“Nice to meet you, I’m Tom Buster.”
The White House Chief of Staff had a sharp look in his eyes. His angular jaw made him look more suited for the military than a civilian position.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Mr. Hyun. You are quite remarkable for your age.”
How on earth had rumors about me reached even the Chief of Staff at the White House? Tom was looking at me with an intriguing gaze.
“You flatter me.”
“No, really. It’s not just remarkable but extraordinary that someone as young as you is acquainted with Mr. Soo of the Geumwang Group and Barbara Tannenbaum of the Barbara Group. Many business leaders desire to establish ties with them, but they say it’s as difficult as plucking stars from the sky. Even I might not have met them if I hadn’t become the White House Chief of Staff. Yet, you not only befriended them but also influenced Barbara Tannenbaum to change her investment direction because of you, didn’t you?”
“I merely gave some advice. The decision was made by Chairman Barbara herself. I didn’t really help that much.”
“Impossible. Barbara Tannenbaum is someone who wouldn’t yield even to pressure from the White House. I can confidently say that not even the President could sway her thoughts. So, I’m very curious about you, Mr. Hyun, for being able to influence her investment direction.”
Ah, that kind of gaze. I had seen it numerous times before.
It was the same look that many great figures, including Chairman Wang, would give me. However, Tom, the White House Chief of Staff, was far more dangerous.
If he knew that I had knowledge of the future, he might kidnap me and send me to a NASA lab.
At that moment, Tom seemed to read my thoughts and added with a friendly smile.
“Ha ha, don’t worry. I’m not going to ask how you won over Barbara Tannenbaum and Mr. Soo. Actually, I’m a big fan of yours as a violinist. You might not know this, but I’ve watched all the videos of your performances.”
“Thank you.”
“By the way, do you have any scheduled concerts in New York or Washington?”
“Pardon?”
It seemed he wasn’t just being polite. The more I talked with Tom, the more I realized he was a genuine fan of mine.
He knew details about me that only a true fan would know, even things that would be unknown to someone without interest.
Especially, when he mentioned how many times I wiped my sweat with a handkerchief during a concert three years ago, I got goosebumps.
“That day, you wiped your sweat exactly three times. It’s rare to see you sweat during performances, which made that concert very memorable. I’ve been eagerly waiting for the day you hold a concert in the U.S.”
After my conversation with the White House Chief of Staff, I also talked with Deng Zheng.
Talking sequentially with powerful figures from both the U.S. and China drew a lot of attention. That was when it happened.
“Hyun?”
I turned my head at the familiar voice and saw Elnon standing there. Though she was a renowned comedian in the U.S., her presence seemed to be overshadowed among the famous personalities.
However, Elnon’s gaze was different. She was looking at me with an even more intense gaze, as if treating me like a VIP.
“Hey…”
Son Yooha sighed as she saw a male student approaching her.
In the past, it would have been one of the many boys trying to hit on her, the queen of the prestigious Phillips Academy. But recently, the boys approaching her were different.
“Have you heard if Hyun’s concert is going to be held in New York?”
Boys who normally had no interest in classical music were now showing immense interest in Kang Hyun for two reasons.
First, it was due to his recent lecture. Phillips Academy, known for its high academic standards, was a school where most students were selected for their excellence and went on to Ivy League colleges. Kang Hyun had fascinated many students with his lecture.
Second, it was likely due to the influence of his concert videos.
“Hero?”
Ms. Jessica, the music teacher, had once used Kang Hyun’s concert video as an audiovisual material for the entire school in the auditorium.
Years ago, on that day, Kang Hyun looked quite young among the Westerners.
That boy had shaken Europe and the UK solo, leading some students, who were immersed in Orientalism, to call him a superhero.
“Was there any talk of a second lecture?”
There were rumors that not only the girls but also many boys at Phillips had joined Kang Hyun’s fan club, F.H.’s New York branch.
Kang Hyun was a man with a charm that captivated people regardless of gender. Son Yooha shook her head firmly.
“Even if they do, I must stop them!”
If she had known he would become this popular, she would never have invited him to lecture at Phillips. Yooha felt a sense of crisis due to Kang Hyun’s growing popularity.
It wasn’t just Phillips; even in Hollywood, paparazzi often followed her, trying to take pictures of Kang Hyun when she walked around.
It felt like he had become as famous as any Broadway actor.
“Yooha, do you have extra lessons today?”
Yooha nodded regretfully at Michelle’s question.
For her, studying was not the only part of her school life. In fact, life at Phillips was just an appetizer.
The main course was receiving private lessons from retired professors of prestigious universities in the U.S. and Europe.
There was no area where she didn’t receive extra lessons, from academics to social skills. It was so exhausting that one body wasn’t enough.
“Don’t you meet Hyun oppa often?”
“No, I haven’t been able to. Oppa has been really busy lately.”
“I heard he’s appearing on Elnon’s talk show today?”
“Shh, that’s still a secret.”
Yooha wanted to go see Kang Hyun, but she couldn’t. Kang Hyun was busier than she was.
She knew how much he hated being bothered, so she could imagine how hard it must be for him. Lately, not only Hollywood and the broadcasting industry but even the stock market had been searching for him.
“Michelle, I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
Just as she was about to part ways with Michelle,
“Huh?”
Michelle’s eyes widened as she looked over Yooha’s shoulder. Yooha turned her head in confusion. There stood…
“Oppa…?”
Kang Hyun was standing there. Instantly, the attention of other students also focused on him. At that moment, Kang Hyun grabbed Yooha’s wrist and hurriedly moved away.
“Get on!”
This?
Wasn’t it a pink scooter? He must have been trying to leave before the students flocked to them.
Kang Hyun carefully placed a pink helmet on Yooha’s head and gently patted it. Yooha hesitated for a moment, then smiled brightly and hopped onto the scooter, hugging Kang Hyun’s waist tightly.
“Oppa, didn’t you say you had a recording today?”
Kang Hyun nodded slightly without turning his head at Yooha’s question. In truth, it was his first time driving a scooter, so he couldn’t afford to turn around.
They said it was similar to riding a bicycle, but Kang Hyun hadn’t ridden one since his early elementary school years.
“We haven’t seen each other for a long time.”
Only when they got stuck at a traffic light did Kang Hyun turn around.
He hadn’t seen Yooha for quite a while. After today’s recording, he would have to jump straight into the final work related to the music for Jim Filmer’s movie, so he would have even less time.
“Oppa, won’t you become more famous after today’s broadcast?”
He would likely become more famous. As much as he hated being bothered, he couldn’t resist the temptation of the Elnon Show.
It was the only program he had loved in his past life. Moreover, being the first guest was an honor that was hard to refuse.
“What if actresses start hitting on you?”
Some already had. Somehow, a few celebrities had found his contact information and reached out to him.
“Are you worried?”
“Of course. Actresses are so beautiful. Korean actresses are pretty, but Hollywood actresses are incredible.”
“Then, would you accept if a really handsome guy hit on you?”
“Are you crazy? Of course not.”
Yooha shook her head vigorously in strong denial. Kang Hyun glanced at her in the side mirror and couldn’t help but smile.
He found Yooha’s reactions incredibly cute. He had seen Son Yooha, the president of Jeilmul Group, in his previous life.
In some ways, she was more outstanding than the actresses, with a career that couldn’t be compared. She was destined to become one of the world’s top female CEOs.
“Don’t worry. Even if I become famous, I have no interest in the entertainment industry.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Only then did Yooha seem reassured, hugging Kang Hyun’s waist even tighter. She rested her face against his broad back.
She never imagined she would be riding a scooter with Kang Hyun on the roads of New York. The scent of Kang Hyun’s cologne in the wind was sweetly tickling her nose.
“Whew!”
Elnon couldn’t hide her excitement as she exhaled deeply.
It was the first recording day of her talk show. Originally, it was supposed to be recorded in a studio in California, but they changed the location to New York for Kang Hyun.
Normally, Elnon would never have allowed such a change, but this time was different.
There were still skeptical views around her about having an Asian classical musician as the first guest.
It was understandable. Although the U.S. had less racial discrimination compared to Europe, there was still some prejudice against Asians.
Considering the age of the audience who would enjoy the talk show, classical music was quite niche. However,
“It will definitely succeed.”
Elnon was convinced. She was sure that once Kang Hyun appeared on the show, not only would the Elnon Show become a hit, but Kang Hyun would also receive unprecedented popularity and attention.
“Elnon, we’re counting down!”
The audience was already seated, including Kang Hyun’s fiancée and many others. They had been waiting for this day too.
As the cameras lit up and the assistant director started the countdown with the slate, her heart began to race.
Here we go.
“Hello, everyone, this is Elnon!”
