Pen and Paper Translations

Before anyone knew it, Q2 season was approaching. Which also meant the second half of the year would soon arrive.

Clatter.

Once the all-out, warlike all-hands management meeting wrapped up in the morning, Executive Director Park headed to Director Choi’s office.

There wasn’t any particular reason.

No.

There actually was but for now, let’s just say he dropped by to obtain a warm cup of tea.

Swipe, swipe.

Soon, watching Director Choi wipe down an orchid with a damp towel, Executive Director Park sniped at him.

“Why do you fuss over that orchid like it’s a baby?”

“Orchids are fussier than you think. They need careful care.”

“That’s what I don’t get. Why keep one at all?”

At that, Director Choi sharpened his gaze behind his silver-rimmed glasses and shot back:

“Then why do you work out, Executive Director?”

When it was just the two of them, Director Choi normally spoke informally. Whenever his mood soured, he switched to honorifics.

Apparently, having his orchid-keeping hobby picked at rubbed him the wrong way. But seriously, he just couldn’t understand it. Why on earth that…?

“Working out is, obviously, something you have to do to keep body and mind healthy.”

“Orchids are good for mental health too. Granted, they don’t improve your body, but they calm the mind, and when you finally see them bloom, it’s satisfying.”

As if he didn’t want to bother engaging anymore, Director Choi resumed carefully wiping the orchid.

Swipe, swipe.

For a moment the only sound in the room was the cloth on the orchid.

“You seem more interested in NewTube activity than the company these days.”

Keeping his gaze on the orchid, Director Choi dropped it casually.

“What are you talking about?”

At that, Executive Director Park sprang up as if pricked and added sharply,

“I did it all for the company. Especially for Team 2—I went out of my way for them, you know that?”

“Sure, I’m sure you did. You came to brag about it again today, right?”

“Brag? Do I look like the kind of person who’d brag about something that small?”

“That’s what I thought.”

Executive Director Park huffed for a moment.

“That’s not really why I came.”

With something to say, he took a sip of tea, face fairly serious.

Of course, he had come planning to mention that, thanks to the challenge video, they’d held #1 all week.

But that wasn’t all.

“It’s that guy.”

There was something truly important to discuss.

“That guy?”

Sensing the mood shift, Director Choi set down the wet towel and asked again.

“When you say ‘that guy’…”

Then, seeming to realize whom he meant, he gave a small nod.

He probably meant HS.

Right, Min Hyunseung, the one Division Head Kim Woohyun doted on like a son.

“I’ve been doing early-morning workouts with him lately.”

“Not lobbying while you work out, I hope?”

“Lobbying… well, he came lobbying first.”

“What kind of lobbying? Did you agree to take a song from him or something?”

“No, not like that…”

Uncharacteristically, Executive Director Park hemmed and hawed for a moment.

“My daughter’s coming back to Korea soon, and she’s into idols.”

He rubbed the back of his head and went on.

“So I told him I’d teach him training, and in exchange he’d arrange for her to meet that idol.”

At that, Director Choi brightened and asked,

“Oh, so your girl’s finally coming to visit Korea?”

“No, this time she’s moving back for good. My son too.”

“That’s great, really great.”

As fellow dads, and as longtime colleagues, Director Choi clapped him on the shoulder with genuine congratulations.

“For all the fussing, kids are kids only when they’re within arm’s reach.”

Having watched Park get married, have kids, and become a “goose father,” Choi truly felt it was good news.

“Yeah, I guess.”

Feeling oddly embarrassed, Park spoke as if nothing was up.

“Anyway, to get back to the point, what he said keeps nagging at me.”

Choi tilted his head. “What’d he say?”

“He said, ‘Maybe I’ll acquire this company later.’ He added it was a joke, of course, but…”

Choi blinked once, then:

“Kid’s got ambition.”

Taking it as the bluster of a hot-blooded youth, he showed his even teeth and gave a big laugh.

“Must be a sign you’re getting old, Park Taemuk, if that line sticks in your head.”

“No…”

“And even if he did buy it, so what? We’d just welcome the new owner.”

Park shook his head and countered,

“If that’s all he’d said, I wouldn’t be dwelling on it.”

“Then?”

“He also asked, all innocent, ‘Or should I just start my own label?’”

The room’s atmosphere sank again.

“…”

A silence stretched on like it would never end.

To be fair, it had been something Hyunseung tossed off half-jokingly.

Maybe it didn’t warrant this level of seriousness.

But it couldn’t be waved away as just the ambition of someone in his twenties.

Because it wasn’t unrealistic.

Not only that, if he put his mind to it, launching a label would be nothing for him.

Moreover, with HS now a rock-solid brand, people who wanted to join him would be lined up out the door.

Which meant… his label might quickly grow big enough to threaten LS Entertainment.

If someone heard that, they might say it was far-fetched but the scenario was intimidating even as a thought experiment.

“Hm…”

It was Director Choi who finally broke the long quiet.

“We should be prepared to make concessions.”

His mouth felt parched. He downed his now lukewarm tea in one go.

Clink.

Then he gazed steadily into the empty cup.

“But you know…”

Setting the cup down, he added,

“I don’t think we can control that kid anymore.”

At that, Executive Director Park quietly sipped his tea. It rang true. He had nothing to add.

---

The long-awaited day of the class reunion arrived.

“Phew.”

Early that morning, Lee Hyoeun went to a salon and got all dolled up.

She’d also requested: “Make me look tough.”

Well… that wouldn’t actually change her personality, but maybe it’d give her a slight edge walking in.

Soon after, she arrived at the location Han Seoyun had given her. Supposedly, out of consideration for her being a celebrity, they’d hold the reunion at Seoyun’s father’s villa.

Han Seoyun was always like this. Using her wealth to cow people and keep control.

Ding!

But now, there was nothing to be jealous of. She herself was earning enough that others could envy her.

[Honey~ you said your reunion’s today, right? hehe Have fun! hehe]

She had a dad now who would always be on her side.

Click, clack.

High heels felt awkward, but Hyoeun walked as naturally and confidently as she could.

“I must not trip.”

Focusing all her attention in the soles of her feet, she pressed the doorbell beside the villa’s door.

Ding-dong!

Inside, it sounded lively. Lots of people had already arrived.

Creak.

Before long, the villa’s owner, Han Seoyun, opened the door.

Over 170 cm and statuesque, Seoyun looked down at her, then stretched her mouth in a wide smile.

“Oh my, Hyoeun’s here? How long has it been! Do you know how much everyone’s been waiting for you? Come in, come in!”

Somehow, that smile had mockery baked into it.

Steel yourself.

Repeating her resolve, Hyoeun stepped inside and was about to take off her heels when—

“Hyoeun, what are you doing?”

Seoyun asked, one side of her mouth curling up.

“Huh? Taking off my shoes…”

Clutching her stomach, Seoyun burst into tinkling laughter.

“Ah, honestly, Hyoeun is so adorably clueless!”

At the sound, classmates already there rushed to the entryway like there was something to see.

“This house is built Western-style. You don’t have to take your shoes off!”

At that, Hyoeun glanced down. There wasn’t a single pair of shoes by the door, and the floor was carpeted.

“Oh, right. I didn’t know.”

Composure painted on her face, she walked past Seoyun and headed down the long hallway.

“What the…?”

Seoyun’s face went cold as she watched Hyoeun’s back but only for a moment.

Ding-dong!

At the bell again, she reset her expression.

“Oh my, Yujin! How long has it been!”

.

.

The mood at the reunion was warmer than expected.

No one openly mocked or criticized her.

Instead,

“You’ve gotten so pretty, Hyoeun!”

They crowded around, snapping photo after photo without rest.

“Can you do a heart with me?”

There were a few faces she was genuinely glad to see, but most were people she’d never kept in touch with.

Click, click—!

Was firing the flash the trend these days? Hyoeun squinted at the bursts going off in all directions.

It wasn’t that she was offended.

This was all just attention. There was no reason to take it badly.

Her eyes simply hurt.

“Hyoeun.”

Was that just her issue?

“I mean, your friends are excited to see you after so long, do you have to make such a show of disliking it?”

Seoyun zeroed right in on that, scolding her.

“No, it’s just my eyes—”

“I think her eyes hurt.”

The one who interjected on her behalf was none other than Chae Yujin.

In truth, she and Yujin were neither close nor strangers. It was just that kind of relationship.

They’d run in different crowds, so there’d been no reason to cross paths.

“Right, Hyoeun?”

Yujin gave her a small smile. Despite her cool impression, she seemed to have a nice personality.

After that, the reunion hit its stride. Hyunseung didn’t show.

“Knew it.”

Even back in school, Hyunseung never attended private gatherings. Now that his fame was rising, showing up would just make things a hassle.

Or maybe—

“With that face, life itself probably feels like a hassle?”

Killing time with pointless thoughts, Hyoeun sat quietly.

Then why had she come?

When the moment was right, she planned to get Seoyun alone and talk about the rumor.

Really, did she even have the right to feel offended at her?

If possible, she’d add that from now on, they shouldn’t get entangled, meet, or even acknowledge each other.

Yeah.

To be honest, she hadn’t come to “talk,” but to warn.

If Seoyun kept poking, she’d gladly wade into the mud if she had to.

But then an uninvited guest arrived—unexpected, and someone she didn’t want dragged into any mud.

Ding-dong!

Prodded by the others, a guy shuffled to the door, grumbling, “Was someone else invited?”

Clunk.

The door opened. Seeing the man stride in, he cocked his head.

“Huh? Who’s that—?”

Sensing the odd hush, the girls followed him out and when they saw the man standing in the entry, they squealed before they knew it.

“OMG, no way! Isn’t that him?”

“Ah! I know who it is!”

“Hey, how is he here?”

“Does that matter? The fact he’s here matters!”

The girls kept their distance and whispered amongst themselves.

Then, someone asked, “What was his nickname again?”—and trailing out a beat late, Hyoeun answered softly.

“Class 8… the Sleeping Beauty Prince….”

Hopefully, Hyunseung would go his whole life without ever learning that nickname.