Siblings Work in Business (37)
Slow ddeu ddeu ddeu-ra
Dadada-ra biri-da-ga deu-eo-wo
Tta-ra-tta-da tteu son
Ddeun ddeul, tta-ra seu-seu
Bae Jin-soo went to the monitor and played the demo song filled with humming and alien language.
Lee Eun-ho extracted what he could from Composer Bae Jin-soo’s humming, calculated the sections to emphasize, and divided the syllables.
After dividing the syllables, he started writing the lyrics at lightning speed.
Writing lyrics wasn’t difficult.
From the title “Small Hands” alone, there was an abundance of material to draw from our experiences.
“I give up.”
About an hour later…
Lee Eun-ji, unlike when she composed, sighed and placed her half-empty paper on the table.
On the other hand, my paper was filled with scribbles from repeatedly writing and erasing.
I placed the messy paper on the table and said,
“I’m done.”
“Huh? You’re done?”
Lee Eun-ji asked in surprise.
Composer Bae Jin-soo also looked surprised.
“Let me see!”
“Here.”
Eun-ho casually replied and slid the lyric sheet towards Eun-ji.
“Oh…”
Eun-ji read the lyrics carefully and then fell into thought.
It was an understandable reaction, considering the lyrics were closely related to Lee Eun-ji.
‘A song about me, from my perspective, based on my actions, written by Lee Eun-ji.’
The biggest inspiration for these lyrics was “DUO,” our debut single.
“How is it? Let me see too.”
Bae Jin-soo took the lyric sheet from Eun-ji’s hand and asked.
He read the lyrics carefully and muttered,
“Siblings are all…”
The lyric sheet wasn’t just filled with lyrics, but also meticulous calculations, like solving a math problem, marking which parts to tone down and emphasize, and how to deliver them powerfully.
Bae Jin-soo’s gaze shifted from the lyric sheet to Eun-ho.
“Is there something on my face?”
Eun-ho asked, wiping the spot where Bae Jin-soo was staring.
“Eun-ji often praises her brother, saying he’s more talented…”
“Aaaaagh!”
At that moment…
Eun-ji jumped up from the sofa and covered Bae Jin-soo’s mouth.
“STOOOOP! Teacher!”
“You? Covering my mouth?”
But it was too late.
Eun-ho’s jaw dropped, his expression clearly showing that he had heard everything.
Still in disbelief, he looked at Bae Jin-soo again.
Meanwhile, Bae Jin-soo seemed more flustered by Eun-ji covering his mouth.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Composer Bae Jin-soo removed Eun-ji’s hand and asked, genuinely confused.
‘Was she being coy?’
Lee Eun-ji had been unusually quiet since entering the studio today.
She even buried her face in the lyric sheet, as if embarrassed.
‘What’s wrong with her?’
They say strange things happen when people act out of character.
“What were you going to say?”
Eun-ho forced his gaze away from Eun-ji and asked Bae Jin-soo.
“I was going to say that I think I understand what Eun-ji envies about you, Eun-ho.”
Bae Jin-soo continued, smoothing out his wrinkled clothes.
“She envies me?”
I still couldn’t believe it, even after hearing it again.
Lee Eun-ji, who seemed to have been blessed with every musical talent imaginable?
Now that she could even sing high notes, what was there to envy?
Me?
Why?
“Eun-ho, you seem to approach music very analytically, is that right?”
Ah.
Analytical.
He was right.
‘If that’s the case…’
I always approached songs by drawing on my experience, considering how to sing them in the most appealing way.
Then, I applied that formula to my recordings.
“Since Eun-ji often composes based on feeling, there’s a high chance the song will turn out differently each time.”
“Ah…”
If that was the case, it made sense that Lee Eun-ji envied me.
This formulaic approach wasn’t always the right answer.
‘It’s ridiculous to look for the ‘right answer’ in art in the first place.’
But this approach saved time and reduced the chances of ruining a song by getting carried away during a performance.
‘Some fans like it when we mess up, saying it’s human, but…’
In my opinion, it wasn’t a perfect performance.
This method was especially helpful during promotions.
“You two are similar, but also very different.”
Bae Jin-soo said, handing me the lyric sheet he was looking at.
The paper was filled with strange symbols.
“Eun-ho is more intellectual…”
“Eek.”
Lee Eun-ji shuddered, but it was true that I was more intellectual.
I was smarter than our goldfish-brained sister.
But it was just a personality trait; it didn’t reflect our singing abilities.
This was evident from the lyric sheets we received earlier.
Lee Eun-ji’s paper was clean, without a single pen mark.
I knew she could sing well even with a blank sheet.
And my paper, filled with circles, pigtails, X marks, and other symbols…
Was the result of my hard work and effort to not lose to Lee Eun-ji.
‘I didn’t have the ability to grasp and interpret a song instantly like Lee Eun-ji.’
So, to appear like her…
To be compared to her less…
To stand out like her…
It was laughable, but it was all an effort to imitate a genius.
After Lee Eun-ji passed away, I relied on this technique even more.
Realistically, it wasn’t that I was smart, but just a trick I learned through experience.
“I’m not that smart… haha.”
Just as I said that, with a slightly bitter feeling…
Bae Jin-soo smiled and said,
“Well, academic intelligence isn’t the only kind of intelligence.”
“Huh?”
“There’s also street smarts and social intelligence.”
Feeling embarrassed, I swallowed my reply and looked at Lee Eun-ji.
Bae Jin-soo, looking at Eun-ho, calmly continued,
“Personally, I believe effort is also a talent. Effort is never easy.”
Effort is also a talent. It was a comforting phrase for me, who had dedicated my life to overcoming talent with effort.
“Since Eun-ho wrote the lyrics, would you mind recording a guide for us today? I’d like to hear your interpretation of the song…”
“Of course.”
It would be a shame to refuse after hearing that.
I smiled faintly and stood up.
“I’ll do my best.”
Bae Jin-soo smiled kindly at Eun-ho and sat in front of the monitor.
As Eun-ho entered the recording booth, Bae Jin-soo read the copied lyrics, using Eun-ho’s humming as background music.
Even after reading it again, Eun-ho’s lyrics felt completely different from the ones the lyricist sent.
‘Unlike the lyricist’s lyrics, which were about love from beginning to end…’
Eun-ho’s lyrics were open to interpretation.
They even added depth to the previously shallow song.
However, it only took him an hour to write these lyrics.
It was too short a time to perfect them.
‘There will be many parts to refine while singing.’
No matter how confident they seemed, these kids were still rookies who hadn’t even debuted.
Bae Jin-soo thought they would need some time to relax in the recording booth.
“Start whenever you’re ready, I’ll jump in!”
Eun-ho said from inside the recording booth, putting on his headphones.
Bae Jin-soo paused for a moment at Eun-ho’s energetic greeting.
It was because of his relaxed demeanor, as if he didn’t need time to prepare.
Bae Jin-soo started playing the intro to “Small Hands” at Eun-ho’s signal.
♩♪♪
A flowing piano melody began.
Just like his confident reply, Eun-ho’s face showed no signs of nervousness.
‘3, 2, 1.’
Keeping the beat, Eun-ho started singing at the perfect timing.
Dark night falls
The hand that told me to hold on
The hand I regretted
If I hadn’t let go, would it have been different?
The moment Eun-ho started singing with a melancholic tone…
Bae Jin-soo felt a sense of doubt.
It was because of Eun-ho’s sudden change in aura, like a different person.
‘How can this be a rookie?’
Bae Jin-soo, having worked with countless singers, knew the difference between a rookie and a veteran.
And in his opinion, Eun-ho was a veteran.
Someone who could make even a song that wasn’t theirs their own.
So that the memory, not even a nightmare, won’t make you shiver anymore
I won’t let go twice
I won’t lose you again
So you can sleep soundly, let’s go together
Or rather, he was clearly someone who would become such a presence.
“Composer, could you listen to a whole track and give me your feedback?”
“Okay. So far, it’s great.”
“Then I’ll continue. Please don’t stop before I signal.”
“Okay.”
After the verse ended…
When he opened his mouth to sing again, Eun-ho’s eyes were closed.
Bae Jin-soo looked at the lyric sheet Eun-ho wrote and checked the formula-like markings he left.
Same day, Same time
Same day, other crime
On the dawn road I had to step on
The dawn road I had to walk
It was a voice filled with an unfathomable sadness, despite the calm and plain tone.
The day that wasn’t allowed
The hand that fell, the hand I lost
The little one who grew up, do you remember that day?
Before he knew it, Bae Jin-soo realized he was just listening to Eun-ho’s singing.
But that was enough.
I would do the same again
The lingering feelings
Even if you tell me to let go, I can’t
While Bae Jin-soo listened to Eun-ho’s singing in awe…
Eun-ji was clenching her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
Same day, Same time
Same day, other crime
Her face was burning.
When she first read the lyrics, she thought, ‘No way.’
On the dawn road I had to step on
The dawn road I had to walk
But when Lee Eun-ho sang the lyrics with emotion, breathing life into them, she realized.
“That jerk… using his own story for the lyrics in ‘DUO’…”
Despite her angry tone…
Eun-ji lowered her head, trying to hide her teary eyes.
That foolish us back then
Only rough, young breaths and worthless values remain
Lee Eun-ho’s lyrics were based on his experiences.
And they were about a major event in our lives.
Same day, Same time
Only dreamt of prime, lacked cash
Still holding onto the same wish
Only Eun-ji understood what each word—same day, same time, crime, prime, cash, wish—referred to, what they meant.