IWDAR Chapter 25

Tsssssss—

 

Stiff, frozen samgyeopsal¹ (pork belly) quickly contracted and cooked on the scorching hot griddle. The frozen meat met the intense heat, releasing moist steam, which sizzled and bubbled on the hot surface. The kimchi² grilling alongside added a sweet, meaty aroma mixed with a tangy scent. Wooyoung stared blankly at the scene, repeatedly gulping down his saliva.

 

“Hey, are you performing a ritual in front of the grill?”

 

Soohee, unable to watch any longer, snatched the tongs from Wooyoung. Seeing him spacing out, she figured he would burn the meat rather than cook it.

 

“Soohee, I’ll do it. Please eat.”

 

“If I wait for you to do it, my stomach will turn inside out.”

 

“But I’m paying today….”

 

As Wooyoung mumbled, Soohee scoffed.

 

Just yesterday, the contract payment had been deposited into Wooyoung’s account. Soohee, curious if he had any outstanding debts, checked his financial situation and learned why his fingertips were so calloused. 

 

Since loans are impossible for minors, Han Wooyoung seemed to have lived desperately to avoid getting involved in any illegal activities. Children without parents are easily exposed to danger. Because they are too immature to find their way in life.

 

Perhaps the Han Wooyoung of the past relentlessly pushed himself to avoid such a dangerous life. The hasty contract with someone like Park Hyun-jong was probably due to that reason as well. 

 

Becoming a celebrity and receiving protection from an agency. Legally earning money and gaining the guardian he so desperately craved…. It must have been an incredibly sweet temptation for Wooyoung, who struggled day by day. For a minor with nothing to his name, all of that is a swamp. A terrible swamp from which one cannot easily escape. 

 

When the pride he had protected was trampled in the mud, when he finally realized he had been tricked…. the feeling of wanting to give up everything must have been overwhelming. Wooyoung understood that feeling all too well.

 

Precisely because she understood, her heart felt heavy.

 

“Why the long face when things are going so well for you?”

 

“My face?”

 

“Yeah, you’re making a long face in front of a feast.”

 

Good things.

 

‘That’s right.’

 

For Wooyoung, everything was good. Although being an idol was still an unknown world to him, he had no intention of running away like a fool. His adoptive parents weren’t here, and he had signed a contract under extremely favorable terms. There were also many people supporting him. For example….

 

‘One thing is for sure, this choice will definitely not be bad for Han Wooyoung.’

 

The man who gave Wooyoung the answers to all the worries he feared. Wooyoung habitually recalled the dark eyes that always stared directly at him without a flicker of hesitation.

 

‘Shameless Han Wooyoung.’

 

Wooyoung inwardly criticized himself for thinking about Tae-uk even while sitting across from Soohee, who had helped him.

 

“What? Why is your face red again? Are you really sick? I told you not to come out today.”

 

“I’m not sick at all. It’s just… I feel like you quit your job because of me.”

 

That’s right. Today’s gathering was a farewell party for Chae Soohee. Now that he had a phone, Wooyoung contacted Soohee, and she casually informed him of her resignation. This was the reason for the current feast.

 

“Who said I quit because of you? I just jumped ship because the company looked like it was about to go bankrupt.”

 

“Still….”

 

“Forget it. Honestly, it was just a matter of time. Did you think I liked working there?”

 

After Wooyoung’s contract was finalized, Lilac Entertainment had been constantly plagued with problems. It seemed Park Hyun-jong had done many dirty deeds to achieve success in his business…. 

 

Witnessing the explosions from the sidelines, it looked as though he had made some powerful enemies. Since the situation was heading towards losing the business license and even the office itself, Soohee was able to submit her resignation immediately. 

 

It was a little disappointing that she wouldn’t receive unemployment benefits, but she didn’t want to stay at such a company any longer.

 

Soohee quietly observed Wooyoung, who was looking forward to the meat cooking with an innocent face. Hesitantly, Soohee drained the soju³ glass she had filled. Startled, Wooyoung hurriedly lifted his glass filled with cola, but it was already empty.

 

“We should drink together….”

 

“Where did you learn such old-fashioned manners?”

 

He looked like he’d never even touched alcohol, yet he was saying such strange things. Soohee smirked and emptied another shot of soju. 

 

The bitter taste lingered on her tongue. Ironically, it didn’t taste bitter at all. Running her tongue along the inside of her cheek, Soohee finally spoke the words that had been stuck in her throat.

 

“Hey, I’m truly sorry for everything.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Wooyoung, who was flipping the thoroughly cooked samgyeopsal in front of him, looked at Soohee with a surprised expression. Even with a look on his face that seemed to ask if she was sane, Soohee didn’t get angry. 

 

Usually, she would have yelled at him, but since she didn’t react, Wooyoung was bewildered. Soohee, who had been unable to open her lips as if they were weighed down, finally moved her stiff tongue.

 

“I knew you were a young, naive kid caught in an unfair contract, about to be pushed into sponsorships, and yet I acted like a bystander, pretending not to know. And I told you to just listen to President Park because it wasn’t a big deal…”

 

“…….”

 

Soohee, listing her sins one by one, tried her best to hide her emotions, but she looked visibly distressed. Wooyoung simply listened quietly to her confession without saying a word. 

 

After all, it wasn’t him who committed the sins, but Han Wooyoung, who had lived in this reality. Her apology, in reality, wasn’t meant for him, but for the already deceased Han Wooyoung. From the beginning, he wasn’t the one who should have received the apology.

 

“I just… I wanted to apologize ever since you woke up in the hospital… but I was too cowardly. I’m sorry.”

 

While Soohee emptied half a bottle of soju by herself, rambling apologies, Wooyoung nibbled on the crispy grilled samgyeopsal quietly. 

 

Truthfully, Wooyoung felt no emotion towards Soohee’s apology. If there had been any lingering bitter feelings, he wouldn’t have felt so at peace while staying by Soohee’s side.

 

‘So this is what frozen samgyeopsal tastes like.’

 

It was his first time trying frozen samgyeopsal, and because it was thinly sliced, even Wooyoung, with his small mouth, could eat it comfortably. 

 

It had a slightly porky smell, but even that was a delicacy. After chewing and swallowing the golden-brown samgyeopsal, Wooyoung asked Soohee, who was hanging her head low,

 

“Soohee. If I never regained my memory, would you still have apologized?”

 

“What? What are you talking about? Did the hospital say something?”

 

Soohee, startled by the mention of not regaining his memory, asked anxiously.

 

“No, just wondering. It’s been a while, but I still don’t remember what happened to me at Lilac Entertainment.”

 

At Wooyoung’s calm voice, Soohee bit her lip. The empty soju glass was lukewarm from the heat of the nearby griddle. Tightly gripping the uncomfortably warm glass, Soohee raised her head and looked at Wooyoung.

 

“Yeah. I would have apologized anyway. Even I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut forever just because you didn’t remember.”

 

“…….”

 

“And… don’t worry too much about your memory.”

 

Soohee, who was always quick to anger, comforted Wooyoung with a flustered look rarely seen.

 

“Because of your situation, I’ve been watching documentaries and stuff, and there are quite a few people who live happily even if they never regain their memories. They’ve all adapted well to their daily lives without any problems.”

 

At the implication that he would surely be the same, Wooyoung ended up laughing. The two then ordered three more servings of frozen samgyeopsal and ate their fill. Soohee didn’t respond to Wooyoung’s silence regarding her apology.