Baek Suncheol-ssi, Baek Doha’s grandfather, had been feeling frustrated lately by the infrequent contact from his grandson. The boy had said he was going to quit being an entertainer, but somehow he’d been hearing even more news about his grandson these days.
“That friend on there is the boss’s grandson, right?”
“That’s right. There, OnX or whatever it’s called, yeah. Oh my, he’s handsome too.”
“Who does he take after to look so pretty?”
“I heard our boss was famous for being handsome in the neighborhood when he was young?”
The employees’ laughter grew louder. Baek Suncheol-ssi felt awkwardly bashful at such praise and attention from people.
Until now, he could only see his grandson on music shows where he’d barely appear for a moment, but seeing him on such a long program felt different somehow.
Moreover, seeing how he got along with the other members, it was amazing that the kid who seemed like a child left by the water’s edge was doing quite well at social life in his own way.
He’d never caused any major trouble since he was young, but that damn music—what was so great about it that he’d put studies on the back burner? It had always bothered him.
An entertainer? Wasn’t that a job that would be over in just one season? Even if others said it was old-fashioned and gave him an earful, his already hardened elderly notions couldn’t easily change.
“Tsk.”
It was admirable, but that was as far as it went. If he wasn’t going to have a decent job, it would be better to teach him how to protect and increase wealth.
“Why doesn’t he even contact me.”
Doha had never been an affectionate personality to begin with, but still, it was very disappointing that there wasn’t even one call.
As he kept picking up and putting down the phone beside him, he grabbed his reading glasses.
“Just send him a supportive text. Don’t bother a busy young person for no reason.”
An employee who had worked with Baek Suncheol-ssi for a long time said.
“Since when does a grandfather need to be cautious about contacting his grandson? That brat.”
“He’s at his busiest right now. Being an idol or entertainer, it’s a job where you have to row hard when people are paying attention.”
“That’s exactly why he shouldn’t be someone waiting for attention, but someone who seeks out people and makes use of them!”
“Haha, that’s old thinking. Being an entertainer is a job all young people aspire to these days.”
“An entertainer is an entertainer, whatever.”
Tsk, even as he clicked his tongue, his eyes were fixed on Baek Doha singing and sparkling on the TV.
“But really, why is he so good at singing?”
“He has a good voice originally. He takes after me.”
“His limbs are so long and slender too, he’s different from ordinary people like us. Very different.”
“That kid’s parents were also very good-looking.”
“You must be really proud.”
“Proud, my foot…… Hmm.”
“Tell him to stop by the shop sometime. My kids are making such a fuss about getting autographs. You know autographs? They’re what you get from famous people.”
“What’s so great about being some singer.”
Even as he answered gruffly, he didn’t mind receiving the admiring gazes of the employees around him.
He’d always chosen paths that didn’t suit his tastes since he was young, but he was the type who would succeed if he set his mind to it, so of course he’d succeed as a singer too. Whose bloodline was he from, after all.
“He looks skinnier than when I saw him before. They say being stick-thin is fashionable these days?”
“Fashion, my frozen foot……”
Listening to the employee’s words and looking again, with no flesh on his face and looking haggard under his eyes, he thought the kid had completely wasted away. Anyway, he couldn’t understand these kids these days. A man should have a solid build.
Is he even eating?
“Hmm……”
Baek Suncheol-ssi found his grandson’s name in his contacts. He started fumbling with the letters on the keypad.
“Where’s the double giyeok?”
“I’ll help you.”
In the end, with the employee’s help, he barely managed to send a message.
Come over. Let’s have a meal.
* * *
Doha had come to the main house for the first time. So this was where Baek Doha grew up. It was fascinating.
“Wow, hyung really is a gold spoon for real.”
His grandfather’s house, located in a quiet part of Seongbuk-dong, was surrounded by pure white walls that prevented seeing inside from the outside, displaying its majesty like a massive fortress.
Large pine trees could be seen beyond the walls. Why is there a park in a residential area?
Ding-dong-.
The gate opened and they entered. A beautifully maintained garden unfolded before them.
“It’s the kind of house anyone would dream of. It’s well-maintained too.”
Sehyun said, looking at the calm atmosphere of the garden that reflected the owner’s personality—neither excessive nor lacking.
“Right.”
“You’re talking like you’re seeing it for the first time.”
He was seeing it for the first time.
“So this is where you grew up, hyung.”
He didn’t grow up here.
“What kind of person is your grandfather, hyung?”
He didn’t know.
“You know him better than I do.”
“Me?”
“You even threatened him using grandfather’s personality.”
“Hahaha.”
“But why on earth did you follow me here?”
Doha frowned at Sehyun, who had followed him here like a leech with excessive meddling.
Sehyun smiled awkwardly. As they chatted away, before they knew it, they were at the front door. The door opened, and his grandfather’s face appeared. He looked over his grandson and Sehyun standing at the entrance.
“Why did you drag a friend along too.”
“He’s not a friend.”
When Doha drew a clear line with one cut, Sehyun showed a bright smile and politely extended his hand to the grandfather.
“Hello. We met once at the hospital before, but I’m not sure if you remember. I’m Lim Sehyun from the same group as Doha hyung.”
At Sehyun’s courteous greeting, grandfather’s surly gaze softened a little.
“Come in.”
And so Doha and Sehyun entered the house.
* * *
“Go to your room until the meal is ready.”
At grandfather’s brief instruction, Doha climbed the stairs heading to the second floor. Sehyun naturally followed closely behind him. His steps were as comfortable as if it were his own home.
“Where’s your room?”
“……Who knows.”
Doha hesitated. Now that he thought about it, he didn’t know where the room was, did he?
“What? You forgot your own room too?”
Sehyun giggled and took the lead.
“It must be this way. There’s a nameplate on the doorknob.”
Where Sehyun pointed, there was a door with a simple English nameplate that read [DOHA]. Doha sheepishly grabbed the door handle.
Creak.
The room was much more spacious and neat than expected. Under the sunlight pouring through the window, a spotlessly organized desk and bed were visible. There seemed to be a nice smell too.
“Wow……”
Sehyun let out an exclamation as he entered the room. The first place his gaze went was the display case that filled one side of the wall.
“Hyung, what are all these?”
Sehyun approached the display case with sparkling eyes. Numerous certificates and trophies were displayed there. They weren’t common things like perfect attendance awards or honor student certificates.
[National Amateur Fencing Championship Gold Medal]
[Seoul Mayor’s Cup Youth Fencing Competition Champion]
Trophies gleaming in gold and silver stood in a row. Next to them was a photo in a frame of a young boy in fencing attire, holding a mask under his arm and smiling brightly.
“Hyung, you did fencing?”
Sehyun turned to look at Doha with surprised eyes.
“……Huh?”
Doha was equally flustered. Baek Doha did fencing? Was there such a setting? Of course he didn’t know. Remembering that he was cosplaying as an amnesia patient, Doha deliberately responded calmly.
“Yeah. Well, briefly when I was young.”
“There are way too many awards for something you did briefly? Wow, look at this photo. Hyung, you’re really cute.”
Sehyun picked up the frame and giggled. Young Baek Doha in the photo had a strangely similar yet much more innocent and pure appearance compared to now.
“Your eyes were alive back then. Why are you like this now?”
What’s wrong with my eyes now? Every time I look in the mirror, they’re only sparkling.
“But why did you quit? You were this good at it.”
“How should I know.”
In fact, there was no way he could know the reason. Whether it was because of an injury, or if he quit because he wanted to be an idol.
“What a waste. I think you’d really suit fencing attire, hyung. Since you’re so tall and slender.”
Sehyun licked his lips while scanning Doha’s body up and down. At the gaze that seemed to be imagining something impure, Doha frowned.
“Don’t imagine things. It’s defiling.”
“What imagination? I just think it would look cool.”
Sehyun shrugged his shoulders cheekily, then this time turned his attention to the desk. On the desk were an old film camera and several well-worn notebooks.
“What’s this? A diary?”
“Hey, don’t touch other people’s things……!”
Before he could stop him, Sehyun opened the notebook. But there was no diary as expected. Instead, crooked musical notes and lyrics were densely written.
[I want to dance / Free like the wind / So no one can confine me]
Look at those lyrics. Was it during his eighth-grader syndrome phase? The lyrics were a bit cringeworthy, but either way, young Baek Doha’s dreams were melted into them intact.
“Hyung really wanted to be a singer badly.”
Sehyun said as if it was fascinating. It was the same on this side. How fascinating. Why would a kid who was doing fine at sports suddenly develop a dream of being an idol?
The objects with traces of Baek Doha left on them were all unfamiliar. But looking at those traces made him realize that Baek Doha wasn’t just a character in a novel but a person who had really lived. Why did…… the real Baek Doha disappear?
