As soon as he met Lee Hyoeun for the first time in a while, Hyunseung asked straight out,
“Are you still doing attention-seeking stuff these days?”
Here, the “attention-seeking stuff” Hyunseung meant referred to the anti-malicious-comments challenge and the posts sniping at malicious commenters that she was putting up on her own social media.
What wind had blown all of a sudden…
While he was helping Sarah Stewart with arrangement and directing, Lee Hyoeun had been fighting alone.
“Attention-seeking, my foot!”
Lee Hyoeun flared up and continued,
“Since everyone acts like it’s natural and keeps quiet, somebody has to step up.”
“Weren’t you the one who said that when you stand before the public, it’s something you naturally go through and have to endure?”
At that question, Lee Hyoeun briefly chewed over old memories.
“Hyunseung, you said it, remember.”
She added with a faint smile,
“You said that if you just sit still nothing changes, so before it gets out of hand you have to say ‘no’ to what’s not right.”
The look on Lee Hyoeun’s face as she spoke was so resolute she looked like someone heading into battle.
“So I’m going to say what’s not right is not right. I won’t just endure and put up with it anymore. I hope others will find a little more courage too!”
Meeting her gaze, Hyunseung lightly tapped her small head.
“In the end, it’s still you sticking your nose in.”
Even so, it was admirable.
The kid who had foolishly stuck her nose in for others, watching what people thought, was now saying she’d think of herself first.
And especially, wasn’t she exerting a positive influence with the right kind of sticking-your-nose-in, not the useless kind?
A good example of meddling.
Ah.
Of course, he had no intention of joining in her meddling.
“By the way, who made the choreography for the challenge?”
Watching the challenge video once more, Hyunseung asked.
Honestly.
No matter how he looked at it, the choreography was so lame and had no swag.
“Huh? I did…”
“Looks like an amicable agreement between your arms and legs was not successfully reached.”
It could be that it felt subpar simply because it was Lee Hyoeun dancing.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“No, forget it.”
Telling himself not to say it out loud, Hyunseung nevertheless wrote out his own lineage in his head.
[LS Entertainment’s Three Generations of Tin-Can Robots]
1st generation: Jung Arin
2nd generation: Yoon Jaeyi
3rd generation: Lee Hyoeun
Even if they’re “instruments,” is it okay to dance this badly?
‘I’d probably do better than this myself.’
Still, thanks to it the track was staying in the top ranks of the charts, so he should let the lameness slide.
Bzzz, bzzz, bzzz—!
Just then, Lee Hyoeun’s phone rattled on the table with a “drrrk” vibration.
“Hyunseung, just a sec.”
Checking the caller, Lee Hyoeun answered with a distinctly serious face.
“Hello.”
He didn’t know what the call was about, but—
“I see.”
Maybe the other side was telling her something important. Lee Hyoeun only gave brief replies here and there, lips pressed tight with a grave expression.
Hmm.
Hyunseung was watching her profile when he thought he might finally play a game for the first time in a while and pulled out his Nintendo—
“Yes, I’ll proceed the way the lawyer advised.”
At the word “lawyer,” he shifted his eyes back to Lee Hyoeun’s face.
Then in a very firm tone, Lee Hyoeun added,
“But I absolutely will not settle on the matter regarding Chae Yoojin.”
Chae Yoojin… Wasn’t that the kid whose practice video she’d shown him?
Practically an “instrument” fit for disposal.
At any rate, it was clear a lot was changing for Lee Hyoeun.
And thanks to that,
‘One less thing to worry about.’
On his way to the studio, Kim Woohyun’s steps only quickened.
Trudge, trudge!
As if he’d attached a booster, he arrived at the studio in an instant, caught his breath, and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
With a perfunctory knock, Kim Woohyun unlocked the door and flung it open.
“Gah.”
Catching sight of Hyunseung’s bare back as he was changing his top, Kim Woohyun clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Isn’t that a bit much, just barging in?”
After finishing dressing, Hyunseung looked at him and asked.
“Why are you changing in the studio!”
“I worked out and felt gross, so I changed.”
“That aside, you’ve definitely gotten in much better shape, huh?”
At that, Hyunseung checked himself in the mirror.
‘This Geumdong punk….’
Looking at him with a dissatisfied eye, Kim Woohyun spoke up.
“Did you have to have everything?”
“Sorry?”
“You were already the manliest guy in the sauna. If your body gets better on top of that, an old guy like me….”
Before more weird blather could come out of his mouth, Hyunseung cut him off preemptively.
“Enough.”
Then he jerked his chin at the papers in Kim Woohyun’s hand and asked,
“What are those documents you’re holding?”
“Oh, right!” said Kim Woohyun, glancing at them. He’d forgotten for a moment because of Hyunseung’s half-exposed torso.
“I came because I have something important to say today.”
“It would’ve been better if you’d brought coffee while you were at it.”
“No, coffee isn’t what’s important right now.”
“No, coffee is what’s most important to me.”
“I’ll buy it later. Just listen first.”
They bickered for a moment.
“Fine, whatever.”
With a rough nod, Hyunseung flopped down onto the sofa.
‘I was about to play a game….’
Even then, his eyes were still on the Nintendo he’d gotten interested in again recently.
“Read this.”
Kim Woohyun thrust the documents before his eyes.
“Hrrm….”
Seeing his vision suddenly filled with official documents in English, Hyunseung felt a wave of fatigue come over him.
“I’ve been looking at so much English lately my eyes hurt. Can’t you read it to me, Dad?”
He’d been exchanging English emails with MisutSarah recently, so he didn’t want to look at English.
“Honestly, Min Geumdong….”
Retrieving the papers, Kim Woohyun explained,
“In short, it’s a request asking you to come to Unice Music Group in person; they’ll revise the distribution fees and terms we proposed earlier.”
At that, Hyunseung let out a snort of disbelief.
“What, that’s all they packed into this many pages of official documents?”
“Official documents tend to have longer prefaces than substance.”
Running a hand through his hair, he asked again,
“Anyway, to put it even shorter, they’re asking you to come to Unice Music Group yourself, right?”
For a moment, he ran his gaze over Hyunseung’s handsome face.
“Yeah. Maybe it means they’ll swallow their pride and change the terms first, so you guys should come at least once….”
Then, after a beat, he added,
“Or they might be thinking to win you over directly.”
Kim Woohyun had more or less taken for granted that the reason Unice Music Group specifically called out “composer HS” was the latter.
And no wonder.
CEO Austin had come to Korea to see the composer “HS.”
And when they sent the track, suddenly they contacted first to say they’d change the contract terms. It all looked like a strategy to win the favor of “composer HS.”
Truthfully, from the company’s standpoint, it wasn’t exactly welcome news, but from the purely personal standpoint of someone who cared for Hyunseung, it was welcome.
“Hm…”
Only a low hum flowed through the room for a moment.
“Alright.”
As if deciding, Hyunseung spoke.
“Let’s go, for now.”
An intrigued smile lingered at the corner of his mouth.
Unice Music Group was also a place he’d entrusted distribution to a few times in his previous life.
Above all.
Even if he’d acted indifferent and let it pass with composure…
“Please reply that I gladly accept the invitation.”
“Are you really going?”
“I need to hear in person what generous terms they’re offering that they’re telling me to come or not come.”
The fact they’d put out such a playful set of terms to him had been quite irritating.
“But could you add one condition for me?”
It was as if Unice Music Group had been waiting only for HS’s visit. They quickly set a departure schedule and sent a reply.
And they accepted the condition Hyunseung requested.
“I never imagined they’d actually agree to that.”
Shaking his head with a complicated expression, Kim Woohyun couldn’t believe it.
“Why? This much is the least you’d expect from Unice Music Group.”
As if it were only natural, Hyunseung stood there with a calm face.
“I didn’t know Unice even had a private jet….”
The single condition Hyunseung had added was:
“Send a private jet.”
When he’d first said he’d propose such a condition, it had sounded like sheer nonsense.
He’d tried to dissuade him several times.
But Hyunseung insisted on requesting the jet, no matter what.
“I never thought they’d actually do it.”
And now, before Kim Woohyun’s eyes, a private jet emblazoned with “unice music group” was waiting.
Meanwhile, looking at Eunice Music Group’s private jet, Hyunseung’s eyes sparkled.
“How long has it been?”
In his previous life too, he’d ridden a private jet provided by Unice, so he already knew they owned one.
That was why he’d demanded it so confidently.
Of course, he couldn’t be sure they’d accept.
“Still, looks like we can communicate.”
If they didn’t accept the jet request, Hyunseung wasn’t going to go anyway. He had nothing to be sorry about.
“Min Geumdong….”
Watching him, Kim Woohyun’s feelings only got more complicated.
The look on Hyunseung’s profile…
He looked as excited as a kid who’d just gotten a new Gundam robot.
Well, this would be the first time the kid saw and rode a jet like this, too.
Even though Hyunseung wasn’t a world-famous singer or idol, didn’t he possess popularity and ability on par with one?
Going forward, if he went out into a wider world, he’d be able to make his name even more widely known.
Maybe it really was time to send him out into a bigger world.
“Our Geumdong…”
As he kept running with that thought, his eyes felt hot for no reason.
“Don’t tell me you’re crying right now?”
“Huh?”
“It’s not like I’m emigrating anywhere. I’m just going on something like a field trip. Why are you suddenly crying like some over-emotional parent?”
“It’s not that…”
With an awkward tilt of his head, Hyunseung went on,
“You’re really too delicate for that build.”
“What about my build?”
“Stop the weird thoughts. I’m going now.”
At that, Kim Woohyun hastily caught his hand.
“No matter what you choose, I’ll respect it.”
“Sir?”
“I sincerely want you to be happy. That’s all.”
“What…?”
“Don’t worry about me. Go boldly on the path you want.”
Then, gripping his shoulders firmly, he added,
“Like a man. Don’t look back, just go.”
For a moment, Hyunseung tilted his head slowly, looking put on the spot.
“Y-yeah….”
With an awkward nod, he started walking toward the jet.
“Son, travel safely! If anything happens, call me anytime! I’ll come running right away!”
Suddenly, a tear-laced shout came from behind him.
“How embarrassing…”
It was pretty certain he’d been watching some weird youth manga lately.
Trudge, trudge.
To play along, Hyunseung turned his body at the jet’s entrance and gave an awkward wave.
“Uh, Dad, I’ll be back…”
Kim Woohyun turned his back, trying hard to hold back tears.
Truly.
It was a scene hard to watch without tears (*laughter).
T/N: Geumdong (금동) most naturally means “golden boy” when used as a nickname or given name (hanja 金童: gold + child/boy).
Leave a Reply