Ahn Yujin’s lighthearted “Because he’s very interesting,” was like a small stone dropped into a lake, creating ripples in Jang Wonyoung’s heart.
She looked at Ahn Yujin’s bright eyes, which seemed to hold a sky full of stars, and the cunning and interest within them almost overflowed.
Jang Wonyoung nodded thoughtfully, not pressing further.
She knew that once her unnie developed an “investigative” interest in something, no one could stop her enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, Liang Yun, who was currently being treated as an “interesting research subject,” was alone in his studio, feeling the exhaustion of surviving a disaster.
Eating barbecue with a group of vibrant young girls sounds like a heavenly perk, but for Liang Yun, who was in the advanced stages of social anxiety, it was nothing short of a public execution.
Especially when Ahn Yujin, like feeding a pet, unceremoniously stuffed a huge lettuce wrap into his mouth, he felt his soul leave his body for three seconds.
The girls’ good-natured laughter around him made him wish he could just evaporate on the spot.
He slumped in his chair, letting out a long sigh.
His brain was somewhat frozen from the excessive socializing, yet a strange, warm sense of satisfaction flowed through his chest.
He opened his computer, looking at the project file named “ELEVEN,” and in his ears, he could almost hear the girls’ heartfelt exclamations and cheers when they heard the demo.
As a creator, there is no greater happiness than this.
His hard work, treasured like a priceless gem.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
The office door was knocked, and Director Kim Ji-yeon’s assistant poked her head in: “Producer-nimLiang, the Director would like to see you.”
Liang Yun immediately sat up straight, tidied his somewhat disheveled clothes, and quickly walked towards Kim Ji-yeon’s office.
Kim Ji-yeon’s office was as neat and efficient as ever, with a faint aroma of coffee in the air.
Today, she was wearing a cream-colored business suit, her long hair meticulously pinned back, giving her an elegant yet authoritative presence.
Seeing Liang Yun enter, a satisfied smile appeared on her face, and she gestured to the chair opposite her.
The well-tailored beige suit tightly embraced her mature and curvaceous figure.
The V-neck of the suit jacket was perfectly cut, showcasing the professionalism of a working woman while subtly outlining the delicate collarbone beneath her neck.
As she leaned forward slightly, the fabric was stretched by her full bust, forming a soft yet captivating curve, and her waist appeared exceptionally slender beneath the suit’s cinching, contrasting sharply with her perky hips, fully displaying the unique charm of a mature woman.
Liang Yun swallowed, forcing his gaze away.
“Liang Yun-ssi, please sit,” Kim Ji-yeon’s voice was gentle yet firm, “I’ve listened to the ‘ELEVEN’ demo. It’s excellent.”
Receiving affirmation from his superior, Liang Yun’s hanging heart finally relaxed by half.
“Thank you, Director. The girls also said they liked it, so I’m relieved.”
“I’ve already heard about their reactions,” Kim Ji-yeon’s lips curved into a smile, “I heard you caused quite a stir for your creation?”
Liang Yun wished he could explode on the spot, awkwardly scratching his messy hair: “Uh… that was a misunderstanding…”
Kim Ji-yeon smiled and waved her hand, cutting off Liang Yun’s explanation.
“I understand. While your creative method is… unique, the result is good, and that’s enough,” She didn’t dwell on the topic.
She leaned forward slightly, her expression becoming serious, “I called you here today to formally inform you. The song ‘ELEVEN’ will be used as the debut title track for the company’s next new girl group.”
Liang Yun nodded; this result was within his expectations, as he had that much confidence in his work.
“And the core members of this girl group,” Kim Ji-yeon’s gaze sharpened, fixing intently on Liang Yun, “are Ahn Yujin and Jang Wonyoung, whom you’ve been in contact with these past few days. After their limited activities with IZ*ONE conclude, they will return to the company and, along with Liz, Rei, Gaeul, and Leeseo, form a brand new group for their official debut.”
“IZ*ONE?” Liang Yun was stunned when he heard the name, instinctively raising a hand to scratch his cheek.
The word struck Liang Yun’s memory blind spot like a bolt of lightning.
He felt the name was unusually familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before, but what exactly it was, his mind was a blank.
He only vaguely remembered it was the name of a girl group.
Kim Ji-yeon looked at his bewildered expression, paused slightly, then seemed to realize something and smiled helplessly: “It seems our genius Producer is truly someone who lives only in the world of music. If you have time, learn more about the K-POP market; it won’t hurt you.” New chapters come out on novelping(.)com first.
“Yes, yes, I’ll definitely catch up when I go back,” Liang Yun nodded repeatedly like a primary school student being lectured by a teacher.
After leaving Kim Ji-yeon’s office, the name “IZ*ONE” still lingered in Liang Yun’s mind.
Ahn Yujinand Jang Wonyoung… were they members of this group called IZ*ONE?
He tried hard to recall the first time he met Ahn Yujin, and that sense of déjà vu surged again.
Could it be that I really saw her on TV or online?
Just as he was lost in thought, his phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
He took it out and saw it was an unfamiliar number.
“Another scam call?” he muttered, intending to hang up directly, but by some strange impulse, he pressed the answer button.
“Hello?”
“Yah! Producer-nim! Why did it take you so long to answer the phone?!” A familiar, energetic voice with a hint of teasing came from the other end of the line.
It was Ahn Yujin.
Liang Yun flinched, instinctively looking around as if she were monitoring him from some corner.
“An… Ahn Yujin xi? How do you have my number?”
“You don’t need to worry about that!” Ahn Yujingiggled, and in the background, Jang Wonyoung’s soft voice could be heard saying, “unnie, stop teasing him.” “I called to tell you that Wonyoungand I are going back tomorrow to prepare for our comeback, so we won’t be able to come to the company for a while.”
“Oh… okay,” Liang Yun responded, his heart secretly ecstatic; he could finally escape from this little devil.
“Producer-nim, without us ‘supervising’ you at the company, you must eat well and not just instant noodles every day!” Ahn Yujin’s tone was like a worried little housekeeper.
“Also,” Jang Wonyoung’s gentle voice also came through, “Producer-nim, thank you for the song; we love it very, very much. We will carry the hopes of this song and complete our upcoming activities well.”
“You’re welcome, it’s what I should do,” Liang Yunchuckled softly.
These two little girls weren’t bad after all.
“Alright then, when we have our comeback stage, Producer-nim must watch!
Consider it checking homework!
No cheating!” Ahn Yujin finally instructed, “Secret Story of the Swan, our new song, you must listen to it!”
“Alright, alright, homework indeed… I’ll watch it, don’t worry,” Liang Yun agreed.
Ahn Yujin chatted for a few more moments, then hung up the phone.
“Secret Story of the Swan…”
The song title and the group name “IZ*ONE” were wonderfully linked in Liang Yun’s mind.
He suddenly remembered that he had seen a girl group’s comeback teaser on a huge electronic screen on Hongdae Street before.
The background music was ethereal and dreamy, and in the visuals, a group of fairy-like girls danced like swans.
At the time, he had only glanced at it, thought the music was good, and didn’t investigate further.
Could it be… them?
With this question in mind, Liang Yun packed his things and left the company, rushing straight back to his apartment.
He didn’t even have time to change his shoes before pouncing on his computer.
His roommate, Fang Zi, was playing games on the computer with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and his legs crossed.
Seeing Liang Yun’s frantic appearance, he asked indistinctly, “What’s up, buddy? Did you see a ghost?” New chapters come out on g.com first.
“Get lost, get lost, you’re the one who saw a ghost, always wishing me ill,” Liang Yun couldn’t be bothered with him.
His fingers flew across the keyboard, typing “IZ*ONE” and then pressing Enter.
The next second, the screen was flooded with information, pictures, and videos about the group.
Twelve girls with exquisite features and diverse styles filled the entire screen—their photos, stage fancams, variety show clips… a dazzling array.
He immediately spotted Ahn Yujin and Jang Wonyoung.
On stage, they were completely different from how they looked in simple training clothes in the practice room.
In the MV, Ahn Yujin had long, dark curly hair, her eyes clear and resolute.
As she danced to the music, her whole body exuded a healthy, vibrant sexiness.
Her smile was still brilliant, but under the stage lights, that “dog-like” cuteness was amplified into a captivating charm.
Every expression, every movement was precisely on beat, full of an idol’s professionalism.
And Jang Wonyoung was even more like a princess who had stepped out of a comic book.
On stage, she wore gorgeous dresses, her impossibly long legs moving effortlessly through complex dance steps.
Her delicate, slightly aloof face displayed a camera presence and expressive power beyond her years.
Her aura seemed to be sublimated into a noble yet sweet presence; a casual wink was enough to drive fans in front of the screen wild.
Liang Yun clicked on the official MV for “Secret Story of the Swan,” the song Ahn Yujin had recommended.
When the familiar, dreamy melody began, he was completely stunned.
In the video, twelve girls transformed into elegant white swans, dancing gracefully amidst a splendid backdrop of light and shadow.
The powerful aura, the perfectly synchronized yet detailed choreography, and the confident and professional expressions on each member’s face… all of it hit him with immense impact.
“Holy crap, this is amazing…” Liang Yun was dumbfounded.
Is this… the power of a top-tier girl group?
So, that “hyperactive” girl who constantly “harassed” him, fed him, and forcibly dragged him into social situations, was such a dazzling superstar on stage?
So, that girl who quietly sat by, sweetly calling him “Producer-nim,” was such a “born idol” with millions of fancam views?
Fang Zi finished a game, took off his headphones, and stretched as he walked over.
Seeing the content on Liang Yun’s computer screen, he immediately made a face as if he’d seen a ghost.
He leaned in, carefully scrutinized the screen, then looked at Liang Yun’s stunned and speechless face, finally unable to hold back.
“No, buddy, are you serious?” Fang Zi’s voice was full of disbelief.
“You’re a Producer at Starship Entertainment now, and you don’t even know the national girl group IZ*ONE? Is that even believable? This is a girl group chosen from the Produce series, one of the hottest girl groups in South Korea right now! You’re only searching for them now?”
Liang Yun opened his mouth, unable to utter a single word.
He felt his worldview had been completely overturned and reshaped at that moment.
Fang Zi looked at his foolish expression, shook his head in distress, and began his “enlightenment education”: “Ahn Yujin, Jang Wonyoung, those are Starship Entertainment’s treasures! They went to ‘Produce 48,’ one got fifth place, the other first as center for debut. Do you know how amazing that is? You’re writing their debut song; this starting point, buddy, you’re practically on a rocket!”
Rocket… Liang Yun turned his head, staring blankly at the “ELEVEN” project file on his computer.
Before, he just thought it was a song he wrote for a few promising rookies.
Now, he clearly realized that he was writing the next chapter of two girls’ careers who were already at the top of the K-POP pyramid.
That heavy pressure and an indescribable sense of excitement simultaneously surged into his heart.
“Am I really that amazing?” He looked at the computer screen and blurted out, ”
Fang Zi “…Where’s my knife?”