Chapter 64: It Was a Masterpiece

It wasn’t just me who was surprised by Doubles’ quick handling of things.

“Did the concept already come out?”

“Yes, it’s a concept we had planned even before the program started!”

Jin Sehyun let out a short gasp, his face showing shock.

“Wow….”

Doubles had been criticized so much for being a large agency that couldn’t get anything done, but now, their work speed was shockingly fast.

It seemed like they wanted to debut before the program’s momentum faded.

What’s going on, Doubles?

For once, you’re thinking normally!

“Is this the project proposal?”

Kang Siwoo set down the contract he had been scanning and turned his attention to the concept proposal on the table.

“Mm.”

At first glance, it seemed like a world full of complicated settings.

I carefully opened the concept proposal and checked the first page.

Right then,

“Wait a minute. Let me explain!”

Should I call it a bit of madness?

With a sparkle in her eyes, a staff member from the album planning team spoke up with energy.

She had long, brown hair.

It was Shin Jiyé, the employee who had been sitting next to Manager Kim Seyoung.

This was probably the first album she had officially participated in, which might explain the unusually excited tone in her voice.

“Since the program concept was based on space, the debut album is also going to follow a similar concept.”

The basic structure was similar to the Stardust Project’s universe.

It was a story that began when seven boys trapped in the Stardust World crash-landed on Earth.

“You, who lived in the Stardust World, accidentally end up on the land called Earth, where you meet a girl… and fall in love!”

“Ah.”

Up to this point, it sounded like a pretty typical alien crash-landing love story.

However,

“As you all know, time in space and time on Earth are different, right? Einstein’s theory of relativity! You all know it, right?”

“Sounds fun.”

“……”

“Excuse me?”

Heavenly Sehyun’s eyes sparkled, while Seo Haim’s gaze had already lost focus.

Anyway, I was wondering what kind of worldview would involve relativity theory, and then….

Here came the post-apocalyptic concept.

Shin Jiyé pointed at the first page of the concept with a serious face.

“The boys, who left Earth, couldn’t forget the girl and return to find her… in the meantime, Earth gets….”

“…?”

“Ah, well… it’s a concept where they come to despair because Earth is in ruins~”

Did she just say “Earth is destroyed…”?

Was that just my imagination?

Shin Jiyé nervously looked at Manager Kim Seyoung, laughing awkwardly to brush it off.

After that, there were some complicated explanations about parallel universes and other things.

The conclusion was that, in a ruined Earth, the boys wander through parallel universes to find the girl again, a touching storyline was the basic background.

As with most idol worldviews, the scale this time was considerable.

Well, since I’m not well-versed in this stuff.

I could only trust Doubles’ planning team.

Kang Siwoo, who had been deep in thought with a serious expression for a while, slowly raised his head.

In the past, I would’ve wondered, “Is he angry?”

But now, I think I get it.

He was satisfied.

“It’s great.”

As expected.

Kang Siwoo gave a positive response.

“I’m glad! Now, let’s move on to the next part~.”

Once Shin Jiyé finished her passionate explanation of the worldview, Manager Kim Seyoung casually spoke up.

“The second page is about the album concept plan. Would you mind checking it out?”

Flick-

I turned to the next page, and there it was: the worldview Shin Jiyé had just explained, written down in detail.

“Ah, is this a mini album?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

The title of the mini album was also set as ‘Parallel Universe.’

From the album name itself… they were serious about the space concept.

I nodded and was listening intently when….

“Ah, I have a question.”

Seo Haim raised his hand eagerly.

“Yes, go ahead!”

His face was brimming with excitement about the debut talk.

His eyes, which had lost energy when Einstein was mentioned, were now sparkling again.

However,

“So, does that mean we’re aliens?”

“Huh?”

That was an unexpected question.

Shin Jiyé stuttered, looking flustered.

“Well, conceptually, yes, but….”

“Wow, that’s special. So I’m an alien?”

Seo Haim mumbled happily, seemingly satisfied with the concept…

“Alien invasion… something like that, right?”

Jin Sehyun awkwardly summarized the concept of the first album.

“Haha… guys?”

Ha Junseo looked at the two of them with a troubled expression.

That guy,

Seems like he’s already starting to get a bit worn out.

I turned to Ha Junseo and whispered softly.

“Hyung, do you already want some coffee?”

“…a little?”

No wonder.

He’d been sipping his drink nonstop since earlier.

After the break, we all sat down in the meeting room for the second meeting.

After such a long meeting, everyone must’ve been tired….

They certainly looked tired,

But we were full of energy.

Seo Haim didn’t stop talking, waving his arms around.

“I already feel like I’ve debuted!”

“Hmm~ Cha Seongbin is gonna tear up the stage~.”

“What about Ian hyung?”

“Mm… me too.”

And there was Cha Seongbin, casually adding to the conversation, and Seo Haim’s persistent questioning made Seo Ian awkwardly laugh.

We were all on the same team, but it was really something.

You never know where things are going to go with us.

It seemed like Ha Junseo’s caffeine levels were going to rise for a while.

I was worried about it, when suddenly.

The head of the New Artist Development Team, Song Jinha, came into the room, looking exhausted after just two hours.

He walked in tiredly and sat down.

With dark circles under his eyes, he spoke.

“Alright, let’s continue the meeting.”

I had expected that he would finish up some of the contract details he had skipped earlier.

But then, something completely different came up.

“In fact, we’ve already selected the title track candidates.”

“Eh?”

“Title track?”

I didn’t expect this at all.

Doubles, what the heck.

Why are they so good at their work?

I started to get a little scared.

The countless bad rumors that had circulated about Doubles…

No major agency is free from criticism, but Doubles had received their fair share of harsh comments.

When is Doubles going to make our kids come back?

└ No artist protection? No comeback plan? Whatever they do, it’s too slow.

└ Doubles’ time runs differently.

At this point, lol, these guys aren’t even thinking of doing the entertainment business.

└ Sometimes I wonder how Doubles even became a major agency.

└ If you’re not going to do T-ple’s comeback after all these years, just stop paying us for a few yearsㅠㅠ

└ Don’t neglect T-ple, Doubles fans are getting all this money from you, and still, there’s no feedback?

└ I agree. How much longer until the comeback? Why is there no new content, you guys?

└ The only ones working here are the self-control team, the rest can have their salaries taken away.

That was the Doubles we knew…

And now they’ve already chosen title track candidates.

Everyone held their breath, looking nervous.

Even if they couldn’t do everything, Doubles always managed to choose amazing beats that reeked of money.

Our team’s arranger.

Cha Seongbin scratched his head with a sly smile.

“Wow, I’m excited.”

The other members also looked excited about what amazing song was going to come out.

And I, who already knew the title track for Stardust’s debut album, felt the same way.

The title track’s name was…

“It’s still just a working title, but it’s called ‘Yuyoung (spacewalk)’.”

“Ah, it’s a masterpiece.”

“……?”

I muttered to myself without realizing it, completely immersed.

The boldness made everyone burst into laughter.

“Pfft.”

Ha Junseo smiled slightly, and casually asked.

“Seohan, is it a masterpiece?”

“Well, just the title alone makes it a masterpiece.”

I awkwardly tried to recover and smiled slyly.

“Yuyoung…? I already feel the vibe?”

“Seohan, stop.”

“Okay….”

I don’t think they believed me, but it wasn’t just empty praise, I really meant it!

Anyway, as for how amazing ‘Yuyoung (spacewalk)’ was…

It was the song that helped Stardust cement their place as a rookie sensation from their debut.

They won multiple awards with that one song.

Not only did they sweep the Rookie of the Year awards, but it also earned them a music show No. 1 trophy.

Though it wasn’t No. 1 on national broadcasts, I’m pretty sure they swept most cable channels?

For a debut album, it was an incredible achievement, and it even became a song that enjoyed a later resurgence.

To think that I could hear that song as part of the debut team in this very room.

It suddenly felt real that we were debuting.

“Whoo….”

I held my racing heart and waited for the song with a solemn attitude.

And then.

Click-

When Manager Kim Seyoung from the A&R team hit play on the song.

It was somewhat different from the Yuyoung intro I knew…

Boom!

“Whoa!”

A harsh and unfamiliar beat filled the room.

“What… what is this?”

The sudden thumping beat at the intro made Seo Haim sit up straight, looking stunned.

I thought it was over, but then…

Boom!

Another thunderous sound filled the room.

What’s going on? This beat seems more confusing than anything else.

It wasn’t a beat that smelled of money, but a beat that slapped you in the face with money.

Yuyoung, you say?

If the Yuyoung I knew didn’t change its definition…

Isn’t this more like a full-on sprint?

I hurriedly shouted.

“Uh, are you sure you played the right track?”

“Oh, this is it~.”

That couldn’t be true.

The masterpiece I knew didn’t have this kind of intro, did it?

While I was denying reality and sitting there,

The guide track, which wasn’t finished, started playing.

Eeeeeehhh-

I swim through space-

Eeeeeehhh-

To a faraway place-

“Eeeeehh?”

The unfinished lyrics reflected my own feelings.

I was honestly losing my mind.

Trrrrr, trrrr

The planet is painfully blue

Trrrrr, trrrr

To-rot-to-ro-to-dodod…

Trrrrr, trrrr

To-rot-to-ro-to-dodod…

Boom!

The beat, full of impact, thundered until the very end.

That beat kept slapping us in the face like bundles of money.

In no time, the first verse was over.

Silence fell over the meeting room for a moment.

“……”

Nobody could easily open their mouths, and we were all looking at each other, waiting for someone else to speak.

“Uhm…”

Ha Junseo moved his lips but then lowered his head.

He looked like he had nothing else to add.

Kang Siwoo, too, was deep in thought, his face more serious than usual, probably unsure of what to say.

Even Cha Seongbin, who was usually so playful, had his mouth firmly shut.

In the meantime, Seo Ian, who was awkwardly caught in the middle, finally spoke in a voice that seemed like he was barely speaking his mind.

“Uhm, it’s good.”

“Wow, it’s good. Trrrrr…”

Seo Haim added, his pupils shaking as he spoke.

Well, those two could’ve debuted to the national anthem, and they wouldn’t refuse.

So…

“……”

I… I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

“Seohan, what do you think?”

Ha Junseo whispered, his lips barely moving, and I awkwardly smiled.

“Well…”

Yuyoung was definitely a song that would go down in K-pop history.

“What happened, though?”

The masterpiece I knew came back a little… strange.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep