Jo Sung-hyun did not know how to react when he saw Chae-yoon, who suddenly popped out and called 'Toothless Cat' stupid.
"She's cute."
The voice that broke the silence was Seo Yena's.
At her voice, Jo Sung-hyun came to his senses and quickly picked up Chae-yoon.
"Chae-yoon."
"Stupid bothered dad?"
Jo Sung-hyun knew what the word stupid meant to Chae-yoon, so he couldn't help but feel strange.
It was the worst expression that the child could do.
The expression that was written in his diary.
It was the first time that Jo Sung-hyun heard Chae-yoon say stupid.
"No. Chae-yoon. Dad is fine."
Jo Sung-hyun gently patted Chae-yoon's back, who seemed excited.
And he moved his eyes to look at Yumi.
Yumi also seemed flustered, and she was trying hard to calm her shaking pupils.
"Ha! What kind of situation is this? Is she your daughter? The father and daughter are crazy in pairs. The dad accused me of being a thief, and the daughter called me stupid."
"......"
Jo Sung-hyun clenched his teeth and glared at 'Toothless Cat'.
He would have shouted at him to shut up if he wasn't holding Chae-yoon.
'Toothless Cat' continued with a hollow laugh.
"Whatever kind of home education did you receive that you're hitting an adult you're seeing for the first time and calling them stupid? Hey, you."
"Mr. Lee Seong-ju."
Park Joong-won glanced at Jo Sung-hyun and stepped forward.
But 'Toothless Cat' didn't even care about him.
"Was it Chae-yoon? Did your mom teach you home education like that? Did she tell you to curse at an adult you see for the first time?"
At those words, flames sprouted in Jo Sung-hyun's eyes.
Honestly, he felt so angry that he would have rushed up and started swinging his fists if he hadn't held Chae-yoon in his arms.
He rarely felt angry in his life, but it felt like his blood was rising from his body in reverse.
"...Don't say anything lightly, Mr. Lee Seong-ju."
Jo Sung-hyun felt the warmth of Chae-yoon, who was cuddled in his arms, and barely suppressed his anger.
He barely suppressed it, but he couldn't help the anger that seeped out.
Fortunately, Yumi stepped forward before Jo Sung-hyun's anger exploded.
"Chae-yoon says she knows this song. What do you think?"
"What is this absurd situation? It's natural for her to hear it in the company. The kid could have heard it at home!"
'Toothless Cat' also spoke angrily, perhaps annoyed.
Yumi frowned.
It wasn't just her.
Park Joong-won, Woo Kyung-soo, and Seo Yena also seemed to be in a bad mood, furrowing her brows.
Even if someone did something wrong, 'Toothless Cat's constant swearing and yelling did not look pleasant.
"And return to the point, how much can a child understand a song…"
"Chae-yoon knows!"
Chae-yoon, who was snuggled in Jo Sung-hyun's arms, said.
The child continued to speak, grinning.
"Stupid! Copycat!"
Chae-yoon pointed his finger as he spoke.
Jo Sung-hyun quickly moved his hand and grasped Chae-yoon's hand.
He was angry, and no matter how bad the opponent was, it wasn't a good action to point fingers.
As he carefully folded Chae-yoon's finger and enveloped his small hand, he lowered Chae-yoon's arm.
"Chae-yoon was humming the song. She said she knew it as soon as she heard this song. But it was definitely not a 'Toothless Cat's song."
Yumi said.
She finished her words and moved her eyes to Chae-yoon.
"Right, Chae-yoon?"
"Yes!"
Chae-yoon nodded her head and opened her mouth.
Music started to flow from her mouth.
It was clearly similar to 'Toothless Cat's song, but different.
Anyone who had heard 'Toothless Cat's song, and those who knew a little bit about music, could feel it right away.
"It's definitely a similar feeling."
Park Joong-won muttered with a stiff face.
"What does the kid know..."
'Toothless Cat' looked a bit flustered, but he tried not to show it and said.
But.
"How can she arrange it? The basics are the same, but the expression is different. You're not going to say that the kid arranged it on the spot."
Seo Yena said in a sharp voice.
At that, the expressions of the others changed.
Park Joong-won made a sound and opened his mouth.
"Chae-yoon."
"Yes...?"
When Park Joong-won called his name, Chae-yoon answered cautiously.
"Can you play that on the piano?"
"Chae-yoon can do it!"
Chae-yoon shouted confidently.
* * *
They moved their seats right away.
As an entertainment company, there was a practice room prepared, and it was natural that there was a piano.
While moving, 'Toothless Cat' kept making noises as if he was absurd or annoyed, but no one paid attention to him.
This was almost evidence.
Anyone could see that 'Toothless Cat' was flustered.
He wouldn't have been so flustered if he just thought that the kid sang a similar song.
He was flustered because she knew the original song.
Jo Sung-hyun glanced at Woo Kyung-soo, who came close to him.
"What happened?"
"I met her at a cafe with Yumi."
"Ah... Really. It's absurd. It's obvious that it's plagiarism, right? It would be more absurd if it wasn't plagiarism after this."
At Woo Kyung-soo's words, Jo Sung-hyun nodded his head.
It was obvious that it was plagiarism.
It was revealed in the future, and at this moment.
It was clearly revealed.
There was a reason why Jo Sung-hyun couldn't present the evidence to 'Toothless Cat' right away.
He knew that 'Toothless Cat's song was plagiarism, and he had found the original song last time.
However, since he couldn't immediately show the original song, Jo Sung-hyun waited.
He searched through SoundCloud to find the original song again.
Jo Sung-hyun kept looking at his smartphone and browsing through SoundCloud until Chae-yoon approached the piano.
"Hah, fine. Let's see it then. What does a 7-year-old know? It's unbelievable. And yet I still have to keep working with Pan Entertainment?"
Park Joong-won tried to reply to his words, but before that, Chae-yoon sat in front of the piano and started playing.
The piano performance that came much clearer than the humming from earlier.
Amidst that, Jo Sung-hyun once again admired Chae-yoon playing the song he had heard before.
Listening to the piano being played exactly the same as the original, 'Toothless Cat's face stiffened.
"Damn. It's not like this can be called plagiarism, right? Listening to a 7-year-old playing a song. Huh?"
'Toothless Cat' was shocked, cursing out but quickly trying to recover, looking around as if trying to distract from it.
He took a quick step as if he were trying to stop Chae-yoon's performance, and Jo Sung-hyun immediately moved to hold back 'Toothless Cat'.
'Toothless Cat' staggered and was pushed to the side.
While looking at him like that, Jo Sung-hyun quietly pressed a button on his smartphone.
In the midst of Chae-yoon's bewildered pause, the original song that Jo Sung-hyun played flowed out.
"Trash."
Seo Yena muttered with disgust.
That was it. It was over.
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