After finishing the reaction video for the music video that just dropped at 6 PM, we ran into the staff members leaving the office right on schedule.
“Do-hee, this track is awesome!”
“Super awesome! I love it!”
The atmosphere felt like they were about to dash over and mess with my hair.
Feeling a bit shy, I smiled awkwardly and had no choice but to nod and rush out of the office first.
Then I thought I should hurry to my place.
“Why are you so shy after making something so good? Your face is all red again.”
Kim Seo-yoon came out behind me and pulled my cheek.
“Ah, let go.”
“What’s with you being so cute all of a sudden?”
“Ugh, stop it.”
Woo-ah Unni was also laughing behind me, hugging me and chuckling.
“You’re just born this way~”
“Let go, I need to walk.”
“Then why are you doing this if you’re embarrassed?”
Na-eun Unni, who was giggling, linked her arm through mine and said,
“Let’s walk to the dorm like this!”
“Let’s go, let’s go~”
She was just restricting my arm.
“Hey, where am I supposed to grab…?”
My cheeks were still burning.
“Oh! Can I grab Do-hee’s big oppa while walking?”
“Are you crazy?”
“It’s not like it’s going to wear out… Tsk.”
Tsk, what’s that about?
“…But can I really not?”
“Oh, please.”
“Tsk.”
*
After finishing a small comeback celebration with the Unnis, I entered my room, citing tiredness, and flopped straight onto my bed, wiggling my fingers.
Should I play the piano?
Should I sit at my desk and solve some problems?
Should I finally finish the book I had started reading weeks ago?
Should I wash up and lie down?
I tried to change my mindset.
But my fingers kept gravitating toward my square phone.
“…Should I check?”
The reactions to my song that was released as the title track.
Honestly, I felt a lot of pressure.
I couldn’t help it.
Even though I had some conviction in myself and trusted my ears,
Even if the A&R team and the director showed confidence,
As I worked on the track, getting repeatedly exposed to the same melody could make one lose objectivity.
Above anything, being evaluated by countless people was always a heart-pounding experience for anyone.
“I don’t want to feel bad for no reason again…”
Despite my worries, I eventually started flipping through my phone screen, beginning with the less intense sections.
Fortunately, my supportive fans were always there.
It was fine to check home mama’s personal SNS.
As expected, fans’ SNS was flooded with rave reviews.
“Hehe, right? I think I really wrote a great track.”
“I’m pretty, so that’s a given~ Of course, of course~”
“Sweet Demon piano version? Hmm… should I give it a try?”
The more I read, the more curious I became.
What would be the reactions in the female-oriented Kpop community or the male-oriented community?
The main reason I had stopped looking at communities was that the more famous I got, the more toxic and brutal responses would start pouring in.
The reason I completely stopped looking was that, the more popularity I gained, the more dirty reactions and curses flooded the community, shattering my mental state.
Especially on comeback days, it peaked.
It was unavoidable since it correlated with the mention volume.
Feedback disguised as insults piled up as well.
So usually I only kept an eye on the occasional expert reviews that popped up on YouTube, and made a conscious effort to hardly monitor anything at all.
“Ah…”
Since my song was the title track.
I couldn’t help it, my heart wouldn’t allow it.
If my mental state started to feel even a little off…
Instead of watching it till the end this time,
I decided to put my phone down and go out into the narrow room, lie down with my sisters in the living room, and heal by chatting.
I began to check the community little by little.
“Ah…”
Was I worrying too much?
[It’s a shame the song is too short]
─Maybe because of that, it feels like there are hardly any repeated phrases, but it’s really great, for real.
[Wow, Sweet Demon really just sounds like a pop singer’s song, jackpot lmao]
─From the start, the bass is insane, and the song is really sophisticated, but at times it’s so stylish, it’s crazy.
The response was much better than expected.
Of course, there were naturally negative reviews.
There were some hateful comments too.
─Something feels a bit off? Not great, but not the worst either.
─Pretty generally listenable retro level.
─Just really sucks.
─The song has a strangely old-fashioned vibe.
─Just not good, honestly.
─Ah, Do-hee is going viral again lol.
But I had become pretty accustomed to the point where I wouldn’t crack under this level of criticism.
After all, it was almost like half anti-fans were there.
Moreover, nine out of ten.
The public opinion was similar to what I saw on the fans’ SNS.
[Sweet Demon is addictively insane]
─When I first listened without watching the music video, I thought it was a bit simple and lacked impact, and it felt like Sweet Demon had filled the whole song, but now I’ve been stuck on it for four hours? What do I do? I can’t stop thinking about it lol, I’m really addicted, it’s crazy.
[I can’t stop thinking about it, the melody just won’t leave my ears]
─Ah, stress… S… Ssssweet Demon! The guitar sound and infinite loop, it’s driving me crazy.
[Sweet Demon, seriously listen with headphones or earphones]
─Is that even the bass sound? Anyway, the background music and vocals are just heavenly. I want to listen to the instrumental separately, someone upload it to YouTube quickly, please.
[Why is Sweet Demon so good???]
─I can’t believe Do-hee made this, for real… This song is insane, the melody is ridiculously good, it feels like one of the best ever.
[Isn’t Team Edges the composer team that worked with Do-hee this time?]
─They’ve been writing a lot of songs for the ZY side for a long time, right?
Just thinking of the hit songs, like ‘3M-It G’ and ‘All Today-Lead Role’.
─Yeah, that’s right.
└They even wrote her debut song, Debonaire.
└(Written by) Wait; but they collaborated, and Do-hee is credited as number one in composition and arrangement? Both credits are at the front?
└Could be? Looks like Do-hee might have refined the ideas or songs she came up with during the collaboration.
It seems like we’ve been refining the song or the ideas together.
Thanks to that, my lips started to curl up a bit.
“Ha-ah…”
And I let out a long sigh.
Only then was I able to put down my phone by my pillow.
The tension…
“Hu…”
A little… just a little bit was released.
*
“Uh? Do-hee is here? Come in~”
Kim Ye-eun welcomed the unexpected intruder somewhat demurely.
“Wow… Unni, what’s up? You’ve turned into quite the lady since last time!”
“Ah, come on~”
“Look here, look here.”
“Hu… Acting is tough.”
For some reason, the debonaire, who was not appearing on Thursday’s music show Mpulse, had started its comeback stage on Friday’s Melody Bank.
At that very music show where Ye-eun was the MC.
To be honest, if everything had gone as planned, Ye-eun was supposed to leave her MC position right after Ailee’s ‘Keep Going’ promotions wrapped up.
But, wait a minute?
Our lovely and beloved Ye-eun saw the production staff looking forlorn and decided to prepare a beautiful farewell.
She adjusted her plans to perform a special MC stage today before stepping down.
Thanks to that, I could meet Do-hee again from the MC side.
“You didn’t meet up with me except during the last interview… Are you a bit hurt?”
Of course, it wasn’t my favorite situation.
She kept bothering me.
The fact is, Do-hee was Ye-eun’s beloved younger sister.
She was her biggest benefactor during Ye-eun’s debut process and was more fun and cheerful than anyone else when they played together.
But then again, when it came to work, she would always pick on me.
“…Ugh!”
If I rebelled against Do-hee, she’d throw around tough words and sound reasoning that left Ye-eun speechless.
That would only end with me getting scolded.
—Right?
—I-I’m sorry…
—No, I’m sorry Unni. I just wanted you to do well…
—Ah, no! I know…! I asked you first…! We promised long ago…!
—Really? Then what should I do for you to do well from now on?
There’s no one quite like that smooth-talking brat.
But now, it was different.
Ye-eun had perfectly figured out how to deal with Do-hee.
“Is that so? Were you feeling neglected, our Do-hee?”
“A bit? To be honest, I was quite hurt.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t do that again. I really wanted to prepare for the stage with my heart in it, just as you said.”
“Ah… Then I have to understand, I guess.”
“Thank you for understanding?”
Do-hee’s weak spot is that she’s also close to the debonaire’s leader.
Leader of Debonaire.
Gentle Kim Na-eun Unni!
Ye-eun remembered the first time she met Na-eun.
During the filming of [Juvenile 3], Na-eun Unni was one of the most dependable older sisters.
─Hey Ye-eun, if you ever need help, just let me know, okay?
Even though she was busy herself, she always helped until the final round.
On the day she was eliminated in 8th place and Ye-eun debuted in 7th,
that day filled with the joy and sadness of guilt.
She was such a kind unni that she even sent a text to cheer me up the next day.
Na-eun Unni’s personality could be summed up as sweet, just as her innocent and delicate appearance suggested.
If asked to name the kindest person she had ever encountered, it would be Na-eun Unni.
And Do-hee seemed particularly vulnerable to such kindness.
Ye-eun analyzed this by watching Debonaire’s own content.
‘The answer is… to act sweet like Na-eun Unni…!’
Do-hee had no choice.
In front of kind people, everyone ends up being reformed!
Oh, the goodness of this saint that can reform even demons…!
So, after completing her analysis,
every time she met Do-hee, she would adopt Na-eun Unni’s tone.
Recently, during Ailee’s ‘Keep Going’ promotions, she intentionally kept her distance from Do-hee.
Now Do-hee seemed to be reflecting.
‘Hoo hoo… even the famous Do-hee Lee is now in my grasp.’
Ye-eun nodded and faced Do-hee.
Then, she spread her arms in Na-eun Unni’s tone.
“Come here, I’m sorry for making you feel bad.”
Do-hee walked over and hugged her quietly.
Isn’t this what a sister’s embrace is…
“But I really don’t want to cater to you.”
“Huh…?”
In Do-hee’s arms wrapping around Ye-eun.
“I was trying to lift your spirits, but I don’t want to do it now.”
“Huh…?”
Ye-eun could feel the force tightening.
“How can I give up this feeling, seriously? I can’t do it.”
And once they hugged, Do-hee’s voluptuousness was definitely noticeable.
“Ugh…”
With pressure from both sides, Ye-eun felt like she was running out of breath.
*
“So, what did you think of my song?”
“It was good…!”
“Really? Check your playlist. You must have heard it.”
“Uh, uh…?”
“What? You really listened to it? You even favorited it?”
“Yeah! I listened a lot! I love the song!”
“Isn’t it amazing?”
“Yep! It’s amazing…!”
-Because of you, I…!
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Nothing! I just said it was really good because of you…!”
“Right? Can you believe Do-hee composed and arranged it?”
“Yeah…! I can’t believe it…”
“You can’t believe it?”
“Uh…?”
“Sigh… don’t you think you should believe me?”
“Stop it!!!”
That jerk, Do-hee.
