Chapter 591
Chapter 591
Geum-ui-hwan-hyang.
It’s a four-character idiom that literally means "returning home in silk clothes," or more simply, a triumphant return home after achieving success. In modern Korea, people usually use it when someone passes a difficult exam or lands a great job and heads home for the holidays.
For idols, this is something they might experience every time they go home, since they live in dorms away from their families.
Of course, there’s a condition.
‘You have to be successful.’
Public recognition.
You need to have reached a point where people react with, "Oh, that song?" or "I think I’ve heard of them!"
Only then do you get a taste of that triumphant return every time you visit home.
And in that regard, TeSTAR has likely never disappointed their families.
The proof is what we do every time a vacation rolls around.
"Alright, everyone, let’s do our best with the annual event~"
"Yeah, yeah."
Flip, flip.
With the practiced skill of seasoned teaching assistants, albums pass from hand to hand.
We’re running a "signature factory," rotating through the latest albums and MD. These are the quantities requested by the members' parents and relatives.
"Good work, everyone!"
Once we pleasantly finish our quotas, we finally start getting ready to head home.
"It’s a week this time, right? Everyone, get some good rest."
"Yes...!"
Here’s another interesting thing.
In the early days of our debut, we’d all make our own plans and scatter without looking back. But at some point, it started feeling like everyone was coordinating their schedules even during vacations.
‘The families have become acquainted with each other, too.’
For instance, Kim Rae-bin is taking his grandmother and grandfather on a trip to the US, and they’re supposedly staying at Cha Yu-jin’s house for a few days.
Since Cha Yu-jin had often stayed at Kim Rae-bin’s place during their trainee days, it seems his family invited them over.
"I have accumulated enough mileage to provide them with more comfortable, superior seating!"
"That’s good."
For a guy who’s earned enough to just drop cash on first-class tickets, he sounds remarkably humble.
Furthermore, while he was preparing for this trip, he got in touch with Ryu Cheong-woo’s family, and it looked like they were going to join them midway.
"I’d like my family to enjoy the trip in the US a bit longer even after my vacation ends. I’m planning to fly back early by myself to match the schedule."
"That’s some impressive filial piety, hyung."
"Haha."
It’s a truly heartwarming sight. If we posted this on social media, the fans would probably love it.
However, as you might have guessed by now, I am the exception to all of this.
Well... I haven’t really had anyone to move with.
‘They’ve been walking on eggshells around me since we started signing.’
Whenever we do this, I’m the only one with almost no stock to take home.
I take a few just for the sake of courtesy, but I don’t have relatives to distribute signed goods to like these guys do.
Not as Park Moon-dae, and not as Ryu Gun-woo.
Perhaps because they’re secretly mindful of this, I’ve been receiving some "covert" proposals since a while ago.
"Moon-dae hyung, come to my house this time too! Let’s go surfing."
I appreciate the sentiment.
But I have some things planned in Korea starting in a few days.
‘I should rest a bit and then get to work.’
I declined appropriately.
"Oh, so Moon-dae, you’re staying in Korea for the whole vacation?"
That’s right.
"Then stop by our place for a bit and hang out~ It’s nearby. My mother really wants to see you."
"...??"
Why me?
I looked at him with a bewildered expression, but Keun Se-jin actually turned serious.
"Good heavens, my mother made sure to send you braised short ribs every year for your birthday... and you don't even want to see her when you have the time...? Have you already forgotten the taste of those ribs?"
"..."
"I didn't know Moon-dae-moon-dae was such a cold person. My mother is going to be so disappointed..."
Stop.
"I'll go."
"Huh? What was that?"
His talent for getting under people's skin is as sharp as ever.
"...I said I'll go."
The guy grinned.
"Great choice~!"
"..."
I really want to smack him just once. Just once.
It was right when I was debating whether or not to clench my fist.
Tap, tap.
"U-Um."
I turned my head to see Seon A-hyun looking at me with an expectant face.
"My family... wants to see Moon-dae too... Th-they're curious about how you're doing."
"..."
"Ah, if it's a problem...!"
"...I'll go."
"Pwahaha!"
And just like that, my plan to "just rot in the dorm for the first half of vacation" was canceled and revised.
"Oh, then A-hyun is stopping by our house too, right?"
"Yeah!"
"Good, good... Great. We're going to have a fun first day of vacation~"
Keun Se-jin packed his bags gleefully.
However, I didn't see him pull out his smartphone to blabber something like "Adding two more people here."
"Aren't you going to contact your parents?"
"Huh?"
"I think we should tell them we're coming."
Keun Se-jin gave a meaningful smirk.
"Actually, my mother... doesn't even know I'm coming today."
"...!"
"She's so busy with all sorts of affairs... She's even hosting an event today!"
What kind of event?
*
Keun Se-jin’s mother. Who is she?
Holding a position in a local community service organization, she was a local celebrity in her own right, even without her son.
And true to a family of extreme MBTI 'E's, her house was crowded with acquaintances today as well.
It was a sort of after-party for a volunteer activity.
Her eldest son had succeeded as an idol early on, and her second daughter was already in a university dormitory, so it was easy for her to invite people over whenever she felt like it!
"It’s all because the kids grew up well~"
"Oh, please. The house feels so empty these days!"
And a few middle and elementary schoolers, who had ended up following their parents here under the guise of "this is a good experience," were sitting on the side with glazed eyes, staring at their smartphones.
‘Beyond boring...’
Since they were told it was rude to wear earphones, they were watching TickTackTok on mute, wondering what they were even doing there.
—I heard the son of this house is some famous celebrity? An idol. Who is it? Mom doesn't know much about kids these days... but it was a name I've heard before!
She had been slightly intrigued by that story, but naturally, there wasn't a single trace of an idol to be found in this house!
It wasn't like she could ask who it was directly, either.
Well, even if she did ask, she knew—having outgrown the age of dreams and hope—that she’d likely be disappointed!
‘There aren't even that many famous boy groups these days, why did I fall for that?!’
Feeling embarrassed that she, a middle schooler, had been swayed by such words, she lowered her head back to her smartphone.
The gathering was about to end anyway, so she just needed her battery to hold out a little longer.
It was then.
Ding-dong.
"Jeong-ah, looks like someone's here!"
"Huh?"
The intercom rang.
It seemed someone had arrived very late.
The homeowner reacted with some confusion, but the middle schooler naturally didn't care. She just reflexively glanced toward the door as it opened.
And then... she witnessed it.
"Oh boy, there are a lot of people here!"
A tall man with a solid build.
A dashing figure lightly pushed open the heavy front door and stepped inside.
As he took off his black hat and mask, his refreshing and well-defined handsome features were revealed.
"One moment. I'm coming in~ Mom, you're inside, right?"
And the person who was greeting everyone while fanning himself with his hand... that person was...
It was TeSTAR’s Lee Se-jin!
A Grand Prize-winning idol, a chart-topper, a person she had just seen in a video with millions of views on the Inheart page—that person had just appeared in the same room.
"Te...!"
But her word ended as a solitary gasp.
Because he wasn't the only one coming through the front door!
"U-Um, hello...!"
A person wearing a well-fitted, expensive-looking, neat coat bowed politely as he entered, then lifted his head.
The face that was revealed was...
‘Uh, gasp.’
He was incredibly beautiful.
He looked like that in photos and videos too, but... seeing him in reality, she wondered if he was even human. His face was the size of a fist, yet his eyes, nose, and lips were so distinct and sharp.
That’s right. This face was familiar too!
‘S-Seon A-hyun!’
And then.
Following behind them was a person with a characteristically stoic expression.
He was someone with all sorts of cute nicknames like "Puppy" or "Apple," but seeing him in person, he gave off a pale, cool, and indifferent impression.
Which meant he was handsome.
"Sorry for the sudden visit."
Park Moon-dae.
‘P-Park Moon-dae!!’
Three members of TeSTAR! In the flesh!
"Son!"
"Mom~ You have a lot of guests!"
The middle schooler realized like a bolt of lightning as she watched the team leader of the volunteer group—the homeowner—warmly hug Lee Se-jin.
The son of this house was TeSTAR!
"Ah, it's nothing much, but... I happened to bring some things on my way home! The timing worked out perfectly."
Meanwhile, Lee Se-jin was chatting and laughing like a real person(?) while greeting everyone, and he even started handing out the items he brought along with the other members.
And just like that, an album signed by TeSTAR landed in her hands.
‘Holy crap, what a win...’
She even got a handshake from one of the members as he handed it over.
"Um, this..."
"Yes, y-yes, yes... Oh my god. Um, a handshake... just once. If possible!"
"Ah, yes. Of course...!"
The middle schooler’s hands trembled as she shook hands with Seon A-hyun, and she almost burst into tears.
‘Even his fingers are handsome, what the hell!’
Thank you, Mom!
—Hey, crazy, crazy, I just saw TeSTAR
A little later, on her way home.
As the middle schooler logged into KakaoTalk with trembling hands, she vowed to be extremely filial to her mother for dragging her here!
*
"Oh my god! Oh..."
Is this the "refreshing cider" taste people feel when they use the "hidden powerhouse" trope?
After the album presentation ended, I watched the backs of the guests as they reluctantly left the house.
The reaction of the people—who looked like their eyes were going to pop out of their heads when TeSTAR’s Lee Se-jin appeared as the son of the house—was quite... well, impressive.
‘So this is what it feels like to live as a celebrity.’
Since we’re usually only around each other, I don't really get many chances to feel it. Experiencing TeSTAR’s recognition in real life for once wasn't bad.
And after the people left.
The mother of Keun Se-jin, who had become the protagonist of this surprise, well...
"You brat! Honestly!"
"Pwahaha!"
She smacked him on the back.
‘He deserved it.’
A son who barges into a house full of guests without a word.
Of course, even while getting smacked, Keun Se-jin laughed heartily.
The person hitting him actually looked proud, so I suppose it could be seen as a wise decision.
"Ah, I guess you could call this a surprise filial act!"
The guy, who skillfully avoided further smacks, stretched comfortably and plopped down in the living room.
I nodded as I accepted the drink he handed me.
"Did you do that to give your mother some face?"
"There's that, and actually, I heard there were some people who felt resentful toward her because they couldn't get to me through her~ Um, I figured I'd take this chance to block them directly."
I see.
I had cooperated because I roughly understood that sentiment.
—By the way, I'm going to stop by my house for a bit first. You two rest at the dorm~
I had caught him as he was trying to leave like that, heard the situation, and accompanied him.
It’s been several years since TeSTAR blew up.
By now, it wasn't rare for people to approach systematically, whether they were sniffing for money or connections.
‘I should cooperate with things like this.’
If one person in the group gets screwed, we all take the hit together.
I nodded, and Keun Se-jin gave an unexpectedly bashful smile.
"Um, so I would've been fine coming in alone... but thanks, seriously!"
"It's nothing...!"
Seon A-hyun chuckled. And seeing Keun Se-jin sitting there with a similar expression was almost cringeworthy, but...
‘Well, it’s a good thing.’
I just smiled too.
Keun Se-jin’s mother, who had just returned after seeing the guests off, shot an affectionate look at her son.
"You made your friends work when they came to play! Still, he really likes our Moon-dae and A-hyun. He’s all grown up, yet he brags about his friends to his mom so much..."
"Hey now, Mom! Is there an age limit on valuing friendship!"
"Oh, listen to him talk!"
"It’s because I take after you!"
Well, they’re a harmonious family.
We spent the rest of the time pleasantly without any issues.
"I'm always the one being treated... It might not be as good as yours, Mother, but I tried my hand at it."
"Oh my, oh my!"
Since we were getting our holiday break late, I had brought along some holiday food I’d packed. It was a unique experience to lounge around in someone else's house while eating that.
It was the same at Bae Se-jin’s house during a previous holiday, but I guess I still haven't gotten used to it.
Still... I didn't dislike it.
—Aaaaah?!
"Pwahaha! Ah, I should've given it to her sooner!"
After watching a video of Keun Se-jin’s younger sister screaming upon receiving Ryu Cheong-woo’s signed MD, we moved on.
"We'll stop by A-hyun's place for a bit!"
We changed locations and headed to A-hyun’s house.
And... we received a passionate welcome there too.
In a slightly different sense.
"Welcome~ A-hyun, and Moon-dae and Se-jin!"
Pop.
Confetti exploded in front of our eyes.
It happened the moment we stepped into the foyer of a house with a garden in Seoul—a staggering set of specs.
Standing before us were Seon A-hyun’s parents, their faces full of excitement.
"...Thank you."
This wasn't a surprise visit, but perhaps because of that, the feeling of "We prepared for this day!" was palpable.
‘Typical of Seon A-hyun’s family.’
I was truly grateful, but it was equally overwhelming.
But just as I was thinking that, his parents spoke to me quietly when the other guys had stepped away for a moment.
"Thank you so much for always getting along with A-hyun... Every time we see you, Moon-dae, you're taking care of our A-hyun... We've always wanted to do something for you, but we never had the chance."
"...No, it's nothing."
"It's not nothing. Even family finds it hard to do that much."
It seemed this family didn't just see me as their son's colleague, but as someone truly dear and helpful who was visiting.
‘Man.’
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"You're staying over tonight, right?"
"Um, if it's not an imposition..."
"What are you talking about? Of course it's fine!"
And so, I was given a room and treated very well.
That’s right. I wasn't squeezing into Seon A-hyun’s room to sleep... they assigned me my own room.
‘What kind of house in Seoul is like this?’
I’d guessed as much since I first hitched a ride in their foreign car, but they were definitely "gold spoons."
After unpacking in "my room," I followed an excited Seon A-hyun until...
"This... is my room...!"
I finally saw his room.