Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Lunch with President Yoon
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Daeun probably knew some English, so she wasn't telling stories like that by accident.
From spending time with her up until now, I knew this was just part of Daeun's personality.
It wasn't like she was trying to be funny on purpose—it was more like an instinctive knack for being a mood maker, lightening the atmosphere.
Swoosh.
At Daeun's actions, President Yoon covered her mouth with her hand, as if trying to hide a smile.
Of course, her mouth wasn't smiling at all. Then she extended her hand and pointed to the seat across from her.
"Have a seat."
Scrape.
I pulled out a chair for Daeun to sit comfortably, then took the seat next to her.
A brief silence settled between us.
'Hmm.'
I had prepared things I wanted to say when meeting President Yoon, but now that she was right in front of me, my mind went completely blank.
I should say something, anything.
Maybe start with some light, everyday chit-chat.
I looked at President Yoon and asked.
"Have you been staying in Korea this whole time?"
At my question, she replied casually.
"I got the call yesterday and flew in from the US this morning."
"Yes?"
"To see you, Painter Lee Kanghyeok."
I could only give an awkward smile at President Yoon's words, delivered so matter-of-factly.
"Haha, th-the flight's pretty long, isn't it?"
"About 14 hours."
"Hahaha...."
I couldn't say anything more and had to lower my head.
I felt sorry, but also, how worried must she have been about the value of the painting to fly all the way to distant Korea?
Right then, Daeun, who had been quietly gauging the mood...
Quietly boasted.
"Daeun rode airplane too...."
At that, President Yoon, who had been staring at us expressionlessly, asked.
"Where did you go?"
Thinking she was interested in her story, Daeun beamed and replied.
"Daeun did! Rode airplane! Went to place called Jeju Island! Caught big fish! Ate yummy stuff! And and...!"
I considered stopping her, but President Yoon listened without interrupting.
I thought I'd pull her back if President Yoon showed even a hint of displeasure.
'She... really is listening.'
She listened all the way to the end.
Even the part where Daeun went to the aquarium and thought she'd lost me, bursting into tears.
And naturally, the promise came up.
"So! Daddy promised Daeun! He'll get super super famous so Daeun never feels like this again!"
Swoosh.
At that, President Yoon looked at me.
And asked.
"Is this the story you sent in the email, by any chance?"
Gulp.
The talk about the TV appearance had come up somehow.
It was probably for the best. I'd planned to bring it up today anyway.
Better for it to come up naturally like this than awkwardly forcing it.
Nod.
"Yes, that's right. I was going to mention it separately, but it looks like I'll have to appear on the broadcast. So, I'm worried that the value of the painting you own might..."
Just then, President Yoon nodded.
"Go ahead and do it."
"Yes?"
Swoosh.
She looked at Daeun expressionlessly and said.
"You have to keep promises."
Was she misunderstanding what I meant?
If it were that simple, I wouldn't have come here with such difficulty.
Feeling I at least needed to explain, I brought up what I'd prepared on the way.
"If I appear on a broadcast, the value of my existing paintings could drop. One or two pieces might be fine, but you own quite a few of mine. I was concerned there might be financial repercussions..."
Swoosh.
At my explanation, President Yoon looked at me and asked.
"Then will you refund them?"
"...."
Gulp.
The moment I'd dreaded had arrived.
I'd expected the refund talk, but hearing it still made my head spin.
But.
"What should I do about this, though?"
"Yes?"
"I didn't buy Painter Lee Kanghyeok's paintings just for their monetary value. It wasn't purely an investment, either. So even if you offer a refund, I'd like to decline."
In the end, she was saying she didn't need a refund.
And that even if the paintings' value dropped due to the broadcast, she wouldn't make a big deal of it.
Of course, I didn't have to take full responsibility, but still—this was a matter of...
Yeah, ethics.
"Thank you for understanding."
At my gratitude, she gave a slight nod and turned her gaze back to Daeun.
Then quietly asked.
"Was there anything else?"
"Ah!"
At the question about what else happened, Daeun lit up with pure joy and launched into her story again.
"Daeun and Daddy!"
She was still so young.
Her explanations weren't always coherent and could be hard to follow, but President Yoon listened patiently to the end.
No interruptions, no questions. She just quietly let Daeun chatter excitedly.
'Is she enjoying this?'
Before long, the story had moved from Jeju Island back to our daily life.
It was the kind of tale that might seem boring, but President Yoon's expression and posture never wavered as she listened intently.
After hearing all of Daeun's excited ramblings, she said to her.
"You really like your daddy, don't you, Daeun?"
Yeah.
It was a perfectly ordinary comment, but for some reason, it felt off.
Was it because her question lacked any emotion? Right then, Daeun tilted her head and asked back.
"Pretty auntie doesn't like Daddy?"
Daddy, huh.
All I'd known about President Yoon until now was her face.
She'd asked to be called President Yoon, so that's what I used—her actual appearance was hardly distinguishable from a Westerner's.
I'd even wondered if Yoon really was her family name.
And now she was being asked about Daddy.
By Daeun.
"I liked him once, but after learning the truth, I don't anymore."
Huh, what did that even mean? Liked him once, but stopped after learning the truth?
"So you don't like him now?"
President Yoon nodded at Daeun's question.
"That's right."
It was a somewhat sad story, but for some reason, President Yoon seemed pitiful sharing it.
Sensing the mood, Daeun said quietly with a sad face.
"Pretty auntie sad."
Knock knock.
Just then, a knock came at the door of our room, followed by the server's voice.
"Your meal is ready. May I assist with setting the table?"
"Yes, come in."
At President Yoon's permission, the server entered, and soon the empty table was filled with mouthwatering dishes.
The mood lightened up again, thanks to that.
President Yoon turned to us and said.
"You must be hungry, so let's eat."
We thanked her sincerely.
"Then we'll dig in gratefully."
"Wow, yummy! We'll eat well!"
And so our lunch with President Yoon began.
* * *
"Daddy, Daeun tummy full."
Considering the setting, she didn't pat her belly like usual, but she was still incredibly cute.
"Daeun tummy full."
"Yeah, but ate so much."
I'd thought she ate non-stop, but the amount was insane.
The courses kept coming without pause, which made it worse.
At Daeun's words and actions, President Yoon set down her fork and knife and asked.
"Was it delicious?"
"Yes! Super super yummy!"
Then, at Daeun's reply, President Yoon asked curiously.
"Hmm, but about that way of speaking."
"My way of speaking?"
"Yes, that 'super super' thing you do."
...Huh?
What was this out-of-the-blue question?
"I'd actually like to learn it myself. How does it work?"
Wait, was President Yoon saying she wanted to learn Daeun's speech pattern?
I had to doubt my own ears.
I never imagined President Yoon would want to learn something like that.
Oblivious to it all, Daeun grinned innocently.
"Super easy!"
"How do you do it?"
"When feel good, just super super!"
What kind of explanation was that?
"When exactly is 'feel good'? What emotion is it?"
Why was she asking so seriously?
But Daeun did her absolute best to explain.
"Hmm... so, when this part goes super thump thump, say super super!"
I had no clue.
I couldn't make sense of it at all, and I was her dad.
Swoosh.
"This part goes thump thump, huh."
President Yoon was genuinely trying hard to understand Daeun.
"So if this part thumps, you repeat 'super'?"
"Yes! Exactly! Super super easy, right?"
"Are you feeling thump thump here right now, Daeun?"
'Yeah.'
It was just a split second, but her question felt oddly desperate.
Why, when the atmosphere was anything but?
"Yes! Daeun's always thump thump here!"
At that, President Yoon pondered for a moment.
Then said something unexpected.
"Mus...t be nice. Thump thump every day."
Suddenly, the mood sank.
I figured it was time to change the subject and asked.
"Uh, P-President Yoon."
"Yes, Painter Lee Kanghyeok."
"If you arrived this morning, how many days are you planning to stay in Korea?"
She shook her head.
"No particular schedule. I came to Korea today solely to see you, Painter Lee Kanghyeok."
Even after all our talk, it still hit hard.
No other plans, just to come to Korea.
"Then..."
"Yes. Now that I've met you, Painter Lee Kanghyeok, I should head back to the US."
She'd flown over ten hours just to meet me.
If it were convenient alongside other business, I wouldn't feel so burdened.
But knowing it wasn't...
'I... have to ask.'
Letting her go like this would leave me uneasy.
She might not agree, but I had to at least ask.
"Um, President Yoon."
"Yes."
I asked her cautiously.
"I'm grateful you came all this way to see me, but... could I treat you to a cup of coffee?"
"Coffee?"
Someone like President Yoon surely drank only the priciest, fanciest stuff.
Even as I asked, I worried my cheap coffee wouldn't cut it.
"Yes, I'd like that."
She accepted immediately.
Stunned by her response, I was even more shocked by what followed.
"Oh, and Daeun, on the way to coffee, could you teach me about that thump thump feeling you mentioned?"
...Teach you what?
Dead serious, President Yoon got this response from Daeun, who raised her hand high, unaware of the gravity.
"Yes! Daeun will teach you!"