Before leaving for the United States.
Kim Woohyun and Executive Director Park went to the headquarters to say goodbye to the coworkers they had spent a long time with.
Maybe.
Because they felt like they wouldn’t be coming here again, the familiar view of LS Entertainment’s headquarters felt strangely unfamiliar.
“Was it always this big?”
At Woohyun’s question, Executive Director Park put a hand at his waist and slowly looked up at the massive building.
“Tell me about it.”
It was a place where he had done many things under the banner of something called duty.
On some days, bad things too.
On other days, he had lowered his head to protect someone.
And on still other days….
There were days he had collapsed from an exhausting day.
“Still, isn’t our headquarters cooler?”
Executive Director Park turned his head with a grin and asked.
“It is.”
Woohyun nodded, smiling along with him.
Before they knew it, for the two of them, “our headquarters” had naturally become “VINCIS.”
“Let’s go in. The kids will be waiting.”
Executive Director Park was just about to hurry his steps, forcing down emotions that were rising up for no reason.
“V-villain daddy?”
At the voice from somewhere, he turned his head, and a young girl stood there, her eyes half-lidded.
“Who are you?”
Executive Director Park raised one eyebrow like a movie villain, as if he should play along with her.
“I, I’m, um, that is….”
The girl hunched her shoulders like she was scared and trailed off.
“Sir, if you ask like that, you’ll scare her.”
“What did I do?”
“Turn on your camera and look at your face right now.”
Executive Director Park poked Woohyun in the side and whispered.
“You’re only doing this because she recognized me, aren’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Yeah, you should do a challenge too, while you’re at it.”
Woohyun snorted, saying it wasn’t like that.
“Are you a Villain Daddy fan, by any chance?”
He asked, half expecting it.
“Ah, y-yes, well….”
She gave an ambiguous answer that was neither a clear yes nor a no, and then.
“Actually, I was wondering if you could deliver this to composer HS….”
She held out an envelope she’d been carefully holding and added.
“I know he’s in America now, but I still really wanted to send a reply.”
With a look that said, “I knew it,” Woohyun grinned at Executive Director Park, took the letter, and.
“Joovely?”
He looked at the name written on the envelope and asked again, startled.
“Ah, are you Joovely?”
“Y-you know me?”
“Yes. I’m the one who sent you the gift on behalf of HS.”
“Ah, thank you!”
“No, we’re the ones who are grateful that you love HS.”
Woohyun smiled and continued with polite, formal words, when.
“Oh, but your voice sounds kind of familiar, could it be….”
The girl known as “Joovely” tilted her head.
“The narration voice in ‘Why does happiness start with you’…?”
Before long she pointed at the playlist that was playing and asked.
“Ah.”
Right then, he heard Executive Director Park snickering behind him.
“We’ll deliver the letter safely. Sorry, but we’re a bit busy, so please take care on your way in.”
Woohyun adjusted his glasses, pretending to be busy, and bowed politely. He needed to run somewhere he could hide ears that had gone red like they might burn.
‘How could I ever forget that…’
With that “dark history” rising up again, Woohyun hurriedly turned away.
He could hear the girl calling out, “Wait a moment!” over and over behind him, but….
“Please hurry, sir.”
“Why? She’s your fan.”
“I’m embarrassed, please…”
He shoved Executive Director Park’s back as he teased him happily, and fled into the building.
Executive Director Park and Kim Woohyun each found the people most precious to them and said their farewells, heavy with regret.
There were many words about coming to see them in America, but since no one knew when that would be, they treated it as a final goodbye.
Knock, knock.
And the last place their steps arrived at was….
“Have a seat.”
The CEO’s office, where Jeon Namil and Director Choi were waiting.
Slide.
Woohyun rolled his eyes and looked around the office.
It looked no different than usual.
If anything had changed….
It was that they were no longer part of the same family.
Of course.
They would cooperate professionally, so it wasn’t like they were cutting ties forever, but it still felt strange.
And that was because when he first joined the company, this was a space he’d thought, would he ever even have a reason to come in here?
And yet….
Before he knew it, he had become a manager, met Hyunseung, and become a division head.
After that, he had been called here as if it were his own home.
Short, if you call it short.
Long, if you call it long.
When he thought about how many changes had happened to him during that time, he felt grateful to Hyunseung all over again.
If it weren’t for Hyunseung, he would have been satisfied with the title of manager and kept repeating a hamster-wheel life.
As always, Executive Director Park sat to the left of CEO Jeon Namil, and Woohyun sat to the left of Director Choi.
“Since this is already decided, I won’t speak at length.”
The CEO opened his mouth the moment he sat down.
“I believe you will do well, but I wish you the best.”
He recited very formal words without much rise or fall.
Even that was a farewell befitting CEO Jeon Namil.
“Thank you.”
Executive Director Park and Woohyun both bowed their heads lightly at the same time.
Just then, Director Choi silently patted the back of Woohyun’s hand.
“Uh.”
Woohyun couldn’t lift his head. Emotions he couldn’t put into words swept over him all at once.
But since he’d decided not to cry, he clenched his lower lip and held on.
Tap, tap.
Director Choi had always supported him like this, quietly.
Even when Woohyun had caused trouble not long after joining.
Even when he attended the executive meeting for the first time, trembling.
Even on the day he decided to resign.
Tap, tap.
With a light pat on the back of his hand, he encouraged him.
Tap, tap.
Even now, as Woohyun left to find his own way, to take care of his own people, Director Choi was still supporting him in silence.
“Executive Director Park.”
Director Choi’s voice sounded.
“Please take good care of Woohyun.”
He offered his farewell with that one short sentence.
“Don’t worry.”
Only after hearing Executive Director Park’s blunt but sincere reply did Woohyun slowly raise his head.
His eyes were red as if burning, but he barely held back his tears.
Then Woohyun stood up, turned his body toward where Director Choi and Jeon Namil sat, and.
“CEO, Director.”
He bent at the waist until his head nearly touched the floor, and as his final….
“Thank you, truly.”
Yes. He gave his final greeting as Division Head Kim Woohyun.
Tap, tatadadadak, tap.
Meanwhile, alone in the studio after Daniel left, Hyunseung continued mastering.
Tap, tatadadadak, tap.
With the recording work nearing its end.
Maybe because he felt the rest was his territory now, he couldn’t lay down to rest even if he was tired.
Tap, tatadadadak, tap.
A little more, a little more.
It had been a long time since he’d compromised. To begin with, Hyunseung never “compromised” in any work.
But this time, he immersed himself as if he didn’t even know the word “compromise,” pushing perfection on top of perfection.
Maybe it was because of some faint “admiration” for a person named Daniel that he wanted to make an even more solid piece.
Crunch.
Just as Hyunseung crushed the empty caffeinated drink can in one hand.
“I knew you’d be like this.”
“I thought maybe not, but of course you are.”
Familiar voices came from behind.
“Oh, you’re here.”
When he turned his head, Executive Director Park and Kim Woohyun stood in the doorway, somehow looking even larger than before.
“I thought you’d be doing this, so I told him we should come right away.”
On Woohyun’s face as he said that, the traces of a long flight clung thickly.
“Did you come straight from the airport?”
“Yeah, you punk.”
Executive Director Park answered instead, and his face was the same. Stubble had come in, making him look haggard.
“You should’ve rested first.”
Hyunseung said it, looking at the two of them sprawled out on the sofa.
“It was obvious you’d be like this, so how could we go to the house you gave us and sleep with our legs stretched out?”
Woohyun grumbled as if teasing for no reason.
“Just go and sleep. It’s not like you two really help much with me working.”
At that, the two of them started to argue, then only smacked their lips without saying anything.
“Tsk.”
Because Hyunseung wasn’t exactly wrong.
“Still, we can listen, right?”
Before long, Woohyun asked carefully, watching his mood.
“Yeah, if it’s about having an ear for it, we’ve got more experience than you.”
Executive Director Park added, as if backing him up.
They said that, but…
Judging by their eyes shining to the point it felt burdensome, their purpose seemed to be hearing the song.
“No.”
But Hyunseung refused flatly.
“No, why? Shouldn’t we listen too? We’re the people who will lead this company, and listening to the songs is something we should be doing.”
Executive Director Park, flaring up, poured out words rapidly.
That aside….
Is it just my imagination, or does he keep emphasizing “we” over and over?
“Listen after it’s finished.”
But Hyunseung cut it off with one stroke.
“How could I let you two hear the finished version first, when even Daniel, the person involved, hasn’t heard it yet?”
The reason was clear. So the two muttered that it was petty, but they didn’t press further.
Slide.
Hyunseung glanced at the work monitor, and thought that at this rate he might not sleep again tonight.
And then he issued them a dismissal order.
“Anyway, there’s really nothing you can help with, so go in for now, and let’s talk tomorrow when you come to work.”
In the end, the two exchanged a look and got up.
“Fine, we’re going, we’re going.”
Then Woohyun pulled an envelope from his inner pocket.
“Actually, we came to deliver this.”
“What is it?”
“The kudzu naengmyeon girl asked us to pass it on.”
At that, Hyunseung gave a small laugh, “Ah,” and then.
“Looks like you delivered the letter and the gift properly.”
He pulled out the crisp letter paper from the envelope and started reading.
“To Godchis.
I received the letter and gift well. I think it will be a letter and gift I will truly never forget for the rest of my life.
How do you even write so neatly? Is it because you make songs so well too?”
I feel a bit guilty.
The letter…
I didn’t write it.
In fact, Hyunseung had notoriously terrible handwriting, so Woohyun had probably written the letter on his behalf.
This girl fan would never know for the rest of her life.
“Honestly, even just listening to the songs HS makes, I always have a day that feels like a gift, and I’m just grateful that you even sent such a precious gift.
And I took down all the posts, so don’t worry, and please make lots of good songs in America too.”
It looked like she had erased and rewritten it over and over, because there were many eraser marks beneath the letters.
“Oh, and! Following what HS said to me, I decided my career path this time. As soon as I graduate, I’m going to get a job in management! I’ll study hard and build my experience, so if I ever get the chance, please let me work at HS’s label someday.
Until that day, I’ll always support you. Thank you, and I love you!”
After finishing, Hyunseung carefully folded the letter again and put it back into the envelope.
“What does it say?”
Before long, a faint smile spread across Hyunseung’s lips.
“Looks like we’ll be hiring an employee later.”
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