God of Music Chapter 119-120

(E/N: April fools! This is the real chapter! haha hope you guys like my little prank there~)

However, grabbing on to that ray of hope in the darkness wasn't easy.

'How am I supposed to keep calm at a time like this?'

KangYoon told her to keep calm, but it wasn't as easy as that. The audience was murmuring amongst themselves, while the guitar in her hands was no longer usable. She wanted to run away from the stage right now.
A voice started coming from the earset again just in time.

-First, put down the guitar.

Kim JiMin put the guitar down carefully.

-Look to your right, there should be ChanGyu's electric guitar. Pick that up.
"What?"

Kim JiMin blurted out in surprise. The audience's murmuring got louder. Kim JiMin's heart fluttered even more as she had to focus on both the reactions of the audience and the voice from her earphone.
However, the voice told her otherwise.

-Don't mind the audience. Close your eyes. Focus on my voice. Don't answer me either.

The order was very simple.
It calmed her down like magic. As KangYoon had ordered, Kim JiMin put down her guitar and picked up ChanGyu's electric guitar. However, there were three different volume knobs on it and she didn't know which one to adjust.
As though he had known that, the voice continued.

– Lift the one at the very back, just slightly.

Kim JiMin adjusted the key. When she did, a clean, acoustic guitar sound flowed out. The whispers in the audience also died down when she played the note.

– Good, well done. Set the volume to around half. There's a mic in front of ChanGyu's seat, right? Put that mic on the stand. I'll adjust the sound for you.

She didn't have any time to answer. She readied herself as quickly as she could. Although she wasn't used to the strings of the electric guitar, which were slightly softer than acoustic guitars, that wasn't the problem right now.
The audience watched Kim JiMin in curiosity. A panicked young girl trying to get herself out of this predicament was both funny and curious. This was also only possible because the audience was open-minded.
When Kim JiMin set up the electric guitar and put the mic on the stand, the broadcasting room became busy again. Kim JiMin's voice was unique and it was difficult to adjust the setting for her voice. Moreover, she was using a different mic now, so there were differences in the output of her voice through the speaker. They had to recall the previous settings and do it completely anew.

-Start again.

As soon as the preparations were ready, she resumed singing.

"In my heart – your heart is the light of love –"

Kim JiMin strained her voice a lot due to nervousness and veins could be seen on her neck. When she exerted power on top of learning the SLS vocal method, the gauge on the mixer was going beyond the yellow zone and into the red. She was desperate now. Although this mistake wasn't intentional on her side, she wanted to make up for it. She closed her eyes as she didn't have the courage to face the audience.
The unfamiliar clean tone of the electric guitar and the unsuitable mic was completely different from her imagination of her first stage. The outcome of the stage she prepared so much for was very cruel.
Like that, her first-ever stage was completed.
People applauded and cheered. They applauded her for her attempts to make up for that unintentional mistake.
Although she exited the stage amidst the cheers of the audience, her shoulders drooped regardless.

"Well done."
"……"

Lee HyunAh met her in front of the waiting room and hugged her. However, her stiff expression did not relax.
Lee HyunAh and White Moonlight went back up on stage again.

– Are you ready to jump again!
– Yeaaaaaa!

In the waiting room.
As Kim JiMin sat there, blank-minded, she heard Lee HyunAh's singing voice. Although she thought that this was normal for her usually, she found Lee HyunAh very great right now. She panicked due to a single snapped string, but Lee HyunAh had managed to jump around on stage even when water was sprayed on the audience.
Kim JiMin buried her head in her knees. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became at herself.

"Haa…."
"What's the sighing about?"

She then heard a familiar voice. She raised her head to see that it was KangYoon.

"Sir…."
"I knew you'd be like this, burying your head in your knees, dejected."
"……"

Kim JiMin did not reply to that.
This was her first stage, she had prepared so much for it, only for it to end up like this. She had a hard time looking straight at KangYoon.
KangYoon pulled a chair to sit in front of her. However, he did not speak.
Time passed and White Moonlight's performance continued.
Kim JiMin asked carefully after all that time.

"… I'm so sorry. You gave me this opportunity because you had faith in me."
"No, things like this can happen."
"I wanted to do better…."

Her hands trembled. She could still imagine the scene where the audience was fumbled by the sudden snapping of her guitar string. Although she managed to do something about it, it was still quite thrilling nonetheless.
KangYoon calmly spoke.

"How long has it been since you replaced the string?"
"I switched it out yesterday."
"If it still snapped, then that wasn't your fault. It was just misfortune. There are many cases like that in the professional field. Even bass strings snap, not to mention acoustic ones."
"…But the fact that it still snapped…."
"What you did up there was excellent for the first time. Although there was the recording, you were practically playing solo. Your guitar string still snapped despite that. Can you do anything about it? Instead, you only took one minute to get the other instrument setup and start playing again. Your song wasn't bad either."
"……"

Kim JiMin relaxed a little at KangYoon's praises. However, his words didn't end there.

"I'm saying this because you're still a trainee. If you're a professional, you should never take more than a minute to clean up your mistake. In fact, even 30 seconds is long for the audience. Bear that in mind, okay?"
"Yes."
"You've experienced something big even though this was your first time performing. There are many proper musicians who can't do this on stage. Well done, you've worked hard."

KangYoon patted on Kim JiMin's shoulders before standing up. Feeling his warmth, Kim JiMin felt that her stiff heart was melting. She didn't know that the words 'well done' could be so calming until today.
KangYoon spoke as she relaxed a little.

"Now then. Let's get ready for your debut."
"Yes!"

Kim JiMin shouted cheerfully.

A new nightclub-style concert hall opened up in Hongdae.
This became a hot topic for the indie bands around. Especially on the opening day, the bands that visited White Moonlight's performance couldn't hide their surprise at the facilities and the equipment.
After the opening ceremony, the indie bands that performed thereafter that day never stopped praising it. The thing they liked the most was the acoustics. As bands were sensitive to sound, they were very picky about the acoustics of a venue, and this place was the perfect place out of all venues around.

Monday.
Vocalist Gong SeungHye of the band Wish woke up late in the afternoon and headed to a cafe in Hongdae. A man wearing a hat was waiting for her.
The two drank coffee and talked about the newly opened place, Lunas.

"The facilities are definitely good. Is the rent really that cheap with those facilities?"

Son JiWon, a vocalist of the band Train City, had doubts about that place. The rent was the most suspicious one. But this venue had cheaper rent than all the other places.

"Yeah, it's a lot cheaper than the other places."
"That's awesome. The sound too, there's no difference between listening from the front and from the back. They would have invested a lot in that place. Who's the guy that's running the place? Is he swimming in money?"
"He owns an entertainment company. You know, the one Lee HyunAh went to."
"Oh, The Formidables, you mean?"

Lee HyunAh was famous throughout Hongdae. She wasn't called the Hongdae Goddess for no reason after all. It was also understandable that The Formidables, now White Moonlight, was the first to perform at the opening ceremony.
The cheaper rent excited Son JiWon. However, he talked about something else.

"Wait, is this because of that? I ran into SangTae-hyung a white ago and he told me that Spot Hall was fully booked for October when he went there."
"What's that? That's strange. There's no way it's already fully booked."
"It doesn't end there. He tried other places as well. Derace, Greenlight, and all the other places told him that October was fully booked. Us indie bands should perform at least twice a month…. This is a big deal. He had no choice but to go to Lunas again."

This was rather strange. There was no way those places were already fully booked. Indie bands had their own network and would usually schedule amongst themselves before booking. This was because they knew that competition would only end in losses.

"Are they scheming?"
"No way. Isn't that against the law?"
"How would anyone find out if they act like that?"

Gong SeungHye stood up feeling ominous. Her intuition told her that something fishy was at play here.

Lunas was very empty during weekdays… or not.
Lee HyunJi was currently having a headache due to the waves of female fans.

'Sedy, I swear I'll….'

As she was receiving visitors at the entrance, fans who brought a whole carrier case of luggage were very hard to handle. The venue was not wide enough, there were a lot of people, and luggage wasn't welcome. Although they had prepared seats beforehand, only some of the entrants could sit and many participated in the fan meeting standing up.
Despite that, the fan meeting was very smooth. Fans from around the country had gathered and were happy just listening to his voice. Sedy showed off a few tricks and sang a couple of songs.
After around an hour, the fans left like the tide.

"Phew…."

KangYoon was sweating when he saw that the venue was so full. Since Lee JunYeol ended up singing, he had to set up the mixer as well. Although he set up the mixer perfectly, the process was hard.
After Lee JunYeol took some photos and gave hugs to a few remaining fans, he invaded the broadcasting room.

"Hyung!"
"Thanks for your work."

KangYoon met him without much excitement. It was not the case for Lee JunYeol though as he hugged KangYoon violently.

"You're freaking me out here."
"No way. What's there to hide between the two of us?"

Lee JunYeol only let KangYoon go after patting on KangYoon's wide back.

"It's been a long time."
"You tell me. I think this is the first time we met since you came back from the States. Am I only worth that much?"
"Haha, sorry about that."

KangYoon made an awkward smile. Lee JunYeol still understood him since KangYoon was running his own business now. Then, he looked around the broadcasting room in curiosity.

"Wow, I should set up something like this too at my company. I'm jealous."
"Do it only if you need to."
"Well, YOLO."
"…Looks like you'll only get yourself together once you marry someone."

KangYoon told off the immature Lee JunYeol. Though, that didn't make him dejected at all. The two then went out of the broadcasting room. Lee JunYeol's fans had very good manners and there wasn't much trash to be seen at all.

"Your fans are clean."
"They're my fans. Of course, they're clean."
"And here I thought they're little girls who only know how to scream."
"Those girls are starting to become ahjummas now…."

KangYoon patted Lee JunYeol's shoulders to console him. When he did, Lee JunYeol smirked.

"Heh, I'm fine since there's still a super old car in front of me. Why don't you go first?"
"…Damn you."

(T/N: Sedy is implying KangYoon is older and should marry first.)

KangYoon put Lee JunYeol in a headlock.
After some chit chat, Lee JunYeol asked KangYoon in a serious voice.

"Hyung. I'll be releasing a digital single soon."
"Really? When?"
"It'll take a while. The production is almost over and all that's left is to release it. The fan meeting today was for that as well."
"Oh yeah. I guess that's why."

KangYoon understood where he was coming from. Although there were other methods like advertising through TV, satisfying the fans was very important as well. After all, they were the biggest source of purchasing power.

"But there's something that's not finished yet. Bro, do you think I can get someone to do some featuring?"
"Featuring? A guy or a girl?"
"A girl. I want one that has an appealing voice."

KangYoon thought about it for a moment before speaking again.

"Does the voice need to be powerful?"
"That doesn't matter. It's good to have some, but we can do without it."
"Does it need to be someone from my company?"
"No, not really… it's fine if she's someone from yours. I know that you'll find the best girl for me regardless of the company."
"……"

KangYoon shook his head when Lee JunYeol flattered him.

"Sheesh, okay, then. But I think I need to listen to the song to make a decision."
"Here."
"You were clearly aiming for this, weren't you?"

When Lee JunYeol giggled saying that it was obvious, KangYoon took the USB drive off his hand.

"Here are the lyrics."
"…Sheesh, the lyrics are so like you as well."

KangYoon frowned while looking at the lyrics written on a piece of note in illegible handwriting. Despite that, Lee JunYeol didn't back down and just waved his hand.

"Then please take care of it. I have another schedule after this and I need to go now."
"Okay, be safe."
"I'll buy you a drink next time. Cya."

Lee JunYeol left Lunas while KangYoon shifted his eyes to the messy notes.

"Do I need to call a cryptography team or something?"

KangYoon sighed lightly while looking at these… 'lyrics'.

"What are you looking at so intently?"

When KangYoon pocketed Lee JunYeol's lyrics, steps could be heard behind him. When he turned around, he saw Lee HyunJi who had cleaned up the hall.

"Director."
"Did something good happen with Sedy?"
"It's nothing special."

KangYoon showed Lee HyunJi the score and the USB. He also added that Lee JunYeol was looking for someone to feature in his music.
Lee HyunJi spoke after a bit of thought.

"Do you think Sedy had HyunAh or JiMin in mind when he asked you that?"
"No, not really. He did say to me that I'll likely find someone who perfectly suits the song regardless of the company they belong to."
"Well, I guess he knows you better than I do in terms of music. So, did you accept?"

KangYoon nodded. If he didn't, he wouldn't have taken the score and the USB. Lee HyunJi thought a little more before speaking.

"It's good that you're smoothening your relationships with others, but it's not good to keep offering them free service."
"There's you if I go overboard. Of course, the company is my priority. I'm not planning to undertake any tasks that go against the principles of the company nor am I going to do anything for free."

Lee HyunJi was relieved to hear those words. She was also aware that KangYoon wasn't someone that could be taken advantage of.
After cleaning Lunas up, the two returned to their office and finished up for the day.

After Kim JaeHoon finished selecting songs for his album, he, Lee HyunAh, and KangYoon were given songs to rearrange. Lee HyunAh was excited to rearrange a song for the very legend himself, while Kim JaeHoon was secretly worried because her style was different from his. Despite that, he still waited for the end of the arrangement since KangYoon recommended to do so.
A few days later.
KangYoon and Kim JaeHoon were talking about the album when the door to the studio creaked open.

"Excuse me."

Lee HyunAh entered. She bowed towards KangYoon and Kim JaeHoon before giving out a USB and a score.
KangYoon asked while taking a look at the score.

"Have you finished the rearrangement?"
"Yes."

Perhaps because Kim JaeHoon was present, Lee HyunAh seemed much more awkward than usual. KangYoon had a look at the score before handing it over to Kim JaeHoon. Kim JaeHoon had a look before widening his eyes in surprise.

"Wait, wait. I think the key changed."
"Yes. It's G Minor now."
"That's too high. Wasn't the original F# Minor?"

This song started off with a series of high notes. Although this was only transposed half a key up, it was a tremendous amount of pressure.

"I didn't get that emotional feel with F# Minor. I thought that you should be able to do it so I tried changing the key."
"HyunAh, I think this is a little too difficult for me."

Kim JaeHoon shook his head. After his previous company overworked him and his voice cracked, he was refraining from singing songs with high notes. He thought that this piece was impossible for him to sing.
Lee HyunAh got dejected. She did her best and she was refused before the musician even listened to it.
KangYoon, who was listening to the two quietly, mediated.

"Wait, JaeHoon. Is it really that difficult?"
"I might be able to do a recording, but singing it live on stage? That's idiocy. My voice won't hold out."

KangYoon didn't have anything to say to that. However, he also thought that it was a bit of a pity to give up when they didn't even listen to it.

"Really? Okay. But since she did it, why don't we try listening to it?"
"Okay."
"You can sit down too, HyunAh."

KangYoon gave HyunAh his seat and he headed towards the computer. Lee HyunAh waved her hands saying that it was okay, and KangYoon sat her down anyway.

'Why are you acting kind at a time like this?'

Lee HyunAh pouted. KangYoon's consideration for her mended her broken heart a little.
KangYoon plugged the USB drive on the computer and played back the music. When he did, the relaxing piano sounds and the acoustic guitar sounds played the intro. After a while, the bass and the drums entered and the song began.
Various musical notes danced in front of KangYoon's eyes and created white light.

'It's strong.'

KangYoon was wholeheartedly surprised. This was without Kim JaeHoon's voice in the mix. The light was a very strong white despite that.

'Was she always so good at rearrangements?'

KangYoon saw Lee HyunAh in a new light.
However, unlike him, Kim JaeHoon was tilting his head. He shook his head as though he didn't like the rock-like style.
The song ended and KangYoon asked.

"How is it?"
"… I need to think about it."

Even so, Kim JaeHoon did not say that the song was bad outright. However, Lee HyunAh could read the mood.

"Is it… not that good?"
"Rather than 'not good', it's …."

Kim JaeHoon was unable to speak. Although he had clear-cut preferences for his music, he was someone that couldn't say no.
KangYoon stepped in at that time.

"Oh, I forgot, HyunAh. The director was looking for you."
"Huh? The director? Why?"
"I should have told you earlier, and I forgot about it. Sorry, but can you go right now. She has been looking for you for 20 minutes now."

The timing for the 'call' was absolutely ridiculous. Lee HyunAh found KangYoon's words to be strange. However, she still obediently left the studio. She felt that KangYoon had something to talk about with Kim JaeHoon.
Lee HyunAh left and KangYoon asked Kim JaeHoon.

"Do you not like her song?"
"…I'll be honest. It's not my style."

Kim JaeHoon shook his head. The song HyunAh brought him this time, a rock ballad, did not make him get that 'feel', as it was different from the songs he has sung until now. The high-pitched notes were one problem, but the crux of the matter was that he didn't get that 'feel'.
However, KangYoon thought differently.

"Why don't we try anyway?"
"This song? Did you think it was okay, hyung?"
"I was fine with it. The melody also goes well with the lyrics you wrote. If you can do the high parts, then it would be better… but your vocal cords are the priority here so let's skip that."

Kim JaeHoon thought about it for a moment when he saw that KangYoon's opinion was different to his. He was very well aware of KangYoon's eyes for music. He was never wrong even once until now. If it was someone else, he would not have conceded his opinion, but coming from KangYoon, it was hard to do the same.

"…It doesn't appeal to me at all, but if you say so, I'll try."
"Yes, thank you."
"But instead, you have to do the production."
"Fine. Also, for the high parts, let's just record it. If there comes an opportunity to sing it on stage, we'll just transpose it down."

KangYoon accepted Kim JaeHoon's condition.
Kim JaeHoon returned home saying that he'll polish up on the lyrics, and KangYoon headed towards the office where he sent Lee HyunAh off to.

"HyunAh? She went to get some air."

Lee HyunJi shook her head when she heard that KangYoon was looking for Lee HyunAh.

'She must be dejected.'

KangYoon first headed to the practice room, just in case she returned.
When he did, the other members of White Moonlight were getting ready to practice. When KangYoon asked if they saw Lee HyunAh, he got the reply that the last time they saw her, she was heading to the studio.
If she went to get some air, then it was the rooftop. KangYoon headed there himself.
When KangYoon opened the door to the rooftop, Lee HyunAh's hair was drifting away in the wind.

"HyunAh."
"Oh, oppa."

KangYoon quietly stood next to her. When he did, Lee HyunAh asked in a calm tone.

"Do you think I made a mistake?"
"……"
"I did my best since it was for JaeHoon-oppa… Phew…"

Her expression was dark due to the disappointment.
Lee HyunAh talked about dark things for a while. It was a repetition of the same thing over and over again. I did my best and what's so wrong about it, who is Kim JaeHoon to badmouth me, and stuff like that.
KangYoon would have said something were they in ordinary circumstances, but this time, he quietly listened to her rant.
After she relieved herself of her disappointment in Kim JaeHoon, her expression lightened up a little.

"… Sorry. I wasn't going to tell you about this."
"No, things like that can happen."
"……"

When she was relieved of all the stress, she felt sorry for KangYoon. She was upset at Kim JaeHoon but took it out on him after all. Her face blushed in embarrassment.
KangYoon realized that and switched topics.

"It's a genre he's not used to singing and he's practically trying a completely new type of music now. So don't you think it's absurd to say that he would be completely fine about it? Do you think you can stay absolutely calm if he gave you a song in his style?"
"That… won't be easy."
"JaeHoon is in the same process right now. He also told me that he'll try it."
"Really?"

Lee HyunAh raised her blushed face to meet KangYoon's.

"Yes, your song, HyunAh. It feels really good. I think we can expect good things from it."
"Really?"

KangYoon wasn't the type to say empty words in consolation. Lee HyunAh cheered up again as though all of this never happened.

"You mean it?"
"Of course. There will be good results. Look forward to it."

Lee HyunAh clenched her fist as though KangYoon's words became her power.

(T/N: [ ] speech is Chinese speech)

The Silk Road.
It was a set of trade routes that spanned across the desert that connected the east and the west. In the west, it started from Italy, and in the east, it connected to Lanzhou in China. These routes were mostly used by traders who bought and sold silk.
On such a historic site, Min JinSeo was there.

[Ready, action!]

On a road where violent sandy winds blew, Min JinSeo flew to the skies with wires wearing clothes made of white silk. Numerous actors followed suit. Her opponent actress performed with her in clashing the sword, and on the ground, massive fans blew winds on them to make their clothes flutter.

[Good, you can stop.]

After the scene was over, Min JinSeo received a bottle of water from her manager and drank it nonstop. The wire harness action scenes and the heat of the desert were slowly tiring her out. However, she forged on without a single complaint.
Like that, the heavy-duty filming continued until the sun started setting beyond the horizon.

[Thank you for your work!]

Hundreds of staff shouting that line at once rang across the empty desert.
Min JinSeo was able to finally relax after greeting all the staff. She powerlessly approached a bonfire before sitting down. This was a place made for the actors.

"When is the car coming?"
"In an hour. The car broke down mid-way."

Her manager, Kim JooHwan, sighed. His job was to give Min JinSeo more rest at their hotel, but he wasn't able to. This made him frustrated.
However, Min JinSeo said it was okay and offered him to sit.

"Please sit here."
"No, I'm fine."
"You must be tired too after all that. You should rest a little."

Only then did manager Kim JooHwan sit down next to her. The other staff and actors had already gathered around in companies to talk about things. As this was the middle of a desert, it was hard for vehicles to stay, and once in, it was hard to get out. They couldn't even get a phone signal here.

"The filming is dragging out. I didn't know that filming a single movie could get so tedious."
"Me neither. But it's not like we can not do it due to that huge budget and all that…. Looks like this director is very ambitious."
"I had a look at a couple of scenes and he does seem to do a good job."

When manager Kim JooHwan asked back if that was the case, Min JinSeo praised the director nonstop. The videography of this director was exceptional. She looked forward to how it would turn out once the special effects were added in. Although the obvious disadvantage was that it required more recording time and money, from an actor's point of view, it was obvious that she liked it to have better quality.
Min JinSeo then proceeded to stare at the bonfire when manager Kim JooHwan carefully took out a topic.

"Uhm, JinSeo. The directors are waiting at the…"
"I'm not going."

(T/N: Not the film director, but the directors from MG.)

She replied as soon as she heard the word 'director'. Manager Kim JooHwan felt embarrassed for some reason.

"JinSeo, I know you don't like the directors but…."
"If you know I hate them, then please don't talk about it."
"……."

With that, Min JinSeo no longer spoke. She was firm about this. However, as though this was usual, manager Kim JooHwan spoke again.

"This is the third time, no, the fourth time already if you don't go to this one. At this rate, something bad will happen at the company. They are the ones that run the company and if you keep acting childish like this…."
"Oppa."

Min JinSeo gazed at him with the coldest expression he had seen until now. He flinched a little.

"I'll say this again. If I say no, it's a no."
"JinSeo."
"Don't make me say it twice."

She no longer spoke afterward. Due to her nature, manager Kim JooHwan could no longer say anything to her. She had a hegemonic aura unseen from her peers.
When the manager looked like he understood what she meant, she gave him her credit card. It was a luxurious-looking card colored in gold.

"I'm sleeping somewhere else tonight so please take care of it."

Manager Kim JooHwan took the card in confusion. She implied for him to book her another hotel room. She meant that she would never go to her original lodging to meet with the directors, and he had to agree to her words.
After saying that, Min JinSeo buried her head in her knees. She was not going to speak again.
Seeing that, manager Kim JooHwan sighed.

'Ah, this is driving me crazy.'

He couldn't do anything. No one from MG Entertainment could tell Min JinSeo to do something. She had now conquered mainland China after Korea. Her fame was rising without limits.
What could they do to the golden egg-laying goose? Did they dare to? Despite all this, Min JinSeo hated the directors to the extreme, so from the company's perspective, she was a big pain. They were thankful that they were still contracted to her. She was still very responsible and did her part of the contract, so the company was very glad to see that.
However, there were endless rumors about her breaking up the contract and flying away towards her beloved 'sir' at 'that' company. The relationship between the two was just that bad. To treat it as a simple rumor, her cards were just too strong.

'Sheesh, it's all because of team leader Lee KangYoon….'

Manager Kim JooHwan resented the innocent KangYoon before standing up. What was so great about that Lee KangYoon? Everyone had headaches now. He was getting light-headed just thinking about the nagging he would get when he met up with the directors, without Min JinSeo next to him.

'I'll just smoke.'

Manager Kim JooHwan sat in a corner lighting his cigarette. He looked pitiful. He wished that his worries would fly away with the smoke, but his head became messier.

Chapter end