Chapter 245 : Turns Out Even Greater Than We Thought (3)

Turns ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Out Even Greater Than We Thought (3)

Early evening.

Team Perfect, including Lee Gyeongbok, visited Park Juho's family home.

"Oh my, come on in!"

Park Juho's mother, Park Gyeongja, welcomed them with a smile.

"Hello!"

"Ma'am, it's been a while!"

Lee Gyeongbok and Choi Byeonghun greeted her energetically. Having already met before, their greetings were congenial.

"Oh my, you both look even more handsome now!"

"Aw, I just gained weight, that's all."

"Sorry we haven't visited sooner."

Choi Byeonghun bantered, and Lee Gyeongbok laughed sheepishly.

"No, it's fine. You must have been busy with work."

Park Gyeongja waved it off and then turned her gaze to the back.

"Ah, hello! I'm Jo Daehan, working with Park Juho as his manager!"

The moment their eyes met, Jo Daehan bowed politely. Park Gyeongja, despite it being their first meeting, gave him a bright smile.

"Don't just stand there, come on in. I've only heard about you, but your Korean is really good. You're definitely Korean, yes you are."

"Haha, I'm a pure-blooded Korean. Ah! And this is modest, but..."

Relaxing a bit, Jo Daehan quickly handed over a fruit basket.

"Oh my, you didn't have to do that. We can eat it together after dinner."

She led the four of them inside. Slipping a quick glance around, Park Juho carefully asked,

"Mom, where's dad?"

"Oh, well..."

Park Gyeongja hesitated briefly, continuing with an awkward smile.

"He was busy with work today, so he couldn't come home early. He told us to just eat without him."

Everyone exchanged glances at that. Particularly, Jo Daehan's eyes moved quickly.

'He stayed away so no one would feel uncomfortable.'

When he'd been invited, Park Juho had explained his family circumstances.

'He told me not to misunderstand, that it's not because he took his mother's surname.'

Sometimes, people who heard Park Juho's family was a remarried one assumed he changed his last name to his mother's. Actually, both his parents were Parks, but from different clans.

"Um, where should I put this?"

Jo Daehan, trying to change the mood, spoke up. As if recalling, Park Gyeongja clapped her hands.

"Oh, put it right here. You really are quick, just like my son said."

"The manager?"

"Of course. I heard he's not just good at his main job, but even helps out with other things."

Jo Daehan's eyes widened in surprise. Park Gyeongja smiled, as if she expected his reaction.

"My son isn't very expressive, so maybe you didn't hear it from him."

"Um, is there anything I can help with?"

Park Juho cleared his throat, trying to change the subject.

"No, no, it's fine. Just sit down. Ah, is braised short rib okay for dinner?"

"Wow, of course it is!"

"Is there anyone in the world who doesn't like short ribs?"

"I love them, too!"

Despite her protests, the four of them helped set the table. Thanks to this, the meal was ready in no time.

"Wow, the bone comes out so easily."

"Wow, the seasoning is insane."

"The meat is so tender."

As the meal began, compliments flowed freely. Seeing their genuine reactions, Park Gyeongja's smile deepened.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. I made plenty, so eat as much as you like."

"Wow, I could eat two bowls of rice with just this. I'd be happy to just mix the sauce with rice."

"Oh, you're right. As expected, you're the taste expert, editor!"

"Byeonghun, you really need to eat fewer carbs."

The lively meal left everyone satisfied. Once they had eaten their fill, the conversation shifted to other topics.

"So how's the channel doing these days?"

Park Gyeongja looked at Lee Gyeongbok as she asked.

"Well, juho said there's nothing to worry about, but people my age don't really know much. I'm curious."

She laughed awkwardly as everyone looked her way.

"Ma'am, really, there's no need to worry at all."

Choi Byeonghun lightly wiped the sauce from his mouth with a napkin and bantered.

"Ma'am, do you watch Q-tube, too?"

"Of course, who doesn't watch Q-tube these days?"

"If I can brag a little about our channel..."

He tapped his smartlink, projecting a hologram.

[PerfectPlay]

[1.812 million subscribers]

With the subscriber count having surpassed 1.8 million, Choi Byeonghun straightened his shoulders with pride.

"I guarantee you, we'll hit two million soon."

"That's impressive, but the truly amazing thing is the boss has only been broadcasting for three months."

Jo Daehan cautiously added, glancing around.

"To be honest, this kind of rapid growth usually only happens to celebrities. But even more important is that a lot of our subscribers are from overseas."

"Foreigners?"

Park Gyeongja's eyes widened as she looked at Lee Gyeongbok.

"Wow, it's going even better than I thought. Oh dear, I hope these short ribs are enough."

"Oh, no, they really were delicious."

Lee Gyeongbok waved reassuringly with a smile, and Park Gyeongja felt relieved. Not because the guests were satisfied.

"To tell the truth, I was really startled when Juho quit his company and said he was going to be a Q-tube manager."

Park Juho flinched at those words.

"I only went along with it because you were the one working with him, Gyeongbok. If it were anyone else, I'd have tried to stop him."

"Haha, thank you for your faith."

"Ever since Juho started hanging out with Gyeongbok, things have always gone well. He never got into trouble, not even once. I'm really glad things are going well again this time, too."

Park Juho let out a short sigh at that.

"That's what you always say whenever you see Gyeongbok."

"Well, there's a good reason for it!"

Park Juho looked away at Choi Byeonghun's words.

"Hey, it's not wrong!"

"I can't deny it. If I look back on myself in high school, I really was immature."

Everyone laughed at that—except for Jo Daehan.

Lee Gyeongbok noticed and spoke up.

"This guy was a totally different person in high school, you know."

"Yeah, seriously, he wasn't just a punk, he was... really on the wrong track."

"Don't worry about speaking freely, even as his mother, I thought he was a total delinquent."

As Choi Byeonghun tried to soften his description, Park Gyeongja laughed. Park Juho, meanwhile, put his hand to his forehead.

"She's not wrong, is she? Back then he really was hopeless. But after he started hanging out with Gyeongbok, he totally changed."

"Yes, that's true."

"I didn't really do much. Juho made all the effort himself."

Park Juho admitted it, but Lee Gyeongbok humbly waved it off.

In reality, he had simply been the trigger.

"Honestly, if it weren't for you, I'd still be acting like a delinquent."

For Park Juho, that trigger was important.

* * *

After the meal, Park Gyeongja brought out some fruit.

"Having a dishwasher is so convenient."

Washing the dishes was the job of the gifted dishwasher. Lee Gyeongbok replied with satisfaction,

"I'm grateful as long as you use it well."

Once they finished dessert, Park Gyeongja asked cautiously.

"So, Gyeongbok, are you just going to keep doing Q-tube? Or will we see you on TV, too?"

"TV?"

"Why TV all of a sudden?"

Even Lee Gyeongbok, the person in question, was confused, as was Park Juho.

"These days, I see a lot of Q-tubers on TV, especially on variety shows. Gyeongbok, you've got a handsome face, you'd look good on camera."

"Haha, I have no plans to reveal my face yet."

Lee Gyeongbok chuckled awkwardly as he replied.

"For now, I'm just going to do online broadcasting. But I don't plan on staying just as a streamer—I want to gradually start a merch business, too."

"Merch? What's that?"

Park Gyeongja blinked as if she wasn't familiar with the word.

"You know the singer Lim Younggul you like? Those lightsticks from concerts are called merch."

"Oh, listen to you. Explaining it like that."

She laughed, embarrassed, at Park Juho's comment.

"Ah, I'm being so silly now."

"Oh, not at all. There's not a single person of your generation who doesn't like Lim Younggul."

"Park-jjo, you, seriously. Hm? You too, eh?"

Choi Byeonghun exchanged a playful glance, teasingly asking whether Park Juho was outing her hidden fandom.

But Park Juho smiled confidently. He stood up and opened his room door.

"Wow."

Jo Daehan's jaw dropped as he let out a sound of amazement. Even from the living room, everyone could clearly see inside.

And inside was—

"Whoa, what is this? You weren't hiding this at home?"

"Incredible."

From member bromides, to lightsticks from each season neatly organized in a cupboard, to carefully framed autographs, mugs, towels, and all sorts of merch.

The room could truly be called a shrine to the girl group Sweeties.

"It was me who introduced mom to the joys of fangirling."

That was why Park Juho sounded so proud. Park Gyeongja laughed at that.

"Thanks to my son, a lot of the ladies our age learned so much. But even he can't get those concert tickets easily."

"Mom, that's... seriously difficult."

The others shared a wry laugh at the family conversation.

'Is there a fangirling gene?'

As everyone had similar thoughts, the conversation topic soon returned.

"So, if you're releasing merch, does that mean Gyeongbok is basically celebrity-level? Wow, you're doing so well."

Park Gyeongja nodded, now relieved having grasped the situation.

"Yes. Of course, I understand even friends worry about each other. But it's not just Juho—Byeonghun, daehan, and I, too—we're not taking this lightly."

Lee Gyeongbok smiled confidently.

"So I hope you can worry a little less."

"Oh, I was too obvious, wasn't I? To be honest, as a parent, there's only so much you can interfere in what a grown child does. But Gyeongbok, this is what it is to be a parent. No matter how old you get, we still worry."

Park Gyeongja looked at Lee Gyeongbok with kind eyes.

"But I feel reassured now, seeing you speak so confidently. People say even close friends often fall out when they go into business, but seeing you all together, I think there's no chance of that happening."

There was trust in her words.

"Thank you for staying by my son's side, from the start until now."

* * *

It was time to leave for the next broadcast.

"Take some of this with you."

Park Gyeongja packed up side dishes for all the single guests.

"Thank you for the food!"

"Braised beef is a rice-stealer!"

"With just this, there's nothing to worry about!"

All three of them gratefully accepted.

"Come visit again next time."

"Yes, thank you so much for the meal."

"Hope to see you again!"

"Thank you!"

"See you!"

Saying their goodbyes, the four of them got into Park Juho's car, just as when they arrived.

One by one, Park Juho dropped them off, until only he and Lee Gyeongbok were left in the car.

"It was a bit of a sudden invitation, but thanks for coming."

Park Juho expressed his thanks again.

"Thanks to you, I think Mom feels a little more at ease."

"I actually liked it. Talking with Auntie, it helped me sort out some thoughts."

"Sorted out?"

When Park Juho asked, puzzled, Lee Gyeongbok nodded.

"Seeing her so happy was motivating, you know? Like I mentioned before, it also makes me happy to give presents to my parents."

"You did."

"Meeting her in person this time made it even clearer."

A faint smile crossed Lee Gyeongbok's lips.

"If my parents were still alive, I think they'd have been this happy too."

Park Juho was momentarily speechless.

"And at the same time, I think they'd also have worried like she did. So I'm glad to have you and Byeonghun."

"Us?"

"Yes, man. How many people even have friends they can just visit with their parents so casually?"

Lee Gyeongbok made light of it, but it was different for Park Juho. He knew just how selective Lee Gyeongbok was with people, and how small his close circle was.

"To be honest..."

Park Juho spoke softly, turning the steering wheel.

"When you guys first suggested doing the channel together, I joined mostly to talk you out of it."

"Hm?"

"Back then, I thought pretty much the same way as Mom. I was ready to stop everything if things went wrong."

The car slowed to a stop.

Without realizing, they had arrived at Lee Gyeongbok's home.

"But now, things are different. I'm sure of it."

Having parked, Park Juho looked at Lee Gyeongbok.

"I was the one who was wrong."

His worries had been unnecessary.

Through countless experiences, he could now trust Lee Gyeongbok and follow him.

"My parents will know soon enough, too."

Lee Gyeongbok laughed and gave Park Juho's shoulder a light tap.

"Then I'd better stick to the basics."

He stepped out of the car with a spring in his step.

Because he had a reason to hold his head high, no matter who he faced—even his parents.

It was time to refocus on the channel.

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