Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Captivating Voice
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The innate voice was more than enough to captivate anyone.
Lee Si-eun had a pleasant voice even when speaking normally, but when she started singing, that beautiful voice truly shone.
Everyone listened to her voice, utterly entranced, for a moment.
"Sis, everything's great, but the pitch in that part you just sang is off. You need to sing it a bit lower."
-How much lower?
"Listen carefully to the pitch in that phrase."
-I can't really hear it?
"Like this."
All eyes turned to Yeonwoo, who was demonstrating the pitch on the piano keys.
Even from behind, anyone could tell he was just a young boy. Yet here he was, inside the booth, directing Lee Si-eun.
Park Sung-guk looked at Park Soo-hyuk and asked.
"That kid's Yuin?"
"Yeah."
Park Sung-guk turned his gaze back to Yeonwoo.
In the meantime, Yeonwoo was giving instructions to the engineer, Fuji Wakana.
How in the world does that look like an elementary school kid?
Park Sung-guk, who had already heard from Park Soo-hyuk that Yuin was Yeonwoo, accepted it quickly.
He was more rational and pragmatic than he seemed.
The moment he confirmed Yeonwoo was Yuin, he stopped thinking about his age and recalled the work Yeonwoo had produced instead.
When you think about the work, age doesn't matter.
This industry was one rolled along by 99% mediocrity and just 1% geniuses anyway.
Yeonwoo—no, Yuin—was simply an even more special existence within that 1%.
Deep down, he wanted to publicize Yeonwoo's existence on a massive scale, if only there weren't the nondisclosure agreement.
-The song's done. How was it?
In the meantime, the recording had finished.
-Huh? Oh, yeah?
Lee Si-eun looked at the people beyond the booth with a flustered expression.
She must have been so immersed in the song that she hadn't noticed them there.
"You can come out now, sis."
Lee Si-eun emerged from the booth, her face flushed red.
Park Sung-guk clapped as he watched her.
"Wow, it's amazing! The song is incredible! Writer, what do you think? Doesn't it feel like our drama's already a hit just from hearing this song?"
"The real OST and Lee Si-eun's voice as an actress seem like a perfect match. Did you make this tailored to Lee Si-eun's voice?"
Yoon Jin-ah said that while looking at Yeonwoo, her pupils shaking in shock. She still couldn't reconcile that Yuin was Yeonwoo.
Yeonwoo nodded nonchalantly, ignoring Yoon Jin-ah's reaction.
"But there's one thing that's a bit lacking. This song is ultimately punk rock, right? Honestly, it needs to be sung with more power and more vibrancy."
Park Sung-guk nodded and said.
"I was just about to say that... You get it without me explaining the intent. But just to confirm one last time... You're Yuin, right...?"
Since the kid was young enough to be his son, Park Sung-guk accidentally slipped into casual speech before hastily switching back to polite and asking Yuin.
Yuin nodded.
"Yes, I'm Yuin."
"Yes, I'm Park Sung-guk, the PD in charge of directing. And this is..."
"Yoon Jin-ah, the writer. The friends in the back are..."
"I know the rest. We did the audition together."
Yeonwoo said that and then looked at the PD and writer.
"You know, I made some theme music for the members and BGM based on their vibes. Want to listen and give me your thoughts? That's why I begged my aunt to let me meet you in person."
Aunt?
"I'm his aunt."
That explained why Shin Jiyeong had been taking calls as his representative.
So they were aunt and nephew.
Park Sung-guk nodded repeatedly and looked at Yeonwoo.
"Sure, let's do that. Let's all sit down and listen to the tracks prepared by our composer Yuin... no, Music Director Yuin!"
Everyone took their seats, and Yeonwoo played the songs he had made for "High Teen Rock 'n' Roll" in sequence.
From gentle flowing tracks to lively teen-feeling songs, and even ones filled with tension.
After listening to the various background music, neither Park Sung-guk nor anyone else dismissed Yeonwoo as a child anymore.
Music made by a genius was more than enough to captivate hearts.
* * *
Other people might not know, but at least Park Sung-guk was the type who, after filming the drama, would send the footage and ask for background music to be made.
But Yeonwoo's tracks were perfect, so it seemed like they'd mostly just pass on minor requests and use them as-is.
Having wrapped up drama-related work at a speed unimaginable to others, Yeonwoo finally met Ellis after a long time.
"Yuin, do you think Hadass can succeed in Japan?"
Ellis asked cautiously, gazing at the still small, cute, and precious Yeonwoo.
"I don't know!"
Yeonwoo answered brightly to Ellis's question.
"But tell me it'll go well..."
"We have to make it go well. That's why I'm here, right?!"
The boy's words were so reassuring.
Yeonwoo casually pulled out his tablet and stylus and said.
"What's the concept for this album?"
As soon as Yeonwoo started work, his expression turned serious. It was endlessly lovable, but Ellis was a pro too.
She matched him with a serious expression.
"Something that's guaranteed to work in Japan."
Yeonwoo recalled the Japanese situation he had researched before today's meeting.
Of course, it wasn't Yeonwoo who researched it himself—it was advice from Grandpa Shunki and the company.
"For Korean idols to succeed among Japanese idols, they absolutely have to be distinctly Korean."
"Right? So, for this one, I'm thinking of something with more charisma and power on stage. Like girl crush vibes."
"Is girl crush trending in our country right now?"
"Um, not really."
"Then that's too cliché, so let's do something else."
Ellis realized that Yeonwoo's language skills had improved a lot since they'd last met.
Talking to a kid felt like chatting with a middle or high schooler—no, considering kids these days, it was like talking to an adult.
"Then what would be good? What's Yuin think?"
"I'd like a concept that fits Aunt Ellis. Aunt Ellis isn't someone who follows—she leads."
"Leads... people...!"
That means I'm a trendsetter?
Ellis's heart skipped a beat.
How could he say something that made her feel so good?
"So, go with whatever concept Aunt Ellis wants to push."
Ellis thought seriously about Yeonwoo's words and then said.
"Um... Japan and Korea are close, right? I mean, really close."
"Yeah, I went to Fukuoka before, and it took about an hour by plane."
Even Tokyo was at most two and a half hours by plane.
Including time to the airport and boarding, it was less than half a day.
"But why?"
"Oh, it's just..."
The reason Ellis was pondering this was...
"I have an idea for the next album concept?"
"Not for Japan, but Korea?"
"Yes. But hearing you say that, I want to push this concept, but it feels wasteful to use it only in Japan."
"Oh, you want to do activities simultaneously in Korea too?"
"More precisely, activities in Korea first, then Japan a bit later."
Yeonwoo let out an impressed "Oh."
Build popularity in Korea and then push into Japan?
It sounded good.
"Then tell me the concept. I'll make some songs."
"Um, the concept I'm thinking of is..."
Ellis fiddled with her smartphone in front of Yeonwoo and played a song for him.
Yeonwoo's ears perked up.
"This is...? Huh, it's a genre I've heard somewhere before."
"It's called techno."
Yeonwoo listened to the repetitive, intense beat and tilted his head.
"It feels too simple."
"So I'm thinking of something more sophisticated, like tech house."
Ellis played new music. With techno and house combined, it became a more refined song.
Yeonwoo listened to the tech house genre and nodded.
"Ah, I get the vibe now."
"Yeah, I want the music based on tech house, and the fashion concept on techno. So Yuin just needs to make tech house-based music. What do you think? Want to do it together?"
Yeonwoo thought about it.
Tech house, huh.
Would it be fun?
Honestly, he wasn't sure.
But working with Ellis and Hadass was fun.
"Sure, let's do it."
"Wow!!! Really?!"
Ellis beamed and grabbed Yeonwoo's hand. Yeonwoo looked at the delighted Ellis and smiled back.
"Then I'll make a few tracks first. We'll talk then, Aunt."
"Yes, yes!!"
Yeonwoo finished the meeting with Ellis and turned around.
"Done with work?"
"Yeah, Dad."
Jihoon was there.
On this rare weekend, Jihoon had come to Ellis's studio with Yeonwoo instead of Jiyeong, curious to see how his son worked.
"Then let's go. We'll head out now."
"Yep!"
Ellis gaped, mouth open, as she watched Jihoon smiling while holding Yeonwoo's hand.
Would Yeonwoo grow up to look like that?
She wasn't sure about anything else, but the eyes were strikingly similar.
Unlike the delicate Yeonwoo, his manly dad bowed politely to Ellis once more and left the studio with Yeonwoo.
"Yeonwoo, so now you're going to Japan?"
"No, I think I'll make songs for Hadass first."
"I see. Our Yeonwoo's working hard."
"Yeah. Because it's fun."
"Uh, aren't you curious how much is piling up in your bank account?"
"I used to be, but now even when I spend money, way more keeps coming in, so I'm not curious anymore. I just think, 'Oh, I have a lot of money.'"
The past year.
Excluding songs not yet released, Yeonwoo had put out a total of 11 songs into the world.
Most of them had topped the charts, and all were still solidly in the top 50 on most streaming platforms, led by Mango.
Who was it that said the best savings was copyright royalties?
An enormous amount was accumulating in Yeonwoo's account every month.
And since Yeonwoo wasn't spending it, he had enough now to buy not just the Bucheon apartment, but one in Seoul.
In just one year.
But Yeonwoo didn't care about money.
He'd stubbornly insist on using his own money when he wanted something occasionally, but even then, it was like scooping a ladle of water from a well.
"Dad, do you need money by any chance? If so, tell Yeonwoo. I'll lend you some."
"What? Lend to Dad? Not give?"
Of course, Jihoon had no intention of actually taking the money, but he teasingly pretended to be hurt.
Yeonwoo responded firmly.
"Aunt said money matters between people have to be strict. But for family, taking interest would be petty, so no interest."
"...Did Aunt ask to borrow money by any chance?"
"No, not that. But she wouldn't lend anyway. No credit."
Jihoon burst out laughing.
"Yeah, your aunt's not reliable."
...Big bro never takes little sister's side. Not even in front of his son.
"But if she really looks struggling, she'd lend a little. She's family, after all."
"Our Yeonwoo's so kind."
The doting dad praised his son, who showed a shred of sympathy for his aunt, and they went to eat sushi, as Yeonwoo had wanted.