Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: My Daughter is a Genius Painter
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Swish swish.
Everyone who had gathered to celebrate Daeun's birthday had gone home.
Jungeun Park, who stayed until the end, was helping with the cleanup.
"I could handle this by myself."
"You'd manage fine alone, but even working till morning, you couldn't do it solo."
As I looked around, from the leftover food we'd eaten to everything else, it was a total mess.
Even though everyone had done a rough cleanup, there was still a ton left.
"Still, thanks to you, this is going a lot smoother."
"What would you do without me?"
At that, I chuckled and said,
"I couldn't do without you. You're my manager, after all."
"Manager, my ass. Quit yapping and let's clean up. If we leave Daeun like that, she'll catch a cold."
He glanced toward one corner of the studio.
There, Daeun was fast asleep on a makeshift bed she'd made by pushing chairs together.
She probably hadn't gotten proper sleep because I'd been bustling around since early morning.
And she'd gone to the orphanage, and cried along with Hyorin...
Even for a kid with endless stamina, it must've been exhausting.
Seeing her like that, I felt awkwardly sheepish and said,
"Maybe I should get a car sometime. Honestly, you're sticking around to drive her home once she's asleep, right?"
"What're you talking about?"
"You're taking tomorrow off for work, but you used a vacation day for Daeun's birthday today."
"Jeez, don't sweat the small stuff. I've told you a million times—I'd do anything for Daeun."
His words were more than welcome, even if just talk.
He was like a real brother to me, who had none, and to Daeun, an even cooler uncle than blood.
"Thanks for being such an awesome uncle to Daeun."
"If you're grateful, just don't cause any more trouble, sir."
Heh.
He said it like he was talking to a kid, but it didn't bother me at all.
After all, he'd cleaned up almost every mess I'd ever made.
"But I haven't caused any trouble lately."
"You haven't?"
"Uh, yeah. There was one."
"Oooone?"
"Wait, two?"
"Are you messing with me right now?"
With that, Jungeun tossed the rag he was holding aside and walked toward me.
I hurriedly shoved the rag I was holding into his hands.
"Yeah, no messing around. Sorry."
I quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, the broadcast starts next week. Kinda nervous."
"Jeez."
He wasn't one to harp on it forever, so he took the rag I'd forced on him and wiped the table as he spoke.
"Nervous? It's pre-recorded anyway."
"True, but it's the first episode. Can't help it."
"You? Nervous? Please."
I shot back curtly.
"What about me?"
"You didn't flinch lecturing in front of hundreds of students, and now you're acting all shaky."
"Hey, that's not the same as this."
"No, the lecture was probably scarier. That was live."
He was talking about the special university lecture.
I'd been picked as the rep among active alumni artists, on the professor's recommendation.
I remembered there being nearly 300 students there.
I wasn't totally calm then either, but broadcasting felt even more nerve-wracking.
"Oh yeah, I remember that famous line from your lecture."
"Famous line?"
"You seriously don't remember what you said?"
"What did I even say?"
"Damn, you really don't. I thought it was pretty cool at the time."
Something he thought was cool enough to call a famous line?
What was he—
That's when he dropped it.
My forgotten... black history.
"When I gaze at a blank canvas, my heart trembles. Wondering what dreams to pour onto this white expanse—it's like looking at the love of my life," or something like that.
Oh. I remembered.
My horrific black history.
Shivering.
'Ughhh...'
My toes and fingers curled in embarrassment; if I had a blanket, I'd have kicked it a dozen times.
Ah, I'd managed to forget...
His words brought the lecture memory flooding back crystal clear.
'Ha, should've never done that lecture.'
If not for the professor's request, I never would've.
I'd failed to say no, and created black history instead.
"And your nickname back then was something like 'Quote Machine,' right?"
"Can we... drop this?"
I didn't want to dwell on the black history anymore.
If I kept it up, my blanket tonight wouldn't survive.
But Jungeun wasn't done.
"Oh yeah, I remember: 'Have you all experienced love? Right now, I...'"
"Hey!"
I tried to shut him up, but the guy—must've built stamina as a reporter—dodged every grab with agile ease.
He kept muttering it out.
"I'm using this moment to confess. Truth is, I've been two-timing. My other half, Hyorin, whom I love right now... and painting. Urgh!"
"I said stop!"
"Ah, come on! You said you don't remember! Let me jog your memory."
"No, please don't. I wanna forget it. I really wanna erase that memory."
"You really, really don't wanna remember?"
"Of course not..."
"Hyorin said something about it too."
I halted mid-chase and asked,
"What? What'd Hyorin say?"
He straightened his disheveled clothes from running and shot back,
"You don't remember what Hyorin said either?"
Was it trauma? Or did I just wanna forget the black history that bad?
I couldn't recall a thing.
"If you tell me, it might ring a bell."
His face changed oddly at that.
A thick smile, like he'd caught me...
"It's a secret."
"What?"
"What goes around comes around. Want the story? Bring me an exclusive."
I narrowed my eyes.
"How big an exclusive?"
"Given the content, it'd have to be front-page material."
Overkill. Front-page worthy? That'd be like a chaebol heir's wedding...
'I got one.'
Not front-page, but exclusive bait for Jungeun.
I steeled my expression.
"Keep your promise."
"Spill it first."
To him, I shared my biggest scoop.
I'd planned to anyway.
"You know President Yoon?"
"President Yoon? Of course. He's your biggest buyer."
"You know he came to Korea recently?"
"He did?"
"Yeah. He made a proposal to me and Daeun."
"What kind?"
My words made his eyes go wide.
"Me and Daeun are gonna collab on a clothing company he's investing in."
"Cl-Clothing company? You mean luxury brand?"
Nod.
I nodded, and he blinked blankly before blurting,
"Whoa, this... this is a real scoop!"
"Seriously?"
"Dude! Can I turn this into an article?"
"Hmm, lemme check with President Yoon first."
"Yeah, if we can run this story, it'd be huge. Might even hit news headlines."
"No way it'd go that far..."
But his follow-up had me nodding unwittingly.
"It's luxury. A brand Koreans love. If we publish, it'll blow up—no doubt."
If Jungeun said so, it was gospel.
No one sniffed out scoops like him.
Seeing his reaction, I asked,
"So, what'd Hyorin say?"
"Oh, that? Nothing major, but she did say it."
"What?"
"I'll love a man like that for the rest of my life."
On the way home.
The car was quiet.
Partly because Daeun was asleep, but Jungeun knew exactly what wish she'd made at the cake, so he didn't pry at all.
'Thanks, man.'
I glanced at Daeun, dozing against my lap.
Never imagined she'd wish that on her cake, but losing Mom must've hit her hard.
And who could blame her? To Daeun, Mom was her whole world, everything.
I wasn't different, but "mom" meant even more to her.
I turned from Daeun to gaze out the window.
Late night after sunset, dim.
Empty streets lit lonely by streetlamps, as we drove silently.
Tick tock, tick tock.
In a few minutes, the day would change, and Daeun's birthday would end.
Along with her wish.
'Should I make one too?'
The thought hit me to wish as well.
Sure, it was Daeun's day, but if I wished her wish for her, wouldn't it count?
Might sound silly, but before her birthday ended...
Gulp.
I had one wish I desperately wanted to make.
I knew better than anyone it wouldn't come true, but still, one I wanted to voice.
I closed my eyes quietly and wished inside.
Before Daeun's birthday ended.
Knowing it wouldn't happen, yet clinging to hope.
If some god existed, please hear it...
'Please bring back Hyorin.'
And so, Daeun's fifth birthday passed.
A week flew by.
Today was the recording for the first episode of PD Kim Chanmi's program.
"Daddy! Daeun's weady!"
Thanks to prepping early, we made it on time without rush.
All thanks to Daeun's eager help, of course.
"Yeah! Let's head out!"
"Yeah... Ahh!"
At that, she nodded halfway, then shot her hand up and yelled.
"Wait! Hold on a sec!"
Her sudden move puzzled me briefly.
Then she dashed to her desk by the kitchen.
She looked up at the wall by the desk and said,
"Mommy! Daeun's off!"
There hung the picture of Hyorin that Daeun had brought from the orphanage, smiling prettily.
Seeing that, I stepped up beside her and greeted too.
"Honey, I'm heading out."
Daeun beamed and held out her hand.
"Daddy! Let's go! Daeun hold hand!"
Guessing it was to calm any nerves, I smiled.
Heh.
"Yeah, thanks, Daeun."
Squeeze.
And so, with Daeun, I headed to the station for my first recording.