Chapter 188
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: Ordinary Daily Life
Na Gang-in headed to the hospital room where Kwon Soo-yeon was staying. She was alone in a private single room.
"Oh! Gang-in!"
Kwon Soo-yeon greeted Na Gang-in with a bright smile.
It hadn't been long since her surgery, but she was sitting in a chair instead of lying in bed. She had her laptop open and was working away.
Na Gang-in asked,
"What are you doing right now?"
"Organizing research data and laying out plans for future studies."
"How long has it been since your surgery? Shouldn't you be resting?"
She waved her arm around.
"I'm fine. I've recovered a lot."
"You do look it."
Orthopedic department head Lee Jeong-ho had said Kwon Soo-yeon's recovery was astonishingly fast. Lee Yeon-ji, who had undergone the same surgery for the same condition, had recovered quickly too.
"Still, I didn't expect you'd be this far along already. Ji-in, do you know anything about this situation?"
Jeon Ji-in, the 2082 model Implanted Combat Support AI, didn't retain information from that era beyond what was pre-loaded at production.
Yet, there was data on Kwon Soo-yeon in her initial memory.
Na Gang-in asked Kwon Soo-yeon,
"So, have you made some progress on the plans?"
"Yeah! This is what I'll start with after discharge. Wanna see?"
"Of course."
Kwon Soo-yeon showed him the laptop screen.
Na Gang-in stood beside her and scanned the document. It mixed Korean, English, formulas, and symbols.
Na Gang-in was in the same boat. He could read the Korean and English words, but had no clue what they meant overall.
"Looks like a solid plan."
"Right? Even you think so?"
"Still, take it easy with the research. Get your health fully back first."
"I know. That's why I'm going slow. But Gang-in."
Kwon Soo-yeon stared straight at Na Gang-in and asked,
"Why did you come into the operating room that day?"
Right before anesthesia kicked in, Na Gang-in had entered the OR, so she'd caught a glimpse of his face.
Na Gang-in made an excuse.
"Uh... to assist Department Head Lee with the surgery?"
Kwon Soo-yeon figured he'd come in like Kwon Dong-jin to run errands, which worried her.
"If my surgery being illegal gets exposed, everyone in that room is at risk. Why take the chance? You could've stayed outside."
"Just did."
Kwon Soo-yeon beamed.
"You know I'm truly grateful, right?"
"If you're grateful, buy me a meal after discharge."
"Obviously. There's this great place I know..."
"You pay, but I pick the spot."
"Huh?"
Penelope's head chef Oh Gyu-cheol called Na Gang-in and explained the situation.
"So, since I saved someone from drowning, now they want me to cough up the goods?"
"No can do. I've got another commitment during this week's live broadcast slot."
Masked Chef airs live. And that time slot clashes with his movie shoot schedule.
"Plenty of people must want to appear."
Na Gang-in asked something else.
"Did the gumiho rig a match for any contestant to win?"
"Opponent must've been tough."
"Then bring that person back as a contestant."
"Everyone wears masks anyway—who'd know if that person returns?"
"If Chef Oh re-scouts them, no judge or panel will know they've returned."
"Just reveal then that this is the very person wronged by the gumiho. Say you brought them back to right a wrong, that the show takes responsibility to the end."
Oh Gyu-cheol was thrilled.
"There, all problems solved? I'm out."
Oh Gyu-cheol called out urgently.
"Later? I already appeared once and left—asking me back without special reason?"
"Whose idea?"
"Don't want consecutive appearances, but come back later anyway?"
"Hm... If timing works then, I'll consider it."
After hanging up, Na Gang-in said,
"I said I'd consider, not that I'd definitely appear."
"That's a good one."
Na Gang-in visited SAH Entertainment's practice room and met the girl group Ppf Girls.
Maknae Choi Ji-hye burst into a whine the moment she saw him.
"I'm dying here! This song has way too many versions!"
Composer Kwak Chan-seok had arranged one OST track into multiple genres to fit various movie scenes. Ppf Girls had to practice each version separately.
Singing all those versions of one song led to mix-ups and mistakes. Sometimes they'd blend a few versions together.
Hearing Choi Ji-hye's complaints, Na Gang-in casually said,
"Yeah? If it's too hard, quit."
"Really?! Yes!"
"Hand the OST to another group, and you rest."
"Huh? I said I'm dying, not dead. I can do more!"
Instead of Choi Ji-hye—who hadn't even broken even—leader So Ji-young asked,
"Here for the featuring?"
"Yeah. Gotta practice before recording."
Composer Kwak Chan-seok entered the practice room with Kwak Yu-seon.
Kwak Yu-seon spotted Na Gang-in and jumped in surprise. She quickly smoothed her hair and asked,
"Oh! Didn't expect you today?"
Na Gang-in asked back,
"I scheduled with Composer Kwak today—didn't you hear?"
"Oh, really?"
Kwak Yu-seon glared at Kwak Chan-seok.
"Big bro. Really?"
Kwak Chan-seok scratched his head.
"Didn't I mention?"
"No?"
A vocal trainer arrived shortly after.
She was there to help Ppf Girls master Kwak Chan-seok's new song.
She tilted her head at Na Gang-in.
"New face? Who..."
Na Gang-in replied,
"Here for the featuring."
Her eyes widened.
"Ah! Ddaengddaeng?"
"Yeah."
"Oh my. Heard so much from the girls."
"They didn't badmouth me?"
"They did."
Na Gang-in glanced at Ppf Girls.
Leader So Ji-young quickly defended,
"Not badmouthing! Just venting about how tough Natural Gymnastics Level 2 practice is!"
Na Gang-in's gaze shifted to Choi Ji-hye.
"You probably did."
"How'd you know?!"
"Next gymnastics practice, special training for you."
"My bad!"
The OST for the movie Spear of Fate was also titled Spear of Fate.
The film used the original plus genre-varied arrangements. Ppf Girls were deep in practice for all versions.
But Na Gang-in's featuring was only on the original.
Today was just a light run-through.
Kwak Chan-seok explained the key points. Na Gang-in's part was about 30 seconds.
Na Gang-in sang casually. Jeon Ji-in corrected pitch, rhythm, and pronunciation for perfect sound.
After hearing the 30 seconds, Kwak Chan-seok said,
"Uh... you sang it machine-precise?"
With Jeon Ji-in eliminating all errors, machine-like accuracy was natural.
Na Gang-in explained,
"Kinda cold vibe, right? First time, so set a baseline."
The vocal trainer chimed in, flustered.
"At this rate, I won't have anything to do..."
"Ppf Girls are here."
"True. Thought I'd coach Ddaengddaeng too, but if you sing this perfectly, I'm out of a job."
"Still clumsy conveying emotion. Long way to go."
"You're baseline-setting now, but Walking Again Today shows you handle emotion easy. Hey, how about..."
The vocal trainer suggested slyly,
"Help with the girls' vocal practice? With me."
Jeon Ji-in uses external modules for Dragon Plate design calcs. Same for pitch/rhythm corrections.
She doesn't know how those modules work—just inputs data, gets results, like a calculator.
Na Gang-in didn't either. He told the vocal trainer,
"These girls need a pro. Teaching's not my strong suit."
"You'd be great..."
"You'd be better."
Na Gang-in refined his part with Kwak Chan-seok's advice. After a few runs, they did the full original with Ppf Girls.
Kwak Chan-seok nodded.
"Felt it on the guide recording, but you improve fast, Gang-in. This is good for studio next time."
Maknae Choi Ji-hye envied from the side.
"Insane. We practice forever daily and get scolded, but teacher shows up, practices briefly, passes. So unfair, right?"
"Envy means you lose."
"I lost already. So I'll envy freely."
Na Gang-in was done here.
Before leaving, he opened the bag he'd brought. A paper box of snacks emerged.
"Made some snacks. Eat if you need a nibble."
Choi Ji-hye dashed over and snatched the box with both hands.
"Gotta hide this quick!"
"Huh?"
"If caught, it's confiscated!"
The other three teammates hurried over too.
"Cover with clothes first, sneak out with it."
"Gotta get to the dorm without company spotting."
"Or eat it all here?"
"Think that'll work?"
Na Gang-in asked,
"Company starving you?"
Leader So Ji-young answered,
"Movie release and new song mean broadcasts soon. Diet mode."
"Already?"
"Starting now."
"Uh... but witnesses everywhere?"
Choi Ji-hye panicked, looked around, then cracked the box to make witnesses accomplices.
"Wanna taste?"