KFPCA 09

Chapter 09

Immediately after, Kim’s mother’s gentle voice came through, “Yes, Ji-yong, we all really enjoy your stages. Your uncle and I, although we can’t make it to the concerts in person, we watch every single performance of yours on TV. Jalhaesseo, wuli Ji-yong!”

“Ne!” Hearing the sincere encouragement from the elders on the other end, Kwon Ji-yong didn’t know how to respond to fully express his gratitude, so he simply said, “I’ll do my best!”

After Kwon Da-mi returned from Kim Seung-hyun’s house with the things to bring, the Kwon family had dinner, since Kwon Ji-yong had booked a flight for 12:30 AM.

After the meal, Kwon Ji-yong checked his luggage one more time and chatted with his parents for a while.

During this time, he had been immersed in his own emotions, neglecting the fact that his family was suffering right alongside him.

Now, he was about to leave this environment behind, but his family would still be living here, facing the public’s scrutiny and finger-pointing.

At this, Kwon Ji-yong couldn’t help but feel guilty.

As if she could read his mind, Kwon’s mother gently patted her son’s now-broad back. Their son really was a kind child—even at a time like this, he was feeling guilty because his family was affected by his situation.

“Son, don’t overthink it. Father, Mother, and your noona are all fine. If you’re well, we’ll be even better.” Kwon’s mother said softly. “When you get to the US, have a good time. It’s been a long time since you’ve seen Seung-hyun, hasn’t it? Have fun and try to recapture that feeling from when you were kids.”

“Ne!” Kwon Ji-yong rested his head on his mother’s shoulder, just as he had done countless times as a child.

At 10 PM, after Kwon’s mother helped check the luggage one last time, she and Kwon’s father prepared to see Kwon Ji-yong off to the airport.

Although there were still reporters staking out the front door, the indoors had a direct connection to the underground parking garage.

So late at night in Seoul, an unremarkable Hyundai sedan quietly pulled out of the garage and headed toward Incheon Airport.

Upon arriving at the airport, Kwon Ji-yong didn’t let his parents get out of the car. He took the VIP通道 straight into the waiting lounge.

*

After a long 14-hour flight, Kwon Ji-yong turned on his phone upon landing and saw a message from Kim Seung-hyun sent half an hour earlier.

[shanshan: I’m here, in the parking lot. Message me when you land, and I’ll come pick you up.]

Kwon Ji-yong quickly replied.

[Cake-pounding Boy: Just landed. Heading to baggage claim now.]

Kim Seung-hyun had been waiting for Kwon Ji-yong’s message and replied quickly.

[shanshan: Okk, I’m coming over now. If you get out first, just find a place to wait for me.]

[Cake-pounding Boy: Ne~]

Kwon Ji-yong, who had come down from first class, quickly retrieved his luggage. He thought he would be the one to arrive first, but just as he was pushing his luggage cart and replying to messages, he heard a familiar voice: “Kwon Nongnong!”

Looking up at the sound, he saw Kim Seung-hyun, wearing a thin black down jacket, a hat, and a mask, standing at the exit waving at him.

Kwon Ji-yong waved his phone-holding hand vigorously, abandoning the messages, and rushed toward her with his luggage.

Kim Seung-hyun also stepped forward and took one of Kwon Ji-yong’s suitcases. It would have been a very heartwarming scene—until she opened her mouth and left Kwon Ji-yong stunned.

“You must be tired, wuli Silkworm Ji-yong!”

“Ne…” Kwon Ji-yong was about to nod when he suddenly registered what she said. “Silkworm? Ji-yong?”

“Yeah.” Kim Seung-hyun pulled out her phone and showed him the photo she had just taken.

On the phone screen, Kwon Ji-yong was dressed all in black—the hood of his black sweatshirt pulled over his black knit beanie, a black mask on his face, and a black jacket over the sweatshirt. He looked round and puffy all over.

Not only did she show him the photo, but she also asked for his opinion. “What do you think? Looks just like one, right? Aren’t I great at describing things?”

“Ne! Really great at describing things!” Kwon Ji-yong said through gritted teeth. “As expected of a PhD in the humanities!”

“Of course!” Kim Seung-hyun pretended not to hear his sarcasm. “Let’s go—I parked my car on the side of the road, and I’m not sure if a traffic officer will come by to give me a ticket.”

“Oh, you can’t park at the airport for too long, right?”

“Ne, maximum ten minutes.” Kim Seung-hyun checked the time. “Now we have three minutes left. Let’s sprint, wuli chingu.”

“Let’s go!”

The moment he saw Kim Seung-hyun, Kwon Ji-yong instantly switched back to kid mode. Ignoring the strange looks from passersby, he and Kim Seung-hyun ran together, pushing their luggage toward the exit.

Luckily, they made it to the car with one minute to spare, avoiding a ticket.

Kwon Ji-yong stood in front of the car, sizing up the black midsize SUV.

“Ooh, wuli Kim Sparkle-ssi, your car is completely cool too!”

“Cool, right?” Kim Seung-hyun opened the trunk for Kwon Ji-yong to put his luggage in. “Compared to compact sedans, I prefer SUVs like this. Not only do they have a better field of vision, but they’re also great for road trips.”

“You say that.” Kwon Ji-yong nodded, then challenged, “But have you actually taken a road trip? Haven’t you been in the US for five years now?”

“…” Kim Seung-hyun paused for a moment, then answered playfully, “Now that you’re here, aren’t you? How about we take a road trip this time?”

“You can visit New Haven anytime, but breaks don’t come often. I checked the weather forecast—the weather will be great during this break, around 18 degrees, perfect temperature, no rain. Ideal climate.”

“Of course I’m fine with that.” Kwon Ji-yong had no objections. “Whatever works with your schedule. I’ll follow your lead.”

Once they got in the car, Kim Seung-hyun turned on the car stereo, and rhythmic, energetic music filled the cabin.

“Does coming here like this affect your work? Like the album and stuff?”

“Isn’t it a bit late to be asking that now?” Kwon Ji-yong laughed.

“This is just me being polite. I know wuli Ji-yong must have sorted out his work before coming.” Kim Seung-hyun’s compliments came out effortlessly. “After all, Kwon Ji-yong-ssi is the person in this world who loves the stage the most.”

“Aigoo aigoo, wuli Sparkle is really getting better and better with words these days!”

Driving from New York Airport to Kim Seung-hyun’s school took nearly two hours.

The two of them, accompanied by the rhythmic music, chatted like they did back in their school days, sharing bits and pieces of their recent lives.

From what was the best dish in the cafeteria to what was so bad it was inedible, to the research tasks assigned by her advisor; from the concept of this latest album to the silly things his members had done, and all the gossip from recording shows…

It didn’t matter whether the other understood or could put faces to the names—they just poured everything out without restraint.

For two hours, the car was never quiet.

Maybe, a fair number of people had also silently had their reputations ruined along the way.

After the black SUV entered Yale’s campus area, the car slowed down considerably.

As Kim Seung-hyun drove up to her apartment building, she slowed down even more and pointed at the tall Gothic-style building across the street. “See? That’s where I have my classes.”

“So the place you rented is right across from the school?”

“Yep, super close.”

The apartment building where Kim Seung-hyun rented her place was built in 2000—the facilities weren’t brand new, and the interior decor was relatively simple.

But its advantages were unbeatable: it was right across from the school, near a park, and there were several restaurants nearby. It also had an in-unit washer/dryer, plus a gym, study room, and parking spot.

These benefits more than made up for the shortcomings. Simple decor was no problem—she could just add her own touches.

Kim Seung-hyun parked in her usual spot and led Kwon Ji-yong into the elevator.

The building had five floors, and Kim Seung-hyun’s place was on the fourth. The old elevator was slow, and along the way she gave Kwon Ji-yong a quick rundown of the apartment situation.

The housing near the school mainly consisted of 1b1b, studio, and 3b or 5b layouts.

“B” stood for bedroom and bathroom.

1b1b meant one bedroom, one living room, one kitchen, and one bathroom—clearly divided functional areas, suitable for living alone.

A studio was where the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom were all in one open space—compact, but independent with no shared facilities.

As for 3b or 5b units, they were mostly shared by multiple people—cheaper, but required sharing facilities with others.

“My place is 2b1b. It’s not big, but it has two rooms—one bedroom and one study. At the time, I figured if friends or my parents wanted to visit, they’d have a place to stay.” Kim Seung-hyun opened the door and gestured for Kwon Ji-yong to enter first. “And now it’s come in handy.”

**Author’s Note:**
*Kim Sparkle is all about being flexible—when nothing’s up, it’s “Kwon Ji-yong”; when she needs something, it’s “Oppa”!*

**Chapter 6**

It was 5 PM now, and it was a clear, sunny day. The living room had floor-to-ceiling windows, so the moment Kwon Ji-yong stepped in, he was greeted by a bright, sun-drenched living room.

Although the apartment wasn’t big, it was clear that Kim Seung-hyun had put serious effort into decorating this place where she would be living for at least five years.

Kim Seung-hyun followed closely behind Kwon Ji-yong and handed him a pair of prepared slippers. “Put these on—I bought them new yesterday. In Kim Seung-hyun’s little house, these are the slippers exclusively for Kwon Ji-yong.”

Kwon Ji-yong looked at the dark brown fuzzy slippers at his feet and laughed. “Ne~ Kamsahamnida!”

When Kwon Ji-yong looked up after changing his shoes, he saw Kim Seung-hyun suddenly produce a bouquet of flowers from somewhere. “Ta-da! For you—welcome to New Haven, my chingu!”

Kwon Ji-yong was taken aback. Under Kim Seung-hyun’s beaming gaze, he took the flowers, his eyes growing warm, momentarily at a loss for words. “What is this? Sparkle-ah, are you trying to make me cry the moment I walk in?”

“Why? Don’t cry, wuli Ji-yong!” Kim Seung-hyun patted his shoulder. “Come on, let me introduce you to my little home. I put a lot of effort into decorating this place.”

Studying every day was already exhausting enough, so Kim Seung-hyun wanted to come home to something bright and spacious after being busy all day. Thus, the whole apartment was decorated in light colors, with warm, natural wood-toned furniture.

The entrance area had a beige cotton-linen rug. Next to a single-seater shoe-changing stool was a shoe cabinet, with three posters above it and a full-length mirror beside it.