Promotional Ambassador (3)
The gift turned out to be a digital camera.
I was a little surprised by the completely unexpected present. Then I spotted the logo on the box and was genuinely shocked.
Isn't that an incredibly expensive brand?
I knew next to nothing about cameras, but even I was aware that this company was renowned for its artisan craftsmanship, producing only top-tier, high-end models.
To send something like this...
It had to cost well over a million won at least.
But for Aqua, the price doesn't matter.
Aqua was exclaiming in awe as she turned the box around.
To her, the fact that it was the first gift from her fans was what truly mattered—and it was precious beyond measure.
"Hee hee!" Aqua beamed brightly at the camera.
[Thank you!]
Feeling my own smile rising uncontrollably, I tossed a playful remark at the club president.
"Is this tribute? It feels like silent pressure to upload even higher-quality photos of Aqua."
"Ahaha! Busted?"
The sisters chattered excitedly.
"~Honestly, it's impossible to capture Aqua's charm with a phone camera!"
"It's not a pro cannon camera, but you need at least this level to make fanning worthwhile!"
We were joking around, but it really was a perfect gift for everyone involved. I'd gotten a camera to preserve Aqua's image in high definition, and the fans would get the photos taken with it.
[Hee hee hee!]
Aqua hugged the box tightly. Her soft, squishy cheek smooshed against it before peeling away.
The president didn't miss the moment and snapped it with her camera.
Terra asked me,
[Is that box with the picture on it the gift?]
"Ahaha. No, the gift's inside it."
Aqua seemed so thrilled by the very idea of a present that she had no intention of opening the box.
That left it to me to proceed.
"Shall we open the box?"
[Hot! Yes, let's!]
Aqua's eyes sparkled as she set the box down.
[Sisssit!]
Mandu was rubbing against the wrapping paper nearby, playing with it. The shiny, foil-like material must have been fun.
Aqua opened the box.
[Ooh!]
Her eyes twinkling, she pulled out the camera.
"Do you know what this is?"
[Hmm...!]
Aqua turned it this way and that, poking and prodding, then let out a
[Ah!]
[Isn't this the thing the reporters used to take pictures just now?!]
"Right. This is called a digital camera. Way better performance than a phone camera."
[Camera!]
[Ooh...]
Terra sidled right up to Aqua, peering at the camera in fascination.
"Hand it over for a sec? I'll turn it on."
[Please do!]
I inserted the battery, powered it up, and showed Aqua how to use it.
She gleefully mashed the shutter button.
Click—!
Click—!
The photos we took together were all blurry from shaking and movement—not a single good one.
[Hee hee hee!]
But Aqua just kept blooming with laughter, clearly having the time of her life.
"Alright, now let's take some photos of Aqua."
[Photos of me?]
"We need certification shots for the fan club."
The fans who sent this gift were probably dying to see high-res Aqua as soon as possible.
[I see!]
I set Aqua on the table and focused the camera.
[Sisit!]
Mandu hopped onto Aqua's shoulder like he wanted in on the photo, dragging along the wrapping paper clutched in his jaws.
The shiny paper draped over Aqua like a magician's cape.
Click—!
I nailed the timing on the shutter.
As expected from a luxury item.
The camera captured Aqua in crystal clarity—her translucent body, her sparkling eyes, all vividly lifelike.
Click—!
Click—!
I took a few more shots and showed them to the fan club president and vice-president.
"Ooh! The quality's solid!"
"She looks even prettier than in real life!"
The sisters' eyes crinkled softly, pleased to see their gift put to good use.
"I'll take lots and upload diligently."
I bowed gratefully toward the camera in the president's hand.
"We'll be waiting!"
"Count on you, cameraman!"
With those warm smiles, the unboxing video shoot wrapped up.
[Hee hee hee!]
Aqua's excitement showed no signs of fading.
* * *
Click, click, click!
We faced another barrage of photos in the open hall.
This time, the mayor of Samcheok stood beside us.
It was the commissioning ceremony for Samcheok City's promotional ambassador, following the 'Courageous Citizen Award' presentation.
Once the camera frenzy died down, the mayor shook our hands.
"Thank you for deciding to represent Samcheok City."
"I'm the one grateful for this honorable opportunity."
"Aqua thanks you too."
[Welcome!]
Aqua shook the mayor's hand, buzzing with excitement.
The mayor extended a hand to Terra and Mandu as well.
Terra shook it and stared curiously at her own hand afterward.
Soon, we had another interview session.
Before it started, the mayor laid down the law to the reporters.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press. This is the promotional ambassador commissioning ceremony. Please refrain from questions unrelated to it."
Everyone there knew that wouldn't fly.
From the reporters' perspective, squeezing even one more word out of me was the priority.
That's when it happened.
"Ahem. Ahem."
Someone cleared their throat. The sound cut through the hush, drawing all eyes that way.
There stood Jang Gilsan and the towering Han siblings, who'd come along to watch the event.
"Ahem. Ahem."
Jang Gilsan cleared his throat slowly, fixing the reporters with a steady gaze.
"……."
"……."
"……."
The reporters' mouths snapped shut.
I couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight.
As expected of the Wallet Warrior.
The Union Guild, where Jang Gilsan was executive director, was one of Korea's two major guilds—and one of its three powerhouse corporations.
No reporter wanted to get on his bad side and risk losing Union Guild ad revenue.
The mayor gave a wry smile and nodded to a staffer.
The staffer kicked off the interview.
The reporters, somewhat subdued, shot glances at Jang Gilsan as they asked questions.
"Hyunwoo, a word on your feelings about being appointed Samcheok City's promotional ambassador."
"I'm grateful for the chance to represent the hometown where I spent my childhood and school years—twenty years of my life. I'll carry out my duties proudly, without shame to the name of spirit user."
I gave the textbook response I'd rehearsed with Jang Gilsan yesterday.
"Aqua, care to share your thoughts on becoming Samcheok City's promotional ambassador?"
[Samcheok is beautiful! The sea, the streets, the buildings—all pretty! Come visit lots!]
Aqua's wrinkle-free, radiant face and voice were enough to bring smiles to the reporters' slumped shoulders.
"What do you like most about Samcheok, Aqua?"
[The sea is pretty! Especially at sunrise in the morning! But the best part is that it's my spirit user's hometown!]
"Do you like your spirit user, Aqua?"
[Of course! Hyunwoo is the best in the world!]
Feeling a warm swell in my chest, I pulled Aqua into a hug.
[Hee hee hee!]
Aqua looked up at me with a pure smile.
The reporters continued with more questions for Aqua, but they were all gentle and heartwarming—like asking a kid "Who do you like more, Mommy or Daddy?"
Yes. This is the kind of interview I wanted.
I gave Jang Gilsan a small nod.
He nodded back nonchalantly, like it was nothing.
* * *
The interview ended, and we moved to our next spot.
For her first day as promotional ambassador, we were visiting Samcheok Central Market.
"This will be your first and last activity of the summer."
The mayor explained as we rode in the car.
"Not the beach, but the central market?"
"They just finished expansion work and built a new youth mall."
The mayor paused thoughtfully, then added,
"And the beach promotion... Phoenix Resort's handling that plenty."
I nodded without thinking—it made perfect sense.
Moments later, we arrived at Samcheok Central Market and stepped out.
Holding Aqua and Terra, with Mandu on my shoulder, flashes erupted from the waiting reporters.
Han Areum, Han Deuri, and Jang Gilsan arrived right behind.
After a brief photo op, I set Aqua down on the ground.
[Promotional ambassador duties!]
Aqua placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.
A sash reading 'Samcheok City Promotional Ambassador' was draped across it.
She looked immensely proud.
[Let's go!]
Aqua marched ahead into the market, sash fluttering, leading the pack of reporters.
It was only natural that eyes turned to the spirit's confident parade.
"What's this? Some kind of shoot?"
"Samcheok City promotional ambassador? That spirit?"
"Looks like a spirit king, doesn't it? You know, the one in the local papers."
"Local papers? The internet's flooded with stories about that spirit."
As gazes focused and people parted the crowd, two city staffers unfurled a banner behind us.
-The Clearest City, Samcheok.-
They held it high and trailed slowly after us.
The city where the Water Spirit King lives is the clearest city... Not bad as a slogan.
I smiled faintly and followed Aqua at a leisurely pace.
Aqua strolled through the market, head swiveling excitedly in every direction.
[Ooh...]
Terra gazed around in wide-eyed wonder too.
It was her first time at a market.
Then,
"That tiny thing's got spunk—adorable."
A fruit vendor grandma beckoned Aqua.
"Come here, have some of this."
[Me?]
Aqua glanced back at me.
I nodded slightly, and she approached the grandma.
The grandma handed her a cherry tomato.
[What's this?]
"It's a tomato, dear."
[Domado?]
"To-ma-to, silly."
Aqua rolled the cherry tomato around on her palm, then popped it into her mouth.
Juice burst inside her translucent cheek.
[Delicious!]
Aqua clapped a hand over her mouth in surprise.
The grandma offered another.
Aqua ate it happily.
The grandma patted her head.
"Promotional ambassador, huh? Keep it up."
[Leave it to me!]
The reporters—and even the fan club president—captured the heartwarming scene eagerly.
"Have some of this too."
"Try this over here."
"Want some of these?"
The market vendors kept offering Aqua snacks.
It seemed like an instinct for elders to want to feed kids.
[Hee hee hee!]
Aqua scampered delightedly from stall to stall, munching away.
[Sorry, I can't eat solids. Give the solids to Terra or Mandu!]
Terra and Mandu's shares piled up too.
[Tasty.]
[Kkwek-]
Before they'd circled half the market, Terra and Mandu's bellies were bulging.
Aqua glowed with a rainbow swirl of mixed juices.
Somewhere along the way, she'd forgotten all about her ambassador duties, reverting to her innocent, carefree self.