Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Yuri & Annosuke's Debut
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The track had turned out brilliantly, so Nanase got right to work with renewed enthusiasm.
She blended her roster of young, fresh-sensing talents with the most seasoned veterans in the industry to craft the marketing and concept, and under JOP's banner, she secured Japan's top lyricist available at the moment.
And what about the recording studio?
Finding the headquarters' somewhat plain setup lacking, Nanase had initially aimed to book JOP's best external studio but pivoted instead, bringing in state-of-the-art equipment to the main office.
On top of that, she installed an AI climate control system to keep the space comfortable.
It handled air purification, of course, but also heating and cooling, humidification and dehumidification tailored to the set temperature and environment.
And crowning it all, above this state-of-the-art recording studio hung...
柔仁 錄音室
Yuin Studio
...a nameplate proclaiming it a space dedicated solely to Yuin.
It was meant to showcase how much JOP cherished Yuin, while also boosting the morale of the trainees handpicked by JOP's top producer for his guidance.
At any rate, everything was in place, and things were proceeding smoothly.
But they still hadn't nailed the most important detail.
"Bear and horse vibe, so Umaguma? Kumauuma?"
"North and south origins, so Kitamina?"
"Siblings, so Brother and Sister..."
"How about Yuin's Kids?"
The team name.
One dud suggestion after another kept coming.
This was true not just for the members themselves but even back at JOP headquarters.
"Ah, this is tough."
"Running out of ideas already?"
"You're not coming up with any either."
"I'm... out..."
Yeonwoo watched these people, who were more serious about picking a team name than actually recording, with a look of utter disdain.
"Just go with Yuri and Annosuke."
"...If we're doing that, shouldn't it be Annosuke & Yuri since I'm older?"
"Hang on, if it's gonna be lame like that, we should do what Yeonwoo said! Yuri and Annosuke!"
"I won't accept it!"
"Rock-paper-scissors it is!"
...And so, their team name became Yuri & Annosuke.
Now everything was truly ready.
JOP launched a massive promotional campaign.
A short teaser dropped on their official YouTube channel.
Late at night, against Tokyo's dazzling nightscape twinkling like stars in the sky, the silhouettes of Yuri and Annosuke emerged, followed by the text:
YURI & ANNOSUKE
20XX.07.01
Then, as a brief intro melody played, the screen shifted to show small, delicate hands striking piano keys, with new text appearing:
Producer by. YUIN
The teaser ended there and rocketed up Japan's trending videos as JOP fans swarmed it.
[Yuin is a boy?]
[Those small, childish hands on the keys— is the owner Yuin, who produced Yuri & Annosuke?]
[Yuin starting to reveal his true identity.]
[The arrival of a once-in-a-generation genius boy?]
Japanese media jumped in, speculating wildly about Yuin's identity based on that tiny hand in the teaser, pumping out articles and reports left and right. Naturally, the public's attention followed.
-No way it's a girl's hand, right?
-Looks like it could only belong to some elementary school kid no matter how you slice it.
-Bait?
-If they're showing this much, it's definitely not just bait.
-Yuin wasn't the grandma—it was the kid next to her.
-Any info from Korea?
-Korea's a jazz wasteland, so barely anyone knows who Jade is, let alone Yuin.
-Yuin's Yuin, but I'm hyped for the debut showcase anyway—Himura vouched for this genius producer's kids.
-Yeah, can't wait to see how good they are.
-JOP's never hyped a debut this hard, so the talent's gotta be legit.
-How long do we have to wait...
-July 1st isn't far off.
-Gonna need to ticket this?
-10,000 seats? A debut showcase capping at 10k and people calling it 'just'...
Interest that started with Yuin soon shifted entirely to Yuri and Annosuke.
* * *
In the recording studio built solely for Yeonwoo, recording was underway as usual.
One might wonder why, even after the massive promo push, they still weren't done— the issue was Yeonwoo.
He wasn't satisfied and kept pushing for more takes.
This situation drew not just Yeonwoo, Yuri, Annosuke, and Wakana—the SSHIN engineer who'd returned from Korea—but even Shuji and Nanase to the studio prepared just for him.
Nanase spoke to Yeonwoo with utmost politeness.
"Yuin, the showcase is right around the corner. If we don't wrap recording soon—even a day sooner—we might not make the album release date."
"Yeah, I know. You said latest tomorrow, right? We're almost at the end anyway."
Yeonwoo said this while glancing at Yuri and Annosuke.
"Planning to finish the title track today."
Yuri and Annosuke nodded in unison.
-[You said meat for dinner if we finish today. We're doing it.]
-[Yeah, even if the sky falls, we ain't skipping yakiniku. We're eating.]
How could they be so chipper after days of Yeonwoo's nagging and nitpicking?
Nanase couldn't help wondering what kind of mental fortitude these kids had.
"Alright, let's start? Wakana sis, play that last bit we cut yesterday."
"Mm."
Wakana played back the section Yeonwoo had recorded and trimmed as instructed.
It was the moment just before the chorus kicked in—Yuri gradually raising her key as Annosuke layered in harmonies.
Nanase and Shuji exchanged awestruck looks upon hearing it.
"Bro, sis—pick up from here? You got this?"
-[Feels good today. Stomach's empty, so motivation's high.]
-[Yeah. Let's sing and go eat. Haven't had a bite.]
"'Kay, let's go."
The second Yeonwoo gave the word, Wakana replayed yesterday's track.
As the chorus approached, the two opened their mouths toward their mics.
The harmonies they'd practiced relentlessly flowed through the speakers.
Nanase, mesmerized by their flawless synergy, glanced at Shuji.
She prided herself on being ready to take the company reins after him, but she still lacked one thing.
Eye for talent.
How had Shuji scouted these radiant prodigies?
She honestly worried if she could ever match that instinct.
"What're you staring at? Impressed? Those two kids are something, right?"
"Way too good..."
Nanase was agreeing with Shuji when she trailed off.
Yeonwoo had cut the track.
"You two seriously— what's up?"
-[Huh? What?]
-[Wasn't it good?]
"Same old habits creeping in. Bro, you're breathing too loud, dragging the tempo, pitch too low. Sis, you're straining your throat too hard—blend with his voice, don't overpower it?"
-[Oh, sorry...]
-[I'll watch it.]
"Keep this up, no meat tonight?!"
At Yeonwoo's stern threat, the two paled and shot to attention.
"Alright, again."
Nanase cocked her head at Yeonwoo's direction.
"Uncle, it sounded perfect to me. That many issues?"
"Dunno, maybe my ears are going. Some spots, yeah... but hard to say. Yeonwoo's got the sharpest ears around, though. He's right."
"Hmm... Does it really need to be that perfect...? Feels like only Yeonwoo gets it..."
"Music folks are like that. Gotta be perfect for them, or no regrets, no satisfaction."
Still, wasn't that a bit much? Even the AI would approve.
Nanase tilted her head, but Yeonwoo's rigorous producing continued.
The silver lining: the two finally hit a take Yeonwoo approved, securing meat for dinner that night.
The finished tracks went straight to album production after Wakana's post-processing.
Now, for the two of them, only July 1st and the debut stage remained.
* * *
Compared to Fukuoka, Yeonwoo's first visit spot, Tokyo was far less sweltering.
Maybe just a tad hotter than Korea?
But with record heatwaves worldwide year after year, early July now boasted 31 degrees—nothing like the past.
Because of it, the Yuri & Annosuke debut showcase venue had the AC blasting well in advance.
"Isn't it too cold?"
Reporters, who'd arrived before fans to claim seats, started grumbling about the chill.
But with 10,000 attendees, it'd heat up fast once the show started, so this temp was ideal.
"Speaking of, is Yuin really a kid?"
"Dunno, but Sankyu seemed pretty sure."
"Even so... Himura taking tracks from a child? Hard to buy."
"You saw that kid hand in the teaser?"
"That's just a ploy to drum up buzz for the debut, right?"
Some reporters still doubted Yeonwoo's identity.
"Well, time will tell."
For now, it was time to cover JOP's hotly anticipated rookies.
As the reporters chatted and checked their cameras and laptops, audiences began filing in.
For a debut showcase, an unprecedented 10,000 packed the house, and JOP's emcee took the stage—a fairly well-known comedian in Japan.
"Yuri and Annosuke here are the geniuses Demon King Datemura scouted on his journeys across the warm south and frigid north."
The emcee hyped the crowd while introducing them.
From Japan's warmest southern shores and coldest northern reaches, brought by Datemura—still called the Demon King and towering over J-pop—the audience gasped in awe.
"A matchup that seemed impossible, made real by President Datemura himself. Get ready for something special, folks. Introducing Yuri & Annosuke!"
Yuri and Annosuke hit the stage and launched into song.
Their first number at the showcase: the jazz track Cumulus, the very first one Yeonwoo composed for them.
Their voices over the dreamy jazz wove a unique vibe.
The highlight? Their harmonies. All that practice paid off—no flaws, perfect blend.
As the first song wrapped:
Waaaaaaaaah!
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause.
Yuri and Annosuke beamed, bowing amid the great energy.
"Truly incredible talent! That breathing was out of this world."
The emcee returned for a quick interview.
Next came Annosuke's solo Youthful Daydream and Yuri's Under the Sun, heating the mood even more.
Reporters realized JOP hadn't poured resources into duds.
Now, riding the momentum, time for the debut album's title track.
Yuri & Annosuke's debut title: "Boy-Girl Love," a city pop tale of teen romance. As the intro played, they retook the stage.
They gazed at each other and sang.
Even live, their harmonies were flawless, drawing gasps of admiration.
The dreamy blend of harmonies and city pop emotion sucked the audience right in.
"Waaah...!"
As verse one ended and the instrumental played, the hushed crowd instantly turned fans, cheering wildly.
A rare sight in hype-shy Japan—proof of how magical their singing and synergy were.
Into verse two... and suddenly, the instrumental cut out.
"What?"
"Sound glitch at a debut showcase?"
"That's gonna hurt."
The great vibe shattered into confused murmurs; reporters pegged it as a tech fail and snapped away furiously.
But soon they sensed something off.
If it were a sound issue, the pair should be panicking— but they looked calm.
Exchanging smiles like teens in love, they turned and walked to opposite stage ends.
The curtain at back parted, lights hitting a grand piano behind it.
From the shadows, a boy approached the grand piano.
"Huh?"
"What?"
Dressed in typical Japanese elementary school shorts and short-sleeve shirt, the boy stood at the keys and placed his hands down.
Boy-Girl Love's instrumental flowed from his fingers.
In that instant, everyone there knew.
'Yuin...!'
That boy was Yuin.