Chapter 37

36. Tae-woo and Volunteer Work

Tae-ju immersed himself in violin practice during his short vacation. He devoted himself not only to the performance but also to the preparation of the melody, giving it his all. With director Jeong Young-jae and Kim Yun-seon, he knew such opportunities to work with the best colleagues might not come again. To avoid any regrets, he poured all his energy into practice.

"Brother, even though it's a day off, you haven't moved from the sofa for three hours."

"Huh? It's already been three hours?"

Tae-ju had practiced in the garden until he was exhausted. In fact, he was so engrossed in practice that he had missed his scheduled break and was on the verge of complete exhaustion. For someone who usually takes good care of himself, this was quite unusual. As a result, he had failed to pace himself and was now recharging.

"Why don't you go out and play with Eun-hyuk? Or do you want to go volunteer with me?"

"Volunteer work?"

"Yes, an orphanage."

"Why an orphanage? Didn't you already do some social welfare work?"

"I've done that already."

When Tae-ju was a student, he used to do volunteer work at places like hospitals and nursing homes. Back then, he did it just to earn volunteer points. After his debut, he appeared in public service announcements and made donations, but he never actually went to facilities to interact with people.

"Brother, let's go together."

"Brother, I haven't received the training, and I didn't apply. Besides, it's so hot. ...Okay, let's go."

Unable to resist the intense gaze, he agreed. These days, why are kids so cute? Tae-ju wondered if this was a side effect of his regression. Despite only a two-year age difference, Tae-woo and Yeon-woo seemed much younger. When they both pleaded with shining eyes, he couldn't refuse.

Tae-ju went down to Yeon-woo's house due to Tae-woo's nagging. Checking the luggage they were bringing to the orphanage, he found that most of it was snacks. There were tart, cakes, and cookies made from fruit, all neatly packaged.

'Did they make all this? It's quite a lot.'

After moving the luggage downstairs and waiting a bit, B.J. Makmeokgun, Lee Chan-sung, and his friend arrived with a car. Tae-ju had wondered how they would carry everything without a car, but it seemed they had planned to get help from these friends.

"Wow, what a sweet smell."

"Brother Chan-sung, we set aside some for you. This is for the kids. You can't eat it."

"Are you saying I would steal the kids' snacks, Tae-woo?"

As Tae-woo, carrying Taesan's mobility aid, came down the elevator, he warily spoke to Lee Chan-sung. Seeing them chat comfortably, it seemed Tae-ju had been meeting them regularly even while filming the movie.

"Where's Yeon-woo?"

"He's at the academy. He came straight from there."

With everyone gathered, they headed to the orphanage. Tae-ju learned that this place was introduced by Lee Chan-sung, who had been visiting and donating to the orphanage for a few years. Since then, Tae-woo and Yeon-woo had been visiting whenever they had time.

"We help prepare meals and play with the kids when we come."

"Mr. Tae-ju, please play with the kids. I've already talked to the director. The kids really like handsome older brothers."

"Brother, Yeon-woo is also very popular there."

*

The place was a large two-story building with a wide yard. There was a bicycle rack in front and a flower bed on one side. Without the small sign that read "Orphanage," it would look like a spacious house in a typical neighborhood.

"Here?"

"This is a privately run place."

Initially, the director and her husband cared for a few children. After her husband passed away a few years ago, the director has been running the place with one foster daughter. Although it is registered as an orphanage, they explained that it should be thought of more like a large family. The number of residents, including the director and her daughter, is only 11, much fewer than a typical orphanage.

"Director, we're here."

Lee Chan-sung loudly greeted and went inside. He then called out the names of the boys and had them carry the luggage from the car.

"Can you just go inside like this, Mr. Chan-sung?"

"Would you rather wait outside in the yard? It's really hot."

"I mean, I don't want to inconvenience the people living here."

"Haha. Since this is a living space, you might be worried, but it's fine as long as you don't go upstairs."

This was Tae-ju's first time doing volunteer work. Chan-sung and his friend blended in with the kids as if they were visiting a neighbor's house.

"What's all this? What did you bring?"

"Director, this is what Yeon-woo and I made."

"Wow! Tae-woo, is this the one from the last Miotube video?"

"Yep, it's an apple tart."

Tae-woo was playing with the kids. Tae-ju had expected to see kids around Tae-woo's age at an orphanage. Indeed, there were middle and high school students, as well as younger children. The age range of the kids at the orphanage was diverse.

Tae-woo was chatting and playing with the younger kids. Having visited several times, he had already become close with the children.

Tae-ju greeted the director and observed the scene. The director was a loud and cheerful person. Seeing Tae-ju's worried face, she reassured him that the kids Chan-sung brought were fine.

According to the director, Chan-sung and his friend had been donating and visiting this place for a few years. The first kids they brought were Tae-woo and Yeon-woo. They had already had a meeting with the director and were told that the kids got along well.

Tae-ju had been worried about volunteering at an orphanage with kids close to his age. He also couldn't understand why Chan-sung had brought them to an orphanage with kids their age. However, hearing that they fit in well, he felt it wasn't something to worry about.

"Big brother, is that a cat?"

"Uh? Yeah, his name is Taesan."

While Tae-ju was talking to the director, a little girl who had been hiding behind her peeked at Taesan's mobility aid with curiosity. Although everyone was now focused on the snacks Tae-woo brought, once Taesan started moving around the orphanage, the attention would soon shift to him.

"Tae-woo, can we make this with the apples from the backyard?"

"Sure, we can."

"Then let's go pick apples."

Tae-woo and the kids rushed to the backyard. Tae-ju took out Taesan and introduced him to the kids who gathered around.

Although he came to volunteer, there wasn't any specific task to do. He just needed to play with the kids and spend time with them. For Tae-ju, who was new to this, it was a bit challenging to adapt.

Some of the older kids were cleaning the orphanage. Tae-ju tried to help, but he was told to just play with the kids. Unable to bear the awkwardness, Tae-ju looked at Chan-sung and his friend, who were playing with the kids comfortably.

Tae-ju was reading a fairy tale to three young kids. His ability to change his voice and play multiple roles seemed to please the kids, who wouldn't leave his side.

"What's this tree?"

"Pea tree!"

"Black cat Doddo tried to bite the vine that tripped him."

"No!"

Even though it was the second time reading it, the kids were still excited and immersed in the story. Tae-ju rarely spent time with kids and this was his first time reading a fairy tale, but it wasn't as awkward as he thought it would be.

When Yeon-woo arrived later, they all gathered to eat snacks and watch an animated movie. They didn't do anything special; Tae-ju just played with the kids the whole time, wondering if this was really volunteer work.

'Is this what volunteer work is?'

When he asked the director if just playing with the kids was enough, she reassured him with a smile.

"This is perfect. They should do their own work. It's not right to rely on others."

On the way back, Tae-ju, who had been pondering the visit, heard Yeon-woo's thoughts.

"I think the director was right. Volunteers visit for a short time, but this is their home. They should be the ones to clean and organize it."

Tae-woo gently touched Yeon-woo's arm as he sat next to him.

Yeon-woo was from an orphanage in a rural area. He had lived there for over ten years before leaving a few years ago to debut as an idol.

"The best thing was when someone remembered to visit. There was an old man who used to come every month, and I always looked forward to it."

Hearing Yeon-woo's words, Tae-ju felt a sense of shame. Before his regression, he had often been in the news for donating a percentage of his earnings. His agency frequently publicized his donations, such as from movie earnings, advertising, and rice wreaths from fans.

However, Tae-ju had only confirmed that the donations had arrived and hadn't paid much attention.

'I feel ashamed. I shouldn't do that anymore.'

Yeon-woo, feeling uncomfortable with the silence, saw Taesan climb onto his lap and gently pat him with his front paws. The mood in the car lightened with Taesan's presence.

"Since it's not that far, let's visit often."

"Sure, let's do that."

When Tae-ju made this commitment, Tae-woo immediately agreed. Yeon-woo, observing the two, smiled softly.

*

The OST recording for the busking scene was scheduled to take place at a studio in Gangnam. They planned to record two out of the six songs Tae-ju sang in the movie. The movie's OST would be released as a mini-album with five tracks, including two songs by Tae-ju, two by other singers, and one instrumental.

Tae-ju, at the request of Jeong Han-seon, came to record earlier than planned. He wanted to finish the busking work before the filming of "Seonyul." Fortunately, Jeong Han-seon understood Tae-ju's situation and adjusted the recording schedule.

Tae-ju left Taesan with his brother and came to the studio alone, having given the staff a break.

"Let's start with 'Regret' today. We'll begin with the guitar session."

Tae-ju followed the PD's instructions and started with the guitar session. The PD was someone he met for the first time in the studio. The music director was in charge of the movie's overall music, and the OST recording was handled by the PD, a friend of the music director.

The PD was very envious of the guitar with the piece of the sun embedded in it. He was captivated by its elegant body and clear sound and kept asking Tae-ju where he got it.

♪♩~♪♪♬~

The guitar session was completed faster than expected. Tae-ju's playing skills were excellent, and since the song only required guitar, the recording went quickly.

"I would believe you if you said you were a professional session player. Let's record 'Summertime' next. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

With Tae-ju's agreement, the PD gave instructions to the engineer and announced the start of the recording. As expected, the recording for this song was also completed in a few hours.

The PD was amazed by Tae-ju's playing skills. He had heard that Tae-ju was an actor, and he looked the part. Yet, he played with the precision of a specialist or a recording session player with ten years of experience. He had heard that Tae-ju had practiced a lot for the movie, but his skills were undoubtedly impressive.

"I'm glad I'm a PD and not a real musician."

"True. A little touch-up should be enough."

The PD, agreeing with the engineer's opinion, informed Tae-ju that the recording was complete and planned to set a time for the vocal recording. He would have sent Tae-ju back if his friend, the composer, hadn't arrived.

Ding.

"You're here?"

"There was a recording today?"

"I told you we moved up the busking OST recording."

This studio was a joint venture by the PD, the music director, and the composer. They usually worked on their own projects and used the studio for advice or collaboration. The composer had come for the PD's help, but seeing Tae-ju working, he felt he had made a wasted trip. The composer's brow furrowed.

"Recording?"

"He has something to do."

"It looks like it will be quick. The person recording is very skilled, so it should be done in a day."

"Guitar?"

Tae-ju, thinking the recording was over and not receiving any further instructions, was playing the guitar in the recording room. The PD, about to call Tae-ju, decided to let him play and explain the situation to his friend. However, the composer stopped him.

"Wait. Can we listen to what he's playing?"

"Huh? Sure, Jin-gu."

The engineer played the performance through the speakers.

Tae-ju, unaware that anyone was listening, played freely. He played a series of songs he often played, feeling the boredom from hours of playing the same song dissipate.

'I'm definitely not cut out to be a singer. I can practice acting all day, but I can't do the same with playing. I'm only doing this for acting, but it would be too much to make it a career.'

"Mr. Tae-ju? Mr. Tae-ju!"

"Uh?"

The PD brought Tae-ju back to reality. He pointed to the composer, who was impressed by Tae-ju's guitar sound. Tae-ju didn't understand what he was saying.

"So, you want a guitar session recording?"

"Yes, the guitar sound is similar to what I had in mind."

"This guitar has a unique sound."

Participating in a session wasn't particularly appealing. After finishing the OST recording, Tae-ju needed to focus on violin practice. With only ten days left of his vacation, he planned to rest as much as possible.

"Would you like to borrow the instrument?"

"Hmm. Would you like to listen to my song first?"

The composer played a song he had recorded. The main instrument was the guitar, with drums and bass used minimally.

The song had a very loving and tender feel, like a voice telling a story to a newborn baby or a love song to a partner that makes your heart soften just by looking at them.

"A tender song."

"Haha, you got it. The theme of the song is the first meeting. Would you play this song for me?"

The composer was confident in his song. He had a sudden burst of inspiration and worked tirelessly to complete it. However, the feeling of the song was slightly different from what he initially envisioned, so he came to his friend, the PD, for help. He planned to re-record it with the PD's input.

"But, I'm not a professional."

"Huh?"

Some discussion was needed.