Chapter 36 Chapter 36
Back at the apartment, Lia finished her shower and sat on the carpet in a loose T-shirt. She'd asked Bao Heng to help her pick the carpet; its bohemian-style weave pattern unexpectedly complemented the dark wood flooring.
The floor fan made a low hum, blowing the sticky notes on the table. The snacks bought from the convenience store were still piled on the table, and there was no time to clean them up. She hesitated for a moment, sat down at the table, and opened "Project
A》's official website—as expected, only five avatars remained on the voting page. She took a deep breath and clicked on the forum. "!!! Lia's sudden withdrawal—was it a sign?"
The pinned title was bolded in red, with several exclamation points at the top, making it stand out. She clicked on it, and the main post was actually quite simple: a screenshot of her video announcing her withdrawal, and a short line of text:
"I thought YG was just giving it the cold shoulder, but I didn't expect her to actually withdraw from the competition this time. Do you think this was Lia's personal wish, or was it the company's decision?" The comments section was rapidly updating:
"Why did my baby withdraw from the competition? Sooo ...
"Probably not. She's a big hit, the most popular one right now." "I also don't think it's YG. She's both buzzworthy and popular right now, so she might be a top star when she debuts."
"Actually, I understand her choice... Although she's a bit of a gore-loving type, she doesn't seem to be the type to show off." "Is it because of the revelations?" "The video said we might meet again in the future. Any plans for the future?"
"Ah... I made some support materials. I was planning to give them out offline when the debutants were announced in the final episode." "Look at me upstairs, I want some!!" "Is it okay to debut as an independent musician in the future?"
"This is a jerk's revelation, damn..." Comments danced across the screen. Lia sat quietly for a long moment, a feeling indescribable welling up within her.
Compared to the doubts and criticisms she had expected, the atmosphere in the comment section was friendly and warm. These friends she had never met were concerned about her future. Suddenly, a long comment popped up:
"Actually, when I saw her doing a loop sample on her first stage, I felt that she didn't belong on the idol path at all. She's more suited to making the music she loves than singing and dancing in front of the camera. I hope I can hear her songs again one day."
"Thank you." She curled her eyes and whispered a thank you across the screen. Thank you, everyone. She picked up the sparkling water on the table and took a sip. The sour liquid, with a hint of sweetness, slid down her throat. Another screenshot popped up in the comments.
"My favorite photo of Lia, for everyone—" In the picture, she sits in the corner of the practice room, chin propped up, wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, her hair casually tied up. The light and shadow in the camera are soft, and her expression is focused.
She stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar self on screen, lost in thought. It all seemed truly over. The show would soon enter its final chapter, bringing with it new topics and new faces.
This summer of her life had quietly passed halfway. Lia turned off her computer and looked out the window. The night was thick, with the occasional headlights of a late-coming car sweeping across the windowpane, casting mottled shadows. She felt a sense of freedom she had never felt before.
I also felt a loneliness I had never felt before. * When the sixth episode was broadcast, Baoheng also brought good news.
"The contract has been negotiated, and the company has agreed to switch to a semi-producer role." Bao Heng's voice on the other end of the phone was filled with relief and joy. Lia blinked, momentarily unresponsive. "Really?"
"Well," there was a smile on the other end, "President Yang personally agreed. He has a good impression of you."
"At this stage, it will be implemented as a 'content creation cooperation agreement,' but the specific details of the contract still need to be finalized. Your guardian will also need to sign a consent form, and once you reach adulthood, you'll sign a formal independent contract."
Lia breathed a sigh of relief. "So... am I still working for Teddy Oppa?"
"Well, I've discussed this with Teddy. You'll be assigned to him as a production assistant," Bao Heng said with a smile. "He likes you very much. Staying in his recording studio will give you more flexibility and won't interfere with your studies."
Lia was at a loss for words and could only repeat "thank you" over and over again. She knew the company had no other plans for her career and only retained her contract out of resource allocation considerations.
If it weren't for Sister Bao Heng's fight for her, she wouldn't even have the chance to stay in the recording studio. "Really, thank you, Sister Bao Heng." "Don't be so polite, from now on we're half colleagues." Bao Heng joked with a smile.
The gentle sound of the wind brushed past her ears, and it seemed as if the whole summer had become less sweltering. "When can I go there?" she thought for a moment and asked again.
"Next Monday," Bao Heng replied, "I rarely have weekends off, so I'll take you to handle the paperwork next Monday." "Yes!" Lia nodded vigorously. ...
On Monday evening, Lia, backpack on her back, pushed open the familiar studio door. Kush was the first to rush over, opening his arms and giving her a big hug. "Yo—our NeonL is back!"
Lia staggered and couldn't help laughing. "Be careful, she can't handle your impact." Teddy turned back from the operating table, a smile in his tone.
Lia bowed to him, "Teddy Oppa, thank you for your help." "No need." Teddy waved his hand, "Once you sign the contract, you will work hard for me."
Kush jeered from the side, "It's over! They've fallen into the hands of the unscrupulous capitalists." Lia shook her head, her eyes narrowed. After not seeing each other for a few months, no one had changed. Suddenly, she felt the lingering unease in her heart slowly dissolve.
"By the way, although Zhilong didn't come, he asked me to congratulate you." Kush leaned over and said mysteriously. "Does Oppa know about it too?" Lia was a little surprised.
The contract had just been finalized, and she had assumed Teddy was the only one who knew about it. "If I knew, how could he not know? I'm the YG Intelligence Agency," Kush boasted. Lia was speechless.
The feeling of being touched suddenly faded a little. "Although he doesn't say it, he really cares about you." After joking, Kush put away his smile and said seriously. Lia looked at him.
"As for the previous incident...even though we were all very angry, we still waited for the company's arrangements. In the end, the company only issued a useless announcement." Kush scratched his head, with some apology in his tone.
"No one expected things to turn out like that." Lia shook her head, "This has nothing to do with you, Oppa." "Well, that's what I said...but luckily he came up with an idea later, and we secretly placed some clues for a counterattack."
Lia was stunned. "Those were the photos I took," Kush said, taking credit for them. "Soon after I posted them, someone analyzed and reposted them! Suddenly, 'chua chua,' public opinion took a huge turn!" Lia remembered the post.
"It's such a shame you're not debuting..." Kush trailed off. He truly felt regretful. Of this batch of trainees, Lia was the one he knew best and had the most confidence in, so it was inevitable he was partial.
"I actually prefer behind-the-scenes production, so this is a blessing in disguise," Lia reassured him with a smile. The sixth episode announced the debut lineup. Of the remaining seven, only four remained—Bo-eun, Park Sandara, Chae-rin, and Min-ji.
From a configuration perspective, this is indeed the most reasonable combination, with a lead singer, a main dancer, an ace, and a front man. Even if she stayed, she might not be able to find her own position.
"Okay, you'll just be hanging out with the brothers from now on." Kush patted her shoulder and began to take on all the responsibilities. Lia was amused by him. Before she knew it, so many people were already standing behind her.
She lowered her eyes, feeling incredibly at peace. "Oh right," she suddenly remembered, "today is...Oppa's birthday, right?" "Huh?" The topic changed so quickly that Kush was taken aback by the question.
"Today is the 18th." Lia said seriously. ——August 18th, Kwon Ji-yong's birthday.
"Ah, about that." Kush slapped his head and realized, "I asked earlier. They just released a mini album and are busy promoting it lately. Don't think about celebrating for him. We can find time to catch up later."
"Is that so..." Lia lowered her eyes. The next second - "Mini album?!!!" She looked up in shock.
"I was wondering why you haven't been talking in the group lately. Are you just staying at home like a caveman?" Kush shook his head in disgust. "That guy is super popular now." "Super popular?"
Seeing Lia just repeating herself like a tape recorder, Kush couldn't help but find it a little funny.
"Well, we didn't participate much in this album. It was mainly recorded in Japan." He thought for a moment and sighed, "The Japanese are quite something." Lia suddenly remembered that when the photo was exposed, he seemed to have rushed back from Japan.
"You've been isolated from the world during this show filming. Go catch up online." Kush shook his head and teased. Lia held her forehead, unable to refute for a moment.
She was so caught up in her own affairs that she even missed Big Bang's comeback. A pang of guilt welled up inside her. ... Back home, she opened the fan forum.
Revisiting the website after such a long time, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unreality. After finishing filming the show, she seemed to have deliberately avoided the news in this circle. Coupled with not leaving home for a long time, she actually missed this important event.
The webpage loaded slowly, familiar sections unfolded one by one, and the titles of the posts came into view - [Top Announcement] Bigbang's third mini album "Stand Up" is officially released!
【MV】《Day by Day》released! 【Audio source record】Melon、Dosirak、、Bugs——ALL KILL！ 【LIVE】《Stand
Up" Comeback Stage Collection (HD Version) — News about them is everywhere. So intense that it seems to burst out of the screen.
Although Kush always loves to exaggerate, describing this achievement as "explosive" isn't an exaggeration. He hovered his mouse over the link to the "Day by Day" music video, pressed his finger slightly, and clicked it.
After a brief black screen, the screen lit up. A gentle piano melody rang out: "Finally, I realize I'm nothing without you..."
Lia unconsciously held her breath. After an unknown amount of time, the music stopped and the screen automatically skipped to the next recommended video. She blinked slowly, noticing that her palms were slightly sweaty.
She typed the song title into the search box and found the producer column—he was both the lyricist and the composer. Although she had a hunch, she was still shocked to see the information with her own eyes.
Maintaining high-quality work amidst intense schedules—those who haven't experienced it probably can't understand how difficult it is. Especially when it comes to work of this caliber. Lia lowered her eyes. With each confirmation, he took a step further.
It felt like she couldn't catch up even with all her might. She wasn't sure what to make of this feeling. Of course, she was happy for his achievement, but for some reason, a hint of bitterness welled up in her heart. Like waking from a long hibernation, she finally realized—
The other person's world has already moved forward hotly and rapidly.
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