The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 104

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“…Sister.”

“I know.”

Mun Ah-rin smiled affectionately first.

“You were shocked when you heard Seol’s song, right? That’s understandable. I was shocked too.”

“Yes.”

Park Hee-jae answered honestly as if entranced.

“To be honest, I thought I would definitely win this time. But the moment I heard that song, I lost confidence.”

Park Hee-jae fidgeted with his fingers.

“That was the first time I felt like that. How could someone write such a song?”

“What does that matter.”

Mun Ah-rin moved a little closer to Park Hee-jae. As the sweet scent of her body and shampoo mixed together, Park Hee-jae’s head spun dizzily.

“Look at this. We’re the ones who received the award, right? Did you see the judges’ reactions? They all loved your song.”

“That’s true, but….”

“How good Seol’s song was. Whether it was prepared in advance or an improvised piece. None of that matters at all.”

Mun Ah-rin spoke while holding up the trophy high.

“Who’s holding this in their hands at the end. That’s all people remember.”

Was that really true?

When people heard Seol’s song, it seemed like they completely forgot all the songs they had heard before.

Hadn’t he felt the same way?

Park Hee-jae forcibly suppressed the doubts stirring inside him.

‘No. Sister Ah-rin is right.’

Looking back in the distant future, only the fact that Mun Ah-rin was the winner of this competition would remain.

Except for those who heard the songs directly in the hall, no one would know what kind of incident occurred during the process.

Park Hee-jae tried hard to rationalize Mun Ah-rin’s words.

“This isn’t the time to talk about Seol. We’re going to sign with MM Entertainment soon!”

Park Hee-jae’s eyes widened.

The opportunity for professional debut given to the grand prize winner. Thinking that this was a connection with MM Entertainment, known as an idol powerhouse, it was more valuable than the grand prize trophy itself.

“Did you talk to them?”

“Of course~. I got hints from the judges. They said they’d contact us separately soon.”

Mun Ah-rin smiled brightly with sparkling eyes.

“‘We’re’ really going to debut as professionals.”

“Professionals….”

“That’s right. ‘Together’!”

Mun Ah-rin kept emphasizing words like ‘we’ and ‘together’. Park Hee-jae looked at Mun Ah-rin with an innocent face.

“Hee-jae. Do you even know what a great opportunity this is? While others have to go through years of being unknown, we’re jumping over that stage in one leap.”

Mun Ah-rin’s face as she spoke excitedly was very lovely.

“…That’s amazing.”

“It’s more than amazing.”

Mun Ah-rin chuckled and continued.

“Hee-jae. You’re really lucky. If it weren’t for me, would people have appreciated your songs like this?”

Park Hee-jae shook his head.

“Right? Even though Hee-jae writes songs well, you can’t talk with people, have conversations, or appear in front of cameras.”

“Yes.”

“These days, personal branding is essential for composers too. Rather than you appearing in front, it looks better when I do it.”

Mun Ah-rin pointed to herself as she spoke.

“Appearing in front of people, mingling and chatting, smiling in front of cameras. Leave all that to me.”

Mun Ah-rin gripped Park Hee-jae’s shoulder tightly with a subtle gesture.

“It’s perfect division of labor. You and me.”

Park Hee-jae nodded immediately. The more he listened, the more it made perfect sense.

“You’re right. Without you, sister, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”

As if satisfied with those words, Mun Ah-rin curled up the corners of her mouth.

“Hee-jae.”

Her voice was soft as if melting.

“You couldn’t have done anything without me. I can’t do without you either.”

The warmth of their tightly clasped hands was so warm. Park Hee-jae felt like he might cry.

“We only have each other. We don’t need other people. I only need Hee-jae too. …Hee-jae feels the same way, right?”

“Yes!”

Park Hee-jae answered fervently.

“I only need you too, sister. I can’t do without you.”

Mun Ah-rin’s smile deepened.

“That’s right. So you just need to do as I said earlier.”

Mun Ah-rin whispered as if she would never give any other option.

“You don’t need anything else. Just think about me.”

Park Hee-jae stared blankly, then slowly nodded.

“Yes, sister.”

Upon hearing that answer, Mun Ah-rin’s smile deepened even more.

***

The man was leaning halfway against the glass railing, holding a cigarette tightly.

It was the rooftop of the MM Entertainment building with a clear view of downtown Seoul.

He chuckled with his phone pressed close to his ear.

“Huh. Did that really happen?”

-Yes, I’m telling you it did!

A loud voice came from the other end of the phone.

-If it weren’t for the regulations, he would have naturally been first place. He ended up playing a completely different song from the sheet music. Sigh.

“Why did he do that?”

-He played it as an improvised piece. Said he got inspiration from watching the previous performances. Are all geniuses like this? Rayden, you have this kind of side too.

A low laugh leaked through the smoke.

Interest filled the eyes of the man called Rayden.

He was MM Entertainment’s core producer and famous as a hit song maker.

“That’s interesting.”

-Anyway, why are there so many talents in this small piece of land. Park Producer next to me said he’d contact him separately through the professor and openly marked his territory.

“He would react like that?”

-You would have reacted the same way if you heard it directly. Anyway, it’s unfortunate. Since first place was disqualified like that, they gave the grand prize to second place.

“Hmm.”

-Second place has decent skills too. It’s just that the song that came after was too good, but that student also far exceeded student level.

“Yeah, well.”

Rayden answered indifferently as if uninterested, then immediately asked.

“What’s the name? That disqualified student.”

-Seol? I think that was the name.

“Isn’t there a video? I’m curious.”

-The school probably filmed it. But they said they won’t make it public.

“That’s unfortunate.”

Rayden glanced at his wristwatch.

“I have a meeting now so I should go. I’ll contact you again later.”

-Alright~.

Click. When the call ended, Rayden took a strong drag of what remained of his cigarette. He roughly stubbed out the shortened cigarette butt and left the rooftop.

When he opened the conference room door, people were already seated.

The A&R Department head and two staff members. And one person sitting tensely on the opposite side of the table.

“Ah, Producer, you’re here.”

“Stay seated.”

As they tried to get up from their seats, Rayden waved his hands dismissively. Then he pulled out a nearby chair and plopped down heavily.

Thunk.

He put his feet up on the table.

Everyone seemed accustomed to Rayden’s eccentric behavior, showing no change in expression. Except for one person.

“This is student Mun Ah-rin. She won the grand prize in this competition.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Mun Ah-rin greeted him while unable to hide her slightly confused expression.

A face with a clean and clear image. She had visuals that would be fine to put in front of a camera.

Since she was a newcomer who earned debut rights through a school competition, she must be incredibly young too.

“Congratulations on your award.”

Rayden curtly spat out the words.

“….”

“…?”

And there were no follow-up words. When Mun Ah-rin tilted her head in confusion, the team leader beside her continued speaking.

“Ahem. We’re looking at having MM develop and officially release this competition’s grand prize winning song. Ah-rin, your name will go in the main composer & lyricist credits.”

“Wow, really?”

Mun Ah-rin smiled brightly. With her well-mannered impression combined with student-like cheerfulness, the team leader’s gaze became even softer.

“You’ll be able to participate in the development process to a certain level. We’ll minimize damage to the original song….”

“But.”

Rayden cut off the team leader’s words in one go.

“Can’t that student participate too? I’m curious.”

“Which student are you referring to…. The grand prize winner of this competition is student Mun Ah-rin.”

“You know, that kid.”

Rayden added one more comment.

“The one who was eliminated.”

As soon as those words ended, Mun Ah-rin’s hands flinched slightly on her knees. But she soon recovered her gentle expression.

“Ah, you’re talking about Seol, right? Seol.”

“Was that the name?”

Rayden roughly scratched the back of his head.

“Anyway, that kid. Since things turned out this way, it would be interesting if both participated.”

“Hmm.”

Mun Ah-rin looked troubled for a moment, then continued speaking like this.

“Probably… it won’t work out. Seol won’t.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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