Before anyone knew it, the release date for “Peekaboo Family” was only a day away.
However, sighs were breaking out all over Yellow Pong’s PR department.
“Siiigh….”
You couldn’t really blame them.
“I mean, why won’t they let us use such great material?”
Upper management had ordered that the composer of “Peekaboo Family” and the entire vocalist lineup be kept completely blind.
Of course, people say there aren’t many who’d be curious about the composer or singers of a children’s song made for kids….
But this wasn’t just anyone.
It was HS. Rumor had it that most of Korea’s current hit songs were coming out of his hands.
And what about the vocalist lineup?
Jang Jinsoo, the top voice actor whose voice you’d have to be a spy not to recognize in Korea; Jo Yeri, the visual center riding the very highest stock in today’s idol market.
And soprano and operatic singer, Jo Kyung‑mi, who had captivated the entire world.
So what good did it do?
They couldn’t print even a single name in a promo article, so it was pie in the sky.
“We’re told to do as we’re told. What else can we do? And anyway, we probably can’t beat Yellow Pong’s signature track, right?”
“Sure, you can’t beat the Shark Family. I hear the U.S. branch is pulling all‑nighters every day because of the animation production.”
“Honestly, I don’t think any ‘family series’ is going to top the Shark Family.”
The staff all nodded and turned their eyes to the posters covering one wall of the office.
On the poster was the cutesy, signature Yellow Pong character: a shark.
In a way, it was the single biggest contributor to building Yellow Pong up.
“Hmmm….”
Just then, Han Ji‑yeon, the most senior person there, adjusted her silver‑rimmed glasses and let out a thoughtful murmur. Apparently, her thoughts were a bit different.
“Still, you never know.”
“Pardon?”
“The poster might change.”
The staff traded glances at the manager’s words. Even coming from a superior, “You never know” wasn’t something they could easily echo with a quick “Right!”
— Hey, ho! Mommy Bear!
Even as they spoke, “Peekaboo Family” was playing in the earbud stuck in one of her ears.
It was her habit.
When preparing copy or materials, she would keep listening to the song or watching the animation in question. Today again, she’d been listening straight through since morning.
— Hey, ho! Big Brother Bear!
The melody, with its clean, well‑ordered electronic textures, was pretty addictive.
— Hey, ho! Baby Bear!
No, honestly, maybe she was already addicted. She could hear “Peekaboo Family” even with the earbud out of the other ear.
— Hey, ho! Our family, we are happy!
Han Ji‑yeon plucked out the earbud and spoke.
“That poster might be changing to Peekaboo Family, you know?”
As expected.
“Oh, come on, Manager Han. Your jokes are a bit much!”
“Right, unless they reveal the lineup….”
Laughter that couldn’t be held back bubbled up here and there around the office.
“No, really. It’s about time to change.”
She alone remained dead serious.
Meanwhile, Jeong Arin had come to Hyunseung’s private studio. She’d gotten a sudden call for help.
“Today’s helper, Jeong Arin, reporting in!”
“Good. You came.”
Hearing “Good. You came,” instead of his usual “You came?” from Hyunseung for the first time, Jeong Arin felt a strange little thrill. Oddly, she felt more fired up.
Maybe….
Even more than when she recorded.
“So what am I helping with?”
“I want to….”
“Yes, you want to…?”
He hemmed and hawed for a beat.
“Make a birthday‑party invitation.”
“Ah, a birthday party invi— Huh? A birthday‑party invitation?”
He scratched the back of his head and nodded.
“Yeah. Can you handle something like Paint?”
“I can handle the basics.”
Puzzled, Jeong Arin tilted her head and asked again.
“Is it your birthday?”
“Nope.”
“Then whose birthday party is it?”
“Dohee’s.”
“Who’s Dohee?”
Too lazy to explain, Hyunseung waved his hands and dragged her into a chair.
“Anyway, just help me, quick.”
She was flustered, but if this was a way she could be of help, she rolled up her sleeves, vowing to give it her all.
“Okay, let’s confirm the information to print on the invitation.”
She opened a notepad and asked:
“What’s the date?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Where’s the party?”
“Signature Hotel, a suite room.”
“Excuse me?”
“Check‑in name is Kim Dohee.”
“W‑wait….”
“It might feel burdensome, so should we leave out the word ‘suite’?”
Jeong Arin suddenly shot to her feet.
“Signature Hotel, a suite room?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Who on earth is Dohee?”
“What’s it to you.”
Seriously, who holds a birthday party in a five‑star hotel’s suite? If it were a lover, maybe….
Ah.
He did say he once babysat a child, so did he make up his mind to get married?
Book a suite for the birthday, set the mood, and propose?
Oh my, oh my.
Letting her imagination run wild, Jeong Arin smiled in delight.
“Composer.”
Then, with eyes burning even hotter than before, she thumped her chest loud enough to be heard.
“Just… just leave it to Jeong Arin.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll help you properly.”
He didn’t exactly find that reassuring.
“If you say so.”
Still, it was bound to be better than the invitation he would have made himself.
The next day.
Kim Dojun took a half day off for the first time. It was his sister’s birthday, and he’d received a birthday‑party invitation out of the blue from HS.
You are invited to the fourth birthday party of the Cutest in the World, “Dohee”!
He couldn’t ignore the thoughtfulness of someone remembering his little sister’s birthday that even he had been letting slip by.
More than anything.
The invite listed the hosts as “Dohee and the Dohee Family.”
Screeeech!
To make the time on the invitation, Dojun hurriedly pulled up in front of the house.
“Oppaaa!”
When he opened the door, Dohee came dashing out, face brimming with excitement. Her neatly tied pigtails were just adorable.
“All ready?”
“Yup! I helped Mommy, too!”
“Our Dohee did great.”
He stroked her cheek, then carefully supported his mother, whose leg gave her trouble.
“Mom, are you sure you’re up for it? We have to go a bit far.”
“I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about, son.”
“Aww, my mom’s light as a feather; I’m fine.”
Meeting his mother’s eyes, he gave a warm smile.
He loaded his mother and little sister into the car, stowed the wheelchair in the trunk, and headed for the Signature Hotel.
“Why are we having a birthday party at a five‑star hotel…?”
When they arrived, the question only grew.
“Reservation under Kim Dohee.”
“Is the reservation name Kim Dohee? That’s you, yes?”
When he answered “Yes” to the front desk staff, several employees swept in, took their bags, and guided them to the room.
The so‑called suite room.
Just as the staff said, it was the best room. One step inside and they were stunned by the sheer size, and then again by the Han River view outside the windows.
“S‑son, isn’t this terribly expensive?”
“Our in‑house composer set this up, so I….”
Mother and son were dazed. This was their first time in a place like this.
“Woooow! It’s huuuuge!”
Everything was new to Dohee; she bounced all around the room. Seeing her so excited for the first time filled him with a pang of guilt.
Ever since his sister was born and their father died in an accident, he’d had to become the family’s sole breadwinner.
Always chased by time, he couldn’t properly care for his young sister.
If only Dad were here on a day like this, it would have been so good.
He drifted into that thought for a moment.
“Wh‑what is all this?”
The spread of hotel room service left them nearly faint.
Foods they’d never seen, a fancy wine that looked expensive at a glance, a two‑tier princess‑style cake. One after another, the table filled up.
The staff kept asking whether anything was inconvenient, or if the food was to their taste.
Just how much would it cost to enjoy service like this?
How will I ever repay this….
Seeing his family full and happy lifted his spirits, but a weight kept settling heavier over Dojun’s heart.
As dusk deepened and Seoul sank into night.
Suddenly, a staffer came in carrying a speaker.
“There was a request noted on the reservation. Please excuse us for a moment.”
He strode to the windows, drew all the curtains wide, switched on the Bluetooth speaker with a solemn expression, and left the room.
With a reminder to keep their eyes on the night sky.
What on earth…
“Oppa, what are they doing?”
“Not sure. Maybe there’s a fireworks festival?”
“Did Flame Mask Man prepare it?”
“Mmm, looks like it.”
“Woooow! Flame Mask Man is the best!”
These days, the mere word fire made Dohee beam. She clearly adored HS.
Soon, the Bluetooth speaker chimed, “Yellow Pong!”
“Huh?”
And outside the window, something rose into the sky.
Is that video being drawn by drones?
The Yellow Pong logo blossomed across the night.
— Hey, ho! Mommy Bear!
The logo scattered across the sky.
— Hey, ho! Big Brother Bear!
Lights raced and traced a polar bear character.
— Hey, ho! Baby Bear!
To the music filling the room, the bears danced.
— Hey, ho! Our family, we are happy!
Amazed, Dohee linked her arms with her mother and brother and murmured along, “Our family, we’re happy.”
— Mommy Bear loves Baby Bear.
Her mother, finding her so precious, stroked her hair.
But at the words that followed, Dojun’s body went rigid.
— Big Brother Bear loves Baby Bear, too.
He’d definitely heard that lyric somewhere.
Right. Manager Kim had been humming it in the restroom.
Then was this song….
— Baby Bear loves Mommy Bear and Big Brother Bear best in the whole world.
Did HS write it? Is this the secret Dohee talked about?
Why?
Why go to such lengths for a little kid he had no particular relationship with…
To steady the tremor at his fingertips, Dojun clenched his fists tight.
At twenty‑six, he was far too young to bear a life like this.
With his sister’s birth came the loss of their father, and his mother could no longer properly use one leg.
For Dojun, suddenly made a family head, the world had been merciless.
At times, it was so crushing he wanted to let everything go.
But if anything happened to him too, who would take responsibility for this little sister?
— We are happy, our family.
With no one to confide in, facing a misfortune that crashed down on him without warning, all he could do was throw himself into work day after day.
And now….
For the first time, it felt like someone had offered their family a warm glance, a brief word of consolation.
— We are happy, our family.
Even if…
Even if it was pity, that was fine. Just once, he wanted to lean on the warmth someone offered.
He was too young to be bearing a whole household.
“Mom! Flame Mask is amaaazing!”
His little sister, knowing nothing, just laughed as bright as the sun.
“Really! Truly, it’s just Mommy and Oppa and Baby!”
“Isn’t it, sweetie?”
“I was upset ‘cause all the other songs had a Daddy, too!”
“I see, my girl. Mommy will be Daddy Bear for you as well.”
“It’s okay! I have an Oppa Bear instead of a Daddy Bear!”
Watching mother and daughter embrace each other tight, Dojun made a vow.
On a day this good, don’t cry.
And that, no matter what it took, he would protect that bright smile on his sister’s face, and his mother’s warm smile.
“Dohee, do you like it that much?”
“Yup! ‘Cause I have Mommy and Oppa!”
“Oppa’s so glad to have our Dohee, too. Shall we blow the candles now?”
“Yup! Let’s!”
Yes.
So that our family of three can be even happier from here on.
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