Chapter 6: Overnight Fame

The video of Seo-woo's performance in the park spread like wildfire across social media. By morning, it had been viewed over a million times. The raw emotion of his deep, raspy voice combined with the sight of his three children supporting him captured the hearts of netizens everywhere.

Comments flooded in under the viral posts:

"This voice... it's so raw and addictive! Who is he?"

"Those three kids are so cute! It was a shame; they all wore face masks. Supporting their dad like that—such a wholesome  family moment!"

"Where can I find more of his music? This guy deserves to be on stage!"

"He's not just talented, he's real. You can feel his story in his voice."

But Seo-woo remained blissfully unaware of his sudden fame. After their performance, he and his triplets went home, exhausted but happy. The small apartment, though modest, was filled with warmth as they sat together on the sofa, their legs swinging in unison like they shared the same rhythm.

Seo-min was the first to break the silence, bursting into laughter. "Dad, you were so cool out there!"

Seo-jin nodded enthusiastically, his eyes sparkling. "Your voice was amazing, Daddy! Like—like magic!"

Even Seo-jun, usually the most serious of the three, couldn't hide his grin. "I'll admit, Dad. I wasn't expecting that. You sounded... like a rockstar." His ears turned pink as he said it, trying not to appear too impressed.

Seo-woo chuckled, ruffling Seo-jun's hair. "Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without you three. You were my inspiration. Seeing you working so hard beside me—it gave me the courage to sing."

The triplets beamed at the praise, their faces lighting up.

"All right, let's see how much we earned today." Seo-woo grabbed the small donation box they had brought home from the park. He opened it and poured the contents onto the coffee table. Coins clinked against each other, and bills lay scattered across the surface. Together, they began counting the money.

"Fifty thousand... sixty thousand... seventy thousand won," Seo-jun said, carefully stacking the bills.

Seo-jun found a piece of paper—a calling card with the words 'DreamCatcher Entertainment' and a contact number. He hid it from his father, fearing that his father might be tempted to return to the entertainment industry and leave them again.

Seo-min suddenly added a few coins to his hand. "Seventy thousand and five hundred won!"

"And these coins make it..." Seo-jin leaned closer, squinting as he counted. "...seventy thousand and five hundred five won!"

Seo-woo smiled, though he couldn't help but feel a pang of worry. The money they earned was a good start, but it wasn't enough. Not even close to covering their overdue rent and looming debts.

"Well, it's not a fortune," Seo-woo said, trying to keep his tone light, "but it's more than we had this morning. And it's thanks to all of us working together."

Seo-min reached out and grabbed his father's hand. "Don't worry, Dad. We'll figure it out. We're a team now!"

Seo-woo squeezed her hand, a lump forming in his throat. He didn't want to burden his children, but their unwavering faith in him made his heart ache with a mix of pride and determination.

For now, they had each other—and that was enough to keep going.

Unbeknownst to them, Seo-woo's voice was echoing far beyond the walls of their small home. The world had noticed them, and their lives were about to change in ways they couldn't yet imagine.

After dinner, Seo-woo and the triplets cleaned up together, laughter filling their small home as they washed themselves together. It was a cozy, heartwarming scene—the kind Seo-woo had longed for but never truly believed he'd have again.

When they finished, Seo-woo ushered the triplets to their room. "All right, time for bed. We've had a long day," he said, smiling softly.

The triplets, now dressed in matching pajamas, stood by their door.

"Goodnight, Dad," Seo-jun said, his voice steady but warm.

"Goodnight, Daddy!" Seo-min chirped, grinning wide.

"Goodnight, Daddy. Sleep well!" Seo-jin added, his tone cheerful but calm.

Before they could turn away, Seo-woo bent down and planted a gentle kiss on each of their foreheads. "Goodnight, my loves. Sweet dreams."

The triplets blinked in surprise. Seo-woo had always been affectionate in his own way, but this was different. There was a newfound warmth in his actions—a tenderness that made their cheeks flush slightly.

Seo-jun cleared his throat, trying to act nonchalant. "Uh, yeah. Goodnight, Dad."

Seo-min and Seo-jin giggled, feeling the love in the gesture.

Seo-woo smiled, closing the door behind them. He had no idea what his children were planning once the lights were out.

Inside the triplets' room, the three huddled together on Seo-jun's bed, their faces serious.

"Singing and performing in the park isn't going to be enough," Seo-jun said, his voice low but determined. "We need to do something more to help Dad."

Seo-min tilted her head, frowning. "But Dad won't let us. He'll worry too much."

"That's why we're not telling him," Seo-jin said matter-of-factly, adjusting his glasses. "We're smart, right? We can figure this out without getting caught."

Seo-jun nodded, his mind already racing with ideas. "Here's what I think. I can sell things—like snacks, drinks, or maybe even little crafts at school or in the park. I'll keep the prices low to attract more buyers. People can't resist a good deal."

"That's a good plan," Seo-min said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can help by drawing and painting! I'll make postcards, bookmarks, and cute little art pieces to sell. People love handmade things, right? And I can play music in the background while we're selling—it'll catch more attention."

Seo-jin adjusted his glasses again, a small smirk on his lips. "And I'll handle the tech stuff. I can set up an online store for Seo-min's art and connect with people who might want to buy Seo-jun's snacks. I'll use Dad's old laptop to make it work. Oh, and I'll calculate everything—profits, expenses, all that."

The three of them grinned at each other, their teamwork already in motion. Seo-jun clapped his hands quietly. "Okay, we have a plan. We'll start tomorrow after school. But remember—Dad can't know."

Seo-min and Seo-jin nodded in agreement, their eyes glinting with determination.

Meanwhile, at the company, Jin Yu-jin made his way toward the CEO's office, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of his career. As the company's top moneymaker and new therapist to ease CEO's insomnia, his every move was scrutinized, and he couldn't afford to make mistakes.

As he approached the office, Woo-seok's assistant came rushing out, a stack of paper files balanced precariously in his arms. The inevitable happened—the files slipped from his grip and scattered across the floor.

Yu-jin immediately bent down to help. "Careful there," he said, gathering the papers. As he stacked them, his eyes landed on a picture that had slipped out of one of the folders.

It was a photo of a man playing guitar in the park. The same man from the viral video.

Yu-jin's heart skipped a beat. So Woo-seok has already seen the video.

He kept his expression neutral, handing the papers back to the assistant. "Here you go. Be careful next time."

The assistant nodded gratefully. "Thank you. Sorry about that."

"Is the CEO busy?" Yu-jin asked casually, trying to keep his curiosity in check.

The assistant nodded. "Yes, he's finishing up some work before heading home early. It's his nephew's birthday today."

"Ah, I see," Yu-jin replied, his mind swirling with thoughts. He forced a smile and walked away, but his grip on his phone tightened. Does Woo-seok want to sign that man into the company? If he does, what does that mean for me?

As Yu-jin walked down the hall, his steps were steady, but his thoughts were anything but. The idea of sharing the spotlight—or worse, being overshadowed—left a bitter taste in his mouth.