“Shall we wrap it up here?”
At the declaration of the eting’s end, I exchanged greetings with the Scarlet TF team and applauded.
“Great work~”
“Thanks for your effort~”
As the staff filed out like a receding tide, Scarlet’s manager approached.
“I just got a ssage from ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the friend picking up the choreographer—he’s coming straight from Incheon Airport to the company now.”
A pleased smile spread across my face at the news that Clay Tyler was heading to Lemon Entertainnt. Well, he wasn’t my direct responsibility, but having a world-class choreographer on my project was thrilling. The pay was high and his schedule packed, so inviting him had not been easy—Clay Tyler was a legend in his field.
“All right, choreography is settled.”
Reviewing my notes from the eting, I drifted into thought about Scarlet’s new single. The title, recently confird, caught my eye:
Not Fine
Originally it was going to be “Fine, Not Fine,” but after discussion we settled on Not Fine. For a girl-group track where mass appeal is key, you need a title that listeners can instantly grasp. “Fine, Not Fine” might have beco “FanatFan” among fans, but it didn’t hit the ear like Not Fine.
In any case, the song’s aning was simple:
We’re grateful for everything that made us who we are—yeah, we’re fine. But to the haters calling us done, we’re Not Fine.
Usually the stance is, “I don’t care about the antis, I’ll go my own way,” but Scarlet’s lyrics said:
We have to be honest. We are small-ti troublemakers.
You want to tear down our skills? We’ll show you—we keep that energy.
Scarlet will never go down alone. Even in death, we’ll drag you down with us like drowning ghosts.
Through several etings, I beca even more determined to maintain a positive partnership with Scarlet. I finally understood why our debut peer Teen Spirit treated them with such respect.
In that spirit, this song says, “We’re not done yet. You’re all dead.”
I pictured Daisy, clenching her fist. The lyrics the mbers wrote carried that tone, albeit indirectly—to preserve Scarlet’s signature elegance. If the line “Don’t talk nonsense” existed, we’d phrase it as “I can’t hear your words.”
“Sounds like Biju.”
“?”
“Ah, you startled ...!”
A sudden voice nearby made jump. I looked up to see my fools peering at from the doorway.
“Look who’s here?”
“We’re not fools.”
The four of them tried to enter at once and got stuck in the doorfra. I laughed triumphantly.
“What brings you here? Weren’t you all busy with your own schedules?”
Since confirming TRO’s choreography, we’d practiced every day; otherwise, we were each off on individual tasks. It was both welco and puzzling to see them.
“This must be your busiest ti.”
“Hyung, we missed you.”
The maknae sat at an empty table. “We were so curious how our precious eldest brother was doing. Were you lonely working alone? Did people treat you like you’re old...?”
“Thanks for worrying about .”
“And why haven’t you sent us a coffee truck?”
“...”
I added “send coffee truck to Tank” to my to-do list at the maknae’s request. Amid their laughter, Biju said:
“Actually, we ca to check on you.”
“Hm?”
“Lately Scarlet’s been buying you at every day. We were worried you might fall for them...”
At Biju’s shy remark, I smiled. “You feared Scarlet would snatch my composition fee.”
“Yes.”
I laughed at his earnest affirmation. Though he said it that way, they’d co to keep company. I was certain of it.
“Right.”
Since my brothers were here, I suggested we head down to the underground practice room. Ri Hyuk led the way, carrying docunts related to Clay.
“They’re in practice.”
We peeked into the room where Not Fine’s choreography was in full swing. When the music stopped, I knocked and entered. Rina wiped sweat from her face with a towel and raised her eyes.
“...?”
“We ca to watch for a bit, and we have sothing to pass along.”
“Oh.”
The mbers conveyed that the producer had a ssage. Scarlet mbers sat in a circle like a campfire; we joined them.
“You’ve probably heard, but the choreographer is on his way to the company.”
“Waaaah!”
“That makes us the only ones here who’ve already t Clay, so we’ll share so top tips.”
“Ooooooh...”
“Okay, Secretary Seo, please co out.”
Our main vocalist handed out four copies of a handout. Scarlet mbers’ eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“What Clay Tyler loves most...?”
“Chapter 1. Do you know the principle common to casinos and departnt stores? No clocks? Oh...”
“Snack bar service?”
The girl-group mbers flipped through the papers entranced, smiles blossoming on their faces. We nodded at Scarlet in their bright expressions.
“That’s it.”
“Thank you.”
Soon a warm camaraderie between seniors and juniors began to take root as the presentation started.
“Ha ha ha!”
“Kyah ha ha!”
It was a truly joyful atmosphere.
So ti later.
Having traveled from Incheon Airport to Gangnam Sinsa-dong, Clay Tyler and Joy Tyler stepped out of the vehicle.
“Hoo.”
A look of astonishnt crossed Clay’s face. ‘What is this?’
It had only been a year or two since his last visit, but the alley that once felt quiet and village-like had completely transford. Joy glanced around and then at her father.
“Dad, was it always this busy?”
“No. Last ti it didn’t feel like this. The alley itself has a whole different vibe.”
Once, Lemon Entertainnt stood alone in a peaceful “mushroom village” alley. Now:
“Hey, wanna grab dakgalbi? Looks like there’s a new place.”
“Let’s go a bit further. There’s the barbecue joint NewBlack put on the New-Chelin List—amazing ribeye.”
“Hey! I’m at NewBlack Alley, where are you?! I can’t see you!”
Crowds chatted loudly in Korean. It felt like Myeongdong. Clay and Joy blinked at the bustling street.
“Excuse .”
Clay asked the manager who’d picked them up. “We have so ti—could we explore the street a bit?”
“Of course. Shall I guide you?”
Restaurants he’d never seen lined the alley. Where there used to be a humble workers’ eatery, now stood lively cafes and shops—like a small town revitalized by a powerful lord.
“That’s all thanks to your lordship,” Scarlet’s manager explained. “When did you say you last visited?”
“About a year or two ago.”
“This is completely different, then. These days it’s called ‘NewBlack Alley.’”
“NewBlack Alley...”
“See those murals?”
Spray-painted portraits of NewBlack and miniaturized versions of the mbers adorned walls here and there—artistic and hip. Accordingly, the cafes catered to that aesthetic.
“Because NewBlack beca the nation’s idols, the area around the company bood on social dia.”
“So that’s why these shops sprung up.”
“Yes. Young people flock here, so the alley’s vibrant. You might not feel it yet... but NewBlack is pretty much its own economic sector. While you were away, ‘NewBlack Friday’ events even started.”
“...”
“Impressive, right?”
His pride in his company’s artists was evident. Clay and Joy swallowed in awe. ‘They’ve grown beyond anything I could have imagined.’
After all, NewBlack was rising as a hot boy-band in the U.S.; in Korea they were already huge. When an artist’s popularity is that high, the area around the company becos a hotspot. And here:
‘They blend in naturally.’
Innocent tourists wearing hijabs snapped photos; far-flung travelers inspected Lemon Entertainnt. Yet Clay and Joy didn’t stand out.
“What are those?”
A group of tourists asked, and the manager said, “Probably Chinese or Japanese tour groups. They’re explaining ‘the birthplace of NewBlack civilization’ with small microphones.”
Amid the crowded scene, Koreans holding signs and raising fists—masked—also road. Clay pointed.
“A cheering squad, too?”
“Ah...”
The manager frowned. “Those are nearby landlords. They’re protesting our planned headquarters move next year.”
“Opposing the relocation?”
“Exactly.”
The alley buzzed like Diagon Alley: cafes, restaurants, young couples, tourists, fans, protesters. As they gazed at this lively street, Clay heard cheering from inside Lemon Entertainnt’s building.
“Hmm?”
He parted the crowd and his eyes lit up. ‘A famous Korean star?’ It couldn’t be NewBlack—they’d cause chaos. Curious who deserved this greeting, Clay stood on tiptoe—and then:
‘...My goodness.’
He’d never seen anyone shine so brilliantly. A middle-aged man, reflecting every ray of sumr sunlight like a living mirror. If Archides saw him, he’d want to burn Roman ships with that glare. The man strode out, pursued by applause:
“It’s Park Gyuho!”
“Is that the CEO? I’m so jealous—more than winning the lotto.”
“I want to head an idol company. It’s basically alchemy: put in ten cents, get a fortune.”
Masked and wearing sunglasses, Clay watched the man waved through by his security detail. Joy tilted her head.
“Wow, he must be a huge star. Who is he?”
“That’s our CEO.”
“Excuse ...?”
“That’s our CEO and our departnt head. They’re probably going to dinner.”
Clay and Joy exchanged astonished looks.
‘Even the CEO is a star?’
‘What on earth happened here in Korea?’
Realizing their ti was up, they entered Lemon Entertainnt’s building. They felt a subtle pride: people mistook them for insiders as they followed.
Of course, they were just visitors...
“Ahem.”
Two dancers cleared their throats and, graceful as dancers, stepped inside.
“Wow... it’s spooky every ti I co here.”
“Right, Dad.”
The building’s eerie atmosphere felt like entering a tiger’s den. A chilling wind blew from the basent—
Goooooo...
They walked as if descending into a dungeon and headed straight for the Scarlet practice room. When they opened the door:
“Waaaaah!”
With a bang of celebratory fireworks, four beautiful girls greeted them. Cheerful Bom placed a flower lei around their necks.
“Welco to Lemon Entertainnt! Waaaah~!”
“Ha ha ha.”
Scarlet’s bright energy instantly lit up the room. ‘They’re so different from NewBlack.’ And Scarlet’s signature beauty won Joy’s heart: Ara’s regal bearing even in casual wear; Bom’s clear, intelligent eyes; Daisy’s soft, adorable vibe; Rina’s dramatic lashes that made her smile irresistibly enchanting.
‘They’re so lovely...’
‘Like the most beautiful people on earth.’
“I heard you’d traveled far, so we prepared refreshnts.”
“Oh, these are our favorites.”
They bead at the snacks and drinks laid out. The setup rivaled anything Clay had ever seen in a rehearsal space: plentiful snacks, plush sofas, even mattresses in case soone collapsed.
‘No clocks, just snack bars,’ he realized.
‘Exactly like we were told.’
Then Daisy opened the door.
“Then... when shall we start?”
As Scarlet mbers’ eyes sparkled, Clay and Joy exchanged warm smiles.
‘This company must be a breeding ground for ruthless talent.’
‘I was fooled by their looks...’
Sowhere, I thought I heard NewBlack’s laughter. At the mont the potent synergy of Scarlet’s might and NewBlack’s cunning began to tilt in a dangerous direction.
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