Chapter 142

“Do-hee, can we go over the guide one more time?”

“Okay~”

For the past few months, I’ve been working on a project with Gong Chae-rin Unni.

It’s about creating a fan song together, without any outside help.

And now, we can finally see the finish line.

The truth is, I just started learning about composition, and Chae-rin Unni has never created a commercial song before.

Naturally, our abilities led to some difficulties during the composition process.

From the very beginning, our opinions sharply divided.

“I once saw a score on a song review site where they said the message meant for fans got lost because of the typical electronic pop format, so they rated it low. Thinking about that, wouldn’t a ballad be more complete?”

Everything was up for debate, from the song’s RPM to its genre.

Chae-rin Unni, who started composing by making hip-hop beats, ironically wanted to create a fan song in the lyrical ballad genre.

“Scores doesn’t matter. What matters are the fans listening to it. I think as long as the lyrics are lyrical, it doesn’t matter, right? Just listen to this first.”

On the other hand, I’ve played acoustic instruments—classics really—so I advocated for a fast-beat genre.

Of course, there are many fast classical pieces, but classical music has a strong lyrical image.

These discussions spilled over from the studio to our accommodation, happening daily even in bed.

“I like both… Hehe.”

“You should sleep early. You have a personal schedule tomorrow morning. It’s three in the morning!”

“Let’s go work in the living room so Sara can sleep. I guess we’re too noisy.”

“Hehe… I want to learn composition too…”

With both of us still clumsy at composition, our options were limited, which is why we could only write simpler and more monotonous songs.

In the end, the compromise we found was an uptempo R&B based on rock.

The rock genre made things simple with melodies sung by the vocals, and high-beat bass lines constructed by electric guitars, bass, and drums.

“What do you think of this?”

“It’s easy to listen to for now.”

However, the simplicity made it come closer to easy listening, easily getting stuck in your ears.

“I don’t think it’s super catchy… but it’s not bad?”

“Yeah. Still, it’s kinda lacking. To be honest.”

So every day, Chae-rin Unni and I recorded melodies popping up in our heads, and when we both felt it was okay, we transferred the melodies through a keyboard connected to the computer.

We adjusted the bass lines to match the newly added melody lines.

*

“So, we want to debut the fan song for the first time at our concert… Is that okay?”
“Um… is that okay?”

When I first told the Team Leader of the performance directing team that I wanted to showcase a fan song on stage at the concert, the response was positive.

“Oh, really? When did you prepare this? The fans will really love it!”

“But the song hasn’t come out yet… Still, I think I can finish it before the concert.”

“Then don’t feel pressured, just play what you have so far. I need to know the song’s vibe to structure it. If the response is good, we could even include it in the next album, right?”

And I was surprisingly able to get the confirmation more easily than expected.

Even though the song wasn’t out yet, their trust in me was something to be grateful for.

Our relationship with the staff was good enough.

It was just that the higher-ups dispatched from headquarters were too focused on money, which created problems.

A few days after I got the confirmation.

The third and final VCR shooting concept the planning team shared with me.

Making a fan song.

It was planned to be used as a video to be shown just before the fan song stage.

And today.

In the Shock Entertainment building’s studio.

All the members gathered in a room with cameras set up all around.

“Shall I play it first?”

When Chae-rin Unni hit the button, the guide version of the fan song flowed through the speakers.

「When your laughter reaches me,

Colors blend into a fantasy,

If everything makes me smile,

In an instant, everything is beautiful.」

On a usual day, I’d marvel at my own voice recorded in the fan song.

“Wow, Do-hee’s singing skills just keep getting better!” would have been enough to elicit the sisters’ tired responses.

But looking at the members listening seriously today made my face feel hot and tingly.

“Why am I so embarrassed?”

So, I kept spitting out excuses that sounded like excuses.

“Um, I wrote the lyrics all haphazardly. I’ll rewrite them to fit the guide syllables… Ah, this part is the point part, but…”

Yet, as usual, Kim Seo-yoon was pulling my cheeks and joking around.

“Why is she stuttering? Is our youngest Do-hee feeling shy?”

If it were any other time, I’d be annoyed.

But oddly enough, that reaction made my embarrassment lessen.

“So, what do you think…?”

I considered myself to have a good ear, but since I could skew my evaluation of my own work, I couldn’t help but feel uncertain.

“I think it sounds good…!”

Still, the members’ reactions were definitely positive.

“It’s good! To be honest, even though it didn’t elicit an immediate gasp, I felt something overflowing against the beat.”

Even the strict Hana Unni said that.
“Did Do-hee write the lyrics…?”

“Huh? No. I did it with Chae-rin Unni. I wrote the chorus.”

“Writing lyrics is cute…”

So I felt a bit relieved.

‘Huh… Thank goodness…’

Chae-rin Unni, seemingly satisfied with the members’ reactions, smiled and opened her mouth.

“So the reason we gathered today is…”

Ha-rang Unni raised her hand excitedly.

“To record!?”

Chae-rin Unni ignored her and continued.

“Do-hee and I brainstormed together to write the lyrics, but it’s still just a guide version. We originally intended to leave it to the songwriters.”

Chae-rin Unni handed the prepared papers to the members.

“We came up with parts while imagining your voices.”

On the thin A4 paper, each member’s part was marked in different colors.

“It’s fine if the meanings don’t connect; I want everyone to participate in writing their parts since this is a fan song.”

*

Meanwhile, as the Seven members were hard at work preparing for the concert, the concert and ticketing schedule was finally announced in detail.

As planned, it would start in Seoul, South Korea.

===============

[Concert Tickets Are Out]

Saven 1st Concert

‘Link: to Seventh Heaven’

(Poster Image)

Genre: Concert

Date: September 16 (Sat) 5 PM, September 17 (Sun) 6 PM

Location: Olympic Gymnastics Arena

Age Rating: 7+

Duration: About 120 minutes

※ Purchase Limit: Fan club pre-sale 1 ticket per person per session / General sale 2 tickets per person per session (including fan club pre-sale)

※ Bulk Delivery: August 28 (Mon)

※ For smooth ticketing, if you booked using bank transfer, changing the payment method to credit card is not allowed.

===============

– Oh my, it’s here.

Fans already knew about the concert from the news, so by the time the ticketing announcement came out, most were fully prepared.

– Ah, lol, what’s the capacity? Surely there won’t be no seats left for me.

– Definitely grabbing standing tickets…

– Damn, I failed my course registration too and need to take extra classes this season; is this even possible?

└ Haha, might as well treat the concert as an extra class!

– By the way, is the Enter Park server operational?

– I’m from out of town, and I booked accommodation in advance. If ticketing fails, I’ll just drink some cheap soju in my room.

But when the ticketing day finally arrived, the overflowing ease and confidence vanished, replaced by creeping anxiety.

– Looking for mercenaries; rewards for successful ticketing!

– What’s this pre-sale? I just like listening to the kids’ songs on YouTube and wanted to go to the concert this time. Did I need to join the official fan club?

└ Guess we’ll just wait for leftover + canceled tickets for general sale, haha. 3rd floor should have some left, lol.
All I can do is wait for the canceled tickets for general reservation, haha. The third floor should have some left, haha.

– Ticketing totally sucks, fr.

The agency decides the capacity based on the actual audience size.

No matter how many spots there are, good seats are always a warzone, so it can’t be helped.

– Ding!

And in the midst of this, the SEVEN app alert pops up.

[SAVEN is live with ‘Hey, it’s a competition.’]

And there’s Do-hee waving her hands on the live screen.

[Hello~]

– Ah man, I thought it was Ha-rang from the title, but it was Lai-hee? You’re starting to look like your big sister.

– Do-ha La-ha.

– Move over a bit, can’t you just hear it from there?

– Fr, those tickets are ours, so just step aside.

A new competitor had appeared.

*

Of course, it totally flopped.

As soon as I entered, I got booted with the queue.

“Is it always this hard?”

– Yeah, I barely made it.

– I failed because I was too busy looking at your face, so you owe me.

– My standing ticket ㅠㅠㅠ I think the scalpers used a macro ㅠㅠㅠㅠ.

Feeling somewhat down, I thought to do something, so I called my mom on speaker while keeping the live broadcast on.

[Hello~ Our daughter~ Why did you call?]

Mom’s voice was as gentle as usual.

“Mom… what should I do?”

I was just planning to mess around.

[Why? Is something wrong, my daughter?]

Just as I expected, Mom sounded worried.

I tried my best to make my voice quiver.

“Uh… I think I failed to get the tickets and can’t invite you… sob… what should I do…”

At this point, I hoped Mom would comfort me.

[Oh dear…]

But contrary to my expectations, what I got back was a sigh.

“Oh really.”

[Hang up. Be nice to your sisters.]

Before I could even ask her to wait a moment, the call ended, and I heard a mumble from Mom in that brief moment.

[Do-ah can’t grow up like her sister…].

Meanwhile, the chat box on the screen was rapidly filling up.

– So why are you messing around with your mom, haha.

– Hahaha, is Do-hee’s sister named Do-ah? I’m curious, haha.

– Was it Lai-hee to the family too? Hahaha.

Later on, I found out that the agency had prepped tickets for the parents in advance.

So I felt unfair about it.

I thought I was going to be the one delivering them.

“Ah… I should’ve called Dad. He’s easier to fool.”

– Hahaha, Do-hee gotta reflect, saying she should’ve called Dad, what’s that? Hahaha.

---

Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.