A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 172

Having successfully wrapped up his Berlin performance, Do-hyun extended his stay in Germany for another week or so before heading back. This was intended as a sort of reward vacation for the staff, who had been abroad for an extended period. Naturally, whether they chose to stay longer for personal travel was up to them. However, with Do-hyun covering all expenses, the staff could comfortably extend their stay alongside him.

Meanwhile, Kang-ho, accompanied by the youngest member of the team, decided to return to Korea ahead of everyone else. This decision stemmed from his eagerness to hear the youngest’s response regarding his marriage proposal. More accurately, it was because Do-hyun had given his blessing for him to do so. In any case, there were other staff members capable of filling Kang-ho’s role in his absence.

Do-hyun spent his days wandering through the streets of Germany, hoping to receive good news from Kang-ho in Korea soon. Despite being in unfamiliar territory, he was surprised by how many people recognized him. Even while filming a vlog for his fans, people readily approached him and greeted the camera.

Initially taken aback, Do-hyun quickly grew accustomed to the attention. He even began taking the time to conduct impromptu interviews with fans.

After a leisurely week spent in cafes, reviewing proofs, working, and sightseeing, Do-hyun finally returned to Korea.

He drifted off to sleep on the plane, and when he awoke, they had already landed. The announcement played over the intercom. The sight of Incheon Airport, which he hadn’t seen in a while, felt strangely new.

As Do-hyun retrieved his luggage and made his way out, he spotted Kang-ho and the security team waiting near the exit. However, something else caught his attention even more than Kang-ho….

“Do-hyun! Just a quick word! How does it feel to be number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for weeks?”

“You’re the first Korean male solo artist to do a worldwide stadium tour. What are your thoughts on that?”

“Do-hyun, could you look at this camera for a second?”

“Do-hyun, please say hello to the camera!”

It was a throng of reporters, all vying for his attention.

“Do-hyun! We missed you! We love you!”

“World star Na Do-hyun is the best!”

The airport was filled with fans who had clearly been eagerly awaiting his return. Their orderly behavior amidst the chaos touched Do-hyun. The crowd was larger than he’d ever seen before.

While Do-hyun was still processing the familiar yet unfamiliar scene, Kang-ho approached, took Do-hyun’s suitcase, and guided him toward the exit. Despite the crowd, the bodyguards efficiently cleared a path, ensuring a smooth departure. Do-hyun got into the car, lowered the window, and waved to the fans.

“Kyaaaaa!”

“Na Do-hyun! Na Do-hyun! Na Do-hyun!”

“Do-hyun, you worked hard, see you later!”

The familiar warmth of the fans’ words washed over him.

“Do-hyun, where would you like to go?”

“To my parents’ house. Since I’m back in Korea, it feels right to visit them first, don’t you think? More importantly, Hyung [older brother/friend], don’t you have something to tell me?”

Do-hyun asked directly.

Kang-ho chuckled at his words and replied, “Well… to put it simply, I’m hoping you’ll sing at the wedding, Do-hyun.”

Do-hyun beamed at the news he had been waiting to hear. “Congratulations, Hyung! You have no idea how curious I’ve been about this. You couldn’t even imagine, could you?”

“Thank you. Thanks to you, we got back together, and now I’m getting married.”

As he listened to Kang-ho’s excited rambling, Do-hyun began to consider which of his songs would be most fitting for the occasion. Should he perform ‘One and Only,’ a fan favorite, or perhaps ‘Savior’? He felt a surge of excitement, even though he wasn’t the one getting married.

“Hyung, is there a particular song you’d like me to sing as a congratulatory song?”

“Hmm. ‘One and Only’? The lyrics are perfect. It’s a masterpiece among masterpieces.”

“I was thinking the same thing! What about the youngest’s opinion?”

“She’s just grateful that you’re singing at the wedding.”

“Then I’ll assume she agrees with you and go with ‘One and Only’.”

“Thank you, Do-hyun.”

* * *

Do-hyun spent a relaxing few days at his parents’ house, enjoying the downtime. However, he still made time to review the essay proofs.

Hyun-ho and Seok-won, upon hearing of Do-hyun’s return, suggested a get-together, but Do-hyun explained that he wanted to rest before meeting up.

After a few days of rest, Do-hyun returned to his own house. His parents were sad to see him go, but he had a lot of work to catch up on.

First, ADion delivered the completed song. He proceeded with the recording in consultation with PD [Production Director] Lee Joon-hyuk and sent the finished track to ADion.

After that, he dedicated his free time to working on songs in his studio and reviewing the manuscript. Once he set aside a day for manuscript review, the work progressed rapidly. After sending off the proofs, Do-hyun began preparing for his Seoul concert.

At the end of the Berlin performance, a VCR revealed that an encore concert would be held at Jamsil Olympic Stadium in Seoul for three days a week over two weeks. Although the concert was still a few months away, the announcement was enough to electrify the fans.

For the encore concert, he planned to prioritize fan-favorite songs, as well as his existing discography. Huentertainment conducted a poll to gather fan opinions on which songs they most wanted to hear. Based on the results, Do-hyun began organizing the setlist, carefully blending new songs with established hits.

* * *

“Wow… Team Leader, Na Do-hyun is a god, seriously!”

At the Tempo Publishing office, Hyung-joon approached his team leader, brimming with excitement.

“Why? Did Do-hyun pull off some kind of miracle? What’s with the sudden ‘god’ talk…?”

“No, I don’t know how he managed to do it amidst his busy schedule, but he sent the proofs as soon as he got back to Korea… and his writing has even improved! I only want to work with writers like Do-hyun. Team Leader, don’t you think my idea is amazing? A collaboration with Na Do-hyun! Heh heh!”

As Hyung-joon became lost in his own self-admiration, the team leader clicked his tongue and said, “You know you have to proofread that precious manuscript carefully, right? When it’s published, we’ll also be holding a publication 기념 [commemorative] book talk and a fan signing event… Pay attention to typos, and especially check the page layouts to make sure Do-hyun’s face isn’t cut off in any of the photos!”

“Yes! Of course! You don’t know how honored I am to be able to showcase Do-hyun’s treasure-like face! And the meeting between Na Do-hyun and the photographer who only uses film cameras… Isn’t that just fantastic?”

Hyung-joon said excitedly. The photos of Do-hyun to be included in the essay collection were taken by Saet-byul, a photographer renowned for her exclusive use of film cameras. Saet-byul was also known for her collaborations with various celebrities, particularly her striking concept photos with singers.

“How far along is the preparation?”

At the team leader’s question, Hyung-joon reported on the progress. He mentioned that Do-hyun’s photoshoot was scheduled for a few days later and that the manuscript would undergo a second proofread before printing. He also confirmed the date of 입고 [stocking] at bookstores.

“Okay, I understand. Good work so far. Keep it up. Remember, this is a special project 맡은 [entrusted] to you, Hyung-joon, so we can’t afford any 잡음 [noise/problems] along the way. Ah, and I’m just saying this as a precaution.”

“Yes? What else do I need to know?”

“Run a plagiarism check. You can unconsciously incorporate other people’s sentences into your own writing. You need to check for that. Got it?”

“Yes! I understand!”

* * *

There were certain days when reporter Yoo Hana made an extra effort with her makeup before heading out to the field. The reasons for this were twofold: first, because she had woken up early that day, and second, because she was meeting a truly important person. These two conditions rarely coincided.

However, today was different.

It was a day that met both criteria.

It was the day of her one-on-one interview with Do-hyun. An interview that had been denied to other media outlets and granted exclusively to reporter Yoo Hana. It was a hard-won opportunity, and she had prepared an extensive list of questions.

Instead of requesting a photoshoot, she had asked for a longer interview time. She made it clear that she wasn’t just looking for a superficial hour-long interview, but that she wanted to understand the person behind the celebrity, ‘Na Do-hyun,’ and share that with the public.

“Hoo….”

Reporter Yoo Hana’s anxiety was overwhelming, so she bought some calming medication from the pharmacy. Even after taking it, her palms were still sweating. This was a first in her career as a reporter.

She had always remained composed, even when interviewing top stars from around the world. She had never particularly 덕질 [fanned over] anyone… but ‘You Voice’ Season 1 had changed her life.

“Senior, are you nervous?”

Reporter Yoo simply smiled at her junior’s question. Aside from the nervousness, she was genuinely happy to have the chance to speak with Do-hyun as a person.

“Looking at you smiling like that, you seem to be in a great mood. Well, you’ve been promoted to team leader, and you’ve even landed an exclusive interview with Na Do-hyun… I’d be in a good mood too if I were you.”

“Yeah. I feel like I’m going to fly. I feel like I want to 돌리다 [treat/buy] pizza for the office right now. But I have to 참다 [hold back] because of the smell. Maybe I’ll 돌리다 [treat/buy] pizza after Na Do-hyun leaves.”

“Senior, is it 10 minutes until the Na Do-hyun interview?”

“It’s about time for him to arrive….”

It was generally considered polite to arrive about 10 minutes early for an interview. This applied not only to interviews but also to social interactions in general.

Reporter Yoo Hana was taking her time to touch up her makeup, feeling relaxed because Do-hyun had not yet arrived.

Just as she was putting on her lipstick and looking in the mirror.

“…Heok, he’s here!”

She heard her junior whispering urgently.

Her one and only singer, Na Do-hyun, was walking in.

“Hello! This is Na Do-hyun!”