Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Raise Three Idols Well And They’ll Launch a Confession Attack.

Episode 76: That Arranger Is A Madman.

[Quest completed. ‘Memory of Possibilities’ is rewarded.]

“Gyeoul! You did great!”

As soon as I saw Gyeoul staggering into the waiting room after finishing the recording, I shouted and ran towards her.

Oh, my little dork.

I knew you could do it.

As I showered her with compliments, Gyeoul, who was initially flustered, started jumping up and down with joy.

“Did I really do well?”

“Of course! You did the best!”

“Really, really, am I the best?”

“Absolutely! You’re the best in the universe!”

“Hehehe.”

Gyeoul, unable to contain her joy, hopped like a rabbit and looked at me expectantly.

…What is it? Does she want me to lift her up?

Feeling I had to do something, I grabbed Gyeoul’s waist and lifted her up high like I would with kids.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but Gyeoul was so light that it was easier than I thought.

At first, Gyeoul was a bit flustered, but soon she started enjoying it, laughing brightly.

I put her down, still smiling, and asked,

“So, Gyeoul, is there anything you want? You showed such an amazing performance today. If there’s anything I can do for you, I’d like to.”

Gyeoul thought for a moment and then said,

“…Can you do it one more time?”

I accepted her encore request.

“Gyeoul! You did great!”

“Hehehe.”

While I continued showering her with compliments, there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

As I answered and opened the door, there was an unexpected face.

“Are you Han Gyeoul’s manager?”

It was James Oh, one of the judges of Girl 100 and one of the top producers in the industry.

Why is he here?

“Yes, that’s correct. What brings you to me, Composer James Oh?”

“You recognize me?”

“If you’re in this industry and don’t recognize Composer James Oh, you should quit and look for another career.”

“Hmm, good. No need to add any unnecessary details then.”

James Oh, watching my reaction, said,

“Can you do me a favor?”

“…What kind of favor?”

James Oh, looking troubled, licked his lips slightly and said,

“I’ll be honest. I’m currently going through a slump.”

“A slump…?”

“It’s a common incurable disease among creators. I’ve lost my inspiration. No matter what I see, hear, or do, it doesn’t lead to motivation to create new music.”

Come to think of it, James Oh’s activities had been decreasing, and he had taken a temporary retirement, hadn’t he?

Was it because of a slump?

A slump for him was definitely not something to be taken lightly.

“The fact that Composer James Oh, the top producer, is going through a slump is not something trivial. Is it okay for you to share that with someone like me?”

James Oh smiled sheepishly and said,

“My request relies on your goodwill, so it’s only right that I share this with you.”

But it wasn’t like that. For someone of James Oh’s stature, pressuring me and achieving his goal would be easier than taking candy from a baby. Yet, he chose to honestly reveal his situation, risking the harm it could do to the James Oh brand if I blabbed about it.

That honesty made a good impression on me.

I decided that if his request wasn’t too difficult, I’d help him as much as I could.

This thought came from a personal liking, but there was also a practical benefit in fulfilling a request from such a big name and building a connection.

“If Composer James Oh is in such a situation, I believe it’s a significant blow to the entire scene. Personally, I’d like to help as much as possible. I’m willing to act on this intention. So please, tell me, what do you want me to do?”

“Then, could you introduce me to the arranger of Han Gyeoul’s stage song ‘Dress Up’?”

…That’s me.

“It’s a genuine question that doesn’t require an answer, but how is that related to your slump?”

He answered my question with a more serious expression than ever.

“The arranger is a madman.”

“…What?”

No, I’m not that crazy…

Seeing my confusion, James Oh slightly bowed his head and said,

“It’s shocking to describe your colleague this way, but it’s not an exaggeration. This person attempted a crazy stunt that no one else would ever try in such an important setting. If it were me… no, any established composer would absolutely agree. Arranging ‘Dress Up’ that way? Completely insane.”

There was a hint of excitement in James Oh’s voice as he spoke.

…If I reveal that I did the arrangement, won’t he grab me by the collar? His reaction seems intense.

“But that boldness to attempt something no one else would, and the ingenious sense to pull it off, seems to rekindle my inspiration. So I’d like to talk to this person. That’s all I want. I feel I might find some positive stimulation by meeting them.”

Hmm, it doesn’t seem like he’s approaching with bad intentions.

I seriously considered whether to let this slide or pretend not to know. Then I made a decision.

Since he had been honest with me, I decided to be honest as well.

“That’s me.”

“…What?”

“I’m the madman.”

“….”

James Oh closed his eyes tightly and asked,

“Excuse me, but aren’t you a manager?”

“Yes, I am.”

“But you also compose?”

“It’s the plight of small agencies. Employees have to do multiple jobs where there’s a shortage of people.”

It felt like most of the work I was doing was self-inflicted…

He said with a sigh,

“It’s hard to believe.”

I would find it hard to believe too.

To be considerate, I thought I’d give him some proof.

“Shall I show you the work process when I get back to the office?”

“No, sorry, but that’s not enough.”

If that’s not enough, what else can I show him?

Ah, is it knowledge only experts would know? That might be enough to prove it.

…Damn, I’m in trouble. I used rewards for this, so my theory is weak.

While I was considering whether to lie and run away, James Oh, who had been contemplating with his arms crossed, suddenly looked me in the eye and said,

“…Arrangement intention.”

“Pardon?”

“Tell me the intention behind the arrangement, and I’ll believe you. Among the judges, it seemed like I was the only one who understood it correctly.”

That’s not too difficult.

I don’t know if that will satisfy him, though…

I said what I had in mind,

“I’m not sure what you’re expecting, but there wasn’t anything grand enough to call it an arrangement intention. The intention was simply to make Gyeoul stand out.”

“Stand out?”

“Yes, stand out. Gyeoul’s talent is extraordinary. She may not be a genius of expression, but she is not lacking in being called a machine of expression.”

“Like a machine… Does that mean she accurately expresses the composer’s intention?”

As expected of someone called the best, his understanding was excellent.

“That’s right. The word ‘machine’ isn’t meant negatively. Gyeoul can show the intention of the composer, lyricist, or arranger exactly as it is, without any exaggeration. And there’s almost no limit to this. Whether it’s punk, rock, ballad, R&B, electronic, or trap, she can accurately recreate the image the creator wanted.”

He nodded quietly as he listened to me.

Seeing his reaction wasn’t bad, I continued,

“To make such a kid stand out, I had to show as much as possible.”

“So you chose ‘Dress Up’.”

“That’s right. And the direction of the arrangement for ‘Dress Up’ is also in line with that intention. ‘Dress Up’ has enough difficulty and various genre interpretations, making it a perfect song to showcase Gyeoul’s skills. Participating with the original song wouldn’t have been bad either.”

“Then why did you arrange it?”

Looking at me expectantly, he licked his lips slightly, and I answered,

“Gyeoul can do more than that.”

“….”

After saying that, I gently patted Gyeoul, who was staring at me blankly, and said,

“So I made each part more stimulating and raw, more funky, soulful, and girlish. You could say I sharpened the edges of the hexagon that the Revolution composer team polished.”

“You did that just to make a trainee stand out?”

“It’s not just. Is there any other reason to arrange a song?”

“…That’s true. There wasn’t.”

Even though the conversation ended, he didn’t speak. I felt awkward and concluded the conversation.

“That’s all there is to the arrangement intention… Well, it’s not that impressive, is it?”

“…No. It was really impressive. It was a great story.”

James Oh took out his business card respectfully and said,

“You… no, what was your name again, manager?”

I also handed him my business card and said,

“I’m Seon Taeyang, team leader at TwoBear Entertainment.”

“Alright. Team Leader Seon Taeyang. I’d like to make a proposal.”

He swallowed nervously and said,

“Would you consider working with me? I’ll give you double your current salary. I’ll also share my experience generously.”

Then Gyeoul stepped forward and screamed,

“No!”

She looked like a baby otter protecting her favorite shell.