LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 181
Episode 181
The staff and artists of TwoBear gathered in the Meeting Room for the final presentation of the demo track, which was left only with formal recording and mastering after adding guide vocals. After hearing the title song I’d somehow completed since my conversation with Gyeoul, there was a moment of silence.
I was waiting, thinking they were just organizing their thoughts, but as the silence dragged on, nobody spoke up.
“What’s up? Is it that bad?”
…James Oh and Gyeoul said it was fine, though.
As I waited for that no-response to end and feeling awkward, I cautiously spoke up.
“Um… can you start sharing your thoughts now?”
At my words, Cheon Aram snapped back to reality and asked,
“Who did the guide vocals?”
“It was Gyeoul and me.”
Once the gaze shifted to Gyeoul, she buried her face in her hands, looking a bit shy.
“Why’s that? You sang well!”
Gaeul seemed to have something on her mind but was hesitating to say it, her mouth twitching, while Yeoreum stared blankly at me, twirling her long, straight hair with one hand.
Yuri sighed as she watched the two.
…Honestly, I have no idea what this reaction is.
Cheon Aram, resting her chin on her hand in deep thought, casually threw out,
“You know, I think we could just upload this track as it is? …No, wait. How about we arrange it into an acoustic version that feels like an album track? If we think about it as featuring Gyeoul’s solo, I think the fans would accept it.”
“…You mean in its current guide vocal state?”
“Yep.”
“….”
I looked around at my colleagues, hoping someone would talk her out of it, and everyone was nodding along.
Seriously, what’s going on here?
“…This is a Girl Revolution song.”
“I know that, but somehow this track seems to highlight Team Leader Seon more than usual.”
That line felt vaguely familiar, so I glanced over at James Oh, who was behind me. He met my gaze and smiled broadly, giving me a thumbs up.
…Oh, great. Glad you like it.
I tried to erase the image of James Oh, who started to unconditionally agree with all my opinions after the completion of this track, and asked Cheon Aram,
“Does that mean the President thinks this song doesn’t suit Girl Revolution?”
Cheon Aram shook her head and replied,
“No, not at all. It’s a good song. It maintains the context with the color Girl Revolution is pursuing, while not missing out on mainstream trends. We really need to hear it in the final recording to fully grasp it, but I think it’ll be alright. It’s definitely got that title feel. Good job, Team Leader Seon.”
That was high praise. Considering that Cheon Aram’s comments in such situations were always objective, it meant even more.
Therefore, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off about Cheon Aram and the others’ reactions.
“So, does that mean the positive feedback on the demo version suggests it’s too good to just discard?”
“Basically, it’s just that I think the simple 녹음 version is surprisingly positive, so it’s a shame to throw it away, you know?”
“Um… rather, it feels more like I shouldn’t throw it away, like it’s inevitable. The order is different.”
“…What?”
What does that even mean? Why is there such expressive language for just a guide?
Cheon Aram scratched her head while looking at me and said,
“How should I put it? Honestly, this song feels like it’s not the Girl Revolution’s song, but rather a song of someone named Seon Taeyang. It’s like taking away the owner’s vibe, you know?”
*
James Oh assessed the reactions of those TwoBear employees like this:
“They’re all just overwhelmed by Team Leader Seon’s work. There’s no need to overthink it. It’s simply praise. Is there any other meaning to saying the impression is strong and the colors are vibrant? This work is the best, Team Leader Seon. Enjoy and be proud; it’s a sufficient achievement. I’ll handle the other minor mastering, so don’t worry.”
However, I couldn’t be certain with just that answer. A nagging feeling lingered that I couldn’t shake off.
“So, what’s the deal this time? It’s not just a part-time job, right?”
So, I sought out Cheon Jong-hoon. Honestly, I try to downplay it by pretending it’s a part-time job, but in reality, my true mentors in music are this guy and James Oh.
“I came to consult about the work,” I said.
Cheon Jong-hoon snorted at my declaration and replied,
“Do you think I’m so free that I can just drop everything because you popped in unannounced? I know the new Alcest album release is just around the corner, right? You seem to underestimate me sometimes. The time I allocate for you is merely the time I have left to spare…”
At that moment, the door swung open, and one of the members of Alcest, who was also the leader, Yoon Seo-ah, entered.
“Team Leader Cheon! As you mentioned, I’ve informed everyone that the scheduled directing time has been canceled! The kids are grumbling since it was so sudden, but I’ll make sure they don’t think like that! So, enjoy your free time!”
“….”
Not knowing what to say, I expressed my gratitude.
“Thank you for making time for me…”
“So, what’s the matter?”
Feeling the urgency to change the subject, I went along with his lead.
“I’ve made a new song for the title this time.”
“…Already?”
“Yes, lucky me.”
Cheon Jong-hoon raised an eyebrow and asked back,
“…Lucky?”
“Yes, it wasn’t a song that could come out in a short period.”
“…Well, fine. You should be familiar with the audio system, so go ahead and play it.”
I prepared to play the song according to his words.
“The title of the song is ‘I’ll be by your side.’ …Alright, I’ll play it now.”
The song played for about three minutes and finished.
The playback finished in about three minutes.
“….”
And Cheon Jong-hoon fell silent.
Ah, why does everyone go mute when they listen to this song?
Unable to hold back, I asked the question I was dreading.
“What did you think?”
“….”
After what felt like an eternity of silence, Cheon Jong-hoon seemed to have organized his thoughts and finally spoke up.
“This is Seon Taeyang’s song.”
“….”
That was an obvious statement.
But now, that obvious remark was taken differently.
“Could you explain it to me?”
“What you’ve created is closer to the work of an artist than the tracks of a current K-pop composer.”
“….”
“You’ve been inspired by James Oh, haven’t you?”
Cheon Jong-hoon said this while taking his eyes off the audio equipment and looking directly at me.
“Do you know why I offered you my mentorship… or should I say, a part-time job?”
“Well, honestly, I have no clue. Aren’t there plenty of people more talented than me?”
He scoffed and then said.
“Isn’t it about time for you to take a realistic look at things? Or is that humility? Cut that pathetic act out. I absolutely detest it.”
What is this humility? It’s called understanding your place.
“No, objectively speaking, there are far more technical and insightful composers than me out there….”
“Nonsense! …You’re a genius! So much so that I, Cheon Jong-hoon, am feeling a sense of crisis here.”
“….”
I felt like I had been hit on the head. I never imagined I’d hear such words from someone who was the epitome of arrogance.
“James Oh must have made the same judgment and clung to you. If he had his eyes open, he couldn’t have missed it. …But you know, the genius he sees and the genius I see in you seem a bit different.”
I couldn’t hide my rising curiosity and asked.
“What did Team Leader Cheon see in me?”
“What I see in you is vision. The vision to see an artist’s talent, what’s lacking, and what’s needed to complete a song.”
Hearing that made me recall the time when I tried to flex about knowing Gyeoul to join SS.
He must have misunderstood the ability of the status window as my talent.
“That was just a coincidence. Honestly, from the very first time, I was trying to look impressive to you to come off as a convincing salesman, you know?”
“Impressive? …Didn’t you rate your song during a mid-check before? Like a 96 or a 92?”
“Yes, I did that.”
It was something I did occasionally. Understanding my position was my forte.
That’s why I made such a fuss. Back then, I thought I could never create a perfect song.
Somehow, the track titled ‘Albatross’ met those standards, but it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Thinking about that while in front of me, Cheon Jong-hoon looked puzzled and asked.
“Did you think that anyone could do that?”
“Can I?”
“….”
And I couldn’t answer that question.
“You are a genius, indeed. Hah…, it’s truly something to have to explain this with my own mouth. Anyway, unlike me, James Oh must have seen not just with his eyes, but with his senses. And that sense refers to the way you integrate the individuality and thoughts of Seon Taeyang into your work. It’s not music of the system; it’s the music of an artist.”
Cheon Jong-hoon slammed the stacked foreign books with a ‘thud’ and continued,
“I believed you could reach the pinnacle of system music, provided you filled in the gaps in your knowledge. That’s why I helped. After all, I aim for the peak too. And I can confidently say that you’re capable of achieving it! If such a worthy opponent of mine can’t reach that peak just because of a lack of trivial techniques and knowledge, then it would be embarrassing for both of us! …But you’ve chosen a different path. I felt uneasy from the moment you claimed luck played a part in finishing the piece, and now it’s come to this.”
He let out a deep sigh, settling his agitation to speak softly.
“I’m not going to deny that piece now. That would be a disgrace. It’s true that it’s flawless and of high quality. However, be aware that it’s a piece entirely different from what I aspire to. Relying on luck, rolling the dice, proclaiming that I’m right and urging everyone to follow me, I think lightly of the system that humanity has built. …So, I’m trying to respond.”
I asked, “What kind of response are you talking about?”
“I need to prove that my way is right.”
Cheon Jong-hoon stood up and began to operate the audio system.
“With this new album of Alcest.”
And then his song started playing.
“….”
I listened and judged.
‘…100 points.’
Cheon Jong-hoon surpassed his former self.
*
The comeback dates for Alcest and Girl Revolution overlap.
We believed it was inevitable to release our album now to maintain the momentum of each member’s activity, so we had no plans to change this timing.
It seemed they were not considering a change either, so a direct clash on the charts was a given.
Because of that, my worries grew. I had no confidence that the song I created would defeat this Alcest.
Lost in such thoughts while organizing the music video planning report, the office door opened.
“…Brother Taeyang? Do you have a moment?”
It was Gaeul.
I flinched for a moment, then welcomed her casually.
“Sure, Gaeul. What’s up?”
“I just wanted to talk for a bit.”
“Oh? Then, sit here….”
Just as I was welcoming Gaeul, the office door opened again.
“Team Leader Seon, can we talk for a moment?”
“….”
It was Yeoreum.