Chapter 90
“I think Cheong has a point. Bo-ra, what do you dislike about it?”
Even Seo Baek-young seemed surprised by Ryu Bo-ra’s firm stance and asked cautiously.
“If we follow your plan… that means we have to have three activities by the end of next year, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I don’t like that.”
Hmm.
The members’ pupils shook infinitely.
“I don’t have a big problem with being active a lot. I know I’m a rookie and can’t afford to be picky.”
Ryu Bo-ra said as she put an apple in her mouth.
“But, if we create such a tight schedule, can the quality of the album be high? Director Kim is already going crazy wanting to make it his own way. I honestly don’t know how much effort he will put into our album… I’m not sure.”
The members fell silent at Ryu Bo-ra’s words.
Because she wasn’t wrong.
“I’ve done dramas with hastily written scripts and with completed scripts from the start. The difference between the two is enormous. Just as it’s hard for a rushed drama to be of high quality, it’s also hard for a rushed activity to be of high quality.”
Ryu Bo-ra said this while using a fork to place an apple piece into Kim Geum’s mouth.
“And if we keep pumping out albums like that, won’t Kim Geum have to make all the tracks? We’re not releasing all singles; there will be mini and full albums. Kim Geum isn’t someone who would make songs hastily. And Colors wouldn’t approve songs made hastily either. So, either external artists will be heavily involved, or Kim Geum will be exhausted. She won’t be able to sleep. I don’t want to see her collapsing. And if she doesn’t sleep, we’ll have to deal with her temper.”
It was a bit confusing whether she was worried about Kim Geum or criticizing her.
Well, at least Kim Geum seemed very touched by Ryu Bo-ra’s words.
“I want to make music that we can proudly say is ‘made by us’, ‘excellent’, and ‘without regret’. I also want to actively participate by continuing to learn songwriting. So, having three activities in a year… is too tight.”
Everything she said made sense.
Except for one thing.
“So, if the album quality is guaranteed, you don’t mind the number of activities?”
“…If the quality of the album we make is high.”
I nodded.
That was a given.
I had my own experience as a singer-songwriter.
I understood what Ryu Bo-ra was saying because I also had an attachment to my music and songs.
“But you think it’s impossible for Kim Geum to compose alone, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I can compose too.”
“?”
A subtle doubt arose in the members’ eyes.
Except for Kim Geum.
“We all know you can compose, but it feels a bit…?”
Yeon Juhong tilted her head.
“Doesn’t feel like idol music?”
“…Right?”
I see.
I understand their concern.
After all, they’ve only had the chance to see my skills through the song I revealed during my introduction.
Although I collaborated with Kim Geum once, she mainly led the composition, so it was an exception.
“These songs. I composed them.”
I tapped my phone.
Those ‘idol-like’ songs you heard earlier.
I composed all of them.
I hope this explanation is enough.
If they still find the quality lacking, I might feel a bit hurt.
The members looked back and forth between my phone and me.
“Cheong.”
Seo Baek-young broke the silence first.
“Yes.”
“…Those songs earlier, you composed them?”
“One of them is a co-composition.”
“Co-composition?”
“To be exact, it started as an arrangement but became a co-composition…”
Kim Geum’s eyes widened.
“You abandoned me for some other girl…!”
“It’s a guy.”
“Then it’s okay.”
This is strange, but let’s move on for now.
The members all looked shocked.
“Those songs… I assumed you got them from the company.”
“Or asked senior artists for them…”
Is this really such a shocking thing?
“Didn’t those songs sound ‘idol-like’? I thought I made them to fit the idol genre. If you don’t like them, I’ll make more. Until you get songs you like.”
“…You’ll make more?!”
Yeon Juhong’s mouth fell open.
“Of course. To make an album, I’m prepared to make dozens. I don’t expect all of them to be included. Kim Geum will also participate. But at least, I won’t let Kim Geum bear everything alone.”
It wouldn’t be easy, but it was something I had already prepared for.
I didn’t mind if it was hard on me.
I was desperate enough.
This mission was to win the Rookie Award.
Every year, dozens of idol groups debut.
If we’re not prepared to give everything, we can’t dream of winning the Rookie Award.
There are so many outstanding idol groups.
Even just considering the ones I know in the future….
“If you find the quality lacking, tell me right away. I’ll keep working until you’re satisfied.”
“It’s not about the quality…”
Seo Baek-young stammered slightly, looking a bit flustered.
“Then what are you concerned about?”
“Nothing.”
Huh?
I turned my gaze to Ryu Bo-ra.
“Nothing?”
“There’s nothing I’m concerned about.”
Ryu Bo-ra turned on my phone and played the songs I had just shown.
“…No one here doesn’t recognize the value of these songs.”
“That’s right.”
Kim Geum quickly agreed.
“There would be many groups lining up to get just one of these songs. I’m not just saying this because we’re in the same group. I’m being sincere. I was surprised when I heard them earlier. I thought the company had given them to us, so I felt relieved, thinking, ‘At least the company hasn’t disappointed me.’ But to find out you composed them.”
Kim Geum smiled proudly.
How embarrassing.
“Those comments earlier… were out of concern that Kim Geum might end up as a songwriting machine.”
Ryu Bo-ra gave me her characteristic cool smile.
“But since there are two songwriting machines, I agree.”
…Is this something to be happy about…?
***
Having reached an agreement, we faced the next problem.
“But will Director Kim give us the right to choose the songs? I haven’t seen him much, but he seems a bit…”
“He’s a tough person.”
“A madman with a horrible personality.”
Ryu Bo-ra said what no one else could.
“If he dares to speak like that to our faces, he won’t easily listen to us. He might even oppose everything like a contrarian.”
“Especially if it’s something Cheong made.”
Yeon Juhong said worriedly.
“What should we do?”
“What do you mean, what should we do? We need to gauge the company’s intentions first.”
Kim Geum tied her hair back.
“We’re talking about our future here. Would we ruin it ourselves? We’re the ones staking everything on our album. We have to persuade them somehow.”
“About that.”
“?”
Everyone turned their eyes to Seo Baek-young.
“I’ve been thinking about what Director Kim said… We’re not the only ones who’ve dealt with him, right?”
“Ah. Yes, there’s that.”
Ryu Bo-ra nodded as if she understood.
“What is it?!”
Kim Geum, still not getting it, pounded the table.
“Senior artists… Wouldn’t they have faced the same concerns as us?”
“Gasp.”
Yeon Juhong’s eyes sparkled.
“That’s true! Then we should immediately go to them and ask for their support…”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
I pressed Yeon Juhong’s shoulder back down.
“Even if they’re seniors in the same company, they’re essentially strangers to us. There’s no way they’d support us just because we asked.”
“That’s right.”
Ryu Bo-ra smiled like a villain in a drama.
“But trying to build some ‘rapport’ might be possible, especially with those we recently worked with….”
“We could try to build rapport.”
Seo Baek-young also smiled.
They were on the same page as me.
“Then we’ll need to divide the team. For the seniors who appeared on ‘Make a New Color’-”
“Grayish.”
“Burn Ash.”
It seems they all have the ‘-sh’ ending.
“Half of us will go to Do Hee-young, and the other half to Han Jae-i?!”
“H… Han Jae-i and Dan Ha aren’t exactly people I want to get close to.”
Kim Geum said reluctantly.
“Why not?!”
“Because if we make eye contact and they misunderstand, it could end up in mutual cursing.”
“Ah.”
That’s true.
It’s not beneficial to get involved with male idols before our debut.
Nodding in agreement, Seo Baek-young spoke with a serious face.
“I’m not the leader, but can I say something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Of course!”
What could she be planning to say?
Everyone’s eyes were full of curiosity.
“If anyone appears in the social news section… I’ll make sure to kill them.”
Oh.
“Why state the obvious?”
Yeon Juhong was disgusted.
“I’m not someone without morals!”
When she said ‘morals’, our eyes naturally turned to Ryu Bo-ra.
“What are you staring at?”
“Bo-ra, when you feel like hitting someone… remember you’re an idol….”
“What are you talking about.”
“Even as a person, hitting others is wrong! Bo-ra unnie, remember you’re a person.”
“Do you really want to die?”
Ryu Bo-ra scowled and kicked Kim Geum and Yeon Juhong.
But I was a bit worried too.
“One more thing.”
There’s more?
Everyone held their breath, watching Seo Baek-young.
What could it be this time?
Lack of practice? Punctuality? Laziness?
“Scandalous dating is also a no.”
“…”
Suddenly, the atmosphere became somber.
I’ve never seen Seo Baek-young so serious.
We all nodded fervently.
For the first time, Seo Baek-young looked scary.