Chapter 41. First artist (1)
"So, this is the girl you were talking about. She certainly doesn't seem bad. At least she has good looks."
Kim Dongsu said as he looked over Harin who was sitting before him.
"She is a good singer too."
Lee Hyun glanced at Harin who was still looking slightly uneasy. It was her first time in the office.
So, it was understandable that she was nervous.
She was not even raising her head. Age was just like a shy introverted girl in a noisy classroom.
"But why is she like this? If someone saw her, then they will think that I scolded her or something."
"Well, you do like a strict teacher."
"No, I think that's your job."
Kim Dongsu and Lee Hyun both laughed and joked around with each other. They were doing this to ease the atmosphere, but Harin still looked nervous.
That's why, Kim Dongsu looked at her and opened his mouth.
"You don't have to be so nervous. We aren't a big agency yet and there's only us here. So, we should be more friendly."
"Ah, um, I understand…"
Harin slowly nodded her head, but she was still nervous.
It was not because Kim Dongsu was scary to her. It was more because of his title.
Lee Hyun had earlier introduced him as the Director. That's why Harin had become more nervous around him.
"By the way, how did you manage to recruit her after she refused?"
Kim Dongsu frowned seeing that Harin was still nervous. He turned towards Lee Hyun and asked him a question he was curious about.
"Ah, well, I just did."
"I thought it would be hard for you to recruit people as you don't have experience in it, but guess, I was wrong."
Lee Hyun scratched his head with an awkward smile hearing that.
He didn't like lying to Kim Dongsu, but for the time being, he had decided to hide Harin's past from him.
'I believe in Harin, but the same can't be said about Uncle Dongsu.'
No matter what, Harin's past was really problematic and Lee Hyun knew that Kim Dongsu would be against her if he got to know it.
It was not like Harin's past and record would be hidden always.
He knew that there would be a time when he had to reveal it, but for the time being, he has decided to hide it. Lee Hyun has instructed the same to Harin.
"Um, when will I sign the contract?"
Harin suddenly opened her mouth and asked.
The reason she was here today was to sign the contract. After signing the contract, she would officially be a part of Mango Entertainment.
"We will do that, but before that, there's something else we need to do."
"Something else?"
"Yeah, an audition-"
Lee Hyun was answering her when he suddenly noticed the door opening.
A man with a sharp jawline and well combed hair entered the room with a guitar case on his back.
"Mr. Minyuk!"
Lee Hyun quickly went to shake his hands. Minyuk was looking more handsome than the last time.
'It looks like he had gone to a salon? His hairstyle seems different?'
Lee Hyun smiled seeing their degree of preparation from Minyuk. It was not necessary, but him being this meticulous means he valued this audition greatly.
It was a good thing!
After that, Minyuk greeted Kim Dongsu. He was really respectful when Lee Hyun introduced him as the Director.
Then, Minyuk's gaze fell to Harin.
"Her name is Ya Harin. She's a trainee in Mango Entertainment. Although, she hasn't officially signed the contract yet."
Minyuk nodded his head hearing that introduction.
"Hello, my name is Kang Minyuk."
"Y-yes, I'm Ya Harin."
Both of them greeted each other and sat down. Kim Dongsu offered Minyuk tea, but he refused and said,
"Can we hold the audition quickly?"
"Haha, sure."
Lee Hyun laughed hearing that. He had already anticipated that response from Minyuk.
All of them moved to the recording studio. It was the first time Harin was inside a recording studio. So, she was glancing around with curiosity.
"Should I go inside the booth?"
Minyuk asked as he pointed at the isolation booth.
"Yeah, I want to record your voice too."
"Okay."
Minyuk entered the booth and attached his guitar to the line input. Then, he wore the headphones and started warming up his voice.
'It's like an actual recording.'
Minyuk thought as he hummed lightly. He was slightly nervous, but he knew that this was maybe his last chance.
He calmed himself down thinking that.
"Wow!"
Harin exclaimed when she saw Minyuk handling the guitar like a professional.
More than his singing skills, his guitar skills were way better. He could easily be the guitarist of a top band. His skills were simply top notched.
"Do you know why I called you earlier today?"
Lee Hyun turned towards Harin and asked.
"I don't know."
"It was for you to see Minyuk's skills and learn what a real singer is."
"A real singer…!"
Harin widened her eyes hearing that. She understood Lee Hyun's motive. Her voice was good, but she still has to learn a lot before she can make her debut.
Lee Hyun was trying to tell her what level she has to reach before she can make her debut by having her listen to Minyuk's audition.
"How do you think he will do?"
Kim Dongsu asked when Lee Hyun was adjusting the mixer.
"I think he will do his best. He is the type to give it his all, no matter how big or small the stand is."
Lee Hyun smiled as he went over the standard settings. Soon, everything was ready and he signalled Minyuk to start.
'I can do it.'
Minyuk took a deep breath and started strumming his guitar.
He was singing the same song he had sung on Morning with music. The song was named 'Dreams'.
It was a song about dreams just like its name. Minyuk had written this song based on his feeling of not wanting to give up on his dream.
"I failed once, I failed twice and I know that…"
"I will fail thrice…"
"Still, I don't want to give up…"
"Because I'm just completing my dreams…"
'His voice is better now.'
Lee Hyun was not able to stop himself from smiling as Minyuk's melodious voice flowed into his ears.
He had covered all the basics of the song and even though he felt that the song was lacking, Minyuk's voice was enough to compensate for it.
His voice which looked simple at a glance, but it has the power to get stuck in your mind.
'Other agencies are really idiots to reject a singer like him.'
Lee Hyun felt that rejecting Minyuk just because of his past was really an idiotic move.
The other agencies have lots of people to choose from. So, they overlooked him because of his troublesome past, but because of that, Lee Hyun was able to get his hands on a singer like him.
"What do you think?"
He asked Kim Dongsu who was staring blankly at Minyuk.
"He is… way better than I thought."
"We will surely be able to release an album with him till Christmas."
"I don't think so."
"Ah?"
Kim Dongsu shook his head and glanced at Minyuk who was singing the last verse of his song.
"I think he can debut way earlier than that."