LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 9
Translator: MarcTempest
Editor: Rxel
Chapter 9
3 a.m.
The practice room was so quiet that Seon Woojoo could hear the sound of the clock ticking.
He was drawing a musical score.
He listened to the song with his ears and wrote the notes with his hand.
What should he put here? Guitar? Keyboard?
It was not an exaggeration to say that he could do the arrangement.
He studied, but also learned the basics from various producers when he was at TJ Entertainment.
Seon Woojoo took a sip of the chocolate drink.
This should be enough for the outline.
Dozens of A4 papers were scattered around him.
They looked messy, but they were arranged in a certain order.
It was a kind of mind map, he supposed.
Seon Woojoo focused on the A4 papers as if he was inputting them into his head and closed his eyes.
First, he had to make the stage.
Their stage was the auditorium of a high school.
A barren field.
In his vast mind, a model of the auditorium that he searched on the internet was erected.
The stage was still dark.
He installed the instruments.
Guitar, bass, keyboard, drum, saxophone, cello, etc.
Now put some people on it.
The lights came on the stage on the barren field.
1st Kim Bijoo.
2nd Kim Junghyun.
3rd Seo Rihyuk.
4th Wang Jiho.
5th Seon Woojoo.
The trainees came in one by one and started singing on the stage.
The first performance was without accompaniment, just the lyrics.
What was this?
When Seon Woojoo combined the five voices in his head, he was surprised.
It was because of the harmony that the five voices created.
They had similar but different vocal ranges and made a beautiful harmony.
This was why Director Jo picked Seon Woojoo.
He felt like one of the mysteries he had been holding was solved.
Director Jo Gyuhwan probably heard his voice on the TV interview and imagined this harmony.
A perfect harmony.
But the admiration didn’t last long.
Seon Woojoo had to do a new work now.
He moved the instruments in his head.
No.
It was more like they moved naturally than he moved them.
Seon Woojoo repeated the work while improvising in between.
Every time he made some progress, he opened his eyes and checked the time.
3:30 a.m.
Seon Woojoo closed his eyes and went back to work.
4 a.m.
He continued until he got something perfect.
5 a.m.
When he finally finished the final arrangement, he started to transfer it to a piece of paper like a possessed person.
It took a long time to make the final work, but it was quick to transfer it.
“It’s done.”
What he saw in front of him was just a paper version.
To make the finished product as he promised the kids, he had to go up to the studio and turn on the computer.
But there was no one in the company right now, and he was not in a mental state to do such work either.
He was tired.
Sleepiness poured over him like a waterfall.
Seon Woojoo fell into the temptation of sleep naturally.
***
5:30 a.m.
Jo Gyuhwan, the production director of Lemon Entertainment, got out of his car and inhaled an Americano.
A caffeine-packed drink that he made himself.
As he took a sip, he felt his mind wake up.
“Ah, I’m hungry.”
He slept a total of 10 hours in the last week.
It was a murderous schedule.
He finally got some sleep at home, but the nerve cells in his body were still begging him to let them rest.
‘I’ll sleep well after Chanhyuk’s album is done.’
As he left the underground parking lot and headed for the stairs, he stopped for a moment.
‘What’s that?’
There was a light coming from the hallway where the practice room was.
‘Who stayed up all night?’
Curious, Jo Gyuhwan approached the place.
There were only five trainees left after Scarlet debuted.
Among them, there were only two who would stay up all night.
‘Is it Bijoo? Or Rihyuk?’
The immature youngest and the laid-back Kim Junghyun were out of the question.
Expecting to see their faces, he found an unexpected face under the practice room window.
‘Seon Woojoo?’
He was the new face he had cast.
‘Why did he stay up all night without going home?’
As he tilted his head, he saw a strange sight.
Piles of manuscript paper scattered around.
He carefully entered the practice room and found papers with dots shaped like notes.
He knew right away.
‘It must be because of the end-of-year evaluation assignment.’
He frowned for a moment and looked at the contents.
It didn’t take long for him to figure out what rule he had used to arrange the papers around.
‘Wait a minute.’
He felt a sudden surge of wakefulness.
‘Where’s the finished product?’
He found it right away.
Seon Woojoo, who held the finished product tightly in his hand like a baby.
He was worried that he might wake up, but he was more curious as a musician, so he took the paper out of his hand.
‘Let’s see.’
The sound of turning the paper echoed with his faint breathing.
He stared at the paper until the ice in the Americano melted completely.
Then, he smiled.
‘Look at this.’
His eyes were filled with joy as he looked at the young man sleeping.
***
He had a dream.
He was on a tourist bus with the pigs, going to Pyongyang for a pork belly party, when the driver suddenly let go of the steering wheel.
In the dream, he was startled and pointed at the steering wheel.
“Hey, driver! The steering wheel-”
“From now on, I will take you safely to your destination.”
Then EDM started playing.
Slosh.
The driver and the pigs cheered and danced, shaking the bus.
Seon Woojoo screamed in fear as the situation seemed to tip over at any moment.
“Uh-oh…!”
Seon Woojoo opened his eyes with cold sweat and saw the practice room.
“Huh…”
It was a total nightmare.
The stress he had yesterday was bigger than he thought.
He felt empty in his hand as he struggled for a while in the aftermath of the dream.
Huh?
Where did it go?
As he got up to find the score he had written, something that had covered his body slid down.
A cashmere coat.
It looked like it would cost hundreds of dollars at a glance.
‘What’s this?’
No wonder he slept so warmly.
Seon Woojoo was confused by the mystery of the unidentified coat and the missing paper, when a message came at the right time.
The sender was Director Jo Gyuhwan.
-Come to the recording studio on the second floor when you wake up.
-PS. Bring my coat too.
“The director took it.”
He muttered like a sleep talker and brushed back his messy hair.
Then he carefully took the expensive-looking coat.
It felt like the moment when King Sejong covered Lady Shin with his dragon robe. He could imagine how burdensome she must have felt.
By the way, why did he call Seon Woojoo?
***
The second floor of Lemon Entertainment was full of recording studios and complex equipment.
It seemed to be the working space.
It didn’t take long to find the recording studio that Director Jo mentioned.
[On Air]
As soon as Seon Woojoo went up, he saw the bright sign of the practice room ‘On Air’.
Knock, knock-
Someone answered his knock.
“Come in.”
Seon Woojoo opened the door and saw a familiar scene.
The recording studio that he had seen enough at TJ Entertainment.
Director Jo was looking at some papers and clicking his pen on the table, and a man was singing passionately in the recording booth.
Huh? That guy.
Seon Woojoo looked closely and recognized him as Yoon Chanhyuk.
A singer who debuted as the winner of the K-Net audition program.
He was one of the strongest players in the music market with his top-class vocals.
It was strange to see someone Seon Woojoo had only seen on music shows in real life.
Director Jo glanced at Seon Woojoo and pressed the talk back button.
“Chanhyuk, let’s take a 10-minute break.”
-Why?
“Just take a break when I tell you to. You kid.”
Yoon Chanhyuk came out of the booth with a reluctant expression, as if he was joking.
Wow, he looked exactly like he did on TV.
The singer, who reminded Seon Woojoo of a friendly neighborhood brother, showed curiosity about him.
“Hyung, who is this?”
“He’s a new trainee who just joined. Say hello.”
Seon Woojoo bowed politely.
“Hello, senior. I’m a new trainee, Seon Woojoo.”
“Aw, don’t be so formal. Just call me Hyung. Senior sounds weird.”
Yoon Chanhyuk, who was humming, looked at Director Jo.
“By the way, why did you call him?”
“Well. I have something to talk to him personally. Sorry, but can you give us some space?”
“For how long?”
“Just a cup of coffee.”
“10 minutes?”
“Maybe a little more.”
“No, Hyung.”
Yoon Chanhyuk shook his head.
“I have to record when I’m in the mood. You know that. I’ll be back in 10 minutes.”
“Hey.”
“Hmm hmm.”
“Hey, Yoon Chanhyuk!”
“I’m singing in the rain~ I’m singing in the rain~”
Yoon Chanhyuk sang and waved his hand cheekily.
Director Jo clicked his tongue.
They looked more like close brothers than a producer and a singer.
“You two seem very close.”
“Close, my ass.”
Director Jo shook his head as if he was annoyed.
“Do you know how much I suffered to make him a human being?”
Seon Woojoo quietly smiled, reminded of a grandmother who would say, ‘I had a hard time raising you.’
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, thanks to the coat you gave me.”
“Good, I’m glad.”
When Seon Woojoo sat on the sofa, Director Jo took out something from the table drawer.
It was the sheet music Seon Woojoo made.
“This is yours, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me ask you a few things.”
“Yes.”
What was it?
“Have you ever learned music?”
“What do you mean by that…”
“I mean, have you ever learned music professionally? For example, harmony, music theory, and so on.”
“Ah, yes.”
Seon Woojoo recalled his past and answered, “I learned a bit at my previous company.”
“TJ Entertainment?”
“Yes. The producers there taught me some things. Like how to use MIDI or write beats.”
“No wonder your basics are solid.”
Director Jo Gyuhwan stroked his chin.
“Your arrangement shows that you can play some instruments too.”
“That’s right.”
“Piano?”
“Yes. I practiced a lot when I was preparing for a concours in elementary school.”
“Anything else?”
“A little guitar.”
The producer stroked his chin.
“You did this in one day. This level of arrangement.”
“Yes, but as you can see, it’s rough.”
“No, no. You did great. If I were a college professor, I would have given you an A.”
Was that so?
“Did you hear a lot of compliments on your talent for composing?”
“I heard some at my previous company.”
“It must have been more than some. You’re so modest.”
Seon Woojoo felt awkward by the praise from a famous composer, when he said something totally unexpected.
“Woojoo.”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to learn composing from me?”
“Excuse me?”
Seon Woojoo blinked in confusion.
What did he just say?
“Are you a bit surprised?”
“…”
“It’s just that I see potential in you from your arrangement. Of course, you’re still a rough gem, but… I think you can become a beautiful jewel with some polishing.”
He asked Seon Woojoo in a casual tone, “How about it? If you learn well from me, you can go out as a composer-idol later.”
“I’ll do it.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll learn composing.”
What the hell.
A legend in the industry was offering to teach him his super skills.
Who would refuse that?
Seon Woojoo had to accept it before he changed his mind.
Maybe he thought he would need some time to think. Director Jo paused for a moment.
“…Well, that’s good. Then.”
He handed Seon Woojoo a USB.
“Take this first.”
“What is this…”
“It’s your arrangement that I transferred to the computer. I tweaked it a bit.”
“Wow, thank you.”
Seon Woojoo bowed 90 degrees without realizing it.
If he had done it by himself, it would have taken him until tonight, but the task was done in an instant.
“Then, let’s see. To teach you composing, my schedule is…”
As he looked at the calendar filled with letters like a curse, and tried to coordinate the schedule for learning composing, their conversation was interrupted by a ballad singer with a burning passion.
“What? You’re not done yet?”
They both laughed at the ballad singer’s eyes that seemed to say ‘Recording! And more recording!’
***
“I’m afraid that loving you will become my scar–”
Yoon Chanhyuk, who was immersed in singing in the recording booth.
Jo Gyuhwan nodded his head and gave some directions.
“Chanhyuk, this is a stylish song, so you have to sing it more delicately.”
-I got it.
He quickly changed his singing style as if he understood the direction.
He was a pro indeed.
But what Jo Gyuhwan was really focusing on right now was not Yoon Chanhyuk.
He recalled the conversation he had with Director Yoon Seokhwan this morning.
“Woojoo? What’s that?” Director Yoon Seokhwan, who was looking at his smartphone in the company lounge, asked, “Why are you suddenly talking about Woojoo…”
“I saw this last night.”
“Sheet music?”
“It looks like he arranged the song for the year-end evaluation by himself.”
Jo Gyuhwan tapped the staff notation.
“I’ve seen idols compose songs, but never arrange them. You know, arranging is much harder than composing. You can’t do it without musical knowledge.”
“Oh, right.” Yoon Seokhwan said, “He had a knack for that since the beginning. TJ knew that and took special care of him. They even assigned him a famous producer.”
“He must have been a promising talent.”
“How else could he survive there without being able to dance?”
“Dance? He dances well.”
“That’s because you saw him recently. He used to be terrible. He looked like a log trying to split a bamboo.”
A bizarre scene came to his mind.
“Well, anyway, when he left, the company was sorry. They even thought about bringing him to the A&R Department. He can play instruments, and he has a lot of talent.”
“But?”
“He said no. He said he only wanted to be an idol.”
“He’s an unusual guy.”
Jo Gyuhwan, who was quietly smiling, caught something in the other’s words.
“Wait a minute. He can play instruments?”
“It’s all in the genes.”
“Genes? What do you mean?”
“Oh, you don’t know who Woojoo’s father is.”
Yoon Seokhwan told him a name of three syllables.
And Jo Gyuhwan’s eyes widened.
It was a name he knew.