Hyunseung’s album『The timing is off [volume. 1&2]』was setting new records every single day.
Not only on the domestic charts, but on Orion and Billboard as well, everything had settled within the Top 10.
Jo Yeri and Sarah Stewart had to get through schedules that poured in by the minute every day.
Ah.
Of course, offers for music shows, all kinds of commercials, variety programs, and radio were also raining down on Hyunseung, but he was ignoring them very lightly.
In addition, Mateo also announced his position through an article that he would never do live performances, even if he died.
Well. Since his skill was something to be ashamed of when put out there, especially compared to Hyunseung, who was also a composer…
It would be embarrassing.
Hyunseung felt a desire surge up to somehow make Mateo perform live, but he held it down.
You could call it protecting the elderly.
More than anything, won’t a day definitely come when he ends up singing?
“Hm.”
Thinking that, Hyunseung put his phone down.
With this album, astronomical copyright royalties would pile up in his bank account again.
Enough money to start a label on his own, even without Vincent’s investment.
No.
There is also a way to just acquire a label that is already established.
But that would not be something he achieved with his own strength, so the meaning disappears.
Of course.
It is not that he has absolutely no thought of mergers and acquisitions regarding other labels.
He was just putting it off until after his own label had settled in.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as Hyunseung was sinking into his thoughts.
Knock, knock, knock.
He woke up to the sound of repeated knocking on the studio door.
Somehow, it doesn’t sound like just one or two people?
Hyunseung narrowed his eyes and walked toward the door.
And then, when he flung the door wide open, the people pressed tightly against it couldn’t resist gravity and spilled inward as if pouring.
“What are you doing?”
The people who, while grabbing Hyunseung’s waist and pant legs, barely avoided falling were none other than—
“H-haha, hello.”
“Composer-nim….”
“H-Hyunseung, heeelloo?”
Jung Arin, Yoon Jaeyi, and Lee Hyoeun.
And Kang Hajoon, who had come holding shopping bags in both hands.
“S-Snack delivery.”
Ah.
“Idiots.”
Even Seo Jini, who had followed in proudly, looked down on them as if they were pathetic.
Click, click.
Only after the sound of her heels stopped did the studio door close.
A studio that had turned into chaos in an instant.
But instead of scolding them, Hyunseung turned and walked toward the sofa.
“It’s noisy, so come in and sit.”
Because he knew why they had come today.
Click, click.
The first to sit on the sofa was Seo Jini. After that, Kang Hajun, Jung Arin, Lee Hyoeun, and Yoon Jaeyi took their places in that order.
The five of them each had different faces.
A blank face, or watching the mood, or else looking with sparkling eyes.
First.
Shall we hear from Seo Jini, the one with the blank face.
“Why did you come?”
Hyunseung asked while looking at Seo Jini.
Then the others’ gazes also turned to Seo Jini.
Seo Jini flinched and leaned back, as if the sudden flood of attention was a bit burdensome.
But the others’ eyes pursued her persistently.
With eyes that seemed to say, carry it and speak for us.
“Ahem!”
As if she read those eyes, Seo Jini cleared her throat and returned to her original blunt expression.
“What we came for today is….”
Then she opened her firm lips.
“It is to refuse the offer you gave us last time.”
At that, the others looked sharply at Seo Jini in surprise, but—
Whoosh!
Seo Jini raised one hand as if telling them to stay still, and calmed them.
It was the presence of the eldest unnie.
“As you know, we still have contract time left with LS Entertainment.”
Seo Jini brought up the main point by pointing straight at the part she thought would be the biggest problem.
Just as Hyunseung was about to add something about that point—
“Of course!”
Seo Jini raised her tone and cut him off mid-sentence.
“If we say we’ll follow you, you’ll take responsibility for the penalty fee, right?”
“I will take responsibility—mmph!”
When Kang Hajun tried to cut in from the side, Seo Jini immediately covered his mouth with her hand.
“But if we all follow you like that, will it really be a good picture?”
Then, with a fairly serious face, she tapped the table with her finger and asked, as if pointing out the problem.
At that question, Hyunseung lightly shook his head side to side.
Of course, it is not a good picture.
From a moral and humanitarian standpoint, it was clearly not a good idea to take along an affiliated artist.
But even though it was not good, Hyunseung wanted to take them.
Because he considered them his side.
However, he knows that is simply his own desire. So he could not force them, and he could not persuade them.
Moon Beomjae also came last night and stated his intention to refuse.
“I think it’ll be hard because I’m too old.”
“Your voice is still strong.”
“No, I’m already feeling my limits.”
To someone who said it so cleanly, with a regrettable but very firm face, what more could he say?
“But if you still need even help from someone like me, contact me anytime. I’ll be waiting.”
He simply saw him off, with thanks.
Right.
Hyunseung could do nothing but respect the choice of those who had worried a lot and came to him with difficulty.
“I understand what you mean.”
It was at that moment that Hyunseung lifted his coffee with a pretended calm expression.
“We can just follow you, but we judged that enormous damage and responsibility could come to you.”
Seo Jini swept her eyes over those seated beside her.
“So we decided we’ll fill the remaining contract period here, and then, when there are no legal issues at all, we’ll follow after.”
She added, lifting the corners of her mouth smoothly.
“Of course, if you will take us then.”
Hyunseung was a little surprised, but without showing it, he opened his mouth in an intentionally indifferent tone.
“Why come all the way here and bother saying something like this. Just by text—”
“But—!”
At that moment, Yoon Jaeyi, sitting at the very end, suddenly shouted,
“Because we can be sitting here right now thanks to you, Composer-nim, we wanted to meet you and tell you this so there’s no misunderstanding.”
Then, with clear pronunciation, she delivered her words. No, these were everyone’s feelings.
“We will definitely go.”
After that, Jung Arin added with a bright smile.
And the others, as if joining in, nodded again and again.
“Okay.”
And then.
“I’ll go ahead first.”
A faint smile spread at the corner of Hyunseung’s mouth as he answered like that.
Meanwhile.
Inside Executive Director Park’s office, an argument had been going on for quite a while.
And it was a very childish argument.
“W-wait a moment. What did you say would be supported?”
Kim Woohyun blinked and asked Executive Director Park.
Then Executive Director Park answered right away, rolling his shoulders.
“Why are you making me say it several times? I said I’m going to get support for a house to live in with the kids and their tuition.”
“S-so you mean they said they’ll support a house and tuition?”
“Right, that’s what I said. A house in the U.S. and tuition support.”
At Executive Director Park’s answer, acting annoyed and puffed up, Kim Woohyun clung to him even more persistently.
“A-and then? Did you hear anything else they said they would support, or anything about salary?”
“We haven’t talked salary yet, but he said something like, let’s take over America together, or something. Really, you’re good at making people tired.”
Kim Woohyun’s shoulders drooped even more, with a blank face.
It was a face as pitiful as a puppy abandoned on a rainy day.
“Did he not say he’d do something for you?”
Executive Director Park asked softly, watching Kim Woohyun’s mood.
“F-for me…”
Kim Woohyun could not bring himself to answer. Because he had heard nothing.
Of course, he is not going together because he wants something. He decided to go together to give back what he received from Hyunseung, and because he believes in Hyunseung.
But now that he knew they said they would support Executive Director Park like this, it could not be helped that he felt hurt.
‘Geumdong, that’s too much.’
He had already been racking his brain, worrying about where to find a house to live with his mother once they went to the U.S., and which hospital his mother would go to.
Housing prices and hospital costs in the U.S. were on the higher side compared to Korea.
So he could not help but feel even more hurt.
‘No, Kim Woohyun, don’t feel hurt.’
But Kim Woohyun shook his head hard, scolding himself.
It was a choice for Hyunseung, and if he felt hurt because he wanted something…
Then that would no longer be the road worthy for Hyunseung.
“But he told us to gather, so why isn’t he here?”
At that moment, Executive Director Park looked at the watch on his wrist and asked.
He was probably hinting for him to contact him quickly.
“I’ll contact him.”
Kim Woohyun barely gathered his mind again and raised his phone.
Right.
The reason they gathered here was because Hyunseung had contacted them saying to meet and talk.
And then, of all things, he ended up meeting Executive Director Park in the office, and even heard shocking news.
It was too late to regret it.
“Why did you decide to go with Hyunseung?”
He should not have asked.
“You’re someone who has nothing to lack, aren’t you?”
To the question he asked, wondering if there might be another motive….
“Why would I have nothing to lack?”
He did not expect such an outrageous answer.
“In Korea, I have to pay for a house with my own money, and pay my kids’ tuition with my own money, but they say they’ll give me a house to live in with my kids and fully cover tuition. There’s no reason to refuse.”
Forget it, forget it.
With good timing, the name [Geumdong] appeared on the screen, and Kim Woohyun forced his heart back into place.
“Where are you? Why aren’t you coming?”
─ Are you already in Executive Director’s office?
“Of course. I’ve been here from the start.”
─ Ah, something came up, so I’m going now.
The call ended with those words.
Knock, knock, knock.
Before long, a knock sounded from outside the office.
“Everyone’s gathered.”
Hyunseung came into the office, and with a pleasant face, took one seat on the sofa and sat.
“Calling people and making them wait, is that your hobby?”
Even at Executive Director Park’s sneer, Hyunseung, with an entirely good face, smoothly answered, “Something came up.”
“What, did something good happen?”
Kim Woohyun asked, examining Hyunseung’s face.
“What, nothing bad happened, right?”
Seeing that smiling face, somehow it made his temper rise.
He wanted to demand right away why he was only supporting Executive Director Park, but he pressed it down with warm tea.
Somehow.
His bowl seems too small.
“Anyway, since the building construction is going in now, I thought it was time to talk.”
“To the CEO?”
“Yes. Since that side will probably be the biggest obstacle, we should resolve it first and then go.”
“Have you thought about when and how you’ll talk? From what I see, it might be better if I also participate and talk together—”
The more Executive Director Park and Hyunseung continued talking, the more his temper rose.
Right.
Because Executive Director Park has more experience than him, and is the kind of person who would be practically very helpful.
“Yes, we’ll talk like that, and…”
As Hyunseung was continuing, he noticed Kim Woohyun lost in thought and paused for a moment.
“Division Head, you’re listening, right?”
Then he called Kim Woohyun up and continued.
“It’s time to talk about what’s really important now, so please focus.”
Kim Woohyun nodded with an awkward face.
“Y-yeah, okay….”
What are you doing like an idiot. Focus, focus.
“Executive Director, even after you go, you just need to do your role as Executive Director.”
Hyunseung looked at Executive Director Park and added, in a weighty tone that really sounded like a CEO.
“Please take good care of us again.”
Then he requested a handshake from Kim Woohyun and continued.
“As for you, Divison Head, when you go, I ask that you work together with Executive Director for the label, as an inside director.”
W-wait a moment.
“What did you just say…?”
Kim Woohyun asked back as if doubting his ears.
“As an inside director together with Executive Director.”
“Huh? Inside director?”
“Yes. Were you planning to be Division head all the way in America?”
“N-no, no.”
With a serious face, Hyunseung clasped the stunned Kim Woohyun’s hand.
“I already looked into the house and the hospital your mother will go to, so don’t worry about private matters.”
Then he lightly shook it and smiled.
“I’ll trust that you’ll do your best as a director.”
“G-Geumdong, no, a shining light, my CEO…”
Kim Woohyun could only feel as if a halo was shining behind Hyunseung.
T/N:
Inside directors, crucial members of a company’s board, are employees or stakeholders with a unique perspective on the company’s operations.
Inside directors play a pivotal role on a company’s board as both insiders and decision-makers. Their responsibilities range from strategic decision-making to financial management and corporate social responsibility. (Source)
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