Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Cowboy Dreams and Mother's Betrayal
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Yeonwoo wasted no time sending Kim Beomsin the track once he accepted the offer.
Just like before, it came with an AI-generated guide track. Kim Beomsin listened in silence for a long while.
"Is this kid really seven?"
"The boy's so pretty and cute, though?"
Kim Beomsin scowled at Park Sangcheol's usual quip from the seat beside him.
"That's not what I mean, you idiot."
"Well, he's a genius. What does age matter for a genius? They say Mozart was flying high at that age too."
"Comparing him to Mozart is the real impressive part. Anyway, this is driving me crazy. You think this kid remembers his past life or something?"
"What are you on about now?"
"Listen to this song. Don't you feel it? A cowboy charging on horseback, gunning down a bunch of bandits, collecting the bounty on the way back, then what? Lighting a campfire and strumming his guitar, ah...!"
Park Sangcheol narrowed his eyes at Kim Beomsin.
"I told you to quit that damn game. You still playing Red Dead or whatever that agent's into?"
"You little punk, no. Anyway, you think this'll work?"
Kim Beomsin cleared his throat awkwardly and changed the subject. Park Sangcheol seemed to have hit the nail on the head.
"Who knows? The song itself is great. The genre's unfamiliar, but do the masses even know what genre they're listening to? They listen if they like it, skip if they don't."
"True enough."
These days, music genres were so fragmented and blended that even creators got confused or ignorant about them.
The public had it even worse.
Most would probably peg it as some ballad since the singer wasn't dancing.
"Yeah, as long as the song's good, that's what matters. Who knew our Hadas kids would blow up like this? It was all thanks to the great tracks."
"Exactly."
Kim Beomsin nodded.
"Alright, let's prep this and go for it."
"Oh, boss. You might wanna hold off a bit longer."
"Why? Have I been waiting that long?"
"You've been out for years—what's waiting to you? There's decorum. You see the Mango charts right now? All Yuin's artists. We gotta wait till they've squeezed the juice out. Plus, honestly, Chae Hayeon's on fire. Jump in now, and we won't snag even one number one."
"That so?"
"And truth be told, our company's hurting too. We went all-in on Hadas's comeback, and the kids are wiped out. Barely any staff left, working them to the bone—they can't do jack."
Kim Beomsin smacked his lips at that. Before singer, he was CEO.
Even he knew the team's state was rough.
Pushing his own comeback now might spark resignations. Or demands for more hires.
He wanted to expand staff, but timing was off.
Had to wait for settlements and more profits to grow.
"Yeah... let's delay a couple months."
"Sounds good."
* * *
While Kim Beomsin put things off, SSHIN chugged along smoothly.
What could go wrong? Everything they touched turned to gold.
Truth was, no place like SSHIN existed.
No investment sunk into trainees, the studio building owned by family meant zero rent, promo limited to YouTube.
Practically no costs, yet raking in cash.
Plus, backed by JOP, the Japanese money-hoover—nothing to fear.
SSHIN wanted for nothing, just kept winning.
No worries, no issues.
But showbiz? Name one drama-free corner.
No, even without problems, they got manufactured.
By whom? Reporters.
Reporters were wolves, hyenas—beasts.
If prey looked tasty, they'd devour rotten or not.
Same this time.
[Chae Hayeon Cuts Ties with Mom After Success?]
[Chae Hayeon's Mother, Job-Hopping Day Laborer in Squalor Without Proper Home.]
[Chae Hayeon's Mom Shocker: Kid Was Sweet, But Success Changed Her.]
[Chae Hayeon Abandons Parents? The Truth?]
Chae Hayeon's mom, denied cash and blocked by her daughter, ran to the press.
Commoner than you'd think.
Celebrity family debt scandals? More than one or two.
Exposés had poured out like a trend, more than once or twice.
So veteran Jiyeong stayed cool.
First, she called Chae Hayeon.
Experiencing this for the first time, Chae Hayeon met her with a world-ending gloom.
"Hello, unnie..."
Now close enough to drop "sunbae" for "unnie," Jiyeong hugged her wordlessly on sight.
Chae Hayeon burst into tears.
Jiyeong waited patiently till she calmed, then heard the full story.
Jiyeong was a bit shocked.
Gambling? Sure, that happens.
Debt-leavers smearing kids' names via gambling? Plenty.
But a cult?
Whoa, what the hell?
Any celeb family gnawing kid's cash for cult donations till now?
If so, they'd kept quiet.
Religion stirred too much talk either way.
Anyway, key point...
"Uh, um... hate to say it about your mom, but she's too much. Like, inhuman."
"Hoo... tell me about it. Dad's still comatose in the hospital."
Jiyeong patted her shoulder and said,
"Ignore the trash rags yapping. This stuff happens all the time. I'll handle it. No worries about press conferences. But one thing to prep."
"...What?"
"Toughen your heart. Seen it with my circle—if not taking 'em back, cut 'em off clean. They harass forever otherwise."
Catching it was about her mom, Chae Hayeon pondered, then nodded.
"I've been tough already. Seeing Dad and sis suffer? Can't not be."
"If contact slips through, shut it down hard. No room for lingering."
"Yes."
Seeing Chae Hayeon steel herself, Jiyeong nodded.
Sending her off, Jiyeong hired a lawyer via JOP and fed counterpoints to journo pals.
Articles shifted to fresh meat.
[Chae Hayeon's Mom Revealed as Gambling Addict.]
[Mom Leaves Debts from Gambling, Dad Collapses Repaying, Sisters Follow—Chae Hayeon's Tragic Family.]
[Full Story: Mom's Ploy to Squeeze Successful Daughter.]
[Chae Hayeon Agency: Will Pursue Legal Means, Protect Her By Any Method.]
- Knew it lololol
- Felt off somehow
- Like this ain't the first or second time
- Heard she quit teaching at kindergarten after college to pay debts pronto?
- Man, life sucks for her
- If not for Yuin, she'd be suffering forever
- That woman's human? Hubby comatose repaying her debts, kids pick up slack, still clings for more?
- Not human fr;
- How'd she endure? I'd have dark thoughts ;;
Neutrals barely bashed Chae Hayeon to start, but counters flipped opinion fast.
People weren't dumb.
Still, haters hid behind anon, desperate to drag.
But fine.
Chae Hayeon had endured tough years steely enough not to waver at a few comments.
* * *
As Chae Hayeon's mom scandal got quashed quick by counters—whether fans pitied her, or sensed the song's sorrow amplified now, empathizing—her "There Must Be a Reason to Keep Living" monopolized #1 across all streaming.
Meanwhile, Lee Si-eun's high-teen rock'n'roll OST slipped outside top 10 post-drama fade.
Feeling High Teen Romance's juice drained, her agency dropped a new single.
"Looking at You," penned, composed, produced by Yuin.
Fans still drama-hung—high-teen fever—and Yuin stans swarmed; debuted #8, climbed to #5 next day, #2 after, but never topped Chae Hayeon.
Proof bad news turned good.
JOP HQ, eyeing her popularity, floated Japan debut.
Nanase judged "Cheer Up, Today Too" or "There Must Be a Reason to Keep Living" among others would slay in Japan.
"Yeonwoo-ya, company's pushing Hayeon for Japan. Still no?"
Yeonwoo once nixed it: Shunji debut first in Japan, lest Chae Hayeon get compared to past top diva Nakagami Ayuna.
"Now it's fine."
Not anymore.
Might remind of Nakagami Ayuna, but too big for "second."
Albums, shows honed her vocals, presence.
She could go anywhere now. Offers would thrill.
Now Chae Hayeon Japan too needed minding.
Heo Ok fretted.
"Aren't we overworking our Yeonwoo? Still a kid..."
Jiyeong agreed gravely, but Yeonwoo beamed innocently.
"It's okay! All made already. Tons of songs!!"
True.
His folder brimmed with tracks to drool BSK or Kim Beomsin.
"But producing's different, right?"
Yeonwoo eyed his aunt at Heo Ok's words.
"Auntie gotta work now too."
Jiyeong freaked.
"Work? Wooooork? You know how slammed I am?!"
"Back to your main gig, auntie! Main gig!"
"Ugh..."
Fun, but swamped.
Still, nice he trusted her skills enough to assign.
"You sure auntie's fine?"
"It's free if auntie does it."
"...Hey."
...Jiyeong got heartbroken by her nephew.