Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Grandma's Night Sea
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It was truly a rough day.
Madam Kim Deok-soon grumbled as she rummaged through the closet.
What a day for everything to go wrong.
“What the hell, raising the rent again.”
She cursed out the landlord who’d announced a rent hike for the diner soon as she yanked a thick blanket down to the floor.
“Just eat whatever’s put in front of you, you picky bastard.”
She rubbed her aching back and spat at the customer who’d sent back the soybean paste stew five times because it “didn’t suit his taste.”
“Who do they think they are, acting like they own the temple?”
When she spotted the radio shoved behind where the blanket had been, she seethed at the temple office staff she frequented.
She’d gone there to pray for her grandson’s success.
Lately, they’d gotten rude ever since her donations had dwindled.
All of it had happened in one single day.
Some days were just like that.
When luck evaded you completely and things started going wrong, they kept going wrong all day long.
Her stubborn lips pressed into a straight line.
‘I’ll just take the bad luck for him instead.’
If her grandson were there, he’d scoff that it was nonsense superstition, but Madam Kim Deok-soon meant it sincerely.
Whenever bad things happened, she figured she was absorbing her grandson’s misfortune in his place.
That thought helped her swallow her anger quickly.
Days like this, when everything went south, were usually when good things happened to her grandson.
It had been the same when Woojoo excitedly chattered about topping some chart for the first time, or during that music show where he blurted out a weird bread name in his acceptance speech.
She’d drop an egg by accident first thing in the morning, stuff like that.
So maybe something good was happening today, too.
Nodding with an optimistic “good is good” mindset, she peered into the closet.
“……”
There was an old radio tucked in the corner, but she hesitated to reach for it.
It wasn’t because she was too short or couldn’t stretch that far.
It was because of who the item had belonged to.
‘My Myeong-eun treasured this thing so much.’
The ancient radio had been her daughter’s before she’d married.
Pulling out something her daughter had used made her chest tighten for no reason.
Maybe she should just install that app on her phone like Woojoo suggested.
But smartphones were an unfamiliar alien world to her, so she decided to go with the radio after all.
“Ugh, look at all this dust.”
She wiped it down thoroughly with a wet wipe and plugged in the cord.
Then, with bated breath, she pressed the power button.
She half-expected it not to turn on after all these years, but aside from a slight crackle, it worked fine.
She tuned the frequency, and a clear voice flowed out.
-Had a fun day today? Alright, Jang Sowon’s Wonderful Night starts now!
A familiar voice.
It belonged to the woman who’d appeared on broadcasts with her grandson for a whole month.
She’d seemed awfully fierce at first glance.
But according to her grandson, she was super kind and a great senior.
‘Still an hour to go before they come on.’
She’d heard other singers would be on too.
No bad news meant they were probably decent folks, but she shook her head.
Who knew.
Her grandson was the type who never talked about that stuff.
Back in elementary school, some jealous punk had picked a fight with the popular kid out of envy, even taunting him about not having parents.
Even during the big fight that followed, and when that kid’s parents showed up at school causing a scene, her grandson had stayed quiet.
Even at that young age, he’d hated worrying his grandma, and now that he was older, it must be even more so.
Thinking of her grandson made her heart ache.
He’d said the entertainment world was filthy and cutthroat—how tough must it be for a young kid just starting out.
Parents always worried, even if they didn’t show it.
“……Shouldn’t have turned it on so early.”
Her mood soured, so she got up to keep busy.
Who knew she’d inherited Seon Wooju’s philosophy of working through complicated feelings—no need to say from whom.
She swept the room again for morning, mopped the floor, and fed the stray cat that had started slinking around lately.
She busied herself like that for a bit.
Finally, 9 o’clock arrived.
She turned off the fan in case it drowned anything out and sat in front of the radio, waiting for her grandson’s voice.
-Hello! We’re New Black!
A hearty greeting drew applause.
-I’m Woojoo, the member handling lead vocals and leader duties in the group.
-Main vocal, Ri-hyeok here.
Familiar voices chimed in one by one.
That’s when something slinked in through the open door crack.
“Eek.”
The intruding cat hesitated.
“That damn thing’s back again.”
She shooed it gruffly, but it grew bolder and strutted right in.
Dark paw prints stained the freshly mopped floor.
She was about to unleash a torrent of curses to chase it out when—
Meow.
It tumbled over, belly up, and she lost her timing.
She smacked her lips a few times before pointing sternly at the radio.
“I’m letting you off today because of this. No mercy next time—not even broth. You and I, Nabi, promise that you only come in today, got it?”
Meow.
Whether it understood or not, she ignored the mewling cat and focused on the radio.
It was a simple broadcast, but to Madam Kim Deok-soon, it was pure healing time.
Hearing her grandson’s voice on the radio was so warm and comforting.
The day’s fatigue melted away.
She stroked the now-docile cat’s head as it lay there and listened intently.
Part 3 had her laughing nonstop.
She couldn’t visualize everything just from audio, but the scenes came alive in her mind anyway.
Ri-hyeok turning into a persimmon was one thing.
When her grandson made that pitiful face over military service, she knew exactly what it looked like and burst out laughing.
She was enjoying it like that when her ears perked up at her grandson’s words right before the live.
-I grew up in my grandma’s arms since I was little.
Explaining the memory behind “Night Sea,” she widened her eyes.
‘He made that song for me to hear?’
No wonder he’d kept nagging her to listen to the radio or he’d get upset.
That was the reason.
She felt proud, and though no one was watching, she fought a grin.
‘He even made a song for me.’
But her grandson’s next words brought a full bloom of smiles.
Old memories flooded back fresh and green.
The times she’d lull him to sleep on her back when he whined about not being able to sleep.
‘He was so cute back then.’
Just thinking about it made her beam.
Sure, he creeped her out now, but he’d been adorable as a kid.
All the neighborhood sisters would offer on school days, “Grandma, I’ll take Woojoo to school.”
-So before the ads, leave a word for your grandma?
Madam Kim Deok-soon swallowed.
She perked her ears, waiting for what her grandson would say.
-Yeah, Madam Kim Deok-soon. I love you tons.
Oh my.
The cat stared as she awkwardly clenched her fists at the words.
After a moment.
Madam Kim Deok-soon burst into hearty laughter.
-Since it’s my song, listen closely… And, uh… Fighting to all the grandmas across the nation. You’ve worked hard raising your grandkids.
He always had to mess up at the end.
Like that bread slip-up last time.
She laughed, but a twinge of worry crept in.
‘Now he’s gotta sing well.’
The previous stage had gone great, whatever it was.
The song hadn’t been her taste—too flashy for her tin ear—but even she could tell it was good.
What if his song fell short compared to theirs?
But that worry vanished the moment Seo Ri-hyeok started humming.
Undeniably skilled.
She’d scold anyone else for whistling so lightly, but this hum was calm and pleasant.
It even drew you in.
Sucking listeners into a sentimental mood.
The 30 seconds felt like 10 before the song kicked off.
‘After all that noisy flower-viewing song, this one’s so soothing.’
Her grandson really was talented.
Just listening painted the song’s imagery vividly.
Splash—
The opening wave sounds tickled her ears.
Familiar scenes resurfaced.
That summer night with stars twinkling, door to the yard open, lulling him on her back.
Right by her side, he whispered the low song.
Walking through very old memories
Rusty gate swishing its tail
Slip off shoes, cross the threshold
There, your lap comes into view
Madam Kim Deok-soon held her breath motionless until her grandson’s part ended.
Her chest swelled softly.
Each word dripped with deep longing.
A voice saying, I miss those days too.
Her body warmed.
The day’s knots had vanished without a trace.
She stared at the innocent ceiling to cool her eyes when Seo Ri-hyeok took over.
Lie back, gaze at the night sky
Everything bears traces
This star, your scent
That star, your touch
His voice was as lovely as the hum.
He looked cold and sharp on TV, but how could his singing voice be so beautiful?
Madam Kim Deok-soon smiled.
If her grandson’s sang longing, his seemed to say thanks somehow.
Maybe because they were teammates.
Seo Ri-hyeok’s singing felt as dear as her own flesh and blood.
Like brothers singing for the same person.
And then,
Her grandson picked up.
Stars aren’t pretty anymore
Darkness doesn’t scare me now, but
Meanwhile, Ri-hyeok’s voice wove in.
While one side sang of longing, a rich, thankful tone surged forth.
I still think of it
The night sky we gazed at together
That night sea back then
As the chorus hit, their voices merged.
Blending into harmony like one voice.
If songs had colors, the one from the radio would be stunningly beautiful, she thought.
That night sea back then
Your scent
That night sea back then
Your voice
Post-chorus, Woojoo’s hum pleasantly tickled her ears.
Madam Kim Deok-soon sniffled unnecessarily.
Looking down at the blunt gaze, a round face stared back.
“Grandma ain’t crying. Nabi, it’s your fur flying around.”
Something warm rubbed against her leg.
The sensation recalled long-ago nights cradling her grandson tight till sleep came.
It almost felt like hallucinations.
The radio played only lyrics, yet she heard her grandson’s words within.
Thank you.
And I miss you.
“……”
She swallowed silently.
She’d never known what to call these feelings at her age—and probably never would.
Pride, pity, gratitude, affection—all tangled up.
Her gaze turned to the radio.
No faces, just voices, yet emotions hit more vividly.
Unlike TV’s one-way monologues, radio felt like real conversation.
No wonder her daughter had lived glued to it.
That thought led her eyes to the framed photo on the desk.
A faded picture.
She stroked her daughter’s beaming face holding flowers and smiled.
‘Your son turned out great, Myeong-eun.’
Amid gentle guitar strums, Madam Kim Deok-soon gazed out the window.
A bright moonlit night.
Truly a song fitting this late hour.
* * *
While someone in Gunsan teared up listening.
‘Night Sea’s’ warm vibe was tugging at late-night listeners’ heartstrings.
A truck driver heading to Gyeonggi tapped the wheel unconsciously to the beat.
Someone ascending a subway escalator leaned wearily on the rail and smiled.
A supermarket owner listening to the soft guitar pondered visiting his hometown this holiday season while eyeing the moon outside.
A student solving workbooks at home pulled out his earbuds mid-song and went to the living room where his parents watched TV.
Meanwhile.
In the studio, the DJ and staff watching the two singers perform ‘Night Sea’ wore gentle smiles.
* * *
The final guitar pluck ended the song.
Whew.
My eyes stung.
Sudden fatigue hit.
Regaining my senses, I realized we were back in the radio booth.
It’d been ages since I’d immersed myself in a song like that.
Savoring the pleasant exhaustion, I locked eyes with the main vocal flailing beside me.
We exchanged smiles.
‘Good job.’
‘You too.’
No words needed; we knew.
It was our deepest immersion since the debut showcase.
Honestly, no clue how it’d be received.
The A&R team said it was great, but Ri-hyeok and I had our doubts.
Repeating the same song hundreds of times in a week dulled your judgment on good or bad.
But.
Even if reviews sucked, I didn’t care right now.
It felt like after nailing the year-end eval performance or the acapella at debut showcase.
That connection while singing.
Priceless, irreplaceable.
After lingering eye contact with Ri-hyeok, I glanced at the monitor.
“……Huh?”
The chat was dead silent.
No comments, something off—I tilted my head.
Even Jang Sowon sunbae, about to react, narrowed her eyes at the barren chat.
That’s when I noticed the staff beyond the glass.
Among the beaming faces, a middle-aged man in a chair gave a thumbs-up.
Like praising us.
We smiled and bowed.
But the engineer twisted his thumb downward.
What?
Some new diss? Then I realized it gestured at the monitor.
Ri-hyeok and I went wide-eyed.
……Huh?
We got why the chat was quiet.
Lag.
The once-still chat exploded before our eyes.