Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: Black Diamond is Born
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[Black Pearl, into Yuin's arms.]
[Black Pearl, building a new nest at SSHIN.]
[Black Pearl, full group transfer complete. Continuing group activities.]
"Fuck...."
BS's head, Byeongsu, irritably tossed his smartphone aside.
"What all have I done for those bastards?"
He reminisced about the past.
But it was all just by his own standards, a beautified memory.
He'd left them rotting in a semi-basement where water poured in through the windows whenever it rained for two years, then shoved them into a tiny rooftop room until debut.
All the while, he'd squeezed every last drop out of them and pulled all sorts of power trips until the kids wised up.
And yet, those kids had politely called him CEO and tried to settle things amicably—only for BS CEO Jo Byeongsu to kick it all to the curb.
"Exactly, bro. Those punks never had any manners from the start."
Dong Yujin—the guy Black Pearl had tried to negotiate with—spoke up from across the desk, legs crossed.
Jo Byeongsu shot him a glare.
"Yeah, you're right. Just cleanly end the contract, and you whip up a new idol group. We're not short on cash right now anyway. What good's keeping around a bunch of has-beens?"
"That's the play. Look, bro—last year's album tanked, and the one before that too. I poured my soul into those, but the kids just don't sell anymore. What era do you think this is? These days, the juice is gone after five years flat. Hell, popularity fades in two or three."
"Yeah, yeah, you're spot on. We've got plenty of trainees, so if you're itching, cast some and make a solid new group."
At Jo Byeongsu's words, Dong Yujin stood, bowing his head politely.
As he turned to leave the office, Dong Yujin paused, looking back at Jo Byeongsu.
"The new recruits... we going with Black Pearl Generation 2?"
"Keep the Black Pearl name as is?"
"They loved the name Black Pearl. It's a fuck-you to them too, and calling it Gen 2 makes it sound like we cut them loose to start fresh, not like the contract fell through, right?"
"Well, the name's ours anyway. Yeah, do whatever you want."
Jo Byeongsu fully trusted Dong Yujin and left it in his hands.
"Sigh, but that SSHIN.... Shin Jiyeong, was it? That damn bitch got some balls."
Somehow, Jo Byeongsu recalled Shin Jiyeong groveling to him back when she wanted songs for Black Pearl.
"Let's see if she can make it big with those has-beens."
With that, Jo Byeongsu sank back into the sofa.
* * *
[BS ENT, recruiting Black Pearl Gen 2.]
[Existing trainees + 2 new hires from survival show, Gen 2 launch planned.]
[BS's do-or-die new project. Black Pearl's comeback?]
[Original Black Pearl can no longer perform as Black Pearl.]
[BS holds trademark on group name, no transfer possible—official notice.]
Jia bit her lip hard as she read the news articles.
"I figured they wouldn't give up the name, but starting a whole Gen 2 with it? Never saw that coming."
Honestly, she'd expected them to debut a knockoff girl group with a similar concept and image once they left.
But who could've guessed they'd straight-up hijack their own name?
"What do we do now?"
At Jia's question, the members exchanged glances. Miyu spoke up.
"Shouldn't we just go with a new name?"
"Yeah, true."
"We can't use Black Pearl anymore anyway."
"We knew this was coming when we left. The CEO—no, not anymore—that Byeongsu guy wasn't gonna hand it over."
"Right, no way he'd give it up."
"So what's our new name?"
The members' eyes turned to their leader, Jia.
"Well... shouldn't we ask the company first? We can't just decide on our own, right? Let's go see PD-nim."
"Oh, PD-nim."
"Yeah, let's go visit—er, ask PD-nim."
"PD-nim's a genius, so he'll have the answer."
"PD-nim likes food, right? Let's grab something tasty on the way."
"Yeah, good idea."
...The contract clearly stated that the group decides all major directions first—preliminary decision by the group, then final agreement.
They didn't really need to go to Yeonwoo right now, let alone at all.
The one handling external approvals was Jiyeong, who managed outside activities among the co-CEOs.
But they needed an excuse.
An excuse to see Yeonwoo.
They hopped into the dedicated road manager's van and company-provided car, heading straight to the office.
Their destination: the fifth floor, home to the century's genius goblin who clutched the magic bat printing out gold—churning hit after hit for pure profit.
There were other recording booths for everyone else, but with Yeonwoo's private office and booth, it was the one spot company folks tiptoed around.
But actually stepping onto the fifth floor? It felt more like SSHIN's cradle.
The elevator doors slid open to reveal Yeonwoo's absolute favorite from the Power Rangers series: a life-size Red Force figure from Dino King Force, greeting everyone.
This was SSHIN's heart?
But it didn't end there.
The hallway had long vertical display cases carved into both walls, filled with every Power Rangers robot toy from past seasons.
Gifts from the company, thanking Yeonwoo for composing songs for each season free of charge.
It was his most cherished personal space.
"The manager oppa says you gotta pass through here with reverence."
"What does that even mean?"
"He says it's PD-nim's holy ground."
"Hard to believe sometimes."
"What is?"
"That our PD-nim's younger than my little brother."
"Shh, he hates being called young. Don't say it where he might hear."
"Yeah, yeah."
A mix of slight tension and mostly excitement buzzing, the members stood before the office door and knocked.
"Come in!"
A spirited child's voice from inside.
Just hearing it lifted their moods, lips curling into unstoppable grins as they opened the door with beaming faces.
"PD-nim!"
"Hello!"
They greeted as they entered. Yeonwoo sat at his desk, headphones on, staring intently at the computer monitor.
Even with kid-sized headphones—custom-made for him—his tiny head made the whole look adorably cute.
But looks could be deceiving.
The members, cheeks twitching with suppressed giggles, suddenly sobered under some inexplicable aura from Yeonwoo.
What was it? Why did it feel so intimidating?
Looking closer, his usually soft eyes were sharply narrowed.
Right, the road manager had said it.
When he's making music, Yeonwoo's a whole different person.
Looks like he was composing right now.
"Oh, sorry, noonas. Finishing up something. Come on in."
Yeonwoo wrapped up what he was doing, stood from his chair, and gave the members a deep bow from the navel.
The members, on the verge of goofy grins at "noonas," felt something thud heavily in their chests at his polite bow.
Was it their hearts dropping?
Anyway, too cute.
"I was actually gonna call you all to talk music anyway."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but what's up with you noonas?"
At Yeonwoo's question.
"Uh, well."
"You see."
"Um...."
"We...."
"Yes...."
All five blurted at once, then shot each other dagger glares.
Normally Jia would speak for them, but this time, no way they were yielding.
But Jia wasn't leader for nothing. Oldest, and with the charisma to wrangle these strong personalities. (Secret: they'd settled the pecking order hair-pulling as kids.)
With a single look quelling her sisters' rebellion, Jia spoke for the group.
"You know we can't use our old name anymore?"
"Yeah, Aunt told me."
"So we need a new one, and we were wondering if you had any ideas."
Yeonwoo pondered for a moment, then scratched his head.
"Ah, I'm not great at this stuff...."
"Then how about we throw out names, and you raise your hand for ones you like?"
"Yeah, sounds good! Let's all sit over there."
At Yeonwoo's words, they settled onto the office sofas together.
The members racked their brains, pitching group name ideas one by one.
"We were Black Pearl, so how about Pink Pearl this time?"
"Even if PD-nim okays it, I'm against. Too similar—they'd sue us into oblivion."
"Yeah, they hate seeing us succeed, so like unnie said, lawsuit city."
"If we're keeping it similar, better stick with Black."
"Black Storm?"
"Sounds like a video game."
"PD-nim veto."
"Black High? Like we're rising higher than Black Pearl."
"That's on hold."
"We've always been fierce characters. Black Thunder?"
"Sounds like a superhero's finisher move."
"Hard making something cool with Black, huh?"
"Black Stone!! How's this?"
"What, we rocks now?"
"Like, we're tougher now!"
At Miyu's pitch, Yeonwoo, who'd been listening quietly, chimed in.
"How about... Black Diamond?"
"Black Diamond?"
"If you're going with Stone to mean tougher than Black Pearl, why not the toughest—Diamond?"
The members eyed each other.
"Black Diamond... not bad?"
"Gives off a premium vibe."
"Black Diamond it is?"
"I'm for it."
"Me too. Logo could look slick too. Black diamond shape, something fancy."
"You draw good, Miyu—sketch a concept!"
With seven years in the trenches, they were already deep in talks about concepts, logos, symbols.
Yeonwoo watched his pleased noonas warmly, then said.
"And I made a song fitting your old concept?"
"For us?"
"Yeah. Give it a listen."
With that, Yeonwoo played the track through the office speakers.
A fierce EDM sound blasted from the start, filling the room.
It built on Ignite from last time—the EDM trend Yeonwoo was pushing.
Richer, more intense, more addictive sound, perfectly inheriting Black Pearl—no, Black Diamond's musical DNA right now.
Inherit? No.
This was evolution.
The pinnacle of the music they'd always chased.
Jia voiced her instant thought after hearing it.
"No promo needed—this is drop-the-lyrics-and-release-NOW material. As Black Diamond."
"Huh? Well, I could... but why rush? Better prep more and—"
Yeonwoo asked worriedly, but Jia grinned.
"We beat Black Pearl Gen 2 to the punch, steal all their spotlight first."
Hearing that, the other members flashed similar grins.
Yeonwoo felt like those were the smirks of villains plotting from the shadows.
'...Should've gone with Black Villain?'