184: Chapter 184 T-ara's Island MV Filming

The city lights were like an inverted galaxy. Song Tianhao suddenly thought of the night in Paris, the wind by the Seine River, and those two girls.

He picked up his phone, opened his contacts, found Sulli's name, and drafted a message: "I have received the vintage fabric, thank you. It is very precious. Prepare well for your upcoming work."

It was concise and direct, fitting his usual style, but that "very precious" was already a considerable degree of affirmation from him.

Almost the instant the message was sent, a reply popped up, so fast it was as if she had been guarding her phone: "As long as CEO Oppa likes it! I will do my best!"

Through the screen, Song Tianhao could imagine the girl holding her phone, her eyes curved into crescents.

The corners of his mouth curved upward almost imperceptibly, and then he opened Krystal's chat box.

For Krystal Jung, a girl with a calmer personality and deeper thoughts, he deliberated his wording: "Have you found your direction? If you need to discuss it, you can anytime."

This time, the reply did not come immediately. He waited for a few minutes, and just as he thought she might be busy or wouldn't reply, his phone vibrated.

Krystal's reply was only one line:

"Still looking. But I will no longer look at others' lighthouses. Thank you, CEO Oppa."

A few seconds later, another message came:

"Also, Unnie gave you the best part of that fabric. She said that shade of blue is like CEO Oppa's eyes (she told me to keep it a secret, I forgot)."

Song Tianhao looked at these two messages, stunned for a moment, then shook his head helplessly and chuckled. That Krystal... was that last addition really forgotten, or was it intentional?

This kind of awkward, cautious, yet intimate "tattling" was very much in line with her personality.

He put down his phone, his gaze landing on the corner of his desk. There lay the small cloth bag Sulli had given him. He had opened it earlier; inside were several scraps of vintage fabric with thick textures and intricate patterns, clearly carefully selected.

One piece was a rich, near-ink-black indigo blue, embroidered with fine vine patterns in gold thread. He picked it up and held it to the light. Under the light, the blue was as deep as the midnight sea, with a faint, dark luster flowing through it.

Like his eyes? Is that what Sulli thought?

He rubbed the blue fabric between his fingertips; the cloth was somewhat coarse, but the touch was warm. Then, he picked up the teardrop-shaped sapphire brooch he had brought back from Paris, which he always kept at hand.

The gemstone refracted a cold, pure blue light under the lamp, completely different from the calm, deep blue of the fabric, yet they were strangely harmonious.

The rain in Paris, the wind on the rooftop, the girls' bright or stubborn smiles, the flashing magnesium lights at the airport, and that phrase "like CEO Oppa's eyes"... This short trip to Paris was like a quickly flipped roll of film, leaving behind many vivid and complex imprints.

It seemed like a successful fashion mission, but in reality, it was a silent tempering of emotions and growth. He protected one girl as she walked through a foreign maze of language and guided another girl to face the myth of her inner lighthouse.

And he himself, it seemed, had gained a deeper understanding and... some kind of indescribable sense of responsibility toward the world he had built and these "stars" surrounding him in the process.

The vibration of his phone interrupted his thoughts. This time, there were two new messages.

One was from the official contact person for the "Running Man" production team, confirming the final time, location, and schedule for next week's recording, and attaching the draft theme for this recording, "City Chase: Who is the Mole."

The other was from a familiar number, Jun Ji-hyun.

The text message was very short: "President Song, back in Korea? I've finished reading the script for 'Monday Couple,' and there are a few places I want to 'discuss in depth' with you. Free for coffee tomorrow? Same place."

The four words "discuss in depth" were thoughtfully placed in quotation marks by her, appearing especially meaningful on the screen.

Song Tianhao's gaze lingered on those four words for a moment, and Jun Ji-hyun's bright, moving face with a hint of sly smile flashed through his mind. This top actress had never been one to follow the rules.

His fingers tapped on the screen, and his reply was equally short: "Okay, see you tomorrow."

The chapter of Paris had already been turned; the airport with its smoke of battle, the quiet gallery, and the girls' secret thoughts had all become scenery behind him. And the story in Seoul never stopped; new challenges, new opportunities, and new "in-depth discussions" were already impatiently knocking at the door.

He turned off his computer and picked up the suit jacket draped over the back of his chair. As he prepared to leave, his gaze swept across the desk one last time; the lonely teardrop brooch and the piece of vintage fabric glowing with a dark blue light under the lamp were placed side by side, silently telling something.

Song Tianhao paused, reached out to pick up the blue fabric, and felt a slight chill at his fingertips. He looked at it for a few seconds, and finally put it and the brooch together into his inner suit pocket, right against his heart.

Then, he raised his hand and turned off the office's ceiling light.

The moment the room darkened, the thousands of city lights outside the window, along with the halo of the Iron Tower in his distant memory, seemed to converge into a silent galaxy, flowing through the night.

He smiled, turned around, pushed open the office door, and walked toward the still bustling world outside. The corridor lights elongated his shadow, and his footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, steady and clear.

The next day, in the conference room on the third floor of Sky Entertainment, the air conditioner hummed softly, isolating the heat of the July Seoul afternoon.

Beside the oval conference table, the six members of T-ara sat upright, their expressions filled with undisguised anticipation. Song Tianhao, in the main seat, had just finished an overseas call and gently placed his phone on the table, making a soft "click" sound.

Soyeon, sitting at his right hand, let her gaze linger on his face for a moment before quickly shifting it away, lowering her head to pretend to look through the notebook in her hand, though not a single word was written on it.

"Everyone is here." Song Tianhao spoke. His voice was not loud, but it made the last bits of scattered conversation in the conference room disappear. He pressed the remote control in his hand, and the big screen behind him lit up.

It was not a common PPT chart, but a high-resolution photo that instantly captured everyone's attention.

The ocean water, blue to the point of being almost unreal, extended infinitely into the distance, merging with the equally azure sky at the end of the horizon.

The white sand beach was like a delicate ribbon, winding around an emerald lagoon. A few tall coconut trees grew slanted on the beach, their shadows dancing.

In the corner of the photo, one could see a few overwater bungalows built with thatch and wood, full of primitive tropical charm.

"Wow!" Jiyeon was the first who couldn't hold back, letting out a short exclamation, then immediately covering her mouth, but her eyes were already shining amazingly.

Ham Eunjung had her mouth slightly open, Qri was propping her chin with her hand, her eyes unblinking. Jeon Boram whispered to Hyomin beside her: "Is... is this real? It's not computer-generated?"

Hyomin didn't answer, just stared tightly at the screen, her breathing lightened.

"In Southeast Asia, there is a small island that you need to zoom in many times on the map to find, called 'Santa Anna'."

Song Tianhao's voice sounded against the background of the photo, steady and clear, "There are no large resorts, no crowds of tourists, and not even a decent pier. Getting in and out mainly relies on the locals' small boats."

He switched to the next picture, an aerial view of the island, lush and green, with a mountain in the center and coral reefs surrounding it. "The location for our MV this time is right here."

"CEO Oppa," the leader Ham Eunjung raised her hand, and after receiving a nod, she asked cautiously, "Filming there... will logistics and communication be very difficult?" She was the leader and considered things more practically.

"There will definitely be difficulties." Song Tianhao did not avoid it, "So the shooting period this time is set for five days, with actual filming time being only three days; the other two days are for travel and acclimatization. The team size will be streamlined, bringing only the core director team, camera crew, hair and makeup, and necessary assistants."

He pressed the remote again, and the screen showed a spacious tropical-style building with a huge wooden terrace and a thatched roof, "For accommodation, the only place on the island that can house so many of us is this Homestay. The conditions are relatively primitive, but there is a generator, basic fresh water, and enough rooms."

His gaze swept over the six young faces, seeing surprise, excitement, and a trace of unease. "The concept for this shoot has already been sent to you by the planning department, called 'Retro Party Trapped on an Island'."

He paused, emphasizing his tone, "The core is not exquisite stage outfits and standard dance formations, but authenticity, naturalness, and having fun."

""Roly-Poly" itself is a retro disco-style song. What we need to do is place this cheerful, summery atmosphere into the purest of environments.

You aren't idols going to work; you are a group of girls wearing retro outfits who went to an island to party, only to get accidentally stranded. What I want is that slightly disheveled, slightly funny, but vibrant and infectious state."

This interpretation made the girls' eyes light up even more. The idol industry's demands for "perfection" are nearly harsh, yet the concept proposed by President Song seemed to allow, or even encourage, them to be "imperfect."

Just then, the conference room door was lightly knocked. Song Tianhao's assistant pushed the door open, looking somewhat troubled, walked over to Song Tianhao, and whispered a few words.

Song Tianhao's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, then smoothed out immediately. "Understood." He signaled for the assistant to leave, then looked at the members sitting around the conference table.

"There's a small change," he said in his usual tone. "One of the originally planned backup dancers twisted her ankle during training yesterday and needs at least two weeks of rest."

"Ah?" Park Hyomin spoke out instinctively, then immediately realized her lapse in decorum and quickly covered her mouth. A missing backup dancer, especially for some group dance shots that required coordination, would definitely be affected.

Song Tianhao didn't look at the proposal, as if he already had a backup plan. He picked up his phone directly, found a number, dialed it, and pressed the speakerphone button.

Beep—beep—!

After a few rings, the call was answered, and a middle-aged man's hearty voice came through: "Hello, President Song? What brings you the time to call me today?"

"President Hong, sorry to bother you." Song Tianhao spoke, his tone professional and polite. "There is something I would like to discuss with you."

On the other end of the line was President Hong Seung-sung of CUBE Entertainment. "Please go ahead, President Song. If it's something we can help with, CUBE will certainly do our best."

"I remember President Hong mentioned last time that you hoped our two companies could have more interaction regarding artist collaborations."

Song Tianhao said unhurriedly, "As it happens, T-ara is about to shoot a special summer version of an MV, and the location is overseas. We need a female dancer with a strong style and explosive energy to participate as a special guest. The first person I thought of was your company's Kim Hyuna."

The conference room went quiet instantly. The members of T-ara exchanged glances. Kim Hyuna? That 4minute member who became an overnight sensation last year with her "pelvis dance" in "Change", sweeping major stages with her sexy, healthy, and powerful dance style?

On the other end of the line, President Hong Seung-sung was clearly stunned for a moment, then his voice carried an even thicker smile: "Oh my, President Song really has... keen eyes! Of course, our Kim Hyuna is no problem! It's her honor to participate in T-ara's MV shoot! I wonder about the timing..."

"Departing in three days, with a five-day shooting schedule. My assistant will send the specific itinerary and contract details to your company later," Song Tianhao said decisively. "Kim Hyuna's part won't be much, but it's crucial. I hope she can bring some... different sparks."

"Understood, understood! A retro party needs a bit of wild sparks, right? Our Kim Hyuna is best at that!" President Hong Seung-sung immediately followed up, his tone even sounding a bit impatient.

Letting Kim Hyuna, who was in her rising period and had extremely high buzz, participate in the MV shoot for Sky Entertainment's flagship girl group was an excellent exposure and collaboration opportunity; he couldn't ask for more. "I'll arrange it right away, let Kim Hyuna go over immediately to communicate with the T-ara members and the directing team!"

The call ended. There was silence in the conference room for a few seconds.

"Senior Kim Hyuna is coming to shoot the MV with us?" The maknae, Park Ji-yeon, had her eyes wide open, her tone mixed with surprise and a hint of excitement. Among girl group juniors, Kim Hyuna was almost synonymous with "sexy dance" and was someone many trainees imitated.

"Not just a senior, but a specially invited 'interdimensional spark'." Song Tianhao corrected, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the six. "Her dance style is different from yours, but this concept needs that contrast and collision. Eunjung, you are the leader; you need to handle the communication and coordination."

Ham Eunjung nodded immediately: "Yes, President, I will." But there was a hint of gravity in her eyes. Suddenly adding an external member with such a distinct and strong style, the chemical reaction within the team was an unknown.

Park Hyomin leaned into Ham Eunjung's ear, whispering quickly, "Wow, I feel like the temperature on set is going to skyrocket..."

Ham Eunjung tapped her lightly, signaling her not to talk nonsense.

About half an hour later, the conference room door was knocked on again. This time, a girl with a petite figure but full of presence walked in.

Kim Hyuna was wearing a simple white T-shirt and denim hot pants, revealing a pair of straight, well-proportioned, beautifully lined legs. She had a high ponytail, revealing a smooth forehead, her face had a healthy wheat-colored tan, her eyes were large and bright, and when she smiled, there were two cute dimples at the corners of her mouth.

But the most eye-catching thing was the overwhelming, seemingly endless vitality she exuded, as well as the sense of stage control that faintly permeated even when she stood still.

"Hello President, hello T-ara seniors, I am 4minute's Kim Hyuna! It is my great honor to participate in the seniors' MV shoot!"

Her greeting was crisp and loud, her bow was standard and forceful, then she raised her head, her gaze first landing on the face of Song Tianhao in the main seat, scanning quickly, then turning to the T-ara members, revealing a big, unreserved smile, "I will practice hard to make the stage even hotter!"

Her voice, like her, was full of energy, instantly breaking the slightly subtle silence in the conference room.

Park So-yeon, as the representative, stood up first and responded with a smile: "Kim Hyuna xi, welcome. We'll be troubling you this time."

Her attitude was gentle and polite, a standard leader's posture.

"Seniors, you are too polite!" Kim Hyuna waved her hand, smiling brightly, "Being able to collaborate with you is my opportunity! The concept President mentioned on the phone, President Hong has already told me, 'The interdimensional spark crashing into the retro party', right? I think it's super cool!"

While she was speaking, her gaze drifted involuntarily toward Song Tianhao. This young president of Sky Entertainment had quite a few rumors circulating in the industry recently. Self-made, keen eye, treated his artists incredibly well, and he himself looked too much like the standard male lead of an idol drama.

Kim Hyuna felt her heart beating a little fast, so she quickly averted her gaze, looking at the blue sea and sky frozen on the big screen.

Song Tianhao took in her performance, with no extra expression on his face.

"For the specific choreography, I will communicate with the dance teacher to design a few iconic center-position insertion points for you based on the original foundation. Your part is not backup dancing; it's being an 'intruder', an 'accidental variable' that ignites the party. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" Kim Hyuna immediately straightened her back, answering as if accepting a military order. In her heart, she pondered the term "accidental variable," feeling it was much cooler than a simple "special performance."

"The shooting location is quite remote, and living conditions may not be as convenient as in Seoul." Song Tianhao looked at everyone, his tone becoming more serious. "The medical team, security personnel, satellite communication equipment, and emergency response plans have all been arranged by the team."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the few staff members who had shown worried expressions when the assistant was reporting earlier, "So, there is no need to worry about safety issues. Your task is to completely surrender yourselves to that environment and find the most relaxed and authentic state."

He signaled the assistant to distribute a small, square device with an orange-yellow shell to everyone.

"This is for you, the latest waterproof action camera. During the shoot, in addition to the official filming, you can also use this to record the island, your partners, and yourselves through your own eyes at any time. I will edit the final behind-the-scenes footage myself."

"CEO Oppa is going to edit it himself?" Park Hyomin picked up the camera in surprise, looking at it over and over.

"Mm." Song Tianhao nodded, watching their eyes light up again because of this little gift, and finally concluded, "For this shoot, what I want is not flawless idols, but T-ara who are having fun and releasing themselves—remember this sentence. Dismissed, go back and prepare. Five o'clock in the morning, three days from now, meet at the airport."