Translator: Synopsis

  ‘Team leader….’


  Looking at KangYoon lowering his head, Christie An felt stifled. The KangYoon she knew of was always upright. Not to mention the picky JooAh, he apparently didn’t bat an eyelid against the scary directors and even the chairman. However, right now, the same person was lowering his head to the photographers and the other staff.

  “It’s because she hasn’t warmed up yet. Here, why don’t you eat this and….”


  Christie An was a little shocked by KangYoon’s unusual figure. And she knew that all of this was for her. She couldn’t bear to keep watching that and eventually headed outside.

  When she went outside, the other staff were also moving around busily. There seemed to be a lot of photos to be taken today as they were carrying around various props and devices.

  “Aaah…. So hard.”


  “What is?”


  “Eek….”


  She stood there absentmindedly, but suddenly someone called out to her from the side. It was manager Kim SeHui.

  “Manager….”


  “I did say call me oppa.”


  “But the age difference is….”


  “In this industry, everyone’s an oppa.”


  “Wouldn’t uncle be better?”


  “Forget it.”


  Since Christie was very true to herself, Manager Kim SeHui had nothing to say either. Even so, he did see that Christie’s state wasn’t so good and asked quietly.

  “First time’s hard, eh?”


  “It didn’t go as how I wished it would’ve.”


  “That’s obvious. Who would be able to do well from the beginning?”


  “But because of me, the Team leader is….”


  Christie An pointed towards KangYoon who could be seen between the gaps of the door. He was still going around to various staff and handing out health drinks and greeting them.

  “Hm…. That’s actually supposed to be my job.”


  “But why is Team leader doing it?”


  “Because of you.”


  A direct strike made Christie An lose her words.

  “…You’re really direct. Well, I did make a lot of mistakes. Truth sure hurts….”


  “So you know it. Since you are here, you’re supposed to be a pro. Originally, I was going to go around, but Team leader insisted on going. To give it more weight, he says. That people will be more concerned about you as this is your first stage.”


  “…….”


  “This industry is like a jungle. One weak point and you’ll be eaten. But you girls seem to have it easy. Since Team leader is doing everything for you…. You girls, I think you will become really good. Go to the bathroom and get yourself together. We’ll start again soon.”


  Manager Kim SeHui entered the studio. He had to see the current state of things in the studio after all. Of course, he also didn’t want to be called lazy just because KangYoon did everything. The highest person responsible being on the same scene was quite tiring in various ways.

  ‘…Let’s do it well this time.’


  Christie An resolved herself to do well this time. She didn’t want to see KangYoon lowering his head for her sake again after all.

  ***

  “Yes! That’s it! Good! Those are the eyes I want! Just like that!”


  Photographer Yoo HanSe kept shouting ‘good’ while pressing the shutter. The alternation of a bright smile and a cold expression gave a sort of a twist. The scenes that he could never shoot before the break started pouring out continuously and he pressed the shutter like mad.

  The lights and the reflectors in the studio kept flashing while Christie An did her various expressions. With results piling up, the staff also became serious.

  Meanwhile, KangYoon was watching the shoot. Around him were the managers and coordinators that were watching as well. These people would change Christie’s makeup once a round of photos was over, and contributed for better pictures.

  “Fuah….”


  However, thanks to the shoot running for quite a while, a few of the managers and coordinators went out to smoke. However, KangYoon kept his place. That was because he knew that Christie was conscious of him. He was also nervous about how things would turn out so he could not leave her Christie alone here. The cigarettes kept calling out to him but he held it in.

  And finally.

  “Thanks for your hard work!”


  With Yoo HanSe’s declaration, the shoot was over. KangYoon immediately went over to him.

  “How are the results?”


  When he asked, Yoo HanSe put a thumbs up without any words.

  “It’s the best. Hey, the start and finish is too different, isn’t it?”


  “Really?”


  “It’s just that….”


  “Just what?”


  “Sheesh, I don’t get why Christie keeps looking your way, Team leader. Hahaha. Anyway, today’s photos were great. Shall I show you?”


  KangYoon could see the results through the laptop. Christie’s smiling face and cold, proud face gave a good contrast. Yoo HanSe judged that this was good enough for the clients and packed the equipment.

  Having finished talking with the photographer, KangYoon headed to the waiting room. The managers and coordinators were looking after Christie.

  “Thanks for your work.”


  “Thank you for your work, sir.”


  There weren’t many words. Was it hard? How was your first time shooting? – nothing like that. However, Christie felt an unspeakable gratefulness towards KangYoon. This was her first work and KangYoon kept the workplace up for her who was shaking on the inside. The figure that lowered his head for her sake and the weight that held the shooting venue in place was incomparable to anything. She finally knew why JooAh, a seonbae she admired, wanted to work with KangYoon so much.

  When they packed their stuff and boarded the van, the sun was already setting. Christie was tired thanks to the day-long shoot and fell asleep with her head resting on the window.

  “Looks like she was tired.”


  “Put this on her.”


  KangYoon gave manager Kim SeHui a small blanket. Christie felt something warm in her sleep and could sleep comfortably.

  ***

  Chairman Won JinMoon was satisfied after receiving a report about Han JooYeon and Christie An from KangYoon.

  “Thanks for your hard work. Looks like I’m becoming more and more biased towards you nowadays.”


  “Thank you.”


  KangYoon received a sign in the papers with ease as he always did and was about to leave. However, the chairman seemed to have a lot of things he wanted to ask about and held him back.

  “Why don’t you join me for a cup of tea.”


  Soon, a beautiful secretary lady came in with tea. It wasn’t at the level of the Junshan Yinzhen that he had before, but this tea had great fragrance as well. Chairman Won JinMoon enjoyed the faint fragrance of the tea and started speaking comfortably.

  “So, is Seo HanYu up next?”


  “Yes, I’ll report to you soon.”


  “Okay. Actually, what I really want to hear from you is about the announcement of the girl group itself. Not only me, the investors are sensitive to this as well. I think you know this already.”


  “Of course.”


  “There are many people that are sensitive to the stock market. I don’t know why they are doing this even though we aren’t like speculative capital for them. Although you did well until now, you need to be very, very careful since you might be ditched to the bottom with one mistake. Especially things like scandals. The girls that have been exposed to the media will have to be careful in their actions.”


  Chairman Won JinMoon’s words carried weight. KangYoon also aware of that. As large as MG Entertainment was, there were many things at stake as well. The entertainment industry was a place where people could talk about someone easily and may drop to the bottom of the pits once negative words went around.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”


  “I believe in you, so please take it as an old man’s worries. Oh, look at the time. What’s your next schedule?”


  “Once Jung MinAh is announced as well, it will become November. At that time, news that MG Entertainment is sending out a girl group will be spread around. I’m planning to host a showcase at that time, inviting the related companies and personnel.”


  “You’re considering quite a lot of things. So it isn’t like the budget is high for nothing. What happened to broadcasting the debut process?”


  “I decided not to. From what we’ve seen, I came to a judgment that advertising through the internet had plenty of effects. I judged that there is no need to waste any more budget and decided to not do the broadcast.”


  “Isn’t that a waste? It will be quite good since this is something that didn’t exist until now. The PD there will be disappointed.”


  “I talked to them so they could understand.”


  Chairman Won JinMoon was first suspicious about KangYoon’s judgment but eventually accepted it. Right now, Han JooYeon and Christie An were doing very well, so he thought that KangYoon was right. These two had already given a strong impact to the public already.

  “Got it, then. So, I just need to look forward to November?”


  “Yes. You will be able to see the girl group’s name and everything else as well.”


  “So war will start then.”


  “Yes, all of this now is just a skirmish. The real deal will begin at that time.”


  “I sure look forward to it. If a skirmish is this strong, then how strong would be the actual thing?”


  KangYoon could only smile since the chairman always pushed him on like a friendly neighborhood grandpa. However, he was aware that the backlash would be strong once he failed. That was why he was always careful with his actions.

  Chairman Won JinMoon left the words that he will visit the girls to commend them later and sent KangYoon out.

  When KangYoon left, he muttered while drinking the cooled tea.

  “An amazing fellow. I became much more comfortable thank to him. Fufu.”


  He had it very comfortable because he could focus on operating the business now.

  ***

  When KangYoon returned to his office, what greeted him was a pile of work. After working with Christie An and Han JooYeon, a lot of paperwork that required him to approve and sign had greeted him.

  “…Yeah. My place is here, where else could it be?”


  Opening the mountain of paperwork, KangYoon started working. Although the majority were from the PR team, there were some from the liaison team. The planning team was needless to say, always busy.

  When he was in the middle of work, KangYoon’s phone started ringing. It was Professor Choi ChangYang’s call. KangYoon accepted the call while wondering. He said that he called because he was worried that KangYoon hadn’t turned up to the lecture.

  “Oh…. I’m sorry. My work became busy.”


  – I was worried. I wondered if anything happened to you.

  “Not at all. Sorry for worrying you.”


  – If it’s alright with you, I’m currently nearby, so can I give you the lecture there?

  KangYoon had no reason to refuse. Harmonics was the area he wanted to learn the most nowadays. Although he was doing some studies in his spare time, being taught was a hundred times better than teaching himself.

  “Will that be okay with you?”


  – This much isn’t even hard. You said you were working, so can I go to your company then?

  “I appreciate it.”


  KangYoon asked Professor Choi to come to the nearby café. He could invite him to his office, but he thought that it would be rude to invite him to his messy workplace. Having made an appointment, KangYoon finished the call with him.

  He quickly finished his work and headed to the café. When he arrived, Professor Choi was already waiting for him.

  “It’s here.”


  “Oh, you’ve arrived early. I should have left earlier.”


  “Not at all, I wasn’t bored at all while waiting.”


  Professor Choi greeted KangYoon with his soft smile as always. He took out the books and talked about Choi YoonMi. (T/N: Who the heck is that, author? He might be talking about the band, ‘Recovery’, I’m not sure)

  “It’s good to see that you’ve become closer to the students. It looks like the ones actually working in the field have good senses.”


  “It’s because they’re nice kids. I’m thankful instead.”


  “I did worry for a little…. But since you treat the students well and they like you, I’m completely good with it. Please take care of us in the future as well.”


  KangYoon smiled and opened the books

  One month had passed since he started learning harmonics. Unlike when he began, he started becoming more friendly towards the tadpoles in the books. Harmony, tones, chords, etc – he was starting to get used to their concept and their uses. Of course, he still didn’t know theories about composing or how to use them in actual application, but he could now understand how things worked. Professor Choi explained things very clearly and KangYoon was eager to learn as well.

  When the hot coffee was about to cool down, Professor Choi leaned back in the chair and spoke out in a tired voice.

  “Shall we rest a little?”


  “Shall we?”


  That was two hours after they started. The two didn’t know how much time had passed as neither of them said that they should end it there. While Professor Choi went off to the toilet, KangYoon went over the pages to revise.

  “Wait. It starts off with a D, and the next is an A or a C?”


  It was easy when he was listening to the explanation but going over it by himself was quite hard. Tadpoles looking like musical notes was just a temporary thing. Tadpoles were still tadpoles.

  “This is C# after A.”


  At that moment, a voice could be heard from behind him. When he turned around, it was Min JinSeo.

  “Oh, is it….? Wait, JinSeo? What are you doing here?”


  “I came here to drink some coffee but came here since I saw you. Pff, you’re learning such an elementary book?”


  “Oh. I’m actually weak at music theory. So I decided that I should learn a little.”


  “Eeh? Really? That’s a shock.”


  Min JinSeo made a playful expression. KangYoon shrugged his shoulders and said that it was possible. Her face had very light makeup and a smile. She had a bright smile because she was happy to see KangYoon. Thanks to that, the employees at the café, started whispering to each other even though this café was close to MG Entertainment building.

  “I’ll come back after ordering.”


  “Okay.”


  She seemed to be getting used to her fame and didn’t react much to the people that were whispering about her. KangYoon was proud to see her like this. Min JinSeo was becoming more like a start while he wasn’t aware of it.

  When KangYoon turned his attention back to his books, Professor Choi came back.

  “Did you revise a lot?”


  “No, it sure is hard to do it by myself. Looks like there’s a time for everything.”


  “You’re doing quite well, you know? Oh, and at this part….”


  While Professor Choi went over the things that KangYoon was unsure about, a presence could be felt behind him. It was Min JinSeo with a hot cup of coffee.

  “Sir, can I sit next to you?”


  “Hm? Uh, the thing is….”


  “Mi….. Min JinSeoooooooooooo?!”


  However, Professor Choi’s eyes widened after seeing her. KangYoon was surprised to see him so restless, unlike his usual demeanor.

  “Yes?”


  “..I…. I….”


  Min JinSeo also titled her head in confusion when Professor Choi abruptly stood up from his seat.

  “I…. I… am a fan!”


  “…….”


  KangYoon and Min JinSeo only smiled awkwardly after seeing Professor Choi lowering his head and holding his hands out.

  ***