CEO Jacques Chevalier stared blankly at Julien Moreau.
"Did he really finish all these songs in a single day?"
It was hard to believe.
If it had been a typical young man in his twenties fresh out of the military, he would've assumed it was just a bluff.
But the look on Julien's face reflected determination—there wasn't even a trace of exaggeration or frivolity in his eyes.
There was something about him...
Rather than a novice just entering society, Julien exuded a calm and ease as though he had experienced the storms of life for a long time. His music too carried traces of sorrow, wisdom, and time passed.
"So deep and mature for someone so young."
Lost in that thought, Jacques Chevalier was brought back to reality by Julien's concerned voice.
"Mr. Chevalier, are you okay?"
Only then did he snap out of it.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Mr. Moreau. So… shall we talk about the contract? Wait—ah, right."
He had jumped straight into the main topic and immediately realized his mistake. They hadn't even discussed the contract terms yet.
Smiling gently, Julien spoke.
"Sir, you haven't mentioned the conditions yet."
Jacques chuckled awkwardly and nodded.
"Right. I keep making mistakes today. Your songs are just that good—it got me ahead of myself."
"No worries. Take your time. We have plenty of it."
With that, Jacques felt more at ease. Julien truly was a remarkable young man.
In that moment, Julien's image overlapped with the artist Jacques had always dreamed of meeting.
Taking a deep breath, Jacques began the contract discussion in earnest.
A few minutes later—
"Are you sure these conditions are okay?"
Julien's demands were surprisingly simple:
A personal studio, support for the latest equipment, and the freedom to work with artists of his choice.
In fact, TW already provided all of these to their in-house composers.
Additionally, as demonstrated with Pierre Lemoine's album project, TW respected the autonomy between artists and composers. So as long as an artist didn't reject the song, the last condition wouldn't be a problem either.
"But that's not likely to happen."
Jacques was confident.
No artist who heard Julien's work would turn it down.
Although the contract negotiations concluded smoothly, Jacques still felt a lingering guilt.
Like he had acquired something of immense value for too low a price—or perhaps it was guilt for doing so.
He asked again just to be sure, but Julien's response didn't change:
"Yes, that's more than enough for me."
Jacques pondered what more he could offer.
But with the composer himself satisfied, there was neither need nor reason to push further.
With a smile, Jacques stood up.
"I think that covers everything. Thank you for meeting me so late at night. I'll send over the contract once it's ready. And… regarding the Pierre Lemoine album, payment for the song will be made separately, outside of this contract."
"Thank you. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Chevalier."
"There's one more thing—Mr. Lemoine's album timeline is quite tight, so I hope you can start working as soon as possible. Would that be okay?"
Without hesitation, Julien nodded.
"Of course. I can start tomorrow."
Jacques felt both relieved and oddly excited by his confident answer.
That strong assurance made Jacques believe even more in the success of this album.
"Then I'll send over the detailed plan first thing tomorrow. Let's work well together."
"Yes, let's."
They exchanged smiles and shook hands.
It was the beginning of something new.
Jacques nodded inwardly, pleased.
"It's late. Would you like a ride home? Or do you have more work to do here?"
Julien gave an awkward smile.
"No, it's not that. Actually, this is both my studio and home. But thank you for the offer."
Jacques paused for a moment.
"He lives and works here?"
A new contract term popped into his head.
"I'll get him a place near the company."
For a talent like Julien, it was only right to support not just his creative environment, but also his living situation.
That thought lightened his heart.
"That's the least I can do."
Jacques gave him a bright smile.
...
After Jacques left, the studio returned to silence.
Julien turned the folding couch Jacques had used into a bed.
"Whew..."
With a soft sigh, he lay down.
Perhaps because the nights were getting colder, a chill lingered in the studio.
He pulled the electric heater close.
As its warmth reached him, his body quickly relaxed.
"Things will get busier starting tomorrow."
Images of all he had to do rushed through his mind.
In his past life, there were countless things he had wanted to do but couldn't, held back by company restrictions or interference from others. Even when he finally completed music, it was often taken from him.
But now, things were different.
Now he had the chance to freely make the music he wanted.
Nothing could hold him back anymore.
"This is the real beginning."
Julien made a firm resolution.
Faced with a new opportunity, he was ready to create and share the music he loved.
And it would begin with Pierre Lemoine's winter album.
He imagined how to shape the album, what emotions to capture.
Gradually, his eyes closed, and sleep crept in.
The heater's soft glow blended with the fluorescent light, gently illuminating his resting form.
Even the flickering ceiling light eventually fell silent.
The night was peaceful.
Buzz—Buzz—
Julien was awakened by the vibration of his phone.
He rubbed his eyes. The heater's gentle warmth still filled the room.
"Is it morning already?"
He'd only slept six hours over the last two days, but surprisingly, he felt fine.
Despite the fatigue, his body was light.
"Youth really is a cheat code. To feel this fresh again..."
He smiled.
Before his regression, this would've been unthinkable.
To pull an all-nighter and still feel so good—what a privilege youth was.
He picked up his phone. A message from Jacques Chevalier popped up on screen.
[From CEO Jacques Chevalier]
[Here's the detailed schedule for Pierre Lemoine's album. Please review it!]
Just like yesterday, Jacques impressed him.
The fact that he had finalized the entire schedule overnight meant he must have returned to the office after their meeting.
"He's a powerhouse. No wonder TW got this far."
To Julien, Jacques Chevalier was as passionate and respectful as his reputation suggested.
Even with someone in their early twenties, he maintained perfect courtesy and sincerity.
It was how human relationships were meant to work—
—but in the entertainment industry, it was rare.
He knew better than anyone how rare it was to meet someone like that.
"I made the right choice choosing TW."
He stared at the message for a moment, then pushed off the blanket and got up.
The schedule showed a meeting with Pierre Lemoine the next day.
Since they'd likely begin production immediately after, he needed to finish the remaining work on the "Snowman" album today.
To release the album by early December, they had barely a week.
There was a lot to prepare.
After a light stretch, he sat down at his computer and opened his composition software.
Leaving space for session instruments, he started refining the melody.
"This part needs more impact."
He decided to strengthen the melody and chorus.
For a vocalist like Pierre Lemoine, it was more effective to focus on his expressive voice than flashy arrangements.
So Julien simplified the orchestration and adjusted the structure to suit mainstream pop more than film music.
His hands moved faster.
Deep in concentration, the entire direction of the song became clear in his mind.
Like painting on a blank canvas, his musical imagination translated into reality.
Unbeknownst to him, all the knowledge and experience from his previous life began pouring out like stars in the sky.
The music that emerged was detailed, bold, and above all—flawless.
In this moment, his talent was at its peak.
Even if legendary composer David Foster stood beside him, it'd be hard to say who would win.
This was just the beginning.
But in Julien's newly started life, the first step of a great journey had begun—quietly, yet powerfully.
At the same time, TW Entertainment was buzzing with energy.
The long meetings that began yesterday evening had entered a new phase.
All thanks to their new savior: Julien Moreau.
CEO Jacques Chevalier had personally met with him and finalized the contract verbally last night.
The staff were first shocked to learn that the genius behind those songs was a young man in his early twenties. Then came another surprise: the unprecedented terms of the contract offered to a newcomer.
As murmurs spread, Jacques firmly stated with confidence:
"He's more of a genius than anyone I've ever met. Just trust me on this."
When a man known as a genius in the industry says that—it carries weight.
Though the staff didn't yet know what kind of transformation Julien would bring to TW, one thing was certain:
He had already solved the Pierre Lemoine album issue.
He was the savior who would reduce their growing dark circles.
"Manager Claire Dubois, is the contract for Julien Moreau ready?"
"Yes, I just checked it. I've left the special clauses blank just in case."
"Good. Marc, how did it go with Mr. Lemoine?"
"I contacted him as soon as the CEO left last night. He's confirmed his participation in the album."
"Perfect! When Composer Moreau arrives tomorrow, check on the arrangement session plan and reserve the main recording studio!"
"Got it, Team Leader!"
Team Leader Émile Laurent double-checked to make sure nothing was missing.
Thanks to Julien, they had a high-quality track in hand, and production would officially start the next day.
Time was short, but they hoped to finish quickly and maybe even rest a bit.
Looking at his tired team, Émile clapped and encouraged them:
"Alright, not much left now. Let's give it our all until the album's a success!"