Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: First Original Song Recording
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"Ah, unnie, head home alone today."
"Where are you going?"
"Yeah, I have somewhere to be."
After dance lessons ended, she sent Maho—who had planned to go back with her—off alone and boarded a different subway line.
The iron is hot, so strike it, she thought. Since she was already out, she headed straight to Hyun-su's studio to record.
She needed to produce the track quickly so they could push forward with the music video accordingly.
Even with guide vocals, the manager had said that without the main track, they could only make plans.
She had to deliver the song fast to get the music video made properly.
She rode the subway and arrived at the building housing Hyun-su's studio.
Heading to the basement, she opened the studio door and stepped into the lobby, where a man was lounging on the sofa.
"Huh."
But it wasn't one of the band members or Hyun-su, as she'd expected, so she furrowed her brow.
"Oh, we meet again?"
It was none other than the idol Lee Hyun-jun, plopped squarely on the sofa.
Why was he here?
"Uh… what brings you here?"
Since it was so unexpected, she asked as much, and Lee Hyun-jun pointed off to one side.
"My cheeky middle school kouhai called me over."
From the direction Lee Hyun-jun indicated, Hyun-su emerged holding a small bottle of a beverage.
Was it just Hyun-su? No other band members for once.
"You're early."
Spotting her, Hyun-su handed her the beverage he was holding.
"Ah, thanks."
"Hey! That was mine!"
"I'll grab you another one. Have a seat."
Ignoring Lee Hyun-jun's glare at her drink, she sat on the opposite sofa.
Did they get a new sofa? It felt plusher than last time.
"..."
"..."
But now that the two of them were sitting there, things felt a bit awkward?
When would Hyun-su come out?
She wasn't good at enduring this kind of awkward silence.
"Um..."
Just then, Lee Hyun-jun also broke the silence first, apparently unable to stand it either.
"Yes."
"What brings you here?"
"Ah, I came to record."
"Record?"
"Yeah."
At the word "record," Lee Hyun-jun briefly furrowed his brow.
"Um… aren't you the illustrator?"
"Ah."
Come to think of it, Lee Hyun-jun thought that about her?
She'd forgotten.
"Well, I do draw."
"Uh… right? I know you draw."
"Yeah, I drew one for you last time."
After that, silence settled in again.
From Lee Hyun-jun's perspective, this must have been completely unexpected.
After all, wasn't she the illustrator whose Bluebird account got terrorized because of him?
And now here she was, suddenly at Hyun-su's studio to record a song. It had to be bewildering.
"Right, Suhyun noona came to use our recording studio."
It was Hyun-su who quelled Lee Hyun-jun's confusion.
He placed a proper beverage bottle—meant for Lee Hyun-jun—in front of him and sat on another sofa.
"For real? Is she featuring too?"
She too?
Did that mean Lee Hyun-jun was featuring as well?
"Hyun-jun-ssi, are you featuring too?"
"Huh? Of course. Hyun-su personally picked me."
"Oh… that's unexpected. I had no idea."
Truth be told, she didn't really listen to Beasts' songs unless she sought them out specifically.
Maybe she'd heard one sometime in life and just didn't remember.
At her puzzled reaction, Lee Hyun-jun shrugged proudly and said.
"Despite appearances, fans call me a tone killer among them."
"I don't know about tone killer, but your fans sure act like gangsters."
Teasing him about the Bluebird terror incident, his smile cracked.
"That… I'm truly sorry about it."
"I got hanwoo out of it, so we're good. Consider it noise marketing."
Honestly, it wasn't something to hold a grudge over.
It wasn't her livelihood, and it had ended with just a short break.
"Shall I send more hanwoo…?"
"Hanwoo is always welcome since more is always better."
"Uh, well… to some extent."
As Lee Hyun-jun flustered at her not refusing, the impatient Hyun-su cut in.
"Noona, you're really putting hyung in a tough spot."
"Free hanwoo is worth inconveniencing one person."
Only then did Lee Hyun-jun realize she was joking, making a dumbfounded face.
"I've felt this before, but you really excel at teasing people into awkwardness."
"Me?"
"Forgot already?"
Had she pranked him before?
Ah...
"That time?"
Come to think of it, they'd bumped into each other once at the dance lesson room.
She'd completely forgotten.
"To think you'd really forgotten… Do you know how awkward I felt inside back then?"
"That time… sorry about that."
She admitted her mischief and apologized readily.
"But if you apologize right away, doesn't that make me petty?"
However, her immediate bow made Lee Hyun-jun the awkward one instead.
…What was she supposed to do?
"Then be petty. Boo-hoo, picking on me over old stuff— is this how idols act? I'll post about it on the community boards."
"You're totally insane…"
Lee Hyun-jun recoiled in horror at her words.
Well, communities were scary these days.
"You two have met separately before?"
Hyun-su, who'd been listening to their exchange, chimed in.
From his view, it must have been surprising they'd crossed paths alone.
They seemed to have zero overlap.
They actually didn't.
"Last time, since our agency was under construction, we rented an outside facility for dance practice, and he came out right in front of me."
Hyun-su gave her a surprised look at Lee Hyun-jun's explanation.
"Noona, you're learning dance too?"
Was it that surprising?
Well, even she from a few months ago would have called bullshit if told she was learning dance.
"The company made me. Just came from a lesson."
She said this while pointing to her bag on the side of the sofa.
"Came after showering and changing. Suffered like hell."
She was okay now, but tomorrow she'd probably be a muscle-sore corpse.
"Company? You mean your agency?"
This time, Lee Hyun-jun jumped in upon hearing "company."
"A trainee prepping to debut as an idol, right?"
"Nope."
"Then what? A singer?"
"Nope. And it's not that kind of company to begin with."
"…Uh, so what are you?"
Lee Hyun-jun paused to think, then asked.
Now that she thought about it, even she found her situation weird.
Taking dance lessons but not an idol trainee, not a singer, a famous Bluebird pro illustrator, yet showing up at Hyun-su's studio to record a song—what was she?
What else?
"I do broadcasts."
VTuber.
Dancing, singing, gaming, drawing.
"Huh? Internet broadcasts?"
Judging by Lee Hyun-jun's bizarre expression, he seemed to have a narrow view of internet broadcasts… She quickly pulled out her phone before the misunderstanding deepened.
Well, he was Hyun-su's acquaintance, so it was fine to tell him. She was recording a song today anyway.
"Not that kind—I'm a VTuber."
"Huh?"
She searched her channel on her phone and showed him, leaving Lee Hyun-jun stunned.
"Uh, a VTuber?"
"You know VTubers?"
"Well, I… know of them, but you're doing that?"
He knew? Why?
He didn't seem the type.
Did he read her expression? Lee Hyun-jun smiled wryly.
"Back when I was active in Japan, a VTuber briefly snatched my streaming #1 spot."
"Huh? Snatched #1?"
Wasn't he from a mega idol group that sold 1 million albums? Losing #1 to a VTuber? That made no sense…
"Yeah… it was a shock back then."
For real?
"Wh-who was it?"
"Ah, you don't know? She's huge in that scene."
Lee Hyun-jun searched briefly and showed her a VTuber.
"Izakaya Sake? Ah."
She knew who. Japan's #1 VTuber.
How many subs? 3.2 million? Overwhelming top spot.
Same company as Tenshi-san.
Her songs were hits too—she'd listened a few times. Was she that big?
"Truth is, sales were a bit low then, but giving up #1 even briefly was shocking. I had a solid Japanese fandom too."
"Um…"
"Ahem."
Still, K-pop idols killed it in Japan, right?
To lose even momentarily—Izakaya Sake was impressive, but this level?
"Anyway… surprised you're a VTuber."
"It's my true calling."
"Yeah, that… so those people from before are VTubers too?"
His question made her clamp her mouth shut.
Ah, come to think of it—the Heavenly Realm red pill got exposed collectively?
"Uh… keep it secret."
"Sure… okay."
Truthfully, Lee Hyun-jun had no reason to blab.
What did a popular idol lack to go around spilling that?
"More importantly, featuring under your VTuber name? This is fun."
Was it because a VTuber beat him once? Lee Hyun-jun seemed to view them more highly than expected.
But she wasn't here to feature today?
"Ah, not quite?"
"Huh? Aren't you here to feature?"
Hyun-su, who'd been quietly listening beside them, answered.
"Ah, noona's here to record the song I gave her. I'm the one featuring?"
"What? No way—give the song to me!"
At the mention of the song, Lee Hyun-jun freaked and alternated glances between her and Hyun-su.
Yeah, it was shocking. Even she had been shocked.
"It suits Suhyun noona perfectly—you'll know once you hear it."
"Then the release…"
"Will be my original track."
"Uh… that."
Lee Hyun-jun pondered her answer before speaking.
"I know this sounds meddlesome, but how about releasing under your personal name?"
"Huh?"
"Not looking down on VTubers, but I haven't heard of them in Korea? Just go solo personally, slap Hyun-su's name on it, and boom—instant hit?"
Hm… he had a point, in a way.
Surprisingly considerate?
She appreciated the thought, but…
"It's fine."
How could she hold back Miro's first original track?
And the Heavenly Realm Project would blow up big.
Look at the investments now—once 2nd gen, 3rd gen keep coming and grow decently, wouldn't they claim a huge spot in Korea's internet broadcast scene someday?
First personal original from a Heavenly Realm Project member.
The better it did, the better.
Sure, followers would feel pressure… but better than bad, right?
"And I can soar as a VTuber?"
"Uh, yeah, that'd be great."
"Then listen. See if I can fly even with the penalty of being a niche, unfamiliar VTuber in Korea."
With that, she stood up.
"Time to record?"
Catching her intent, Hyun-su set down his half-finished drink and rose, prompting Lee Hyun-jun to follow.
"Yeah."
"Let's head to the recording booth."
And so.
Recording began for Miro's first original song, "Tranquil Lake."