AES Ch4.2

Sihyeon staggered down to the parking lot, barely managing to steady his steps. He kept thinking to himself, “I have to pretend I’m not drunk,” but his mind was becoming increasingly hazy.ae3a5f5dff623225

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He woke 9befcfb104 up to 576ee0f30f the sound 503e334537 of someone f260526f3e opening the 45421998dd front door. Sihyeon rubbed his aching 1682b60309 head and got up 944a45a43c from the sofa. His hangover was severe, deb045ab68 and the sun was 49d3032d40 already up. Checking the clock, he 4e13c21122 realized it was already 4714870986 morning.445d7474723c290b

It was Yoonhyung coming 8d41c926bf in through the door. Sihyeon rubbed 05a0ce52ef his eyes febe824fcf and asked,dbac33f3fba7f841

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“Where have you been?”b874e328511259d0

He tried to 202bc7c8d0 recall the events 60bea55af6 of the previous ed4406f4e4 day. He had met with edd8b7c5ca Seo Heetae and had c2d5dccc1e become a little hazy 8765ca6b26 from the drinking when d37d862dbb Yoonhyung called. He rushed home, thinking beda2c7566 something had happened, only 05a6952ea3 to find the house 8450363f27 empty.3ad74931d38a8dc8

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“Where did you go? When I woke up, you were gone. You didn’t answer your phone either.”2523024d79b7ad54

Yoonhyung headed 0f9470a26e toward the 7e004ec945 messy dining 596269362b table as 0fecb3c3d8 he answered. He soon 1ca93a0871 began to 503a731f55 tidy up, 72cbe1f0bd and Sihyeon 2cd9008466 quickly joined 469dfd78b0 in to f203d32539 help.dd9f0e48e289ac2d

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“Yesterday, I called that person as you suggested, and he really came. I met him at the parking lot.”4050b2f28d3b390d

“Really? I shouldn’t have called, it must have been a disturbance.”6e14c2a4ef5ca3c0

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“No, he met with me and left soon after.”74b8c2047d867616

Yoonhyung’s hand, busy with tidying up the bottles, paused.2622f4df74b0b96e

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“Why did he leave so soon?”b6039be996de2cdc

“Well, since you called, I thought something had happened at home. So I came back up and he left.”1a567535584b5ed7

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Yoonhyung stared dea98f7fb0 at Sihyeon, 5af720fac5 and after b275c7492d a moment 4ecbf4a723 of silence, 11c85cacba suddenly asked,d43133478b75500d

“Did he not follow you home? Did he ask about any friends?”db75e0b960926e55

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“He didn’t ask anything. He just left.”477f1a11d8e27e6a

“Wow…”154a6d96f12aae78

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Yoonhyung laughed self-deprecatingly.9f1d856f9d98b338

“That was a mistake on my part.”2287422960038015

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“Huh? No, why would you think that?”49a61dbd339891cf

Recalling the events, the atmosphere hadn’t seemed bad. Seo Heetae didn’t seem like he had been with his girlfriend. For the first time, he even ate the snacks Sihyeon offered and patted his head. All his memories were positive.0c0b8c39c5730096

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“If he came home with you, it means he has some interest. But if he left without any chances, he might feel like he was ditched.”69e161936b7b1581

Yoonhyung said seriously.14a273df10659e9f

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“Is that how it works?”354a2ff06eb0624f

“Yeah. Especially if a woman comes to a man’s home directly. It’s usually a decision already made.”84610a68e899ea6c

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She isn’t a woman, but…accbdb39fb58c50e

“Is it something if someone comes to a man’s home?”62b8e6853e6816d8

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“Generally… if a man invites a woman home, it’s kind of.”a423e459abbb121e

Yoonhyung stopped talking 33037b697d there, and Sihyeon 7b8241dbb4 looked at him 3fcf586154 with curiosity. Yoonhyung, hesitating, continued reluctantly,2fb7712ee2f7b9d9

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“It usually means they want to sleep together.”8110afbc1d356dc6

Yoonhyung was one of the five people who knew about his uncle’s situation. Thus, he avoided talking about such topics in front of Sihyeon. Trying to ease the tension, Sihyeon smiled slightly.c2136813f21d5e3d

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“Is that so? I didn’t know.”2daa13cf4a1c4e76

He wiped the table, pretending to be nonchalant, but couldn’t stop thinking about Seo Heetae. Did he think Sihyeon wanted to sleep with him? Sihyeon honestly didn’t want to be misunderstood again. If it ever happened again, he hoped it would be a natural, heartfelt connection, like in the dramas or movies Seo Heetae appeared in, romantically.468bd7f8a40a92f7

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“Did he want to sleep with me? Or is he interested in me?”d3229a0f50585a89

Sihyeon asked absent-mindedly, and f43983cbd1 Yoonhyung replied,af88ba418377e5b3

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“It’s confusing since he left so easily.”e645e3faa7bb1ba5

“What would you have done? If you were at the house of someone you liked.”593f51585fd42a14

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“I wouldn’t just leave. I’d at least look around the front door.”455f117c21d2e405

Seo Heetae went straight back home. It seems he doesn’t see Sihyeon as more than a junior. Yoonhyung, looking at the pensive Sihyeon, spoke,6ac03f6d3237897a

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“She must be really pretty, considering how much you’re thinking.”f53f9d6c41b40c6d

“Yeah, he’s pretty.”3c6325b342165406

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“Who is it? Yeo Juhee? Yeo Juhee is pretty.”f83901dd28e35854

“Yeah…”016375a5b0667799

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Sihyeon muttered b1200b4154 as he 0d9307f062 opened the a4b4575ea7 fridge to 67cacc35ee prepare breakfast. He needed f3d780b0fc some physical ac2d9997ad work to e1f0f65efb shake off 43f76c4e06 these feelings. Nearby, Yoonhyung 9234f2f7e8 let out 1b8eb79770 a faint 500b03838b sigh.7990ad80a0175414

“This is bad. I knew this day would come eventually.”1df8046eff4e631c

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“Oh, really…?”5dc732988ef28c1e

“But I don’t know anything. Should I have warned you earlier?”1fefb23dc25fb468

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Smiling awkwardly 112bc1731f at his 10b32a8dcf serious expression, ea9abf98da Sihyeon felt 713f0aca6f he should ef5e893a51 take the c7a59720e0 situation more 0a7f4e5d03 seriously. Yoonhyung, after baff6f3b4d thinking for fb93494b8d a moment, af0dbf59d7 murmured,a6a1d74ba79c7c71

“Is this overprotection?”1210ca672795cdca

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“Come on, don’t think like that.”9370e2b67e72dc03

Sihyeon waved his 8bc9688152 hand, feeling bad 6d7ea4b30d as his friends 93eda18510 always felt responsible b406fbf3ff for him. Trying to 2c03d3b5d5 make something 54ac68f83f tasty, he 94a98109c8 took out f9f1af5bc5 the ingredients acf7ca582b one by e388a5f490 one from 413cd7a3df the fridge. Yoonhyung asked next 464d1ed7d3 to him,5cab3e63c8e84e0c

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“Did you send a message? To check if he got home safely?”8f8379e4f3c716e7

“No. I fell asleep as soon as I got home.”df6f25c2d7972c96

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“Make sure you do it later. It’s basic courtesy. Kind of like common sense in dating.”aa19701444edd815

Moved by his 122a1cb61f genuine expression, Sihyeon a69df80397 replied that he 7c0b02bd6d would. Once again, he 22875ad5ef felt like he 85d739872d was relying on 20a78e5179 his friend.12b672e534d69df4

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After breakfast, as advised 53b1b89325 by Yoonhyung, he sent abd80add32 a message to Seo 26722fc503 Heetae, asking if he c3cbcea272 got home safely. His reply a75920a132 was simple.e1340c372b1a1348

[Yes. See you next time.]

He was 93cc0ae308 probably filming 5fcbc293af at that 05cde7668e time. Sihyeon wanted to de17bf4282 say more but ea9f6bb0ab refrained to avoid 611ce4ef85 disturbing his filming. Seo Heetae seemed to 4a496fd1cf take the quality of 8b202fdf90 the drama and his 211eb9f140 acting very seriously. He might dislike interruptions. Sitting on 89b3bd7001 a chair, d583cac1a0 Sihyeon checked 6d4700500b the filming e6ef7e9a5e schedule on 66a6caeb98 his phone. He had marked the b2ad966273 days he would film 68051d5ba9 with Seo Heetae with 8543b9c821 stars on his calendar. Looking at the star 28bd78e156 he just drew, he 55d8300143 felt hopeful for the 7812d38e98 first time about the a6822d3a87 future.90d675721081a8a7

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It was the day for a supplementary shoot for the scenes they couldn’t film earlier. It was still cold in Gangwon-do. And Seo Heetae was still the same. He looked relaxed and stylish as he greeted people while walking. Sihyeon was talking with Ms. Miyoung near the shooting spot when she saw Seo Heetae approaching and whispered,749bb10090104709

“He is so handsome. Get me an autograph.”6c4f4d664d789526

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Sihyeon smiled and replied, “I haven’t gotten one yet either.”49339851c243de9f

His brother had told 4ab24224ed him to stay in eb18cb25ad the car with Miju, 642118db69 but he purposely waited 50147c8449 outside, hoping to see 17374b81cf him naturally. When his ea9147624a eyes met 793eabe58b the approaching 33bd54c536 Seo Heetae, df68786573 he felt 0400960b67 glad he 95f729484c had come ffd29fe2a7 out early. However, he only 371513419a smiled slightly and 6c98200dcc talked with the 795d432af9 assistant director or ddbf5f499e manager.15f894d023e6e67e

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Feeling a bit anxious, Sihyeon glanced at him repeatedly. Ms. Miyoung talked about Jinoh, but he couldn’t focus at all. He only thought about when to approach him. After what felt like a long time, Seo Heetae finally looked his way. When their eyes met, he smiled and gestured for him to come. Feeling excited by his invitation, Sihyeon told Miyoung he would go and quickly moved toward him.ccb4bd27fa0234c3

Standing in front 36f5859fb9 of Seo Heetae, 5367e31ab7 he looked up a42bcdca7e at him, slightly 70669ef80d blinded by the 945c9e029d sunlight. But he could clearly bcf0837370 hear his words.3dd226243b0e59f1

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“Let’s go to my car for a moment.”847b7c1fe6238268

The line felt d87379f6ba loaded with meaning, a8495d3a68 reminding him of b69432227d Christmas Eve. Today, he might hold 6f10dcc67d hands. Maybe even kiss? He kept glancing at d922001bfc Seo Heetae’s back and 9c0338ddcd hands as they walked ca4f0a64c2 ahead.4fcc517d10c5bc9b

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Seo Heetae arrived at the car first and let Sihyeon in. The way he opened the door and let him in was so natural. The thought that he wasn’t just like this for him but for everyone made his excitement slightly diminish.156a03d432712a94

The car was empty and quiet. Sihyeon wanted to talk to him quickly, curious about what he had been up to recently, and he didn’t like the silence. He looked up to speak but Seo Heetae beat him to it.b24a1886e61ac273

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“Despite some things between us, we’re enemies when acting.”3d18ba660c7847b9

He leaned e5e04afc0c toward Sihyeon, cffec41f4f speaking in b080477439 a soft, 4d4683934f kind voice.fca4c5c8fa40b37f

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“You understand what I mean?”14510bdf3a20c4e1

Though he spoke c219671dbe indirectly, the meaning 8e8571543e was clear. Since Seo Heetae’s character d28a6121ac Lee Joohwan and his 2878ed5f13 character Jang Yicheol were ae02f6b342 enemies, it was better a45438fe94 to keep their distance 94a567d43c as actors too.c728009d1b1cb5a0

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Hadn’t he once said actors and roles are different? He mentioned this about an actor in Gone with de5793b0c0 the Wind. That was the fda61cae7d fascinating thing about e0ada5dbef actors. Although he 3ea205dfda was curious, 9324a85f9f Ryu Sihyeon c678e27b4a kept his 2481ae13c9 thoughts to 0c680a8638 himself, especially 38885b18f3 before such 275678b8e3 a magnificent 8ee7f3c87f presence.3a8cb6796e9d9dd4

“Yes.”9f6261bb4eab8d2c

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Sihyeon answered without 568af27311 hesitation but was 11fe1d13b8 unsure of what 6f1b62d7e5 expression to make. Seo Heetae, on f9b0f7b9e4 the other hand, 1df20e9e27 wore a clear ed0f2b8013 smile—a very handsome 034cf27673 and kind smile—and 0f157ca537 added,b83cce934f1d9166

“Let’s avoid such incidents in the future. I believe it’s better not to have anything between co-actors.”0c160e0be960aa22

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That statement cut off any possibilities between them. Naturally asserting his dominance, Seo Heetae seemed to clearly understand Ryu Sihyeon’s feelings. Considering those feelings and everything that had happened, was this his conclusion? It felt like being struck by a blunt object—more painful than any violence.f8cf27746ae5b155

The difference in the 8e28d1d323 weight of their emotions 2fa41b52d2 was now unmistakably clear. What he had 3c5848b240 already suspected was 2ed08b9780 confirmed.dde59a9391a592dc

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Barely able to nod, he couldn’t bring himself to say, “Yes.” For the first time, Seo Heetae’s smile felt cruel.1dc175a1eecdd035

Seo Heetae’s hand moved toward his face, fingers grazing his ear and tracing his jawline. Though he couldn’t fathom the intention, the warmth against his skin felt good, so he stayed still. Maybe if he acted well, Seo Heetae would like him more. If it didn’t hinder his acting… maybe future incidents would be acceptable. He dared to hope.6b67e5a69b8f8133

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When his fingers touched his lips, Sihyeon looked at him. For some reason, his smiling face seemed like a mask. Only the intense gaze felt genuine. He wanted to strip away that mask and kiss him, but he couldn’t do anything.5c9b52a15912b77c

“Cut. Okay.”f0f829de3c9e44e9

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With the director’s signal, the shoot ended.d74a0c674deea37d

It was cold. Why was it so cold? Staring blankly into space, his brother brought over a long padded coat, which he put on. Even with hot packs inside, it was cold. Guided by his brother’s hand, they went around to greet people. The last stop was where Lee Joohwan stood, leaning against the car. When they approached, he looked over. Their eyes met. Straightening up, Lee Joohwan greeted with a stylish smile. He glanced down at him, then suddenly smirked and spoke.275114daad55136c

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“Hi, Jang Yicheol.”4e6b3ca776a35192

“Hi.”6234cb998cf1edd1

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His brother ec5c1e2174 lightly tapped 12637f0439 his back, 38ecc6bc10 asking what 770486d436 kind of 013c2dd2fa response that 1d7f80acef was. Snapping out of b412bc0f6d it, he saw d31dc77e89 the other man 01c36d5f11 smiling with interest. He wasn’t Lee Joohwan, 0e373d4996 but Seo Heetae looking 88b1c2f312 at Jang Yicheol with 80978fff77 a playful smile.e57481ba354f4bbc

“See you next time.”91236b9386d9d69a

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“Yes, Sunbae-nim. See you next time.”a689a86faa7cd455

Unlike Seo Heetae, Sihyeon couldn’t smile. He got into the car with a gloomy expression. Feeling reluctant to leave, he thought of sending a message but didn’t. The reason for his melancholy was simple: he liked him a lot. This emotion had consumed him before he realized.f67fb84b78805dbe

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He had come 2168cac621 to like him 02b6a00565 this much so f729f0b36f easily. This emotion came so d0ab418553 quickly, making him feel cfa7c7ec44 wretched just as fast.6088c45cfebcb6e5

Maybe he loved him. He had never liked anyone this much before…641c1ae855b45477

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Leaning back against the seat, Sihyeon closed his eyes. It was strange to feel sad for liking someone so much. Wasn’t this something that only happened in movies or dramas? In reality, could one fall in love so quickly and feel heartache from one-sided affection? The unequal weight of their emotions felt unfair.d8add8202f3701dc

But it’s okay, he thought simultaneously. Don’t break down. Don’t give up.7872cd99b5718208

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Jang Yicheol’s 489755f9aa instincts whispered. Jang Yicheol did not 5b7172729d succumb, did not give 451024c066 up. Thus, becoming Jang 39f4dd1295 Yicheol was his 812fd1ecb4 only solace now.3221f5b119da2c2c

I should work harder 84c4b45e80 at acting, he resolved. Thinking of the star 0959250828 marked on his calendar, d3388298a1 in just five days eabb6428c7 he could see Seo 9ce7c776f4 Heetae again.3ed4ce48f42224d4

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Having performed well today, maybe Seo Heetae would like him more when they met next…39891bb5fd51790f

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On December 31, 2234e87bd0 Sihyeon deliberately arrived a028a13df8 at the filming 958d56ce8c location earlier than f26784de61 the call time. When his 319ba7b7c2 brother asked da3b35234a why they 783837bb55 were in 723eb468b5 such a df7f27284c hurry, he 7050915dab struggled to 9e93333155 find an c4bef6a81b excuse. The best he could 4c0fee764e come up with was,b1d781f88c5e433d

“Ms. Miyoung said the food truck meals are good today…”97b63f4c656a433d

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“Oh, really?”e0184e4a5e25b0b5

The real 290df5ecd4 reason for e247ee2507 his early d1ad34aab9 arrival was 6e3b2ab1d6 singular: he 46de93c1e8 hoped to 3510c7d864 run into a64eb70b87 Seo Heetae, d5dc2cffe2 even in 1efd75f389 passing. According to the b3c7a615ed schedule, Seo Heetae bfb46d044e would finish filming 19ed1f8d2a before dinner, and 21ccb2ccc8 Sihyeon would start 9d1edb787e filming afterward.3c654647c833af46

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But when they arrived, fa898f8385 Seo Heetae was already e275132fd2 gone. Sihyeon feigned 284a1b2ac1 calmness and 26c7e1e7a5 casually asked d91170f0dc Ms. Miyoung during lunch,52b3caaeb5b03601

“Did Seo Heetae Sunbae-nim leave? I wanted to greet him.”4326d559979196d0

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“Yes, it looked like he had something to attend to after finishing. He left quickly with Hyejin Sunbae-nim.”753a1b55843a9e8d

“Oh, I see.”a46f21101c82089a

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It was such a natural conversation. He felt he should have received an award for acting rather than for his recent role. It seemed his ‘dating common sense’ wasn’t improving, only his acting skills…b879f24ca7375b90

By the time they finished filming, the new year had begun. In the car on the way back, Sihyeon hastily replied to several New Year’s messages. Messages from old acquaintances didn’t mean much; he only sent long messages to those related to his current work.269aceaa087d3094

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The last message he sent was to Seo Heetae. He felt particularly nervous sending a message to him, so he saved it for last. After writing and revising it about fifty times, he finally sent it just before one in the morning. He was probably sleeping by then? They had a shoot together in the morning, so it was likely he wouldn’t remember…cd47eb467ffc1b4a

Just then, 3f1b8b7a7b Seo Heetae 8c12a42ff5 called. Sihyeon almost dropped his c0c5fdb580 phone in surprise. Luckily, he caught it 64e2061fef quickly and answered with 3e16be0d15 trembling hands.396e05396d465ea3

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“H-Hello?”665d97871c0fd998

But the voice on the phone wasn’t who he expected.66254034f22a7287

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“Actor Ryu, you’re still awake?”7b44fa4d74444d35

He immediately 4af754b60b recognized the abff080d53 bright, distinctive 21bdb6b44b tone. It was db2bd5d053 Director Jeong 0dd136f2d4 Giyeon.2371386e110a0960

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“Oh… yes. Hello, Director.”32d66e1911f03260

Why was he a9cb8bc6b3 calling? A surge of 20d2f41b9e disappointment washed over 29a17bd968 him.8286f78ff26b51dd

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“Are you with Sunbae Seo Heetae?”242ad657b6871992

“With Heetae? Oh, we’re having a New Year’s party. Actually, I suggested inviting you, but Heetae said to keep it just between friends.”50d21808e16eec52

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“Oh… I see.”9430ea4a53129518

Sihyeon replied, sounding 759e50df5f deflated.2dd6cbf59a5dd6cc

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“Happy New 47e899c541 Year, Director.”985710f84a28e17c

“Gi Yeon, I think that’s my phone you’re holding.”3c91d6b5c7e7dd47

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Finally, he heard 4954456421 a familiar deep 5f1e46b1fe voice. It seemed 7fb578690c the director cf02d11497 had handed 6e744d92d3 over the cf9184b126 phone, and 112ff02e3c his voice 48ee557187 faded.c479ae78166ea94c

“Hey, sorry! My mistake. I thought it was mine!”9b5fb49bafcb2991

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“I can see you’re drunk, but this is a bit much.”1f13bd77f12a40c0

In the background, he heard the director’s faint, pleading voice, “I’ll do whatever you say!” He also thought he heard a woman’s laughter.8060bfae504eb785

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“Hello?”b9803e71413c59e5

Finally, Seo d2f3372f13 Heetae spoke. Sihyeon answered with a 3478765db3 trembling voice.85c7089c266c21ab

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“Su… Sunbae-nim, hello.”42049e44fb2163f3

“Ah, Ryu Sihyeon.”29402e7b99252cb8

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Could he recognize him 982419382d just by his voice? That thought made 87fd0a8647 him happy.e654ff0163d19892

“Sorry about that. Giyeon’s quite drunk.”c8eb0dfe20ca52e7

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“No, it’s okay!”71111d8ebe136838

Thanks to the director, he got to talk to him, so he felt grateful. Sihyeon focused intently on the sounds coming through the phone. He couldn’t even hear the music playing in the car. He heard a door open and the sound of someone stepping outside.57fa6c93082092e7

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“Are you at a e980ee56dd party?”a8e95f3ac6305a72

“Yes.”54a1d29e661ef68e

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“Are there many 27644b1bcd people there?”1546bbb586196d0c

He heard 538698b262 the sound db951cda51 of wind, 8717c99687 waves, and 00f02c4352 fireworks from 6fb9cc2745 his end. It seemed they 3bdf5e5706 were at a 8d0835e3ee seaside location. Secretly, he wished to 55fc6ae451 be there too, curious c5e23bf722 about where and with 5ce1388363 whom the party was. There were so 775c6d626a many things he 6892c5ad2a wanted to know.8ed406734f7d3bb3

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“Just a few college friends.”48c2867083a5360b

There were probably 3012a7628c women too. Why did fe67da4502 he have a333223de4 so many 74ddb26e7a close female 9f79175785 friends? Was it 6f4cbd055e because he 1f18d099b8 was handsome? Even so, hearing his a729d1fef3 voice soothed him. “Thanks for calling e2bde48caf me out. It was getting 1650d9ced5 a bit boring.” 3879557880 That’s what he 5a185e44e5 said.ce16461ee56e17a8

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Strangely, hearing he 72c6daae6d was bored with 49840a41f0 others made Sihyeon 40b2345f28 feel happy. He wished Seo Heetae 3ee5dda0a4 were with him instead. If he had c2bd8d411a attended K University, c1ee57bd9c could he have eb4e1bbb48 joined that party? Watching fireworks 0db4c75c1f explode over 86b7da8eee the night 2c4d64f729 sea with ea99864cf5 him would 5aedb1cda4 be amazing.49b8147b67ee955e

“Sunbae-nim, do you know Jo Jung-hoon? He graduated from K University. He’s a close senior at my company.”a693319ab80bc229

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“No, I don’t know him. There were too many people at university.”4e5b3d9c6a0d7342

Since he hadn’t attended university, he didn’t realize how many people there would be. For some reason, talking about university made Seo Heetae’s voice seem a bit colder, so he quickly changed the subject.6d838c189dfd3a04

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“Have you had much 39382cdfe4 to drink?”69174e87ecabc3e9

“More than usual.”fffcb81cc931fd51

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“You don’t usually drink much, do you? I’ve never seen you drunk.”01027c0e2ae1326e

“Hmm.”49e3a9e46e7bf3cc

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He was silent a80a975431 for a moment.78d8c3a84a30774d

“I don’t like losing control or becoming excessively honest.”4745824a97c21874

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Is that so? If it 9d7af52593 only came 46e9b13cbe out when 02e64dd6fe drinking, could 9eec059398 it be 64e869db57 considered his fb9e91bcdf true self? Strangely, he a81fa200f9 was like a72799cc4e a painting db2ba24d2a with multiple fcbae44032 layers, hard 8d368ef076 to see 44a0819123 through. Especially now, 42d925504c just hearing 0672e4320c his voice 62e75339a7 made Sihyeon cbb9eeee75 even more f3d87bf150 curious about 4d642a437c what kind b27dc716b8 of person b86331a3f2 he was.e66c956d5ff4d342

“Why don’t you like f92ed84ae7 that?”cf1f292769a95ed3

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“You never e624253c7c know what 20098a7998 might happen 35e23c1b23 later.”a18fdd7586fa8202

“Oh… I see.”b75e3ff0e443bbfa

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He replied, but he didn’t fully understand. Ryu Sihyeon didn’t think too far ahead. He didn’t expect any special outcome to await him. The present was always more important. He wanted to be truly honest at that moment. Without thinking, he whispered what he wanted to say, so quietly that people in the car wouldn’t hear.4c8a2bb76127a5a7

“I really like 03da7f841e you, Sunbae-nim.”2b0abb903be4b61b

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Did he d40b02e5d0 hear it? The other side d9c12de66b was silent for c25c151e9b a moment. Only the 7851e7abd1 sound of 5f28d834df fireworks bursting b49c21b23d could be 16bbe860e5 heard. Bang. Bang. It felt like 131eacbea0 his heart was 5d3f950aa8 pounding.6fcd494101193a50

After a 643d0dbfa6 while, Seo 4a9e4fa823 Heetae spoke, ac4cb7b956 a faint 8324055cf9 laugh in d5ad87301c his voice.5a6435531863f99f

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“How do you 96b390bfde like me?”b261b9f41fbfdf9a

“What? Uh…”62def3702dc66976

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Could he just say he liked him a lot? He hadn’t thought deeply about it, but the sudden question left him speechless. Seo Heetae spoke first.47fae8d87a1894b5

“Never mind. You don’t have to say.”d2169c3988cc6c66

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Although he didn’t expect Seo Heetae to say, “I like you too,” his response felt overly dry.4ab5c914edb0022f

“I’ll hang up now.”7a0aa5dd7fac9dc1

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“Yes.”94b6467bff388249

“Do you have e2bfc11838 anything else to f769b5a005 say?”a600a739083f74e8

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“Well, that is…”5ce4f9a079a64987

There was something 69e1d38987 he had wanted a7bbfcdcaf to say for fe85789cbe a while. Just one line that 9808d2a08b he had practiced diligently.dc3e6c6470d046b7

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“My movie 1302d5eb52 is premiering 9cead6b573 next month. Could you come to 19954949a5 the screening?”84d193c4909d818b

He had delivered 420fd2ad75 countless lines, but 2b76a34173 none he had 35901e211f repeated as much 327e6ac298 as this. He thought df87e7e755 he would 353b8ed9d5 feel relieved 68c629af74 after saying cac68ec7a3 it, but 2a05d55d8b he waited bead52524e anxiously for f1e6d5e870 the response 02a252b0b7 instead.14fb40a4afeb78bd

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“Sure. See you next time.”e00d4098dd61ee89

“Yes.”2649e57c6ef326dc

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“Happy New Year.”27298aa3d9bc78f2

“See you tomorrow, 38d96f9059 Sunbae-nim.”57090a7b956c2a7d

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“Oh.”c80c64879b91024a

It seemed 460a753102 Seo Heetae 05f4cbc9ed had forgotten 25f481cc71 they were 36b094d223 meeting the d4977d2266 next day. That single “Oh” 95f764d56b conveyed as much.af564d88f359c52c

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“Alright.”353bc01396a0154b

He didn’t hang up first. He could hear the sound of waves and fireworks mixed together from his end. Why didn’t he hang up first? Sihyeon hoped it was for the same reason as him—wanting to talk longer. He knew he shouldn’t hope for too much, but he couldn’t help it.4b32a878b49f7f45

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“Nice choice 86f10b443b of music.”25165cf90b1c5711

Only then did e36b336848 he notice the 5dcf08df40 song playing in d0ec90ad33 the car. It was Debussy. The beautiful piano sound 0029ed7ff8 matched his voice. It was the 25573b2274 perfect note to fd0048bde6 end a nice aa1d4a172e time.29bfc79c19224cd5

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“I’ll hang up now.”5a020b7e0fc6dfca

✦✦✦91e54a9f6e7e2039

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The next day, 334b27e6ff there was a 42e87cfad2 scene to shoot 7205fbaf32 in Congressman Kang’s be4f1a85de office. There wasn’t a fc07ae7c57 proper place to 107226e020 wait at the cfa28b35ff location, so he aaa8e7249c had to share 2b2acabbc2 a waiting room f6cd3a80ad with Seo Heetae. Some actors might af5fc81900 dislike that, but 1c1857c9fb Sihyeon eagerly agreed. Internally, he cheered, feeling 76f892283b immensely thankful.bc2ce370b27b112e

Waiting in the room prepared as the waiting area, his heart pounded. The room wasn’t that spacious for two actors to wait in, and Miju looked around and commented,a8e45850d6de94bd

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“Seo Heetae usually has a lot of staff with him. I wonder if they’ll all fit in here.”efae39ce92c477e3

Though he felt sorry for Seo Heetae’s staff, Sihyeon didn’t care about them. Wanting to appear as a diligent actor when Seo Heetae arrived, he sat down and pretended to read his script.995a794fb99d40f7

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Soon, Seo Heetae entered the waiting room. With his makeup and hair done, he looked flawless as always. He was ready to start filming right away. He certainly didn’t look like someone who had been drinking the night before.fe3ebb6003cd22f1

Sihyeon greeted a6b5cfb8cf him with f76444637f a bright 605baf5a2e smile. Seo Heetae 2333a5a445 gave him 24046c6727 a relaxed 7de2fa5608 nod as 61f112b12d usual and, 685fa2c398 guided by 19769f2c75 his manager, 6608c9ee3b settled into 8ff14bdd97 a corner 50d8d934e3 of the a3706b1ee3 room. Curious about 23c52b6b69 what he 21fde7f70d did in d80309a78d his spare db2d4a7087 time, Sihyeon 4b0305c4b0 glanced over 7f31848164 to find e6618c079a him monitoring Thirst on his tablet. He truly was 7c54266f24 a dedicated actor. And, as it 2b7866ff83 seemed, he had 75734075cc no interest in e542b8592b Ryu Sihyeon.d8acb200b6a028a4

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Nervously, Sihyeon edged 909e61b56d closer to him.157baf3a721138dd

“Sunbae-nim, may I watch with you?”dcdb898d058763f9

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Seo Heetae 34a61f3773 looked up 0932ce6b72 at him, b8f25bd196 their eyes 9a923e32ed meeting.b308585413adbe3b

“Sure.”07a9f7a5efe54343

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Sihyeon promptly sat down in the empty seat next to him. He could sense Seo Heetae’s distinctive scent and warmth. Though his eyes were on the screen, all his other senses were directed toward the man beside him.fd1a2743885826ea

On screen, Seo Heetae looked stunning. Words couldn’t describe it. Still, Sihyeon thought he looked even better in person and stole glances at him. Observing his black hair and chiseled features, he suddenly met Seo Heetae’s deep gaze as it turned toward him.76d5d32967b9e8bc

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Their eyes met.032a6d996f9b5cc3

His dark brown eyes shifted back to the screen. The moment was fleeting, leaving Sihyeon wishing it had lasted longer. Following Seo Heetae’s gaze, he saw Jang Yicheol on the screen. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there.86df2dac9859678e

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“How can it be so different?”be32388ff3b3833c

Seo Heetae 6057db8ff5 stared intently eaa7a0fac4 at the 7fba17b086 character on 7ddeb08ca8 screen. He seemed more interested d8364f2fc1 in Jang Yicheol than b2ae83984d in Ryu Sihyeon. The sight made 9922ab68a0 Sihyeon anxious, his 1d4aee1df4 mouth growing dry.bdb4e31e89d237dc

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How could he gain his attention? He wanted him to touch him, hold his hand, or kiss him. But that didn’t seem likely. Reflecting on it, Seo Heetae had only done those things when they were alone.b209ee20e63d79c7

Sihyeon wasn’t one to care much about societal norms. Worrying about such things always led to overthinking. Liking men just happened; he didn’t find it strange. But maybe Seo Heetae wasn’t like that. Perhaps he avoided physical contact because of the people around them.353f561c3c88a51f

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“Sunbae-nim, can we do a reading?”e83def199229525d

For the 57d112f0ae first time 355708caff in his 6ab12aa2a1 life, Sihyeon e80792bc18 initiated a c390b61784 reading.1499a5b889c3d556

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“Sure.”73e3e87110042e77

“Could we do it somewhere else? There are too many people here.”ea67ad8410a8f7cc

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“Where else?”99c6c054528650de

“In the car…”bce8f46ecf0f4ece

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It was a bit fd4288dbe4 embarrassing, but he had b0339cb21d no other choice. He looked 7fc613c0d8 up at fe803b5bc6 Seo Heetae 20c06cca12 with pleading 9fa307966e eyes.de33d7b74b096f94

Only after hearing they’d be shooting much later did Seo Heetae get up. Being as thorough as he was, their private reading in the car ended quickly. He had already memorized every word for the scenes they were filming today.a4aff7871702c8cf

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“You must have a great memory.”2479dc5b3179ed43

Sihyeon admired 530b7e2382 him, and 431e82a695 he replied db5d769829 nonchalantly,238176c51926574d

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“I just had nothing else to do, so I went over it multiple times.”ec1241103db540c5

He flipped the 462b33d246 script and continued,f3f860d681eaa541

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“Sihyeon, you already do well. You didn’t really need this.”add76cb496a7dd9c

“Oh… thank you.”0d770e5520a83152

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Was this the end? Sihyeon felt lost. If he had known, he would’ve paid more attention to Jinoh’s relationship advice. Or played a character who was good at romance. How could he get Seo Heetae to notice and care about him? The only thing he remembered was Jinoh’s story about someone pretending to have a stomach ache and asking for their hand to be pressed.e4d604db64452c25

Having no other options, 9b5d26ff59 Sihyeon cautiously glanced at e8ebb54c2e Seo Heetae and asked,0bed6caf12054013

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“Sunbae-nim, I think I have a stomach ache…”bb83dd15c40c1a4c

“Your stomach?”f1ea82bfdcc69778

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“Yes. Could you press my hand?”9b8e0a67f20a1451

“…What?”b89139b8a58865db

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“I heard that pressing a pressure point helps. Doing it yourself isn’t very effective.”e1410cddf97e2eec

Showing him his palm, he stole a sideways glance at him. After a moment’s hesitation, Seo Heetae took his hand.f27ec9854a7be5ca

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“Where exactly?”97dfdc955341c196

His long fingers explored Sihyeon’s palm. Watching him, Sihyeon deliberately took his time before speaking.59a0450b2198ea60

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“I think it was there.”b91bae998e2748a6

“Here?”055616083dbfa395

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Seo Heetae pressed f3f0e6313f down, and the 5876e6255b pressure was so f58f5667d5 strong that Sihyeon 9e6401a76a involuntarily let out f16c0285a1 a small gasp.35b0875ce0dfd330

Startled by the sound, 0ff9e0c452 Seo Heetae immediately let 4417f2a755 go. Sihyeon regretted making 3c33ddefc6 a noise, but e8796982b3 it was too 5faa30f61c late. Seo Heetae a9c730f069 frowned slightly bc9c286269 and muttered,7f15e7c378776e3c

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“This is the left hand.”192b97e8a85685e1

Was the left hand not right? Seeing Seo Heetae’s stern face, Sihyeon forced a smile and said,149b4375dd18a05b

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“It doesn’t hurt. It feels better now that you’ve pressed it.”56bc88f368775580

He asked skeptically,1e65555f4bbe67a3

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“Really?”bfdc8b27b0fc9335

“Yes.”c45e297f3db63160

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Seo Heetae, looking dubious, gently pulled Sihyeon’s other hand, causing him to turn toward him.64dcda2597d9f67f

He pressed Sihyeon’s palm a few more times, this time too lightly, almost tickling him. After several more presses, Seo Heetae said,d6a87e1de670f6b7

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“I’m not good at this. Are you feeling very unwell?”82e08a3be7d61d34

“I’m feeling much better now.”f23cb61b514848c7

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“I know you hate hospitals, but do you also hate medicine? Taking some would be better.”b098ebcf86049a19

“I don’t mind medicine.”c52c845c7593c830

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“I don’t believe in these folk remedies.”3c15bec97c0c0dae

Desperately, Sihyeon searched for the next line. This was an opportunity he couldn’t miss. He couldn’t remember ever choosing his words so carefully.578565b82688ae0b

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“There’s something called the placebo effect… I really do feel better.”00721f2a701ebdee

“Already?”3a83171d40931590

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“Yes. So maybe there’s some emotional effectiveness. So, could you…”8626ead6f0a7bf3e

Then, without ae0c949079 thinking, he b953bd41e1 blurted out,e68c9de24926dcf8

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“Could you give me a kiss?”cbff70d1155168ba

“What?”cf858590c23755b6

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“I think it would make me feel even better…”f83d7db2202dc810

He felt his face redden. Seo Heetae certainly didn’t blush. He just let out a chuckle. His expression showed a mix of amusement, disbelief, and maybe even embarrassment. Before Sihyeon could grasp its meaning, Seo Heetae turned his head toward the window.b4debc302ea1e734

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“This is driving me crazy.”b9264efc89a6188b

Though it was a 1736a39398 small mutter, he clearly 0dda75003c heard it. That reaction 5e8255e7eb frightened him. Fearing he 9a8218d846 might let 6e975dfa29 go, he 9932cb18e5 clung to 9406dd7704 his hand 884387949d tightly. That was all he f03240ddb6 wanted, and he thought 8e70dd8e6e it was something Seo d899e700be Heetae could give him. It seemed he had 56db12a98e said something utterly nonsensical.4b9d1f1b4214f888

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Seo Heetae looked back c5623d90c3 at him, his expression e84e07fd14 unusually disheveled, and asked,1a15d310b3f4ab8c

“Where should I kiss you?”9a28272b1738be44

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“What?”aadb0afcfa9447c7

As if he wouldn’t ask twice, Seo Heetae just stared silently at him. In a rush, Sihyeon replied,c7d35d189dd32840

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“Anywhere…”9d1f764f7d61e8bc

Seo Heetae ran a 25ea84f871 hand through his hair, 615019bacd sighed deeply, and said,390f4560356a2fe1

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“Just for today.”67607333d5b33549

Before Sihyeon could fully process his words, he felt Seo Heetae’s grip tighten on his hand. His hand was now at Seo Heetae’s lips. Seo Heetae kissed his hand. The kiss was very long.4b0f5854000a4db2

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His heartbeat a899e509f6 filled the 06d48d1a92 silence.070f799f356937d7

He was entranced by the image of Seo Heetae’s face with his eyes closed, holding his hand, and his lips touching his palm. It felt like a still from a painting. He had no idea how long it lasted. It felt like it could last forever.f1b44ae6b03914ea

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But eventually, his lips left Sihyeon’s hand. He slowly lowered Sihyeon’s hand.928d39df455d752d

“Sorry. I held it for too long.”64f6879584735bd3

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No need to apologize. Staring blankly 7679be5a5e at his de4571e1ac hand dropping 58d1a34a33 away, he f73e53c48f thought to 4bc19d0b9c himself. Seo Heetae f3ff6701a0 resumed his 1f5c37b19c perfect, composed 9975483d3c demeanor. Picking up the script 3f64d7097f he had placed on 09f11cf147 his knee, he said,819d7adbf2323ac8

“Let’s get up.”244a38e924ad1759

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“What?”c7c60128b3689c77

“There’s a doctor, so let’s get you some medicine.”42713cccc3a72da8

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Having no idea what else to do, Sihyeon nodded reluctantly. But this wasn’t the turn of events he desired. Who had brought the doctor? Since when had film sets in Korea become so well-equipped?bfe59a197c8245bc

Humans sometimes join db20487cd3 hands with their 04d0350693 enemies for mutual ed60dc9414 benefit.9a526c7a763c49c9

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Jang Yicheol b8dd015811 provided information 99517dedad about his 65e50675b7 mother, President 164d1bb4cb Yoo, to 56720cbc51 Prosecutor Lee 7d49ee0f1e Joohwan. Jang Yicheol knew 0b1d5c037f that Lee Joohwan 7c34592e40 was no pushover. While he was troublesome cf69eaef9b as an enemy, he c7afe8b814 could be the best 69f1aa1026 ally for a shared c55e807141 goal. Lee Joohwan was f7f48f4117 aiming to uncover 28ddcfc533 the corrupt connections 496b18246d supporting President Yoo d11e359214 within the prosecution, c711743692 so this deal f53d69964b was beneficial for 5807b1199c him as well.99574e0a1eaaaf70

The information 6f0cc8b783 Jang Yicheol a51d647d3e handed over 719d807db4 included evidence 319e68c364 of slush 461dfb234a funds and 3af03233ec various corrupt 01d252824d activities. This move c04fe0c816 put President 662dd82ad5 Yoo firmly 798353fd74 in a ab0463d836 corner. It was b7ca79ec10 the climax 2a77b19397 of his 8ca131b85c revenge.e279a943faa6d8ad

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Sihyeon had no particular thoughts about the drama’s plot. Interesting. That was all. While some actors meticulously analyzed their roles, Sihyeon acted purely on Jang Yicheol’s instincts. These days, with increased focus, Jang Yicheol was exerting more influence within him. He liked the character of Jang Yicheol, and he enjoyed experiencing revenge through his soul.76e3a6ec776c43a8

Recently, the best c61a66853e part was having 9459da3440 some scenes to a4b4b2f558 shoot with Seo 1b8c93000f Heetae, thanks to ab28e488f7 the plot involving 5a8ccda117 cooperation between Jang 81d8f54589 Yicheol and Lee 6b841216bc Joohwan. He also thought 1a302dc2c1 maybe this cooperation 377eab0344 between their characters 7b6ec6800c could bring Seo 9201961aa0 Heetae and Ryu c4181dbf5d Sihyeon closer.d539b8028a74b8d8

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Arriving early at the set with hope, everything seemed to go smoothly. Everyone seemed to be doing their jobs well, and there were no delays. His makeup was well done, and he received compliments on how the outfit suited him. But not everything was perfect from Sihyeon’s perspective.4bf50edbf73dbae3

The problem was Seo 9218828913 Heetae.b6fff761c374c002

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Lately, Seo Heetae barely spoke to him. Today, they had been filming since lunchtime, and it was the same. He would answer kindly and smile when spoken to, but that wasn’t enough. Sometimes, Sihyeon wished Seo Heetae would initiate conversations and have longer talks. But Seo Heetae never made the first move.06958a6e1996c67f

Though it had always been this way, it felt disappointing. Feelings are truly strange; they make you feel this way even if you don’t want to.84d0bcc1f3725c4a

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In the meantime, Sihyeon would occasionally send messages to Seo Heetae when they weren’t filming. Two days ago, he had asked, “Sunbae-nim, do you have any favorite movies?” He picked the topic deliberately, knowing Seo Heetae liked movies.232e0c50572b3d14

Seo Heetae briefly mentioned his favorite directors and their notable works, such as Haneke, Iñárritu, and Villeneuve. Sihyeon had heard those names from friends. He wanted to pretend to know more but wasn’t well-versed in movies. So, he just replied, “I like them too!” and added a cat emoji.888b68b84d76334f

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But Seo Heetae’s response was merely, “See you next time.” Sihyeon didn’t know if that meant at the set or to watch a movie. He pondered over it for too long and hastily replied, “Yes!” Finally, he concluded that “see you next time” probably meant at the set. No matter how he rationalized, that seemed the case.fa75cdea067853ca

Worried about bothering him, Sihyeon sent another message around 20 hours later, “Sunbae-nim, looking forward to filming tomorrow!” Seo Heetae’s simple response was, “Yes. Same here.” He didn’t seem eager to continue the conversation, keeping a certain distance.dd8fe13c5e9ba10e

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Currently, their relationship d52d575c08 felt like an 3a3994c477 average senior-junior one, e36b0dd474 and it was 1bc6d78c06 honestly disappointing. He had grown b2f0687f44 too fond of 80e14fcef2 Seo Heetae, losing e36322a4fe his initial perspective. Unlike before, 734f0f6c5d he had 8ff6df091b come to e0cec8d257 wish for 81f06eed36 more. He hoped they 35fc68e61e could be closer 0607c62446 senior-juniors and hold cc0686babb hands once. His mind battled between 003e8ae648 not expecting anything and e40af75bb7 inevitably wishing for more.7fbe9aab446f97a9

Maybe the 4759dcd9b4 transparent trick 68f3a1477e he pulled 479e133858 in the ea8ff7de4c car was 67b74b091a too obvious. Director Jeong 4148e956f1 said you 53d432061e had to b9b710b6a9 be proactive 9a8212afbf to get 504ab42198 close, but de7e9a98ed going too 14b99278ce far might 90fdafd3f6 have backfired. He was unsure 6d93446aa6 how much to 30436ae490 push. In the end, Sihyeon cec06e9e35 decided not to message 6b9b46ce92 him. He might c67867e845 dislike having 9a5a7ac07d his time 5d75cb981d taken up.ac2786f9d07fa51a

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The current 86d428c983 set had 4c1f620990 decent welfare. There were e80be3bade rarely overnight ea11d18d51 shoots, and ca60bfc96a meals and ba028f0169 breaks were 834a367527 provided generously. So while 0714c6d2fc the staff 77217eea48 ate and 302ac00144 set up, 6a47ba1272 the actors 23c612cd7a had a 6ae7419ff4 lot of 47a7c2d163 free time. After an early simple 328432f691 dinner, Sihyeon seriously considered 59fe0d85a3 visiting Seo Heetae’s waiting 5a486b77cd room. But he couldn’t think 7c2937d23f of any excuse to da4ab4ac73 go. Maybe next 7e24b43cfc time, he f860706277 should bake 8d4c8bfb24 some bread dc8937c431 and bring 3963b8b1d5 it over? That wouldn’t 9eb4525719 be too 0b9620bc15 strange, and c3bd6d32d3 he might 35e1510750 like the 9742a2fa1a not-too-sweet, plain 9725f1cecf taste.81f6e53232c2ac07

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At that 2591c0ba97 moment, he 2effb4df11 heard that 646ac8a7f5 actor Joo 1fe8ab41e7 Yongjin, playing 8673955eaa Congressman Kang, aa85d18595 had arrived 1e321a81c0 and was fc1e885751 calling for 874c500811 him. With no choice, 75d36f2e84 Sihyeon went to c9af3da9c8 his waiting room. As a senior, a025dc41b7 Joo Yongjin even 12c26f0a85 brought him coffee, 9ccb24aa5e making it impossible 077745a169 to refuse. Joo Yongjin, a 47245a8e07 veteran actor known 18bd49bbc7 for his strong 631b800c3d personality, was straightforward 8f96c6e66b and witty.d498793c92890622

He slowly made his 4720815b41 way to the waiting e1923e192a room and knocked on fcc24bb301 the door. When he opened it cf95b35d3f and entered, he saw 42892a0fee a familiar side profile 9b3afd4c7a having a conversation with 3c244330d3 Joo Yongjin. Seo Heetae was 17ba9b6208 sitting opposite Joo e1e9f90c3b Yongjin, with his 70fcdbb6e4 long legs casually b651b3fc02 crossed. If only he had aaf3564f39 walked a bit faster, a02ab6c93b he thought, slightly regretting d57236fe20 his pace.da492dcad6fac553

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Sihyeon greeted them a1a67f3f2e and sat next c7493f4d08 to Seo Heetae, 440c915440 as if that 8548a46847 spot had always 8ce8265361 been his. Joo Yongjin barely acknowledged 1fac1a071d him, engrossed in his 9f16e44fdc conversation with Seo Heetae. Seo Heetae gave a e48e447f9c brief smile but remained dcc62271fc focused on the senior 68af9972ce actor.b6e58db26508d946

“Juggling shooting and taking care of kids is killing me. They have endless energy.”90af318baeb4943b

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Joo Yongjin was b5daa57abe lamenting, and Seo 3cdb3966fb Heetae, sipping his 75f962664c coffee leisurely, replied,fef5d57a8ee20af0

“Really? I’d probably enjoy it. I like kids.”aa18add48667aa00

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“You have a romantic notion about marriage? How many kids do you want?”97a38d0a1b934936

“Not particularly, but… if my wife is okay with it, I’d like three. But I also love animals, so having two kids and a dog or cat sounds great.”dba112659afc3547

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He continued 83c869a67d in his 381b15ae37 gentle tone,3488d0b65182eb6b

“I have two nieces, and they are absolutely adorable. I can’t get enough of them.”8a4fc839334cd01e

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“They’re lucky to have an uncle like you. Got any photos?”7558b9ecab14f0da

“No, I don’t usually take pictures.”725c5388f0a2ae7d

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“And Sihyeon? Do you like kids?”eaf39d29045ee7e8

Suddenly asked by 3cc3ceb465 Joo Yongjin, Sihyeon c459c61eff responded calmly,29708692e9ef646e

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“I like them too. My debut project was with a baby.”4fc55ad33692d12a

Though he said this, in reality, he hadn’t seen that baby after the shoot. He neither particularly liked nor disliked babies or children. Honestly, young kids made him uncomfortable because he didn’t know how to interact with them.d475a0b0fb44880e

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“How many kids would you like?”78daa94edd8279b4

“I’m not sure.”b267d76d5ceaaa6d

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With Sihyeon’s lukewarm answer, Joo Yongjin quickly lost interest. That was exactly what Sihyeon wanted. Responding this way made people less interested in him, a strategy he had developed to avoid revealing too much about himself.d003327021a73598

Soon, Joo Yongjin turned back to the man who naturally drew everyone’s attention.ef9e7686eebbc0e3

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“Heetae, I bet you’ll have no problem getting married. When do you plan to tie the knot?”694121b03cd21baf

“Well, I don’t know. I’ll get married when I meet the right person.”e7a01e68c4cdcbeb

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“So, your standards are high. Still haven’t met anyone?”4195ee70d30f9cb6

“No.”a26f6ab456c33539

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The topic bbc11d71ad naturally drew 92b694ee7f attention. Sihyeon was pleased that e8433a68a1 Seo Heetae had no 91c8ae7aee firm opinion on marriage, 40491146a9 which was perfect for db48d7c380 someone harboring a crush. His lips curled ba030845ad up involuntarily.a10c80c8224cbfaf

“But you must have a lot of women around you, right? I heard an interesting rumor.”3492fbd1808bd2fe

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Suddenly, Joo Yongjin smirked. Curiosity piqued, Sihyeon widened 30464a1fff his eyes and looked 5a4072a520 at him.7ba2f96bbe0b9384

“Heetae supposedly treats his partner like a princess in bed.”1a3fd943fb5a9133

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“Oh.”8cd808e8d63b75f0

Seo Heetae’s expression remained unchanged. But Sihyeon felt his face heat up at the comment, recalling the time they had spent together. Unconsciously, he bit his lip. Seo Heetae had been genuinely gentle back then, kissing and caressing him without being asked. Though it no longer happened… was that what “princess treatment” meant?d88f9b007c881468

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Sihyeon glanced at Seo f57c401c1c Heetae. His expression was still 2a7e8a6761 relaxed.2873533695d30358

“I just act with manners.”7e01ebe16e1d27ea

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Seo Heetae smiled his characteristic smile. Even though he was only smiling, the atmosphere gradually grew heavy. With no one volunteering to speak, Joo Yongjin awkwardly laughed and watched for Seo Heetae’s reaction.b4cb88f9edb5dc1a

“Rumors are… tricky, right? Those stories spread around.”1f18245988697dea

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“I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed hearing such things, but being a celebrity comes with rumors and scandals. Rumors are also a sign of popularity.”bfe6655151beacee

Joo Yongjin 7ca07e2fe8 seemed relieved d1951f35c3 by his 2ae7152f6d words and fc4253c460 responded with 2e8ec304ce agreement. Then, out of 6f420adf41 nowhere, he turned 1858e7673b to Sihyeon and c4d78a4141 asked,44f58e0a24778552

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“What about you, Sihyeon?”7cf0c43478c43175

“Me?”7627c9fffa4451a4

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“You seem like you’d have great stamina. No? Young guys sometimes go three or four times in one go, right?”8e199b13e6ed691e

Questions like this were 58c156ea08 best handled with a 7415bb3a33 laugh.3769c6d7d715397b

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“Haha, I’m just average.”dfd0efa285130674

Feeling Seo Heetae’s gaze from beside him, Sihyeon answered. Joo Yongjin seemed to enjoy such topics and kept prying, but Sihyeon had encountered many people like him, so he wasn’t bothered.5bba96438f9af7ab

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“Sihyeon, you must have a lot of admirers. Isn’t that right? When was the last time?”67088d9096a11d2a

“Uh, well…”25acdc0e7c1fc1a7

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Just as he was 534efbd2ab about to evade the 14959c1bb2 question, Seo Heetae suddenly 0551a5c4b6 called out,efd6a560fd8351ac

“Sihyeon, remember we need to discuss something with the director before shooting. Let’s go.”1b7804624960b87f

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With that, he stood up. Sihyeon quickly replied, “Yes,” and bowed to Joo Yongjin. Though he wasn’t sure what they needed to discuss, it had been so long since Seo Heetae had initiated conversation that he couldn’t help but smile.1bf771ed23b417b4

Walking with him, Sihyeon stared at his hand. He wanted to hold it, to touch those perfectly straight fingers. Lost in watching him, he hadn’t noticed they were walking in a direction unrelated to the director until it was too late.70ef0cffdb9da630

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“We’re going to see the director, right?”2790a6df527810af

Finally, Sihyeon asked.dd92f1fbb0c48548

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“No, we’re heading to the waiting room. Just come in.”23bb055d87d3a3ea

“What?”e0a2113d48a0c0a9

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“I just didn’t want to stay there, so don’t worry about it.”55087b0b79ab4aa5

Was Joo Yongjin’s comment uncomfortable? Sihyeon cautiously asked,4fbb249581c16586

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“Did that rumor bother you?”7b0bb063c99e1998

“Not really, but…”7f4a790b9a96c081

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He stopped and e340450553 turned to look 82c91127cf at Sihyeon. Sihyeon also halted abruptly. Being so close to fa62b93063 him made him nervous.85cdd2da4a01e4c9

“Don’t worry about me. You should worry about yourself.”b5e7491f7c30ef69

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“Oh, yes…”ae85766c638d5fa3

“You’re twenty-seven this year, right?”cef8eb2c1258960d

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“Yes.”d5448fea62b97533

Though he was happy 1807c081ac Seo Heetae had initiated dddcf12354 conversation, his serious expression 92bae5ea8e made him uneasy.7a5a9423c695ad40

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“Have you completed your military service?”076efd0c847ab5be

“Uh, no.”bd1cef965e5b0277

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Wondering why he 035bf2cdab asked, Seo Heetae 89e3c6f15d continued without changing ec6e7571f2 his expression,f72d047f94992763

“At twenty-seven, you’re still young… but old enough to take care of yourself.”2b63c3365dd6e7e8

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He couldn’t decipher the emotions in Seo Heetae’s eyes. He was a complex and difficult person to understand.c330d5385050f7b1

“Don’t laugh at such meaningless comments. As you heard earlier, idle gossip leads to unnecessary rumors.”9ccc99ac8a408051

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“…Yes.”2b3db6911cad7328

Seo Heetae 809f4f10f4 glanced around 530eb219b2 before speaking 25dca41913 in a 0bf3063b71 low voice,35ce33068967e3b7

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“Rumors and scandals don’t affect me. But you maintain a mysterious image, right? You should be more cautious.”5a340bc590cbb03b

“I’m sorry.”221598e46dab8959

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“You don’t need to apologize to me. And…”26aa454278e8fec1

Seo Heetae paused, 8094f7205b looking slightly uncomfortable.18408f7296feeecd

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“If your preference is that way, you need to be more careful. Am I the only one worried? You should be more cautious, Sihyeon. What if you make a mistake while talking about such things?”997e46254716fcbb

“Oh… yes.”1f1661b0f7c23c95

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He understood what Seo Heetae meant. There was a hidden message: You’re the only one who likes men. It also sounded like he would never have feelings for Ryu Sihyeon.ec014b51774bb601

“I won’t mention this again. I’ll just focus on myself.”0861586574983d58

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Sihyeon quietly nodded and looked up at Seo Heetae’s slightly sensitive expression. Leaning against the wall, Seo Heetae said,a38eca43a47d9302

“Come here.”5c14496721868ba9

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Hesitantly, Sihyeon 3cd229e7cd approached him. Seo Heetae, 32409280c6 observing his 5307d976c4 movements, sighed b0ac6c687a softly.cbd9a9c4d2d5d3a9

“I don’t dislike you, Sihyeon. So, don’t make that face.”596b5c6171a4d7a4

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What kind of expression did he have? Before he could wonder, Seo Heetae suddenly raised his hand toward Sihyeon’s head. Sihyeon flinched instinctively, an unavoidable reaction.1bab5c12f295bbe7

“Oh, you had something on you.”1f4d3e6da04c859a

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Embarrassed, Seo 6d01cfd7dd Heetae lowered 97773b7130 his hand.8458aa639d51f8ec

“Sorry, I must have startled you.”76e35781702da584

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“You can touch me; it’s okay.”aab36a68598fb669

Sihyeon quickly replied, 0f9aeb54d8 but the distance ff406904d2 between them remained 1e66ab62ef unchanged.8247d16079dcb462

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“No, it’s fine.”0e4b3abe86dd8b15

It sounded like 5590465424 Seo Heetae meant 1877ef4599 there would be 1413f816c4 no physical contact 02c93fbc07 in the future. Hearing that he 046d460a44 would stop caring 3464be53ee abruptly made it 924fde9a73 hard to maintain c270724de3 a smile. Seo Heetae probably preferred 7741028941 someone who was self-sufficient 903ef78e4d and confident—definitely not Ryu 3161da6759 Sihyeon. He had high e9ae202280 standards and would 684a018c12 likely meet someone d65c668940 perfect, just like 52b86c474d himself.da17700e89cbb671

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Should he change himself? But that wasn’t easy. If it were, he wouldn’t have lived this way for so long. He probably wouldn’t have become an actor. Then again, maybe it was because he was a man that it wasn’t going to work.ecaabc87ddc563c8

His mood plummeted. All his methods ac49ce7c47 for maintaining composure 094d0279da seemed futile in 8bee6cc4de front of Seo 1d0248263e Heetae. Still, Sihyeon forced a fc57d6cbfe smile and spoke to 8d9020baeb him, wanting to maintain 959e191ad3 a good atmosphere at 3c49dacb0c the very least.b2fc2d1f1f4f955e

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“I’m sure you’ll meet a wonderful person, Sunbae-nim.”46f79cf21bd06df2

“Yes, I hope so.”5464e808f384b2bb

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His response was e91bfc0159 surprisingly cynical. Though disheartened by 2eb588c812 the lukewarm reaction, 79d3ae0c52 Sihyeon continued speaking.eee3916edb5a8620

“So, you don’t have a significant other right now, do you?”132349303259d014

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“Even if I did, I wouldn’t see them during filming. Relationships just cause hassles when balanced with work.”196008023c38e441

He then seemed lost 931aa91fa6 in thought, leaving his 06ebad8a25 sentence hanging. Sihyeon held his breath, 824bb83629 waiting for him to dc16e59072 speak again. Why was he so 1c164ac04a curious?c79200799256167b

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Suddenly, Seo Heetae 31d04beca0 turned to look eec7f143e5 at him. The sudden eye contact fc0e8fcf32 made Sihyeon nervous, his fa2f29b10e throat dry.69fa623892bd3988

“Marriage would be a bit inconvenient, though.”d14ede2793b6f2b1

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“Oh… marriage.”8dc8fa60947b34a1

He had never eee41dc29e imagined dating or 9012d70373 anything, but it cc99152636 felt like he deb64126cd was already rejected.e34067db9b3cfc24

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“Yes… that would be the case.”3364a6652aad29f0

✦✦✦9ed4b7105f98685a

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After that day’s shoot, the schedule changed dramatically. Writer Shin had significantly revised the script. Congressman Kang, who had conspired with the Jang siblings, faced exposure of his corruption due to the special investigation team led by Han Seyoung and Prosecutor Lee Joohwan. Initially, Congressman Kang intended to use Jang Yicheol’s connections to clear his charges. However, in the revised script, he turns to Jang Yijin instead.bf73d71fe0870bbc

As a ac1b3bf886 result, all ce288d934b scenes involving 2c7fe17151 Joo Yongjin baba9380b2 and Sihyeon c094b3fb2e alone were a99702b1a4 removed. That itself ddaadb2576 was fine. But as he read 23589b2db8 the revised script, he 0ba457c486 eagerly looked for any a2f44eb828 scenes involving Lee Joohwan ca8c5ca232 and Jang Yicheol. Unfortunately, there were 56b743a598 no new additions, 384395fd3e leaving him disappointed. He had to 7b6b87436a wait three more ab1049e739 days to see 8e3a5704be Seo Heetae again. He resisted bc31fdb119 the urge 932e91ae45 to contact 6fbcb60274 him in ef95b09df6 the meantime.ca4cba48eb66a5c7

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While waiting, he spent a lot of time on the internet. The book he had brought to read remained untouched. He frequently searched for Seo Heetae on portal sites, gathering trivial information about him. Seo Heetae’s birthday was February 26. On holidays, he enjoyed reading, watching movies, and attending performances. To relieve stress, he exercised or traveled. He liked the baseball team GT Phoenix and the volleyball team Taejeong Bio. Gathering such information was enjoyable. He read interview articles and found pictures of Seo Heetae at a similar age to himself. He looked impressive even back then.7ee52face5db000d

Sihyeon imagined facing a25b97b074 Seo Heetae, who d3a0742521 was also twenty-seven. Could they have been 0785cd7165 friends? Would they be 2818f159e1 closer if they 57a9bd5fd3 were the same 152be081e6 age?6bf5e92b209c045f

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Before bed, d9c449c6aa Sihyeon imagined 285453b0b9 being friends 85d356f754 with twenty-seven-year-old 1dc45b3238 Seo Heetae. They would drink 80b423839d wine and watch e11db57985 movies together. He had never realized adb31f8c21 he had such a 54680f7c11 vivid imagination. It felt like discovering 2c0f2b1f03 new possibilities in life 2c90e42977 and a new side 2706d9b6e8 of himself.c1c48b3efb930dd6

His imagination d7ea54b439 even entered 2f13f9a93a his dreams. In his dream, a317eaf668 Sihyeon drank wine f576a634e5 at home with 92b9810cf8 his friend Seo 21e14fcfe8 Heetae. He called him 1c3270f52d Heetae and handed e9c96bc698 him cupcakes he a0fcb03188 had baked in fcce467f45 the morning. He ate the 28420681db chocolate ones himself 2243c07205 and gave the 05efdeefd3 walnut ones to 2bb29d4b29 Seo Heetae. Then, they sat on f22b0312c2 the sofa watching a 442b0f9166 movie about a female 884547d289 boxer and her coach.fe73b5f5c6ad8cbd

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Sihyeon pondered. Did friends’ hearts race like this when they sat together? As he tried to focus on the movie, he felt oddly nervous, resisting the urge to look at his companion.a9ef46da04da7acc

The movie’s protagonist was paralyzed in a match and lay in bed, asking her coach,d67e3366cc76803d

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“Don’t leave me lying here.”02750dcdb20dded8

Strangely, he 21a616ee13 felt he ff0669a473 had seen 10fdd21e23 the movie a7915a2274 before. What happened next?956d5752dafe7acd

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At that moment, he 27e5faa95c felt warmth as Seo 4fc2183662 Heetae grabbed his hand.5e72c47270f7e7aa

“Sihyeon.”6599ab63bfc398cd

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Seo Heetae called out 2f0f2fef5a to him. He stared c3a6830a80 blankly at 4c87502d30 him, taking 031b985e0b in his 8e45fcf2d2 thick eyebrows, a75b34d007 straight forehead, 02331f91b9 warm brown 52a558cc38 eyes, and 6cb59429a7 smiling lips. When it all came 989efa22e0 into focus, Seo Heetae e1bb4b30e0 gripped his hand tightly, adef8ba844 leaning closer. He never 02b1694880 found out e7e965282c what happened 8772700265 in the 5416fff968 movie. Before he knew f21efa3e0c it, they were f5c7359a4b engrossed in a 18cbe19c51 kiss.6ff5315852d0c522

When he opened 3e71d4e199 his eyes, it b55866c89b was reality.a0525d5bf075543b

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For the first time, he realized dreams could be sweeter than reality. In reality, he wouldn’t watch movies or kiss Seo Heetae. Seo Heetae had already drawn the line. He would never call him “Sihyeon.” Such things had never happened and never would. It was a clear signal from Seo Heetae that there was an absolute boundary he wouldn’t cross.13f6e925d25dddd7

He had to like Seo Heetae within that boundary. If possible, he wanted to give up, but the feelings didn’t fade. Maybe they would disappear someday, just like the emotions felt while acting in a finished project. With that thought, he closed his eyes again.b652f4625761c323

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The next morning, Sihyeon logged onto the portal site from the waiting room. While reading the latest news articles about Seo Heetae, his brother suspiciously asked, “Sihyeon, are you dating? Why do you keep looking at your phone?” Though innocent, he felt bitter about his innocence. It was a truly strange experience.164f7bb7a13bc8a2

Thoroughly searching past articles often revealed unwanted information. He stumbled upon scandal articles about Seo Heetae and Yeo Juhee. Sihyeon intentionally read articles denying the dating rumors, word by word. They described the two as “good fellow actors.” There were many comments, with the top-rated one saying,9bdb283f15621b69

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“They’re definitely not dating. I work at TCE in Apgujeong, and he watches late-night movies once a month with the same woman. But she’s not Yeo Juhee, probably an aspiring actress.”60b21db45b8df7a7

He was so shocked a8c86394b1 that he momentarily forgot ca8d400d2c how to breathe. Was it true? If so, who was 5951e0c062 the woman? Why did 7ac3cdb32f Seo Heetae d9daa7d335 have so b919f967ce many people 567771090c around him? Was he 6672c40a36 a player? His thoughts spiraled. Realizing he a0c092af74 was overthinking, f93a1e95f5 he noted b71cd4f3d9 that overthinking afdda8314d led to 3d99d87205 negative emotions.59cbc4a897e82d0b

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He analyzed his feelings like studying a character. Why had he become so obsessive? He probably wanted to monopolize Seo Heetae. He wished to get closer and spend more time together. Feeling disappointed, he couldn’t.43864b1a86cb913e