Chapter 328

Cannon King is an exceptional emcee.

He had a talent for transforming the words spoken by the guests into laughter.

While Name was busy communicating with the fans, it was time to slowly wrap up Part 1.

He quietly called Professor Chun, who had been watching from behind the curtain, onto the stage.

“Father, let’s assume your daughter brought home a boyfriend or someone she’s crushing on. Would you be willing to approve of their relationship?”

Despite it being a hypothetical question, a look of displeasure came over Professor Chun’s face.

The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as he expressed his disapproval.

“That terrible thing must never happen.”

Any father raising a daughter could relate to that sentiment.

Whether serious or joking, the fans all supported his opinion with applause.

“Hahaha! Then this time I’ll ask Name. You’ve said your dream is undoubtedly to become the strongest in the world. If the day comes when you have to fight your father to protect your love, do you think you can win?”

Professor Chun and Name’s fans all focused their ears on her answer.

“Well, even if it’s not for love, I think I could win within a few years.”

Name avoided the core of the question.

“Ahem.”

However, taken as a sign that she would not shy away from a fight, Professor Chun cleared his throat and composed himself.

A subtle spark flew between father and daughter.

“Name really has absurd combat skills. Just a few months ago, she defeated all the academy seniors.”

“That level is easy for me.”

“But I’ve heard your father was a truly outstanding mage in Korea. Specifically, how many years do you expect to win by?”

At what age does he think she can fight and win?

Name looked up at the ceiling and methodically extended her fingers.

“Four years at most?”

“Four years! Father, please remember today. Noname’s puberty will start in four years. I know because I’ve raised kids, but puberty is no joke…!”

Though she whispered this last part, it echoed clearly through the microphone.

“Ah… I will keep that in mind.”

“Great! I hope you can spend the next four years in a peaceful home. We will return for Part 2 in a harmonious atmosphere!”

– Nothing good at all, haha.

– Name’s puberty starts in 6th grade, oh wow.

– Noname, seriously thinking, is so cute, hehe.

* * *

With Cannon King as the emcee, the fan meeting took on a talk show-like feel.

The flowing atmosphere made the time pass in a flash.

Eborum would occasionally bring strange items to equip me with, and they were all bizarre objects.

For instance, bunny ear headbands or pink magic wands.

“Can you swing this around once?”

“How?”

“Hmm… like using a wand?”

“That’s too vague of a command. But I understand.”

Holding up the magical girl’s wand and moving it along the path of the light circuit style.

Click, click—

The fans bombarded me with an endless stream of camera flashes.

“Ouch, my eyes!”

Without even infusing mana, the light burst forth on its own. It truly was a magical wand.

I picked up a 500ml bottle of water to quench my thirst in preparation for the upcoming signing event.

“Wait a minute, Name, I’ve brought a straw!”

“I don’t need a straw since I’m drinking by myself.”

“No, apparently you have to drink from a straw at fan meetings!”

“Why?”

“I don’t know that either!”

There must be some profound reason behind it that became a custom.

Kindly, Eborum even punched a hole in the cap of the punch drink.

“Here.”

“Thanks.”

She was treating me too much like a baby. Not even a 5-year-old would be indulged this much.

Then I figured out the reason for drinking with a straw.

Is it because it shouldn’t mess up the lip makeup? Not that it applied to me at all.

It was already too late to take it back, so I placed the straw in my mouth.

Sluuuurp—

“…?”

Click, click, click, click, click!

“Pfft. Cough!”

I burst into laughter at the overwhelming sound of the camera shutter.

I nearly choked.

“Isn’t it a bit too much to take so many at once?”

“It’s because Name is cute!”

“Even drinking water is cute!”

I never expected to actually hear such flattery.

Shaking my head, I grabbed the microphone and signaled the start of the fan signing event.

“Please come forward one by one.”

To meet all 112 fans in two hours meant I could only spend one minute per person.

From the fans’ perspective, even the time I spent signing would be precious.

However, to stamp signatures like a stamp would seem insincere.

Hence, this was my proposed solution.

“Hello.”

“I’m up first! Could you sign here, please?”

[Cast: Coordinate Synchronization]

First, I synchronize the marker pen’s tip with the magic circle’s coordinates.

As I manipulate the magic circle with my finger, mana scatters over the paper, and black ink is absorbed directly through the mana threads.

My hands are faster than my eyes, but they can’t be faster than my brain.

The speed of drawing the magic circle, and in just 1 second, the cat signature was complete.

“Whoa, what is this? Is it magic? Name’s signature is so cute!”

“Yes, I modified the coordinate synchronization magic a bit.”

“You’re so versatile! Oh right, I brought a gift for you, Name! Ta-da, a red ginseng set!”

“Red ginseng?”

“Since you need to stay healthy if you’re going to be on many broadcasts!”

“I’m incredibly grateful. I’ll eat it well.”

The gift barrage didn’t stop there.

“Isn’t this a luxury item? In a few years, it’ll be too small to wear…”

“Huh? I thought Name would never grow up!”

“How could you say such a curse…? And no matter what, such luxury…”

“They say even brushing against someone can create a bond! Think of it as a one million won donation and accept it, okay?”

There were people who gifted me a large t-shirt with a prominent luxury logo, and,

“It’s really nothing compared to other people’s gifts, but please accept it…!”

“Did you knit this yourself, sister? Wow, it’s so nice. I’ll use it well every winter.”

“Yes! Oh, and… could you hug me… during the Falling Guys event…”

“Shooting star?”

“Yes!”

“Well, since it’s a promise. Okay, hug me.”

I could also receive warm-colored mittens reminiscent of a cozy bonfire.

But the most impressive fan was the last person in line.

An elderly woman, who looked at least twenty years older than Professor Chun, approached.

The slight hunch in her back and the cane she held felt the weight of time.

I politely escorted her and pulled out a chair for her.

“Hello, grandmother. If you don’t have anything special, would it be alright for me to sign on the paper we prepared?”

“Oh, you’re so polite. Thank you, Name dear.”

[Cast: Coordinate Synchronization]

“What is your name?”

“Not me.”

“Excuse me?”

“I came for my grandson. Kwon Junwoo. My Junwoo really likes your broadcasts.”

“Oh, you came in his place. Please tell him thank you for watching my broadcast. Here’s the signature.”

The grandmother paused in silence for a moment, lightly caressing the paper with her dry hands.

“Our Junwoo has been sick since he was little.”

“I see. What’s wrong?”

“The doctor said it’s leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.”

“Ah…”

The grandmother recited her grandson’s exact diagnosis.

How many times must she have heard it from the doctor to speak it so fluently without a single mispronunciation?

It’s truly a sad fact that when someone in the family is ill, they become an expert in that illness.

“Because of that relapsed issue, Junwoo had to be admitted again last year. His parents were busy earning money late into the night and taking care of his siblings, so I had to stay by his side. It’s a pity he didn’t get to attend even one full year of middle school and graduated.”

“You and your grandson must have had a tough time…”

“But last year, after watching your broadcast, he gained a lot of strength. A child who had no emotions suddenly broke down crying one day, then laughed heartily another day, rolling around in bed like a crazy person! Meeting you is now on his bucket list.”

“I’ll hold a fan meeting one day in a large stadium so everyone can participate.”

“How beautiful your words are… My grandson said he hopes you succeed. He believes that whoever suffers should experience happiness, and that you should be happy for life to prove it. Anyway, I’m really grateful for the strength you’ve given Junwoo. I just wanted to say this, but did I talk too much?”

“No, I’m the one who should be grateful…”

I placed my hand over hers.

It seemed like it would be a day full of thoughts in many ways.

A hot emotion rising from deep within my chest was still unfamiliar.

I took a deep breath and spoke before the grandmother left.

“After the fan meeting, would it be alright to video call your grandson?”

* * *

The radiant sunset painted the road covered in dusk red.

Through the hospital window, the view was beautifully enchanting like a fairytale, yet at the same time, it felt melancholy as the sunset dwindled like a spent match.

Knock. Knock—

The intermittent knocking was from the grandmother.

Kwon Junwoo adjusted the back of his bed to sit up.

“Did you come back, grandmother?”

“When will you get better? You’re just making me suffer at this age.”

“Did you get the signature? What did Name say? Did you tell her I saw her at the hospital ages ago?”

“Huh? When did you say that, Junwoo?”

“Grandmother, I told you yesterday!”

“I don’t remember that. Here, this child is really pretty and polite.”

“Name is a genius, a genius. Who knows, one day all these signatures might be worth hundreds of thousands or even millions? Of course, I’d never sell them.”

“I have to go now. Make sure you answer the call well.”

“What? The signature? Huh? What call?”

Today, there seemed to be an unusually inattentive attitude from the grandmother, making Junwoo tilt his head in confusion.

He ponders whether asking her to receive the signature instead was too much of an ask.

The sun finally set, leaving him alone in the hospital room,

♪♫♪♬~

In that eerie hour, an unexpected call came in from an unknown number.

[010-XXXX-XXXX]

“Not spam? What could this be?”

It was a video call too.

Junwoo had no friends close enough to make video calls.

His thumb aimlessly wandered before remembering something his grandmother had said and clicked the accept button.

“Huh!”

Junwoo was so startled at the figure on the screen that he nearly dropped his phone.

‘A new kind of voice phishing? That can’t be!’

He gently lifted the phone off the pristine white blanket.

What Junwoo saw was no mistake.

[Hello, Kwon Junwoo.]

With a slightly languid voice, sparkling eyes like a cat, and most importantly, wearing the same outfit from the fan meeting.

“How… how…?”

The person who initiated the video call was, astonishingly, the idol he had idolized so fervently.

[It’s my first time meeting you. I’m No Name from Twish, my real name is Noname.]

“Ah…”

Night and dawn come to welcome a new morning.

At this moment, another sun rose high in Kwon Junwoo’s heart.