That Arranger Is a Madman
Quest Completed. As a reward, 'Possibility Memory' has been granted.
"Gyeoul! You did amazing!"
The moment I saw Gyeoul stagger through the waiting room door after finishing her recording, I shouted and rushed toward her. Our little recluse. I always knew you could pull it off.
When I made a huge fuss and showered her with praise, Gyeoul, who had been flustered at first, eventually caught my excitement. She began jumping in place, her face blooming into a radiant smile.
"Did I… did I really do well?"
"Of course! You were the absolute best!"
"Really? Am I truly the best?"
"Absolutely! You're the best in the entire universe!"
"Hehehe."
Unable to contain her joy, Gyeoul hopped like an excited rabbit before turning to me with an expectant gaze.
...What? Did she want me to lift her up or something? Deciding I had to do something, I grabbed her by the waist and gave her the same "up high" treatment I used with the other kids. Honestly, even I wasn't sure it would work, but she was so light that it turned out surprisingly easy. At first she seemed startled, but soon she was giggling and clearly enjoying herself.
I set the beaming girl down and asked, "So, Gyeoul, is there anything you want? You looked incredible out there today. If it's something I can do, I'll make it happen."
After a brief moment of thought, she answered softly.
"...Could you do that one more time, please?"
I happily obliged her encore request.
"Gyeouuuul! You did amazing!"
"Hehehe."
I was still in the middle of my over-the-top praise when a knock sounded at the door.
"Who is it?"
I opened the door to a completely unexpected face.
"Are you Han Gyeoul's manager?"
It was James Oh—one of the Girl 100 judges and one of the greatest producers alive.
What was he doing here?
"Yes, that's correct. To what do I owe the visit, Composer James Oh?"
"You know who I am?"
"Anyone working in this industry who doesn't recognize Composer James Oh should probably quit and try a different career."
"Hmm. Good. Then there's no need for pointless flattery."
James Oh studied me for a moment before speaking.
"Could I ask you for a favor?"
"...What kind of favor?"
He licked his lips slightly, looking uncomfortable, then said, "I'll be direct. I'm currently in a slump."
"A slump...?"
"That stale, incurable disease every creator eventually catches. My inspiration has run dry. Nothing I see, hear, or do sparks the drive to create new music."
Now that he mentioned it, James Oh had been growing less active lately, even taking a temporary hiatus. So that was the reason?
A slump from someone like him was not something to dismiss lightly.
"The fact that the industry's top producer, James Oh, is suffering from a slump is hardly trivial. Are you sure it's all right to share something like that with someone like me?"
He gave an awkward smile. "Since my request depends entirely on your goodwill, Manager, it's only proper that I explain myself honestly."
That wasn't true. Someone with his level of influence could have pressured me into compliance as easily as stealing candy from a child. Instead, he chose transparency—even at the risk that I might spread the information and damage the James Oh brand. That sincerity earned a lot of respect from me.
If his request wasn't too difficult, I decided, I would help him as much as I could. Part of it was genuine personal liking, but there was also the practical benefit of building a connection with someone so influential.
"I believe your slump would negatively impact the entire music scene, and that's no exaggeration. I'd like to cooperate in any way I can. I'm ready to move beyond words and take action. So please speak freely—what would you like me to do?"
"In that case… could you introduce me to the arranger behind Han Gyeoul's stage performance of 'Dress Up'?"
...That's me?
"This is purely out of curiosity—you don't have to answer—but how exactly does that relate to your slump?"
He answered with an even more serious expression than before.
"That arranger is a madman."
"...Pardon?"
Wait, I didn't think I was that unhinged...
When I failed to hide my confusion, James Oh gave a small bow and continued.
"I understand it must be startling to hear a colleague described that way, but I am not exaggerating. This is someone who pulled off insane acrobatics that no one else would ever dare attempt on such an important stage. If it were me—or any established composer—we would all agree completely. To apply that kind of arrangement to a song like 'Dress Up'? The man is utterly insane."
As he spoke, a sharp, almost painful excitement leaked through his words.
...If I admitted I was the one who did the arrangement, was he going to grab me by the collar? His reaction was intense.
"Yet that very boldness—to attempt something no one else would even consider—and the brilliant sense that made it succeed... it feels like it's rekindling the spark of inspiration inside me. That's why I'd like to speak with him. That's all I want. I have a feeling that meeting him would give me the positive stimulus I need."
Hmm. It didn't seem like he had any malicious intent.
I seriously weighed whether to brush it off or tell the truth. In the end, I chose honesty. Since he'd been sincere with me, I would return the favor.
"That would be me."
"...Pardon?"
"I'm the madman in question."
"...."
James Oh squeezed his eyes shut tightly, then asked, "Forgive me, but aren't you the manager?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"And you compose as well?"
"The sorrow of working at a small agency. When there aren't enough people, the employees wear multiple hats."
Though if I was being honest, most of the work I was doing now felt self-inflicted...
He let out a lamenting sigh. "It's hard to believe."
I would have found it hard to believe too. Wanting to be considerate, I was prepared to offer some proof.
"When we return to the company, would you like me to show you the production process?"
"No, I'm sorry, but that won't be enough."
What more did he want me to show? Was he looking for expert-level knowledge? That might actually work as proof.
...This was bad. I'd gotten this far on the power of the reward, so my theoretical foundation was shaky at best. I was wondering if I should just claim it had all been a lie and make a run for it when James Oh, who had been standing with his arms crossed and staring at the floor in deep thought, suddenly met my eyes.
"...The intention behind the arrangement."
"Sorry?"
"If you can properly explain your intention behind the arrangement, I'll believe you. Among the entire evaluation panel, it seemed only I truly understood it."
That wasn't particularly difficult. Whether it would satisfy him was another question, but...
I spoke exactly as I had thought at the time. "I'm not sure what you're expecting, but there wasn't anything grand enough to call it an 'intention behind the arrangement.' There was only one purpose. It was to make Gyeoul shine."
"...To make her shine?"
"Yes. To make her shine. Gyeoul's talent is truly extraordinary. She's a bit far from being called a genius of expression, but there's no shortage in calling her a machine of expression."
"A machine, you say... Does that mean she accurately conveys the composer's intent?"
As expected from someone called the best, his comprehension was excellent.
"Correct. I don't mean 'machine' in a negative way. Gyeoul is a child who can convey the exact intention of any song—whether from the composer, lyricist, or arranger—without adding or subtracting anything. And there are almost no limits to what she can do. Punk, rock, ballad, R&B, electronic, trap—it doesn't matter what you give her. She will perfectly reproduce the image the creator wanted."
He listened in silence, nodding quietly. Taking his reaction as a good sign, I continued.
"To make a child like that shine, I had to show as many sides of her as possible."
"So that's why you chose 'Dress Up.'"
"Exactly. And the direction of the arrangement follows the same intention I mentioned. 'Dress Up' is a masterpiece with sufficient difficulty and a wide range of possible genre interpretations. It's the perfect song to showcase Gyeoul's abilities. Even performing the original would have been decent, I believe."
"Then why arrange it at all?"
To him, watching me with expectant eyes while lightly wetting his lips, I answered.
"Because Gyeoul is capable of even more than that."
"...."
I gently stroked the hair of Gyeoul, who was staring at me in a daze, then continued.
"So I made each part more raw and stimulating—funkier, more soulful, more girlish. Think of it as sharpening the already polished edges of the hexagon that the composer team Revolution had created."
"...You did all of that just to make one trainee stand out?"
"It's not 'just.' Is there any other reason to arrange a song?"
"...You're right. There isn't. There wasn't."
Even after our conversation ended, he remained silent. Feeling slightly awkward, I wrapped things up.
"That's about as far as the 'intention behind the arrangement' goes. ...It wasn't anything that impressive, was it?"
"...No. It was truly impressive. An amazing story indeed."
James Oh respectfully pulled a business card from his pocket.
"You... I mean, what was your name again, Manager?"
I handed him my own card in return. "I'm Seon Taeyang, Team Leader at Two Bear Entertainment."
"I see. Team Leader Seon Taeyang. I'd like to make you an offer."
He swallowed once, visibly tense, then spoke.
"Would you consider working with me? I'll pay you double your current salary. I'll share every bit of experience I have without holding anything back."
At that, Gyeoul suddenly stepped in front of me and cried out as if screaming.
"No!"
She looked exactly like a baby otter desperately guarding its favorite shell.