part 25

I glanced sideways at Eui-jin Lee, the producer of The-Zero. 

He looked quite different from the past.

Was it because of the ivory horn-rimmed glasses he was wearing now?

He seemed much softer.

When I first saw him, he gave the impression of a UFC fighter. 

He was neat and good looking.

But his distinctly rugged features gave off a subtly strong vibe. 

Moreover, his body was solidly built. 

Naturally, he exuded masculine energy. 

But now, he looked different. 

The glasses seemed to tone down his energy. 

As a result, he appeared calmer. 

The added neat and intellectual atmosphere made him look quite a different kind. 

This current look suited his profession as a music producer better.

While I was thinking about him, Eui-jin Lee suddenly turned his head. 

Thanks to that, my eyes met his. 

Eui-jin Lee flashed a bright, innocent smile and spoke.

"Seung-rok isn't coming, is he?"

I quietly nodded.

"That guy, pretending to be busy is his specialty. He works out every morning, practices his vocalization every evening, and then says he has to go to bed early, so he never joins us for after-parties. I wonder how he even manages to play golf."

It seemed just as I thought. 

The image of KROCK that Eui-jin had described matched perfectly with what Mina had found out about him through my searches. 

He behaved so differently towards me that I was unsure. 

What he just described must be Seung-rok's usual self.

"Indeed. No matter how busy he is, not coming to his sister's birthday party is too much. I even scheduled it for the weekend just in case."

Feeling Eui-jin's gaze, I stopped talking.

Eui-jin was staring intently at me.

"You two seem to have gotten quite close, haven't you?"

"Sorry?"

"I mean, it's not just Seung-rok, but you're even attending his sister's birthday party."

Eui-jin said this with a meaningful smile. 

Oh no. 

It seemed he had a major misunderstanding about my relationship with Seung-rok. 

It was understandable. 

In reality, it was natural for me to get close to Hayeon. 

After all, I was Hayeon's golf coach. 

But that fact was a secret. 

From Eui-jin Lee's perspective, what I did was extremely suspicious.

"I hope things go well between you two."

…And Jisun Sunbae, who was subtly adding fuel to the fire, was no help at all. 

Sunbae knew that I was Hayeon's golf coach. 

Yet, she seemed to enjoy teasing me, choosing to smile slyly. 

Although she couldn't reveal the secret due to a promise she made to Seung-rok, there was no need to let the misunderstanding grow. 

If Sunbae was going to act like that, there was no choice left for me but to counterattack.

I hurriedly changed the subject.

"It's not like that. Seung-rok asked me to come. By the way, what's going on with you two? You came together. Do you meet often these days?"

The effect was immediate. 

Two of them started acting strangely right away.

"We just play golf occasionally."

"It's hard to play golf alone, so I'm grateful when he invites me sometimes."

They couldn't even look each other in the eye while talking.

"That's strange."

I immediately saw through their current relationship status. 

Maybe it was because they were both the type who couldn't lie. 

It was as clear as a diagnosis with a stethoscope. 

They were definitely still in the flirting stage. 

But excessive denial is a subtle form of affirmation. 

It was clear that they both had feelings for each other. 

Eui-jin and Jisun were so focused on denying their relationship that they completely lost interest in me. 

Smiling inwardly, I continued my meal.

Naturally, the topic shifted to Seung-rok, who is absent.

"But really, what is Seung-rok up to? It's his break period, isn't it?" Sunbae asked.

"There's only one thing Seung-rok does during his off-time: recording songs."

Eui-jin said this matter-of-factly, taking a sip of water.

"Is that… normal?"

Jisun Sunbae tilted her head in curiosity. 

Even me, who was a novice in music, shared the same thought.

"Oh, I see. You two are not from this industry. Recording music takes forever. The problem is this. There's always something more you can do. You could work for 100 hours for one hook if you wanted to. But you can't do it forever. At some point, you have to stop. Deciding when to stop is the hard part. I prefer to do things a bit rough, but Seung-rok is a perfectionist. That's one of the reasons why he's so successful, so I can't really complain."

Eui-jin gave a slight smile. 

Thinking about KROCK, who had surpassed him as a producer, seemed to evoke a strange feeling in him.

"You're the producer of the team, right? Can Seung-rok record without you?"

"I only work on their title tracks. The other songs are usually produced by foreigners. Seung-rok often adds melodies or lyrics. Someone else directs those songs. In Seung-rok's case, he has enough experience to record alone. These days, he even directs the other members' recordings."

"An idol directing someone else's recording?"

"Of course. For someone like Seung-rok, he even arranges harmony lines for others."

Eui-jin Lee then explained KROCK's role within the team. 

KROCK was even more impressive than I had thought.

I had assumed Seung-rok was just an idol who sang what he was told to sing. 

Even though he wrote lyrics and composed, I had doubted how much he actually did.

I was assuming he had a lot of help from professionals like Eui-jin.

But that wasn't the case. 

Seung-rok did everything by himself, except for arranging. 

He directed recordings and even created harmony lines. 

Participating in the writing and composing of most hit songs was just a bonus. 

His influence was so significant that he monopolized solo tracks on albums and was even preparing a solo album. 

From photo cards to merchandise, KROCK's individual revenue performance was the most overwhelming among members. 

Sometimes, his solo tracks performed better than the title tracks of THE ZERO.

What surprised me more was Seung-rok's secrecy. 

He was Seung-rok's closest friend at work. 

Though Eui-jin was a bit older, their relationship was more like equal colleagues and friends. 

You could tell just by listening to him talk. 

Yet, Eui-jin didn't seem to know much about Seung-rok. 

Or rather, he was completely ignorant of Seung-rok's private life.

I didn't expect him to know that I lived in Seung-rok's guesthouse or that Hayeon was actually his daughter. 

But Eui-jin had never even met Seung-rok's grandfather. 

He didn't know that Seung-rok had any family left besides Hayeon. 

He didn't even know Seung-rok's home address. 

Did he really need to be this secretive?

He had shown me quite a lot. 

I hadn't realized Seung-rok was this kind of person. 

Why did he show me even a glimpse of his true self? 

Was it because of my job? 

Or…

"Teacher!"

Hayeon's voice pulled me out of my reverie.

"Uh, yes?"

Hayeon spread her arms wide open.

"Give me my present!"

"Alright, just a moment."

Smiling, I took out the 'Lion King' musical booklet I had prepared. 

Naturally, my attention shifted from Seung-rok to Hayeon.

***

At 4 a.m., 

in front of composer Eui-jin Lee's recording studio in Jeju Island, 

Seung-rok quietly stepped out through the gate. 

He unscrewed the cap of the sparkling water bottle in his hand and drank slowly. 

This was his only real indulgence. 

He had dedicated his life to being an idol. 

He had quit smoking, which was fatal to his vocal cords, and rarely drank alcohol. 

He also avoided junk food like soda and snacks. 

The only indulgence he allowed himself was sparkling water. 

Just sparkling water. 

Strictly speaking, it might be worse than plain water.

But he needed this small rebellion.

As he drank, he frowned instinctively. 

He could smell the unwelcome scent of cigarettes, the worst thing for his vocal cords.

Sure enough, footsteps approached from the parking lot.

Bo-seong slowly came to the door. 

The smell of cigarettes was strong. 

He must have been smoking a lot. 

Seung-rok's face involuntarily showed his distaste.

 Smoking wasn't a crime.

A twenty-seven-year-old man could smoke if he wanted to. 

But cigarettes were an image-destroying item for an idol, especially with teenage fans. 

And it wasn't just that. 

Cigarettes also had a negative impact on singing. 

Bo-seong wanted fame but didn't want to pay the price. 

That was classic Bo-seong.

Seung-rok wasn't the type to give advice. 

He didn't tell his juniors what to do, let alone someone his own age who had joined the agency much earlier. 

He knew Bo-seong considered himself a Sunbae. 

It was better not to get involved than to give unnecessary advice.

"…Hello." 

He greeted reluctantly and was about to return to the studio when Boseong grabbed his shoulder firmly. 

"What is it?" 

Seung-rok shot him a cold look, causing Boseong's gaze to waver slightly. 

Then, he regained his composure and spoke. 

"Sit down." 

He showed something to Seung-rok, a triumphant smile on his face. 

A photo was displayed on the phone screen. 

It was a picture of Seung-rok entering a movie theater with a woman. 

Seung-rok recognized the location immediately. 

It was taken recently when he went to his theater with Mina. 

'I was careless.' 

Walking down the street together and getting photographed. 

It was a stupid mistake. 

He thought to himself that he must never let this happen again as he subtly slipped his hand into his pocket. 

He was fiddling with the phone in his pocket when Boseong continued. 

"Acting all high and mighty, yet you make such a rookie mistake. Getting photographed walking with a woman. If I spread this photo to the reporters, it would cause quite a stir, wouldn't it?" 

Boseong had always been lenient with himself and strict with others. 

He already knew that.

Still, he hadn't expected him to be the kind of person who would resort to threats. 

A bitter smile formed on his lips.

Seung-rok continued speaking with his eyes gently closed. 

"What do you want?" 

"Give up your solo album." 

Was that all? 

It was so absurd that he burst into laughter. 

"Pfft!" 

"Why are you laughing?" 

Boseong glared at him. 

"Go ahead. Make my day." 

"What?" 

Boseong bit his lip slightly, surprised by Seung-rok's unexpected response. 

"Go ahead. Give it to the reporters." 

"You bastard. If this photo gets out, you're screwed." 

"Go ahead. It's just a movie theater. I can say I was watching a movie with others. Not like someone who went to a hotel with a woman, I can explain." 

"How, how did you…" 

Oh pity.

He seemed to think the members didn't know that the agency had silenced the reporters. 

The managers had already warned them about Boseong, saying, "Don't be like him." 

He must have believed the company's words that they hadn't told the others. 

He was such a simpleton.

Seung-rok couldn't help but sigh.

With a smile on his face, Seung-rok opened his mouth to deliver the final blow.