"Alright, let's finish strong."
After Claire left, only Julien Moreau and Michel Rousseau remained in the studio.
"Now all that's left is mastering. Once we hand it over, our job is done."
Recording was complete. All that remained was to sync Claire's vocals perfectly with the instrumental track (MR) to create the final AR file, and then complete the mastering.
Sometimes, mastering was skipped, but in professional album work, it was essential.
The reasons were simple:
First, to ensure optimal sound quality across various playback systems.
Second, to maintain consistent audio quality across radio, TV, streaming platforms, and CDs.
It was a specialized task requiring technical precision rather than creative flair—hence why it belonged to the engineers.
At Julien's words, Michel rolled up his sleeves and grinned.
"Finally, my time to shine. I'll handle the mastering. Julien, go get some rest."
Michel truly wished for Julien to take a break after all his hard work, but Julien shook his head, smiling mischievously.
"What, you think I'll just nag you from the side? I genuinely thought you were worried about me. I promise I won't interfere—I'll just watch."
Michel chuckled, seeing through him immediately.
"Fine, but if you nag even once, you're out."
Michel sat confidently at the main console. His gaze sharpened, taking on the serious demeanor of a seasoned engineer.
He quickly lined up the tracks Claire had recorded and began connecting them with flawless crossfades, ensuring seamless transitions.
Then he unified the tonal colors of the tracks with equalization and phase adjustments, achieving a perfectly balanced mix.
"Hmm, this should be good."
He played the final AR file for Julien, checking for any flaws.
"Sounds stable to me," Julien confirmed with a nod.
Satisfied, Michel saved the project and opened a fresh file to load the finalized AR track—ready to begin mastering.
He skillfully adjusted the mastering equipment:
Polished the frequencies with EQ,
Smoothed the dynamics with compression,
Removed any unnecessary noise.
Julien observed closely, quietly impressed.
"As expected from you, Michel. The sound becomes so much clearer after such fine adjustments."
Michel, still focused, smiled.
"Mastering is about breathing the final life into a song. Precision is everything."
He carefully used a limiter to set the overall volume, ensuring the track would sound perfect across all platforms.
"Good. We're almost there."
Finally, Michel opened a stereo imaging plugin to verify the frequency balance.
The bass to treble graph moved stably, and the left-right channel balance was flawless.
Confident that the work was complete, Michel leaned back and smiled broadly.
"Perfect. It's done."
He saved the project, then conducted final sound checks—through speakers, headphones, and even a smartphone.
When all checks were complete, Julien let out a deep breath, the tension lifting from his body.
"Phew—seriously, you're incredible. Thanks to you, the song shines even brighter."
Michel accepted the compliment with a smile but added with a touch of sadness:
"I'm happy it's finished… but part of me feels a little sad too."
Julien responded playfully:
"Even if you're sad, we need to go home. It's already past 4 AM. How about grabbing some soup before we call it a day? I'm starving."
They had worked from dawn to dawn.
Michel scratched the back of his head, feeling a little guilty.
"I feel even worse because I snuck out earlier to eat without you. Alright, dinner's on me. Let's go."
They burst into laughter, quickly cleaning up the studio and stepping out into the freezing dawn air.
Despite the biting cold, their hearts were filled with warmth and a deep sense of accomplishment.
While Julien was at home, sleeping soundly after sharing a hearty meal with Michel, the A&R team at TW Entertainment was already bustling into action.
The composer, singer, and engineer had finished their work. Now everything left—distribution, marketing, and broadcast certifications—fell on the shoulders of the A&R department.
"Min-chan, did you send the audio to the distributor?"
"Yes, Chief! I confirmed and sent it first thing this morning."
"And the broadcasting certifications?"
"We handed those over to the agency handling submissions."
Chief Luc Morel frowned slightly.
"I wish we could've done that ourselves, but fine—no time. I'll report to the CEO. And make sure the distributor sets up the banners for the new release."
He spun quickly toward another team member.
"Kim!"
Assistant Manager Kim lifted his head from a mountain of paperwork, startled.
"Have you finished organizing the press release?"
"Almost done, Chief! Just a little more time, please!"
"Alright. Get it to my desk as soon as you're finished."
Luc Morel, despite the dark circles under his eyes that made him look like a panda, was as sharp as a tiger.
He wouldn't tolerate any mistakes, leading the team with precision even through his exhaustion.
After giving his last orders, Luc grabbed the necessary documents and headed to the CEO's office.
"Alright, let's win this fight. Time's running out, and there's a lot left to do!"
Hearing the energetic cheers from his team, Luc smiled slightly as he left the room.
His steps toward the CEO's office felt lighter.
The project they had poured months of blood and sweat into was finally nearing its climax.
Arriving at the office door, he took a deep breath and knocked.
"CEO, it's Luc Morel."
"Come in."
Inside, Jacques Chevalier sat behind a massive desk, still busy reviewing documents.
With the A&R team completely absorbed in finishing Pierre Lemoine's winter album, Jacques had been handling the schedules and affairs of TW's other artists himself.
Contracts, marketing plans, and tour schedules were stacked high on his desk.
Jacques finally looked up and spoke:
"I heard the mastering was finished this morning."
"Yes, sir. Distribution and broadcast certifications were completed first thing. The press release is almost ready too."
Jacques nodded thoughtfully.
"Good. This album is crucial for the company. Let's make sure every last detail is perfect. Especially watch the distribution—keep following up."
"Understood, sir. The A&R team is giving it everything we've got."
Luc responded with vigor.
Jacques smiled tiredly but warmly.
"I trust you completely. After this project wraps, make sure to give the team some well-earned rest."
"Paid vacation, sir?"
Luc grinned brightly even through his exhaustion.
To any office worker, paid vacation was the ultimate reward.
Jacques chuckled.
"And the celebratory dinner will be on me—steak for everyone. So hang in there a little longer."
Luc's smile grew even wider.
"Thank you, sir! I'll get back to work now."
With a respectful bow, Luc turned and left the office.
His steps were lighter than ever, his fists subconsciously clenched in determination.
The fateful day arrived.
At midnight, Pierre Lemoine's winter mini-album would finally be released across all music platforms.
To celebrate, the TW Entertainment family rented out a barbecue restaurant near the company headquarters.
"Let's give a round of applause for today's star, Pierre Lemoine!"
Jacques Chevalier raised his glass, and the entire team erupted in cheers and applause.
"Thank you! Honestly, this album wouldn't have been possible without everyone's help. Especially to Composer Julien Moreau for gifting us the incredible 'Snowman,' and to the entire TW family who believed in me through every challenge. Thank you all!"
Pierre bowed deeply, a sheepish smile on his face.
"You're amazing!"
"Let's smash the charts!"
The staff cheered loudly, especially the A&R team.
Jacques smiled and lifted his glass again.
"And now, let's hear from our lucky charm—Composer Julien Moreau!"
Caught off guard, Julien laughed awkwardly as he stood.
He'd attended countless company dinners in his past life, but this was his first time being the focus of one.
A mix of excitement and nerves flooded him.
"...I don't deserve to be called a lucky charm, but thank you. Honestly, this success belongs to Pierre Lemoine and everyone at TW. I'm just grateful I could contribute. I'll keep working hard to create even more amazing songs in the future!"
Julien spoke from the heart, earning thunderous applause.
Normally, session musicians weren't even invited to company dinners—but tonight was different.
Julien smiled warmly at Claire Sorel seated nearby.
"Claire, you really worked hard. Thanks to you, the album came to life."
Claire waved him off, laughing shyly.
"It was nothing. Honestly, I'm just happy to be invited to something like this."
The rest of Team Classis laughed and chimed in.
"You should thank only Claire, not us!"
"Yuna, what are you saying!?"
The room buzzed with playful teasing.
At that moment, Jacques approached Julien with a drink in each hand.
"Julien! You really did great, my boy."
"Sir, are you already drunk?"
"Ha! I haven't even had a sip yet."
They clinked glasses and drank.
"Thank you for everything, Julien. Let's continue making amazing music together."
"Likewise, sir. I look forward to it."
After that, Julien was swarmed by Luc Morel, Michel Rousseau, the A&R staff—all eager to clink glasses and celebrate.
Laughter, sizzling meat, clinking drinks—it was the most joyful atmosphere Julien had ever experienced.
He looked around the restaurant, feeling a happiness he hadn't known in either of his lives.
Until now, work dinners had been exhausting formalities.
Tonight was different.
Tonight, it truly felt like he belonged.
Even though he usually avoided drinking, tonight he gladly raised glass after glass.
And the next day...
Thanks to everyone's efforts, Pierre Lemoine's Snowman would lead to a result that not even the composer, the singer, or the CEO had dared to imagine.