Chapter 76
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: A Calm Departure
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“Here, let’s try this on.”
Seo Eunchan and An Daho took out a hat, a mask, and some colorful clothes from their bags. Seojun stared blankly at the clothes the two had pulled out.
*I might not know much about fashion, seeing as I just wear whatever Mom and Dad pick out for me, but this is a bit much, isn't it?*
The clothes were a jarring mix of primary yellows and blues, something even a kindergartener wouldn't wear. Seojun's lips formed a pout.
“I'm not wearing this.”
“No, Seojun. You have to wear this.”
Seojun and his parents thought he was joking as usual, but when Seo Eunchan spoke with a serious expression, they tilted their heads in confusion.
“What's wrong? Did something happen?”
Seo Eunchan furrowed his brow, and An Daho let out an involuntary sigh.
“The airport is crawling with reporters. They know Seojun has to take a plane to get to the film festival in the U.S., so they’ve figured out all the possible flight schedules—whether he’s arriving on the East Coast, the West Coast, or even taking a connecting flight. It looks like they’re planning to wait it out until the awards ceremony.”
“You can assume they’ll be waiting at the airport pretty much 24/7.”
Seojun and his parents were at a loss for words. Seeing their reaction, Seo Eunchan took out his phone. The screen displayed screenshots of photos and comments.
“Social media is in an uproar too. ‘Let the kid travel in peace.’ ‘It'll be a disaster if Seojun gets hurt.’ ‘Cocoa Entertainment, hire some bodyguards.’”
“We've already hired them.”
“Whoa.”
The family, who had simply been excited about the trip to America, fell silent and listened to Seo Eunchan and An Daho. Eunchan rubbed his head, looking troubled.
“There were some signs this might happen, so I think we need to get you to the U.S. quickly. If you wear clothes like these, people won't think it's you, right?”
“Some signs?”
“For starters, some reporters have been taking pictures of any kid they see. They’re especially targeting kids around Seojun’s age wearing hats and masks.”
“That’s a big problem.”
“Then why don’t we just tell them the day we’re leaving?”
At Seojun’s question, the four adults looked at him. Seojun subtly nudged the clothes his uncle and hyung had brought with his foot.
“That way, the other passengers at the airport won't be inconvenienced, and other kids won't get their pictures taken by mistake. Wouldn't it be better to just go prepared?”
*And I wouldn't have to wear these clothes.*
Seo Eunchan and An Daho fell into thought at Seojun’s words, then let out a sigh.
“That's true, but… we’re worried because Seojun has never encountered that many reporters and fans up close.”
“More than at the fan meeting?”
“Fewer than then, probably, but at the fan meeting, everyone there was a fan who adores you. Besides, they were all safely seated. The airport has no such boundaries. We’re worried that if you get caught in a crowd, you might get trampled because you’re so small.”
Was it his imagination, or did the word "small" sound particularly loud? Seojun, the tallest in his class, spoke up.
“I’ll be fine. There will be a lot of reporters at the film festival anyway, and there will be more when we come back from the U.S.! I'll just think of it as getting some early experience!”
Seo Eunchan’s gaze shifted to Seojun’s parents. Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun were lost in thought.
“What about Seojun’s safety?”
“We’ll have plenty of bodyguards, and if we coordinate with the airport, it should be fine. We can set up a separate photo zone.”
“Eunchan, which option do you think is better?”
“If we can control the situation, it’s better to just be open about it. If we try to sneak in, we’ll inevitably have fewer bodyguards, and it would be more dangerous if someone recognizes him.”
“Then let’s just announce it.”
With the permission of Seojun and his parents, the date and time of Seojun’s departure were uploaded to his official fan cafe.
The announcement immediately became news, and the reporters waiting at the airport began to leave one by one.
Some reporters were skeptical, but they figured he wouldn't deceive his own fans, so they all withdrew.
The airport became peaceful once again.
* * *
The day came for his departure to attend the WTV Film Festival. Seo Eunchan and An Daho, who would be accompanying him to the U.S., arrived at Seojun’s house.
“You two should go ahead to the airport first.”
Seojun’s parents, who were doing a final check to see if anything was forgotten and if the gas was turned off, and Seojun, who was checking the gifts for acquaintances, tilted their heads at Eunchan’s words.
“We should go first?”
“Yes. No one knows your faces, so it’ll be fine. If you go with Seojun, your faces will be photographed, and it’ll be hard for the bodyguards to focus on Seojun if they have to protect you two as well.”
“Ah, that makes sense.”
His parents nodded in agreement. Seo Eunchan crossed his arms and sighed.
“The fans are talking amongst themselves on the fan cafe, reminding each other to be careful, so I’m a little relieved… but I’m still worried.”
“It’s okay!”
Seojun said with a bright smile.
“My fans are super nice!”
“I don’t know. They may be nice individually, but when they gather in a group, everyone gets excited, and you never know what might happen.”
It was almost certain that if one person moved, a whole wave of people would follow. Mob mentality was a scary thing.
Seo Eunchan shuddered, recalling the chaos during Brown Black’s arrivals and departures.
Seojun just giggled and touched his wrist. He already had a countermeasure prepared.
* * *
“That car, is that the one?”
“I think so. Wow, that thing must be incredibly expensive…”
“A Hollywood star, after all.”
A large, pitch-black car glided to a stop. The reporters waiting outside continuously clicked their shutters, and the fans standing with them screamed. Meanwhile, the bodyguards on standby moved toward the car.
“There are a ton of fans, though. He’s a Hollywood actor, but I thought not many fans would come all the way to the airport for a child actor.”
“Lee Seojun is more than just a child actor. Pretty much everyone has cried at least once because of William or been overwhelmed by the baby shaman. A lot of people became his fan because of his acting as Jin Natra, too. When you see that kind of acting, you’d want to see him in person at least once.”
Even as they talked, the two reporters diligently pressed their shutters. Just uploading a picture of that massive car with the name ‘Lee Seojun’ in the title would guarantee plenty of views.
The bodyguards took their positions, and soon, the heavy car door opened. A man who appeared to be a manager stepped out, followed by Seojun, dressed in casual, pastel-toned clothes.
Seojun beamed, pleased that his outfit was far better than those childish, primary-colored clothes. His smile was met with a flurry of camera flashes and cheers.
An Daho held one of Seojun’s hands tightly and slowly walked through the cordon of bodyguards.
Oblivious to the worries of those around him, Seojun smiled brightly and waved enthusiastically at the sound of his name being called from all directions. With each movement, the wolf-shaped backpack on his back bounced.
“That’s a Monster Company bag, right? That company has gotten huge too. Someone posted a picture of the pencil case Lee Seojun uses online, and that sold out immediately.”
“I heard Lee Seojun’s father owns that company. The co-CEO is his father’s friend, too.”
Even while chatting, the two men with cameras didn't stop. Fans and reporters alike followed Seojun’s movements into the airport.
The airport had set up a separate pathway in advance to avoid inconveniencing other passengers.
“Those clothes will probably sell like crazy, too. They recently released metal pins, so even Lee Seojun’s older fans who couldn’t use the kid-oriented Monster Company products started buying those. Oh, right there.”
A shiny pin was visible on the wolf-shaped backpack Lee Seojun was wearing. It was a wolf with sharp, prominent teeth. The two reporters zoomed in as far as they could and took a picture of the pin.
“They say parents buy a lot of the things Lee Seojun uses. Since he's a Hollywood star and hasn't filmed any commercials, people trust the products he actually uses more.”
“It’s amazing he doesn't do any commercials, even though he's probably being offered a ton of money from all over.”
Seojun and An Daho passed through the line of bodyguards. Inside the airport, just as outside, Seojun’s name was being called from every direction.
People who were about to depart and those who had just arrived craned their necks or searched online, wondering who was causing the crowd to gather. *Lee Seojun?!* The moment the name was heard, more and more people flocked over.
As the crowd swelled, a palpable tension filled the air among the bodyguards. Their bodies tensed up. An Daho was also prepared to grab Seojun and run if things got out of hand.
Feeling the grip on his hand tighten, Seojun grinned and touched his wrist.
[[Benevolent] Calming Apple Blossom Scent - Intermediate-Low Grade - is activated.]
[[Benevolent] Calming Apple Blossom Scent - Intermediate-Low Grade]
The flower of the apple tree that brings eternal sleep.
Unlike its poisonous fruit (the apple), the flower only has a calming effect.
Inhaling the scent induces calmness.
The apple blossom eventually falls and gives way to the fruit, the apple, which becomes poison. A princess in a certain country was said to have eaten such an apple and never woken up. However, the scent of the apple blossom was used to make perfumes and sedatives, becoming a beneficial medicine for people.
*Perfect for a time like this!*
A sweet fragrance began to emanate from the white apple blossom pattern on his wrist. To enhance its effect, he steadied his breathing.
Something began to radiate from Seojun, who had seemed like an ordinary boy just moments before.
The ones who first noticed the change in Seojun were the reporters and fans who had been continuously watching him through their cameras. They couldn't help but marvel at the aura flowing from his body.
“I guess that’s what it means to be a star. He’s just standing there, but he has a completely different vibe from an ordinary person.”
“Even most celebrities don’t have that kind of presence.”
A fan who also took pictures of other celebrities and posted them on social media made the comment, and everyone around nodded in agreement.
There were celebrities who clearly stood out as stars even in shabby clothes, and then there were those who made you wonder, *Who's that?* even when dressed to the nines.
Despite being only eight years old, Lee Seojun sparkled so brightly that anyone could tell he was a celebrity.
“It’s really amazing. He has such an extraordinary aura just walking by, how does he manage to live a normal life?”
“Sniff. By the way, do you smell flowers?”
“Flowers? Sniff, sniff. I don’t smell anything.”
Seojun’s fans and the reporters, who were busy taking pictures with their telephoto lenses, sniffed the air at the sweet scent.
The forward press of footsteps toward Seojun came to a halt. The heated atmosphere that had filled the airport slowly began to cool down.
The sweet floral scent had a calming effect on their minds. However, it seemed it couldn’t completely extinguish their passion, as everyone calmly continued to press their shutters.
The tense bodyguards and An Daho also took slow breaths after smelling the fragrance, releasing their tension. They continued their security duties with calm and composure.
It had been decided that there would be a short interview and photo session on a platform set up in a corner of the airport.
As Seojun held the microphone and stepped onto the platform, a few people unaffected by the ability shouted, but they quickly fell silent, feeling awkward in the otherwise calm atmosphere.
Although only a few had smelled the apple blossom scent, the mob mentality that Seo Eunchan had worried about worked in reverse, causing everyone to quiet down.
*This is really effective!*
Now that he had prevented the accident his parents and uncle were worried about, he could greet everyone with a peaceful mind and leave for the U.S. As Seojun smiled brightly, camera lenses turned towards him. The sound of shutters clicking and flashes popping filled the air.
“Hello, I’m Lee Seojun.”
Seojun bowed deeply.
The fans seeing him in person for the first time clutched their pounding hearts, wanting to scream their lungs out, but the floral scent held them back.
The joy of seeing Seojun and the calming effect of the ability battled fiercely within the fans' hearts. In the end, their emotions reached a compromise and moved their hands, and a loud round of applause erupted from all around.
Clap, clap—!!
The subdued reaction of the fans was so surprising that even the bodyguards and reporters found it strange. Some reporters even turned their cameras toward the fans.
An airport security guard who had been called in for support tilted his head. It felt… peaceful. No one was rushing forward, and no one was screaming loud enough to burst eardrums. He wondered if they were being considerate because the celebrity was a child actor.
“Everyone’s so quiet.”
“I wish it was like this every day.”
One didn't have to look far; Brown Black, from the same agency, caused a huge commotion whenever they appeared at the airport. The bodyguards, who had been on high alert after experiencing such situations, were bewildered but diligently carried out their duties.
One reporter stepped forward to ask Seojun a question on behalf of the others. The questions for an eight-year-old child actor with no scandals or controversies would be similar no matter who asked, so everyone pulled out their laptops without much competition.
“You’ve been nominated for the film festival. Can you tell us how you feel?”
“It was something I never expected, so my heart is racing! I want to thank everyone who voted for me! Even if I don’t receive it this time, I’ll work hard to make sure I can win it next time!”
As Seojun answered with his small fists clenched and his eyes sparkling, squeals of "Kyaa!" were heard here and there, but they quickly died down as the speakers felt awkward in the face of the crowd's lack of reaction.
Only the sound of applause echoed through the airport.
Puzzled by the quiet response, a few reporters turned to look at the fans and swallowed hard.
It wasn't that they weren't excited. Their mouths were firmly shut, but their eyes sparkled, and they clapped so hard their palms must have hurt. A silent fervor emanated from their still bodies.
A few more questions followed, and a short photo time passed. The atmosphere lacked loud shouts and a sense of pressure, but everyone’s fingers were moving diligently. *Click, click, click.* In the quiet, only the sound of shutters echoed.
The bodyguards and An Daho breathed a sigh of relief in the safer-than-expected atmosphere, marveling at the fans’ self-control for Seojun’s sake. *My goodness! Fans like this actually exist!*
It was now time to head to the departure gate. Even as An Daho held his hand and led him away, Seojun kept his eyes on the fans and waved enthusiastically.
The distance between Seojun and the fans gradually increased. As the source of the fragrance grew more distant, the suppressed voices of the fans began to emerge from here and there.
“Seojun! You have to win the award!”
“I voted for you with my mom and dad’s accounts too!”
Still, thanks to the floral scent lingering in the air, the quiet atmosphere was not broken. Seojun, understanding his fans' feelings through their sparkling eyes even without their cheers, smiled brightly.
“Thank you! I’ll be back soon!”
The fans, moved by the sight of Seojun waving tirelessly until he disappeared beyond the departure gate, covered their mouths. *He's so cute!*
[Lee Seojun Departs for the U.S. to Attend the WTV Film Festival!]
[If Only Every Day Were Like Today. Airport Security's View on Fan Etiquette!]
[Monster Company Products Make an Appearance Again Today!]
[Lee Seojun’s Airport Fashion! What’s the Price?]
While Lee Seojun’s departure was a hot topic, the conduct of his fans became almost as big of a story.
Everyone applauded the love for Seojun that was evident even in their quiet demeanor.
[Title: Today was really weird.]
I was traveling and just got back to Korea today. My arrival time happened to line up with Lee Seojun's departure, so I decided to wait and see his face before leaving.
I use the airport often for work, so I see celebrities departing and arriving all the time, and it's always complete chaos.
People shoving their phone cameras in their faces, celebrities and bodyguards getting pushed around by fans. They block the gates, it's insane. So I didn't get close, just watched from a distance...
But contrary to my expectations, it was dead quiet.
The number of people gathered seemed similar to a famous idol group, but it was really, really quiet. Even when a loud noise started, it would quiet down immediately.
All I could hear were the reporters' questions, the camera sounds, and Lee Seojun's voice.
The only response was applause lol. But it's not like everyone was indifferent either. It was more like, "The only response we are allowed is applause!" lol. Their expressions were full of awe and heart-fluttering moments, but they didn't scream or get close lol.
Lee Seojun's fans are truly amazing.
-I think it's because the actor is young. I heard a post like that was made on the fan cafe. To refrain from going to the airport and from screaming.
=Not many fans would actually follow a post like that. Their unity is incredible.
Before the plane took off, Seojun, who was browsing through online articles, left a post on his fan cafe.
In response to Seojun’s post saying he would be back safely, the fans left tearful comments, telling him it was okay if he didn’t win the award and just to take care of himself and have a safe trip.
#