Chapter 15
Clunk.
That was the sound of Dad opening the front door with his key, returning late at night. I, who had already fallen asleep, groggily opened my eyes. Dad shook a bag of bossam (boiled pork slices).
"Sung-guk, are you awake?"
[I'm originally so sensitive that I can't sleep without blackout curtains, and no one within a hundred meters of me can even breathe. Sigh, what's the point of saying anything? Is it really true that four people are breathing in this five-pyeong one-room apartment...]
"Sung-guk, Dad brought you some bossam."
"Honey, what's with the bossam?"
"The boss gave it to me. He even gave me a 50,000 won bonus for having a baby."
"Wow, Min-guk is a lucky charm."
I shook my head.
[How much more is going to go under Min-guk? You're calling 50,000 won a lucky charm? You immature Mom and Dad.]
As I babbled, Dad quickly picked me up.
"Our Sung-guk is getting heavier every day. Sung-guk, you're a hyung now, you know?"
[I know even if you don't tell me, Dad.]
"Honey, we should feed Sung-guk some bossam too. He seems to have lost weight because he's been working so much lately."
[What are you talking about? I was dieting to look good on camera.]
"You're right. Sung-guk's cheek fat has decreased a lot. It's his charm point."
Dad kept kissing my cheek.
[Sigh... We shouldn't do this between men, Dad.]
Mom quickly unwrapped the bossam. The well-cooked pork and bossam kimchi looked appetizing. I swallowed involuntarily. The taste I knew was the scariest.
"Sung-guk, do you want to eat?"
"Yes!"
I nodded and answered energetically.
[No, I'm on a diet.]
Contrary to my thoughts, I was crawling towards the bossam as if possessed. Mom tore the lean, soft bossam meat into small pieces and put it in my mouth.
[It's been so long since I've had Dad's bossam. An Australian Shiraz wine would be perfect for this. Wow.]
I chewed the bossam meat and swallowed it, trying to soothe my regret. Dad had already wrapped up some bossam and handed it to Mom.
"So-young, you're working hard raising two kids. Eat up."
"You eat first, honey. You're the one who's tired from standing and cooking all day."
"I work here, so I eat it often."
Dad smiled and put the bossam in Mom's mouth. Mom reluctantly accepted it. Anyway, they were poor, but their relationship was really good. That's why they already had two kids in this environment. I shook my head. Before my regression, creating a second generation was almost an obligation for me. My wife, whom I had an arranged marriage with, was from a prestigious family that had produced high-ranking officials for generations, as my grandfather wished. With the help of science, she was quite pretty, and she had studied enough to have a conversation with me. But I wasn't happy. Because it was an arranged marriage, there was a wall between my wife and me, and neither of us tried to cross that wall. Still, I always pretended to be happy and to love my wife very much. Since we got married with all the conditions met, it was human greed to expect affection. I chewed the bossam meat with my newly growing molars, feeling bitter. Mom swallowed the bossam and carefully opened her mouth.
"Honey..."
"Why? Is the bossam not tasty?"
"It's not that... Mi-young unnie said that Sung-guk is getting a lot of commercial offers. Especially Samjeon Electronics, they're even talking about an exclusive contract."
"Exclusive model? For our Sung-guk?"
"Yes. They say it would be good to save up for Sung-guk's tuition if he becomes an exclusive model for Samjeon Electronics. The conditions are good too."
"That's something I didn't expect..."
Dad looked bewildered.
[You both didn't know I would be this successful, did you?]
Mom held Dad's hand.
"Honey, we don't know what Sung-guk will become when he grows up, but I think it's a good opportunity. If we save up for Sung-guk, he won't have to struggle to study like we did."
"That's true... but it seems like Sung-guk is working too much..."
[Dad, you shouldn't think like that. When I was a chaebol, I rarely slept more than five hours a day. Now I sleep twelve hours a day.]
As I babbled, Dad quickly put some tender bossam in my mouth. I quickly fell into the bossam samadhi again.
[Why is this so delicious?]
My mouth was already wet with saliva. Mom continued to persuade Dad.
"I think it's a really good opportunity. If you agree, let's meet and talk about it. Sung-guk likes being in front of the camera more than I thought, and if we save up for him, he can do whatever he wants."
"Okay, they say if you listen to your wife, you'll get rice cake even while sleeping. I should follow So-young's advice. Let's meet and talk about it. Nothing is decided yet."
Dad said as if he had made up his mind.
Jeon Jae-hyung was on his way to the groundbreaking ceremony for Samjeon Electronics' Onyang factory. It was a big event that even the president was attending, and it was the first time Chairman Jeon, who had been in a period of self-reflection, was appearing at an official event again. Secretary Yang glanced back.
"Vice Chairman, the profile of Jeon Sung-guk you asked for is ready."
"Tell me."
Secretary Yang began to brief.
"Sung-guk's family isn't very well off. Sung-guk's dad works in the kitchen of a small bossam restaurant called 'Uncle Won's Bossam' in Suyu, and that's their only source of income."
"How much does he earn?"
"His salary recently increased to about 600,000 won."
"600,000 won?"
Jeon Jae-hyung slightly scratched his forehead with his finger. Samjeon Electronics' starting salary was about 1 million won. It was the highest in the industry. Can four people live on 600,000 won a month... Jeon Jae-hyung couldn't even imagine that amount.
"Sung-guk's mom is a full-time housewife. She graduated from a commercial high school and worked as a clerk in a small company, but quit when she got pregnant. And both Sung-guk's mom and dad grew up in the same orphanage."
"Orphanage? So they're orphans?"
"Yes, Vice Chairman."
Secretary Yang replied. Samjeon Group was sponsoring orphans, but Jeon Jae-hyung had never seen an orphan except at events.
"Hmm... What about their reputation?"
"Both are good. Sung-guk's dad is very sincere and responsible, and he learned the kitchen work quickly at the restaurant. Sung-guk's mom's former company and high school teachers all praised her too."
Jeon Jae-hyung nodded.
"But Vice Chairman, may I ask why you're so interested in Sung-guk's family?"
"It's a plan to show the company growing along with the baby by using him as an exclusive model. I'm more concerned because of that. The baby doesn't know anything about the world, and problems always arise from the family."
"They currently live in a one-room apartment near Suyu Station with a deposit of 500,000 won and a monthly rent of 50,000 won. Sung-guk's manager is Kim Mi-young, the owner of that one-room building. She used to work in the accounting department of Samjeon Planning until three months ago. Kim Mi-young was the one who recommended Sung-guk for the Samjeon Electronics top-loading washing machine commercial, which was his first appearance."
Jeon Jae-hyung lightly scratched his chin with his right index finger. It was a habit he had when he was thinking.
"Kim Mi-young?"
"After investigating through various channels, it seems they have a mutual aid relationship. The contract terms are exceptionally favorable to Sung-guk compared to other management companies, and the contract is terminated when Sung-guk stops working. Kim Mi-young was the only high school graduate employee left at Samjeon Planning, so she had been a perennial section chief and had to quit and start this work."
"Can I see that child, Jeon Sung-guk?"
"Shall I arrange a meeting?"
"Not an official meeting... I want to see him filming..."
"I'll check and arrange a schedule."
Secretary Yang was concerned about Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung's unusual behavior, which he had never seen before, but he kept his mouth shut for now. The Onyang sign came into view.
It was the last day of filming for 'Five Men and a Baby Basket.' Six months had passed in the blink of an eye. The filming was subtitled 'A Day to Prepare for Farewell.' I had finished a bowl of baby food in the morning and was appeasing my insufficient stomach with a banana. The 'Just' members gathered around me one by one. Tae-hyung, the leader, looked at me kindly.
"Sung-guk, do you know what day it is today?"
[It's the last day of filming. Why are you asking again?]
"I'll miss our Sung-guk."
Jae-hyun, who had been faithfully playing the role of Mom, even seemed to have tears in his eyes. His nose was already red.
[Your nose job is obvious. Stop crying. You'll forget tomorrow.]
Beom-seon, who had started to stand out as Michael's presence diminished, held one of my fingers.
"Call us anytime if you miss us."
[I'll ignore you if you call. I know everything too.]
I chewed the banana firmly. Lucas kept joking with me while smiling, and Michael looked at me with a sour face. Since I had completely ignored Michael after Mom's delivery, Michael's screen time had decreased. Moreover, since he had been marked by the director, Michael's 'kindergarten kid' image had changed to a 'troublemaker' image, which was disliked by viewers. Naturally, Michael's screen time gradually decreased, and he often stood at the end like a backdrop. Beom-seon, who was reliable, seized the opportunity. His handsome face and tsundere-like personality attracted female fans. I held Beom-seon's hand tightly. Looking at the future, Beom-seon was the member who would have the most successful career as a singer and actor for the longest time. That's how all human relationships are. If it's sweet, you swallow it, if it's bitter, you spit it out. Beom-seon looked down at me steadily.
"I'm really attached to Sung-guk, it's a shame..."
"Yeah, we hit the jackpot thanks to this kid."
Jae-hyun's eyes turned red. The camera captured all of this. The 'Just' members with red eyes and me, Jeon Sung-guk, who seemed to have a premonition of parting. I looked at the members with a gloomy face to fit the concept. There would probably be a narration like this over my face.
"Sung-guk, who seems to have a premonition of parting, also seems to have no energy today."
At this time, Tae-hyung, the leader, looked at me with a prepared face.
[Is it a script?]
"Guys, how about we ask Sung-guk to choose our second album title track?"
"From Sung-guk?"
"Yeah. Kids have an immediate sense of rhythm."
"I'm in favor."
Beom-seon was the first to agree. Michael looked very skeptical.
"Hyung, what songs did you bring?"
"Three songs we recorded last week: 'It's a Lie,' 'The Road to You,' and 'Love is Always Insufficient.'"
"What? My part is so small in those."
"We were going to choose the title from these three songs anyway. Let's push 'Love is Always Insufficient' and 'It's a Lie,' where you have the most parts."
"Sung-guk doesn't like me. He'll definitely choose the one with the smallest part for me."
"How does Sung-guk know that? He'll just listen and say which one he likes."
Tae-hyung stopped Michael, but Michael was sulking.
"Director, please edit this part out."
"Okay, anyway, that's a good idea. Let's play the songs for Sung-guk."
"Okay."
Tae-hyung brought the CD player and prepared it. I didn't need to listen. My one-pick was 'It's a Lie.' 'It's a Lie' had the honor of being number one on 'Popular Song Top 10' for five consecutive weeks. Tae-hyung looked at me with a tense face, as if he was about to press the CD player button.
"Sung-guk, listen carefully from now on. Choose the next follow-up song."
"Yes!"
I raised my hand high. Beom-seon had already picked me up. Soon, the first song came out. 'The Road to You.'
[This is the second title.]
The next song was 'It's a Lie.' Of course, I would pick this. 'It's a Lie' would have the glory of being number one on 'Popular Song Top 10' for five consecutive weeks.
"Sung-guk, this is the last song."
[I don't need to listen.]
'Love is Always Insufficient' would later be used as the music for an ion drink commercial that replenishes moisture and become a late hit. But not now. Tae-hyung played all three songs and looked at me.
"Sung-guk, which song do you like the most?"
I showed a victory V sign.