Chapter 15: Globe Icon In Shorts
With Paige subtly guiding me whenever I got confused, I spent the next few hours thoroughly enjoying myself. I downloaded a few casual strategy and racing games, getting lost in the smooth frame rates and stunning visuals. For the first time in years, I wasn’t worrying about rent, work, or exhaustion. I was just a normal guy playing video games in a comfortable room.
By the time late afternoon rolled around, the warm golden light of the setting sun spilled through my balcony windows. Deciding I’d spent enough time staring at screens, I stretched my back, left my room, and headed downstairs to the main living hall.
As I reached the bottom of the grand staircase, I spotted Dad sitting comfortably on one of the plush leather sofas in the lounge. He wore an immaculate tailored three-piece suit that looked like it cost more than a sports car, sipping tea from a delicate porcelain cup while reading from a tablet.
"Dad?" I called, walking over. "You’re back early today."
Dad looked up from his tablet, his sharp, authoritative features instantly softening into a warm smile as he set his teacup down. "Ah, Seth. How was your shopping trip with your mother?"
"It was great," I said, taking a seat on the opposite sofa. "Though I think Mom bought out half the mall."
Dad let out a deep, booming laugh that echoed through the high-ceilinged hall. "That sounds like Alice. When she sets her mind on doting on someone, there’s no stopping her."
He set the tablet aside on the marble coffee table and leaned back comfortably. "And yes, I came home early today. To be perfectly honest, spending ten hours a day surrounded by corporate executives and board members loses its charm very quickly, especially when I have my son waiting at home."
Hearing him say that so casually, as if running a global business empire was secondary to simply spending time with me, brought that same warm feeling back to my chest.
"I heard you bought some tech equipment today," Dad said, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Did you manage to get the computer set up in your room?"
"Yeah, two butlers helped me install it," I said, rubbing the back of my neck with a sheepish grin. "Though I almost broke it downloading random files."
Dad chuckled, about to respond, when a loud commotion suddenly rang out from the grand entrance down the hall.
"Aunt Alice! Uncle Julian! I’m home!"
The energetic shout echoed through the foyer, followed by the heavy thud of the massive double doors swinging wide open.
I turned toward the entrance, completely caught off guard by the sheer energy bursting into the house. Walking, or rather, strutting, into the grand hall was a young woman.
She wore an oversized graphic T-shirt that hung loosely over a pair of denim shorts, white sneakers, a black baseball cap pulled low over her hair, and a dark face mask covering the lower half of her face. Despite the disguise, her bright, mischievous eyes darted around the room, radiating an unmistakable aura of chaos.
"Where is he?!" she demanded, pulling off her mask with one swift yank to reveal a breathtakingly gorgeous, slightly flushed face. "Where is my famous long-lost cousin!?"
I sat there on the sofa, staring at the girl standing in our foyer, my brain momentarily grinding to a complete halt.
I knew that face. I mean, how could I not? You’d have to be living under a rock on a completely different planet not to recognize her. She was one of the biggest global celebrities in the world. A megastar singer with over three hundred million followers across social media, whose songs played on every radio station, billboard, and restaurant playlist.
Her thick, wavy black hair reached all the way down her back, streaked with subtle gray-blue highlights that caught the chandelier light. Even without heavy makeup, her soft, heart-shaped face and fair skin were striking. She had large, expressive dark eyes framed by long lashes, slightly flushed cheeks, a small beauty mark beneath one eye, and a toothy grin that practically radiated chaotic energy.
Even beneath the oversized graphic T-shirt and denim shorts was an absurdly curvy figure-a slim waist, wide hips, and a full bust that even her baggy clothes couldn’t completely hide. Her delicate Korean features made her instantly recognizable.
Back when I was still grinding away at the restaurant, half my coworkers spent their breaks simping over her music videos and arguing about her tour dates. I’d listened to plenty of her songs myself during long night shifts just to stay awake.
And now she was standing in my living room, wearing a baseball cap and denim shorts, calling my parents "Aunt Alice" and "Uncle Julian".
I had no idea she was actually a Rothschild. She performed under a completely different name, keeping her real identity tucked safely away from the media.
"Yerin, quiet down a little before you tear your vocal cords," Dad called with an amused chuckle, completely unbothered by her dramatic entrance.
The girl, Seo Yerin, known to the rest of the world by her stage name, Nova, turned on her heel. The moment she saw Dad, her face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Uncle Julian!" Yerin squealed, tossing her mask and cap onto a side table before bounding across the marble floor like an excited puppy.
She threw her arms around Dad’s neck, hugging him tightly. "I missed you so much! You haven’t called me in weeks! Do you have any idea how boring touring is without Aunt Alice’s baking?"
"I was under the impression you were busy topping global charts, my dear," Dad replied with a quiet laugh, fondly patting her back before gently pulling her away.
As she stepped back, Yerin’s gaze swept across the lounge before landing squarely on me. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly as she probably connected the dots in an instant.
"Wait... oh my god!" Yerin gasped, her voice bouncing off the high-ceilinged hall. "It’s you!"
Before I could even process what was happening, Yerin launched herself straight at me.