The next day, Geon and Sean came to Compton to meet Dre. As Geon entered the Beats store, he greeted Amy, who was always at the front counter with one hand propped up.
"Amy! I'm here."
Amy, chewing gum and organizing inventory on her PC, looked up and smiled.
"Oh, Kay's here? Our star!"
Geon chuckled as Amy, who had seemed intimidating at first, now flashed a cute smile.
"Not a star, just me. Ha ha. Is Dre here?"
Amy pointed downstairs with her hand as she replied, "He's in the studio. Come on down. Oh, and take a picture for me to show off to my friends."
Putting down Hakoo, Geon approached Amy with a smile. "Sure thing! As many as you want."
After taking several pictures with Geon, Amy finally noticed Sean standing behind him and asked belatedly, "But who's that?"
Geon looked at Sean, who was waiting patiently, and introduced him, "Oh, this is Sean, who I'm working with this time. Sean Lennon."
Amy raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Lennon? Like John Lennon?"
Geon chuckled. "Yes, the son of the John Lennon, known as God."
Amy widened her eyes dramatically and exclaimed, "Wow! The son of John Lennon? Oh my! Can I take a picture with you?"
Sean smiled warmly and replied, "Of course, no problem. Let's take one together."
After spending some time with Amy and taking photos, Geon and Sean made their way downstairs. Standing nervously in front of the studio, Sean ran his hand through his clothes and commented, "Phew, we're finally here. Dre's studio, huh?"
Geon chuckled lightly. "He's a good guy. Don't be nervous, come on in."
Geon shouted as he opened the door, "Dre! I'm here!"
Geon froze in the same posture as when he was smiling widely and shouting. Sean, who was standing behind him, bumped into him, unable to retreat further. Slowly rising from the table in the studio, Dre looked back with a playful smile, and Snoop Dogg, who was sitting on the table, lowered his sunglasses slightly and squinted at Geon. Eminem, who was sitting on the floor and chuckling, and Ice Cube, who was sitting next to him, also appeared.
Geon awkwardly chuckled and stammered, "S...Snoop... Uh, haha."
Snoop got up from the table and slowly approached Geon. Despite Geon trying to retreat, he couldn't move back any further because Sean was standing behind him. Snoop leaned in close to Geon's face, hanging his sunglasses on his nose and locking eyes with him. As Geon nervously rolled his eyes and sweat dripped down his face, Snoop growled softly.
"I thought we were pretty tight, K."
Geon, leaning back as far as he could from the close proximity of Snoop's face, replied, "W...well, of course we are, Snoop..."
Snoop straightened up and, with his hands in his pockets, said, "Don't want to hear your words. But there's one thing you need to do for me."
"Y-yes? What, what is it? A-a-a-another p-p-party?"
"Drinking is something we'll do tonight anyway."
"Uh, y-yes? S-s-so...?"
"I may not know what's going to happen this time, but you'll have to include me. I have a feeling there'll be something fun if you're around."
"Ah... Th-this time, it's not about hip-hop, Snoop."
Snoop, standing up straight, put his hand in his pocket and said, "Doesn't matter. Where I am, that's where hip-hop is."
Geon, leaning on Sean behind him for support and barely standing up, opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, the door inside the studio opened with a bang, and a blonde beauty with glamorous looks entered, shouting.
"Dad! When on earth is K...?"
The golden-haired girl, upon opening the door and shouting, blushed and became flustered when she met Geon's eyes. Laughing as he watched Eminem, who was sitting on the floor, Geon pointed with his hand and said, "There she is, your daughter, Haley."
Haley, with her head down, fidgeted with her hands and laughed as she watched Eminem sitting on the floor. Eminem, laughing as he stood up, walked over to Haley and patted her on the head with his hand.
"You sing songs about missing me. Is it okay?"
Geon, surprised, looked at Haley and said, "Oh, you're Eminem's daughter? But... I didn't know Eminem had such a big daughter. You look so young, I thought you were like my younger sister..."
Eminem got up from his seat and laughed as he said to Geon, "It's a compliment, but it's useless to raise children. Look at her expression, man, look at that."
As Haley blushed and glared at Eminem, who was mocking her, Geon smiled, raising his hands in surrender, signaling that it was just a joke.
"Hey, what?"
Geon laughed and waved his hands to indicate that it was a joke before saying, "We'll be friends if we're the same age. Are you a student?"
"Oh, you just graduated from high school recently."
"Oh~ I see. Let's be comfortable with each other. Call me K. I'll call you Haley."
Haley's face lit up with joy at Geon's warm words. Seeing her, Eminem looked incredulously at Geon and said, "Raising children is useless. Look at her expression."
As Haley blushed and glared at Eminem, who was teasing her, Geon approached her and extended his hand in greeting.
"Hello? I'm K. Nice to meet you."
Haley, with her head down, gathered her hands in front of her and, with a shy demeanor, replied, "Nice to meet you too. I'm Haley Jade Mathers. I'm... I'm a fan!"
Geon looked at Haley and said, "You look a lot like your dad. You're much prettier than your dad, so lucky, ha ha."
Eminem, glaring at Geon, said, "What?"
Geon laughed and raised both hands, indicating that it was a joke.
"Let's go inside. Damian and Nas will be here soon."
Geon, with Dre's support, stood up and approached him, asking a question.
"Sure, I heard about it over the phone, but merging reggae with an orchestra? Is that even possible? And on top of that, the original piece is a ballad?"
Snoop raised an eyebrow, posing the question outright.
"What? Merging reggae into an orchestral performance of a ballad? Why make it so complicated? What's the reason behind it?"
Based on his conversation with Shaun, Geon provided a lengthy explanation. Throughout his explanation, Haley's eyes couldn't help but steal glances at Geon beside her, her curiosity insatiable. Observing her, Eminem subtly gestured to Snoop and Ice Cube after which he spoke.
"Well... It seems like we need to have a chat with Shaun. Perhaps over a cup of coffee? Oh, Kay. Since Nas and Damian are coming, you guys wait here for a bit. Haley too."
Eminem's sudden intervention prompted those around him to catch on to his intention, rising from their seats. Ice Cube tapped Geon's shoulder with a grin, revealing his white teeth.
"Good luck, buddy."
Before Geon could ask what he meant, the group with Shaun exited, leaving Geon to awkwardly shift his gaze towards Haley. As she sat there, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, Geon finally grasped their intention and rubbed his forehead.
"Um... I'm not really good at this!"
Struggling to find the right words for a moment, Geon couldn't overcome the awkwardness and spoke first.
"Um... Haley. Do you like music? Oh, you're Eminem's daughter, so it's a given, right?"
Startled by the sudden sound of Geon's voice, Haley nodded slightly, trembling, as Geon inquired further.
"What kind of music do you like? Hip-hop?"
Haley replied in a hesitant tone, tilting her head slightly.
"No, more like rock ballads or just ballads..."
"Oh, really? What songs do you like?"
After a brief pause, Haley responded.
"Um... I listen to a lot of 3 Doors Down."
Geon looked surprised.
"3 Doors Down? You seem bright, but unexpectedly, do you like melancholic sentiments?"
Haley blushed, flashing a shy smile as she nodded. Geon, unable to think of anything else to say, was about to change the subject when Haley spoke up this time.
"Um... Could I maybe listen to a song?"
Turning his head, Geon asked.
"Huh? A song? Which one?"
Shaking her head, Haley replied.
"Anything is fine. It would be a stroke of luck for me to hear it. As long as it's a song you've never performed anywhere else."
After a moment of contemplation, Geon took Hakoo out of its hard case.
"Let's go to the studio. I'll do it."
Geon picked up Hakoo and headed to the studio, but as he glanced at Haley sitting there with eager eyes, he smiled and reached out his hand.
"Let's go."
With a joyful smile, Haley took Geon's hand, and they entered the studio together. As Geon set up Hakoo and connected it to the amp, he stood in front of the microphone.
"Ahem... Alright, let me try singing a song for just one person. Here goes."
Clapping her hands like a child, showing her excitement, Haley watched as Geon began to sing, lost in the emotions of the song. And when Geon's voice, filled with emptiness and sorrow, flowed out, Haley couldn't tear her gaze away from him, her hands clasped over her chest, twisting her body as if unable to look away.
"A hundred days have made me older"
(Since the last time that I saw your pretty face)
"Since the last time that I saw your pretty face"
(A thousand lies have made me colder)
"And I don't think I can look at this the same"
"When Damian Marley and Nas arrived at the studio, they found Haley deeply engrossed in her music, while Geon seemed smitten by her love-struck gaze. Damian, leaning against the studio wall, gestured towards Geon and Haley from outside.
"Hey, Nas. Look at that girl, completely lost in love, isn't she?" Nas responded with an amused expression, "Yeah, seems like it. But Kay seems indifferent, doesn't she? He must be quite a puzzle; that girl, too."
Damian chuckled softly, "You shouldn't fall in love with someone too extraordinary. It's easier to just remain a fan." Nas responded with surprise, "Extraordinary? Is Kay at that level already?" Damian replied confidently, "Of course. Just look at him. Even without music or acting, he could be a star just by being a model." Nas agreed, "Hmm, true. He's really good-looking." Damian teased, "Look at her expression. Hearts practically jump out of her eyes." Nas paused, "Wait a minute. Isn't she Haley?" "What? Do you know her?" "Isn't she Eminem's daughter?" "Wow, really?" Nas said with a perplexed expression, "Eminem's famous daughter, and Kay isn't interested in her? If he falls for her, it'll be explosive..."
Damian chuckled with interest, "Let's just watch from the sidelines. It's none of our business. Let's just enjoy the show, shall we?"
As they both watched Geon and Haley, who were lost in their own world inside the studio, Geon quickly came out as soon as he noticed the two waiting outside. Haley, who was sitting in a chair, stared blankly after Geon as he rushed outside.
Geon hurriedly ran out of the studio to meet the two, greeting them with a smile, "Ah, welcome. Nas, Damian Marley."
Nas greeted him with a smile and extended his fist, "Nice to meet you. Although it's our first time meeting, it feels familiar, perhaps because of your music."
Damian Marley also extended his fist and said, "Nice to meet you, Kay. Just call me Damian. I came running when I heard we could work together."
Geon greeted them warmly, fist-bumping each of them, "Thank you so much. Shaun went upstairs to talk to someone else for a moment, should we go?"
Arriving at the spacious reception area on the first floor, Geon looked around confidently, but everyone seemed to be avoiding eye contact, holding back laughter. There was a tension in the air, as if everyone was trying not to laugh. When Geon continued to observe them, Dré stepped forward.
"Haha, come over and sit down. Shall we talk business? Mister Lennon, Nas and Damian have come, so could you please explain it again?"
As Dré forced Geon to sit down, Shaun stepped forward to explain.
"Yes, let me explain. Professor Leontine Price, a professor of opera studies at Juilliard, had a close relationship with our father. This collaboration with the Juilliard Orchestra came about through Professor Leontine's recommendation."
"Professor Leontine gave me a designated piece for my musical growth, which was the song 'Parachute.' It's a song I released in 2006, and it's a ballad. We agreed that if I provided the final arrangement of the song, they would add the orchestral score necessary for the collaboration. However, I seemed to have lacked the skill, so I asked Kay for help."
Damian raised his hand and asked, "Hmm... a ballad? Why did you choose me to sing it?"
This time, Geon stepped forward.
"Shaun's song contains three emotions: love, fear, and death. I chose reggae to preserve all these emotions without sacrificing any. So I asked Damian for help."
Ice Cube chuckled and asked, "Love, fear, and death? Although they can be related, why reggae?"
Damian smiled confidently at Ice Cube, "You hit the nail on the head. There's no music better than reggae to express hope and love that emerge from a cruel reality. So you came to me. Well done!"
Dré applauded, leading everyone's attention, and said, "Alright, then I'll produce it."
Geon and Shaun looked surprised and asked, "What? Dré, you're producing? It's a performance, not an album, Dré."
Dré revealed his intention with a smile, "Yeah, a performance. It's not like Manhattan is far away. I'll just go for a day."
Snoop raised his sunglasses and said, "Leave eight bars empty. I'll add a rap."
Geon looked at Snoop with astonished eyes, "Rap? But it's an orchestra."
Snoop shrugged and said, "If the guy who wants to combine orchestra and reggae says rap won't work, what's the point?"
Damian laughed joyfully, "Haha, let's do it all! It'll be fun!"
Shaun looked at Kay and asked, "But when will we start arranging? Kay?"
Geon chuckled and said, "Shaun's song contains three emotions: love, fear, and death. I chose reggae to preserve all these emotions without sacrificing any. So I asked Damian for help."
Ice Cube chuckled and asked, "Love, fear, and death? Although they can be related, why reggae?"
Damian smiled confidently at Ice Cube, "You hit the nail on the head. There's no music better than reggae to express hope and love that emerge from a cruel reality. So you came to me. Well done!"
Dré applauded, leading everyone's attention, and said, "Alright, then I'll produce it."
Geon and Shaun looked surprised and asked, "What? Dré, you're producing? It's a performance, not an album, Dré."
Dré revealed his intention with a smile, "Yeah, a performance. It's not like Manhattan is far away. I'll just go for a day."
Snoop raised his sunglasses and said, "Leave eight bars empty. I'll add a rap."
Geon looked at Snoop with astonished eyes, "Rap? But it's an orchestra."
Snoop shrugged and said, "If the guy who wants to combine orchestra and reggae says rap won't work, what's the point?"
Damian laughed joyfully, "Haha, let's do it all! It'll be fun!"
Shaun looked at Kay and asked, "But when will we start arranging? Kay?"
Geon chuckled and said, "Now that you mention it... let's go!""
Now, let's translate the passage into English while maintaining the given character names and genders:
"When Damian Marley and Nas arrived at the studio, inside, they found Haley, with eyes brimming with love, deeply engrossed in her music, while Geon, who seemed oblivious to such feelings, was completely immersed in song. Damian, his arms folded, observed Geon and Haley from the studio's exterior workspace and remarked.
"Hey, Nas. That girl there looks completely smitten, doesn't she?"
Nas responded with an amused expression.
"Yeah, seems like it. But Kay doesn't seem to be interested,
does he? Quite a puzzle that guy is, and so is she."
Damian chuckled softly and said.
"You shouldn't fall for someone too extraordinary. It's easier to just remain a fan."
Nas, looking surprised, remarked.
"Extraordinary? Is Kay at that level already?"
"Of course. Just look at him. Even without music or acting, he could be a star just by being a model."
"Hmm, true. He's really good-looking."
"Look at her expression. Hearts practically jump out of her eyes."
"Wait a minute. Isn't she Haley?"
"What? Do you know her?"
"Isn't she Eminem's daughter?"
"Wow, really?"
Nas said with a perplexed expression.
"Eminem's famous daughter, and Kay isn't interested in her? If he falls for her, it'll be explosive..."
Damian chuckled with interest.
"Let's just watch from the sidelines. It's none of our business. Let's just enjoy the show, shall we?"
As they both observed Geon and Haley, who were lost in their own world inside the studio, Geon quickly came out as soon as he noticed the two waiting outside. Haley, who was sitting in a chair, stared blankly after Geon as he rushed outside.
Geon hurriedly ran out of the studio to meet the two, greeting them with a smile.
"Ah, welcome. Nas, Damian Marley."
Nas greeted him with a smile and extended his fist.
"Nice to meet you. Although it's our first time meeting, it feels familiar, perhaps because of your music."
Damian Marley also extended his fist and said.
"Nice to meet you, Kay. Just call me Damian. I came running when I heard we could work together."
Geon greeted them warmly, fist-bumping each of them.
"Thank you so much. Shaun went upstairs to talk to someone else for a moment, should we go?"
Arriving at the spacious reception area on the first floor, Geon looked around confidently, but everyone seemed to be avoiding eye contact, holding back laughter. There was a tension in the air, as if everyone was trying not to laugh. When Geon continued to observe them, Dré stepped forward.
"Haha, come over and sit down. Shall we talk business? Mister Lennon, Nas and Damian have come, so could you please explain it again?"
As Dré forced Geon to sit down, Shaun stepped forward to explain.
"Yes, let me explain. Professor Leontine Price, a professor of opera studies at Juilliard, had a close relationship with our father. This collaboration with the Juilliard Orchestra came about through Professor Leontine's recommendation."
"Professor Leontine gave me a designated piece for my musical growth, which was the song 'Parachute.' It's a song I released in 2006, and it's a ballad. We agreed that if I provided the final arrangement of the song, they would add the orchestral score necessary for the collaboration. However, I seemed to have lacked the skill, so I asked Kay for help."
Damian raised his hand and asked.
"Hmm... a ballad? Why did you choose me to sing it?"
This time, Geon stepped forward.
"Shaun's song contains three emotions: love, fear, and death. I chose reggae to preserve all these emotions without sacrificing any. So I asked Damian for help."
Ice Cube chuckled and asked.
"Love, fear, and death? Although they can be related, why reggae?"
Damian smiled confidently at Ice Cube.
"You hit the nail on the head. There's no music better than reggae to express hope and love that emerge from a cruel reality. So you came to me. Well done!"
Dré applauded, leading everyone's attention, and said.
"Alright, then I'll produce it."
Geon and Shaun looked surprised and asked.
"What? Dré, you're producing? It's a performance, not an album, Dré."
Dré revealed his intention with a smile.
"Yeah, a performance. It's not like Manhattan is far away. I'll just go for a day."
Snoop raised his sunglasses and said.
"Leave eight bars empty. I'll add a rap."
Geon looked at Snoop with astonished eyes.
"Rap? But it's an orchestra."
Snoop shrugged and said.
"If the guy who wants to combine orchestra and reggae says rap won't work, what's the point?"
Damian laughed joyfully.
"Haha, let's do it all! It'll be fun!"
Shaun looked at Kay and asked.
"But when will we start arranging? Kay?"
Geon chuckled and said.
"Now that you mention it... let's go!"
"Now, let's give it a try. But there's something I need to discuss with you in advance, Shaun."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Let the Orchestra Department know. I'm going to deliver the orchestral scores."
"What? You're going to do it all by yourself?"
"Yes, but it might take some time. There are so many instruments involved."
Dré said with an incredulous look.
"Kay, do you think it's possible? There are dozens of different instruments."
Geon nodded confidently and replied.
"It should be possible. As long as Damian fine-tunes the reggae instruments."
Shaun expressed concern.
"Hmm... Time is running short until the performance. What if we run out of physical time?"
After contemplating for a moment, Geon suggested.
"Then let's do this. First, I'll deliver the arranged score, and then I'll deliver the orchestral score. Later, after comparing the score prepared by the department with mine, we can make a decision. How does that sound?"
"What? Isn't that a matter of their pride? Will they agree to that?"
Geon shrugged.
"Then I'll ask Professor Leontine Price separately through Professor Leontine Price."
Shaun sighed and said.
"Alright, but don't come off as arrogant. Even if you don't know, I can't afford to look bad."
Seeing Geon smile as if to reassure him, Snoop stood up and said.
"Okay, Kay will work hard on arranging from tomorrow. Now, I have some business to attend to with Kay, right?"
As Geon, sweating nervously, awkwardly smiled, Snoop looked around and said.
"Let's go to my place. Since it's not easy for so many people to gather, let's have a drink?"
Everyone laughed and got up from their seats, but Geon, who was left alone, had a helpless look in his eyes. Eventually, Geon was forcibly escorted to Snoop's house, being carried on Ice Cube's shoulders once again. As Geon was being carried into Snoop's car, which everyone had arrived in, laughter erupted when they saw him being tied up on Ice Cube's back. Gasping for air, Geon muttered weakly from Ice Cube's back.
"No more alcohol..."
After entering Snoop's house and sitting on the sofa, Geon, with a face of resignation, went outside to the terrace to soothe his dizzy head and nauseous stomach. As Geon was taking deep breaths outside the terrace, Damien approached him with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. After glancing at Geon, who was struggling, Damien smiled and said as he leaned on the terrace railing and looked outside.
"Kay, do you know our father?"
Geon nodded naturally.
"Of course. He's someone I really respect."
With a bitter smile, Damien said.
"Yeah, he's a respected musician. He may not have been a good father, though."
As Geon looked quietly at Damien, Damien smiled.
"Anyway, thanks to our father, I'm living as a musician like this. So maybe he wasn't such a bad father after all. He was a musician born as music and died as a god, you know."
"Do you resent your father?"
"No, not really. But it's just that the time I spent with him was too short."
"That's true. Until he passed away, he traveled around the world. Do you admire your father?"
"Of course. He's a respected musician."
As Geon looked silently at Damien and hesitated, Damien looked back at him with a heavy gaze.
"You must be happy."
Damien turned his head towards Geon as if to ask what he meant, but Geon had already gone into the living room. Seeing Geon's back as he walked into the living room alone, Damien lifted the bottle of alcohol and took a sip. Just as Damien and Dre came inside from the terrace, they saw Haley, who had come to Snoop's house to visit, angrily scolding Eminem, who was sitting next to her, and Eminem, with his neck hunched, and the rest of the musicians laughing and joking around."
Now, let's translate a passage from the Korean text into English with precision and artistry:
"Now, let's give it a try. But there's something I need to discuss with you in advance, Shaun."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Let the Orchestra Department know. I'm going to deliver the orchestral scores."
"What? You're going to do it all by yourself?"
"Yes, but it might take some time. There are so many instruments involved."
Dré said with an incredulous look.
"Kay, do you think it's possible? There are dozens of different instruments."
Geon nodded confidently and replied.
"It should be possible. As long as Damian fine-tunes the reggae instruments."
Shaun expressed concern.
"Hmm... Time is running short until the performance. What if we run out of physical time?"
After contemplating for a moment, Geon suggested.
"Then let's do this. First, I'll deliver the arranged score, and then I'll deliver the orchestral score. Later, after comparing the score prepared by the department with mine, we can make a decision. How does that sound?"
"What? Isn't that a matter of their pride? Will they agree to that?"
Geon shrugged.
"Then I'll ask Professor Leontine Price separately through Professor Leontine Price."
Shaun sighed and said.
"Alright, but don't come off as arrogant. Even if you don't know, I can't afford to look bad."
Seeing Geon smile as if to reassure him, Snoop stood up and said.
"Okay, Kay will work hard on arranging from tomorrow. Now, I have some business to attend to with Kay, right?"
As Geon, sweating nervously, awkwardly smiled, Snoop looked around and said.
"Let's go to my place. Since it's not easy for so many people to gather, let's have a drink?"
Everyone laughed and got up from their seats, but Geon, who was left alone, had a helpless look in his eyes. Eventually, Geon was forcibly escorted to Snoop's house, being carried on Ice Cube's shoulders once again. As Geon was being carried into Snoop's car, which everyone had arrived in, laughter erupted when they saw him being tied up on Ice Cube's back. Gasping for air, Geon muttered weakly from Ice Cube's back.
"No more alcohol..."
After entering Snoop's house and sitting on the sofa, Geon, with a face of resignation, went outside to the terrace to soothe his dizzy head and nauseous stomach. As Geon was taking deep breaths outside the terrace, Damien approached him with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. After glancing at Geon, who was struggling, Damien smiled and said as he leaned on the terrace railing and looked outside.
"Kay, do you know our father?"
Geon nodded naturally.
"Of course. He's someone I really respect."
With a bitter smile, Damien said.
"Yeah, he's a respected musician. He may not have been a good father, though."
As Geon looked quietly at Damien, Damien smiled.
"Anyway, thanks to our father, I'm living as a musician like this. So maybe he
wasn't such a bad father after all. He was a musician born as music and died as a god, you know."
"Do you resent your father?"
"No, not really. But it's just that the time I spent with him was too short."
"That's true. Until he passed away, he traveled around the world. Do you admire your father?"
"Of course. He's a respected musician."
As Geon looked silently at Damien and hesitated, Damien looked back at him with a heavy gaze.
"You must be happy."
Damien turned his head towards Geon as if to ask what he meant, but Geon had already gone into the living room. Seeing Geon's back as he walked into the living room alone, Damien lifted the bottle of alcohol and took a sip. Just as Damien and Dre came inside from the terrace, they saw Haley, who had come to Snoop's house to visit, angrily scolding Eminem, who was sitting next to her, and Eminem, with his neck hunched, and the rest of the musicians laughing and joking around."