Manager Kim clicked his tongue at the sight before his eyes, as though appalled.
“This place is a pigsty, not a recording studio, right?”
At his question, Hyunseung took off his headset and answered.
“Those bodies lying over there aren’t pigs, just some random idols, so I’d say it’s still a recording studio.”
“Do you think I asked because I didn’t know? I dropped by since it’s been almost a week, and you’ve turned the place into ground zero.”
Just as he said, the studio was littered with empty delivery boxes and coffee cups.
Well, that was only natural.
They had been recording for six whole days, so he could picture the nonstop pace without even asking.
“Those kids really picked the wrong house to suffer in.”
Knowing Hyunseung, he wouldn’t have taken it easy just because The Moon were outsiders.
Manager Kim suddenly felt a pang of pity looking at the faces of kids who weren’t even his, sleeping like the dead.
Still, meeting a first-rate conductor and getting directed like this isn’t easy, right?
This experience would become priceless fertilizer for them.
“At least they held out.”
Manager Kim was slipping an empty can into a trash bag when—
“Producer.”
Apparently awake now, Joo Woomin had sat up alone.
“What, already up?”
“Just now.”
Rubbing his swollen eyelids, Woomin spoke carefully.
“But could you drop the adjective ‘random’?”
“Want me to swap it? How about ‘unknown’? ‘Tragic’? ‘Part-time idols’? ‘Used rookies’? Which one sounds nice?”
“Haha, they’re all true, so I’ve got nothing to say.”
Then, forcing a laugh, he added quietly.
“Still, don’t you think we’ll earn new adjectives soon? Famous, blessed, passion-driven, sleeper-hit…”
“Dream big, do you?”
“Of course. When we’re getting a song from you, dreaming small would be disrespectful.”
Staring at Woomin’s face, Hyunseung asked,
“In that spirit, want to hop in the booth?”
“Huh?” Startled, Woomin blinked.
Wasn’t this turning into a heart-warming moment? Why bring up the booth all of a sudden?
Walking into that hellhole was no different from opening the gates to the underworld.
Was my line bad?
Thinking frantically, he muttered, “Ah, suddenly I feel faint…”
Woomin glanced around, then flopped back onto the sofa.
“Never go into acting,” Hyunseung said. “I’ve never seen such awful acting.”
Tsk.
Snapping his fingers as if something came to mind, he asked,
“Manager Kim, you still have Gye Jinseong’s contact, right?”
“You mean that ‘Pain-in-the-Gy(e)’ journalist? Why?”
“Isn’t it about time we issued a correction?”
Manager Kim tilted his head, then clicked his fingers in realization.
“Oh, the previous false report?”
“Yeah, that.”
“ ‘The Moon’ will put out their own comeback articles anyway, no? Why should we step in?”
At that, Hyunseung answered in a voice low enough only Manager Kim could hear—no doubt Woo-min was feigning sleep.
“I’d like to set the stage a bit.”
“A stage? Out of the blue?”
“It just sounds fun, that’s all.”
Manager Kim cocked his head. One thing was clear: giving a song to these no-names wasn’t merely because of blackmail.
When Hyunseung first said he would, Manager Kim had thought even mighty Hyunseung feared teenage fangirls, but evidently it was “fun” again.
Usually, chasing that “fun” led to good results.
The sly curve of Hyunseung’s lips revealed everything. The guy was genuinely amused.
“I’m curious whether that kid will ride the executioner’s blade or crash and burn.”
His cryptic words ended with his gaze resting on sleeping Ahn Jiho’s face.
And that “fun” usually did bring success.
“Anyway, it’s my song too, so the more it sells, the better.”
“Even so, there are plenty of promo channels—why that pain-in-the-neck?”
“That reporter sure knows how to write clickbait.”
Cutting Manager Kim off, Hyunseung grinned.
“Tell him I’ve got words; have him call me.”
Inside TM Entertainment’s practice room, loud music blared.
Screech, screech.
Every time The Moon stomped, the worn wooden floor shrieked.
“Huff… huff…”
Choi Jeonghyuk finally flopped to the floor like a deflated balloon.
“Get up, Jeong-hyuk.”
“Hyung, just a sec.”
“No, get up.”
Jiho’s stern face towering above felt downright spiteful. He’d always been the fiercest member, but now he bordered on savage.
Since the recording ended—what, five hours straight practice every day? He might have caught the producer’s obsession.
Still, a short break…
Though a jokester, Jeonghyuk wanted success more than anyone and understood Jiho’s push—he was the leader. If they missed this chance, they were truly done.
I know, but…
Wearing a miserable face, he forced himself up.
“We’ll just run that section one more time, then I’ll let you rest and buy drinks.”
“Fine, all right…”
Jiho patted his shoulder. The others, exhausted, lacked the energy even to complain—words cost precious strength.
“Phew.”
Lee Chanyoung flapped his sweat-soaked T-shirt for a bit of air.
“Okay, stay strong. One last run, then drinks on me.”
Jiho clapped to lift the mood and reached for the play button when—
Bzzz bzzz.
His phone flashed “CEO.”
“Hello—”
—“Jiho!”
The booming voice made him wince and pull the phone from his ear. Didn’t know CEO Kim had such pipes.
Seeing the caller, the members collapsed onto the floor, snatching a breather. Even stoic Woomin’s legs gave way.
Nice call, boss.
“Yeah, boss?”
Peeking at the members, Jiho raised the phone.
—“You guys really might hit it big.”
“Huh? Of course we have to. You didn’t call just to say that, right?”
—“Would I steal practice time for small talk? Got your comeback dates locked thanks to that article.”
The members perked up; “comeback” alone set hearts racing.
“Showcase and music-show slots secured?”
—“Yep. But it’s earlier than expected; can you manage?”
“We’ve prepped for years. We could go on tomorrow.”
—“That’s my Jiho. Actually, I called for something else. Another article just dropped.”
“Another comeback piece?”
—“Yeah, but what do we do?”
Jiho’s brow knit. What trouble could a simple article cause?
“What’s wrong?”
By now the others had propped themselves up, staring.
This was a miracle run; losing it would hurt.
—“You guys, you’ve been invited as guest performers for Moon Beom-jae’s national concert tour!”
“Wh-what?”
—“Quit acting like you didn’t hear! Kiss your free time goodbye!”
Jiho simply sat down with a thud.
Thunk.
CEO Kim’s “Hello? Hello?” echoed, but—
“Chanyoung, pinch my cheek…”
Jiho’s soul had left the room.
Park Ah-young had been floating on air these days.
Her beloved group The Moon was gaining tiny bits of fame, and unexpectedly their comeback was set just ten days out.
“This is insane!”
Brimming with pride, she tapped the headline.
[Exclusive] HS-backed boy group The Moon to return on the 7th next month!
An article about The Moon sat on a top portal’s main page—unthinkable before.
—TM Entertainment’s flagship group The Moon announced their comeback… Previously rumored to have signed with LS Entertainment, the group clarified…
Scroll, scroll.
—HS stated he believed his song “le seul” would suit The Moon best…
The more she read, the wider her smile grew.
—Even more surprising, The Moon has been invited as guest performers for LS Entertainment artist Moon Beom-jae’s nationwide concert…
“Oh my gosh!”
She dropped her phone. Moon Beom-jae’s shows were legendary; no idol had ever been invited.
“Is this real?”
Picking up her phone, she checked again.
—The group finished recording and is now immersed in final rehearsals. Industry eyes are fixed on whether HS and Moon Beom-jae’s chosen group will soar…
Scrolling down to the comments:
↳ Who are these guys? Am I the only clueless one?
↳ More like what’s TM Entertainment? lol
↳ I keep getting hyped whenever HS is involved.
↳ Does HS ever rest? Bet he sweeps the charts again.
↳ The charts are HS’s playground, you know?
More scrolling.
↳ All-Night fandom, assemble! Shower them with love!
↳ My Moons, hurry and come back, thud, come back, thud…
↳ Why no promo? They’re all handsome—how’d I miss them?
↳ Guesting at Moon Beom-jae’s concert? I’m intrigued.
↳ Checked their stages—insane. Why haven’t they blown up?
Though The Moon still leaned on HS’s fame, so what? Exposure would let people see their true value.
↳ Wolves are howling again, trash-talking The Moon lol
↳ That “howling” line is savage haha
↳ Their fandom is infamous; heard tons of stories.
↳ Never seen a fandom more famous than the group itself lol
Ah-young snorted.
“Yeah, yeah?”
Normally she’d fire back instantly, but not now. Their jealousy amused her.
Other fandoms had long belittled The Moon and the All-Nights, forcing them to grow fierce.
Now, no one could look down on them. With HS’s song, just like Seo Jini and Jung Arin before, The Moon would spread their wings.
Yes. Their era was coming. The slight humiliations didn’t matter. As an All-Night, she’d be their night sky.
“So happy for them…”
Clutching her phone, she whispered a thank-you prayer to HS.
She would repay him, she swore.
“Time to write a proper letter.”
Pulling out stationery, she began, stroke by careful stroke.
[To the composer as lofty as the sky, I hope peace fills your home.]
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