Chapter 64
Cha Yoon flinched at Ki Seo-jung’s voice. A voice without any discernible inflection. He instinctively knew that Ki Seo-jung was angry, even though he had never seen him angry before.
As soon as he realized this, Cha Yoon felt his body tense up and his heart start to race. These were typical symptoms of anxiety. He couldn’t understand why he was reacting this way.
Even as a child, he had never been one to be mindful of his parents’ feelings. So why was he now being cautious just because Ki Seo-jung was angry? Cha Yoon tried to shake off the creeping anxiety and attempted to straighten his shoulders.
While Cha Yoon was trying to gather himself, Ki Seo-jung quickly moved on as if that was all he had to say. By the time Cha Yoon had steeled himself and come to his senses, Ki Seo-jung was already far from the living room. In that short moment, the distance between the two had widened considerably. Ki Seo-jung seemed to realize this too, as he stopped and turned to look at Cha Yoon.
“Didn’t you understand? I said follow me.”
Ki Seo-jung, misunderstanding Cha Yoon’s stillness, reprimanded him coldly in an even lower voice.
You think I’ll be intimidated if you lower your voice like that? It’s not even funny. Cha Yoon clenched his fists at Ki Seo-jung’s icy glare and said,
“I was about to come anyway…”
Come on, who said I wasn’t going? Cha Yoon grumbled quietly but hurried his steps. It was a moment that made his earlier resolve seem meaningless.
Only after confirming that Cha Yoon was moving did Seo-jung start walking forward. Contrary to Cha Yoon’s expectation that they might just go up to the terrace, Ki Seo-jung walked out the front door.
The two crossed the garden. With each step, there was a rustling sound of grass being brushed. Where on earth are we going…? Is Ki Seo-jung that angry? Cha Yoon kept glancing at Ki Seo-jung’s back, constantly trying to gauge his mood.
After walking for a while, Ki Seo-jung suddenly stopped. Cha Yoon, who had been following like a pet in a game, also stopped a couple of steps behind.
They had arrived at a corner of the yard, quite secluded even within the X House. The only lighting was an orange streetlight beyond the wall. It was a place that even the other cast members rarely visited. There, Seo-jung looked around as if searching for something.
What is he looking for? Cha Yoon, who had been quietly observing his actions, let out a small “Ah.” He had caught onto Seo-jung’s intention.
“…Are you looking for cameras to have a conversation?”
That was it. As Cha Yoon said, Seo-jung was now looking for cameras. What kind of conversation did he want to have that required such precautions? Cha Yoon’s anxiety only grew.
“What is it…?”
Thinking his words might not have been heard, Cha Yoon asked again. It was so quiet that even the sound of swallowing was audible, but it was his own form of mental victory. However, once again, there was no answer. He’s deliberately ignoring me. He accepted the reality.
After giving up on trying to speak and waiting for a while, Seo-jung seemed to finish looking for cameras and returned his gaze to its original position. As Seo-jung’s eyes, which had been focused elsewhere, finally met his, Cha Yoon cleared his throat.
“Why did you call me out?”
His voice trembled uncharacteristically at the end.
“Cha Yoon.”
“…What?”
“How old are you, Cha Yoon?”
Cha Yoon’s eyebrows raised slightly before settling back down. If he were acting true to his nature, he would have responded with a sarcastic comment asking if Seo-jung really didn’t know, but he knew this wasn’t the time for that. He answered as docilely as possible.
“…Twenty-nine.”
“So you do know that you’re twenty-nine years old.”
“……”
“I thought you considered yourself to be nine years old.”
“……”
“No, saying that might be insulting to nine-year-olds. Kids these days are so much more socially aware.”
“W-what are you saying?”
It was true that Cha Yoon had momentarily shrunk back at the sight of Ki Seo-jung, who seemed thoroughly angry. However, he couldn’t help but feel indignant at such blatant sarcasm. What did I do so wrong for him to speak to me like this? Cha Yoon’s plump lips pushed out, becoming even fuller.
“Why are you talking like that? What did I do?”
Normally, if Ki Seo-jung had seen Cha Yoon make such a sullen expression, he would have shut his mouth at this point. Then, as if on cue, Cha Yoon would have shot sharp words at Ki Seo-jung, reversing their positions. At least, that’s how Cha Yoon understood their relationship.
“Don’t you realize how uncomfortable you make people around you when you speak like that?”
But the current Ki Seo-jung was different. He seemed thoroughly angry, yet also as if he had made a big decision and was actually quite calm. It was a side of him Cha Yoon had never seen before. No, probably no one else had seen Ki Seo-jung this angry before. Because Ki Seo-jung was frustratingly kind.
And now, this Ki Seo-jung was angry at Cha Yoon. Only at Cha Yoon. When this thought occurred to him, somehow this situation didn’t feel all that bad.
Seo-jung immediately noticed Cha Yoon’s expression, which seemed to be lost in thought, and let out an exasperated sigh.
“I’m talking to you right now. What are you thinking about? You didn’t drink so much that you can’t grasp the situation, did you?”
“……”
“Please, focus and listen to what I’m saying.”
“…I was listening.”
Cha Yoon’s focus sharpened again at the more forceful tone. Thinking a response was expected, he nodded and verbalized his answer. Although Seo-jung still looked displeased with his response, Cha Yoon didn’t mind. Something more important had caught his attention.
Ki Seo-jung had used informal speech. Ki Seo-jung, who used formal speech with everyone in the X House, was using informal speech only with him. Of course, this wasn’t the first time it had happened. But back then, wasn’t he out of his mind from some strong drug? This was the first time Ki Seo-jung had used informal speech while in his right mind. Even now, he seemed intoxicated with anger as potent as any drug… but still.
Today, Ki Seo-jung was showing a different side of himself that he didn’t show to others, not even to his ex-girlfriend Shin Da-bin. And he was showing it only to Cha Yoon. Realizing this fact made Cha Yoon feel a strange tickle in his solar plexus.
Absentmindedly rubbing his solar plexus, Cha Yoon’s eyes met Ki Seo-jung’s. Intimidated by Ki Seo-jung’s menacing aura, Cha Yoon’s gaze unconsciously dropped to the ground.
“Do you know how many cameras are in this house? Everything you do is going to be broadcast. These days, once something is broadcast, it can’t be erased. Are you aware of that when you act?”
What does it matter if it’s broadcast? Cha Yoon was curious about Ki Seo-jung’s intentions in asking this, but he had enough sense to know that asking such a question now might change Ki Seo-jung’s expression in unpredictable ways.
Let’s just stay quiet. After quickly thinking it through, Cha Yoon just nodded slightly with his lips sealed.
“Knowing that, you still behave like that? Just now too. If you made a mess of the house because of you, isn’t it common sense to think about cleaning up first? Didn’t you see how shocked everyone was?”
“No, that wasn’t intentional…”
If nothing else, Cha Yoon felt wronged about this. He never intended to overturn the table in the first place. It was just that the space between him and the table was too cramped. So it was the fault of those people who set up a drinking party in such a cramped living room, or more precisely, the production team who chose such a cramped living room as their accommodation. It wasn’t his fault.
Cha Yoon grumbled, not realizing how carelessly he had acted.
However, Ki Seo-jung had dealt with Cha Yoon for years. Knowing all too well how Cha Yoon’s thought process worked, he immediately pointed out this aspect.
“If you did it intentionally, you’d be crazy. Your intentions don’t matter. What matters is that you caused trouble for others. When you cause trouble, isn’t the order to apologize and resolve the situation?”
“……”
“Don’t just stare blankly, answer me. You’re not failing to understand what I’m saying, are you?”
Had anyone ever tried to teach him like this, getting angry at him? As far as Cha Yoon could remember, no one had.
To begin with, Cha Yoon wasn’t the type to quietly listen when others criticized him. So normally, he would have scrunched up his face and argued back at Ki Seo-jung at least ten times by now. That’s clearly what should have happened, but… strangely, he didn’t feel angry now. It was as if the part of him that controlled anger had malfunctioned.
Why am I standing here listening to this? Even as Cha Yoon thought this, he nodded obediently for now. Ki Seo-jung, I understand you’re angry because of me. But I wish you’d calm down a little. That’s what his action meant to convey.
“I said answer me.”
Unfortunately, it seemed Cha Yoon’s feelings hadn’t reached Ki Seo-jung.
“Yes.”
A clearly reluctant answer came back. What should I do, I can’t even hit him for this. Ki Seo-jung, who had been looking at Cha Yoon with unfriendly eyes all along, sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair.
Living with others’ hatred is such a tiring thing. It would be fortunate if he only received hatred from the people in the X House. Cha Yoon clearly didn’t understand how exhausting it was to have every action scrutinized by countless strangers.
“If you act like that, everyone will dislike you, Cha Yoon.”
It was already too late to take back appearing in front of broadcast cameras. So please, show some self-restraint. That’s what Ki Seo-jung wanted to say.
“……”
But Cha Yoon’s body stiffened. His body and thoughts froze, but his heart inside began to beat faster and faster.
Cha Yoon, who had never experienced hatred in his life, wasn’t the type to care about others in the first place, so whether others liked him or not wasn’t important to him. But…
Ki Seo-jung dislikes Cha Yoon.
The moment he made this assumption, it felt as if something large and heavy had hit Cha Yoon’s head. Even moving his eyeballs wasn’t easy. Why does my chest feel heavy when nothing’s weighing it down? Cha Yoon was instantly engulfed by the confusion that overcame him.
“Anyway, clean up the living room thoroughly before you go to bed.”
“…Yes.”
Seo-jung, who had been silently staring at Cha Yoon, swallowed a sigh that was about to escape. Did I go too far? He seems dispirited… For a moment, such thoughts crossed his mind, but Ki Seo-jung forcibly tore his gaze away from Cha Yoon. Cha Yoon wasn’t the type to be cowed by just a few words. It seemed he had more or less understood what was said, so there was nothing more for him to do.
The dawn breeze, heavy with dew, lightly brushed through their hair as it passed. Seo-jung left Cha Yoon there and went back into the house first.
