Close Interview with Yoo A-yeon (1)
"Up we go-." Mom scooped up my woozy self.
“Mmm… Mom, aren’t I heavy?”
With a soft rustle, I nestled into her arms and whispered.
‘I’m sixteen kilograms now, so I must be pretty heavy…’
Mom smiled warmly. “Hehe. Don’t worry. You’re still young enough for me to carry.”
Step by step, she carried me toward the back of the stage.
Just then, voices erupted from the press area.
“Wait, just a moment! May we request an interview with Yoo A-yeon?”
“Our channel would also like—”
“Hold on, we were first—”
Several voices overlapped at once.
Mom glanced down at me in her arms, then stepped up to the microphone while still holding me.
“I’m sorry, but the child is quite exhausted after lecturing for two hours. We’ll arrange interviews at a later time.”
Her refusal was calm and courteous.
“B-but could you possibly schedule something right here?”
The reporters began pleading, begging for even a sliver of interview time with Yoo A-yeon.
It was understandable. They had fought tooth and nail to secure press seats, and if they missed this chance, they would have to compete with other outlets outside.
…It was unfortunate for them, but that interview opportunity had already been claimed by someone else.
“We cannot accept any more interview requests at this time. Moreover, two media outlets have already secured the first slots.”
When Mom spoke firmly, the press area stirred.
“Which outlets…?”
Still cradled in Mom’s arms, I looked toward the reporters.
In the front row sat Mr. Lee Dong-hyun beside his camera.
I gave him a playful wink.
Every other reporter’s gaze instantly snapped toward him, brimming with envy. Mr. Lee stiffened like a statue.
I pretended not to notice and turned my face back into Mom’s embrace.
‘Whoa… Mom’s arms are so warm…’
We continued toward the back of the stage.
***
Inside the auditorium.
Once Yoo A-yeon and Han Seol-ae left, the remaining scholars began networking among themselves.
Professors and graduate students gathered in small groups, chatting. Some were domestic, others international, and some mixed.
Though they spoke different languages, their conversations carried the same tone.
“I can’t believe it. She’s only five?”
“And she delivered the lecture so well. How could someone that young perform like that…”
“The proof itself was flawless. I couldn’t find a single gap.”
“C’est incroyable. Elle a cinq ans?”
Professor Park Moo-yeol, who had organized the lecture, joined the networking as well.
“Park Moo-yeol. You were the one who endorsed Yoo A-yeon’s paper, weren’t you? You never told us who she was—surely you didn’t expect her to be a five-year-old child.”
“Hehe. I was shocked when I first met her too. I even threw a difficult problem I was working on at A-yeon, and she answered it right away.”
“How did it happen? Did Yoo A-yeon come to you directly? Tell us how you ended up endorsing the paper.”
“Of course. It went like this—”
The professors listening to Professor Park were astonished by the story.
“Goodness. She came straight to you and told you to read her paper? And claimed it proved the Riemann Hypothesis? That child is quite bold.”
“Really, when we were five we were just rolling around in the dirt… What a terrifying talent.”
As they continued marveling at Yoo A-yeon’s extraordinary nature, the name Shin I-jun came up.
“I never imagined Professor Shin I-jun’s research would continue in this way.”
Professor Park nodded. “It’s fortunate that Professor Shin’s will to solve the Riemann Hypothesis has been passed on to A-yeon.”
“Yes. I wonder how he would have felt if he knew.”
Professor Park thought for a moment before answering.
“…I believe he would have been overjoyed.”
***
Behind the stage. The moment the door closed—
“Big sis-!”
A-rin came running.
With a soft thump, A-rin stood on tiptoe and hugged me while I was still in Mom’s arms.
Mom was holding me, and A-rin was holding me too.
…Wasn’t this basically the covalent bonding of H₂O?
Wow, what a popular life, just like an oxygen atom!
“Big sis, you were so amazing! I peeked from the back and saw everything! You were super cool!”
“Hehe. Right? I’m pretty great, huh?”
Dad approached with a smile.
“My daughter.”
He placed his hand firmly on my head. Now we were NH₃?
“You did really well.”
Then he ruffled my hair.
“Aah-! My hair that took thirty minutes to style-!”
“Puhaha, what does it matter? The lecture’s over. Besides, Dad was the one who combed your hair this morning, right?”
“Huh? What kind of logic is that! What does Dad combing my hair this morning have to do with Dad messing it up now!”
“Take this-.”
Scrub scrub scrub scrub—! Dad vigorously rubbed my head.
“Hee, that tickles!”
When I checked the mirror on the preparation room wall, my hair was completely disheveled.
“Hing… My cute wavy hair… turned into scary hair!”
If I went to a haunted house right now, they’d definitely think I was there for a part-time job interview. With this messy hair and a creepy atmosphere, plus a few “heeheehee” ghost sounds, I’d probably get hired on the spot.
“Hwaaam…”
With the tension gone, exhaustion hit me all at once.
It was only natural after lecturing for over two hours.
Five-year-olds still spend a lot of time in dreamland, after all.
“Mmm…”
I tried my best to keep my eyes wide open, but Mom’s arms were so warm that my eyelids kept drooping.
The pull of my eyelids was stronger than covalent bonds…
“A-yeon, you worked hard. Sleep well.”
“Big sis, good night-.”
Soft breathing sounds filled the air.
In dreamland, I played happily with cheerful friends.
***
Several days had passed since the lecture.
Text messages flew back and forth between Mom’s phone and Mr. Lee Dong-hyun as they coordinated the interview date.
On the promised day.
I turned a hand mirror this way and that, checking the level of Yoo A-yeon’s cuteness.
“Cute sailor dress—check… Cute hair—check… Huheheh.”
Of course, I couldn’t complete the three sacred treasures without cute makeup, but that was reserved for special occasions. I was already incredibly cute as it was—if I wore makeup every single day, people might protest to the gods for a balance patch. And if the god of normalization found out and shot me with the appearance-normalization beam, that would be legendary-level trouble.
Ding-dong. The doorbell rang.
I dashed over and opened the door.
“Mr. Reporter! Hello-!”
Mr. Lee Dong-hyun stood there holding a camera bag. Beside him was a foreign man I vaguely remembered seeing at the lecture.
Mr. Lee looked at me and chuckled.
“Yeah. I never would’ve guessed that little kid back then was Yoo A-yeon.”
“Nihihi.”
“I was right there and still didn’t recognize you. Anyway, thanks for the exclusive interview.”
“It’s payback for the strawberry bomb cake-!”
Mr. Lee introduced the foreign reporter beside him.
“He’s a reporter from the CCN Seoul bureau. His name is Michael.”
“Ooh-! CCN! I watched that channel a lot while practicing my English pronunciation!”
“Haha, Nice to meet you, Ayeon.”
“Nice to meet you too, Michael!”
Michael extended his right hand. I grabbed it with both of mine and shook it up and down.
‘Whoa. His hands are huge.’
***
We sat around the living room table.
Before the actual interview began, we had to sign the contract first.
Dad placed the documents he had prepared on the table.
Mr. Lee scanned through them. There were quite a few clauses.
- Guarantee portrait rights for all individuals except Yoo A-yeon and Han Seol-ae.
- Filming inside bedrooms and bathrooms is strictly prohibited.
- Focus filming on Yoo A-yeon’s study scenes and conversations with her sister; exclude unnecessary private moments.
- This footage may only be used for the planned article and documentary purposes; resale to other media or commercial advertising use is prohibited.
- Unused raw footage must be immediately destroyed or submitted upon the parents’ request.
- Parents’ right to preview the final broadcast is guaranteed.
- Use of sensational descriptors is prohibited. (Subtitles or narration that could mislead viewers about the child’s intelligence or character, such as “monster,” are not allowed.)
- Information that could threaten the child’s safety, such as the exact home address, unit number, or frequently visited locations, must be kept strictly confidential.
- Daily filming time is limited to four hours or less; filming must stop immediately if the child expresses refusal.
- Appropriate appearance fees for the exclusive close coverage will be paid.
- All costs incurred during filming will be covered by the media outlet.
Mr. Lee read the contract carefully. Michael reviewed the English version beside him.
“You’ve covered everything thoroughly.”
Mom spoke calmly.
“She’s still a young child, after all.”
“I’ve confirmed everything. No objections.”
Michael nodded as well.
“No objections.”
The reporters rolled their pens and signed with a flourish.
Oh. Their signatures looked cool. I guess that’s what happens when you’ve eaten plenty of pen food.
Maybe I should practice my signature in advance too?
‘Later, someone might run up to me on the street going “Kyaaah, it’s Yoo A-yeon, you’re so cute, please give me your autograph!” Uheheh.’
Dad took the contract, checked it, and put it away in the master bedroom.
Then he naturally stepped aside. A-rin also took Dad’s hand and headed off to the chess club they usually visited.
Since the two of them weren’t interview subjects, their faces would be mosaicked or avoided during editing.
***
The camera turned on. Mr. Lee and Michael held their cameras and began filming me.
“Alright, shall we start? Just act like you normally do.”
“Yup!”