Chapter 31 : The Dice Had Been Cast

Chapter 31: The Dice Had Been Cast

Highlight medley.

Simply put, a teaser of the newly released tracks.

It could be seen as a kind of service for the fans and part of the promotion, but it was a cold, hard indicator to measure the success or failure of the comeback.

“Five minutes left.”

The dice had been cast.

There was nothing more to do.

Only to summon every god in existence, praying again and again.

“Please…!”

ToMe Entertainment was no different.

Starting with CEO Kwak Youngho, the main producers, the video team, the marketing team, the producing team...

Even the director of finance came up, nervously waiting for Han Yujin’s highlight medley release.

It was especially unusual for the finance director to be present at the highlight medley reveal.

The youngest member of the A&R team whispered without tact.

“But why is the finance director here...?”

True to an entertainment company, even the finance director’s ears were exceptionally sharp.

He muttered words that sounded either like a soliloquy or a spell.

“Check my neck…”

Everyone silently nodded at his words.

Even though she wasn’t the main artist, a large budget was invested.

Sharp judgment was necessary for future investment plans.

That was why he was here.

It wasn’t just a simple musical attempt.

It was an important project from the company’s business perspective as well.

Would the “just in case” become “as expected”?

Or...

Would it be the divine move that overturned the board?

“I’m putting my money on this album doing really well.”

While everyone was tense,

CEO Kwak’s words rang gently.

The employees swallowed their thoughts of ‘Here goes Kwak-rebal again’ and looked at CEO Kwak.

Noticing their gaze, CEO Kwak said,

“Why are you all looking at me like that? Team Leader Baek, are you nervous?”

A sly grin.

“Sir, your eyes…”

“My eyes?”

“Eek…!”

It was the first time I saw Kwak Youngho like this.

No matter how much he was the executive producer,

He was responsible for the success or failure of the album.

Yet, instead of being nervous, his eyes were shining brightly like a kid on the eve of a school trip.

His eyes glittered with madness as he put his clasped hands on the table and declared solemnly,

“I bet 100,000 won it will be a sensation.”

“Well… there was a sensation back when the first album came out.”

“Yujin will soar beyond the atmosphere.”

“How can you be so sure?”

The answer was simple.

“Because the songs are good?”

No one dared to object to CEO Kwak’s words.

It was fact, truth, the most fundamental basis of the album.

A moment later, as the clock hands pointed exactly to 6 and 12,

“3, 2, 1... ding! Refresh! Hurry!”

With CEO Kwak Youngho’s voice, the conference room fell silent.

Then everyone held their breath, focusing on the smart TV.

‘FATAL’

The word that pierced through the album’s concept appeared, blazing hot pink against a deep blue darkness.

The letters flashed like neon signs, filling the entire screen, then fizzled out like an old TV turning off.

The screen went black for a moment, and white letters appeared amidst static.

Track 01. Super Ride.

With an eerie bell ringing, Han Yujin’s voice mercilessly struck the ears.

Super ride, ride, ride. This moment won’t come again.

Even fear is sharp, Just thrill.

“Woah…”

“Shh.”

The next two songs properly captured Han Yujin’s colors.

Han Yujin embodied Taeyoon’s concept, Fatal, with her whole body.

The unique direction matching the album’s concept remained deeply engraved in everyone’s memory.

A black LP spun.

Each track was colored with a distinct wavelength, spreading like water dyed in different colors.

One.

“Why do I only keep thinking about Super Ride?”

“Worrying was pointless.”

“...Is this really Han Yujin? Wow, hearing it like this is totally different.”

“Can you see it? Goosebumps all over.”

The only thing that remained in everyone’s memory was Super Ride.

Kwak Youngho grinned and said,

“See? I told you there was nothing to worry about. Now, get ready to pay up 100,000 won each…”

I suddenly jumped up from my seat.

Woah… Is this really right?

That voice.

Is it really the same person who was grabbing my collar and freaking out just a moment ago?

There was a different kind of charm compared to hearing it on the streaming service.

Highlights weren’t called highlights for nothing.

They included the part that would be precisely engraved in the public’s memory.

Yet the real core of the song—the bridge—was thoroughly hidden.

“The other songs are good too.”

The following two tracks also showed clear signs of careful attention.

Even if I didn’t make them, I had to admit it. Mm-hmm.

The flow was consistent. The three songs harmonized naturally, each with a different tone but forming one whole.

I felt proud.

The stage designed with such care.

And the main player of that stage was my song.

Without any way to predict which part would come out.

“The sense to hit straight into the main point. Kuu...”

Han Yujin’s voice even made me, the songwriter, exclaim in admiration.

The more I listened, the fresher it felt.

My heart raced so fast the screen barely registered in my eyes.

With trembling hands, I turned up the volume.

I pressed my earbuds tightly, afraid the sound might slip away. I didn’t want to miss a single note.

“Seeing it like this, it really is different…”

I went back to the beginning.

Twice, thrice... I kept hitting replay.

Without realizing it, I was tapping my feet impatiently.

I wanted to brag about it everywhere.

“This is my song! I made it!” I wanted to shout, but I swallowed my joy alone at that moment.

“...Huh?”

I looked up at the black shadow covering the screen.

Hurriedly, I turned off the screen and yanked out my earbuds.

It was Manager Hyung.

“Didn’t hear well?”

Ah, I was caught.

What if he guessed that I made this song? What should I say?

I hesitated briefly.

Manager Hyung plopped down beside me and said,

“You’re a Han Yujin fan too?”

“Ah... fan…”

I smiled awkwardly.

Not exactly wrong.

From today, we were each other’s number one fans.

“Weren’t you watching Han Yujin’s highlight medley?”

“How did you know?”

“I saw it too.”

Huh? That was unexpected.

This guy was the type who only listened to hip-hop nonstop like he was black in a past life.

Hip-hop was his only music, his salvation or whatever.

“Do you like idols too?”

“No.”

Then why?

Manager Hyung blinked a few times, then pulled out his phone and showed it to me.

“Oh?”

I could tell at a glance.

Han Yujin’s highlight medley was playing on the screen.

So he really was watching it?

“My friend was a Lunatic Beat fan.”

“Ah?”

Lunatic Beat was the idol group Han Yujin was part of.

But what that had to do with Manager Hyung watching this video, I didn’t know.

“My friend sent me the link. Asked me to leave a comment.”

“That’s understandable. So, did you watch it?”

Manager Hyung shrugged.

“As you can see?”

If it were usual, I would’ve just let it pass as “Oh, okay.”

But this time, I just couldn’t.

I was curious about his vivid reaction.

He wasn’t a Han Yujin fan, nor did he usually seek out idol music.

How would an ordinary person listen to my song?

“Well… it’s not that.”

At the same time, I was worried.

Because if there was one thing I knew about this guy, it was that he was a king of harsh criticism.

He once nagged at me for days after I picked the wrong song.

Thinking about that still makes my ears bleed.

“Too bland. Let’s go. Thirty minutes left. Let’s work hard today too.”

Manager Hyung nonchalantly put his AirPods back in.

I urgently called him back.

“Wait a minute. Hyung, wait.”

“Hmm?”

“Well...”

“What’s with the hesitation? Need money?”

“No, no.”

I asked, pretending to be calm.

“So... how was Han Yujin’s highlight medley?”

“Is that why you hesitated? I thought it was something serious.”

Manager Hyung smirked, took out his AirPods, and crossed his arms.

“Hmm...”

What? Why no answer?

It’s not like it wasn’t worth answering.

All sorts of thoughts came to mind.

If I poured out harsh criticism, I might just bury my head in a rat hole and hide.

No, wouldn’t I just ruin today’s performance for no reason?

After complicated thoughts, I forced a bitter smile and said,

“No, it’s nothing. Sorry, I’m busy…”

Then hyung interrupted me and said bluntly,

“Strange.”

“Pardon?”

Strange…?

At my question, he proudly showed me his phone.

“I keep listening.”

The words were clearly visible on the screen.

And the repeat button was activated at the bottom right.

My quiet heart suddenly started racing wildly.

Is that so? Really?

Manager Hyung was listening to my song again with his AirPods?

“It’s weird how I end up singing along. The other songs are good too, but the first track especially. Super ride, ride, ride. The rhythm is fun. Did Han Yujin always sing this well? It doesn’t sound like an idol song. Sounds like pop. You should listen closely again. The beat’s texture is different. How should I put it... Blackhole level?”

“...Really?”

“Have you ever seen me get excited after eating with ajummas? This is really something.”

What was this.

At Manager Hyung’s unexpected praise, my legs gave out, and I collapsed into my seat.

“Alright, alright. I’m here to collect 100,000 won.”

The next day.

From early dawn, CEO Kwak Youngho swept through the company, collecting the bet money.

Well, not just appeared.

More precisely, he hadn’t disappeared at all.

Kwak Youngho had stayed up all night, refusing to leave work, refreshing YouTube comments and enjoying his own little game.

Was this some kind of dopamine addiction or something?

Every time he refreshed, the newly posted comments blew his mind.

“This is a real sensation.”

The whole world felt beautiful.

The exhausting indigestion vanished, and the construction noise from the next building sounded like a flower song.

The power of word of mouth.

Han Yujin’s highlight medley had taken over every SNS and music community.

The whole world was truly Han Yujin.

In just 14 hours.

The 1 minute 30 second highlight video had already surpassed 500,000 views.

Comments exploded too.

Over a thousand were already posted.

Kwak Youngho barely controlled his splitting smile and opened the comment section.

↳ WTF lol what’s that beat? I went crazy as soon as I heard it.

↳ Wow… just the beat alone passes.

↳ Han Yujin dddddd awesome.

↳ This suits her better than when she was in Lunatic Beat. Why is her voice so sexy ㅠㅠㅠ

↳ ToMe really bit the bullet on this. Every track fits my taste.

↳ Super ride, ride, ride should be banned during exams for real.

↳ Paradise... The video planning is sick. What kind of company is this?!

↳ These days all that easy listening and stuff was annoying, but this is real K-pop, really.

↳ For real, all the songs before were boring but this is real K-pop.

No matter how many times I watched, I didn’t get tired.

Why drink coffee?

Listening to Han Yujin’s highlight medley wakes me up instantly.

The encouraging thing was that everyone had already started guessing the producers.

If you’re a real fan, you know to look up the composer and arranger.

↳ This is fire. It fits well with the foreign beat.

↳↳ Is this a foreign beat?

↳↳↳ Maybe?

↳↳↳↳ No, no. Rumor is it’s a Korean composer.

↳ The credits say STaY at the end.

↳↳ Seems like a team?

↳ Usually when you see unfamiliar credits, it’s a foreign composing team.

↳ All three songs are well made... wow. ToMe is working hard.

Kwak Youngho couldn’t control his overwhelming emotions.

How long had it been?

No, had this ever happened before?

This was the first time since ToMe Entertainment’s establishment.

Not even The Green, the so-called top-tier idol.

Not even Dirence, who enters Billboard charts like it’s their home.

It hadn’t been like this.

Now was the time to make a real decision.

Kwak Youngho began the task he had been delaying.

There was no need to hesitate anymore.

CEO Kwak summoned A&R Team Leader Park Minseok.

“Did you stay up all night too?”

“The comments were fun.”

“What should we do now?”

“What do you mean? We have to act immediately.”

“Right?”

Kwak Youngho’s eyes glinted fiercely once again.

“After the album release, it’s too late. Love calls will pour in right away. Bring me three keys.”

“Three keys? Just two, please.”

“No. It must be three.”

Kwak Youngho clenched the keychain tightly in his pocket.