Chapter 197 : A Seemingly Indifferent Yet Thoughtful Guy
Chapter 197: A Seemingly Indifferent Yet Thoughtful Guy
I liked watching people.
At cafés, on buses, on the subway.
Or, like today, at the neighborhood park.
Whenever I quietly sat and watched people passing by, stories naturally came to mind.
Where were they going, dressed up so nicely?
Who were they meeting to wear such happy expressions?
What had happened to make them hurry so much?
With my earphones in, I sat there for a long while, watching people.
I remembered what Teacher Oh Jisoo had once told me.
Stories like these come together to create characters, and those characters make music richer.
Today, there seemed to be an unusually large number of dogs.
To the point where I wondered if there had always been this many dogs being walked around the park.
Michael Jackson's <Heal The World> was playing through my earphones.
Think about um, the generations.
I quietly watched the peaceful scenery of the park, which matched the warm melody perfectly.
"Cloud, let's run."
Beside a young student, a small white Maltese hurried along on its short little legs.
"Hold still for a second."
On a park bench, an elderly man was carefully brushing the fur of his Retriever.
This was nice.
It simply made me smile.
Manager-hyung must have worn the same expression while taking Ddoli out for walks.
The thought made my chest ache.
Loss.
Could I really dare claim to understand the sorrow of someone precious leaving forever?
Could music fill that emptiness?
As I thought about those things while watching a dog playing fetch in the distance—
"Hm?"
For some reason, I felt warmth around my legs.
When I looked down, a fluffy Poodle had walked over to my feet and was sniffing curiously.
"Gah!"
I let out a startled sound without realizing it.
The Poodle simply looked up at me, blinking its round black eyes.
Wow...
Wow.
So cute.
But only for a moment.
"Oh my goodness, Mocha! When did you wander all the way over here!"
A woman who appeared to be the dog's owner hurried over, scooped Mocha into her arms, and apologized to me.
"I'm so sorry. You got startled, didn't you?"
"No, it's okay."
If anything, I felt grateful.
But the owner continued apologizing.
"You must've been really startled. I'm so sorry. She normally doesn't do this......"
The little dog kept blinking those bright eyes while looking at me.
......Was she asking for a treat?
What should I do? I didn't have anything to give her.
"Hello?"
When I held out my hand, her moist little nose lightly brushed against it.
The soft sensation made me smile without realizing it.
I looked around.
Was this the usual evening hour when all the neighborhood dogs came out for walks?
There wasn't a single empty spot on any of the benches.
I scooted to the end of the bench and said,
"Please, have a seat."
"Um... don't be startled. There's another one behind me."
"Guaaah!"
Behind the owner stood a much bigger dog.
A black Labrador Retriever.
When our eyes met, my body instinctively flinched...
But the dog simply sat quietly beside its owner, looking at me.
"Wow, you're really handsome."
After saying that, I realized there was another owner standing behind them.
"Oh dear, at least make some noise when you come over. You're startling the neighbors."
"Hey, I was surprised too. He absolutely insisted on coming over here."
They must have been a married couple.
The way the woman holding Mocha playfully scolded the man made it obvious.
Maybe they were around my older brother's age.
The man slowly stroked the Retriever's neck.
It didn't look like they had come out just for a walk.
It felt more like they had come to spend time together.
I watched them quietly for a moment before taking out my notebook.
Then I began writing down the words that came to mind, one by one.
[ Soft fur, the sound of footsteps, round little eyes...... ]
Suddenly, Manager-hyung's face came to mind.
At first, everything had been vague.
How could I clearly convey the emotion of comfort?
But now that I was actually watching people spending time with their pets, I was beginning to understand.
Rather than a song comforting someone over the sorrow of losing a beloved companion...
A song telling them that the time they had shared had truly been happy.
Maybe it wasn't a song of mourning.
Maybe it was a song of remembrance.
I looked back down at my notebook and continued writing.
[ Through Ddoli's eyes. ]
This was it.
I jumped to my feet.
Before heading back to Backstage, I enthusiastically waved goodbye to the woman beside me and to Mocha.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you too, Mocha! Stay healthy! Listen to your noona!"
"...Excuse me?"
Leaving behind the puzzled-looking couple,
I hailed a taxi and headed back to Backstage.
On the way there,
I watched the colorful lights floating across the Han River as I repeated the melody and lyrics over and over in my head.
To an owner who had stopped eating and drinking because of grief...
Wouldn't Ddoli have wanted to say something like this?
The words "I'm sorry," the words "I love you."
I already knew all of it.
Han Yujin's manager, Hwang Woohyun, lay in bed with the blanket pulled all the way up to his neck, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The room was dark and silent.
The thick blackout curtains had been closed for a long time.
Even his smartphone screen remained dark.
"Ah......"
Tap. Tap.
He heard familiar footsteps, almost like an auditory hallucination.
The tiny scratching sound as Ddoli whimpered outside the door.
The warm little ball of fluff that would climb onto his stomach whenever he lay down and rest its chin there.
Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Ddoli.
He simply clutched the blanket helplessly.
His mother carefully cracked open the bedroom door and spoke in a weary voice.
"Your meal......"
"I'm okay."
People often said that when someone received too great a shock, they couldn't even cry.
That described Hwang Woohyun perfectly.
Even he couldn't tell what this feeling was anymore.
Was it emptiness?
Regret?
Sadness?
He couldn't even move a finger.
His mother quietly closed the door.
Even that small sound echoed loudly.
Within the silent darkness, where only his breathing could be heard,
only his regrets surfaced.
'I shouldn't have gotten annoyed and scolded you when you threw up on the floor.'
'I shouldn't have kept putting off your walks.'
'I should've come home earlier every day.'
One small regret after another quietly flooded his heart.
When all the regrets finally faded,
only longing remained.
One thought led to another.
I wish you'd appear in my dreams.
Just once...
I wanted to tell you I was sorry.
Who knew how long he remained lying there.
Eventually, he forced himself to get up.
Steadying his unsteady body, he sat down at his desk and turned on his laptop.
'I should at least check my email.'
Casting inquiries.
Sponsorship offers.
Partnership proposals.
Internal scheduling emails.
Interview requests...
Whenever his mind was in turmoil, work was always the best distraction.
Forget the vacation.
I should just get back to work as soon as possible.
After quickly clearing through the pile of pending work, he leaned back in his chair, about to drift into another blank stare.
[ New Email (Sender: Han Yujin) ]
'Hm?'
An email from Han Yujin.
Throughout all the years they'd worked together, it was the first time she'd contacted him by email instead of calling or texting.
Feeling puzzled, Hwang Woohyun opened it.
There was no message.
Only the title, "Footprints That Became a Star," and a single attached file.
[ for_you.mp3 ]
He hadn't heard anything about pitching a new song.
Why was there a music file?
There was no way recording had already been completed overnight.
Without thinking much of it, he opened the file.
Instead of the explosive K-pop beat he expected—
"...Huh?"
The song began with nothing more than a simple piano melody.
Hwang Woohyun turned up the volume.
His expression, which had been emotionless until now, gradually changed.
There were no drums.
No guitar.
Only a quiet piano accompaniment that delicately carried emotion.
The moment he heard it, the image appeared vividly before his eyes.
A man sitting alone in a dark room, quietly longing for someone.
Yes.
That man was himself.
I fell asleep beneath your warm touch.
I still remember every little breath you took.
The lyrics flowed together with a gentle voice.
This was definitely...
"Taeyoon's voice......"
His eyes shook violently.
Ddoli's tiny breathing.
The little snoring sounds Ddoli made while sleeping on top of his stomach before bedtime.
It was all there.
I ran to the door every time I heard your footsteps.
Even those brief moments made me happy.
His heart dropped.
It felt as though he could hear those tiny footsteps rushing toward the entrance to greet him.
I'll be waiting just a little ahead.
I'll become the brightest star and shine down on you.
There was no exaggerated sorrow.
No dramatic determination to comfort him at all costs.
Only tiny sounds hidden throughout the background—
the squeak of Ddoli's favorite toy,
the sound of a quiet whistle.
His chest tightened.
The grief he had desperately held back threatened to burst free.
He picked up the photograph resting on his desk.
Those round black eyes looked back at him.
I was happy because I met you.
The music continued playing.
It didn't rush him.
It didn't force comfort upon him.
It simply remained there,
quietly filling the empty space.
I'll be waiting. We'll definitely meet again.
He couldn't hold back anymore.
The sound of his sobbing filled the dark room.
It was the first time.
The first time he'd truly realized that a song could comfort someone.
His face soaked with tears,
he roughly wiped it with his sleeve.
He stared at Ddoli's toy box beside the desk before slowly standing up.
His heavy shoulders felt just a little lighter.
He quietly cleaned up the room before sitting back down at his desk.
Only after scrolling farther down the email did he finally notice Han Yujin's message.
[ Listen to it, then write down whatever you felt and send it to me. Ddoli wouldn't want you sitting around sulking without saying a word, either. ]
"...Seriously."
He let out a small laugh with reddened eyes.
Then he began typing his reply.
Words he had never once spoken aloud in his life.
It was okay if nobody read them.
It was okay if nobody listened.
The place the song reached felt warm.
I'll miss you sometimes, but I'll be okay.
Wander as much as you want, then wait just a little ahead of me.
When we meet again someday, will you be the first to come running when you hear my voice?
I'll run to you faster than anyone else and hold you.
After sending the email,
Hwang Woohyun opened the curtains.
Warm sunlight poured into the room.
A cool breeze brushed against his cheeks.
Beneath the sunlight streaming through the window,
it almost felt as though Ddoli were stretching lazily.
Hwang Woohyun smiled.
He knew.
It had only been for a brief moment,
but Ddoli had definitely come to visit.
Ding—
Taeyoon stepped into the convenience store.
It had already been twenty hours since he'd started working at Backstage.
When it came to grabbing a quick meal, there was no better place than a convenience store.
To Taeyoon, convenience stores were basically giant personal refrigerators.
Open twenty-four hours a day—
just walk in, grab whatever you wanted, and eat.
"Please be there. Please, please!"
Muttering desperately, he hurried over to the lunchbox refrigerator.
[ Giant Tonkatsu Lunchbox ]
"Yes!"
As if it were some incredible achievement, he even clenched his fist in celebration.
Hugging the precious lunchbox tightly,
Taeyoon headed over to the drinks refrigerator.
He grabbed one can of cola,
one bottle of corn tea,
and walked toward the register.
"I'll pay for this too."
The display shelves near the register were dangerous territory.
He ended up grabbing a strawberry-flavored caramel and a sausage before paying and leaving the store.
He was so happy that he even spun the plastic bag around as he walked.
Humming happily while taking clumsy little dance steps,
he entered Backstage.
Then he spotted two familiar figures.
Han Yujin and Manager Hwang Woohyun.
"Huh? Noona? Hyung......"
Taeyoon bowed politely while carefully reading the atmosphere.
Han Yujin was smiling as brightly as ever,
while Hwang Woohyun sat beside her with reddened eyes and a bitter smile.
"What brings you here......?"
"Our manager said he absolutely had to see you~"
Taeyoon thought everything seemed normal,
but Han Yujin's smile wasn't entirely cheerful either.
She wore a faintly lonely smile as she looked toward Hwang Woohyun.
He quietly spoke.
"I listened to the song. It was really good."
"Ah, um......"
Taeyoon carefully sorted through the words swirling in his head before speaking.
He wanted to offer words of comfort.
But no matter how hard he thought,
he couldn't figure out what to say.
The song had probably expressed everything already.
Believing that,
he simply sat down across from him and asked the only thing he could think of.
"Have you eaten? Would you like my lunchbox?"
Someone had once said that people stop eating when they're consumed by grief.
Wouldn't buying someone a meal be far more comforting than offering clumsy words?
Thinking that,
Taeyoon held out the lunchbox.
Truthfully, he hesitated a little.
This Giant Tonkatsu Lunchbox was incredibly hard to find...!
If Taeyoon gave someone his tonkatsu lunchbox,
it meant he genuinely liked that person.
Hwang Woohyun already knew well that Taeyoon was completely obsessed with tonkatsu.
So he couldn't bring himself to take it and was about to refuse.
"I'm okay."
Grrrrrrr—
His stomach answered honestly.
Come to think of it,
he'd lived on nothing but water for several days.
"Haha."
Feeling embarrassed and apologetic, he gave an awkward laugh.
But Taeyoon remained firm.
"You need to eat to have strength. Ddoli would've wanted that too. Hurry and eat. This one's seriously delicious. It's not just a king-sized lunchbox—it's a Giant one. Here. Have the cola too."
Taeyoon tore open the disposable wooden chopsticks and handed them over.
Hwang Woohyun carefully accepted them and took a huge bite of the tonkatsu.
"Wow."
"Good, right?"
"Yeah......"
It was such a simple thing.
Yet his throat suddenly tightened.
First the song.
Now the lunchbox too...
Unlike his cold appearance,
Taeyoon occasionally had a way of making people unexpectedly emotional like this.
Seo Taeyoon.
He was actually a surprisingly warm person.
A guy who seemed indifferent,
yet was incredibly thoughtful.
To willingly give away his favorite tonkatsu—
and not just any tonkatsu, but the Giant Tonkatsu Lunchbox.
The reason he'd even managed to leave the house today was because of Taeyoon.
If that was the case,
he couldn't just sit still.
After devouring the Giant Tonkatsu Lunchbox in no time,
he slowly opened his mouth.
"Taeyoon."
"Yes, hyung."
"About... 'Footprints That Became a Star.' It was really wonderful."
"Ah! That's a relief!"
"So..."
After taking a sip of cola,
he continued.
"I'd really like to listen to that song as an official release."
"Huh? I think it'd suit Yujin noona's voice really well too. I'll discuss that part with the CEO."
Hwang Woohyun hurriedly waved both hands.
"No, no. That's not what I meant. I want to hear it in your voice. Your voice has the power to comfort people. It's deep, yet everything comes through so clearly."
The instincts of a manager with ten years of experience were telling him one thing with absolute certainty.
This...
This will work!