Chapter 805: Sundance, and the Sun (1)

The flight back to Korea from Phuket was quiet.

All the cast and staff had completely passed out from exhaustion after the four-day journey.

When we arrived at Gimpo Airport, we exchanged goodbyes with people who could barely open their eyes like fish, laughing as we did.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Wooju and Junhyun, you both worked so hard too.”

The PD grabbed Junhyun’s hand and mine.

“Thanks to you, we got amazing footage. At least five weeks’ worth. We don’t have to worry about backup episodes anymore. Hahaha!”

“Please take good care of the editing, PD.”

“Of course. I’ll turn you into the world’s greatest comedian, Wooju! Hahaha!”

“PD?”

“Please look forward to it! Hahaha!”

“PD? Then what about my cool scenes—”

“Hahahaha! We’ll be off!”

PD Lee Junhee deliberately pretended not to hear me and waved. I stared blankly, arm half-raised.

Mingi hyung snickered.

“Do you still believe cool scenes are even possible?”

“No.”

Since the purpose was variety, funny moments were a good thing.

However.

“I was cool at the end. Even if the middle is bad, if the ending’s strong, it’s a masterpiece.”

“But the middle was pure comedy.”

At Junhyun’s words, I stared into space.

“Aaaaaah!”

“Half-man! Half-man! Sun Wooju the Half Man~! What a lovely melody! Call me Bard Baek Sanggyo!”

“You shouldn’t invest in stocks. You only ever take half.”

I could only wave my hand at the annoying faces swirling before me.

Junhyun put a hand on my shoulder.

“Cheer up, hyung.”

“Thanks. You too...”

I was about to add, you made plenty of black-history moments this time too, when I realized something important.

“You... why don’t you have any? Why are all your scenes either unique or cool?”

He either caught stones or sharks. Only strange but impressive clips.

Junhyun narrowed his eyes.

“Shouldn’t a good older brother be happy his younger brother isn’t embarrassing?”

“I’m petty.”

“Jiho said your initials stand for Ultra Petty. I think he’s right.”

That made me laugh.

“Wang Jiho. That punk. I’ll deal with him when I see him.”

We slung our arms around each other’s shoulders and left Gimpo Airport.

Whoooooosh.

A snowstorm whipped outside the glass doors. Junhyun and I froze, and the managers hurriedly handed us coats.

“I forgot. It’s midwinter in Korea.”

“Wear a scarf, hyung.”

Back in Phuket we’d been fishing in short sleeves, but January in Korea was fierce.

The news had said it was the warmest winter on record.

For us, it felt like Siberia.

“Jingle bell jingle bell jingle bell rock~”

“I’ll just sing random English lyrics~”

Singing outdated carols together, we rode from Gimpo Airport to our dorm.

After telling the managers we’d see them tomorrow,

We handed souvenirs to the security guard we hadn’t seen in days and stepped into the elevator.

“Home really is the best. I didn’t think I’d miss it this much.”

“Agreed.”

“I want to run in and collapse on my bed.”

“I want to see my plants. I need to check if Kim Biju watered them properly.”

Anyway, home was the best.

When we first arrived in Phuket, we’d thought, goodbye boring routine!

But people are fickle. By day four, we were craving home-cooked meals and kimchi.

My heart raced like we’d just returned from a long overseas tour.

Ding-dong.

As soon as we rang the bell, rapid footsteps sounded from inside.

“Hyung!”

The door flew open and a handsome young man greeted us.

Standing barefoot in the entryway, the youngest grinned brightly and reached for our luggage.

“My watermelon juice!”

“....”

“Wow! And souvenirs!”

He snatched the shopping bags and ran inside.

Junhyun and I stared at the empty air where we’d been about to hand him our suitcases.

“Well raised.”

“Total crop failure....”

Just as we sighed—

Someone stood by the door wearing a mask. Holding a spray bottle.

The outfit looked very official.

“Are you a semiconductor researcher?”

“I think I’ve seen that outfit before. When officials came because of foot-and-mouth disease.”

“....”

Seo Ri Hyuk silently scanned us from head to toe.

“I saw a report about an outbreak in Phuket recently. We have to be thorough.”

“For all of us?”

“No. Because I can’t get sick. If I catch even a mild cold from you, it lasts forever.”

The spray bottle went pshhh.

“Hey! Am I a cockroach?”

“Total crop disaster....”

Chiiiiiik! Chiiiiiiik!

Only after answering the quarantine officer’s questions about what we’d eaten and whether we had symptoms were we finally allowed entry.

But there was one hope.

“You’re back?”

Biju stood in the kitchen wearing an apron, focused on cooking.

Soybean paste stew.

Marinated beef.

“I figured you’d miss Korean food.”

At the sight of the steaming table, Junhyun and I burst into tears.

“Biju!”

“Kim Biju!”

We hugged him from both sides like a sandwich. He looked confused, then laughed.

After washing up quickly, we gathered around the table.

We handed out souvenirs and snacks to the younger members.

Like a family reunited after time apart, we exchanged warm greetings.

“So? Did you catch fish?”

At the youngest’s question, I smiled proudly and nodded.

“Of course. Want to see?”

“Whoa!”

“It’s a marlin. Two meters ninety-five. The fish from The Old Man and the Sea.”

“No. That was a swordfish.”

“....”

When I glared, Ri Hyuk drew a swordfish shape in the air with his chopsticks.

So irritating.

“Anything else?” Jiho asked.

“Hm?”

“Other fish?”

“...Th-that, you’ll have to check the broadcast.”

As Jiho tilted his head, Biju covered his mouth and laughed.

“Hyung, you only caught small ones, right?”

“Hm?”

“You were under the blanket the other day because you couldn’t catch anything.”

“Well... I only remember being tired and sleeping.”

When Biju asked Junhyun, “He only caught small ones, right?” Junhyun shook his head.

“No. Mostly big ones.”

“Ohhh.”

“But only half of them.”

Junhyun explained the situation, and the lackeys burst into laughter.

At first I tried to stay indifferent, but the more I heard it, the funnier it was.

It was a lively, warm atmosphere.

I enthusiastically shared Phuket stories with the younger members, their eyes sparkling.

“What about you? Anything happen?”

“Nothing special. Just practice, practice, lessons, practice for four days.”

Then suddenly all three went, “Ah.”

They straightened their backs. Their shoulders rose past Hallasan, Baekdusan, and into the Himalayas.

Very proud expressions.

I had a feeling.

“You recruited the PD, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

Before leaving for Thailand, I had asked them for one thing.

Recruit a PD who could turn some of our self-produced content into a TV variety show.

I hadn’t expected much.

The reason I gave them that request—

“What are we supposed to do then?”

“Just rest.”

“We want to do something....”

It was just a light quest for those who wanted to stay busy while we were away.

Smiling, I asked,

“So who did you recruit?”

“PD Gu Jaeyoung.”

“Cough—!”

“Gulp.”

I choked on braised ribs. Junhyun swallowed a huge piece whole and rubbed his throat.

“Wh-who?”

“PD Gu Jaeyoung.”

“...From Around the World with a Dice?”

“Yes.”

Star PD Gu Jaeyoung, creator of TBC’s hit variety Around the World with a Dice.

“You recruited him to NBS?”

“How did you convince him?”

“Um....”

The three grew serious.

Biju spoke dreamily.

“We prepared a lot to persuade him. We put in all our effort.”

Jiho nodded.

“We can only say we did our best.”

Ri Hyuk nodded sharply.

“I made the PPT for ten hours.”

While Junhyun looked impressed, I noticed something.

They talked about preparation.

But not about persuading for hours. Or showing the PPT.

“So he just agreed right away?”

Flinch.

There was no answer, but that was answer enough.

“Yes....”

“He just agreed immediately.”

“The story about three visits was a lie.”

Seeing them gaze into space with moist eyes, I burst out laughing.

The day after returning from Phuket.

I arrived at Gimpo Airport’s business center for another schedule.

In our hands was an invitation.

[Sundance Film Festival Official Invitation]

After brief exchanges with reporters asking how we felt, we boarded the plane.

“Sundance.”

Jiho said happily.

“I’m not going as an actor or director, but it still feels amazing.”

“You that excited?”

“Yes. Going somewhere like this is one of my bu— bu—. Burger King keeps coming to mind.”

“Bucket list?”

“Yes! Going to Sundance was on my bucket list.”

He rubbed his hands like a fly thrilled by sugar.

“Watching movies all day, walking around, eating good food in America....”

“But there’ll be too many fans for us to walk around.”

“...You ruined the mood. Take responsibility.”

“I apologize, Lord Dionysus. I shall offer a Song of Apology. Title: Guilt Song.”

I pulled out a harmonica and played. Jiho laughed and clapped.

Anyway.

Sundance Film Festival.

Our new schedule.

Founded in 1978, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, focused on low-budget independent films and documentaries.

Though called small-scale, it was a major industry event.

Many rookie directors were discovered here.

Some advanced to Cannes or Berlin afterward.

So why were we going?

NewBlack Netplus Documentary “Making Waves” Selected as 2018 Sundance Opening Film.

Our documentary had been chosen as the opening film.

I wasn’t sure why.

Maybe our U.S. agency marketed it well. Maybe the quality was good.

All I knew was we’d been selected.

“It already feels fuzzy.”

Junhyun said.

“Feels like ages ago.”

“It has been.”

Filming began around our first concert last year.

Director Yoo Geon, a giant in independent film, had filmed interviews and rehearsals relentlessly.

The last news we heard was that editing had begun.

“Is the director not going with us?” Biju asked.

Seokhwan hyung replied,

“He left early for meetings. We’ll meet him in Park City.”

“Ah.”

“We’ll be busy for a few days. So will you.”

I nodded.

There was also a personal schedule related to me.

The English document in my hands.

[Sun Myungju Film Project]

Apparently Hollywood was trending toward biopics about singers and artists.

After Dad’s performance drew attention and U.S. shows were scheduled, Hollywood started nibbling.

“We’ll pay you a lot.”

“We’ll double what they offered. How about it, Korean?”

That kind of tone.

Whether a film would actually be made was unclear.

They just wanted the rights first.

Of course, we weren’t going to hand them over easily.

So at Sundance we planned to meet production and distribution companies who’d submitted offers.

Ten offers in total.

After filtering, about four remained.

“We’ll have to hear them out....”

Ri Hyuk removed his glasses.

“These four look the best on paper. This one seems the most complete.”

“World Art Studio?”

“Yes.”

“I agree.”

One of the major studios mentioned among the world’s top.

Famous enough that people recognized the logo instantly.

Also related to World Record, our U.S. label.

On paper, their proposal was the most reasonable.

However.

“Face-to-face matters most.”

“Yes.”

On paper perfect, but in person strange things often emerged.

We had to check everything thoroughly.

As I reviewed the documents again—

“...Shouldn’t you sleep?”

Ri Hyuk asked.

“Hm?”

“Your eyes are bloodshot.”

“Ah....”

I smiled.

“I’ll sleep after reviewing this.”

“You didn’t sleep at all yesterday. That’s a third violation of the Biju Agreement.”

“I know.”

Preparing for Phuket and catching up on work left me tired.

Album progress.

Grammy schedule meetings.

Pyeongchang opening ceremony prep.

Holiday variety appearances.

“I’ll sleep after this.”

It wasn’t insomnia.

I’d mentally closed a chapter after the fishing show.

It was just physical workload.

“Just.”

Ri Hyuk closed the file.

“Sleep.”

“Just this—”

“Sleep.”

“...Okay.”

I closed my eyes.

How long passed?

Did I doze?

Suddenly I felt myself sinking.

Wait.

Am I experiencing sleep paralysis during a nap?

Hello.

A voice echoed in my head.

I looked.

The source was the yellow rubber chicken hanging from the private jet screen.

“Bruce?”

The toy I squeezed during takeoff.

But something was off.

An aurora-like shimmer hovered above it.

Visually it resembled a legendary Pokémon.

Squeeeek. I am not Bruce.

The chicken looked at me.

Solemn.

I am your ancestor!

Classic sleep paralysis voice.

Whispering like a ghost.

Ancestor?

I felt strangely pleased.

“Are you really my ancestor?”

“Ri Hyuk.”

“Yes?”

“We talked about what to do if you meet a ghost during sleep paralysis.”

“We did.”

“I think I figured out a method.”

Half-asleep, the leader murmured.

“Ask something they can’t answer.”

“...?”

“I asked if our next album would succeed. It ran away.”

“...?”

“I knew it. Fraud.”

He chuckled proudly.

“Pro idol Sun Wooju. Even ghosts lose.”

“....”

“Anyway, I won.”

As the leader drifted back to sleep talking nonsense, Ri Hyuk tilted his head.

‘What is he saying.’

Assuming he was just tired, he tucked the blanket around him.

For the next sixteen hours.

Until arrival at Salt Lake City Airport.

Their leader did not wake up once.