Chapter 100: Composing

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Entertainment at Your Side, No Ads
Story Timeline: June to October 2006
Recommended Song: FTISLAND — Happiness
Disclaimer: This work is purely fictional. Please do not associate it with real individuals. Any resemblance is purely coincidental!

"The actress we need is right here," Park Young-ho said, looking at Lee Hyo-ri and then smiling.
"Hyo-ri? You?" Jiang Yihan looked at the slightly embarrassed Lee Hyo-ri in surprise.
"Yes, I took this role," Lee Hyo-ri confirmed.
"What about your agency? No issues? They didn’t object? And your manager? Didn’t they say anything about you taking this film?" Jiang Yihan fired off questions, worried about Lee Hyo-ri’s situation.
"No worries, Yihan. I’ve been in this industry for so many years; trust me," Lee Hyo-ri’s expression was calm and confident. "Besides, my contract with DSP ends in November. The company thought it over for a long time but didn’t oppose me taking this film. So don’t worry."

Jiang Yihan glanced at his sister Jiang Ziyi, who was the screenwriter; then at Uncle Park Young-ho, the director across the table; and finally at his partner, Lee Hyo-ri, sitting beside him. He thought about the investment from Ziyi—they had worked together before—and somehow this movie felt like a small, homegrown production, almost like a self-made indie film.

Indeed, a low-budget, small-scale team was the hallmark of this film, even smaller in scale than “Can I Love You?” And yet, the leads were top Korean stars, which would surely surprise many. All of this was because of one person: Jiang Yihan.

Once you have courage, all the wounds cease to hurt and instead become the driving force pushing you forward. When everyone else was forgetting Jiang Yihan, when they were waiting for him to stumble, he gathered his greatest courage to stand before everyone again, to win their admiration once more!

While the crew—photographers, lighting technicians, makeup artists, costume designers, and prop masters—prepared for the film, Jiang Yihan was still busy with his album. Then more matters came knocking. In just a few days, Jiang Yihan had rapidly switched from a quiet life back into a busy one. The sudden shift was unsettling but he enjoyed it. Don’t think about the media, don’t dwell on past disasters, don’t worry about harsh criticisms or dark conspiracies—just do what you want. Jiang Yihan was happy.

Five young men arrived: familiar faces, TVXQ.

"Yihan, we came because we need your help," said Yunho, the leader, with an unusually formal and serious tone.

"What’s going on? Just tell me, why so serious?" Jiang Yihan tried to lighten the mood with a smile.

The guys exchanged looks, then Kim Jaejoong, closest to Jiang Yihan, spoke: "Originally, Lee Ran was supposed to tell you, but he thought it’d be better if we asked you ourselves, so here we are."

"What is it? Does it have to do with today? Tell me," Jiang Yihan’s curiosity grew.

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"Yes, Yihan, we’re coming back next month with a new album. It’s almost finished," Kim Jaejoong explained. "But we haven’t decided on the title track yet. Lee Ran and the company have been considering many options. The company recently went through a lot, so we want a strong start with this comeback. They’ve been meticulously choosing the title track. Finally, Lee Ran asked us to come to you—see if you could write the title track for us."

"Ah?" Jiang Yihan’s first reaction was surprise. He thought about it for a while but hadn’t expected this. Yet, it made sense—though Lee Ran trusted his abilities, as their manager this was business. It would be more natural for the group to approach him directly.

"The title track? I’m not sure if I can write something good. My style might not fit yours," Jiang Yihan admitted. "Your title track probably needs to be more K-pop, with strong dance beats. I’ve been training with music in that style lately, but I really don’t know if I can do it well." After thinking carefully, he proposed a compromise: "How about this? I’ll try my best to write something for you, but you should also keep looking for other songs that might suit you well. That way, we cover more ground. Sound good?"

"Of course! We all trust you, Yihan," Kim Jaejoong said happily. Although rumors still circulated online about Jaejoong and Jiang Yihan being together, Jiang Yihan’s recent incident had overshadowed those talks, and discussions about the movie had quieted, which actually relieved both of them. Their current interactions felt much more comfortable.

After seeing the five off, Jiang Yihan called Lee Ran. Before Jiang Yihan could speak, Lee Ran immediately apologized: "Lazy cat, I was wrong. Please don’t be mad, okay?"

"You little devil, I’m not mad! It’s just that you know I’m busy lately, and you’re giving me more work. What if I can’t write it or it’s bad? Seriously," Jiang Yihan half-laughed, half-exasperated.

"Hey, I’m your manager, how could I not know your schedule? But I really have no other choice. I believe in your talent, so when all else failed, I had to ask you. Besides, the movie and album aren’t due soon, so just free up some time to help me out," Lee Ran pleaded.

"Sigh, fine. You’re washing dishes this week. I don’t promise quality!" Jiang Yihan reluctantly accepted the task but was genuinely happy that his composing skills were recognized. Helping TVXQ and Lee Ran was something he could do without hesitation. He smiled and walked back to his room.

Everything in this world has two sides: positive and negative. Since entering the entertainment industry, his career had gone smoothly—that was the positive side. But everything has a flip side, and the accumulated negatives eventually exploded, leading to the current situation. For us, no matter if things are positive or negative, we must face them with a smile and strength. Because in the end, the existence of positive or negative depends on your mindset. A sunny disposition makes things seem more hopeful; a gloomy one magnifies hardships. Everything is a circle, half and half, blending harmoniously into a whole. Good things have bad sides; bad things have good sides. It’s not simply good or bad—the mindset is the key.

This was Jiang Yihan’s first thought, his reflection on recent life. When these thoughts flowed from his pen, they became lyrics. Writing the lyrics took two nights. With more free time and many experiences lately, his thoughts surged like tides, inspiring the fast creation of the lyrics. Refining details went hand-in-hand with composing the melody.

Closing his eyes, he imagined himself standing beneath a vast night sky, surrounded by stars, the moon, and passing birds. Softly feeling the beat, moving his body to the rhythm, the scenes of recent months played like an old film—from calls back home, meeting Lee Yimei, to the sudden explosion of events in his career. After the storm settled, calm returned, and he gained more reflection and composure. His mood ebbed and flowed with time, while the notes under his pen surged like waves. Soon, the basic melody took shape on paper.

Looking at the musical draft, Jiang Yihan fit in the lyrics and hummed casually. Singing a few lines, he gauged the changes—whether the melody and words matched—and completed the score. This cycle repeated.

A week passed; this was the time Jiang Yihan took to finish the score and submit his “homework.”

Before handing it to Lee Ran, Jiang Yihan didn’t stop. Inspiration struck again while writing, and he scribbled furiously for half a day, not emerging even by dinner.

Jiang Ziyi waited for over an hour before knocking on her brother’s door. Suddenly, Jiang Yihan burst out, picking her up in a hug. She hadn’t yet reacted when his joyful laughter rang out—something good must have happened.

"Brother, what’s up? What’s up?" Jiang Ziyi eagerly asked once he paused.

"Well, I just finished a piece of music that I really like, and the song for Jaejoong and the others is done too. Finally, a task completed—I feel relieved and happy," Jiang Yihan smiled, a rare and genuine smile. Seeing him so joyful, Jiang Ziyi knew her brother had truly found his rhythm again.

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On one hand, Jiang Yihan’s composing was going smoothly. On the other, good news came from Han Geng and Kwon Ji-yong.

Han Geng’s group, Super Junior, was rising rapidly in popularity. On June 25, 2006, they won their first music show award with the new song “U.” As the most unique member, Han Geng gave the acceptance speech. Right after, Jiang Yihan received a call from Han Geng.

"Yihan! Yihan! I got first place! I got first place!" Han Geng cried until he could barely speak. Jiang Yihan was truly happy for him. The past few years of trainee life, the rough debut, his parents’ worries, and the media’s harshness had all been exhausting. Now, winning first place was indescribably joyful.

"Han Geng, don’t cry! This should be a happy moment—laugh, laugh out loud! At least show those who doubted us that we can succeed, that we have real talent, right?" Jiang Yihan’s eyes welled up in heartfelt happiness.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Han Geng choked up. Jiang Yihan could almost picture his tear-streaked, smiling face, and gave him the simplest, most direct encouragement—a smile.

For many singers, especially newcomers, winning first place and receiving awards is no small feat. When Jiang Yihan won his first award, it happened so suddenly that he barely had time to feel moved before it was in his hands, so the emotional impact was not as deep. But for Han Geng, who had struggled for over half a year, the sweetness after hardship was overwhelming.

For Jiang Yihan, who swept every award last year, the emotional release came later. He remembered crying messily, tears and sniffles, unable to believe his success in his first year. Even now, it seemed incredible, though he was currently oddly idle at home.

Therefore, he believed this music show win meant far more than a simple first for Han Geng.

Before Han Geng could savor his joy, Jiang Yihan’s busy life saw another milestone: Kwon Ji-yong’s group Big Bang debuted. On August 19, 2006, Jiang Yihan and Jiang Ziyi arrived early to watch the debut stage of Kwon Ji-yong and his half-protégé Lee Seung-hyun.

Returning to a music show stage after so long, not as a performer but as an audience member, stirred complex emotions in Jiang Yihan. Wearing a hat and under the lights, no one recognized him. Watching the show, he found himself lost in thought, as if seeing himself once again displaying his charm on stage. Every move on stage was vivid yet distant. He didn’t know when he’d stand on stage again or what would come of it. The uncertainty was unsettling.

His thoughts swirled endlessly until Big Bang appeared, pulling him back to reality.

Watching the completely transformed Kwon Ji-yong and Lee Seung-hyun—wide pants, headbands, necklaces, full hip-hop style, skilled rapping, excellent vocals—though still rookie performers with somewhat raw stage presence and sparse audience support, Jiang Yihan sincerely applauded them. Big Bang’s performance carried an aggressive energy, as if conquering every stage and audience, making it impossible not to clap, sway, and shout along.

When the performance ended, Jiang Yihan saw the expressions of the five young men and believed their success was inevitable.

"Yihan, how was our performance just now?" Kwon Ji-yong texted. Before Jiang Yihan could reply, Lee Seung-hyun also messaged, "Yihan, our performance was great, right? Great, right?"

Reading the messages, Jiang Yihan smiled unconsciously. Youthful, energetic, confident—that was their hallmark. With strong music and stage skills, he believed they would carve out a sky of their own.

Witnessing Han Geng’s tearful joy at first place and Big Bang’s powerful debut, Jiang Yihan looked up at the sky and silently cheered himself on: Keep going, Jiang Yihan!