The Genius Composer Starts Again - Chapter 87

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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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“Hey! What did I tell you? I said he’d come when called~.”

SLO said while suppressing his laughter. He was talking loudly with his phone pressed to his ear.

“I’m going to teach him a proper lesson today. That bastard, acting so arrogant. Mystique my ass.”

Giggling laughter echoed from a nearby table not far away.

“Hey. Can you see everything clearly from that table over there?”

-Yeah. Perfectly.

“Watch closely~. You should at least get a look at what that smug face looks like.”

SLO continued speaking while fiddling with his half-finished iced americano.

“I’m just going to scare him a little. It’d be annoying to actually go to court over this. I just need to properly show him who’s on top. Then I’ll act generous and say ‘Fine, I’ll cancel the damages claim’ and he’ll be all ‘Thank you so much~’ right?”

-Wow, you’re really a devil, hyung.

“Not a devil, reality. Dude.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“What’s wrong with letting him know in advance how this industry works? If I had to put it in words, it’s like a vaccination?”

SLO burst into quiet laughter as soon as he finished speaking.

“Being good at composing isn’t everything~.”

A petty sense of superiority sprouted in his heart.

‘YULE’s composing skills? I’ll acknowledge that. But so what? Does he think the world is that easy?’

After sneering inwardly to his heart’s content, he felt much more at ease. He even thought that compared to the reputation and connections he had built up in the industry, that was nothing.

“Acting arrogant for a rookie. I’m going to completely crush his spirit today. Watch closely from there.”

-Yes sir~.

SLO hung up the phone.

The appointed time was approaching quickly. It seemed like they would arrive soon, so he was looking toward the cafe door when it happened.

Swoosh.

The door opened and someone walked in.

Sunlight was streaming brightly through the glass door, and with that halo behind them as they entered, it was naturally dazzling.

Long hair, a neat shirt, and delicate facial features.

The air inside the cafe seemed to pause for a moment.

‘Pretty.’

That exclamation reflexively popped out. She looked like she could be a trainee from somewhere.

The woman looked around quickly and made eye contact with SLO.

‘Huh? Why is she coming this way?’

The ordering counter is on the opposite side. SLO looked around quickly. But there was no one nearby except the crew member he had brought sitting at the next table.

It didn’t seem like her companions were around here.

‘Could she be my fan?’

SLO felt his heart beating rapidly.

He was a fairly well-known composer in the hip-hop scene, active on social media, and had appeared in the media quite a few times. If she was a fan, it was natural she would recognize him.

‘Damn. This popularity of mine.’

As she approached, SLO’s lips twitched involuntarily. He tried to put on a nonchalant expression, but the more he tried, the more he ended up with a ridiculous face that was neither smiling nor crying.

The woman stood next to SLO’s table and asked.

“You’re Composer SLO, right?”

As expected.

SLO leaned back slightly and answered in a deliberately lowered voice.

“Yes, that’s right. Should I give you an autograph?”

“Excuse me?”

“Haha. It’s fine.”

SLO curled up the corners of his mouth and raised his eyebrows slightly.

“I’m busy right now, but I have enough time to give you one autograph.”

“….”

A moment of silence passed.

‘Is she moved?’

SLO was inwardly pleased. He thought the other person was surprised by his kind response.

It was a very mannerly reaction, completely opposite to the rough and violent posts he usually uploaded on social media.

At that moment, an unexpected statement brushed past his ears.

“No. I’m composer YULE.”

SLO’s laughter stopped dead.

His hand holding the cup with his pinky raised froze instantly.

‘…What? YULE?’

While SLO was frozen, she calmly continued.

“You said you wanted to meet and talk in person. Thank you for making time.”

Her voice was gentle, but at the same time very cold and rational. While SLO momentarily lost his smile, suppressed laughter leaked from the next table.

“Pfft!”

“….”

“Ahem. Cough.”

When SLO shot a sharp look, the next table hastily coughed and cleared their throat.

SLO tried his best to forget the disgraceful behavior he had shown and answered calmly.

“Ah, yes. Of course. Nice to meet you. Please sit down.”

SLO quickly changed his attitude. The smile on his lips was completely stiff.

“I’m sorry about this. I didn’t think you would be a woman….”

He belatedly realized he hadn’t properly looked at the contract. Assuming it was naturally a man had been his mistake.

“I see.”

SLO carefully looked over the person sitting across from him.

‘Different from what I expected, but well, nothing changes. How dare she embarrass me like this. She’ll have to pay the price for acting so impudent.’

His embarrassment soon turned into anger toward the other person.

Even though he knew it wasn’t true, he couldn’t shake the impression that Seol had played him for a fool.

‘Let’s see how long you can sit there so aloof. I’ll make you grab onto my pants leg and cry!’

His plan to scare her moderately and then send her away was completely revised.

He felt like he wouldn’t be satisfied unless he returned the humiliation he had suffered in full.

“I think you know very well why I asked to meet like this.”

SLO deliberately lifted his chin.

It was to look down on and belittle the other person.

“The entire project schedule got messed up because of you. You do know that, right?”

Tap.

Tap, tap.

SLO tapped the coffee cup with his fingertips. Each sound was tinged with irritation.

“Do you know how much the client cursed us out? Moreover, trust is everything in this business, and who’s going to take responsibility for tarnishing our reputation by not meeting deadlines properly? Huh?”

He gradually raised his voice.

“Even though you’re a rookie, I heard your skills were decent so I requested a collaboration. But the first time, the second time. There were endless things to revise. No matter how much feedback I gave, it never ended! What is this, some academy? Am I your teacher?”

Despite his fierce attack, there wasn’t a hint of wavering in Seol’s expression.

‘Well, look at this?’

SLO was quite flustered inwardly while getting angry.

Usually people would tremble and bow their heads apologetically with just a little pressure.

‘So you want to try me?’

SLO got even more heated and shouted.

“If you’re going to be like this, you should pay me tuition. What am I, doing volunteer work? We contracted as professional to professional! But what is this attitude? You caused us massive damage with your mistakes, and not a proper apology!”

“….”

“Is this the attitude of someone who did wrong?! If you’re a professional, you should know how to take responsibility for your mistakes! Apologize to me right now.”

SLO slammed the table and made threats.

“If you don’t, I’ll make sure you can’t even set foot in this business. You know this industry is small, right? Once bad rumors spread, it’s game over.”

SLO crossed his arms and shut his mouth.

Sometimes silence could be an even more effective form of pressure.

SLO deliberately stepped back, now allowing Seol room to move. Though there was really only one choice anyway.

‘Apologize.’

Her glaring eyes were applying that kind of pressure.

If it were other rookies, even if they felt wronged, they would have started with an apology first.

‘Just apologize, and it’s over.’

Not knowing that apology would amount to admitting fault, effectively strangling themselves.

SLO pretended to be angry while inwardly smiling a vile smile. All conversations were being recorded, so if Seol said something like ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I was wrong,’ it would be game over right there.

‘Come on, hurry up.’

The silence was growing longer.

It meant Seol was deliberating. Her head was bowed so low that her face wasn’t properly visible.

‘Hurry up!’

Just as SLO was shouting that inwardly, Seol raised her head.

And the face that was finally revealed was,

‘Huh?’

Contrary to expectations, not shaken in the slightest.

“Composer SLO.”

She slowly began to speak.

“I didn’t come here to apologize.”

“Wh-what…?”

“I came here to avoid taking responsibility for something that isn’t my responsibility.”

Seol looked at SLO. When their gazes met, somehow it felt like her throat was burning.

SLO couldn’t continue speaking and only moved her lips.

‘Th-this is strange.’

She had an intuition that something was going wrong.

‘The other party is clearly a rookie. So why… does it feel like I’m being pushed back?!’

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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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