Chapter 288: Free Man: Persuasion and Defense
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 288: Free Man: Persuasion and Defense
“So, I-wol.”
Having finished his initial assessment of me, the father spoke.
“I heard you were accepted to S University?”
As expected.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then why didn’t you enroll?”
“I deliberated until the very last moment, but I made my decision after considering several factors.”
“That’s a shame. If you had just enrolled, we would have been alumni.”
There wasn't a hint of regret in his eyes as he said that. It was nothing more than a hollow pleasantry.
“Did you graduate from S University, sir?”
“I got my bachelor’s there, and my master’s and doctorate in the States.”
“That’s impressive.”
Perhaps to signal a sense of familiarity, he had naturally shifted into a more casual way of speaking.
“Which department did you apply to?”
“I applied to the Department of Business Administration.”
“I suppose you weren't originally planning on going into the arts, then?”
“I was simply keeping my options open.”
“Wise. But the result of your actions is disappointing.”
And then, out of nowhere, I was being judged.
“There were plenty of people doing art at my school, too. In the first place, do you know how many people are doing art in this country?”
“I’m sure there are many.”
“People with good academic backgrounds start from a different line. While one’s achievements become more important later in life, what better business card is there for a young person entering society than their alma mater?”
Just then, the tea I ordered arrived. The server offered to pour the first cup, so I waited quietly as the pale herbal tea, trailing wisps of steam, filled the cup to the perfect level.
“What do you think of what I’m saying, I-wol?”
“I think what you’re saying isn't wrong.”
“It’s merely ‘not wrong’?”
“Yes.”
After giving an answer that implied his words weren't exactly the absolute truth either, I moistened my throat with the tea. His gaze on me was stinging.
I admit that S University is an excellent business card. Even in my case, I became a hot topic specifically for being an idol who happened to get into S University.
But in the market, what you ultimately have to show are results. If I had spent a year as an idol doing nothing but fooling around, S University would have become a poison. A poison that would make people say, ‘He should’ve just studied. What a waste of his grades.’
It’s the same in any field. A degree might determine the first impression people have of me, but my future actions will determine how I am evaluated after that.
The father’s attempt to persuade me continued for a few more sentences. I wasn't moved. Compared to what I’d heard from Department Head Nam, the father’s words lacked destructive power.
Still, I pretended to listen intently. The vacant, ‘dead fish eyes’ of a professional are on a different level than those of a naive high schooler. Thanks to that, I was able to endure another ten minutes without getting caught listening to an elder’s words with half an ear.
The moment he realized I wouldn't be influenced by his words, the father’s attitude shifted slightly.
“Fine. If you’ve already made your choice, there’s no point in a third party meddling.”
“Not at all. Your advice has been very helpful.”
“I wish Cheong-hyeon would consider his family’s words as advice, too.”
“……”
“That boy just rejects everything his parents say.”
Well, if you talk at someone for thirty minutes without listening to a word they say, that tends to happen. A conversation isn't a one-way lecture.
Lee Cheong-hyeon’s father picked up his coffee cup. I saw a luxury wedding ring of the style popular back then—the kind every executive at Hanpyeong Industry seemed to wear.
The way others see him, the wedding ring others wear, the son he wants to show off to others.
It made my heart heavy to realize that Lee Cheong-hyeon’s own will—the person closest to them—was nowhere to be found in that equation.
“I-wol, I won’t beat around the bush.”
The father spoke.
“I’d like you to persuade Cheong-hyeon.”
Hearing those words, I thought to myself:
Lee Cheong-hyeon must have been lonely for a very long time behind this wall that never changes.
“What kind of persuasion are you referring to?”
I asked as calmly as possible.
“I heard you won a Rookie Award.”
“Yes, our results were good enough to make it possible.”
Using the expression ‘we were lucky’ would be a bad move here. Acting humble would only result in undermining my own worth. I had to be confident.
“From where I stand, it seems Cheong-hyeon has fulfilled whatever loyalty he owed the team by achieving that much.”
“Are you asking me to urge Cheong-hyeon to quit his life as an idol?”
“You’re quick on the uptake. That’s right.”
So, he wants me to be satisfied with the fact that Lee Cheong-hyeon brought Spark a Rookie Award.
“Cheong-hyeon is fundamentally different from ordinary people. It’s not just because he’s my son; his talent is too great to let it rot like this.”
“Is it because Cheong-hyeon is a genius?”
“A genius.”
Lee Cheong-hyeon’s father paused for a moment, lost in thought.
“I-wol, have you ever seen a real genius?”
It didn't seem like a question that required an answer, so I stayed quiet. The father continued.
“People with high IQs who enter school early are just gifted. A real genius is recognized by others simply by existing. They can’t help but stand out.”
“……”
“Cheong-hyeon is a ‘real genius.’ Someone who can’t be manufactured, and who can do anything.”
Spark has three of those so-called ‘real geniuses.’ Though I couldn't deny that among them, Lee Cheong-hyeon was a genius who excelled in many different fields.
“There are cases where a researcher’s work is recognized only after a long time. Geniuses aren't bound by time. The moment will inevitably come when they are known to the world.”
“……”
“What parent wouldn't want their child to see the light sooner when they have that kind of talent?”
Every word he spoke made it sound like he was talking about an object rather than a person.
For instance, it sounded like he was talking about a trophy to be placed in the center of the largest glass display case in the living room.
“And this will be better for you all as well,” the father asserted.
“Being next to such immense talent often leads to those around them being easily swallowed up.”
I think you’re the genius here, sir. A genius at making people speechless.
I understood the context of his words. His third child must be in exactly that situation. Despite having a sufficiently brilliant mind and putting in the effort, he was constantly being compared to the remnants of Lee Cheong-hyeon, who had already left the path of academia.
But he shouldn't try to discourage other kids like this. Not when he doesn't even know the caliber of the members in Spark.
And Lee Cheong-hyeon…
“As you said, I believe Cheong-hyeon’s talent is truly extraordinary. To the point where one feels they shouldn't carelessly try to gauge the limits of his potential just by looking at him.”
“Right?”
“However, we aren't so incompetent that we would be swallowed up by watching him. And Cheong-hyeon isn't the kind of child who would make someone feel a sense of deprivation.”
…The guy is social and kind. If Lee Cheong-hyeon’s father truly cared for him, he shouldn't be worrying about the people around him collapsing under the weight of his brilliant talent; he should be worrying about his son’s heart, which would be walking on eggshells while watching those people. If he truly cared for Lee Cheong-hyeon, he should have known at least that much.
“I believe Cheong-hyeon’s genius is more than enough to make others shine as well. And there is no one in Spark who feels an inferiority complex toward that genius.”
The sound of the teacup being set down was unusually loud. The look in the father’s eyes changed. I was no longer a target for persuasion, but someone to be broken.
“Doesn't that mean you intend to use Cheong-hyeon to climb higher?”
“You misunderstand. It means that all of us can create synergy with Cheong-hyeon.”
The Spark of the past might have been different, but this Spark had proven their potential. With a number one on a music show and a Rookie Award, ranking first among their peers.
“How can you guarantee that the result of I-wol and your friends working together will be better than the value of Cheong-hyeon’s name alone?”
“Are you asking about the future value of the group?”
“I’m curious. Just how great a role does Cheong-hyeon play in your head for you to act like this?”
“There are many things I want to do with Cheong-hyeon, but do they necessarily have to be ‘great’?”
“If it’s not something that helps your career, it’ll just be a waste of your life.”
“Spark broke even less than a year after debut. The number of songs Cheong-hyeon has registered with the copyright association will soon reach double digits. Cheong-hyeon also took first place in the position battle of a competition program. In the entertainment industry, these aren't results that can be dismissed as meaningless.”
“At best, it’s only something kids recognize.”
“Compared to middle-aged people engaged in research in a specific field, wouldn't you say the consumer base is much broader?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon’s father glared at me.
But you’re the one who looked down on this line of work first. Honestly, I’ve heard enough.
“…Why does it have to be an idol?”
A sigh-like lament from the middle-aged man fell onto the table.
Why an idol, indeed.
It was a question that brought many thoughts to my mind as well.
Because it was the first thought I had when I encountered the system telling me to debut in a boy group.
I still don't know why the system gave me the task of debuting as an idol out of all the possible jobs.
However, if I had to give a reason that comes to mind right now—one that Lee Cheong-hyeon would also agree with…
“We stood on a year-end stage not too long ago.”
“……”
“When we sing there, over ten thousand people sing along with us. While waving their lightsticks. Even though not everyone there was our fan.”
…Wasn't it because the cheers and shouts—not a visible concept, yet clearly etched in my eyes—were so vivid even as we busily changed clothes and stood on stage?
“The experience of receiving that much love isn't something you can easily come by.”
Moreover, it’s hard to escape. To the point where once you’ve been loved, you never want to be hated again.
Lee Cheong-hyeon simply wants to constantly give and receive love. By making songs, having us sing them, and confirming that others are listening to them.
“Don't you know how thirsty Cheong-hyeon is for love?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon’s father flinched as he was about to pick up his coffee cup.
When he heard the words that Cheong-hyeon was thirsty for love, he truly searched his memories to see if his child had been like that.
Tracing the past took a long time. His second son had been gouging into him somewhere like a sharp, rusted nail.
However, with his brilliant mind, he recalled a moment when his child had been particularly etched in his memory. The days of Cheong-hyeon’s clever childhood.
His grandparents thought he was smart because he took after his parents, but he and his wife knew.
This child wasn't smart because he took after them. He was born as a different being altogether.
A child who knew a hundred things without being taught one. A child who was faster at everything than his older brother, starting from early childhood when the pace of development is on a different dimension.
His memory was so frighteningly good that he knew whether a package contained daily necessities or their own belongings just by looking at the courier’s logo, and he was a child who had his own opinions from the time he started kindergarten.
He would be happy when praised for being sensible, but when scolded for being stubborn, he would cry, asking, ‘Why do you only call me sensible when I say things that please adults?’
He never backed down on his opinions and said everything he wanted to say clearly to his mom and dad, but he naturally mingled with his friends without acting superior.
And…
‘The math test? I got a hundred!’
…What he had overlooked while focusing on those words.
‘I did well, right!’
A child who wanted to hear praise.
He remembered himself checking the age requirements for the Math Olympiad and his wife calling to inquire about gifted academy entrance tests while stroking the head of such a child.
Kim I-wol said that the experience of receiving that much love wasn't easy to come by.
But before that, Lee Cheong-hyeon might never have felt he received even the smallest bit of love.