#036
On TV, the latest episode of “Rural Conquest” with Shin Gihyeon as a guest was currently being rebroadcast.
Both Yeonwoo and Shin Gihyeon had watched the original broadcast, but since there wasn’t anything else worth watching, they were continuing their conversation while watching the show they appeared on.
“The next guest was Grace.”
“Yeah, they came after you left.”
They were rookie idols from a major entertainment company who finished their debut with good results and hit number one on the music charts with their second album.
‘Grace…’
Shin Gihyeon, who was quite interested in the entertainment industry’s ecosystem, already knew Grace would be the next guest by checking their social media feeds. Out of curiosity, he nudged Yeonwoo and asked:
“Do you have their numbers?”
“I do have some.”
Was he not shy with strangers, or did he have a charm that drew people in? Shin Gihyeon looked at Yeonwoo with amazement for having exchanged numbers in just one day.
As if to deny that, Yeonwoo added an explanation:
“Not all of them, just two.”
“Which two?”
“Someone called Jaihan and Jinhyeong.”
“How did you become friends with them?”
He naturally exchanged numbers with Jaihan since they were the same age, and during the courage test, Jinhyeong had held out his phone with sparkling eyes as if he felt some kind of camaraderie, which he couldn’t refuse.
“Just like with you.”
When Shin Gihyeon was leaving, they had somehow exchanged numbers and continued contact after filming ended, leading to meeting again like this. Though he hadn’t met Grace again, they occasionally kept in touch.
“Do you still contact them?”
“Yeah, they contacted me saying they’ll be on the show next week.”
During their conversation, at the sound of the front door opening, Yeonwoo and Shin Gihyeon jumped up and ran over like puppies welcoming their owner.
“Hyung!”
“Sorry, am I a bit late? It’s been a while, Gihyeon-ssi.”
“Hello, sunbae-nim.”
Yeonwoo took the bags from Kang Dojun’s hands, placed them in the living room, and stood next to Shin Gihyeon.
“…But why are you in this state?”
Kang Dojun examined their clothing with trembling pupils.
‘…Is he tired from not sleeping?’
There was dried blood flowing near the chest area of Yeonwoo’s white t-shirt, and some blood was also visible on the shoulder part of Shin Gihyeon’s blue short-sleeved shirt that Yeonwoo had grabbed and shaken.
“…Did you fight?”
Shin Gihyeon quickly waved both hands.
“No, sunbae-nim! This is because Yeonwoo hit the refrigerator door with his… mmph!”
Yeonwoo quickly covered Shin Gihyeon’s mouth.
What kind of idiot in the world would ram their nose into a refrigerator door they opened themselves? He was too embarrassed to death to say it.
Yeonwoo tried to change the atmosphere by switching topics.
“Hyung, let’s go to the department store quickly.”
Kang Dojun examined Yeonwoo’s face carefully. Where had he gotten into an accident again…
“It looks like you’re bleeding. Are you badly hurt?”
“I’m completely fine.”
Though he was worried, since Yeonwoo was embarrassed to tell the truth, he decided to ask Shin Gihyeon in detail later and opened his mouth.
“Ah… Let’s go to the department store next time, and today let’s go get a consultation at the hospital.”
“What? Why?”
The department store was merely a means to drag Yeonwoo to the hospital. After receiving contact from Shin Gihyeon that Yeonwoo had decided to go to the hospital, he had already looked up hospitals on his way here.
He got a recommendation from his agency for a hospital that many celebrities use. That way, there was less chance of it leaking out.
“The sooner the better. Would you like to come with us too, Gihyeon-ssi?”
Anyone gets nervous going to an unfamiliar hospital. Kang Dojun’s decision was that it would be better for as many people as possible who could put Yeonwoo at ease to go.
“Ah, I…”
“I’ll go to the hospital alone.”
“…Alone?”
Both looked at Yeonwoo in surprise at his words.
“I’m not a child, I don’t like going in a group.”
What’s the big deal about going to the hospital… Yeonwoo grumbled quietly.
Kang Dojun, who didn’t miss even the small sound, found an error in his decision and agreed.
Indeed, the more fuss they made, the more it would feel like a big deal and increase anxiety. Going alone wasn’t bad either, but still…
“I’ll drive you to the hospital entrance.”
“Right. Listen to sunbae-nim. You don’t even know Seoul’s geography.”
Both were wide-eyed at Yeonwoo’s sudden unexpected words.
“We promised to go to the department store today. I can go to the hospital alone tomorrow.”
“…Still.”
Wouldn’t it be better to go as soon as possible? Kang Dojun, who was about to persuade him, closed his mouth at Yeonwoo’s resolute gaze.
He could read the stubbornness that wouldn’t bend his assertion no matter what was said.
“Should I go to the hospital with you tomorrow?”
“It’s fine. More than that, the department store…! Seoul department store! Gihyeon, you come too.”
Yeonwoo bounced around with excited eyes. Shin Gihyeon shook his head, saying he had family plans in the evening.
Kang Dojun looked at his wristwatch anxiously. It was a weekday, and an ambiguous time.
‘At this time, there probably aren’t many people at the department store?’
Then he looked at Yeonwoo’s clothes. Blood doesn’t wash out well even with laundry… Since he had decided to go to the hospital, his stay here would be extended. He did need clothes.
“Then let’s go now and come back. Shall I give you a ride on the way, Gihyeon-ssi?”
“Ah…! I brought my car too… it’s okay!”
“I see.”
Kang Dojun looked at Yeonwoo and Shin Gihyeon’s clothes. Going out in that state would easily attract attention.
“Yeonwoo, go change your clothes.”
Despite being in his own home, Kang Dojun, who had been standing at the shoe cabinet the whole time, finally took off his shoes and went to his room.
He brought a thin summer jacket and handed it to Shin Gihyeon, who was standing still.
“Wear this.”
Shin Gihyeon also saw the blood on his shoulder and received the jacket with trembling hands.
‘Sunbae-nim’s jacket!’
“Thank you! I’ll definitely return it later!”
While Yeonwoo went into his room to change clothes, Kang Dojun quietly asked:
“Did Yeonwoo cry by any chance? His eyes looked a bit red…”
“Ah, he hit his nose on the refrigerator by himself, got a nosebleed, and cried saying it hurt.”
“…Even a nosebleed?”
So the blood on the clothes was from a nosebleed. The moment he took his eyes off him, it was an accident. Kang Dojun asked with a serious expression:
“His nose bone isn’t broken, is it?”
“No, he only bled briefly and that was it. But the kid seems to have a lot of stress lately.”
“…That’s probably the case.”
Then Yeonwoo burst open the door and came out.
“Let’s go quickly!”
Kang Dojun prepared two of his own hats and masks, wearing one set himself and putting the other on Yeonwoo. While doing so, he didn’t forget to check Yeonwoo’s red nose bridge.
* * *
Shin Gihyeon looked at them naturally heading toward the emergency stairs instead of taking the elevator.
“Aren’t you taking the elevator?”
“Want to exercise on the stairs?”
“I don’t know about going up, but going down is bad for the knees.”
At his words, Yeonwoo frowned slightly and walked toward the elevator.
“Really? Then we should take the elevator.”
“Come here.”
Kang Dojun grabbed the back of Yeonwoo’s neck and stopped him. From behind Yeonwoo, Kang Dojun secretly sent eye signals to Shin Gihyeon.
He looked back and forth between the elevator and Yeonwoo and shook his head. The quick-witted Shin Gihyeon thought ‘Why is sunbae-nim acting like that?’ and quickly grasped the situation.
“Sometimes going down stairs could be fun too. Let’s just take the stairs today.”
Yeonwoo turned toward the stairs as if he had been waiting.
“Right? Should I teach you how to slide down the stair railings?”
“I’m not curious.”
“You put your butt on here and…”
“Don’t do that. What if you get hurt?”
“Okay. Gihyeon, I’ll teach you next time.”
When Kang Dojun said it was dangerous and grabbed Yeonwoo’s arm telling him to come down, he listened well again and came down quickly.
Eventually, having come down the full height of 17 floors using only stairs, they exchanged greetings in the underground parking garage.
‘Even going down is tiring.’
Shin Gihyeon greeted them while panting slightly.
“Today was fun!”
“Yes, please come play again next time.”
“Take care.”
‘Next time again!’
Is this what a successful fan life feels like? Shin Gihyeon nodded his head vigorously.
“Yes! You take care going to the hospital tomorrow too.”
“Okay.”
After parting with Shin Gihyeon, the two got in the car to head to the department store. Kang Dojun examined the condition of Yeonwoo sitting in the passenger seat.
“You don’t feel stuffy or short of breath, or nauseous or anything?”
“I’m completely fine.”
“If it’s hard, you can be honest. We have plenty of time for the department store besides today…”
“I’m really, really okay.”
At Yeonwoo’s firm words, Kang Dojun had no choice but to carefully observe him while driving. His complexion didn’t look bad, and his breathing seemed steady and even.
Relieved, Kang Dojun finally threw out a relaxed everyday question.
“Is there anything you want to buy?”
“I haven’t really thought about it… shoes?”
“Open the front.”
At Kang Dojun’s words, Yeonwoo opened the glove box in front of him. There was a bag inside.
“What is this?”
When he opened the bag, there were department store gift certificates that he had received for winning the courage test several months ago.
“…You weren’t using this? I gave this to you, hyung.”
“I didn’t have time so I left it there. Let’s use that to buy what you want.”
“Hyuuung.”
Yeonwoo sent him a moved look.
“Do you have anything to buy, hyung?”
“Well.”
Since most clothes came to him as gifts after sponsorships, he didn’t feel the need to buy anything.
“I’ll watch you shop.”
“Then hyung should buy something with this too.”
Yeonwoo held out the gift certificate with a triumphant face.
After arriving at the department store and getting out, Kang Dojun, who was walking behind Yeonwoo, suddenly loosened his hat string. Yeonwoo, who had adjusted it to fit his head, looked at Kang Dojun puzzledly.
Considering what might constrict Yeonwoo and make him feel stuffy, and his current poor condition, he had loosened it as much as possible.
“You don’t feel stuffy or anything?”
“I’m really okay.”
Nevertheless, Kang Dojun’s guard didn’t relax on the escalator or inside the department store. Fortunately, there were few people inside the department store.
Even while they entered the shoe store, Yeonwoo picked out shoes he liked, and the store employee went to find the size, Kang Dojun stayed by his side without saying a word.
“Hyung, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Yeonwoo looked up worriedly, wondering if Kang Dojun was sick somewhere. Kang Dojun habitually pulled up his mask and whispered quietly:
“I’m afraid they’ll recognize me if I speak.”
Since he appears in dramas and movies so extensively, many people are familiar with his voice. Kang Dojun even saved his words to prevent any possibility.
“Is size 265 correct?”
“Yes.”
The employee brought shoes in the right size, and Kang Dojun closed his mouth again.
The employee also helped Yeonwoo try on the shoes, and though they found it strange that two customers had hidden their faces completely with hats and masks, they didn’t show it due to their professional spirit.
“How does it feel?”
Yeonwoo walked around a few times and nodded.
“Good.”
Then he approached Kang Dojun and showed him the shoes.
“How are they?”
Kang Dojun slightly lifted his hat, approached Yeonwoo’s ear, and whispered softly:
“Pretty.”
Instantly, Yeonwoo’s body trembled slightly.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
