章節 6: Ascend group

Byul-ho looked up to see the older man standing in the doorway, his expression a mixture of concern and disapproval.

"Your education, sir," Seon-woo began, his tone leaving no room for argument. "It's been weeks since you've attended classes. This cannot continue."

Byul-ho sighed. He'd been dreading this conversation, knowing he couldn't avoid it forever.

The knowledge from his past life made school seem trivial, but explaining that to Seon-woo was impossible.

"I know, I know," he said, his voice tinged with resignation. "I'll go back tomorrow, I promise."

Seon-woo's posture relaxed slightly, but his eyes remained skeptical. "I'll have your uniform pressed and ready, young master."

As the butler turned to leave, Byul-ho called out, "Seon-woo?" The older man paused, looking back. "Thank you... for looking out for me."

A rare smile softened Seon-woo's features. He nodded once before disappearing down the hallway.

***

The school hallways fell silent as Byul-ho walked through the main entrance.

Whispers quickly erupted, spreading like wildfire through the crowd of students. Eyes followed him, some wide with surprise, others narrowed in contempt.

"Look who finally decided to grace us with his presence," a boy sneered as Byul-ho passed.

Giggles and pointed stares accompanied him to his classroom, but Byul-ho's face remained impassive. He took his seat, ignoring the mocking whispers around him.

During lunch, he caught sight of Park Soo-yeon, his former crush. She glanced his way, her expression a mix of pity and discomfort before quickly looking away. Byul-ho felt a twinge in his chest but pushed it aside. He had bigger dreams now.

Days turned into weeks. Byul-ho's sporadic attendance became a subject of speculation and ridicule. When present, he sat silently, his mind clearly elsewhere. When absent, theories ran wild.

"I heard he's working at a convenience store," one student gossiped.

"Nah, he's probably just given up on life," another replied with a snicker.

Even the teachers began to exchange concerned looks when Byul-ho's name was called during roll call, more often met with silence than not.

As time passed, the mockery began to fade, replaced by a strange sort of indifference. Byul-ho became a ghost in the hallways, barely acknowledged when he did show up. Students would look right through him, conversations dying as he approached only to resume once he'd passed.

But behind his quiet exterior, Byul-ho's mind was racing with plans and possibilities. Every moment at school was a moment away from Golden-Star Entertainment, from the group he was nurturing into something extraordinary.

***

Six months had passed since Byul-ho had brought his seven chosen talents together. The transformation was remarkable. Gone were the rough edges and uncertainty; in their place stood seven young men exuding confidence and polish.

Jae-sung's features had softened, his jawline more defined after the careful work of skilled surgeons.

Min-jae's dancer's body had become even more toned, his movements more fluid. Sung-ho's charisma seemed to have doubled, his newly enhanced features only amplifying his natural charm.

One by one, each member had undergone subtle but effective changes, their outer appearances now matching the stars Byul-ho saw in them from the beginning.

Drawing inspiration from the success of BTS in his past life, Byul-ho had carefully considered the group's name. He wanted something that embodied their potential, their ability to rise above expectations and shine.

"Gather round," he called out, his voice cutting through the panting breaths of the dancers. As they huddled around him, curiosity shining in their eyes, Byul-ho felt the weight of the moment.

"From this day forward," he announced, his gaze moving from one face to another, "you will be known as 'Ascend'."

He let the name hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "Because that's what you're going to do. You're going to ascend beyond anyone's expectations, beyond the limits of what people think is possible in K-pop."

The members exchanged glances, grins spreading across their faces as the name sank in.

"Ascend," Jae-sung repeated, a grin spreading across his face. "It's perfect, Byul-ho-ssi."

Hyun-woo nodded enthusiastically. "It really captures what we're aiming for, doesn't it?"

Byul-ho chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "I'm glad you like it. I've been racking my brain for weeks trying to come up with the right name."

The group laughed, the sound warm and genuine. Despite the age difference between them and their young CEO, they'd come to respect Byul-ho's vision and dedication over the past months.

"Alright, enough chat," Byul-ho said, clapping his hands together. "Let's head to the recording studio. We've got work to do."

They filed into the recording booth, each member taking their place behind the microphones. Byul-ho settled into a chair behind the sound engineer, his eyes focused on the group through the glass partition.

"Okay, let's take it from the top of the fourth track," he instructed through the intercom.

As the music began to play, Byul-ho leaned forward, his ears attuned to every note and inflection.

Jae-sung's powerful vocals soared through the chorus, followed by Sung-ho's sharp rap verse. Each member's unique color blended seamlessly into the next, creating a sound that was fresh yet familiar.

Byul-ho couldn't help but smile as he listened. The song was good - really good.

It had the catchy hook of a hit single combined with lyrics that were more thoughtful than the average pop song. This, he thought, was the sound that would set Ascend apart.

As the final notes faded away, Byul-ho pressed the intercom button. "That was excellent, guys."

The members beamed with pride, high-fiving each other in the booth.

"One more time," Byul-ho said, "and then we'll call it a day."

As Byul-ho watched Ascend record their fourth song, his mind raced with plans and possibilities. Four songs. It wasn't much, but it was enough for an EP - a perfect introduction to the world for a new group.

His eyes drifted to the worn business card on his desk, his father's handwriting visible on the back: "Park Ji-won." Byul-ho's fingers traced the embossed letters, a mixture of nostalgia and determination washing over him.

Uncle Ji-won, as Byul-ho had always called him, was more than just a family friend. He was a key player in one of South Korea's largest record labels. The kind of connection that could turn Ascend from a dream into a reality.

Byul-ho had been hesitant to use this connection, wanting to prove he could make it on his own. But now, with Ascend's sound polished and their image carefully crafted, it felt like the right time to make that call.

His other hand absently scrolled through the social media accounts he'd set up for Ascend. Over the past months, he'd been slowly building their online presence - teaser images, behind-the-scenes glimpses, snippets of practice sessions. The follower count was modest but growing steadily.

Byul-ho knew that in this era, digital presence was just as crucial as physical distribution. He'd leveraged his knowledge from his past life to implement strategies that were ahead of their time. Twitter, still in its infancy, was being used in ways that made other companies scratch their heads in confusion.

As the final notes of the song faded out, Byul-ho made a decision. It was time to take the next step. He would call Uncle Ji-won tomorrow, set up a meeting. It was time to introduce Ascend to the world.

His fingers closed around the business card, a smile playing on his lips. The pieces were falling into place. Soon, very soon, everyone would know the name Ascend - and the music world would never be the same.