Siblings Work in Business (86)
Eun-ji and Eun-ho had been recording non-stop for two days straight.
Had they even slept?
They had already been working for over 10 hours today.
It would probably be close to 20 hours soon.
These two seemed to lose track of time whenever they started recording, completely absorbed in their work, even skipping meals.
CEO Park, worried, finally visited the studio after more than a day.
As usual, he was carrying a camera to film for their YouTube and E-FAN channels.
‘Oh, seeing it being used like this feels different.’
It was his second visit to the studio since the renovation.
“Oh, you’re here.”
“Don’t mind me. Finish what you’re doing, and then we’ll talk.”
“Okay.”
Eun-ji nodded and continued recording.
There had been a workspace in the old office building too.
Calling it a workspace was being generous; it was a small room crammed with a keyboard, a microphone, and various instruments.
Most of them required preparation before use because they weren’t well-maintained.
But we called it a “studio” back then.
During the renovation, we discarded the broken instruments and cleaned up the messy workspace.
After the CEO vacated his office, we tore down the partition wall and added a proper soundproof booth.
Since we used half of the house, the space was still spacious, even with the thick booth.
Soft, indirect lighting to prevent eye strain, and accent lighting to create a good atmosphere.
After installing the essential equipment, computers, and instruments, it had become a decent studio.
‘Good thing we didn’t throw it away.’
CEO Park sat down on the familiar sofa from his old office, placed in a corner behind where Eun-ji was sitting.
It was a comfortable sofa, but it looked old and worn-out in the office.
But now, placed against the dark wall under the soft lighting, it had a retro charm.
“Lee Eun-ho, layer the doubles in the high notes.”
“Without ad-libs?”
“Yeah.”
“Just clean. The song is… you know.”
“Okay.”
…Did he understand? Understand what?
“You know.”
Did those three words convey anything? Eun-ho seemed to understand and continued recording.
CEO Park, watching them work and film, was fascinated by their recording process.
They recorded continuously, pulling all-nighters.
‘Are their throats made of steel?’
It was amazing how effortlessly they worked.
On the other hand, as a business partner, they must be exhausting to work with.
‘What kind of producer could handle them?’
Even with his vast network, he couldn’t think of anyone besides themselves who could handle Eun-ho and Eun-ji.
I would do the same again
Because the lingering feelings won’t let go
Eun-ji pressed the talkback button and told Eun-ho she would continue with the next part.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Eun-ho sipped water during the short break.
“I’m going to do the high notes, is it okay to record?”
“It’s been a while since you rested, are you going straight to the climax?”
“Why, is it hard?”
“You want a natural build-up, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then play it from the chorus. I’m tired. I need to warm up.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
Exaggerating? It was difficult.
CEO Park considered intervening, but decided to wait.
Eun-ji, grumbling, played the track from the chorus, as Eun-ho requested.
That foolish us from back then
Only rough, young breaths and traces of worthless values remain
One, two.
Eun-ho, nodding along to the rhythm, effortlessly layered the chorus, two keys higher than the original.
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
I made the right choice bringing them here.
Eun-ho’s clear, powerful chorus was cathartic.
Who could dislike such talented and hardworking kids?
CEO Park looked at them with a proud smile.
“Okay, that’s good. Now, let’s see…”
Eun-ji opened several windows on the screen and quickly adjusted the levels.
As she worked, the repetitive section of the song subtly shifted, in a good way.
After a while, Eun-ji smiled in satisfaction, seemingly having found what she was looking for, and pressed the talkback button.
“Okay, I’ll work on the rest with the teacher later. Let’s move on.”
“Okay.”
CEO Park’s smile vanished at her words, “Let’s move on.”
‘These two, again…’
This was why he came to the studio.
“Eun-ji, I told you rest is important.”
“But if we just do another ten minutes…”
“Ten minutes turn into an hour, and an hour turns into ten. That’s how you ended up like this.”
“That’s true, but just ten more minutes…”
“Did you eat?”
“…Maybe?”
I knew that would be the answer.
CEO Park smiled gently and said,
“Studio Rule #3.”
“Maintain meal and break times…”
“I said I would ban you from the studio if you didn’t follow this rule. Should I?”
“No…”
Eun-ho, inside the thick soundproof booth, seemed oblivious to the conversation outside, tilting his head curiously.
As Eun-ji reached for the talkback button, he raised his eyebrows, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
“Lee Eun-ho, the CEO says we should eat.”
Eun-ji’s slightly downturned eyes…
…made Eun-ho’s almost unchanged expression at her words seem subtly disappointing.
‘Does he enjoy singing that much?’
His heart softened for a moment, but they had to eat, so CEO Park remained firm.
What kind of CEO prevented their artists from working? But Eun-ho and Eun-ji were different; they were workaholics who needed to be stopped to maintain a normal schedule.
“So, when did you two eat?”
CEO Park asked as soon as Eun-ho came out of the booth.
Just in case, he pointed at the ‘Rules’ poster on the wall.
「One, water is not food.
Two, no fighting in the studio.
Three, maintain meal and break times.
…」
Eun-ho and Eun-ji’s eyes darted around.
“I specifically said water is not food.”
These two…
He had written that rule for a reason.
Judging by their expressions, they had actually considered water a meal.
“When did you eat?”
“…”
“…”
Did they have some sort of silent communication?
Eun-ho and Eun-ji exchanged glances. Eun-ho raised an eyebrow, and Eun-ji nodded subtly.
“Don’t try to coordinate your stories with your eyes.”
He couldn’t let his guard down.
They usually fought and bickered, and didn’t seem to care about each other except when playing pranks, but they often communicated silently, as if they shared the same thoughts.
Especially when they were in trouble!
He had fallen for their ‘silent communication’ countless times.
Having learned his lesson, CEO Park stopped their silent exchange and asked again.
“We ate something before we started recording.”
“You mean ‘yesterday’?”
“We… had a kimbap roll from Kimbap Heaven last night.”
Eun-ho answered honestly while Eun-ji avoided the CEO’s gaze.
“You haven’t been surviving on just water, have you?”
“…We only drank water.”
“Didn’t your blood sugar drop?”
“Being young has its perks.”
What the…
CEO Park sighed deeply.
Especially at Eun-ho’s old-man tone, the sigh stretched a second longer.
Eun-ho and Eun-ji had started recording last night.
And now, 18 hours later, the sun was shining brightly outside.
It was almost lunchtime.
“Come out.”
“…Okay.”
“Okay.”
These kids, at least they knew they went too far.
CEO Park thought that, but in reality, they were just being obedient to avoid a lecture.
CEO Park took Eun-ho and Eun-ji to a nearby restaurant for a proper meal.
“Do you remember what you said when we signed the contract?”
“When we signed the contract?”
“Vaguely…?”
It had been almost 10 years for Eun-ho, considering the time after his regression.
And even right before the regression, all he could think about was Lee Eun-ji and music.
“You told me you didn’t care if it was cold in the winter or hot in the summer, as long as you didn’t have to eat spoiled food.”
“Wow, who said that?”
“You did, Eun-ho.”
“Didn’t I say anything?”
“Eun-ji, you said you’d be grateful just to have food.”
“We were desperate.”
“You were. Thinking back then…”
CEO Park seemed to be reminiscing.
“You know I have cats, right?”
“Yes. I think you have two or three.”
“That’s right. And they’re all stray cats. You two acted exactly like them when I first took them in.”
“Haha.”
Eun-ji laughed, and CEO Park smiled along.
They were wary, but not unkind.
Eun-ho and Eun-ji, having nothing, weren’t afraid of challenges.
A kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), filled with pork, mushrooms, and tofu, was placed on the table.
Judging by the fresh mushrooms, it needed to simmer a bit longer.
Then, perhaps because the restaurant was busy, various side dishes were brought to the table.
Eun-ho and Eun-ji both reached for the fruit salad with apple slices.
“You two were more like stray cats than my actual cats…”
While CEO Park continued reminiscing…
Eun-ho and Eun-ji, seemingly uninterested in his story, were busy eating.
The apple slices in the fruit salad quickly disappeared, leaving only macaroni and corn.
As if their hunger had finally caught up with them…
Their chopsticks moved to the small kimchi pancake.