Translator: Chamber

  Editor: Illidan

  (T/N: “Black” in the title refers to the ‘light’ that KangYoon sees… not African-American music.)

  “What do you think? Is it bad?”


  Lee JunYeol would be usually full of confidence, but today he wasn’t.

  However, KangYoon was rational about it.

  “If I was given this song and was told that I’m making an album with it, I’d tell that person that we should think about it again. Although I would have to listen to the finished version to be sure, as it is now… I don’t even know where I would start with this piece.”


  The thick sticky feeling of black light that was even worse than grey light.

  KangYoon was planning to refuse if he was asked to listen to the song again.

  Seeing KangYoon making an honest remark, Lee JunYeol deeply sighed and spoke.

  “Haaa… still, this is a song I got from composer Park TaeSung, and this is the result. Is he in a slump these days? No wonder he didn’t want that much money for the song… SeungChul, that damned idiot. He should have been suspicious if the song was cheap despite the composer’s reputation…”


  Lee JunYeol frowned while blaming his manager, Yoo SeungChul, who caused his incident.

  KangYoon was wondering as well. Park TaeSung was known as the godfather of ballads in this industry. He was a professor at Hallyeo Arts University as well. A person like that sold a song like this?

  ‘This song can’t simply be called unsuited for JunYeol only. It’s a song suited for no one. Why did he decide to sell this song? Was there a mistake?’


  When KangYoon fell into contemplation, Lee JunYeol frowned and stood up from his seat.

  “I really don’t think this will do. I’ll tell him that I can’t take this song and have him do another one. Bro, I’m sorry, I’ll be right back.”


  “Go ahead.”


  As one short-tempered man, Lee JunYeol couldn’t hold it any longer. He grabbed his phone and left the place for a moment.

  Seeing Lee JunYeol’s actions from inside the room, KangYoon remembered back to the music he had just heard.

  ‘I don’t think there’s any charm that attracts people to listen from the get-go. The chord progression is too complex. I think it will be much better with simple ones. Maybe the composer just had too much going on in his head?’


  KangYoon thought about many things and fell into contemplation.

  A while later, Lee JunYeol sat back down at the table, panting.

  “Ah, for god’s sake. This guy really makes me crazy.”


  “What’s wrong?”


  At KangYoon’s question, Lee JunYeol expressed his anger with a flushed expression.

  “Bro, this guy is speaking complete nonsense. I said I wanted a different song because this song didn’t feel right overall, and this guy, he became angry at me asking which part I didn’t like? Aren’t composers supposed to take into account what a singer wants? Also, he wants me to come to his office? Does he think he can act as he wants because he was in this industry longer than me?”


  Lee JunYeol seemed very angry and his shoulders twitched. KangYoon told him to calm down a little. Lee JunYeol followed KangYoon’s instructions and heaved deep breaths. His anger started to die down a little.

  KangYoon spoke softly after all the rage in the air was gone.

  “He wants you to come to his office?”


  “Yeah. This guy is completely nuts.”


  “You’re angry because he told you to come to him?”


  “Why else would I be? He told ME to come to HIS office. Ah! Ouch!”


  KangYoon pinched Lee JunYeol’s cheeks because the reason for his anger was something absurd. Lee JunYeol resisted, but KangYoon frowned and spoke.

  “That’s not what you are supposed to be angry about. You should be angry that he’s not willing to make you a new song, not that he told you to come to him.”


  “Ah, that’s right.”


  Lee JunYeol clapped in understanding. KangYoon laughed when he acted like that.

  “Sheesh, the reason you called is because you want a new song. Whether he comes to you or you go to him, you should be clear about what you’re trying to achieve.”


  “Tch, fine, fine.”


  Lee JunYeol grumbled but still giggled. He liked KangYoon precisely because of his rational mind.

  “Well, then. I’ll schedule a meeting with him tomorrow, and let’s just drink for now.”


  When Lee JunYeol offered him a drink, KangYoon gladly toasted with him.

  ***

  (T/N: Korean uses the word ‘??’ which is normally used to call a lady with respect. I’ll be using ‘madam’ here.)

  “Grandma, I’ll be off then.”


  “Have a safe trip.”


  Kim JiMin left through the door in order to go to school. Her grandma, Madam Jung GilLye saw her out.

  The weather was hot, so Kim JiMin was worried that it may affect her grandma.

  “You should just stay at home.”


  “It’s fine. Your gran is very healthy. Off you go then.”


  After sending Kim JiMin off, Madam Jung GilLye returned to the house and got ready to go to work. Although her little granddaughter prepared a house, albeit small, and more than enough money for everyday expenses, she was still working.

  She took the bus to her workplace, World Entertainment.

  “Hello?”


  “Hello, director.”


  When she went to work, Lee HyunJi, who had come to work early, greeted her.

  “JiMin is at school?”


  “Yes. You look pretty today, director. Are you going on a date?”


  “Thank you, ma’am. But what date? You know I’m single.”


  Madam Jung GilLye made a slightly sad expression hearing the word ‘single’ and she started cleaning. After that, she emptied the trash cans of KangYoon and Jung HyeJin before sweeping and cleaning the floor and tidying the desks. Wherever she passed, it became spotlessly clean, and without a speck of dust to be seen.

  Jung HyeJin, who had come to work a little later, also met with madam Jung GilLye.

  “Oh? Hello Mrs. Jung.”


  “Hello there.”


  Jung HyeJin took out a drink from her bag and gave it to madam Jung GilLye. It was her way of appreciating her work every morning.

  It was morning, and until KangYoon came to work, the three ladies had some fun chatting.

  “..And at that time, the president…”


  The most popular topic was talking behind KangYoon’s back.

  As KangYoon treated everyone quite well, there weren’t many bad stories about him. However, Lee HyunJi always frowned saying that KangYoon gave her too much work.

  ‘But those things come my way.’


  Jung HyeJin couldn’t sympathize a lot. It was because it was mostly handed down again to her.

  In the end, the consolation and harmony were created by madam Jung GilLye. She was the mood maker for this group.

  “Good morning.”


  And then, KangYoon came to work and their chitchat came to an end. At the same time, work began.

  Madam Jung GilLye spent her day cleaning the various parts of the office including the practice rooms and studios. Although this was a small company, she was the only caretaker so it took a lot of time to clean.

  After a day of work, she came back to the office and greeted everyone.

  “Thank you for your work.”


  Being greeted out by the people at the office, she headed home.

  She was returning home after buying some ingredients for dinner when some man in a suit approached him.

  “Are you perhaps a family of the singer Eunha?”


  “What is it?”


  As she was related to a popular TV star, madam Jung GilLye neither acknowledged nor denied it and was on her guard against this man. Then, the man in a suit gestured that he was no one suspicious and gave her a file.

  “My name is Yeon DaeSoo and I’m the head secretary of VVIP Entertainment. I’ve come here to visit because I saw potential in Miss Eunha and wish to take her to a higher place. We have raised the actor Jaeyoung, and singer Hyerim, as well as many other popular stars, and they’re still with us. Have a look at these papers first and if you…”


  “I don’t think I’m related to any of it then. Goodbye.”


  Madam Jung GilLye did not take those papers and brushed past the man named Yeon DaeSoo. He called out several times from behind, but she ignored them all.

  “Looks like this World company raised a good girl. But in the end, you’ll still be with us…”


  Seeing madam Jung GilLye enter through the door, the man smiled arrogantly.

  ***

  KangYoon and Park SoYoung were in the studio together. He was currently practicing rearranging with Park SoYoung on one of Kim JaeHoon’s old songs.

  “Shouldn’t we increase the volume of string section 3 and decrease section 4?”


  KangYoon’s words intended to set the strings suited for normal ballad songs. However, Park SoYoung seemed to have her own opinion and spoke carefully.

  “Why don’t we try using an effect so that the string sounds come from behind? Wouldn’t it be okay to try out new ways?”


  “So you want to increase 4 and decrease 3, huh? Okay, then. Let’s try that and see.”


  KangYoon smiled and left Park SoYoung to her own devices. She adjusted the controls on the monitor to decrease section 3 and increase section 4. She then added Kim JaeHoon’s voice and played the music back.

  “Why is it like this…”


  When her ambitious plan failed, Park SoYoung became dejected. Then, KangYoon smiled and encouraged her again.

  “Why don’t we try what I said this time?”


  She then increased section 3 and decreased section 4 like KangYoon had said. When it became a suitable volume, she added Kim JaeHoon’s voice and played it back again. When she did, the string sounds combined well with Kim JaeHoon’s voice unlike before and created a piece of beautiful music. This song felt very different from the original.

  Seeing Park SoYoung surprised, KangYoon asked with a soft expression.

  “Do you get it?”


  “Ah, this is hard. All I’m learning is that I shouldn’t use my opinion.”


  “No, no, You’re very good at adjusting the contour and the release. I don’t have anything I can do to adjust that. The choice of strings was good as well. I hope you are not discouraged by one or two things.”


  “…Thank you for those words.”


  After the lesson, Park SoYoung bowed to KangYoon to express her appreciation. These days, the importance of rearrangement was increasing, and it was not easy to learn practical, applied music from someone working in the industry.

  Park SoYoung told KangYoon that she would research more at home and left the studio with the file and the score.

  ‘Should I get some work done, then?’


  Recently, due to matters with White Moonlight and Eddios, he wasn’t able to put his mind into rearrangement. He was worried that his skills were rusty and decided to spend some time rearranging the songs that HeeYoon gave him.

  However, he didn’t have enough time. Not long after Park SoYoung left, a guest arrived at the studio. It was Kim JiMin.

  “Wasn’t today your day off?”


  “I’m here to practice. I wasn’t able to do it because I was so busy all this time.”


  Kim JiMin went to the sofa, which was practically her exclusive seat. She took out the guitar she brought and played some chromatic scales as exercise. At this point, she could play chromatic scales with her eyes closed.

  “Sir.”


  “What is it?”


  “I met a weird person two days ago.”


  “A weird person?”


  “Yeah, I was walking back from shopping with grandma, and…”


  Kim JiMin told KangYoon about the story where she met someone from Muzee Entertainment on her way back from shopping with her grandma.

  KangYoon spoke with a panicked expression.

  “And? What did you do?”


  “After she left, I threw everything she gave me into the trash. Why would I keep them?”


  Hearing her words, KangYoon chuckled.

  ‘How bold.’


  Usually, people would keep the business card or have a look at those conditions at least. Even if they didn’t, it would have been extremely awkward for anyone to talk about such experiences with the company’s president, which in her case, was KangYoon. However, Kim JiMin did not do that and was clear with her actions. KangYoon felt proud of her.

  “Once a newbie becomes a star, many places will find that person looking to sign a contract. After all, they can just pay the penalty for breaching the contract with the previous company. Usually, it’s the middle-scale companies and not the large ones that do things like that. The attraction of money should have been considerable. You did well enduring that.”


  Hearing KangYoon’s words, Kim JiMin smiled and spoke.

  “I always learned from my grandma that people are more important than money. You are the first one to ever put their trust in me. It would be nonsensical for me to betray such a person and walk another path.”


  “Haha, that’s rather cheesy, and yet it’s touching.”


  A smile appeared on KangYoon’s face.

  Kim JiMin seemed excited and continued.

  “The unnis and oppas here are all good to me… I heard other places have strict senior-junior relationships. Actually, when I met older artists during events, they all had sharp eyes. Just looking at Eddios unnis makes me realize they were raised strong. But I was able to have a good time becoming a proper singer here, so I’m very thankful for that. There’s no need for me to leave such a place and work hard at other places, right?”


  “Hahahaha.”


  KangYoon laughed heartily.

  He felt very good because he felt like he was recognized for his work as the president. Though, Kim JiMin tilted her head because she didn’t know why KangYoon acted that way…


  “Do you have anything you want to eat?”


  “Meat, of course!”


  “Let’s go then. I’m in a good mood today.”


  “Yay! But what about practice.”


  “It’s fine once in a while. Let’s go.”


  Kim JiMin put down the guitar and followed KangYoon out.

  That day, she was able to eat meat to her heart’s content.

  (T/N: Sneaky, sneaky girl, getting KangYoon to buy her food. She must have aimed for this. Just jk.)