96: The third most searched topic

Park So-yeon stood where she was.

Her hands were trembling.

Her eyes were red.

"Yoo Hee-yeols Sketchbook..."

"The show I've dreamed of appearing on..."

She lowered her head.

Her shoulders were shaking.

She was crying.

---

Jeon Bo-ram hugged her.

"Unnie, don't cry."

"This is a good thing."

Ham Eun-jung walked over.

Her eyes were also turning red.

"So-yeon, you've waited six years."

"You've finally waited for it."

Park So-yeon raised her head.

She wiped away her tears.

She smiled.

"Right."

"I won't cry."

"I want to go there smiling."

---

Qian Xu looked at her.

"The recording time is Friday at 7 PM."

"KBS Annex."

"Representative Kim will arrange a car to take you."

Park So-yeon nodded.

"Okay."

"I will prepare well."

"What song should I choose?"

Qian Xu smiled.

"The Chinese version of 'a little happiness'."

"It's the one that made you popular."

"The production team is also aiming for this."

Park So-yeon was stunned for a moment.

"The Chinese version?"

"Right."

Qian Xu nodded.

"Sing in Chinese."

"Let the Koreans see."

"What true cultural exchange is."

---

Friday night.

KBS Annex.

The recording set of 'Yoo Hee-yeols Sketchbook'.

Qian Xu sat in the third row of the audience.

Beside him was Jeon Bo-ram.

And Ham Eun-jung.

Park Hyomin, Lee Qri, and Park Ji-yeon also came.

The six of them.

All together.

"Mr. Qian, I'm so nervous."

Jeon Bo-ram gripped his arm.

"So-yeon Unnie is preparing backstage."

"I wonder if she's nervous."

Qian Xu smiled.

"She's steadier than you."

"Look at her during rehearsals."

"How composed she was."

Jeon Bo-ram nodded.

"That's true..."

"Unnie has rich stage experience."

"Much better than me."

---

The recording began.

Host Yoo Hee-yeol walked onto the stage.

A man in his forties.

Wearing glasses.

A gentle smile.

"Hello everyone, welcome to 'Yoo Hee-yeols Sketchbook'."

"Today we have a special guest."

"T-ARA's lead vocalist."

"Ms. Park So-yeon."

Applause rang out from the audience.

Qian Xu saw.

Park So-yeon walked out from backstage.

Wearing a white dress.

Her hair was let down.

She wore light makeup.

She looked very gentle.

She walked to the center of the stage.

She bowed.

"Hello everyone, I am Park So-yeon."

---

Yoo Hee-yeol looked at her.

"Ms. Soyeon, long time no see."

"The last time you came to our show."

"Was six years ago, right?"

Park So-yeon nodded.

"Yes."

"Six years ago."

"Together with the members."

Yoo Hee-yeol smiled.

"So coming alone today."

"How does it feel?"

Park So-yeon thought for a moment.

"Very nervous."

"But also very blessed."

"Being able to stand on this stage again."

"Is already a miracle."

Applause rang out from the audience again.

---

Yoo Hee-yeol looked at her.

"I heard."

"You recently sang a Chinese song."

"It's very popular in Korea."

Park So-yeon smiled.

"Yes."

"The Chinese version of 'a little happiness'."

"The original singer is the Chinese singer Hebe Tien."

"I really like this song."

"So I covered it."

Yoo Hee-yeol nodded.

"Then today."

"Are you planning to sing this song?"

"Yes."

Park So-yeon nodded.

"The Chinese version."

"I want to sing it for the Korean audience."

"Let them feel the charm of Chinese songs."

---

Yoo Hee-yeol stood up.

"Okay."

"Then I'll leave the stage to you."

The lights dimmed.

Park So-yeon walked to the center of the stage.

She picked up the microphone.

She took a deep breath.

The prelude began.

The familiar melody.

Echoed in the studio.

---

She opened her mouth.

"I hear raindrops falling on the green grass."

"I hear the school bell ringing in the distance."

Her voice was gentle.

Like she was telling a story.

A story about youth.

A story about regret.

The audience was extremely quiet.

Everyone was watching her.

---

"So it turns out you are the luck I most want to keep."

"So it turns out we were once so close to love."

"That decision to stand against the world for me."

"That rain we shared."

"Scene by scene, it's all you."

"A spotless, sincere heart."

Her voice was trembling.

But every note.

Was steady.

Her Chinese pronunciation.

Was surprisingly standard.

---

The last note fell.

The studio was quiet for three seconds.

Then.

In the audience.

The first person stood up.

Applause.

The second person stood up.

The third person.

The fourth person.

The entire audience.

Everyone was standing up.

Thunderous applause.

Someone shouted.

"Encore!"

"Encore!"

"Encore!"

---

Park So-yeon stood on the stage.

Looking at the audience.

Everyone was applauding for her.

Everyone was standing up for her.

She lowered her head.

Tears fell.

But there was a smile on her lips.

"Thank you everyone."

She bowed.

"Thank you."

---

The recording ended.

Park So-yeon walked down.

Qian Xu stood at the end of the hallway.

Looking at her.

She walked over.

Standing in front of him.

"Mr. Qian."

"I finished singing."

"Not a single mistake."

Her voice was trembling.

Qian Xu looked at her.

"I know."

"You did it."

Park So-yeon lowered her head.

Her shoulders were shaking.

She was crying.

Qian Xu reached out.

And gently patted her shoulder.

"Let's go."

"Go back and celebrate."

Park So-yeon raised her head.

She wiped away her tears.

She smiled.

"Okay."

---

10 PM.

Apgujeong, barbecue restaurant.

The six of them sat around the table.

The table was filled with pork belly and soju.

"Cheers!"

Jeon Bo-ram raised her glass.

"To So-yeon Unnie!"

"To 'a little happiness'!"

The six of them clinked glasses.

Drank it all in one gulp.

Park So-yeon's cheeks were flushed red.

"Thank you everyone."

"Being able to stand on that stage today."

"Is the happiest thing in my life."

Ham Eun-jung looked at her.

"So-yeon, you sang so well."

"Especially the Chinese pronunciation."

"It was so standard it didn't sound like a foreigner."

Park So-yeon smiled.

"I practiced for three months."

"Practicing pronunciation in front of the mirror every day."

"My tongue even got tied in knots."

Jeon Bo-ram nodded from the side.

"I know!"

"Unnie would get up at 6 AM every day to practice."

"I could hear it from next door."

"Practicing and practicing."

"So diligent."

---

Park Ji-yeon picked up a piece of pork belly.

Put it in her mouth.

"Unnie, you're popular now."

"Your name must be on the Naver hot search."

"Definitely."

Lee Qri smiled.

"The Chinese version of 'a little happiness'."

"It was already #8 on the hot search."

"After tonight."

"It will definitely rush into the top three."

Park So-yeon was stunned for a moment.

"Top three?"

"No way..."

"Why not?"

Park Hyomin took out her phone.

"Let me see..."

She was stunned.

"Really..."

"It's #3."

---

Everyone leaned in.

Looking at the phone screen.

Naver Hot Search list.

Third place.

[Park So-yeon · Chinese version of 'a little happiness' · Yoo Hee-yeols Sketchbook]

Clicked in.

It was the stage video from tonight.

The view count had already broken 500,000.

The comment section.

Full of positive reviews.

"The Chinese pronunciation is so standard..."

"Can't tell at all that she's a foreigner..."

"This song is so good..."

"Park So-yeon's voice is so healing..."

"T-ARA is finally back..."

"Crying..."

"This is a real singer..."

---

Park So-yeon looked at those comments.

Her hands were trembling.

"Really..."

"Third..."

"They said my Chinese pronunciation is so standard..."

Her eyes were red again.

Jeon Bo-ram hugged her.

"Unnie, you did it!"

"You really did it!"

Ham Eun-jung also walked over.

"So-yeon, this is what you deserve."

"You waited six years."

"Finally waited for it."

Park So-yeon lowered her head.

Tears fell.

But there was a smile on her lips.

"Thank you everyone."

"Thank you all."

"Thank you Mr. Qian."

She looked at Qian Xu.

Her eyes were gentle.

"Without you."

"There wouldn't be me today."

---

Qian Xu looked at her.

"It was your own hard work."

"I just gave you the opportunity."

"You grasped it."

"So you succeeded."

Park So-yeon smiled.

"Then I'll toast you."

She picked up her soju glass.

"Mr. Qian."

"This toast is for you."

"Thank you for believing in me."

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity."

"Thank you."

"For letting me stand on the stage again."

The two clinked glasses.

Drank it all in one gulp.

---

The phone vibrated.

It was a system notification.

Qian Xu clicked it open.

[Park So-yeon 'Yoo Hee-yeols Sketchbook' stage completed]

[Naver Hot Search: #3]

[Positive Korean web comment rate: 87%]

[Cultural output value: +5%]

He smiled.

Put away his phone.

Looking at the six people in front of him.

They were laughing.

Making noise.

Drinking.

Celebrating.

At this moment.

He felt.

Everything was worth it.