Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 70

70.

“…Ha-min hyung [older brother/male friend], I apologize if this is a rude question, but do you have a slight problem with your sense of taste? I don’t think you could make something this bad on purpose.”

“…Sorry, Hyun-jae. I mistook the sugar for salt.”

“I-I like… sweet… fried… eggs.”

Ryu Iden ate his share of the fried egg, barely managing to keep from spitting it out, and carefully observed Ji Dong-hwa.

Ji Dong-hwa was chewing silently, struggling to keep his expression neutral.

‘He always eats everything like that.’

And suddenly, he remembered Ji Dong-hwa’s appearance from dawn.

‘…Dong-hwa isn’t one to say something without a reason.’

He didn’t know exactly what seeing the future meant, but it wouldn’t be baseless nonsense.

‘…And if it was about me or our team, he wouldn’t hesitate to tell me. Even if it was completely someone else’s business, he wouldn’t have a problem speaking up.’

So, it’s not about our members, but he saw the future of someone related to our members?

For example… Sung-ho or Hyun-jin.

Come to think of it, the rumors from God’s Eye weren’t good. The rumor that the team leader, Lee Ji-hyun, was promiscuous.

“…What are you looking at?”

Ji Dong-hwa turned his head at Ryu Iden’s gaze and tossed out a word.

“Just wanted to dig up some secrets.”

And also, I want to help.

At those words, Ji Dong-hwa turned his head back to his rice bowl, carefully scooped up a spoonful, and put it in his mouth.

‘…Ah, I don’t know. I wonder if what I’m thinking is right.’

Ryu Iden doesn’t think of himself as smart.

He is well aware of how illogical his current speculation is.

However, if Ji Dong-hwa organizes his thoughts and acts after deciding everything, he is the type of person who is used to acting first.

That’s why Ryu Iden….

‘…I should contact my sister.’

He quickly decides to ask for help from his sister, his blood relative who argues with him whenever they make eye contact.

He doesn’t usually like getting help from family, but he owes Ji Dong-hwa a favor, so screw his beliefs.

* * *

After eating, I came to the studio to clear my head for a while. Chae Ha-min’s cooking skills had improved, and the food was decent enough.

Just because it’s a break doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do.

There were occasional events, and in my case, I also had to finish the song for the next album.

Besides….

“Oh, our junior [younger colleague]! Or, should I say, composer now?”

Shut up, Jun-sung.

“First of all… I’ve made some revisions to what I showed you last time, based on our conversation.”

“Oh, I remember saying some really weird things.”

“…I’m glad you remember.”

In fact, I met with Jun-sung in between activities and talked about what kind of song he wanted. In addition, I watched Jun-sung’s performances several times and analyzed his tone and range.

“I think I said I wanted a song that feels crazy, sexy, exciting, and somehow sad, but also good to listen to.”

What a crazy bastard, really.

I remember thinking what nonsense Jun-sung was talking about when I first heard it.

“Actually, I didn’t even expect such a song to come out, composer. I just told you because you kept asking me what my needs were.”

“…Please listen to it first.”

I knew it would be hard to explain in words, so I immediately played the song.

Then, a siren sound leaks out, stuttering. Like the city’s night that tried to catch someone but missed.

‘The part I wrote with the motif of a villain blowing up a building and escaping alone.’

“…Wow, it’s like a movie OST [original soundtrack].”

Jun-sung quietly mutters while listening.

Jun-sung is good, but his greatest strength is his ability to express himself on stage.

To make the most of that strength, a song with a story like a musical would be better than just a song that is good to listen to.

In addition, there is no better subject than a villain to capture the ambivalent qualities of madness, sexiness, excitement, and sadness in one place.

The song, which had been running excitedly, changes slightly lyrically. It’s a break before the chorus, a time for the villain to reflect on himself or plan.

The villain, who has subtly endured the loneliness of always being alone, explodes his madness in the chorus.

The synthesizer plays a melody like laughter. A sound that seems to be destroying everything and laughing like crazy.

And after doing such a splendid job, the laughter stops with a sigh at the end of the chorus.

And the ebb and flow of the song moves like the villain’s psychology, unfolding like a musical.

And silence lingers after all the songs are finished. I opened my mouth.

“…This is the feeling of the song. There are still detailed adjustments to be made, and I need to consult with the A&R [artists and repertoire] team, but I’m thinking of giving you a song with this kind of atmosphere.”

Sorry, but even if you say the song isn’t good now, no returns are accepted. If I rewrite Jun-sung’s song from the beginning, I might collapse from overwork again.

While I was thinking inwardly in an excessively quiet atmosphere, Jun-sung said.

“I guess I’m lucky to have good people around me, junior.”

“…Are you okay?”

“Yeah, now I have something to brag about to Iden. That guy brags so much every time we meet that he got a song, junior!”

Jun-sung shouted with an excited expression. Hmm, I didn’t know Ryu Iden would go around bragging like that.

“He brags so much that it’s a perfect song for him, now I can brag too!”

“…Is that so.”

I don’t know what to do, but I can match his excitement since he seems happy.

Jun-sung asks to listen to the music one more time and starts talking.

“Where did you learn to compose? Your old agency wouldn’t have had such a foundation.”

Damn it, why did he have to touch on such a sensitive area. I can’t answer because I don’t have any memories of the two years I spent as a trainee.

“Junior? Composer? …Oh, Dong-hwa? Is it something you can’t answer?”

“…No. I probably learned composition by looking at my mother’s notebook.”

“Huh? What does that mean, probably?”

“My mother used to compose.”

Jun-sung, who was wondering about the word ‘probably,’ nodded as if he had decided to just move on.

“Anyway, I really like this song. You can’t give it to anyone else, composer?”

I was so dumbfounded that I laughed. I can’t dress a custom suit on someone with a different body shape, what is this guy talking about?

“You’re worrying about nothing, senior [older colleague].”

First, I need to go to the A&R team and let them listen to the song.

* * *

Three days later, I moved to the company’s conference room.

This is the site of the first meeting for Jun-sung’s solo album.

Our team’s activities will proceed immediately, overlapping with Jun-sung’s activities and the end of his contract.

So, the official break is about two months. I need to quickly finish my work on this album and focus on working for the members.

Unlike making our album, I learned a lot of new things by participating in Jun-sung’s album as a staff member.

For example, 80% of the title selection is already decided before the official meeting.

“Then are we thinking of working on this as the title? It seems like it will be a bit difficult to set the overall album atmosphere if we go with the title.”

The person in charge of photography and image work said with a worried voice….

“But there’s no other song that can save Jun-sung’s stage as much as that. Jun-sung is good at a slightly crazy concept, right?”

Jang Hae-jin tells him to get lost in a soft voice.

“Um, Team Leader Jang, is that an insult or a compliment?”

“Of course it’s a compliment, Jun-sung.”

Then, the A&R team leader also agreed that although it was a song with an unfamiliar atmosphere, the song itself was good.

‘I didn’t want it to be the title song at all, damn it. It’s too much pressure.’

It’s all because of that shepherd-like human. He was so insistent that he would use this as the title song, it was an immature appearance that was hard to believe he was a grown adult.

I cleared my throat once and carefully raised my hand.

“Okay! We need to hear our composer’s opinion too.”

Jun-sung says in a voice full of anticipation. His eyes are full of hope, and it seems like it would be nice to see that hope disappear.

Um, I’m sorry, but I’m going to disagree with your opinion.

“…Personally, I think a B-side is right. There is a song made with codes that are easily appealing to the public than my song, so I don’t think we need to take a risk. In the first place, I made it with a B-side in mind.”

“Huh?”

“Yes?”

Jun-sung and Jang Hae-jin make embarrassed voices when I, the owner of the song, oppose it. It seems that these two are the only ones who are hooked on my song among those present.

“Dong-hwa, the only song among the current songs that can be said to be my color is the song you wrote?”

“That’s right, after all, the rest of the songs have a similar feel to the concept that TOT has done before.”

“Besides, it’s Dong-hwa’s solo debut with a song written by his junior, so there’s enough buzz, right?”

“That’s right, Jun-sung. I’m sure it will help Blossoms with their next album activities.”

“And the song is good in the first place. I’m just drawn to it! I feel like I’ll regret it if I don’t make this the title, Dong-hwa.”

Yes, I learned the truth that if two people with great power gather like this, a composer like me has no choice but to accept it.

In the end, the meeting is just a channel for legally approving matters that have already been personally decided by those with the right to speak in the group. If Habermas [German philosopher], who valued healthy exchange of opinions, saw it, he would curse in accurate Korean pronunciation.

“Did you two decide and come in from the beginning?”

Then Jun-sung smiles proudly and nods.

“Of course. Isn’t that what society is all about, junior?”

In the meantime, the A&R team leader quietly raises his hand and says.

“I also decided in advance, Dong-hwa.”

“…Is that so.”

In the end, I… had no choice but to succumb to the private power of the meeting.

* * *

When I returned to the dorm, Ryu Iden was waiting for me at the door.

He’s wearing sportswear, so he must have just worked out, that workout addict.

“Dong-hwa, did you have a good meeting?”

He’s holding a cell phone in one hand and smiling at me, which is suspiciously disgusting. That’s the expression he makes when I’ve done something wrong.

…Did he find out that I bought a book with the money he gave me to buy food when I was in the studio? It’s also a nourishment for the mind, so it’s ultimately connected in terms of food, but he’s stingy.

“Dong-hwa, you were trying to hide something big?”

“Um, wouldn’t it be a difference in perspective?”

Some people may think that one meal is important, but for me, I don’t have to eat one meal.

Then Ryu Iden looks at me with a hardened expression.

“How is it determined whether to hide it or not depending on the point of view?”

…There’s no way one meal is that important. I’m starting to wonder if we’re talking about the same topic right now.

“The leader of God’s Eye pushed you on the stairs. If something like that happened, you should have told me, I would have taken more care to cover it up.”

…What, how did he know that? Even Chae Ha-min doesn’t know.

Ryu Iden smiles as if he knew the doubt in my expression and continues.

“My sister is an entertainment reporter, and she’s digging into that team because they smell fishy this time?”

‘…An entertainment reporter?’

More than that, how, how did I not get caught?

“Besides, my sister has a slightly strange personality, so she does on-site coverage like a social affairs department while being in the entertainment department. She’s quite passionate, right? It’s her own journalist’s conscience.”

Seeing my reaction, Ryu Iden smiles brightly as if he’s having fun and says.

“Also, my father has a position in the police? We’re a little awkward right now because I became a singer…….”

‘…A reporter and a police officer.’

In the end, as I silently listen to Ryu Iden’s self-PR time and stare at him, Ryu Iden taps his cell phone a few times on his palm as if he’s embarrassed and says quietly.

“So… in that future you saw, is there a place for me?”

…Damn it, I’m annoyed but relieved that only one puppy is involved.