Devil’s Music

In front of the Fantagio office.

Team Leader Yi from YDN Entertainment was lurking around the front of the building. He had arranged for the female idols to stay at the nearest hotel so that they could be summoned at any moment with just a phone call, and had now spontaneously decided to visit Fantagio.

It wouldn't be easy to meet someone as influential as Kay, but he was hopeful upon hearing that Kay was currently researching Korean dance music and looking for musicians to feature.

As he passed by a wall where dozens of fans were squatting, he reached the security room.

From a distance, as the American security guards noticed him and approached, Team Leader Yi was about to pull out his business card when he saw the guards reaching for their guns, startling him.

"Stop!! Hold on!!"

Unable to even grab the business card in his pocket, Team Leader Yi slowly raised both hands and spoke fluently in English.

"I come from YDN Entertainment in Korea. I was just trying to take out my business card."

One of the guards approached and patted him down over his clothes. Once they realized he was unarmed, the guards apologized.

"Sorry, but reaching into your pocket suddenly can be misunderstood in the United States. Please refrain from doing that."

"Ah... I see. I apologize."

Although Team Leader Yi tried to reach into his pocket again, the guards just watched as he wasn't armed. He then pulled out several business cards at once and said.

"I'm Yi Yong-wook, the team leader at YDN Entertainment."

The head of the guards glanced at the card and asked.

"Did you have an appointment? We have not been informed."

"No, I didn’t make an appointment. The office just opened recently, so there was no one I could contact."

The guard shook his head firmly.

"If you don’t have an appointment, you can't enter."

Team Leader Yi chuckled awkwardly and shrugged.

"Ha ha, I know that. It’s common sense. Could I possibly get a contact number to arrange a visit?"

After going into the security office, the guard returned with a business card.

"If it's for business purposes, please contact this number."

Receiving the business card with the music business office's main number, Team Leader Yi smiled, trying to leave a good impression.

"Ah, thank you. I will make an appointment and come back. Sorry, but could you please pass my business card to Kay? I’ve come all the way from Korea."

He asked casually, but the guard flatly refused his request.

"Sorry. It’s difficult to pass it directly to Kay, but I can forward it to the office."

Team Leader Yi clicked his tongue, disappointed. Rumor had it that Kay was kind-hearted and might meet with anyone related to the music business who had traveled all the way from Korea.

"Ah... I understand. Then I’ll arrange an appointment and come back."

"Yes, please do."

After saying goodbye with a nod, Team Leader Yi walked away as the fans eavesdropping on the conversation whispered among themselves.

"What’s YDN Entertainment? Is it famous?"

"I don't know, it’s a Korean entertainment company."

"There was a fan last time who claimed to be from a Korean entertainment company, but it turned out to be a lie."

"Yeah, maybe this one is a ghost company too."

Hearing the fans, one of the guards chuckled, and Team Leader Yi's face flushed red as he hurriedly left the scene.

"Damn Americans, dismissing an Asian agency. We're one of the top agencies in Korea, you fools."

Although it was one of the top four agencies in Korea, it was virtually unknown in the United States, so no one there recognized them.

Grinding his teeth, Team Leader Yi looked at the phone number on the card and irritably dialed it. As the phone rang, he cleared his throat and brightened his expression.

Soon, a woman's voice answered in fluent English.

"Hello, Fantagio Music Business Office in the US, this is Clara Anderson."

"Ah! Hello! This is Yi Yong-wook, the team leader at YDN Entertainment in Korea."

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"Well, we have some Korean dance musicians visiting the US, and I was wondering if they could tour the US branch of Fantagio."

"A tour?"

"Yes, we’d like to benchmark your world-class company so that YDN can also use it as an opportunity for development."

While excessively praising Fantagio, Team Leader Yi continually ingratiated himself over the phone, though his insincere expressions were unseen.

After a brief pause as the person on the other end of the line spoke with a supervisor, the voice returned.

"Is the number you called from your personal number, Mr. Yi?"

"Ah! Yes, it’s my personal cellphone."

"We will verify your identity with YDN Entertainment and report back internally. Can we call you back later?"

"My identity is confirmed, so please feel free

to verify it whenever. When might you call back?"

"I'm not sure, as the director is currently out of the office."

"The director of Fantagio, Son Lin? Do I need his permission even to get a tour?"

"Yes, Kay is also here. If there were no musicians around, it might be possible, but anything that could disturb the musicians requires the director’s approval."

"Even just a quiet look around without causing any disturbance?"

"Yes, that includes everything."

"Ah... I see. I’ll wait for your call."

Hanging up, Team Leader Yi grimaced and glared at the distant Fantagio building.

"I didn’t think it would be easy, but I didn’t realize that even a tour would be this difficult. I had hoped to just 'bump into' Kay and start a conversation, but no luck! I should just go back to the hotel."

After glaring once more at the Fantagio building, he walked off towards his hotel.

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Yoon-jung and Jin-yeon were unpacking in their room. The suite had several rooms, and since the older members each took a room, the two of them had to share the remaining one.

Yoon-jung pulled out a cosmetics pouch from her carry-on bag and sighed.

"Phew, I had only heard about this stuff, but it really exists..."

Jin-yeon flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Yeah... But if it’s Kay..."

Yoon-jung turned her head towards Jin-yeon.

"Kay? Could you give it to Kay?"

Jin-yeon rolled over to face Yoon-jung. Her eyes were anxious, but they showed a willingness to go through with it if necessary.

"It seems a hundred times better to give it to Kay than to some old guys with big bellies. Honestly, even if it weren’t for this job, Kay would be a perfect romantic partner."

"Are you crazy? Do you think Kay would consider a girl who's been involved in entertaining like this as a dating prospect?"

Jin-yeon propped her chin on her hands and said,

"Probably not... But since we have to do it anyway, and if it's Kay, it feels a bit better."

Yoon-jung's expression darkened.

"I hate it. Of course, I like Kay. If he came to me and asked me out, I might give him everything because he's that attractive. But I hate this method."

"What if Kay chose you?"

Yoon-jung tilted her head.

"Chose me?"

Jin-yeon lay back and stared at the ceiling again.

"Remember on the plane, I sat next to So-ah unnie. I asked her, and she said usually the entertainees choose among us. If they are somewhat sane, they choose one, if not, they take two or three at once."

"What?! That really happens?"

"I don’t know... I only heard it too."

"Ugh... I hate it! I hate it!!"

As Yoon-jung began to cry, Jin-yeon also seemed to tear up, bowing her head. Soon, both were crying, and their sobs grew louder until the door quietly opened, and Soo-jin's face appeared. Seeing the two crying, Soo-jin spoke sternly.

"What are you doing, making a fuss all the way in America? Stop upsetting the others and go out and get some air."

In the Korean entertainment industry, a few years of seniority are as authoritative as the sky. Even for just-debuted newbies, Soo-jin’s words were like a command from heaven. Shaking off their tears, the two quickly stood up and responded simultaneously.

"Yes, unnie. Sorry."

As Soo-jin glared at them and closed the door, still standing at attention, Jin-yeon sighed and took Yoon-jung’s hand.

"Let’s go out, no one here knows us, and it'll feel better once we get some fresh air."

"Okay... Let’s go shopping in the city center in front of the hotel."

Grabbing only their wallets and phones, the two passed through the living room where the older members were sitting, cautiously making their way out of the hotel room.

Exiting the lobby to the cool autumn breeze outside felt refreshing.

"The air in New York isn’t great, but it feels a bit less suffocating to be away from the scary unnies," said the girls as they walked through the city, shopping and buying snacks, gradually brightening up.

Unaware of their situation, they laughed and played, looking intrigued by the interesting items for sale, and soon found themselves in front of the majestic Lincoln Center. Yoon-jung said dreamily,

"I wonder if I could ever perform at a place like this?"

Jin-yeon stood next to her, looking at the building.

"They say Kay once did an opera

performance here."

"Really? Wow... He's truly amazing, Kay is."

"Yes, he's the same age as Soo-jin unnie. He's still a student because he went to the military."

"Wow, he's already completed his military service? I haven’t seen any articles about that."

"Yeah, he enlisted quietly and served his full term in a front-line unit."

"Wow... He really is flawless."

As they talked, Jin-yeon turned her head to the left side of Lincoln Center.

"Wow... That’s Juilliard over there."

Yoon-jung turned her head and saw the asymmetrical, pointed grey building. Looking at Juilliard bustling with students in the afternoon, she murmured softly,

"If I had properly studied music at a place like this... maybe I wouldn’t have to do this kind of work?"

"Who knows... Both of us would have been active in Korea, so it probably would have been the same. And... Oh! Oh no!!!"

"What? What’s wrong?"

Startled by Jin-yeon's shout, Yoon-jung followed her gaze.

There, a large Cadillac Escalade was pulling up, and Geon was stepping out, waving to the students swarming around him.

>

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