Chapter 86
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Father-Son Fishing Trip
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Summer vacation was drawing to a close, just a few days left.
It was the peak of the sweltering summer heat, when the sun beat down the hardest.
“Ugh, this piece-of-junk car. Even with the AC on, it’s hot as hell.”
I was sitting in the passenger seat next to Dad, who was driving.
Today was the first time during break that Dad and I were spending time alone together.
Even though it was vacation, I’d been so busy prepping for the tryout performances that I hadn’t properly hung out with my parents.
I’d at least gone shopping and had a city date with Mom, but thinking back, I realized I hadn’t spent any real time with Dad.
So today, we’d decided to do something special that he loved.
“Do-hyun, this is your first time fishing, right?”
Dad’s face was lit up with excitement, like a kid on Christmas.
Our destination for this father-son date: the fishing spot.
“Yeah, it is.”
I smiled and answered, though my conscience gave me a little prick.
It wasn’t a lie.
At least not for this body.
I’d only done it after regressing, once I was an adult.
To snag any chance to get on stage, I’d tagged along whenever senior guys or uncles went fishing.
I wondered why I’d never gone with Dad back then, when I followed those folks around like a pro.
In this life, I planned to do whatever my parents wanted as much as possible—fishing or anything else.
“You any good at it, Dad?”
“You bet! Back when I was a kid, they called me Yi Tae-gong, Yi Tae-gong.”
Dad was the type who claimed he could do anything.
I was a little worried this might turn into Billiards Hall Incident 2.0.
“But this hand of mine is the problem.”
Dad shook one hand all trembly-like.
Anyone could tell he was exaggerating on purpose.
Pfft—I barely held back a laugh.
The reason was obvious.
“Th-this quitting smoking thing… doesn’t feel all that good for my body.”
He was emphasizing how tough quitting was.
Maybe hoping I’d let him sneak just one cigarette on the way to fish.
No chance.
“You’re doing great. Don’t you feel lighter already?”
I knew exactly what he was after, but played innocent with a bright smile.
“Lighter… too light. My hand keeps flapping around like crazy.”
He whined pitifully, shaking his hand even more dramatically than before.
He was so cute like this.
“No wonder I’m not sure if I can even do won fishing right. All the fish’ll run away.”
“You’re supposed to jig the bait a bit to make it look alive. Think of it as double the effect.”
When he saw there was no give from me, Dad’s fake-trembling hand stopped dead, like magic.
He muttered under his breath, gripped the wheel with both hands, and stared straight ahead.
“Tough kid…….”
With that, his grumbling—not quite grumbling—accompanied us the rest of the way, and we arrived at the fishing spot in no time.
As we set up our spots and rods, I debated whether to play the newbie.
“Do-hyun!”
Dad’s call made me glance over.
“Fishing ain’t easy. You just stare at that float real still and…….”
He must’ve been thrilled to be fishing with his son.
He launched into a basic rundown, and the words wouldn’t stop flowing.
I couldn’t ignore that excited face, so I decided to act novice.
Even though I already knew it all, I listened like it was brand new.
Gotta throw in the right reactions, too.
Dad got even more pumped and shared every tip he had.
Only after a long spiel did the fishing spot finally quiet down.
Each of us had a rod out front, waiting for a bite.
The chatter had died.
We waited in silence.
Fishing was all about the beauty of the wait.
In the midst of the day’s longest stretch of quiet,
“How’s the studying going?”
Dad asked casually.
Being alone with his son, he must’ve had a mountain of questions he’d held back.
“Thanks to you and Mom.”
“You’re the one doing it.”
Dad let out a proud guffaw at my answer.
“My boy, scholarships and all. I’m really proud of you, Do-hyun.”
He said it without even looking my way.
Always doting like a softie, but when it came to a straight-up serious talk, he got shy.
I could still picture it clear as day.
Their faces when I told them from the podium that I’d won full scholarship.
“It’s not just about the money—makes me happy you’ve achieved something.”
If I’d heard that as a kid, sure, but now I knew half of it was bullshit, half truth.
Cheongyeom Arts High tuition must’ve been a huge burden for us.
Getting the scholarship news probably brought massive relief.
But he wouldn’t want to show that in front of his son.
Growing up enough to see through Dad’s white lies wasn’t exactly fun.
My nose stung for no reason, so I stared out at the calm water, too.
“I got first place and a full ride, and that’s all the reaction I get? I’m hurt, Dad.”
I whined on purpose, stringing the words along.
Only then did Dad flash his usual big grin.
I’ll do even better.
I murmured the shy words in my head.
Being able to ease their load now felt like shedding a weight off my heart.
“Ah, whatever. We kinda expected that much, so the reaction was tame.”
Dad shook off the embarrassment quick and crowed triumphantly.
Had I ever seen that look on his face before regressing?
Whatever.
Just being a son he could brag about now was enough.
That’s when my rod twitched.
“It’s here!”
I snatched it up fast.
The second I did, I felt it.
Whatever bit my bait packed some serious power.
“Reel it! Reel it!”
Dad yelled something, but it didn’t register.
With all my fishing know-how from before, I battled the fish for a good while.
Tough one—took time to land.
Finally, I glimpsed it thrashing wildly on the surface.
“Got it!”
One last yank, and it flew up out of the water.
Thud—
It hit the ground with a heavy thump.
I quickly unhooked it and dropped it in the bucket.
The once-roomy bucket now looked packed—this thing was huge.
“That’s a keeper!”
Dad cheered like he’d caught it himself.
Huh, but that look in his eyes….
“Heh heh. Beginner’s luck, huh? Go on, rebait…….”
Kinda jealous, maybe.
He sneaked peeks at the bucket’s monster, then refocused on his own rod with renewed resolve.
Fishing resumed.
“A big one again!”
But weirdly, all the bites kept coming to my rod, piling up.
Dad’s sat there, totally dead.
“Whoa, heavy.”
And they were all monsters.
My arm ached from reeling them in after so many whoppers.
Dad cheered along the first few times, but now he wouldn’t even look.
Had I overdone it?
I came to have fun with Dad today, after all.
“Dad, looks like I win again?”
His pouty lip was adorable, so I teased.
“I’m done!”
That must’ve snapped his last thread of patience—his quit declaration echoed across the spot, way before lunch.
“Guess today’s not my day. Knees aching, back’s killing me.”
Dad fumed, roughly packing his gear.
“Let’s go eat sashimi. Turn those all into sashimi.”
He glared murderously at the bucket’s haul, and we hurried to pack up and head for the sashimi joint.
Dad’s grumpy face didn’t budge the whole way to the restaurant.
“Still sulking?”
“Huh? Who’s sulking!”
“Then you just can’t admit defeat yet?”
“Huh? Who lost? I was half-assing it today. Half-ass.”
Dad denied it to the end as we pulled up to the sashimi place.
The owner greeted him warmly—they were already buddies.
Then he spotted the bucket I carried and praised it.
“Whew, who caught all these?”
“I did, boss.”
At my words, the owner blinked in surprise, glancing between us.
My beaming face and Dad’s scowl—he got the picture and chuckled.
“Kid’s young and picked all the fattest ones. Dad got skunked, huh?”
“I let him have ’em, that’s all.”
“Let him? First time you’ve come back empty? Always buying our fish instead.”
“Wh-when did I ever……!”
Before Dad’s voice could boom in protest at the owner’s roast,
“Man, your son’s handsome as hell. Tall and sharp—could be a model.”
The praise shifted from fish to me, and Dad’s sour face flipped instantly.
Mood reversed.
“He’s an actor, actor. Know Cheongyeom Arts High?”
Dad’s voice now boomed through the shop.
“Cheongyeom Arts High? Who doesn’t. Cheongyeom Foundation pushes it hard.”
“He just got first place there! We got a big-shot actor in the family!”
Dad was over the moon, slapping my back with a grin.
Ow.
And embarrassing.
Not even a real actor yet—just an aspiring one—and no chance to correct him.
“How’s he so talented? Topping those rich kids with fancy tutors. Didn’t even hope for that. Heh heh.”
“What talent we talking?”
“Musical! Singing, acting—he’s got it all!”
Dad forgot the fishing revenge quick, lost in son-bragging bliss.
Seeing him like that tugged at my heart.
But could you tone it down?
I’m dying of shame here.
“Nah, if he’s that good, lemme hear a song!”
The owner’s sudden pitch startled me.
B-boss, please, anything but that….
“Yeah! Show ’em, son!”
“Dad, even so, not here…….”
His loud voice had the other customers glancing over.
Singing out of nowhere? Too much……
“Nail it, and I’ll hook you up. Sea cucumber, sea urchin. Oh! Fresh wild abalone came in today. That too!”
I started waving it off at the owner’s follow-up, then paused.
Wild abalone.
“Alright, let’s do it.”
Ahem. Dad’s bragging like this—I can’t back down.
Make it fun.
For his mood, and his taste buds.
Wild abalone was one of Dad’s fave seafoods.
Might as well belt one the grown-ups love.
Teacher No Hoon-ah’s trot hit it is.
Ahem ahem. Cleared my throat, felt the sea breeze, and opened wide.
“Ah! Big bro! Life’s so damn tough—”
My soulful croon had the owner and a few customers whooping.
Applause thundered as I finished, their faces a mix of awe and shock.
“Man, my boy can really sing.”
Dad’s eyes sparkled, totally floored.
Good call.
I bowed proudly to the impressed owner and guests,
“But what was that song?”
Huh? Don’t know Na Tae-kwan’s trot classic…….
Oh, right—2015, this tune doesn’t exist yet.
“A, uh, foreign musical. One of the numbers from a foreign musical.”
“Damn, foreign musicals sound just like our trot.”
I sweated bullets but scraped by with the excuse.
Sorry, Tae-gwan hyung.
