Chapter 177
The Wedding Song Project.
The members leaned their faces close to the monitor screen. Jo Tae-woong, who was holding the mouse, scrolled down.
“Why are there so many?”
“We had nothing to do during the break. I wrote some songs for Fever and some for us.”
“Wow…”
Unlike Ian, who had been busy with photo shoots and drama filming for months, the other members had relatively more free time.
They didn’t just rest during their hiatus. They spent their spare time working on songs or taking lessons to improve themselves.
Lee Ju-hyuk quickly changed the topic, worried that Jo Tae-woong might feel guilty.
“Let’s listen to the wedding songs first.”
Park Jin-hyuk played the file. The wedding song candidates flowed through the speakers. Along with the gentle melody, someone’s voice started to sing.
“What? Is this part Jin-hyuk hyung?”
“What? Hyung, how can you sing so well as a rapper? What are we supposed to do?”
In the early days of their debut, they had to do a blind test at the agency, so they couldn’t reveal that the members composed the songs. So they recorded the demo songs with aspiring singers from the vocal academy.
“Ju-hyuk hyung and Ju-young hyung have improved a lot too, right?”
“We’re going to be a vocal powerhouse at this rate.”
But now the agency trusted them completely with the production of the songs, so the composing members recorded the demo songs themselves. As a result, one of the good points was that their vocal skills had improved.
“That’s good. How about an all-vocal song next time?”
Park Jin-hyuk proudly straightened his shoulders. At that moment, a terrible pitch error occurred in Park Jin-hyuk’s voice coming from the speakers.
“Did you just go off-key as soon as you said that?”
“Ah, Ju-hyuk hyung! Delete this, please!”
“Why delete this? It’s precious.”
The members laughed as Park Jin-hyuk hastily played the next song.
“They’re all great, right?”
“Wow, it’s hard to choose.”
The members said after listening to the wedding song candidates from start to finish. It wasn’t an exaggeration, it was true. They were songs that they wanted to include in their next album as calm ballads, even if they weren’t wedding songs.
“Isn’t this too high quality for a one-time song?”
“We can’t make it sloppy, can we?”
“Anyway, pick one song that you like.”
Jo Tae-woong answered immediately. He was already excited about the long-awaited schedule.
“How about we sing them all?”
“No way. Black Rush hyungs are also singing a wedding song, right? It’s not a wedding, it’s a concert.”
Black Rush was going to reunite as a whole for the first time in a long time at Park Dong-soo and Seo Soo-ryeon’s wedding.
“Actually, I wanted to sing a completely new song for the wedding song.”
Lee Ju-hyuk said. It was almost like the first schedule after Jo Tae-woong’s return, and he felt sorry that the wedding couple, who should be blessed, wouldn’t get much attention because of the guests.
“Then we should sing a killer song for the wedding song, right?”
“Let’s choose quickly.”
The other members had similar reactions.
“Well, we have to be famous enough, right?”
Jo Tae-woong joked as he used to, and the members chuckled.
“But Dong-soo hyung will stop working with us when he gets promoted, right?”
“Probably, yeah? They’re hiring a new manager, I heard.”
Park Dong-soo’s career was more than enough to skip the manager position and become a director right away. There would be no backlash. It was only because the company hadn’t established its foundation yet when he was with Black Rush, but now the company had grown bigger thanks to Awi’s success.
“That’s a shame.”
But Park Dong-soo had volunteered to be a field manager until now because of his active personality.
“Then let’s record tomorrow.”
“What do we do now?”
“What do you mean, we have to go to the gym.”
“I hate working out.”
The members, who had roughly decided which song to sing, left the studio to prepare for their comeback. Lee Ju-hyuk, who turned off the studio lights last, called Ian.
“Ian, wait a minute.”
“Huh?”
Lee Ju-hyuk looked nervous, but he also seemed happy.
‘Is there any good news?’
Ian naturally took the phone that Lee Ju-hyuk handed him.
“What is it? Who contacted you?”
“Can you read this for me? I think I know what it means, but I feel like I misunderstood it.”
Ian scanned the English note on the screen from top to bottom. He widened his eyes as he grasped the content.
‘Hailey Poles?’
[Crazy.]The name of the person who sent the message was very familiar. He didn’t need to hear Jin’s information to know that he was a future pop star.
‘Why would this person send me a message…’
[He hasn’t risen to fame yet in this era, right?]
‘Really?’
[You should definitely seize this opportunity.]
Hailey Poles was an American singer-songwriter who would soon become famous. Her third album was a huge hit, breaking records in both digital and physical sales. She became a superstar.
Every album she released afterwards was also a success, with every song staying on the top of the charts. Her popularity lasted until Kim Yong-min’s death.
‘Maybe he liked Hyuk’s song.’
Anyway, it was good news. It meant that Lee Ju-hyuk’s skills were good enough to attract the attention of a future pop star.
If they made a connection before she became famous, it would benefit Awi as well.
Ian handed the phone back to Lee Ju-hyuk.
“Is this person real?”
“Yeah.”
Lee Ju-hyuk tapped on the screen, and the channel of the person who sent the message appeared. There was a blue check mark next to the name, indicating that the person was a verified artist.
“Why? What did he write?”
“He said he wants to work with you.”
“Really?”
Ian nodded.
The message said something like ‘I love your music and I want to work with you. Please contact me.’
He didn’t misinterpret it. Lee Ju-hyuk’s expression brightened.
“What do you think?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think, it matters what you want. I think it would be good if you do it. What do you say?”
“I want to collaborate with him if the time is right. I checked out his music channel and I liked his style.”
“Yeah? Why don’t you talk to Myung-jin hyung?”
Lee Ju-hyuk, who had been thinking for a moment, shook his head.
“Let’s focus on our activities first.”
“You can collaborate online, you know. Why don’t you keep in touch with him?”
“Are you just excited?”
“If you listen to me, you’ll get lucky even in your dreams, hyung.”
It was an opportunity to make a connection with Hailey Poles before she dominated the global charts. It would be even better if she featured on Awi’s song later.
“If you say so…”
It was Ian’s words, the official shaman of Awi. He looked at Hailey Poles’ email on the screen.
“Hey, the others are coming. Let’s keep this a secret for now.”
As Ian and Lee Ju-hyuk stood behind like rocks, the members who had walked ahead and caught the elevator came to them.
“What’s up? Why aren’t you coming?”
“We have something to do.”
Lee Ju-hyuk and Ian looked at each other and smiled.
***
The Awi members spent their time preparing for their comeback and the congratulatory song. Soon, it was the day of Park Dong-soo and Seo Su-ryeon’s wedding.
“Who can tie my tie for me!”
“Come on, how old are you? You can’t even tie a tie?”
The members got up early and finished getting ready. The suits they wore were the ones that Seo Su-ryeon had picked out for them, saying that they would need them for their social life.
The Awi members got on the van and headed to the shop. Kim Myung-jin, who was behind the wheel, was also dressed neatly.
“Wow, Myung-jin hyung. You look good in a suit.”
“He’s our eighth member, after all.”
“Guys, buckle up.”
Kim Myung-jin seemed to be thinking about something, and when the car stopped for a moment, he turned his head and looked at the members.
“Guys. How about we surprise them with our congratulatory song?”
No way they found out. The members exchanged glances.
They hadn’t told anyone that they had composed and sung the congratulatory song themselves.
Park Seo-dam pretended not to know and asked.
“How so?”
“Well, the president and I have been thinking about something… We’re going to pretend that you have a schedule in the middle of the wedding and leave.”
“Oh.”
The members’ eyes sparkled. The president was involved too. They must have been waiting for this day.
Kim Myung-jin’s eyes also shone. With Park Dong-soo’s handover, Kim Myung-jin was now in charge of Awi’s schedule management, and thanks to Jo Tae-woong’s return, it wouldn’t be strange if they suddenly had a schedule.
“So?”
“So, when the wedding is over, you guys will burst into the hall and finish with a congratulatory song.”
“Really?”
Park Seo-dam nodded.
It was a chance to make a connection with Hailey Poles before she dominated the global charts. It would be even better if she featured on Awi’s song later.“If you say so…”
It was Ian’s words, the official shaman of Awi. He looked at Hailey Poles’ email on the screen.
“Hey, the others are coming. Let’s keep this a secret for now.”
As Ian and Lee Ju-hyuk stood behind like rocks, the members who had walked ahead and caught the elevator came to them.
“What’s up? Why aren’t you coming?”
“We have something to do.”
Lee Ju-hyuk and Ian looked at each other and smiled.
***
The Awi members spent their time preparing for their comeback and the congratulatory song. Soon, it was the day of Park Dong-soo and Seo Su-ryeon’s wedding.
“Who can tie my tie for me!”
“Come on, how old are you? You can’t even tie a tie?”
The members got up early and finished getting ready. The suits they wore were the ones that Seo Su-ryeon had picked out for them, saying that they would need them for their social life.
The Awi members got on the van and headed to the shop. Kim Myung-jin, who was behind the wheel, was also dressed neatly.
“Wow, Myung-jin hyung. You look good in a suit.”
“He’s our eighth member, after all.”
“Guys, buckle up.”
Kim Myung-jin seemed to be thinking about something, and when the car stopped for a moment, he turned his head and looked at the members.
“Guys. How about we surprise them with our congratulatory song?”
No way they found out. The members exchanged glances.
They hadn’t told anyone that they had composed and sung the congratulatory song themselves.
Park Seo-dam pretended not to know and asked.
“How so?”
“Well, the president and I have been thinking about something… We’re going to pretend that you have a schedule in the middle of the wedding and leave.”
“Oh.”
The members’ eyes sparkled. The president was involved too. They must have been waiting for this day.
Kim Myung-jin’s eyes also shone. With Park Dong-soo’s handover, Kim Myung-jin was now in charge of Awi’s schedule management, and thanks to Jo Tae-woong’s return, it wouldn’t be strange if they suddenly had a schedule.
“So?”
“So, when the wedding is over, you guys will burst into the hall and finish with a congratulatory song.”
“Really?”
Park Seo-dam nodded.
The members of Awi, who had shared the ups and downs since their debut, would be quite disappointed if they couldn’t sing the congratulatory song that was planned. If they had to miss it because of their schedule and came back later to surprise him.
“Wouldn’t that be fun? Wouldn’t Dongsoo hyung cry with emotion when he hears our congratulatory song?”
“Today we’re going to make Dongsoo hyung cry.”
“Good.”
And Kim Myungjin wouldn’t expect it. That they had composed the congratulatory song themselves. The members’ enthusiasm rose in an instant.
“So your acting skills are also important.”
“We sincerely congratulate the wedding, but we have to go for work first. We’re also very sorry. We wanted to see the wedding until the end and take pictures.”
“But we couldn’t attend because of the work that came in. So our congratulatory song was unfortunately canceled. Something like this?”
As Ian and Jo Taeung murmured, Kim Myungjin laughed.
“You guys are different as acting members. You all know this feeling, right?”
“Yes, I’m already nervous.”
“Especially Jinyoung, you just be natural. The others will do the acting.”
“Ah hyung, why! I can act too if you ask me!”
The van that carried them stopped at the shop’s parking lot. Kim Myungjin smiled.
“You guys don’t need rehearsal, right? You’re all good on stage.”
“Of course.”
In fact, they needed practice because it was a new song that they sang for the first time in front of others. But the members wanted to surprise him more.
“…He’s really our eighth member.”
The members looked at each other and smiled as they watched Kim Myungjin’s back, who went ahead to catch the elevator.
***
The wedding of Park Dongsoo and Seo Suryeon was scheduled to be private. But it was a union of the director of BHL Entertainment, a prestigious male idol agency, and Awi’s dedicated manager.
‘How did they find out and come here?’
[Maybe some attention-seeking acquaintance leaked it. Or maybe a staff member of the venue.]
‘It’s noisy.’
Some reporters were waiting at the entrance of the venue, having somehow leaked the invitation.
They were very interested in the wedding of the agency staff, who were not celebrities. It was because of the celebrities who would come as guests.
Jo Taeung looked at the reporters who were lying and made a disgusted expression. The reporters recognized Awi’s van and got up from their seats.
“Wow, how did they find out and come to the venue?”
“I knew this would happen, so I prepared a secret passage separately.”
“Really?”
They didn’t just take it anymore. The reporters who were lying would be driven away by the security guards hired by the agency in a few minutes.
The members got out of the van in the other underground parking lot.
As usual, the members of Awi lined up in a circle, and Kim Myungjin was among them. He reached out his hand, and the members smiled and stacked their hands on his.
“Let’s do well on the congratulatory song project.”