AES Ch1.8

“…I’ll do my best.”

Heetae’s hand stroked up the white body to Ryu Sihyeon’s chest. When he touched his nipple, another moan escaped.

“Uh… ah.”

Each time he touched the nipple, the inside tightened even more. Heetae’s right hand wrapped around the back of Ryu Sihyeon’s head. He ran his fingers through his hair and then pulled his head down. Ryu Sihyeon’s face was right in front of him.

His cheeks were flushed pink, his eyes were even redder, and his irises were a beautiful brown.

Heetae chuckled and then kissed him. Ryu Sihyeon’s upper lip wasn’t as passionate as his lower one. Heetae smiled at the awkward way he received the kiss. He sucked on Ryu Sihyeon’s tongue, exploring every corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue, even the tender flesh inside. Ryu Sihyeon seemed to give up on moving his hips, hugging Heetae’s neck and passively receiving the kiss.

This won’t do. Thinking so, Heetae felt along Ryu Sihyeon’s thigh. His body was heating up, and he couldn’t stay still any longer. He kissed Ryu Sihyeon’s lips and then thrust upwards into him. The impact made Ryu Sihyeon’s lips part, and he let out a panting sound.

“Ah, ah. Senior.”

Ryu Sihyeon hugged Heetae’s neck. Heetae stroked his back as he clung to him. The pressure from the tightening walls inside, the thrill of arousing someone who looked so innocent – all of it combined for a satisfying sex.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, ah.”

Ryu Sihyeon’s response was mixed with a moan. He answered while panting.

“Really, hah, really good.”

Heetae felt Ryu Sihyeon’s hands roaming over his shoulders and back. The sensation was ticklish and pleasurable. He continued to thrust while holding him close. Each time he thrust, Ryu Sihyeon gripped Heetae tighter, trembling. It was incredibly cute.

Heetae laid Ryu Sihyeon back down and started thrusting properly. Touching his nipples while thrusting made Ryu Sihyeon move his hips in response. Seeing this, Heetae thrust even faster. He stroked Ryu Sihyeon’s now firm nipples with his hand and kissed his shoulder repeatedly. The sound of their kisses, the sounds of their bodies moving together, and Heetae’s own breathing filled the room. But the biggest turn-on was Ryu Sihyeon’s moans.

“Ah, ah, huh…”

Ryu Sihyeon moaned and then climaxed. His member continued to spurt semen. Listening to his almost crying sounds, Heetae kept thrusting into him. The sight of him coming while still being tight from behind was highly stimulating.

Heetae used two more condoms while Ryu Sihyeon climaxed twice more. By now, the robe Ryu Sihyeon had barely kept on was scattered in the corner of the bed. After sex, his stomach and chest were soaked with semen. Since Heetae had used a condom, all of it was Ryu Sihyeon’s own. Seeing him covered in his own semen was quite erotic. All that was the result of a day’s worth of sex. Oh, how cute.

“You came a lot.”

Heetae admired Ryu Sihyeon’s increasingly red face and asked playfully.

“Is it always like this?”

“I don’t know.”

He seemed to be acting ignorant, but it didn’t seem like his first or second time with a man. It wasn’t important though. Heetae stroked the semen-covered white chest and then played with Ryu Sihyeon’s nipples, which had become sensitive from all the attention. Even the slightest touch elicited a response. The sound of his moan made Heetae feel a throbbing below.

Now he wanted to do it from behind, but how should he go about it? He was too lazy for more foreplay, and doggy style seemed best for just thrusting mindlessly. But looking at Ryu Sihyeon, who was dazedly buried in the white sheets, he felt a slight conflict. Normally, it would be polite to stop here when the partner is like that. The thought of doing it next time briefly crossed his mind.

…Next time? That was an absurd thought. There would be no next time. This should end here. One-night stands weren’t his style, and he didn’t have a hobby of sleeping around with guys.

Heetae grabbed another condom from the nightstand and tore it open with his teeth.

“We’ll do it one more time.”

Heetae kissed Ryu Sihyeon’s cheek and asked:

“Is that okay?”

“Yes…”

His answer trailed off, perhaps lacking strength. But there was no help for it. He couldn’t cater to every single thing. After all, he wasn’t a woman; a guy should have this much endurance. Heetae slipped his hand between Ryu Sihyeon’s back and the sheet, lifting him slightly. When he turned him around, Ryu Sihyeon obediently got on all fours. What a good boy.

Heetae grabbed Ryu Sihyeon’s hips and thrust in. The soft walls inside tightened appropriately around his member. Arousing Ryu Sihyeon was easy. All he had to do was slowly hit the spots that made him feel good and then stimulate them faster. Every time Heetae’s member moved in and out, Ryu Sihyeon was busy moaning.

“Ah, ah, huh.”

Heetae touched Ryu Sihyeon’s half-erect member. He heard a sharp intake of breath. When he touched the tip, it quickly became fully erect. Stroking his member while thrusting from behind made Ryu Sihyeon seem lost in pleasure. He buried his face in the sheets and grunted.

“Ah, uh.”

Small moans escaped him. Ryu Sihyeon’s whimpers mixed with the wet sounds of lube and semen, and the sounds of flesh against flesh. The sight of his member moving in and out between Ryu Sihyeon’s white buttocks was visually pleasing. At the same time, Ryu Sihyeon’s member, leaking pre-cum, brought even greater pleasure. It was nice to see him obediently receiving what was given, feeling it with his whole body.

As Heetae got more heated, he thrust harder. As his member moved faster, Ryu Sihyeon’s moans turned into near-screams. Heetae thrust deep one more time, and Ryu Sihyeon moaned, “Ahh,” and climaxed. Warm liquid flowed over Heetae’s hand. Heetae used it instead of lube, continuing to thrust. Now, Ryu Sihyeon didn’t even have the strength to moan, just breathing heavily. Yet, his hole still faithfully gripped Heetae’s member, making it impossible to stop. The walls felt like they were getting even hotter with each thrust, the sensation and heat quite addictive. The room was filled only with their breathing and the wet sounds from below.

Afterward, Ryu Sihyeon collapsed onto the bed. He looked at Heetae with unfocused eyes before closing them, mumbling sleepily:

“Senior, can I sleep?”

“If you’re sleepy, go ahead and sleep.”

Heetae smiled as he brushed Ryu Sihyeon’s hair back. Ryu Sihyeon closed his eyes and quietly fell asleep.

He told him to sleep if he was sleepy. After having his way with him all night, now pretending to be a good person felt somewhat ridiculous, but it wasn’t a problem. He hadn’t lost anything; he had only gained.

He looked down at the curved bridge of his nose and the lips that breathed out. Earlier, he seemed like an incarnation of lust, but now he resembled a small herbivore. He was quite an enigmatic person. But it didn’t matter what kind of person Ryu Sihyeon was. Now Heetae understood how to handle him. It wasn’t difficult; it was easy. No, there hadn’t been anyone this easy before.

🌸🍓🌸

The adjective ‘regular’ does not suit actors working on a project. With varying shooting schedules, their wake-up and sleep times are all over the place. Therefore, during filming, Heetae didn’t sleep long. Sleeping too much could become bothersome. It was a kind of routine for him.

As usual, Heetae woke up quite early even on that morning without filming. It would have been an ordinary morning, but there were a few differences. First, he was not at home but in a villa, and most importantly, he had been sleeping while holding someone who was lying beside him.

Heetae gently removed his arm from around Ryu Sihyeon and sat up slowly. Leaning against the headboard, he looked down at the stranger sleeping next to him. He thought he had put a robe on him before they slept… Perhaps because the robe was too big, or because he had tossed and turned in his sleep, his neat shoulders were exposed. His gaze went to those shoulders first. And then what caught his eye was a straight scar nearby. He hadn’t noticed it yesterday, but now it was visible.

Why does he have this? Heetae touched the raised scar without thinking. The bumpy texture felt out of place on the smooth skin. He was touching the incongruous scar with his fingertips when he suddenly withdrew his hand. It wasn’t because he was afraid of waking him. Looking at his tightly closed eyes, Heetae realized what he had done.

How old is he again?

Heetae usually met women around his age. That was more conventional and comfortable. If they were older, they often wanted to get married, which was annoying. If they were too young, it felt awkward, and they had too many expectations. The most recent woman he met, a year younger, they would date, have sex in a suite, and then return to their respective homes. That level of no-strings-attached convenience gave him high satisfaction. But to have sex in a private space with a guy five years younger – this was very un-Seo Heetae-like.

Heetae got out of the bedroom first. He showered and prepared breakfast as if nothing had happened, all while thinking.

So, this wasn’t a significant event. It was just a passing interest. He found it fun because he couldn’t understand Ryu Sihyeon’s intentions or what kind of person he was. Plus, he was easy to handle. That was all. The sex was satisfying, and that was enough.

He was heading towards the conclusion that it wasn’t a big deal when a small sound broke his train of thought. He faintly heard something drop. He went to check the bedroom, where the sound came from, only to find Ryu Sihyeon sprawled on the floor. He really was like a child. It made Heetae feel a twinge of guilt. In Heetae’s perspective, anyone four years younger was still a kid. Forgetting that momentarily was somewhat amusing.

Reflecting on his actions from the night before, Heetae brought him to the kitchen. He sat Ryu Sihyeon at the bar table and prepared breakfast. Ryu Sihyeon, with a sleepy expression while holding utensils, looked very different from how he was in bed last night.

Their eyes met accidentally, and when Heetae gave him a slight smile, Ryu Sihyeon blushed, lowered his head, and focused back on eating.

…What to do with him.

He didn’t know what Ryu Sihyeon was thinking, but he had no intention of playing along anymore.

Fortunately, the manager, who had enjoyed some alone time in the annex, helped lighten the mood. He came back later than expected, and while eating breakfast, he chatted casually with Ryu Sihyeon. He was amazing at making friends so quickly. As they were enthusiastically discussing games, the manager suddenly spoke to Heetae.

“Hyung, the cousin who used to use the annex really loves games, huh? Wow, I’ve never seen so many classic games.”

“Really? Nothing got broken, right?”

“No. It was used very neatly.”

“Good. The villa is mine, but the stuff is his. If you touched something strange, you could’ve been dead. He’s got a nasty temper.”

“…Hyung, your family isn’t actually part of a gang, right?”

Heetae smirked and said:

“What if they are? Are you thinking of running away?”

“No way! I’ll stay loyal to the end!”

“Good. I hate people who change their attitude like flipping a hand.”

Hearing that, Hyeonghun quickly finished his breakfast and stood up, ready to do his job.

“Hyung, should I get ready for departure?”

He urged Ryu Sihyeon to go to the hospital. Ryu Sihyeon responded with a “Yes?” as if he had completely forgotten about going to the hospital today.

Nevertheless, since he didn’t seem to dislike the hospital itself, Ryu Sihyeon followed along willingly. At the hospital where his friend Minwoong worked as a doctor, Heetae learned two things. One, Ryu Sihyeon’s check-up results showed nothing unusual, and two, there was a metal pin in Ryu Sihyeon’s left hand. He considered asking about it but decided against prying into personal matters since they weren’t that close.

However, Minwoong, being a doctor, casually mentioned, “Did you have surgery? You didn’t get this removed.” Ryu Sihyeon’s expression at that moment was something to behold. He said “Oh, yes,” in a tone and with a face that suggested he had forgotten about it. Heetae found it quite absurd. His aftercare for himself was terrible. At this rate, it was a wonder he was still standing.

Even though he tried not to care, he kept thinking of Ryu Sihyeon as someone who worried others. When did this start, maybe during the variety show? In any case, he had a knack for making people worry. Heetae thought he was full of interesting quirks as he dropped Ryu Sihyeon off at his home in Seocho. He even gave him Minwoong’s card, telling him to go see him if anything came up.

Heetae noticed, as Ryu Sihyeon took the card, that the cut from the knife had completely healed.

🌸🍓🌸

As the second week of December arrived, with the production announcement and the first broadcast of “Thirst,” a hectic routine continued. The ratings were good, so the mood on set was upbeat. Staff and actors shared ratings, articles, and reactions from people around them. Shin Chaeyeon, who had visited the set after a while, also looked very cheerful.

“Episode 1 was definitely melodramatic.”

Shin Chaeyeon said with a satisfied look. The first episode was full of unethical elements like Yumiyeon from KI, who was tempted by her secretary to kill her husband and take the chairman’s seat, the adopted son Jang Icheon who bribed the secretary, and Jang Yijin, the daughter who overlooked it. Of course, there were also characters like Han Seyeong, the righteous prosecutor, to balance good and evil. Heetae hadn’t had time to watch the broadcast yet, but he thought it must have been entertaining. Humans are naturally curious about evil. There was no way people wouldn’t be interested in a villain you can’t see in real life.

That day’s filming was done for the first time with Jin Haeun, who played the role of Hajinyoung. According to what he heard, the girl group Jin Haeun belonged to was extremely popular, with first places on music shows being a given. Heetae had even heard the song that Shin Chaeyeon had forced him to listen to. Thus, Chaeyeon had high expectations for Jin Haeun, thinking she would help with the publicity.

The scene they were shooting was episode 9, scene #55, where Hajinyoung, Jang Icheon’s right-hand man, is interrogated. The villa where Detective Hong was found hanged and the surrounding area were registered under Hajinyoung’s mother’s name, making Hajinyoung a prime suspect in the murder case.

The first take was of Lee Joohwan and Hajinyoung sitting face-to-face for the interrogation. Up to that point, there were no problems. Even up until Jin Haeun got her third NG, it was fine. People can make mistakes up to three times.

But when Jin Haeun made her fourth mistake with her lines, Heetae thought, ‘Is she out of her mind?’ Moreover, he wasn’t pleased with her acting. Her expressions were stiff, and her acting varied subtly with each take. She seemed unsure of what the best performance was, wavering. Before even questioning whether she passed the audition, there was doubt about whether she even auditioned.

“Ha ha… Haeun must be struggling with her comeback preparations, right?”

This was Shin Chaeyeon’s comment while observing the scene next to Director Cha. An interrogation scene naturally has a lot of dialogue. Perhaps the lack of practice due to juggling other commitments was the cause. But that wasn’t an adequate excuse. If you can’t handle it, why act? She should have just stuck to being an idol. Did she want to do something because she was popular, not because of her skills?

He tried not to show his frustration openly because of her image, but he despised this type of person the most. Those who, once they gain some popularity or status, behave in ways that defy common sense. People who forget basic courtesy like humility and act arrogantly. What’s so great about being a celebrity? They were ridiculous.

He looked at Jin Haeun, who was checking her script with an embarrassed expression. Had she always acted like this? He couldn’t understand how everyone had put up with her.

“Do you have a lot of scenes with Sihyeon?”

When Heetae asked Jin Haeun, she took her eyes off the script and laughed awkwardly.

“Yes.”

“Did you do it like this with him too?”

“It was a bit easier with Sihyeon, so it felt more natural. He helped a lot.”

“So you’ll only act with people you’re comfortable with?”

It was frustrating to hold back his exasperation. Heetae stood up and quietly spoke to Director Cha.

“I’m sorry, Director. I can’t do this until she memorizes her lines properly. I need a break.”

No one objected to that. Heetae left the set at the suggestion of the director, and no one stopped him. Only his manager and Chaeyeon followed him. Hyeonghun was watching Heetae’s mood, and it was Shin Chaeyeon who spoke up.

“Hey, do you really need to go this far? We can fix the lines during the one-shot. Full shots hardly make it into the edit anyway.”

“Why are you making a fuss when the director agreed?”

Chaeyeon pulled at her hair in frustration.

“Live a bit more loosely. Why do you have to be so perfect?”

“Aren’t I living quite loosely?”

Shin Chaeyeon didn’t seem to agree, as she didn’t reply. Heetae stopped and turned to look at Chaeyeon.

“And did I swear? Did I hit her? What did I do? I’m being a very good senior here.”

“You don’t have to swear; she’ll be intimidated by you.”

“Do I have to watch out for that every time?”

Shin Chaeyeon laughed as if she was exhausted.

“Wow… I never thought I’d see a straight guy getting angry at Jin Haeun.”

“Stop talking nonsense. She’s not my type, and I wouldn’t give her a pass even if she were. Should I indulge her just because I like her? That’s very unreasonable. If you’re a pro, you should work hard at your job.”

“But, she’s not really slacking off. She’s just nervous because it’s you. You’re such a senior, after all.”

“Shin Chaeyeon.”

Heetae called his friend’s name in a cold voice.

“Don’t defend such an insignificant actor.”

“Hey.”

“I’m not a very good person. I have many flaws.”

He didn’t mention specifics like being hypocritical, dishonest, or cowardly. There was no need for others to know.

“And I can’t tolerate stuff like that. But because it’s me, I’m like this; there are many worse people in this industry.”

Shin Chaeyeon was silent. Honestly, there was nothing she could say. Seo Heetae was speaking the truth. Heetae barely managed to swallow a sigh. When he saw people living like this, it worried him.

“Scriptwriter Shin.”

He called her in a low tone and looked down at her.

“Do you believe she’ll do well in the future after seeing this? I think TBS could cut her pay, and she wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.”

“You, who has no interest in company matters…”

Heetae looked down at Chaeyeon, who was laughing awkwardly, and said calmly:

“…It’s strange. While the work is full of betrayal and scheming, why do you trust people so easily in reality?”

“…”

“I’m saying this out of concern.”

“You’re just being nosy.”

Shin Chaeyeon sighed.

“Seo Heetae. You should really meet a woman. There are still trustworthy aspects in this world.”

Heetae let out a low laugh as if he had heard something funny, his eyes narrowing and the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

“Love makes the world look beautiful, is that it? Even Disney movies don’t say that anymore.”

“Oh, if I were you, I wouldn’t be so twisted.”

“What are you talking about? I was born like this.”

Just then, a staff member who had been approaching hesitantly brightened up seeing Heetae laughing. With reluctance, they asked if they could resume shooting, and Heetae agreed.

Filming restarted after 30 minutes. Jin Haeun, now thoroughly disciplined, delivered her lines without mistakes. However, her acting was still stiff and frozen, making Heetae curious about how much she was being paid. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling to see TBS’s production budget being wasted like this.

After that scene, Jin Haeun came to Heetae’s waiting room, bowed deeply, and said:

“I’m sorry, senior. My CEO told me not to embarrass you.”

“Who’s your CEO?”

“CEO Kim Cheolhan.”

“Oh, Cheolhan hyung.”

He was someone connected to Heetae’s aunt, always insisting Heetae call him ‘hyung’ to seem friendly. He was very kind to Heetae but didn’t necessarily treat his artists the same way.

“I’ll tell hyung that Haeun is working hard. In return, work hard from now on.”

“Yes, yes.”

When he pretended to be kind, the other party seemed to relax and smile. Heetae clicked his tongue internally. He could see it: she was pretty, but lacked talent. She might be good at singing since she was originally a singer, but acting was not her forte. If she wanted to survive long in the industry, she really needed to work hard, like grabbing hold of a fellow actor and asking them to be her teacher. But the lead actor isn’t there to be a teacher, right?

“Are you close with Sihyeon?”

“Yes, we’ve become quite close. Sihyeon helps me a lot. We do script readings together during downtime.”

“Don’t cling to him too much. He must need his own personal time too.”

“Still, Sihyeon is so good at what he does.”

Who doesn’t know that?

He looked at her, who was based on the selfish premise that someone good should help someone who isn’t. It was impressive that she could demand that so confidently. Shin Chaeyeon, having chosen her, might try to hope for the best, but for Ryu Sihyeon to keep acting with her and even teach her, he’s just too kind. Why the rush to protect someone who can only perform their role with help from others? Being too kind can also be a problem.

He looked at this so-called sexy idol, whom men supposedly couldn’t resist. Others might like her, which he could understand, but… could Ryu Sihyeon have slept with her too? Does he go for women as well?

Of course, he didn’t know about Ryu Sihyeon to that extent. It was amusing that such a question even came to mind, considering their relationship was none of his business.

🌸🍓🌸

On the 24th, there were no scheduled shoots. To be precise, there was no filming schedule, but there were plenty of other commitments. Before being an actor, Seo Heetae had obligations as a human being. Seo Heetae’s existence originally signified a truce between the GT Group and the Taejeong Group. That was his raison d’être, and this Christmas Eve was mortgaged to fulfill that purpose.

The story of Seo Heetae’s origin was pretty mundane. It was a typical tale of the youngest daughter and son from two groups, whose business interests overlapped, falling in love despite family opposition, secretly marrying, and then divorcing within seven years of marriage – perfectly normal.

However, since they had a son together, the two groups found it embarrassing to openly compete again. Therefore, they chose to check and cooperate with each other while suppressing other businesses. The relationship between the two families was still bad, and because the marriage ended poorly, Seo Heetae’s existence was kept a secret from the public.

Although he was entangled in this unwanted business relationship, Heetae had never completely escaped it. He had to show some interest in family affairs occasionally. Thus, that day for lunch, he visited his paternal relatives. Since he couldn’t attend the family gathering due to his schedule, he had to meet with the family elders when he had no shooting.

When he arrived at the GT Hotel restaurant in a car sent by his uncle’s secretary, his aunt and father were already seated. The view outside showed the Seoul cityscape with a blue sky. Heetae sat in one of the two empty chairs, and about ten minutes later, when his uncle arrived, the meal started. The first topic of conversation was, naturally, the drama Heetae was starring in.

“I watched it, Heetae. You looked very handsome.”

That was his father. He never opposed anything Heetae did, always feeling guilty about the divorce when Heetae was young. But his aunt, with a sulky tone, said:

“I did watch it, but… isn’t it a bit much to star in a drama that mocks chaebols? It’s not like it’s deceiving viewers.”

This was her complaint not as a chaebol representative but as the head of GBN, which owned several cable channels. If “Thirst” had been a GBN drama from the GT Group, this conversation would never have come up, but “Thirst” was from TBS, a competitor from the Taejeong Group. Such a reaction was expected.

“What does it matter? It’s just a drama.”

When Heetae replied nonchalantly, his uncle clicked his tongue.

“Make your next movie something we distribute.”

Heetae answered with a slight smile:

“If the script appeals to me.”

Heetae’s relatives from both sides wanted to monopolize him, the byproduct of the marriage, to gain an advantage. Heetae lived by balancing these behind-the-scenes rivalries. Being on one side would only make things more complicated.

Choosing projects was the same. He picked them based on the director and the script, not on which group invested or produced them. Good scripts naturally ended up with either Girion from GT or CinemaPick from Taejeong, so he inevitably had to choose from one of the two.

Heetae gave a slight smile when his eyes met his uncle’s while he was eating salad. His uncle clicked his tongue at his nephew, who worked for Taejeong’s benefit rather than his own company, but seeing his nephew’s smiling face, he couldn’t find the words to say.

In fact, the actor Seo Heetae was somewhat started by his uncle. Since he had studied acting and gained fame online, the aim was to turn him into an image-friendly top star and use him to boost the box office for GBN and Girion, the film distribution company. Chairman Yoon from Taejeong strongly opposed it, but since Heetae had no interest in joining any of their affiliates and was content just managing his inheritance, there was no further opposition when he decided to become an actor. In Chairman Yoon’s eyes, a landlord without a job was a bum, and an actor with property was better than a bum with property. Of course, this was possible because he cherished and loved his nephew very much.

The way Heetae repaid this familial love was straightforward: maintaining a gentlemanly and cool public image that the masses adored. With that image, he ensured the success of his projects and appeared in ads for family businesses. Pretending to be perfect was part of his everyday routine, so it wasn’t hard. On the contrary, he wanted to break free from that image at least when acting, but it hadn’t worked out well.

After having lunch, he headed to the next meeting with his maternal relatives. He thought it was ironic to get into a car sent by the Taejeong Group right in front of the GT Hotel, as he got into the car sent by his cousin. The dinner venue was at the private residence of Yoon Heejun, the executive director of TBS.

The culture of the maternal and paternal sides was quite different; the paternal side was centered around the group chairman, Heetae’s uncle, forming a vertical structure, while the maternal side had active interaction among cousins of the same generation, and it was customary for cousins to meet frequently.

Heetae arrived earlier than mealtime and played briefly with his cousin Heejun’s only daughter and dog before heading to the dining room when it was time. In accordance with the strict standards of Yoon Heejun, he left his phone with his cousin’s secretary before entering. Everyone who could attend was already there. The attendees were three male cousins, two female cousins, one brother-in-law, and one sister-in-law. Even though it was just a family gathering, everyone was dressed up nicely.

Once the meal started, Yoon Heejun, the eldest, spoke first.

“None of the unmarried ones brought their partners, so it feels quite desolate.”

“We broke up.”

His cousin Yoon Da-hee answered. At her gesture for alcohol, one of the waiting staff poured her a beer. Heetae found it slightly surprising since these people weren’t usually in the habit of having beer with their meals, especially when the main dish was seafood.

“Why beer all of a sudden?”

To Heetae’s question, Yoon Heeseong, who came with his wife, answered:

“Heedo wanted to drink it.”

Yoon Heedo, who was one year older than Heetae, was the youngest and thus favored by his siblings, but he didn’t act like the typical youngest. While drinking beer, he asked Heetae:

“Come to think of it, shouldn’t Heetae start thinking about marriage soon?”

“You should do it first.”

“I’m too busy for marriage. I can do it anytime. But for you, it’s the perfect excuse to semi-retire after getting married.”

It was utterly ridiculous. Heetae didn’t hide his sneer as he replied:

“You don’t need to plan my retirement for me. I’ll do it around thirty-seven. Okay?”

“Think about it seriously. The second daughter of CEO Sim is about your age, isn’t she?”

…CEO Sim, who he didn’t even know, out of nowhere. In other words, he wanted to use Heetae’s marriage for business purposes. This family had strange personalities. Heetae scoffed and retorted:

“I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry about it.”

“I just don’t want it to be Shin Chaeyeon.”

Yoon Hee-jin suddenly interjected, and everyone except Yoon Heejun and Yoon Da-hee nodded in agreement. Heetae almost laughed out loud at the absurdity.

There was a reason they disliked Shin Chaeyeon. They believed she was the reason Heetae entered the entertainment industry, and they thought their beloved youngest had followed her into another world.

Shin Chaeyeon had been friends with Heetae since childhood, so initially, she was quite cherished by the cousins. But now, after time had passed, only Yoon Heejun, the executive director of TBS, and Yoon Da-hee, the vice president of CinemaPick, maintained a relationship with Shin Chaeyeon. That didn’t mean they were particularly forgiving; they just kept the connection for business reasons.

Heetae looked around at his lovely family, who lived according to their own whims. If they found out Shin Chaeyeon liked women… how would these people, living within their thick walls, react? It certainly wouldn’t be good. They only knew the world they lived in.

He clicked his tongue internally, thinking he should change the subject, and casually spoke to Yoon Heejun:

“Heejun hyung. How much has TBS invested in ‘Thirst’? Could you increase the budget?”

“Why would you ask for that?”

“We need a doctor on set. It’s dangerous if there’s an accident. There should be some set welfare.”

At that, Yoon Heejun gave a smile that only moved his lips.

“We make dramas to make money, Heetae. There’s no grand cause like creating a welfare-heavy set.”

Heetae laughed back, saying:

“Then just do it for the sets where I’m working.”

“That… Since it’s your request, I’ll do it.”

“You’re too soft with the youngest ones.”

This was from Yoon Da-hee. At her cousin’s tease, Yoon Heejun gave a suitable reply.

“You shouldn’t say that.”

After that, the meal continued uneventfully. Desserts were served, and everyone drank beer while chatting about various things. People dressed nicely in a luxurious place, eating delicious food, and having the same conversations as usual – it was a familiar scene.

Heetae thought it was like a single piece of oil painting. A painting that requires a painter to delicately wield a brush, taking a long time to complete. It was a beautiful slice of life, but you couldn’t know or see what was beyond this angle. Everyone would marvel at the beauty of this masterpiece.

But paintings are less interesting than movies. Staring at one motionless frame for hours would drive one mad.

Seo Heetae was also part of this painting. He had thought about stepping out of this gilded frame, but desire always lost its direction and sank within. Heetae had become too accustomed to this life, living it like a statue.

He looked at the untouched beer. This was a deviation typical of these people. They usually didn’t even look at beer during meals, claiming it made them too full, but they must have felt curious for some reason. As he contemplated this minor rebellion, Heetae thought about getting up around ten since he had a shoot tomorrow.

Then Yoon Heejun’s secretary came over and whispered:

“Sir, you received a call. I thought it might be urgent.”

“At this late hour? Who called?”

“Ryu Sihyeon.”

Him?

Heetae scanned the room, stood up, left the dining room, and took his phone from the secretary. As he walked down the hallway adorned like a piece of art, he checked his phone and saw there was a missed call. Since he was bored to death, he called back without much thought. While the phone was ringing, he looked out the window at the end of the hallway. He could see the dark night sky and the well-tended garden covered in snow. It had started snowing again.

The ringing continued as if there would be no answer. Just as he was about to hang up, he heard a voice he hadn’t heard in a while.

— Hello?

“It’s me.”

— Hello, senior.

“You called?”