Chapter 27. Earning Trust (1)

Translator: Synopsis

“Is it that?”

KangYoon walked towards the ward with 1509 written on the door with big steps. He didn’t want to come to the hospital other than with Hee Yoon, but today, he even bought a fruit basket and went inside.

“Who is it?”

As soon as KangYoon went in, a middle-aged woman with a skinny body figure greeted him after looking out the window blankly.

“Hello? I’m Lee KangYoon who’s in charge of trainee Seo HanYu.”

“O, oh. Why did the Team Leader come to a place like this?”

There was no way that Seo HanYu’s mother didn’t know of KangYoon. It was because of the influence of the story that Seo HanYu always talked about – that she was selected by the team leader to become a singer. To think that she would meet him in the hospital ward, Seo HanYu’s mother was slightly embarrassed. It was because of the no make-up face and the now almost gone hair. She quickly wore a hat and looked at the mirror before greeting KangYoon property.

“No, I should have looked for you earlier, I apologize.”

“No, it’s nothing. HanYu’s doing well at the company, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

The topic that mothers like the most are about their child. Seo HanYu’s mother wasn’t an exception. KangYoon talked a lot of her child. From that she was an honors student at her school to the fact that she would become this type of singer, so she didn’t need to worry – KangYoon’s story made her immersed.

When about 1 hour had passed since KangYoon came, Seo HanYu’s father came in. Perhaps due to having come here straight from the company, he was still in a suit. He panicked when he saw a man he had never seen before inside the ward.

“Dear, this person is…”

“Honey, introduce yourself. This is our daughter HanYu’s Team Leader at the company. The Team Leader that HanYu always talked about that he selected her.”

“Oooh!! Pleased to meet you!!”

Unlike the quiet mother, Seo HanYu’s father was quite unrestrained. He shook his hands with KangYoon and offered him to a seat before giving him various things to eat and started asking various things. It seemed as if Seo HanYu’s father also wanted to know a lot about his daughter as KangYoon had to say what he already said again. However, KangYoon didn’t show any signs of discomfort.

As they had talked for a long time, Seo HanYu’s mother fell asleep due to fatigue. KangYoon and Seo HanYu’s father went outside to have a smoke together.

“Thank you,”

Seo HanYu’s father lit KangYoon’s cigarette. The two’s white breath of smoke scattered in the sky.

“How’s the madam’s condition?”

Finally, KangYoon could ask what he really wanted to ask. These were things he couldn’t ask easily inside the ward.

“She’s in the mid stages of liver cancer. They said she could get cured, so we need to put in more effort. Like managing meticulously.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“No, the heads of households don’t know things like that. It’s alright.”

KangYoon deeply sympathized with those words. The head of household was a strong existence. If one had something to protect, then he would become stronger than anyone. LIke KangYoon himself.

“Did something perhaps happen to our HanYu?”

“……”

The talk between men was serious. While the cigarette smoke scattered, Seo HanYu’s father predicted that KangYoon had something to say.

“Did something happen to…”

“No, don’t you know well? That HanYu’s hardworking.”

“I do. She’s too uptight – if that can be considered a problem.”

“That’s right. So I came.”

“So something did happen…”

KangYoon excused himself and took out another smoke. He didn’t smoke a lot, but strangely, he craved for a smoke now. Seo HanYu’s father also seemed to have been affected as he also lit another one.

“HanYu worked part-time. She said it was fast food.”

“Part-time… Does the company forbid part-time jobs?”

“Yes. We exclude everything that can distract practice. Thanks to that, HanYu received punishment.”

“Punishment? Then…”

“It’s not a big one. It’s just a three days of suspension. Of course, there will be no hindrances in her path to becoming a singer so you can rest assured. The reason I came here is that I know that HanYu will keep doing the part-time job in the future. I came here to put a stop to it.”

“Isn’t a three day suspension a big thing? Continue the part-time job? What do you mean by…”

“Of course, a suspension is a significant punishment. However, what I can assure you now is that there will be no hindrances in her path to becoming a singer and her activities as one. I will take responsibility in that regard.”

While looking at Seo HanYu’s father who was dumbfounded at the word ‘suspension,’ KangYoon slightly hesitated for a moment. Sticking his nose into other household’s business was a very rude thing. However, if he didn’t do that now, then HanYu may encounter a bigger problem in the future. KangYoon set his mind and spoke.

“I truly excuse myself, but I know that your household is becoming difficult due to the treatment for cancer. Thanks to that, HanYu is also doing a part-time job.”

“Ha… that child… she doesn’t need to… Yes, you’re right. We are a bit tight on our living expenses, but it’s at a level I can manage with my salary. And there’s money saved up until now too.”

“HanYu doesn’t seem to know that. HanYu is the type of child that will keep repeating an action that she was forced to stop when she judges that it’s the correct thing to do. If that happens, I have to stick to the principles even if I wanted to work with HanYu for a long time… And I want to work with her for a long time. Please help.”

Seo HanYu’s father could understand this person called KangYoon. He was worried a lot about his daughter since he had heard that a lot of people who only talked about making someone into a singer. However, to think this person had come to find him for this… This kind of person was rare nowadays. From what he heard, companies treated trainees like disposable items, but this person was completely different.

“I understand. I will talk to HanYu about this.”

“I heard that HanYu listened to her father’s words well. As far as I know, her most respected person is her father.”

“Hoho. Is that so. Don’t worry. And thank you.”

After requesting once more to Seo HanYu’s father, KangYoon left the hospital.

On his bus home, KangYoon thought about Seo HanYu.

‘In the ‘past,’ Seo HanYu, in other words, singer Yun(T/N: her stage name) never spoke about her mother. And for some reason, she didn’t like the company that much. The first one to move in the recontract season was also Yun. Wasn’t that because there was something like this related to her mother? I don’t want this to turn out badly…’

While crossing the Hangang bridge, KangYoon briefly closed his eyes while thinking about a lot of things.

***

The next day.

A frightening notice came to the girls’ practice room.

“Seo HanYu’s suspended for three days. The reason is late for four days.”

“Eek?!”

The six girls, including Seo HanYu who wasn’t late today, widened their eyes after hearing the bomb dropping from the trainer.

“What? Three days of suspension because being late for four times?”

“Singer classes are no joke.”

Jung MinAh and Lee SamSoon were surprised and spoke a line each. The other girls also whispered to each other.

“Quiet, quiet!! Seo HanYu, practice until today and go home for today. You know that you can’t use the dorms during the suspension, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, shall we start today’s practice?”

Without even time to chat, the practice had begun. As always, the girls’ practices progressed strictly, and they continued until the girls all collapsed due to exhaustion.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Thank you for your hard work.”

After the practice ended, the girls dragged their exhausted bodies to the shower rooms. The girls who emitted a thick smell of sweat and steam weren’t bright teens anymore.

“Ah… What kind of practice…is so hard…”

The always carefree Lee SamSoon also limped when the practice ended. She didn’t even know how resting period went by. Practice, and more practice. The dumb spartan training made them shiver just by thinking about it.

“Ah, I want to sleep just like thiiiis…”

Jung MinAh, who was always lively, also had loose eyes. She seemed like she would sleep the moment she lay down.

“It’s so crazy!! I’m…” (T/N: spoken in English.)

“Close her mouth. She’s speaking in English again.”

“[email protected]#$%!!”

From Ailee Jung, who was spouting something in English, to Jung MinAh who hated it, and Han JooYeon, who acted. – They were exhausted due to practice, but they were becoming closer while playing around like this.

After the shower, they changed their clothes, and they found that all the practice rooms were dark.

“We’re always last.”

Christie An complained. After being selected for the singer class, they didn’t finish before other practice rooms went dark. The other girls were the same in complaining.

Originally, they would return to the dorms together with all 6 of them, but today was different, Seo HanYu went home, and the rest headed to the dorms.

“Should I be late and get some punishment too?”

“What are you saying?”

As she was jealous of Seo HanYu going home, Ailee Jung spoke a line before getting an earful from Christie An. There was nothing good about a punishment record. If rumors spread, then they may even get affected if they take an audition.

And when the girls were chatting and leaving the company lobby, there was a guest who waited for Seo HanYu at the entrance. It was Seo HanYu’s father.

“Huh? Dad.”

“HanYu.”

“Hello.”

Seo HanYu’s father had parked the car and was waiting for his daughter.

The girls exchanged greetings with Seo HanYu’s father before parting soon. Seo HanYu’s father gave them some money to buy drinks, and the girls rejoiced. And naturally, Seo HanYu’s value rose.

On the way home, Seo HanYu asked her father inside the car.

“How did you come here?”

“I was called by your Team Leader.”

“Team Leader? Team Leader KangYoon?”

Seo HanYu widened her eyes as she thought it was unexpected. Why did the Team Leader do that? She couldn’t figure out the reason.

“The Team Leader said that you would finish around this time and told me to pick you up. I thought that it would be good for us father and daughter to have a conversation since this father was preoccupied with your mother nowadays and didn’t have time to speak to you. And so, I came here.”

“Dad…”

“Don’t be so touched. There’s nothing nowadays, right?”

“There isn’t. I’m alright.”

Seo HanYu was as mature-acting as always. She was kind-hearted, good, and kind towards everyone. However, there were things that she suppressed in her heart. Her father wanted to hear those.

“I heard you were working part-time nowadays.”

“You knew?”

“I heard. From that Team Leader.”

“Oh… Did you meet the Team Leader? Did you perhaps…”

“I know everything. I heard you get to rest for three days this time. Think of it as vacation and rest deeply. Your Team Leader also told me to inform you that.”

“Did the Team Leader… say that? Wait, before that, you met the Team Leader, dad?”

“He came to the hospital; he visited your mother.”

Seo HanYu received a big shock. She didn’t think that KangYoon would visit her sick mother even in her dreams. KangYoon mercilessly gave her punishment without holding back after he knew that she did a part-time job. Although she did think that the punishment was natural, the bloodless tearless figure came to her as a bad thing but to think… a sick visit.

The surprise didn’t end there.

“He also talked a lot about you before leaving. He said that you could become a good singer if you work hard like this. However, he was disappointed that you’re rotting your talent and possibilities while doing things like a part-time job. HanYu, dear, the house is alright. I can afford all the treatment that your mother receives. So you don’t have to do something like a part-time job.”

“Dad, but…”

“You focus on becoming a singer. My daughter does everything well when she sets her mind to it, right?”

“Even so…”

“Understand?”

Seo HanYu didn’t have the personality to reject her father’s soft offer. The authority of a father had such power. In fact, she knew already – that it wasn’t the time to do a part-time job.

“Is the house really alright?”

“You can’t trust your dad?”

“It’s not that… No, I understand.”

Seo HanYu, in the end, closed her thoughts about part-time jobs which took a corner of her heart. She decided to focus on one thing.

“Good, good. HanYu, dad, is feeling good so allow me to sm…”

“Never.”

Her father felt down when he took out a cigarette only to put it back again.

The earful of a daughter was always frightening.

The atmosphere inside the car with the father and daughter was happy.

The car crossed a bridge where beautiful night scenery could be seen, and they quietly headed home.

***