Family Bonds and a Warm Welcome Back
Taking care of three younger siblings at twenty-one wasn’t easy.
Especially since the twins suffered from a rare congenital illness and had to visit the hospital every single day.
Namhun didn’t remember how he had spent those days.
His mind had completely shattered.
If not for Yoo Sera and his parents’ help, everything might have collapsed.
But their help was one thing.
The financial side had to be handled by him alone.
The inheritance his parents left him and the compensation from the accident disappeared as quickly as snow in summer.
Only after the twins reached kindergarten age did Namhun finally get to work. __BACKT_TICK__
The only way a retired trot singer could earn money was by using his body.
The job he chose was laborer.
Back then, it was the one that paid the most.
The rebar team that had worked with Namhun whenever he was free gathered at sites around the capital area.
They didn’t live together.
Everyone commuted instead.
That was why Namhun joined them.
Normally they parted ways right after work.
But on the day a project wrapped up, they raised their glasses to celebrate.
The meeting spot was always an old makgeolli restaurant run by one of the team members’ wives.
‘It’s been a while here too.’
It had been about two months since he last worked with the rebar team.
As Namhun pushed open the sliding door, the middle-aged men sitting in the corner turned and greeted him with smiles.
“Hey, the youngest. Over here.”
“Whoa. You’ve gotten prettier since you said you’d take it easy.”
“That’s a different story between us.”
“Hey. That guy always slathered on sunscreen, didn’t he?”
Seeing the familiar faces from their old days brought a smile to Namhun’s lips.
But the moment he got closer, a thick sweat smell hit him.
They had changed clothes, yet they hadn’t showered.
‘I didn’t know it would be this bad even when we finished work.’
Maybe his nose had been numb back then too.
He had been soaked in sweat anyway.
Namhun, who knew better than anyone how much the smell of sweat weighed on a man, didn’t just accept it casually.
“Ahh~ The smell is so strong I’m guessing there are no other customers.”
Since they were all open, they knew there were no customers, so they took the teasing lightly.
“Heh. Look at this guy. Now he’s talking nonsense about not being a family man?”
“But the youngest doesn’t smell as bad as us.”
“You look like a girl.”
Since they had known him for years, they used the word he hated most.
“What? The team leader’s a younger brother, right?”
Namhun glanced downward and laughter exploded everywhere.
“Khhahaha!”
“That’s right!”
“Ugh… Tsk.”
The team leader, Sim Deok-gu, who had run out of things to say, lifted a full soju glass and offered it to Namhun.
“Here’s the first toast. Drink up.”
“Yes.”
He had driven without alcohol, knowing this would happen.
“Kk.”
After several rounds of toasts, the conversation turned serious.
“So, what have you been doing lately?”
He had taken time off because of the kids, but everyone had worried when he suddenly stopped.
They knew he had been a singer who hit the wall, and that he had raised his three siblings in place of his parents.
“Nothing’s wrong with you, is there?”
Namhun gave a simple explanation.
“It’s not like that. My throat is almost fully recovered… and by chance I got an opportunity to start preparing again.”
“As a singer?”
“Is it like an idol or something?”
“Our son-in-law is either an AP or a BP… he really likes those pretty little muses.”
“A BP? JTC?”
“I don’t know. I have to know English… anyway, what was that name again? Jeoll something?”
“Hah!”
Jeoll.
Even a comedian wouldn’t use a name like that.
“It’s probably Jehun.”
JTC’s Jehun was the hottest male idol right now.
Even Namhun, who didn’t watch TV much, knew the name.
“Really? I don’t know much. CDs, photos, and stuff piled up in his tiny house. He must be exhausted.”
“Haha. If you meet Jehun, can you get him to sign something?”
He was genuinely happy at the casual offer.
“Will that work? Then thanks. My daughter will be thrilled.”
“I can’t promise, but I’ll try.”
Realistically, even if he debuted as a trot singer, the chance of meeting JTC was slim.
But thanks to Kang Seokho, who had filmed JTC’s MV, he figured he might at least get an autograph.
‘Seeing how happy he is, I definitely have to deliver.’
While watching the conversation, Sim Deok-gu suddenly asked,
“But… isn’t an idol thing only for kids? The youngest is almost thirty.”
“No, of course not. I’m going to be a trot singer.”
“What? Trot?”
Everyone was shocked.
“Kid, you don’t even know what trot means.”
“You haven’t even done a topknot.”
“The youngest doesn’t know even the word for trot.”
The rebar team was mostly in their late fifties to sixties.
So they were all experts on trot.
Namhun already knew he was a complete beginner.
“I’m preparing, preparing. I still have a long way to go, so I’ll practice a lot. A lot of young trot singers will come out soon.”
“Really? Makes sense. We of our generation are almost gone too.”
“True. Ha Daeun, Jin Taesu, Gwak Daeho… they’re all over sixty.”
“Jeong Nam is probably over seventy.”
‘You know everything.’
Listening to the team banter, it was clear the trot Four Heavenly Kings had massive recognition.
Namhun heard songs he had never heard before, and stories poured out one after another.
“Even so, the greatest trot singers are Maximum Woong and Lee Jin-nam.”
“That’s right. Being one of the Four Heavenly Kings…”
Maximum Woong and Lee Jin-nam were giants who split the seventies.
Jeong Nam was their age, yet he was still active.
‘This generation really holds trot tight.’
As he listened quietly, a nuclear bomb suddenly dropped.
“Kid. Sing a trot song for us.”
Taken aback, Namhun was flustered.
“Here?”
“Well, why not? It’s only us here.”
“How much trot do we know? You could at least help a little.”
Seeing it, he was right.
He could tell they were quite knowledgeable about trot.
Perhaps this was a perfect chance to see his true level.
These rough-field workers didn’t beat around the bush.
They said what they meant without hesitation.
At that moment, Joo Sung-cheol, who had been quietly sitting, slammed his glass down.
“Hey! Asking a singer to burst out singing like this on the spot—what kind of thing is this?”
Joo Sung-cheol was the most quiet and diligent in the rebar team.
Namhun, who had worked with him for years, had never heard his voice much.
He rarely spoke unless necessary.
Suddenly his voice rose, and the atmosphere changed.
Namhun, the youngest, quickly stepped in to calm it.
“No, no… I can’t have the youngest show off in front of the hyungs.”
The drunk workers cheered up again.
“That’s it! Sung-cheol, stop complaining and watch the kid sing!”
“Let’s see how good the youngest is. After all, it’s probably the last time we see his face.”
Still, Joo Sung-cheol looked displeased.
‘Did something bad happen in between?’
Noticing his gaze, Namhun cautiously picked up the soju bottle.
“Sung-cheol hyung. Let me pour you a drink first.”
Since Namhun was the one pouring, Joo Sung-cheol had no choice but to step back.
The mood quickly recovered.
“Good. Let’s see how well our youngest can do.”
“I’ve only heard he used to be a singer. I’ve never heard him sing.”
Nervous for a real performance, he was even more tense than a competition.
‘Don’t be scared, Jang Namhun.’
He decided to sing two songs.
At least one dance trot and one traditional.
Comparing scores, he could roughly gauge his level.
“First, let’s get into the mood. I’ll sing ‘With You.’”
“Oh. One of Lee Jin-nam’s famous songs.”
“Let’s go.”
Namhun turned on YouTube and checked the karaoke backing track.
The men’s eyes widened.
“Wait… YouTube has karaoke functions?”
“Of course, M.J., M.J.!”
The ajusshi reaction made Namhun speechless for a second, but he soon composed himself and cleared his throat.
“…Ahem. Then I’m starting~! Everyone clap for us, hyungs!”
The rebar team men clapped in unison.
“Wassalala, wassalala! Wassalala, wassalala!”
Thud, clap, thud, clap.
The 4/4 rhythm was familiar to Koreans.
“Sung-cheol, what’s wrong? The kid is singing one song—clap too.”
“Got it… fine.”
Joo Sung-cheol, with his sullen face, joined the clapping.
Namhun relaxed and began singing.
[You, me~]
Namhun’s voice echoed through the makgeolli restaurant.
The rebar team was stunned.
“His voice is so clear?”
“When working, he sounded like an ant crawling. Now it’s like this?”
They had heard his quiet voice while he was managing his throat, so they were shocked.
“Whoa. It’s good!”
“It’s true you were a singer.”
Unexpected talent made the ajusshis start dancing without meaning to.
Even Sim Deok-gu picked up a steel spoon and beat the table.
The rhythm felt like a drum beat to Namhun.
With clapping, spoon beats, his voice soared.
[I want to stay with you forever!]
Zing!
After finishing, Namhun struck an ending pose that the men loved.
Cheers rose and they clapped wildly.
“He’s amazing! He really was a singer.”
“If you hear the song, spread it. I’ll promote it strongly.”
“Haha. Thank you.”
He felt hopeful.
‘With this reaction, the score shouldn’t be bad.’
After a moment, the score appeared.
【Song Title - With You】
【Comprehension - 90】
【Proficiency - 88】
【Immersion - 87】
【Digestibility - 81】
【Condition - 93】
【Audience Reaction - 90】
【Overall Score - 88.9】
【Performance Bonus - +0.2】
【Final Score - 89.1】
The ending pose added extra points, giving a solid 89.1.
But Namhun wasn’t happy.
‘With You’ was a mega hit even he knew.
He had practiced it a lot, so it was one of his strong songs.
Plus, he had extra points because he listened without expectation.
‘The next song is going to be rough.’
Watching the cheering team, Namhun mentally prepared himself.
“Encore! Encore!”
“Youngest, sing another one!”
The excited ajusshis kept shouting for the next song.
Even the madam from the kitchen appeared and sat down.
“No way he can sing like that.”
Because of that, Namhun had to seriously think.
Should he do another dance trot to avoid disappointing them?
‘No. Cold evaluation is important.’