My father’s comprehensive health checkup results…
No noticeable tumor has been found yet.
It is upsetting, but they still said there is no particular way for his hearing.
Even so, since the doctor keeps sending emails about progress in auditory cell research, we should not lose hope.
Right now it is time to tie off the ending of what I started well.
Once the song title was decided, the secondary things that followed unfolded smoothly as if nothing had ever been blocked.
Lyrics flowed easily down onto the notebook.
「 I am only now saying I am sorry. 」
Before long the page of the notebook turned, and a period was set.
“Hm…”
After a brief moment of deliberation, Hyunseung added something beneath it.
[ It was because it was the first time. ]
Then he flipped back to the first page and, seeing the title written at the top, “Villain daddy,” he wore a satisfied smile.
Right. As a title that holds the story of fathers who chose to cast themselves as the villain, this was enough.
Now I really need to move into recording…
Hyunseung’s gaze naturally went to the table.
There, a single ticket lay by itself.
It was a ticket for Moon Beomjae’s nationwide tour concert, “Walking the Same Road,” the Seoul stop, and a VIP invitation that would seat him in the best spot.
Something about how he would make sure to keep one seat open for me.
At any rate, Moon Beomjae had been touring slowly from the southern regions for several months.
Soon the grand finale concert would be held in Seoul.
Hyunseung, at this very moment, thought the timing was perfect, as if heaven had handed him an opportunity.
Presently, he sent him a text.
[ Teacher, I have something I urgently need your help with. ]
And before long, a call came in from him right away.
[ Teacher Beomjae ]
Life really is a series of give and take.
After Hyunseung closed his eyes and pondered for a moment,
“Okay.”
Snapping his fingers, he said, “I will take the deal.”
Right, life is a series of give and take…
“Good call.”
Moon Beomjae nodded, looking satisfied.
By accepting the deal he proposed, Hyunseung was able to set Moon Beomjae as the vocalist for “Villain daddy.”
Even so, he was grateful enough that in the middle of a nationwide tour he readily made time to come by.
He knew very well that lately he was investing all his time in the concert.
As if reading his mind, Moon Beomjae shook the sheet with the lyrics and added,
“Since this is a kind of transaction, do not think of cutting me slack for my circumstances.”
Interpreted, what he was asking now was not to rush through the recording on account of his being busy with the concert.
He was the partner with the best chemistry for recording with him.
“You know me. I would never do that, so do not worry.”
At present, the only instrument that could realize this song was Moon Beomjae.
“Right. But how did you come to make this song?”
Hyunseung let out a low hum at the question.
“It concerns someone’s privacy, so I cannot say. I am sorry.”
He dipped his head lightly. At that, Moon Beomjae waved it off and answered,
“No, I only asked thinking it might help even a little to understand and sing the song, so it is fine.”
Finishing, Moon Beomjae got up with a little grunt and asked,
“Shall we get started then?”
“Shall we?”
With that, the two headed to their respective places, Moon Beomjae into the recording booth, and Hyunseung to the console.
And then soon, the two looked at each other through the glass.
“Do not think of going easy on me.”
Moon Beomjae spoke first as he put on the headset.
“I do not have even a speck of that intention, so do not expect it.”
Hyunseung conveyed his intent very firmly over the talkback.
Soon, the light in their eyes gleamed like beasts facing fitting prey.
It seemed another major incident was about to happen.
As soon as Kim Woohyun heard that Hyunseung was using the in-house recording studio, he hurried there.
This punk!
Lately he had not been reachable and had not shown his face.
Storming down the corridor, a venti-sized coffee sat in his hand as usual.
Rolling his broad shoulders as he walked, before he knew it he had reached the door marked “a special recording studio.”
It was a studio said to be usable only by a few in-house composers.
It seemed that these days it had become practically Hyunseung’s private studio.
Knock, knock, knock.
He had come all the way here, but thinking he might interrupt the work, he knocked cautiously.
Was it too soft?
There was no particular response inside. Should he press the bell?
Ding-dong.
The moment Kim Woohyun reached out and pressed the bell next to the door,
Creak.
The thick, soundproofed studio door opened.
“Oh, Director Kim…”
and he came face to face with Moon Beomjae, who looked worn out.
“S-sir?”
“Ah, you said you became head of division, right?”
“Yes, that is right…”
“Good for you, then…”
In a voice that was all but gone, he managed to offer congratulations, then went past him.
What is this?
At a time when he should be conserving his strength for the nationwide tour, why was he coming out of that ant hell?
And with a face like he was about to drop…
Kim Woohyun cautiously stuck his head through the crack of the open door and looked inside. Though it was midwinter, the heat in the room was toasty on his cheek.
What on earth had gone on inside?
Spotting the back of a head seated at the center of the wide control, he moved forward slowly.
This kid…
Tiptoeing to give him a scare,
“What are you doing?”
Somehow aware, Hyunseung spoke without even turning his head.
“H- how did you know?”
At his question Hyunseung pointed toward the booth window.
There he saw his own reflection, back hunched like a cat sneaking up to steal a fish.
On Hyunseung’s face reflected in the booth, it looked as if the words “Hopeless” were written.
Ah, how embarrassing…
Kim Woohyun righted his posture and turned the chair Hyunseung was sitting in toward himself.
“Here, drink the coffee.”
“As expected, Director Ki… I mean, Division Head.”
“When it is just us, call me however is comfortable.”
“Yes, Dad.”
At that, Kim Woohyeon snorted a laugh for a moment.
“But why did Moon Beomjae come out of here? Do not tell me you recorded with him?”
Hyunseung answered that with a concise, “Yes.”
“Is the maestro’s tour concert not still ongoing?”
“Right?”
“And he agreed to record for you?”
“Yes.”
“He is a person utterly committed to the concert, so that should never happen…”
“Life is give and take.”
Kim Woohyeon ah’d and nodded. Not knowing there had been a deal between them, he simply took it that Moon Beomjae had helped in order to receive a song later and did not probe further.
“Hold on.”
More than that, now…
“Why is your face so gaunt?”
Kim Woohyun cupped Hyunseung’s cheeks and examined him here and there, asking again.
“It seems Hajun has been making sure you eat, so why are you so dried out? Have you been that busy?”
“I have eaten fine, but lately I have not been sleeping well.”
Seeing the dark shadows under Hyunseung’s eyes, Kim Woohyun let out a deep sigh.
Then he picked up his phone, checked his scheduler, and urged Hyunseung to get up.
“Are you all done with the work?”
“Yes.”
“Then let us go heal.”
When Hyunseung said “Eh?” in disbelief, Kim Woohyun grabbed his arm and pulled him along to hurry.
“Ah, I was going to go home and sleep now.”
“Heal, then go.”
“I promised my little sister I would sleep at home.”
“Who said we would sleep together? And if you walk in looking like this, your sister will freak.”
Hyunseung checked his haggard look in the wall mirror and followed without further words.
His own face… looked dried out as though he had not eaten a single pork cutlet for a whole year.
“Wait, this is the place you brought me to for healing?”
Hyunseung asked in disbelief at the sauna counter.
“Hey punk, where is there a place better than this for healing.”
Kim Woohyun shoved a spa outfit and locker key into Hyunseung’s arms and slipped into the men’s bath, telling him to hurry and follow.
“Sigh…”
With no choice, Hyunseung went in after him.
Fortunately, perhaps because it was an odd time on a weekday, there were not many people.
“Since becoming division head I have not been able to come even once, but thanks to you I get to.”
Watching Kim Woohyun happily strip off his top, he could not bring himself to say no anymore.
“You are not undressing?”
Unbuckling his pants, Kim Woohyun looked at the standing Hyunseung and asked.
“I will.”
At that, Hyunseung took off his socks first and shoved them into the locker.
“So what are you working on right now?”
“I am just trying to put out one track as a digital single.”
Kim Woohyun stripped off his pants and continued with a grumble.
“But why do you not tell us anything, punk. If you tell us, we can prepare too.”
“Well, just…”
“Anyway since the recording is done, I will put in the request to the distributor and also tell the PR team.”
As he took off his hoodie, Hyunseung answered in a small, almost inaudible voice.
“I already sent it in.”
Perhaps not hearing, Kim Woohyun grinned and poked him in the side.
“Oh, I thought you were just dried up, but you are secretly pretty solid.”
“Ah, why are you being gross.”
“Shall we bet in a bit on who can endure longer in the hot bath?”
“No, what are we, kids, making that kind of bet.”
“Hey, kids? It is to settle who is the real man.”
Hyunseung shook his head vigorously, then finished taking off his bottoms and wrapped a towel around his waist.
“Oh dear? You are the kid here, kid.”
“Why?”
“A real man drapes the towel around his neck like me.”
Exaggerating on purpose, Kim Woohyun snapped the towel around and hung it over his neck, then strode toward the entrance to the men’s bath.
Splash!
Then he scooped cold water over his whole body and beckoned for him to hurry over.
“You really are such an ajusshi.”
“This is what a real man is.”
In one go, Kim Woohyun sank his body into the steaming hot bath and wore a happy smile.
“Ah, that hits the spot.”
“Sir, I will just take a quick shower and go.”
“What are you saying? Get in here, it will melt away the fatigue.”
“I am fine. You, Director, please soak your fatigue away.”
“I have things to say, so if I tell you to get in, get in, punk.”
He splashed water toward Hyunseung to hurry him.
“Ah, I do not like hot water. I will just listen here. What is it?”
Kim Woohyun rolled his eyes as if thinking of something to say.
“Right. When do you want this piece released? You have to tell us things like that too. Get in and let us talk slowly. Man to man.”
At that, Hyunseung tilted his head slightly and answered, looking perplexed.
“I told you, I already sent it in. I said it a moment ago while taking off my clothes.”
“Huh?”
“As soon as we finished recording, I personally sent it over, even adding a postscript to schedule the fastest release.”
Just as Kim Woohyun opened his lips to say something.
Thud.
The towel wrapped around Hyunseung’s waist fluttered and fell to the floor.
“Gasp.”
So startled, Kim Woohyun completely forgot what he had been about to say.
He parted his parched lips.
“Hyunseung, I respect you…”
“Excuse me?”
“But I dislike you…”
Perhaps even his brain had been heated by the hot water, he kept muttering with his eyes fixed on a strange place.
“However, I like you… but, I loathe you who has everything…”
Then he lowered his head, looked at his own body sunk in the tub, and went on.
“However, you really do your work well… Nevertheless, right now I cannot stand the sight of you…”
Finally raising his head again, Kim Woohyun asked with a face about to cry.
“What is my real feeling…?”
Hyunseung frowned as if looking at a weirdo, turned on his heel, and headed for the shower stall.
It seemed the position of division head is really hard.
T/N: HS has “everything”. Ahem. Noted.
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