While Ryu Won was waiting calmly for the news, Kang Beom-jun, as the president of an entertainment agency, was fulfilling his duties.
These days, the most prioritized task in his daily routine was to put on a neat suit and visit somewhere.
Kang Beom-jun got out of the car and looked up at the somewhat old villa.
This was where Baek Ye-rin currently lived with her mother.
Indeed.
Kang Beom-jun was personally running around trying to persuade Baek Ye-rin to accept the casting offer.
Although it was something he could delegate to someone else, he felt his sincerity wouldn’t be conveyed that way.
He figured that at least as the president, he should visit in person for her heart to waver a little.
With that mindset, Kang Beom-jun entered the villa.
However, upon visiting Baek Ye-rin’s home and discovering a certain truth, he couldn’t help but feel his steps grow heavier.
“Hmph… Could it be that even he knew about this?”
Because of that, for the first time, Kang Beom-jun felt like asking Ryu Won sincerely.
With a deep sigh, Kang Beom-jun pressed the doorbell.
And somehow, the worried expression on his face brightened instantly.
More accurately, he was trying his best to appear cheerful.
“Hello! I happened to see strawberries on my way here and bought some, but I seem to have bought too many. Would you mind having some if it’s okay?”
“These days, strawberries are quite expensive…”
“Hehe. Don’t worry about it. Just please accept them. You and your daughter can enjoy them.”
Smiling towards the woman, Kang Beom-jun said that.
The woman was Baek Ye-rin’s mother.
And from their first meeting, Kang Beom-jun realized that she was suffering from some illness.
Not only was her complexion poor, but her thin figure indicated as much too.
Nevertheless, knowing it would be impolite to pry, Kang Beom-jun had no intention of delving deeper.
“…My health isn’t the best…”
The opening was made solely by Baek Ye-rin’s mother.
She spoke matter-of-factly about being diagnosed with cancer and not having much longer to live.
Because of this, when she first heard about her daughter’s casting, she was both startled and felt it was an opportunity.
If her daughter were to succeed as a singer, they would gain economic stability.
Even a renowned singer-songwriter like Kang Beom-jun had made bold assurances.
That her daughter would surely succeed.
Had it not been for that, he probably wouldn’t have come in person like this.
“Thank you for the kind offer, but I’d like to leave it up to my daughter to decide…”
The mother didn’t push.
Realizing that the presence of the mother was gradually fading, her daughter had become noticeably more mature recently.
…Sadly.
In her current state, the daughter would likely follow her mother’s wishes without question.
Without any resistance or resentment.
That’s why she wanted her daughter to make her own choice even more.
At least in a year, the daughter would need to navigate her own path based on her decisions.
“So, have you come to a decision?”
Kang Beom-jun asked Baek Ye-rin sitting across from him.
On the first day, he had explained how great Baek Ye-rin’s talent truly was.
On the second day, he had explained the direction of the company, and at that time, Baek Ye-rin had expressed her intention to think more and then make a decision.
Today was likely their third meeting, the one where he’d hear her final decision.
“…”
In response to Kang Beom-jun’s question, Baek Ye-rin was silent for a moment.
Ironically, the festival stage from a few days ago was fresh in her mind.
The emotion she felt after finishing her prepared songs and stepping off the stage lingered still.
‘How should I describe that feeling…?’
It was complicated, almost indescribable in words.
All she vividly remembered were the scenes she saw in that moment.
People who had seemingly lost themselves while listening to her song…
They were most likely lost in its afterglow.
Baek Ye-rin was intrigued.
That she, and no one else, had caused such a phenomenon with her music.
Because of that, Baek Ye-rin began to understand something faintly.
If she were to step onto a magnificent stage again with an audience watching, and relive the emotion she felt that day…
She might not be able to turn back then.
It was a little scary, and it became one of the reasons why she had doubts.
But Baek Ye-rin remembered something.
“You want to let me hear a song that you composed?”
Yes, the songs composed by Ryu Won.
Including the <Rewind> he played in Kang Beom-jun’s car, she had listened to all the songs Ryu Won had sent her.
While walking outside, while studying, even as she was falling asleep.
Before she knew it, she was continuously humming these songs Ryu Won had given her.
As if she were addicted.
Baek Ye-rin wasn’t surprised by this fact.
Because, not only her, but anyone who listened to the boy’s compositions would likely be drawn in like that.
However, this extraordinary talent of Ryu Won’s was focused on her, wanting her to sing it.
So now she had a question for the Kang Beom-jun sitting in front of her.
“President, how talented is this boy named Ryu Won?”
Without hesitation, Kang Beom-jun answered Baek Ye-rin’s question.
As someone who had once composed music and as another musician, he could confidently say…
“He’s the real deal. I avoided saying it directly to keep from spoiling him… but his talent has the potential to amaze the world.”
Baek Ye-rin seemed to fully understand this and nodded her head.
She then asked another question.
“Then how do I compare to him?”
Ryu Won was a genius that even Kang Beom-jun, who was once renowned as a musician, acknowledged.
Also, Kang Beom-jun had explained Baek Ye-rin’s talent with a sense of similarity in describing Ryu Won earlier.
But Baek Ye-rin felt her talent was far from his.
More like…
“There’s one thing we need to clarify first. The fields you two specialize in are different, right?”
“If you even need to mention that, then the boy must be the more exceptional one, right?”
“…I can’t deny that. Unlike you, the guy is already complete.”
As Kang Beom-jun had mentioned, Ryu Won was more talented.
To Baek Ye-rin, this was somehow an expected fact, and she felt an odd question arise in her mind.
Would it even be appropriate for me to sing the songs he so carefully created?
No matter how she thought about it, it seemed overly generous.
And although she didn’t know why, she worried she might disappoint that boy…
That was her primary concern.
But recently, she had realized something.
That she was quite a curious girl.
Ironically, even though she worried, she was still curious.
What would it feel like to step on a stage with numerous audiences watching and sing one of Ryu Won’s songs?
What kind of scene would unfold before her eyes?
Because of this curiosity, which outweighed the fear of possibly having no way to turn back…
“President.”
“Yes, Ye-rin.”
“Is it really okay for me to sing that boy’s songs?”
Baek Ye-rin asked cautiously.
Upon hearing her question, Kang Beom-jun gave a faint smile.
He imagined what sort of answer the boy would have given to this question if he had been here.
It was so obvious that he didn’t need to imagine it for long.
“This is a rather simple question. If it were not for you, there’d be no way these songs would’ve ever seen the light of day.”
“Huh? What do you…?”
“Exactly that. Aren’t you curious? Why were we in the auditorium of Haneul Middle School that day?”
Kang Beom-jun then briefly explained what had happened so far.
At the center of all this was a boy named Ryu Won, who had been observing Baek Ye-rin’s talent even before anyone else.
From their meetings, Kang Beom-jun realized one fact.
It was that Ryu Won knew Baek Ye-rin well in a way that seemed almost like remembering a long-lost love.
But Kang Beom-jun didn’t think this was bad.
Since there was no malicious intent, nor any harm done to Baek Ye-rin.
That’s why…
“Though it’s not really within my jurisdiction as president, I honestly don’t know what’s going on in that boy’s mind. But I don’t have any intention to delve deeply into that.”
“Why not?”
“I think that might not be my role… right? Ye-rin.”
Kang Beom-jun gave a wry smile.
Yes, it wasn’t his role.
Because the person right in front of him seemed to hold much significance for the boy, for reasons unknown.
“So, I’d like to ask you, Ye-rin. Please stay by that boy’s side. It’s unfortunate for someone carrying so many secrets to always be lonely.”
“…”
With that, Kang Beom-jun returned to the company.
Together with the exclusive contract signed by Baek Ye-rin.
—
The next day.
Upon receiving a call from Kang Beom-jun, Ryu Won visited the president’s office at RT Entertainment.
Seeing Kang Beom-jun’s somewhat satisfied expression, Ryu Won was quickly sure of why he had been summoned.
“Looks like it went well, huh?”
“Right. From now on, our Ye-rin will be an ace star in RT Entertainment.”
Unlike the past, where he referred to her as “Ye-rin yang” due to her not being officially under the agency, now he simply called her “Ye-rin,” showing the successful contract.
Apparently, he had indeed succeeded in signing Baek Ye-rin.
“Alright, now it’s your turn. Since we’ve met your demands, you’re not thinking of backing out…”
“From the moment I had my parents sign as a formality, this was already settled.”
Of course, parental consent was indispensable for a teenager’s contract.
So Ryu Won vividly remembered the shock on his parents’ faces when Kang Beom-jun visited their home a few days ago.
It was right after he declared that he wanted to become a composer and received approval from the seasoned musician Kang Beom-jun.
Recalling that day, Ryu Won skimmed through the final contract once more.
It certainly seemed like there were no major issues.
Just…
“You only need to focus on composing. If a songwriter makes good songs, there is probably no better composer than that, am I right, President?”
“Uh, right?”
“Well, then, based on that statement, I’d like to solely focus on my responsibilities.”
“…What?”
He just wanted to have a bit of a discussion in his new role as a composer for RT Entertainment.
