The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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06

“Just need a song?”
“Finally, we’re on the same page.”

I pulled out a cigarette. Despite being in the Studio Building Lobby, Lim Hyun-sung didn’t stop me.
Right—who would dare to stop me?
Lim Hyun-sung looked desperate for a smoke, so I offered a gold pack of Marlboros.

“Care for one?”
“…But you’re an Idol?”
“…What?”

Come to think of it, can Idols not smoke? It was something I’d never considered. I paused, touching my chin thoughtfully, when Lim Hyun-sung muttered hesitantly.

“What the…”

Lim Hyun-sung glanced around nervously before carefully taking one.

Click, click.

I lit the lighter and kindly held the flame to it. Lim Hyun-sung trembled slightly, as if getting goosebumps.
I watched him slowly and spoke.

“Composer, here’s what I want. Just craft me one killer track with a sophisticated beat.”
“Flashy yet simple? Don’t give me a half-baked request. So… just one song?”
“Yes. I’m releasing it as a single. I’ll think about a full album later.”
“What’s the concept? Have you decided?”

A fair question.
As I roughly explained what I had in mind, Lim Hyun-sung pulled out a notebook and began jotting notes.
Since I hadn’t discussed it with the Planning Team yet, I could only describe the concept abstractly, but when I mentioned the genre, Lim Hyun-sung seemed to grasp it perfectly.

“Got it. I understand the general direction. Send me the contract with the advance payment and duration filled in.”
“A contract, you say?”
“What?”
“Before that—an advance payment, you say?”

There was no way The Dun’s agency had money to send to Lim Hyun-sung. At least, there was no budget allocated for The Dun’s comeback song. That much was certain.
Besides, Lim Hyun-sung still hadn’t come to her senses? She was still going on about an advance payment.
I spoke with deliberate clarity.

“The composer is donating her talent.”

Wake up to the harsh realities of this world.
Lim Hyun-sung’s mouth fell open.

“Donating… my talent? Me? This Lim Hyun-sung…?”

I hummed the chorus of that plagiarized song I’d heard earlier.

“Let’s have a drink, we— something I’ve always wanted to say—.”

After singing a couple more bars, Lim Hyun-sung clenched her teeth.

“Fine. I’ll donate my talent!”
“Wow, thank you so much.”
“Am I dreaming? Have I… have I become a fool?”
“You’re not dreaming.”

I spoke kindly and glanced at my watch. It was time to add another condition to counter her earlier demands.

“It’s three o’clock now. Please send me the first demo by seven tonight.”
“What? In four hours? Are you insane?!”
“If you don’t like it, quit.”
“That’s…”
“I~ really like you~.”

The chorus of Lim Hyun-sung’s plagiarized song.
I leaned back against the sofa and hummed while taking a long drag on my cigarette. As smoke rose like clouds, Lim Hyun-sung’s expression twisted in anguish.

“Tell me if this is love or what~ go on~.”
“Got it, I’ll do it! I’ll send it by 7!”
“Wow, impressive. Thanks for the passion.”

She continued moving her lips as if spewing curses, but it wasn’t my concern.
Ah, Lim Hyun-sung is easy to handle.
I felt as satisfied as if I’d just drunk a refreshing soda. I watched Lim Hyun-sung write down the concept with a pleased expression. Soon she tossed her pencil down, apparently finished.

“Write down my number.”
“Yes.”

I took the pencil and slowly wrote down my phone number.

[010-XXXX-XXXX Seo Ho-yoon
Looking forward to working with you ^^]

That last emoticon was definitely meant to irritate her. Seeing it, Lim Hyun-sung grabbed the back of her neck.
She seemed to understand, so I should probably get going. I had places to be.

“I’ll be on my way then, Composer. Looking forward to working with you.”
“Wait. You’re really not going to tell anyone about this… right?”
“Of course not, Composer. I have my principles too.”

If it’s profitable, I talk. If it’s not, I don’t. It was simple logic.
And I was someone who kept my word.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get going now.”

Just as I stood to leave, Lim Hyun-sung urgently grabbed my arm. When I turned back, she muttered something while looking at me as if I were a demon or a ghost.

“What exactly are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you have connections in your family? Are you a reporter? If not, what is it? Why are you so slick-tongued?”

Me? Obviously a PD who gets flooded with love calls.

“I’m from QBS, a PD….”
“A PD?”

Ding!

[Choice Options
-Cute and bubbly idol Ho-ho!
-I’m Ho-yoon, here to captivate you.
-I’m Seo Ho-yoon, an eternal shining star.]

‘God, this is ridiculous.’

I clenched my teeth. If I threw up, time would run out and one of the dialogue options would be randomly selected for me. I squeezed my eyes shut and spoke.

“I’m Seo Ho-yoon, an eternal shining star.”
“What… what did you say?”
“Sparkling, isn’t it…?”
“Are you seriously insane?”

Lim Hyun-sung laughed as if she’d lost her mind. I was no different. Neither of us was in our right mind anyway.

“You really are a crazy bastard….”
“I didn’t want to hear that from a composer…. Well, anyway.”

I nodded vaguely and turned to leave, but I stopped myself mid-step.

“Right. I’ll send you my account number and the tablet price, so please pay me back.”
“….”

Even with the shock hitting me, I couldn’t forget the cost of my precious tablet.

***

[Sudden Quest Complete:
‘Bring back the comeback song!’]
PD… no, Ho-yoon, I thought you were a demon!
Reward: Charm +10.]

“Hey, about that dialogue choice option…”

[Yes!]

“When’s it coming out? Do you have any criteria?”

[System Window: It’s up to your heart!]

“Damn it….”

I was a fool for expecting a proper answer.
I pulled out my phone and checked the messenger.
A few messages from the Manager, and from that member from earlier.
I ignored all of them and opened the conversation with Lim Hyun-sung. I could see the messages we’d exchanged over the past few hours.

[Me: Our composer, is it finished yet?]
[Me: Knock knock]

There was no reply. I could see it was read though. Scrolling further revealed how maniacally I’d been messaging.

[Me: Knock knock]
[Me: Knock knock]
[Me: Knock knock]
[Me: Knock knock]
[Me: Knock knock]
[Lim Hyun-sung: Are you insane?]
[Me: Our composer, is it finished yet?^^]

I scrolled further through the messenger.
Lim Hyun-sung had finally sent the file.

[Lim Hyun-sung: You crazy bastard, it’s done]
[Lim Hyun-sung: Eat and get out]

She’d actually composed a song in just four hours. It seemed like she’d roughly added lyrics to the beat and recorded it, but even that turned out quite well.
Her fundamental skills really do shine through. I couldn’t understand why she’d resorted to hoarding and plagiarism out of unnecessary pressure… foolish Lim Hyun-sung.
I called out to Seo Ho-jin, who was in the living room listening to the song while doing the dishes.

“Hey, Seo Ho-jin.”
“What?”
“Come here.”

Seo Ho-jin approached me without resistance, perhaps feeling guilty about something. Yet he still seemed startled each time he looked at my face.
Well, I’d be shocked too if someone told me I’d gotten ten years younger. I jump every time I catch my reflection in the mirror.

“Listen to this.”
“A song? What is it?”

Seo Ho-jin listened in silence. At first, he frowned, uncertain what he was hearing, but gradually his head began to bob and he gave me a thumbs up.

“Not bad, actually.”

I stopped singing.

“Sing that part again—you know, the one from before.”
“What? How am I supposed to remember that?”

Seo Ho-jin wasn’t particularly talented at singing. He was practically an amateur. Which made him all the more useful for testing purposes.

“Hyung, is that your song?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“Ugh….”

I sent a message to Lim Hyun-sung.

[Me: Composer, is this all you can do?]
[Me: I just played it for my brother, and after five seconds he couldn’t remember it…. No impact.]
[Me: I thought you were better than this….]

The moment I sent those messages, my phone rang with a call from Lim Hyun-sung. I stared at it leisurely before deliberately waiting fifteen seconds to answer.

“Yes, hello?”
[Hey!! Are you insane?!]
“It’s nighttime, but you certainly sound energetic.”

At my response to that booming greeting, Lim Hyun-sung huffed indignantly for a while.

[I made time to write this for you, and you say it has no impact?]
“…Ah, did that bother you?”
[I’m Lim Hyun-sung, you hear me? Blue Tiger!]
“Yes…. Wow, you certainly are quite the remarkable person.”

I deliberately let out a loud yawn while flipping through channels with the television remote, making sure Lim Hyun-sung could hear it.
I could practically hear the sound of Lim Hyun-sung’s pride crumbling.

[You, you….]
“I had such high expectations since you’re such a remarkable person, but it’s truly disappointing. To see that Blue Tiger is only capable of this much.”
[…Is the song really that bad?]
“It’s not bad, exactly…”

I drew out my words slowly, letting curiosity build.
All creators are naturally curious about how their work is received, no matter what they’ve made.

“More precisely, it feels like… you claimed to have spent three hours finding inspiration, then spent ten minutes cursing me out, five minutes recording a guide vocal, and sent it in.”
[….]

I must have been accurate. Lim Hyun-sung went silent for quite a while, apparently stricken by conscience. Then he cautiously asked me:

[Did you install a CCTV camera when you left?]
“Ha ha ha, you certainly have a vivid imagination.”
[You’re one scary bastard….]
“So is this really all you have?”

I lowered my voice.
There’s a specific tone and inflection needed at moments like this—one that conveys expectation, as if planting hope that they’re capable of more.

“I know you well, composer.”
[….]
“I know you’re capable of doing better. That’s exactly why I’m so disappointed—seeing someone talented cut corners and then act like this is their best effort.”

Seo Ho-jin, who had been inadvertently eavesdropping from the side, trembled. Fear was coursing through him.

“If I’ve misread the situation, then so be it.”

I waited five seconds for a response. And exactly five seconds later, Lim Hyun-sung’s answer came back.

[…Just wait for me.]

Then the call ended. I couldn’t suppress my delight and let out a quiet chuckle.

“Lim Hyun-sung really does have quite the temperament.”

I can’t just settle for a song of this caliber when I’m finally getting my chance to use my skills.
In a little while—maybe an hour or two—Lim Hyun-sung will contact me again. I just need to wait until then.
I flipped through the television and stopped on a variety show featuring an idol. That exhausted face wielding a mallet was someone I knew very well.

Joo Woo-sung.
Undeniably one of South Korea’s most successful idols at the moment.

‘…Hmm.’

Seo Ho-jin sat on the sofa peeling a tangerine and spoke.

“Oh, isn’t that Joo Woo-sung from Black Call?”
“Yeah, look at Seo Ho-jin being an expert.”
“His tone is annoying.”

It was exactly the tone of someone who didn’t know idols but wanted to flaunt shallow knowledge. Sensing my gaze, Seo Ho-jin defended himself indignantly.

“I know him too, okay? My classmates praise him so much I can’t help but know. He’s incredibly popular in our department….”
“Seo Ho-jin, look up his SNS follower count for me.”
“Sure.”

Seo Ho-jin tapped away on his phone for a while before showing me the screen.

“Ranked 14th domestically. Eleven million followers.”
“Really? Joo Woo-sung’s grown quite a bit.”

So that’s how popular Joo Woo-sung is these days.
Though he was always popular to begin with….
What was it about Joo Woo-sung again?
I watched Joo Woo-sung, stroked my chin, and let out a low chuckle.
I remembered.
Seo Ho-jin shuddered again.

“Why, why are you smiling like that?”
“….”
“When you smile like that, I really hate it….”
“Ho-jin, the tangerine.”
“Yes.”

Seo Ho-jin straightened up immediately and quickly peeled a mandarin orange for me. As I ate it, I watched Joo Woo-sung on the television screen, smiling brightly without knowing his own fate.
The sweet tartness of the fruit’s flesh spread across my palate.
My next target was confirmed.

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