyrics...? Though sometimes lyrics come first."
"Yeah... so who makes the lyrics?"
"Sometimes the composer does. Or there's a separate lyricist."
Jiyeong glanced at Ellis and added,
"This Ellis auntie here is great at lyrics too. She's famous for it."
"Ellis auntie?"
*Auntie...!!*
*Am I already auntie age?!*
While Ellis reeled from the shock, Yeonwoo sank into thought.
Truth be told, Yeonwoo barely knew Hangul.
Kids his age usually started learning it, but before meeting his dad, no one taught him. And now, neither his dad, grandma, nor aunt forced it on him.
He'd only picked up what he could by eye.
Writing lyrics was beyond him.
Just then, his gaze landed on Ellis.
Countless fairies swirled around her.
Not from the Taein songs she'd made, but from the ones Yeonwoo had rearranged.
Yet they flocked to her, as if they knew who their true creator was.
Judging by the fairies she liked, she still loved music.
Even after he tampered with her songs, she was thrilled they matched what she'd originally envisioned—proof her passion for the music she wanted to make hadn't changed.
Yeonwoo liked that about her.
"Then can Ellis auntie do the lyrics?"
"You say 'write them for me,' Yeonwoo."
"Yeah, can you write them?"
"Me... me?"
He'd asked because he liked her, but Ellis took it differently.
*'Th-this is...*
*A genius's test!!*
*She's testing if a mere mortal like me can write lyrics worthy of her song?!*
"If I... write good lyrics... you'll give me the song?"
Yeonwoo tilted his head at that.
Huh?
He'd told her to write lyrics because he liked her enough to give her the song.
That was when Jiyeong stroked Yeonwoo's head and said,
"Yes, you will. Right, Yeonwoo?"
"Um... yeah!!"
Ellis's eyes blazed with determination as she declared,
"Got it... I'll definitely write lyrics Yuin likes!"
"Yeah, auntie."
She flinched again at "auntie" and looked at Yeonwoo.
Those sparkling jet-black eyes staring up at her melted something inside.
Auntie? She was cute enough to be called "lady" instead.
"Alright, this auntie will definitely...!!!"
"Hehe."
Yeonwoo smiled prettily at Ellis.
Her breath caught.
"But, Yuin."
"Yeah?"
"Um... next time we meet, can I just touch your cheeks once?"
She desperately wanted to squeeze those sticky rice cake cheeks right now, but they were practically strangers.
Still... next time should be fine, right?
"No way. Yeonwoo—no, Yuin isn't a baby."
"...Okay."
But Yeonwoo was firm.
Jiyeong swallowed a laugh bubbling up from behind and said,
"Then, once the lyrics are done, we'll see about cheeks?"
"Ah, yes. Sunbae-nim. I'll finish them quick and contact you!"
"Alright. Yeonwoo, time to head out?"
"Yeah!"
Yeonwoo nodded, took his aunt's hand, and left Ellis's studio.
"Hmm... things are working out nicely?"
Jiyeong glanced back at the studio with a satisfied smile.
She'd wanted to meet Ellis in the first place because a top producer's hands would launch Yeonwoo's songs perfectly.
She'd expected to be in the weaker position, but Ellis wanted them even more desperately.
Unlike Taein, who tried to dictate even chord progressions.
Thanks to that, Yeonwoo could demand what he wanted musically, and she—handling the financial and legal adult negotiations—could push for more money or whatever for him.
Pleased with that, she smiled just as Yeonwoo eyed her suspiciously and asked,
"Huh? What's working out?"
"Nothing, Yeonwoo. Just grown-up stuff."
"Grown-up stuff? What's that? Grown-ups are so weird. You're relaxed at home, but out here you're all serious."
"Heh heh heh, Auntie has to play grown-up outside to make money."
"Yeonwoo will make money without being a grown-up."
"You could totally do it."
"Yeah, I can."
Jiyeong smiled at Yeonwoo nodding confidently.
By the way...
"I'm hungry. Wanna grab food before heading home, Yeonwoo?"
"We gotta go home, Auntie."
"Huh? Aw, come on, let's eat first. Auntie'll buy something yummy. Okay?"
"If we don't go home, Grandma eats alone. She'd be lonely. Yeonwoo has to go eat with her."
*Oh my...*
*What a grandma's boy.*
*What's so great about that ice queen...* Though to Yeonwoo, she was nothing but warm spring sunshine.
"Hmph, I'm hurt. Auntie wants to eat just the two of us sometime."
"Next time. Next time. We'll eat whatever Auntie wants. Promise?"
Yeonwoo patted his whining, childlike aunt and led the way.
"...This kid's no joke at push-pull."
Jiyeong stared in disbelief before shouting, "Wait up!" and chasing after him.
Yeonwoo held his aunt's hand as they headed home.