65– 『Drop Pop』 (1) 65.
Late October.
The school festival at Seolwon Arts High School had ended, and the Winter Festival had not started yet. In that gap, Yoon Suyeon looked around Seolwon Arts High School with a tense expression.
She had felt it during the festival too, but the school itself was huge. It was beyond comparison with the middle school she attended. Suyeon let out a deep sigh.
Suyeon was not here to see her older brother, Yoon Hajun. She was here to take the entrance exam.
Suyeon applied to the Vocal Department at Seolwon Arts High School. And right now, she was taking the practical exam. She was confident about her grades and her school record, but she felt uneasy about the practical.
It had only been about six months since Suyeon seriously started singing. And it had only been about two months since she started receiving professional vocal training.
Could I pass?
She wanted to pass. She wanted to pass and attend Seolwon Arts High School with her brother. She wanted to keep singing more songs from now on.
While waiting for her turn, Suyeon clenched her fist. The Vocal Department practical exam at Seolwon Arts High School was simple. You went in, sang two songs, and did an interview. That was it.
Students in various uniforms waited for their turns. The door to the testing room opened, one person went in, and a little later came back out.
The students' expressions varied. Some were smiling. Some looked like they had ruined everything, faces twisted. Some were outright crying.
It's fine.
Watching them, Suyeon desperately forced down her anxiety. That was what her brother told her. That she sang well. That he would keep singing with her.
She wanted to contact him and get encouragement. But Hajun was in the middle of chaos right now. The moment the festival ended, he started preparing for the Winter Festival and the major exam.
Because she knew that, Suyeon did not tell Hajun that she was taking the practical exam. Instead, she prepared with her teacher, Lee Jiyoon.
Our Suyeon can pass.
Remembering Lee Jiyoon's words, Suyeon took a candy out of her pocket and put it in her mouth. That did not mean Hajun did not care at all.
Hajun always cared about her.
He encouraged her, and he even asked if the entrance exam was coming up soon. More than anything, he told her he was preparing a song for her.
If so, that was enough.
She wanted him to pay even more attention to her, but Suyeon knew very well that it was impossible for her brother to only focus on her.
"Yoon Suyeon."
While she was thinking that, it was already her turn. With a trembling expression, Suyeon stood up and went into the testing room.
"Hello! I'm Yoon Suyeon!"
There were several people inside the testing room. Starting with the department head, and teachers with extensive experience. She had to sing in front of those people.
Whew.
Was it like this for him too? Hajun was originally a vocal major. Suyeon's favorite song was Hajun singing. His singing had comforted her when she struggled.
Though for some reason, he did not sing much these days.
"Then let's hear you sing."
"You have to sing two songs. What did you prepare?"
"I, um, prepared an original song!"
"An original song you wrote yourself?"
"No. It's an original song my older brother made for me."
"Your older brother. Is he a student at our school?"
"Yes."
"I see. Then let's hear it."
"Yes!"
Suyeon nodded vigorously, submitted the backing track she brought, and took her position in front of the microphone. A moment later, the teachers played the backing track she submitted.
The first song Suyeon sang was "Runaway." It was not her favorite song, but it was the one she cherished the most.
At the same time, it was her first song, sung together with Hajun. Suyeon slowly opened her mouth. That dawn-like voice filled the testing room.
And at that voice, the teachers widened their eyes in surprise. The moist, gentle tone soothed the teachers' ears, worn out from listening to countless songs.
"Hm."
When the first song ended, the teachers wore pleased smiles. Then they began exchanging words with each other.
"What do you think?"
"It's very good. Her fundamentals are properly set."
"Her pronunciation is excellent. Even without a lyric sheet, I can hear every word."
"Her delivery is strong too. Her tone is good as well."
"It matches the song well. Making a song that suits her that much—her brother is capable."
It was praise across the board.
Then the second song.
The second song Suyeon prepared was none other than "Come Home." If "Runaway" was the song she cherished most, then "Come Home" was the song she loved most.
A song that made her heart feel at ease. A song that brought to mind her room, the place where she felt most comfortable. And more than anything, the first song she ever sang in front of so many people.
—A boring, drowsy afternoon.
The moment Suyeon sang the first line, the teachers' expressions changed. A familiar melody. A song they had already heard once.
Then she's Yoon Hajun's sister?
I see.
"Come Home" was not a song with a strong punch.
But it was the song that stayed in people's memories the most.
In fact, after the festival ended, the song people mentioned most was "Come Home." And that included the teachers.
—Let's hang out at my place.
For a bit, turn off your phone.
Suyeon's face, which had been stiff until just now, relaxed. Singing as if she was having fun, she lightly did the gestures she had shown at the festival.
At the sight of Suyeon like that, the teachers smiled and softly hummed along. They had thought it during the festival too, but it was truly addictive.
Soon, Suyeon finished singing. With a flushed expression, she sweated. She had tried not to be nervous, but she must have been more tense than she realized.
"It's a good song."
"You have a very charming tone."
After hearing her, the teachers spoke lightly. They wanted to praise her properly, but they could not.
After a brief interview, Suyeon left the testing room. And the moment she stepped out, the teachers began letting out the compliments they had been holding back.
"Her singing is really good, right?"
"Yeah. It fits her so well."
"They said Hajun switched from vocal to composition for his younger sister, and now I understand why."
"Hajun switched majors because of his sister?"
"What? You didn't know?"
"Oh. I didn't know that. Then is Hajun trying to support Suyeon?"
"Probably, right?"
Switching majors for his younger sister—Hajun is really impressive."
"But isn't it understandable?"
At someone's words, everyone nodded. Yes, it was understandable. If they had a voice like that in their family, they would have tried to bring out that voice too.
"I'm looking forward to next year."
November.
Yoon Suyeon got accepted to Seolwon Arts High School.
As the runner-up.
§ § §
Winter break started.
A short break of about a month. Still, a few days after winter break ended, spring break would come too—if you added them together, maybe it was not that short?
Anyway, break started, and at the same time, I signed with mm Entertainment. I became mm Entertainment's first artist.
And.
"A manager will be assigned, but it's strictly for care. Of course, you might appear on broadcasts later, but if not, usually you'll be working, right, Hajun-ssi?"
"That's right."
"So when you work, for what you need—registering releases, requesting singer casting—you can handle that through your manager. And if there's anything else you need, feel free to request it."
"I'm Jeong Jaeho, the manager assigned to you. I look forward to working with you."
I got a manager.
They called him a manager, but since I was not a celebrity, he did not stay attached to me all the time. And that was basically the entirety of the changes that came from signing with mm Entertainment.
No, seriously.
Basically, mm Entertainment was a very free company. If you worked, you worked. If you did not, you rested. Of course, if you did not work for a long time, the company would request work, but that would not happen right now.
Ah, there was one more thing.
I got my own studio.
Since it was a studio for me alone, I could bring Suyeon and work there too. Not that I actually planned to do that.
The place I worked most comfortably was not a studio like that, but the living room at home, on the sofa. So during winter break, I planned to keep working at home.
For recording, I planned to use Howl Studio. If I wanted, I could use the company's recording room too, but I had no intention of doing personal work there when it was not for an official release.
It felt like I would be self-conscious.
"It doesn't feel real."
Even if I debuted, everything was the same as usual. I scratched my head and looked at the schedule.
The schedule was simple.
There was nothing until mid-January. I left it empty on purpose. This winter break, I planned to do cloud content work with Suyeon.
And starting in mid-January, I would work with Blue Aka and Han Goyo.
"Vacation!"
Suyeon came home from school and said that in an excited voice. At that voice, I smiled. From October to December, I had been insanely busy, but it was not like Suyeon had been idle either.
Suyeon had been just as busy as I was.
Because she had to take the Seolwon Arts High School entrance exam.
With all that overlapping, Suyeon and I had not really been able to talk properly for a while.
"You're back?"
"Yes! Ah, seriously, my head is a mess."
"Next year, you'll be even busier."
At my words, Suyeon's expression turned gloomy. Suyeon got accepted to Seolwon Arts High School. As the runner-up. Naturally, she got a scholarship too.
Thinking about that made me feel strange. Someone practically grinded their soul down to get a scholarship, but she got it from the start.
Well, still, it was good because it reduced the burden on Mom.
"When was the registration period again?"
"Mid-January!"
"Congratulations again."
I did congratulate her when the results came out. But I was so busy preparing for the Winter Festival that I did not properly celebrate her.
So today, to properly congratulate her, I even prepared a cake.
I took out the cake I had set aside and handed it to Suyeon. Suyeon smiled and said,
"What's this?"
"A present to congratulate you on getting accepted to Seolwon Arts High School."
"Really?"
"Yes. I was supposed to give it to you then, but I'm sorry it's late."
"No! You were busy too, Oppa."
I felt guilty that I could not even focus on her entrance exam. Tch. Still, starting next year, I could properly take care of her.
Sitting at the dining table, we ate cake and talked.
"How does it feel to get accepted to Seolwon Arts High School?"
"Um, I still feel kind of dazed? It doesn't feel real."
"Once you start going, it'll feel real."
"Then now I'm going to school with you?"
"That's right."
I nodded. Yes. Starting next year, I would finally attend school with Suyeon. And for that, I had prepared a lot.
First, I prepared a song for the freshman concert in June, and I planned to stage the performance too. As for my stage? Well. Somehow, it would work out.
Anyway, in second year, the first event was not until August. Right before summer break. Until then, there was time.
And starting next year, I would begin working as a professional producer too.
"Right. Oppa, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Oppa, you signed a contract."
"A contract?"
At Suyeon's words, I nodded.
Then after taking a bite of cake, I continued.
"I signed with a company as a composer."
"Then you're a professional composer now?"
"Well, yes. Though it's still a long way off before I can release anything."
I also had to decide what my debut release would be. I could re-use songs I already made and release them, but I did not want to.
It would be my debut song as a composer, not a singer. I wanted to prepare something completely new.
And more than anything, I had to find the singer who would sing it.
Just like before, I could work with Taeyoung, or Goyo, or Suyeon. Ah—no. Taeyoung was not possible. Taeyoung was now under a company as a trainee, so it was not possible right now.
But Goyo and Suyeon were possible.
Jin Sohyang was possible too.
But I did not plan to do my debut song with them.
Suyeon still needed to grow a bit more, and Goyo… I was not sure.
Did Goyo even want to become a singer?
When I worked with Blue Aka later, I would ask her.
"Then are you making songs for other people now?"
Suyeon asked.
In a strangely gloomy voice.
At that voice, I nodded and said,
"Until you debut."
"Huh?"
"Until you debut, I'm going to work with various people and build some recognition."
I picked up a strawberry on the cake and brought it to my mouth.
Then I said to Suyeon, who looked surprised,
"And once you debut, I'm going to work with you for real."
"…Really?"
"Of course."
At least for Suyeon's debut album, I wanted to produce it myself.
At my honest words, Suyeon hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a soft hum and said,
"Fine. Then until then, I'll yield."
"Huh?"
"But once I debut, you have to work with me, okay?"
"Of course."
That was the plan from the start, so I nodded.
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