At the sudden development, he felt like he’d burst from frustration rather than just feeling suffocated. Why is a guy who was sharpening his blade for revenge suddenly falling in love and making a fuss? Eunchan gulped down lemonade to soothe his burning insides.
“Look here. Why do you need to receive Kim Wooseok’s recognition?”
“Well, it’s not like I absolutely have to receive recognition…”
“Did you debut to receive that guy’s recognition? You said before that you wanted to completely ruin Kim Wooseok.”
“Wooseok doesn’t ignore me anymore. I earn a lot of money now and I’m popular.”
“Was the revenge all a lie, and in fact you just wanted to fit into his group?”
Was that deep sense of defeat he’d felt actually admiration toward Kim Wooseok? Eunchan sat with his arms crossed and calmly faced Choi Hanul. Then Choi Hanul jumped up and waved both hands, asserting his innocence.
“It’s not like that…”
“Does middle school student Choi Hanul say it’s okay now that you’re receiving recognition?”
“…”
“What’s wrong with you? You debuted and you’re popular. Then live more successfully, why are you obsessing over Kim Wooseok?”
It didn’t make sense. If it were him, he would have discarded the existence called Kim Wooseok ages ago and been busy living his own busy life. Eunchan felt regret looking at the young boy sitting in front of him.
“Just, now he doesn’t ignore me anymore and treats me well…”
“So you forgave him?”
“It’s not forgiveness, but I’ve grown up too and a lot has changed now.”
“Are you ignoring middle school student Choi Hanul too? Do you think you deserved to be bullied?”
At the attitude that seemed to think of his past and present self separately, Eunchan asked accusingly. Shocked at that question, Choi Hanul couldn’t bring himself to answer and hesitated, mumbling.
“I don’t know. No, actually… It seems like what I hated was my pathetic self.”
Saying what he hated most was the terrible poverty and his pathetic self, Choi Hanul began to cry. Eunchan was about to hand him a tissue then soon remembered it was the one he’d just wiped his mouth with and put it back on the table. Seeing a kid around Hyungsik’s age crying made him feel uncomfortable.
Eunchan got up from his seat and sat close beside Choi Hanul. Then immediately and naturally, Choi Hanul leaned on Eunchan’s shoulder. He hadn’t intended to hug him like this. Eunchan raised his hand and patted Choi Hanul’s back like he’d done for Miro.
“Fuck, my life is really shitty… Kim Wooseok and the team name too, it’s annoying, I really didn’t know I’d debut with that…”
As if floodgates had opened, Choi Hanul poured out to Eunchan the resentment that had been building up until now. While Eunchan didn’t understand why he was pouring this out to him, he kept comforting Choi Hanul saying “I see.”
At the sight of two men sitting side by side hugging each other inside the cafe, people’s gazes began to gather. Noticing this, Eunchan pulled Choi Hanul’s hat down deeper, then handed him coffee telling him to calm down.
“Calm down and drink.”
“…Thank you.”
Being with a celebrity, he had to pay more attention to the surroundings, which gave him a headache. At this rate, they might get unnecessarily linked and have photos taken. He wanted to quickly wrap things up and part ways, but Choi Hanul himself seemed to have no such thoughts.
“I’ve been having a hard time lately because of activities anyway, it’s tiring to keep waiting at music broadcasts… It was a long-time dream, but now that I’ve actually debuted, it feels empty too.”
“Ah, yes.”
Surely he’s not trying to do life counseling here. Eunchan subtly took his hand away from Choi Hanul and sat a little further away. Then immediately Choi Hanul grabbed Eunchan’s arm and wiped his tearful eyes with his own sleeve.
“I can’t talk to anyone about Kim Wooseok or middle school stories, but I can talk to hyung so at least I feel relieved.”
“That’s good.”
That’s because you paid money so I’m listening, if you were a stranger I wouldn’t even be here. Eunchan hid his cold feelings and forced a smile.
“Can we keep in contact?”
“No.”
“Why not? Isn’t it good to have a celebrity friend?”
Eunchan’s network was already sufficiently glamorous with a lawyer who was a former executive of a conglomerate, an adopted child of a chaebol family, and a famous painter, without needing to add an idol. Seeing Choi Hanul return to the confident appearance from when they first met, Eunchan sighed.
“That’s enough. Stop contacting Kim Wooseok and focus on work. Got it?”
“…”
“And don’t do things like revenge either.”
“I’ll think about it.”
He was stubbornly persistent like Miro. Eunchan shook his head and drank his portion of lemonade. The sour and sweet lemon taste lingered on the tip of his tongue. He picked up his fork intending to finish the cake and leave when his phone started buzzing.
“Let me take this call.”
Seeing the name filling the screen, when Eunchan tried to stand up, Choi Hanul stopped him.
“Just answer it here. It’s okay.”
I don’t think I’ll be okay though. At the very least, he wanted to go around to the other side of the chair to answer. However, at the phone that seemed about to hang up any moment and Choi Hanul’s hand holding onto him, Eunchan gave up and brought the phone to his ear.
“Hello.”
— What are you doing right now, Eunchan?
“Just here, Miro-ssi is at the company, right?”
At the hurried question asked as soon as he answered, Eunchan was slightly flustered and changed the subject.
— Come h-home quickly. It seems too late.
“It hasn’t even been an hour since I left, what are you talking about.”
— Are you having fun playing with the younger guy you know?
“It’s not that fun.”
At Eunchan’s answer, he could feel Choi Hanul glancing at him. Eunchan deliberately turned his head and ignored the gaze.
— I miss Eunchan.
Miro’s low, languid voice blew into his ear. Rubbing his ear that must be turning red with his hand, Eunchan cleared his throat.
“Ahem, I’ll come quickly. You said you wouldn’t eat.”
— Yeah, don’t sit close to the younger guy, and don’t l-link arms either…
As if watching the current situation, Miro recited precautions. Over the receiver, he could hear someone calling “Jang Miro-nim!”
“Alright. You seem busy so I’ll hang up now, see you at home.”
— …Yees, see you at home.
As if there was much he wanted to say but was holding back, Miro answered obediently after a pause. He’s definitely making a sulky face. Eunchan hung up the phone and smiled imagining Miro’s face, then soon put his phone in his pocket.
“He’s even more than our manager.”
Choi Hanul, who had been quietly sipping his Americano, said with a smile.
“What?”
At the out-of-the-blue comment, Eunchan asked back.
“No, I just said it. Our manager hyung also monitors us every time we go somewhere. Telling us to be careful.”
“…Really?”
Though he wasn’t exactly in a position of being monitored, somehow his feelings were strange. Eunchan massaged the back of his neck and prepared to wrap things up.
“Anyway, we’ll end things here. I found Kim Wooseok for you as you requested, and did what you wanted.”
Worrying this much should be enough. Eunchan emptied his cake plate and checked the time. He didn’t know when Miro would come, but it seemed like enough time to find the items Jang Heewoo had requested.
“Yes, can we keep in contact?”
“…I might not be able to reply.”
“That’s okay, hyung.”
Seeing Hyungsik overlap with Choi Hanul, Eunchan reluctantly nodded. However, he hoped Choi Hanul would have no reason to contact him. That would be more comfortable for both of them.
“Don’t go to strange bars like last time and be careful.”
“Alright. Anyway, that place went under so I can’t go even if I want to.”
“It went under?”
The business seemed to be doing well though. Come to think of it, he didn’t receive the alcohol Choi Hanul said he’d prepared as a gift. Eunchan smacked his lips in disappointment.
“Didn’t you hear? Some crazy bastard apparently smashed someone’s head with a bottle there.”
“Oh my.”
The world is really scary. This isn’t even some game world, why suddenly smash someone’s head and make a fuss? Eunchan, who had become sensitive to violence since being attacked, shuddered.
“So they closed the place. I don’t know the details either, I just heard.”
“All sorts of things happen.”
He wouldn’t have occasion to go there again, but it was unfortunate since the bartender’s skills had been quite good. Eunchan wiped his palms on his pants and offered Choi Hanul a handshake.
“Live well.”
“Yes, you too, hyung. But won’t you eat with me? I’ll pay.”
Instead of answering, Eunchan shook their clasped hands up and down a few times.
“I want to hurry home. You call your manager hyung quickly too.”
“He’s on standby nearby.”
“Tell him to come.”
Being an idol’s manager seemed like a really difficult job too. After urging him to contact his manager right away, Eunchan organized the cups and plates. He walked to the cleaning station holding a tray to clear everything away. He dumped the remaining ice and put the used tissue in the trash. While stretching and rotating his head once, he saw a familiar person in the distance.
‘That’s the student who reported it for me then.’
It was the benefactor who had reported to the police on his behalf during the attack. His memory and observation skills weren’t bad, and the transparent glasses frames had been impressive, so he easily recognized the male student. Since he hadn’t had the leisure to thank him at the time, Eunchan ordered one more cake, then put the cake on a new tray and approached the male student.
“Hello, I don’t know if you remember me, but thank you for reporting back then.”
The male student, who seemed to have come alone and was just quietly on his phone with a drink ordered, jumped in surprise and raised his head when Eunchan spoke to him. Embarrassed by that reaction, Eunchan hurriedly offered an apology.
“I startled you a lot… I’m sorry.”
“N-no. I just didn’t expect someone to suddenly talk to me.”
“Please have this.”
While putting down the cake, Eunchan conveyed his thanks.
“Thank you.”
“I think there were two more friends with you then. If you give me your contact information, I’ll at least buy you a meal.”
If it hadn’t been for the students, Hyungsik and he would have been seriously hurt. When Eunchan took out his phone and asked for contact information, the male student made a troubled face and waved his hands.
“No, it’s okay.”
“If you’re uncomfortable, then I’ll at least give you a meal voucher. Have it with your friends.”
“It’s really okay. I have… something to do…”
Since he kept refusing, it was too embarrassing to insist further. The male student picked up the bag he’d brought as if to leave, so Eunchan asked him to at least eat the cake before going. The taste was good enough to consider buying some for Miro, who didn’t like sweets.
“Still, eat the cake before you go, it’s delicious. Then I’ll be going. Thank you.”
Looking at Choi Hanul waving at him from afar, Eunchan said goodbye to the male student. Come to think of it, it was a cafe quite far from the officetel where he used to live and not even near a university area, so it was interesting that they’d run into each other here by chance.
“Y-yes, yes.”
