These were gifts he had received countless times in the Empire as well. Compared to the other princes and princesses he was not someone who received many presents, but capable attendants would skillfully procure this and that from among the tribute.
Especially after his elder brother became emperor and the only sibling left besides him was himself, the rare and fine items that came in as tribute all went to the Empress Dowager and to him.
Piles of expensive and precious things were a scene he had always seen.
The watch that came out of the box he opened now was too simple. He had never used an item set with fewer than three jewels. Even his nightclothes were embroidered with gold thread.
“Cheonghyeon, are you crying?”
What do you mean crying? Cheonghyeon dabbed at the slight tears in his eyes and sat himself right down among the mountain of gifts.
Yunwoo and Changsik, who had been peeking in curiosity to see how he would react, felt their hearts ache at the sight.
His small back, curled round among the bundles, seemed to tremble ever so slightly, but they pretended not to notice. So that even for a moment Cheonghyeon could feel only pure emotion, they all quietly closed their mouths.
In truth, this support had stirred up quite a controversy. The amount alone had put many tongues to wagging, and of course there were unfavorable views.
Because there were a few fans who felt a sense of deprivation, the agency at first naturally tried to refuse. But the problem was that the recipient of these gifts was Cheonghyeon who had been the reason support had been banned in the first place.
On top of that, the phrase “first support” made CEO Hyungwang hesitate.
In the end, Hyungwang made the decision to accept the support even if he himself would be criticized, but at the time even they could not judge whether it was the right thing.
Furthermore, even Cheonghyeon, who should have been the most delighted, reacted rather plainly.
Since he had already found out about the support news online, he had just passed it over calmly, saying, “I will donate twice that amount. Please just put out an article.” They had thought perhaps he did not attach great meaning to the gifts, but that was not it.
Before they knew it, surrounded by bundles that filled his room to the brim, Cheonghyeon was unwrapping the papers with a face alight with a thrill he had never shown before like a child who had suddenly received an unanticipated present.
He kept muttering “Hmph. Ordinary,” yet his cheeks were flushed, and his hands unwrapping the paper were quick. Seeing him even sneakily hold the clothes up against his body, Changsik felt it fortunate that the agency had not blocked the support. They had nearly missed out on that expression.
“Hyung. Should I help? I will at least clear away this wrapping.”
“Mm… would you?”
When Yunwoo quietly came over and sat by him, Cheonghyeon seemed to give up on managing his expression and was smiling as he frantically opened presents.
No, he looked as if he did not even realize he was smiling. He was too busy tearing open the gifts and reading the enclosed letters one by one.
Seeing Cheonghyeon’s eyes fold prettily as he smiled in happiness, the words came out on their own: in this room you are the most beautiful and expensive of all.
Even with luxury goods piled high, nothing among them shone as brightly as Cheonghyeon. A distinctive sparkle of someone being loved radiated from him. The manager quietly captured the sight with his phone camera.
“Changsik hyung.”
After he had been happily tearing open wrapping for quite a while, Cheonghyeon called Changsik.
His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were bright, but the slightly disheveled look made him seem exactly like his seven-year-old nephew who, after playing himself silly at the playground, suddenly remembered he had something to do.
“I want to give my fans something equal to the value of these gifts.”
“You know they already ran an article that you donated twice the support amount the other day, right? Are you going to donate again?”
Ah. Since the imperial family did not pay taxes, when such tribute came in, they would donate about ten percent to the welfare foundation within the palace.
Because he was not short on money and because it was the first gifts he had received, he had asked them to donate generously at twice the amount this time, but thinking about it, there was no need to do that here. Used to imperial law, he had been momentarily confused. But unlike the first donation, now he simply wanted to do something for his fans.
“Yes. But not a donation. I want to give a present only to my fans.”
“Alright, got it. Leave it to me. For now, we need to head to the shoot soon, so do you want to straighten up and come out? We can open more after we get back.”
“Tell Mi-ju noona we do not need styling today. I want to wear this today.”
It seemed he had already found an outfit he liked, as he insisted adorably that he would wear it.
Since the accident he had seemed to draw a line with them, and now as he showed a more affectionate side, even though he was a grown adult man, he felt very cute.
Laughing heartily, Changsik called the stylist: “Mi-ju, take the day off today.”
The filming location was a nearby park. Perhaps the area had been secured, as he could see only himself and the manager. However, unmanned cameras had been set up everywhere, by trees, benches, beside large rocks, and once they entered the park camera operators began to tag along as well.
So was he supposed to pretend not to know these people were there? Shoots that pursued a “reality” style were always difficult. He made himself recall the simulation they had practiced with Ko Yeonhee’s side earlier.
Fresh and fluttering. Smile bashfully upon meeting.
“Cheonghyeon, sit here on this bench. It looks like they will give the mission card and properly start when Yeonhee arrives. I will get going.”
As if he did not want to leave him alone, Changsik kept looking back again and again as he headed toward the production base. It seemed what the cameras here were filming was being relayed to the base in real time.
There was no script and no given situation, so Cheonghyeon sat blankly.
In fact, other participants would extract screen time by saying to the camera, “I am really fluttery right now,” “Ah, my heart is pounding,” but a broadcasting novice like Cheonghyeon could not know such things.
Without even small gestures like straightening his collar, he sat upright. He looked less like someone waiting for a date and more like a person who had simply come out for a stroll in the park.
At last, after watching from the base for quite some time, the PD let out a deep sigh and gave a small directive over the radio.
It might be better than clumsily acting the sweet and considerate boyfriend. The PD steadied his mind like that.
— Ah, ah, Mr. Cheonghyeon, can you hear me? Ms. Ko Yeonhee is almost here. Please go to the parking lot to meet her.
When a voice suddenly came out from the cameraman closest to him, Cheonghyeon was startled for a moment, then followed the PD’s words and headed for the parking lot.
Looking closely, a walkie-talkie was hanging on the cameraman’s chest. Do they give the mission card as a directive like this too?
He had always been fetched by people, and this was the first time he was going out to meet someone himself.
When Cheonghyeon rose, the cameramen nearby followed after him. It felt like going back to when the attendants would trail after him, and he almost laughed, but held it back.
It was not time to laugh yet. He should smile after meeting Ko Yeonhee.
He went into the outdoor parking lot of the park and loitered. Just then a van pulled in. It was much larger than an ordinary car, clearly a celebrity vehicle.
Cheonghyeon quickly headed there. As the door opened, his eyes met Ko Yeonhee’s, whom he had seen before.
Should I smile now?
While his head was spinning, Yeonhee, who was getting out of the car, seemed startled to run into him and missed her step, pitching forward.
“Uh, uh?”
Thud.
Having squeezed her eyes shut, thinking she would fall face first onto the asphalt, Yeonhee, feeling as if she were floating in the air, opened her eyes in alarm.
Cheonghyeon’s face was less than five centimeters away. How could a man’s face be like this? Yeonhee could not finish the thought.
Cheonghyeon’s eyes, clear and transparent like black glass beads, reflected her flustered face.
“Your clothes.”
“Pardon?”
“It looks like you should change your clothes.”
Perhaps because she had been holding a coffee in one hand, a brown stain had spread on Yeonhee’s skirt.
On the pink tennis skirt the stain stood out plainly. Righting her posture in a hurry, Yeonhee quickly looked him up and down.
“Are you all right?”
“It did not splash on my clothes, so I am fine.”
Cheonghyeon hesitated a moment over whether to say the next words, then spoke.
“It said this coat is very water-repellent. Even though the nap is alive, it does not absorb. Is that not fascinating? My fans bought it for me as a present.”
Watching this from the base with the production staff, Changsik nearly spat out the water he was drinking.
Cheonghyeon, you are filming right now. Even if you did not receive a mission card, there is a camera right there. How can you be showing off your clothes there?
Even Yeonhee, whom he had thought would at least lead him along, heard that and, after staring blankly, answered with a somewhat indignant face.
“I have clothes my fans bought in the car too. Last year my fans called me a human Chanel and bought them for me. Those are water-repellent and pretty in design too. Hold this coffee for me. I will go change and come back.”
Speaking sharply, her face red, Yeonhee popped back into the van.
As if he had no other thought, and as if showing off the clothes and telling her to change had been his true purpose, Cheonghyeon turned with a satisfied expression.
The cameramen recorded the scene with ambiguous expressions.
A moment later, changing into a skirt prettier than before and getting out of the car, Yeonhee was glanced at sidelong by Cheonghyeon. But perhaps because it was something she had grabbed in a rush, the top and bottom were oddly unbalanced.
The concept was a college student, so the top was pure and fresh, but the bottom looked, to anyone’s eyes, like a skirt bought from a first-floor luxury boutique in a department store. Then he suddenly remembered that he was supposed to smile bashfully at the first meeting.
“Earlier was an accident, so is it from now that we properly start filming? Then should I smile now?”
Hesitating, he then looked at Yeonhee and gave a small smile.
The problem was that, perhaps because of the scene earlier, the moment Yeonhee came out after changing and he smiled, rather than provoking a flutter, it looked like a smug smile saying his style had won.
From the base, Changsik squeezed his eyes shut.
PD, please, I beg you, edit this well.
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