Pen and Paper Translations

Kim Woohyun was extremely curious whether Hyunseung’s work was going well.

But since Sarah Stewart was refusing contact with any outsiders, he couldn’t go see them, and with no calls coming through, there was no way to know.

“Ha…”

In particular, because this was a project that could build a bridge to Unice Music Group, the higher-ups seemed even more fixated on it.

Judging from how they kept pressing him, asking if there was any progress, when the report would be submitted.

So that was probably why he was now heading to the CEO’s office.

Plod, plod.

Since being promoted to Division Head, he’d been summoned to the CEO’s office more frequently, but he still wasn’t used to it.

The heavy air filling the room, the mounting tension tightening around his throat…

“Hoo…”

Woohyun loosened his tie a little, then knocked on the CEO’s door.

Knock, knock, knock.

With the solid knocks, a short “Yes.” came from beyond the door.

Creak.

When he opened the door and stepped inside, CEO Jeon Nam-il, along with Executive Director Park and Director Choi, were already seated.

Judging from the current mood…

It was clearly about Unice Music Group.

“Come, have a seat.”

Only after the CEO’s low instruction fell did he sit.

Woohyun took the seat next to Director Choi, stared at the tip of his dress shoe, and waited for the next words.

“…”

Waiting in silence until the CEO spoke first was the best he could do right now.

After only the sound of sipping hot tea for a moment,

“We’ve received the contract from Unice Music Group. They say they’ll handle distribution directly.”

The CEO set his teacup down and added:

“Well, that’s to be expected.”

At that, Woohyun peeked up at the CEO.

His expression and tone were dark.

Why?

Even if LS Entertainment was one of Korea’s “Big 3” agencies, Unice, which wouldn’t even take our calls, was offering to handle distribution directly….

Why the face?

From Woohyun’s perspective, he couldn’t understand the CEO’s expression. At least not within the bounds of his common sense.

“Then isn’t that a good thing? Unice Music Group is famous for not accepting distribution requests unless it’s from a major overseas label…”

“Yes, that’s true. It is certainly a good thing.”

Cutting him off, the CEO placed several documents on the table.

“However, they’re trying to play a strange game with us, and I’m debating whether we should knowingly let it slide.”

Woohyun didn’t readily pick up the documents. He wasn’t sure if he was even supposed to be looking at them.

Instead, he quickly scanned the red-underlined sections. It felt like his eyesight improved on the spot.

‘What is that…?’

His pupils trembled as if hit by an earthquake.

No wonder.

Even on a quick read, Unice was proposing utterly unreasonable terms.

‘A 30% fee plus a flat registration/release charge?’

No distributor had ever demanded such rates and terms from LS Entertainment not even the major domestic distributors.

Because they knew the relationship could be mutually beneficial, they had always offered reasonable terms and promotions.

But now.

A 30% fee on top of a flat registration/release cost?

This was abuse of power befitting a global distributor, obvious to anyone.

“If we refuse these terms…”

“Then we won’t be able to work with Sarah Stewart.”

At the CEO’s answer, Woohyun pressed his brow and lowered his head.

The face of Hyunseung, who’d been so pleased to have found his “instrument”, flashed through his mind.

But accepting these terms would be tantamount to declaring that LS was voluntarily becoming the subordinate party to Unice…

LS Entertainment couldn’t easily assent to such terms.

It was enough to make him tear his hair out.

As he hesitated, sighing deeply,

“I’m guessing the position is that it has to be Sarah Stewart?”

The CEO leaned forward and asked.

He was likely asking about Hyunseung’s stance. He didn’t say it had to be Sarah Stewart, but the kid had never once swapped out an instrument (*singer) he’d chosen….

And there was no way that stubborn mule would easily change his mind.

All the more so now, with the work in full swing, he’d even opened up his home for it. How could they now tell him that inter-company negotiations had stalled so they’d have to stop?

“Not necessarily, but…”

Just as Woohyun was cautiously answering…

“That kid would say yes no matter what, wouldn’t he?”

Once again, the CEO cut him off, making a definite statement.

And then Executive Director Park chimed right in.

“We can no longer control that kid.”

It wasn’t meant as sarcasm or a jab.

“As one of the executives, I believe we should be willing to swallow some losses and yield this one.”

It was a calm statement of his opinion as an executive.

‘What wind is blowing through the Executive Director…’

That remark surprised not only him.

“Hm?”

Judging by the CEO’s and Director Choi’s raised brows, they were also surprised.

Sure.

Lately Park and Hyunseung had grown closer, but he had never so openly taken Hyunseung’s side in an official setting.

What’s more, Park was known as the company’s “faithful hound,” always focused on the company’s benefit and looking out for his own people’s bowls.

And yet…. to suggest yielding even at a loss.

‘Will the sun rise in the west tomorrow?’

Director Choi seemed to decide to keep quiet rather than add anything more; he simply sipped his tea in silence.

That in itself signaled agreement with Park.

“Hm.”

With the CEO’s low hum, silence settled again.

But only for a moment.

Jeon Nam-il tapped the sofa armrest and spoke.

“All right. Then let’s pretend we don’t notice and let ourselves be duped this time.”

Then he slightly turned toward Woohyun, meeting his eyes squarely.

“If it’s him, he’ll make sure that what we’re calling a loss doesn’t remain a loss. Right, Division Head?”

A question laden with pressure.

Yes.

He was being told to bring in results that outweighed the apparent loss.

“Y-yes, of course….”

Woohyun hunched up, squeezing out the answer.

“And if not….”

As if cornering him, Jeon Nam-il continued in an extremely calm, chilly tone.

“Remembering the humiliation Unice dealt us, we won’t be able to keep pandering to that kid’s whims going forward.”

An unspoken warning.

If…. they failed to show results that met expectations, it was a warning that a red card could be coming.

Gulp.

Woohyun forced his stiff neck to nod.

Then the CEO finally granted leave to go.

“Please accept, please accept.”

The moment he stepped out, Woohyun called Hyunseung.

Brrring, brrring, brrring.

As the ringing dragged on, cold sweat began to trickle.

Truly.

This time—if, heaven forbid—Hyunseung failed to deliver results commensurate with the loss to Unice, there might be repercussions. The thought made him uneasy.

Then there was a little “tock,” as if the call had connected.

“Oh, Hyunseung!”

From the other end, Hyunseung’s voice came.

— You called at the perfect time.

“Did you also hear something…”

— Please buy some misutgaru for me.

“Huh?”

— Please get plenty. Thanks.

The call ended far more anticlimactically than he’d hoped.

Click.

He tried calling again, but only the automated message said the customer could not be reached.

Seriously.

At a time like this, why misutgaru of all things?

Incomprehensible as it was, Woohyun was already changing direction and heading out to buy misutgaru.

---

True to form, two oddballs that they were, Sarah and Hyunseung had been bickering for two days straight over the mastering.

“No, I’m telling you, putting an effect there sounds weird! I’ve noticed you keep veering off at crucial spots?”

“I’m telling you, this is right! Just trust me once. I’m the one who sings this song and will sing it.”

Neither seemed inclined to say “that’s enough” by this point.

“That’s true, but I’m the one who wrote the song.”

“We arranged it together, so I think I have some right to weigh in.”

“Got it. Except I’m confiscating your authority there.”

“That’s not a thing! Then I might as well have done nothing!”

They kept mastering, listening through headphones, on speakers, on a phone, switching back and forth until at last it was finished.

“Distribution will be through Unice Music Group, right?”

“Most likely? That’d be more advantageous for LS too.”

After finishing, both of them slumped on opposite ends of the sofa, drained.

Normally, Sarah would stand up the moment the work was done and start preparing to fly out.

But for some reason, she wanted to linger a bit. She’d never worked with someone from start to finish before, so this situation felt very awkward…

But she liked the atmosphere of lively conversation centered on a single topic: music.

Somehow, she felt like soft, quiet laughter would bubble out.

No.

It was a moment that felt like something beyond joy.

“Sarah.”

Then Hyunseung spoke first.

“By the way, that sheet I fixed for you at the café, you didn’t release it as a track, right?”

At that, Sarah stared at him wide-eyed.

‘What…?’

He’d never mentioned the cafe encounter, so she thought he didn’t remember.

So she hadn’t bothered bringing it up either….

“You remembered?”

“Yeah. How could I forget someone who randomly came out to a stranger with ‘I’m married and have a kid’?”

“What? That was because I thought you were hitting on me….”

“Why would I be so hard up I’d hit on you?”

Sarah immediately narrowed her eyes and glared.

But Hyunseung just chuckled, saying, “You’re like my kid sister.”

Only briefly.

He continued:

“Above all, you were dumping sand on sheet music that was cruising along fine, so it was memorable.”

Blunt as ever then and now, but true.

Indeed. When she did what he said, the sheet music with the brakes on suddenly felt like a highway had opened straight through.

“Given your personality, I figured you checked it in the studio, so was it not good?”

“No, it wasn’t that.”

She shook her head firmly, and when he asked “Then?”, she answered at once:

“Because it’s no longer a song I composed entirely on my own.”

“I only tweaked it a bit, you could have just released it.”

“With that ‘bit of arrangement,’ the song changed completely. Then it isn’t my song.”

“What kind of creed is that now? You really are a weirdo.”

“Look who’s talking.”

They both snorted a laugh at the same time.

Sarah parted her lips again.

“That too, but….”

She spoke slowly.

“I couldn’t release it without a single line crediting the person who did the arrangement.”

“Pretty conscientious.”

Scratching his chin, Hyunseung added offhandedly:

“Then you can release it now. Put a single line ‘HS’ under arrangement.”

She nodded as if she’d been waiting for that.

“I’ll send the contract as soon as I get back.”

“Good. I’ve really wanted to hear it.”

With the mood suddenly warm, he was wondering how to continue.

Knock, knock, knock.

Just then, a knock sounded.

“Who is it?”

Sarah looked toward the door.

“The misutgaru deliveryman.”

“Ah.”

“You said I should buy it before you flew out.”

Hyunseung rose slowly.

“Thank you.”

“Hyunseung, can we talk for a sec—!”

He could hear the other party’s urgent voice, but he closed the studio door mercilessly.

Click.

Looking at the boxes of misutgaru, Sarah felt it: the time had come to leave.

“I should get going.”

She then gathered the boxes into her arms and said goodbye.

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy these.”

Hoping this wouldn’t be their last farewell.

---

At the airport, Sarah was beaming, both hands full with boxes of misutgaru.

At this rate, she could drink it for a week after she got back.

She walked along, replaying that week working with Hyunseung.

When she first came to Korea, she’d been full of wariness and curiosity…

Now, strangely, her feet didn’t want to move away.

Right.

There would be another reason to come to Korea.

And another chance to work with that weirdo.

Just as she tried to push down the regret and stepped through the security checkpoint,

“These exceed the in-cabin liquids limit, so we’ll have to dispose of them.”

A devastating message from security.

“Wait, wait!”

She hurriedly reached toward the boxes full of misutgaru.

She’d been so giddy about receiving so much misutgaru that she’d completely—utterly—forgotten about the liquids rule.

This couldn’t be happening.

If she’d known, she would have opened them on the way and drunk them all! Do you know what it took to get this misutgaru?!

No…

Surely HS knew about these regulations—how could he say he’d buy them right before departure!

‘F*ck…’

She hastily tore open a box, grabbed one pouch, and said:

“I—I’ll just take one.”

Moved by how desperate she sounded, the security officer checked the volume and told her she could proceed like that.

And so, by some mercy, she was able to save a single pouch.