TO SHOU WITH LOVE

50 - KISS

For a moment, Sailub didn’t know how to respond.

The gaze from Thanapon was so serious that it seemed devoid of any impurities.

So serious that Sailub felt explaining now that he had just casually asked would seem… cruel.

So he fell into silence.

He did have his own music studio, and he could sign Thanapon.

However, this studio was established after he withdrew from the spotlight, and the projects he had taken in the past two years were more inclined towards behind-the-scenes production.

He couldn’t say he was particularly skilled in artist management.

Thanapon was the lead singer of a band, and whether it was the band’s development or his personal growth, it all required a lot of publicity and management work.

Sailub, having walked away from the path of being a singer, understood this better than anyone else.

Thanapon was more suitable for signing with a record company, and Sailub had the ability to help him sign with a powerful record company.

But from what Thanapon seemed to imply, he didn’t seem interested in signing…

What was this kid thinking?

Overthinking, his dizziness worsening, Sailub rubbed his temples.

Thanapon, who had been watching him all this time, spoke up at this moment, “Or is it that you were just asking casually and didn’t actually want to sign me?”

“How could it be,” Sailub immediately denied, “I was just thinking about which path would be more suitable for you… By the way, do you know about KQ Music? It’s my former signing company, sort of my old stomping ground. They have good resources and musical aesthetics, and they respect the artist’s personal opinions. If you’re interested, I can help you get in touch with them.”

“Not interested,” Thanapon said.

After a moment of silence, Sailub asked, “So you’re only interested in my studio?”

Thanapon responded with a simple “Hmm.”

Sailub chuckled, almost unsure of what to say.

How could this seemingly indifferent teenager be like a stray dog, following along without any guard once he’s given some food?

“Alright,” he smiled, “let’s do it tomorrow then. You can ask Topten and Sammy if they want to come along. I’ll take you guys to see my studio first, and then we can make a decision.”

“Okay,” Thanapon replied.

After a pause, Sailub added, “But let’s make it clear, if you really sign with my studio, you’ll have to listen to me.”

“Other than not smoking,” Thanapon asked, “anything else?”

“Also, about my studio,” Sailub tapped lightly on the table with his fingers, speaking slowly, “although it’s not large in scale, we have quite high educational requirements. At the very least, you should have graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music. Can you meet that requirement?”

After a brief silence, Thanapon said, “Yes.”

“You’re quite confident,” Sailub chuckled again, then lowered his head, using his fingers to massage his temples.

“Let’s leave it at that for now. My head is too dizzy, and the wine from Ping tonight is quite potent…”

“I’ll take you back,” Thanapon stood up.