Translator: Synopsis-

  繰り- 返して — (Kuri-kaeshite = Repeat)

  While the accompaniment changed, and the effector changed, JooAh kept repeating the same phrase.

  Although it was the same phrase, she tilted her head when she discovered that the feeling she had gradually changed-

  Oppa, my voice is echoing too much.

  “Is there too much echo…”


  KangYoon immediately requested Composer Shunji to change the effector. He seemed to have the same mind as KangYoon as Composer Shunji worked on the machine immediately.

  After touching it, JooAh sung the same phrase again. However, JooAh still tapped on her microphone and expressed her complaint-

  It’s strange. It’s too sharp.

  “What about the melody?”
-

  I’m not sure about the melody, but right now, I don’t feel it’s that good.

  JooAh expressed her complaint, seemingly dissatisfied with the sounds. The continuous drain on her stamina due to the recording also played a role.

  It was the same with KangYoon or Composer Shunji. However, no one expressed their fatigue until they became satisfied.

  ‘The light of the musical note slightly changes. It’s getting affected by which sound effect is added.’


  The sound effect right now was a mix of an organ and a piano. They weren’t just recording. Composing, to be exact, arranging, was the word.

  Composer Shunji wanted to give her a song that matched her, as he was a fan of her, and JooAh wanted a proper song.

  The two’s synergy was good, but KangYoon judged that the efficiency wouldn’t be good like this.

  [This won’t do. Let’s rest for a bit.]

  In the end, KangYoon declared rest. KangYoon signaled JooAh inside the booth to come out.

  “Ah… So tired…”


  JooAh laid on the sofa as soon as she came out. As her top was quite short, her thin waist was exposed.

  Composer Shunji widened his eyes in shock, but KangYoon seemed to be used to it, as he just asked Composer Shunji what he wanted for dinner.

  [Is there anything you want to eat?]

  [Is it dinner time?]

  [Do you like sushi? Or Korean food?]

  [This is Korea so I should eat Korean food. What was it? Something similar to natto…]

  Korean Doenjang Jjigae, Composer Shunji wanted this. KangYoon called for delivery right away.

  JooAh grumbled, saying why he didn’t ask her, but KangYoon completely ignored her. It was a small revenge for getting him caught up in this.

  Not long after that, doenjang jjigae, kimchi jjigae, and sundubu jjigae were delivered. It seemed the sundubu jjigae, and the doenjang jjigae had no salt added to it, as there was salt on the side.

  “I really should acknowledge your senses.”


  JooAh praised KangYoon while putting a little salt into the sundubu jjigae, and Composer Shunji also started eating the doenjang jjigae after putting some salt in.

  He kept shouting ‘sugoi,’ seemingly surprised at KangYoon’s consideration.

  After the meal, KangYoon had some rest time. As he had a headache, KangYoon headed to the rooftop. He craved for a smoke, which was rare.

  “Recently, I seem to have started smoking a lot…”


  KangYoon scattered the smoke into the air. He never smoked more than one per day. If he smoked two, then he would ruin the day due to a headache.

  Even so, he didn’t know the reason why he had to smoke at least once a day. Maybe, he just liked to be absorbed in thinking while smoking.

  ‘Musical notes… musical notes, eh…’


  KangYoon organized his thoughts. Today, most of the musical notes coming out from JooAh were very consistent. However, the light from the musical note was the problem.

  They changed the sounds countless times and tried adding effects onto JooAh’s voice using the mixer, but they couldn’t stop the gray light after the musical notes combined.

  ‘Should we just throw away the key change?’


  However, KangYoon shook his head. It was a good idea to change the mood. It was too good to throw this new approach away.

  While he was thinking on the rooftop, he could feel a presence behind him. It was Christie An.

  “Team Leader…”


  “Huh? Weren’t you suppose to practice right now?”


  “Today it ends early.”


  Christie An replied with a short answer. Like when they had an interview, Christe An was as stiff as always. Kangyoon finally remembered that today, there was no group practice, but private practice.

  “Oh, that’s right. Today your private practices ended early.”


  “Yes.”


  “Well done. Then see you next time.”


  KangYoon was about to leave the rooftop when Christie An grabbed him

  “Team Leader.”


  “Eh?”


  For KangYoon, this was unexpected. This was the first time Christie An had called him first.

  “Do you have anything to say?”


  “It’s… I am curious about something.”


  She seemed to hesitate before she said her business.

  “Are you perhaps going to do JooAh-seonbae-nim’s album right now?”


  “Yes.”


  “If it doesn’t bother you… can I watch it?”


  This was unexpected for KangYoon. Christie An had never requested something until now.

  “May I ask you for a reason?”


  “……”


  At KangYoon’s question, Christie An showed an entirely different expression from until now. She twisted both her hands and even blushed.

  “…I li… I like….”


  “What was that?”


  “I li… like… admire seonbae-nim.”


  KangYoon thought this was absurd. Watching because of admiration? Hearing this reason, KangYoon was dumbfounded. Then, Christie An waved her hands in shock.

  “I… it’s not like that. Joo… JooAh-seonbae-nim shows a good figure as a singer so… if… if… if I see her work… I … I might learn something fr… from… her…”


  The panicking Christie An was very interesting. Now that he thought about it, she tried to hide when JooAh abruptly came in last time when he had an interview with her. In the end, KangYoon ended up chuckling.

  “*Chuckle*.”


  “……”


  When KangYoon started laughing, she drooped her head. As there was nothing bad about it, KangYoon allowed it.

  “Okay. So you want to watch us working right? Since it might help you, right?”


  “Yes, yes!!”


  KangYoon gave her an excuse. The typically chic Christie An was all but gone. She had only become an obedient lamb.

  “But we’re working right now. Will you be alright? That girl’s picky when working.”


  “Yes, I’m alright!!”


  “Let’s go, then. Did you have dinner?”


  “I don’t need one.”


  “That’s no good.”


  KangYoon went to the rest area with Christie An and bought her bread and a drink. Christie An finished the food in less than 5 minutes and lightly urged KangYoon to go quickly. KangYoon lightly smiled looking at the excited Christie An.

  ‘To think I’ll get to watch JooAh-seonbae-nim working!!’


  JooAh was a target of admiration, envy, jealousy, and learning. Just thinking that she would watch such a person working, Christie An was excited. With such a mind, she widely opened the door to the studio.

  However…


  ‘What’s this smell?’


  The savory smell of food inside the studio welcomed Christie An. At the completely unexpected smell attack, she subconsciously blocked her nose.

  “Oppa, what kind of smoke after a meal takes one hour?”


  “It hasn’t even been 30 minutes…”


  “Shut up. If I say it’s one hour, then it’s one hour.”


  Because of a single smoke, KangYoon started fighting with JooAh. To Christie An, such a figure was shocking itself. The light makeup and the slightly tight training clothes made JooAh shiny, but the fact that she was fighting with KangYoon over a smoke looked a little… cheap.

  “Your junior’s here. Stop doing that.”


  “Where? Oh, you’re right.”


  However, JooAh didn’t mind Christie An that much. Christie An bowed down 90 degrees even though JooAh pretended not to see her.

  “Good evening, seonbae-nim.”


  “Ah, yeah.”


  JooAh lightly accepted her greeting. KangYoon shrugged his shoulders and prepared a seat next to the mixer, where the booth could be seen, for Christie An.

  “Sit here. She’s sensitive during work so don’t interfere.”


  “Yes.”


  Christie An didn’t mind JooAh’s cold reactions. She knew that JooAh was originally cold towards her juniors. No, instead, her eyes shined even brighter.

  ‘So cool!!’


  Instead, she was delighted saying that she was cool.

  JooAh went inside the booth again, and the recording re-started. There were many sounds they hadn’t tried yet. While Composer Shunji was controlling the machine, JooAh’s song started reverberating across the studio.

  ‘The song’s good!!’


  Christie An’s eyes shined. The normal, expressionless figure of her was all but gone. She was getting absorbed into JooAh singing with her headphones on-

  Oppa, how is it?

  “I think it’s better than the previous one, but this is also no good.”


  As he had to look for small changes in the musical notes, KangYoon also became sensitive. However, it couldn’t be helped. Composer Shunji also became exhausted with the continuous work, but he still kept up on the journey to make a good song.

  In the end, they ran out of the effects they prepared.

  [This is it. There are no more.]

  [Whaat?]

  Hearing the declaration that they had used up all the countless effects, KangYoon ended up sighing. JooAh also sat there inside the booth absent-mindedly.

  ‘In the end, does that mean this isn’t it?’


  KangYoon pondered. Then where is the answer? If it isn’t the sound effects, then it’s…


  ‘The melody!!’


  At that moment, a thought flashed in KangYoon’s head. Although it was a very idiotic method, he could find the answer. However, the process was harrowing.

  [I’m sorry but can we change the melody?]

  [It is. Like this, and this…]

  Composer Shunji made KangYoon listen to a few digital pianos through the computer. JooAh’s song’s sounds had changed.

  “Will this work?”


  Too much time had passed. The persistent JooAh was also not looking good due to exhaustion. KangYoon grabbed her hand and pulled her up and patted her shoulders.

  “Let’s just do a little more. If it doesn’t work… Ah fuck, then we’ll start from scratch.”


  “You said no last time.”


  “There must be a problem if even after all this it doesn’t work. I will try to make it happen.”


  “Yes!!”


  Of course, this was a white lie. However, JooAh earned energy from KangYoon’s words and entered the booth. The changed sound effects along with the melody flowed out and JooAh also tapped the rhythm before starting to sing-

  繰り- 返して — (Sourihenshite = Repeat)

  “!!!!”


  KangYoon exclaimed in delight looking at the consistent musical notes and the bright white light. Composer Shunji also lightly nodded after listening to the song. It was his style, albeit a little feminine.

  ‘JooAh-unni’s so cool. Team Leader too…’


  Christie An, who hadn’t left after all this time, also sent out gazes of admiration with her tired eyes.

  [This is it.]

  [Right?]

  Composer Shunji seemed to agree with KangYoon’s words as he nodded.

  [Then I’ll flesh out the song until the day after tomorrow and bring the song back.]

  [Please.]

  [The time right now is… whoa.]

  Composer Shunji looked at the clock and exclaimed. It was already going past 4 o’clock in the morning. They didn’t even watch the time due to focusing so much.

  JooAh also exclaimed as if being refreshed while coming out of the booth.

  “Ah, the end the end the end!! THE EEEEEENNNNNDD!! Thanks for your hard work!!”


  As if shaking off all the hard progress, JooAh bowed down towards KangYoon and Composer Shunji.

  “Well done.”


  “Oppa, thanks so much. As payment, I’ll forget the fact that you went to those girls last time.”


  “…What are you saying.”


  When JooAh looked at her grudgingly, Christie An was scared out of her wits. She thought whether they were really that important. However, whether KangYoon knew that or not, he just kept speaking.

  “Look at you talking about those kids. Today it’s a late night so go rest.”


  “Yeah, yeah. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your work too, composer.”


  “Thank yu fur de work.”


  Anyway, the work ended safely……

  “Christie.”


  “……”


  “Christie.”


  “……”


  “Hey!! Christie!!”


  “…*slurp*…”


  When she opened her eyes, her English teacher was in front of her. Besides her, Jung MinAh was giggling.

  “No matter how you’re a trainee, I said no to sleeping at school. I’d rather you do something else. Go stand in the corridor!!”


  “…Yes.”


  Christie An was driven out to the corridor after she was hit by the English teacher’s scary gaze.

  ‘You can’t even have a conversation in English…’ (T/N: Yes. Most Korean English teacher cannot have a conversation in English. They only know grammar. They probably know more grammar than English students.)(E/N: then why are Koreans so bad when it comes to English tense)

  Although she was chased out due to dozing off, her lips were pouting. Insulting the teacher was a bonus. In fact, there was also the reason that it was useless to listen to the class. With an absent-minded gaze, she thought back to yesterday.

  ‘JooAh-seonbae-nim was so cool. She sang the same song so many times while saying the feeling was wrong. Until she was satisfied…’


  Her eyes glistened thinking about the figure of a musician. She wasn’t at all sleepy yesterday. Of course, the person in question, JooAh felt like dying, but as she had a halo in Christie An’s eyes, there was no way she would look like that.

  ‘I also want to be like that.’


  Others would listen to the song she recorded, under the brightly lit stage where dry ice would be scattered and receiving the cheers of the people… Just thinking about it made her shiver.

  “Aaah… So good.”


  “Are you thinking about your boyfriend or something?”


  However, suddenly, the door opened, and she could hear a familiar voice.

  “What, it’s you?”


  “Yes, it’s me.”


  It was her colleague and friend at school, Jung MinAh. She also seemed to have dozed off as her forehead was red.

  “You dozed off?”


  “How can you listen to such a boring class?”


  “True, true.”


  When Christie An asked while looking at the mark on her forehead, Jung MinAh nonchalantly replied. Christie An agreed right away. The English teacher’s class was known for being a sleeping drug.

  “So you were at where JooAh-seonbae was recording?”


  “Yeah. They worked until 4 in the morning. They said it wasn’t a recording but editing. But well, I don’t know what’s what.”


  “You should have taken me if there was such a good thing. Only you got to watch something good.”


  Jung MinAh cringed as if disappointed. However, Christie An nonchalantly replied, seemingly not interested.

  “Good things are only interesting when watching alone.”


  “You only learned the bad stuff. Don’t use my stomach as a pillow from now.”


  “Did I ever ask you for permission?”


  “Oho?”


  While the two’s voice was starting to get louder, a scary voice erupted from the classroom.

  “You girls!! You’re even chatting in the corridor?!”


  “……”


  At the scary shout, the two became quiet and eventually started whispering.

  ‘It’s because of you!!’


  ‘What are you saying. It’s because your voice was loud.’


  Jung MinAh and Christie An’s verbal fight continued until the class ended.

  ***

  Although the promise was that he would bring the finished song three days after their work, Composer Shunji came to MG Entertainment with the finished song the next night.

  Thanks to that, whether it was KangYoon, who was about to leave, and JooAh, who was at the dorms, had to hurry to the company.

  [Should I have come tomorrow?]

  [Not at all. It’s good to do it early.]

  While setting up in the studio. KangYoon waved his hands saying it was alright.

  When JooAh arrived, the three had a listen to the song.

  “The melody is good. Although, I have to sing to be sure.”


  “Let’s do it right now.”


  JooAh entered the booth right away and put on the headset. As her hair became a mess after taking off the beanie, she didn’t mind at all. When the song started, musical notes started flowing out, and the light started shining.

  ‘It became better.’


  It was clearly different to the previous version. KangYoon was satisfied with the positive change to whether it was the musical note or the light.

  [It goes well with JooAh.]

  [I think the same.]

  Composer Shunji also seemed to be satisfied as he was all smiles.

  ‘From now is the problem.’


  KangYoon was tense. The 1st verse ended, and the part where it changed in the 2nd verse was approaching. He gulped nervously thinking if the song would get better or if there would be any unexpected changes-

  繰り– 返して ——


  JooAh’s singing reverberated throughout the studio, and the light coming out from her rippled. The increase in key changed smoothly, and the light became even brighter. The light made by the musical notes got stronger and even affected Christie An.

  “So cool…”


  Christie An was dumbfounded, and her mouth was wide open. She didn’t express any of her opinions normally, much less any exclamations. Looking at the strong light and the clear reaction, KangYoon could be sure that the song had become better.

  [Thanks for your work. I like it.]

  [Thank you for your work. It’s the power of a fan.]

  While JooAh’s singing was resounding across the studio, KangYoon firmly grasped Composer Shunji’s hand……

  “Oppa. This song is amazing.”


  Composer Shunji went back, and JooAh was lying down on the luxurious sofa in the studio with her thumb held high.

  “So you feel safe now?”


  “It should have been like this from the beginning. Ah, really. That crazy guy keeps urging me to do that strange song…”


  “I don’t think the composer is that hard-minded though?”


  “Not the composer. I’m thinking about the planner PD. I can’t get through to him, unlike with you, and he keeps saying he’s right and he wants me to listen to him. You know what? He said that everything would work out if I followed his words since I’m Korean and don’t know Japan as well as him.”


  JooAh seemed angry just by thinking it as she kept insulting the Japanese planner all the time. She seemed to have a lot piled up as even her hands were trembling. KangYoon only silently listened. Since he wouldn’t know until he met the person in question.

  “Now we just have to persuade him.”


  “You will do this for me too, right, oppa?”


  “No.”


  KangYoon firmly shook his head. JooAh obviously got angry.

  “Ah, why again!!”


  “My work ends here. It’s good that I worked with your song. Why again.”


  “Oppa!!”


  JooAh kept clinging to KangYoon, but he didn’t flinch.

  “I need to do my work. Although you’re important as well, JooAh, when would I do my work if I keep working with you?”


  “Uk…”


  “I did this much, so you take a step back too. The song came out properly so you can do the persuasion yourself, right?”


  JooAh had nothing to say. KangYoon’s words were right. In fact, she even felt sorry for clinging to him so much.

  “Okay, but you sound quite distant?”


  “Hey, I did enough. What do you mean distant?”


  “… I really can’t say anything to you. Why are you coming out so strong?”


  “Try raising a little sister. You would become like this too.”


  “Tch. I got it. Hey, you there.”


  JooAh understood instantly when she thought about KangYoon’s sister, HeeYoon. There was a reason why KangYoon was like that.

  Now, JooAh’s arrow pointed towards Christie An.

  “Yes, yes!!”


  “Listen to Team Leader well. Tell these words to the kids around you too.”


  “Yes!!”


  JooAh seemed to be satisfied with the tense Christie An as she smiled and nodded. KangYoon awkwardly laughed at that.

  “You’re trying to discipline them in front of me?”


  “Heh, tell me if the kids don’t listen to you. They don’t listen to a person who even forgoes my work? I’ll just…”


  “Hey hey.”


  “Hahaha, then see you later.”


  JooAh hurriedly left the studio, fearing KangYoon’s scolding. KangYoon laughed seeing that JooAh’s personality was the same as ever.

  “Really. Such a funny girl. Christie, let’s go.”


  “……”


  “Christie?”


  “……Yes. Le… let’s go.”


  Christie An looked as she was about to cry and only came to her senses after hearing KangYoon’s words.

  ‘Why me…’


  She was hated by JooAh just because she couldn’t work with KangYoon because of them… Christie An was frustrated. One one side, she became confident thinking that they were that good, but she trembled thinking that JooAh hated her.

  Whether he knew or not, KangYoon only shrugged his shoulders.

  ***

  In the President’s office. KangYoon was talking with President Lee HyunJi about the concert team.

  “This, it’s impossible to fit the schedule.”


  KangYoon shook his head after he had a look at the papers which had the title ‘Lee MinSoo 25 year anniversary concert’.

  “Is it impossible?”


  “Yes. Not to mention now, I would have had to start with this at least two weeks ago. This is not a scale where we could do this by ourselves. We’d have to work with various companies if it’s a 10,000 people-scale concert, so we’d have to select the companies, secure the budget… There will be a lot of variables. In the end, even if we do this by forcing it, there won’t be any profit.”


  “That’s a pity… Is there not even a 1% chance?”


  Lee MinSoo’s 25-year anniversary concert.

  President Lee HyunJi seemed to find a pity that such a large scale project would be thrown away as she kept trying to persuade KangYoon. However, KangYoon was firm.

  “Yes. I think it’s impossible. Now that we have become the latecomers, we’d have to reduce the prices. If we do that, then there will be bad rumors about us amongst other companies. There will be no profit, and if we even get ourselves a bad reputation, then it would become difficult to set the concert team properly. I don’t see the need to force it due to the small amount of profit.”


  “Ah… that’s a headache. I needed to persuade the Chairman no matter what at that time…”


  President Lee HyunJi regretted that she couldn’t persuade Chairman Won JinMoon when JooAh took KangYoon. She found it such a pity that they lost such a large scale project.

  However, KangYoon’s thoughts were different.

  “The Chairman may have thought that the time wasn’t right. Currently, I’m also in charge of the girl group project. A concert isn’t a project I can do in a short time. I need to work for several months on just that, and the Chairman may have judged that it would be difficult to do side to side with the girl group.”


  “Team Leader Lee may be able to do it, though.”


  “I’m thankful that you appreciate me so highly but……”


  At that moment, the bell to the President’s office rang. It was a call from the Chairman’s office-

  President Lee. Are you with Team Leader Lee at the moment?

  “Yes, Chairman. What is it?”
-

  If Team Leader Lee’s there, can you send him up here? Right now.

  “I understand.”


  It seemed urgent as the Chairman himself had called, and not through the secretary. While President Lee HyunJi was grabbing her head due to being interfered, KangYoon stood up straight away.

  “Then… I’ll go.”


  “…As you say.”


  KangYoon headed to the Chairman’s office immediately. He had already explained the core points. This work had come too early. KangYoon thought that President Lee HyunJi would eventually give up as well.

  When he entered the Chairman’s office, there was Chairman Won JinMoon and a man in his late 30s with his hair dyed yellow, waiting for him.

  “Welcome, Team Leader Lee.”


  “You called for me, sir?”


  “Please introduce yourself. This is…”


  However, the yellow-haired man looked up towards KangYoon’s face while sitting as soon as he saw him.

  [I’m called Akabashi Tao.]

  [Lee KangYoon.]

  They shook hands while Akabashi Tao was sitting down. Both Chairman Won JinMoon and KangYoon slightly frowned.

  [I will get straight to the point. Lee KangYoon-san. Why are you interfering with my work?]

  KangYoon immediately realized who this man was. This person was JooAh’s Japanese mini album planner.

  [You said interfering?]

  [It is interfering. You worked together on the song and interfered with JooAh. I heard Korean people had a vast pocket (T/N: being generous). But is that the case with planning too?]

  He seemed to be angry. Amongst the Japanese KangYoon knew, there were very few who got angry directly.

  They were usually people who ground the swords behind the back, but this person was exploding right in front of the person in question. This meant that his rage was quite big.

  However, KangYoon was calm.

  [You said a wide pocket?]

  [Isn’t that so? JooAh always talks about the name ‘KangYoon.’ If it were Lee KangYoon, he would do it this way, or that way. It’s the same in this case. JooAh interfered with the song I had already approved and had even edited it. Shouldn’t a singer believe in and follow a planner’s words? JooAh doesn’t do that at all. If I said to go this way, then she says Lee KangYoon wasn’t like this and go another way. Is this right?]

  [Then should the singer follow the planner blindly like a doll?]

  KangYoon coldly started expressing his thoughts to producer Akabashi who spat out all those words in rage.

  ………………………………………


  Author’s notes

  My editor will get angry at me if I upload too much like this… ^^;;

  Translator’s notes

  Too much text…


  Editor’s notes

  *Dies* *dies again*