T/N: The Paris arc officially begins in Chapter 44 of the manhwa.
Hyunseung’s family headed for Incheon Airport in the small hours past midnight to begin their European trip.
“Hyuna, did you at least diet a little?”
Hyuna narrowed her eyes at the question, glared, then turned her head with a “Hmph!”
Not long ago she had lived on greens alone because her brother told her first-class fares went up by passenger weight, only to learn it was a lie.
Ugh, fooled again.
Watching his sister, Hyunseung chuckled and asked once more.
“Your cheeks look slimmer, so I guess you did it?”
“You’re such a liar!”
“Thanks to it, you’ll look better in photos, right?”
Their father gazed fondly at the bickering pair and smiled. He almost wanted to stop a passerby and brag about his children.
How can their affection run so deep?
To him the siblings looked adorable while they squabbled, even though Hyunseung was actually teasing mercilessly.
What did it matter?
Simply having no shadows on the family’s faces and laughing together was happiness enough.
Yes.
The world does not change overnight, yet someone’s life was shifting little by little.
First came the changes in Hyunseung’s home, then in the lives of the artists who met him.
“Oppa, look!”
Just like this very moment.
“Jaeyi and The Moon entered the chart!”
Hyuna bounced as if it were her own affair and thrust her phone at him.
[ TOP 100 ]
The freshly updated chart filled the screen.
1 Yoonseul – Kang Hajun
…
5 Dear my Beethoven – HS (Feat. Moon Beomjae)
…
19 To the One Who Had Only Me – Yoon Jaeyi
…
45 le seul – The Moon
His solo title track, the songs he had given Hajun, Jaeyi and The Moon since the new year—everything sat on the chart.
Of course, Seo Jini and Jung Arin as well.
All of them had begun a new life because of Hyunseung.
“With your songs, we could play train on the chart, link them one after another.”
“Possible.”
“At this rate, you’ll chew up the whole thing.”
“Mm, tasty.”
“But is it fine to leave on vacation when your songs just dropped?”
“Why not?”
Hyuna looked puzzled.
“Don’t you monitor, check reactions?”
“You saw them chart.”
“If it were me, I’d keep checking,” she said, but trailed off.
Hyunseung mussed her hair and patted her back.
“Flight time is near.”
Sure, success was good.
Yet staring at numbers for days would not push them higher nor sell more albums. He was not PR or marketing.
For now, he had confirmed that every seed he had sown in his garden was sprouting. Whether the sprouts would grow tall and bloom was beyond anyone’s certainty. (T/N: Farmer Hyunseung real)
He had already bred good seeds and planted them; soil, sunlight, moisture were now the companies’ affair.
Right.
Spending time with family came first.
“Oppa, I’m nervous about first class.”
“Want business instead?”
“No, just saying. Really!”
Thus, their second family trip across both lifetimes began.
* * *
At dawn Jaeyi, Manager Kim and his mother also reached Incheon Airport, bound for Paris to film Street Again.
“Please don’t mind me. You should show Mother around and relax,” said Jaeyi.
“I still need to keep an eye on you during shoots, that’s why I’m here.”
“I can really manage alone.”
Kim chuckled and watched her face.
“Feeling okay?”
“Perfect.”
Though she claimed it, Jaeyi had not slept a wink, visiting the chart and fan café the whole night, yet she felt no drowsiness and no hunger—only happiness.
Still a little time remained until boarding.
Maybe check once more?
She opened the chart app. The song title The Only One I Had – Jaeyi still sat at nineteen. A silly grin escaped her.
She had charted before with songs from K-Singer Star, but this thrill was on another level.
And she felt she had finally repaid HS, if only a little.
“What’s got you smiling like that?” Kim peered at her phone and asked.
“Charting makes you that happy?”
“Yes.”
“But you did it before with the audition songs.”
“This feels completely different.”
Kim hummed in agreement.
He also decided not to tell her that Hyunseung was already in Paris. She was buoyant enough; knowing he was there might set her floating even higher and disturb the shoot.
Just then Jaeyi noticed his serious face.
“Are you not pleased, Manager?”
“I’m used to it now,” he sighed. “Submitting reports that another HS track charted is turning into busywork. Look, five of his songs are on there today.”
“Which means he’s basically competing with himself.”
Kim laughed again. “One day the chart might be wall-to-wall HS. People will scream monopoly, but he wouldn’t care.”
The thought kept a smile fixed on his lips, like a father boasting while pretending to complain.
“Woohyun, I’ll visit the restroom before the flight,” his mother said and left.
“Jaeyi,” Kim lowered his voice. “Whatever happens you mustn’t lose to The Moon.”
“Yes,” she nodded, surprise turning firm. She did not want to lose either. Watching a concubine’s child become king would be too bitter.
At that moment, manager and singer were united in not yielding to The Moon.
Fourteen hours of captive flight later, Hyunseung’s family finally reached Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.
The moment they cleared procedures, Hyuna tapped her shoulders and groaned.
“I’m so stiff. If it hadn’t been first class, I’d be half dead.”
“You said business was fine. Want to go back alone in business?”
“Why are you so heartless? I meant thanks for the comfort.”
Pushing a cart stacked with suitcases, she asked, “We’ll need English a lot, right? Leave it to me.”
“But it’s France, they speak French.”
“Gasp, I don’t know French yet….”
Seeing her crestfallen, Hyunseung said quietly, “Don’t worry.”
He added casually, “We’ll manage somehow.”
Indeed, there was no need to worry. Though never studious, in his previous life, global business had forced him to master Japanese, Chinese, English and French with native tutors, enough to converse freely.
“Trust oppa.”
Hyuna made an exaggerated gagging noise.
“Bleh.”
“Bleh?”
Feigning remembrance, Hyunseung pulled out his phone.
“Hajun wanted a video call once we landed….”
“Kang Hajun oppa?!”
“Look at her, Hajun is oppa, I’m not?”
“You’re my dear brother.”
“Enough. I’ll call when Min Hyuna isn’t around.”
He walked ahead; she clung to his sleeve pleading while checking their father followed safely.
“Oppa—”
“Sss.”
“Please—”
“Shh.”
Annoyed, he brushed off her arm and hailed a taxi to the hotel.
* * *
After unpacking they visited the Arc de Triomphe, then a brunch café.
“Wow.”
Hyuna gazed over the Champs-Élysées from the open terrace, exclaiming.
“Every single building is beautiful.”
Their father followed her line of sight with a bright laugh.
Hyunseung thought perhaps he had come to Paris just to see this scene.
How happy.
He had never known these family expressions in the previous life; discovering them now filled him with joy.
Bzzz.
The pager vibrated.
“I’ll fetch the coffee,” he said, rising.
“Thanks.”
Returning with the drinks, he noticed a woman by the pickup counter.
Someone still writes on staff paper?
Her nearly white-blond hair was tied back, horn-rim glasses on, chewing a pencil while deep in thought.
A classical composer?
Curious, he strolled past and scanned the sheet.
Not classical, though….
He halted, eyes fixed on one spot.
What is that?
His intense gaze made her look up.
“Excuse me, can I help you?”
“It’s strange.”
“Whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested.”
“I said it’s strange.”
“I’m married. Please leave.”
She assumed he was hitting on her and returned to the score.
“Hah?”
Exasperated, Hyunseung raked his hair and sighed.
“Married or mother, that aside….”
He pointed to a measure on the staff and spoke firmly.
“If you jump to major right here the whole piece falls apart.”
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