Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Stars Over New York
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Yeonwoo and Olivia Snow, who had appeared on Japan's top music broadcast, soaked up all the attention and affection from the crowd.
On top of that, Yeonwoo showcased his incredibly fluent Japanese, which only amplified their love for him.
After all, when a star from another country speaks your language so masterfully, it creates goodwill out of thin air.
Having wrapped up their Japanese broadcast appearances so successfully, Yeonwoo and Olivia Snow immediately boarded her private jet.
"Welcome aboard. First time on my plane, right?"
"Wow... This plane is yours, sis?"
"Yep."
"Expensive?"
"Very. But you'll have one soon enough."
Yeonwoo nodded at her words, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in the jet.
In his world, the inside of a plane looked like rows upon rows of cramped seats.
He mostly flew full-service carriers, but he'd taken budget airlines a few times when necessary, so Olivia Snow's jet felt like another world entirely.
"It feels just like a house inside a plane."
"Well, it's basically a flying house."
"I see..."
There was a master bedroom, a living room area, a reception space, two shower facilities, and more.
Calling it a house wasn't an exaggeration.
But for some reason, Yeonwoo's face looked downcast.
"What's wrong? Scared of flying? This plane's pretty safe, you know. The pilot and co-pilot are both highly skilled and experienced."
Olivia Snow asked, but Yeonwoo shook his head.
"No, it's not that. Dad and Grandma got business class, and I feel bad about it."
They'd wanted to book first class, but there weren't any seats available on their schedule, so business class it was.
Olivia Snow grinned at Yeonwoo's words.
"I saw that and went ahead and switched their flights for them. Don't worry about it."
"You can do that?"
"American airlines had openings."
Yeonwoo's face finally brightened. Olivia Snow smiled at him.
"Want to grab something to eat once we take off? You like steak, right?"
"Steak... on a plane?!"
"Of course! I'll have some flown in from a famous New York steakhouse. Won't be quite as good as eating there since it's made mid-flight, but..."
"That sounds awesome!!"
Olivia Snow chuckled and sat Yeonwoo down beside her, buckling his seatbelt.
Jessie, who had flown in from New York to pick up Olivia Snow, watched the scene in stunned silence.
Olivia Snow, who treasured nothing in the world except herself, was doting on a child—the very type she despised most—like he was the center of the universe.
"What? Why are you staring like that? Never seen me before?"
"......"
Yeah, that was Olivia Snow, alright.
"How about prepping some whiskey?"
"No, Yeonwoo hates the smell of booze. We'll talk music later—give it to me after he falls asleep."
"......"
This went beyond doting. She was acting like his mom.
* * *
"Bourbon, on the rocks, please."
As Heo Ok ordered whiskey inside the plane, Jihoon sat up across the aisle, opened his door, and called out to her.
"Mom, how long has it been since your full checkup? You're ordering whiskey already?"
"The results aren't even out yet. A light one won't hurt."
This time, Jiyeong, seated next to Heo Ok, peeked around and chimed in.
"Mom, listen to my brother. Whiskey?!"
"You should cut back yourself. How many beers have you had already?"
"...Beer doesn't count as booze."
Jiyeong muttered and shrank back.
"It's not straight-up. Don't worry. Just something to help me sleep."
Jihoon seemed reluctant to argue over one drink, so he nodded and shut his door.
Heo Ok took the whiskey the flight attendant brought, swirling the glass as she gazed at her monitor.
The plane was heading toward the North American continent.
How long had it been since America?
Nearly twenty years.
The place where she'd abandoned her family to chase her youth, full of memories—but that choice had left her with regrets, so she'd never returned or even thought about it.
Truth be told, America had done nothing wrong.
She'd lived wildly, lived poor, but in the end, she'd gotten to pursue the music she loved to her heart's content.
America had given her opportunities and let her seize them. She owed it a debt of gratitude.
Which was why her feelings were so complicated now.
Her family—estranged for so long, clumsily patching things up—was heading to America, and it still didn't feel real.
And her grandson was different from her.
Back in the days of rampant racism, she'd chased dreams amid constant slights and dismissals. But Yeonwoo had already conquered the world, dominating even the iconic Melboard chart like a triumphant general marching into his territory.
Unthinkable in the era when Heo Ok had made her name in jazz.
Why had her own famed name in the jazz world vanished like a lie?
After she left, Asians rarely shone for long, but more than that, the gatekeepers of the time had deliberately ignored and buried her achievements.
In a way, that's how insignificant it all was.
'Why bother with something so trivial...'
It felt empty, but her grandson was different.
Everyone would look up to him.
No—they already were.
America was calling Yeonwoo a superstar.
Even America acknowledged his insane talent.
If she had one wish, it was to live long enough to see him conquer the Grammys too, becoming a legend etched in America's memory for ages.
* * *
After landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Yeonwoo followed Olivia Snow to her New York home.
He gazed at the dazzling city.
He'd thought Seoul's nights were flashy, but New York had a different vibe—and somehow felt even more brilliant.
"New York's amazing, sis."
"Isn't it? Do you know what they call New York?"
"No clue!"
"You're so proud of not knowing? Well, first time here, I guess it's natural. Anyway, people call New York the capital of the world."
"So it's like the Seoul of the world?"
"That's how incredible it is."
"I see."
Yeonwoo nodded vigorously, taking in the sights.
By then, their car had pulled up to her place.
"That tall building—is that your house, sis?"
Olivia Snow smiled at his question.
"The place at the very top of that building is mine."
Her New York home was a penthouse in a building with a clear view of Central Park.
Olivia Snow, who had risen from rock bottom to greater success than anyone, spent her winters here—the priciest neighborhood, perfectly matching her love for crisp, wintry cold.
Come to think of it, it had been ages since she'd come here in summer.
She hated summer so much she'd rarely released albums or done promo then.
No promo meant no visits, so summer here was truly a rarity.
"Wow... Sis, it's like the night sky here."
Yeonwoo dashed to the penthouse window, prompting Olivia Snow to join him with a puzzled look.
"Look—the lights twinkling like stars. That's why I said night sky."
"Poetic. You could write lyrics too, master. Why don't you?"
"I'm still too young. No life experience, so my lyrics wouldn't resonate."
"Ruthless."
"Music's passionate, but judgment's cold—even from me."
"That's poetic too."
Olivia Snow asked,
"Hungry?"
"...Kinda."
"Anything you want?"
Yeonwoo, mesmerized by the cityscape, turned to her.
"Hamburger!! And pizza!!"
"...That's it?"
Hamburgers and pizza were among the foods she loathed most.
Back before success, when money was tight and she dreamed of singing, they'd been her cheap staples.
Torturous times for someone who hated quintessentially American eats.
"They say once you try burgers and pizza in America, you can never go back to Korea's."
"Who said?"
"My aunt. Now I'm curious. How good can they be?"
Then she had to order some.
Olivia Snow glanced at Jessie, who was already pulling up a delivery app to order New York's best before she could speak.
Satisfied, Yeonwoo turned back to the view.
Then, suddenly,
"Sis, got a piano?"
"Piano? Right over there."
Olivia Snow didn't play much, but it fit the vibe—a transparent grand piano sat in one corner.
Yeonwoo eyed it skeptically, sat down, and tapped the keys.
"You've never touched this, have you, sis?"
"Nope. Why?"
"The tuning's way off. Got a classical guitar?"
"Yeah, one sec."
Olivia Snow fetched the guitar and handed it over.
Jessie was shocked again.
Olivia Snow never let anyone—Jessie included—touch her stuff, especially instruments (cases were okay, but not the instruments themselves).
And here she was, handing it over freely.
Yeonwoo strummed a few times, tuned it, and began playing.
"What's this? Never heard it."
"Yep—just made it."
Yeonwoo shrugged it off and kept playing.
The gentle melody spreading through the room was, of course, jazz.
Olivia Snow wasn't a huge jazz fan, but Yeonwoo's playing made her wonder if it'd always been this good.
Then, suddenly...
"Is this a 'star' too?"
The fragmented notes felt like "star" from his debut album.
"Right. This one's the stars spread over New York City. The stars you can see from your house, sis."
"Oh?"
"That's why it feels so luxurious. Made from a view only expensive places get."
...She'd been sinking into the mood, but his words shattered it.
"Title's New York City Penthouse."
"Let's go with something like Stars of New York. 'Penthouse' might rub people the wrong way."
"You think? Oh, how about this?"
Yeonwoo varied the melody. Into his new tune, New York City Penthouse, he wove in From Cracker.
"After success, maybe After Cracker?"
"That's... too on-the-nose, isn't it? Dream's End or something? Nah, scrap it."
At this rate, he'd make Star's Fall next.
Yeonwoo shrugged at Olivia Snow's words and played free jazz until the food arrived.
Olivia Snow and Jessie were soon lost in his music.
Time flew by unnoticed on their first night in New York.