Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 144



Only Krnovel

Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter Episode 144

144. Hawaiian Pizza

Milan Fashion Week is one of the ‘big four fashion weeks’ along with New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, and Paris Fashion Week.

February and September.

Milan Fashion Week, held twice a year, features designers from iconic Italian brands showcasing their F/W (fall/winter) and S/S (spring/summer) season collections.

Designers, buyers, journalists, influencers, etc.

As it is a place to showcase the trends that will lead the season to fashion industry insiders around the world, designers of each brand spend a long time preparing the show with great care.

Angela Corre, the chief designer of Italy’s high-end luxury brand ‘Corre’, was also busy preparing the 2024 S/S season collection.

She had a routine of meeting her ‘muse’ and recharging her inspiration two or three months before preparing for the show, and as usual, she sent a first-class ticket to Milan from Korea.

Meanwhile, this time, in addition to ‘Muse’, one more guest was invited.

This man was recently selected as the new global ambassador for Kore, as the brand actively seeks to penetrate the Asian market.

It just so happens that he was under the same agency as ‘Muse’.

When I told him that if it was okay with me, I would like to accompany him to this meeting and meet him face to face in Milan, he readily agreed.

That’s Core’s muse and new brand ambassador.

That was the reason why Sungjun and Yuna were at Incheon Airport.

Before getting out of the van.

“Huh? What’s going on? There are so many reporters? Did Seok call you? He said it was an unofficial departure with no media exposure.”

“It’s not me.”

When Yuna asks while looking at the reporters gathered outside the window like clouds, Baek-seok shakes his head.

If the news that two top stars, Yuna and Sungjun, are leaving the country is leaked, it is obvious that the airport will be paralyzed.

Since the noisy departure was an envoy’s affair, he did not tell the press about it separately, so the current crowd was a question mark even for Baek-seok.

at that time.

“Ah, Seok oppa. Over there.”

Yuna points out the window as if she has discovered something.

Where his fingertips pointed, there were the faces of seven young girls and Baek Seok’s old acquaintances.

“Chief Yang is here.”

Chief Yang.

KG Enter CEO Yang Jun-hyung was there.

“Then the friends waving in front of them must be the rookies from KG who are debuting this time.”

There was a big article recently that said he would be filming a music video overseas, so it’s likely that this trip is for him.

“What should we do, sir? Should we wait a bit and then go out?”

“I’d like to, but my flight is running late.”

I arrived at the airport in a tight schedule to finish my morning schedule and leave, so I didn’t have time to relax.

It will take time to process, and there may be problems with your luggage or the gate, so if you don’t leave right away, your schedule will be in trouble.

“I’m sorry to Yangbon, but you have to go.”

As Baek-seok in the passenger seat got out of the van first, Oh Hae-soo quickly followed him out and opened the door.

As Sungjun and Yuna get off, the camera shutter turns towards them.

A shower of flashes.

As I wave my hand and glance at him, I see Yang Jun-hyung’s face frozen in a daze.

Everyone was looking at them and Baek-seok alternately with eyes that seemed to be asking, ‘Why are you guys suddenly coming out here?’

Although there was absolutely no ill intention, Sungjun and Yuna unintentionally stole the spotlight from the KG rookies.

“Okay, I’ll pass.”

After providing some photo time for reporters, he entered the airport escorted by Oh Hae-soo and his security team.

As Sungjun and Yuna move, reporters and fans follow them.

Those fans originally came to see the KG rookies, but for some reason they ended up following Sungjun around.

Anyway, the sight of people walking around was like seeing the second coming of the Pied Piper.

“Do you always leave the country like this?”

“Today is fine. It’s not an official schedule so I didn’t announce it separately.”

When I asked quietly, Yuna answered with a bright smile on her face.

“If you officially set a schedule and go abroad, it will be twice as difficult as it is now. Since you will be going abroad often from now on, you should get used to it quickly. Welcome.”

After some twists and turns, I finally managed to enter the departure lounge and went straight to the gate without even stopping by the lounge.

Seongjun’s eyes widen as he enters the first class zone for the first time in his life.

The business class I rode in while visiting Mu Portable for the ‘I’m Alone’ OST meeting a while ago felt ridiculous.

“This is an airplane seat? Hehe.”

A length of over 2 meters per seat.

This is not a chair, it’s just a small ‘bed’.

In addition, each seat has a 140cm high partition for privacy, as well as individual sliding doors.

First class headsets, pajamas, and amenity sets are standard.

The menu included an appetizer that started with caviar and a course meal that included sirloin steak.

“Yuna, do you always fly first class when you go to Italy?”

“Yes. Send it from Korea.”

The price of a first-class seat, which Yuna answered as if it was a given, is a ridiculous 10 million won for a round trip.

This is the moment when I realize again how much of a star Yuna is.

“This is Captain Speaking-”

A little later, the captain announced his departure and the plane carrying Sungjun rose into the sky.

*

After a 13-hour flight, we arrived at Milan Malpensa Airport.

It was a long flight, but I wasn’t tired.

It’s thanks to the comfort of my home that I can eat, rest, and sleep there.

I realized why the wealthy who fly long distances use first class.

As I went out to the arrival hall after collecting my luggage, a handsome man with a big nose was standing there holding a picket sign that said, ‘Ms. Yuna & Mr. Sungjoon.’

He was a man sent by the Korean side to welcome us.

“Thank you for your hardship in coming a long way, ‘Donna Bella’. The sky in Milan is warm today because the sun is smiling and expecting you to come.”

As soon as he sees Yuna, he starts accepting her luggage and immediately starts making flirty comments, which makes me realize that I have truly come to Italy.

After that, I followed the man and got into a van sent by the Kore side and went to the hotel.

The hotel was a five-star hotel, also provided by Core.

“Thank you always.”

“What is it? Then, I will come and pick you up tomorrow morning.”

Baek-seok conversing in fluent Italian.

‘I’ve felt this way since a long time ago… but who on earth is Director Baek?’

I am fluent in Japanese and also good at Italian.

In addition to this, he also handled the work flawlessly in many ways.

I even had this doubt once.

In fact, I wonder if he is a player of a special game like himself.

For example, ‘Raising a Neglectful Manager’.

The stats show that you have foreign language skills or other management skills.

‘Maybe his chiseled appearance is thanks to his [Appearance] stat – what the hell. How could that be?’

Anyway, Baek Seok’s unrealistic perfection was enough to create delusions.

I unpacked in my assigned room and took a short break.

Then I came back down to the hotel lobby on the first floor.

This is to complete today’s schedule ahead of the visit to the Korea headquarters tomorrow.

The plan isn’t to go shopping since we’re in Milan, the city of fashion.

“Seongjun, over here!”

Someone calls out to Seongjun, who was looking around.

Two people each holding two cameras.

Sungjun’s favorite directors are the veteran directors of the ‘Star Friend’ filming team.

Yes, that’s right.

We are planning to film ‘Star Friend’ in Milan today.

When Sungjun and the camera director were having a conversation.

“I’m here, oppa.”

Yuna, who had changed her clothes and was taking care of Sungjun instead of the remaining Oh Hae-soo in the country, appeared in the lobby with Baek-seok.

This is the guest who heated up the trailer for episode 4 of ‘Star Friend’.

When we first recruited Yuna, we had a lot of trouble composing the content.

The question was where and what to do with a top star like Yuna.

Actually, what is Yuna?

It was obvious that even if she was just breathing content with me, it would be guaranteed to get views, but for the production team, that was actually a burden.

This is because if they had planned a poorly composed lineup while inviting top star Yuna, they would have been severely criticized by fans.

It was a time when my worries and concerns were deepening at the same time.

“Yes? Milan?”

Sungjun received a request to visit from Korea.

But unfortunately, that schedule overlapped with the filming schedule for episode 4 of ‘Star Friend’.

A dilemma.

It was a moment when the production crew’s heads turned white.

“Since it’s come to this, how about filming in Milan instead?”

It was Sungjun’s idea that saved the production team from being reduced to ashes.

Filming overseas was truly a ‘brilliant idea’.

It can show a picture that is clearly different from before, and it also fits Yuna’s ‘level’.

“That’s good?! You’re on a business trip to Milan, right?!”

“Me, I want to go!”

“Oh my! Even when going on business trips abroad, there is a hierarchy and order!”

“I refuse to accept the offer! Let’s decide fairly with rock-paper-scissors!”

As the production team rushed to express their intention to participate, the first overseas filming of ‘Star Friend’ was decided.

Afterwards, I asked for Yuna’s consent, and like other guests, I received a list of things she wanted to do or places she wanted to visit in advance.

So, my first stop in Milan was –

“Then let’s go eat now!”

Milan is also a place for after-dinner viewing.

And when it comes to representative Italian food, it goes without saying that it is ‘PIZZA’.

Since I was finally in the birthplace of pizza, I searched blogs and found a restaurant famous for its pizza.

It seemed like the words of the big-nosed man driving the van weren’t just a flirting comment, and since the weather was nice, we sat down on the terrace.

“Excuse me, can you take my order?”

I looked at the menu and ordered two kinds of pizza and a drink.

“Okay, just wait a moment.”

The man who came to take the order finished checking the menu and winked at Yuna.

Plotting is a very common practice in this country.

“Then, before the meal comes out, I’ll give a short ‘Star Friend’ introduction.”

“all right.”

As one of the camera directors gave his autograph, Sungjun began the opening statement he had prepared.

“Hello to everyone who came to ‘Odd Friends’. This is Sungjun. Today, I’m greeting you from Milan, the city of fashion. And that’s only natural, because the odd friend you’re meeting today is the ‘muse’ of Milan’s leading luxury brand ‘CORE’. Could you please introduce yourself?”

“Hello, this is Yuna.”

Yuna blows her signature pose, the ‘heart kiss’ that caused a stir in the trailer, along with her greeting.

“Isn’t that pose the one that first appeared in the ‘Love Potion’ music video?”

“That’s right. Since the fans liked it, I’ve been pushing it ever since. Since you know, oppa, have you seen my music video?”

“Honestly, I watched it quite a bit. It was healing for office workers who were physically and mentally exhausted.”

“It’s no fun when you admit it so easily!”

Yuna, who tried to tease Sungjun but failed, puffs out her cheeks as if it were fatal.

“Wow, by the way, talking about my days as an office worker makes me hard to believe that you’re still a rookie, having debuted only 6 months ago. That’s right, we first met at Nakwon Shopping Mall last winter. At that time, I never imagined that I would come all the way to Milan with you.”

“That’s right. Well, let’s do the Paradise Shopping Mall episode later at the next location.”

Seongjun and Yuna have a natural conversation as if it were an interview or not.

Just like when I talk to other guests, it’s a comfortable feeling of just enjoying small talk that I usually don’t get to do.

While we were chatting like that, the pizza and drinks we ordered arrived.

“I’ll try eating it whole once.”

Seongjun, imitating the trend of a famous comedian who is famous for eating, puts a slice of pizza in his mouth.

The long, flowing cheese makes the viewer swallow their saliva.

“Honey, this food is really delicious. Maybe we can do a mukbang or something later?”

“But I have a short mouth.”

“You can go with the short-mouth concept. I should try a bite too.”

Yuna takes a bite of the pizza she folded in half.

I thought it would be fancy to cut it with a knife and eat it with a fork, but it was unexpected.

“Oh, you know how to eat pizza?”

“It’s exciting if you eat it little by little.”

The human side of Yuna that fans have been waiting for was captured on camera.

“Um… but I personally think Korean pizza tastes better. How should I put it, it’s a little bland.”

After eating the spicy Korean taste pizza that was heavily marinated in MSG, I tried the original pizza and it just didn’t suit my taste.

It seemed like the same thing happened to Yuna.

“I agree with the expression ‘bland’! Oh, but since we’re talking about pizza, I have a question. Does Sungjun oppa like Hawaiian pizza or not?”

“I like it. Pineapple is sweet and delicious.”

“Ugh. Oppa, how do you put fruit on pizza?”

Two people had different opinions on Hawaiian pizza, which many pizza lovers debate.

Still, I finished my meal reasonably satisfied.

The two people who got up from their seats were about to head towards their next destination.

“uh?”

Yuna lets out a short exclamation as she checks her phone.

“Why, what’s going on?”

“Oh, I just got a call from Angela.”

Yuna opened her eyes wide as if in surprise and opened her mouth as she looked at Sungjun.

“Ms. Angela is curious about what we’re filming today and asked if she could come and watch?”