“Lights! Camera! Action! Cheers and applause please!”

The audience present roars as they welcomed the host and the guest with thunderous claps and whistles. The camera pans towards the two individuals who are seated on the raised stage.

Kyungsoo and the popular talk show host smiled and clapped along with them.

“Welcome! Welcome! Welcome back to the show!” The male host greeted the audience as well as the camera with great enthusiasm. “We are back with Mister D.O., the brilliant brain behind the magical show called ‘Marvel Korea’, ‘Marvel Europe’ and most recently completed ‘Marvel India’, as well as his latest single which he dropped and has taken over the top charts all over the world!”

The host claps and stands up to gesture to the smaller man who stands up as well and bows to the audience with his usual heart-shaped smile.

The audience goes wild again and after a few moments, the host and the guest resume their seat.

“Thank you Mister D.O. for taking the time off your super busy schedule and coming to our humble show,” The host begins, his smile stretched from ear to ear. “I believe this is your first-ever talk show?”

“Yes,” Kyungsoo nods with a smile, “I am excited and looking forward to this. I have always enjoyed watching this show.”

The host throws his hands up in the air in exaggeration looking deliberately haughty while the audience laughs and claps.

“To know that the mighty Marvel watches my show…” The host fanned himself, “I think I made it.”

Kyungsoo shook his head laughing along with the audience.

“Of course,” the host begins looking a tad bit more serious, “as much as I would like to brag about myself, we are here to talk about you today.”

Some more chuckles follow.

“Tell me, Mister D.O., how does it feel like to be an influencer, a YouTuber, a content creator, an award-winning director, a CEO, and now even a massively successful singer?”

The audience cheers some more as though they couldn’t have enough of the man seated there. He laughs at their cheers and bows to them once more.

“It is unbelievable,” He begins once everyone settles down, “The amount of love I have received over the years from all the people is unbelievable. All the projects that I take up have so far succeeded and it truly is a dream come true.”

“Magnificent! Your works are masterpieces!” The host says shaking his head while the audience agreed with him, “and just when I thought things couldn’t get better you drop a single that has shaken the world!”

He brings up a frame with a photo of Kyungsoo looking up in the sky with his eyes closed and cold breath going out of his mouth. He is swaddled in warm clothes and the background shows a snowy landscape.

“Your song ‘Colder Weather’ has become a crazy hit. The billboards as well as every other chart are off the roof right now. Tell me, what made you come up with this song?”

Kyungsoo moves a little in his seat, a small smile graces his lips as he looked at the ground.

“If it is not already obvious,” He says looking at the host, “it is my story.”

There’s a pin drop silence as everyone hushed to listen to his story.

“It is about me… and about the girl, I was in love with.” He smiles sadly and the host nods his head. “As the song tells… we were different. Just two completely different people whose lines crossed and we fell in love but could not choose each other over our lives…”

The host gulps and nods his head sadly as well. “This girl… was she the one who you dedicated your award to two years back?”

“NARA!” Someone from the audience shots and the two people laughs at that.

Kyungsoo smiles sadly and nodded his head.

“Man. This is one heck of a love story. So am I to assume that you two have broken off and now you don’t keep in touch anymore?”

Kyungsoo smiles and nods his head. “Unfortunately. We kept in touch for some time after we broke off but work got in the way. I became even busier and she also got caught up with her work and just like that…we sort of became… what we are today.”

“I apologize for what I am about to say but I am thankful for your break up because we got this masterpiece today.” The audience burst into laughter at that as well as Kyungsoo and the host.

Kyungsoo shook his head with amusement, “She has been my muse all these years… she remains a muse for me.”

“Man. She is one heck of a lucky woman to be a muse for the magnificent D.O.”

At that comment, Kyungsoo swats the air shyly.

“You also own a company, if I am not mistaken?”

Kyungsoo smiles proudly at the mention of that. “I do. It is called the April Media and I along with my best friend Chen opened and started running it a year ago.”

The audience cheered for him making Kyoungsoo smile at them appreciatively.

“So this Company is a worldwide company based in Korea, am I right?” The host asked curiously while Kyungsoo nods. “Can I sign up for it? I wouldn’t mind going around traveling and eating.”

The audience laughs at that.

“It would be an honor to have you, of course.” He humored back.

“I will send my assistance tomorrow then,” The host laughs and continues, “You have already signed up some people in your media and of course even the currently highest watched traveler on YouTube Sehun, who runs the channel ‘To Se the Ra’. If I am not mistaken, he had first appeared in your channel way back when you still ran your YouTube channel, right?”

“Yes…” Kyungsoo replied grimly, “But he is mainly based in Korea, and the Asian management is taken up by my partner Chen.”

“Is he a sensitive topic?” the host prods on flatly ignoring his uncomfortable countenance. “Over the years he has been duped as the new Travel Marvel after all.”

“Oh, not at all!” Kyungsoo laughs. “If it was, we wouldn’t have signed him up at all. It is just that he is not under my jurisdiction and has lesser knowledge than my partner. It has been wonderful to have met him actually. He is a bright kid and knows what he wants.” He nods solemnly. “The kid’s got what it takes to get to the top.”

“Alright then,” The host clapped his hand once indicating he was changing the subject. “What can we see from you again? You have already surprised us over and over again. I am sure you are planning some wonderful things?”

Kyungsoo chuckles merrily at that, merriment in his eyes. “I will be taking a break for a while now. India was wonderful but it took a lot of time so for some time being, I would love to sit back and relax.”

“Oooh! A well-deserved vacation. What does a typical vacation of a world-class director look like?”

“Just unwinding for a while…” He says nodding his head, “I will put a pause on shows and anything related to entertainment and travel for a while.”

“Wonderful, wonderful! I hope you have a wonderful vacation and come back with amazing things as you always do and as much as we would love to sit and chat with you all night, the time has come to an end. We will be right back after the break and don’t miss it because our show will be ending with a live performance of Colder Weather by Mister D.O.!”

The camera pans out to the cheering audience before it goes dark.

Vlog Diary
I Country
Dated: 3rd April

“This place is incredibly beautiful…” The camera is shown towards a vast area of green valleys stretched out as far as the eye can see.

“Look at all these flowers…” He brings the camera downwards and shows a close up of those greeneries which held pretty white flowers, almost like babies breathe. “This place is known for these green valleys.”

A switch happens and now a sweaty, healthy-looking Kyungsoo is in front of us. He beams at the camera.

“I am so glad to see these. Now I can die happily.” He sighs and wipes his forehead with a wide smile. “This place has been on my bucket list for years!”

He starts moving. “I can definitely say this break is a much-needed one. “It has been too long since I traveled because I wanted to. No vlogging, no blogging, no nothing… just me and the wild.”

“Great, isn’t it?” He stumbles a little and lets out a loud laugh. “Haven’t had my adrenaline running so much since-”

He suddenly stops, his eyes wide as though he remembered something.

“Um… never mind,” he chuckles and resumes his walking talking about the place and the food before he reaches his destination and turns off the camera.

Vlog Diary
I Country
Dated: 10th April

“I am still in I Country and of course, not like I can take time off for too long… just a month.”

“April… such a significant month, isn’t it?” He is seated in a room, probably a hotel room. “We named our company April because Chen had his first daughter in April and this month meant a lot to him.”

He rubbed his chin in deep thought. “He’s a good man… He wants me to come to Korea for my holiday… it seems he has some matter for me to attend to. It is a holiday but he just can’t do anything without me. This punk.”

“But anyway, I am going to celebrate his daughter’s birthday which is coming up in just some days as well as to visit my family. India’s tour took me the most time so I hardly had anywhere to go. But man, that country… it was something else.”

“I’ll be moving by tonight and might reach by tomorrow afternoon…” He stretches and yawns. “I have had a great time in this country… lots of adventures and adrenaline rushes. Now back to my own roots.”

“See you in Korea then. Goodbye for now.”

Vlog Diary
Seoul, South Korea
Dated: 13th April

As soon as the camera is opened, a giggle from the small girl in his arms is heard. She is an adorable little girl.

“Everyone,” Kyungsoo smiles at the camera proudly, “Say hi to my Godchild Kim Seyeon.”

“Seyeon… say hi,” Kyungsoo turns to look at the girl in his lap and started speaking in Korean.

“Hi…” The little girl waved to the camera and giggled again. “Will I be on TV, Uncle?”

The older man laughs at that. “No… that is my diary.”

“No!” The little girl frowns at that and denies it adamantly. “You write diaries… That is a video!”

Kyungsoo lets out a burst of hearty laughter at that. “Okay, okay.”

“Can you tell us how your birthday was and what your uncle bought for you?”

She nods brightly and started explaining in detail what happened at her birthday party ending with what he bought her.

“Uncle gave me a puppy!” She shrieks happily at that. “I LOVE MY PUPPY SO MUCH! Let me go and play with him!”

And she dashes away before Kyungsoo could say anything. “That little girl,” he says looking at her disappearing figure with a fond smile.

“CHEN!” He calls out and gestures for someone to come over.

A man comes over and joins him. He is a strikingly beautiful man with sharp features. The little girl definitely has upturned lips.

“Kyungsoo, my man!” The man slaps Kyoungsoo’s shoulders and bumped fist with him. “The adventures surely treated you good. I can’t believe we still haven’t sat down for a proper talk.”

“A lot has been going on,” Kyungsoo laughs. “But I am glad you are still in one piece.”

“I can’t believe you will push the entire company to me. I am dying.” Chen slumps down on the couch while Kyungsoo turns to him.

“You’ve been doing a better job than I could ever.”

The man simply grunts and yawns. He looked tired. “Without you, our company will never get to where it is today…”

“Anyway,” Chen sits up, “I have a surprise for you…” He disappears from the camera and returns some minutes later when Kyungsoo was busy having some juice and cake.

“I got you a ticket to a painting exhibition… it's tomorrow.”

“Just a ticket?” Kyungsoo frowns looking at the single ticket and laughs. “Please don’t tell me you are setting up some kind of date for me.”

Chen pressed his lips in a line and shook his head. “I am not but I think it is important that you go there. You must.”

“Why? Is this the work you were referring to? Who do I scout?” Kyungsoo reads the ticket, “Adventure.”

He grunts a little at that. “Tacky title. I have never heard of this painter before… he’s new?”

Chen grins lazily. “You won’t be scouting… You only need to enjoy it and it’s a she. It’s her first-ever exhibit.”

Kyungsoo scoffs at that. “You think I was not enjoying the sun and rain out there in I Country? Did you call me here for this? I can’t believe this.”

Chen lets out-loud laughter. “You won’t regret it. You will thank me for this.”

He notices the camera then, “Oh? You’re still doing video diaries?”

The two men dissolve into more talks and jokes about the old days before the camera dies.

Vlog Diary
Seoul, South Korea
Dated: 14th April

The camera opens. Kyungsoo stares at it for a long time without saying anything.

“I got why Chen gave me that ticket.”

He tapped his fingers on the table and chewed the inside of his cheeks looking distraught. “It was Nara’s. The painting exhibition was Nara’s.”

He zones out for a moment before he spoke. “I met Sehun…”

His face fills up with annoyance before breaking into a smile. “That brat’s grown a lot.”

“I did not see Nara if you are curious… it seems even she doesn’t know her painting’s being exhibited. Sehun stole all her paintings to prove a point.”

“I take back my words. That brat’s still a brat… but he proved many points today. One is that Nara is a painter… She…” He lets out a large breath like he couldn’t believe it. “She’s not your average painter… she is a painter. My gosh, her paintings… amazing!”

He shakes his head again looking absolutely proud. “Who knew she was such a painter. I mean when I got to their house, I never saw anything related to painting… and she never talked about it as well.”

“Sehun told me not to take it personally though… It seems she had an accident when she was in high school and was traumatized because of it and could no longer paint…”

He clicks his tongue, his eyes softening. “So she stopped and anything that reminded her of painting made her traumatized… however,” he smiles softly and looked somewhere, “it seems she started painting again once she met me.”

His smiles turn downward before his eyes began to pool with tears. “She… um… the entire exhibition was actually about me. All those paintings are for me.”

He exhaled deeply and taking a tissue cleans his eyes and nose. “Um… Adventure… Apparently, that was the keyword she had for me. For me she was home… and for her, I was an adventure.”

He drowns in his thought for a while before coming back to the camera. “The other point that Sehun proved today was that I am still madly and deeply in love with her… Chen knew that all along. That brat’s really my best friend.”

“Sehun nearly made me a crying mess in front of all the guests there…” He chuckles and shook his head with annoyance painted on his face. “He told me that Nara was now married and I think I died a little at that.”

He chuckles after that though, “That brat. I punched him in the stomach… something I’ve been wanting to do for all these years but he only laughed. He says he deserves it for being such a but also punched me back. I deserved it as well… I made Nara cry after all… and missed their mom’s funeral.”

“We bonded… I felt like I met him all over again and all I could recall was the hauntingly beautiful hills in N Country.”

He goes quiet for a long time before nodding his head firmly.

“I’ve made up my mind… I am going to N Country tomorrow to chase after my heart. It’s been there the whole time.”

He grins. “I am still so cheesy w