Volume 1 / Chapter 37

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Don’t think about it as something difficult. All you have to do is remember the tempo and make sure not to fall behind it or go ahead of it while you sing.”

“Are you able to record the piano accompaniment for me? I really don’t have the confidence… I think I’m going to lose the beat. I can’t keep asking you to play the piano for me… I’ll practice on my own.”

“Ha ha. I’m telling you it’s okay. I’ll play it for you 100 or 1,000 times, so let’s practice together.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik smiled widely as he was monitoring Jun Hyuk openly show his affection for her and kept giving orders to the staff,

“Hey. When Star Week ends, get the kids from Jun Hyuk’s team together again. The mission song was Park Ki Young’s ‘Start’ right?”

“Yes.”

“Get that song ready for a digital release in the recording studio. It’ll go up. And the Finkl song that Jun Hyuk just played on the piano… formally record that too so it’s ready for service the day the episode airs. Got it?”

“What? The instrumental? Not the song that they’ll sing later?”

“There aren’t very many female singers in Korea who can make money singing jazz. It’ll sell if the singer is someone at Lee So Ra’s level. Jazz that girl sings? Doesn’t make sense. It won’t make digital sales. But a piano instrumental will work for background music on blogs and cafe franchises.”

The staff could tell why Producer Kim Ki Sik was a rising producer in musical variety shows.

He had an eye for screening music, but he was also a businessman who could certainly choose music that would sell and even find the places where the money would come from.

“At any rate, this stage isn’t about music. It’s eye candy for the viewers. All we have to do is make sure we show them those two flirting. Since we showed them Jun Hyuk’s music in the 1st round, we need to highlight the other kids’ music too this time. Keep your heads on straight.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik had did not care about the same-some rival mission. To avoid any risks, the rival group to go against him was made up of two people who definitely needed to pack their bags.

Producer Kim Ki Sik had a lot of his expectations riding on the last mission. In the meantime, there was the perfect participant to make Jun Hyuk’s image. It was a boisterous trash metal band.

They were like firewood to set Jun Hyuk on fire for the last time before he went into the top 10.

They were famous in Hongdae’s rock scene. They were Steel Blade.

***

The last 20 participants were eyeing each other wondering who their final partner would become as they gathered to choose the last 10 people to go on live broadcast for the top 10 race. There was certainly someone in this group who was already chosen to go into the top 10 early. If they were paired with that person, they were bound to lose.

However, there was one person who they could win if paired up with. That was none other than Jang Jun Hyuk.

He was better looking than an idol singer and looked more like a model or actor and all of the judges praised him for his producing skills. But he could never go to the top 10 of the ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ program. He was the only participant who could not sing even though it was an audition for singers.

Today’s mission was Jang Jun Hyuk’s last. All of the participants had the same thought and they were just waiting to become his partner.

The elaborate jazz piano he played in the 2nd round of Star Week. If he just did that much, they could bring in the best backing band and have him perform in the contest.

Jun Hyuk was called into his personal waiting room again and the people representing the clothing sponsor company were waiting for him brightly.

“These are the new products from our winter season. The last broadcast was fall, but this episode will be going out in November. We’ll be preparing for the winter season. I’m betting this’ll be sold out once it goes on air. Ho ho.”

The people from the company held a pair of black jeans and a checked shirt to Jun Hyuk’s body to find the right size.

“If you pass today’s round and make it into the top 10, we’re planning on getting a formal model contract with you.”

Jun Hyuk wrinkled his face as he touched the clothes, and turned to the young writer.

“I don’t want to wear it. I can just go out like this, right?”

“What? Why won’t you wear it? These are going to become the new main pieces of our company!”

The director of XOR yelled in surprise.

“Miss, how am I supposed to wear this when it’s so hot I could die?”

Looking at his scowling face, she smiled again and spoke. He was still young. She knew that it would be faster to talk him into it.

“Jun Hyuk. You have to bear it. This is business. Every scene that goes out on TV is money. You may not understand because you’re still young, but broadcast means money. You’ll be able to touch that money soon.”

Eventually, the young writer stepped in. She said the easiest words to convince him,

“This is the last time. It’s okay, right?”