# Chapter 16
“Are you joking?”
“You don’t believe me?”
Well, thinking about it, he might have identified and saved Seowoo’s phone from the lost items in advance. Thinking positively, that would make sense… but Seo Dohyun wouldn’t be the type with enough spare time to pay attention to every single lost item in his establishment.
With countless conflicting assumptions clashing in his head, Seowoo finally squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them.
“Be honest. Just be honest!”
Dohyun leaned on his hand, supporting his cheek.
“Honesty is good. If I say I’m being honest, will you believe me?”
If Seo Dohyun claimed that beans would grow where beans were planted, Han Seowoo’s current state of mind would make him doubt it first. If there was a basic level of honesty expected from a person, Dohyun had ruined this from the start. He’d already said this to his face, and unless Dohyun was a fool, he couldn’t possibly be unaware of that fact.
But how could anyone live denying every word? Moreover, Dohyun was now both Seowoo’s superior and roommate. It was true that he had taken his hand with the intention of stabbing him in the back, but right now, shaking off that hand would only result in Seowoo himself drowning.
Seowoo looked straight into Dohyun’s eyes. Not that it would allow him to read his emotions, nor did it make Dohyun’s gaze waver, but it was a rather serious action for Seowoo.
“Fine. To commemorate becoming one of your people, I’ll believe just one thing for now.”
“Commemorate?”
“Explain. Why is it in your hands?”
Dohyun laughed with a sound like wind escaping. He seemed to find it amusing that the words “believe” and “commemorate” were used together.
“I took care of it when we went into the room together. You were drunk and didn’t even bring your phone in… When you left, you didn’t ask for it, so I just forgot about it.”
“What… That’s not normal!”
“I told you, from the very beginning.”
Somehow, it wasn’t with Woojae or among his belongings because this guy had kept it from the start. Wait, if he took it, shouldn’t he have returned it on his own? Did he deliberately keep it? Seowoo was dumbfounded and stared at Dohyun, at a loss for words.
“Are you kidding me? I really can’t believe you a second time!”
“Wow, you’re willing to believe me twice? I’m touched.”
As Seowoo’s voice grew louder, Dohyun burst into loud laughter. As if surprised, he even tilted his head calmly. Before Seowoo, with gleaming eyes, could spit out another word, Dohyun smirked and wiggled his finger.
“Before you collapse from anger, let’s go now, Seowoo. Try calling Biro.”
Simultaneously, a faint vibration was heard. It came from Seowoo’s hand.
When Seowoo stopped walking, Dohyun also stopped and turned back. His expression seemed to ask what was wrong. Seowoo, trying not to show his wariness, tilted the phone toward himself so the screen wouldn’t be visible to Dohyun. It was a call from his manager.
“…Wait for a minute.”
Without even asking who it was, Dohyun just smiled faintly and pushed open the door.
“I’ll chat with Manager Gu for a bit, so take your time.”
Beyond the opaque glass window he pointed to with his chin, the silhouette of a man was visible. It was impossible to know how long he had been waiting outside.
“See you in a minute.”
“…Two minutes.”
Seowoo hastily changed his request. Dohyun smiled broadly as he stepped through the gap of the open door. However, no answer came back, only the sound of the door closing.
So did he agree, or not? Seowoo rolled his eyes and put the phone to his ear.
“Hello?”
─ Hello, actor-nim? Sorry to disturb your rest suddenly. There’s something I need to ask you…
“No, it’s fine. What’s going on?”
─ There was a call regarding the interview that Film Screen took last time. I received all the information during the handover, but the president said I should proceed while sharing details with you if possible.
Indeed, since he had only recently received the position of temporary manager, there would be limitations to how well he could understand the previous situation, no matter how well-informed he was. It seemed better for Seowoo to be involved, even if it was a bit inconvenient. That was also reassuring for Seowoo.
─ I think it would be better to meet in person rather than discussing over the phone. Is it difficult for you to make time now?
It was quite a cautious question. Not knowing how to respond, Seowoo didn’t answer immediately and just vaguely prolonged his words.
However, it wasn’t difficult to realize that this situation could soon become an opportunity. In a situation where he had to move alongside Seo Dohyun without any choice, this moment was almost the only channel through which he could inform the president about his situation. If he could convey his intentions even vaguely, the perceptive president would understand why he had transferred.
─ Actor-nim, are you okay?
“Ah, actually, I’d like to ask you something…”
At that moment, the closed door opened. The sound of the hinge shaking seemed somewhat exaggerated, as if clearly intended to catch attention.
Seowoo stopped talking and turned his gaze. Dohyun, with his arm resting on the doorknob and wearing a playful smile, had pushed just one foot into the room and was looking inside. While making a V-sign with his fingers. As Seowoo stared blankly, Dohyun’s extended fingers quickly changed from two to three.
“…What are you doing?”
Has this person finally gone crazy? No. The modifier “finally” didn’t fit. He had been crazy from the beginning. But a huge man neatly fastening his tie and wearing a three-piece suit while waving a V-sign and smiling brightly was certainly not ordinary.
When Seowoo asked disgruntledly, Dohyun smiled and tapped under his chin with three fingers.
“Three minutes have passed.”
“What, already?”
“One minute was a bonus. Since you’ve gone over time, shall I come in?”
Once again, Dohyun walked in without permission. What a funny person. Who does he think he is, a karaoke place giving service by the minute? Seowoo barely held back the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue, ready to spit in his face.
From the other end of the mobile phone, the manager’s voice continued calling, “Actor-nim, actor-nim?” Seowoo covered the phone’s microphone with one hand and glared at Dohyun, who had approached right in front of him, narrowing his eyes.
“I’ll wait a bit longer, so finish up.”
“If you’re going to wait anyway, why don’t you step outside?”
“Why? Are you going to say something I shouldn’t hear?”
The words hit right on target, and Seowoo’s mouth shut tight. Dohyun boldly took a position right next to Seowoo.
“Now I also have the responsibility to manage you from my side.”
“…Haa.”
Since it wasn’t entirely wrong, although annoying, Seowoo couldn’t openly curse him out. Putting strength into his eyes and openly glaring, Seowoo carefully put the phone back to his ear.
“Um… I’ll be heading to the company anyway. I’ll tell you when I get there.”
─ Is something wrong?
“No, it’s nothing, I just got bitten by a passing dog.”
Dog? What dog…? Before Seowoo could add a relaxed explanation to the manager’s confused response, he pressed the end call button. Dohyun, who had been listening, raised his eyebrows.
“Shepherd? Jindo? Doberman?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Or perhaps you see me as something more cute?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
It was a sincere question. Facing Seowoo’s deeply furrowed expression, Dohyun’s face also showed obvious confusion.
“Shouldn’t I know my breed so I can serve my owner more actively?”
“…You’re doing this on purpose to annoy me, right?”
Dohyun’s deliberately scrunched lips gradually changed into a shallow smile. The spreading smile was playful. He reached out and lightly patted Seowoo’s shoulder, causing Seowoo to narrow his eyes as if glaring.
“The star is…”
Dohyun suddenly seemed to realize something and carefully examined Seowoo’s face, then smiled very brightly, his eyes crinkling.
“A Pomeranian?”
“Are you really crazy?”
“So that’s what it is.”
Even with ten layers of blindfolds over his eyes, he couldn’t say such things. It felt so much like mockery that Seowoo mercilessly swatted his hand away. As if not surprised at all, Dohyun lightly shook off his pushed hand and then extended it as if to escort Seowoo.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
