Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 211

The Celebrity Outside the Stadium (2)

The next morning, Joo-hyuk Lee and I left our accommodation with the Watson family for a trip to the outskirts of Seoul.

Our first destination was Jongno.

I chose it because it’s a place that showcases Korea’s history, especially its palaces.

We started with Gwanghwamun.

After parking the car, we strolled along the street.

Olivia and the Watson family gazed around, seemingly amazed by the sight of the palace nestled among modern roads and buildings.

“There are old buildings right in the middle of the city?”

“Seoul has been the capital of Korea for hundreds of years. That’s why the past and present coexist here.”

“It’s a really charming city.”

Joo-hyuk Lee and I took turns explaining things that the Watson family seemed curious about.

My occasional studies about Korea came in handy.

We also made sure to buy interesting souvenirs that caught our eye as we walked along the street.

As we were walking slowly along the antique street, Olivia asked,

“What are those clothes that people are wearing?”

I turned to see people wearing Hanboks [traditional Korean clothing].

“That’s Korea’s traditional clothing.”

“Wow, beautiful! I’d love to try it on if I get the chance.”

“Would you like to try it on? There should be a rental place nearby.”

“Really? That sounds fun.”

Seeing Olivia’s excited expression, I couldn’t ignore her request.

Joo-hyuk Lee had already located a Hanbok rental shop.

We immediately headed there.

Soon, everyone, including me, was dressed in Hanboks.

“Beautiful! It’s so pretty.”

Olivia couldn’t contain her excitement, twirling in front of the mirror.

Watson’s wife and daughter were also fascinated, touching the clothes they were wearing for the first time.

After leaving the Hanbok shop, we walked around together.

It felt different walking around the palace with so many people in Hanboks.

Just walking like that was enough to attract attention.

The Watson family, being foreigners in Hanboks, was already eye-catching, but the fact that several people were wearing them together made it hard to ignore.

The chances of there not being a single baseball fan among the onlookers were slim.

I was expecting it to some extent, but it happened much sooner than I thought.

“Oh, is that Olivia?”

“No way.”

“No, Kang Hyun-woo is there too.”

“Kang Hyun-woo is there?”

“He’s with the group wearing Hanboks over there.”

“Oh, wow!”

We encountered fans who recognized me and Olivia before we had even taken a few steps.

“Hello, nice to meet you.”

Olivia immediately greeted the fans as soon as she realized they had recognized her.

“Wow, it’s really her. I never imagined I’d see you here.”

“Are you a Jaguars fan?”

“Yes, thank you for giving birth to Watson. I think the Jaguars would have done much better if you had a second child.”

“Haha. Thank you, I’m really happy.”

Olivia’s smile didn’t fade at the fan’s words.

After the first fan, we met several more as we walked.

Each time, Olivia greeted them warmly, as if they were old friends.

I became the designated photographer, taking pictures with the fans’ smartphones.

Eventually, the stream of fans showed no sign of stopping, so I had to cut it short, citing our schedule.

We hurried back to the Hanbok shop to return the clothes and then headed back to the car.

Even then, fans were watching us from outside.

Olivia got into the car, rolled down the window, and blew finger hearts until the very end.

Where did she learn that?

She’s really amazing…

The car slowly started moving towards our next destination.

Olivia, who had been thinking about something, asked me.

“Kang, what’s the most popular social media these days?”

“I think a lot of people use Instagram.”

“Oh, then please help me.”

Olivia nodded, as if she had made a decision.

“What do you need help with?”

“Please tell me how to create an account and how to use it. And is there any way to let the Jaguars fans know my ID?”

“You’re even going to communicate directly with the fans?”

Olivia is over 60 years old, but SNS [social networking service]…?

It’s not impossible, but it was a completely unexpected request.

“It would be nice to get closer to the fans. It’s really fun, too.”

Olivia said with an innocent smile.

I created an SNS account for Olivia and gave her a simple tutorial.

I thought it would take a while for her to get the hang of it, but she adapted quickly and even uploaded a picture of herself in a Hanbok.

I announced Olivia’s new SNS account through our agency’s SNS.

Since the agency’s SNS has a large following, the promotional effect was significant.

As soon as I posted the announcement, the number of Olivia’s followers rapidly increased.

In just a few minutes, it had already exceeded 1,000.

“I think so many people are following me thanks to Kang.”

“Olivia’s popularity is that hot right now. There are probably very few Korean professional baseball fans who don’t know Olivia.”

“Wow. I’m excited! I’ll have to work really hard.”

Olivia nodded firmly.

There must be celebrity blood flowing in Olivia.

How has she kept this hidden until now?

For lunch, we went to a traditional Korean restaurant.

Thomas suddenly came to mind.

The Korean food he ate in the United States would be nothing like this.

I have to make sure he eats real Korean food when he visits Korea next time.

Our next destination was Gangnam.

We explored Gangnam, including COEX [a large convention and exhibition center].

The stark contrast to Jongno was enough to capture the Watson family’s attention.

Of course, it was also natural that there were more baseball fans in areas with high foot traffic.

I was very busy keeping an eye on Olivia.

There will be many more situations like this in the future, so I should consider hiring a security company.

* * *

It was already sunset.

We were all tired after running around since early morning and meeting so many fans.

But there was one final highlight to end the day.

Our last stop was a Han River Cruise.

I chose it because I thought it would be nice to have dinner while enjoying the night view of the Han River.

The night scenery of Seoul, bathed in darkness, was breathtaking.

The way the water and lights harmonized seemed to wash away worries and concerns.

The Han River at night is truly special.

It was even better because we could sit and enjoy the view without having to walk.

“Olivia, how is life in Korea?”

I felt like I already knew the answer, but I was still curious.

“Kang, I almost had a big problem.”

“A big problem?”

“What if I hadn’t come to Korea? I almost lived my whole life without experiencing something so wonderful.”

“Hahaha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Joo-hyuk Lee, who was listening beside me, chuckled as well.

“Did you go to a lot of Watson’s games in the United States?”

“No, I never went when I was in the United States.”

Olivia shook her head.

“Why? You like it so much.”

Even without the cheering culture like in Korea, it would have been more fun to watch in person than on TV.

“I was too nervous to watch the game.”

“In what way?”

“I was worried that Watson would suddenly cause an incident.”

“Ah…”

She meant she was nervous about him getting into a bench-clearing brawl.

Well, just a few years ago, Watson wasn’t the Watson he is now.

“There were so many pitchers who threw threateningly at Watson. It’s hard to watch him get hit and hurt.”

“Are you relieved these days?”

“I think I can relax now.”

“Even if Watson returns to the major leagues next year, he will be a much better player than he is now.”

“Thanks to meeting Kang, a lot has changed. If that hadn’t happened, I would have been worried about him not finding a club this season.”

Olivia gave me a bright smile.

“You’re welcome. It’s all because Watson is doing well.”

“It’s a big deal that I like Korea so much. I think I’ll keep thinking about it even after a long time.”

“Don’t you want to go back to the United States?”

“Well… I’m happy to be in Korea, but Watson’s opinion is the most important. If he wants to go to the major leagues, I’m going to respect that dream.”

“You should. I promised, too. I’ll help Watson go to the major leagues next year.”

No matter how happy Watson and his family are living in Korea, Watson’s prime as a player won’t last forever.

“And I didn’t know it was so fun to meet fans.”

Olivia smiled brightly again.

“I didn’t know Olivia would enjoy it this much either.”

“Hahaha. That’s right. Thanks to Kang, I’m having a lot of fun experiences.”

“I’ll make a lot more fun memories while you’re in Korea.”

“Ah! Shall we take a picture here too?”

Olivia said, taking out her smartphone.

“Olivia, you’re becoming a real celebrity?”

“Well… SNS is fun, and I don’t want to forget this moment. It’s a moment that won’t come back.”

“That’s right.”

Joo-hyuk Lee, Watson’s family, and I all gathered together and took a picture.

Olivia asked me to take another picture with just the two of us.

After confirming I was okay with her posting it, Olivia immediately uploaded the picture to her SNS.

└Wow, you even took a Han River cruise. You’re enjoying a true Korean life.

└I’ve lived in Seoul for 20 years and I haven’t taken a cruise.

└People who live there don’t usually take it.

└Mother, why don’t you just naturalize with Watson?

└Korea is a better place to live than the United States. It’s also safe.

└Still, Donald Watson has to play in the major leagues. It’s a waste of talent to be on the Korean stage.

When it was time for dinner, the meal was being prepared on the cruise.

As we sat down, the course dishes started to arrive one by one.

We ate while watching the slowly passing night view of Seoul.

The surrounding scenery made the meal even more delicious.

After a leisurely dinner, we finally left for the agency’s accommodation late at night.

Everyone was tired from touring around busily all day, so they fell asleep in the car on the way back.