Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: The Broadcast Airs
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Two days had passed since the broadcast filming wrapped up.
Around lunchtime, I got a call from PD Kim Chanmi.
"Ah, hello PD. How have you been?"
-Yes, Painter Lee. Have you had lunch?
"Yes, I just ate with Daeun."
It was a secret that we'd had jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk.
At that, the PD chuckled and got to the point.
-The reason I'm calling is to pay your appearance fees, but I realized I never got your account details.
"Ah, the appearance fees."
Though I'd appeared on the show to gain fame, I hadn't forgotten about the fees.
PD Kim Chanmi had offered pretty decent terms, and I was satisfied.
-And we'll send Daeun's fee along with yours to your account, right?
"Daeun's appearance fee?"
At the mention of "appearance fee," she must have thought it was about her, because she turned and looked at me.
"Daddy! Daeun made money!"
I'd tell her later once the call ended, so I calmed her down and continued.
"Did Daeun have an appearance fee?"
-Of course. It's a special guest appearance for now, so it can't be too high, but she helped us out a lot this time, so we tried to set it as high as possible.
That made me increasingly curious. Just how much had they set for Daeun?
But asking outright felt a bit embarrassing.
You might not think that at all, but it could come off like I was money-grubbing.
PD Kim Chanmi saw right through me, though.
-So, you're wondering how much we set it at?
"Ah, was it obvious?"
-I figured I'd ask just in case. Most people do, but you hadn't, Painter Lee. It's the privilege of guests who appear on our show, so no need to be shy. If anything, we're sorry we couldn't offer more.
With that, the PD told me Daeun's fee.
-The special guest appearance fee is 250,000 won.
My eyes went wide at "250,000 won."
'That's more than I expected.'
I'd figured around 100,000 won, maybe 120,000 at most. 250,000 was a surprise.
Considering how much airtime Daeun actually got, it felt like a lot.
-We should've paid more. Sorry about that.
"Oh, no, don't say that. It's a special appearance, and the on-air time was barely an hour. I think this is plenty."
-If you see it that way, we're grateful. Send me your account number, and both fees should hit your account today.
"Thank you."
-And... there's one more thing I'd like to discuss.
It seemed PD Kim Chanmi hadn't called just for the fees.
Of course—something like this could have been a text.
"What is it?"
-Um, after the first shoot wrapped, we've been holding internal meetings nonstop.
What PD Kim Chanmi said next was pretty intriguing.
-Originally, we planned to analyze kids' psychology through their drawings and bring in medical experts once issues were identified. Of course, that part stays the same...
I could guess what PD Kim Chanmi was thinking.
"Are you planning to incorporate art therapy as well?"
-How did you know?
Well, the first kid had opened up quickly thanks to a drawing conversation with none other than Daeun.
It was basically art therapy, so the production team had every reason to take notice.
Art Psychology Counseling Center—that was the show's name.
If art could improve a kid's state, nothing could top that.
-Exactly. It was by chance, but Daeun ended up doing art therapy as a counselor without meaning to. So the team decided to add art psychology treatment alongside the counseling.
Daeun's one action had added a whole new direction to the show.
I could already picture her face lighting up if I told her.
"She'll love hearing this."
-Really? She will?
"Of course. It might look like Daeun's just playing with art, but she's actually reading the kid's psychology through their drawings. You saw it yourself, right PD?"
I'd shown off her skills right there with the PD present.
-Yes. Honestly, without Daeun, we might have focused more on psychiatric treatment than art therapy. Looking back, it seems so obvious, but it was a close call.
Even I had been a little puzzled when I first heard about the show.
Art Psychology Counseling Center, but no art for treatment?
Like steamed buns without red bean paste.
'Good thing they pivoted now.'
As I thought that, PD Kim Chanmi dropped something unexpected.
-To be honest, the moment I saw Daeun that day, I thought we'd need her as a regular in the art therapy sessions going forward.
"You mean Daeun regularly?"
-Yes. Having her draw alongside the kids would comfort so many counselees over multiple episodes, and you'd never have to worry about her during the show, Painter Lee.
True, having Daeun sit with me as a panelist would be ideal for me.
But the PD bringing it up meant it hadn't flown.
-No show like ours has ever had a kid as a regular. The higher-ups are so rigid—no matter how much I pushed, it didn't work.
"Even after they saw it?"
-Yes. I was convinced that day. It was a winner. Paradigm shift, breaking the mold—that's the shortcut to success. But no dice.
It was a shame, but unavoidable.
Realistically, making a 5-year-old sit for hours felt like torture.
Filming would be an issue too.
At first, they might overlook kid stuff, but over time, it would pile up.
It'd just hurt everyone's feelings in the end.
If anything, I felt relieved.
"Don't worry about it."
Of course, I didn't say that out loud.
-Yeah, water under the bridge. Oh! Almost forgot the important part again.
"What is it?"
I had no choice but to grab a pen for what PD Kim Chanmi said next.
-The premiere date and time are set! In 9 days—next Thursday at 7 PM! Tune in live!
Scribble scribble scribble!
Today was cheat day.
Those 9 days flew by in a flash.
I wrapped up my daily routine early and headed home.
Ding-dong!
Right on cue, the doorbell rang.
"Coming! Daeun, Daddy's heading to the first floor!"
"Okay! Got it!"
I quickly told Daeun about the doorbell and went downstairs.
Opening the front door...
"Huh? What are you doing here?"
Jungeun Park stood there grinning.
Holding steaming hot chicken he'd gotten from the delivery guy.
Surprised by his sudden appearance, I asked.
"You said you couldn't make it."
"Hey, it's Daeun's show. How could Uncle miss it?"
"No, it's not about missing or not—didn't you say you absolutely couldn't make time?"
At that, Jungeun slipped his shoulder past the door and said.
"There's no such thing as absolute in this world. Even impossibles that seem like they'll never happen can come true—that's reality."
"What are you talking about?"
"Flat tire—flat tire! I had an appointment, but something blew up elsewhere, freeing up my schedule! So here I am. Daeun's upstairs, right?"
With that, Jungeun bolted up to the second floor, yelling inside.
"Daeun! Uncle's here!"
"Yay! Uncle Jungeun!"
Daeun came running out to greet him at his sudden arrival.
"Didn't you miss Uncle?"
"Uncle said he couldn't come, so I held it in!"
"Aigoo, Uncle came 'cause I didn't want Daeun waiting!"
"Wow, Uncle's the best!"
"Yeah yeah! Uncle's the best!"
Daeun gave him a big thumbs up.
Seeing Jungeun with his cheeks pushed up high by both hands...
Urk.
It didn't sit well with me.
"Hey, cut it out."
"Just a bit longer."
"A bit longer my foot."
Thud!
I crouched down and tapped the back of Jungeun, who was squatting, and he toppled over.
"Hahaha! Uncle Jungeun fell!"
"Aigoo, Daeun, Daddy's so mean, right?"
He shot me a glance, then got up and headed inside.
"You've changed a lot."
"I don't notice it myself."
He'd visited not long after I got out of the hospital.
Still, quite some time had passed.
As I took the chicken from him and headed to the kitchen to plate it up familiarly...
Swish.
Meanwhile, Jungeun scanned the slightly changed house.
"Not bad—you're living like a person now."
"Hey, you know that makes the listener feel pretty crappy, right?"
"Not my problem. Oh, photos. Nice, you've collected them like this."
Jungeun beamed at the photos plastered all over the living room.
From the mural days onward, most moments with Daeun were captured.
It started when she suggested scrapbooking, but at some point, I kept it up because I enjoyed it.
"Seeing these photos brings back memories."
"Yeah, I look at them sometimes after putting Daeun to bed with a beer. Makes me want to take more. Feels like it'll be great even when she's grown."
Nod.
"True. Even if Daeun remembers everything, photos make it more special."
Then Jungeun suddenly tilted his head.
"But the compositions are kinda off in some."
He spotted it right away—probably from his habit of taking photos.
"Oh, I did that on purpose."
The mural, the department store...
Not all, but some had an empty spot.
Inevitably, since Daeun imagined Mom in that space.
"She said she wants to think Mom's in that empty spot."
"Ah, got it."
Jungeun smiled faintly and said.
"Nice. Glad Daeun's not struggling much, hate that she gets along so well with Dad—no, good that she makes lots of memories."
There was a "hate" in there, but he said it so wistfully I missed the timing.
Thud!
I'd finished plating the chicken by then.
"Alright, show's starting soon. Let's go watch."
"Yeah, okay."
We carried the two chickens to the living room. No TV, so we watched on the laptop instead.
[Art Psychology Counseling Center]
The big program logo filled the screen, kicking off energetically like any variety show.
"There! It's Daddy!"
"Yeah, Daeun'll be on soon too."
Daeun, munching chicken and watching, yelled at Jungeun.
"Uncle! Daeun's here too! Daeun comes later! Cheer when Daeun comes out!"
No need, but Jungeun nodded with a smile, charmed by her.
The show recapped the counselee's past behavior, then Daeun appeared.
The two kids walking out hand in hand.
Daeun's art therapy began, up to the counselee finally speaking.
'Watching on screen really hits harder.'
I knew the outcome, but it was still moving.
"Hey..."
Was Jungeun moved too?
He called me in a deeply meaningful tone, so I smiled and turned to him...
Huh?
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Jungeun wasn't watching TV—he was staring at his phone.
Wondering if he had to go, I started to ask again.
But Jungeun said.
"Hey, I think we're in big trouble."
"What? What's big trouble?"
"This looks like a total hi..."
Bzzz-!
My phone on the table vibrated.
Caller: PD Kim Chanmi.
'Why's the PD...'
Swish.
With the phone ringing off the hook, my serious face, Daeun's, and Jungeun staring at his screen...
Gulp.
A bit late, but I caught on.
Looks like...
'A smash hit.'
The broadcast was a smash hit.