Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Fan Cafe and Chicken Night
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After finishing the photo shoot and getting home, I flopped onto the bed spread-eagled.
It wasn't even a pictorial spread, but they kept demanding all sorts of poses, and it had been exhausting.
On top of that, after forcing smiles over and over, my facial muscles were so sore they felt like they might cramp up.
'Oh, right. We're still filming, aren't we?'
Cameras installed all over the house.
I stared at the one next to the bed, then shifted my gaze back to the ceiling.
I needed to play with Yu-na and show the world a dad who's clumsy at parenting...
But right now, I didn't feel like doing anything.
Yu-na would fill the footage on her own anyway. Suddenly, I remembered what happened at the hair salon.
Yu-na sticking out her duck lips.
Even with clear evidence on her clothes and hands, she insisted she'd just sat quietly in her seat.
It had been so cute.
What was that fruit called again?
Bird cherry berries or something?
I'd heard they were fleshy and what birds eat. That's what our glutton of a daughter had devoured.
Remembering it made me smile involuntarily. Yu-na only admitted her mistake when I said the cameras would've caught it.
And luckily, the salon owner had forgiven our little troublemaker generously.
Anyway.
'...Just a bit more rest.'
I was blankly staring at the ceiling when—
Bzzzzt!
My phone, which I hadn't taken out of my pocket, rang noisily.
Who the hell is it? Frowning, I pulled out the phone. It was a number I didn't recognize.
"Hello? If this is about loans..."
-This isn't a loan call. Jun-seo.
A chill ran down my spine.
Is it the president?
I swallowed dryly and cautiously opened my mouth.
"Is this the president?"
-Yes. I didn't get a chance to tell you before sending it, so I'm calling like this.
I sat up immediately.
Holding the phone politely with both hands, I spoke again.
"Ah, yes! Go ahead."
-You said before that you'd do a personal broadcast soon, right?
I answered right away.
"Yes, I did say that. So at the end of December this time..."
-Hmm, is that so?
He hadn't listened to the whole thing.
He'd only caught the part about when and jumped right in.
-Then let's set up a personal channel this time and do it properly.
"...Yes?"
I'd planned to do it a few times and quit...
-Got it, then. What's the concept for the personal broadcast?
"...I haven't decided yet. I was just going to celebrate Yu-na's birthday and chat with viewers, then end it."
The president finally listened to my whole story. After a brief silence, he let out a quiet sigh.
I could hear it over the phone.
-Ending it right away would be a shame, so think about it a bit more. Next, opening a fan cafe...
"Wooah! Take a picture of Yu-na! Heehee! I'm right here! Yu-na wins this time!"
Yu-na's voice, rummaging through the room, drowned out the rest of the president's words.
From what I caught late, it was about the fan cafe name and that the agency would promote it.
'Daughter's Fool and Daddy Fan.'
An embarrassing cafe title.
Wary of the fan cafe name, I cautiously asked the president.
"...Do we have to use that fan cafe?"
-It's the best one. It neatly shares info about you, only good posts... and it's full of people who love the father-daughter duo.
I didn't have the guts to say I hated it. It'd be sorry to the fans who like me and Yu-na combined.
"Hmm... Hold on. The cafe title was 'Daughter's Fool and Daddy Fan,' right?"
-Yes.
"I'll check it out."
I immediately went to the fan cafe the president mentioned and couldn't hide my surprise at the prettily decorated site.
The banner had the cafe title.
Below it, a large photo of me smiling at Yu-na.
All made by fans?
The polish was impressive.
"Wow..."
-What do you think? Checked it?
I steeled myself and replied.
"Yes, it's good."
-Ahaha! I knew it.
The president's voice brimmed with pleasure, so he must've liked it too.
After that, small events.
Fan communication.
We wrapped up activity talk with empty chit-chat.
-Ahaha! So anyway, at the last fan signing, that kid fan rushing incident made the news, and the actor I raised got famous quick.
The president loved bragging about his agency's celebs. He was a good guy, but the type who tires out those around him once you get close.
'When's this ending...'
I tuned him out, lay back on the bed, and closed my eyes.
How much time passed like that.
-Ah, time flew. I have a meeting next, so I'll hang up.
Click!
The call with the president finally ended.
I set the phone down and let out deep sighs.
Meanwhile, Yu-na was still wandering around, playing with the cameras that tracked her movements.
"Hehehe. Find Yu-na."
Seeing her wrapped like a ghost in a thin blanket melted away my stuffiness.
Rustle.
I dragged my heavy body up, sat on the bed's edge, and narrowed my eyes.
"Yu-na. Did you do your kindergarten homework?"
"No."
Her bold reply left me dumbfounded.
With the cameraman here, she seemed eager to keep playing.
Look at her now.
She approached the cameraman, gripped the lens with both hands, and shoved her face close.
I couldn't just watch.
I'd heard it's good to build the habit of homework early.
Lowering my voice, I asked.
"Then can you keep playing?"
Yu-na finally reacted.
Suddenly crestfallen, she let go and slumped her shoulders.
"When Dad asks, you answer properly."
"...No."
"Spread out your mat and sit."
"Yeees..."
Yu-na unwrapped from the blanket, unfolded her frog-shaped folding desk, and sat down.
This homework was rewriting five times the words she got wrong on the dictation test.
I peeked over, checking the circled numbers.
One. Two. Three...
There were six circles.
She got quite a few right this time?
A dad smile formed naturally.
Soon, by the Christmas tree fitting the upcoming holiday, a kid hung his head.
An Jeong-su, watching from the sofa, found it odd. Normally, he'd whine to go out and play.
Worried, An Jeong-su stood and approached his son.
"Hmm, my boy. What's got you sulking today?"
Su-jin hesitated, then turned away, ears red.
Seemed like he was thinking of someone.
Who could it be?
"My boy. Thinking of Hye-yeon?"
Shake shake.
"Then... Yuri?"
He named kids from kindergarten who often teased her to tears, gauging reactions.
"Ah! Wanna play with Hye-na?"
That's when it happened.
An Su-jin's mouth dropped open.
"Dad... That kid we met before. When can we meet again?"
"Who... Oh!"
An Jeong-su recalled actor Lee Jun-seo, whom they'd bumped into. It must be his daughter, Lee Yu-na.
This kid. This kid.
Grinning slyly, An Jeong-su stepped back and turned.
He'd never seen his son like this.
Clearing his throat, holding back laughter, he spoke.
"You're talking about Yu-na, right?"
"Yeees."
"Yu-na would be disappointed if you made a mess and didn't clean up, right?"
"......!"
Whoosh!
Crash clatter!
Seeing him hurriedly stuff scattered toys into a box, An Jeong-su smiled in satisfaction. No words had ever made him clean up.
Not even promises of better toys.
Not even ice cream.
Yet here his son was, commendably tidying alone.
"Will Yu-na like this?"
"She will. And... if you do homework diligently, she'd like that too?"
Scamper!
An Su-jin hauled out a pile of kindergarten homework, flopped on the floor, and grabbed a pencil.
Scratch. Scratch.
Eyes blazing like fire.
Watching his son tackle backlog with passion, An Jeong-su crossed his arms, grinning.
'I owe Jun-seo a meal at least, out of gratitude.'
And it'd be great if he could arrange a meet with Yu-na.
Meanwhile, at that moment.
"Achoo!"
I rubbed my nose and bundled my clothes tight. Winter now—gotta watch for colds.
Finally free to relax at home?
Today's close-up filming ended, so the cameras everywhere were gone.
Time to open windows for some air.
But the room temp dropped sharply trying to ventilate. My body shivered.
Should I bump up the boiler?
"Sniff! Hehehe. When's it start?"
Yu-na, sniffling hard, looked like she'd need a hospital trip tomorrow morning.
I pulled tissues, wiped her endless runny nose, and said.
"Starting soon."
"Hehehe. On TV."
Today was the 'Daddy, I Love You!' episode with me and Yu-na.
We'd ordered chicken to watch live.
Ding-dong!
"Ah, Yu-na. Chicken's here."
"Chicken!"
Yu-na and I raced to the door. She grabbed the chicken bag from delivery and headed in; I stayed to pay by card.
"Yu-na! Leave me a leg!"
"Nom nom. Nooo!"
She'd already torn into the packaging. First order in ages...
No leg for me.
"Sigh."
Back at the table—yep, my favorite legs were gone.
Nom nom.
'Sigh, forgiven 'cause you're cute.'
I sat, picked up a chewy breast piece.
"Gulp! Oh! Dad, it's starting."
"Yeah, let's watch quietly?"
"Yeees."
On screen, I was interviewing with the PD. Every show join had these.
Nom nom.
Did I smile like that?
My pure joy talking about Yu-na looked awkward now.
Next, cake-making.
My surprising handiwork brought a flurry of exclamation marks in subtitles.
'This show's subs are spot-on.'
Smiling, I chugged cold cola. Scene shifted to New Sprout Kindergarten.
Yu-na's turn now.
'...What did Yu-na do that day?'
Refilling my cola, Yu-na suddenly jumped up and dashed forward.
"No!"
Face flushed red, her tiny body blocked the big TV.
She was embarrassed of her past self. What face would she make if I showed photos when grown?
"Dad! Don't look!"
"Hmm, why?"
"J-Just! Don't look!"
With sauce smeared around her mouth, Yu-na blocked until An Jeong-su and his son appeared.
Viewers had all seen it...