Hyunseung visited a private Western restaurant that he had frequented since coming to the United States. In truth, every time he came here, he was reminded of the Korean restaurant he used to visit back in Korea.
It was delicious.
However, he did not let it show on his face. It was because he was here with his secretary, Michelle.
“Come to think of it, we’ve worked together for a while now, but I don’t think we’ve ever had a meal together, just the two of us.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“So I set up this dinner since I had some free time. I hope you don’t feel uncomfortable?”
“No, I am fine.”
Even in a personal setting, Michelle maintained an infallible posture and tone without a single hair out of place. Is she really a robot?
Or perhaps….
Maybe she had already noticed that he hadn’t invited her just to have a simple meal.
Right.
She was someone whose wits were frighteningly sharp.
“First, please eat. The food here is very good.”
Hyunseung said, gesturing toward the luxurious dishes laid out before their eyes. Michelle nodded at his words and quietly picked up her fork and knife.
Her hands, raised with razor-sharp precision, cut the steak into bite-sized pieces, yet somehow, not a single sound of clattering cutlery could be heard.
Is she really a robot?
Hyunseung found himself being cautious, worrying that he might make a noise every time he used his fork, and thanks to that, absolute silence flowed through the room without even a single clinking sound.
Just like that, a meal of silence continued for a while.
“I think you might have already noticed, but lately, I’ve been quietly liquidating my shares.”
Soon, Hyunseung set down his fork and broke the silence.
“I am planning to recommend Joshua as the next CEO.”
“Director Joshua… will he be all right?”
“He is the protagonist of his own life as well, so I’m sure he’ll do well.”
As his secretary, this was something Michelle needed to know.
“For now, the only thing that’s decided is my own mind.”
Judging by how Michelle’s pupils trembled ever so slightly, she seemed surprised, but….
“Probably, within a month or two at the earliest, I plan to wrap everything up and step down from the CEO position.”
As always, she listened quietly until he had finished speaking.
Only for a moment, however.
As if she couldn’t suppress her curiosity, she raised a hand and asked.
“Then, by any chance, are you returning to VINCIS?”
“No. I’m thinking of returning to simply being someone’s son.”
Having said that, Hyunseung took a large gulp of water to wet his parched throat. Then, as if something suddenly came to mind, he let out a small gasp.
“Don’t worry about your employment.”
I almost forgot to mention this.
In a way, from Michelle’s perspective, this could be taken as a sudden notice of termination.
Of course, he intended to prepare thoroughly for Michelle’s sake.
“I’ll speak well with Director Joshua so that you can continue working as a secretary, and even with a salary increase—”
However, Michelle furrowed her brow slightly, as if this wasn’t what she wanted to hear, and cut Hyunseung off for the first time.
“Then, will I no longer be able to listen to your songs, Mr. CEO?”
Her action was surprising, but her question was even more astonishing.
The Michelle Hyunseung had envisioned was someone who, upon hearing his words, would immediately organize information about Joshua by numbering it in her head and begin salary negotiations right away.
“That question is unexpected. I never imagined you would like my songs, Michelle…”
He thought he knew Michelle well, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.
“As you know, I previously worked as a secretary for high-ranking executives in prominent conglomerates. Honestly, I had no reason to come to VINCIS.”
“I know your resume is impressive. I’ve always wondered about that, actually. Am I finally going to learn the reason?”
“Yes. The reason I left everything behind and submitted my resume to VINCIS was solely because I liked your music, CEO.”
I really had no idea.
“In my quiet, lonely, and uneventfully flowing life, your music breathed vitality and brought out emotions. It even made me engage in deviations I had never done before.”
“Mm? It seems working with me was the very first deviation in your life, Michelle.”
“Yes, you could say that.”
Michelle finished her words flatly, but they dug deep.
Because she, who had worked silently like a robot without a single piece of personal chatter, was opening up her inner thoughts for the first time.
Moreover.
Judging by the faint shadow cast over Michelle’s face, she seemed genuinely disappointed.
Ah.
What am I supposed to say at a time like this?
“Mm.”
Hyunseung murmured thoughtfully for a moment.
“There’s a saying that music is a medium that remembers that time.”
Soon, wiping his damp lips with a napkin, he continued.
“So, my music will remain eternal in your memories, Michelle.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Michelle’s blue eyes stared straight at him. He couldn’t tell whether she was surprised or if she hadn’t understood.
“Then, that is enough.”
The shadow that had fallen over Michelle’s face cleared up brightly.
“As I always have, I will assist you faithfully until the very end.”
It was quite a satisfying meal.
Lately, Sarah Stewart had been spending her days intensely busy.
The track she threw a tantrum to get from Hyunseung had, naturally, achieved massive success, and thanks to that, she barely had time to sleep due to all kinds of broadcast and concert schedules.
And today, with her schedule clear for the first time in a very long while, she visited her private studio.
Honestly, in her heart, she wanted to shut herself in at home and catch up on her backlog of sleep, but there was something she had to do.
Clack, clack-clack-clack, clack.
That was, none other than…
Clack, clack-clack-clack, clack.
Making a song for Hyunseung. To be precise, she was going to make a song containing her feelings for him.
Though she hated to admit it to death.
Since she had felt a heart-wrenching pain seeing Hyunseung mourn Daniel’s death.
Since she had felt an indescribable jealousy upon hearing that he had given a song to none other than Rise.
She could no longer look away from her feelings, pretend not to notice, or deny them anymore.
Right.
I love Min Hyunseung.
And, those feelings…
I plan to convey them through music.
Clack, clack-clack-clack, clack.
What’s more, she had gained confidence that Hyunseung’s feelings wouldn’t be much different from hers, given the lyrics he had featured on last time.
“Just wanna be by your side.”
Suddenly, recalling the words Hyunseung had softly whispered to her, Sarah stopped her working hands and covered her face as if embarrassed.
(Of course, Hyunseung had simply recited the lyrics.)
“No, but really, how could he just confess like that…?”
Burying her face entirely, right as she was muttering to herself.
“Who confessed to who?”
At the familiar voice coming from the studio door, Sarah spun around in utter shock.
“Did you drink?”
Standing there with one furrowed eyebrow was my man…
No.
It was Hyunseung.
“Your face is burning red like a tomato.”
“I didn’t drink, okay?!”
“Then were you blushing because someone actually confessed to you?”
As he asked that, one of Hyunseung’s eyebrows twitched oddly.
What?
That guy, could he make an expression like that too? Harboring an unknown expectation, Sarah asked.
“Why? Could it be… does it bother you that someone confessed to me?”
“No, I was just wondering what kind of lunatic it was.”
Right, of course he’d say that.
“Min Hyunseung, get out right now.”
Just as Sarah was about to pout, Hyunseung gently swung a shopping bag that he had hidden behind his back and spoke.
“I bought you a present, do you really want me to leave?”
“A-A present? What’s this all of a sudden?”
“I heard you hit number one on the Billboard chart this time.”
“Well, that’s just a given.”
“Then I guess I should go return this.”
As he swiftly went to turn around, Sarah hurriedly grabbed onto him.
“Ah, wait a second!”
At that, Hyunseung smiled like a victor and handed over the shopping bag.
“Y-You… w-what is this?”
His smug expression was quite exasperating, but that didn’t matter. The fact that he had bought a present was what mattered most.
And the fact that the present was none other than a necklace was the absolute most important part.
One with an immensely dazzling, sparkling jewel, no less.
Yes.
It was a necklace that seemed fit for a pure white dress.
“I just, well, asked Hyuna what I should buy, and she said you’d like something like this?”
At this moment, in Sarah’s eyes, even the way Hyunseung answered while scratching the back of his head looked handsome.
Now wasn’t the time to dawdle.
Sarah took the necklace out of the case and put it on right away. It would have been even better if he had put it on her himself, but still, considering his personality, the fact that he bought something like this was amazing enough.
His younger sister was just an excuse, surely.
An excuse he made because he was shy. Seriously, when you look closely, isn’t he just adorable?
“Does it look good on me?”
Sarah asked soon after with a shy smile.
“Suddenly, a Korean proverb comes to mind.”
“What is it?”
“Casting pearls before swine…”
“Get out.”
That smile didn’t last very long.
“Yeah, keep up the hard work.”
That jerk, typical. What did I expect?
And.
He’s going to turn around without lingering feelings again, isn’t he?
“Yeah, keep up the hard work.”
Sarah knew that this was a battle she was bound to lose.
“Wait a second!”
What could she do? She liked him.
“What, again?”
What was she to do when she had reached a point where he looked handsome even when merely tilting his head back to look at her in annoyance?
“I’m going to release a song I wrote and composed soon…”
Avoiding Hyunseung’s gaze, Sarah carefully opened her mouth.
“Could you be the very first person to listen to it?”
She asked with a voice brimming with tremors.
“That sounds difficult. Ask Joshua or Killian.”
“You’re so petty, petty! I’m going to let everyone listen except you!”
However, without a hint of hesitation, Hyunseung flatly refused. Seriously, what kind of guy is he?!
Right when Sarah was huffing and puffing with disappointment.
“Sarah.”
Hyunseung called out to her gently, completely unlike him. Had he ever called her “Sarah” without a nickname or her full name?
Gulp.
Sarah swallowed hard and stared intently at Hyunseung’s face.
“Instead, once the song is released, I’ll be the very first to listen to it.”
Before long, Hyunseung lightly patted Sarah’s shoulder and added.
“The necklace suits you well. Don’t lose it, make sure you wear it around.”
Because Sarah’s face had turned so red it felt like it would burst, she could only steal glances at the departing Hyunseung while clutching the necklace.
Hyunseung’s resignation as CEO proceeded much more swiftly than expected.
It wasn’t because everyone had wished for it.
Rather, it was the exact opposite.
Upon hearing the news, everyone reacted with disappointment or an inability to accept it. Joshua belonged to the latter.
Because Hyunseung had prepared it slowly and quietly over a long time, to Joshua, it felt more like an abrupt notification.
Slam!
Joshua pushed past the security guards blocking the entrance and burst straight into the CEO’s office.
“What on earth is the meaning of all this? A resignation?!”
As if confirming that the rumors were true, the personal belongings in the CEO’s office had already been cleared out.
The already massive CEO’s office felt even wider now that it was barren.
“I thought you would like it. Or did you sprint over because you were too thrilled?”
“Are you really joking right now?”
“Actually, I was genuinely surprised. I didn’t expect the first person to come looking for me to be you, Director Joshua.”
Looking at Hyunseung, who appeared nonchalant as if nothing was wrong, Joshua let out an incredulous laugh for a moment.
“Ha, let me at least hear the reason.”
Joshua said, pulling his necktie loose.
“Personal reasons. But Director Joshua, haven’t you wanted me to leave right from the start?”
“Th-That’s…!”
However, at Hyunseung’s counter, his words were caught in his throat.
Right.
When Hyunseung first arrived, he hadn’t accepted him and had led the effort to isolate him; it wasn’t his place to speak.
Even so, that wasn’t the case anymore.
“Even so, I didn’t want you to leave like this.”
“Don’t be too disappointed. As the next CEO, I will be recommending you, Director Joshua.”
As if determined to render Joshua completely speechless, Hyunseung continued to lay out unexpected words.
“You are an ambitious person, so I trust you will do well.”
Normally, he would have thought Hyunseung was scolding him for being arrogant or trying to lecture him….
“However, don’t be so greedy that you end up regretting it when you look back.”
Every single word Hyunseung uttered became a heavy boulder, settling heavily over his heart.
“Thank you for everything.”
And so, Joshua couldn’t say a single word until the end.
It seemed.
He thought there would be plenty of time to apologize to him, but apparently not.
“Seeing you, Joshua, made me realize that even a predetermined future can change.”
As if reading Joshua’s mind, Hyunseung merely offered a clean, bright smile.
It was a warm smile, as if soothing him that it was all okay.
Hyunseung left.
No.
He vanished.
One day.
He had barged clumsily into his life claiming he was selling buy-out tracks, and now he had vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a single note.
『Going on a family trip so I won’t have regrets in this life』
Right. He bade a one-sided farewell with just this short sentence.
And a year had already passed since contact with Hyunseung had been cut off.
It seemed it wasn’t a sudden decision for him, as he had prepared quite thoroughly. Seeing how Unice Music Group was operating without a single shake.
Ah.
Because Sarah’s hysteria had grown worse, she only released songs and didn’t appear on broadcasts or stages at all anymore, was it?
And, VINCIS…
Though it was severely shaken, it did not collapse. Lee Duseok made efforts to solidify their internal stability, saying they had to make sure Hyunseung would be satisfied whenever he returned.
Executive Director Park also poured all his energy into maintaining VINCIS, only getting more intensely obsessed with working out.
And Kim Woohyun was still living diligently, though his stomach churned every time he looked at the wristwatch Hyunseung had bought him.
“I have some time left until the meeting.”
With an awkward gap in his schedule, Kim Woohyun decided to head straight to the meeting place instead of dropping by the office, turning his steps toward a bustling area to find a café.
That place was where Times Square, the heart of New York, was located.
Looking at the glittering, giant billboards, he suddenly remembered the time Sarah had put up an advertisement on the electronic display for Hyunseung’s birthday, and a chuckle broke out.
Come to think of it, had he ever grandly celebrated Hyunseung’s birthday even once?
Thinking about that, regret washed over him like a wave once more.
I should have treated him a little better.
I should have cared a little more.
I should have visited him a little more.
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, he had received so much from Hyunseung.
In a way, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Kim Woohyun’s life was divided into before and after meeting Hyunseung.
Right now.
Thanks to Hyunseung, he was living in a proper house on American soil and had even gained the ability to get his mother treated at a much better medical facility.
Above all.
In a life where he had lived alone without being able to lean on anyone, he had shared affection and opened his heart to someone for the first time.
Just with that alone, Hyunseung was a presence of immense meaning to Kim Woohyun.
“Just how far did this troublemaker go on his trip that he’s still not coming back…?”
Right as Kim Woohyun lowered his head, which had been facing the electronic billboard.
—Breaking news. Composer Min Hyunseung, who abruptly stepped down from the CEO position of Unice Music Group and vanished, held an exclusive interview today…
The urgent face of a reporter appeared on the giant screen.
“M-Min Hyunseung?”
Wondering if he had misheard, Kim Woohyun slowly took a step toward the screen.
Step, step.
Right as he took a few more steps forward.
That… back…
A very familiar back of a man appeared on the screen.
As the chair he was sitting on slowly turned around, Kim Woohyun’s pupils shook violently.
Yes, that undisputed actor-like face….
—I’ll be back.
Yes, even that obnoxious tone of voice.
“Th-Th-The, the troublemaker, wh-why is that jerk on…!”
Right as Kim Woohyun took a step back as if he had seen a ghost.
“Mom.”
A missed voice came from behind his back.
“I am exceedingly sad because all the radishes I painstakingly farmed overnight were stolen.”
The troublemaker, no…
Hyunseung had returned.
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