I Became the CEO of an Idol Company in a Game Chapter 6

<Episode 6>

 

A weekend morning dawned.

As soon as I woke up, I had a simple breakfast and headed to the department store.

Since I had a clear shopping list, I didn’t waste any time wandering around.

Before long, my hands were full of shopping bags.

Naturally, I had bought suits, shoes, and ties for each season.

“Thank you. Please get home safely.”

The employee bowed politely toward me.

My appearance had changed 180 degrees from when I entered the department store.

Looking at my reflection in the window, I felt quite satisfied.

Neatly styled hair, a navy three-button suit, and a subtly visible luxury-brand watch.

And after changing into the suit, even my posture felt different.

I looked like a proper businessman.

The saying “clothes make the man” wasn’t wrong.

When I raised my wrist to check the time, it was already well past lunch.

“It’s already this late.”

I shoved the bags roughly into the car and got in.

The reason I transformed myself at the department store was to meet composer Han Youngjoo.

Since it had to look like a coincidence, I nervously tapped the steering wheel with my fingers, worried I might miss the timing.

[Youngjin Record]

As soon as I arrived, I checked the time.

It was cutting it close, but I wasn’t late.

I parked roughly by the roadside, adjusted my clothes, and got out.

Then I headed straight into the store.

Ding.

As I opened the door, a clear bell sound greeted me.

“Welcome.”

A woman’s voice came from the corner of the shop.

It was the voice of the person I was looking for, composer Han Youngjoo.

Rather than approaching her right away, I pretended to browse around the shop.

“Are you looking for anything?”

Han Youngjoo asked with a friendly expression.

She looked even younger than I remembered.

“No, I’m just browsing.”

“Ah, then take your time. I need to organize some things over there.”

“Of course. I’ll call you if I need anything.”

“Okay.”

She returned to organizing the records.

I slowly looked around the shop.

‘It should be somewhere here.’

I had heard that she helped out at her grandfather’s record shop while composing music in her spare time.

That meant there had to be traces of her work somewhere in the store.

As my eyes scanned the area, I found a stack of papers that looked like sheet music.

I couldn’t read music, but the title written at the top told me everything.

[I]

The very song I was looking for.

The one that brought me all the way here for Spade Joker.

“How is this just sitting here?”

Seeing it placed there as if by fate made the corners of my lips twitch.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes, sir. Do you need something?”

Han Youngjoo responded immediately.

“This is sheet music, right?”

I pointed at it casually.

“I don’t think I’ve heard this song before. Whose song is it?”

“You can read sheet music?”

She asked, surprised.

“Yes.”

I could barely read do-re-me-fa-sol-la-si-do, but I answered shamelessly.

“I actually majored in music. This is a song I composed.”

She scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“You composed it?”

“Yes.”

“That’s impressive.”

“It’s not really. And I’m planning to quit soon. This song will probably never see the light of day….”

“Never see the light of day?”

She trailed off with a bitter expression.

I already knew why, but I asked as if I were curious.

“It’s nothing special. I told my family to trust me and that I’d succeed, but I guess I just don’t have the talent. I must’ve been chasing a pointless dream.”

That wasn’t true.

Her songs would stay on the charts long after release.

Even her B-sides.

She was the one who turned Spade Joker into a star.

Her song slowly gained recognition as a hidden masterpiece, then suddenly shot up the rankings and made their name known to the public.

“A pointless dream? The song seems really good.”

“Thank you. But it’s not.”

She shook her head.

“I submitted my songs everywhere, but no one accepted them. I thought effort alone would be enough… but I guess not.”

It wasn’t a matter of skill.

What company would accept music from a complete unknown?

They had no reason to trust it.

Simply put, it was a matter of credibility.

“Everything needs a bit of luck, too. No matter how skilled you are, without luck, it doesn’t matter.”

“Luck… Hearing that makes me feel a bit better, thinking it’s not just my lack of skill.”

She forced a small smile.

It looked almost pitiful.

“I don’t even have talent, but I can’t let go of my dream. It’s just pathetic.”

“No. Not at all.”

She lowered her gaze slightly, clearly not believing me.

“I know someone successful, like you would think I’m pathetic.”

“Do I look successful to you?”

She quickly looked me up and down, then nodded.

Naturally, I had just dressed the part at the department store.

“I’m not that successful either. I just dress this way to look the part. In this line of work, if you don’t look successful, people look down on you.”

“Ah…”

She let out a sigh-like exclamation.

“So what kind of music do you do exactly?”

“Composition. As I said earlier, this is my song. I put a lot of effort into it. But it might never be heard… I worked really hard on it. I can’t believe I’m telling all this to someone I just met. I’m sorry.”

She laughed awkwardly.

It was meant to lighten the mood, but it only made things worse.

“It’s fine. If it helps you feel better, that’s enough. I’m not busy anyway.”

I shrugged lightly.

“Thank you. Talking about it does make me feel a bit better. I guess this song will just be buried. No one seems interested.”

“But what should we do? I’m interested.”

I tapped the sheet music lightly.

“…What?”

Her eyes widened as if they might pop out.

“I said I’m interested in this song. If possible, I’d like to hear it properly.”

She didn’t react.

She probably thought I was joking.

Which was understandable.

A stranger appearing out of nowhere and saying exactly what she wanted to hear, it would naturally feel suspicious.

“I should’ve introduced myself earlier. I’m John Raid Lombardi, CEO of Ramos Entertainment.”

I handed her my business card.

She took it with a dazed expression, then alternated her gaze between the card and me.

“It’s not like my face is printed on the card…”

“A-are you really a CEO?”

“Yes.”

“I’m really sorry to ask this… is that your real name?”

She asked cautiously.

Understandable.

John Raid Lombardi… not exactly a common Korean name.

‘Maybe I should adopt a Korean name later…’

“I’m from the U.S. If you’re unsure, you can search my name online.”

“Th-then, just a moment.”

She hurriedly pulled out her phone and started searching.

Her hands were full, so it wasn’t easy.

“Would you like me to hold those for you?”

“N-no, it’s fine.”

She leaned in close to her phone, almost burying her face in it.

I waited patiently.

“If I can recruit talent like this, I can afford to wait.”

After a moment, she looked up.

“Sir.”

“Yes.”

“Are you really interested in my song? You’re not making fun of me… you’re serious, right?”

Her voice trembled with anxiety.

“Why would I lie? I didn’t see it in detail, but the intro was very impressive. I’d like to hear the full piece. I’m preparing a comeback for a boy group I manage. If it’s good, I’d like to use it as their title track.”

A complete lie.

Aside from briefly attending piano lessons as a child, I had no musical background.

My ability to read sheet music was at an elementary level.

‘Basically, I’m as good as illiterate. But in business, a little lying is necessary.’

“If you don’t mind, how about coming to my company so we can discuss it properly?”

“To your company?”

“Yes. If the song is good, I’d like to sign a contract right away. I happen to be in desperate need of a song. Maybe luck has finally come to both of us… we can give each other exactly what we need.”