Translator: Chamber

  Editor: Illidan

  “When is the crank-in? I think that period will be important here…”


  Although Min JinSeo studied because she wanted to, she would most definitely have received stress.

  The reason she wanted to study was to go to college and enjoy everyday campus life.

  KangYoon was worried that this was too early.

  As a company representative, he should wish for Min JinSeo to quickly resume her activity and start producing a profit. Still, as a man, he believed that it should be better to wait a little more.

  Team Leader Kang GiJoon also knew what KangYoon was thinking and replied calmly.

  “All of the candidates will be cranking in the latter half of next year. The recording period should start early in the year, roughly around May or June. With that, JinSeo should be able to do it alongside her university studies. I’ve selected two movies and one drama.”


  KangYoon put his hand on his chin.

  Is that really the right time for her to start her activities again?

  She should have adjusted to campus life by that time, and it wouldn’t matter if she started working again. Also, it had been more than a year since she started her resting period.

  KangYoon judged that it was suitable.

  “Very well then. Why don’t we let JinSeo choose the piece then?”


  “Of course. I’ll report back to you soon.”


  “And also…”


  KangYoon looked at Team Leader Kang GiJoon’s eyes with seriousness.

  “So the time is finally coming. I have faith in you.”


  “Yes. I shall answer your expectations.”


  Team Leader Kang GiJoon also nodded seriously.

  As soon as they finished their conversation, Lee HyunJi and Min JinSeo came back.

  Min JinSeo looked very refreshed, as though she was relieved of a heavy burden.

  “Did you two have a nice girl’s talk or something?”


  When KangYoon asked, Min JinSeo replied with a smile.

  “Well, this and that.”


  “This and that?”


  When KangYoon tilted her head, Lee HyunJi interrupted.

  “You shouldn’t pry into a girl’s secret. It makes you a petty man, president.”


  “What do you mean, petty?”


  KangYoon giggled.

  They say living in the same house will distance people.

  But fortunately, Min JinSeo and Lee HyunJi didn’t seem distant at all.

  The day of the exam.

  The four of them enjoyed their time together.

  ***

  – Ah… the thing is… he’s not so free…


  “Hahahaha!”


  HeeYoon, who was watching TV in the living room, burst out laughing.

  While she pitied her stage-frightened friend, the way she acted made her laugh out loud.

  Her laughter reached its peak when Park SoYoung replied that ‘she didn’t see the need to change the name that her parents gave her’ to the question asking why she didn’t use a pen name.

  “Pwahahaha!”


  Her laughter made Kim JaeHoon peek from the kitchen.

  “What is it? Is there something funny?”


  “Look at SoYoung here. She’s there with Sedy and… hahahaha!”


  Since HeeYoon laughed so much, Kim JaeHoon became interested and sat in front of the TV.

  On TV, Park SoYoung seemed really pressured by Sedy’s glare, yet she said everything she had to.

  ‘SoYoung was Sedy-hyung’s natural enemy?’


  Kim JaeHoon was flabbergasted by the unimaginable scene in front of him.

  He couldn’t even begin to imagine how much nagging that petty Lee JunYeol would have given Park SoYoung after the recording.

  Just as Lee JunYeol’s somewhat panicking face was captured on camera, HeeYoon called up Park SoYoung.

  “SoYoung! Are you watching TV right now?”
-

  …Please don’t mention it. I want to go hide in a hole or something.

  “No way. You’re a super expert on TV shows, you know?”


  – HeeYoon, do you know that you can be so evil sometimes?

  Joking with Park SoYoung, HeeYoon asked how Lee JunYeol acted after the recording.

  But Park SoYoung replied that nothing happened, unexpectedly.

  – I was really worried, but he actually didn’t say much.

  “Really? I heard that Sedy can really hold his grudges.”


  – I know, right? I thought I was going to be shouted at right after that. But he just went.

  “Really? Are you sure he didn’t go to my brother or something?”


  – I thought that too at first, but KangYoon Oppa didn’t say anything to me either. Ah, TV shows are so scary… I didn’t know cameras could be so frightening. Haah…


  Unlike Birth of the Masterpiece before, some cameras were directly focused on her this time, so she had felt quite nervous.

  HeeYoon had a hard time consoling her frightened friend.

  ***

  “BROOOOOOOOOOO!”


  KangYoon, who was having a conversation with Lee HyunJi, widened his eyes due to the sudden interruption from Lee JunYeol.

  “JunYeol, hey, it’s been a while.”


  “Yeah, it really has been.”


  Lee JunYeol shivered before shaking hands with KangYoon.

  KangYoon left the company to Lee HyunJi before leaving the company.

  While walking, Lee JunYeol grumbled.

  “Bro, have you seen Ones yesterday?”


  “Ones? Oh, the one with you and SoYoung? I saw the article. Pfft….”


  KangYoon giggled as he remembered something funny.

  When he did, Lee JunYeol glared at him.

  “For god’s sake! Do you have to do that too? Park So who? Anyway, because of that kid, my cool image is so ruined.”


  “I don’t think you ever had a cool image. To be specific, it would be a delinquent.”


  “Ah, for god’s sake, bro!”


  Lee JunYeol grumbled, but KangYoon just patted his back as he smiled.

  The two headed towards a cafe with private rooms.

  After ordering two cups of black coffee, Lee JunYeol laughed.

  “The kids over at your company are hilarious, you know?”


  “Hey, I’m supposed to be the president of that company, you know?”


  KangYoon frowned slightly, but Lee JunYeol didn’t care and smiled.

  “It’s not like this is our first meeting…. Anyway, that SoOld girl?”


  “SoYoung.”


  “Who cares what her name is? That kid, I thought she was afraid of cameras, but then, she goes and spits unnecessary stuff, you know? I was really fooled by her this time.

  “But the song was good, wasn’t it?”


  “That’s… true.”


  Lee JunYeol mumbled when KangYoon pointed out.

  Although the TV program turned out to be funny, Park SoYoung met Lee JunYeol’s musical standards and definitely satisfied the public with her song.

  KangYoon shrugged.

  “So, that’s why you came all this way to me? To tell her out?”


  “I’m not some little girl; I wouldn’t do that.”


  “What you’re doing is precisely like a little girl.”


  “Ah, for god’s sake, bro.”


  Lee JunYeol was like a little boy in front of KangYoon.

  He stopped grumbling and accepted it.

  “…Fine. Alright, I’ll stop. Anyway, that kid, she’s splendid with her work. Did you teach her?”


  “It’s because she put in the effort.”


  “She says she learned from you, though?”


  KangYoon laughed and just drank the lukewarm coffee.

  Lee JunYeol put down the empty glass and spoke.

  “Anyway, who was it again? The girl from Eddios that did a duet with me last time.”


  “You mean JooYeon?”


  “Yeah, I think that was her name, that girl with a bad temper.”


  “…I’m her boss, you damn thing.”


  “Hahaha.”


  Lee JunYeol only laughed at KangYoon’s scolding.

  Although Lee JunYeol crossed the line several times, KangYoon did not say anything about it.

  Lee JunYeol stopped laughing and spoke.

  “I’m planning to do an album soon, and I want that JooYeon girl to do a duet with me.”


  “An album?”


  “It will be an official album. That’s why I’m asking you. She might have a really bad temper, but her singing was great. Her voice suited mine as well. Bro, can’t you do something about it?”


  “I’ll first have to talk to JooYeon about it. But are you really going to be fine? You two fought a lot when working together, didn’t you?”


  The two were like oil and water, and they fought non-stop from the moment they started working together to the day of their performance.

  It was fortunate that the results were good. Otherwise, the two would be on the worst terms.

  KangYoon clearly remembered Han JooYeon telling him that she did not want to work with Sedy ever again.

  “Will that be a problem if the song is good? You know better than that, right? Why do two singers fight? It’s of course because of preference.”


  “You’re right but… Fine, I’ll try talking to her about it.”


  “Please.”


  When KangYoon accepted, Lee JunYeol’s expression brightened up a lot.

  After they left the cafe, KangYoon and Lee JunYeol slowly walked on the streets when some ladies approached Lee JunYeol asking for autographs.

  “Thank you!”


  The ladies were overjoyed as they walked away with Lee JunYeol’s autograph.

  “You’re as popular as ever.”


  “Bro, that’s the kind of guy I am.”


  Lee JunYeol’s arrogance knew no limits.

  KangYoon patted Lee JunYeon’s back and spoke.

  “You’re still taking care of your voice, right?”


  “Of course. I’m not a pro if I make the same mistake twice.”


  Lee JunYeol put his arms around KangYoon’s shoulders as the two returned to the company.

  After he returned to his van, KangYoon went down to the studio.

  “Getting dres… ah, that’s not right.”


  When he quietly opened the door, he saw Jung MinAh doing practice.

  She didn’t seem to have noticed KangYoon as she started putting strength into her stomach and raising her voice.

  “Getting dres—— ah, I don’t think that’s right… a more widespread feeling? A widespread…”


  KangYoon quietly sat behind her in order not to disturb her.

  Jung MinAh kept muttering to herself as she repeated that verse again and again.

  Like when she practiced her dancing, sweat was falling on the ground when she practiced.

  An unknown amount of time passed.

  Feeling no hope, Jung MinAh collapsed onto the ground.

  “Goddammit, I can’t do this. I can’t do it! I don’t have a clue. I don’t understand at all… The more I do it, the more I don’t understand. Auu…”


  Jung MinAh became dejected.

  Her usual confidence was all but gone.

  However, KangYoon didn’t step in and just kept watching over her quietly.

  After a while, she stood back up again.

  “…I will be able to do it if I keep trying. Let’s see who wins now, huh!”


  Jung MinAh exercised her voice before starting to practice again.

  ‘Let’s not disrupt her.’


  Seeing her back in practice mode again, KangYoon quietly left the studio.

  Before he returned to the office, KangYoon headed to the rooftop.

  He took out a crumpled cigarette and lit it up.

  ‘Is there a trainer capable of training MinAh?’


  Jung MinAh went through several trainers at MG, but her skills did not increase.

  She couldn’t stay like this forever, though.

  ‘Let’s look into one for now.’


  Putting off his cigarette, KangYoon thought about what kind of a vocal trainer he should look into.

  ***

  The next day.

  The members of Eddios sighed after hearing that their original December comeback date was delayed.

  “…Haa, so it’s next year.”


  “I’m getting itchy these days.”


  Christie An and Ailee Jung expressed deep disappointment, and Seo HanYu shook her head to express her dissatisfaction.

  KangYoon did not say that the cause was Jung MinAh.

  Jung MinAh was just looking down on the floor.

  “I’m sorry. But I’ll try to schedule some TV programs for December, so focus on that.”


  “Yes.”


  “Then dismissed.”


  When everyone from Eddios left, Jung MinAh left behind.

  “…I’m sorry.”


  Jung MinAh couldn’t look at KangYoon.

  Had she ever drag everyone else down like this before?

  She couldn’t look anyone in the eyes.

  KangYoon just patted her back.

  “For now, don’t think about anything else but focus on getting that verse done.”


  “…Yes.”


  Jung MinAh left the studio powerlessly, and KangYoon sat in front of the computer.

  ‘A trainer, huh.’


  KangYoon used all of his connections to start looking for a suitable trainer.

  He asked Professor Choi ChanYang, President Choo ManJi, and the artists he knew to gather vocal trainers’ information.

  However, the industry wasn’t that large, and most of them introduced him to the same person.

  He skipped lunch, looking for trainers, but he wasn’t able to find one.

  ‘It’s not easy.’


  KangYoon finished a call with someone he knew before burying himself on the sofa.

  The vocal trainers that people recommended ended up being one of two people. S or K.

  They were both exceptional trainers, but Jung MinAh was already trained by the two once before.

  He needed someone else.

  He was blankly staring at the ceiling when his phone on the table started ringing.

  “Yes, this is Lee KangYoon speaking.”


  – Team Leader Lee KangYoon? It’s me, HyeSeon.

  “Kang HyeSeon? Oh, HyeSeon, it’s been ages!”


  KangYoon sat up on the sofa.

  Kang HyeSeon was the main vocalist of SeasonS, whom he worked with when he was a team leader at MG Entertainment.

  – Hello, team leader; I mean, I should call you composer now, right? Or president? How am I supposed to call you?

  “You can call me whatever you want.”
-

  Then, Oppa?

  “Hahaha, that’s pleasing to hear.”


  KangYoon’s voice was higher than usual.

  SeasonS became famous thanks to KangYoon’s planning and achieved first on the rankings in their resulting album.

  After that, they became more and more successful and spread their name far and wide in this age, where new girl groups debuted every day.

  – …Thanks to you, we’re doing exceptionally well.

  “It’s because you’re all capable.”


  – You’re humble too? Hey, be honest with me, Oppa. You’re actually hugely popular, aren’t you?

  “What are you talking about? You shouldn’t tease your elders.”


  – … I’m not joking, though? I mean, look at World right now. Oppa, are you willing to accept us when contract renewal season comes?

  “I’m hanging up then.”


  – Okay, fine, fine.

  After exchanging jokes, Kang HyeSeon talked about why she called.

  – I heard from HungBoo-Oppa. I heard you were looking for a vocal trainer.

  “From YHB? Yeah. HungBoo didn’t seem to know trainers that well…”


  – Actually, I’m calling you because Hungboo-Oppa called me.

  A while back, KangYoon asked Composer Yoo HungBoo (YHB), a famous EDM composer. Still, he told KangYoon that he wasn’t acquainted with any vocal trainers. But he ended up calling SeasonS?

  KangYoon’s eyes shone.

  “Really? Who is it?”


  – But this teacher, I mean, unni. Her temper is not ordinary. She’s not famous…… and I’m not sure if I can tell you this.

  “It’s fine. What kind of person is she?”
-

  …Ah, this unni is really tough… Oppa, don’t come crying to me later.”


  KangYoon accepted and asked her for a number.