Siblings Work in Business (160)
Perhaps because of the results I produced back then…
He treated me differently.
‘Although he was still the same person.’
At the new NRY Entertainment building in Gangnam…
An unwelcome guest visited my studio on the 7th floor.
“Thank you for your time.”
“Don’t mention it. Please have a seat. Manager oppa, drinks please.”
A meeting.
Not a date, of course.
「“She said she’d be happy just to meet you. Manager-nim, please.”」
Kim? Or was it Lee…? I wasn’t good with names. Anyway, this meeting was arranged at the persistent request of a new team leader who joined the planning team.
Since I was busy with album preparations, I met him in my studio.
After the manager left to get drinks, I leaned back on the sofa and asked,
“Your name…?”
“Ah, sorry for the late introduction. I’m Kang Don-eom, but I go by Payoff as a composer.”
Don-eom.
No money, so Payoff…?
I almost burst out laughing at the thought, but I bit my lip and held back.
I hated dad jokes, and this…
This was all Lee Eun-ho’s influence.
“Don-eom-ssi.”
“Please call me Payoff. I don’t like my real name.”
“It’s unique, that’s a shame. Okay, Payoff-ssi, then.”
“Yes.”
“You really wanted to meet me?”
“Yes.”
Payoff’s gaze didn’t seem… romantically inclined, thankfully.
I relaxed slightly and listened to him.
“Well, um… the songs you released have been very well-received—”
“All of them, not ‘most.’”
My muscles twitched, not in a pleasant way, but in annoyance.
I liked the songs I made. Especially the ones on the albums; they were carefully chosen.
And they were all loved by the public.
Lee Eun-ho often called me rude and arrogant for saying things like that.
But honestly, I deserved to brag about my achievements.
I wasn’t the type to be humble.
So, I told Payoff the same.
“Of course, all of them. I heard your brother is also a singer, haha. But Eun-ji’s talent is clearly superior, so at NRY—”
This man…
He kept subtly praising me while putting down Lee Eun-ho.
‘What an asshole. What does he even know about Lee Eun-ho…?’
The years I spent practicing until my throat bled to catch up to Lee Eun-ho’s skills…
My music chart performance and recognition were much higher than his. But I never aimed for success, just hoping people would listen to my songs. And thankfully, they resonated with the current trend, and I became known.
Naturally, more and more people started listening to my music.
I was just… luckier. So anyway.
Lee Eun-ho wasn’t someone this bone-like, shitty bastard could talk about.
Yes.
That’s what I wanted to say.
According to the new team leader, whose name I had already forgotten, this guy was… affiliated with Soundmate?
Or just had connections there? Regardless, it was unpleasant.
‘Who does this nobody think he is?’
Even if someone had to criticize Lee Eun-ho, it should be me. Lee Eun-ho wasn’t incompetent enough to be judged by this asshole. And honestly, when it came to vocals, Lee Eun-ho was better.
“Ha—”
I scoffed.
And it seemed like Payoff took it as a sign of interest, as the corners of his lips twitched. His smug expression only annoyed me further.
That condescending gaze, as if saying, ‘I’m being nice to you because you’re successful.’ His subservient demeanor, waiting for scraps like a beggar.
‘He even looks like a… seriously…’
I had a good sense for these things. Perhaps thanks to living on the streets, or being around Lee Eun-ho, who was always wary of others. Most of the people he described as ‘creepy’ ended up causing trouble later. And they were usually the same type: those who were overly flattering, insincere, their eyes always looking for an advantage. And this man… my instincts were screaming a warning.
Payoff was clearly an uninvited guest. He had repeatedly requested a meeting, despite my numerous rejections through the new team leader. Apparently, Payoff had pressured the team leader quite a bit. ‘How?’ I wondered, observing him suspiciously. I tried to hide my feelings, but…
“Haha, am I making you uncomfortable?”
“Yes. It’s good that you noticed.”
Damn it. I said it out loud.
I wasn’t good at masking my feelings like Lee Eun-ho.
So I just said it.
“As you know, I’m very, very, very busy.”
“Of course, I understand.”
Understand my ass.
‘This cheeky little…!’
Despite his subservient demeanor, I could see his annoyance.
But I had the upper hand here.
And I didn’t care about impressing him.
Lee Eun-ho often told me to be polite to people in the industry, saying things like “word of mouth is powerful.”
But…
‘I don’t like him, so I don’t like him.’
Let them talk.
I didn’t care if people talked about me. Any publicity was good publicity.
Senior Ji Ye-chan had the same attitude.
「“Let me ask you one thing, Eun-ji. How do you deal with malicious comments?”」
「“I usually just think, ‘Your life must be pathetic if that’s all you can write,’ and move on.”」
The senior’s laughter boomed through the waiting room.
「“Then what about constructive criticism? Comments that sound harsh, but are actually helpful.”」
「“Of course, I take those and learn from them. But if it’s just useless garbage, I spit it out.”」
He had laughed so hard he teared up.
I was a bard, a clown.
I believed my job was to entertain people.
The senior called me ‘mentally strong.’
But I wasn’t.
I had my weaknesses.
I could handle insults and criticism directed at me.
But when it came to Lee Eun-ho… I couldn’t help but get defensive.
“If you know what’s good for you, Don-eom-ssi, stop talking about my brother and get to the point.”
Like now.
I deliberately used his real name, which he disliked, and his face crumpled.
“You seem to have a lot of free time, but I’m very busy, unlike you.”
It sounded like bragging, but it wasn’t.
I had two broadcasts scheduled tonight and no days off.
And I had been working on the upcoming album before he interrupted. I had even agreed to meet him in my studio to save time.
And I had been polite so far.
I wasn’t wasting my precious time for this.
“Oh, I apologize if I offended you.”
“Then stop looking at me like that, it’s offensive.”
“Looking… huh?”
“Staring at me is not pleasant.”
My true feelings slipped out, but there was no point in taking it back.
I tried to imitate Lee Eun-ho’s fake smile.
Payoff’s expression mirrored mine, a fake, plastered-on smile.
“Well, to get to the point, I’m here to offer you a song.”
“For free?”
It was half a joke.
Payoff’s face hardened.
“Haha, just kidding.”
I waved my hand dismissively.
Payoff, despite the wrinkle still etched on his forehead, forced a laugh.
‘Hmm.’
Honestly…
…I was about 80% serious about wanting him to leave.
But seeing him sit there patiently, despite the insult…
“You seem desperate.”
“…Ha, ha.”
Payoff chuckled awkwardly and looked away.
Although I couldn’t see his face, I could picture his expression.
“So, what kind of song is it? Let’s hear it.”
The song he played was… a chaotic mess.
Even dog food sounded more palatable.
Or rather, imagine a broken TV playing a siren while church bells are ringing, monks are chanting, and a choir is rapping, all at the same time. That’s what it sounded like.
“It’s too much. Everything is. We need to get rid of the cacophony first.”
I tried to be polite, giving him what I considered my last bit of kindness.
“Cacophony? You don’t know anything. That’s the point. Are you too young to understand?”
What the hell is this bastard saying?
Although he was smiling, it felt like a spark had been thrown into a pile of oil-soaked kindling. I tried to be nice, but he was pushing my buttons.
“You don’t understand.”
As Payoff finished speaking, I unleashed my inner beast.
“Are you too old?”
“Wh-What did you say?”
“I’m saying you chose the wrong ‘point,’ which I politely called ‘cacophony.’”
“Ha!”
Payoff scoffed and yelled,
“Then why don’t you make a song, if you’re so great?!”
His sudden outburst made me regain my composure.
“You can barely make anything original. Just admit you’re bad at it.”
Although his song was unsettling…
「“Even bad things can teach you something. What not to do.”」
What was that called again?
Ah, right.
A ‘bad example,’ as Lee Eun-ho would say.
I was busy. But I was willing to spend time on this song; even negative examples could be educational.
‘Can I even fix this?’
I walked past the ranting Payoff and sat back down in front of my monitor.
‘If you want to communicate through music, not words, I’m all ears.’