part 19

After my call with Eui-jin, I couldn't stop thinking about what he had said.

"Seung-rok has been watching your golf matches for a while now. He never showed any interest in golf before, so I thought he was a fan of yours. Naturally, I assumed that's why he decided to take lessons from you. Didn't you know?"

I wanted to stop thinking about it.

But no matter how hard I tried, his words kept echoing in my mind. 

Seung-rok had known about me even before he hired me as his daughter's golf coach. 

He had even watched videos of my matches. 

I wasn't a world-class player like Jisun Sunbae. 

I was just an average golfer who barely managed to keep my professional license. 

My peak was placing occasionally in the top ranks of Japanese tournaments. 

I wasn't famous, not even close. 

I never did media interviews, and I didn't promote myself. 

I didn't even give golf lessons, which was the only sure way to make a decent living with a pro license.

But I couldn't do it. 

I kept thinking about my mother, who had ruined her life by falling in love with a man she met on the golf course while she was coaching a much older married man.

It wasn't about being righteous.

I was just scared. 

My performance was mediocre, and I was too stubborn to give lessons. 

Naturally, I became an obscure golfer that no one cared about. 

At best, I got some attention as Jisun Sunbae's caddie and swing coach.

And even then I had turned down offers from other players.

It did not matter much anyway. 

Most people believed Jisun's success was due to her own talent, not my coaching. 

Even my then-boyfriend thought so.

Yet, Seung-rok, who seemed to detest golf, had watched my matches. 

I wondered when it all started.

As I mulled over various thoughts, something suddenly came to mind. 

It was the day Hayeon introduced me to Seung-rok's house. She had said something to me.

"I already know you, teacher. I saw you in a video."

I had dismissed it as a child's simple mistake. 

Even among golf experts, not many knew who I was. 

I thought there was no way a six-year-old could have watched my matches through videos. 

After all, I was a golfer no one paid attention to. 

But now, it seems like Hayeon was right. 

The child must have seen me while watching Seung-rok view my matches.

Why would Seung-rok, a globally active K-pop idol, be interested in the matches of an obscure golfer like me? 

There were countless KROCK fans worldwide. 

I had heard that on Valentine's Day, he received so many gifts from female fans that it was hard to manage. 

What could he possibly be lacking to see a match from a no-name female golfer like me?

As I pondered Hayeon's words, another memory surfaced. 

It was a request she made to me yesterday.

"Teacher, can you give me a ride? The driver is a bit scary."

Hayeon commuted to her English speaking private kindergarten by car every day. 

In Jeju, where public transportation was inconvenient, someone had to drive her around. 

Seung-rok didn't have a license, and his grandfather was too old. 

So, manager Cha took care of all her rides. 

Although manager Cha was a good person, he was a bit intimidating to a little girl, perhaps because he was a former athlete. 

He was always busy managing Seung-rok's various affairs.

Hayeon seemed to prefer getting rides from me. 

If Seung-rok had made such a request, I would have been angry. 

I was hired as a golf instructor, not a driver. 

But it was hard to refuse when a child looked at me with pleading eyes. 

I thought about making an excuse that I needed to prepare for lessons, but Hayeon's sorrowful gaze kept lingering in my mind.

When I was a child, I longed for my mother's rides. 

But she always refused, saying that even travel time had to be shortened if she wanted to become a great golfer. 

The drivers she hired with money were, of course, better at driving than she was since they were professional drivers. 

But what did that matter? 

All I wanted was time with her. 

Maybe Hayeon felt lonely too.

Honestly, I was already receiving more than enough from Seung-rok compare to what I was doing. 

Offering a little extra service wouldn't hurt me at all. 

Once I made up my mind, I looked around. 

The trash was all cleaned up, and someone had done the dishes, though the utensils were not yet put away. 

Seung-rok was sprawled out on the sofa, fast asleep.

Until now, I knew nothing about Seung-rok's personal life. 

I only guessed that the celebrity KROCK and the real Seung-rok Kang were very different. 

Today, I felt like I got a small glimpse into his true self. 

It made me smile a bit, as if I had stolen a peek into the heart of a K-pop idol that no fan knew.

I quietly took out a guest blanket and covered Seung-rok with it. 

Then, I went into the house through the underground passage. 

Instead of the bed where Sunbae was sprawled out in the middle, I laid out a mat on the floor and slept there.

It was an uncomfortable bed.

But somehow, I could stretch my legs and sleep well for the first time in a long while.

***

Seung-rok woke up with a splitting headache. 

Or rather, his eyes opened on their own. 

There was a vibration coming from somewhere. 

His vision was blurry. 

As he strained his eyes, he could just make out the ceiling, pristine and white. 

The buzzing sound pierced his ears again. 

He realized the vibration was coming from his chest.

Before answering the call, Seung-rok checked the time on the screen. 

11 o'clock. 

He usually woke up at 8. 

For a singer who worked on music, it was an unusually early hour. 

But he believed maintaining this lifestyle helped him stay in good condition. 

Even after the Grammy after-party, he always kept his wake-up time consistent. 

Then what happened today?

He shook his head lightly and answered the phone.

"Well now, sonny, why didn't you answer that blasted phone? Whatcha been up to?""

It was his grandfather.

Seung-rok suddenly remembered his grandfather's call from yesterday.

He had forgotten completely.

His grandfather and Hayeon were supposed to return from Singapore at 10 today. 

He hadn't informed manager Cha about it. 

There was no way manager Cha could know about an untold schedule. 

This meant his grandfather and Hayeon would have to take a taxi. 

He worried about his family being exposed to the public.

But since he wasn't with them, it should be fine. 

There was no other way. 

It was his fault, after all.

"I'll just give you money for the taxi…"

"Never mind! Ma'am's already arrived! Shoo, now, shoo!"

His grandfather hung up abruptly. 

It was typical of him to say what he wanted and then hang up. 

Seung-rok stared at his phone in disbelief for a moment, then quickly dismissed the thought. 

It was his mistake, after all. 

He had something else to do immediately. 

He had to call Eui-jin.

"Oh, is that you, KROCK? Well, fancy that. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when the most important person in the universe decided to grace me with their presence. How kind of you to call a lowly creature like me."

There was a hint of emotion in Eui-jin's voice. 

It was understandable. 

He had missed the meeting last night and was late today.

"Sorry, hyung. I fell asleep."

"I already heard so, you idiot. The golf teacher and her group said they drank with you last night. Look at you, already making moves."

Seung-rok wondered how he knew, but Eui-jin continued.

"I asked the teacher over the phone. You gave her my number for emergencies, remember? She said you passed out after drinking. The guy who leaves on the dot even if Taylor Swift asks for a drink, and now you're at a drinking party?"

I couldn't tell him it was to protect my daughter's privacy.

"Just forget it and reschedule the meeting."

"What meeting? It's just you and me. Take your time, wash up, and come to the studio. Or if you have more things to do, we can push it to tomorrow. I understand man. What a lovely season, huh? Even the great Seung-rok is having a fling in this kind of weather."

"Stop talking nonsense."

"Alright, I'm hanging up."

Eui-jin chuckled and ended the call abruptly. 

Seung-rok let out a dry laugh. 

Usually, he was the one doing that.

He got Seung-rok good this time.

It seemed Eui-jin had completely misunderstood Seung-rok's relationship with Mina.

Honestly, it didn't matter what he thought. 

He was bound to Seung-rok by fate. 

Misunderstandings were unpleasant, but people always lived with them. 

With these thoughts, he stretched and slowly got up from the sofa.

Seung-rok sensed something was off. 

A blanket he didn't recognize was draped over him.

The room had been subtly tidied up also. 

At first glance, it looked as neat as usual, but a closer inspection revealed a different arrangement, as if an outsider had cleaned it.

Jisun passed out drunk before Seung-rok last night.

Manager Cha had called a replacement driver and left before cleaning. 

By process of elimination, it had to be "that woman." 

Seung-rok smirked. 

Despite her efforts, the room was tidied in a way that clashed with his tastes, reminding him of someone.

"Just like the kid's mom," he thought, walking to the kitchen. 

On the table was a note.

[I couldn't wake you because you were sleeping so soundly. I finished cleaning up. Don't worry about it.]

Seung-rok couldn't recall anything after blacking out, but everything before that was clear. 

He had done the dishes but hadn't put them away. 

He glanced at the sink; the dishes were gone. 

His lips curled into a slight smile. 

He returned to the note.

[I got a message that Hayeon is arriving at the airport, so I'm going to pick her up. It's easier for me to go than to wake you. Don't worry about it.]

He wasn't sure what he wasn't supposed to worry about, but he continued reading, suppressing a smile.

[I noticed you only drink coffee in the morning. I found some coffee beans and made you a cup. Enjoy. I made an extra since I was having some too, so don't worry about it.]

Now, even the word "worry" made him smile. 

He barely managed to stifle his laughter as he brought the now-cold coffee to his lips. 

After a sip, he downed it in one go. 

For some reason, the smile wouldn't leave his face. 

After a while, he added one comment.

"It tastes terrible."

The temperature must have been off.