After having a late dinner with Kevin and Shizuka, Geon returned to Lincoln Center for about two hours of recording before heading back to Red Castle. There wasn't a pressing need to return early to Red Castle without Shizuka, but Geon felt sorry for the organization mbers waiting for him outside in the cold winter weather. As it passed 11 PM, he decided to head ho to work. After patting the hardworking organization mber on the shoulder in front of the annex, he opened the door to find Byungjun, as always, lounging on the sofa in just his underwear, looking at his phone, and waving his hand.
Geon, who no longer wanted to nag, just smiled, left the guitar and a pile of papers he had brought, took a shower, and then sat alone in his room, gazing thoughtfully at the finished music score.
"The lyrics are the issue now. If it's an anthem, it can't have lyrics that are difficult or hard to morize. It needs to have a lody line that's easy and can be sung by anyone."
While tidying up the papers and scores, the vibration of a phone startled Geon, who then pulled an old mobile phone from the coat pocket hanging on the coat hanger. Although it was a folder phone and he couldn't tell who was calling, he knew that only Shizuka knew this phone number.
"Hello, Shizuka!"
"Yeah."
"What did you do today? Did you eat?"
"Yeah, I did."
"That's good. I recorded today with Kevin and Shizuka."
"..."
"Shizuka?"
"Were you with Shizuka?"
"Yes, why?"
"Just the two of you?"
"No, Kevin was with us."
"Was Shizuka really necessary?"
"Well... not necessarily, but it’s a song that sounds good with keyboard. Why?"
"...No reason."
Feeling uneasy due to Shizuka’s tone, Geon tried to change the subject. Suddenly noticing the score, he brightened and said.
"There's sothing I need your help with, Shizuka. How about it? Will you help?"
"...What is it?"
"It’s about Arsenal and..."
Geon’s explanation continued for a while. For Shizuka, who didn't know what Arsenal was, Geon excitedly explained how important the team was and that the English Premier League is a hugely popular football league worldwide, to which Shizuka, listening without a word, finally asked.
"Do you need to write the lyrics for the anthem?"
"Yes, and it would be a steady source of inco for you, as Arsenal would pay royalties every ti they use the music."
"I don’t care about that."
"Oh.. Alright then."
"I'll call you again in an hour."
"An hour?"
Click
Staring at the hung-up phone, Geon frowned and placed the phone under a lamp.
"Shizuka always gets cold when Shizuka is ntioned. Was there sothing between them?"
Geon pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, resting his chin on his knees.
"Shizuka wouldn't say anything bad about anyone, so what could have happened between them?"
Bang
The door suddenly opened without a knock, and seeing Byungjun, Geon frowned. Byungjun, holding the doorknob in just his underwear, sheepishly closed the door again.
Knock knock
"It's already late, just co in."
"Ahaha, sorry, it's a habit."
With a mischievous smile, Byungjun climbed onto Geon’s bed and lay down next to him.
"Can you buy pajamas? It doesn’t look good for two guys to be in bed in their underwear."
Pushing away Geon’s foot that poked him in the ribs, Byungjun wriggled up a bit and tucked a pillow under his head, laughing.
"What's the harm? It feels like we’re close brothers. But why do you look like that? You look like you've discovered bat guano in a cave after decades."
Geon frowned more.
"Can’t you find a better taphor?"
"Hehe, I’ve always been like this. What's up? I was about to co into the room earlier but didn’t because I heard you talking on the phone. Were you talking to Shizuka?"
"Yes, she called."
"But why?"
Geon leaned back against the bed wall, inserting a pillow behind him, and sighed.
"Bro, was there sothing going on between Shizuka and Shizuka?"
Byungjun's face stiffened a bit as he looked at Geon’s face.
"...Why?"
Looking slightly exasperated, Geon explained.
"Shizuka suddenly becos serious whenever Shizuka cos up. It wasn’t like this when she was in Arica, but it has always been like this since she moved to Georgia."
Byungjun sat up slightly and asked.
"When she was in Arica, it wasn’t
like this? What makes you say that?"
Geon stared at Byungjun.
"Do you know sothing?"
Byungjun, looking flustered and rolling his eyes, was pounced on by Geon, who then put him in a headlock.
"Tell ! What happened?"
"Ugh!! I can’t breathe!"
Geon shifted his position and pinned Byungjun face-down with his elbow.
"Spill it! Spill!"
"Ughuhuhuh, ah, ah! It’s ticklish and it hurts!"
"Hurry up and spill!"
"I, I! I'll spill! Our base is under the northern mountains!"
"Not that! I an about Shizuka and Shizuka!"
"I don’t know anything! Where is Harbin Station!"
"Why are you looking for Harbin Station all of a sudden!"
"For the independence of Korea, I dedicate my life!"
"Ah! What are you talking about!"
Eventually giving up on torturing Byungjun, Geon sat on the bed, frowning as if he had just wasted his energy, while Byungjun kicked Geon’s back lightly and said.
"It's just girls being jealous. Don’t worry about it."
Geon glanced at Byungjun and asked.
"How old is Shizuka to be jealous?"
"Man, a woman is a creature of envy. Even a ten-year-old is a woman."
"Don't insult my cute Shizuka with filthy words."
"Huh? I tell you the truth, and you don’t believe , why did you ask to tell you?"
Geon shook his head and got up from the bed.
"Phew, if you don’t want to tell , then don’t. I’ll find out soday."
As Geon opened the door and went to the kitchen, Byungjun thrashed about on the bed and said.
"I told the truth!! You're the one who didn't believe!"
"Ah, I got it, I got it."
After grabbing a glass of water from the refrigerator, Geon dragged a chair from the desk to the bed where Byungjun lay watching him.
"Is your work almost done? I asked Director Lin and he said we need to send the music this week."
Geon nodded and put the glass on the desk.
"It’s almost finished. I’ve asked Shizuka for the lyrics."
Byungjun sat up and asked.
"To Shizuka? You should have told earlier, you scoundrel. I need to send the settlent data to the company. You used Shizuka for the keyboard, right? Kevin’s on bass."
"Yes"
"And the drums?"
"Either I’ll ask Jose, or I’ll just record it myself."
"Let know when it’s decided. I need to report to the company in advance for the R/S split."
"Got it. I’ll let you know as soon as it’s decided."
"Did you hear that the club invited you?"
Geon, unsurprised, replied.
"I hadn’t heard, but I guessed. When are they coming?"
"In two weeks."
"Kevin will be happy, he likes soccer."
"Yeah, let’s take Shizuka and Kevin, do so traveling, and work on Shizuka’s popularity in Europe, since she’s not well-known there."
"Where’s the match?"
"Champions League Round of 16, against FC Barcelona."
Geon finally showed a surprised expression, and Byungjun chuckled.
"They want it played when they’re losing, right? It’s best to play against a team that’s expected to lose."
Geon opened his mouth in astonishnt, and Byungjun nudged his knee with his foot.
"Why? You think they’ll get crushed?"
Geon, coming to his senses, grabbed the phone. Watching Geon, Byungjun heard the shouting on the phone as Geon called Kevin.
"Kevin! It’s the Champions League Round of 16! We’re up against FC Barcelona! Yeah! ssi’s team! Of course, Dembélé and Iniesta will be there too, right?"
As Geon chatted excitedly about seeing the famous players, ignoring the music, Byungjun shook his head and left the room. After talking with Kevin for about five minutes, Geon lay back on the bed, his heart fluttering, and turned on a soccer app on his phone to look up related articles when Shizuka's call ca through again.
"Hello?"
"It’s , take this down."
"Ah, yes!"
As Geon took down Shizuka’s words, a bright smile spread across his face. Holding the phone tightly after Shizuka finished speaking, Geon exclaid.
"Shizuka! That’s really good, you're a genius!"
"...Fairy tale."
"Huh? What book?"
"Read a fairy tale, I’m going to sleep now."
"Oh, okay!!"
Geon went to the bookshelf, picked a book, and began reading
it with a bright voice. After about 20 minutes of reading, hearing no sound on the other end, he said softly.
"Goodnight, Shizuka."
After waiting a mont longer, just as Geon was about to hang up, Shizuka’s voice ca through.
"I miss you."
Geon, about to end the call, smiled warmly.
"I miss you too."
"...Idiot."
Suddenly called an idiot, Geon’s expression turned genuinely foolish.
"Huh? Why, Shizuka?"
"...Never mind, are you going to England?"
"Yes, I have to. The club invited ."
"When?"
"In two weeks."
"...And Shizuka?"
"Yes, Kevin and Brother Byungjun are going too."
"...Okay."
Geon hesitated for a mont before asking cautiously.
"Shizuka, is there sothing going on with you and Shizuka?"
"...Why?"
"Oh, no reason... It just seems like you get sensitive whenever Shizuka cos up."
"...Never mind then."
Unable to bear the ensuing silence, Geon changed the subject.
"Ahaha, um... Ah! Carlos says hello, he insists on buying you ice cream next ti. And... oh, the guard dog, a Doberman, just had puppies, four of them. And the Shepherds that were born when you were here now weigh over 3 kilograms. They seem to grow every day."
"..."
"Uh, I went to the zoo recently. Shihwa’s son is now as big as Shihwa, I was really surprised. Pi is still the king at the zoo, and Ricky looks a bit pitiful, I don’t understand why they keep lions in such large spaces but confine bears to such small ones."
As Geon rambled on, eventually running out of things to say, he beca flustered.
"And... uh, that, um..."
"I don’t like Shizuka."
"Huh? Oh... why?"
"..."
Startled by Shizuka’s sudden statent, Geon unwittingly defended Shizuka.
"Sh, Shizuka is a good person, why would you say that?"
"?"
"Yes, you?"
"What kind of person do you think I am?"
Sweat broke out on Geon’s back.
"Sh, Shizuka is obviously the cutest, prettiest angel in the world!"
"...Really?"
"Uh, yes! Of course, it’s true!"
"Fine then. I’m going to sleep now."
"Ah... okay."
Click, click, click
Looking at the disconnected phone, Geon, sweating, couldn't sleep well that night.
>
Unlock exclusive early access to more than 100 Chapters before anyone else by becoming a valued mber of my Patreon community.
As a cherished mber of our Patreon community, here is what you'll get:
For just $5:
Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public. (You can find all the novels I'm translating HERE.)Your na will be prominently featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".The power to vote on which novel I translate next.You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10:
You get to suggest a Novel for to translate.
For $20:
You get to recomnd an abandoned Novel and I will imdiately start translating it.
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
Reviews
All reviews (0)