Hyunseung left the meeting with The Moon and headed straight for the engineer room.
“Why is he acting like that all of a sudden?”
“I do not think he can even hear us.”
“A war could break out right now and he would never notice.”
The engineers whispered among themselves while sneaking glances at him.
Until now, Hyunseung had finished the final mastering alone and asked them only for small tweaks.
But for Yoon Jaeyi’s track he had requested a joint session, and he had not left his seat for hours, concentrating without a break, so the engineers were baffled.
“Haa…”
Just then Hyunseung slid off his headset.
“Are you all finished?”
He kneaded his stiff neck as he asked.
“Ah, still a bit left.”
“Same here.”
“Just a little more.”
The engineers hurried to act busy. Joint work or not, Hyunseung had already split the parts and given exact instructions.
They knew they had to hurry up and deliver, but his demands were so precise, and ordinary people do have a limit to their focus. Even these pros found nonstop hours tough.
Of course, once in a while you meet a monster who breaks the rules.
“What were you doing while I handled everything?”
One engineer muttered under his breath, “Monster…,” and when Hyunseung asked “Pardon?”, he waved it off as talking to himself.
Another engineer hurried to change the topic.
“Hyunseung, is something going on?”
“Huh? No?”
“Really? You look a little flustered.”
“I told you, no.”
“Is Yoon Jaeyi blackmailing you?”
“What?”
“If she is, blink twice and I will wave a carrot.”
Seeing no point in replying, Hyunseung raked back his hair and shook his head.
Still, their guess was not wrong; he was impatient.
— Are you very busy, oppa?
The reason he rushed was the trip promised to his sister.
— Are you coming home tonight? I told Dad everything.
— Should I book the plane tickets first?
— There is a famous place in France called “Bifor”! Let’s go for sure!
He stared at her messages and sighed. The texts dripped with anticipation; how could he ask her to wait?
So he had decided to get this done fast.
Fast, yes, but never sloppy.
“Let’s listen once through what you have so far.”
“What, already? We are not done.”
“This is a mid-check. I may have more notes.”
“More than this…?”
They traded looks, then muttered one by one.
“Monster…”
“Devil…”
“Slave driver…”
When he asked “Sorry?” they all denied it and laughed awkwardly.
“Nothing. Let’s stitch it together and play it.”
They merged the tracks and hit play.
♫♫♫
The engineers pricked up their ears as the mix filled the speakers.
It was their first time hearing the complete song.
♫ If only I could remember you I would miss you all I want.
They flinched at Yoon Jaeyi’s dreamy voice.
♫ Because I have no memory, I cannot even yearn.
A mere whisper sank in, cool and calm.
♫ Will you remember me?
A faint sorrow spread.
Why did you leave me alone in this world?
One engineer felt his nose sting.
♫ Do not let go of my hand, take me with you.
Was this indescribable sadness because he knew the backstory?
♫ Could you hold me tight just once, even if only in a dream?
Maybe, yet even without that knowledge the grief would have hit just as hard; he would have crumbled thinking of his late parents.
Another engineer pressed his forehead to clasped hands and prayed.
Some might call it selfish, but he begged that his own daughter would never know such sorrow.
Even a notorious unfilial son could pray, not for the aged parents he had burdened, but for the little girl who had waved so brightly on his way out to work.
Please, never let me leave her behind first.
A third engineer suddenly barked.
“Hey, this is cheating, you know?”
The room turned toward him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Yeah, why snap like that?”
Even Hyunseung narrowed his eyes.
Cheating?
They waited.
“The song is too good…”
The engineer’s face twisted.
“The voice is too heart-breaking…”
As he blinked pink-rimmed eyes the others gave embarrassed chuckles.
The track ended, the three engineers closed their eyes again, lost in aftertaste.
Watching them, Hyunseung thought of the word success.
If men who spend their lives assembling and tuning music were moved like this, the track was right on target.
Looks like I keep making people cry lately.
And three big guys sniffling side by side was a sight he might never see again.
They worked through the night and the master was finished.
Because the schedule was tight, Hyunseung summoned Yoon Jaeyi to his private studio at dawn.
A short while ago, the engineers had vowed to stay and hear the playback, but eventually surrendered and passed out in the bunk room.
So only the two of them were left, and since both were the quiet type the studio fell utterly still.
At his single word she listened to the final mix again and again.
“No way…”
She lifted off the headset and murmured.
She was sure she sang it, yet it felt strangely unfamiliar.
“Is… is this really my song?”
She could not point out where, but the polished track overwhelmed her with disbelief and joy.
Hyunseung only said flatly, “Strictly speaking, it is my song.”
“Ah, right…”
It sounded cold, yet true.
And why quibble? She was bursting with happiness that her official debut track existed.
Pieces with her voice had come out during the show, but this was different.
It was her story, clad in HS’s melody, so it felt like a present.
Present?
A memory flashed.
“The other day he asked what gift could fix an angry twenty-something girl.”
During recording, she had been a bit hurt and he had seemed to hunt for a gift.
It was a misunderstanding; he had not even noticed her feelings.
“Did you decide on that gift?”
If he said no, she meant to answer that this song itself was a gift, that she no longer needed anything else.
“I will skip the gift and finish quickly so I can go on a trip.”
The gift and the trip referred to his sister, but—
Men and women travelling alone? she thought, her mind racing.
Still, maybe with him it would be all right…?
Blushing, she asked, “A trip? Where to?”
“Overseas.”
“Wow, I have never been abroad.”
“Good for you.”
“So, where overseas?”
“Let me see… Europe.”
“Europe! I love Europe!”
“You have been?”
“No! That’s why I love it.”
He tilted his head. “How can you love a place you have never seen?”
“I will find out when I go!”
“Planning to tag along?”
“If you invite me…”
The conversation felt off but he chalked it up to her quirks.
“I would follow to the ends of hell!”
“To hell, huh. Well, thanks.”
“Sure, thanks!”
“Even on a family trip?”
Her face flamed then drained white.
Apparently the sulky girl and the trip companion were not her after all.
Meanwhile, The Moon arrived at LS Entertainment.
Jiho shrank a little before the soaring building.
Big agencies are different, he thought.
Still, he vowed to succeed and build one for TM too. He continued walking with determination.
One hand held a box of fruit drinks, the other oat-milk lattes from the hottest café nearby.
The members followed, murmuring wow at the grand lobby.
Here it is.
He knocked on the door marked HS.
His heart pounded, trembling at the thought of rehearsal.
“Why is no one answering?”
“Maybe he is out?”
“Didn’t he say nine o’clock?”
Silence raised their anxiety.
So this is the infamous power play by star composers? Jiho wondered.
He had suffered such arrogance before.
Trying to stay calm, he knocked harder.
At that moment the thick door opened and a young woman peeked out.
“Is this HS’s studio?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Who are you? You don’t look like LS artists… and definitely not staff…”
HS appeared behind her.
“Why are you pretending to be my secretary?”
“They were strangers…”
“Yeah. They’re my new instruments.”
The members blinked at the phrase new instruments.
“Oh!” Jeonghyuk suddenly pointed at the woman.
“You are the K-Singer Star winner, right?”
She blushed shyly and nodded.
The others recognized her and chimed in,
“Honored to meet you!”
“We watched every episode!”
“I read you signed with LS.”
HS shook his head at the noise and jerked his head for them to enter.
“We brought a small token, couldn’t come empty-handed.”
Jiho offered the fruit drinks and lattes.
“I will put these in the fridge.” Yoon Jaeyi whisked the box away with a bright smile.
“Thank you.”
Her vibe felt different from TV; Jiho was puzzled.
She seemed bold, not timid.
True, nobody is exactly as on screen. Even he, usually stone-faced, forced a grin till his cheeks cramped when they landed a music-show slot.
“These should be finished now or the ice melts.”
He handed over the oat-milk latte.
“What is this?”
Yoon Jaeyi, now right beside him, snatched it again.
“Oat-milk latte. Had I known you were here I would have bought two.”
“No, thanks. You must not know much about our composer. He hates sweets. Only americanos or straight caffeine.”
Jiho scratched his head, embarrassed by the wrong choice, and puzzled by her wary stare like a herbivore facing a predator.
Did I do something wrong?
He had not even had time to do anything.
“Yoon Jaeyi, stop the nonsense and go.”
“What? But I was right…”
“You’re done here, go.”
“Okay…”
At HS’s word, the… herbivore… meekly left the studio.
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