Fight for it? RESQ - Stray Kids Hyunjin FF (RESQ SAGA PART 2)

91.

Leah's solo debut day came and we all were waiting backstage until she was called. She had already had the camera rehearsal but she was still very nervous.

"What if my voice cracks? What if I forget the lyrics or the dance?" She said nervously.

"What if I kick your ass if you keep talking nonsense?" I threatened her. "You'll do just fine! Besides, I recorded some backing vocals for you to rely on too."

"Indirectly you are on both of our solo albums," Mika pointed out. "You also recorded backing vocals for mine."

"I even appear on one of the boys' songs. They forgot to remove the backing vocals I recorded as a guide for them in <Voices>."

"That's right!" Lin agreed. "You almost killed them for it. Thankfully the fans didn't notice."

"Don't change topic!" Leah exclaimed. "I'm scared as hell right now!"

"Don't worry, Leah," Mika told her. "We all believe in you."

"Leah, get ready!" Our manager said opening the door. "You are up in a minute. Fighting!"

(Imagine the backing vocals are Soojin's voice)

ººº

Back at the dorms we were all pretty tired, specially Leah, so we were all sitting down on the couch, including Yeongjae, our manager. I still needed to tell the girls about my talk with JYP, so I thought that was a good time since we were all already gathered.

"Girls, I want to call a meeting," I said and they all looked at me shocked, including Yeongjae who had already been present in several ones. "Don't worry, it's not a big deal but I need to tell you about it."

"You are scaring me, Soojin," Mika said. "Did something happen online again?"

"No, it's not that. It's about the talk I had with JYP the other day when he called me," I said. "He told me we are making a comeback at the end of the year or the beginning of the next one, as you already know, but he also told me I will be the only one not debuting solo. I thought I should tell you that."

"What?!" They all exclaimed. "Why?!"

"I thought you had a good relationship with JYP," Yeongjae said. "At least that's the impression it gave me. He told me a lot of things about you specially when I joined."

"Well, he told me I don't fit a solo concept and, in layman terms, told me to fuck off and write music," I answered honestly. "I didn't tell you before because Leah had her debut and I didn't want the atmosphere to feel tense."

"You basically write and compose our music as well as create the dances with very little help from the rest of us. Also, you have recoded our backing vocals as well as sung during the <Oh! My Mistake> era," Lin said. "Oh, and may I remind ourselves of the <Ah Yeah> guide? That song hasn't passed the cut yet, but you recorded the guide with the high note yourself. Is JYP deaf or just an idiot?"

<Ah Yeah> was a song I had composed before Mika and I's debut. It was a pop-rock ballad with female empowering lyrics. It had a really high note in the bridge that I recorded for the demo myself. I really liked it and presented different versions of it to JYP, but he always turned it down. 

"If you aren't fit for a solo concept, then none of us is," Leah said. "Lin is right, JYP isn't on his right mind."

"I may be the leader, Soojin, but you are one of the most important pillars of the group," Mika told me. "Your songs and demos are what made us debut and your songs and dances are what let us do what we love. We need to talk to JYP."

"Girls, don't tell him anything. This is a problem between him and I . I just wanted to let you know," I explained.

"If I were you, Soojin, I'd keep showing him what you are capable of," Yeongjae told me. "In this comeback create music that you truly love and not what he wants to hear."

"Are you telling me to go against JYP?" I asked him perplexed.

"To make it simple, yes," he answered. "I heard your solo works when you practiced and you are capable of much better things than they let you."

"And that's why I'm in love with our manager!" Leah joked and gave him a small hug, making us all laugh.

ººº

For the next few days, Lin and I worked on songs non stop. We also worked with old songs and drafts that didn't pass the cut and modified and perfected them, but barely any songs managed to get our approval in the end.

The 3racha boys also helped us out from time to time. When we told them that we wanted to go against JYP and change the concept they were all thrilled to help us, specially Chan as he knew what had happened between JYP and I.

"What about changing <Ah Yeah>?" Jisung suggested. "It has a lot of potential but it is too... slow? I don't know how to put it. Why don't you spice it up? Maybe instead of the normal guitar, bass and drums you could use instruments such as the sax."

"I think I get what you mean..." I said and went to the electric piano, changing the mode to 'sax' and playing the main riff.

"Ohh... I like it!" Lin exclaimed. 

Chan then picked up the lauch pad and Lin played the old demo while Changbin picked up the lyrics and sang them quietly.

"This part can be rap now!" Changbin told me and demonstrated it. "I like where this is going!"

We then immediately began working on it and everyone came up with different ideas to change the song. It was turning out amazing and  the songs' real potential was unleashed.

"I didn't know it could sound so great!" I said.

"This will be a success!" Lin agreed as we high-fived.