Chapter 41: Plan for the future

After Melancholy Mood arrived at Universal Music's headquarters in New York, they began a straightforward yet rigorous training regimen that included styling, design, and media interaction skills.

To succeed as an idol band, it wasn't enough to just have talent; they needed to be polished in every aspect. The band spent a significant amount of time training under the guidance of the company.

During this period, Universal Music also started collecting songs for Melancholy Mood and made plans to begin recording their debut album.

Universal Music's representative Craig Cook remembered the two songs Melancholy Mood had submitted: "Last" and "Boundless Sky." Both were excellent, though they didn't perfectly align with the band's intended image as an idol group.

Nevertheless, Craig thought they would work well as the second or third singles from the album.

After receiving the scores for "Last" and "Boundless Sky" from Gillen Haas, Craig immediately set out to register the copyrights.

This was standard procedure for a large company, but the news he received left him reeling. The copyrights for both songs had already been registered—under Evan Bell's name.

This was a shocking blow for Craig Cook. He had signed Melancholy Mood because of the potential he saw in those two songs.

Now, discovering that Evan Bell, the only band member who hadn't signed the contract, owned the copyrights, meant that the band would have to pay Evan Bell to use these songs in the future.

Craig had never anticipated the sudden turn of events which left him feeling that he lost to Evan. 

Gillen Haas and the others visited Evan Bell to persuade him to register the copyrights in the band's name.

This way, Evan would still own half the rights as the composer, and the band would own the other half, making it easier to use the songs without Evan's permission every time, and only half the copyright fees would be necessary.

Even if this plan failed, they hoped to convince Evan to allow the band to use the songs.

But things quickly went downhill when Jacob Tibo, frustrated by Evan Bell's indifference, said something out of anger that derailed the entire negotiation.

Jacob wasn't typically the kind of person to speak out of turn, but in front of Evan, he often felt insecure and inferior, which made him prone to mistakes.

As Gillen Haas tried to explain, Evan Bell finally interrupted, "Haas, I have two questions for you." When Gillen heard Evan address him so formally, his heart sank.

"First, were 'Last' and 'Boundless Sky' written by me, independently?"

Gillen Haas opened his mouth to respond but found himself unable to say anything. He could only nod.

"Second, did you sign with Universal Music without informing me?" Evan asked. Although they hadn't discussed this issue during their last, tense meeting, Evan had his suspicions.

Sure enough, Gillen nodded again, casting a despairing glance at Jacob Tibo and Bruce Stewart.

Jacob had thought they couldn't afford to miss the opportunity with Universal Music and had convinced the others that since Evan didn't want to sign anyway, they should proceed without him to avoid complications.

What was initially an amicable parting turned into a betrayal that deeply disappointed Evan Bell.

"So, the copyrights to these two songs belong to me, and there's no question about it. Moreover, I made it clear that these songs were not for the band's use." With that, Evan Bell turned away from Gillen Haas, opened the door to the dormitory, and disappeared inside with Eden Hudson.

Those watching the drama unfold in the hallway suddenly realized that it wasn't Evan causing trouble. The other three band members had abandoned their lead singer for fame and fortune.

They didn't know that Evan was unwilling to sign with Universal Music, nor did they know the full story.

From this exchange, they gathered that Melancholy Mood had signed with the record label behind Evan's back and now wanted to use his independently created songs for their own gain, It wasn't just unfair; it was downright insulting.

In an instant, the guys in the dormitory corridor directed disdainful looks at the three bewildered band members. Betraying a friend for personal gain wasn't something anyone respected.

Jacob Tibo finally calmed down after realizing the consequences of his impulsive actions.

Still, he stubbornly muttered, "I still don't believe we can't make it without him." But even he knew the statement lacked conviction.

His jealousy towards Evan Bell blinded him of how crucial Evan was to the band's success.

Regret is a bitter pill, but there's no turning back time. Gillen Haas sighed deeply and walked away, his shoulders slumped.

Bruce Stewart, who had remained silent throughout, followed him, lost in thought.

Jacob Tibo, still unwilling to let go, kicked the door to Evan's dormitory hard before striding away after his teammates.

The meeting ended on a sour note, with no one knowing when they'd see each other again or what the future held for Melancholy Mood and Evan Bell.

Evan Bell, however, was unfazed when he returned to his room. He knew what kind of person Jacob Tibo was, so despite the harsh words exchanged and the intensified conflict, Evan wasn't as upset as he had been before.

Emotional ups and downs should be reserved for those who truly matter.

Eden Hudson glanced at Evan and, with a smirk, predicted more trouble in the future, pointing out that the band members weren't likely to be satisfied with the outcome. "You've created so many songs, but only those two are copyrighted. Who knows, they might even try to plagiarize the others."

Evan didn't care at all and replied with a wry smile, "If they want to plagiarize, let them. Honestly, I don't think those songs are that great anyway. If Universal wants to release them as singles, I'll take it as a compliment."

Though he was smiling, there was a subtle disdain in his eyes that even Eden, sitting across from him, didn't catch.

In fact, Evan wasn't being modest—he was being honest. There was still plenty of room for improvement in those two songs.

Creativity requires accumulation, experience, and inspiration, and style matures gradually. It's not something that happens overnight.

The song "Mad World," adapted for Donnie Darko, was the best Evan had written so far, leagues above "Last" and "Boundless Sky."

As for "Skylight," which he began writing during the road trip with Blake Lively, it had been half a year without much progress.

But even the tiny fragment of the song he had was promising. The lack of progress was due to the scale and ambition of the song.

The environment in which "Skylight" was created was vast and grand, and to complete it, Evan knew he needed not just talent but also the right opportunity.

"What are your plans for the future?" Eden Hudson suddenly asked, causing Evan to look at him curiously before understanding his meaning.

Eden was referring to the fact that Universal Music was preparing to release an album with Melancholy Mood. Although they were being positioned as an idol band, if their singles took off, it would inevitably create conflict with Evan.

Evan subconsciously rubbed the ring finger on his right hand with his left, thinking for a moment before responding casually, "First, make some money. Then record a few songs, see if I can find some distribution channels, and release singles myself. Maybe I'll just post them online like Linkin Park. But, one thing is for sure, I'll only keep on making music that I like" This had been his plan for Melancholy Mood's future, but even if he is now an independent artist, he still plans to stick to it. 

Eden nodded slightly, understanding that this path of independent development suited Evan perfectly. "It looks like things are going to be tense with Melancholy Mood. I hope they succeed; otherwise, they'll never live it down in front of you."

In Eden's eyes, even though Evan is going to walk down the difficult path of an independent musician, his talent will eventually led him to be recognized.

Evan gave a helpless smile. "Why does it sound like you think I'm going to crush them?"

Eden didn't comment, but his silence made Evan's eyebrows shoot up. He kicked the coffee table, hitting Eden's calf hard. "When I have the power, I'll make sure to live up to your expectations and crush them."

Eden's calf throbbed in pain, but he wasn't one to show his feelings. Only his eyes gave away the discomfort as they bounced up and down.

He immediately tried to kick the coffee table back, but the tight space made it impossible, so he ended up hitting his knee instead, doubling the pain.

It hurts, but he gritted his teeth and endured it, maintaining a stoic expression. Only his slightly more animated eyes revealed the turmoil within.

This comical struggle made Evan burst into laughter. "Man, if it hurts, just say so. Why put on the tough guy act with me?"

Eden remained silent, his face reddening slightly, but he didn't say a word. Evan couldn't help but admire his friend's stubbornness.