Gong Hyung-man, the MC of
It was exactly the reaction he had expected.
Never had he been more grateful that the guest wasn't revealed to the panelists in advance than today.
That was how surprised Gong Hyung-man was when he saw Sua.
This was because, more often than not, a celebrity's mother tended to be ordinary.
Unless they were a family with celebrity parents, they didn't receive special management.
Of course, once their child made money, some would have the financial leeway to receive management, but that was quite rare.
After all, they couldn't just spend the money their child earned however they pleased.
Even if they did receive management, they might look neat for their age, but they were ultimately still middle-aged men and women—that never changed.
When Gong Hyung-man first saw Sua, he asked this:
"By any chance, have you worked as an idol or an actress in the past?"
Her appearance was otherwise inexplicable.
Actresses or former female idols who received diligent management often looked definitely younger than their peers.
Even in their 50s, they often looked like they were in their 30s.
'Isn't she a bit too young-looking?'
In front of Gong Hyung-man, she flinched, unable to make proper eye contact.
With her arms folded together, fiddling with her fingers, her chest, pressed between her arms, stood out exceptionally.
So Gong Hyung-man wished she would please stop taking that posture, yet he couldn't contain his curiosity.
Anyway, just looking at her, she seemed like a fresh graduate new to society.
Exaggerating a bit, she had an appearance that could pass for someone in her mid-to-late twenties.
So if she wasn't a celebrity, how many women would think the world was unfair?
"Ah, no. I'm just an ordinary freelancer."
"A freelancer as in...?"
"Just, a programmer."
A programmer.
This was also a job that didn't suit her at all.
Thinking that, but seeing her somewhat intellectual aura...
'This is it.'
He felt a gut feeling kicking in.
She was a bit short on words, but from continuing the conversation, she wasn't exactly the silent type either.
When the topic of her daughter or husband came up, she spoke quite well.
Furthermore, it seemed she had a second child.
'She doesn't look like a mother who has given birth to two daughters at all, but.'
Well, whatever works, right?
He looked forward to seeing the panelists' reactions when she stood on set, fully dressed up.
And, just as he expected.
"Wow, are you really Actress Joo Seoyeon's mother?"
"By any chance, did you cast her older sister?"
"Ah, you're teasing us too much."
In variety shows, reactions are extremely important.
Therefore, they had each prepared their own reactions for when Sua appeared.
Recalling Sua's appearance, or assuming her personality, they went through all sorts of simulations.
They tried to unfold the appropriate reactions they had thought of during that process, but...
'Wow.'
'Should I say this? Should I not say this?'
It was noticeable that everyone's reactions were stuttering.
They had to unleash what they had thought of in their heads, but the discrepancy with what they had imagined was so significant that they couldn't.
No, more importantly, is she really not her older sister?
And is that her chest?
Did she stuff something in there?
It was roughly predictable what kind of reaction the public would have when the broadcast aired.
If this had been a live broadcast, he would have been curious to see how explosively people would react.
"I wondered why Seoyeon was so pretty, but there was a reason."
"Right, right."
"But, are you really her mother?"
Only after Sua sat in the prepared seat did the panelists, who had finally gathered their wits, ask with a smile.
"Ah, yes. Um, even though I look like this, I'm thirty-nine..."
"Thirty-nine?"
"Wow, you're still young."
"Wait, then at what age did you..."
"Oh my, why bother counting that."
Only then did the panelists finally sync their rhythm like a variety show and start driving the conversation.
Sua smiled at their words with an awkward face, but...
'I want to go home.'
Sua realized anew just how much of a broadcasting nature her daughter had.
When a variety show shoot was scheduled, Seoyeon's excitement was visible to the eye.
The peak of that was
She already eagerly watched fishing broadcasts at home and practiced.
Sua had to stop her from trying to buy expensive equipment right next to her.
'She's exactly like her dad in this regard.'
Anyway, looking at her husband who lived so youthfully he seemed almost like a kid, Sua always felt like she did back then.
Since Seoyeon's such appearance was also exactly like Youngbin, she didn't really say much about it.
Anyway, Seoyeon was serious about variety shows.
Rather, she looked forward to going out and tended to strongly enjoy it.
'My daughter clearly must have some... issues with communication, just like me.'
What could be the reason?
Even with such thoughts, she knew that Seoyeon was just awkward around people.
Unlike Sua, she was a child who absolutely loved receiving attention, so that must be it.
Anyway, Sua did not.
This concentrated attention was so burdensome that she felt sweat running down her forehead and back.
And on her chest, too.
Sua absentmindedly tried to wipe that area with a handkerchief, and...
"W-w-wait a minute, Seoyeon's mother!"
"There's a broadcast accident! Broadcast!!!!" "Ah."
Having forgotten the situation in her nervousness and opening her collar, Sua's face turned bright red, and she bowed her head deeply.
She really wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
***
Anyway, the situation was somehow resolved.
Participating as a guest, Sua watched the footage revealed on the screen together and explained the situation quite coherently, contrary to expectations.
"Does Seoyeon like games?"
"Yes, she likes them tremendously. She gets mad if you say she's bad at it."
"Hohoho, how cute~."
It finally felt like the broadcast was proceeding normally.
The early part was smooth.
First, the scene of Seoyeon studying hard was captured.
And it was like that up to the point where Sua appeared.
When Youngbin appeared there, Sua and Seoyeon's flustered reaction came out, which was just a bit puzzling.
Why would they be so startled just because the husband came home early?
"But why 'Headbutt Dinosaur'?"
"Um, I'm not really sure either. It's a nickname my husband calls our daughter. Isn't it cute?"
"Ah, right. It's definitely cute!"
The panelists also replied amiably.
Since they didn't know the origin of Headbutt Dinosaur, it was a nickname they couldn't understand.
Then, when Seoyeon awkwardly started playing the game, they thought it was image-making as usual.
'I'm a celebrity, but I play games like a normal person.'
Roughly that kind of image.
Above all, games were that familiar to people who used internet communities.
Naturally, since it could generate sympathy, celebrities often used it for image-making.
So they figured it was roughly something like that.
It was from this point.
Seeing Seoyeon play the game, Youngbin, who had been watching the video on his phone alone, sneaked up to her.
It was from then.
That the hellish teasing began.
"Our daughter has really good creativity. Her gameplay is like that too."
"The problem is she's so creative that other kids can't keep up."
"Hey, but the knife is splendid. How about just not using a gun?"
"Daughter, do you want to go to the army by any chance? I think it'd be good for you to serve a stint."
Anyway, like that, every time Seoyeon died once, he did it once.
That said, he wasn't chattering nonstop.
He just teased her once every time she died.
While doing so, he checked Seoyeon's mood once, and tilted his head.
Is he checking her mood?
That didn't seem to be it either.
At such a surrounding reaction.
"Ah, normally Seoyeon joins in the banter too. But it seems like there's no reaction today, so that's probably why."
After all, it was a broadcast.
Sua, who had been watching the situation from the side, cleared her throat with an "Ahem."
Unfortunately, Youngbin didn't know they were filming.
'I should have told him if I knew this would happen.'
Thanks to that, Seoyeon, who couldn't bring herself to retort verbally, poked Youngbin's waist with her finger!
It felt like a cute counterattack from the daughter, but Sua knew.
That if poked properly there, Youngbin would collapse right then and there.
But Youngbin was fine.
Instead, he opened his clothes on both sides, showing off what he was wearing inside.
"?? What is that?"
"Ah, it's a stab-proof vest..."
"A stab-proof vest?"
Gong Hyung-man asked with a flustered face.
No, why a stab-proof vest there?
"My husband bought it last time, and my daughter accidentally tore it, but I didn't know he'd wear it like that."
Can a stab-proof vest be accidentally torn?
But at Sua's mild words, everyone just let it go, thinking, "Ah, so that's how it is."
'How did he find the one I hid?'
Sua looked at Youngbin, who was snickering as he showed off the stab-proof vest, and genuinely wondered.
He's uncannily good at finding things like that.
Normally, Seoyeon would have just let it go too.
Actually, Seoyeon hadn't thought much about the stab-proof vest that was hung in the frame either.
When Youngbin tried to wear it, Seoyeon also pretended to stop him, but I know she secretly liked it.
Is it like a proof of a strong person?
Sua didn't quite understand, but anyway, since he brought out what she had put away because of the image.
After that, the result was obvious.
"Dad."
"Yeah?"
"Do you know what a Gyro Drop is?"
Along with Seoyeon's chilling words, the moment Youngbin panicked, the chair Youngbin was sitting on was lifted up.
And up and down, left and right.
Youngbin's screams were heard pitifully.
"……."
How is she doing that?
Is there a wire attached?
While having such thoughts, she recalled that Seoyeon caught a red seabream in
"Ah, Seoyeon is a bit strong, right?"
"Yes, the child is quite healthy."
Perhaps happy that her daughter was praised, Sua chuckled softly.
The smile she showed for the first time was quite lovely, but...
'Are they just going to pass it off as being healthy?'
The other panelists couldn't understand, but what could they do?
They could just clap.
"Hey, the chair is sturdy."
"Wow, I thought so too."
"Right, right."
They had no choice but to appreciate the situation while having such meandering conversations.
Thinking that the chair Seoyeon was swinging around like that was really sturdy.
***
Anyway, the filming of
Incidentally, Youngbin, who enjoyed riding the Gyro Drop...
"Hey, I just thought of it. Should we go to our swimming pool?"
"?"
He said that as soon as he got off the chair.
It seemed he found it quite fun and wanted to ride an attraction.
Anyway, they also went to the swimming pool like that.
Thanks to that, Seoyeon, who also shot the footage for
"Joo Seoyeon. Didn't you say you were going to improve your image?"
Was being scolded by Lee Ji-yeon.
But Seoyeon felt wronged.
Except for that part, Seoyeon had really worked hard to manage her image.
She hadn't used her strength even once outside of that!
"That's because Dad kept... And I didn't do that at the swimming pool or anywhere else."
"Uncle is definitely like that. And you... did you happen to watch the broadcast by any chance?"
The broadcast Lee Ji-yeon mentioned was, of course, the VTuber broadcast.
She wondered if Seoyeon would have watched the VTuber broadcast during
If you just went by what was said, playing games and going to the swimming pool was all there was.
But as Ji-yeon knew,
So it would be filming continuously.
She knew they filmed for a long time and then edited and uploaded it later.
"……."
"Why are you avoiding my eyes?"
It was the unique expression Seoyeon usually made when she had done something wrong.
A face like a puppy that did something wrong, with its eyes turned to one side.
'She watched it!!'
Ji-yeon squeezed her eyes shut.
Of course, it was also her fault.
She knew Seoyeon was filming
Yet Ji-yeon faithfully kept the broadcast schedule again.
That was because she didn't even think Seoyeon would watch it while filming!
"I had a lot of worries too."
"I'm sure you did."
"I'm serious."
Seoyeon said with a pouty face.
At her very shameless attitude, Ji-yeon was dumbfounded.
'Well, it's better than the image of using her strength.'
If they watch the VTuber stream, it might just end as a fashion otaku.
Since it's a variety show anyway, there would be no need to broadcast her stream on TV.
'It'll be edited appropriately.'
Ji-yeon comforted herself with that thought.
"When is the broadcast date?"
"A week from now."
"It's not far away."
Seoyeon nodded repeatedly.
Certainly, the scene of her using her strength came out, but it would be edited to some extent.
Even if it came out as is, thanks to Youngbin, there was also the footage filmed at the swimming pool.
There wasn't anything particularly special, but still, the thing about the chair this time would be somewhat mitigated.
"And I have an audition two days before that airs."
At Ji-yeon's words, Seoyeon, who had been nodding, suddenly stopped.
That was because Ji-yeon's audition this time was the audition for