Chapter 19 : Swamp of Delusion

Chapter 19: Swamp of Delusion

Before the first eight bars of the intro even finished.

Everyone’s eyes turned to CEO Kim Minsoo.

The gaze that lingered on him briefly shifted to Taeyoon.

Eventually, people began glancing back and forth between Kim Minsoo and Taeyoon.

A confident synth theme filled the studio.

It was unique and mysterious.

“Uh……”

Yoon Seonghan’s sigh broke the silence.

Everyone in the studio felt the same way.

It wasn’t necessary to verbalize their emotions.

Their expressions, actions, and eyes spoke for them.

“This is insane.”

“What’s with that ringtone……”

“You changed it like this?”

Along with some murmured comments.

The strange intro was enough to mesmerize everyone.

At that moment, a few words to describe Taeyoon flashed through Cha Taemin’s mind.

Master of arrangement, beat master, hook machine……

No, no. Those are too cheesy.

Then one phrase struck him sharply.

Intro craftsman…!

He was certain—of all the songs he’d ever handled, none had piqued his curiosity like this one.

A song that gripped you from the very start.

“Um……”

He wanted to ask right away.

That noisy ringtone—was it intentional or a mistake?

Unable to resist his curiosity, Chief Cha Taemin opened his mouth.

But CEO Kim Minsoo’s sharp gaze shot at him.

He didn’t forget to add a “Sss” warning sound.

It meant: shut up and listen.

“Sorry……”

On the other hand, Taeyoon remained calm.

As if saying it was only beginning, as if there was more, he slightly turned his head to face the speakers.

Three minutes and forty seconds of chaos passed.

The moment the song ended, the gazes of Yoon Seonghan, Cha Taemin, and Taeyoon all turned to…

“Why are you all looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?”

It was CEO Kim Minsoo.

Yoon Seonghan chuckled and said.

“Maybe I’ve been hanging out with the CEO too much.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Why does the intro theme immediately make me think of you?”

Cha Taemin joined in agreement.

“Dude, you too? Same here. Ugh, I was dying to ask. It makes no sense.”

Soon, all eyes were back on Taeyoon.

Say something! Anything!

Facing their piercing stares, Taeyoon instead threw a question back at them.

First, toward Yoon Seonghan.

“Manager-hyung. What do you mean by saying the song reminded you of CEO Kim Minsoo?”

“Ah… It’s exactly what it sounds like.”

Sneaking a sideways glance at Kim Minsoo, he continued.

“The sound’s super unique. I liked how the pitch was off in the ringtone. It’s bizarre… but mysterious. The kick feels like a real kick. Less like a drum, more like a ritualistic drum. The spatial sense is just… How did you do it?”

Even though it wasn’t his turn yet.

Chief Cha Taemin jumped in eagerly.

His impatient curiosity got the better of him.

“Good point about the spatial sense. It’s kind of cinematic, right? You aimed for that, didn’t you? Did you structure the snare like that on purpose? You’re a college student, right? How are you pulling off an ’80s-style drum sound? Wait, wait. What is this kick ambience……?”

With questions firing from all directions, Taeyoon got flustered.

He couldn’t find a moment to answer—there was no chance to jump in.

“And even the bass is full. Normally, that would throw off the balance, right?”

“Right? Right? You came up with this on the fly?”

“I’m dying to know the melody. From the break in the pre-chorus, it sounds like it’s gonna explode like crazy.”

Back and forth.

Yoon Seonghan and Cha Taemin babbled non-stop.

But this wasn’t mindless chatter.

They were analyzing, making guesses.

There was no room to wait for Taeyoon’s answers. If they could wait, they wouldn’t be where they were now.

“Excuse me. Just a sec.”

Taeyoon stepped in to mediate.

No matter what, they were talking about music.

And it was his song they were passionately debating—he couldn’t just sit and listen.

Let me join too…!

“Weren’t you all curious about my answers?”

“Oh, right.”

“If you keep talking without giving me a chance to chime in… I’ll leave.”

“Ahh… sorry.”

At Taeyoon’s cute little challenge, the older men laughed sheepishly.

That’s right. It was Taeyoon who made the song.

For a moment, intoxicated by the track, they’d forgotten.

Whenever they hear a good track, they just want to dissect it. Their motor mouths go haywire.

But these guys…

They didn’t know yet.

Taeyoon was quite the music geek too!

“So, you mentioned CEO Kim Minsoo earlier.”

Taeyoon began to speak.

Gulp. Everyone’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

Was their guess correct?

“It’s accurate. I was kind of surprised. It’s really hard to hear a song and think of someone specific, right? Especially someone you see every day—it’s even harder to pinpoint what reminds you of them.”

A sigh followed this time.

A sigh of relief that they hadn’t been way off.

“And… you mentioned the ’80s earlier? You’re spot on. I listen to a ton of disco and hip-hop from the ’80s and ’90s. Being a DJ kind of led to that. I also just love that raw yet romantic sound.”

You’re falling for it, falling hard.

His expression was innocent, but his tone wasn’t.

When he talked music, his eyes turned intense… borderline maniacal.

He had the air of a traveling medicine peddler.

Listening to this music would make your family happy, your face more handsome, your body slimmer, your grades improve… It almost felt like that would actually happen.

Listening to Taeyoon talk filled you with an inexplicable sense of fullness.

“Oh, and I do have a melody in mind, but singing it here is a bit…”

“Why?”

“I’m tone-deaf.”

“Huh? No way.”

“I’m serious. I’m confident writing songs, but singing… not so much.”

“You’re not just shy?”

To Yoon Seonghan’s question, others chimed in to cheer for Taeyoon.

“Yeah. It’s not like you’re a singer. Even singers get flustered if asked to perform out of nowhere.”

“Exactly. Just because you can write well doesn’t mean you sing well. Ugh… such a shame. I’m really curious what melody would go with that beat.”

Should I show it or not?

Taeyoon looked conflicted.

Something about it… made it seem like he didn’t want to reveal everything?

The teaser is always the most fun part.

Showing the full version right away? It might not live up to the hype.

You have to make people squirm a bit to reel them in!

The melody was already complete.

No, it wasn’t something he had written down.

It just popped into his head while making the beat.

A dazzling double life of a CEO.

The shadow hidden behind the shining business card.

Between glamor and secrecy, Taeyoon wanted to express that precarious tightrope walk.

He decided to show a bit of humility.

However.

“I want to refine the melody a bit more.”

“Yeah. Well… it can’t be helped.”

“Instead…”

He intended to give a solid hint.

There’s a huge difference between making someone curious and making them anticipate.

Something that makes them desperate to hear it again.

Just one word, but one that pierced the core of the song.

A song with only a good beat is like a bun without filling.

A killer part that hits your ears with a bang—that was what mattered.

“I’m going to use this kind of vocal fry for the effect.”

“Huh?”

Vocal fry.

A hoarse, low, crackling vocal technique.

Setting the killer part with vocal fry?

Even though no one had imagined it.

“Angkora~”

“Ah…”

You know what it is. You totally get it.

With that one word Taeyoon sang, it all clicked.

Placing “Angkora” throughout the track would enrich the entire song.

How are we supposed to wait for this…

Everyone felt the same way.

“Angkora, angkora… It keeps ringing in my ears.”

Angkora.

Not a commonly used word.

Kim Minsoo, Yoon Seonghan, and Cha Taemin.

The three men put their heads together, trying to guess the meaning of the “Angkora” Taeyoon had left behind.

“Is it an encore?”

“Feels like a twist on ‘encore’.”

This was the fun part.

Analyzing the creator’s intention.

Making guesses and sharing opinions in their own ways.

For the three of them, it wasn’t anything unusual.

“Hmm… Just a sec.”

They each gave their own meaning to this unfamiliar yet unique word.

Then Yoon Seonghan snapped his fingers and spoke.

“Oh, this is it.”

“What? What?”

They huddled around a palm-sized phone.

The translation function was turned on.

“Oh, what is this? Italian, Latin… so many options?”

In Italian, it still meant the same.

In Latin, it meant anchor.

Whatever the meaning, it was good.

Smiling brightly. Any meaning was welcome.

The meaning didn’t really matter.

What did was Taeyoon’s smirk, his voice, his gestures as he said “Angkora.”

They were imprinted on their ears and eyes like tattoos.

They had no idea what kind of song would come next.

“But you know…”

CEO Kim Minsoo finally spoke.

As soon as the song started, everyone had looked at him.

Taeyoon included.

Did the creator think so too? Or was it just a misunderstanding? He wanted to find out.

“Why did you all look at me the moment the intro started?”

To Kim Minsoo’s question, Yoon Seonghan answered.

Without hesitation, quickly.

“It just sounded like your song, sir. Like it was meant for you.”

Cha Taemin had a similar thought.

“Me too. Strangely… the moment I heard it, it just clicked with CEO Kim Minsoo.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know either.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Excuse me?”

Kim Minsoo sighed with relief.

As soon as the synth theme started.

He too felt like the song had been made with him in mind.

The contrast between the intense synth and drums and the faint bell ringing behind it was stark.

In the end, the track finished with a calm bell sound.

Hopeful rhythm and melody.

It felt like the song was saying, “This is how your stage will end. Don’t worry.”

It was a shame. He wished he could hear it once more.

But he had no excuse.

Taeyoon wasn’t a contracted composer, and he himself had only offered the studio as a favor.

“But I didn’t realize—don’t you think Taeyoon’s kind of strange?”

“Strange?”

Kim’s brow twitched.

How dare you, Yoon Seonghan, say something so improper about Seo Taeyoon?

“Ah, why are you looking at me like that. Feels like you care more about Taeyoon than me, and I’ve known you longer?”

“Cut the nonsense. What about Seo Taeyoon?”

“I mean the studio. Who would say no to this studio?”

“Who would say no? Seo Taeyoon, obviously.”

“Come on, be serious. There’s only one answer.”

“What?”

“He already has a supporter.”

Kim’s frown deepened.

That couldn’t be. It mustn’t be.

“No way.”

“No, think about it. Of course you wouldn’t know. But regular folks like us? Seeing this kind of equipment? Our eyes would pop out.”

“Exactly. Everyone’s dying to get in here.”

“But he just poked at an old synth and left. Didn’t even look back. And it’s not like he doesn’t know the value, right?”

“I felt like I was talking to an encyclopedia. He listed the model names like nothing.”

“Exactly. And yet he refused your generosity? That only leaves one thing. He’s already got a bigger supporter.”

“Goddamn it!”

Kim Minsoo’s expression turned serious.

If he turned down something this big, it had to be something unusual.

Where could it be?

Tomorrow Entertainment? ToMe Entertainment? SJK Entertainment?

“So I’m saying, don’t get your hopes up too high. You heard Lunatic Beat, right? That’s not a sound someone learns by themselves. Just look at how he uses Pro Tools. From what I saw, he might even be more skilled than you, CEO.”

“That’s rough.”

“Still, he said he’d keep going to the club, so let’s just watch. Even if it’s a shame, nothing we can do.”

Falling deeper, deeper.

The three of them floundered in the swamp of delusion.

An expensive synthesizer. It really was different.

That smooth touch, the delicate knobs.

The sound that overwhelmed the studio!

Everything still felt so vivid.

“Nah, you guys are the best.”

What was this? I suddenly felt guilty toward my own gear.

Even if they were secondhand, I cleaned them every day and worked with them.

Just visiting that studio had been a great experience.

Anyway, I’d come back with a beat I liked.

Now it was time to refine the melody.

Once again, I planned to hum lightly and attach lyrics using the method lyricist Oh Jisoo had taught me.

After finishing all my prep and sitting up straight.

Bzzzz—

A welcome message came in.

“Huh…?”

It was Han Yujin.

Was there even anything to think about?

I replied right away.