Between two worlds | Chanlix

Work bug

The next morning, Chan arrived at the building in Hongdae just before nine. The gray structure looked less intimidating in the light of day, but the nervous flutter in his stomach hadn't settled. The moment he stepped inside, he was greeted by the same polished marble floors and quiet hum of activity. He swallowed hard and walked up to the receptionist, who this time gave him a slight nod as she handed him a visitor badge and directed him to the third floor.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal a bustling workspace, with the low murmur of conversations and the rhythmic tapping of keyboards filling the air. The studio was a maze of glass-walled offices and recording rooms, each buzzing with the energy of music professionals. As Chan hesitated in the hallway, a voice called out to him.

"Hey! You must be the new guy, right?" A young man with dyed blond hair and a warm grin approached, offering a hand. "I'm Jisung. I heard Felix brought you in. Brave move, man."

"Chan," he replied, shaking Jisung's hand, a little taken aback by the friendly greeting. "Uh, yeah. I guess you could call it that."

Jisung chuckled and motioned for Chan to follow him down the hallway. "Come on, let me show you around. This place can be a bit overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to it."

As they walked, Jisung introduced him to a few others on the team—vocal coaches, sound engineers, a couple of songwriters—all of whom seemed welcoming, if a bit curious about him. Most of them were young, energetic, and bursting with creative ideas. Chan could already tell they took their work seriously, even if the atmosphere was relaxed compared to what he'd expected.

"First things first," Jisung said as they reached a set of double doors that led into a large recording studio. "If you want to survive here, you've got to know the unspoken rules. Rule number one: Don't cross paths with Felix unless you absolutely have to. He's got a temper, and he doesn't sugarcoat anything."

Chan nodded, though he felt a pang of doubt. He'd seen that side of Felix yesterday—his coldness and impatience. But he'd also seen Felix give him a chance when it seemed unlikely, and that had to mean something, didn't it?

Jisung seemed to read his hesitation and added, "It's not that he's a bad guy. He just... demands a lot.

And if you don't meet his expectations, well, you'd better be prepared to hear about it. Loudly."

"Got it," Chan replied, trying to shake off the unease settling in his chest.

They continued the tour, with Jisung explaining where to find the different studios, practice rooms, and the break area. The other staff members chimed in with their own bits of advice: which coffee machine worked best, the quickest routes to avoid bumping into Felix, and who to ask if he needed help with equipment. It was a lot to take in, but their genuine camaraderie helped ease some of Chan's anxiety.

"Alright," Jisung said, stopping outside another studio room. "This is where you'll be working on your first project—scoring a new film soundtrack. It's a big opportunity, so make sure you bring your A- game."