Free Web NovelMy whole body stiffened as if I’d locked eyes with Medusa.
“......”
Grandma Kim Deok-soon stood there holding her smartphone, and alongside her were Bijoo’s family, Junghyun’s family, Jiho’s family, and Riheok’s younger sister.
Each had a face debating how to react.
It was really awkward.
I didn’t know whether to pretend nothing had happened or to laugh.
Just then, Bijoo—ever the diplomat—stepped lightly into the studio, doing a little dance.
Junghyun and Jiho followed his lead.
Watching Riheok’s family chuckle at his indescribable dance, Bijoo said,
“We surprise people like this all the time.”
The tense atmosphere melted into warmth in an instant.
I mouthed “Thank you” to Bijoo. He returned a quick eye-smile. Meanwhile, Riheok—still red-faced—leaned in and whispered to me,
“You owe me big time now.”
“I’ll buy you a really nice vacuum cleaner.”
Watching him leave with a cool expression, I made up my mind.
I definitely have to get him that Hello Kitty vacuum I saw online.
“Mom! Dad!”
“Sisii!”
Meanwhile, in the practice room, the family reunion was in full swing.
I dashed over and wrapped Grandma in a big hug.
“Grandma!”
“Oh dear, you’re suffocating me. How long has it been since we were apart, making such a fuss?”
“It’s because I missed you so much.”
“Nonsense. If you missed me, you’d’ve called. All this time you—”
She launched into a tirade of scolding, but I didn’t mind.
Bending down to hug her tightly, I felt a warm glow fill me.
My eyes moistened without me realizing it.
I hadn’t suffered any great hardship, yet one hug seemed to melt away every locked-away feeling.
“I missed you so much, Grandma.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s so good—your smell, your warmth.”
“Oh dear, I forgot. I meant to stick on a hot pack, but I forgot because of that silly dance.”
“......”
Watching her slip a hot pack from beneath my shirt, I blinked and then used my body to shield her from the others.
“Why do you keep hot packs on?”
“I noticed here in Seoul people only like things very hot or very cold—no in-between. On the bus the cold air was blasting me; without this, my stomach would’ve frozen solid.”
She asked if I wanted one, but I declined.
Her chattering was ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) endearing, so I hugged her again.
“Do you have unfinished business with hugs?”
“Yes; I’ve been waiting months to hug you.”
“...Oh dear, such nonsense.”
Though she teased, Grandma patted my back.
I felt so happy.
Even though I’m taller now, being in her arms felt like childhood all over again.
That body that fit perfectly in Grandma’s embrace.
I closed my eyes and savored the feeling.
Once more, I realized—my grandmother is the best in the world.
The visit from the members’ families had been scheduled two weeks in advance, I was told.
It was the CEO’s special instruction for us, since we couldn’t go home.
The barbecue restaurant for dinner, the hotel room where I’d sleep with Grandma—it was all arranged.
My loyalty to the company swelled.
While Seok-hwan hyung stepped away to book the restaurant, I guided the families through the company facilities.
“This is our studio.”
They were amazed by the recording booth and all the equipment they’d only seen on TV.
Junghyun’s burly father tapped the glass.
“It’s sturdy. Is this bulletproof?”
“...Dad, don’t ask that.”
Holding his wife’s hand, Junghyun said solemnly,
“Of course it’s bulletproof.”
“Is that so? Indeed, an entertainment company leading the cutting-edge IT era is different. Ha-ha-ha!”
He was once a national ssireum champion and now a local agricultural cooperative head. His huge presence—like a character from an old sumo poster—was imposing, and every hearty laugh made the glass tremble.
“Don’t behave so uncouthly.”
“Bah.”
But he seemed completely cowed by his wife.
“Oh my! This is like what I’ve seen on TV. Amazing. Honey, take my picture when I go in.”
“Shall I go with Byeonyeon?”
Bijoo’s family was the same as ever. His mother chatted cheerfully with Grandma, and his father remained sweet.
Seeing this, the other mothers asked their own husbands to take photos—and their husbands balked, prompting triangular-browed scowls from the mothers.
I could already picture the fathers’ plight later.
“Hello, Minjun.”
“Hello, Woo-joo hyung.”
Minjun bowed at the navel and I knelt to meet his gaze, then asked with a smile,
“Are you getting ready for school this year?”
“Um... no. My recovery is slower than expected, so they say I won’t go until next year.”
“Oh dear...”
Oh no—he caught it from me.
I tapped my own lips, correcting my words.
“That must be disappointing. You were looking forward to it.”
“But I’ll be healthier when I go. By then my hair will grow back and I’ll escape the bald look.”
“That’s right, Minjun—you’ll have hair again.”
“But, Woo-joo hyung...”
“Yes?”
Minjun covered his mouth and whispered,
“I saw something in the hallway. Is the CEO hurt?”
“The CEO? Ah...”
I laughed at Minjun pointing to my head.
Then I hiccupped.
Really.
It’s wrong to laugh at things like this, but my guard dropped and I burst out.
“That’s not it. Naturally, it’s just... uh, I sound foolish. Minjun, forget what I said.”
“Oh, so he’s just bald.”
“Minjun, you can’t say that.”
Soft but firm—it wasn’t Bijoo but his older sister.
Her eyes were just like his. She politely introduced herself as Kim Byeonyeon, an academy instructor a few years older than Bijoo.
“We met during the year-end evaluation, right?”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
“I hear from my brother on the phone—he says you’re a really good hyung. Thanks for everything, especially last time.”
“No need to thank me.”
She bowed her head.
I could see where Bijoo got his manners.
“Oh my, the interior here is so pretty.”
Jiho’s elegantly dressed mother fluttered her eyes like a schoolgirl.
“Who did this? It’s gorgeous.”
“From wallpaper to cushions, Bijoo decorated it all.”
“Oh my! I thought a professional firm did it, but a member did it? Amazing.”
“Yes, and...”
But before I could finish, Jiho broke in.
“Hyung!”
He wrapped his mother in his arms from behind and smiled brightly.
“My mom’s the prettiest, right?”
“Uh, very elegant...”
“Right? Mom’s pretty? My mom’s the prettiest in the world too.”
They gushed together, and I just blinked.
After clinging to her for a long while, the maknae introduced his sisters.
“Hyung, these are my sisters.”
“Hello.”
I awkwardly chatted with the three sisters, each brushing back their hair. Then Jiho introduced his father.
“This is my dad. Do you think I’m more handsome?”
“You little...!”
“But I love my dad the most—he’s rich, and when he yells on the phone for company matters, it’s kind of cool.”
“Go around town cursing like that, you rascal.”
He said it with a face that said his son was just too cute.
“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
He handed me a card that read “Wang Hyuntak, Chairman, HC Co., Ltd.”
HC—Hot Chicken, perhaps?
His father leaned in, speaking low.
“I have a knack for spotting future stars. How about doing a commercial?”
“Dad, don’t be ridiculous! Hyung, don’t listen to him.”
His father looked disappointed as Jiho dragged him away.
My head was spinning.
As I scanned the crowded studio for someone missing, a tap on my arm brought me around.
There stood Riheok and his sister.
“This is my sister, Seo Yein.”
“Hello.”
She resembled Riheok astonishingly. Though she was in middle school, she was nearly his height.
“If you mention height again I’ll kill you,” muttered a furious parrot from behind.
When Yein saw me glance at her, Riheok beamed.
What was that smile?
It was a sight I’d never seen, and the other juniors looked equally astonished. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
The question was soon answered.
During our conversation, she grabbed her brother’s arm and smiled radiantly.
“My brother is really kind, right?”
“Ah... yes.”
In every sense.
“I’ve never met anyone as kind as him.”
“Oh... really...”
From a distance, Junghyun scratched his ear as if he’d misheard, then got scolded by his mother for it.
“Riheok’s really kind, isn’t he?”
I realized something and gave a wide grin, putting an arm around Riheok.
Usually he’d glare and push me away, but now his lips trembled in a smile.
Yes, this was it.
I said brightly, “He always takes whatever we do in stride. He never pretends to dislike anything. Right?”
“...Uh, yes.”
“That’s right. Riheok hyung, you’re the kindest in the world.”
Even the maknae joined in. “A few days ago I borrowed a T-shirt from Riheok hyung’s closet.” freeweɓnovel.cѳm
“Uh—huh, really? First I’ve heard of it.”
“But he was so generous. If he’d been prickly, he’d have yelled.”
“True. My brother is really kind.”
She lived in the U.S. and they rarely met, so maybe she thought of him as a unicorn.
I’d assumed Riheok hated sibling talk, but apparently not.
Junghyun spoke up too. “Yeah, Riheok is so kind. One time I came back early from going out and lay on his bed.”
“...What?”
“And he forgave me.”
Seizing the moment, each confessed their regular “crimes” against him. Then Bijoo chimed in.
“If only he ate well, life would be perfect.”
“Our brother doesn’t eat much?”
“Yes—he eats so little I worry. Look how thin his bones are.”
“My bones are always thin, hyung.”
“You have to eat more to grow taller. Ah, such a shame.”
Yein’s eyes shone on Riheok. He chuckled,
“I just lost my appetite. I should eat well.”
“Really? Will you eat well?”
“...Uh, yes, hyung.”
Bijoo offered his pinky with a gentle smile. “Shall we make a promise?”
“...I’m eighteen, hyung.”
“Promise to eat well from now on.”
Watching his pinky trembling, I swallowed a laugh.
Jiho whispered, “I must get her contact info later.”
“I completely agree.”
Smiling at Riheok trembling, I felt content.
With our allotted free time until evening, I took Grandma to a nearby department store.
We entered a brightly lit women’s clothing section.
Mannequins everywhere—we wandered to shops that looked promising.
“Oh dear, my head’s in a whirl.”
“Grandma, this is just the beginning. After clothes, shoes. After shoes, cosmetics. There’s so much to buy.”
“Aren’t you overdoing it?”
“I’m rich now.”
Though the revenue from ‘Fireworks’ and ‘Night Sea’ hadn’t yet landed, ‘Something’ alone covered this spending.
Pointing to a rack of high-end coats, I said,
“I could buy every coat here from end to end. So pick any you like.”
While Grandma timidly rifled through coats, I asked the salesperson with confidence,
“How much is the coat in the middle?”
“We’re running a promotion—30% off, that makes it...”
She did quick mental math.
“About 8.9 to 9 million won.”
“Oh, really?”
I called Grandma over.
“...Grandma, plans have changed. I can’t buy from end to end. But I can get about four in the middle.”
The salesperson hid a smile behind her hand.
As Grandma chose, the salesperson seemed curious about my identity.
“A model?”
“No, I’m a singer.”
“Oh! If you search ‘Woo-joo,’ you’ll see the space-themed results. You need to search ‘NewBlack.’”
I seized the chance to promote our group, then called Grandma back.
She lingered in a corner of the rack.
“You like that one?”
“Well... I’m not sure I like it. It’s functional, and the fur seems high-quality... sigh, I can’t. An old grandma using her grandson’s money.”
“Don’t say strange things.”
I pulled the coat she’d been eyeing from the rack.
It was light, with fine material and lining.
As expected, it was the store’s most expensive.
Not wanting to overwhelm her, I handed it silently to the salesperson, then took Grandma’s hand.
“Anything else you like? You need two coats for winter, so they’ll say, ‘She only has one coat?’”
“No.”
“This is your last chance.”
“Um... that one over there looked nice.”
I laughed at Grandma’s tiny voice.
Turning to the salesperson, I said,
“I’ll take this and that.”
“Uh—Woo-joo?”
“Hmm?”
“That hat too...”
“A fur hat? You’d look like General Kim Jwa-jin.”
“......”
“I’ll buy it. I’ll buy it.”
In the end, two coats and one hat went into our shopping bags.
I was delighted.
Grandma looked so happy holding those heavy bags.
Something rose in my chest.
I’d bought her expensive things. I’d made it.
If I gave her the trip voucher later, it would be perfect.
Then, as soon as we left the store, Grandma’s face clouded over.
It was as if rain fell on a summer garden.
Coming to her senses after decades of pampering, she looked guilty and asked,
“But, Woo-joo...”
“Yes?”
“Is it okay for me to take all this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you worked so hard to earn this money... and I’m spending it all. I’m crazy. I should refund it right now.”
“You can’t refund in Seoul, Grandma.”
“Who do you take me for? What nonsense. Stop talking back and refund them—”
“Grandma.”
I held her shoulders and said,
“It’s okay to buy these.”
“......”
“Why are you crying all of a sudden?”
She wiped her tears with her hand.
My heart ached. Money meant nothing.
“I’m sorry...”
“Now stop crying, Grandma, okay?”
I felt I might cry too, but I held it back and comforted her for a long moment.
When she nodded she’d stop, I sighed and led her to the elevator.
“Now let’s look at shoes.”
“...Woo-joo.”
“Yes?”
“My feet hurt these days...”
“I’ll get you a very expensive pair with great cushioning.”
She cleared her throat, glancing aside, embarrassed by her own request.
All the while, my eyes were on her shoes.
They were coated with dirt and worn thin.
“Wait a sec.”
Since they’d been flapping around, I crouched and fastened the Velcro properly.
“I told you not to wear these anymore.”
“They say constantly changing shoes isn’t good either.”
“Who says? A TV health show?”
“A monk.”
“...That monastery is strange.”
At the mention of superstition, our resident superstition-lover perked up.
“I asked the monk for a fortune about you. I asked if you’d do well.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He said big fortune has come to you.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. A great dragon has entered your luck. He said things have been good, but they’ll be much better. He said you’ll walk only prosperous paths. Didn’t you say you’re making a song?”
“Yes. We’re releasing an album in November.”
“November?”
“Why?”
“He said the great fortune begins this month.”
“Is that so? Nothing’s happened yet.”
Maybe a good opportunity would come.
Grandma chatted on, but I, not believing in superstition, barely felt it.
It didn’t matter anyway.
My mind was full of something else.
Success.
Beyond mere hope for the next album, I felt a hunger for material success.
Looking at those threadbare shoes, I made my resolution.
The next album—
I will make it properly and make it a success.
