Chapter 971: Jealousy (1)
[Everyday V13]
[Date: May 8, 2021]
-06:30 p.m.: [NEW. Seo Yeon-Woo]
Booked on assault charges. All activities suspended indefinitely. (Additional note: Woo Yeon-Hee was present at the scene and was questioned as a witness.)
Even after checking Everyday's schedule entry, I simply couldn't believe it.
Seo Yeon-Woo had been earning money by singing in front of people since he was fifteen, after his parents ran away when he was still young. During that time, countless people had pointed fingers at him and hurled every kind of insult imaginable, yet he had never once gotten into a fight. He was naturally kind-hearted and wasn't the type to enjoy arguing with others.
On top of that, he avoided conflicts almost obsessively because he feared that if he ever caused trouble, his grandmother, who suffered from dementia, might be left all alone. It was impossible to believe that Seo Yeon-Yoo would be booked for assault.
'If only I knew who the other party was.'
Unfortunately, there was no information about that. One detail did stand out, though. The incident was set to happen on May 8. That was the day Seo Yeon-Woo and Cherry Blossom were making their comeback on a music show. And considering the note that Woo Yeon-Hee would be questioned as a witness, there was a good chance the broadcasting station was where the incident would occur.
Even if I could guess the location, I still had no clue why something like this would happen. After all, Seo Yeon-Woo was more popular than anyone else at the station.
Just then, Writer Lee Ji-Yeon's worried voice came from beside me. "Why do you look so down? Don't tell me Yeon-Woo suddenly changed his mind and said he doesn't want to sing the insert song for my drama?"
I quickly fixed my expression and answered, "N-No. It's an issue with another company."
I intended to stop whatever was going to happen to Seo Yeon-Woo, so there was no reason to tell her ahead of time that it wouldn't work out.
"Really? That's a relief then. But you're saying the composer will only write the song after the script comes out?"
"Yes. Seon-Woo is the type who composes after reading the script and getting a clear image in his head."
After being reunited with her older sister, Lee Ji-Yeon had been revising the script from the very beginning to place a greater emphasis on family bonds. In the first draft of Land of Happiness, the family members were separated, and what followed was little more than hardship and adversity.
The revised version, however, included many smaller stories woven throughout those difficult times. In particular, the affection and concern shared between Yoon Kkot-Nim and the protagonist Yoon Na-Ra were being emphasized much more strongly. And when the feel of the script changed, the song that came out of it changed as well.
"Really? If Yoon-Ho says so, then I won't worry. Just make sure it's something bright and cheerful, okay?"
"Of course, ma'am. You can leave it to me."
Considering Bang Seon-Woo's composing talent and Seo Yeon-Woo's vocal ability, once the revised script was finished, the song could be completed in as little as a day, or at most within a week. After all, one was a genius composer and the other was a genius vocalist.
The real problem right now was Seo Yeon-Woo getting caught up in an assault case.
At that moment, a car came to a stop outside the house.
Screech.
Patter, patter, patter.
Lucky, Mimi, Baekseolgi, and Injeolmi all dashed toward the entrance.
Click.
The front door on the first floor opened, and Miso stepped inside carrying a stuffed backpack, bowing deeply as she entered. "I'm hooome from schooool~"
She bent forward so deeply in a perfect ninety-degree bow that the backpack on her shoulders slid over her head and swung forward.
Thump.
As her center of gravity shifted forward, Miso flailed her arms wildly.
Woof! Woof!
Mreeow~
Lucky, Mimi, Baekseolgi, and Injeolmi cried out in alarm.
I was worried about Seo Yeon-Woo's situation, but I couldn't just stand by and watch Miso get hurt either, so I moved toward her. Fortunately, Miso spread both arms out to the sides and regained her balance.
"Whew... made it. Heave-ho."
As Miso straightened up with a grunt, the backpack swung back behind her again. This time, though, she had braced herself by stepping one foot back, so she didn't wobble at all.
"Ta-da!"
Miso flashed me a grin, showing off her teeth as if asking, Did you see that?
"You scared me, Miso. What did you pack in there that made it so heavy?" I asked.
Miso slipped off her shoes and climbed inside. "I brought the presents the other kids gave me. They were gifts they got for Children's Day, but they said they wanted me to have them."
"Presents?"
"Yep!"
Miso trotted over and dropped her backpack onto the living room floor with a thud.
"Miso. You should wash your hands first."
"Oh, right."
She dashed into the bathroom, scrubbed her hands thoroughly, and came back out.
"Inspection."
"Ta-da!"
Miso proudly showed me the backs of her hands, her fingernails, and her palms in order before sitting down beside the bag and pulling out her gifts one by one.
"This pencil case is from Jong-Hyun..."
A pencil case, a giant lollipop as big as her face, a dalgona candy stamped with a star-shaped mold, a teddy bear with a ribbon tied around its head, a transforming robot won from a prize machine, a handkerchief covered in writing and decorated with hearts, half a pack of chewing gum that had already been eaten, a bundle of snacks that was already half gone, an A4 sheet covered with Powetuff Girls stickers, and even things that barely qualified as gifts came tumbling out one after another.
"Look! That's a lot, right?"
As Miso puffed out her chest proudly, Jung In-Ji smiled warmly. "Miso, you must be happy."
"Yep. The kids really, really like me." Then Miso turned to me with a request. "Uncle Yoon-Ho, I want to give presents to the other kids too. The girls can get Powertuff Girls doll sets, and the boys can get Robot Warrior iBic transforming robots."
At that, Lee Ji-Yeon looked genuinely puzzled. "Miso, some of those kids gave you inexpensive things like candy, dalgona, or handkerchiefs. Why are you giving everyone equally expensive gifts in return?"
Since she had bought Powertuff Girls dolls for Miso more than once, Lee Ji-Yeon knew how much they cost. That was why she looked so confused.
Miso, however, gave an answer no one had expected. "Because the feelings behind their gifts were all the same. So I'm going to give everyone the same thing!"
To Miso, the handkerchief that said someone liked her held the same value as an expensive doll or robot.
Touched by Miso's kind heart, Lee Ji-Yeon pulled her into a tight hug. "Miso. How can you be this adorable?"
Nestled in Lee Ji-Yeon's arms, Miso smiled brightly. "Huh? Mrs. Lee, you smell nice. You smell just like my mom and grandma!"
"Whaaat?"
Startled, I quickly corrected her. "Miso, you shouldn't say smell. You should say fragrance."
"Oh, right. Fragrance!"
Lee Ji-Yeon shook her head with a gentle smile. "It's okay. I knew what she meant. More importantly, do I really smell like my sister?"
"Yeah. It's gentle and comforting. It smells just like spring."
Lee Ji-Yeon smiled softly. "Then do you like this fragrance, Miso?"
"Yep. It's my favorite in the whole world. Because it smells like Grandma and Mom."
At Miso's answer, a happiness unlike anything before began to spread across Lee Ji-Yeon's face. The sharpness that naturally lingered in her features was still there, but a warm tenderness had begun to settle much more deeply around her eyes and lips.
"Thank you, Miso. Oh, and how about inviting all your friends over so we can eat jajangmyeon together?"
"Really?"
"Of course. Invite them this weekend."
Miso slipped out of Lee Ji-Yeon's embrace and gave her a deep bow. "Thank you."
"Hmm~ if you're really grateful, how about singing us a song, Miso?"
For the first time in a while, Lee Ji-Yeon requested a song. That was when I realized this was the perfect opportunity to pitch 'Youth, Once Again!' to her.
The moment the thought crossed my mind, I spoke to Miso. "Miso, sing that song for her. The new one you learned, you know."
Miso had followed along countless times while attending Yoo-Jin's vocal practice sessions for 'Youth, Once Again!' So even though the song hadn't been officially released yet, Yoo-Jin, Miso, and even I had already memorized every word.
"Oh, okay! Just a second."
Miso straightened her posture and grabbed a giant lollipop with both hands as if it were a microphone.
Lee Ji-Yeon and Jung In-Ji watched her expectantly.
"Ah! Ah! Microphone test! Then I'll start, okay?"
"Okay."
Holding the lollipop in both hands like a microphone, Miso began to sing.
『You only live once~
Don't leave behind regrets.
What's so special about youth?
It's all about how you choose to see it.
...
Life is a party!
And you're the star!
It's not too late, even now.
So let's start enjoying it.
A second life!
Youth, Once Again!』
There were no advanced vocal techniques in Miso's singing. There were no elaborate bends or rich trot-style flourishes. Rather than trot, it felt more like a cheerful children's song.
Yet the melody was so lively and infectious that Lee Ji-Yeon and Jung In-Ji were completely captivated.
***
"The end!"
The moment Miso finished singing, Lee Ji-Yeon asked, "What's that song?"
As if I had been waiting for the question, I immediately explained. "It's actually a song called 'Youth, Once Again!' It's the comeback track Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji, Kang Ha-Na's mother, will be singing. Originally, we were also planning to pitch it as the theme original soundtrack for A Life Lived Twice alongside So-Yeon."
The mention that we had considered pushing it as an original soundtrack for one of Writer Nam Jong-Ok's works immediately drew more interest from Lee Ji-Yeon.
"Really? Then this... would work pretty well as an insert song in my drama."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah. You know the agency Yoon Na-Ra joins in the drama? The president there is managing a ballad singer. I can just change that character into a trot singer instead. It could be used as that singer's theme song. The president could be humming it all the time too. This would work really well."
"Thank you, Mrs. Lee."
"What are you thanking me for? Though... I do have one condition."
"Just name it. I'll do whatever you ask."
At that moment, Lee Ji-Yeon's gaze shifted toward Miso. "If Miso sings it one more time, I'll approve it right away."
"In that case..."
I immediately turned toward Miso and gave her a thumbs-up. But Miso, still holding the giant lollipop, glanced at my signal and gently closed her eyes.
"Miso? What's wrong?"
Pouting her lips, she gave me a look that clearly said I was supposed to do something.
'Ah, an encore.'
I immediately shouted at the top of my lungs, "Encore! Encore!"
At my shout, Lee Ji-Yeon and Jung In-Ji started clapping and joined in. "Encore! Encore!"
At the same time, Miso opened her eyes with an utterly shameless expression, gripped the lollipop, and bowed. "Then, I'd like to present the encore performance."
After finishing her greeting, she began singing again. Miso's clear, innocent voice once more filled the living room, gifting the two sisters a moment they would never forget.
It was as though they had returned to those carefree childhood days when they laughed and cried together.
***
For the past two days, ever since Everyday's schedule entry appeared, I had searched for a way to prevent it. Nevertheless, I couldn't find anything. And before I knew it, the very day of the incident had arrived.
It was May 8, 6:00 a.m. Determined to keep an eye on Seo Yeon-Woo all day, I personally drove him to MBS and parked in the station lot.
When I checked the chart rankings on my phone, Seo Yeon-Woo and Cherry Blossom's songs, released two days ago, had climbed above Janus's previous week's number-one hit, 'Bad Boy', and were battling back and forth for the top spots.
[MelonG Chart]
1. Cherry Blossom — 'Cherry Blossom' (+1)
2. Seo Yeon-Woo — 'Flower Rain' (-1)
3. Janus — 'Bad Boy' (-2)
4. Petite More — 'Angel's Back'
5. Flyers — 'Fly WITH US'
6. Berry Six — 'True Love'
7. Extension — 'Your Footsteps'
8. Unlimited — 'Date With You'
...
99. Kim Hyun-Ji — 'Youth, Once Again!'
Cherry Blossom's 'Cherry Blossom' was a bright dance track overflowing with the feeling of spring, while Seo Yeon-Woo's 'Flower Rain' was an emotional ballad about walking beneath falling blossoms, drawing in their respective fanbases. As for Kim Hyun-Ji's 'Youth, Once Again!', which had been released only yesterday, its ranking was still low, perhaps because it was a trot song.
Still, beneath it were countless well-known boy groups and girl groups. Most of them were songs released last month for the upcoming festival circuit. Petite More was the only exception, as they were scheduled to make their comeback this week and had released their song on Monday.
Just then, Seo Yeon-Woo, sitting in the passenger seat, asked with a bright smile, "Hyung, aren't you getting out?"
"Yeah, I am. Though... you seem to be in a pretty good mood today."
"I am. Honestly, I thought I wouldn't even stand a chance against Cherry Blossom, but we're going back and forth between first and second place on the charts. I think it's all thanks to Reporter Jang Moon-Ki's article from the other day."
In the music video for Seo Yeon-Woo's new song 'Flower Rain', released two days earlier, Woo Yeon-Hee appeared as the female lead. As soon as the music video was released, Reporter Jang Moon-Ki published one heck of a clickbait article. Thanks to that, it had climbed all the way to the top entertainment headlines.
[Seo Yeon-Woo X Woo Yeon-Hee. "Please Let Us Fall in Love." (Weekly Star – Reporter Jang Moon-Ki)]
-Woo Yeon-Hee delivers an impressive performance in Seo Yeon-Woo's new music video, 'Flower Rain.'
Cherry Blossom's goddess of cherry blossoms. Is she making her move into acting now?
(Link 1: Official music video for Seo Yeon-Woo's 'Flower Rain.')
(Link 2: Official music video for Cherry Blossom's 'Cherry Blossom.')
(Comments)
-I got baited again. The moment I saw Jang Moon-Ki's name, I should've known better.
-Jang Moon-Ki... I really want to see this guy's face someday.
-Ah, I clicked because of the article and watched the music video first... Seo Yeon-Woo's song is insanely good this time.
-Seo Yeon-Woo is only twenty-four? Why is his voice so deep?
-He'd been making a living singing at live cafés since he was fifteen. No wonder he's got that much experience.
-Though Cherry Blossom's new song is really good too.
-Agreed. Looks like May's number one spot is going to be a battle between Cherry Blossom and Seo Yeon-Woo.
-Sounds about right. And Bang Seon-Woo, who composed both songs, is basically competing against himself.
...
Seo Yeon-Woo modestly credited the article, but there was no way that was the real reason. Just looking at how the netizens who had flocked in because of Jang Moon-Ki's bait article couldn't stop replaying Seo Yeon-Woo's song made that obvious.
I shook my head. "No. It's because you're talented. You're definitely living up to your reputation as Cherry Blossom's vocal trainer."
Looking embarrassed, Seo Yeon-Woo replied, "I'm not at that level yet. By the way, hyung. Is Yeon-Hee okay with that article that came out yesterday? I messaged her to apologize, and she said it was fine..."
"She's fine. Yeon-Hee said she doesn't mind."
Woo Yeon-Hee was already a top-tier idol, so something like this didn't bother her in the slightest. Besides, the article itself was perfectly harmless and it even included a link to Cherry Blossom's new music video, so she was actually pleased with it.
"Even so, I still feel bad about it. I should buy the girls some drinks before heading to the waiting room."
"Sure. They're selling Cherry Blossom Frappuccinos on the first floor. Let's get those."
"Okay."
We immediately ordered a pile of Cherry Blossom Frappuccinos from the café in the MBS lobby and headed toward the waiting rooms carrying them in both hands.
As we walked, I asked Seo Yeon-Woo, "By the way, how's your grandmother doing?"
"She's gotten a little better since taking that medicine. And even when her memory gets fuzzy sometimes, she was never the type to make a fuss, so there haven't been any major problems."
Because of Everyday's schedule entry, I even checked on Seo Yeon-Woo's mental state, but he looked incredibly cheerful. Once again, I couldn't understand it at all.
'On a day when Seo Yeon-Woo was in such a good mood... How is he supposed to end up being charged with assault?'
***
As we entered the MBS Waiting Room Hallway, I could feel dozens of eyes turning toward us.
"Hello, sunbae-nim!" The newly debuted three-member boy idol group Ravioli greeted Seo Yeon-Woo.
"Ah, yes. Hello."
Even though he was a candidate for first place, Seo Yeon-Woo returned their greeting with the same humility and politeness.
"Thank you so much for pointing out the problems with our vocals last time."
"You're welcome. Keep working hard, everyone. You got this!"
Ever since Seo Yeon-Woo had started making a name for himself as Cherry Blossom's vocal trainer, more and more idol groups had begun seeking his advice. And every time, Seo Yeon-Woo generously offered helpful guidance without holding anything back. That was why he had become so popular whenever he came to broadcasting stations.
Just then, Lee Joong-Han, a rookie AD from MBS, hurried over and bowed deeply to us. In the future, Lee Joong-Han would become one of the key figures behind MBS's music programs.
Yet he spoke with an apologetic expression, "Mr. Jung. I'm very sorry, but Cherry Blossom and Mr. Seo Yeon-Woo were assigned waiting rooms that are a bit far apart. I tried my best to put them together, but because Cherry Blossom has so many members, I couldn't justify giving a large room to Mr. Seo Yeon-Woo alone."
Because I was worried about the schedule involving Seo Yeon-Woo being charged with assault, I had specifically asked for their waiting rooms to be near each other. But apparently Cherry Blossom and Seo Yeon-Woo had been placed far apart.
My insides were burning with anxiety, but there was no way to change it now. Thinking of it as an investment for the future, I answered, "It's okay. I appreciate you trying."
At that, Lee Joong-Han bowed again. "I was really worried you might be upset. Thank you for being so understanding."
I hurriedly grabbed his arm and pulled him back up. "Please don't do that. If the senior staff see you, you'll get in trouble."
Quite a few old-school PDs firmly believed that you should never apologize to an entertainment company. In their view, the moment you let yourself be looked down on, you would keep getting looked down on forever, so they thought it was important to keep people in line from the start.
Touched by such a small gesture of consideration, Lee Joong-Han looked at me with genuine gratitude. Every time this happened, I felt like I had reeled in another one. However, as a regressor who already knew all the answers, I couldn't help feeling a little guilty.
"All right, let's go."
"Yes, sir." As he personally guided us down the hallway, Lee Joong-Han spoke with obvious envy. "Oh, right... I heard Mrs. Lee Ji-Yeon even bought you a Ventley recently?"
Just as Lee Ji-Yeon had predicted, everyone I met seemed to bring it up. It really drove home just how effective her gift had been at elevating a talent agent's status.
While we were chatting and gradually settling into the conversation, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from Waiting Room No. 1, where Cherry Blossom was stationed.
"Sunbae or not, if you're going to talk like that, get out right now!"
It was Woo Yeon-Hee. For a split second, I considered throwing down the Cherry Blossom Frappuccinos in both hands and sprinting over. Before I could move, however, someone beside me shot forward like an arrow.
"Hyung! I'll go check it out!"
It was Seo Yeon-Woo. Even if he was only a year older than Woo Yeon-Hee, he was still Cherry Blossom's vocal trainer. To him, Woo Yeon-Hee was someone like a student he felt responsible for protecting. That was why he reacted instinctively.
Everyday's schedule eentry flashed through my mind, and I shouted after him in alarm. "Yeon-Woo! Don't lay a hand on anyone, no matter what!"
"Of course not, hyung!"
Since Seo Yeon-Woo answered without hesitation, I felt somewhat reassured and continued walking at a more measured pace. After all, if today's scheduled incident was connected to whatever was happening inside that waiting room, then the person responsible was already trapped like a rat in a cage.
'You actually had the nerve to make Woo Yeon-Hee angry? Even if this has nothing to do with the schedule entry, you're dead meat today.'