“I’m at Mpia’s office right now.”
–Ah…
Only then did Yoon Do-yeong seem to realize that Kang Hyeon couldn’t continue the call.
–I’ll call you after I wash up.
“Okay.”
With his face flushed, Kang Hyeon glanced sideways at CEO Goo Seong-do. He looked utterly absorbed in the monitor, eyes practically glued to the screen.
“If you’re done with your call, come take a look at this.”
At Goo Seong-do’s call, Kang Hyeon stepped closer. The photo edits were finished, with only some shadow adjustments. The shots taken in a white button-up shirt had a natural and relaxed vibe, while those in the black turtleneck had a sharp, intense look with piercing eyes.
“Wow…”
“We’re on a tight schedule, so let’s just go with these two versions.”
“Where are we submitting them?”
“Hyun-sook’s first shoot is this afternoon. I’ll hand them out everywhere I can while I’m around. I’ll email all these photos to you, so if you have anything to add to your profile, submit it online wherever possible.”
“Y-yes!”
Goo Seong-do sent the photos to the printer and handed Kang Hyeon a clear file folder.
“Put them in here.”
Leaving Kang Hyeon to wrap things up, Goo Seong-do grabbed the clothes he’d laid out on one side of the clothing rack and made a call.
“Stop sleeping. We’re leaving the office in 20 minutes.”
While talking to Lee Hyun-sook and gathering things, Goo Seong-do suddenly let out a sigh and looked deflated.
“What? You’re being evicted? Just like that?”
His face filled with visible concern as he let out a deep sigh.
“Are they insane? How can you stay in the office by yourself? I’ll look into something.”
After hanging up, Goo Seong-do sighed again and started packing up the rest of his things. The word “room” kept bothering Kang Hyeon as he gathered the high-quality printed profile materials, so he carefully asked,
“Did something happen?”
“Hyun-sook’s renting a monthly room, but when she tried to extend the lease… they told her to move out because their son and his wife are moving in.”
“Oh…”
“If she were a guy, I’d just tell her to live in the loft here at the office. But it’s not safe for a woman.”
Muttering to himself, “Where is she going to find something that cheap…,” Goo Seong-do picked up Kang Hyeon’s profile file and walked out. Kang Hyeon followed, helping him load the car with the packed materials.
“Drop by if you’re bored.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh, right. Do you think you could hand the script to Do-yeong personally?”
“…If you ask his agency to give it to Chief Choi, his manager, that should work. But I can’t guarantee it’ll get to him directly.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know! Even that much would be a huge favor. It’s not easy to get a script to a popular actor. Even if you manage to pass it along, the agency usually screens it and rejects it first…”
With a warm smile, Goo Seong-do gestured for Kang Hyeon to hop in. As he drove him toward the subway station, he kept talking.
“I’m not trying to hassle Do-yeong. It’s just that the investment amount hinges on who’s cast in the lead. If the script’s good, I’d just like him to give it a read. Sorry if I’m putting pressure on you.”
Hearing the apology made Kang Hyeon feel even worse.
“No, not at all. You even did my profile shoot for me. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”
“No, seriously. Even with friends, there are lines you shouldn’t cross. I crossed one, that’s my bad.”
“It’s fine. I’m not handing it over personally, and if it goes through the agency, it’s okay.”
“Thanks for understanding. Everyone around here’s desperate, you know. It’s… not easy.”
With a heavy sigh, Goo Seong-do dropped him off and called out loudly,
“Have a great day! Thanks again!”
Kang Hyeon bowed deeply and watched the car disappear. Even the way the blinker flashed showed how rushed he was. He must have squeezed in the profile shoot between other obligations.
“I’m the one who should be grateful…”
The words fell softly from his lips, but what lingered in his ears was that one line—“Everyone around here’s desperate.” He couldn’t stop thinking about Goo Seong-do trying so hard to use every connection he had to create opportunities for others, even apologizing for the pressure.
On the subway back to the café, Kang Hyeon sent the profile photos to Yoon Do-yeong. The moment the message was delivered, a refined classical ringtone chimed.
–The photos came out awful.
“They look good to me.”
–There’s no cuteness.
“…Do I look like a kid to you? Cute?”
–You look cute when you smile.
“…”
–You know that, right? You’re cute when you smile.
“And if I do?”
Kang Hyeon scratched at his reddening cheek. His heels lifted slightly off the ground, betraying a bubbling anticipation.
–Include some smiling shots too.
“They’re all over my socials.”
–But the turtleneck shot is intense. Your eyes look fierce.
“There are more. He said he’d touch up the rest and send them later.”
–Do you have any unedited ones?
“Yeah.”
–Send me one.
After hesitating a bit, Kang Hyeon picked the most striking one and sent it.
–Oh… sexy.
Kang Hyeon didn’t bother denying it.
“He’s good, right?”
–Is CEO Goo Seong-do by any chance a woman?
“He’s a man.”
–Yeah, I guess. Hyun-sook’s manager was a man too.
“I’m getting off the subway now. Good luck with your day.”
–…
“Answer me.”
–You’re not at the café yet.
“…”
–Do you like meat? Or seafood?
“Both.”
–Me too. But when it comes to seaweed soup, I prefer seafood or pollack base. Simmered for a long~ time, it tastes amazing.
“Then ask someone to make it for you.”
–It’s simple. I can just cook it myself.
Surprisingly, Do-yeong was pretty handy in the kitchen. Since he spent so much time at home, he mostly ate home-cooked meals. There was a housekeeper living with him, but when her cooking didn’t suit his taste, he’d whip something up himself.
Kang Hyeon had tried his steamed eggs and spicy braised chicken. The steamed eggs were during college, when the stew had boiled down too much to eat, and Do-yeong whipped them up instead. The braised chicken was during a visit from classmates at his studio apartment, when everyone was boasting about their cooking and they challenged Do-yeong to prove he could make it.
“I want spicy braised chicken.”
–Should I make it for you?
“Yeah.”
The answer came out casually, but a smile curled on his lips. They kept chatting about random things, starting from food. The freezing weather turned his fingers red as he held his phone, and the puffs of breath with every word came out white and crisp. The sunlight pouring between the buildings made his hair shimmer, and the BB cream on his flushed face gave it a rosy glow.
Do-yeong’s voice on the other end was bright, completely different from how upset he’d been the night before. It carried a soft, ticklish lilt that made Kang Hyeon’s smile linger.
As Do-yeong went on about his day, Kang Hyeon stood at the crosswalk, missing multiple light changes.
“If you get a narration job, take it.”
Do-yeong chuckled softly.
–Do you like my voice?
“It’s nice enough.”
His lips curled in a shy smile, betraying the attempt to sound nonchalant.
It wasn’t just nice—it was comforting. It made him feel like good things were coming. His smile spread wide, eyes curling, pupils hidden. That smiling moment, captured by someone nearby, made its way to Chief Choi, who then sent it to Yoon Do-yeong along with other photos an hour later.
Do-yeong couldn’t take his eyes off it.
The way Kang Hyeon smiled under the sunlight between the buildings, phone in hand—it was too pure. Even when he arrived at the café, the smile never left his face. When his eyes met Baek Ga-yeong’s, they sparkled.
“They say envy means you lose…”
Do-yeong was about to head out for his schedule, but instead collapsed onto the sofa with a sigh. One hand covered his forehead, and his expression hardened as he stared into space. His brow furrowed until, as if to shake it off, he tilted his head to the side. Then, finally, the words he’d been holding back slipped out.
“…I lost.”
***
Time passed quickly.
Arriving at the café at dawn to clean and prep, Ga-yeong noona would come soon after, and they’d chat about nothing in particular before opening.
The real work began with the rich scent of coffee and ended once the afternoon shift arrived. Amid the repetitive routine, Kang Hyeon also went to an audition for Director Yoo Ji-ha’s film.
Every spare moment, he checked his phone, but there was no word from Do-yeong. When he finally messaged out of curiosity, the reply came much later.
[On set. I’ll call when I’m done.]
For him, that was a surprisingly short message. But knowing he never even glanced at his phone during shoots, Kang Hyeon understood that even that brief reply showed he cared.
And lately, the one who always called before bed still couldn’t bring himself to hang up easily.
Maybe his emotions were running high. Sometimes his voice trembled. He’d rattle off his day, then suddenly go quiet.
Every time that happened, Kang Hyeon would ask, even though he knew he wouldn’t get an answer.
“What’s bothering you so much?”
“What happened?”
And the answer was always the same.
–I want to see the ocean.
–I want to go back.
And each time, Kang Hyeon replied as always.
“Let’s go. Together.”
“I’ll go with you the day you return.”
“I’ll spend my birthday with you.”
“Together. With you.”
Each night, like a ritual, they whispered the same promises. It should have grown old, tiresome—but it didn’t. They said the words as if etching them into each other’s hearts.
After the promise, they’d share more trivial stories to end the night.
–Hyeon-ah…
“Yeah?”
–I miss you.
“I know.”
Kang Hyeon answered and gave a shy laugh. The one-month schedule—what had felt like a long journey—was finally over. He laughed lightly at the thought, and Do-yeong chuckled on the other end.
“See you tomorrow.”
–You know it’s past midnight, right?
“Yeah?”
The clock on the wall read 12:01 AM.
–Happy birthday. I’m deeply grateful to your parents for giving birth to you, and to your grandfather for raising you.
“…”
The playful tone gave way to something much more sincere, and the smile slowly faded from Kang Hyeon’s face.
–Thanks for being my friend, even when I was a jerk. For always putting up with me even when I acted selfishly. For staying by me even when I must’ve made things hard for you.
The last bit clearly referred to his role, but to Kang Hyeon, it sounded more like an apology for the emotional strain his feelings had caused. His face stiffened, but he tried to keep it light.
“If you know, that’s enough.”
But right after saying that, a surge of emotion welled up, and his eyes grew hot. He couldn’t keep talking.
“Talk to you later.”
Trying his best to sound unaffected, he looked off into the void. On Valentine’s Day, it felt like his feelings had finally been properly received—and Do-yeong’s celebration properly returned.
–Yeah. So open the door.
“…”
–I’m outside your place.
“…”
Still perched on the bed with the phone pressed to his ear, Kang Hyeon turned toward the door.
At that exact moment, the doorbell rang. He shot up and rushed over.
When he flung open the door, he saw Do-yeong standing in the dark hallway, holding his phone and smiling brightly.
“I came to make you seaweed soup.”
–I came to make you seaweed soup.
The overlapping voice in his ear and the real one in front of him made it all feel surreal.
Kang Hyeon’s eyes, wide with surprise, stayed locked on his birthday present—Yoon Do-yeong.
