19. Position (4)
"Ugh, I'm tired."
I rolled my shoulders and held back a yawn. After checking my schedule, I left a message with our manager and went up to the floor where the creative headquarters was. There was someone in the label's dedicated workroom.
'I was originally planning to finish practice and leave work right away, but I suddenly had something to work on.'
I was already so tired. I grumbled quietly and ran toward the emergency exit. It was because people were crowded toward the elevator because it was work hours.
Unlike in the past, I was able to work on the album only by renting a public studio, let alone a private studio, so I didn't have any thoughts.
'Ugh... When I make money later, I'll set up a workroom first.'
Rustling. I felt a presence as I was going up the stairs. The sound of clothes being wrinkled echoed like an echo.
'Let's not pay attention.'
It was better not to get involved in anything that happened in a place like this. The answer was to just ignore it.
As I was climbing the stairs, my eyes suddenly started spinning. I felt my body tilting and losing my balance.
'...Huh?'
I chewed out a curse in my head. My head felt dizzy and like blood was rushing backwards due to lack of sleep. I instinctively raised my head.
[SYSTEM: Adjusting...]
For some reason, system messages flashed before my eyes. I clenched my teeth, frowned, and closed my eyes.
Am I going to die in vain like this? I couldn't even scream because of my resentful thoughts.
...Thump. It was a really small sound. It was hard to hear unless you concentrate, and something supported my back along with that small sound. I broke out in a cold sweat.
"Huh? Why are you doing this, are you okay?"
I put strength into my legs and turned around. There was a face I hadn't seen in a long time standing at the bottom of the stairs.
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho, who was holding his cell phone, opened his eyes wide. Then he straightened me up. While I was blankly staring, Team Leader Lee Ki-ho brushed away my collar.
"Where does it hurt?"
"Ah... no. I just feel dizzy for a moment. Thank you for helping me."
"Be careful~ You'll have an accident if you don't?"
I nodded, holding my breath. If Team Leader Lee Ki-ho hadn't been there........ No, just imagining what would have happened if he hadn't been lucky enough to pass by the stairs was scary. I just turned my eyes to look around. The system message was blinking in the corner of my vision, in the same place.
'Is it a mistake?'
I couldn't tell if I made a mistake because I was tired, or if the system had done something.
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho patted my back.
"You look tired, why did you come by the stairs? Why didn't you take the elevator?"
"Oh, there are too many people. What about you, Team Leader?"
"Actually, I have the same reason..."
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho's gaze turned to my eyes.
"You must be very tired."
"...I'll get out of the way. I'm sorry, you must be busy."
"No, no. You don't have to be sorry. I heard that you're both preparing for your debut and being a producer. It must be hard."
I felt my heart, which had been beating hard, calm down at Team Leader Lee Ki-ho's characteristic teasing.
I cleared my throat and shook my head. I wasn't in my right mind, but... I wasn't in a position to be lost in other thoughts when I was in front of someone.
"It's okay. It's fun in its own way."
"Hey, you can complain to me. There's Director Kwak there, right? He must be quite picky~"
My eyes widened at the name I heard. Does Team Leader Lee Ki-ho know Director Kwak In-hyuk? Judging from his words, they seemed to know each other well, which was unexpected.
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho let out a playful sigh.
"We used to work at the same company. Well, at first, he was flexible and okay, but he changed a lot."
Ah, Team Leader Lee Ki-ho's former workplace, where there were a lot of incidents.
I understood right away. I don't know exactly what happened, but I could tell from Team Leader Lee Ki-ho's reaction.
"That's a bit much to talk about when Director Kwak isn't around, so let's move on."
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho, who I thought would pass quickly, stared at me and smiled.
I rubbed my forehead to clear my brows that were unconsciously furrowing. My body, damp with cold sweat, felt uncomfortable. I wanted to go as soon as possible, wash up, and go to my studio.
"Let's go up first. Aren't you going up too?"
"Ah... Yes."
I held onto the stair railing to avoid falling down the stairs again. Clearing my throat and taking a deep breath, my head cleared.
I asked Team Leader Lee Ki-ho, who was looking at his watch. As expected, a light talk about recent events was the best when things were awkward.
"How have you been?"
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho raised his head and answered slyly.
"Hmm? I've been doing well~ I've been busy, and did you know that our kids debuted this time?"
"Yes, seniors debuted on Thursday, right?"
"Haha, you're already calling them seniors? Did you see the reactions on the internet?"
I thought about how to answer for a moment.
The 'kids' that Team Leader Lee Ki-ho was talking about were the rookie male idol group 'IX' that Lime Entertainment debuted. As expected, IX debuted in early October, and the response was not bad with their popular songs and decent concepts. They succeeded in turning attention to issues related to Lime Entertainment.
'It seems arrogant to praise them here, and it doesn't suit my personality to call them seniors.'
In the end, I decided to list only the objective facts.
"It was mostly positive."
"Yeah, that's fortunate. The whole department was in chaos for a while."
Unlike labels, Lime Entertainment takes care of idols directly in the New Development Headquarters until they have settled down to some extent and a dedicated team is created.
Team leader Lee Ki-ho expressed his discomfort, saying that he thought he would die because he was so busy with the debut of new members.
"I'm still working overtime."
"You must be having a hard time."
"Not as much as you, right? I'm on the casting team~"
"Don't say that. Who is more tired at work?"
The last words were sincere.
Many people overlook this fact, but idols and employees have to run an endless marathon together.
If idols don't have talent, employees will be separated, and if employees are incompetent, idols will have a hard time shining. In short, employees are also important.
'Later, when we settle down and get used to the label system, we should consider raising our employees' salaries and bonuses.'
It was right to do that much for employees who were overworked like me. That way, when they were having a hard time, they would look at the amount in their bankbook and calm their minds.
Above all, people were supposed to work as much as they were paid.
'I hope my image would change to a positive one as well.....'
Come to think of it, the eyes of our employees these days were strange. It was okay until the second meeting, but now I should say they're strangely silent.
It was a slight side effect of working together as a general producer instead of meeting as an artist in charge.
Well, this has nothing to do with the guy in front.
He shrugged his shoulders and gave me a smile.
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho looked at me once and slapped my back. Thanks to that, I had to straighten my expression, which was almost distorted.
"You can say that, isn't it touching?"
"Haha, what is it......."
"I like how you look now much better than pretending to be a good trainee like before."
...... Have I ever pretended to be a good trainee in front of Team Leader Lee Ki-ho? I don't remember.
Anyway, since we're not in the same agency anymore, I decided to think positively. Even though we're a subsidiary label, the system is different and the personnel composition is different. So I don't need to look good to Team Leader Lee Ki-ho anymore.
'But since we never know when or how it will happen, I have to be polite.'
Someday, we may collaborate or work together. I opened my eyes wide as if I didn't know anything. When I put it on Yoo Young's face, it was a good expression of synergy.
"...I'm pretending? Team Leader. I've always been the same."
"I think you were a little stiffer when we first met~ Was it because you were nervous?"
Intentionally getting on your nerves. Maybe it's a habit of trying to tease. Of course, I wasn't foolish enough to show it on my face.
In contrast to before, this time I shrugged my shoulders. Then Team Leader Lee Ki-ho let out a sigh-mixed laugh.
"Hmm, I guess it's a shame to send you to the label~ I should've held on to you somehow."
"Huh?"
What does that mean? I tilted my head because it was the first time I heard it. For a moment, I almost frowned. Team Leader Lee Ki-ho wiggled his fingers as if reminiscing about the past.
"Oh, didn't your CEO tell you? I was going to put you in our debut group after the monthly evaluation. But it fell through because of CEO Son."
An Jung-woo is the same, and they secretly recruit talented people there. Team leader Lee Ki-ho muttered quietly.
'An Jung-woo? An Jung-woo from Lux? An Jung-woo, the main vocalist of our group?!'
His head was spinning. An Jung-woo had said that he was cast by chance, but was that actually the case?
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho looked at my expression and opened his eyes. He then relaxed his body and languidly nodded his eyebrows.
"Oh, you didn't know."
"...Team Leader Lee, you were going to bring Ahn Jung-woo too?"
"Of course. The Lux trainee, Ahn Jung-woo. He's famous, right?"
He is famous. Well, there's no way other agencies wouldn't know about a trainee who's been with a big company like Lux for a long time. Everyone has a network formed, knowingly or unknowingly. I put aside my complicated thoughts and asked Team Leader Lee Ki-ho.
"Then Team Leader Lee failed even though he personally cast Ahn Jung-woo?"
"What, he said he didn't want to be in a big company."
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho checked his wristwatch once more.
"You can't force someone who doesn't want to come, right? I thought there must be some reason, so I left him alone. I never imagined that Director Kwak would take him away so quickly."
I wondered why Director Kwak In-hyuk was mentioned earlier. Was it because of this?
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho, who had been mumbling indifferently, smiled faintly.
"Judging by your reaction about Ahn Jung-woo, you didn't bring him but you wanted to?"
......The reaction slowed down a beat for a moment.
An ambiguous question that I couldn't answer or not. I kept my mouth shut and just smiled. Team Leader Lee Ki-ho seemed satisfied with that and waved his hand exaggeratedly.
"I'm not blaming you. Take care of this anyway~ I heard you're good at it."
"Haha...... Yes, I think so."
"Yeah, tell Director Kwak I said hello~"
We arrived at the label's exclusive floor before I knew it. Team Leader Lee Ki-ho spoke behind me as I opened the emergency door and went into the hallway.
"Ah, if you appreciate the information I gave you, please be gentle with your debut."
I turned around and narrowed my eyes at Team Leader Lee Ki-ho. He playfully waved and continued up the stairs.
'Be gentle.'
As I was chewing on those words, I realized the meaning behind them.
Team Leader Lee Ki-ho knows the debut concept I planned.
Judging from his reaction, it seemed like he had accidentally met me while going up the stairs, but he was great at digging up information and even secretly keeping a close eye on me.
He was a difficult person in a different sense from Director Kwak In-hyuk.
'I gained something from it, too.'
I stopped thinking about Team Leader Lee Ki-ho and looked at the system message again. It was still in my field of vision. I read the last line carefully.
[SYSTEM: If the goal is not achieved, the spirit and soul of 'Han Awon' will belong to the system forever.]
A phrase that has been repeated consistently since before.
It means that if I fail, I will not die, but my spirit and soul will belong to the system.
'Preparations for the debut are going well, and I am preparing for the system. There is nothing bad.'
As I thought about it while climbing the stairs, I wondered if the phenomenon earlier was some kind of warning.
It was too exquisite to be a coincidence, and if the system had malicious intentions, there would have been another way to clearly show that malicious intention.
'Whether it was a mistake or not, there is nothing bad to be careful about.'
I followed the quiet hallway and shut my mouth. I soon shook my head and headed to the studio. Since Team Leader Lee Ki-ho had been sweeping my mind so much, I needed to organize my thoughts.
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