CHAPTER 83 — A Carat's Confession

Uncle," Minghao asked, "have you been a Carat since debut, or are you a recent fan?"

DK leaned forward eagerly. "Yeah! We're curious!"

Their father laughed. "If I'd known you boys since debut, I'd be an old man by now!"

The boys smiled.

"To be honest, I didn't know anything about Seventeen," he continued. "It was these two who dragged me into it. One evening, I was resting on the sofa when they switched on the TV and started playing 'Adore U.' I opened my eyes and saw the MV. I asked them, 'Who are they?'"

He mimicked Nian's voice: "'Father, they're Seventeen! Look, they're so cute!'"

DK and Minghao burst into laughter.

"Then I saw someone with a ponytail," he added. "I asked Xuanye, 'Who's that? He looks like a child!' She giggled and said, 'He's one of them, Father!' And honestly, I didn't believe he was a guy."

The boys looked at each other knowingly. "Jeonghan," they whispered and chuckled.

"Boys," her father said, lowering his voice. "Don't tell my daughters this, okay?"

They nodded playfully.

He confessed, "I literally fell for him — before I even knew he was a man."

DK doubled over, laughing so hard he kicked his feet. Minghao faced the wall, punching it as he laughed.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, their mother asked, "Why are they laughing so much?"

Xuanye chuckled, "Ma, I think Father is telling them how he became a Carat."

Nian added, "Do you remember when you thought Jeonghan was a girl and beat up Father?"

Their mother shot them a warning glare and lifted the knife she was using. "You want me to show you how it works, huh?"

The girls went silent immediately. Their mother sulked.

Back in the hall, their father was still grinning. "As I kept watching, I really became a fan. One night, I was lying in bed watching 'Pretty U.' My wife came in to grab my wallet, and she saw me smiling at Jeonghan's ponytail on the screen."

He mimicked her reaction. "She gasped, grabbed my phone, and asked, 'Who is this girl?!' I was so scared. She started beating me with a pillow!"

Minghao wheezed. "Uncle, stop! My stomach hurts from laughing!"

DK laughed so hard he couldn't speak.

Their father continued dramatically, "I was trying to explain that he's a guy, but she wouldn't listen. The girls heard me scream, ran in, and told their mother, 'Ma! That's Jeonghan! He's a member of Seventeen!'"

"Then she realized the truth, apologized, and I said, 'I told you so!'" He puffed his chest. "Boys, tell me — was it wrong to smile at him?"

The boys choked on their laughter but said, "No, Uncle, we understand completely!"

Their father smiled. "But from there, I started watching all your content — 'Super,' 'Maestro,' 'Aju Nice,' 'Holiday' — I was blown away. You've worked hard, and you've achieved so much."

DK and Minghao's expressions softened. "Thank you, Uncle," Minghao said.

DK added, "It was tough sometimes. We had pressure, problems... But looking back, it was all worth it."

Their father nodded. "That's why I say — your group will go even farther. I believe you'll achieve all your dreams."

The boys froze, deeply moved. Minghao looked at him with a faint, emotional smile.

> "Maybe coming here wasn't just about meeting Nian and Xuanye's parents," Minghao thought. "Maybe this reminded us who we are, too — not just idols, but real people whose hard work means something. If the members heard this, they'd tear up, just like me."