# Chapter 19
* * *
Only two producers from the ViewTube production team joined the dinner that Juhyun was treating. It was at a glamping site where they could barbecue. Song Ju said he had found a place without many people. The glamping site halfway up the mountain was indeed deserted as advertised. They rented a tent for six people including their manager.
The campsite owner came to light the fire for them and left after asking them to clean up carefully afterward. As the manager heard the sound of the car driving away, he asked Song Ju.
“Is the owner just leaving like that?”
“Yeah, he’s supposed to be here, but there aren’t enough customers to hire part-timers. I noticed he leaves at night. He also runs a pig farm and is apparently loaded.”
Song Ju answered while looking at his phone, comfortably reclining in a camping chair. Juhyun had already gone into the tent and was lying down. On the table were meat and vegetables still in plastic bags from the supermarket. Hwiseo tore open the vegetable bag.
“You’re tired too, take a rest.”
The manager said as he took the torn plastic from Hwiseo’s hand.
“Am I the only one who’s tired? The producers suffered in the water to film us. Producer, is that building to the right the communal kitchen?”
Hwiseo asked as he took one of the baskets from a producer who had brought dishes and cooking utensils from the communal kitchen. Since the other producer was pouring bottled water into a pot saying he’d make kimchi stew, Hwiseo asked, “Should I wash these for you too?” and put vegetables in the basket, heading toward the kitchen. The manager hurriedly followed behind. Song Ju glanced at them, then sent a message to Juhyun who was lying in the tent.
[What’s up with him?]
Juhyun-[He’s just putting on a show.]
[He’s making everyone uncomfortable.]
Juhyun-[Ignore him, he’ll quit if he fails badly enough]
[But don’t you think he’s changed?]
Juhyun-[Maybe he’s close to death]
[Lol but how does Lee Hwiseo not have a single wrinkle on his face? It’s annoying how he looks so young]
Juhyun-[Must be something they feed him in that rich house. Despite being an Omega who’s had a baby]
[No food makes you look like that. Must be some procedure. Injections or something. He wouldn’t tell us what he got even if we asked, right?]
Juhyun-[Fuck, his behavior is really pissing me off]
Despite the fact that it was appropriate for Lee Hwiseo, who was 3 years older, to speak informally to him, Song Ju felt strangely dirty about it. It felt like he was calling someone younger “hyung.” He knew Hwiseo was good-looking, but it was fraudulent that he still looked so youthful and fresh.
While the two were messing around, the others prepared to cook the stew and grill the meat. The kitchen had ladles, flippers, and even silicon spatulas, but no knives or scissors. There was a limit to tearing things with chopsticks or breaking them by hand. While they were wondering how to cut the meat, one of the producers said “Just a moment” and ran toward where the car was parked. Watching him, Hwiseo spoke to the producer who was stirring the stew with a ladle.
“Producer Kim, you still managed to make the stew somehow. And you are Producer Kim, right? And the one who just left is Producer Park?”
“Yes, that’s right. I just threw the stew together. Couldn’t even cut the kimchi, had to put it in whole.”
“I thought you did that on purpose. Like a chef’s special touch. Oh, here he comes. What’s that, Producer Park?”
Producer Park, whose eyes widened at being called by name, showed them the multi-tool knife he was holding.
“This comes in handy quite often. I keep it in the car. Here, try cutting with this big blade.”
“Oh, this is sharper than I expected.”
When Hwiseo responded with a smile, Producer Park’s face turned red with embarrassment. So this is what an entertainer is like, he thought. Just by smiling, it was as if a round light had turned on behind Hwiseo, making his face shine clearly. In the rumors, Lee Hwiseo was a prickly person who relied solely on his looks. But the Lee Hwiseo he met in person was easygoing and even kind. Even if this was a facade, compared to those two who wouldn’t lift a finger—no, it was disrespectful to even compare them. The manager who was grilling the meat Hwiseo had cut called Song Ju and Juhyun. He said everything was cooked and they should eat, and only then did the two reluctantly get up.
“Where are the chopsticks?”
“Oh, they were here. Wait. Producer Park, I’m busy grilling the meat, could you grab a pair of chopsticks for Juhyun?”
A cross appeared on Producer Park’s forehead just as he was about to put meat in his mouth. After all he’d done, Juhyun had just sat down at the table and complained, “The meat is a bit overcooked,” and now he was expected to get chopsticks for him too. Something hot rose up from deep inside him.
“It’s fine. Eat your meal. Song Ju, there’s a plastic bag behind you, there are wooden chopsticks in there.”
Hwiseo said as he pushed Producer Park, who was about to get up, back into his seat. With a look that said ‘Don’t you have hands or eyes?’, Hwiseo pointed with his chin and rolled his eyes. Apparently understanding, Juhyun snorted and said, “Song Ju, chopsticks for me.” Song Ju made a show of being annoyed as he found and handed over the chopsticks. Seeing this, Hwiseo wrapped three pieces of meat in a lettuce leaf, took a bite, and said:
“Juhyun, the meat is so delicious, maybe because you’re treating us.”
Hwiseo didn’t forget to express his gratitude.
* * *
Juhyun, perhaps on a diet, ate only a few pieces of meat and didn’t touch the rice. When the manager encouraged him to try the stew, he complained about how he could eat such a sodium bomb for dinner and questioned whether the manager was qualified for his job. Hwiseo, sitting across from them, looked at the two and ladled some stew into his half-eaten instant rice bowl. He was really something else.
Just as dinner was wrapping up, Song Ju, who had been eating enthusiastically, said he was going to the bathroom and disappeared. Juhyun had put down his chopsticks early and was just looking at his phone with his legs crossed. The manager stacked the remaining dishes, and Hwiseo and the others cleaned the table.
“I’ll do the dishes.”
Producer Park said as he headed toward the kitchen with the pot. Hwiseo, who was putting used disposables in a garbage bag, stopped him, saying they should go together. Watching this, Juhyun picked up his cigarette pack and said:
“I barely ate anything, so I don’t have to help, right?”
Without waiting for anyone’s response, Juhyun turned and headed behind the barbecue area. Being halfway up a mountain, the sloped hillside had been cut in places, creating fort-like structures with tents, rest areas, and storage buildings. The smoking area he had spotted earlier was a bench on top of a low incline covered with trees. There was a “No Smoking” sign next to the bench that swayed back and forth like a swing, but Juhyun lit a cigarette anyway. Sitting down, he could see people moving around below. Lee Hwiseo was among them.
He knew that Lee Hwiseo, being an Omega with outstanding looks, would be the most popular. Since all the other members, excluding Hwiseo, were Beta males, he had prepared himself to some extent. But reality was more merciless. They had a group name, BLEN, but they were called “Lee Hwiseo’s group.” During their active period, he and the members wore makeup similar to Hwiseo’s. They even got procedures done, and one member even had nose surgery. People called them Lee Hwiseo knockoffs.
The only consolation had been Hwiseo’s lack of confidence. He would become intimidated at the slightest criticism. Despite having so much, he didn’t know it. Like a hermit crab that stops in its tracks and quickly hides in its shell when touched. He was the epitome of a powerless being who would get pushed if pushed and couldn’t fight back when mistreated.
“Why has he changed like this?”
It had been about a year and a half since they last met, so it truly had been a long time. He didn’t know what change of heart had occurred, but it was clear that Hwiseo wasn’t the same as before.
The producers were seen hurriedly heading towards the parking lot, as if they had an urgent matter. Soon, the sound of a car leaving was heard. Afterward, the manager called out for Song Ju and him. When he stood up, his head felt dizzy. Having smoked four cigarettes in a row due to his frustration, and on an empty stomach no less, that seemed to be the reason. As he was grinding out his cigarette with his foot, he noticed a storage shed behind the bench. It was a beige prefabricated shed about three pyeong in size, with a key inserted in the handle.
When he opened it, he saw kitchen detergent, paper cups, charcoal, and toilet paper neatly stacked on a three-tier metal L-shaped shelf. As he was about to leave, having quickly lost interest, Juhyun suddenly stood still as if something had occurred to him. Then he slowly turned back to look at the shed. His gaze went to the handle, specifically the key inserted in the keyhole.
* * *
Juhyun entered the tent, breathing heavily, and dangled the key in his hand toward Song Ju. Song Ju, who was rolling around on the bed, raised his eyebrows and asked what it was. Forcing a smile as if to hide his anxiety, Juhyun answered.
“The storage shed key.”
Song Ju quickly turned his head away from Juhyun’s unsatisfactory answer and fiddled with his phone. He entered a fan community but immediately left when he saw many posts with titles that seemed to be written by Lee Hwiseo’s fans.
“Lee Hwiseo is in this shed.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
