#35
Even though I knew I had to return to the dormitory to have dinner together, I kept wandering aimlessly around the dormitory area.
“I don’t want to go in……”
If I go in, there will be Lee Chan, my X. And An Lei, whom Lee Chan likes, Han Jiwon who worries about me, Bae Taeseong who got his pheromones on me, Hwang Yeonwoo and Kim Sehyeong who are worried about this situation, and Choi Eungi who will be quietly keeping his place…….
Wow, I really don’t want to go in.
Why did Lee Chan even go on a program like this? I wanted to drag out the past Yoo Sanho and slap him around. I was beyond pathetic – I hated him to death. Of course, if I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have appeared even if they beat me to death.
Then the phone I had put in my pocket buzzed. Without much thought, I took it out to check the screen and my eyes widened in surprise.
It was Jin Woohyeon.
The moment I read those three characters, I answered the phone. Without even time to think, I put the phone to my ear.
My heart was pounding loudly. It was noisy but didn’t hurt, and I wasn’t scared or worried either. It was just loud and dramatic.
– Hyung’s voice is really expensive. How do you exchange contacts and not make a single call?
The grumbling voice was refreshing and affectionate. As if it was a joke, it was full of laughter as if to say not to worry because he wasn’t really hurt.
– Weren’t you busy? You answered the phone right away. How’s your body?
A nonchalant voice. That pleasant sound made my heart flutter for no reason. My feelings wavered between sorrow and joy.
When I didn’t answer right away, Jin Woohyeon spoke again.
– Sanho hyung?
“……Yeah. I’m listening.”
– Something happened.
“No……”
– As if.
He answered gently.
– You know what? Hyung really can’t lie.
The question asking what’s wrong was certainly affectionate and sweet, but I couldn’t give any answer. It was hard to distinguish where to start and where to end, and it wasn’t really something worth confessing in detail.
As a gloomy silence continued, Jin Woohyeon deduced a plausible reason on his own.
– Your ex-boyfriend upset you?
“……”
– I’m worried because the process of letting go of lingering feelings seems too painful…….
“It can’t be helped.”
My love was love and friendship at the same time, and because it was friendship, it was inertia. So it couldn’t be helped that it would take a long time to stop.
If I could have just cut it off cleanly by deciding to stop, I wouldn’t have clung so pathetically in the first place. I would have said “live well on your own” and brushed it off and gone my way.
Will you also find such a me frustrating? I was thinking that when.
– It can’t be helped.
Jin Woohyeon said that.
– I’m telling you in advance in case you worry unnecessarily, hyung. Even so, your best offer won’t be reduced. You know that, right?
“……”
– You probably don’t know at all, but take this opportunity to learn. No matter what others do or how they do it, your value won’t be diminished.
So don’t cry. Those words gently penetrated my ears.
“I’m not crying.”
– You did cry though. Your voice is all hoarse.
“……”
– You keep crying so I want to see that bastard’s face more. I don’t usually dislike people I’ve never met…….
While I was pondering how to answer, a sudden question came.
– Should we meet tomorrow?
At those words, I reflexively answered then came to my senses belatedly.
“Yeah…… No.”
– Are you saying let’s meet or let’s not?
“I want to meet, but I can’t.”
– Even if we meet in the afternoon and part before dinner?
“Yeah.”
I wanted to go out right away if I could.
But I couldn’t. Tonight we were supposed to make nominations for the second date and do a light individual interview. I heard there was some event, and Alpha group participants were even doing additional interviews separately.
‘And the matched people were scheduled to go on dates tomorrow.’
I don’t know whether I’ll be matched or not. But you never know with people, and since we’re filming a retreat, I even signed a contract to prioritize the ‘Can Love Be Transferred Too?’ schedule.
– Where are you going?
I answered carelessly.
“A date?”
– A date?
Only after saying it did I realize the nuance was very strange. It would be different if it were people living together, but the other person was Jin Woohyeon who didn’t know the identity of the program I was filming.
– You’re going on a date with someone other than me, hyung?
“Ah, that’s……”
What should I say? That it’s a misunderstanding? But it is a date, isn’t it? Should I say it’s like a broadcast concept? But is it okay to say that? The writer asked me not to talk about the program itself as much as possible since this is the first season.
As I hesitated, Jin Woohyeon’s voice became even lower.
– Who are you doing it with?
“I don’t know either……”
– Why don’t you know that? How can you not know?
“There’s such a thing.”
– I thought this before too, but you really live strangely. Aren’t you living with your ex-boyfriend, going on dates but not knowing with whom…….
Suddenly Jin Woohyeon stopped talking abruptly. Thinking he might be angry, my heart started burning up anxiously.
Was he disappointed? Did he feel betrayed? Does he think he was nice to me for nothing after all…….
I was about to open my mouth to say something when.
– Hyung. You said you’re currently living with your ex-boyfriend.
“Yeah.”
– Just the two of you?
“Are you crazy?”
I jumped up.
“Absolutely not. We’re just living with several people…… There are circumstances.”
– Aha?
Then silence flowed again. My heart was fluttering. I eventually grabbed the phone with both hands and asked anxiously.
“Why are you doing that…… What are you thinking?”
– …….
“Woohyeon……”
– No, just.
Fortunately, his voice didn’t carry negative emotions like betrayal, anger, irritation, or suspicion.
Very strangely and unexpectedly, I had such a thought. Could Jin Woohyeon possibly be finding this situation interesting? I don’t know why such a question suddenly occurred to me, but his tone just felt that way.
– I was thinking the world is smaller than I thought.
“It’s small. That’s probably why you and I ran into each other three times by chance……”
– Exactly. That’s why I even thought maybe we’re not just amazing coincidence but fate.
Jin Woohyeon added in a small voice.
– But I just thought that might not be pure coincidence.
It was completely incomprehensible. I frowned slightly.
“Anyway, let’s reschedule for another time. Tomorrow won’t work.”
– Okay. Should we meet around next week?
Next week, I wonder if I could spare about a day when there’s no filming.
“I’ll make time. Sorry.”
– Nothing to apologize for, but will you make me one promise?
Just like Jin Woohyeon had done, I wanted to answer “yes” without any context…… but unfortunately, I wasn’t as blind or overconfident as him.
I asked somewhat timidly.
“What promise?”
– Not crying because of your ex-boyfriend until next week.
“……”
– No matter how much that bastard, no, that asshole acts up next to you, upsets you, or does irritating things, promise you won’t let it get to you.
For the usual me, it would have been a very difficult request. But maybe because I had such a stormy day, somehow his words didn’t seem that difficult.
I think I can do it. I’ve already cried as much as I could cry. I’ve hit rock bottom and seen the other person’s bottom too.
“Should I?”
My breakup would start with not crying because of Lee Chan.
“Let’s do that. I’ll do that.”
– Good.
“I hate being good though……”
– Then you just need to be good to me.
He replied in a gentle tone.
– If anything happens, tell me, hyung. I’ll scold them for you.
Hearing those words, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“Thanks for the sentiment at least.”
– I think I could really scold them, not just in words…….
“What are you saying, you’ve never even seen his face.”
– Anyway, see you next week. Oh, hyung. My manager hyung came. I’ll contact you later. Be careful going in. Don’t stay outside too long, and watch your step when walking.
Words poured out like rapid fire, then the call ended somewhat urgently. I stood there dumbfounded holding the phone, then muttered without realizing it.
“Meeting next week isn’t confirmed though……”
Why was he so certain, Jin Woohyeon? It was somehow puzzling.
Anyway, I should stop dawdling and go in, so I was about to enter the dormitory when.
“Sanho.”
Bae Taeseong, who had been pacing in front of the gate as if waiting for someone, spotted me and grabbed my shoulder.
“Why are you doing that outside, hyung? Not going in.”
“You weren’t there. It’s almost dinner time. I have something to say too.”
“Why me? Is there something not prepared for the meal? I did all the prep work, and Eungi hyung and Sehyeong said they’d finish up……”
“No, not that.”
Bae Taeseong reached out his other hand to grab my opposite shoulder and bent his waist slightly. Thanks to that, his and my eye levels matched perfectly, and an overwhelmingly clear gaze poured in.
“Tomorrow.”
“……Hyung?”
Was it just my imagination? The sunset that was tinting the sky reddish seemed to have settled on his ears too.
“Let’s go out tomorrow, with me.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
