CEO Ha Seohwan’s low, weighty voice spread through the large conference room packed with countless employees.
“Let’s lock this song in.”
He was talking about the song that had just been played, “Greenbi.” In fact, CEO Ha Seohwan had made the crisp decision after hearing only about thirty seconds of “Greenbi,” including the intro. At the CEO’s sudden directive, murmurs spread through the conference room. The employees were slightly flustered.
‘Th-that decisively??’
‘Before even hearing the whole first verse?’
‘Is this really okay??’
It was tense enough that CEO Ha Seohwan had appeared, and now he had suddenly confirmed a song. The current song presentation was supposed to be nothing more than a test. Normally, CEO Ha Seohwan would get involved much later, around the point when the final candidate songs were lined up after several deep meetings. That was how it had always been, and how everyone thought it would continue to be.
But CEO Ha Seohwan lightly shattered everyone’s expectations.
At that point, the female team leader who had been standing at the front of the conference room and leading the atmosphere opened her mouth.
“······Pardon?? You’re confirming the song?”
“Yes. Confirmed.”
“So— you mean you’re confirming the ‘Greenbi’ you just heard as one of Vanguard’s debut songs.”
“That’s right. Is that strange?”
“N-no, sir! It’s just so fast.”
At CEO Ha Seohwan’s refreshing decision, Director Kim Gibaek, who had given a faint laugh, raised a question.
“Are you sure you can decide without hearing any more songs?”
“The other songs are probably good too. So are we going to take ‘Greenbi’ out?”
“No. I also think your decision is right, CEO.”
CEO Ha Seohwan looked at Director Kim Gibaek for a few seconds, then swept his gaze over all the employees gathered in the large conference room.
“‘Greenbi.’ The quality of the song is one thing, but it suits Vanguard well.”
As if agreeing, Director Kim Gibaek slowly nodded.
‘Honestly— to my ears, “Greenbi” is perfect. I was shocked the moment I heard it. The song was pulled off that well.’
CEO Ha Seohwan requested again from the female team leader.
“Let’s hear the song again.”
“Yes, sir!”
Soon, “Greenbi” rang through the large conference room once more. Because of the situation, the employees listened with even more focus than the first time, and Kim Gibaek was the same.
-♬♪
CEO Ha Seohwan stroked his chin. Perhaps because of his handsome, mature face, he vaguely gave off the air of an actor.
‘The opening is breakbeat. But it isn’t light. It’s aggressive and solid. Rough, too. Then vocal chops come in, and keys enter to neutralize the darkness. Just by listening to the melody line that continues from the intro into the verse, I can feel it. This is a Vanguard song.’
Before long, the song “Greenbi” passed the second verse and headed toward its end. Some of the employees were nodding their heads slightly, absorbed in the song. CEO Ha Seohwan had overwhelmed the atmosphere, but most of the employees were acknowledging it.
‘It’s a hundred times better than most factory-style composers.’
‘He really nailed this one song.’
When the song ended, CEO Ha Seohwan fixed his gaze on the female team leader.
“The A&R team asked Rojun for it?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. I heard from Sihu that Rojun also composes.”
“How long did it take him to hand over the song?”
The one who answered was not the female team leader, but Director Kim Gibaek, who had received the song directly.
“Mm— it took less than ten days.”
“Ten days.”
“Yes. To be exact, less than ten days.”
Less than ten days? The employees began whispering among themselves. On the other hand, a faint smile spread around CEO Ha Seohwan’s lips as he changed the direction of his crossed legs. Then he murmured quietly.
“Absurd.”
In CEO Ha Seohwan’s mind, after decades in the entertainment industry, all the genius-type artists he had met until now flashed past. Next came Kang Rojun’s face.
‘Judging by his current momentum, he surpasses anyone.’
Director Kim Gibaek subtly chimed in. It seemed he had heard the CEO’s “absurd.”
“If you include his face, he’s unquestionably number one in Korea.”
As if acknowledging it, CEO Ha Seohwan’s smile deepened.
“‘Greenbi’ is confirmed.”
No one, absolutely no one, could object to CEO Ha Seohwan. After all, the apex predator at GN Entertainment was CEO Ha Seohwan, no matter what anyone said.
“Let’s hear the next one too.”
“Ah, yes! Next are Sihu’s songs.”
The songs composed by Sihu played one after another in the large conference room. CEO Ha Seohwan could not contain his delight.
“A feast of geniuses.”
After listening to the songs quietly, he once again gave a firm directive.
“This song is confirmed too. Gather the other songs properly as well.”
Sihu’s song also joined the debut songs. In other words, two songs for Vanguard’s debut album were decided in one go. In addition, since Sihu had many songs and they were sufficiently good, an instruction was added to store them carefully. Afterward, CEO Ha Seohwan remained involved in the presentation of the collected songs for quite some time, and songs by various famous composers continued.
Songs by the familiar Song Mingeun, a composer named “Pinion” with many idol hit songs, and so on.
At last, excluding the songs by Kang Rojun and Sihu.
“Pick two songs from those ten.”
The final candidate songs were decided.
After that.
Perhaps sufficiently satisfied, CEO Ha Seohwan rose from his seat. The one who stopped him was Director Kim Gibaek, who slowly raised his hand.
“Excuse me— I have something to say.”
Not only CEO Ha Seohwan, but the gazes of all the employees gathered in the large conference room fixed on Kim Gibaek. CEO Ha Seohwan tilted his head slightly and sat back down.
“Let’s hear it.”
In a deflated tone, Director Kim Gibaek said,
“For Vanguard’s debut songs, two songs were decided today, and several more will be decided going forward.”
“That’s right.”
“I was wondering what you’d think about having Rojun write the lyrics for all of those songs.”
“Rojun?”
“Yes.”
The surrounding employees, their eyes widened, quickly voiced their opinions.
“All of the debut songs?? That’s a bit much.”
“Ah— everyone knows Rojun is good at writing lyrics, from ‘Geubaekpeu’ and Park Hyeonjeong’s ‘Black-and-White Sound.’ But entrusting all the songs to him might be a bit of a gamble.”
“Rather than a gamble, it would be a burden on Rojun. These aren’t just any songs; they’re debut songs. The weight is different from back during ‘Geubaekpeu.’”
“How about just one song??”
Most of them were worries. It was not strange. They also wanted Vanguard to do well. It was not that they disliked or looked down on Kang Rojun, but that they judged it right to reduce risks if possible. If they entrusted everything to Kang Rojun and some problem occurred— for example, if his mental state wavered, causing the work speed to slow, or if he gave up, what then?
“He’s still young. On top of that, Rojun already has a lot on his shoulders, doesn’t he?”
“Is there really a need to pile that much burden on him? This composition of ‘Greenbi’ is one thing, too. He also started individual activities faster than the other members. If we put even more pressure on him here, I think his mental state could take a hit.”
The opinion just now came from the A&R team, which was spearheading the production of Vanguard’s debut album. For them, who had seen many idols collapse after their mental state broke down, it was a natural concern.
“And if you look at Rojun, he already seems to be doing a lot.”
“That’s right. He stays holed up in the studio for more than half a day.”
“H-half a day??”
The one who organized the bustling atmosphere was CEO Ha Seohwan.
“Director Kim.”
The moment he spoke, the large conference room suddenly fell silent. As if this had happened more than once or twice, the dozens of employees looked at CEO Ha Seohwan, and Director Kim Gibaek, who had been called, answered.
“Yes, CEO.”
“That opinion just now. Is it your unilateral decision? Or does Rojun know about it as well?”
“Mm— I’m telling you after first speaking to Rojun and receiving his decision.”
“What did Rojun say?”
“He says he’ll do it.”
“······”
CEO Ha Seohwan stared at Kim Gibaek indifferently for a while, then crossed his legs.
“If he said he’d do it because he was pushed into it.”
“It didn’t look that way at all. His eyes were sparkling.”
“Sparkling.”
“Yes, sparkling. That incredible face of his was full of vitality too.”
“If they were sparkling, then we should entrust it to him.”
CEO Ha Seohwan, wearing a faint smile, rose from his seat.
“Vanguard’s debut song lyrics will be handled by Lyricist Rojun.”
This time as well, the decision was made in an instant, and Director Kim Gibaek, who slid his hips off his chair, threw out the line he had been thinking of.
“You’ll make sure to pay him generously for the lyrics, right?”
CEO Ha Seohwan paused, then thought for a moment. Then—
“Rojun will probably have a lot of reasons to move around here and there for side work. There will be days when the management team can’t be attached to him one by one, too.”
He ordered the employees.
“Get him whatever car he wants. Anything.”
A short while later.
The news that two of Vanguard’s debut songs had been confirmed was quickly delivered to Kang Rojun and Sihu. To Sihu, who was in the middle of vocal training, it was delivered by schedule manager Lee Yulbin.
“···What?? M-my song was confirmed??”
“Yes. Sihu’s song and Rojun’s song are confirmed.”
“Whoa.”
“I think you can keep that in mind.”
“Wait, weren’t they still collecting songs?? It doesn’t make sense for it to be decided this suddenly.”
“That’s right. This is my first time seeing something like this too. A song being decided this immediately is probably a first at GN, right? The A&R team said so, so it should be certain. But since the CEO decided it, it won’t be overturned.”
“T-the CEO??!”
“He listened once and said, Confirmed, and that song is confirmed too. Charisma exploding.”
“Wow······”
To Rojun, who was studying composition in the studio, Director Kim Gibaek came personally.
“Rojun—”
Kang Rojun, who had been looking at his laptop, turned his head.
“Yes, Director.”
Director Kim Gibaek, who made Rojun sit back down when he tried to get up, sank deeply into the sofa behind him.
“Whew— this is comfortable. Aren’t you lonely? Being alone in the studio.”
“There’s a lot to do, so it’s fun.”
Director Kim Gibaek poked his head forward and checked the things spread around Rojun. A laptop, a tablet, a phone, practice notebooks, a guitar, and so on.
“Watching you, Rojun, I feel like you’re busier than I am.”
Director Kim Gibaek gave a weak laugh, then suddenly changed the topic.
“Do you have a dream car?”
“All of a sudden?”
“Yes. All of a sudden.”
A dream car? Of course, Kang Rojun had one too.
“A Lamborghini.”
“Nice. Then, not your dream car, but what would you want to buy as your first car?”
“There is one I think looks pretty good. It’s an imported car.”
Rojun talked about the foreign car model from Company B that he had wanted to drive. Director Kim Gibaek stroked his chin.
“Ah— a car around that level would be about fifty to sixty million won? You could buy it even now. You must have made quite a bit before coming to GN, right?”
“I’ve been so out of it lately that I couldn’t pay attention to it. I was already looking into it, though. But am I allowed to buy a car?”
“Well, ordinary rookie idols usually don’t have that kind of leeway in the first place, and most of the time they ride in company cars, so there’s no need to buy one. But for you, Rojun, it’d probably be useful to have one.”
After searching on his phone for the car model Kang Rojun had mentioned, Director Kim Gibaek spoke again.
“We’ll buy this one, then.”
“Pardon?”
“The price range is a li—ttle high, but if we push it, we can make it work somehow. It’s the CEO’s order, after all.”
He gave a snort of laughter as he looked at Kang Rojun, who had a question mark over his head.
“Congratulations. Your song ‘Greenbi’ became a Vanguard debut song. The CEO decided it a little while ago, and including Sihu’s song, two songs in total are confirmed.”
Afterward, Director Kim Gibaek summarized what had happened in the large conference room.
“So from now on, we only need to decide the remaining songs, excluding the two that are confirmed. The CEO narrowed them down a lot too, so we’ll get an answer soon. Mm— the lyric-writing matter we talked about yesterday is okay too.”
“You’re saying they’ll buy me a car as payment for the lyrics?”
“Yes.”
“It’s over fifty million won. That’s a bit much for lyric fees.”
“You don’t want it?”
“I do.”
It was not just good; it was an insane deal. Still, it was puzzling. It was a full fifty million won. No, more than that. On the other hand, Director Kim Gibaek’s tone was as if it were nothing special.
“It’s certainly a large sum. But if you look at it as an investment in your potential, Rojun— it’s not that outrageous. The CEO must have seen it that way too, which is why he told us to give it lightly as your lyric fee.”
“Ah—”
“Anyway, your lyric fee. In other words, the car. I’ll take care of buying it and handing it over to you.”
Kim Gibaek opened his diary and began writing something down, continuing to speak even as he wrote.
“You can start writing the lyrics for the two debut songs first. It would be best to start with ‘Greenbi,’ the one you composed, Rojun. After that, receive Sihu’s song and proceed with the lyrics.”
Since the songs had been decided, it was naturally right to begin writing the lyrics immediately. Kang Rojun, who knew this well, had a subtle expression. An indifferent feeling. That Kang Rojun pointed at his laptop with his index finger.
“Then I can start on Sihu-hyung’s right away.”
Director Kim Gibaek, whose gaze had been lowered to his diary, paused. Kang Rojun spoke simply, as if it were nothing.
“I’ve already finished writing the lyrics for ‘Greenbi.’”