Chapter 38
“I don’t have much of a schedule these days anyway. You’re going to sleep now, right? I made an omelet, want to eat before sleeping?”
Hyunsoo glanced at the yellow, warm frittata fresh from the oven and visibly swallowed his saliva. He was the type to refuse two out of three times, but today he seemed quite hungry.
“Sit down and eat first. I can make mine again quickly.”
Turning my back to Hyunsoo, I took eggs from the refrigerator and cracked them into a bowl. Only then did I hear the sound of him pulling out a chair behind me.
“I’ll eat well.”
“I made it casually for myself to eat, so I don’t know how it’ll be. Just think of it as filling your hunger.”
Hyunsoo, who said he was suggested acting work by UB’s president while working as a bartender, was an aspiring actor. Although he was active in minor roles, he hadn’t yet received any proper significant roles.
Although he seemed like the type who wouldn’t be suited to flattering PDs, production companies, and investment company people at drinking parties, unlike me, he made an effort to show his face at various drinking gatherings for networking.
Whether he hadn’t touched any side dishes while drinking until this hour, by the time I sat across from him with my newly made dish, Hyunsoo had already cleaned his pan.
“Want more?”
I asked since he was glancing at my pan, but he firmly shook his head. Normally he would have gotten up first since his business was done, but today he was unusually lingering around after making a cup of coffee, which was strange.
Maybe he’s waiting for me to finish eating. If that’s the case, the kid’s matured. While thinking that and gathering the last spoonful onto my spoon, Hyunsoo brought up what he really wanted to talk about.
“Hyung, did you hear? The ‘Layered’ kids are moving out of here.”
Strong displeasure was evident in Hyunsoo’s voice, already hoarse from fatigue. Since it was unexpected news I hadn’t thought of, I even put down my spoon.
“……The company said so?”
“Does the company report such things one by one to nobodies like me? That bastard Kim Youngju suddenly contacted me earlier. Saying he got over ten million won deposited on this settlement day… I wondered why a bastard who doesn’t even acknowledge people inside the accommodation suddenly contacted me.”
Hyunsoo clicked his tongue and spat out a short curse.
While he seemed to exchange greetings and chat okay with the friendly Hongseo, Hyunsoo was particularly hostile toward the other ‘Layered’ members. Maybe because he was the eldest hyung in the accommodation, they didn’t treat him carelessly, but he wasn’t particularly close with me either. Even though we’d lived together sharing the same room for a year and a half, I’d never heard about his family or private life. Well, that was the same for me too.
“He said their accommodation was also decided to be moved to UN Village… When they return on Saturday, they won’t even stop by here and will go straight to their new house. The company will take care of everything for them, he said. UN Village my ass… Bastards riding on Hongseo’s popularity… pearls before swine.”
He wasn’t originally a gentle guy, but today his mood seemed particularly foul, and this must have been why.
Hyunsoo, who drank his coffee like soju in one gulp, pointed outside the window with his chin and said.
“Those disgusting sasaengs will all follow them there too, so it worked out well. Even now there are two or three lurking around the front gate. Why do they do that when they obviously know they left the country?”
Hyunsoo, who was cursing the fans outside while roughly running his hands through his dry, frizzy hair, noticed my silence and brought his mug to his lips while smiling somewhat mischievously. When he smiled slyly, his right canine tooth showed, making his expression cuter than usual.
“Were you shocked that Choi Hongseo didn’t tell you in advance?”
“Shocked, what? I obviously know how frantically busy she is.”
The ‘Layered’ members had left the country yesterday. If the move had been decided in advance, the loose-lipped Kim Youngju wouldn’t have waited until today to brag to Hyunsoo. It seemed like something that was decided quite suddenly. Even if it wasn’t, I wasn’t so unable to understand Hongseo’s situation that I’d feel hurt over such matters. I was just a little surprised.
“It’s only a matter of time before hyung moves out of here too if you land this role. It’s Director Hwang Sooyoung’s drama, right? If you just get cast, won’t you be a Hallyu star?”
Both Jaewoo and Hyunsoo knew enough to understand that this industry wasn’t so easy, yet they spoke so optimistically that it made me laugh.
“The audition atmosphere wasn’t that good. The deadline they said they’d contact me is about a week away, but I’m trying not to expect anything.”
“Hyung… you’re the type who doesn’t do networking, right?”
Uncharacteristically hesitant, Hyunsoo glanced at me as he asked. But his caution only lasted that moment.
“Hyung, you’re close with Yoon Juho. Just close your eyes and ask him to push the director a bit. You don’t like asking for that much of a favor?”
That audition itself was an opportunity Yoon Juho had created for me. Even being ‘placed’ wasn’t unusual, and getting an audition opportunity was so common in the entertainment industry that it wouldn’t be scandalous. But spreading any kind of story to this person and that person wouldn’t be good. I smiled ambiguously and withheld my answer.
“If I were hyung, I wouldn’t let go of that position no matter what. Hyung is too soft. How will you ever escape this den like that?”
Hyunsoo looked around the narrow living room with a fed-up gaze and sighed deeply while drinking his coffee. For Hyunsoo, he was quite talkative today. He spun his mug around and looked down at the coffee that would be swirling inside.
“But what type does a big shot like Yoon Juho like? He probably wouldn’t budge for just any size, right?”
It was the kind of tone that reminded me of a fan dreaming of dating Yoon Juho. Like someone burning with desire to catch Yoon Juho’s attention but not knowing how…
“Well, we don’t really talk about such things with each other…”
I’d never asked exactly, but contextually “size” seemed to refer to appearance. It was slang that Hongseo also occasionally used, so it wasn’t difficult to guess the meaning.
“Then what do you and Yoon Juho talk about when you go out drinking? Don’t tell me… acting?”
Before I could answer anything, Hyunsoo shook his shoulders and snorted as if it was ridiculous.
“If there’s a chance, take me along when you go drinking with Yoon Juho. I’m curious about how such top stars play.”
Perhaps it wasn’t a story he had high expectations for, as after finishing his words, he chuckled to himself and stood up.
“Since hyung made it, I’ll do the dishes when I wake up later. Just leave it.”
In the end, my last spoonful remained in the pan.
After Hyunsoo put the pan and mug in the sink and shuffled into the bathroom, I found cigarettes and a lighter from the shelf by the bedside and went out to the entrance. The ‘Layered’ fans who had been outside the front gate looked up at the stairs and whispered among themselves. I heard the sound effect of them filming me, not ‘Layered,’ with their phone cameras.
With their laughter behind me, I climbed the narrow, steep stairs and visited the rooftop for the first time in a while. Smoking was basically prohibited inside the accommodation. The landlord grandfather had even provided a bench and ashtray, telling us to smoke here. Sitting on the old wooden bench placed inside the rooftop, I could see the cute little garden that the landlord couple grew in flower pots.
Even though it was past 4 o’clock, the sun was still hot. I lit a cigarette and took a shallow puff, then exhaled the smoke long. The smoke that had stretched straight into the windless air scattered at the edge of my vision like winter breath.
When I unlocked my phone, the screen looked dim because of the sunlight. After adjusting the brightness, I noticed a notification that 1 message had arrived from ‘Team Leader Lee Han.’
Put on hold for now. Other contact was priority right now.
‘Layered’ had left the country yesterday, and since I had no schedule today either, Jaewoo was practically free today too. Even so, I could only hear his voice after quite a long ring tone.
[Yes, hyung.]
[Jaewoo, what’s this about Hongseo and them moving out?]
Jaewoo, who had responded energetically as usual, paused for a moment in silence before lowering his voice and asking.
[Hyung, that… where did you hear about it?]
[I heard it from Hyunsoo.]
[Ah… I thought. That’s… it was suddenly decided like that. Hongseo’s appearance in Director Kang’s movie is completely confirmed. The president generously took care of things, saying Hongseo would be too exhausted if she had to go into movie filming too. I’m actually looking at houses with the manager right now. Wow, hyung, the houses in this neighborhood are incredibly nice. Everything’s fully furnished, so you can just move in with your body. When will I ever live in a place like this?]
While half-listening to Jaewoo’s complaints as he drifted from the topic, I took another puff of the cigarette in my left hand.
[They’re not moving accommodations by going into debt… are they?]
[Hey, what debt? If Hongseo gets to play the lead in what will be Director Kang Woohyeon’s masterpiece, she’ll be on a completely smooth road now! It’s only a matter of time before she becomes an undeniable A-lister both as an idol and actress! She should live in at least this level of house to maintain face.]
Jaewoo was quite excited. Whether someone was talking to Jaewoo, I could hear the distant sound of him covering the mouthpiece with his hand and having a conversation.
Hongseo wasn’t the type to move accommodations while taking on debt she couldn’t handle. Yet one side of my heart kept feeling gritty like chewing dirt and sand. It was probably because it was such a sudden decision…
[Oh right, hyung, since we’re talking about it. When the ‘Layered’ kids return on Saturday, they’ll have a housewarming party, so keep that in mind. Since they’re getting a new house, they’re so excited that even though their schedule is packed, their mouths are stretching to their ears.]
[Saturday?]
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
