God of Music

Chapter 53. Girl Group, Start?(2)

Translator: Synopsis

-You are — a good – person- but — you don’t know —-

‘This is it!!’

The musical notes coming out of Han JooYeon were constant. The light emitted from the notes combining was brilliant. As ‘To You’ was a song which became a massive hit, the effect was enormous when she sang it in the same way.

-Do you know — the single person in my heart —

KangYoon closed his eyes. Now, it was to the point that it was confusing whether this was being sung by Kang MinJoo or Han JooYeon. The beat, the voice, and even the breathing synchronized so well it was a perfect mimic.

The song ended, and when Han JooYeon came out, KangYoon wordlessly replayed the recorded song.

“I sung this?”

Han JooYeon also doubted whether this was the song she sung or not. Even she was confused to whether this was the AR by Kang MinJoo or her. KangYoon wordlessly patted her shoulders.

“You’ve practiced hard.”

“Thank you.”

Even after KangYoon quietly left, Han JooYeon replayed her own song again and again and enjoyed the excitement.

***

Meeting.

With the team members, KangYoon was discussing Han JooYeon, who would be the first to be shown to the world.

“Chief Kim, is the UCC going well?” (T/N: UCC generally refers to videos in Korea)

When KangYoon asked Chief Kim JungRyul of the Promotion Team, he answered confidently.

“Yes. Han JooYeon did well so a satisfying picture came out.”

“Let’s talk after we see it.”

One of the members of the Promotion Team, Yu ChangSeok, played the project and the video in which Han JooYeon singing in the studio showed up on the screen. She was singing a pop song, which many people knew, and it sounded very smooth. As it was through a video, KangYoon could not see any light. Even so, he could feel that Han JooYeon was passionately singing with all her might, so it wasn’t bad.

“That’s not bad. Please release it the moment she appears on TV.”

“I understand.”

KangYoon kept talking about the budget, the process, etc. The team members asked for KangYoon’s opinion on the parts they were in charge of while they talked about their circumstances, and they voiced their opinions to compromise the situation. KangYoon sometimes accepted, sometimes rejected their opinions and lead the meeting.

“I think this should be enough about Han JooYeon.”

Finishing with that, all of them sighed. This was the moment when the rookies prepared in the company were stepping out for real. Thinking that they would get busy for real once it started, they resolved themselves.

The meeting ended, and KangYoon headed to the 3rd floor where the girls would be busy practicing. Today there was no group practice, so they were practicing by themselves. He immediately went into the room where Han JooYeon was practicing.

“Team Leader…”

“Did I interrupt you?”

“Not at all.”

Han JooYeon was practicing the song that would be broadcasted by herself. She looked surprised after seeing KangYoon but still welcomed him. When KangYoon gave her a bottle of water like always, she politely received it and sat. The time KangYoon comes was resting time.

“The recordings’ next week right?”

“Yes. I sure am nervous.”

“It’s your first time. It’s no wonder that you’re nervous.”

“Are… you going as well, Team Leader?”

“Me? Let’s see…”

“I’m sorry, but if it’s okay with you could you please… go with me that day?”

“Huh?”

KangYoon wondered what was up. But he was given the reason right away.

“JinGyung-unni told me that I can rest assured no matter what happens if I’m with you, Team Leader. I’m more cowardly than you think I am. If it isn’t a bad timing for you, then please.”

“JinGyung did? It seems you two are close.”

“She advised me a lot since I was a trainee. I heard a lot about you, Team Leader, from her. She told me that anything’s possible with you, Team Leader…”

Following JooAh and now Kim JinGyung too… Every time he heard these words, KangYoon honestly felt awkward. From now was emergency status. However, that emergency status was due to Han JooYeon so he could not refuse either.

“Alright.”

“Thank you.”

“Sheesh, really… I need to work too…”

Looking at KangYoon grumbling, she did feel sorry. However, the priority was to calm her nervous heart. She thought that it would be better if KangYoon was there during the nervous first recording.

KangYoon left Han JooYeon’s practice room and headed to Christie An. She was in the middle of being trained about her image management with an external tutor.

“The expression is especially important. Expression. When you smile, the facial muscles…”

“……”

KangYoon silently entered through the back door and saw that Christie An was lifting the corner of her mouth and the corner of her eyes, which people didn’t use a lot of, with her fingers. The external tutor emphasized again and again that she should use all her facial muscles. After hearing that a pretty face was no more than a decoration, Christie An clenched her teeth and followed the tutor’s words.

“Shall we rest a little?”

“…Yes.”

It was a sitting lecture, but to Christie An, it was a very hard time. She laid deep into her seat when she found KangYoon standing at the back of the practice room and she abruptly jumped up.

“Team Leader!!”

“Lie down. I’m not here to interrupt your rest.”

Even so, Christie An could not lie down. KangYoon was already someone she was awkward with, but after she saw him work with JooAh, she felt even more awkward. KangYoon offered her to sit, and only then did she sit down.

“Do you know why you’re receiving this kind of training?”

“I don’t.”

Even so, Christie An was very honest. KangYoon like her honest answer and told her the answer immediately.

“You did hear that JooYeon will go on TV soon, right?”

“Yes.”

“Next is your turn.”

“Sorry!?”

Even she, who did not show ripples that much normally, raised her voice very high.

“I… Am I also going on TV?”

“No, you won’t. You do know why JooYeon is going on TV, right?”

“I heard that we will be revealed one by one.”

“Yes. Next up is your turn. However, the method is a little different.”

“Then what…”

“Magazine advertising.”

“Sorry?!”

To think that she would be revealed through advertising, which is known to be done by famous celebrities…

Hearing KangYoon’s incomprehensible words, Christie An’s expression colored in doubt.

“There’s a brand that our company is investing in. We will use you for the advert that that company will be making.”

“Oh, you mean Dearing House? The designs of cosmetics there were quite pretty.”

“Really? I don’t know about it that much. Anyway, you will be doing a cosmetics advert there. That’s why you’re doing this practice now, so you need to be serious about it. You do know of the concept, right?”

“Yes. An expressionless princess becoming lively after using the cosmetics right? I laughed when I saw it.”

“I heard the ad focuses on the ‘Before’ and the ‘After’. So you have to practice smiling ‘well’, get it?”

“Yes!!”

Christie An answered powerfully. In fact, she was kind of expectant on what she would be doing ever since she heard that Han JooYeon was going on TV. However, since she was told to practice her expressions so much, she was disappointed. However, an advert… It didn’t matter whether the scale was big or small. She felt like she was flying.

“Oh, there’s not much guarantee in this advert. So just think of it as going out to eat some meat.”

“…Yes.”

Of course, she did get a little disappointed at KangYoon’s last words.

***

Autumn was a season where girls’ hearts became all fluffy… yeah right.

The vacation in the summer was practically the last rest. After that, a literal ‘death schedule’ was given to the girls. A Mon-Tue-Wed-Thur-Fri-Fri-Fri schedule, no, a Fri-Fri-Fri-Fri-Fri-Fri-Fri schedule rained upon them like the monsoon season.

“Uaaaaaaaaaaaa————–!”

A rare group practice. Jung MinAh plopped onto the ground with steam covering her body. Christie An, who would usually use Jung MinAh’s stomach as a pillow, seemed to be too tired to do that today as she was rolling around in the place she was practicing at.

“….Ahahaha… This is somewhere and I’m Jung MinAh. Am I an existence born to practice…”

Jung MinAh was seeing stars as she was going insane from the cruel practice. No matter if she had a steel-like stamina, this kind of insane practice schedule was not easy at all.

“HanYu… Are you alright?”

“…No. How about you, unni?”

“I’m melting…”

Ailee Jung seemed to want to feel the coldness of the floor as she kept rolling around all over the floor. Opposite, Seo HanYu gracefully poured water over a face in an attempt to make the heat fly away.

Lee SamSoon and Han JooYeon next to her had long since closed their eyes.

However, their rest didn’t last long. That was because the super guy had appeared in the practice room – KangYoon.

“Hey, hey, wake up.”

“Uuuu… Who is it…”

“Team Leader.”

“Kehk…”

Lee SamSoon was brilliantly held up by Jung MinAh and was sat down. KangYoon seemed to be used to the nose-piercing smell of sweat, as he handed out bottles of water to the girls as if nothing had affected him. While everyone was quenching their thirst with big gulps, he finally brought out the topic.

“Thanks for your hard work, girls. This is the first time I saw you all together after the vacation, right?”

“……Yes.”

Their answers contained no strength. Of course, it wasn’t that KangYoon expected one from them.

“You did hear that you will be introduced one by one, right?”

“Yes.”

“After that, we will make you known officially after we invite the directors and the related people. We will announce when you will debut, and what concept you will go with.”

“Ah……”

The girls all felt like fatigue had flown away. KangYoon’s words meant that, they will be evaluated before they were introduced to the world.

“Is it like a showcase?”

When Han JooYeon asked, KangYoon shook his head.

“No, this will only be with the related personnel, so the concept is kind of different. We’re also looking into broadcasting your debut process, but I’m not too sure about that.”

“W… wait. You will broadcast our debut process?”

Jung MinAh grabbed KangYoon’s passing-by words.

“Not confirmed. Why?”

“Then you will record our daily lives and struggles, everything? Including the dorms?”

“I said it’s not confirmed. We’re looking into it. I will mention it again when it’s confirmed. We don’t know what may happen. What’s important now is that you will go on stage.”

“……”

Everyone became silent. The first stage with the 6 of them was the one they did at the orphanage. After that, they only practiced to death but had not shown themselves in front of others.

“You never danced with heels on, right?”

“Yes. Not yet.”

Han JooYeon answered as their representative.

“From now, you will practice with heels on, got it?”

“Yes.”

“Also, your title song will come out soon.”

Everyone looked at each other with the expression that said ‘what should have come has finally come’. This was a song only for them. They finally felt that they were becoming singers from trainees. There was the pressure of having to wear heels, but the words about the title song made them rejoice.

KangYoon left after the notice, and the girls were in a mess.

“Hey, hey. He said heels!! Ah, I’ve never worn them before.”

Jung MinAh had nothing to do with heels. She hated inconvenient items. Meanwhile, Seo HanYu looked confident.

“You will get used to them once you wear it a lot. And if we say it, they will give us ones with wide heels so it will be alright.”

“Really? I’m still worried though. I have a hard time balancing since my ankles are thin.”

Seo HanYu consoled Jung MinAh.

However, the most worried person was none other than Lee SamSoon.

“I have the worst affinity with heels though, what do I do? They will definitely give me a pair with high heels.”

Lee SamSoon’s face colored with worry. She had a prior experience of just going barefoot since she just wasn’t compatible with heels.

Of course, it wasn’t just her. All the girls were having similar worries.

***

KangYoon was busy due to the girls’ debut, but he didn’t forget to attend the lectures.

Having finished work early, KangYoon headed to the lecture room of S university after lunch.

Since he had arrived a little early, KangYoon could see students having conversations. Couples, men, and women were all joyfully conversing in groups. Listening in, they were mostly conversations about the opposite sex. Men talked about what kind of girls they had met, and the women talked about what kind of men they had met. Such simple, yet joyful stories.

‘Good times.’

He smiled looking at the students. He remembered his own twenties when he was dragged around by his busy life. He had lived without any room for leisure while thinking only about HeeYoon. He momentarily pondered about what kind of life he would have had if he had such times. Of course, these were all useless thoughts.

‘Although I couldn’t, I wish for HeeYoon to go to university.’

Looking at the students entering the lecture room, KangYoon thought about HeeYoon. He really wished that HeeYoon would be able to enjoy an ordinary college life, like them. No, he was planning to make it that way.

When the lecture time arrived, professor Choi ChanYang entered with the register like a set clock. Along with that, the seat next to KangYoon became occupied as well.

“*Pant* *pant*. I’m not late today. Hello?”

“Oh, hello.”

It was the tardy student from last time, Ha JiYeon. Answering the professor’s roll call, she opened her textbook immediately.

“Harmonics are divided into…”

The lecture started and she focused harder than anyone else. Even KangYoon was affected by that. Although they sat at the very back, their passion for learning was great to the point that people near them sneaked glances at them.

“Let’s rest for a moment before we continue.”

Professor Choi ChanYang left for a moment and it became resting time. KangYoon was stretching his arms when Ha JiYeon held out a canned drink to him.

“Oh, thanks.”

“Not at all. This isn’t much. What is your name?”

“I’m Lee KangYoon. What about you?”

“I’m Ha JiYeon. I major business management. What about…”

“I’m an auditor.”

“Ah…”

After that, she seemed like she hesitated with her next words. However, her eyes regained their brilliance and continued speaking.

“That professor is apparently well known for chasing auditors out. Saying that lectures without prices are meaningless or something? This lecture is fun so auditors sit in every year. It’s interesting to see an auditor after 3 weeks.”

“Really?”

“Yes, so please be careful. I knew you didn’t look so easy. Oh, sorry. I said something rude, didn’t I?”

Ha JiYeon was very lively. Thanks to that, KangYoon didn’t have a boring time during the rest. Ha JiYeon seemed to have an interest in fashion as she talked about clothes and school life, which made KangYoon interested, and KangYoon also answered her every now and then.

The lecture began, and KangYoon started focusing. The world of harmonics which he had seen for the first time was very new to him.

“1st, 4th, 5th, and 8th are called the Perfect intervals, and 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th are called the Major intervals. It’s easier to understand if you think of the piano. C to E is a 3rd, C D E makes a major 3rd. Meanwhile, C D E F makes a perfect 4th. Also…”

KangYoon wrote down all of Professor Choi ChanYang’s notes he wrote on the blackboard. As this was the first lecture, which was basic theory, the contents weren’t that difficult. In some way, this was like maths. Looking next to him, he found Ha JiYeon making a confused expression even while writing down on her notes.

Professor Choi ChanYang’s lecture was not fast. He said everything that was needed and took examples when needed. The students could all focus thanks to the suitable examples, even though it may get a little boring with all the harmonics theory.

“Let’s stop here today.”

“Thanks for your work, sir.”

As soon as the lecture ended, the students left like the receding tides. Today, the students who fought against all the tadpoles went back home with fatigue over their faces.

“Mr. KangYoon. Do you have time this evening?”

KangYoon was also about to leave with the tide when Professor Choi called for him.

“Yes, it is alright…”

“How about we have dinner together?”

KangYoon left with professor Choi ChanYang and headed to the parking area. On his high-class sedan, the two headed to a restaurant near the Han river.

Unlike Professor Choi who looked used to this as he ordered, KangYoon wasn’t so much. In the end, he ordered the same thing as him and coughed awkwardly.

“It seems you don’t come to places like this so often.”

“Yes. Since I prefer Korean food over western food.”

“Oh, my. It seems I was a little rude. I apologize.”

“Not at all. I don’t particularly hate anything.”

KangYoon politely said it was okay and started eating the bread that came out as an appetizer. It wasn’t that hard to follow the etiquette for eating food at a high-class restaurant when he copied Professor Choi ChanYang.

“I’ll buy today, so please eat comfortably.”

“This… Then I’ll excuse myself.”

He must have had his reasons. KangYoon comfortably picked up the knife. Soon, the main dish, the steak, came out along with wine. The faint aroma of wine made him feel like the steak was melting in his mouth.

When they were almost finished eating, Professor Choi ChanYang brought up the main topic.

“Isn’t it boring to learn just the basic theory?”

“Not at all. Instead, it feels like I’m climbing up step by step and it’s nice.”

“That’s fortunate. Then, do you have any thoughts on learning faster?”

Of course, if he could learn it faster, then he wouldn’t have to worry about wasting time, so it was good. KangYoon asked in confusion.

“Is there a good method?”

“There’s a small club that I’m in charge of. I’m giving out my advice about their songs from time to time. Would you……”

“A small club, you say…… What kind of club is it?”

“It’s a club that composes songs and plays them. A band, to say. Around 5 people gather to talk about music while getting closer to each other.”

If it was a small club about composing, then KangYoon felt like he wouldn’t receive any pressure. He didn’t think that he would be able to go there often, but he did feel like it would be a good opportunity to learn their free ways of thinking while discussing with them and learn music theory as well.

“I understand.”

When KangYoon accepted, Professor Choi ChanYang replied with his uniquely soft smile.

***

“What do I do…”

Han JooYeon kept sighing in front of the front door. Thanks to not being able to sleep the past night, there were dark circles under her eyes. She counted sheep all night, and tried all sorts of methods to sleep, but in the end, she couldn’t even sleep for 2 hours. First time on the TV came with a lot of nervousness.

“Unni, your eyes are no joke…”

“It’s so bad, right?”

“Do you think you can cover that up with makeup? It really looks serious…”

Seo HanYu’s expression colored in worry as she was about to leave in her school uniform to go to school.

“It wasn’t this bad, but last night, I couldn’t sleep, and even ‘that’ arrived…”

“Eek? No way… ‘that’?”

She was kicked while down.

The demon of ‘that day’ that comes once a month had assaulted her.

“What will you do? Why does it have to be today of all days… Doesn’t your stomach hurt?”

“Not that much. Before that, can you lend me ‘that’? I ran out. I’ll pay you back later.”

“Yes. wait a minute.”

Han JooYeon borrowed the female products from Seo HanYu, before hurrying to set out. If she had to go to the company to meet KangYoon and go out for recording later, then time was running out.

Although she would also undergo makeup at the TV station, she put on heavy makeup before going out. She didn’t want to be the center of attention on the way.

At the company, KangYoon had already finished preparing and was waiting for her.

“Eh?”

However, KangYoon’s expression turned strange as soon as he saw Han JooYeon’s face.

“Did you not have enough sleep yesterday?”

“…Yes.”

“The bags under your eyes are huge. It wasn’t like this normally, was it?”

“……”

Pimples, dark circles, freckles and such face-related talks were a taboo for women.

However, KangYoon was very direct.

To him, a celebrity’s face was his work.

Han JooYeon panicked since this the first time it happened, but what was important now was not that.

“I couldn’t sleep because I was too nervous. Will I… be alright?”

“It can’t be helped. Get on first.”

Han JooYeon got on the car, and KangYoon paid his attention to what she brought. Normally, she didn’t even carry around even a small pouch containing makeup. However, she was carrying one today.

‘Hmm…. Is it that day?’

He hadn’t worked as a manager for 7 years for nothing. There were some women whose dark circles were especially worse on that certain day. Han JooYeon was also like that. Moreover, she looked tense as well, which made KangYoon be sure about it.

KangYoon quietly called for coordinator Yoo SeHee who was checking over the stuff.

“Team Leader, you called?”

“You know how to do her makeup, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I think it’s that day for her today, so please mind her a little more. The day is quite unfortunate.”

“I understand. Team Leader, how did you know that?”

“Well… from experience. Well, then. Please take care of her.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

KangYoon did the final check, and they departed for the TV station.

After arriving, KangYoon left first in order to greet the related personnel, and Han JooYeon, the coordinator, and the manager went to the waiting room for makeup.

“The eye makeup sure is amazing…”

“Close your eyes.”

“Yes.”

Han JooYeon couldn’t open her eyes properly due to the makeup that emphasized the eyes. It seemed there was a lot to do, as the makeup went on for 30 minutes. She did hear that makeup for broadcasting was quite long, and it seemed it was true. Her hair was done with a curling iron, and she didn’t know what was there on her face, but two people were drawing sticking and doing various things on her face. Her pretty but plain looking face transformed into a city woman’s face like that.

“This is enough, right?”

A long time had passed, and coordinator Yoo SeHee nodded her head in satisfaction after looking at Han JooYeon’s face, from which dark circles were gone without a trace.

‘This is… me?’

Han JooYeon widened her eyes when she saw the image of herself in makeup. The figure that was wrapped in steam every day due to practice, was all gone. A pretty woman that anyone would turn their head to at least once, was inside the mirror. The dark circles she was worried about were gone without a trace.

“Aah, so difficult. JooYeon. Your dark circles were no joke. It’s rare for a person to have such heavy ones too.”

“Really? I’m sorry. It’s that day today…”

“I know, I know. Well, I’m proud of myself so it’s alright. Team Leader sure is amazing.”

“Huh? What about the Team Leader?”

Asking why the Team Leader came up, she looked at the coordinator.

“He immediately knew it was your that day today. What would a man know about a woman? Is it intuition? He knew immediately. It looks like he really cares for you lot.”

“Really?”

“Yup. Seeing him so detailed, I kinda understand why The ACE and JooAh always look for him. Did you hear that rumor? Oh, JooYeon is close with JinGyung so you would know already.”

“Yes. JinGyung-unni said she felt very safe when working with Team Leader.”

“I think I’ll also be like that if I was a singer – being fine with whatever I do. Even I think that it will make my heart flutter if I was a singer.”

Coordinator Jung SeHee[1. Dunno why, but her name suddenly changes from Yoo SeHee to Jung SeHee…ˉ\_(ツ)_/ˉ] sent gazes of admiration while clasping her hands like a girl, despite being in her 30s. Han JooYeon was also surprised at KangYoon’s such care. She slightly understood about what Kim JInGyung had said to her.

“Are you done?”

At that time, KangYoon entered after having finished giving our greetings. He checked the makeup on Han JooYeon’s face and whether the dark circles still remained or not.

“Please put more powder on this part here.”

“Yes.”

Coordinator Jung SeHee, who was absent-minded in admiration for some time, came back to reality with KangYoon’s words.

“Is this fine?”

“Yes, that’s good.”

Coordinator Jung SeHee became tenser when KangYoon required more meticulousness even though the dark circles couldn’t be seen. Han JooYeon was the same. KangYoon’s such actions prevented her from relaxing.

“Let’s go for the dressed rehearsal.”

“Yes.”

Han JooYeon headed to the stage where the recording will take place today while following KangYoon’s back.

.

.

.

Paldo Mimic Singing Festival [2. T/N: Paldo refers to the eight provinces in Korea] was a programme where they gave prizes to the person who mimicked a famous singer the best. It was a national holiday special pilot programme.[3. T/N: Pilot programmes are basically one-shot programmes.] People who were picked through preliminaries from all 8 of the provinces of Korea would compete on stage, the finals. Of course, it was still a pilot programme right now, so the staff had to pick from the people who sent self-made videos.

“Paldo – Mimic!! Singing!!”

“Oooooh—”

Along with the energetic voice of Ji ChangSeok, and the cheering of the 500 people in the audience signaled the start of the recording. Red lights lit up on all the cameras at the same time various devices activated. Behind the stage also became busy as staff moved around.

“Ahhh…. So nervous…”

Han JooYeon, who sat relatively towards the front, tried her best to relax the tension as much as possible with her hands clenched. Although she avoided being first with some negotiations, she was still 5th in line. As the time passed by, and the first and second came down from the stage, her heart pounded more and more.

‘Ah… What if I make a mistake… If I don’t do well, I will give the company damage, and I won’t be able to debut? Then, I won’t be able to become a singer, then…’

Once she thought of something bad, she kept doing so. Han JooYeon’s expression became visibly worse. Thoughts were always like that, in the end, she ran outside from behind the stage.

‘Huh?’

KangYoon felt that this was something serious and followed Han JooYeon.

“JooYeon.”

“Team Leader…”

Seeing that Han JooYeon’s expression had become visibly worse, KangYoon asked softly.

“What is it? Do you have any worries?”

“It’s… I…… what if I do bad?”

“Do what bad?”

“Just… everything… up there…”

“You don’t have to do well.”

“Sorry?”

However, KangYoon’s words were completely unexpected for Han JooYeon, and her eyes widened.

“The moment you go up there, your responsibility is over. Whatever happens, the responsibility is mine from then on.”

“Team Leader…”

“I know what you’re worried about. What if I do bad? What if it something bad happens because of that? What if I’m unable to become a singer because of that?”

“……”

KangYoon’s words hit the bullseye. Han JooYeon lowered her head in silence. KangYoon tapped her shoulders. He implied her to cheer up.

“I did say let’s go together until the end. Believe in me. Whatever happens, you just have to do your best up there.”

“……”

“It’s good that you aren’t crying, though. Some people end up crying and their makeup becomes messed up and they have to delay their order. There, there. It’s your turn soon so calm down before coming back. Okay?”

“Yes.”

KangYoon didn’t say any more and went back to the stage. Seeing his broad back, Han JooYeon quietly muttered.

“Now I get it; why those unnis want to work with Team Leader so much…”

The belief that KangYoon was behind them no matter what they did.

Having tasted that belief, Han JooYeon acquired more confidence.

Calming down, she went back to the stage.

***

“This is a little…”

Lee HyunAh’s expression creased as though the song she sung now was no good. Although she had a cute face, her senior, Min ChanMin, retorted as though he didn’t like her.

“Is that so? Then this…”

Fixing the score, he played the melody again. Remembering each of those sounds, Lee HyunAh sang again. However, it seemed it wasn’t to her liking again as she grumbled.

“I don’t think this is right either…”

Seeing Lee HyunAh like that, Kim HeeJin, who was playing the bass guitar, stepped up.

“HyunAh, just what do you want? You don’t like loose, but you don’t like fast either. That’s no good.”

“I… don’t get that feeling.”

Said Lee HyunAh in a small voice. The other team members got angry, but it was the same.

“Hey, gather up”

In the end, Min ChanMin made the instrumental people gather up. He pointed towards one verse of the score and asked the people.

“HyunAh said this part here is no good because it feels loose. So I changed it to feel a little faster, but now she says that it feels too hurried. What do you think is good?”

Lee HyungSeok, in charge of the electric guitar, answered Min ChanMin’s question. He drew a sharp and gathered everyone’s attention.

“Let’s go with this here, and like this… The chord should be…”

But before he finished drawing a single note, Moon MiYoung interfered.

“But then the chord progression won’t work. I think it will feel like it’s stuck that way?”

Then she touched another chord.

It was like this. All of the members talked about their opinions on one part as they discussed in order for a better piece of music. However, during that, time would fly by quickly.

“I’m… kinda hungry”

With Kim HeeJin’s nagging, the discussion ended.

Everybody had to sigh due to the unconcluded discussion.

The process of making music with everyone wasn’t as easy as it sounded to be.

***

‘Whoa…!!’

It became her turn and Han JooYeon went up to the stage. Camera with red lights on, numerous audience, and lights… Seeing so many eyes glued onto her, her calmed heart started pounding again.

‘I can do it, I can do it!!’

Han JooYeon resolved herself. However, she didn’t make a signal so no music started. The audience started whispering in the time she took time to calm down, and they, along with the cameras and PDs looked scary to her. She was still 18 years old. It wasn’t easy for her.

At that moment, someone could be seen at the front. It was KangYoon who should have been at the back of the stage.

‘Team Leader?’

He was holding up a giant piece of paper (A0).

‘It’s fine if you make a mistake? Pffftt…’

But in this situation, he was too kind. Even though he should have had the sharpest gaze of all the people here, instead, he was the warmest. Han JooYeon’s pounding heart calmed down.

“Ah, ah. Sorry. Let’s do this again. Would you please cue the music?”

A momentary delay. The audience seemed to have understood and they settled down. The staff received her signal and played the music. It was finally the start.

You are — a good – person- but — you don’t know —-

A completely identical voice to the singer Kang MinJoo started enveloping the stage. The audience all rubbed their eyes at the scene where they couldn’t differentiate between the original or just the mimic.

Would you know — a person in my heart —

Even the presenter, no, all the PDs and the other staff there were confused whether if this was the original or not. Originally, all voices had to have some differences. However, the girl on that stage was ‘perfectly’ copying Kang MinJoo’s song.

KangYoon settled down after seeing the musical notes and the light. There was no need to say anything about the reactions of the audience. They were all in a mess while asking if she was Kang MinJoo’s twin or something.

‘Phew…’

Although he did worry because Han JooYeon was very nervous, he sighed in relief as the main stage was done well. Of course, he had a plan B and a plan C if this didn’t work, but that would require more time and budget so this was a good thing.

With the cheers of the people, the stage ended. The presenter grabbed her and interviewed her, but her shyness wasn’t suited to talking much.

‘Entertainment is no good.’

People had their own styles of work. If it was Lee SamSoon or someone else up there, it would have been a different story. KangYoon was a little disappointed.

The stage ended, and KangYoon waited for her in the waiting room.

“Thank you for your wo…. Ah.”

Han JooYeon collapsed in place as soon as she came to the waiting room. It seemed her soul had left her legs. The manager immediately supported her to the sofa.

“Good work. It was a nice stage.”

“Thank you, Team Leader.”

“I didn’t do anything. Everything is due to your effort.”

KangYoon didn’t say much. However, Han JooYeon knew very well. Only because KangYoon firmly supported her from her back could she digest today’s stage without any problems. KangYoon could never give her more confidence.

The recording continued, and it was now the award ceremony.

There was no need to talk about the result of the competition. No one other than Han JooYeon was able to mimic even the breathing. 1st place was Han JooYeon. She couldn’t hide her joy after receiving the 2 million won prize (1.8K USD).

“Thank you.”

“You mimicked miss Kang MinJoo’s song nearly perfectly. Is there a secret to it?”

Presenter Ji ChangSeok asked when Han JooYeon answered.

“A cool outside help?”

“Eeeh?”

All the participants laughed at that answer.

With the prize money and the trophy, Han JooYeon went back to the dorms in high spirits. Of course, the money was shared between her parents, and most of the rest was used in the meat party she had with her dorm mates.

***