Austin was more worked up than ever. Even the breath filling his lungs felt hot.
“Hoo—up.”
Austin pulled out the handkerchief he always carried and wiped the sweat beading on his forehead. It had been quite a while since he’d felt like this.
What had him so excited was none other than…
A single sheet of paper.
Of course, it was not just any sheet of paper. It was an official letter from Korea.
[ LS ENTERTAINMENT ]
He’d been too busy to think about it for a while, but it was a name he’d sworn he would meet again someday, no matter what.
HS.
Inside the letter, the words “songwriter: HS” were printed clear as day. He couldn’t be more delighted.
To summarize the contents:
Since HS, an exclusive songwriter at LS Entertainment, wishes to give a song to Sarah Stewart, an artist under Yunis Music Group, please reply as soon as possible with acceptance and set a meeting date.
“Sarah, that brat…”
She’d uploaded that ridiculous challenge video the other day, and he’d wondered what had gotten into her. So this is the grand plan she’d been drawing up!
Austin felt nothing but pride for “Sarah,” Yunis’s problem child, at this very moment.
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock came from the other side of his office door.
“Come in.”
At his word, Sarah opened the door and entered.
“Oh, you’re here.”
He wanted to pat her head for being so commendable, but because of his germophobia, Austin settled for applauding her.
Clap, clap, clap!
Sarah narrowed her brows at the sudden ovation.
“What’s with you all of a sudden?”
Judging by how excited he looked, clearly something good had happened for her, but…
“I’ve always believed in you.”
He kept tossing out cryptic lines, leaving her nothing but baffled.
Especially since Sarah preferred bluntness to beating around the bush.
“What exactly did you call me in for?”
At the direct question, Austin forced the smile off his lips and spoke evenly.
“You’ve been contacted by a Korean songwriter.”
Sarah squinted. “A Korean songwriter?”
Could it be that the composer of “Villain daddy” from the challenge video she’d posted finally reached out?
“…”
Sarah waited in silence for Austin’s next words.
“Have a seat first.”
But instead of continuing, Austin sat down in the place of honor on the sofa. He didn’t forget to wipe the wooden armrest with his handkerchief.
“That germaphobe…”
Watching him, Sarah shook her head and then took a seat on the sofa herself.
Then, she stared him down as if to say, hurry up and talk.
“I mentioned this once before.”
“What?”
“That there’s a Korean composer who goes around in a villain-like suit with a flashy helmet.”
“Did you?”
“Yeah. The look was shocking and fresh.”
Because Austin kept preambling, Sarah’s insides felt like they were burning to ash.
“So which Korean songwriter is it who wants to see me?”
Unable to hold back her frustration, Sarah clutched her chest and asked in a raised voice.
“You know who.”
Teasing her, Austin spoke leisurely.
“The person who made the music in that challenge video you posted.”
Then he lifted the corners of his mouth.
“HS.”
Sarah clenched both fists, as if she’d known it. Of course he would contact her.
No matter how hot that Korean composer was in Korea, who was she? She was Sarah Stewart, who’d chewed up the Billboard charts right from her debut.
After seeing that video, how could he not reach out?
Nod, nod.
Seeing Sarah nod with a satisfied face, Austin smacked the armrest and continued.
“You don’t have any outside schedule right now, do you?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll clear as much time as I can, and we’ll have him come here to Yunis Music Group.”
Finishing his sentence, a sly smile spread across Austin’s face. When he met HS, there were many things he wanted to ask.
Why he wore that villainous helmet.
And what meaning was contained in the pen name “HS.”
He had a hunch there had to be some dramatic story tucked away. Artists rarely lacked for such stories.
Truth be told, beyond all that, now that he had “Sarah” as a point of contact, he wanted to use this opportunity to show the power of a global distributor and then make a scouting offer.
He was certain. If Yunis Music Group flexed its strength and threw out an irresistible offer, HS wouldn’t be able to refuse.
“HS…”
Keeping such a golden carp in a small fishbowl made no sense.
Right.
He should be allowed to swim freely in waters that suited him.
“You can go now.”
He had just finished his reverie and motioned for her to leave when—
“Austin.”
Sarah called him back and slowly lifted her head.
“I can go, right?”
Seeing him tilt his head as if he didn’t understand, she added once more:
“I’ll go to Korea myself.”
At that, the handkerchief in Austin’s hand slipped and fell to the floor.
“Wha…?”
Those words were the last thing he would ever expect to come from Sarah Stewart’s mouth.
Lee Hyoeun squatted on the floor looking at the music charts, then went limp.
Because…
[ TOP 100 ]
─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─
- Villain daddy – Moon Beomjae (Prod. HS)
- Only After the Flowers Have Faded (Red Thread X HS) – HS
- Winter Tree – Lee Young-ah (Red Thread X HS)
- The Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人) – Lee Hyoeun (Red Thread X HS)
- The Forest You Left – Park Shin-hoo (Red Thread X HS)
.
.
.
- letter – Jayble X Etches
- Villain – Jayble X Etches (feat. Ahn Ji-ho)
- To me – Lee Hyoeun (Prod. HS)
Her debut song “To me” was barely hanging on in the Top 10 by its fingertips.
Of course, for a rookie this was an incredible result.
“But I hope I haven’t become a burden to Hyunseung…”
Every song Hyunseung had given out so far had come with superlatives like unprecedented, record-breaking, or first-ever.
More than anything, she’d already debuted riding the power of the name “HS,” Hyunseung’s pen name, and drew a lot of attention—and yet it felt like she lacked staying power.
Even though she’d run herself ragged doing promotions on a bunch of broadcasts, this was all she’d achieved.
“Haa…”
Despite the company’s support and Hyunseung’s help, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she hadn’t repaid any of it properly.
Apparently, the controversy that broke out not long after her debut had taken a toll.
Some netizens had already taken it as fact and believed it.
Honestly, she could endure being cursed at. But if the fallout meant poorer results, she couldn’t say she was okay with that. Not when she felt so sorry.
Ping!
Still, she had to keep her chin up.
[ Want me to show you my Hulk decalcomania? ]
For the sake of Hyunseung, who’d shone a ray of light into a life with not a single scrap of hope.
Ping!
No, but seriously!
[ Isn’t it a perfect match? ]
[ +photo attached ]
The attached photo in the texts Hyunseung kept sending was from her first solo interview article.
Right.
The photo of her striking the “Daddy Challenge” signature pose (*a bodybuilder pose).
And this wasn’t the first time he’d sent it. He’d sent it for three straight days.
Yesterday he’d said he’d show her the scariest person in the world… the day before that he’d said he’d show her a gym rat?
Seriously, what was she supposed to do with this elementary schooler?
“Tsk.”
She clicked her tongue and was just about to reply “you wanna die?” when—
[ Hyo-eun! I watched your show today! You’re totally a pro broadcaster now~ So cool! ]
A new text came in.
It was from Chae Yoojin, who had approached her at the class reunion saying they should be friends. She always checked Hyoeun’s appearances and sent supportive messages.
Even if her chart performance wasn’t amazing, hadn’t she gained a new father and a new friend?
This controversy would die down soon, too.
If she got the chance to receive another song from Hyunseung, she’d make sure to deliver even better results next time.
“Let’s go!”
Hyoeun suddenly shouted a fighting cheer and sprang to her feet.
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
Facing the mirror, she started striking the Daddy Challenge’s signature pose.
“That woman named Sarah Stewart joined the challenge too…”
Right, it’s not just for dads.
“Hah! Hah!”
She vowed to join the Daddy Challenge herself soon and help Hyunseung and kept striking the pose with gusto.
If Hyunseung saw this, he’d definitely tease her like crazy, but…
Executive Director Park met up with Hyunseung at the crack of dawn yet again to do PT, pumping iron in the company gym.
Drip, drip.
Sweat poured like rain; feeling their muscles pump, they spotted each other.
“Let’s rest a bit and then hit deadlifts.”
Hyunseung nodded.
Gulp, gulp.
As Park drank water, the sound seemed oddly loud in his ears, and he tilted his head.
What was that?
After glancing around at the strange quiet.
“Come to think of it, why isn’t there any music today?”
“Oh, you’re right.”
“It’s too quiet. Play something on your phone.”
“A true adult knows how to do that himself…”
Park deliberately smacked Hyunseung’s muscled forearm. “Whack.”
“Cut the chatter and just play it, punk.”
“Isn’t this workplace violence?”
“This is the gym, so as your PT I’m just disciplining an unruly student.”
At that, Hyunseung muttered under his breath, barely audible, “Villain-teacher,” then pulled out his phone.
“Since you’re the teacher, I’ll play a new track I made for you… ah, or are you going to funnel it over to Team 1 again?”
“Hey, I told you, that was in the past… and I said I’d die before plagiarizing, remember?”
When Park looked flustered, Hyunseung chuckled “kekeke,” then played a track saved on his phone.
It was the song he intended to give to Sarah Stewart.
Gulp.
Park pretended to toy with a dumbbell disinterestedly.
But in truth, every nerve cell was focused on the melody pouring out.
Soon, the song flowed from the phone speaker.
─ ♬ ♬ ♬
It was just a guide with chords punched in, basically an MR, but with its bouncy yet minor structure it seemed like a great song to work out to.
The more you listened, the more relaxed yet energized you felt.
“Shall we kill some deadlifts now?”
At Hyunseung’s question, Park nodded slowly like a fool.
Right now, deadlifts, bench, dumbbells, protein—none of it mattered.
“A new song with just a chord guide…”
Which meant a singer hadn’t been selected yet, right?
Gulp.
Listening to the minor tones, Park decided this was a song for a male singer.
“In that case…”
The one person in the company who could sing this was—
“Our Hajun. Only him.”
Park’s eyes gleamed like a beast in a wildlife documentary he loved.
Gulp.
Yes, this was definitely a song for our Hajun!
“I need to tell Hajun to hurry back to Korea.”
He was already vividly envisioning the concept for Kang Hajun’s album jacket in his mind.
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