After three hours had passed, feeling hunger creeping in, they moved to a nearby restaurant.
About an hour and a half after the meeting had begun, Daehae, who had finished the previous shoot, came into the meeting room with a surprised expression on her face, but aside from that, the meeting was finished without much incident. Well, to say there were no incidents might be a bit difficult. Hyuk, Jiho, Daehae's coordinator, and makeup artists crowded around Geon, asking for autographs, taking pictures together, causing quite a commotion, making Geon feel quite awkward.
Except for the staff, in the restaurant where only the PD and actors remained, Daehae continued to snap photos while sitting next to Geon.
"Geon, Geon, look here, cheese~"
*Click click click click*
Daehae continuously took photos, while Geon seemed slightly bewildered.
After about three hours of the meeting where Hyuk, Jiho, Yeongseok, and Daehae agreed to speak comfortably with each other, the stiffness between them lessened somewhat.
Daehae pressed her face against Geon's and kept taking photos. Even after snapping around thirty shots, she didn't stop, eagerly awaiting the food.
Finally, when the food arrived, Daehae handed over the just-taken photos.
"Oh my, oh my. Look at these photos. Hyuk, look at this one. Isn't this just like a painting?"
Hyuk and Jiho tilted their heads, looking at Daehae, who was admiring the photos.
Hyuk handed Daehae a spoon and said, "Enough with that. Stop it."
Glancing at Geon's reaction, Daehae soon smiled and said, "Alright, alright. I'll stop. But, Geon, can I post these photos on my SNS?"
Geon nodded, seemingly okay with it. "Yes, of course, sister. It's an honor for me."
Daehae, taking a spoonful of freshly served steamed egg, said, "Wow, it's hot. Thanks, Geon. Let's become SNS friends. Give me your phone."
When Geon handed her the phone, she dialed her own number and disconnected the call.
"Save my number. It'll pop up as a friend suggestion, so you can follow me then."
While returning the phone, Jiho looked at Daehae in amazement. "Wow, look at that skill, picking up numbers so smoothly. You're becoming more skilled by the day."
Daehae, eyeing Jiho teasingly, retorted, "Am I fooling around with just anyone? Look here. As soon as my face is on screen, I'm a superstar. It's about networking, not ill intentions. If I were five years younger, who knows..."
Gathering delicious side dishes, Daehae placed them in front of Geon. "Come on, Geon, try this and that. This place is one I often visit; it's delicious. How is it that you look so pretty? Try it~ Ah~"
Though Geon's face blushed a bit, being served by an older sister-like figure didn't make him feel too awkward; he opened his mouth and ate the offered side dishes.
Watching this, Hyuk couldn't help but shout, "Hey! Let me have some too, huh? It's too far away!"
As Hyuk attempted to pick some side dishes with his chopsticks, Daehae covered the dishes with her body.
"No! These are for Geon; if you want more, ask for more. He's still growing."
Putting down his chopsticks, Hyuk said, "Growing? He's taller than me and even Jiho. I asked earlier; apparently, he's 187cm, 187! Anything taller than that is grotesque. He should stop growing. Pass me some side dishes."
Daehae continued to shield the dishes, ignoring Hyuk's words. "No! Geon should eat well. Waitress! Please bring one more set of side dishes here!"
Yeongseok, finding Hyuk's actions amusing, patted his shoulder. "Haha, just order more side dishes if you want. But, Daehae, was she always this kind of character?"
Instead of Hyuk, Jiho responded, "No, she wasn't always like this; it's strange. Could it be because Geon is handsome, or is it her natural preference for younger ones? She's good-natured on broadcasts and sets, but going this far for someone is new for us too."
Jang Hyuk continued teasing Daehae while playing with the side dishes, and Geon found it amusing.
"Hey, Daegil~ It's me, Daegeeri~ Serve me some side dishes, huh? Don't you remember you were a servant at our house?"
"Lady, haven't you read the script? I'm already one with another man. Please let me go."
"I'm not a servant, sir."
Watching the two bicker, Yeongseok burst into laughter then suddenly looked at Geon and said, "Oh, Geon. What Jiho mentioned earlier bothers me too. You've only stamped one song, right? But still, when you're on stage, shouldn't you sing more than one? Do you have any other songs?"
Geon, laughing as his face turned slightly red, replied, "Hahaha, really? Yes, brother. I'm not actually a singer... The singer who was supposed to sing the stamped song had a schedule conflict, so I sang instead. I don't have any other songs yet."
With arms crossed, Yeongseok said, "So there's no original song. How about this? We're visiting China and Japan next, right? How about trying a song that was popular in both countries? Even though it's tight with our departure next week, can we try preparing it?"
Geon quickly agreed, as that issue had bothered him since Jiho mentioned it earlier. "I'll do that. Honestly, I felt uneasy too. Singing just one song and coming down; what if there's an encore?"
Clapping his hands, Yeongseok said, "Clap clap, permission granted. But what song would be good?"
As Yeongseok and Geon earnestly discussed, Daehae, who had stopped fighting, listened attentively.
"Oppa, oppa! When we talk about Japan, it's X, right? Japan! Geon, X? Sing a song by X, huh? Huh?"
Looking at Daehae like that, Yeongseok said, "X? Um... Surely, a song like 'Say Anything' would suit well... But isn't X's main vocalist Toshi known for a thin voice mixed with nasal congestion? It's quite different from Geon's voice. Is it okay?"
Daehae clenched her fists firmly, full of conviction. "Toshi is like that only when he goes high. His lower and mid-range is strong. If they were both the same, what's the point? It's not a mimicry contest. I want to hear Geon sing an X song in his own voice!"
Yeongseok glanced at Geon and asked, "Geon, do you think it's possible? Do you know the song 'Say Anything'?"
Geon nodded. "Yeah, it's an X song. I've heard it a lot while practicing with the band in the studio."
Tapping the table lightly, Yeongseok said, "Great, great. Since the high notes are tough in this song, practice it. If it's too much, let me know beforehand. We won't tell the higher-ups, but it helps the crew if they're aware. Now, what about the Chinese song?"
Hyuk, who had been quietly listening, slammed the table, halfway standing up. "When it comes to Chinese songs, it has to be 'A Better Tomorrow' theme! Jang Gook-young's song!"
Jiho nodded. "Right. Wasn't the title 'Love of the Past'? It's a great piece, and I think many Chinese fans would know it."
Yeongseok also nodded. "Yes, that's a solid choice. Not overly complicated, but... I wonder if Geon can memorize the lyrics. Chinese is quite challenging, you know."
All four turned to Geon. Feeling a bit flustered with everyone's attention, he said, "I-I'll be fine. My second foreign language in school was Chinese, I've studied it for about two years... I've heard praises for my Chinese pronunciation, so I think I won't have any issues."
Yeongseok widened his eyes at Geon's words. "What? You're capable of Chinese? How proficient are you?"
Geon replied, a bit hesitant, "Um, if it's not too technical, I understand it... Speaking is a bit lacking, but I can express myself reasonably."
Yeongseok was thrilled. "Wow! Really? Is this guy a prepared star? If you can handle Japanese, you'd be at the top."
Geon cautiously said, "I... can manage Japanese too. Maybe I'm better at Japanese than Chinese."
Surprised, Yeongseok asked, "What? Japanese too? But you're just a high schooler. Do you study a lot?"
Geon, feeling shy, nodded slightly.
Dahae looped her arm through Geon's, lowering her head alongside his, and asked, "Why, Geon? Is studying hard? It's okay if it's not your forte. Even Hyuk and Jiho struggled with studies. Yet, they're doing well. The only genius here is Yeongseok. Why be embarrassed? What rank are you?"
Geon stuttered, "100... I-I'm ranked 100."
Dahae exclaimed, "What? 100th in the whole school? That's incredible! I've never been within the top 300. Wow, Geon!"
Yeongseok, eyebrows raised, muttered, "Look at this... Good at studies too? If you manage this well, you could be a superstar. How about law or becoming a judge? With such a high rank nationwide, getting into Seoul National University would be a given. Plus, with language skills, studying abroad would be a breeze. How about being a prosecutor? What do you say?"
Watching this unfold, Hyuk dipped his hand into a cup of water, splashing it towards Dahae. "Oh, what are you saying? Another man is already in the picture, and you're making another? Oh, it's cold, sis! Stop it! Stop!"
With their playful banter, the atmosphere became lively again.
Yeongseok, deep in thought with crossed arms, mumbled, "Hmm... ranked 100th nationwide? It's not ideal to use your studies for marketing without university credentials, but I must establish good relations. Geon will definitely become a big star. He has nothing now; he needs to clear the debts first. Then, later on, he might appear on my show. Hehe."
For now, Yeongseok was considering how to treat Geon well.