Chapter 129
James Oh, Oh Jin-woo, and Isabella were watching me as I sat in front of the piano, lost in thought.
It was one thing for James Oh to have his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, but it seemed like both Oh Jin-woo and Isabella were also looking at me with some sort of expectation.
Honestly, I felt like I had to show something, even if I had nothing at all.
Overcoming that pressure, I let out a small sigh and spoke my mind.
“Um, James Oh, the composer. Do you really have to use this melody line?”
“Of course! If I don’t use this, what else will I use? I’m even thinking of it as the title track!”
…Has he completely lost his mind?
With my muddled thoughts, I glanced at the ceiling and said in the most serious voice I could muster.
“James Oh, while I appreciate the high expectations and evaluations you have, I must remind you that I am just an amateur.”
The reason I received such high praise from Cheon Aram and James Oh was solely because of everyone’s generosity. And at this moment, I had no rewards related to music.
“No, Team Leader Seon, you are not someone who can simply be classified as an amateur.”
“The arrangement of ‘Dress Up’ that you found impressive is almost a stroke of luck.”
“Even if it was luck, my opinion doesn’t change. Team Leader Seon, you have talent.”
“Even if, as James Oh says, there is talent, that’s still a problem.”
“…Huh?”
Hypothetically. If by any chance, I did have some talent as Cheon Aram or James Oh mentioned, it could be true, but even so, I would still be just a promising amateur.
“Even assuming I have talent, the fact remains that I am an amateur who has never composed professionally. Sure, I might be able to produce a decent song someday, maybe ten years from now. Really lucky, and that could be now. But the chances of that happening are far lower.”
I’d received plenty of excessive praise, but at my core, I was still a beginner with no solid proof of my skills.
“Why take such a risk? We don’t need to. No, beyond not needing to, as the team leader of Girl Revolution, I cannot permit it.”
And such impurities shouldn’t be allowed to interfere with the songs that Gyeoul, Gaeul, Yeoreum, and Yuri would create.
“Experimental challenges are fine. We can do that. However, that should only happen when Girl Revolution has a stable foundation. Not on the first album. As you know well, the importance of the first album cannot be overstated. This album must be perfect. Every track has to be the best. And I know for a fact that I cannot be that answer.”
“No matter how many times I emphasize it, it’s not enough. This album has to be perfect. Every song must be the best. And I clearly know that I can’t be that answer.”
“I’ve already seen the answer sheet from the previous round. So I’m sure. That answer is not me.”
“…”
I looked at him, thinking that I had sufficiently persuaded him.
But the expression on James Oh’s face as he looked at me was somehow strange.
“…Why do you belittle yourself like that?”
He always had that slight air of arrogance, maintaining an objective calmness. Yet now, his demeanor seemed unusually emotional.
“Don’t you know about the law of diminishing returns? Excessive humility isn’t polite either.”
Perhaps sensing the change in his expression, Isabella, who had been watching from the side, halted him.
“James, calm down a bit…”
“I already told you I’m a fan of Team Leader Seon, didn’t I? Do you really think I use that term for just anyone? Not at all. Back in my undergraduate days, I lived with nothing but my own ego! I never even used the word ‘fan’ for anyone, whether they were current students, seniors, or professors!”
“Calm down, you crazy bastard!”
“How am I supposed to calm down?!”
“Take a deep breath or something!”
Following her advice, he took a slight deep breath.
“I’m not particularly fond of using authority in conversation. It feels cheap and petty. But I suppose I’ll get a bit petty myself.”
As if her words had an effect, he managed to slightly lower his voice and continued.
“Well, I’ve bored everyone by topping the music charts. My songs frequently appear in karaoke’s popular rankings. Just the royalties that get deposited into my account mean I won’t worry about living for the rest of my life. Yes, dare I say, I’m at the top of the K-pop industry. And I, James Oh, evaluate that Team Leader Seon is talented, and the current melody line has the potential to be the title track of that all-important first album… Is more proof needed? Don’t you trust my words, Team Leader Seon?”
Only now could I understand the true nature of the emotions radiating from James Oh.
It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t even insulted pride.
It was disappointment.
“Then please name another expert you can trust. I have wide connections in the industry. I could probably call 60% of the names that come to mind right now. I’ll bring that friend to guarantee just how massive this melody line’s potential is. Please believe me. Damn it, this is amazing!”
“Six parts of the city’s name can call right away. I’ll call that friend and guarantee you how immense the potential is in this melody line. Just believe me, damn it, this is so awesome!”
“….”
“… Yes, you might think it’s just a melody, so why polish it so much? Completing it won’t be easy, right? You might need to purchase some of the melody lines themselves for the right composition. But I sincerely hope Team Leader Seon can complete this song. I believe you have the ability to do it. I’ll help you.”
I asked him, filled with pure curiosity.
“Why are you so invested in my creating this song?”
He cleared his throat once and, with the calm demeanor he always showed, responded.
“I’m currently a colleague of Manager Seon, but before that, I was a fan of Producer Seon.”
“….”
“You know how deeply I suffered from a terrible slump. Thanks to Team Leader Seon, Gyeoul, and the other kids, it’s slowly breaking away. Honestly, it might sound a bit strange for a man to say, but sometimes Team Leader Seon feels like a muse to me.”
Hearing this, Isabella shot me a glare.
… Isabella, I assure you, I have absolutely no interest in that direction. Please relax.
“… That muse business can’t just be about me, right? You, as a fellow creator exchanging inspiration, must have been a muse at times too, right, Isabella?”
“No, not once for that guy.”
“… Bastard.”
“… Huh? Bella, what did you say?”
… Pay attention, you crazy fool.
“Being who I am, I’ve become greedy. I want to see what kind of inspiration I can feel if this Seon Taeyang creates something original instead of just arranging.”
“….”
“I know Team Leader Seon has never professionally studied composition. Still, let’s give it a try. I’ll lend all my strength for excessively complex and specialized areas. Of course, unlike that detestable guy, I won’t pull any nonsense about putting my name on the track just because I did a little something, so you can rest easy.”
Honestly, James Oh’s emotional outpouring surprised me.
What he wanted was to shatter the perfectly planned role of a manager.
But it didn’t feel too bad.
After all, it was the first time someone had high hopes for me outside of my managerial duties.
Thoughts flowed through my mind.
Starting from a young age, skipping college, I had lived as a manager.
I’ve lived my life as…
No, I’ve only lived as a manager. I focused solely on that one role and never thought about anything else. But after my second round, a pure question arose: Do I really have to keep doing this?
What do I really want to do?
“…”
Amidst the emotions that floated up like a buoy, the answer emerged.
“I’ll give it a try. Composing.”
I just wanted to meet that expectation.
“Really? Then the title…”
“But the title is absolutely out of the question.”
“…Ah.”
What a silly reaction.
No matter how much I talk, I’m definitely going to pick a title that’s a surefire winner.
*
Even while individual practice was underway, Yoo Gaeul sneaked out of the training room and pressed her ear against the recording studio door.
“Ugh, it’s so sweet.”
Her beloved Seon Taeyang was playing the piano. After his super busy schedule lately, she hadn’t heard him play in ages, and it felt like pure magic.
As a self-proclaimed fan of his piano, Gaeul couldn’t let this golden opportunity slip away.
Just then, someone spoke to her as she awkwardly squished herself against the door, trying to hear more.
“I believe you still have individual practice left. Please return to the training room.”
“Eek! …Ah, Team Leader Soo-yeon.”
Gaeul knew it was hard to sway the normally strict and rule-abiding Seo Soo-yeon, but she felt too disappointed not to try.
“…Can I just listen for a moment? If you give me a little time, I’ll stay and practice twice as hard.”
“…”
But oddly enough, her reaction that would usually cut her off with a simple ‘no’ was different this time.
“I see Team Leader Seon is playing?”
Feeling a glimmer of hope from that unusual response, Gaeul beamed and explained.
“Yes! I heard from you last time that he’s working on a song for us. I think this performance is part of that process. It’s not finished yet, but it sounds amazing already!”
“You really like Team Leader Seon’s music, don’t you?”
“I’m his number one fan!”
Seo Soo-yeon looked proudly at Gaeul, who claimed to be the ultimate fan.
And for someone who always had a poker face, she smiled, blooming like a flower, and said,
“Well then, I’ll be Fan Number Two.”
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