#112
The next morning, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes with difficulty was an IV bag hanging above me.
“Are you awake?”
When I frowned slightly at the dull headache, warm hands gently caressed my forehead and cheeks.
“I think it’ll be okay to go out after you finish the IV. We have plenty of time, so don’t worry too much.”
I looked at the dripping IV and then slowly shifted my gaze to Jin Woohyeon’s face as he sat by my bedside.
It seemed like he had judged that my heat cycle wasn’t far off based on my condition and pheromone state. While it was convenient for me to get the IV at home without having to go to the hospital, I felt a bit sorry that Jin Woohyeon might have had to ask someone for a favor because of this.
When I frowned slightly because of that, he smiled faintly as if he could see right through my thoughts.
“It’s okay. He’s a close hyung, and there are ways to repay the favor later. Just think of it as having gained a personal doctor.”
“That sounds like something a rich young master would say…”
“I can’t deny that.”
Jin Woohyeon lowered his head and kissed my forehead, whispering affectionately.
“I’ll talk to your workplace and get you time off. No matter how much of a hyung you are, you can’t go to work during your heat cycle.”
When I nodded, he added in a careful voice.
“I’ll clear my schedule too.”
“…”
“Is that okay?”
What that meant was clear. Since we had overcome one of the many mountains given to us, he was asking if it was okay to plan for the next one.
I nodded again. I could feel heat rushing to my cheeks and ears. But while there might be embarrassment, there was no hesitation or regret.
It’s natural for people who like each other to spend their cycles together. I too wanted to take one more step forward with Jin Woohyeon like that.
“Help me.”
It was the first time in my life that I looked forward to a heat cycle that had only felt tiresome.
“Can you do that?”
“As much as you want.”
After finishing the IV, we took a van to the studio. I was puzzled why he didn’t drive himself and called his manager so early in the morning, but that curiosity was resolved as soon as I got in the car. Because he sat close beside me, embraced me, and released his pheromones.
Since my body was already tired in many ways, the favorable scent that was released in just the right amount was welcome. I soon fell into a deep sleep leaning against his shoulder.
When I entered the filming location feeling refreshed, Bae Taeseong, who had been sitting there after finishing preparations early, looked at me and smiled crookedly.
“You came.”
“It’s been a while, Taeseong hyung.”
He looked at Jin Woohyeon and clicked his tongue.
“Now that everything’s settled, you’re really making a fuss. Huh? You’ve completely drenched him in pheromones.”
“Hyung’s cycle is coming up soon.”
“Is that so?”
Han Jiwon, who came in carrying a tray of drinks, looked at my complexion.
“Is today’s filming okay?”
“It’s fine. I got an IV this morning.”
“That’s a relief…”
As filming time approached, familiar faces came in one by one. I greeted Hwang Yeonwoo and Kim Sehyeong, whom I had met during the joint broadcast, and Choi Eungi and Jeon Yudam, whom I was meeting after a long time. Jeon Yudam had dyed his hair a bright brown, saying he needed a change of mood, which made his already youthful face look even more pale.
The person who arrived latest among the participants was An Lei. He looked a bit thinner than when I last saw him and sat a little away from me.
“Chan hyung can’t come today. Something urgent came up.”
“Oh my.”
Han Jiwon didn’t even bother to say it was disappointing for show. On his pretty face was the emotion that he didn’t even want to see that bastard and it worked out well.
I glanced at An Lei’s hand as he fiddled with his coffee. I could see a sparkling ring on his left ring finger. For a fashion ring, it had a simple appearance…
‘Could it be a couple ring?’
It was amazing. At first, even seeing the two of them sitting side by side looking at cat photos and chatting sweetly made my heart ache, but now seeing that ring didn’t evoke any emotion.
Before going on air, Bae Taeseong, who was sitting next to me, lowered his head and whispered quietly.
“I apologize in advance, Yoo Sanho. Sorry.”
“…What?”
When I looked at him in confusion and asked what he was apologizing for, he straightened up and pretended as if he hadn’t said anything. I looked back and forth between Han Jiwon and Jin Woohyeon urgently, but both of them had similar reactions. Even though they clearly had a premonition of something, unlike me.
The panels came in faster than I could resolve my anxious curiosity. Main MC actress Han Dajeong, ballad singer Kim Yeseok, girl group main vocalist Ari, model Juyeon, and even famous pianist Mariella Kang.
‘My goodness.’
Mariella Kang? That’s unbelievable. I must have watched her Bach Partita performance video over a hundred times.
Then I made eye contact with Mariella. Did I stare too intently? When I smiled awkwardly, feeling a bit sorry, she naturally winked at me. Then she playfully nudged Juyeon who was next to her.
“Juyeon-ssi. This is your long-awaited first meeting with Sanho-ssi. How do you feel?”
Juyeon looked at me and Jin Woohyeon and nodded as if impressed.
“You’ve achieved everything…”
“…What?”
“Haven’t you watched the broadcast?”
I answered that I had only watched a few small clips because I was embarrassed to see my face on screen. Then Ari, who was next to him, laughed brightly and joined the conversation.
“Juyeon-ssi really empathized a lot with Sanho-ssi’s story. Coincidentally, their pasts were very similar. So he kept holding his head throughout the filming.”
Bae Taeseong asked in a playful voice.
“Was that ex-boyfriend also an indescribable piece of trash?”
An Lei frowned and looked at Bae Taeseong, but he didn’t even flinch. He just shrugged as if he hadn’t said anything wrong. He probably would have said the same thing even if Lee Chan himself had been there.
Juyeon answered with a gentle smile.
“He did all the bad things, right? Probably. Cheated, showed signs of transferring, made unilateral breakup announcements.”
“Oh my.”
Mariella shook her head.
“So Juyeon-ssi hoped for Sanho-ssi’s happiness. Maybe he was even more desperate than Sanho-ssi himself? But how happy he must feel that things worked out with Woohyeon-ssi. This is human victory, what else.”
How could their stories be so identical? As Ari said, it couldn’t help but be a coincidence. After hearing that story and looking at Juyeon again, I felt like there were too many emotions contained in that smile.
I hesitated and then carefully asked.
“What about now?”
Have you let go of that old love that was more precious and painful because of its age?
“Are you okay now?”
Instead of answering, Juyeon looked at me quietly. Then he smiled brightly.
“Yes. I met a good person and got married.”
He handed me a business card saying he hoped we could contact each other separately later, which I politely accepted.
‘He seems like a good person.’
All the connections I made through this program filming were good people, so I was even considering whether I should thank Lee Chan for bringing me out here.
When everyone was seated, filming began. Even though I was a bit nervous since this talk show format was my first time, the panels skillfully led the atmosphere and asked questions.
“There must have been so many things that happened during the month-long communal living period. We only got to see some of it through the edited version. So we were really curious about a lot of things.”
Ari asked with sparkling eyes.
“From what we saw in the edited version, it seemed like Bae Taeseong-ssi and Han Jiwon-ssi fought at least once every day. Is that true?”
“Hey.”
Han Jiwon, who was drinking coffee, smiled softly.
“Once a day?”
“Ah, it wasn’t really to the point of fighting every day, right? Even so, you two used to date because you liked each other…”
“There were times we fought three times a day.”
Bae Taeseong answered indifferently.
“Fight when we wake up, fight at the dinner table, fight before going to bed.”
“No. We also fought after coming back from exercise, so that day was four times.”
“Right. Your memory is better than mine. Happy now?”
“You fight because you don’t speak nicely like this. When will you grow up?”
“…Wow. Front row seat to an Alpha couple’s lover’s quarrel.”
I was relaxing, thinking they would make up as if nothing happened after their bickering, as I had gotten used to it by now.
“Still, we don’t do things that can’t be undone.”
Bae Taeseong smiled crookedly and glanced at me, then continued in his characteristic nonchalant tone.
“We’re a bit different from someone somewhere.”
Even though the atmosphere became awkward as if the friendly mood had never existed, Bae Taeseong didn’t stop.
“Is it that you’ve sucked all the sweet juice out now? Not even showing your face is too insincere.”
“…”
“Isn’t that right, Sanho?”
I smiled awkwardly and remembered what he had said earlier.
‘So that’s what he meant when he said he’d apologize in advance.’
It seemed like he came here today planning to cause trouble in front of the cameras.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
