In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 34

“A gift?”

What kind of gift are they talking about?

Seon Woojoo looked around for a gift box, but there was nothing.

The managers were empty-handed, and so were their kids.

“I don’t see anything.”

“It’s not here. We have to go somewhere else.”

They had a look of mischief in their eyes.

And in the hand of their team’s rapper, there was a blindfold. He smiled and handed it to Seon Woojoo when he looked at him.

“…You want me to wear this?”

“It’s a surprise gift, Hyung.”

“You really know how to surprise me in many ways.”

Seon Woojoo answered without enthusiasm and put on the blindfold.

It became pitch black.

The only sensations he felt were the cool air of the recording studio and the chatter of voices.

“Come on, let’s go. Hyung.”

Seon Woojoo got up, hearing the calm voice of Kim Bijoo.

Someone grabbed his arm and led him. It felt solid, so it must be Kim Junghyun.

Seon Woojoo heard Wang Jiho’s laughter.

“You look like a Reesin, Hyung.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a character from a game. He’s old like you… Ouch!”

Seon Woojoo couldn’t see, but he guessed by the sound and slapped him.

He heard Seo Rihyuk’s delighted noise.

The youngest groaned and complained.

“How can you hit someone when you can’t see? Are you a bat or something?”

“Do you still expect logic from that guy? He knocked down the President and the Director last time.”

“Knocked down?”

Seon Woojoo frowned.

“I’m not a bad guy, you know.”

Then he heard the faint voice of Director Yoon Seokhwan.

“I went to the hospital the next day, Woojoo.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Seon Woojoo heard the faint laughter of the others.

‘That was no joke back then’ kind of conversations.

Seon Woojoo recalled the incident that was caused by his unconscious mimicry ability and realized something.

After he got the mimicry ability.

He felt like his balance and perception skills had improved overall.

He was sure he was blindfolded and couldn’t see, but he could walk steadily without losing balance.

“Why are you walking so well? Did you put the blindfold on properly, Kim Junghyun Hyung?”

A big hand touched Seon Woojoo’s eyes.

“It seems fine.”

“Really? You’re walking too smoothly…”

“Do you want to check?”

“No, thanks. Last time someone put a hand on your shoulder, the Director got smashed.”

“Rihyuk Hyung, the Director is making a sad face right now.”

Seon Woojoo couldn’t see, but he felt like he could see his expression and laughed.

He headed to the lobby with the blindfold on.

He heard a click sound.

Someone must have pressed the elevator button.

“How is it, Woojoo Hyung? Can you walk with your eyes closed?”

“So-so.”

“How much? Can you walk without us holding your hand?”

Seon Woojoo said with a smile, “I have more confidence in finding the way than Kim Bijoo.”

“Hyung.”

Kim Bijoo called him with a sad tone and everyone laughed.

On the first day of the music Broadcast, Kim Bijoo got lost in the Broadcasting station.

It was a famous story in the company.

When the elevator arrived and they moved again.

Seon Woojoo asked the question that he had been holding until then.

“Why did we take the elevator if we’re going back to the second floor?”

“…”

A moment of silence.

“See? I told you he would know,” Seo Rihyuk said and everyone murmured.

The youngest tried to cover it up.

“It’s not the second floor here, Hyung. Right, guys?”

“That’s right. This is the third floor.”

“Exactly. There’s no need to assume it’s the second floor.”

Seon Woojoo chuckled at the absurd words.

He took off the blindfold again when he walked through the second floor corridor, passed by the recording studio where he was before, and entered another room.

This seemed like a place he had never been to before.

There were only two rooms that he had been to on the second floor.

The main recording studio where he had lessons with Director Jo Gyuhwan and the studio of Daisy, a member of Scarlet, whom he helped move her stuff in early January.

But this room was different from those two.

Soon, he took off the blindfold.

“Ta-da! We’re here!”

As Seon Woojoo adjusted to the bright light, an unfamiliar scene entered his eyes.

A small room with a recording booth.

It was about the same size as the living room of the dorm.

There was a sofa, and on the desk with various audio equipment and speakers, there was a laptop set up.

“…What is this?”

As he looked around in confusion, Director Jo said, “Well, you hit the jackpot with ‘Something’. The company had different opinions on what to give you as a reward. It didn’t seem appropriate to just treat you to a meal, but it also felt weird to give you money.”

“So this is…”

“Right. This is your personal studio.”

Seon Woojoo opened his mouth in disbelief.

And then he looked around again.

The soundproofing equipment and facilities in the room felt unfamiliar.

…This is my studio?

He looked at Seon Woojoo with disbelief and asked, “Why do you look so incredulous?”

“This is too big of a surprise. Are you sure this is not a hidden camera and you have another gift?”

At that, Kim Bijoo reassured him.

“We didn’t believe it at first either, but this is real. Hyung.”

“Really?”

“Really. I can bet on Rihyuk Hyung.”

“Why me?”

Seo Rihyuk, who was grumbling, also said to Seon Woojoo, “Believe it. This is really your studio.”

“But I haven’t done anything yet…”

Director Jo said, “You don’t have to feel too pressured. It’s not a free gift, it’s an investment in your potential. The President and the other staff all unanimously agreed on this decision.”

He understood.

Seon Woojoo felt a bit numb as he looked at the equipment in the studio.

There was a synthesizer that he had always drooled over on the internet, and speakers from a brand that was famous for its sound quality.

The soundproof glass of the recording studio looked sturdy like a bunker.

Seon Woojoo took in all of that with his eyes and muttered, “This is not a dream, right?”

Seon Woojoo asked Manager Yoon Seokhwan, “Hyung, can you say something to wake me up from this dream?”

“You still haven’t rejected that military variety show, right?”

“So this is not a dream.”

Seon Woojoo looked around the studio, hearing the laughter of the people.

It was a small room, or rather, it looked small.

But to his eyes, it was bigger and more beautiful than any other room.

His chest felt tight with emotion.

“So this is really my studio.”

“Well, technically, it’s everyone’s studio. How do you like it?”

Seon Woojoo nodded silently.

Seeing his expression, Minki Hyung, who was filming him with a camera, Seokhwan Hyung, and the other members had smiles on their lips.

“How do you feel, Hyung?”

Seon Woojoo just smiled at Kim Bijoo’s question.

Because this was a feeling that he couldn’t explain in words.

***

Some might say that getting a small room as a gift was nothing to fuss about, but it meant a lot to them.

It had a symbolic meaning.

That was recognition.

It was proof that they were recognized by the company.

They were no longer just trainees who had to practice in the basement, but finally acknowledged as artists.

That meant that they had value worth investing in.

That was why they couldn’t help but be moved.

“Let’s eat!”

After the Director left the studio, they sat around the pizza he bought them and chatted happily.

“I can’t believe we have a studio now… It still feels unreal,” Kim Bijoo said, and the youngest, who had tomato stains all over his mouth, nodded.

“Yeah. We have our own space now. Honestly, I wasn’t jealous when Scarlet debuted first, but I was really envious when they said they would make a studio for them.”

“Wipe your mouth, Wang Jiho. You weren’t jealous when Scarlet debuted?”

“Yeah. I talked about it all day then.”

Wang Jiho looked at Kim Bijoo for help, but their main dancer just smiled and brushed off the pizza crumbs from the maknae’s mouth.

“Well, anyway, that’s that. The important thing is that we have a studio now.”

“Yeah, it feels good.”

“Right. I feel like we’re accepted.”

“Well, it’s not bad.”

As the younger ones agreed one by one, Seon Woojoo remembered something he had forgotten because of the word ‘work’.

“Speaking of work, there’s something about the next album.”

Seon Woojoo told them what he had talked with Director Jo Gyuhwan earlier.

That making good songs was more important than gaining fans.

And that he would put his song on the debut album.

“So I need your help,” Seon Woojoo said. “I think it’s hard for me to compose alone. Just like Jang Sowon Sunbae helped us with Something, I want to compose with you guys this time. What do you think?”

“I’m in, Hyung.” Kim Junghyun extended his fist and said, “I’ll take care of the rap part for sure.”

Seon Woojoo smiled and fist-bumped with him.

The other members also nodded and said they would help.

“I especially need the help of Rihyuk and Junghyun.”

“Huh? Why is my name suddenly mentioned?”

Seo Rihyuk, who was nibbling on a pizza, widened his eyes.

“You and Junghyun know how to arrange, right?”

“Junghyun Hyung is good at it. I’m just at a basic level.”

“You two were in charge of the arrangement for the end-of-year evaluation before I came.”

Besides, Seon Woojoo clearly remember what he said to him.

When they were preparing for the end-of-year evaluation last year, he suggested an idea for the arrangement and he said this.

-That’s too difficult. I like the idea, but it will take at least two weeks to arrange this. The only ones who know how to arrange among us are Junghyun Hyung and me.

When Seon Woojoo repeated his words, Seo Rihyuk made a dumbfounded expression.

“How do you remember that? Why do you have such a good memory?”

“It’s a family trait.”

Wang Jiho chuckled.

“That’s just the arrangement. This Hyung was bluffing then. He really only knows the basics.”

“Hey, Wang Jiho.”

“Why? I’m just telling the truth.”

“You’re no help at all. Seriously.”

Seon Woojoo had a feeling that he was avoiding or dodging the topic whenever he talked about composing.

So he didn’t know anything about it.

Their Seo Rihyuk.

Seon Woojoo turned his head to the rapper who was inhaling pizza like a vacuum cleaner.

“You’re the only one left.”

“Yes, you can trust me.”

He might not seem very reliable, considering his usual laid-back attitude, but Kim Junghyun was a talented rapper.

Rappers basically wrote their own lyrics for their job.

That was why they also had a high level of understanding when it came to making music.

Most of the idols who were called composer-dols were rappers for that reason.

While eating pizza, Kim Junghyun and Seon Woojoo took the lead in discussing their debut song.

“Our debut is in June, so how about a seasonal song? Something refreshing and catchy for the summer.”

“That sounds good. Maybe something like tropical house?”

“But guys, doesn’t tropical house feel more like a girl group thing? I think deep house would suit us better.”

“Really? I never thought of it that way.”

“I think it would be nice to have a catchy melody, even if it’s not the hook. Something that makes you hum along as soon as you hear it.”

“Like Something?”

“Yeah, like the melody that Jang Sowon Sunbae made.”

A catchy melody like Something…

But that was possible thanks to the melody that Jang Sowon Sunbae made.

Could he make something like that?

To be honest, he was skeptical.

Objectively speaking, he had the ability to utilize existing things, but not to create something new.

Then he would have to apply something that someone else made.

“Is there any basic source that someone made?”

“There should be plenty in the company’s shared folder. There are also a lot of things that the A&R team made and discarded.”

At Seo Rihyuk’s words, Kim Junghyun made an ah sound.

He looked like he remembered something important.

“What is it?”

“Come to think of it, there’s a really good source in the shared folder.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, there’s something that someone made and left. This is a famous story in the company.”

Before he continued, the other members made ‘ah’ sounds.

“I know that story too. Are you talking about that?”

“I think that’s it.”

What? What was it?

“What kind of source is it?”

“Well, I don’t know how long it’s been there, but there’s a strange source. It seems like it could be a hit song if it’s polished well. But…”

“But?”

“The problem is that the sound is really weird. If you cut here, it pops out there, and if you cut there, it pops out here. It’s really hard to fix, no matter how much you touch it.”

Kim Junghyun’s words were supplemented by Seo Rihyuk.

“The company’s A&R team composers tried to fix it, but they all gave up. They said it was a shitty source.”

“Is it that hard?”

Kim Junghyun answered, “It’s not hard when you first hear it, but it’s really tricky when you actually try to work on it. You’ll see when you listen to it. I also tried it once, but I gave up because it was impossible.”

What the hell was it?

Seon Woojoo decided to listen to it first and turned on his laptop. Then he entered the company’s shared folder and played the file in question.

Untitled_(1).

It was a title that meant untitled.

Seon Woojoo clicked on it with a nervous feeling, like an athlete before a game.

Soon, the melody flowed out of the speaker.

He frowned as he heard the monotonous sound.

Huh?

What was this, it was really weird.

They kept saying it was weird, but he wondered what was weird about it. But there was definitely something that caught the listener’s ear.

It made him want to listen more.

He could see why the composers were tempted by it.

He felt like starting to work on it right away.

But the real weird thing was how he felt right now.

When did he feel like this?

Seon Woojoo quickly found the answer as he thought about when he felt the same way as now.

The first day he went to Hwi Entertainment.

When he heard the melody that Jang Sowon Sunbae made.

Seon Woojoo felt goosebumps on his arms and a melody in his head.

He wondered… would it be the same now?

He closed his eyes, but unlike last time, the melody that would accompany the main theme did not come to him automatically.

But the more he listened to this source, the more he felt a strange conviction.

If he had to make something for their debut album, it had to be this.

Seon Woojoo played the same source over and over again, dozens of times.

He finally made up his mind.

“Guys.”

Seon Woojoo said, looking at the file name ‘Untitled’, “Let’s give this a title, shall we?”