Chapter 16
"The second one?"
"Yes!"
Michael seemed to be in a slightly better mood. It was because Michael's rap part in "It's a Lie" wasn't small.
"Then, shall we push 'It's a Lie' to our boss?"
"I always liked 'It's a Lie' the best."
Beom-seon answered, and the other members nodded.
"Hyung, let's play the song for Sung-guk again."
"Shall we?"
At Lucas's suggestion, Tae-hyung played the song again.
[They seem suspicious. If so!]
When "It's a Lie" came on, I shook my hips three times to the left and three times to the right with a mournful look, and when it reached the climax, I grabbed Beom-seon's leg and even cried.
The members' eyes also turned red. Perhaps there would be a caption like this below this scene.
Sung-guk soothes his parting with his hyungs with a song. By the way, 'Just's' second album seems to be a hit.
"Cut!"
When the director shouted, the members, who were still lingering, pressed their red eyes.
"Sung-guk, take a break for a while, and only the Just members stay for the filming!"
The staff guided me outside. I heard the sound of a conversation with Kim Mi-young.
"We're going to surprise Sung-guk's birthday. The members will make the cake themselves and set the table themselves."
[Sigh...]
I sighed deeply inside. I knew everything since they were walking around with props in front of me from the morning, saying they were going to surprise my birthday. The broadcast date of the last filming is around my birthday two months later, so they're filming to match that day. I was in a really serious dilemma.
[How do I pretend to be surprised?]
I organized surprised expressions and poses in my head. First of all, I thought I should open my eyes wide, and I was preparing to burst into tears soon.
"How long do we have to wait?"
"It seems like it will take at least two hours. Please rest in the car."
"Yes, I will."
Kim Mi-young took me to Mom, who was waiting in the car.
It was July, and the sun was hot.
"Sung-guk's mom, the assistant director said the filming preparation will take a long time."
"Unnie, shall we rest in the car then?"
Kim Mi-young made another suggestion.
"Sung-guk might be stuffy too, shall we go to the park? There's a small park just a five-minute walk away. How about it?"
"That's good. It would be good for Sung-guk to walk a bit."
I was now walking quite skillfully toward the park. I had a lot of strength in my legs, and my tongue movement was getting better and better.
"Sung-guk, go slowly."
I looked back for a moment and chose to go straight again. Mom and Kim Mi-young followed me from behind and talked.
"By the way, have you thought about the commercial?"
"The exclusive contract with Samjeon Electronics?"
"Yes."
"I discussed it with my husband, and he said that if it's an exclusive contract with Samjeon Electronics, Sung-guk will be able to work comfortably, so he said we should think about it positively."
Kim Mi-young nodded.
"That's a good decision. I used to work at Samjeon Planning, but it's a company that treats models the best. Then, I'll give a positive answer to Samjeon Electronics."
"Unnie, thank you so much for finding a helper to take care of Min-guk, so I could come to Sung-guk's last filming."
I was also grateful that she took Min-guk off my hands. I walked forward diligently to digest my full stomach. At this time, I saw a familiar car in the distance. A car specially made by a German craftsman, the only one in Korea. It was Samjeon Group Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung's car. I stopped abruptly. Did he come to see me?
Jeon Jae-hyung watched Sung-guk walking staggeringly through the window. He had briefly passed by at the commercial filming site, but this was the first time he saw him properly. Since watching 'Five Men and a Baby Basket,' the existence of a child named Sung-guk had been engraved in Jeon Jae-hyung's mind. His clear eyes. His solid behavior. He was born in a poor family, but he was a being who monopolized love. Jeon Jae-hyung already had a son and a daughter, and there was one more child born out of wedlock, but he had never felt this way for them. For some reason, they resembled his wife more than himself, and Tae-guk, who was eight years old and should be showing signs of academic excellence, and Mi-jin, who was five years old, were not doing well. The child born out of wedlock was the same. It would be nice if he could have one more child, but he didn't want to complicate the family tree any more, and he hated sleeping with his wife even more. But Sung-guk was as bright as he was when he was young. Secretary Yang looked back.
"I told them through the manager that I would watch from a distance."
"Hmm... Shall we see him directly?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jeon Jae-hyung opened the car door and went out.
I walked vigorously toward the black car. I wanted to see my father from my previous life properly. In 1993, my father would probably be in his early 40s. His position would be vice chairman... Five years later, when my grandfather suddenly died of a heart attack, he would take over his grandfather's position. My father in this period was a scary and unwelcome being to me. First of all, he didn't say a word to the Iron Lady, and instead of my stupid siblings, he had high expectations for me. My father was affectionate only once. It was when I got the first place in the Seoul area middle school entrance exam. This was the first visible achievement I achieved with my own efforts. As much as that, my father was a performance-oriented person. Company, woman, child. Clunk. The back door of the car opened. I stopped for a moment.
[No way?]
My father, Jeon Jae-hyung, was coming out of the opened back door. My throat swallowed saliva. I was seeing my father from my previous life, whom I had seen at the commercial filming site, this close. My whole body froze, but my head was spinning non-stop.
[I think I have to say something...]
I stood facing my father from my previous life under the sun. My father slowly approached me. There was a smile on his lips that I couldn't usually see. I was relieved for a moment and opened my mouth.
"Da...ddy?"
At that moment, Jeon Jae-hyung stopped. That simple word struck his heart.
[Oops.]
I immediately realized my mistake. Jeon Jae-hyung Vice Chairman didn't move without calculation. When Samjeon Electronics said they had a commercial offer, he was clearly trying to see me with his own eyes and confirm me. This life, we are strangers. I will live like that in the future. I turned my chubby back and walked towards Mom. Mom quickly picked me up and greeted him.
"Oh my, I'm sorry."
"I hope the child wasn't surprised by me."
Samjeon Electronics Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung smiled gently.
"No. Rather, you must have been surprised by our child?"
"Is this child the one who appears on that show?"
Jeon Jae-hyung slowly approached me. My heart was pounding.
"Oh, yes. It's 'Five Men and a Baby Basket.'"
Mom answered happily, unaware of anything. It was clear that my father knew everything and came here.
[I don't remember my father managing even a baby model...]
I pulled myself together. I almost grabbed my father's pants and drooled because of an unknown surge of emotion.
"The baby is pretty. By the way, baby."
My father looked at me.
"Did you call me Dad earlier?"
"..."
I kept my mouth shut. It was a word that came out without me knowing.
"I'm sorry. He's been saying Mom and Dad a lot these days."
Mom apologized repeatedly, and Kim Mi-young stepped back. This situation seemed to be created by Samjeon. Kim Mi-young seemed to know too. My father smiled and took out a 10,000 won bill from his wallet and handed it to me.
"I'm sorry I surprised you. Buy something delicious."
"No, it's okay."
Mom apologized and refused.
"I'll be sorry if you don't take it."
I quickly picked up the 10,000 won. It was money that my father could easily do without.
"You're a good kid. Then, see you again."
My father left meaningful words and got into the car. Kim Mi-young quickly approached.
"Sung-guk's mom, let's go back to the filming site. A lot of time has passed."
"Oh my, you're right."
Mom took my hand and headed back to the filming site. I showed Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung a cold back as much as possible. I didn't look back. In this life, Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung and I were just strangers who didn't share a drop of blood.
When I opened the door of the 'Just' dorm, two candles shone in the darkness and approached. Leader Tae-hyung was holding my birthday cake. At the same time, a birthday song rang out in the basement dorm.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to our beloved Sung-guk."
All the 'Just' members sang my birthday together. At the same time, cheers erupted. When the lights came on, the staff all applauded me.
[This makes me feel like I've returned to my twelfth birthday before my regression.]
I recalled that time for a moment. On my twelfth birthday, 'Just' came and sang a congratulatory song. The only difference was the lyrics. Instead of our beloved Sung-guk, it was our beloved young master at that time. Anyway, it was nice to recall the memories of my previous life and receive 'Just's' congratulations again. I clapped my hands vigorously.
"Sung-guk, make a wish and blow out the candles."
"Yes!"
I raised my hand high. And I closed my eyes for a moment. My wish was simple.
[Please let me become a chaebol who crushes Samjeon Group in this life!]
I quickly opened my eyes and blew out the two shining candles with all my might.
"Whoo-!"
The meeting room at Samjeon Electronics' headquarters in Gwanghwamun was really old. I looked around with emotional eyes.
[It's been so long.]
Of course, I don't know Samjeon Electronics in 1993 very well, but I know this place well 10 years later. Samjeon Electronics was one of Samjeon Group's core business areas until the early 2000s. I was eating madeleines comfortably in a familiar place after a long time. It was a snack prepared for me. On the other hand, Dad and Kim Mi-young were very nervous. It was a contract-related matter, so we made an appointment on Dad's day off. It seemed that my father came to see me because of this contract. Dad glanced at Kim Mi-young.
"Have you ever been to Samjeon Electronics headquarters?"
"It's my first time too. I've seen the contract in advance, so I think we just need to adjust a few things. Sung-guk's father, don't be too nervous."
"It's not as easy as it sounds. I've never even been near a building like this."
Click. The door of the meeting room opened. And Secretary Yang poked his head through the door.
[Secretary Yang!]
I waved at Secretary Yang. Although he was the father of Secretary Yang who served me, Secretary Yang took care of everything about me when I was young. Secretary Yang took me to the amusement park with my classmate girlfriend, skipping tutoring without my parents knowing. Of course, this was a secret only Secretary Yang and I knew. Secretary Yang smiled gently and bowed his head.
"Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Secretary Yang, who serves the Vice Chairman."
For a moment, I tilted my head. Secretary Yang himself came forward to make a model contract for a mere Samjeon Electronics? Secretary Yang's existence is generally accepted as the proxy of Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung in the group. In other words, all public activities or words that Secretary Yang does are the same as the instructions of Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung. Secretary Yang stroked my head, which was lost in thought.
"Sung-guk has grown a lot."
"He's two years old now."
Dad answered quickly.
"How much longer is the broadcast?"
"The filming is all over, but I heard the broadcast will continue for about a month."
'Five Men and a Baby Basket' decided to end when it was most popular, like the saying 'leave when you get applause.' Of course, this is a public announcement. In fact, it was because Michael kept getting in the way. Since Min-guk's birth, every time the camera was turned off at the filming site, there were small arguments because of Michael, and the relationship deteriorated. It seems that 'Just' might not become a national idol in this life. Secretary Yang took a seat opposite. He took a sip of coffee and looked at Dad and Kim Mi-young alternately.
"Father, are you satisfied with the contract terms?"