A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 207

“Haaa! Na Do-hyun! Are you crazy! You must be out of your mind! Out of all the female celebrities, you pick a reporter? What if I write a bad article about you? What if I’m just an attention seeker! You can’t just meet any woman! It’s creepy! You’re not serious, are you? Are there any hidden cameras here or something?”

Hana’s reaction was more intense than expected.

Do-hyun even found that funny, making it hard to concentrate on driving.

Just in case, Do-hyun pulled the car over to the side of the road.

“Noona [older sister or female friend]. Is my reaction that surprising? I knew you weren’t an attention seeker, and I said I chose you because I thought we already had a mutual trust. I’ve been thinking about it for years. What kind of relationship could we have? Just a singer and a fan? I’ve been open to all possibilities when it comes to you.”

After Do-hyun’s long speech, Hana sighed and said,

“You should be working right now. You should be busy with work!”

“Isn’t your early to mid-30s the age when you should be dating? I want to date now. Something sweet and cozy. I haven’t really dated properly since my debut. But I wanted to confirm that I have someone on my side and give my heart to someone. I thought about it when I went to perform at the World Cup closing ceremony. I just assumed you’d be there, but you weren’t. I suddenly missed you because of that.”

“Huuueok! Don’t give me cheesy lines like you’ve fallen for me or loved me for a long time! Seriously! You’ll be in trouble! I can’t. I’ll stay in my place as a fan. How can I dare to covet your spot! What kind of person are you! Beyond the relationship between a singer and a fan? You’ve opened up all possibilities? I haven’t opened up! I don’t even plan to!”

Hana waved her hands and made active gestures. She even tried to undo her seatbelt, as if she was about to get out. Do-hyun stopped her.

“I’ve already made a reservation in Gangnam [a wealthy district in Seoul]. We’re going there. I’m not asking for much from you, Noona. Let’s drop the reporter versus source, singer and fan thing. You’ve drawn so many lines until now. I don’t even want that anymore. I don’t think we need those kinds of lines between us. Not anymore.”

Do-hyun grabbed the steering wheel again and started driving. Hana, who had been about to get out, couldn’t and just kept sighing.

It was fortunate that Korean paparazzi didn’t follow Do-hyun much anymore, now that he was in a stable phase.

“…You’re going to regret it. I’m not that attractive of a person.”

“You’re attractive enough. That’s why I love you.”

“What?! Love? Love? You’re talking about love now?”

Do-hyun was rattling off cheesy lines as if he had butter on his tongue.

Hana was utterly shocked by those words.

It was surprising enough that he wanted to date, but saying he loved her left her speechless.

“‘Talking about’? It just naturally seeped in.”

Hana stared at Do-hyun as he drove.

He was like a sculpture.

And that Do-hyun loved her?

This made no sense.

No matter how she thought about it, she could only understand it as love in the relationship between a singer and a fan.

“That… you mean you love me as a singer and a fan, right? Right?”

“No. That’s not it.”

Do-hyun’s voice was firm.

Hana could immediately understand how resolute Do-hyun was being.

“Do-hyun, let’s think about this again. I can’t accept this situation… You are the precious and dignified… Na Do-hyun. And you’re saying you love a trash reporter?”

“I’ve seen all the articles you’ve written so far. There wasn’t a single article that made me think you were a trash reporter. So why are you trying to degrade yourself as one? Of course, there are people in the industry who act like trash reporters. Don’t compare yourself to those people.”

“Hoo… I really don’t know. I don’t know what to do about this situation… I heard you recently recruited Lee Rae too. Shouldn’t you be busy as the head of the label? The World Cup is over, so shouldn’t you be even busier! You’re a globally influential singer! How can you be talking about dating?”

Hana tried to persuade Do-hyun from various angles, but Do-hyun’s answer was the same.

“There are many globally influential singers who date and marry. I’m not asking you to marry me. I just want to meet you. With someone who loves me. With someone I love. With someone I’m used to. Is that too much to ask? If I date someone else, you’ll be the first to hear about it, and wouldn’t that be bitter?”

“…Still, there are so many sparkling and shining people around you. Even the staff are pretty. Why me of all people?”

Do-hyun gripped the steering wheel with a hand that seemed to be repeating itself, sighed, and said,

He hadn’t expected Hana to react so strongly.

He never dreamed that she would actively say no to him like this.

“I’ve gotten used to you. It was the same at the opening ceremony. You were there, and you said you’d see me at the opening ceremony. That gave me strength. If it wasn’t for you, if I didn’t know you were there, I wonder if Na Do-hyun that day could have lived up to the fans’ expectations.”

“Don’t be fooled by familiarity. Aren’t you just mistaking your love as a fan? That’s the only way I can understand it. Giving a change to you and me. I can’t easily allow that.”

“Noona. Our relationship has to change. It will have to change. I’m saying this after seriously thinking about it multiple times. Ah, the road is clearing up a bit now. Let’s go.”

There was no conversation between them on the way to the place reserved in Gangnam.

But Hana was restless.

Going beyond the relationship between a singer and a fan, a reporter and a source.

That meant there were many things to worry about, and if she wasn’t careful… Do-hyun could be harmed.

Do-hyun was talking like he was walking in a utopia, but she, as a fan, knew better.

Through her long experience as a fan, she could clearly see what would happen if this went wrong, if their relationship went wrong.

‘I hope Do-hyun doesn’t get hurt… That’s my wish, and I hope it will continue to be. But he’s stating his position so firmly… I don’t know what to say.’

Hana fell into 고민 [worry/trouble].

In particular, it was a 고민 that no one could solve for her.

If she told her close fan friend, reporter Yoon Min-hye, the rumor would spread all over this 판 [scene/industry].

She might have to quit the industry.

But if she refused… Do-hyun’s sincerity was strongly conveyed.

‘Na Do-hyun! Why are you making me 고민 like this… Do-hyun… please… take back your thoughts, even now…’

Of course, Do-hyun had no idea what Hana was thinking.

Do-hyun had a strong belief that Hana would choose him.

“…We’re here. We’ve arrived.”

Do-hyun parked in a quiet alley where there was a bar.

Hana reported to the desk that she had come to meet a source and switched her phone to focus mode.

She didn’t want to receive any other calls.

And so, Do-hyun and Hana entered the bar together.

Even though the original business hours were from the evening, the bar was open for Do-hyun’s special reservation.

Until the opening time, Do-hyun and Hana would be the only customers.

“What would you like to drink? They have good coffee here too. If you’re tired of coffee, alcohol is fine too. I’ve always wanted to have a seat like this with you, Noona.”

“…Ha. I’m sure I’ll be able to drink well with you in front of me.”

“What if you can’t? Or we can just keep it.”

“Are you being shameless, confident, or just thoughtless? Do you not know what position you’re in, so you’re acting like this?”

“I know my position. I know it very well, even if you don’t tell me. That’s why I was more careful, and I thought about how our relationship has been going around for years.”

“Why did it go around? It’s the path I chose. And you responded to it.”

“Noona. Can’t you throw away that sharpness? Honestly, you’re wavering. To Na Do-hyun. To me as a person. Isn’t your heart saying that you want to know more about me?”

Hana couldn’t say anything to Do-hyun’s words that came in without warning.

Because it was true.

She knew she shouldn’t get involved with Do-hyun, but she couldn’t control her heart that kept wavering towards Do-hyun.

“It’s true that I’m wavering towards you. And I’m going to order tequila. You.”

“I’ll have whiskey. Excuse me. Tequila and whiskey. On the rocks, please.”

Not long after Do-hyun’s order, a container full of ice, a bottle of tequila, and a bottle of whiskey were set up. Fruit snacks were served as a service.

Hana felt like her throat was burning, so she immediately poured tequila and drank it without even making it on the rocks.

Whoosh, the alcohol hit her.

Only then did she feel like she could speak properly.

“Do-hyun. Let’s talk now. Your true feelings. I think I can hear them properly now.”

“Noona, let’s officially date. We’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve seen each other. There’s nothing we don’t know about each other.”

“Do you know me?”

“At least I know that you’re a reporter at the team leader level or higher. I also know that you’re called team leader outside. That means you’ve been rolling around in this industry enough. I also know that you’re Do-hyun’s homma [die-hard fan] externally. That you’re someone who goes to all the overseas schedules. Isn’t that enough to know? Oh, should I even talk about what kind of evaluation you’re getting in the industry?”

Hana felt breathless at Do-hyun’s glib words.

Do-hyun leisurely filled Hana’s glass with ice and poured tequila.

Then, he put a few pieces of ice in his glass and poured whiskey.

“I’ve never lived thinking about getting involved with a fan. But people, as they live… yeah. I got used to you, Noona. I got used to seeing you wherever I went, I got used to you treating me as a source, I got used to everything. That’s why I said I loved you. I’m not someone who lies, fooled by familiarity. I think you know that better. What kind of person human Na Do-hyun is.”

At Do-hyun’s words, Hana gulped down the tequila. She felt like her throat was burning.

Even so, she felt like Do-hyun’s words were floating in front of her like letters.

“Do-hyun.”

“I don’t want to hear words of rejection. I didn’t contact you like that to hear those words. We can meet carefully and well. It’s been over 10 years since I debuted, and I may be clumsy because I haven’t dated properly during that time. I want to say, please take good care of me.”

“Na Do-hyun.”

“Don’t just say my name so scary.”

“…I lost. I admit it. Complete defeat. Are you happy?”

At those words, Do-hyun gave a bright smile.

“Noona, I’ve been waiting for those words.”