The First Fan Encounter
Hmm. Is something hurting?
I stared at Jeong Nuri for a moment. When she met my eyes, she smiled brightly.
“I’m fine! I’m always like this. It’s not stage fright exactly, just really bad nerves. Ugh, embarrassing. Forget it!”
Jeong Nuri fanned her hot face with her hand.
“I can’t believe I’m whining about being nervous in front of a kid. Let’s not do this, Nuri. Forget it, Gongja! Promise!”
No chance I’d forget that.
It was a little unexpected.
So she’s the type who gets nervous easily.
Even as an idol, that could happen?
Mom smiled softly and said, “It’s all right. This stage is an international event, after all. Of course you’d be nervous.”
“Ahaha, exactly, ma’am. It’s a solo stage, so I think I’m even more nervous. The drama OST suddenly blew up, too. I never expected to end up standing on stage this many times by myself!”
So that was it.
Then Mom said something unexpected.
“Oh! Now that you mention it, Nuri, you sang the OST for Inyeon, didn’t you?”
Huh.
I didn’t know that.
So it was a drama I was in.
Nuri nodded with a smile. “Yes. When I recorded it, I had no idea the drama would become such a hit. Thanks to that, the company president did a lot of shoulder dancing!”
“Your voice was so beautiful.”
“Hehe. Thank you for the compliment, ma’am. I’m really happy. Actually, this isn’t a big deal, but...”
Nuri leaned in and whispered, “I’m a Gomja.”
I blinked.
Gomja, meaning she’s one of my fans?
Nuri made a heart with her fingers and said, “Gongja. Unni loves you.”
R-really?
She said it so openly!
My face went hot at once.
W-wait, isn’t this the first time I’ve met a fan?
In my previous life, lots of people knew me, but no one had ever stood right in front of me and called themselves my fan like this.
I didn’t know what to say. I buried my face in Mom’s arm and mumbled, “Th-thank you...”
“Oh? Gongja? What’s wrong?”
I tucked myself deeper into Mom’s lap.
Excuse me for a moment. My face is burning.
First time, that’s all. Or maybe not. I had been surrounded at the hospital before.
But back then I was too out of it to notice.
Why did it feel so vivid now?
My face only grew hotter. I kept pushing into Mom’s arms.
“Oh?”
Mom patted my back and laughed brightly.
“Nuri, Gongja’s really embarrassed. Honestly, this is the first time I’ve seen him like this.”
“Eek. So he’s hiding in your arms right now, ma’am? Oh my. Even cuter!”
Damn it.
I took a deep breath and forced my feelings down.
Maybe she’s just being polite.
Calm down, Ma Gongja. I am cute, but that’s all it is for now.
I slowly turned my head, then flinched.
Sh-she’s looking at me.
Nuri was covering her mouth and staring straight at me. Why? Her eyes were sparkling fiercely.
When our eyes met, Nuri let out a long breath. Then she immediately pounded her own chest with her fist.
“I’m going to lose it. This isn’t the kind of cute that belongs in this world!”
“Right? Our Gongja is cute, isn’t he?”
“Ma’am, I’m pounding my chest right now. Like King Kong. If I don’t do this, I’m going to squeeze Gongja into a hug. Ugh. Calm down, my body.”
Taking a deep breath, Nuri said, “My God. Why is he being so shy? Wow, I can’t take it! My heart’s racing! If I get an arrhythmia, it’s all Gongja’s fault.”
Mom hugged me tighter and laughed. Nuri still wasn’t done.
“But Gongja’s popular, isn’t he? There must have been plenty of Gomja out there swooning every time he walked by. He doesn’t look immune at all.”
“I’m not sure. I may have made it that way on purpose.”
Nuri nodded. “Well, that’s not great for educational purposes.”
“Still, you can’t exactly cover the sky with your palm. It’s already been found out, hasn’t it?”
Mom brushed my hair. I blinked and sank into thought.
Hmm. Am I more popular than I thought?
I hadn’t known.
I knew I was famous, but still.
Was it this much?
I shook my head at once.
No, no.
Maybe I had just happened to meet one fan by chance. Stay calm.
I called out carefully, “Um, unni.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Th-thank you for liking Gongja!”
I meant it.
Nuri blinked, then sat down in the chair. She wiped her face with both hands and let out a groan.
“So cute... I think I’m insane. Too cute.”
Mom looked at her and laughed a little.
“My angel. Killing one person a day, I see.”
No, Mom. If anyone overhears that, it’ll sound like I actually killed someone.
“Gongja.”
“Yes!”
“Does it surprise you that unni likes you?”
I nodded.
“Yes!”
“I see. Hmm. But Gongja, there are more people who like you than you think.”
Re-really?
“Mom hopes you won’t forget this feeling. Liking someone isn’t something easy.”
Oh, Mother.
What excellent guidance.
There wasn’t a single word to throw away there.
Fans are precious.
When someone’s doing well, they tend to treat that as nothing special.
“That’s right, Mama! Liking someone is a miracle!”
I grinned at Nuri. “I’ll work hard, unni! I won’t disappoint you!”
Please keep watching, Gomja.
After I said that, Nuri collapsed back into her chair once more.
“Nuri?”
“No, ma’am. Your son is just, seriously, unbelievably, unbelievably amazing!”
“Right? He’s my son, but even I’m startled sometimes.”
“He’s still so young, so why does he only say the prettiest things? My heart’s pounding. No, wait. It’s here. Arrhythmia.”
“Oh dear.”
“In that case, may I make a wish?”
Nuri slowly pushed herself up from the chair. Then she held out her smartphone.
“Gongja. My wish, as a Gomja.”
I tilted my head.
“Just one photo.”
Ah.
That’s really nothing big.
Nuri bowed her head even while glancing at Mom. “Is that all right?”
“Of course.”
“And, um, if the ma’am would join too...”
Mom laughed with a hand over her mouth and waved her off. Nuri lit up and rushed over.
Click.
Nuri had only taken a photo, but she looked overjoyed.
She really is a Gomja.
I took a deep breath.
There are people cheering me on.
I need to live hard, Ma Gongja.
Fans, no, Gomja.
I’ll do my best. So...
Please keep watching me for a long, long time.
I will never disappoint you.
Hmm, that sounds a little like a politician.
I smiled sheepishly. The weight of responsibility pressed on my shoulders, but it didn’t feel bad.
* * *
About eleven hours after deciding to treat my fans well.
Mom and I flew to the Middle East on a special chartered plane.
For now, today’s schedule was supposed to be a day of rest.
We were to relax at the hotel today, and the international event would be held the next day.
The President-Grandfather was supposed to arrive tomorrow.
What kind of event would it be? What was I supposed to do?
We were on the way from the airport to the hotel. Honestly, I hadn’t expected this.
“Gongja! Gongja!”
“Ant wasima!”
I blinked in surprise.
There are people here who know me, too.
In broad daylight, more than a dozen people in hijabs were shouting.
The security team immediately opened a path through the crowd. Mom lifted me into her arms at once.
“Oh dear. We’d better hurry.”
I looked toward the people calling my name. They seemed to be filming with their smartphones.
I smiled and waved.
“Ant wasima! Ant wasima!”
Hmm, what did that mean?
They shouted with wild excitement. Mom whispered in my ear, “Gongja. That means you’re handsome.”
Wow, Mother.
“Mama, do you speak Arabic?”
“I only know how to say hello and handsome. Still, looks like our Gongja’s cuteness is known in Arabic, too?”
I burst out laughing.
“I guess it’s because of the drama.”
“Probably. Gongja, I was talking to the officials earlier, and they said our Gongja will just need to present flowers to the king at the state banquet.”
Ah, so I was flower boy.
Then I’d better work hard for the country.
Well, there wasn’t much to work hard at when all I had to do was hand over flowers.
“They said the national promotional CF was very popular diplomatically.”
Ah. That one.
The CF that had gotten so heavily edited was apparently being well received. For a moment, emotion surged through me.
I feel like I did something patriotic without doing anything at all.
So that was why it had been worth using coins to erase the President-Grandfather’s dark circles.
Well, as long as he didn’t appear on screen.
Mom patted my back and said, “It’ll probably be a bit of a difficult setting.”
Of course it will.
“Still, if it’s Gongja, I’m not worried.”
I smiled sheepishly. “I’ll do well, Mama!”
Of course.
A normal child might make you worry, but you don’t need to worry about me.
A second life is a second life. If I can, I might as well do something patriotic. Sure.
Of course, handing over flowers is a tiny thing.
Mom lightly kissed the corner of my eye and said, “My angel. You’re still so little, so I worry a bit that you’re going to too many difficult places.”
“Mama. Gongja likes places like this!”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
It’s much better than rolling around at home like an unemployed layabout.
But I shouldn’t answer like that.
I smiled brightly and said, “There are lots of things I can’t see at home!”
So let me out with peace of mind.
Mom adjusted her hold on me and muttered softly, “Honestly... how does he only ever say such pretty things?”
“Gongja says pretty things?”
“Yes. Only the prettiest things.”
Ah.
I grinned.
“I learned all of that from Mama!”
Mom’s pupils trembled slightly.
“Ah, really. You’re making me melt again. Because of our Gongja.”
She pulled me close. I wiggled my legs a little and smiled.
If you can show filial devotion, do it while you still can.
It was just a small thing, yet she was this happy. I should work even harder.
Mom carried me onward. I looked out at the unfamiliar surroundings. The language drifting through the air was different.
This really is Arabia.
Eleven hours ago, I had been in Korea.
Come to think of it, this is my first trip in my second life.
Maybe that was why I felt so excited.
* * *
The President-Grandfather was the same as ever.
Those dark circles are really something today, too.
As soon as the President-Grandfather saw me, he bent down and smiled broadly.
“Goodness. Have you been well?”
Even someone that important was asking after my health. I smiled brightly and answered, “Yes!”
“You look healthy. You’ve grown since I last saw you. You’ve been eating well, haven’t you?”
I nodded while clutching my bouquet.
“Yes! Gongja’s been eating everything and growing hard! Hmm, but Gongja has foods he doesn’t like, too!”
The President asked quietly, “What food don’t you like?”
Oh dear. President-Grandfather.
Why would you ask something like that?
Honestly, there weren’t any. At my age, was I going to be picky about side dishes?
But I should answer like a child.
I whispered into the President’s ear, “Celery.”
The President-Grandfather laughed so hard his dark circles seemed to shake.
“I see. You don’t like that, huh?”
“Yes!”
We were smiling at each other when someone from the Foreign Ministry said, “Your Excellency, you must go inside.”
The President nodded as he stood.
Hmm. Then I should follow from behind, right?
Just as I was about to step back, the President suddenly grabbed my hand tightly.