Before they knew it, Sarah Stewart’s concert had ended.
However, instead of returning to their lodging, Hyunseung’s family headed to a nearby restaurant because Sarah Stewart had repeatedly emphasized that they should go on ahead to the place she had reserved. Gratitude is gratitude, so they also thought they should at least buy her a meal.
“Wow…”
“Country mouse, close your mouth.”
“Mm…”
It was the kind of place that could leave Hyuna staring in a daze. Since the restaurant only seated one table per time slot, the interior was extremely private, and a restrained splendor stood out enough to make one feel like part of the upper class.
No doubt.
It seemed Sarah Stewart had put considerable thought into choosing the restaurant.
“While you are here, we will serve you perfectly.”
A man dressed as a chef then led Hyunseung’s family to a round table glittering with a chandelier, poured water, and said that as soon as the rest of the party arrived, the course meal would be served. Then he withdrew.
“I mean, she invited us to the concert and even reserved a place like this… could Sarah unnie be an angel, perhaps?”
“I do not think so.”
“Maybe she is a black angel like the song title. She looks cold on the outside, but inside she is a warm angel itself.”
“You are not listening to me.”
Already deep into the sect of “Misu-Sarah,” Hyuna laced her fingers and went on like a devoted believer.
“If oppa says he is going to date Sarah Stewart unnie, I am all for it.”
“What about my opinion?”
“Your opinion? Shouldn’t you be kneeling to say thank you instead?”
“Why would I?”
“Dad too, if you said you were dating Sarah unnie, he would be thrilled, you know?”
Then she signed to their father.
─ Dad, you like Sarah unnie too, right?
─ Of course. She eats well with gusto, and she is nice and decent. Very good.
Just then, even their father chimed in as a fellow believer of the “Misu-Sarah sect.”
“Hi.”
Sarah Stewart sat down, filling an empty seat, her face plain this time unlike before.
“What happened to your look?”
“It is not like you are seeing my bare face for the first time, why make a big deal? And do you know how heavy and suffocating stage makeup and costumes are?”
With catlike eyes lifted, Sarah shot back in a prickly tone.
Ah.
Cancel what I said about plain.
“Ah, hello!”
Then Hyuna suddenly sprang up and bowed her head deeply to Sarah.
“Thank you so much for inviting us to the concert today.”
Then she slightly lifted only her face and added,
“Really, really, thank you.”
Looking flustered, Sarah waved her hand as if to say no, not at all. How rustic, like a true country mouse…
But it seemed that, for Hyuna, it had become an unforgettable memory. Understandably so. Because she had given their father a good memory.
It was the same for Hyunseung.
Clink, clink.
Right at the perfect timing to change the somewhat awkward mood, prettily plated appetizers arrived.
“Please enjoy your meal, everyone!”
With that brief remark, Sarah immediately picked up her fork like someone who had not eaten for days.
“Hey.”
“Huh?”
Staring at Sarah Stewart’s face, Hyunseung spoke.
“You gained weight, didn’t you?”
Right, at the concert he had been unsure, but seeing her up close, he could tell for sure. It was not just a feeling or swelling.
“Wh-why would you ask something like that?”
“I mean, it looks like you put on a little.”
Listening in from the side, Hyuna pinched her own thigh hard under the table and gave him a look.
“Oppa, how can you say something like that directly to a woman!”
“But she did gain a little.”
“Even so, that is the kind of thing you do not ask, you idiot!”
“Is that so?”
“Good grief, and you look perfectly fine yet have never even dated once.”
Just as Hyunseung scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
“Misutgaru.”
After taking a sip of water, Sarah added casually.
“These days I am pretty much only eating misutgaru, but I keep gaining weight. I am not sick or anything, am I?”
At that, Hyunseung let out a low hum.
“How much are you having in a day?”
“About ten packs?”
“At that amount, of course you would gain.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Do you know how high the sugar is in that?”
Sarah Stewart immediately took the barley mix out of her bag, checked the nutrition label, and clapped her hand over her mouth with a gasp.
She must never have checked it before.
Well, she had always been skinny.
To the despairing Sarah Stewart, Hyunseung spoke up.
“But honestly, putting on a little looks better.”
“Uh…?”
“You look better now than before.”
“Ah…”
Sarah flushed and quietly picked up her fork.
“Enough, l-let’s just eat!”
“Do not worry about your weight, just eat.”
“Stop talking about w-weight already!”
Their father and Hyuna glanced at the two with pleased faces as they waited for the next course to be served.
After the meal, their father and Hyuna insisted that they take Sarah Stewart home and then got into a taxi by themselves and left.
“You could just call your manager to come get you.”
“They insisted we take you.”
“You seem to listen to your family more than I thought?”
“I am a bit of a family man.”
“You are good at telling ridiculous jokes.”
The two bickered as they got into the car. It was a vehicle Hyunseung had rented to get around comfortably.
“…”
Suddenly an awkward silence flowed inside the car.
For some reason, carrying on a conversation felt difficult.
No wonder.
He wanted to express his gratitude to Sarah Stewart, but the words would not come out easily.
And his sister had also left after saying strange things.
“Oppa, fighting!”
“Out of nowhere?”
“Go show the charm of a robot!”
It seemed she had really grabbed the wrong end of the stick. Or maybe it was just her earnest wish.
“Sarah.”
Keeping his eyes on the road ahead, Hyunseung called to her gently.
“What is it?”
Sarah Stewart jumped with a start and ran her hand down her forearm.
“Why did you call me like that all of a sudden?”
At that question, he thought back and realized he had always called her Sarah Stewart or Misu-Sarah.
In Korean terms, it was like going from using the family name to calling only the given name, so such a reaction was understandable.
“Just…”
Feeling bashful, Hyunseung gripped the steering wheel hard with both hands for no reason. If you think about it, saying thank you is not such a hard thing…
But his lips stayed tightly glued shut as if someone had glued them with bonding agent.
Perhaps it was not only because he felt grateful, but because he felt ashamed of himself.
He had only ever tried making songs for his father, and had never thought at all about how his father might be able to feel music more deeply through other senses.
And yet someone he had only known for a few days, Sarah Stewart, had considered that, and showed care, and made the effort, had she not?
The moment he realized that, Hyunseung could only lower his head.
But as a son, it was clearly his duty to convey thanks to Sarah Stewart, who had given them a good experience and memory on his behalf.
“Uh, um….”
At last, Hyunseung opened the lips that had been firmly closed.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Th-the thing is….”
“Why are you acting unlike yourself?”
“N-no….”
His lips moved for a moment.
“Thank you for today.”
Then, as if to emphasize it again, he added,
“Thank you, really.”
Keeping his gaze fixed ahead, Hyunseung could not bring himself to turn his head out of embarrassment.
“…”
But when the silence continued, he snuck a sidelong glance at Sarah Stewart.
“Hm?”
Then he wondered if his eyes had deceived him, and turned his head slightly to look properly.
Because…
Sarah Stewart was looking at him with the corners of her mouth lifted up to the sky.
“Why are you suddenly smiling like a devil?”
“Are you thankful to the devil?”
“Uh, y-yeah….”
“Really thankful?”
“Uh, y-yeah….”
“Then give me one more song later. Or do an arrangement for me.”
At that, Hyunseung nodded small and quick and answered on the spot.
“That is not hard at all.”
“And one more thing.”
Then Sarah Stewart spread her fingers wide and added,
“Then one hundred boxes of misutgaru.”
Apparently, Sarah Stewart had no intention of going on a diet.
Once again, Hyunseung took the private jet and returned to Korea with his family.
Since it was a trip combined with work, they had not been able to do many things, but it had been quite a meaningful time.
“Golden Boy.”
When he met him, Kim Woohyun hugged him tight like a family separated for decades and patted his back.
“You worked so hard, you really worked hard.”
Recoiling, Hyunseung pushed him away.
“What are you doing? That is creepy.”
“If you knew what kind of dream I had while you were gone, you would not be able to treat me so coldly.”
“You are not a child, why are you always having dreams and such.”
“Really, I was so startled….”
“What kind of dream was it?”
“No, it is all right now. Let us think only about our Golden Boy spreading his wings on the Billboard.”
Nodding again and again, Kim Woohyun patted Hyunseung’s back.
Then as if something occurred to him, Hyunseung clapped his hands together.
“Then I would like to ask one favor.”
“Get you some coffee?”
“No.”
“Give you a meal ticket?”
“Ah, not that.”
With eyes round as saucers, Kim Woohyun asked, “Then what favor?”
It was rare for Hyunseung to ask him for anything more than that.
He was someone who did everything on his own smoothly.
Then as if it were nothing, Hyunseung plopped down on the sofa and said,
“Please hold a fan meeting one more time, in a grand way.”
At that, Kim Woohyun’s eyes went wide as if they would pop out. A fan meeting, all of a sudden? Did our kid eat something wrong in America…?
“I think I will be going back and forth to America a lot, so I thought this would be a good time to do one.”
At this moment, it somehow looked to Kim Woohyun as if a halo shone behind Hyunseung.
My kid, you have made up your mind to spread your fame to a wider world.
Nod, nod.
Moved for no reason, he nodded and went on.
“Good thinking. If we want to keep the Korean fandom in good shape, it is good to hold a fan meeting.”
“Yes, the work is all finished anyway, so let us do some fan service as a bit of a breather.”
“Good, good. You should cool your head a bit this time.”
“I have preparations to make, so please handle the overall setup.”
“Right, I will start talking with the Concert Consulting Team today and get the fan meeting venue and the goods all set.”
Just as Kim Woohyun was about to spring to his feet and dash out.
“But please put a condition on the invited attendees this time.”
Then with a determined face, Hyunseung planted his hands on the table and stood up, adding,
“There is something I absolutely want to show them.”
Kim Woohyun did not know what it was, but judging by Hyunseung’s expression, he could tell something big was going to happen.
T/N: Show your face maybe?! Also, the manhwa is being translated again! Kyaa~
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