Chapter 77
I’m translating this chapter into HTML-formatted English, keeping the narration natural and turning the system-style bits into styled blocks where the source uses them.CHAPTER_TITLE: A Trip to the Middle East
“You’re still too young, Gongza……”
Mom stroked my cheek.
“Would it be okay to do that?”
I understood at once.
That’s about work, isn’t it?
Oh, Mother! What are you hesitating over?
Do it!
Right now your son is living like an unemployed layabout. I need work!
Worry clouded Mom’s eyes, so I grinned as brightly as I could.
I have to persuade her.
Like a child would.
Damn it. This is hard.
I drew a deep breath and said, “Mama!”
“Hmm?”
“Gongza wants to see lots of things!”
I pointed out the window. Beyond the glass, a beautifully tended garden spread out in full view.
“There’s something else out there!”
The garden was lovely, of course. Anything shaped by careful human hands had no gaps in it, no wasted corners.
“It’s pretty here, but I can’t live only there!”
That was right, Mother.
Please let me go out and work on a project already.
Well, I know I’m young. You’d want to protect your child, since I’m still in your arms.
Honestly, this isn’t even overprotective.
If anything, it was closer to bravely sending me out into the world.
Mom looked down at me for a long moment. Then, in the end, she smiled a little.
“I’m always surprised by my angel, and I thought I was getting used to it……”
Mom turned her head and looked out the window.
“But you surprised me again today.”
Y-yes, ma’am. W-what exactly surprised you? The part where I said I wanted to work?
“That’s right, Gongza.”
Mom blinked, and I stared at the long lashes fluttering there.
“You can’t live only in the garden. Besides, that’s Sungjin Group’s garden.”
She turned back to me.
“Yes. You need to see many things. Gongza, beyond that fence there’s a new world. It just isn’t as beautiful as this garden.”
I know that, Mother.
Honestly, being the adopted son of a chaebol family doesn’t sound bad at all.
Having someone worry about what you eat, what you wear, where you sleep was a very good thing. It was comfortable. Very comfortable.
I know that comfort and money are basically an exchange rate.
Mom lightly brushed my cheek.
“I think I wanted to protect you without even realizing it. The outside world is too harsh.”
Well, I knew she was doing it for me.
Lately I really haven’t had any schedule to speak of, though.
Still, for a child who was nearly five now, maybe this was better after all.
“But our Gongza is already trying to look beyond it.”
“Yep! Gongza wants to go out!”
“Then Mom will help you.”
Mom scooped me up and hugged me tight.
“Because I’m Gongza’s mom!”
Wow, Mother.
This really won’t be easy.
Not just anybody can choose this path.
I really need to be good to Mom.
When I start rebelling later, smack me on the back of the head!
Smiling, Mom walked over to the window. The two of us laughed together in the sunlight spilling through the curtains.
How long had we stayed like that? Then Mom whispered softly.
“Gongza.”
“Yes!”
I swallowed hard.
What’s she going to say?
My heart thudded.
A movie? A drama?
Anything is fine. Just tell me what to do.
I waited without even breathing properly for the next words. Mom kissed my cheek and said, “Let’s go to the Middle East.”
Huh?
I blinked.
Why the Middle East?
Why were we going there, where oil money flowed like water?
Usually, if you go to the Middle East, isn’t it for construction?
I looked down at my arms. The arms of a preschooler were absurdly thin.
I tilted my head in confusion, and Mom burst out laughing.
“Ahahahaha! Gongza, you’re flustered!”
“Yes.”
“Do you know where the Middle East is?”
Ah, did kids this age usually not know?
No, don’t underestimate children. If they’re interested in geography, they could absolutely know.
Well, let me bluff my way through it.
I said brightly, “There are deserts there!”
Mom laughed and rubbed my cheek.
“That’s right. It’s a place with deserts. Gongza, let’s go there!”
“Mama! What does Gongza do there?”
I wasn’t running a business or anything, so what was I supposed to do there? No, first of all, why were we even going to the Middle East? Please explain!
“Hmm, Mom doesn’t really know either, but I think smiling in front of a lot of people is the job.”
Was this some kind of fan sign event?
“The people you’ll meet there are important people in the desert.”
Huh?
“Of course, we’re going with the very highest-ranking person too.”
What?
“It’s a state event. I think they invited you because of your drama, and me because of my movie. I did wonder whether to go or not, but when a country asks, it’s a little hard to refuse. It’s not like my schedule is backed up or anything.”
I blinked.
S-so we’re going to the Middle East with the president, then, Mother.
So it was one of those grand cultural exchange events or something.
“I think it’ll be a new experience for you, Gongza.”
Well, yes.
New isn’t even the word for it, Mother. This is rainbow-colored.
The scale was no joke.
The only thing I could do was laugh.
“I’m excited. This is our Gongza’s first trip, isn’t it?”
Ahahaha. That’s right.
Come to think of it, this will be my first overseas trip in my second life.
And I’m going to the Middle East with the president.
I quietly stared up at the ceiling.
I used to think that saying “When you wear the crown, you must bear its weight” was nonsense, but……
There really is something to fame after all. The scale was enormous.
Did the government take a liking to me because of that public-service ad?
Well, if it’s good, then it’s good.
I’ll stop thinking about it.
As long as I pay my taxes properly, that’s enough.
I lowered my head.
I just have to go and smile politely, that’s all.
Maybe because Inyeon, the historical drama, had ridden the Hallyu wave so far.
I tilted my head.
I did know it had been exported overseas.
And yet the coins didn’t really shoot up all that much.
Should I check that?
View coin log!
I quietly opened the subtitles.
<243,523 viewers in India have enjoyed your adorable appearance.>
<Love & Peace Coin increases by 0.01.>
Subtitles, what exactly is this?
No, what is going on!
Why are the coins increasing by decimals?
Love & Peace Coin takes national population into consideration.
Why would it take that into consideration?
T-this is discrimination.
I took a deep breath. Come to think of it, this coin was strangely salty.
Ugh.
I’d felt it often enough before, but it had the vibe of something laid down everywhere to prevent inflation.
Still, seriously? You’re ignoring the overseas population?
Was the Love & Peace Coin specifically tuned for Korea?
What, did they erect some kind of anti-forgery monument or something?
Let’s not be like this in the global era, really.
I let out a long sigh.
Think big. Even if it’s only a decimal, it can’t beat sheer numbers.
I looked at the subtitles and smiled brightly.
Even if you try to prevent inflation, I’ll make sure it doesn’t matter.
Just you wait until I grow a little. I’ll be all over the place, knocking home run after home run.
Just as I was grinding my teeth over it, Mom’s voice came again.
“Gongza. Is it good? Do you not want to go to the Middle East with Mom?”
I shook my head right away.
“No! Mama! Gongza’s heart is thumping!”
I was happy. If I was going out with the president, wouldn’t something happen? Reporters would be there too, after all.
This was a decent chance to get some exposure.
I grinned.
I should plant a good image.
Of course, that didn’t mean the trashy articles would vanish entirely.
“Gongza. It probably won’t really be a trip. You’ll have to keep an eye on a lot of people, and you’ll need to follow along carefully too.”
Well, of course. It was a state event.
But still.
“I’m going with Mama, though! Gongza’s excited just because of that!”
Mom’s pupils trembled. I smiled and burrowed into her arms.
I could feel whether she was laughing or shaking. Mom stroked my hair and said, “Yes, Gongza. Mom is too. That alone makes me look forward to it.”
Her touch was as gentle as ever. I grinned.
People say children repay their parents with their cute little selves when they’re young……
Well, it was better to repay her early.
Kids grow up so fast, after all.
I added one more thing to what I had to do during this state event.
I should be adorable for Mom.
I couldn’t help smiling. I was looking forward to this trip quite a bit.
* * *
This doesn’t feel like the right atmosphere for being adorable.
I looked around. People wearing name tags walked past with stiff faces.
Because it’s a state event, I guess.
The civil servants’ expressions were rigid.
Well, that’s that.
I lifted my head and looked at Mom. Her hair was tied back today, and she looked even more full of life than usual.
“Gongza. Nice weather, right?”
Yes, lovely. Even though it’s raining.
I smiled and nodded.
It’s damp, but if Mom likes it, then it’s fine.
I pointed out the window and said, “The drops are running right down!”
“They are.”
“Gongza likes rain!”
Honestly, it doesn’t matter all that much.
Nature is just nature.
But if I was going to be adorable, this was how I had to do it.
Mom tapped my cheek and said, “Really? I didn’t care much for rain before, but I think I’ll have to start liking it from today.”
“Because Gongza likes it?”
“Mm-hm. Because our Gongza likes it!”
I giggled in Mom’s arms. Just then, as she kept rubbing my cheek, a strange voice came from beside us.
“Wow, seriously……”
What is it?
I pulled my head back a little from Mom’s embrace. In the seat next to us on the plane sat a woman with long, straight hair.
Hmm, who is she?
She looked like a celebrity at first glance.
When our eyes met, she smiled and said, “Hello!”
“Hello! I’m Gongza.”
“Aww, you’re adorable. You said hello. Hi, Gongza. Hello, Senior Ma Soo-jung.”
She bowed her head and lifted it again. Mom smiled and said, “It’s been a while.”
“We met once before, do you remember? I’m Jeong Noori.”
Mom nodded.
“Of course. I’ve been watching your work.”
Oh, they knew each other?
Jeong Noori’s cheeks flushed slightly as she said, “W-wow. You remember? What do I do? I’m thrilled.”
Wow, my mom was popular.
“Back then, I caused trouble with my clumsy acting.”
“Oh, no, Ms. Noori, you didn’t cause any trouble.”
“I made so many NGs, though. Thank you so much for comforting me back then.”
Wow, Mother.
She must have comforted someone who made a lot of mistakes.
I whispered to Mom, “Mama!”
“Yes, Gongza.”
“You’re cool!”
Mom hadn’t expected me to say that, so she scratched her cheek a little.
Ah, she was embarrassed.
“Well, it’s nothing much, but if Gongza says I’m cool, that makes me feel good.”
Mom hugged me tight. I burst out laughing and wriggled in her arms.
Ms. Noori kept watching us.
“Are you going to the Middle East too, unni?”
“Mm-hm. It’d be nice if the whole All Right team were going, but I’m the only one.”
Ah, All Right.
I’d heard the name before.
So she was a member of an idol group.
Going alone, huh. I guess she’s a solo act now.
Ms. Noori smiled and said, “I’m happy I got invited. It’s my first performance in the Middle East, though.”
That so?
“I guess I’m a little nervous. My condition’s not great.”
Huh.