Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Viral Broadcast and Forgotten Letter
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Jungeun said,
"Hey, this is huge."
"Why?"
"Take a look at this."
Then Jungeun showed me the real-time chat from the 'Art Psychology Counseling Center'.
Chats were flooding in at an insane speed even now, all centered on one topic.
-Who's that kid? Too cute!
-Let's make her a regular! She's better than regular doctors!
-Ugh, I'm crying, auntie! Make Daeun a regular and let her comfort the kids.
-That kid has such depth. How can she offer comfort like that at her age?
-Ah! I remember now! Wasn't she the kid who appeared with Erina on the neighboring station back then?
-Oh yeah, I remember! She definitely came to the studio with Erina! Wow, so she's Painter Kanghyeok Lee's daughter. No wonder she draws so well.
-First time hearing of Kanghyeok Lee, but apparently he's super famous.
-I just searched his paintings, and holy crap. He draws insanely well.
-Waaah, I'm crying. Please have Daeun on again. Even if not regular, just occasional appearances.
It was an absolutely wild reaction.
From calling her cute to demands for her to be a regular.
Even I got dragged into it, with stories about me and Daeun circling endlessly.
I sat there dumbfounded by this absurd scene.
That's when another call came in from the PD.
I quickly picked up.
-Sorry about that. The station director suddenly called.
"Ah, no problem."
-Are you watching the broadcast right now by any chance?
"Yeah, I am, but..."
As I pondered what to say, the PD let out a cheer on my behalf.
-Writer! We hit the jackpot!
Whoa! That startled me.
After jumping at the sudden shout, the PD showered me with thanks.
-I don't even know how to thank you enough. Thanks to you and Daeun, the ratings are still climbing. This is the highest for a variety show ever, and even the director called, totally shocked.
I didn't know how impressive that was, but if the director was calling, it must be a massive hit.
-And the director mentioned one more thing.
"What?"
-Daeun! He said he'll do everything to make it comfortable for you and Daeun to stay at the station as long as you want.
"Me and Daeun?"
-Yes! If you and Daeun want, he said you can appear regularly as special guests, even if not full regulars.
They must figure Daeun was the huge factor in making the broadcast such a smash hit.
That's why they're offering this level of support.
-Ah, another call coming in. If anything else comes up, I'll call you!
"Ah, yes. Got it."
Click.
As I hung up, Jungeun, who had been glued to the screen beside me, spoke up.
"Hey, but do you know what's even bigger?"
"Even bigger?"
"Honestly, I was watching the chat right from the start. But before that, chats weren't really pouring in. Just the occasional one or two."
That made sense. The only famous person was MC An Hee-sook.
Everyone was debuting on TV, and the show's topic—psychology—was rarely covered with childcare.
"But once Daeun appeared, comments exploded. Especially during the counseling parts, it was impossible to keep up."
Ah, that explained the reaction.
Truth be told, even during filming, it felt so perfect it seemed scripted.
"Ah, this won't do."
Suddenly, Jungeun screenshotted some chats, pulled out his laptop from his bag, and started preparing something.
What was he doing in the middle of eating?
"What are you up to?"
"I'm a reporter. An art department reporter, at that."
"Ah."
I got it instantly.
With that, Jungeun quickly wrote an article, sent it somewhere, and made a call.
"Yes, Editor-in-Chief. I just sent a manuscript—could you check it? Yes, yes, putting it up as an online article right now. Yes. Right away. Ah, you checked it? Yes. Alright, uploading now."
Then Jungeun typed so fast his hands blurred.
Smack!
He hit enter.
"Phew, done."
"What was that? You just posted the article?"
He grinned at my question.
"Yeah. The tide's in—can't just sit there. Gotta paddle even with my hands."
"Huh."
He turned the laptop so I could see the article.
['Art Psychology Counseling Center' Painter Kanghyeok Lee, Painter Daeun Lee's Special Prescription... Ratings Surge!
In the currently airing first episode of 'Art Psychology Counseling Center', the issue of the first client, the counseling subject...]
"Wow, looks just like a real article."
"It is a real article. What, you think it's fake?"
The short but punchy title and content had me wide-eyed.
"Man, didn't know you could write this well."
"Hah, you're probably the only one who looks down on me. I've got nine years as a reporter."
"Everyone's got that one thing they're good at, huh?"
"Tch, think what you want."
Finally, Jungeun turned to gnaw on his cold chicken leg.
That's when Daeun, quietly watching the broadcast beside us, spoke up.
"Uncle!"
"Yeah! Daeun!"
"But Daeun has a question!"
"If it's something Uncle knows, I'll tell you everything."
Her next words made both me and Jungeun smile involuntarily.
"Uncle, can Daeun eat this chicken leg?"
No wonder she'd been eyeing Jungeun's side plate.
Jungeun handed his chicken leg to Daeun.
"Yeah, Uncle's suddenly full. Want it, Daeun?"
"Really? Daeun can eat it?"
"Yeah! Uncle's stuffed, it's fine."
"Then since Uncle's full, Daeun will eat it for him!"
Daeun beamed with excitement, and we smiled watching her.
Very, very happily.
The explosive night passed, and the next day arrived.
It felt like something monumental had gone by, but morning was ordinary as ever.
"Daddy, Daeun's up now."
Daeun rubbed her eyes as she woke, I prepared breakfast, and...
"Hey, you not going to work?"
Jungeun rolled around in the living room.
"Yeah, my schedule cleared suddenly. Took half-day leave."
"Anyone'd think you're the boss. Totally carefree."
Daeun, now awake, shuffled over with half-open eyes and poked Jungeun's side.
"Uncle, no."
"Ow, Daeun, can Uncle lie in just a bit longer?"
"No way, Daeun has to draw today. No."
She mercilessly jabbed his side.
Poke poke!
Even from a kid, the sensitive side hurt like hell.
'Impressive.'
Jungeun endured it all.
He looked at her proudly.
"Drawing from morning? That's my girl."
He got up, folded the blanket he'd slept on, and cleared the way for Daeun to her desk.
Daeun carefully passed by and sat at her desk, starting her routine drawing.
Jungeun, seeing this for the first time, looked at me in shock.
"Wow, like father, like daughter. Identical."
"Yeah? How'd you know my routine?"
"What? You think I wouldn't know your routine?"
"No, how did you? I never showed anyone."
I thought only Hyorin knew...
"Pretty sure all our classmates know too."
"Huh? They all know?"
"Yeah, everyone."
"How? When did you see?"
I was dying to know.
When the heck did they see my routine?
Jungeun explained.
"Our junior year MT."
"MT?"
"Yeah, everyone saw it then. Your routine."
"No way."
Seriously, no way.
They saw it at the MT?
"But why didn't I know?"
He rolled up the blanket tight around his side.
"Because you begged us not to tell."
"Who?"
"Hyorin."
"Why?"
"Because it was Hyorin's fault everyone saw your routine."
Hyorin's fault?
Before I could ask what that meant, Daeun interrupted.
"But Uncle."
"Yeah, Daeun!"
"What's a woutine?"
"Routine, hmm. How to explain... Ah! It's like the things you do before doing something. Take you, Daeun—for example, these actions to wake up in the morning are your routine."
"Then what's En-Tee?"
"MT."
"Yeah!"
"Hmm, MT means going on a group trip together."
It had other meanings, but no need to explain in detail to Daeun.
Jungeun clapped and asked me,
"Oh, just remembered—did you have a good time with Hyorin on the last day of that MT? She seemed really looking forward to it."
It was ancient history, but I remembered vividly.
That junior year MT was the most memorable of my life.
For everyone, not just me.
So Jungeun remembered it clearly too.
But...
"What time?"
"Huh? Last night of the MT, Hyorin..."
"Night? We were busy with the guts test then."
"Right, during the guts test time, Hyorin told you to meet at the sweet persimmon tree by the dorm."
My face filled with question marks.
"Never heard that."
"Hey! I gave you Hyorin's letter!"
"...That was a letter? If it was a letter, you should've said so!"
"Hah! So Hyorin waited there alone that day?"
Years had passed.
No changing the past now that I knew.
Naturally, one question arose.
"But why didn't Hyorin ever tell me?"
Why didn't she say she'd waited for me that day?
Even after realizing late I hadn't gotten the letter, why didn't she say anything...
Gulp.
Suddenly, a conversation with Hyorin flashed back.
The morning after the last night of MT.
As we boarded the bus back to school, what she said.
-This place will stay in my memory a long time. It's where I left my heart behind.
I'd just thought she meant the MT was fun...
I stared blankly at Jungeun.
"Hey, I think I need to go back there."
To check the feelings Hyorin couldn't convey that day.