Chapter 180. At the Peak of Ties (1)

Translator: Chamber

Editor: Illidan

Thanksgiving began in Korea.

Unlike Eddios, who were very busy with their events, Kim JiMin was very free as her activity period was over.

Thanks to that, she was able to go to America with Park SoYoung.

“You don’t have to do so much for me…”

In the airport lounge, Park SoYoung expressed her apology towards KangYoon.

Kim JiMin also gave KangYoon some fruits she had gotten at home to her president.

Eating the fruits that Kim JiMin had peeled, KangYoon looked around.

“Where’s your grandmother?”

“She went to the bathroom. She should be back soon.”

Kim JiMin spoke with an excited voice.

Going to America made her feel excited.

‘There are adults and HeeYoon is over there as well, so I guess it should be fine.’

Due to human resource problems, he couldn’t send a manager with the two. However, Kim JiMin’s grandmother was with them, as well as HeeYoon, so KangYoon believed that there shouldn’t be any problems.

Well, sending a manager may make them think that they’re working.

It would be better to just give them freedom.

When the manager came back after going through the procedures, madam Jung GilLye also came back.

KangYoon saw the three off at the entrance.

“Then, off you go.”

“Thank you for the trip.”

When Park SoYoung and Kim JiMin bowed, KangYoon just waved at the two.

After sending them off, KangYoon and the manager got back in the car.

Just as KangYoon was about to naturally take the driver’s seat, the manager became shocked stiff and ran towards him.

“President, I’ll do the driving.”

“It’s okay, I’ll…”

“It’s not okay at all!”

Which employee would be fine with the president driving?

KangYoon got in the back seat with an awkward smile.

Inside the car, KangYoon thought of the schedule in his mind while looking at the calendar.

‘Is the appointment in China next week? I have to visit there before China’s National Day celebrations…’

China’s National Day was a week-long holiday. It was one of the three golden weeks of China along with Chinese New Year and May’s Labour Day.

The car was just leaving the airport when KangYoon saw an airplane landing with a loud noise. Seeing that, KangYoon thought.

‘The wave of Korean culture is looking quite serious. Not to mention tourism, TV shows too… I have to prepare early.’

KangYoon read some files on the back seat of the car and prepared to work.

When he arrived at the office and worked for a while, it soon became evening.

“Thank you for your work, sir.”

Jung HyeJin and Yoo JungMin went home after work, and only KangYoon and Lee HyunJi were left in the office.

Lee HyunJi asked after seeing a lot of music-related files on KangYoon’s desk.

“JiMin’s gone to America so there shouldn’t be any lessons. What’s up with all that?”

“That thing starts today.”

“That thing? Oh.”

Lee HyunJi clapped in understanding.

Today was In MoonHee’s first day at the company as a trainee.

Lee HyunJi spoke awkwardly.

“I’ve prepared all the documents too… I’ll finish the trainee contract with Miss MoonHee today. Rather than that, it’s a little awkward to treat an adult like her as a trainee…”

Lee HyunJi smiled bitterly.

It was a little awkward treating someone quite old as someone below. This was largely due to the Korean culture where age was quite important.

However, KangYoon waved his hand saying that it was okay.

“She had the talent. Age won’t be an obstacle.”

“Fuu, if you say so, president. It is just a 3-month contract, right?”

“Yes. Her opinion is important after all.”

After talking, KangYoon went to the studio and prepared to greet In MoonHee.

After waiting for a while, the door to the studio opened and In MoonHee entered. She looked a little tired, as though she had just come here from her workplace.

“Phew, hello.”

“Come on in, Miss MoonHee.”

The two sat down on the sofa.

Just as In MoonHee drank the coffee that KangYoon had given her, Lee HyunJi entered. In her hands was a contract.

“This…”

In MoonHee became a bit nervous after looking at the contract paper that Lee HyunJi gave her. It finally came to her that she was becoming a trainee.

Regardless, Lee HyunJi sat next to KangYoon and spoke with a calm tone.

“With this, you’ll officially become a trainee of World Entertainment. For now, the contract period is 3 months. We will decide on whether to renew the contract or to break it after these three months.”

“Oh.”

In MoonHee nodded her head and read each and every article in the contract.

‘The company is obligated to provide In MoonHee education as well as space to practice, while In MoonHee is obligated to earnestly participate in the education? Where are the detailed clauses? Oh, here they are.’

On the contract were the contents that she would be educated on. It also stated the minimum education hours that she had to take from the company.

After looking at the details of the education as well as her obligations, it really felt like this company was intending to raise her into a singer.

‘This won’t be easy.’

In MoonHee sighed a little after reading the contract.

She felt as though all of her free time, as well as her lifestyle, would change from here onwards.

KangYoon asked after seeing that she had put down the papers.

“Please do ask if you have any questions.”

“Oh, okay.”

It was just that she would have no free time. There were no big problems here.

In MoonHee raised her pen and signed it. Seeing that, Lee HyunJi spoke.

“With that, you’re now officially a member of the World Entertainment family. Nice to meet you. I’m the director of World Entertainment, Lee HyunJi.”

“Hello, I’m In MoonHee.”

“If you need help with anything other than music, you can come to talk to me. Well then. See you later.”

Lee HyunJi took the contract papers and left the studio.

After the paperwork was done, KangYoon started to talk about music with her before she started practicing.

“You don’t know any music theory?”

They agreed that KangYoon would no longer talk to her in a polite form, and when KangYoon asked, In MoonHee nodded.

“…Yes. Is that… a problem?”

“No, not at all.”

KangYoon said that it was okay even though In MoonHee had become scared that KangYoon would see her as someone incompetent.

Since she got an award in the College Pop Festival, KangYoon thought that she would have some knowledge about music theory, but that wasn’t the case at all.

“So you don’t know any instruments or anything about harmonics either?”

“What’s harmonics?”

“To explain it briefly, the method of connecting sounds?”

“Oooh.”

In MoonHee took out a memo and a pen and wrote down all the things she deemed important from KangYoon’s words.

‘She’s a hard worker.’

KangYoon chuckled after seeing her actions.

She definitely looked like she wanted to learn things.

“For now, don’t mind about music theory, and let’s just sing. Don’t think about the vocal method or anything and just relax when you sing. I have a list here so you can just sing one at a time.”

In MoonHee received a list of songs from KangYoon. The list contained rock, pop, hiphop, trot, and many other genres of vocal music.

“Don’t touch me? I don’t know this song that well.”

“Let’s not do that one then. You can go into the booth now.”

She stood up and entered the booth and grabbed the mic.

“Ah, ah.”

The booth seemed awkward to her after all this time as she scratched her head after putting the headset on.

“Can you hear me?”

“Yes. Oh, wait a moment.”

After checking the volume, KangYoon gave her a signal.

A rock song, titled ‘Heart Act’, started flowing out, and her voice started making notes.

‘I knew it.’

KangYoon’s eyebrows twitched after seeing that the notes from the speakers created grey light.

Even though this was entry-level rock music, it didn’t fit her voice at all.

‘Even though most singers can sing this…’

It was easy to sing and most people liked the song so most singers were able to sing this without a hitch.

But, for her, it was grey.

KangYoon spoke immediately after she finished the first verse.

“Let’s do the next one then.”

“Yes.”

The next song was titled ‘The wind…’

It was neither high nor low, and it was a stereotypical ballad.

– The wind blows – and you —

However, KangYoon frowned once again.

The brown note from her voice created a faint black light after combining with the notes from the track. The sticky feeling given to him by the black light influenced his body.

“N, next…”

KangYoon waved his hand heavily after barely getting through the first verse.

After that, In MoonHee sang many other genres such as dance, pop, soul, etc, but her singing always made black or grey light.

‘This result well….’

The ‘what-if’ became a reality.

KangYoon ticked the boxes with a dispirited expression.

Like that, the next song was ‘Memories of Hometown’, a very popular trot.

In MoonHee cleared her throat despite being tired after singing all those songs and put all of her power into this last song.

– You left me and left my hometown — I became —

The old-fashioned melody tickled KangYoon’s ears.

But then…

‘What.. is this?’

KangYoon’s eyes widened.

The music notes created a strong white light. This was a popular song in the 70s. Even though In MoonHee sang along with an unedited soundtrack, her voice made up for the deficiencies in the soundtrack.

‘It might be better off if it was just her voice.’

Thinking back, she was able to generate silver light purely with her voice. The soundtrack was holding her back right now.

After the first and the 2nd verses, something other than white light started appearing.

KangYoon was confident now.

‘I knew it. She should sing trot and trot only. Let’s forget about the other genres.’

KangYoon was assured of his judgment after listening to In MoonHee’s singing.

***

First day of Thanksgiving holidays.

HMC’s special program, ‘Dance Revolution’, aired.

Even before it was aired, Dance Revolution caught the attention of many since there were rumors that there was going to be a battle between rivals.

The battle between the leaders of Eddios and DiaTeen became a hot issue on the internet.

– MinAh is crazy.

– She’s the official 1st place now! She’s the best!

– I always knew that she was the best.

– Skills = Eddios and Eddios = skill.

– To win against her, 8 won’t be enough, maybe 80 will do.

President Choo ManJi of Yoonseul Entertainment smiled bitterly while looking at the reactions on the internet.

‘So… it turned out like this after all.’

There was nothing more to see.

Even DiaTeen’s fan cafe was admitting that it was Kang SeGyung’s loss this time.

– Prez Choo, you crazy, bruv?

– Why did you send Kang SeGyung there? You want money now?

– Choo ManJi was gambling. Gambling against a dancing machine!

– Poor SeGyung… T^T

The arrow was pointed towards president Choo ManJi.

‘Ah, goddammit! I was against this!’

President Choo ManJi trembled after seeing the comments on the fan cafe.

***

“Hahahaha, really?”

At HeeYoon’s house, women’s laughter was everywhere.

Kim JiMin was laughing whenever HeeYoon spoke, and Park SoYoung quietly smiled.

“It was crazy. Last time, I was in the toilet, and inspiration came to my head. Oh, oh? I can’t miss this, and I had nothing to write on either…”

“So, what did you do?”

Kim JiMin’s eyes turned that into those of curiosity and HeeYoon clapped her hands.

“…I just pulled up my pants and just left.”

“Eeehk? Really? Then what about cleaning up…?”

“I had no time to think about that. If inspiration comes to my head, I never get things straight… and that’s how ‘Speak Happy Day’ came about.”

“Ugh, that’s quite a shock… To think that my song was a toilet song…”

Kim JiMin pinched her nose. HeeYoon laughed at her reaction, and Park SoYoung also chuckled.

The three ladies chatted for a long time.

HeeYoon had fun listening to stories about World Entertainment from people other than her brother, while Kim JiMin and Park SoYoung talked about their own styles of music.

At that moment, HeeYoon’s phone suddenly rang.

“Huh? It’s oppa. Hello?”

HeeYoon’s pitch became a little higher due to joy.

After exchanging formalities, KangYoon spoke.

– Is JaeHoon’s song coming along well?

“JaeHoon-oppa’s? Haa… it’s too hard. I’m not getting any inspiration.”

– Really? We don’t have a lot of time though…n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

When KangYoon expressed his difficulties, HeeYoon’s expression also became a little dark.

“…Really? That’s bad. But I can’t give him a bad song because of that.”

-Hm… HeeYoon. Why don’t you try making one with the girls that went over?

“Eh? With SoYoung and JiMin?”

At KangYoon’s words, HeeYoon turned around to look at Park SoYoung and Kim JiMin.

The two, who didn’t know what was going on, tilted their heads.