#56
Even though the game had started a while ago, Imun showed no particular movement. “Just move around.” Thinking he might be struggling with the controls, Hajun urged him a few times before hurriedly approaching him.
Imun’s legs were trembling very slightly. After turning away from the camera, Hajun immediately removed the device and was met with a face that had turned deathly pale. Without time for rational judgment, he hugged Imun tightly.
“What’s wrong, are you not feeling well?”
“No… no. Just, hyung… ah…”
Imun turned off the microphone attached to his clothes and whimpered in a very small voice. “That member I mentioned before who has acrophobia… it’s actually me.” The way he kept anxiously glancing at the camera suggested he didn’t want the public to know.
Perhaps it was because he’d heard about Imun’s weakness, but a sudden protective instinct boiled up inside Hajun. “I’m sorry, I’ll be careful next time.” He gently ruffled the hair of his delicate and vulnerable friend and stayed by his side until the trembling subsided.
A few minutes later. With a much brighter expression, Imun suggested playing the next game. After watching him carefully for a while, worried he might be pretending to be okay, Hajun reluctantly called over a staff member.
The second game awarded points for killing as many zombies as possible and for having characters die less. Among various play methods, they chose the versus mode where players compete against each other.
“How about the loser grants the winner one wish?”
“Hmm, people who say that usually end up losing.”
“We’ll only know if we try!”
“Haha, alright. You’ll grant me anything?”
“Oh my, you’re already assuming you’ll win!” There was no intention of going easy on him, especially since they’d made a bet. Hajun playfully hit Imun’s chest and seriously prepared himself.
*
The youngest writer stared blankly at the two performers who were deeply immersed in the game. The biggest reason for choosing VR games as content was to capture comical scenes of them wearing goggles and striking awkward poses.
Since the first game had passed too blandly, she hoped for a good scene in the second game. She’d expected Imun, with his extensive broadcast experience, to show good reactions, but what she witnessed was jaw-dropping in a different sense.
The two seemed to have perfectly mastered the controls just from practice games. The sight of them clearing stages at a terrifying speed was astonishing even to her, who was unfamiliar with games.
“Wow, the headshot count is crazy. Looks like they might reach the final stage.” The staff member’s muttering increased her anxiety. It seemed the VR game was going in a completely different direction compared to the original intention.
After watching the hopelessly passing time for a while, the writer finally stopped the game.
“You… you need to move to the next location now!”
“I’m sorry! At this rate, our filming schedule will be delayed.” Hajun looked sympathetically at her as she bowed excessively while asking for understanding.
Following the pre-arranged schedule was natural, yet the writer seemed unnecessarily concerned about their reaction. Receiving an apology from someone around his age made him uncomfortable.
Just as he was about to stop her, saying there was no need to go that far, Imun stepped in front of him.
“It’s okay, we’re sorry. We got too focused.”
He seemed to be thinking the same as Hajun. While fondly stroking Imun’s straight back, Hajun eavesdropped on their conversation. Soon, when Imun turned around after reassuring her, his face was full of mischief.
Hajun could roughly guess what Imun wanted to say. As the youngest writer quickly disappeared, Hajun pouted his lips grumpily.
“I was really trying hard, and you were also… grinding your teeth. Did you want to win that badly?”
“Haha, well… I’m sorry. I just happen to have something to ask of you… I’ll keep the wish for later.”
“Why are you apologizing? If you win, you win.” Feeling rather wronged, Hajun lightly kicked the tip of Imun’s foot, causing him to moan softly and bend over.
It was super gentle, though?! As Hajun bent down in panic, turning pale, Imun raised his head and smiled mischievously.
“Did you just kick me because you lost? That’s mean.”
“D-don’t joke about that!”
How many times had he made his heart jump today? Imun was truly consistent in his dedication to teasing him, regardless of the broadcast filming. Laughing at Imun’s shamelessness, Hajun repeatedly smacked his annoying back.
*
The next filming location was filled with sticker photo machines. “You’ve probably heard of ‘Life Four Frames’?” The writer added that it was a photo that captures you as you are, without artificial manipulation.
“Have you done this before?”
“No. Have you, hyung?”
After exchanging glances with Imun and smiling awkwardly, Hajun scanned the numerous examples on the wall. There shouldn’t be anything he couldn’t do when faced with it. With a mindset of at least giving it a try, he bravely entered the machine.
The cameras were already set up inside the narrow booth. After roughly figuring out the lens positions, he stopped in front of the control panel.
Should I touch it? He had no idea which part to touch or how to take photos. Deeply empathizing with grandmothers who struggle with smartphones, he sent a plea for help to Imun.
“Do you know how to set this up?”
“…I don’t really know either.”
Thinking he might need to call the production staff, he was about to move but came back. Let’s just try something! As he pressed various buttons following the machine’s instructions, a countdown suddenly began without time to prepare.
“I think I touched something wrong!”
Imun also looked clearly flustered. While silently panicking in front of the machine, a hollow clicking sound echoed. Within a few seconds, when the photo appeared on the screen, both of them burst into laughter as if on cue.
With wide eyes and flailing limbs, they both looked like they had seen a ghost. “Seo Imun, look at your face!” “Your face is funnier, hyung!” While they were busy mocking each other, the numbers started counting down again. Grabbing Imun’s arm, Hajun stamped his feet.
“What… what… what pose should we do?!”
He tried to think quickly, but no good ideas came to mind. While they were hesitating without reaching any conclusion, another shot was taken.
“We’re in trouble.” “It’s fine, who cares.” Seeing their awkward poses in the photo, he only felt emptiness. At this rate, it would be a complete waste. With the machine’s sounds continuously flowing, he desperately shouted.
“That, that one! Do the ending pose from your latest title track!”
“You know, where you half-cover your face with your hand and shoot eye beams!” Despite explaining like a machine gun and even demonstrating the pose, Imun didn’t follow along but just bent over laughing.
“Was that my pose?” “Ah, qui-quickly!” While urging him, the merciless shutter sound penetrated his ear. “Aaargh! No!” As a bonus, his pitiful cry filled the booth.
The screen was adorned with himself awkwardly attempting the pose and Imun laughing his head off. They had only one chance left. Hajun touched his forehead with a serious expression.
“…We only have one shot left.”
“Let’s just stand side by side normally.”
“Yeah, let’s do that. Come here quickly.”
After putting his arm on Imun’s shoulder, Hajun reflexively turned his head. Wait, this isn’t the right height. While trying to figure out the inexplicable awkwardness, he faced a reality he didn’t want to know.
Imun had slightly bent his knees. Hajun didn’t want to ask why. Resenting Imun’s cruel kindness, he unnecessarily bit his lip.
“You don’t have to… bend your knees!”
“Haha, can I put my arm on your shoulder too?”
“Do whatever, quickly, as you wish!”
As if he’d been waiting, Imun wrapped his arm around Hajun’s shoulder. There wasn’t even time to be conscious of their bodies naturally pressing together. Following the machine’s countdown, Hajun made a V-sign with one hand.
“Five, four, three, two, one!”
Imun, who had been staring intently at Hajun, suddenly smiled brightly with his eyes. Hyung, you have dimples. The faint marks, noticeable only up close, seemed to resemble their shy owner perfectly.
Perhaps it was a secret only he knew. Hoping the camera wouldn’t capture his cheek dimples, Hajun randomly pressed Imun’s cheeks.
“Why didn’t you look at the camera?”
“What does it matter? As long as you look good.”
“Hmm, no. You look good too.”
After checking the photo, Hajun sighed and vigorously patted Imun’s back. Although it was directed at him, Imun was wearing a perfect smile without a single flaw. Really, his face is top-notch. He sensed that another legendary meme had been born.
Ignoring the machine’s question about taking one more photo, they moved on to the filter settings. Even if they weren’t perfect, none of the four shots were something he wanted to discard. The photos, printed faster than expected, were examined with their foreheads pressed together.
“I really like this.”
“Me too. I didn’t know taking photos could be so fun.”
The first photo they took together. The more he looked at it, the more he liked the result. The thought that another precious memory had been built with Imun made his heart swell with joy.
“This is now my treasure number one!” “Did you have a different treasure before?” “Yes, the scarf you gave me.” As Hajun made this sentimental response without even realizing it, Imun glanced at him and quietly blushed.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
