Genius Composer Who’s a Dedicated Fan

Kang Beom-joon welcomed Baek Yerin warmly as she entered the CEO’s office and quickly moved to the main point.

His thoughts were as follows:

“So as a sample, Baek Yerin will─”

“Baek Yerin?”

When I called her name with the surname, Baek Yerin looked at me with quite a disappointed expression.

Usually, people who aren’t close call each other by their full names. Especially between opposite sexes, it’s rare to call just by the first name unless one is very sociable, in my personal opinion.

In that sense, I know Baek Yerin is very sociable.

In her previous life, she revealed this fact herself on broadcasts, and I could roughly tell just by looking at her current appearance.

But is that really her true self?

With this small doubt, I continued to ask Kang Beom-joon.

“Anyway, you mean Yerin should record one of my songs as a sample, right?”

Kang Beom-joon didn’t answer immediately and smirked for some reason.

It seems he finds it quite amusing that I’m calling Baek Yerin familiarly by just her first name.

When I glared at him as if to say stop teasing, he finally opened his mouth.

“Right. If you two showcase a song you’ve harmonized at the regular meeting in three days, there couldn’t be a more impactful introduction. It’s the weekend starting tomorrow too.”

“It’s not a bad idea, but…”

“Why? Does it seem like not enough time?”

At Kang Beom-joon’s question, I pondered for a moment.

The time it takes to record varies tremendously.

There’s a story of a famous band recording an entire album’s worth of songs in just 12 hours, and conversely, it can take more than several days for just one song.

And most songs are likely not perfectly finished regardless of time.

Originally, there’s no such thing as perfect recording in this world.

Very occasionally, everything aligns well and such a result is born…

But it’s not a common occurrence, so when you experience it, you can’t help but feel grateful deep in your heart.

Then this question might arise:

If perfect recording is almost impossible, when does the recording process end?

The answer is surprisingly realistic and simple.

‘You have to meet the deadline, of course.’

Then what if there’s no set deadline?

Usually, it often moves on when it passes the standards of the parties involved.

Because of this, there are quite a few cases of re-recording even after releasing a song.

Anyway, recording one song within 3 days, including today, is quite a generous period by professional standards.

But the one who has to record is none other than Baek Yerin.

She’s a complete amateur who hasn’t received proper vocal training yet and has never experienced recording.

Especially for amateurs, it’s common to have difficulties or take longer during the recording process.

I think this might be because the voice we hear of ourselves is lower than it actually is.

So when recording, the pitch often comes out higher than one expects, making the sound feel strange and awkward.

And I think only experience can eventually remove this awkwardness.

You get the hang of recording by doing it a lot.

Trying to sing this way and that way,

Finding what’s the best version of my voice.

But expecting good quality recording from an amateur from the start without this process is a bit harsh.

Well…

‘That would be by the standards of an ordinary amateur.’

Why did Kang Beom-joon propose the idea of recording to us?

Because he knows well how ridiculous the talent of the amateur middle school girl sitting next to me is.

And I know that well too.

It was a fact I knew all too well.

So my answer to Kang Beom-joon’s question “Does it seem like not enough time?” was predetermined.

“Three days should be more than enough. I agree.”

“Really? Then how about Yerin’s side?”

Hearing my answer, Kang Beom-joon smiled with satisfaction and then posed the question to Baek Yerin.

I too was curious about what answer Baek Yerin would give, so my head naturally turned.

But it was strange.

For some reason, as soon as I turned my head, I met eyes directly with Baek Yerin sitting next to me.

…Could it be she had been looking at me all this time?

If not, there’s no way our eyes would meet like this as soon as I turned my head.

But why was she looking at me?

As I made a slightly puzzled expression, small changes gradually appeared on Baek Yerin’s face.

A faint smile bloomed on her expressionless face, and then she said:

“Sounds fun, doesn’t it? I agree too.”

…she said.

Could it be because she’s excited about recording for the first time? Or is it because she believes in her talent to some extent?

I couldn’t understand the meaning of that smile.

One clear fact is that she looks overflowing with confidence.

But ironically, I found that sight quite pleasing to see.

Like the appearance she showed on the festival stage that day.

It felt like I was facing Baek Yerin who shone brilliantly once again.

* * *

What is something you must know before recording?

Of course, it’s that you should know well about the song you’re going to record.

In that sense, Ryu Won asked Baek Yerin as they entered the recording studio together:

“Roughly how many times have you listened to the songs I gave you?”

“So many times that I’ve memorized all the lyrics?”

Hmm…

Is it true?

If those words were true, Ryu Won couldn’t help but feel good.

Listening to a song so much that you’ve memorized the lyrics also meant that you liked that song that much.

And there was no lie in Baek Yerin’s words.

Baek Yerin might have listened to the music files Ryu Won sent hundreds… maybe even thousands of times.

Basically, the songs themselves were so good that she didn’t get tired of listening to them repeatedly, and it was also because of something Ryu Won had said at their first meeting.

─ Originally, they’re all songs I want… only you to sing.

Songs just for me.

For the current Baek Yerin, she couldn’t understand what this meant.

It was such a heavy and profound statement.

How much effort did he put in to make such amazing songs? How much did he agonize?

And Ryu Won wants none other than herself to sing these songs he put so much effort into making.

She’s curious about the reason for that too, but right now, she felt a stronger desire to repay that sincerity.

“Then shall we try singing? Which song do you want to sing out of the 5 songs I sent?”

“Can’t you choose for me?”

“Me?”

“Yes. I feel like there might be a song you want me to sing first.”

“Then let’s go with Rewind.”

Ryu Won answered immediately.

.

In a way, perhaps the most meaningful song for Ryu Won.

Baek Yerin vaguely knew that would come out of Ryu Won’s mouth.

Somehow…

seemed like the song most deeply imbued with Ryu Won the composer’s color.

“Hoo…”

Baek Yerin, having finished taking a deep breath, puts on the headset. Perhaps because her head is small, the headset slid down slightly. Noticing this, Ryu Won hurriedly approached and adjusted the headset for her.

And immediately his gaze turned towards the microphone.

Is it a bit high?

With this self-mutter, he adjusted the microphone to fit Baek Yerin’s height perfectly.

Finishing that process in an instant, what welcomed Ryu Won was Kang Beom-joon smiling contentedly.

“You really can do everything, huh? Your composing skills, handling equipment… Well, I’m not even surprised anymore.”

“Information about handling equipment is readily available on YouTube. I won’t deny that I’m quick to apply things.”

“Thanks to that, I’ve lost my job among middle schoolers.”

Leaving Kang Beom-joon’s bitter appearance behind, Ryu Won operated the computer to play the melody file. Then sound flowed through the headset Baek Yerin was wearing.

Like that, slowly.

With the all too familiar melody, Baek Yerin closed her eyes.

With her eyes closed, she thought one last time.

About how she would sing this song from now on.

Eventually, matching the introduction, she slowly opened her mouth.

It was perfect timing, hard to believe it was her first recording.

* * *

People often think that genius singers have outstanding strengths.

They can hit high notes well, have a good tone, deliver lyrics well, have good appeal, and so on.

Of course, all of the above examples applied to Baek Yerin, and among them, there was one most outstanding strength.

In Ryu Won’s opinion, Baek Yerin’s most outstanding strength was immersion.

Singers usually immerse themselves most when singing their own stories.

But for Baek Yerin, it doesn’t matter if it’s not her own story.

As if she’s become the subject of that song, deeply immersed in the emotion,

She expresses that emotion as is while singing, immersing even the listeners.

Like being stuck in a swamp… to the extent that you feel your emotions are controlled as you listen.

And Ryu Won is a composer who makes honest songs.

Without a hint of lie, he sublimates his true story into a song that violently shakes the hearts of listeners.

Perhaps even the singer singing that song…

[The assistant has omitted translating the song lyrics to avoid potential copyright issues.]

‘…It’s strange.’

Baek Yerin felt a sense of discomfort.

The moment she started singing, all miscellaneous thoughts disappeared instantly, and she focused solely on the song.

It was comfortable to sing as if it had been her own song from the beginning.

In a way, that was an accurate expression.

The Rewind that Baek Yerin is singing now was a song for none other than Baek Yerin alone.

The emotion of regret bloomed in Ryu Won due to someone’s death, and ironically, it was a song made with the wish for that dead person to sing it.

And that desperate wish of Ryu Won…

[The assistant has omitted translating the song lyrics to avoid potential copyright issues.]

Was being fulfilled at this very moment.

By none other than Baek Yerin singing his song.

Ryu Won clenched his fist.

Honestly, there were many difficult moments while walking the path of a composer.

There was much to learn, much to memorize, and times to endure and persevere.

It was perhaps natural given how suddenly he decided on this career path.

Nevertheless, Ryu Won never uttered a weak word.

My youth, effort, dream.

He thought that if the moment came when Baek Yerin sang his song, he would be fully rewarded then.

…Yes.

Just like now.