Chapter 99
Being someone who had to take care and protect others – that was the role Seo-jung had been given since childhood.
But it was different with Cha Yoon. Rather, he found himself being taken care of. Seo-jung found it strange. A feeling that was bewildering and awkward, but not unpleasant.
‘…I was going to buy burn ointment, but there were no open pharmacies because it’s the weekend. I looked it up online, and they say potatoes and cucumbers are effective too. So let’s at least do some first aid with those for today.’
‘……’
‘Sunbae? Are you listening to me?’
At the voice calling him, Seo-jung finally lifted his face. He examined Cha Yoon’s somewhat sulky expression and then spoke.
‘Did you go out to buy this?’
‘…Are you crazy? Who said that? That I went to town to buy medicine for you, sunbae. Absolutely not, okay? I just ran out of cigarettes, so I went to buy those. The nearby mart didn’t have the ones I smoke, so I just happened to buy these while I was in town anyway!’
After about three seconds of silence, Cha Yoon burst out with words, his face quickly turning red. Seo-jung chuckled at the sight.
‘They had them at the mart, the ones you smoke.’
‘What?’
‘Never mind. Thanks for getting these. I’ll use them well.’
‘…I really didn’t go just to buy these. You don’t think I’m crazy enough to walk for two hours round trip just to buy these for you, sunbae?’
Absolutely not. Really not. After emphasizing several times, Cha Yoon seemed to think that was enough and let out a breath like a sigh.
‘Anyway, if you understand, stop fooling around with Shin Da-bin sunbae and go back to the dorm to do a face pack.’
‘Fooling around? Cha Yoon, are you going to talk like that again?’
‘If you’re fooling around, I’m calling it fooling around. What else should I call it? Ah, but sunbae, aren’t you bad at cutting? I heard you need to slice really thin for face packs…. Let’s just go in together. I’ll cut it for you.’
The tongs that had been inseparable from his hand, as if they were an extension of himself, were discarded so easily. Seo-jung looked at the tongs and scissors placed at the edge of the table and said,
‘We haven’t even finished grilling the meat. How can we go in like this?’
‘Who cares? They’ve been eating the whole time, if they have any conscience they’ll take care of it themselves. Come on, let’s go in quickly.’
Seo-jung recalled the firmness of Cha Yoon’s hand that had touched his shoulder that day, but then quickly came to his senses. He seemed to have been too caught up in old memories he had long forgotten.
He looked once again at the photo that had dredged up these deeply buried memories. Then, things he hadn’t noticed at first started to become visible. For example, the sight of Cha Yoon tightly pulling a branch of the large tree standing next to him.
Why on earth was he doing that? Cha Yoon was making an expression of clear displeasure, gripping the branch so tightly that the veins in his arm were standing out. Seo-jung stared blankly at the photo capturing this incomprehensible behavior. Some time passed like this.
“…Oh, this.”
Seo-jung unconsciously muttered softly, pointing at himself in the photo. Unlike the other club member right next to him, there was a low shadow cast over him, just enough to cover his upper body. He alternately looked at the tree branch Cha Yoon was holding and the shadow cast on his body.
Only after repeating this several times did he understand. Why Cha Yoon had acted like that. He was struggling for the sole reason of creating shade for Seo-jung. Seo-jung read in this Cha Yoon’s gentleness, reserved only for him.
Seo-jung slowly rubbed his face. When he lowered his hand, his face showed confusion.
His mind quickly filled with images of Cha Yoon in the X House. He felt as if he’d been caught off guard. It was because he was faced with an assumption he had never made before. The assumption that Cha Yoon’s behavior over the past two weeks might be similar to his actions from this period.
It could sound like an obvious statement. After all, the memory-lost Cha Yoon’s time had truly returned to that era.
But that wasn’t what Seo-jung was talking about. Even while making an irritated expression, using one hand to try to create shade for him; saying sharp words but still taking the trouble to go to town two hours away round trip for his sake. These were the things Seo-jung focused on.
He had thought all this time that Cha Yoon was only bent on tormenting him. After all, his outward expressions and words were always rough and sharp. But looking from one step back, his actions in the X House were so similar to his behavior in this photo. Cha Yoon was transparently revealing his feelings, to an extent that it was strange Seo-jung hadn’t noticed until now.
Seo-jung finally realized. He had been imprisoning himself with the thought that the memory-lost Cha Yoon could never like him again. It all stemmed from a defense mechanism of not wanting to be disappointed and hurt by unnecessary expectations.
His unsettled heart wouldn’t calm down. As he moved his lips, Seo-jung finally realized he had been holding his breath. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly before opening them again.
Seo-jung constantly recalled the reality he wanted to forget. As Cha Yoon had said, even if his heart was reaching out to Seo-jung, would anything change? There were still many reasons why he shouldn’t be with Cha Yoon. So it was just a meaningless thought.
Something to let go of. Seo-jung hurriedly moved his feet, repeatedly telling himself this as if brainwashing himself. He had to escape from what kept weakening his resolve. Otherwise, it felt like everything he had struggled to hold onto would turn to foam.
He couldn’t quite remember how he got out of the X Room. When he came to his senses, Seo-jung was sitting in the interview room.
“Seo-jung-ssi, are you ready for the interview?”
“Ah, yes.”
Focus returned to his blank gaze. Noticing the writer examining him, Seo-jung hurriedly put on an apologetic smile and responded.
“You chose the X Room without hesitation over the NEW Room. Was there a reason?”
“There was no room for consideration. I know there are many good people in the X House, but my heart is still directed towards Da-bin.”
“I see. You watched Da-bin’s pre-recorded interview after coming out of the X Room. How was it?”
Seo-jung closed his mouth for a moment. Because his mind had been so focused on Cha Yoon, he couldn’t remember what Da-bin had said in the pre-recorded interview. What should he do? With his eyes lowered, he slowly began to speak.
“I felt sorry. I remembered more things I couldn’t do well for her than things I did well…”
He gave an appropriate answer that had no substance but also nothing to criticize. The rest of the interview continued in the same vein. Seo-jung smoothly delivered the prepared answers he and Da-bin had agreed upon. As the interview was wrapping up:
“It seemed like you were looking at one photo for a long time in the X Room. What kind of photo was it?”
“Ah… that photo.”
Seo-jung flinched at the sudden question. He hesitated as if flustered. It was quite different from how smoothly he had been handling the interview until now.
As the pause lengthened, Seo-jung felt curiosity growing in the writer’s eyes. He couldn’t delay his answer any longer.
“It was a group photo taken when we went on an MT with the club Da-bin and I were in together.”
“You seemed a bit surprised while looking at the photo. Was there a reason?”
“Um, it was just a photo I hadn’t seen before. It felt unfamiliar and strange… so I think that’s why.”
He completed the sentence stammering, which was unlike him. The perceptive production team read Seo-jung’s agitation. Their eyes sparkled as they began to probe more persistently.
“Why did it feel strange?”
“Well…”
What should I say to dodge this? As Seo-jung licked his lower lip, searching for words, it happened.
The youngest writer hurriedly approached and bent down to whisper something in the lead writer’s ear. The interviewing writer’s eyes widened. After asking Seo-jung for a moment, the two engaged in a serious conversation. Though he couldn’t understand the situation, it was good for Seo-jung. He quickly thought and formulated an answer.
The conversation seemed to have concluded as the lead writer checked the time and then turned to face forward. Unlike before, she now looked quite excited.
“I’m sorry, Seo-jung-ssi. Um, I’ll ask the question again. Why did it feel strange?”
“I think it was because forgotten memories came back, and the emotions from that time were momentarily revived. It was also a bit sad to see how different the current situation is from back then.”
“I see. Then we’ll end the X Room related interview here, and I’ll ask the next question. Seo-jung-ssi, you weren’t able to enter the X House for two days…”
Contrary to his worry about being questioned more deeply, the writer didn’t ask about it. Seo-jung seemed to relax a bit, swallowing and smiling as he continued with the interview.
The questions continued endlessly after that. Despite thinking it might be enough, the writer showed no signs of letting Seo-jung go. Just as Seo-jung was starting to tire from the interview that was running twice as long as usual, it happened.
It was the youngest writer who finally wrapped up the seemingly endless interview. She entered the interview room and whispered to the lead writer who had been asking questions. The lead writer nodded and then turned to Seo-jung with a bright smile.
“Seo-jung-ssi, then we’ll end the interview here.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
Now I can go back to the X House. Just as he was thinking this and standing up, the lead writer’s next words held Seo-jung back.
“And there’s a resident who has opened your NEW Room, so we’ll move right away for a 1:1 conversation.”
“My NEW Room?”
“Yes. Please follow me this way, Seo-jung-ssi.”
Before Seo-jung could think, the writer opened the interview room door as if urging him. Seo-jung had no choice but to follow her.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
With those words, the writer smiled brightly and left the space.
Left alone, Seo-jung looked around. The room decorated in pink was a space perfectly suited for people about to form new relationships.
Who on earth opened my NEW Room? Since it’s a NEW Room, it can’t be Da-bin…
He couldn’t know who it was. But he felt equally grateful no matter who he thought of. So he was just thinking that he should wrap up the given time well and go back, when it happened.
There was a click as the doorknob turned, and then the tightly closed door slowly began to open. Seo-jung straightened his back and turned towards the door, putting on his characteristic gentle smile. Just as he had finished preparing to welcome the other person.
Contrary to his intentions, the moment he confirmed the face of the person who appeared opening the door, the smile that had settled on his lips disappeared instantly.
Seo-jung couldn’t take his eyes off the person standing in front of the door.
“…Cha Yoon.”
Why are you coming out of there?
