Pen and Paper Translations

As soon as Kim Woohyun heard that Sarah Stewart had left, he went straight to find Hyunseung, fuming.

“Why are you so worked up?”

At Hyunseung’s question, Kim Woohyun frowned as if to say, “Do you really not know?”

“You told me to buy misutgaru, so I bought it, and then I got treated like a delivery guy and got turned away at the door before I could even say a word.”

“So you’re sulking over that? There were some circumstances that made it understandable.”

Kim Woohyun glanced at Hyunseung poking him in the side.

“Yeah, I get it. Sarah Stewart said she didn’t want any outside visitors.”

He looked straight at Hyunseung and added,

“But there was something I really needed to tell you urgently.”

“What is it?”

“First off, is the work with Sarah Stewart completely finished?”

“Yeah, so I was going to ask how the distribution’s going to be handled. Was there some kind of problem?”

At that, Kim Woohyun’s expression suddenly turned serious as he trailed off, “Rather than a problem…”

What’s going on that he’s hemming and hawing like that?

“Unice Music Group is going to handle distribution.”

“Right, of course. That would be better for us, too.”

“Mm, that’s not wrong.”

Hyunseung pressed him, looking frustrated.

“Then why have you been wearing the face of a puppy about to poop this whole time?”

Kim Woohyun chewed his lip in thought for a moment.

“Unice said that for this distribution, they want a 30% fee and also a flat charge for registering and releasing the track.”

He continued, grumbling,

“Honestly, even if it is Unice Music Group, I’ve never heard of terms like that. I don’t get it.”

Listening quietly, Hyunseung also tilted his head with a soft “Hrm.”

They were truly terms that didn’t make much sense. No matter that it’s Unice Music Group.

LS Entertainment is also one of Korea’s flagship agencies, not lagging in scale.

Especially since LS Entertainment absorbed a major distributor as an affiliate and has its own distribution line, right?

In short, it’s nice if Unice handles distribution, but it’s not a huge loss if they don’t.

There’s no way a meticulous group like Unice wouldn’t know that.

“They’re coming on strong right from the first meeting to establish dominance.”

This was the only opinion Hyunseung could offer.

Right. To demand such ridiculous terms for registering a song performed by one of their own artists…

They must be trying to establish the power dynamic from the outset.

“I thought they wanted to build a friendly relationship, given that the Unice CEO even came to see you in person….”

At Kim Woohyun’s words, Hyunseung slapped his knee and stood up.

“He’s a businessman at the end of the day. What can you do?”

Kim Woohyun stood up as well and called out to stop him.

“Hyunseung.”

“What?”

He then asked the question he’d been holding back.

“This song… Does it absolutely have to be sung by Sarah Stewart?”

“Yes.”

“All right. It’s your choice, so that must be the best choice.”

He nodded readily. This had already been decided at the executive meeting, and they couldn’t call off the work now.

If it was Hyunseung, he would surely do so well that his worries would look silly in hindsight.

Right.

It was probably needless fretting.

“Are you worried the results won’t justify the high fee rate?”

“More than that, I’m worried about you.”

“Huh? Why are you worried about me?”

“The CEO is extremely on edge over this Unice distribution contract…”

At that, Hyunseung let out a small “Hrm.”

“People, by nature, should look past the loss in front of them to the profit farther away.”

He suddenly launched into something lofty.

“In other words, you shouldn’t look at the tree right in front of you, you should look at the vast forest.”

“Where are you going to find a forest in the middle of Seoul… unless you mean a forest of buildings.”

Hyunseung covered his dry face with his hands and shook his head.

“No, I’m not literally telling you to go look at a forest right now.”

Seriously, can’t that lame dad-joke generator get an automatic upgrade patch?

“Ahem.”

Kim Woohyun coughed awkwardly for a moment.

“Anyway, I should just trust you and wait this time too, right?”

He placed a hand on Hyunseung’s shoulder as he asked.

“Of course.”

Hyunseung answered with a confident smile.

“Right, I always trust you.”

“This is starting to feel like a youth drama; I’m getting secondhand embarrassment, so let’s stop.”

Kim Woohyun chuckled awkwardly again and slowly lowered his hand.

Seeing that, Hyunseung smirked and went on,

“And if worst comes to worst, I did do an arrangement for Sarah Stewart, so we can make up the difference with that settlement money.”

“Really? You did an arrangement this time too?”

“No, not this time. Back when I went on that Europe trip.”

At that, Kim Woohyun looked surprised and asked,

“Europe trip? So you had a connection with her even back then?”

“Well, it just kind of happened….”

“Our Goldie had it all planned from back then, huh?”

Watching Kim Woohyun’s eyes sparkle as he gripped both of his shoulders firmly…

“Well….”

He felt like he ought to humor him.

“Maybe so.”

Right, gotta protect that proud dad face.

---

These days, Chae Yoojin messaged Lee Hyoeun every chance she got.

[ Hyoeun! Are you eating properly these days? ]

[ When are we seeing each other again ㅠㅠ ]

[ Did you listen to what I sent? What do you think when you hear it? ]

The sporadic replies annoyed her a bit, but—

[ Yeah, I’m eating well hehe I’ll tell you my free days! ]

[ I haven’t heard it yet ㅠㅠ I’ll definitely listen today! ]

Since replies came steadily, it seemed she now considered her a friend.

How stupid.

[ Oh, and Hyoeun, I just got in as a trainee at Q&N Entertainment! I wanted to tell you first! ]

After sending the text, Chae Yoojin tossed her phone onto the bed.

Right.

Playing the friend act was getting tiring; it was about time to speak up.

Using her father’s connections, Yoojin had gotten into a mid-sized agency, Q&N Entertainment, as a trainee.

But even that didn’t please her. Even someone who seemed far inferior to her, Lee Hyoeun, was at a big agency, wasn’t she?

“An insult to my pride.”

Still, she was sure that once she got a song from HS, everything would go exactly as she wished.

As for Lee Hyo-eun…

She was just a stepping stone to getting a song from HS, nothing more.

Bzzzz!

Right on cue, a call came in from Lee Hyoeun.

“Oh wow, Hyoeun! Aren’t you busy with your schedule?”

Yoojin suddenly put on a bright smile and answered the phone.

All of this was a desperate effort to get a song.

— No matter how busy I am, if something good happens to a friend, I have to congratulate her!

“Is my Hyo-eun an angel? It’s just becoming a trainee, why give me a congratulatory call! But really, thank you.”

— Hey, I’m the one who’s grateful you told me first. I’m sorry I can’t meet to congratulate you in person.

Idiot.

She almost blurted it out, but held back and spoke.

“If you’re really sorry, could you show my practice video to HS just once?”

— Huh?

“It’s just everyone he chooses does well. You too, Hyoeun!”

— That’s true, but…

“So I want to get an evaluation from HS too! Is it too much to ask?”

— It’s not that…

“Hyoeun, I’ve had the dream of being a singer since I was little, and only now have I taken a single step forward.”

She had expected the meddlesome girl to say yes easily, but why was she being so finicky?

“It hurts my pride a bit to say this even to you as a friend, but I want to know for sure whether I have talent.”

She hated sounding so pleading, but it was really time to settle this.

“And to be really honest, I also want to get a song from HS and make a cool debut.”

— But that’s not something I can do for you…

“Yeah, I know. I won’t ask for a song. Could you at least ask him to just watch it once?”

When the answer she wanted didn’t come, Yoojin felt a surge of irritation, but she suppressed it and continued in a wistful tone.

“You know how desperate I am… don’t you, Hyoeun?”

Eventually, as if she had no choice, Hyoeun spoke.

— Okay. If a chance comes up, I’ll mention it.

Having finally gotten the answer she wanted, Yoojin wore a fresh, bright smile.

“Thanks. I knew I could count on my friend Hyoeun!”

— Ah, but I have to go back to filming now. Let’s talk later!

“Yep, hang in there, my friend!”

After checking that the call had ended, Yoojin covered her mouth with her hand.

“Keu, kuk, kukuk….”

To keep the scornful laughter from spilling out.

---

Hyunseung quietly snickered as he looked at his phone.

What he was reading now was a post that had become a hot topic on a forum, titled “Saw Sarah Stewart at the security checkpoint—storytime.”

I looked into it and she didn’t even have a separate schedule in Korea, so I don’t know why she even came lol anyway I was waiting to go through security right after Sarah Stewart, right? At first I didn’t even realize it was Sarah Stewart lol she had a hat and mask on lol

Anyway I guess she didn’t know or forgot about the in-cabin liquids policy lol she brought boxes full of misutgaru in pouches; of course it got flagged at the checkpoint and they told her it had to be discarded? Then she was like, could she please take just one pouch, in this super desperate voice lololololololololol

Like why is she so serious about a misutgaru pouch; she had that mystery-concept so I honestly didn’t feel any affection for her as an overseas singer, but after this she was so silly and cute I saved her straight to my heart..

↳ geulseung: So did she manage to keep one pouch?

↳ Jin Hye-seon: She’s really serious about misutgaru

↳ Rollin: Let’s arrange international shipping for misutgaru…

↳ VABAMVA: It’s past 3 a.m. and now I want misutgaru with honey after reading this..

After reading and rereading the post several times, Hyunseung clapped a hand over his mouth and snorted again.

“Ah, that’s killing me.”

In fact, Hyunseung had also briefly forgotten the carry-on liquids regulation.

He’d only chosen pouches because bringing powder might cause misunderstandings….

And to think she begged to take just one pouch.

As expected.

That woman was a weirdo among weirdos.

Knock, knock!

Just then, as he was happily rereading the forum post,

‘That knock sound…’

A familiar knock came.

Creak.

As he’d expected, when he opened the door, the meddler (*Lee Hyoeun) appeared.

“What’s up?”

At his bland question, Hyoeun grinned cheekily and held out a coffee.

“I had a moment free, so I came to see your face!”

Hyunseung stepped aside without a word.

“You’re still really busy these days, right?”

Hyoeun edged in carefully, testing the waters.

“Not really.”

At that answer, her face suddenly brightened as she asked again,

“Oh, really? You have a bit more time now?”

“Well, the work is all finished.”

Hyunseung studied her face. Judging by that about-to-poop puppy expression, she seemed to have something to ask…

“What do you want to say?”

He frowned, sounding exasperated.

“Huh?”

Hyoeun startled like someone caught red-handed.

“See? You came because you had something to say to me.”

At that, she fidgeted with her fingers and said, “It’s just….”

“Don’t be so frustrating. Spit it out.”

After a moment of gauging his mood…

“Actually, I have a friend who dreams of becoming a singer… Could you watch a practice video just once? She wants to get a professional eye to see whether she has any talent….”

Hyunseung narrowed his eyes.

“That friend… is she the one who asked for your number at the reunion?”

“Uh? Uh, uh….”

“One’s a weirdo among weirdos, and one’s a relentless meddler.”

“Huh? A weirdo?”

“It’s nothing.”

As Hyunseung shook his head, Hyoeun’s shoulders began to slump.

At this rate, she might really crumple like a sheet of paper.

“…”

After a brief, heavy silence.

“Well? Didn’t you say you wanted to show me a practice video?”

At his words, Hyoeun exclaimed “Ah!” and hurriedly held out her phone.

Soon a girl appeared on the screen accompanied by crappy speaker audio.

— ♬ ♬ ♬ You will come to see me.

A truly crappy voice came out.

Tap, tap.

The video was stopped by Hyunseung’s hand in just ten seconds.

Gulp.

Hyoeun stared at him, waiting for the next words.

“Could you call her right now?”

“Ah, okay!”

She immediately dialed the contact saved as [ Yoojini ] and handed him the phone. If he was even going to call, surely he meant to say something encouraging—she thought, hopeful.

Brrring, brrring.

After a brief default ringtone,

— Hello?

A girl’s voice came over the receiver. Right, since it’s a girl, he should go easy on her.

It isn’t a crime to lack talent.

“Hello.”

— Wh-who is this?

Startled by the sudden male voice, she asked warily.

“This is HS.”

— Gasp, h-hello! I’m, really, a fan!

As soon as he revealed who he was, her voice flipped.

“Let’s skip the preamble, so you want to be a singer?”

— Yes, that’s right!

“Keep dreams for when you’re asleep.”

— Pardon?

Then, in a voice lowered as if suppressing frustration, Hyunseung answered plainly.

“I’m politely telling you to give it up because there’s no potential.”