Chapter 210. It Is Not Easy To Create A Legend (3)

***

The board meeting room at MG Entertainment.
President Won JinPyo grabbed the mic with a powerless expression.

“…And that concludes today’s meeting.”

The directors lifted their heavy asses off their chairs after the declaration.
Just as everyone stood up, Director Lee HanSeo quietly approached President Won JinPyo and quietly whispered in his ears.

‘President. Are we really using that much budget in the next quarter?’

President Won JinPyo had a look at the director who had a worried face.
The budget plan that was passed today seemed absurd even to his eyes.
The current MG Entertainment’s financial situation meant that they should reduce the budget.
However, the directors passed the budget plan using the reason that the celebrities are earning enough money.
There was only one hand that was raised in disagreement.
It was Director Lee HanSeo.

‘…What power do I have?’

President Won JinPyo powerlessly drooped.
Seeing that, Director Lee HanSeo seemed upset and pressed strongly, which was unlike him.

“President, we don’t know what will happen to the company at this rate. Right now, our artists are complaining about their tight schedules, and the company’s mood is also…”

At that moment, Director Jung HyunTae interrupted after patting his back.

“President. Thank you for coming to a difficult decision.”

Director Lee HanSeo expressed his displeasure, but Director Jung HyunTae ignored him outright with a leisurely expression.

“Director Jung, right now, I’m…”
“Oh.”

Director Lee HanSeo got upset, but Director Jung HyunTae brushed his shoulders and continued on.

“We’ll have it hard in the short term. But look at the long term, this is all just an investment. Let’s look at the future, shall we?”

Hearing that, Director Lee HanSeo snorted.

“Hah, what? Long term? Do you think I don’t know that you’ve doubled the budget for the construction? At this rate, the entire company might be shaken from its roots!”
“No.”

Director Jung HyunTae didn’t seem to like his words.

“Our company isn’t some random run-of-the-mill company. We won’t be shaken just from this. Let’s have a look at it in a more positive light. Why do you think the president approved of it?”
“…..”
“Fufu, then. I’ll see you later, director.”

When Director Jung HyunTae waved his hand and left, Director Lee HanSeo bit his lips.

“Positive light? How am I supposed to view this positively?”

How was he supposed to look at the current situation positively, when the directors simply outright ignored the president?”
He was planning to take his hands off the company once it stabilized, but looking at things now…
Director Lee HanSeo sighed deeply seeing that the company was being swept up in a storm.

***

“I can’t imagine you not being there- but –”

Kim JaeHoon’s quiet voice harmonized with the piano sound and mesmerized the audience.
After the 1st verse, the instrumental accompaniment flowed out and a solo violinist rose onto the stage.
At the same time the dark blue-toned lights brightened up and other instruments started joining as well.
The pretty violinist, wearing a long dress, disappeared after raising up the mood, and Kim JaeHoon received the mood and sang to his heart’s content.

“I love you and only –”

Kim JaeHoon’s strong voice dug deep into the hearts of the audience.
The faint fog and the PAR light added more depth to his expressions.
The screen on either side showed Kim JaeHoon’s immersion into his song and that made the audience fall more deeply as well.

‘Hm…’

KangYoon was standing next to the lighting director where he could see the whole stage.
In his eyes, the vocals, the instruments, the dance, the lights, and various other elements were creating white light.
Inside the white light was a trace of silver light.

‘The real deal starts from part 2.’

He was expecting a completely silver light, so he was a little disappointed.
Despite that, Kim JaeHoon was receiving a lot of cheers from the audience so KangYoon looked forward to part 2.
Things were progressing smoothly and he felt a presence behind him. When he turned around, he saw Lee HyunJi.

“Director.”
“Wow, this is such a good place. Why did I miss such a place until now…”

Seeing Lee HyunJi’s nonchalance, KangYoon chuckled and led her to somewhere else. He did so in order not to disturb the directors.
While Kim JaeHoon’s stage continued, she spoke.

“Looks like Mr. JaeHoon has ground his gears this time. I can feel something from his voice.”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t you feel anything? I think he’s really prepared a lot…”

Actually, KangYoon felt that as well, but he didn’t show it.
Although he didn’t say anything, no one would have looked forward to the concert as much as Kim JaeHoon did.

‘Huh?’

At that moment, KangYoon saw that the musical note from Kim JaeHoon had turned from blue to deep indigo. It was very rare for the musical note to change in color in the same song, so he widened his eyes.

‘What is it?’

He forgot that he was talking with Lee HyunJi and turned around to Kim JaeHoon.
But…

“I might be a little lacking to love you–”

Kim JaeHoon’s musical note started shaking.
Blue turned to indigo, then back to blue again.
Blue created white light, but indigo…

‘Silver!?’

He finally saw the silver he wanted, but the silver light appeared and disappeared.
The blue note and the indigo note switched too frequently.
KangYoon observed carefully and saw that something was preventing Kim JaeHoon from deeply immersing himself in the song.
Then, he seemed to have noticed something and headed to where the directors were.
There, he saw that the sound engineer was adjusting the mixer while sweating heavily.

“Why did the volume change so suddenly…”

The volume knobs that were adjusted perfectly seemed to have gotten off point a little. Seeing the sound engineer hurriedly trying to adjust it back, KangYoon pointed at the knob that had ‘Kim JaeHoon Monitor’ written on it.

“What?”

When the sound engineer blankly stared back at him, KangYoon pointed at Kim JaeHoon.
Observing closely, Kim JaeHoon was tilting his head to the right. It was the ear that he was wearing the earbuds on.
Noticing what KangYoon meant, the sound engineer quickly adjusted the mixer and Kim JaeHoon regained stability.

“I love you — you ——!”

When he did, the blue note disappeared and the indigo note was maintained continuously along with the silver light.
Seeing that the sound engineer had adjusted things properly, KangYoon returned to Lee HyunJi.
She seemed to have felt that something had changed as well.

“Wow, I might turn into one of his fans at this rate.”
“Hahaha.”

Seeing Lee HyunJi with gleaming eyes like a teenage girl, KangYoon burst out laughing.
Part 1 ended after more than an hour.
Kim JaeHoon had finished singing the songs on his 2nd album, ‘My Heart Flows To You’, and greeted the audience.

“Thank you.”
“Waaa—!”
“See you in part 2.”

The stage darkened out and the lights in the audience seats turned on.
There was a short 10-minute interlude, and the venue erupted into bustling.
10 minutes was short, but it felt like a long time for the audience.

10:00… 04:59… 01:21…

Behind the stage were artists that were about to go on stage.

“Wow, I’m really nervous now…”

Yoo NaYoon peeked out the curtains and stifled her breath after seeing so many people in the audience.

“You aren’t alone in that.”

Kim JiMin gave her rival as well as friend a hug to encourage her.
When she did, Yoo NaYoon curved her lips.

“Fufufu. The leisures of being the first place?”
“What? I don’t like it when you put it like that.”
“Nah, it was just a joke. Thanks, I’ve never stood in front of so many people before.”

There was less than a minute left.
Yoo NaYoon felt her heart thumping louder and her legs shaking as time ticked, but she tensed her body.

“L, let’s go.”

Yoo NaYoon’s voice was shaking as she said that after hearing that the video was being played back signaling for part 2.
Kim JiMin hugged her again telling her to calm down.

“We’re doing this together, so let’s do our best.”
“…Yeah.”

Perhaps this was what it meant to be rivals, yet friends?
Kim JiMin pushed Yoo NaYoon lightly through the screen to encourage her.

“Go break a leg.”

Feeling the warmth on her back, Yoo NaYoon showed herself through the large screen.

“Waaaaaa—!”

The audience cheered seeing someone unexpected. There was also the fact that the concert was doing well.
Yoo NaYoon raised her mic in nervousness since she was standing in front of 20 thousand people.

“I don’t know — what will happen — in the future–”

The audience waved their hands when she sang the title song for Kim JaeHoon’s first album, ‘In My Dream’.
Since Park SoYoung had rearranged the song for a female vocalist, the mood was just right as well.

“A new encounter — always excites me–”
‘Aah, I’m so nervous!’

Although she was singing like nothing was happening to her, she felt all those gazes pressing down on her.
The cheers were exciting her, yet their eyes were pressuring her.
Her decision was to close her eyes.

“All the love stories — seemed like a fairy tale–”

Just as her part was being finished, a slight vibration occurred on the stage.

‘Here she comes!’

It was the vibration from the lift.
When she heard that, Yoo NaYoon raised her voice and opened a pathway for the next part.

“Aaaah—-”

Wearing a short glittery dress, Kim JiMin entered with her back facing the crowd, and the audience erupted into cheers once again.

“Waaaaa–!”
“Awesome! A Na-Eun duet!”
“You mean El-ha?”
“Who cares!”

Seeing a duet of two rivals at a concert of all places?
Giving them nicknames on the spot, the audience screamed in joy.

“This has a good reception.”

Lee HyunJi watched the reactions of the audience from behind the stage and smiled at KangYoon.
KangYoon replied to her while putting his hands on his chin.

“It’s a combination that people wanted to see for a long time. Along with JaeHoon and JunYeol’s duet on the last day.”
“Look at them, they’ve all lost it.”

All of the audience had fallen for the stage of the duo.
Kim JiMin and Yoo NaYoon’s voice fit each other perfectly well, and everything else, like the stage devices and the rearrangement, was nearly perfect as well.

‘Silver…’

It was okay, but he wanted more.
He was looking forward to gold.
However, KangYoon was satisfied after seeing that the audience cheered for the two.

‘Let’s not be in a rush and do things one by one.’

KangYoon noted down the things he needed and resolved himself.
After Kim JiMin and Yoo NaYoon’s stage was over, Kim JaeHoon naturally entered the stage and the mood of the concert was raised even further.
Kim JaeHoon showed an even more wonderful stage in part 2.
He showed off songs that he sang before coming to World Entertainment in part 1, while he sang songs that he composed after joining World Entertainment.
Part 1 was comparatively calm, while part 2 was vibrant and beautiful.
The lights created a beautiful effect while the various stage devices danced around.
The lift device repeatedly carried dancers onto the stage, while various other devices added to the effects as well.
KangYoon listened to the walkie-talkie and grasped the overall situation.

– Floodlight 14, move it down a little. Quickly!
– Yes!

The people behind the stage were moving busily to produce all these effects.

– Hey! That’s number 15!
– I’m sorry, sir!

Of course, there were some mistakes made, but nothing that actually hindered the performance.
Like that, the concert reached its peak, and the concert where everyone was sweating was reaching its end.

***

– The Doll Like Lady – Press Release

In an art hall located in Shanghai, a famous production company Zhezhang (折账), was holding its press conference of the drama.

[The main character, Shao, is a lady that couldn’t get a job and couldn’t love as she wished. However, this lady resolves to become better. Soon after, she gains those things one by one. We strive to show the process…]

The director of the drama, Xia Kun (夏坤) introduced the scenario as well as its actors.
Both the male and female actresses introduced were famous actors in China.
The scriptwriter, the actor, as well as the director, were all veterans.

[…That concludes my part. I’m willing to receive questions.]

Following that, the journalists asked questions.
Sometimes, they asked some difficult questions, but the actors and the production crew were able to laugh about it.
However, some of them asked some really difficult questions.

[I have a question for the scriptwriter. At first, I heard that Min JinSeo was the one you had in mind for the main character. I’m curious about the reason why it was changed to Cao Ling (曹玲) instead.]

This was a very difficult question for the production crew.
What the journalist was asking was practically ‘why has a super actress rejected your script?’
Cao Ling’s hands were shaking as well and her expression was full of displeasure as well, while the warm atmosphere at the venue froze in an instant.
Xia Kun, the director, sighed as he spoke.

[Actually, we did approach miss Min JinSeo first with the script. However…]
[However?]

He drank a bottle of water in one gulp before speaking again.

[Phew. We approached her first, but we didn’t even get to meet her. The company rejected the script saying that it didn’t suit her image. They told us that they’ll call back after showing her the script, but… we got nothing back.]
[Such a thing happened…]

The pens of the journalists moved around fast.
Their pens naturally turned into swords.
Xia Kun sharpened their knives on top of it.

[Since this is an opportunity, allow me to say this. Korean Wave, I’m very pleased with it, yes. However, we value “Guan Xi” (關係, relationships) very highly. I hope those coming from Korea will know this.]

Relationships.
Xia Kun emphasized such a word before standing up.

***

Not many hours after the press conference was held, a Chinese web portal was filled with stories about Min JinSeo.

– Korean actress Min JinSeo is actually an actress that ignores “Guan Xi”(關係)?

(T/N: Guan Xi(關係, relationships) is an important word in this story, and will be explained in detail later.)