Pen and Paper Translations

A peaceful afternoon.

For the first time in a while, Hyunseung headed not to his private studio or the café inside the company building, but to an outside café.

Trudge, trudge.

Just in case, he pulled a cap low to shade his eyes instead of wearing his helmet. He wasn’t a celebrity, but did he really have to do this?

Ah.

‘I should’ve worn the cap we made for the fan meeting.’

With his face buried down into a thick scarf, Hyunseung stood at the counter.

To that part-timer’s eyes, he might look like a very suspicious criminal.

“One venti iced Americano, please.”

He wrapped up the order quickly and precisely, then took a seat at the most tucked-away corner.

“Your coffee is ready.”

The part-timer brought it over to his table in person and glanced at him sidelong. Did he look that suspicious?

Anyway.

The reason he’d accepted the hassle and come outside like this—

When he worked in the same spot all the time, he occasionally felt as if his thinking got trapped.

“Hm….”

Hyunseung set a notebook and a single ballpoint pen on the desk.

For someone who’d come out to work on a track, his kit was sparse, but there was good reason.

Separate from the drama OST that was flowing along smoothly, there was one assignment for which he hadn’t even punched in a single chord yet.

Executive Director Park.

He needed to make a song with him as the motif—no, a song containing the story of the strongest father in the world.

‘I just can’t get a feel for it.’

He flipped the notebook and stopped on a page covered in words.

On it were….

Daughter, love, dad, breadwinner, sense of responsibility.

These words were written over and over. No matter how he chewed on them, even hazarding a guess felt heavy.

‘Daughter, a daughter….’

Would it be similar to how I look at my younger sister, Hyuna?

No.

If someone asked whether he could die without a moment’s hesitation for his sister’s sake, he didn’t think he could answer yes right away.

‘Next, love….’

This too was a word from an area Hyunseung didn’t know well.

Exactly once he had harbored affection, but even then, because he was clumsy at relationships, he’d let her go without even recognizing his own feelings.

Next.

‘Dad…’

He circled the word “dad” several times, then bit the tip of his pen.

‘I should make this the keyword.’

Murmuring to himself “daddy, daddy…” only for a moment—

“Ah—!”

As if something flashed, he sprang up from his seat.

Screech-!

At the same time, the chair skidded back and an awful scraping sound rang out.

‘Ah….’

Because of that, every gaze inside the café shot toward him all at once.

Unwanted attention.

Just as Hyunseung hurriedly gathered up his notebook and pen, intending to head out—

“Dongyul High School?”

He reflexively whipped his head at the sound of his old high school’s name from somewhere.

Standing there was the part-timer who had handed him his coffee.

“You’re Min Hyunseung from Dongyul High School, right?”

She unwound her scarf, and seeing the face revealed, she seemed certain. Striding over, she spoke up.

“Hyunseung, it’s been ages!”

There was, however, one problem.

“Who were you again?”

Hyunseung didn’t remember this part-timer—no, this woman who he presumed was a classmate—at all.

Between her even teeth, one little snaggletooth poked out cutely. It would have been pretty embarrassing, but she laughed heartily as if she’d expected this.

“We weren’t close, but we were in the same class all three years of high school. That’s cold!”

“Ah, is that so….”

“It’s not even been that long since we graduated. What’s up with your memory!”

At his current age, it hadn’t been long, but if you included his previous life, it was coming up on a full fifteen years since he’d graduated high school. Remembering would be what’s amazing.

He swallowed those words.

When no answer came back, the woman gauged his mood, then let out an awkward smile and added,

“Was I really that lacking in presence? Haha.”

“If it’s presence, I had even less.”

For Hyunseung, the fact that she not only remembered him but recognized him felt even more curious.

Back in school, with neither sociability nor social skills, he hadn’t had a single real friend in those three years.

Clubs, festivals, gatherings—

He neither belonged nor participated, only hovered on the fringes.

Moreover, on days he happened to be sick and miss school, even his homeroom teacher sometimes went by without realizing whether he’d come in or not….

‘How did she recognize me right away?’

With a baffled look, she interjected “Come on,” then picked right back up.

“How could you have no presence? You were a celebrity at school.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you didn’t know?”

“Not at all.”

At his response, she snorted, “Hah!” and asked back,

“The whole student body used to hang around in front of our classroom to get a look at you. How could you not know?”

“I was sleeping.”

“Oh, right. You were always sleeping. Then like clockwork you’d pop up at lunchtime and go eat alone.”

Chattering away, she sounded like someone who knew him pretty well, snickering to herself.

Listening quietly to her voice, a thought flickered through his mind… that it was a rather unique and fun instrument.

Something that bounced like a kid yet had resonance. At the same time, a slender autumn-breeze kind of voice tickled his ears.

Growing interested, Hyunseung’s gaze slipped to the name tag on the left side of her chest.

[ Lee Hyo-eun ]

He thought it was a name that suited her easygoing yet cute face quite well.

Of course, it wasn’t a name in his memory.

Just then, at another staffer calling her, Lee Hyo-eun shouted, “Just a sec,” then held out her phone to him.

“Meeting like this is fate. Will you share your contact? We do class reunions sometimes, and there was no way to get in touch with you.”

At the word “class reunion,” Hyunseung hesitated to take the phone; it felt awkward to give it so readily.

‘Feels like it’ll turn into a bother.’

Perhaps she found her outstretched hand quite embarrassing, because she laughed heartily again.

“No worries if it’s inconvenient!”

Hyunseung shook his head lightly, then snatched the phone as she started to put it away.

Tap, tap, tap.

He punched in his number on the keypad and even called it to confirm.

“Here.”

“Thanks!”

“No need to thank me.”

Saying she had to get back to work, Lee Hyo-eun beamed so wide the so-called Indian dimples pinched deep into her freckled cheeks.

“I’ll call you when a reunion’s set!”

And then—

“No, forget that.”

With a firm tone, Hyunseung stopped her.

“Let’s get a meal sometime soon.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve got something to talk about.”

At that one line, Lee Hyo-eun’s white cheeks flushed red as if they might burst any second.

---

Back at the studio, Hyunseung sat down at the console thinking he should finish recording the drama OST first.

Right.

There’s an order to all work. Finish the drama OST first, then properly start the next project.

Of course, his notebook pages were packed with the ideas that had surfaced at the café. At the very top of the page, finally—

[ Working title: daddy ]

He wrote that, then closed the notebook.

Clack.

Then he immediately sent out a text somewhere.

[ When are you free? ]

It was a text to Lee Hyo-eun, whom he’d just seen earlier.

He had said “sometime soon,” but Hyunseung wasn’t the patient type, so he intended to meet again on a very short timeline.

The reason he was being this proactive was simple curiosity.

Right.

What would it sound like to put melody to the voice Lee Hyo-eun had? That curiosity.

Even though she wasn’t a singer, it’s not as if only singers can sing.

Click.

He played track “02.” He’d already picked the title from the moment he stepped into the studio.

Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人)

In truth, he’d already selected the instrument that would “sing” this song, but it couldn’t be helped. If a more fitting instrument appeared before your eyes, pretending not to notice would be the act of a fool, wouldn’t it?

Before long, from the speakers flowed a blend of daegeum and old piano.

─ ♬ ♬ ♬

Over that melody, Hyunseung imagined layering Lee Hyo-eun’s voice.

As expected.

Perfectly suited.

─ ♬ ♬ ♬

The longer the process continued, the more the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

“Good.”

He stopped the track offhandedly, then picked up his phone again.

[ Anytime except when I’m on my part-time shift! ]

A reply had come in from Lee Hyo-eun.

No… 

A new instrument.

---

“Is this the place?”

For the first time, Hyunseung sought out the Division Head’s office.

Knock, knock, knock-.

As he did, rapping the door at even intervals like always, a voice came from inside saying, “Come in.”

The fact that he was now the Division Head hit home afresh in that moment.

Well, it’s a bit gratifying.

Creak.

After a brief beat, when Hyunseung opened the door, a fairly spacious office came into view at a glance.

“Oh, Hyunseung.”

With his face buried in an approval folder, Kim Woohyun slowly lifted his head and smiled in welcome.

“Doing that makes you look very much like a Division Head.”

“Not ‘like’—I am the Division Head.”

“In any case, the big desk suits your build nicely.”

Snorting, “I should go on a diet or something,” Kim closed the folder and stood up.

“You came to grab lunch, right? I can’t right now.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then?”

“I’ve got a request or two. If you’re busy, I can come back later.”

At that, Kim gestured toward the sofa in the office.

“If it’s official business, have a seat and talk.”

With a small nod, Hyunseung took one of the plush sofa spots.

“There’s no coffee right now. Want me to pour you some tea?”

“No, I’m coming from coffee.”

“All right, then tell me what you need.”

They say the position makes the person, don’t they? Compared to when he was department chief, Kim exuded quite a different air.

Serious and official.

‘For some reason it feels unfamiliar.’

Scratching the back of his head, Hyunseung opened his mouth slowly.

“I’m about to start recording the OST.”

“Oh, already?”

“Yes. So I’m here to hand over the casting list.”

Rubbing his hands together, Kim asked back,

“Okay, who are you planning to torment this time?”

“Torment?”

“There’s a whole rumor mill that you’re a sadist. You’re the only one who doesn’t know.”

At that, what his classmate from earlier, Lee Hyo-eun, had said floated up.

“You were a celebrity at school. You didn’t know?”

Scratching the back of his head, Hyunseung muttered to himself,

“Today there’s a lot of ‘I’m the only one who doesn’t know’.”

“Why? What else are you the only one who didn’t know?”

“It’s nothing. Anyway, just book three people.”

At that, Kim tilted his head and asked,

“Why three? You said you sent five songs last time. Don’t tell me you’re only using three of them?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then?”

“I’m going to sing one of them.”

“Ah, you, Hyunseung, are—what?!”

Following his own words along, Kim sensed something off and then shouted loud enough to shake the office.

“Ah, my ears.”

“Sorry, but I was just so surprised.”

“What’s there to be surprised about? I sang on the last album too.”

“That’s true, but are you planning to go full tilt at singing now?”

“No, it’s just that they want to keep exactly the feel of the guide vocal I laid down.”

Kim ran a finger beneath his nose and wore a proud expression.

“Seems everyone’s got good ears.”

Seeing that face, Hyunseung let out a small laugh and continued.

“And one song I’ll be casting personally.”

“You personally? Who is it?”

“There is someone. It’s not certain yet, though.”

“There’s probably no singer in this world who’d turn down a song you wrote.”

After a brief beat, Hyunseung answered,

“They’re not a singer.”

For a moment, stillness settled over the room.

“Huh…?”

Letting go again of the weight of the Division Head, Kim cocked his head with a blank look.

“Wh-what?”

Hyunseung reiterated,

“I said, they’re not a singer.”

And then Kim’s voice boomed out once more, as if he’d boiled and eaten a train whistle.

“Whaaat?!”

It was a shout with enough resonance that the nameplate reading “Division Head Kim Woohyun” quivered faintly.

Seriously…

Take your eyes off our golden kiddo for one second, and he comes back setting a new record for trouble.