Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The Perfect Match
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Jiyeong wasted no time after returning to Korea, sending the song Yeonwoo had given her to agencies everywhere. She compiled a list of the ones that proposed working together and showed it to Yeonwoo.
"Yeonwoo, about ten places got back to us wanting to collaborate. What do you think?"
Yeonwoo looked at the list his aunt had given him and said,
"Aunt, I don't know anything about stuff like this."
"It's just a rough idea. Seven of them want you to work on new albums for their existing artists, and three want you to produce songs for debuting idols."
Deep down, Yeonwoo wanted to provide songs for producing new idols.
He found the process of creating Hadass so much fun.
But on the other hand, he didn't like that it wouldn't be singers just for him.
If he was going to produce them, he wanted to stick with his own songs all the way.
"What about Grandpa Shunji investing?"
Even if he had to produce debuting idols or singers, Yeonwoo had decided he wouldn't get involved anymore unless it was with this company.
In that situation, Shunji's offer was like rain in a drought.
It was a way to reach his goal faster.
Respecting Yeonwoo's thinking, Jihoon agreed to accept Shunji's proposal.
Jiyeong felt the same.
"People from their side will come soon, and then we'll get things rolling properly."
"Yeah. Until then, I'll focus on making new albums or giving songs."
"Sounds good? So which one for the new album?"
"Do they have YouTube videos?"
"Of course."
Jiyeong turned to her computer, pulled up YouTube, and played their videos one by one.
Six were idol groups, and one was a solo singer.
As Yeonwoo watched their videos, he also checked the fairies' reactions.
Overall, no team stood out exceptionally.
The blue fairies reacted similarly.
Normally, Yeonwoo would make the final call in cases like this, but there was something else now.
He observed the yellow fairies' reactions.
Brighter on adult matters than anyone, they would tell him which of these would make the most money.
"The first idol group is the most famous one, right, Aunt?"
"Yeah. They're with a major agency and top-tier idols. The most famous out of all these."
Maybe because of that, they shone the brightest, with the most yellow fairies.
Yeonwoo, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.
"Aunt, can you mute this video and play the song I gave you?"
"Sure."
Soon, the song Yeonwoo had given played. Matching it with the idols, new yellow fairies began to spawn, lighting up the surroundings in yellow.
Yeonwoo checked the other six teams this way too.
The results were unexpected.
When matched with the new song, the one that spawned the most fairies and shone the brightest wasn't the top-tier first group.
"Let's go with these guys."
It was the team Jiyeong had introduced last among the idols.
"Really? These guys debuted later than Hadass, and their debut song flopped."
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
In the video they showed for sure, they had the fewest fairies.
The song itself was so bad that even red fairies popped out.
There were few yellow ones too.
But when replayed with the new song matched, it was a different story.
Brighter than the top first-place idols, countless fairies spawned.
Anyone could see these were the owners of this song.
"Let's do these guys, Aunt."
"You sure?"
"Don't you like them, Aunt?"
"Hmm... Honestly, I was drawn to them too. Their agency's mid-sized, not small, but since they self-produced and the group flopped, they're fully handing it over. And the kids' visuals are good."
"Then let's go with them. Oh, I'll rearrange the song and give it back to you, Aunt."
"Does this song even need rearranging? It seems perfect."
"No, after hanging out with Aunt Himari, I see some things missing. I'll do it quick."
"...Okay."
Jiyeong stuck out her tongue watching Yeonwoo, who seemed even more advanced in the meantime.
Meanwhile, Yeonwoo went to his room and finished the arrangement in a flash, sending it to his aunt.
"Now, shall I make some songs?"
After hearing he needed money to create his own idols or singers, Yeonwoo's motivation surged.
He wanted to make lots of songs, earn money, and create the singers and idols he envisioned.
"Fairies, let's work."
The blue fairies started dancing excitedly, while yellow ones gauged how much his songs would sell.
Yeonwoo made songs that the yellow fairies overreacted to and, conversely, ones the blue fairies reacted intensely to.
The reactions were almost the same, despite sounding opposite.
Just that the ones blue fairies loved especially were deeper and more complex, while the yellow-heavy ones were simpler and more addictive.
From this, Yeonwoo realized popularity and money were linked.
An adult might infer it easily, but Yeonwoo approached it a bit harder—though the conclusion was...
'You're not as capable as you think, huh?'
No need to gauge with yellow fairies; his ears and the blue fairies were enough.
Shunji's yellow fairy leader shook hands frantically, denying it intensely.
'Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean it like that.'
Yeonwoo soothed Shunji's fairy and looked at the monitor.
Thinking about it, these yellow fairies reacted to people beyond the screen too.
Maybe, from Yeonwoo's view, their true value shone in judging people?
But then it was weird—Shunji's fairies didn't react to his aunt, Aunt Himari, or Grandma.
'You're a mystery.'
Times like this, Yeonwoo really wished the fairies could talk.
Feeling frustrated, he searched Tate mura Shunji on his tablet PC.
Maybe knowing the fairy's origin would give answers.
No dedicated wiki, but some news articles popped up.
"Tate mura Shunji... sees music trends and... potential...... potential?"
Maybe they didn't react to already complete people without a song?
Since they'd make money anyway?
"Hmm......"
Yeonwoo soon put down the tablet.
He could churn out good songs anytime, but adults' complicated situations were beyond him.
"Yeonwoo, time to go."
While pondering, Jiyeong opened the door.
Already time to head home?
"Yeah, let's go."
Yeonwoo jumped up.
"What's for dinner? Wanna guess on the way home?"
"Yeah! I bet bulgogi or spicy pork stir-fry!"
"Then kimchi stew for me."
"Sounds tasty."
"Not too spicy?"
"It's spicy, but I like it."
"Cool? Our Yeonwoo's a real man."
Aunt and nephew held hands, chatting warmly as they headed home.
* * *
Three days after returning from Japan.
Yeonwoo woke early and bustled about.
Today was his first day back at daycare after Japan.
Having stayed in Japan for half a month, then missing over a week due to renovations and weekends, he was thrilled to play with friends again.
So excited, he barely touched his favorite meal, brushed teeth and washed face without being told, threw on his daycare uniform in a flash, and double-checked his packed bag over and over.
Seeing him like that, Heo Ok smiled and said,
"That exciting?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna play the song I made for my friends."
"Fart or booger?"
"Yeah!"
Heo Ok chuckled at Yeonwoo's beaming smile.
He looked just like a regular kid then.
Not knowing analog clocks, constantly checking his smartphone for time—Heo Ok stood, wrapped a scarf snugly around his neck, and tucked a hot pack into his jacket.
Whether from warm Japan or this winter's unusual cold, his face froze red just stepping out.
He might not feel it much, but Grandma's heart wasn't the same.
Worried about a cold, she bundled him tight.
Having wrapped Yeonwoo up securely, Heo Ok checked the time and said,
"Ready to go now?"
"Yes!"
Yeonwoo dashed out ahead of Heo Ok. Cold wind whooshed, but he ignored it, holding Grandma's hand firmly as he marched to daycare.
"Yeonwoo!!"
"Whoa, Yeonwoo's here!!"
"Yeonwoo, play piano!!"
No sooner had he entered than same-class kids swarmed him like they'd been waiting.
Yeonwoo held back the rushing kids and looked around.
"Kids, where's Teacher Chae Hayeon?"
"Teacher said she's late today. What was it?"
"Something about YouTube filming?"
"YouTube?"
Yeonwoo tilted his head.
Why would Teacher Chae Hayeon suddenly film YouTube?
"Yeonwoo, play piano, please?"
Whatever.
Just play piano.
Truth was, he'd been looking forward to today.
The moment of playing the kid-laugh sonata for his friends.
"Kids, I made a song. It's about poop, farts, and boogers."
Kids burst into giggles at "poop" and "farts" the moment he said it.
Then Yeonwoo's performance began.
Amazingly, the kids guessed his intentions, using the song as backing to mimic poop and fart sounds.
Laughter never stopped, of course.
With nonstop laughs from the older class, even younger class kids came to watch.
And the laughter spread fast.
"We're home."
Around then, arriving Chae Hayeon heard the explosive kids' laughter and asked the director greeting her, puzzled.
"Director, what's going on?"
"Yeonwoo's back."
"Yeonwoo? But..."
To Chae Hayeon, Yeonwoo's godlike piano made even fidgety kids sit still and appreciate.
What phenomenon was this?
"Yeonwoo's composing and playing poop, farts, and boogers."
"...Pardon?"
"Sigh, kids lose it over poop or farts straight from the mouth, no matter what. Decades teaching, and I still don't get it."
"Yeah."
Chae Hayeon smiled, heading to the older class full of her beloved kids.
Younger class kids crowded the bursting older class; she saw Yeonwoo's back, pouring everything into the piano.
Overjoyed, she shouted,
"Kids, teacher's here!! Yeonwoo!!"
Yeonwoo turned at Chae Hayeon's voice.
"Teacher!!"
Yeonwoo grinned brightly.
Chae Hayeon made a heart-struck face at that spine-tingling pretty smile.
Conversely, Yeonwoo flinched and looked aside.
"Huh?"
Why was she like that?
While Chae Hayeon wondered,
Yeonwoo looked at the fairy trembling beside him.
It was none other than Shunji's fairy.
'What's wrong?'
At those words, Shunji's fairy began glowing.
The glow soon lit up Chae Hayeon, with yellow fairies spawning around her.
Yeonwoo widened his eyes at Shunji's fairy.
Shunji's fairy, rarely so excited, gave Yeonwoo a thumbs-up.