Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Teacher, the Progress is Too Fast!
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President Barnes grasped Ji-hoon's hand and patted his shoulder before stepping back one pace.
Now it was Ji-hoon's turn.
He stepped forward to the podium.
The weight of the 'Presidential Medal of Freedom' hanging around his neck felt heavy.
In front of him, dozens of broadcast cameras blazed with lights.
The nation's highest and most important figures.
And in the front row...
His mother, and his father looking at him with a proud face.
Dong-hyun, rejoicing as if it were his own achievement.
And...
Lily, who had become his reason for existence, his everything.
She gazed at him with sparkling red eyes and the happiest smile in the world.
Ji-hoon exhaled deeply in front of the microphone.
"Thank you, Mr. President."
His low voice echoed through the hall.
"Honestly... I'm not sure if I'm worthy of such tremendous honor."
In the audience, quiet nods passed at his humility.
"Many people call me a hero, but I'm just an ordinary American citizen. I firmly believe that anyone who was there that day would have acted just as I did."
At his words, applause mixed with national pride erupted in the hall.
It was the highest praise, touching the pride of Americans.
Ji-hoon paused for a moment and grinned.
"The only difference might be... that others wouldn't have charged in with a shovel from the kitchen like me and my friend did."
Unexpected American humor brought smiles to the lips of the stiff generals and congressmen.
"I dedicate this honor to my friend Dong-hyun, who was there with me."
Ji-hoon nodded toward Dong-hyun.
"And thank you to my parents who raised me courageously and flew all the way here from Korea."
Kim Sung-tae and Choi Mi-hee beamed at their son's words.
Ji-hoon's gaze turned to the front row, to Lily.
His eyes softened endlessly.
"Above all... thank you to my beloved wife Lily, who is my everything. She is the reason I stand here."
The camera zoomed in on Lily's radiant face.
It was the value Americans held most dear: 'family.'
"Finally... if it's not too much trouble, I have a small request."
The hall fell silent again. Everyone focused on his lips.
"My wife and I just started a small YouTube channel."
Ji-hoon scratched his head sheepishly.
"I'd appreciate it if you could subscribe a lot."
For a moment, a one-second silence blanketed the hall.
Then President Barnes in the front row burst into loud laughter.
"I'll be your first subscriber!"
Laughter spread like a contagion at the president's words.
The entire East Room filled with cheerful, warm laughter.
Humility, praise for America, family love, and a witty finish.
Ji-hoon's speech had captured the hearts of Americans.
No sooner had Ji-hoon's words ended than internet communities across America—no, the entire world—began buzzing.
White House East Room.
Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony.
In that solemn setting, his final remark was a request to subscribe to his wife's YouTube channel.
There could be no more perfect display of 'family love.'
People went wild over the wit and affection.
At the same time, they frantically typed into search bars.
"Lily? Lily Flower?"
Twitter and Reddit were flooded with questions about 'Ji-hoon's wife's YouTube.'
The medal ceremony was being broadcast live not just in America, but to major allied nations worldwide via the internet.
And it didn't take long.
One netizen—likely a Korean-American who understood Ji-hoon's speech—found the channel.
[Lily's Flower Has Bloomed]
The link hit Reddit's main thread and Twitter's real-time trends.
Coordinates locked.
At that moment, the numbers exploded.
[Subscribers: 12]
Refresh (F5).
[Subscribers: 1,598]
Refresh.
[Subscribers: 24,177]
Refresh.
[Subscribers: 97,410]
It had been less than 10 minutes since Ji-hoon's speech ended.
Subscriber count rocketed upward like a missile.
People started clicking the one video on the channel: the 30-minute 'introduction video' that Ji-min had edited.
The sad yet beautiful story of how the two met, and that Lily was an albino patient, began spreading in real-time to countries on the other side of the world from America.
"Uwaaaang! Teacher, the progress is too fast!"
Ji-hoon clutched his head while looking at his YouTube channel admin page.
The insanely rising subscriber count had finally plateaued.
Of course, that 'plateau' came after breaking 50 million subscribers.
50 million.
Gathering 50 million subscribers in such a short time.
"No way, just one joke and it turns into this?"
America's total population was just over 340 million.
But the White House medal ceremony was broadcast not only in America but to major allied nations worldwide.
Subscribers poured in from other countries too.
Somehow, he'd pulled 'global aggro' on the entire world.
And the result of that aggro was very sweet.
American yet Korean, Ji-hoon.
Global interest in him showed no signs of cooling.
'The first Korean to receive America's highest medal.'
That was Ji-hoon right now.
Silence.
Yes.
A meal with my parents, who had flown in from Korea after so long.
Lily's one remark brought silence to the table.
"Uh... what did you say?"
"Like Mom said, we're working hard... so when will the baby come?"
Lily looked genuinely curious.
My parents were speechless, and I...
Suddenly got caught that our married life was going strong.
Aah, maybe a bit embarrassing?
'Sex-coming out' in front of parents is a bit much, Lily...
"Huh? Why is everyone like that?"
At Lily's words, my parents' gazes slid toward me.
Don't look.
I'm uncomfortable right now.
"Ahem..."
Dad cleared his throat.
"Well... if you work hard at it, a child will come soon enough."
"Really~? Kyaa~ I'm so happy! I want a son who looks like my husband."
Ahem... no, Lily. I don't want the kid resenting me.
"Really? I want a daughter who looks like our Lily."
"Hehe. Really?"
At the young couple's flirting, my parents looked exasperated.
"Anyway, it's the family glory."
Dad changed the subject.
"First Korean ever. The whole clan is in an uproar."
At Dad's proud words, I felt proud too.
"Oh right, I heard there's a lot of talk about me in Korea?"
"...You knew?"
Mom asked cautiously.
"Of course. They flooded YouTube calling me a traitor, a fugitive, a guy who ran without splitting assets—pouring curses left and right."
Yes.
YouTube comments poured in, giving me a rough idea of my reputation in Korea.
'It's shit, you bastard.'
I felt a bit sorry for unconsciously saying 'shit,' but seeing the comments, I wasn't sorry at all.
"Anyway... that's how it is. Don't let it bother you."
"Aigoo~ Why would I care? And I'll upload a video soon to clear things up, so don't worry."
"Really? That's good then. Your maternal uncle was raging to sue the media... but since you're the party involved, you have to file it yourself."
"Oh, really? Then I'll leave it to Uncle."
"You will? Aigoo, really. Every time bad news about you came on, it hurt so much..."
Mom seemed to have suffered a lot mentally.
I'd asked Ji-min to manage YouTube comments so Lily wouldn't see the bad ones—they were all being deleted.
So many vicious comments; it was nauseating.
"How's business? Going well?"
At Mom's question, I let out a deep sigh.
"I'm dying. Too many customers. I'm meeting someone soon, and if it goes well, I might expand the stores."
Yes.
One of those 'lords' from before had made an investment offer.
We'd agreed to meet at the store soon for details.
"Good. Glad it's going well."
Dad nodded.
"Korea's domestic market is bad; shops closing left and right."
Mom sighed as she said it.
"It doesn't concern Mom anyway."
"Right?"
Agh.
Snarky much?
If struggling Korean small business owners heard that, they'd come charging like they're beating a drum.
"So, when are you heading back?"
The flight tickets I'd booked for the medal ceremony invite were one-way.
I needed to know their departure to book returns.
"Hmm? Thinking about another week. Last time for the wedding, we couldn't really enjoy. Hohoho. Planning to sightsee with your dad this time."
"Sounds good. I'm busy with work, so take Lily around a lot."
"Sure~ Way more fun hanging with Lily than you."
Ouch. Kinda hurtful?
Lily scampered over to Mom.
"Mom!"
"Yes? Lily, what's up?"
"Teach me cooking too! I want to make tasty stuff for my husband!"
"Hoho, sure sure! Our son really got a woman above his station."
Mom's mouth reached her ears.
A daughter-like daughter-in-law.
A legendary Pokémon for mothers-in-law.
But Lily really was one.
"Hehe, Mom teaches me so well."
"Hohohoho."
The two women laughed happily over who knows what.
Hey, Mom. Above his station?
Underrating your son is going a bit far.
Today too, I was leftovers to my parents.
"Oh right! Lily."
Mom called Lily.
"Mom brought gifts from Korea for you. Want to check them out in the room?"
"Waaah~! Really? Yay!"
"Hoho, so many pretty clothes Mom brought."
"Hehe, can't wait!"
"Come on. I'll even organize the closet for you."
Uh oh, bad feeling?
"Oh, Ji-hoon."
"Yes?"
"You'll sleep with Lily, so you bunk with Dad."
Agh.
Sad premonitions never lie.
"Ahem... Ji-hoon."
Now Dad.
"Yes, Dad."
"Early start tomorrow?"
"Yeah... probably."
"Sleep in the guest room. Don't want interruptions."
Actually welcome.
"Yes, Dad. Sleep well."
"Ahem. Guess I should head to your mom too. Got a gift prepared."
"What about me?"
But Dad ignored me and rummaged in his suitcase.
Aah, mother-in-law.
Why'd you go so fast?
Son-in-law love is mother-in-law, I miss you today. Sniff sniff.
I quietly cleared the empty dishes and started washing up.
From the room came cheerful hahaha hoho laughter.