Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: Grandpa Shuji's Visit
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“Who is this? It’s our Yeonwoo!!”
Datemura Shuji let out a roar like a tiger’s bellow and hoisted Yeonwoo up into the air.
“Grandpa, have you been well?”
“Of course, of course. More than well—I’ve been blissfully happy all thanks to our Yeonwoo.”
And it was true.
How could he not be happy with an artist topping the Melboard charts?
“That’s a relief then. Stay healthy always!!”
“Kehahaha! Our Yeonwoo is the only one who worries about this old man. The company’s taking good care of you, right?”
As he said that, Datemura Shuji glanced back over his shoulder.
His fierce gaze made the company staff, Nanase Datemura included, stiffen and stand at attention without realizing it.
“Of course. Buy him whatever he wants to eat, let him do whatever he wants.”
“That’s right, that’s how it should be. That’s how it has to be for our Yeonwoo.”
And it really was.
He’d hit number one on Melboard, and at just eight years old. Keeping Yeonwoo around for the long haul would turn JOP’s future into a golden path—no exaggeration.
It wasn’t just about not killing the goose that laid the golden eggs; you couldn’t even mistreat the goose.
“Oh, right—Yuri and Annosuke will swing by sometime today too. They’ve been dying to see you.”
“I want to see them too.”
Yuri and Annosuke were swamped these days.
They had gigs big and small all across the country, plus commercials.
Icons of the 10s and 20s, maybe?
With their unique visuals and overflowing charm, the two were boosting their value by appearing in all sorts of ads.
Yuri even had a drama role lined up, while Annosuke had caught the eye of a famous anime director and been cast as the lead voice actor in his next project.
There wasn’t some special reason they hadn’t rushed to see Yeonwoo right after he arrived in Japan. They were genuinely busy.
“By the way... where’s Olivia Snow?”
“She’s sleeping.”
“Sleeping? What time is it?”
“She probably stayed up late working on a song yesterday.”
“Heh heh, even someone at her level keeps composing overseas? Impressive. No wonder they call her the Queen of the Grammys.”
Yeonwoo just smiled at that.
Truth be told, she’d gotten some inspiration from Yeonwoo’s advice yesterday and had worked on a track alone for the first time in ages.
It was a sight Yeonwoo hadn’t seen since they’d started living together.
During her hiatuses, she didn’t touch anything musical at all.
She said emptying her head helped the next songs come out better.
Yeonwoo didn’t agree, but he respected it.
And above all, she was already at a level others looked up to—a position where she didn’t need to hustle nonstop.
Hell, she could retire right now and live luxuriously forever. No rush.
But she was a singer through and through.
The kind who couldn’t sit still when musical inspiration struck.
“Oh, speak of the tiger—looks like she’s up.”
Yeonwoo said that at the noise coming from the other room.
“Tora? Speak of the tiger and it appears?”
“It’s a saying—if you talk about someone, they show up.”
“Sounds like ‘speak of the devil and his shadow appears.’”
“Japan has a similar saying too?”
Just as Shuji nodded like “guess so,” someone sauntered into the dorm’s reception room.
It was midsummer, but Olivia Snow appeared in a thick nightgown, eye mask still perched on her head like a headband.
“What’s this? Talking about me behind my back? And why are there so many people?”
“These are all company folks. You know the others, and this grandpa here is our company president, Grandpa Datemura Shuji.”
“Oh, got it. Nice to meet you all?”
Olivia Snow plopped down next to Yeonwoo as she said that.
“So, what were you talking about?”
“Just catching up since it’s been a while.”
“Your English is fluent?”
“Spent some time in the States back in the day.”
Datemura Shuji eyed Olivia Snow closely as he spoke, his eyes soon lighting up.
No makeup, outfit a mess—but her aura was something else.
‘As expected...!’
As the man who’d created the Yellow Fairy, he smelled money on Olivia Snow.
If she stepped out on the street like that, she’d turn her nightgown and sleep mask into the next street fashion trend.
Especially in Japan.
People said Japanese fashion wasn’t trend-obsessed, but that wasn’t true at all.
They didn’t copy exactly or go overboard—they lagged a bit due to conservatism—but with someone like Olivia Snow, they’d watch closely and subtly emulate.
Datemura Shuji brainstormed countless business ideas involving her, then dropped it.
Focus on the golden child in his arms; no point meddling with someone not even in his grasp.
He turned back to Yeonwoo with eyes dripping honey.
“With our Yeonwoo’s popularity piercing the heavens these days, you absolutely can’t go out without bodyguards or staff, got it? Jaehoon here has to stick with you too.”
“Yeah!!”
“By the way, why didn’t your grandma or dad come along?”
“I booked Grandma for a full checkup! Dad’s going with her in my place!”
“A full checkup?”
“Yeah, I asked Jaehoon hyung to set up a full health screening for Grandma!”
“Oho, I see. Our Yeonwoo really is such a filial boy. Looking after his grandma’s checkup and all.”
Yeonwoo smiled shyly at that.
He’d heard that people needed regular full checkups as they aged, so Grandma and Dad had come to mind, and he’d booked them.
Dad had just done one at the company, so he was fine, but Grandma hadn’t had one in ages. So he’d scheduled it and even roped Dad into making sure she went.
If it were Aunt, maybe not, but if Dad said to go, Grandma would follow without a word.
“With no family around, Jaehoon, you keep a close eye on things. This country’s full of unpredictable weirdos.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be careful.”
He’d phrased it gently for Yeonwoo’s sake, but Datemura Shuji was warning to watch out for anyone who might harm Yeonwoo.
Japan was in the grip of Yu-in Syndrome, Yeonwoo’s popularity skyrocketing—but that meant there were factions who hated him.
Because Yeonwoo was Korean.
With the Korean Wave reigniting thanks to him after a lull, the far-right was slamming an eight-year-old and his fans.
Plus inferiority complexes and all sorts—plenty of reasons to hate Yeonwoo.
Or just attention-seeking crazies looking to make a scene.
Of course, how often did that happen? But Japan really had too many unpredictable people; better safe.
Unlike Datemura Shuji’s worries, Yeonwoo was happy in Japan.
Walking down the street felt like the whole world was watching him.
“Oji-sama,” “prince”—that’s what he heard everywhere, eyes gazing at him with adoration.
It fed his exhibitionist streak to the brim.
No need to push himself; they watched him anyway.
But he couldn’t stay in Japan long this time.
After the music show, he had to head to America.
Tomorrow, even.
He’d wondered if he could see Yuri and Annosuke before leaving, but luckily, he met them that evening.
“Yeonwoo, you’ve grown a bit since I last saw you?”
“Yeah, I’m in a big growth spurt.”
“I wish you’d stay little and cute like this forever.”
Yuri pouted, but Yeonwoo got serious.
“No way. I’m gonna grow up fast and be an adult. I hate being a little kid.”
“Hahaha, that’s exactly what I used to say as a kid.”
Annosuke laughed.
“But now that I’m grown, I kinda miss being little sometimes.”
Yuri and Annosuke were chatting away with Yeonwoo when they glanced aside.
They were at a yakiniku spot booked for dinner, and Olivia Snow was devouring meat like she was possessed.
“What? Why are you kids staring like that? Anyway, Yeonwoo, Japan’s got decent meat too. Not quite pork belly or ribs, but close. The cold noodles suck, though. No wonder you skip ’em?”
Yuri whispered as Olivia Snow inhaled premium Wagyu like cheap pork belly, grumbling.
“She eats a ton. No meat in America?”
“Yuri, why whisper? She doesn’t even understand Japanese. Whoa, that’s my meat!?”
Annoske scolded Yuri, then yelped as Olivia Snow snatched his.
While Annoske ordered more with a pout, Yeonwoo wrapped rice in meat, chewed thoroughly, swallowed, and spoke up.
“You two are about due for a new album, right?”
“Huh? Oh... yeah, I guess? Too busy to notice.”
Yeonwoo nodded and slid something over. An external SSD.
“This one’s a full album. Fifteen tracks.”
Yuri and Annoske froze. So did the JOP staffers watching Yeonwoo from behind while eating.
A new Yuri & Annoske album? A full debut, no less?
“But you haven’t had time to make an album?”
“Yeah, I did these on the side. Arrangements are done. You guys write the lyrics yourselves or ask the company. Too busy for producing this time.”
Yuri and Annoske were touched, watching Yeonwoo brush off making fifteen whole tracks.
“Yeonwoo...”
“You’re the first Japanese singers I raised. Gotta see it through to the end. Musically, at least. For the rest, ask Aunt Nanase. She’s great at directing.”
Yeonwoo knew Nanase excelled as an overall producer beyond just music.
“Got it!!”
Olivia Snow, spotting them tuck away the precious SSD with teary nods, yelled belatedly.
“What?! What about me? Why no songs for me?! Gimme some too!!”
Yeonwoo shook his head firmly at her outburst.
“Sis, break through your own wall first!! Hand you some now, and you’ll get spoiled!”
“What about them? Didn’t you give them songs from the start?!”
“They weren’t raised to be singer-songwriters from the jump! It’s different from you!”
“Tch, meanie.”
“But I’ll check the track you made this time. Help with the arrangement too.”
Olivia Snow, who’d been pouting, grinned slyly.
“For real? Promise?”
Yeonwoo realized he’d been had.
As the snow-white fox smiled bewitchingly, he irritably scooped up all the meat in front of her with his chopsticks and shoved it in his mouth.
“Aaah! That’s my meat!!! ”
Yeonwoo just snorted.