There are no absolute rules in recording, but usually, it’s done in segments. The process involves recording each section separately and then cutting and pasting the best parts together.
This method is essential because when the audio is released, there should be no awkward parts even after repeated listens.
However, I didn’t break the flow during Baek Ye-rin’s first recording session.
More accurately, I didn’t want to interrupt it.
“Um…how was it?”
After finishing her first recording and stepping out of the booth, Baek Ye-rin began to carefully read my expression.
It was probably because neither I nor Kang Beom-jun had said a word since the start of the recording.
With that in mind, I glanced briefly at Kang Beom-jun, who was standing behind me.
After our eyes met naturally, we exchanged a meaningful glance and both nodded simultaneously.
Then I immediately spoke directly to Baek Ye-rin.
“I don’t think we need to record further.”
“Huh…?”
At my words, Baek Ye-rin’s eyes widened as if she was struck by immense shock, and her eyes started to redden almost frighteningly fast.
No…
What misunderstandings could she be having right now?
Could she think that I suggested stopping because her singing was so awful that it was unbearable to listen to?
If that was the case, I’d understand the shock she might be feeling. Even more so since I was the one who made that comment, and I was the one who introduced her to this world in this lifetime.
Judging from her expression, it seemed like my suspicions were right.
It was a dramatic situation akin to a TV drama— like, “How could you do this to me?”
“I meant that her first recording was so good, there was no need to do any further recording. Right, Director?”
As I said this, I hurriedly sent a SOS glance towards Kang Beom-jun, and he chuckled slightly before nodding.
“That’s correct. I think this will already surprise everyone. Even if we were to continue recording, trying to match this quality would take quite some time.”
“In short, even though it’s your first recording, you sang that well.”
As I complimented her, Baek Ye-rin finally let out a sigh of relief.
Still, this was an incredible performance, especially for a first recording, done in one take.
Yup, Baek Ye-rin is truly something different.
Even watching her from afar, I could tell she was extraordinary. But seeing her up close like this was astonishing.
And how must she have felt during that first recording?
“So, how was your first recording?”
“It was super fun!”
Baek Ye-rin nodded, clearly excited, as she responded.
I couldn’t help but smile seeing her enthusiasm.
“Would you like to try recording more songs?”
“Other songs?”
“Yeah! I feel like it would be a bit of a waste to stop here.”
Baek Ye-rin turned the tables and made a counterproposal.
It was a suggestion that didn’t have a good reason to deny it.
After all, we would eventually have to record all the songs anyway. It wouldn’t hurt for her to gain experience earlier.
“It’s fine, right? We still have two days including tomorrow.”
I sought approval from Kang Beom-jun.
To my request, he immediately responded by giving me an OK sign with his fingers.
In any case, from now on, since RT Entertainment only had Ye-rin and me as artists, it meant that the recording studio was essentially our playground to use as we please.
Thus, my and Baek Ye-rin’s weekend recording sessions continued.
*
The weekend recording took quite a different approach compared to the first session.
This time, it was not about recording a song for introducing themselves in formal meetings but rather doing the recordings exactly as one would for official releases.
This was entirely Ryu Won’s suggestion.
Naturally, if we continued with the method from the first recording session, the recording would take less time.
Baek Ye-rin readily accepted Ryu Won’s suggestion without much thought.
However…
“Let’s redo that part. Instead of elongating the ‘E’ sound, try cutting it off more sharply.”
“You need a livelier tone here.”
“Hmm… The breathing felt a bit unnatural just now. If you take that into account, it would probably be perfect.”
Ryu Won displayed a much different demeanor from their first recording session.
At every small detail he found unsatisfactory or flawed, he would immediately interrupt the recording to provide instant feedback.
Furthermore, even on parts where Baek Ye-rin thought she had done a pretty good job, Ryu Won still pushed for nothing short of perfection.
Because of this, they only ended up completing one song all day Saturday.
What’s more, they barely wrapped up that song just as it approached the final stages.
Despite this, Baek Ye-rin wasn’t at all dissatisfied with the process.
In fact, she wholeheartedly trusted every feedback Ryu Won provided, without any doubt.
The reason was simple: she firmly believed in Ryu Won’s superior talent, something even Kang Beom-jun had recognized as fully developed.
Furthermore, with every recording session, she could intuitively understand that their quality was improving naturally.
Then Baek Ye-rin witnessed something.
The conclusion of the song she performed on Saturday.
After finishing the last part and seeing Ryu Won smiling warmly behind the booth’s glass wall, she realized…
That smile was purely…
… filled with happiness.
It was so radiant that even Baek Ye-rin felt a sense of satisfaction by simply watching it.
And then, the very next day, Sunday.
“Is your throat okay?”
Ryu Won turned to Baek Ye-rin during a short break, looking somewhat concerned.
“I wonder… Does it sound strange?”
“It doesn’t sound strange, but I’m just worried that you’re pushing yourself too hard over these two days.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever thought about that.”
Baek Ye-rin checked her throat cautiously with a dry cough just to be sure.
And she carefully responded, realizing something.
“My throat feels a little prickly…”
“In that case, let’s stop here.”
“What!? But we only have one song left!”
“I don’t plan to push your voice to exhaustion just because we have one song left.”
Ryu Won spoke resolutely.
Given his adamant refusal to back down, Baek Ye-rin had no choice but to concede.
She didn’t feel upset, though.
She understood that his reaction stemmed solely from concern for her wellbeing.
So Baek Ye-rin decided to bring up something that had been lingering in her mind.
“Why do you try so hard to be nice to me?”
Baek Ye-rin seized this opportunity to voice the questions that had been bothering her for a while.
It wasn’t just the concern for her health; he had been approachable and kind right from the start, almost as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
And so, she wanted to finally get the answer.
Just so happened, Ryu Won had suggested to Kang Beom-jun to take a break on this Sunday, which he was very familiar with considering the studio would run smoothly without him.
That is, only the two of them were currently in the studio. For Baek Ye-rin, there could be no better time for this.
On Ryu Won’s side, it was somewhat like digging his own grave.
He had anticipated something like this — a difficult question about why he had treated her so kindly since the very beginning.
It was an easy question for Ryu Won to predict.
Why would he go out of his way for someone he barely knew since their first meeting?
The honest response would likely involve absurd truths like the notion of “regression” or “In my previous life, I was a huge fan of yours.”
Would the current Baek Ye-rin believe everything I say?
She’d probably think I have some serious delusions.
On the other hand, giving a deceptive answer wasn’t exactly a good idea either.
Eventually, lies pile up and result in lost trust.
You might even lose the ability to distinguish between truth and fiction in your own lies.
Just like my past self, who used the excuse of being a renowned composer to meet Baek Ye-rin.
Ryu Won didn’t want to repeat those past regrets.
So…
“It’s just… Your singing is too good. So good that I want to keep hearing it. To do that, I need to be kind to you.”
He gave his answer sincerely, though he omitted some details, making it sound a bit bold.
Still, it was better than revealing absurd truths or resorting to lies.
And his judgment turned out to be correct.
“What about your singing is that good, making you go to such lengths?”
“Hmm… I’ll pass on that one.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, it’s kind of embarrassing, and I’m worried you might think I’m some kind of weirdo.”
“Aww, I’m not that uptight. Just tell me quickly.”
“Uh? Director?”
Truthfully, Kang Beom-jun, RT Entertainment’s CEO, was enjoying a rare day off today. Still, if he had a strong sense of responsibility, he might have given up his day off and checked on the recording at the main office.
Because of that possibility, Baek Ye-rin instinctively turned her head in the direction Ryu Won had pointed.
And…
“?”
There was nothing there.
Just a blank wall.
Baek Ye-rin turned back to Ryu Won with a puzzled look, only to see him hastily slipping out of the recording booth.
Clearly, he was trying to avoid answering her question.
Still, Baek Ye-rin couldn’t help but smile faintly at this.
Satisfied, she believed he had given her a truthful answer without resorting to deception.
“That’s enough for today.”
Just as Baek Ye-rin said, once Ryu Won fled, the question time had officially come to an end.
Still, perhaps one day…
She might hear the answers she missed today, including many others.
With that faint hope, Baek Ye-rin followed Ryu Won out of the studio.
