Volume 5 / Chapter 175

TL: LightNovelCafe

[Returning home home]

Jun Hyuk came back to the New York apartment and started by cleaning. The doorbell rang while he was in the middle of sweeping and scrubbing. When he opened the door, lawyer Lim So Mi was holding bags in both hands. She had so many that even the condo security guard had come up with some.

“Huh? Ms. Lim. What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean why am I here? Hurry up and take these. My arms are going to fall off.”

When Jun Hyuk took the bags, she tipped the security guard and entered the living room.

“Wow, this house is great. Even grand pianos. Rich people really are different. Ho ho.”

She took a lap around the apartment and then opened the kitchen refrigerator as though it is her own house.

“I knew it. You did leave the house empty for half a year. Tsk tsk.”

Lawyer Lim So Mi threw out all of the dry and rotten food in the refrigerator, and started filling it with what she had brought over.

“Rest a bit. I’ll make food. I went grocery shopping. It’s been a while since you ate tonkatsu, right?”

Jun Hyuk jumped up from the sofa and waved his hand.

“Oh, Ms. Lim. I don’t need tonkatsu. I don’t feel so good because of the flight… I think a stew might be better.”

“Really? Then I’ll make you kimchi stew.”

Lawyer Lim So Mi made some noise in the kitchen and then put a decent looking stew in front of Jun Hyuk. Kimchi stew, a few side dishes, and even noodles.

But there was no difference between the tonkatsu and the stew. Jun Hyuk forced himself to eat the kimchi he was sure she had purchased at the Korean market.

Lawyer Lim So Mi watched Jun Hyuk eat and cautiously asked,

“But why did you give up all of a sudden?”

“I didn’t really have confidence in the performance. And that doesn’t mean that I can be nonchalant with the Boston Philharmonic.”

“Hm. This is the first time I’ve seen you say you don’t have confidence in something.”

“I could understand better while trying it out. Oh right. I’m sure you were put in an uncomfortable situation because of me.”

“Why? What’s uncomfortable?”

“Issues with the contract…..”

Lawyer Lim So Mi laughed and shook her head.

“It’s okay. I took the money from Boston monthly anyway. There was nothing more to receive and nothing to pay up. And the recording and performance weren’t mandatory conditions anyway… Actually, the Boston Philharmonic thanked you.”

“What are they thanking me for?”

“You recorded the album. I hear things too. They’re saying that’s going to be big.”

In Korean circles, there is a lot of talk that Lim So Mi caught a big fish. There are a lot of rumors that there will be tremendous contracts going forward.

When Jun Hyuk put his spoon down, she cleared the table. She pushed him away when he said that he would help, and told him to go rest.

“Jun Hyuk.”

“Yes.”

Lim So Mi wiped the table as she took a glance at Jun Hyuk.

“You look really tired.”

“No, I’m okay. I slept a lot in first class.”

“Not that, but I mean to take a break from music. I’m telling you to take a break from work.”

“I rested while on the Europe trip. For 2 months.”

“Just like it’s not a vacation if you’re thinking of your work, you need to forget music to rest. How many songs did you write while traveling Europe?”

Lim So Mi tsked as Jun Hyuk started counting on his fingers.

“Why don’t you go to Korea to take a break before coming back? Hasn’t it been over 1 year since you’ve seen Mr. Yoon?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you like father and son? You should see each other at least once a year.”

He did not really have anything to do, so he could go to Korea. He thought that everything in Korea was over when he left it.

However, Lim So Mi’s suggestion made him recall a lot.

The coziness of the cafe. The basement studio. Talking about music with Yoon Kwang Hun over a cup of coffee. More than anything else, the tonkatsu that Yoon Kwang Hun makes for him.

“And you have to leave anyway. You can’t stay here for very long.”

“Excuse me? What are you talking about? It’s my house.”

“The Boston Philharmonic is going to release an official statement in 10 days. Plans to release the Inferno album and your resignation. Then reporters will come flooding in.”

He had done something to receive attention again. Jun Hyuk thought that it would be better to go back to Korea as Lim So Mi said, rather than staying holed up in a hotel somewhere in New York.

“You don’t have plans anyway. Go to Korea for about a month and… Oy. I’m no good at talking around the point.”

Lim So Mi stopped washing the dishes, wiped her hands, and sat next to Jun Hyuk while sighing.

“Why do you think I came with all of this food? Mr. Yoon worried a lot about you. He asked me to stop in and check on you.”

“Ah, I see. No wonder.”

“What? No wonder? Hey! I’m always this nice! How many times have I made bone marrow soup for you?”

It was not often, but she did bring him soup and kimchi which is easy to prepare when he does not really have anything to eat. Even though he did throw away about half of it because he did not make sure to eat it on time.

“If you want to go to Korea, I could even prepare a private plane for you.”

“What? A private plane?”

Jun Hyuk’s eyes grew wide at this ridiculous statement.

“There’s someone who wants to meet you, but it’s business. Mr. Yoon already met him once too.”

If it is someone who would meet Yoon Kwang Hun, it must be serious business. What could it be?

“Who is it?”

“Stern Corporation’s president. It’s a management agency. It’s a pretty big company in the industry. I looked into it too and it looks good.”

“Ah, I’ve heard about it too. But you’re taking care of my affairs. I don’t need a management agency.”

“What do I do other than look over your contracts? It’s a world where even an artist needs to meet a good agent to sell his paintings. They’ll take care of you completely. Look at what’s happening now. It’s even uncomfortable trying to avoid reporters. They’ll take of everything like this too.”

“Is that why they’re saying they’ll lend us a private plane? For me?”

“I heard he needs to go to Japan soon. He can drop you off in Korea and go on to Japan. You can discuss during the plane ride.”

Jun Hyuk’s jaw dropped at the convenience of a private plane. It is even possible to drop someone off as though riding a car.

Going to Yoon Kwang Hun’s cafe, which is like his childhood home, is better than hiding out in a hotel. Jun Hyuk called Yoon Kwang Hun to tell him he would be going to Korea and Lim So Mi arranged the departure date with Stern Corporation. It is the first time he is returning to Korea since he left.